GULF SHORES - The Gulf Shores City Council held a Committee of the Whole Agenda meeting on Monday night.

The relatively short meeting closed with Mayor Billy Duke and council discussing the necessity of a new justice center for the Gulf Shores Police Department.

The city is currently awaiting a general estimate from an area engineering firm that will give the council an idea what it will cost to build such a center. According to the council, the City of Foley built its justice center in 2000 at a cost of about $4 million, an amount assumed to be well below today’s inflation-adjusted prices.

The discussion for the new justice center comes as the city looks ahead to several bond issue expenditures, including the purchase of property on West Canal at about $5.5 million, likely to be used as a park and boat launch.

“My biggest concern right now is making sure the police department has the facilities and resources it needs to operate,” Councilman Robert Craft said.

Councilman Steve Jones said he agreed with Craft, but also felt that council should still carefully evaluate other items, such as the West Canal property, because development projects could prevent the city from buying property along that area in the future.

The councilmen and mayor agreed they could further explore their options on the matter once the estimate is received from the engineering firm.

The first item discussed was a business license request by B.J. Johnson of Funny Cars, LLC. Johnson’s company specializes in the rental of highway legal recreational vehicles commonly found in tourist areas. He told the council his company already operates at Pensacola Beach, and if allowed to operate in Gulf Shores he would likely make 10 of the vehicles available to rent in the city. Councilmen Philip Harris and Craft along with Duke said their primary concern was the effect the vehicles would have during peak times of traffic congestion.

Harris cited in particular the recreational use of the vehicles, and the possibility that someone using one during a congested time might try to operate it in a bicycle lane or another dangerous way. Johnson countered with his belief that such a scenario would be unlikely, and in such an event his company would have the ability to revoke the rental under its policies. The council agreed to research any past incidents involving the vehicles in Pensacola and make attempts to have discussions with officials in that area.

Next the council discussed a request to change the name of Chapel Road to Chapel Lane, which received support only from the interested parties present at the meeting. A city employee from the recreation department acknowledged bid information concerning perennial rye grass seed and the cancellation of bids concerning athletic field marking paint because the colors needed were unavailable.

Other notable items discussed at the meeting included: requests for site plan extensions by Park Place, Hampton Village and Sanders Condotel Development, a request for site plan modifcation by Callaway Condominiums, the rezoning of Gulfwood Highlands lots on Fort Morgan Road and West Canal Property, and the amending of a zoning ordinance to allow restaurants in the restricted business zoning district.