DAPHNE, Ala. —The Daphne Planning Commission did not have enough votes in favor or against the rezoning of property near the Cancer Center of Malbis to make a recommendation to the council on action to be taken.

The commission was approached by Raymond Gibson with GCD Acquisitions I LLC to rezone property northwest of the intersection of Anchor Cross Boulevard and U.S. Highway 98 near the medical office building and the Cancer Center.

The property is currently zoned B2, which is the general business district, and allows for businesses to be located on the property. Gibson requested the commission’s approval to change the zoning to an R-4 classification for high-density multi-family residential.

Gibson and his business partners own the property in question and wished to make the property into an apartment complex. Gibson said he believes due to the economic conditions, the land in that area zoned B2 will not be used for business for many years to come, which is why he was confident the apartment complex would work in the area.

Members of the commission were hesitant to approve the rezoning without a degree of certainty the property would be developed into apartments because many properties in the past have been rezoned multiple times when apartment projects fell through.

Gibson said he was fairly certain the property would be used as apartments in the near future if the rezoning was approved.

“We would intend to start in summer or the fall, but financing is extremely hard to come by,” Gibson said.

When the rezoning came to a vote, there were not enough members of the commission who agreed with Gibson to favorably recommend the rezoning to the council. The vote was 5-4 for a motion to not recommend the rezoning to the council.

Commissioners, including Council President Cathy Barnette, said the rezoning does not fit in with the city’s comprehensive plan, so she said she could not vote in favor of the rezoning.

“I hate to be negative, but I don’t see this as a compatible use in this area at this time. I hear what you are saying from a development standpoint, but from our land use and comprehensive plan it is not compatible with our vision for what we were looking for on Highway 90,” Barnette said.

Commissioner Victoria Phelps agreed with Barnette.

“I am not quite ready to move away from business (zoning) at this time in that area,” Phelps said.