Alabama Gulf Coast cities have been getting a lot of attention over the last several years for their work in restoring storm-ravaged beaches and dunes with the help of money from federal and state initiatives.

Members of one small coastal community, referred to by some as the guardian of Mobile Bay, say they would like to see the same treatment for their beaches. But they haven’t been seeing the fruits of that money in part because they don’t have one requirement — having a city that can apply for, receive and spend the money.

“We’ve always kind of been one of these communities that’s kind of geared towards environmentalism and the natural state of things. But you know, we’ve got some needs,” said Joe Emerson, president of the Fort Morgan Civic Association, a homeowner association type group. “When so much money is in the pot, so to speak, from funding sources, like GoMESA, and we’re not seeing any of that coming back to a community that would definitely benefit from projects, it’s kind of frustrating.”

Fort Morgan is an unincorporated community located on a peninsula to the west of Gulf Shores, which they won an 11-year lawsuit against in 2014 after the city annexed part of their land. The 21-mile-long area is under the jurisdiction of Baldwin County.

“It is an environmental gem,” said Nancy Mounce, a Fort Morgan property owner. “The need to preserve Fort Morgan, and that includes its beach, is just crucial.”