City leaders in Daphne have been deep in discussions on a major project and will soon vote on whether to move forward with an agreement with the developer, including annexation.

The project is being called the Italian Village at Daphne, a 32-acre development proposed for the northwest corner of Alabama State Route 181 and Baldwin County 64. The project is anchored by a Walmart Neighborhood Market and a luxury 200-unit apartment complex, along with eight commercial parcels and a 5-acre public-access pond for walking and recreation.

As the name suggests, the proposal features Italian-inspired architectural designs and aesthetics with matching design elements across buildings, signs and public spaces. If built, the Walmart Neighborhood Market won't look like a typical location. According to the developer, Walmart has agreed to specially design the store to match the theme.

The developer, Charles Trotman Sr., said the project will generate new employment opportunities and, when finished, will produce over $1 million in sales tax revenue.

"We're extremely excited about this project," Trotman Sr. said in his presentation to city council on March 16. "It's located on an absolutely great site, one of the best sites I've had the opportunity to develop. This is a site that demands a special type of project because as you may know, in the [city's] comprehensive plan, this particular piece of property was picked out as the No. 1 property that Daphne wanted to annex, and because of that we wanted to make this a very unique project, and that's exactly what we're planning to do with the Italian Village in Daphne."

A project of this scale being proposed within Baldwin County, one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation, brought up concerns from long-time locals.

"We don't need more traffic," said Ben Schoenfeld, who lives on Pleasant Road north of the site, urging city council to decline the request. "We don't need, quite frankly, any more apartments. I don't care if they're upscale or what, we don't need any more places to shop. We got plenty of places to eat."

City officials are optimistic they have found the right balance between growth and property rights after securing several key elements in the project in negotiations with Trotman Sr., who is representing Joseph A. Allegri Jr. Properties II, LLC, Jerry Volovecky Sr., Louise Volovecky and SE Family Partnership.

Speaking to GCM, Daphne Mayor Robin LeJeune credited the planning commission and city council in their discussions with the developer to better fit the city's needs while promoting smart growth. To combat traffic concerns, there will be improvements on Route 64 and County Road 13, including a right-turn lane on eastbound Route 64 onto southbound Route 181, along with improvements to the roundabout at Route 64 and County Road 13. The developer will cover the costs for these improvements, estimated to be more than $1 million in road work.

In addition, as part of the negotiations between the city and the developer, the planned apartment complex was reduced from an initial proposal of 400 units to 200. LeJeune said the original number was too many for the city, and the developer was asked to cut it down.

"You look out there at the Belforest area and that part of (Route 181) and Daphne, and there are no real true commercial places for people to shop," LeJeune said. "You've got a Dollar General and a couple small places, but having an actual supermarket and the possibilities for more restaurants and things like that for all those people out there, it keeps them from having to come into town for some things and stuff like that, so that keeps some of the traffic down and keeps them out there. We think it could be a good thing for the area out there."

Some residents have shared similar sentiments about the project, including Andrew Tool, who lives in the Belforest area of Daphne.

"There's really a desert in this area that we've noticed living there of any grocery shopping and also restaurants, so seeing something like this will be pretty cool," Tool told city council during public comment on March 16.

City council still needs to vote on the project before it can officially move forward. The planning commission previously recommended approval for annexation.