Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – Land is being cleared for Foley’s newest park to be located in the recently annexed Mills community.

The city purchased a 4-acre site to be developed as a park. Mayor Ralph Hellmich said city crews have cleared much of the brush and some trees from the site.

“We've completed that. It looks pretty good,” Hellmich said. “That is now opened up and it looks good and we'll continue to improve in that area.”

He said the city left many of the trees on what had been a wooded parcel.

“We left a lot of trees,” he said. “It’s showing definite progress.”

Mills residents voted in August to approve an annexation referendum to bring their community into the city.

Darrell Russell, Foley public works director, said Foley officials have been working with Baldwin County since the vote to switch residents to municipal garbage collection. He said service in many homes is being transferred at the end of the billing period.

The city is also working to approve municipal zoning for the area. The Foley Planning Commission approved a zoning plan for the area.

Under the plan, developed parcels in the annexed area would be zoned R-4, a residential designation that is the same as that in neighboring areas. Lots that now have structures that do not fit the R-4 zoning requirements will be allowed to remain unchanged.

The zoning plan will now go to the Foley City Council for a public hearing and vote on final approval.