A proposal in Gulf Shores would approve a new multisport facility at the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Center while another would pave the way for land swaps and a maintenance cleanup of a portion of Northwest Canal Drive.

Due to the upcoming holidays, Gulf Shores City Council members gathered on Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 for rescheduled work session and council meetings.

Multisport facility
According to presented documents, the city has proposed constructing a 36,000-square-foot multipurpose sports facility at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

Additionally, the city has put forth a motion to lease the facility for 30 years to the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Center for various sports activities.

Grant Brown, cultural affairs director for the city, stated that the city submitted a proposal in April 2022 for a facility located on city property aimed at fostering sports tourism during the off-season.

Brown added that if approved, the facility would focus on expanding youth and adult programming in an under-served location within the city. It would also emphasize off-season sports tourism, boost tax revenue during both peak and slower times of the year, expand year-round activity at the Sportsplex and provide residents with access to local training and events.

According to the presented documents, the facility will include an indoor and outdoor facility, volleyball and basketball courts, fitness center, coffee shop and multi-purpose event space.

"We've talked for a long time about how our city is growing to the north and it is important to add additional recreational facilities in our northern section," Brown said. "Similar to what is going in on the eastern side, the Coastal Gateway Community Park."

Additionally, Brown proposed another motion to transfer the 6.92-acre property from the city to the Public Park and Recreation Board, which is an entity of the city.

According to Brown, the board would acquire the property and construct the facility through the board's lease revenue bonds. Additionally, the facility is projected to cost approximately $8,265 and would not have any impact on the city's budget, as the sports center would be required to pay rent to the city in exchange for access to the facility.

"As we grow our sports programs in the city, and looking at the successes just from our city schools, it's an important opportunity," Mayor Robert Craft said. "It's a real focus of this city to provide that kind of environment as we try to grow more families coming to join us to live here and raise their families here."

Land transfer
Board members also passed a motion to authorize a land swap between the Gulf Shores City School Board and the Baldwin County Board of Education.

According to presented documents, when the city split into its own school system in 2019, all Baldwin County-owned property and buildings were transferred to the city.

However, the city discovered the 7.9-acre property where the practice football field, field house, batting cage and a portion of the high school parking lot was still owned by Baldwin County. According to presented documents, the motion will transfer that property back to the city, giving the school board ownership over it.

Additionally, the school board will also be transferring approximately 11.3 acres of property to the city as a part of the city's RESTORE grant to plan the short and long term construction of the Canal Road bypass.
According to Steve Griffin, city administrator, that motion was previously approved at a January city council meeting.

"It's necessary between our respective insurance companies to have that property transferred to the school system and out from the ownership of the city council," Griffin said. "In doing this, I was talking to Superintendent Matt Aiken that the city has a need during the planning of the Canal Road bypass. Between transportation and planning needs down the road, we thought it would be best to go ahead and do this land swap of the school's 11.3 acres with the 7.3 acres the city currently owns."

"The existing situation is complicated with the different insurance policies that we have for liability, with the school activities on the school property and city activities on school property creates a problem of loss of insurance," Craft said. "This is imperative not just because of facts, but because we need to get it to the point where the proper activities are happening on the proper location."

Northwest Canal Drive maintenance cleanup
Council members approved a motion to accept maintenance for a portion of Northwest Canal Drive, the first step in eventually turning the area into a public trail.

Per the presented documents, the street was first recorded in 1954 as a part of the West Canal Pines Unit of Gulf Shores subdivision.

According to the presented documents, throughout the years most of that land was reconfigured, however this portion is one of the last areas that was never accepted or improved by Baldwin County Commission.

Jay Dickson, planning manager, said the area was somehow registered under two different names, Northwest Canal Drive and West 25th Avenue, and is currently littered with debris from past storms.

"The north side of the bank has a good amount of usable land, and we are presenting a proposal for a future trail that would be allowed there," Dickson said. "For whatever reason it was entered under two different names, and there are tress that have fallen due to Hurricane Sally on the bank."

According to Dickson, the maintenance will be conducted on the 80-foot-wide right-of-way portion of Northwest Canal Drive and West 25th Ave., and a 60-foot right-of-way along the northern bank of the Intercoastal Waterway beginning at the new Legendary Marina development.

"When we were considering what to do with this land, it made sense to preserve one of those last few pieces of the waterfront right-of-way that exist," Dickson said.

Dickson also said that the project is estimated to cost the city approximately $25,500. This amount will cover expenses related to equipment rental and debris disposal associated with the clearing process and is earmarked in the city's 2024 public works budget.

Police department drone streaming and other professional services
Council members also approved a contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. to provide the Gulf Shores Police Department with drone streaming, data storage, training, equipment and geospatial mapping services.

Per the presented documents, the contract will last for three years, costing the city approximately $43,027.87.

The expense has already been included in the 2024 budget and will be broken into three payments costing approximately $16,009.29 for the first year and $13,509.29 for the second and third year each.

"A couple of years ago, the department expressed the desire to implement and establish a drone unit within the department, and the unit has already proven to be a tremendous asset to how we address various issues that arise within the city," said Dan Netemeyer, deputy police chief. "It allows us to best allocate resources, and it allows the drone operator and supervisor on duty to assess the situation before we send officers in to enhance the safety of the officers if they're going into a dangerous situation."

Netemeyer used the Hangout Music Festival as an example, citing that attendees that stole, jumped fences or ran from officers were followed with the drone until they stopped and were taken into police custody.