Orange Beach Council to Discuss $3M Expenses - Plans Property, Equipment Purchases
John Mullen • February 20, 2024
Developments and Greenhouse Project in Council Focus
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – The Orange Beach City Council will meet in a joint regular/work session on Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. at city hall in council chambers. During the regular session, the council will discuss:
- Approving expense vouchers for a total of $3 million for recent payments.
- Declaring Feb. 29 as Rare Disease Day as sponsored annually by the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
- Approving a liquor license for Pizza at the Pass in San Roc Cay.
- Correcting the resolution appointing attorneys for 2024 to amend the pay for Spencer Davis Jr. upping his monthly pay from $4,500 to $4,600. The original resolution didn’t contain increasing his pay by $100 a month in 2024.
- A resolution for the execution of license agreements with the school board for athletic facilities, parking lots and gymnasiums.
- Authorizing the use of city staff, equipment and facilities for the high school Sailing Club for the 2023-24 school year.
- Awarding the bid for the Beaver Creek Sidewalk repairs to PL Russell for $143,615.
- Awarding a bid for surveying equipment to Allen Precision Equipment for $39,026.
- Purchasing a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck for Community Development from Eastern Shore Toyota for $39,722.
- Purchasing four Chevrolet Tahoes for the police department for $199,300 from Donohoo Chevrolet in Fort Payne.
- A contract with Edward Terry Stefankiewicz for coaching soccer.
- A resolution adopting a civil rights policy of nondiscrimination and adopting Title VI civil rights policy in compliance with the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA regulations for accepting grants and other money.
- A resolution to purchase lighting for softball fields at the Sportsplex from Musco Sports Lighting for $169,900.
- Purchasing surveillance systems for the Finance Department for $26,303, the recreation center for the Expect Excellence program for $34,856 and the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach for $45,210.
- Purchasing a Ford F-350 XL Super Duty crew cab pickup for the police department for $69,309.
- Authorizing the purchase of property at 27127 Canal Road from Michael and Joan Contorno for $2 million. The Contornos own two parcels in the area on directly behind Sam’s Stop N Shop and a second east of the store. Michael Contorno and Steve Russo were the long-time owners of Sam’s but recently sold the store.
- Authorizing an agreement with Jay Jackson for set building for the production of “Alice in Wonderland Jr.” for $4,000.
- Consider postponing a public hearing to March 19 for The Wharf Landing to rezone land east of the Foley Beach Express and north of the Intracoastal Waterway. The applicant wants to change from general business to a planned unit development for a mixed-use project on the site of the former Bama Bayou.
- Have public hearings and first readings on ordinances amending the commercial vessel portion of the city code and a second one to modify the business license rate for commercial vessels.
During the work session, the council will discuss:
- A one-year extension for planned unit development for the Romar Beach Hotel to be built at the former site of Romar Beach Baptist Church. The council first approved the PUD on March 1, 2023, but no work has started on the hotel.
- Extending for a year the planned unit development for the Jones Duplexes to be located east of Turquoise Place’s new parking garage. The property is owned by Rodney and Laurie Jones, who also own and operate Hudson Marina on Wilson Boulevard in Orange Beach.
- Authorizing a grant agreement with the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program for $220,000 to build and operate a 72-by-30-foot greenhouse with plans to grow native plants for shorelines, dune restoration and trails in the city. The location of the greenhouse has not been determined, and the funding is 100 percent reimbursable.
- Have public hearings and first readings on ordinances amending the commercial vessel portion of the city code and a second one to modify the business license rate for commercial vessels.
- Setting a public hearing date for a request from Collins Enterprises and Cactus Properties to rezone 3.14 acres north of the Dollar General on State Route 161. Owners here have tried to put in a Popeye’s Chicken but were denied because of traffic concerns. Plans for a Cactus Cantina restaurant on the same parcel never came to fruition. Developers are asking for a planned unit development to build an enclosed self-storage facility on the site. The suggested date is March 19.
- Setting a public hearing for a request from Isle of Wight Property Development for a planned unit development on the south side of beach road and directly west of Tallulah’s. Developers want to build Mills Row Beachside Cottages on .89 acres and containing 16 townhomes. The suggested date is March 19.
- Adopting an amendment to the flood damage prevention ordinance to meet the current standards set by FEMA.
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