DAPHNE, Alabama (GCN)— In a 4-3 vote last night, the City Council flipped its decision on the Retreat at Tiawasee annexation request, bringing the property for the proposed development into the city, with Councilman Randy Fry switching sides on the issue.

The council had denied the annexation request at its June 3 meeting in a 4-3 vote, with Fry voting against the measure at that time.

Since that June 3 meeting, Fry added a “motion to reconsider” the annexation request to the June 17 meeting agenda.

Fry told The Courier yesterday morning that he changed his position after taking the past two weeks to fully consider the request.

At the June 3 meeting and in earlier city meetings, representatives of the Tiawasee Trace Property Owners Association opposed the annexation request, stating that the proposed development would increase traffic and be built without adequate access, encroaching on the adjacent Tiawasee Trace subdivision's street access.

“I’m not happy with how the issue of the access point was handled,” Fry said in the June 17 interview with The Courier. “I’m in agreement with the Tiawasee Trace Property Owners Association 100 percent on that issue, but it’s not something I can control.

“It’s very likely that this subdivision will be done anyway, just under the county’s control,” Fry said. “Utilities, sewer, water, streets and so on, all decided upon by the county. We are in a better position if we are in control of the rest of this process and can handle it ourselves.”

Previously, Fry had voted with Councilmen John Lake, Joe Davis III and Councilwoman Tommie Conaway to deny the annexation.

Lake, Davis and Conaway again voted against the measure last night, while Fry this time joined Council President Ron Scott and Councilmen Robin LeJeune and Pat Rudicell in favor of the annexation, with his vote making the difference in approving the request. 

Editor's Note: See the June 21 issue of The Courier for additional coverage.