Little Lagoon South Shore and West End Shoreline Guide

Get to know your waterfront

The south shore is the West Beach Boulevard side of Little Lagoon, from the pass west to Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. The city covers the highway frontage, while the far west points sit near or past the city line. Much of the open shore is public: a new city nature park and the refuge.

Zoning Ordinance for the City of Gulf Shores (September 14, 2026, as amended by Ordinance No. 2228) · Laguna Cove NRDA Restoration Project · F19AS00267 NOFO Little Lagoon Living Shoreline · TIGERweb Places, County Subdivisions, Consolidated Cities (layer 4)

Lot rules, public land and erosion on the south shore

Three things shape a south shore project: the direct frontage rule, public land that now fills much of the shore, and road erosion at the west end. Lagoon permits on the opposite bank work differently, as the north shore guide explains.

Which lots front both Highway 182 and the lagoon?

The zoning code requires it. Every waterfront lot on the Gulf or Little Lagoon needs Direct Frontage on both the water and Highway 182. It must also be at least 100 feet wide along its entire depth. Zoning, Art. 4 and Table 7-1B

Direct Frontage means lot lines on the shoreline of a major water body. The code lists Little Lagoon and the Gulf. Frontage on a canal, bayou, creek or similar side water never counts. Zoning, Art. 4 Major Water Body definition

Canal and bayou lots escape the rule and follow other yard rules. See the old-town canals guide.

What is Laguna Cove?

Laguna Cove is 53 undeveloped acres near the west end of West Beach Boulevard. The city bought it in 2019 with $4.4 million in NRDA money (oil spill damage funds). It holds 6,100 feet of shoreline, wetlands and dunes. City project page

Before the purchase, the tracts had approval for major development, including a marina in the lagoon. The land also holds beach mouse critical habitat. City project page

• Plans call for birding areas, kayak launches, trails and wetland boardwalks.
• Construction began in June 2026 on a $2.6 million bid.
• The trustees' fact sheet adds 65 parking spaces, a T-head fishing pier and a bathhouse.

Sources: City project page Trustee fact sheet

What is happening at Pine Beach road?

Erosion keeps undermining it. Pine Beach road runs along the southwestern shore and has repeatedly been undermined or washed out. USFWS notice

A Deepwater Horizon restoration project plans at least 2,200 feet of living shoreline next to the refuge, to protect the road and beach mouse habitat. The notice describes a cooperative agreement of up to $90,000 over three years with Mississippi State University. USFWS notice

Pine Beach is also a 30-acre critical habitat unit made up of refuge inholdings. Habitat units

How does the refuge edge change a project?

The refuge is federal land with its own rules. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge trails and beach access are open sunrise to sunset. Bicycles are barred from trails, and pets are not permitted except service dogs. USFWS refuge rules

Paddlers can launch canoes or kayaks onto the lagoon from the Jeff Friend Trail. USFWS refuge rules The regional launch list calls it a one-mile loop inside the refuge. MBNEP launch list

The federal beach mouse plan for single-family homes excludes the refuge's Perdue Unit. Homes on a few inholdings there must file their own individual plans. Plan area

What are Childress Point, Eugene Point and Seymour Bluff?

They are the west-end points, where the city line gets blurry. USGS lists Childress Point near longitude -87.789, Eugene Point near -87.804 and Seymour Bluff near -87.800. USGS place names USGS place names

The Census polygon for the city reaches west to about -87.80, and Childress Point tests outside it. Census limits Census place layer Treat every lot near these points as unconfirmed until you check the county and city maps.

Some city land farther west falls in a Fort Morgan Peninsula overlay, once county zoning District 25. Ask the city whether your parcel is in it. If so, expect these rules:

• a Beach Mouse Habitat Protection Plan and a 10-foot pervious area between impervious surfaces and wetlands Zoning 5-1 and 10-8
• a waterfront setback of 50 feet from the tide line, or 25 feet with engineer-improved filtration Zoning, waterfront setback

How do you permit a living shoreline here?

Plan on a package, and start early. A Mississippi State University Extension guide lists these pieces for an Alabama living shoreline:

• a State Lands notice about work on state-owned submerged land
• proof you own the upland, plus a licensed Alabama surveyor's plat marking mean high water
• a notarized State Lands affidavit and the Corps and ADEM joint application
• a vicinity map, site plan and cross-section

The guide says to file 90 days or more ahead of construction. MSU Extension guide

Most rejections come from drawing errors: no full project narrative, no mean high tide line, wrong paper, missing coordinates or no scale. MSU Extension guide For Nationwide Permit 54, ADEM wants a copy of the Corps notice. ADEM concurrence

The living shoreline guide and permit overview cover the rest.

Beach side or lagoon side: which rulebook applies?

A lot between Highway 182 and the lagoon follows lagoon rules, not Gulf-front rules. The Gulfside Yard and control-line bar apply only to lots that abut the Gulf. Zoning 6-3D The West Beach guide covers that side.

What could the work cost?

Public money does most of the heavy lifting here. Laguna Cove's trustee estimate is $4.4 million, and the Pine Beach living shoreline agreement is up to $90,000 for planning and monitoring. A private lot pays for a surveyor, drawings and the permit package, then the build. Get a priced design first.

These are published prices, not a quote. Local numbers come from Baldwin County public bids and Orange Beach permits. National guides fill the gaps and are labeled as national. Your wall depends on height, access, soil and permits.

Find the relevant permits and records

Prepare the questions for the responsible office.

Checks to run on a south shore lot

Run these before you spend on drawings.

1. Measure the lot against the 100-foot rule

   Confirm width along the entire depth and frontage on both the highway and the lagoon.

   Zoning Ordinance for the City of Gulf Shores (September 14, 2026, as amended by Ordinance No. 2228)

2. Confirm which jurisdiction you are in

   Check the city and county maps for any lot near the west points. The city line sits near longitude -87.80.

   TIGERweb Census Current (2026) Legal and Statistical Entities, Incorporated Places layer (January 1, 2026 vintage), point-in-polygon queries · TIGERweb Places, County Subdivisions, Consolidated Cities (layer 4)

3. Ask about beach mouse habitat

   Request a written site visit from the Daphne field office if your lot is near the refuge or the Pine Beach unit.

   Building Permits and the Alabama Beach Mouse · 50 CFR 17.95(a), Critical habitat - mammals, Alabama Beach Mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates)

4. Draft your permit package early

   Allow at least 90 days for a living shoreline, and have drawings show mean high tide.

   Living Shorelines: A Permitting Guide for Alabama Homeowners (Publication 3120, MASGC-17-068) · Living Shorelines: A Permitting Guide for Alabama Homeowners (Publication 3120)

Keep planning

Nearby waterfront guides

Little Lagoon north shore & Mo's Landing, West Beach Gulf front, Little Lagoon Pass & the Callaway Bridge

View the local guide directory.