Gulf Shores meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Gulf Shores Council to weigh transportation plan, gas tax at Monday work session

In the past two weeks, Gulf Shores city boards held work sessions and a public hearing but made no formal decisions. The City Council is set to discuss a transportation plan and potential gas tax at a work session today, Aug. 17.

Recent meetings: no formal votes

The City Council held a work session on Aug. 3 with no formal votes or decisions. Staff reviewed several items, including a contract renewal with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) for the Alabama Coastal Area Management Plan, an ABC license application for The Salty Whisker, a walking area overlay district expansion, a pre-zoning and annexation request for 18789 Oak Road West, and large group activity applications for the Bloody Mary 5K and the 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival. Public comments were addressed by staff, but no actions were taken.

On Aug. 4, the Zoning Board of Adjustment held a public hearing on a variance request (ZA26-000057) to allow a carport to encroach into the required 35-foot setback at 414 Sunset Drive. The board also considered approval of July 7, 2026 meeting minutes. Minutes from this meeting have not yet been published.

The City Council's regular meeting on Aug. 10 was on the agenda but minutes have not yet been published. Scheduled action items included a public hearing on the ABC license application for The Salty Whisker, a resolution authorizing an agreement with ADEM for the Alabama Coastal Area Management Plan, large group activity permits for the Bloody Mary 5K and the 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival, and approval of expense vouchers.

Upcoming work session: transportation plan and more

Today's City Council work session is set to discuss several items that could come up for a vote later. Notable items include:

• **FY 2027 Transportation Plan** – Adoption of the plan, which includes a gas tax summary, is on the agenda.
• **Canal Park Boat Launch lease** – An amendment and execution of a lease agreement with ALDOT for the Canal Park Boat Launch.
• **Fire rescue pay adjustment** – A request for a pay adjustment for Gulf Shores Fire Rescue.
• **School zone speed limit** – A proposed change to signage and speed limit on Coastal Gateway Boulevard near a school zone.
• **Pre-zoning and annexation** – A request for 18789 Oak Road West.
• **Other items** – A board appointment, street acceptance for The Village at Craft Farms, position classification changes, recruitment service agreements, and a budget update for Kids Park replacement.

Because this is a work session, these items are for discussion, and some may be voted on at a later meeting.

Coming up

• **City Council work session** – Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. Agenda includes the FY 2027 Transportation Plan, gas tax summary, Canal Park Boat Launch lease, fire rescue pay adjustment, and school zone speed limit change. Residents interested in these topics may attend to hear discussion and provide public comment.

Gulf Shores boards set agendas for incentives, subdivisions, and variance requests

Gulf Shores city boards met last week to set agendas for upcoming decisions, including potential incentive programs, residential subdivisions, and a zoning variance. No final votes were taken at these meetings, as minutes have not yet been published.

City Council (July 27)

The City Council will consider creating incentive programs for the Waterway Village Area and Beach Walking District. Other action items include:

• Authorizing a memorandum of understanding with the Pleasure Island Revelers Mardi Gras Krewe.
• Extending a tri-party agreement with AHSAA for the Track & Field Championship by one year.
• Approving Change Order No. 4 with Harrison Construction for a pedestrian bridge.
• Awarding a bid for a body scanner.
• Authorizing a taxi franchise for Action Taxi, LLC.

The agenda also includes routine approvals of minutes and expense vouchers, and recognition of a firefighter.

Planning Commission (July 28)

The Planning Commission will hold public hearings on two final subdivision plats and one rezoning request:

• ZA26-000031: Final plat to subdivide 36 acres into 26 single-family lots on County Road 8 West.
• ZA26-000056: Final subdivision plat for a 93-lot single-family subdivision on Coastal Gateway Boulevard.
• ZA26-000027: Request to rezone 10.43 acres on Oak Road East from AG to R-1-3.

City Council Work Session (August 3)

The City Council held a work session to discuss zoning changes and contract renewals. Topics included:

• Expansion of the Walking Area Overlay District (ZTA25-10).
• Contract renewal for the ADEM Alabama Coastal Area Management Plan.
• Large Group Activity Applications for the Bloody Mary 5K and the 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival.

Zoning Board of Adjustment (August 4)

The Zoning Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing on a variance request (ZA26-000057) to allow a carport to encroach into the required 35-foot setback at 414 Sunset Drive. The board will also consider approval of the July 7, 2026 meeting minutes.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days. Check the city’s official calendar for future agendas.

Gulf Shores Council Reviews Incentive Programs, Parade Date Deferred; Planning Commission Takes Up Three Subdivision Requests

Council work sessions: No formal votes taken

The Gulf Shores City Council held two work sessions in late July, neither of which produced formal votes or final decisions, according to official minutes.

On July 20, the council met for a work session covering department requests and community concerns. The minutes show that Human Resource Director items were pulled from the agenda, and discussion on changing the parade date from Fat Tuesday to a Saturday was deferred. No votes were recorded.

On July 21, the council held a special work session featuring a presentation on Targeted Incentive Programs for the Beach Walking District and Waterway Village areas. The session was used for presentation and public input only; no formal votes were taken.

July 27 council meeting: Action items listed, outcomes not yet recorded

The City Council's July 27 regular meeting agenda included several action items, but minutes had not been published as of this report, so outcomes are not yet confirmed.

