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Columbia City Council meets Sept. 5, 2007
Freedom Walk Gen. (retired) George Goldsmith invited council to attend the Freedom Walk 2007, which goes from the State House to Finlay Park, on Sept. 11, commemorating those who fell victim Sept. 11, 2001. Walkers are to begin arriving on the State House grounds at 10:15 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 11, and the walk starts at 11:30. At noon, there is a memorial ceremony in Finlay Park. Wild water Scott Powers, executive director of the Columbia Regional Sports Council, thanked council for their support during the 2007 Junior Wild Water World Championship earlier this summer. Shopping Matt Kennell, CEO of downtown's City Center Partnership, and Jim Apple, board chairman, reviewed their retail strategy for Main Street, North Main Street, Harden Street, Two Notch Road, and Farrow Road. Finlay warned council the homeless problem might need some resolution before any new retailers can be expected to invest in Columbia. Sinclair wondered if the city should not oversee the contract instead of CCP since the city was putting up all the money. Council agreed.
Er ic Cassell, senior loan administrator, explained to council how the Housing Emergency Loan Program (HELP) worked. Home repairs such as plumbing, heating, and other health and safety issues are sometimes a financial burden to lowincome homeowners. Cassell's staff partnered with Bank of America to create a funding source without federal restrictions to cover the cost of the new program helping the low- income homeowners borrow to repair their houses. Lake Murray Not invited to appear before the selection groups for the accommodations and hospitality grants, Miriam Atria, CEO of the Capital City/Lake Murray Country, appealed to council for help in funding the Forrest Woods Cup, the Super Bowl of fishing coming to Lake Murray and Columbia in August 2008.There's a potential $40 million in economic impact, according to Atria. Sinclair moved and council voted to refer the matter to the committees for accommodations tax and hospitality tax redistribution.
Charlie Hopkins, managing consultant at CH2M Hill Inc., pitched his firm's capabilities in helping the city better organize its security camera program. What's already in place in Columbia is not working very well, but Hopkins said the cameras might still be used in a new program. Interim measures Marc Mylott, the city's director of development services, explained his memorandum: Interim Measures RE: Subdivisions, McMansions, and Demolitions. The meeting shifted to a public hearing, and the room was crowded with citizens eager to speak on the subject. Pamela Greenlawn espoused more trees. Coles Lawton from Wales Garden was advocating better retention of houses of historical significance, particularly since her neighborhood was waiting on its designation and accompanying preservation protection. Beth Herron of Hollywood was nervous over too many corner lots possibly being subdivided. Par Gilmar tin begged council to help preserve the character of city neighborhoods. Earl McLeod of the Homebuilders Association said infill could work as smart land planning, but a moratorium on home building in town was plain antibusiness. Susan Creed was hoping for a greener city. Lee Marsha wondered out loud if the Ellison family could have collected anything near the $2.2 million paid by developer Ben Arnold if the lot remained a one- house affair.
Council meets Wednesday morning, September 19, at 9 am for a regular session, and at 10 am for a zoning public hearing, all on the third floor, City Hall, corner of Laurel and Main. |
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