DAPHNE, Ala. — The Sommerset subdivision in Belforest has a new neighbor seeking approval from the City Council. If rezoning is approved for a multifamily dwelling, developers will build townhouses on wetlands behind the subdivision on Alabama Highway 181 — much to Sommerset residents’ chagrin.

Representatives of M&S Development said at Monday’s City Council meeting that the two-story townhouses would appeal to retired baby-boomers and empty nesters. They explained that they had already discussed a utility route through the back of Sehoy subdivision and hoped to ease residents’ concerns.

But Sommerset residents spoke out against the development.

“Within a two-mile radius of this area there are three public schools,” Bob Hart, president of the Association of Sommerset, said. “No retirement-aged people will come.”

All Sommerset homeowners association members agreed that apartments in this area would cause heavier traffic on Highway 181. They said already-present flooding on the cul-de-sac of Sommerset Drive will worsen if the townhouses come. Their retaining pond spills into the wetland area — where the apartments would be built.

Sommerset residents said they feel the already low water pressure in their area will be affected and the amount of green space to be used in this development also is a concern.

All Sommerset residents approve of annexing this area — according to their affirmative response, prompted by Council President Greg Burnam — but residents oppose rezoning it to multifamily dwelling.

Also Monday, Councilmen Bailey Yelding, John Lake, Ron Scott and Burnam voted in favor of a two-pronged resolution to provide tax incentives for the Renaissance development and to assess fees to owners for repaying bonds. The action enforced a memorandum of understanding the council signed in May that set up a cooperative improvement district that will retain 1 cent on non-automobile retail sales, a half-cent on automobile retail sales and 1 cent on hotel revenues — to assist with development costs.

Council members Barnette and Palumbo voted against the measure.

Palumbo said that the first building the Renaissance Center developer wants to erect is a “cheap hotel.” The developer has also suggested a business with a metal building.

“I’m not afraid of businesses going down the street; we’re in a desirable area,” Palumbo said. However, he expressed that Daphne should be picky about the type of businesses it allows.

Barnette agreed. The governor, she said, saw the property as prime real estate. This means the city can choose businesses that positively represent the area, she said.

On the other hand, Burnam, Yelding, Lake and Scott agreed that sales tax is the city’s greatest source of revenue, and the city should do all it can to attract businesses.

“We can’t be closeminded,” Yelding said. “For example, we lost the Eastern Shore Center (to Spanish Fort). It’s inevitable: the city will grow.”

In other business, city leaders voted unanimously to appropriate $2,500 for a traffic study on the east and west corridor of Main Street to Wilson Avenue.

Also Monday:

•City leaders voted for the next meeting date to be changed to Jan. 22 in observance of Martin Luther King day on Jan. 21

•Police Officer Rick Oliver and Judge Doyle were sworn in