By Cathy Higgins
BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Bay Minette residents Danny and Sharon Stevens could be expanding their home daycare center in the near future.
The couple approached the Bay Minette City Planning Commission Tuesday about the possibility of enabling the center to house more than its current limit of 12 patrons.
According to Danny Stevens, the daycare center has been in existence for 19 years at 1005 Moran St., and the Department of Human Resources would need to approve the expansion.
“DHR will come in and look at the space and tell us how many kids we can have,” he told the commission at Tuesday’s meeting. “But we wanted to come to you first, to see whatever we have to do as far as rezoning.”
Stevens pointed out that the center is near the church he pastors, the Potter’s House, which shares an R-3 zoning.
“We had rezoned to build a church,” he told the commission.
The commission’s examination of a city map revealed that the majority of properties surrounding the daycare center are also R-3, with the exception of nearby M-1 and M-2 properties.
Bay Minette City Attorney Scott Lewis advised the couple to meet with the Bay Minette Building Department on the specifics of what type of rezoning might be required and the steps necessary to fulfill the couple’s goal of expansion.
Bay Minette Mayor Jamie Tillery also asked Bay Minette Fire Inspector Steven Stewart to meet with the couple.
“We’ll definitely work with you,” Commission Chairman Karmen Still told them.
Also Tuesday, the commission discussed off-premise signs within the city of Bay Minette. The discussion resulted in planning a review of the city’s entire sign ordinance at its next meeting, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, in the City Hall conference room.
