GULF SHORES, Ala. – Gulf Shores is taking the final steps toward wrapping up a branding and wayfinding initiative which began in the summer of 2011.

The city will begin talks with the state to get agreements on using rights of way along state roads for the new signs.

“It’s a cooperative maintenance agreement between the City of Gulf Shores and the Alabama Department of Transportation as it relates to our wayfinding signs in the ALDOT right of way,” City Planner Andy Bauer told the City Council on Monday. “We just need to pass a resolution adopting this agreement and send it to ALDOT for their requirements so we can get going.”

In other business, the council heard a request for a permit for a Women’s Care Medical Center walk-a-thon in April at Sims Park and reviewed appointments to various city boards. Since this past Monday was a work session, the council will vote on all these items at the regular meeting Jan. 14.

Also, the council moved the next work session slated for Jan. 21 to Jan. 28 because of the Martin Luther King holiday.

Bauer says he’s not asking for rights of way on any certain areas or places, but just wants to get the general OK for placing signage.

“It’s not specific,” he said. “It’s to put signs in their right of way. They have to have a resolution passed by the city. We send them all the information for them to look at and now we’re proceeding with the permitting process and this is one of the things the city has to adopt.”

Great Destination Strategies of Seattle, Wash., and Total Destination Marketing of Tualatin, Ore., started the branding and wayfinding initiative in 2011. The firms did preliminary work with members of the community through focus groups and other meetings. The city approving hiring the firm in June 2011 at a cost of $200,000.

On June 29, 2012 the city unveiled its new logo and colors during a ceremony at the public beach. The final stage will be new and improved signs.

“We have some business information signs, but they are outdated,” Bauer said in August of 2011. “And we don’t have any entryway signs. We thought we needed that because we are a tourist type community and it could be done better.”

In another matter, Bauer asked the council’s permission to go ahead with redefining some of the code in the city’s zoning laws.

“Each year as we use the zoning ordinances we keep a list of changes that need to be made, modifications, improvements,” he said. “And that is what I have before you today. All I want today is the endorsement from the council to go ahead and proceed then I will take it to the planning commission and back before you guys in a public hearing.”

Getting the OK from the council to proceed, Bauer said, is the first step in that process.

“The only way a zoning change can be initiated is by the City Council, the planning commission or by a citizen,” Bauer said. “That’s why I’m asking you guys to let me initiate these changes.”

Bauer had his list divided into major changes and minor changes. He went over the major changes on Monday night. The first was to establish minimum standards for the location and operation of tattoo and body piercing studios in the city.

Another concerned a site west of the Bon Secour Village on the north side of the Intracoastal Waterway and a site there with a marina, part of which is currently zoned Business-Tourist 4.

“One is the 26-acre former Bon Secour Marina site and it’s the only remnant remaining from the Bon Secour Village PUD,” Bauer said. “I think we need to take a look at that and figure out how we want it to be zoned.

“Then there is an area directly west of the Bon Secour Village on the waterway that is zoned BT-4 and we need to look at that is the appropriate zoning for that area.”

The last item on Bauer’s major list concerned amusement park districts in the city.

“All the regulations will be the same, but instead of having a zoning district really for one use, we would have specific regulations that would allow that use in certain districts,” he said.

On the board appointments the council reappointed Councilman Joe Garris and Larry Hopkins to the Airport Authority for six-year terms.

Jim Bauer, Rodney Powell and Camille Warren were all reappointed to the Beautification board for three-year terms.

Richard Schwartz and George Harris Jr. were reappointed to three-year terms on the Board of Zoning Adjustments and Appeals while Randy Arp, David Jones and Joe Bullock were reappointed to the same board for four-year terms.

Pat Ward and Bebe Gauntt were reappointed to three-year terms on the Civic Center Advisory Board and Dr. E. Gaylon McCollough was reappointed to a four-year term on the Gulf Coast Health Care Authority.

Paula Teipel was reappointed to a four-year term on the Library Advisory Board and Councilman Steve Jones was reappointed to the Library Board for a four-year term.

On the Planning Commission, Larry Parris and Owen Gray were reappointed to six-year terms and Fire Chief Hartly Brokenshaw was reappointed to the Solid Waste Disposal Authority for a six-year term.