LOXLEY, Alabama — From moving roads to what limits to place on allowing chickens in single-family residential areas, Loxley Town Council members will have a lot to talk about when they meet for a work session on Monday, April 4.

Several items on the agenda at the council’s meeting on March 14 were tabled after residents expressed concerns during public hearings held Monday.

Those items will be placed back on the agenda for the council’s Monday, April 11 meeting following more discussion during the council’s work session, which was changed to April 4 because many residents said they would be unable to attend the regularly scheduled work session on March 28 because of Spring Break.

First up among the public hearings held March 14 was a petition to vacate a portion of Jenkins Pit Road located in the Triangle area off of U.S. Highway 31. The purpose of the vacation would be to build a new road, which would be named Declaration Drive, allowing access to a planned subdivision.

Business owners Paul and Sherry Frolik expressed concerns over the impact it would have on their business.

“We have 40-foot trailers, dump trucks and tractor trailers moving in and out of that property,” Sherry Frolik said. “We are concerned that the proposed change would make it more difficult to get those rigs in and out of the property.”

Paul Frolik said also that any time you add houses in an area, there are always complaints about trucks moving in and out.

“I just want to be assured that no one is going to tell me I can’t bring trucks in and out anymore,” he said. “We’ve had issues before, but there was always an alternate route we could take. With this, there is only one way in or out.”

Council members assured the Froliks that nothing would be done to hinder their ability to do business.

“We want to work with you on this to ensure that everything is done properly,” said Sean Alves, the town’s legal counsel. “As for the trucks being able to get in and out, that’s something I hadn’t even thought of and something that definitely needs to be addressed before we move forward with this.”

The Froliks also expressed concern over the changing of the road’s name.

“People identify us with that road and if you change the name of the road, we’re worried that it will be more difficult for people to find us,” Sherry Frolik said.

The council voted Monday on a proposed change to the town’s zoning ordinance, rezoning eight acres of property in the triangle area from PUD (Planned Unit Development) to A-O (Agricultural-Open Space).

Developers for the property said the proposed change would be to facilitate the transfer of the property for a church.

The council also tabled a proposed amendment to the town’s zoning ordinance which would allow chickens in single-family residential areas.

The proposal would allow up to four chickens, not including roosters, with pens located no closer than 40 feet from any residential dwelling, in zones R-1A and R-1B, single-family dwellings, and R-2 (Residential Single Family and Duplex).

Five or more chickens, but not including the operation of a chicken brooder houses, would also be allowed on appeal, provided no structure, pen or corral housing animals be located closer than 200 feet to any property line.

One resident spoke out on the proposal, saying that he recently purchased more than 3 acres in Loxley and wanted the council to consider raising the restricted number of chickens allowed.

“Mobile County allows up to 26 chickens,” he said. “I can understand when you’re dealing with a crowded subdivision, but this is my dream home and restricted to just four chickens won’t allow me to do what I need to do.”

The council said they would consider changing the ordinance to allow for acreage and loosening the restrictions in more rural areas.

The council also addressed concerns with residents of the Timber Ridge subdivision at Monday’s meeting about a proposal to cut trees at the entrance to the subdivision and limiting the size of the islands that are causing a problem getting fire trucks in and out of the property.

In other business Monday, the council:

• Donated $200 to Loxley Elementary School for the school’s fourth grade field trip to Montgomery.
• Donated $200 to sponsor the Loxley Church of God’s Easter Egg Scramble 5K to be held Saturday, March 26. The run will benefit local schools.
• Voted to take over maintenance of  Vintage Street in the Victoria Estates subdivision.
• Approved the execution of an agreement concerning a transportation planning process for the Eastern Shore Urbanized Area between Baldwin County and the State of Alabama. Other municipalities involved in the agreement include Daphne, Fairhope and Spanish Fort.
• Authorized the sale of a surplus fire truck.
• Authorized the emergency purchase of a brush truck for the fire department at an estimated cost of $17,500.
• Donated baskets to be used as prizes for the town’s annual Easter Egg Hunt, which will be hosted by the Fire Department’s Ladies Auxiliary on Saturday, March 26.
• Authorized the mayor to grant agreement in the amount of $30,000 for the town to undertake a project of acquisition, construction, enlargement or capital improvement of a water/waste system to serve under its jurisdiction.
• Voted to accept the audited financial statements for the town.