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Gulf Shores City Council unanimously approves Laguna Cove contract, zoning changes, taxi franchises and expanded golf-cart streets
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Summary
At its Jan. 12 meeting the Gulf Shores City Council unanimously approved a wetland waiver for the Edwin Oaks subdivision, adopted two zoning text amendments, accepted a grant-reimbursable Laguna Cove restoration contract (~$2.66M), renewed multiple taxi franchises, annexed 6951 Grund Lane and adopted a broad golf-cart ordinance listing designated streets including Cotton Bay.
Mayor Robert Craft presided over the Gulf Shores City Council meeting on Jan. 12, 2026, where the council unanimously approved a package of land-use, transportation and contract actions, including a Laguna Cove restoration contract and a comprehensive golf-cart ordinance.
The council adopted Resolution No. 7069-26 to authorize a wetland-waiver for the Edwin Oaks subdivision after Zoning Administrator Andy Bauer summarized the request on behalf of the applicant. The waiver allows platting of 679 square feet of wetlands on new single-family lots provided the wetlands are placed in a recorded conservation easement, signage is installed at the 30-foot wetland buffer, deed references to the easement are recorded for each lot, and the subdivision plat references the Wetland Protection Regulation monitoring and enforcement requirements (Section 7-581). The resolution passed on a unanimous vote by the mayor and five council members.
In zoning actions, Planning & Zoning Director Scott Stephens presented two text amendments affecting Article 8 of the zoning ordinance. The council suspended rules for immediate consideration and adopted Ordinance No. 2190 (ZTA25-08) and Ordinance No. 2191 (ZTA25-07), which revise permitted uses in the BN and BG business district tables. Both ordinances were adopted unanimously with no public opposition at the hearing.
The council accepted the bid from Asphalt Services, Inc. for the Laguna Cove Restoration Project by adopting Resolution No. 7070-26. The resolution cites a 2017 Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) grant from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that funded acquisition of a 53-acre tract formerly known as the Laguna Cove development and requires restoration of habitat and provision of passive recreational amenities. Section 1 of the resolution lists the accepted contract amount as $2,662,963.95 (the resolution header references $2,670,000.00); the agenda notes $2,000,000 budgeted for FY2026 and the project is identified as 100% grant reimbursable. The Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to execute the contract and the council voted unanimously to accept the bid.
On governance and franchise matters, the council adopted Ordinance No. 2192 to expand the Airport Authority board from five to seven directors and set six-year terms for the new positions. The council also approved Ordinance No. 2193 renewing nonexclusive taxi and transportation franchises for a list of companies operating in the city; the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to execute the franchise agreements. Both measures passed unanimously.
The council approved Ordinance No. 2194 to annex the property at 6951 Grund Lane (owner: Anhlee Malone). The ordinance directs publication and filing of certified copies with the Baldwin County Probate Judge and becomes effective upon publication as required by law.
In a widely detailed action, the council adopted Ordinance No. 2195 permitting and regulating operation of golf carts and licensed low-speed vehicles on a defined set of "Designated Cart Streets" across multiple neighborhoods (including Cotton Bay, Brigadoon Trail area, Gulf Wood Highlands, Cypress Park, Craft Farms, Martyn Woods at Bon Secour, Aventura and portions of Gulf Pines). The ordinance sets operator and equipment requirements (seat belts for each occupant, lights, brake/turn signals, windshield, mirrors, approved tires, red reflectors and an orange flag), age and license minimums (operators must be 18 and hold a valid driver license), hours (sunrise to no later than 10:00 p.m.), permit and inspection rules (annual permit sticker and inspection; liability insurance by the cart owner at the same minimum limits required by the State of Alabama) and civil and criminal penalties for violations. The text of the ordinance includes two internal inconsistencies: an annual permit fee is described both as "twenty dollars" and shown in parentheses as "$25.00," and an advertised agenda start time and the minutes' recorded start/adjourn times differ. The council adopted the ordinance by unanimous vote.
Councilman Stephen E. Jones reported on the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber's E-Cycling & Shred Day and thanked staff and volunteers. During the hearing of persons not on the formal agenda, Gulf Shores City School Board President Kevin S. Corcoran said the board would consider a resolution to make Gulf Shores City Schools a "Purple Star School District," and Superintendent Dr. Matt Akin described what that designation means.
All recorded motions and ordinance adoptions were approved unanimously by the attending members: Mayor Robert Craft; Councilman Joe Garris, Jr.; Councilwoman Jennifer Guthrie; Councilman Philip Harris; Councilman Jason Dyken, M.D.; and Councilman Stephen E. Jones. The meeting minutes record the meeting adjourned following the hearing of persons not on the agenda.
Next procedural steps noted in the meeting record include execution of the Laguna Cove contract by the Mayor and City Clerk, publication and Probate Judge filing for the annexation ordinance, and the requirement that cart owners obtain annual permit stickers and insurance before operating on designated streets. The minutes do not record any dissent or roll-call 'no' votes on the listed agenda items.