ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — Both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are working on new regulations on reentry permits following storms.

In Gulf Shores, Emergency Management Coordinator Brandan Franklin recommended, and the City Council OK’d, a tightening of the rules concerning business reentries.

For Orange Beach, Emergency Management Coordinator Lanny Smith presented some changes that are similar to the Gulf Shores rules. The Orange Beach City Council will vote on the changes tonight at its meeting at 5 p.m.

Gulf Shores passed a resolution March 25 to amend the resolution passed on Oct. 8 regarding new reentry rules.

“It was what we considered a loophole that allowed businesses up to eight business placards for reentry,” Franklin said.

Under that formula, Franklin said, those with multiple business licenses are able to get multiple passes and placards.

“If you have a business where you rent that property as well, that allows you to get eight more placards for reentry after storms,” Franklin said. “What we’re recommending here that the council adopt to exclude the residential property for them to eliminate that eight additional.

“If you have one person that may own 10 properties he may get 20 decals from EMC, parking decals. But also by having those 20 business licenses, the way it was written before, would allow him to come in and get an addition 160 business placards. This recommendation is to close that loophole.”

According to the resolution, “businesses in the city, excluding licenses for residential properties, will have up to eight hurricane passes issued at no cost during the period Feb. 28 through May 15. A $25 administrative fee will be assessed for passes distributed beginning June 1, except for new businesses.”

Gulf Shores’ March 25 vote implemented those changes and Orange Beach’s resolution will mirror those charges and rules.

In Orange Beach, Smith wants to a change in the way contractor passes are issued.

“Basically the existing resolution gives the levels of reentry with Level 4 being contractor,” Smith said. “At that time it was put in as an optional provision. Level 4 is listed as optional and at the time they adopted the ordinance they chose not to issue contractor passes. I would like to as far as a rewrite to change that policy and to issue passes to contractors.”

Smith’s first inclination, he told the council was to just amend that particular section.

“But after talking to (City Clerk) Cathy Constantino, she thinks it would be cleaner if we basically rewrote the entire section and add that in there,” Smith said.

He will present that resolution at tonight’s council meeting. Smith says the new rules are an effort to make things run smoother after a disaster occurs.

“It’s not that we want to keep people out,” Smith said. “It makes our job a lot easier when everybody can get back to their homes and their businesses and get back to a normal routine. Based on the amount of damage it becomes a control issue and you have to limit traffic for us to be able to do our job.”

And trying to work around contractors makes the city’s job tougher.

“If we’re not having to dodge workers out there trying to find business a day after the storm then we’re going to be able to get everybody back to their homes and back to their lives a lot quicker,” he said.

Both cities have been refining and working on reentry rules since Sept. 16 2004 when Hurricane Ivan came ashore on Pleasure Island.

“It’s never going to be perfect, but I think we can make it a lot better and this is a step in the right direction, especially for the contractor,” he said.

In Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, residents get two decals per residence for reentry and can buy up to three additional passes for $5 apiece.