FOLEY, Ala. — Foley City Council approved a conditional permit Monday for a proposed Spring Break music festival that the promoter says could draw between 5,000 and 30,000.

Promoter and musician Rick Shelnutt, whose stage name is “Rick Shell,” said during a recent interview that the Festival of Musicians would be an “experimental” music festival that could become an annual event.

Shell’s Web site concerning the Festival of Musicians says over 300 bands are scheduled to play during the three-day festival to be held March 12-14, 2010, on 200 acres at the northwest corner of the Foley Beach Express and Baldwin County Road 20.

In granting the conditional permit, Mayor John Koniar noted that Shell still has insurance and other issues that have to be worked out in connection with the festival. Koniar also said council members have concerns about the potential size of the event.

Koniar added, however, that the event has the potential to create jobs and revenues. In the interview with Shell last month, he provided an economic impact statement that projected $1.1 for the surrounding area if 5,000 festivalgoers attend and $6.7 million if 30,000 show up.

Shell’s Web site describes the event as an “all out, non-stop 3 day music party” that includes camping; a Woodstock type event where bands and acts will perform several times a day and earn “kudos” or tokens that can be redeemed for cash at the festival.

In other council action, a resolution memorialized acceptance of appropriations in the amount of $202,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The monies, which involve no matching funds by the city, will build an access road from the Foley Beach Express to the Graham Creek Nature Preserve.

Other funding appropriations approved Monday included $3,785 for software for the Municipal Court; $13,072 for electrical additions at the Soccer Park for the Balloon Festival (councilman Charlie Ebert III abstained); $1,000 memorialized by resolution for Christian Testing Laboratories’ testing of soil borings for the Graham Creek Preserve connector; and 23 pole Christmas decorations, not to exceed $6,000, that will be used in the downtown area.

The council also approved a change order in the amount of approximately $82,000 for fill material in connection with the Airport Drive Extension project.

Prior to the council meeting public hearings were held to consider revised costs for weed abatements in connection with three properties: 602 W. Orchid Ave., 507 S. Cedar St., and Blue Heron Subdivision. During the council meeting resolutions were passed accepting costs for Weed Liens at the three sites: $341 for 602 W. Orchid, $227.50 for 507 S. Cedar, and $784.10 for Blue Heron Subdivision.

By means of voice votes, the following were approved: the Library’s Summer Reading Program; special events license for South Baldwin Chamber’s BBQ & Blues Festival for March 19-20, 2010; the Chamber’s use of the Foley Sportsplex for the Balloon Festival and a special events license for June 18-20, 2010; and Women’s Care Medical Center’s use of John B. Foley Park for their annual “Walk for Life” fundraiser on April 24, 2010.

Council members approved use of the Foley Horse Arena by Willow Farms All Breed Canine/Equine Rescue Inc. on April 24, 2010.

In connection with the upcoming Arbor Day events in the city (Feb. 27), the mayor presented Arbor Day books from the city to the following library representatives: Dona Thames, Foley Elementary School; Judy Thomas, Foley Intermediate School; Mirian Whitely, Foley Middle School; Beverly Wenzel, Foley High School; and Steve Horn, Foley Public Library.

CITY REPORTS:

What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, in the depths of recession and a cold economic winter, the Community Development Department report noted zero single family residences reported in January, a shocking turn of events for a city that had been the fastest growing in the state. A year later, the report given this week for January 2010 showed 12 single family residential permits issued, a sign perhaps that a thaw is in the making.

In all, 103 permits were issued last month at a total construction valuation of $2.9 million.

The 12 single family residences permitted last month had a total construction valuation of $1.6 million.

According to other facets of the report, city inspectors performed 392 inspections last month.

There were five environmental/code enforcement complaints in January and 24 environmental inspections.

Foley Police Department reported 45 misdemeanor arrests last month and five felony arrests. Eighty-nine misdemeanor warrants were served and one felony warrant.

Patrol officers made 16 DUI arrests, wrote 381 traffic citations and 669 warnings. Officers handled 42 vehicle accidents in January and offered 132 motorist assists. They also conducted 768 close patrols, answered 133 alarms, had 200 positive citizen contacts, and 160 official business visits.

Foley Dispatch had 4,047 computer aided dispatch entries, included in which were 835 calls for service.

The drug report reflected four misdemeanor marijuana arrests, six control substance arrests, three drug paraphernalia arrests, and two drug raids/search warrants.

FPD’s Criminal Investigative Division received 89 new cases in January and solved 44 cases.

Two registered sex offenders left Foley in January, leaving the total number of registered sex offenders in the city at 17.

Total arrestees for January numbered 222. The highest number in the City Jail at one time was 33, the lowest 23.

The School Resource Officer took 18 reports for the month and held 20 discipline meetings.

Animal Services handled 57 calls for service in January and issued three warnings.

Community Services held one strategy meeting during the month, two Neighborhood Watch meetings and one crime prevention session.

There were 56 GED participants in four GED classes conducted by Community Outreach and Development. Also, two youth activity events were held.

Among the crimes reported in January were the following: one robbery of a business; two commercial burglaries; five residential burglaries; 10 felony thefts; 16 misdemeanor thefts; 34 domestic incidents; seven criminal mischief; and five white collar crimes.

Foley Fire Department reported 98 incidents during January. FFD responded to 17 medical assists, 11 motor vehicle accidents with injuries, and 15 motor vehicle accidents with no injuries.

Other incidents during the month were seven brush fires; five grass fires; two gas leaks; two unauthorized burnings; one building fire; one passenger vehicle fire; one extrication from vehicle; and four unintentional detector activations.

The 98 incidents were the highest number since March 2009 (114).

Firefighters also had a total of 257 contacts through public education/public relations events (CPR, First Aid, fire extinguisher training).

Forty-four new construction inspections were performed by the fire inspector in January and 24 existing occupancy inspections.