Pizza restaurant opening in Lester’s building; Sept. 17 public hearing for 58 cottages between 3 parcels

By John Mullen
During theAugust 20 regular session, Gulf Shores City Council approved a liquor license for Sauced, a restaurant going into the old Hogfish Grill location which also housed Lester’s for many years. One of the owners, Brent Sexton, said they are planning a full-service pizza restaurant and have plenty of televisions for sporting events. It will include hand-made crust, house-made cheeses, full menu including house-ground burgers and sandwiches and craft cocktails. They are shooting for a late-September or early-October opening. Sexton and his wife Erica Duff also own Beach House Kitchen and Cocktails in Gulf Shores on West Beach.
During the meeting, council also:
• Passed a resolution authorizing the execution of a professional services agreement with Gunn & Associates and accepting their proposal for electrical engineering services for baseball field lights at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in an amount not to exceed $14,625.
• Passed a resolution adopting a City of Orange Beach FY2020 Transportation Plan to meet the eligibility requirements of HB2 Rebuild Alabama Gas Tax Funds.
The council adiscussed:
• The sole source purchase and installation of additional vertical lane delineators on State Highway 161 in front of McDonald’s restaurant.
• A resolution authorizing the execution of a GOMESA grant agreement with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) to mitigate marine debris and waterborne trash in the amount of about $1.3 million. This grant would fund the program for five years and crews would work year-round. Currently, the city funds the program but only part of the year for the past six years.
• A resolution authorizing the execution of a task order with Davis Architects to provide professional architectural and engineering services for a new adult fitness center in an amount not to exceed $236,000. The center will be built near the Camp Sunshine building on the recreation complex and be a 24-hour gym for members.
• A resolution authorizing the execution of a task order with Davis Architects to provide professional architectural and engineering services for baseball/softball field renovations at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in an amount not to exceed $109,500. These improvements will make one of the fields an official college baseball facility and be used by Orange Beach High School.
• A resolution authorizing the execution of a task order with Davis Architects to provide professional architectural and engineering services for a new field house and practice facility for the Orange Beach High School in an amount not to exceed $356,288.
• A resolution authorizing a franchise for Gulf Limousine to operate a limousine service within the city limits and police jurisdiction of the City of Orange Beach.
• Setting a public hearing date of Sept. 17 for Cotton Bayou Cottages to build a 34-cottage development near Cotton’s Restaurant.
• Setting a public hearing date of Sept. 17 for The Bluffs of Orange Beach, a 10-cottage development planned for an empty lot in front of Walgreens.
• Setting a public hearing date of Sept. 17 for Robinson Grove just off of Canal Road and Walker Key Boulevard across the street from the Orange Beach Community Center. Developers are planning for 14 cottage lots.