Orange Beach Council Prepares Busy Agenda For Recreation And Development
John Mullen • June 2, 2026
Orange Beach leaders are preparing to make decisions about parks, events, roads, public safety, and development.
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – More work is being planned for Orange Beach’s recreation campus as a new pickleball complex is complete, and a new pool and refurbishing of the aquatic center are on the drawing board. A new western addition to the campus, Contorno Park, now has a walking path around the pond there in addition to turning the former Contorno home into city recreation offices. Up next are improvements to the tennis court.
The city council will meet in a joint regular committee of the whole meeting on June 2 at 5 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall. On June 2 at 11 a.m., the council will meet in an informal work session in the south conference room to discuss a “personnel policy update review.”
During the COW, or nonvoting meeting, the council will discuss paying Sawgrass $170,600 for professional services to design improvements at the city’s tennis center.
On Feb. 3, the council authorized a contract with Lose Tennessee for professional design services for the Orange Beach Aquatic Center’s renovation project for $781,000. See related story: Orange Beach recreation campus gets major upgrades
During the regular session, the council will also discuss:
- Paying $2.4 million for goods and services from May 21 to June 3.
- A second reading of an ordinance amendment to rezone 28 acres in the Margaritaville planned unit development from general business to single-family residential for a subdivision with 142 lots. See related story: New housing phase proposed for Margaritaville Resort development
- A liquor license for Pedro’s Tacos and Tequila Bar is going into the former Carver’s Steakhouse space in the Palm Pointe or Publix shopping center.
- A special events liquor license for the Wharf Restaurant Group for an event at the Orange Beach Event Center on July 19 for Howard Technology Solutions. The Wharf Restaurant Group owns Ginny Lane, Villagio’s, Mile Marker 158, and Yo Ho’s Rum and Tacos in The Wharf.
- Appointments to the Construction Board of Appeals for the terms of Jon Townsend and Russ Hart, whose terms expire in June.
- Executing a grant agreement with the USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration for a $200,000 grant to develop a safety action plan for the city. The city’s match is $50,000.
- Authorizing a grant agreement for $2,500 from the Alabama USA Semiquincentennial Commission for a city street party. The city is also sponsoring a $25,000 street party at The Wharf to celebrate Independence Day.
- A contract with McCollough Architecture for design services for an events pavilion at the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach for $12,800.
- Buying trailers for $24,944 to haul event barricades from Port City Trailers.
- The first reading of an ordinance change on public hearing for the Moondance PUD to add 16 finger piers or slips to the existing pier on the east end of Bear Point.
During the work session, the council will also discuss:
- A silent auction donation request for the 2026 Governor’s Conference on Tourism on July 13-15 at the Renaissance Shoals Resort and Spa in Florence.
- Buying a dispatch radio console for the police department for $39,000 from Motorola Solutions.
- Buying office furniture from McAleer’s Office Furniture for $59,108 for the fire department.
- Authorizing a change order of $15,983 with Roy Lewis Construction to make drainage improvements adjacent to the new fire training center being built behind Fire Station No. 1. This will bring the total cost of construction to nearly $2 million.
- A contract with GeoCon Engineering and Materials Testing for $2,500 to conduct a soil study for the addition of shade structures at the Kids Park Playground.
- Setting a public hearing for Bubba’s Seaside Mini Golf to rezone three acres to planned unit development for a bumper car attraction. The planning commission gave the plan an 8-0 favorable recommendation at its May 11 meeting. The suggested hearing date is June 16.
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