Agenda items scheduled for consideration included:

• A resolution to create incentive programs for the Waterway Village Area and Beach Walking District.
• A resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding with the Pleasure Island Revelers Mardi Gras Krewe.
• A resolution authorizing a one-year extension of the tri-party agreement with AHSAA for the Track & Field Championship.
• A resolution authorizing Change Order No. 4 with Harrison Construction for a pedestrian bridge.
• An ordinance to authorize a taxi franchise for Action Taxi, LLC.

The agenda also listed routine approvals of minutes and expense vouchers and recognition of a firefighter.

July 28 Planning Commission: Three residential items on agenda

The Planning Commission's July 28 agenda included public hearings on two final subdivision plats and one rezoning request. Minutes were not yet published, so outcomes are not confirmed.

The items were:

• ZA26-000031: Final plat to subdivide 36 acres into 26 single-family lots on County Road 8 West.
• ZA26-000056: Final subdivision plat for a 93-lot single-family subdivision on Coastal Gateway Boulevard.
• ZA26-000027: Request to rezone 10.43 acres on Oak Road East from AG to R-1-3.

Coming up

The City Council holds a work session on August 3 to discuss the Walking Area Overlay District Expansion (ZTA25-10), a contract renewal for the ADEM Alabama Coastal Area Management Plan, and large group activity applications for the Bloody Mary 5K and the 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival. As a work session, no formal votes are expected.

Gulf Shores meetings: Land exchange, fire boat bid on July 13 agenda; no confirmed votes yet published

Gulf Shores residents saw a busy stretch of government meetings in early July, but official minutes confirming most decisions have not yet been published. The only meeting with finalized minutes on record — a July 6 City Council work session — produced no formal votes. Several consequential items from the July 13 Council meeting, including a land exchange with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and a fire rescue boat bid, remain listed as agenda items pending official minutes.

July 6 Council Work Session: No Decisions Recorded

The City Council held a work session on July 6 to discuss various departmental items. According to the official minutes, no formal votes or decisions were recorded. Work sessions typically allow council members to review and discuss items before formal action at a regular meeting.

July 7 Zoning Board of Adjustment: Variance Request Pending

The Zoning Board of Adjustment scheduled a public hearing for July 7 on variance request ZA26-000051, concerning the Pierce Residence. The request sought to allow a pool deck enclosure to encroach into a required 5-foot setback. The agenda also included approval of the June 2, 2026, meeting minutes and a period for hearing persons not on the formal agenda. Minutes from this meeting have not yet been published, so the outcome of the variance vote is not confirmed.

July 13 City Council: Land Exchange, Fire Boat, Annexation on Agenda

The July 13 City Council meeting agenda included several notable items, though minutes have not yet been published and no vote tallies are available:

• **Fire Rescue Boat bid**: An agenda item to award a bid to Silver Ships, Inc. for a fire rescue boat.
• **Land exchange with ADCNR**: A resolution regarding a land exchange involving Gulf State Park.
• **Annexation request**: A request to annex 21887 Cotton Creek Drive — listed as the Bonifay property.
• **Incentive programs**: Creation of incentive programs for the Waterway Village Area and the Beach Walking District.
• **Port Security Grant**: A grant application for a Port Security Grant to fund a command vehicle.
• **Taxi franchise**: Authorization of a taxi franchise for Granbury Executive Transport.

Because minutes are not yet published, it is not confirmed which of these items were voted on, approved, tabled, or continued.

Coming Up

The Gulf Shores City Council has a meeting scheduled for today, July 20, with several items on the agenda:

• **Change Order #4** for Harrison Construction regarding the Pedestrian Bridge project.
• **Bid award** to Tek84, LLC for a full body scanner for the Police Department.
• **Taxi franchise request** from Action Taxi, LLC.
• **Recruitment service agreements** with Next Move Group, LLC and Find Great People.
• **Holiday decoration service contract** with The Decor Group, Inc.

Residents interested in the pedestrian bridge project, police department equipment, or taxi franchising may want to attend or follow the July 20 meeting. Official agendas and minutes are available through the City of Gulf Shores.

Gulf Shores City Council weighs pedestrian bridge change, 304-lot PUD on horizon

Recent City Council Meeting

At its June 22 meeting, the Gulf Shores City Council considered several items including a change order for pedestrian bridge construction and a professional services contract for FY2026 streets resurfacing. The agenda also included a grant application for the America250 Alabama Initiative and franchise requests for two personal training businesses — Cajueiro Fitness, LLC and Iron & Flow, LLC. No minutes have been published yet, so it is not known whether the council approved any of these items.

Planning Commission Considers Large Development Proposals

On June 23, the Gulf Shores Planning Commission held public hearings on four development proposals. Among them was a request to rezone 148 acres on Roscoe Road for a 304-lot single-family planned unit development (Ellenburg PUD), along with pre-zoning and annexation of that property. The commission also heard a proposal for a 233-lot PUD on 80 acres at Audubon Oaks and a prezone/annexation of 5.6 acres at Oak Place for single-family residential. Minutes have not yet been published, so no votes or decisions are available.

Coming Up

• **City Council work session** – July 6, 2026: The council will discuss targeted incentive programs for beach and waterway areas, a taxi franchise request from Granbury Executive Transport, a fire boat bid award to Silver Ships Inc, a land exchange with Gulf State Park, an annexation request for 21187 Cotton Creek Drive, and other items. No final votes are expected at this discussion-only session.
• **Zoning Board of Adjustment** – July 7, 2026: The board will hold a public hearing and vote on a variance request (ZA26-000051) to allow a pool deck enclosure to encroach into the required five-foot setback at a residence on Pierce. The meeting also includes approval of prior minutes and public comment periods.