BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Bay Minette City Council meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m., with the main topi expected to be the requested rezoning of 701 Brady Road from a R-3 residential to a B-2 business zone. intended as employee and company vehicle parking and equipment storage.

Hazel Rice, of People For the Community, said in an interview that neighbors fear that “equipment storage” could mean storage of oil barrels that might leak and cause a hazard for children playing nearby.

“We have a safety concern for the children playing ,because the houses behind it have adjoining yards,” she said. “We are concerned that water runoff may contain oil.”

In a letter dated March 23, Rice asked Bay Minette Mayor Jamie Tillery several questions about the proposal, which were answered with a written response by attorneys Stone, Grenade and Crosby. One such question was why there was no site plan included with McPherson Oil.

Bay Minette City Attorney Scott Lewis told Gulf Coast Newspapers that this request was submitted under the old land-use and-development ordinance, and it is the updated version that requires a more detailed site plan submission, as the old version leaves vague terms for acceptable plan descriptions. But, Lewis explained, McPherson has met those terms.

In the letter, Rice also asked if McPherson Oil had permission to file such a request since the owner of the property is Harold Finch. Lewis replied that Finch has given Faulkner Realty permission to act as his agent, and the city is researching to ensure requests carry Finch’s authority.

Since the first reading of the rezoning ordinance was passed during the March 21 council meeting, Rice said she asked for three minutes for one spokes person to address the council before the second read at tonight's meeting and has received permission from the mayor.

Also tonight, council members will consider adopting a Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan.

“It’s a mitigation plan for any kind of disaster,” Bay Minette City Clerk Rita Findley said during an interview.

The council will also consider $37, 315 in capital expenditures for fire equipment.