BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Baldwin County Commission will use nearly $1 million in BP settlement money to start work on improvements at Live Oak Landing.

At the same time, the commission voted to return about $500,000 in Deepwater Horizon Incident grant funds to the state to help restore the lighthouse at Fort Morgan.

The county will use $970,847.60 to build a boat launch, floating docks, expanded parking and “related amenities” at the sprawling park located near Stockton, just north of Interstate 65.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Commissioner Frank Burk. “This is work that desperately needs to be done.”

“I’m excited to see the end of this process,” said Commissioner Bob James. “We will be able to keep the marine police there and it will be a great asset to all the fishermen in the area.”

Long process

The county received $1.5 million in oil spill funds for Live Oak Landing. Officials, along with JADE Consultants, developed a master plan for the park, which lies between the Tensaw River and Highway 225. County officials would like to develop Live Oak in conjunction with Bicentennial Park, which sits just north. The combined parks encompass around 1,500 acres.

Earlier this year, the commission posted the plans online to get input from the public about which items they hoped would be first. The master plan called for a number of things, including a 5.5-mile multi-use trail, a bed and breakfast, a rustic restaurant overlooking the river, rental cottages, a themed village, a resort-style swimming pool, and a dozen picnic shelters around the pond.

In the end, officials decided the most important things to start with were additional parking, improving the boat launch area and building a boathouse for use by the Alabama Marine Police.

Col. Walter S. Thompson of the Marine Police Division said in a letter of support that the boathouse would allow for decreased response times in responding to emergency call-outs and search and rescue missions.

“With a patrol boat located on-site on a boat lift, our officers are able to get underway up to 30 minutes earlier than if they tow the patrol boat and launch it from the boat ramp,” Thompson wrote. “As you are aware, 30 minutes can mean the difference between life and death for many of our citizens in need.”

Of the estimated costs, docks, piers and the boathouse are the biggest ticket items. Ten T-docks both north and south of the boat ramp would run $112,000.  The boathouse, with three boat lifts, would be built at the site of the old lower boathouse for $150,000. A floating dock system around the boat ramp will cost an estimated $214,500.

The Baldwin County Commission purchased Live Oak Landing in August 2012 for around $3 million to protect and preserve the coastal habitat. The landing is open seven days a week.