Daphne’s Innovation and Science Complex (DISC) project is one step closer to becoming a reality, as the Daphne City Council unanimously approved annexing the property currently slated for the development at last week’s meeting.

Councilwoman Angie Phillips, who sits on the Daphne Industrial Development Board, said she was glad to see the annexation move forward.

“The main thing has been getting the property annexed, making sure that there were not going to be any hiccups,” Phillips said. “Now that it’s been officially annexed, we can continue on with the next steps.”

With the annexation completed, the city can now begin the purchase of the 30-acre property located at the corner of Champions Way and State Highway 181, near Daphne High School. All together, the property will cost $752,000, and the release of $438,000 in BP restoration funds for the project was tied to the city officially annexing the property.

“The BP funds should be released for the purchase of the property,” Phillips said. “We’re on target – it’s just been a slow process, but we’ve been able to come together as a council to become productive on this.”

The city council also took action to lower the Industrial Development Board’s portion of the city’s lodging tax revenues from 13 to 10 percent. The funds taken from the IDB will be moved to meet some recreation needs within the city.

“We’ve got so many great projects going now, and this will just be another great thing coming to Daphne,” Phillips said. “As a council, we’ve continued to push for projects and ideas that will improve and enhance the quality of life here and bringing in good, high-paying jobs with a project like DISC is certainly a part of that.”

Phillips said she wasn’t sure on a timeline for when the property would be developed, but said there were already some plans that should move forward soon.

“I believe the geo-engineering should be starting very quickly, which is the first step for being able to develop that property,” Phillips said. “The IDB and the city have also been working together on finding funding sources to move forward on needed infrastructure, and I think we’ll be successful in that regard as well.”

Former Councilman Joe Davis, who will return to the city council as the District 7 member following an uncontested election later this month, said even before the annexation, businesses have been watching what Daphne was doing with this potential new site.

“There are definitely some companies out there who are looking for a coastal presence and they’ve been very interested in what we’ve proposed with the DISC property,” Davis said. “Now that the city has moved forward on this, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they reached out to us.”

City officials have touted the project as a way to attract high-paying, white collar jobs to the area.