FOLEY, Ala. — After voting to suspend the rules on two occasions at Monday’s city council meeting, city fathers approved an ordinance that lifts a moratorium on rental multi-family housing construction in Foley.

Council members lifted the moratorium in effect since early summer of 2006 through several actions Monday. First, approval was given for a second reading of an ordinance approving amendments to the city’s Zoning Ordinance. One of those amendments is the creation of a new multi-family zone, R-3P, instead of the traditional R-3 zone. Any multi-family zone from this point will be R-3P.

Secondly, the rules were suspended for immediate adoption of traffic impact requirements that Mayor John Koniar said would allow council members later in the meeting to propose lifting the moratorium on rental multi-family construction. Eventually the rules were suspended yet again to approve the ordinance that lifts the moratorium effective Feb. 1, 2008.

The moratorium has been on condos, townhouses and apartments that were for rent, not for sale. The 2006 action excluded single family construction and duplexes.

Following the meeting, Koniar said the moratorium was being lifted because the city, in general, has “more stringent requirements” in place now and no longer has to absorb costs that will now be passed on in some cases to developers, especially where traffic impact is concerned.

At the time the moratorium went into effect, thousands of multi-family rental units were in various stages of proposal in the city.

In other council action, Lt. Chad Brewer of Foley Fire Department was officially named interim fire chief. His appointment comes as a result of Fire Chief Jamie Hinton’s resignation effective Jan. 31, 2008.

“We appreciate you stepping up to the plate,” the mayor told Brewer during the council meeting as the interim position was formalized.

The mayor said the city will be doing a “thorough search” for a new fire chief to replace Hinton, who has been chief since 2001.

Aubury Fuller, District 3 representative for Baldwin EMC, was on hand to present the city its annual tax check.

Fuller explained that the $291,153 check represented 3 percent of gross revenues collected by the utility within Foley city limits and 1.5 percent within the city’s police jurisdiction.

Marty Martin, aviation community planner at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, was on hand to introduce Capt. Rich Sanchez, commanding officer at Whiting Field, to the mayor and council.

Sanchez expressed appreciation to Foley and the state of Alabama for their support in training naval aviators at Barin Field and other auxiliary fields in the county.

Sanchez said the Navy will move from the P-34 trainer to the P-6 next year. By 2012, a mix of P-34s and P-6s will be used for training purposes, he said.

The commanding officer also noted that 15,000 American sailors are on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Other council business included the following:

Five new police officers were sworn in by Municipal Court Judge Mary Murchison. Police Chief David Wilson described the new officers as the “third wave” of new hires the Foley Police Department has seen within the past year or so as the department increases its numbers. “Two more small waves” may take place in the near future, Wilson told the mayor and council.

In connection with the new FPD officers, council members approved the first reading of a Parks Rules ordinance that the mayor said would provide a “little more authority.” The rules, once approved, will be posted in city parks.

“There have been some problems for us in the not too distant past,” said Koniar of problems occurring in city parks. He noted additional officers at FPD will allow more eyes to be on city parks.

Approval was given to recommend a Restaurant Retail Liquor license for Spirits, Sports & More LLC under the trade name of III Spirits Restaurant at 17714 U.S. Hwy. 98, Suites A&B.

A first reading was approved for an ordinance requiring background checks on contractors doing business with the city. The ordinance will state that the city will take criminal histories into account when deciding whether a low bidder is qualified.

Resolutions were approved for the following: a Public Access Improvement Grant for the proposed Graham Creek ecological park; a Alabama Public Public Library Service grant for additional computers and technology for $20,000 with 25 percent match; a letter of support for efforts in pursuing Outstanding Alabama Waterway candidacy for the Magnolia River; and a joint funding project for 2008 between the city and U.S. Geological Survey for Wolf Creek flow monitoring.

Five hundred dollars were approved for Foley Fire Department and Foley Police Department to train on autism recognition and risk management. Also, $500 was approved for the Performing Arts Association in connection with Poetry Alive Week (Councilman Charlie Ebert III abstained).

A resolution was approved preventing any person annexed into the city after Jan. 21, 2008, from voting in the upcoming August 2008 city elections.

Council members heard the Fire Department report for December given by the interim chief. The report reflected 81 responses, included in which were six structural fires and 11 EMS assists.

Approval was given a low bid by Moyer Ford for a half-ton, 4X2 extended cab pickup for the Community Development Department. The low bid was by Moyer Ford for $16,470.

Additional funding in the amount of $6,000 was approved for furniture moving in the library due to renovation and floor work.

The council also approved carrying over into 2008 a Fire Department rescue truck budgeted in 2007.