On Monday, April 6, Daphne City Council approved ordinances for a new development, Italian Village, including pre-zoning and annexation of the property.

As previously reported by GCM, the Italian Village project is a 32-acre development proposed for the northwest corner of Alabama State Route 181 and Baldwin County 64, anchored by a Walmart Neighborhood Market and a luxury 200-unit apartment complex. The development also includes eight commercial parcels and a 5-acre public-access pond for walking and recreation.

The developers for the Italian Village project are Joseph A. Allegri Jr. Properties II LLC, Jerry Volovecky Sr., Louise Volovecky and SE Family Partnership. Their representative, Charles Trotman Sr., previously told city council that the project will generate new employment opportunities and, when finished, will produce over $1 million in sales tax revenue. However, to address growth and traffic concerns, the developer has agreed to invest in traffic improvements and to reduce the number of residential units as part of negotiations with city officials.

During their meeting, city council also set a public hearing for the project for May 18 for the project, including the developer's annexation petition and the PUD narrative modification. The city's planning commission previously recommended approval for annexation prior to the city council's actions.