SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Spanish Fort officials are still working out the kinks to eventually have a new, permanent cell tower in the city limits. One amendment discussed at Monday’s City Council meeting was the location of the cell tower. Council members said a residential home must be located at least the tower’s height away from any residence, unless the residence is owned by the cell tower owner.

Tower owners are the only ones allowed to live within this distance in case of the tower collapsing, said attorney Rebecca Gaines, who was filling in Monday for City Attorney David Conner.

Also, persons wishing to locate a new cell tower must show the location all of their facilities in the city.

This allows a partial rezoning of property that contains a tower and another structure.

The change will allow a portion of the property containing a tower to be zoned T1 rather than rezoning the entire property.

Anyone wishing to install a new tower in the city must comply with all ordinances.

The ordinances, however, do not approve construction of a tower, it simply sets up what is needed for those who apply to install a new cell tower within the city.

In other news, the Council approved compensation for the absentee elections manager for the city of Spanish Fort. The sum will be a fixed rate of $50 per day for up to a 46 day period prior to the election and election day, per the new law.

By law the city is responsible paying the fee. Qualifying time is currently underway for those wishing to run in the Aug. 26 municipal elections. The deadline is Tuesday, July 15 at 5 p.m.

Also in the meeting, residents voiced their concerns during public hearings to discuss violations of nuisance ordinances in their neighborhood. Residents, who are neighbors to 123 Patrician Dr., expressed their concern to the Council about their property value decreasing.

Neighbors complained the house is not being kept up with waist-high grass, pet feces in the yard and a green swimming pool with algae, which is causing more mosquitos than usual to be in their own backyards.

“We’re gonna see it through,” Mayor Joe Bonner said. “It’s a step by step situation, but the process has been started.”

The home at 30492 Watertower Rd. was also receiving complaints for violating the nuisance ordinance because the home appeared to be an unsafe structure. The home had missing windows, bugs and rats.

According to building official Bruce Renkert, the homeowner lives in Andalusia and had no idea the home was in the condition it was. The home was recently torn down.

Wintzells’s Oyster House is all set to carry on with their happy hour Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m. The Council approved the restaurant’s liquor license. The restaurant is scheduled to open at the end of the month or the beginning of August in the old Roussos building in the Eastern Shore Centre.