By Jessica Jones
Staff Writer

DAPHNE, Ala. — The goal of a coming 50-acre multi-use parcel on Alabama Highway 181 is to combine senior-citizen homes and apartments with office buildings and shops such as dry cleaners, doctors’ offices and cafés so that daily services are more accessible, developers said at Thursday’s Daphne Planning Commission meeting.

The commission gave Central Park — the proposed subdivision — a unanimous favorable recommendation, “as submitted,” to keep the demographic request intact; it would contain retailers at the front of the parcel along Alabama 181 with office space behind it, according to Developer Paul Powers. A park area would connect offices to senior assisted- and independent-living areas plus seniors-only apartments to the north and independent-living homes with larger yards to the east for those who like yard work, he said.

Powers cited a demand for this style use because baby boomers will retire around 2011.

Councilwoman Cathy Barnette, also a commissioner, expressed favor with the project saying, “I like the concept; I like what’s been done and I’d like to see it happen in Daphne.” Her only opposition regarded fire safety; she said she feared the ability of the Daphne Fire Department to adequately cover additional area.

The question of fire safety began in February when council members learned that Fire Station 1 in Olde Towne Daphne was unmanned. Barnette began her fight to staff the station; her further research showed that all the fire stations were operating with too few firefighters. The direction then changed to hiring additional firefighters for all fire stations. An ordinance was adopted to hire six people, but Mayor Fred Small vetoed the ordinance. Council members had upheld the veto and finally adopted an ordinance to hire three firefighters on May 5.

Commissioner Ed Kirby took a more relaxed stance and said that the fire department covers neighboring areas, and this shouldn’t add to the problem of fire coverage.

Commissioner Victoria Phelps agreed with foreseen benefits of the creative uses of the project.

“I applaud your efforts in this area,” she said to Powers.

On the other hand, a proposed rezoning at the southwest corner of U.S. Highway 31 and Alabama 181 received an unfavorable recommendation from the commission due to outcry from TimberCreek residents.

Owners wanted the 2-acre parcel changed from a B-1 local business to a B-2 general business zone to match their remaining 10 acres — already zoned B-2, according to Andy Bobe of Rester and Coleman Engineers. They planned to put a grocery store on the 10-acre lot and a 13,545 square-foot commercial building and parking spaces in the current B-1 area — both of which back up to Pine Court in TimberCreek.

Councilman August Palumbo said during public participation that he knew of one TimberCreek resident who favors the project. All others have been “ringing my phone off the hook,” he said, referring to a majority of negative comments.

“If they want this property rezoned, we cannot ‘unring’ the bell,” he said of TimberCreek’s developer’s design to protect the quality of life of residents. “A homestead is often one’s biggest investment and most of these residents are nearing retirement age.”

Residents asked the commission to protect their quality of life by considering the noise issues by late-night delivery trucks and smells from Dumpsters that are associated with supermarkets and the perceived inability of a 50-foot buffer to contain them.

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