ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — A rezoning request from Joe Lambeth of Cockrell’s Body Shop, located at 23560 Hwy. 59 in Robertsdale, to move from R-1 to B-2 brought some concern from a resident who lives across the street at Monday morning’s Robertsdale City Council meeting.

Sanford Kodish, who is one of a few residents that live in proximity to Cockrell’s, wanted to get some clarification about a buffer zone between his property and the body shop’’s and wanted to see if some kind of visual barrier could be erected like a fence or something to protect his property.

“This is a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and there is nothing in our land-use ordinance that stipulates we have to provide or allow for a visual barrier in the front of a business, only on the side or the back. We are aware of the residences in that area and will be sure to not allow anything to go there that could create a problem, “ said Greg Smith, City engineer.

The business has been there for four years and was at one time zoned B-2 and then switched to R-1 when it was annexed into the city. Lambeth now wants to switch it back to to B-2. After some discussion, a motion was made to proceed with the request and it was passed without any further discussion.

A motion was also passed to allow another zoning request from Jewell Campbell for a vacant building at 22425 Hwy. 59 to be changed from M-U to B-2. This was also a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and the building will be used for a veterinarian clinic.

In other council business, a motion was passed to renew the Property and Liability Insurance policy the City has with the Blackmon Insurance Agency in Bay Minette. Ann Simpson, City Chief Financial Officer, said the premium for 2011 will be $106, 712, an increase of $700 from last year because of the addition of the third building for the daycare and the purchase of seven vehicles.

“This is a really good price considering all we have acquired and there is a $2 million liability limit with the policy,” Simpson said.

According to a letter to the council from the Blackmon agency, there is a “$1,000 deductible on all property losses and a $500 deductible on all equipment losses paid for the municipality. The wind and hail property deductible will remain at $100,000 per location with a $300,000 aggregate.”

Although the $2 million liability is the average for this size municipality, The council passed a motion to increase the limit to $3 million for an additional $3,131 per year.

Resolution No.007-11 adopting the 2010 Baldwin County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan was also passed as well. In the Resolution, it is required that for each Baldwin County jurisdiction to continue to qualify for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) mitigation grant assistance programs, they must update their Natural hazard Mitigation Plan every five years.

A motion was also passed to nominate someone for the selection of a County Board of Equalization. The State Department of Revenue requires in Section 40-3-2 of the Code of Alabama 1975, that each municipality nominate one person for this position.

Mayor Charles Murphy said he and council member Joe Kitchens will get together and nominate someone in the next few weeks. The nominations will be for a four-year term beginning October 1, 2011 and are due by August 15, 2011.

There were also two requests from the Baldwin Register for ad placement in their Baldwin 2011 Live, Work, Play tabloid and the Baldwin County Hurricane Warning 2011 tabloid but but both failed because of no motion.

Lastly, Murphy announced there would be an employee picnic on Friday, June 3 at noon at Garrett Park, Robertsdale High School Graduation would be on Tuesday, May 24 and their would be a Memorial Day observance on Monday, May 30.