GULF SHORES, Ala. —The city of Gulf Shores has received the 2009-10 hurricane stickers and will mail them out this week.

The stickers, used as passes to get back on the island after an evacuation, should be arriving at homes by the middle of the upcoming week, according to Revenue Officer Marcia Ward. Residents will be receiving two free stickers.

The city used the Baldwin EMC service list to mail out the stickers, however, Ward stressed Baldwin EMC has no relation to the stickers and residents shouldn’t contact the power company concerning them.

“So if you rent it goes to whoever gets the electric bill,” Ward said. “If you are a renter and the owner gets the electric bill then the owners will get the stickers.”

The city offers up to three stickers for a flat rate of $10 per person, whether you receive free stickers or not.

A citizen must bring proof of residence, such as a copy of a lease agreement or a utility bill showing the service address to City Hall. A post office box number is not an acceptable address.

It’s important to get stickers before the hurricane season starts in June. Per a city resolution, once a hurricane warning has been issued hurricane stickers are not available until after the storm has passed. The stickers also allow free public beach parking.

With the need of new stickers, the city took the opportunity to clean up the evacuation zones. Divided into sections, the city has made a few changes and added two new zones. Most adjustments are minor, like widening the zone by a block.

“A lot of the corrections were where there was a zone with half of a subdivision in and half out,” Steve Henderson, Geographic Information Systems coordinator, said.

But an addition of Plash Island and area surrounding County Road 6 introduced zones 26 and 27.

The new zones, which are not usually evacuated, have been designated to make a smooth evacuation in case of a Category 5 hurricane. Residents who live within the 26 and 27 zones will not receive hurricane stickers. The definition of the zones will be used more to relay advisory information.

Contact the city to purchase additional stickers or to find out what zone changes have been made.

According to Orange Beach officials, new residential hurricane stickers were issued last year and are good for another two years. Businesses must renew their stickers every year.

They can be picked up at Orange Beach City Hall in the finance department. The first two stickers are free; any additional sticker is $10.