DAPHNE, Ala.—The Daphne City Council will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday in City Hall for the request to add bowling alleys and family entertainment centers as a use in a B-1 zone with Planning Commission approval.

A developer who owns B-1-zoned property at the southwest corner of Lawson Road and County Road 13 wishes to build a bowling alley.

The subject has been debated for more than a month, and the council set the public hearing date at the Nov. 1 meeting by a 4-3 vote.

“I think it would be a plus to be across from the school,” Councilman Bailey Yelding said in response to complaints that the bowling alley would be across the street from Daphne High School. “It would be another sport kids could get into, and I feel like we need a bowling alley in the city, too.”

Boulware said at the Nov. 1 meeting there was a signed petition by more than 30 property owners who are against the proposal, citing it as too close to residential areas.

Councilman August Palumbo disagreed with the proposed change because the process of bringing in a bowling alley or family entertainment center would avoid council approval.

Bowling alleys are currently allowed in B-2 zones, general business, without planning commission approval.

By altering the table of permitted uses and placing bowling alleys under the B-1 district instead of forcing the developer to re-zone the property B-2, it would allow a developer only to need site plan approval from the planning commission and not a re-zoning approval from the commission and council.