Planning and zoning is another step closer to reality for Calera as the town is now accepting applications from those interested in serving on the board.

For the past several months, the council has been discussing the creation of a planning and zoning committee due to the economic growth of the town in recent years.

Calera is the second largest city in Bryan County.

During a Calera Council meeting held Tuesday, the council voted to begin accepting applications for the planning and zoning board. There will be five people who will serve on the planning and zoning committee, plus an additional five members who will serve on another committee.

The council will pick the applicants.

In other action during the meeting, the council voted to hire a company to survey areas around Calera that the town may want to annex for business reasons. Calera will be applying for a grant to build a 6,000 square-foot safe room that could also house the police department, the emergency operations center, plus serve meals to the senior citizens. A citizen suggested that a safe room should be built on the east side of town because the west side already has one at the school. Calera Emergency Management Director Butch Scalf said the council would make the determination on the safe room’s location.

The council also voted on the following agenda items:

— Approved a request by the fire department to spend $400 on Halloween candy to be given out Oct. 30

— Voted to change payroll for city employee from salary to hourly wages

— Approved placing a 35 MPH speed limit sign on East Main Street to be in compliance with state law that requires speed changes to be in 10 MPH increments.