ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — The city of Orange Beach was granted a new zip code for the northwestern boundary of the city.

The area includes the Orange Beach Commerce Park and the Columns of Orange Beach Apartment complex.

The original request to change the zip code for newly annexed properties was denied, but an appeal by the city led to a boundary review survey conducted by the U.S. Postal Service in December 2008, a news release said.

City officials sought the assistance of Congressman Jo Bonner, along with Columbia Southern University President Robert Mayes, who appealed to the U.S. Postal Service to realign the delivery territory between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

This appeal was implemented due to concerns related to public safety with Emergency 911 dispatch from the appropriate city in the event of emergency calls, and the hardships of effective communications and effective correspondences with the new businesses and residents relocating in the Orange Beach Commerce Park area.

“The support of the U.S. Postal Service in changing the zip code for this new segment of our city is critical to the effective operation and services we provide to those businesses and residents, and we appreciate their decision to work with us,” Mayor Tony Kennon said in a prepared statement.

The review of the original request was determined that it was not economically or operationally feasible to accommodate this request but the final decision verified that the 36561 zip code would be effective east of the Foley Beach Express to the southernmost Foley Police Jurisdiction.

The new zip code will go into effect May 9.