AGENDA ITEMS:
STATE RECOGNITION OF AIKEN’S PARKS, RECREATION & TOURISM DIVISION AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER – The City of Aiken is blessed with tremendous staff and volunteers that make us an All-American City. At this year's 65th South Carolina Parks Association Conference one community volunteer was recognized for his outstanding leadership and the City's Athletic Division was recognized as the top department in the state (population 25,000 - 50,000).
Our Athletic Division is headed up by Jeff Metz who last year was given the South Carolina Young Professional Award. This award is presented to a Park and Recreation staff member who has been employed for less than ten years. The Athletic Division manages 20 full and part-time employees along with a long list of volunteers within this division. The Athletic Division yearly oversees 30 weekend tournaments in soccer, tennis, baseball and softball and works with the Farmers' Market Committee. Recently the Athletic Division worked with the United States Tennis Association tournament officials allowing Aiken to host our second state tournament this past year. This division has made a tremendous difference not only with tournaments, but also most importantly with our children and adults who actively participate daily in all their programs.
Mike Hutto was also recognized at the banquet as the South Carolina Athletic Volunteer of the Year. Volunteer coaches are the backbone of the Athletic Division and without them our programs wouldn't exist. Mike has been coaching for nine years and organizes Cedar Creek Church Basketball with 21 teams. During this time he has been a coach in the City of Aiken Youth Church Basketball Program, Youth Soccer and Youth Baseball Program. He exemplifies all the positive attributes you want to see from a coach, a dedicated dad, and a husband. He displays great sportsmanship and constant patience on and off the field. He is knowledgeable in every sport he coaches. His good sportsmanship is seen in both the games and in the practices throughout the season. Mike's practices are designed to be fun and yet instructional, and he utilizes every moment to motivate the team. Most importantly, whether they win or lose, they build a team relationship as players continue to come back over and over again to our program. We congratulate Mike on being named the South Carolina Athletic Volunteer of the Year and look forward to many more years of a great partnership with our city.
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS – Mayor Cavanaugh has recommended the reappointment of McDonald Law to the Design Review Board. If reappointed Mr. Law's term would expire December 31, 2012.
Mayor Cavanaugh has also recommended the reappointment of Mark Hudgins to the Environmental and Energy Committee. If reappointed Mr. Hudgin's term would expire December 31, 2012.
There are 21 pending appointments to boards and commissions of the City.
ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FROM AIKEN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE: The Aiken Electric Cooperative through the Rural Development Act of 1966 awards economic development grants to communities for investment in infrastructure and other qualified projects to help encourage development within the area. Over the last ten years the City has received over $1 million which has been used to help build the Airport Terminal and to provide infrastructure for Ventures Park.
About eight years ago Aiken Electric Cooperative provided us with $300,000 towards the construction of a speculative building in Ventures Park now occupied by South Carolina Metals Products. The funds we receive from the sale of that building were used to provide funding for our portion of the runway extension and strengthening, the total overlay of the secondary runway, and funding to help with the current ILS project. This year Aiken Electric Cooperative would like to present to the City checks for $150,000 and $9,214.29 (Central Electric Power) which will be used to grade and construct a building pad in the Venture Industrial Park for a future site. The City will set up through the Economic Development Partnership a virtual spec building for this site, which prospective clients can use as a tool for relocation. By preparing and grading the site the buyer can reduce the length of time for the project by several months which is sometimes very important when relocating to a new area.
For City Council consideration, this is acceptance of a grant in the amount of $159,214.29 for the construction of a building pad and road in Ventures Industrial Park owned by the City of Aiken.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE CITY PENSION PLAN: The City offers a retirement program for all full time city employees except Public Safety. Warner Anthony, our pension attorney, has incorporated several minor changes that are required by the IRS into the revised plan. During our audit review and zero based budgeting meetings, Council had some questions concerning our pension plan. Specifically, the questions centered around the actuarial assumptions used in determining the plan's liabilities in funding levels. Normally it would not be necessary for him to be at this meeting concerning these changes, however, he will be here tonight to answer any City Council questions.
He will share with Council the various interrelated items that together are used in the design of the plan to meet future liabilities. Every year he reviews the actuarial assumptions used previously to determine how well these assumptions match the plan's actual experience. Then the actuary compares the actual operations of the plan to the assumptions and makes an annual adjustment to reflect the difference between these assumptions and the actual plan's result.
Therefore, these adjustments to the liabilities and funding needs are made each year, which reflects the gains and losses for the actual operation versus the actuarial assumptions. He will answer any other questions that Council might have concerning these assumptions and how he arrives at the annual contribution the city should contribute to the plan on a yearly basis.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO REVISE THE PLANNED RESIDENTIAL PLAN FOR COLLETON PARK: Phillip Merry of New Colony Partners is asking Council to consider approval of a revised Concept Plan for Colleton Park. They presented a revised plan to the Planning Commission at their November 9, 2010, meeting. At this meeting they requested three items:
1. an increase in the number of permitted dwelling units;
2. lot reconfiguration which differs from the approved Concept Plan;
3. signage not allowed by the Zoning Ordinance.
Council can consider the first two items separately from the third or all three together.
In September 2005, a Concept Plan was submitted for the entire 74.6-acre tract in which Colleton Park, Pin Oak, and an unnamed 11.22-acre tract annexed on the condition that there would be no more than 300 dwelling units. Pin Oak Farms to the east of the subject property has been approved for 62 units. The Concept Plan for Colleton Park which was approved on October 9, 2006, limited the number of dwelling units to 117. The 11.22-acre portion of the tract was approved for a maximum of 121 dwelling units.
The applicant is requesting that the maximum number of dwelling units in Colleton Park be increased from 117 to 119 and that the number of dwelling units on the total site be increased to 302. By adding two additional lots there would be a slightly smaller amount of open space, and it appears that the community center would be eliminated. The Planned Residential zone requires a minimum of 20% open space, and therefore this would still leave almost 50% more than the City requires. Otherwise the overall nature of the neighborhood would remain.
Concerning the third item, signage which is not allowed by the Zoning Ordinance, he has revised his request as stated in his letter dated December 30, 3010. Previously he had requested the Planning Commission consider a 4' x 8' sign to be located in the median entrance to the subdivision. He is now asking that the sign be resized to a 4' x 6' and has received permission to locate the sign on the neighboring property owner's 11.222 acres. With Council's permission they would relocate all three signs requested onto the undeveloped tract.
FUNDING FOR ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER: At a recent zero based budget meeting, we discussed how the Capital Project funds should be used in providing the most cost effective long-term solution for the City's Animal Control Program. Our Public Safety Department looked at four possible scenarios to consider for this funding. These included: city operated new facility, purchase the current facility from the SPCA, partner with the County of Aiken, or continue our partnership with the SPCA.
As stated in the memorandum from Pete Frommer, Director of Public Safety, the cost to purchase a new facility or to purchase the current facility is cost prohibitive. Additional daily expenses to operate the facility with staff, utilities, veterinarian, and other costs would far exceed what the City is currently paying the SPCA yearly.
The third option would be to partner with the County. They propose that the City and County would pool their funds to purchase the existing SPCA property and construct a new building between the SPCA site and the Aiken County site. Daily fees under this option would be similar to what we are currently paying for boarding animals. However, the euthanizing costs would most likely increase and the spay/neuter program would be diminished. Results from the spay/neuter program show our yearly costs have been decreasing due to less stray animals being brought to the facility.
Option 4 is to continue our partnership with the SPCA. For over 20 years we have had a contractual agreement with the SPCA and under this scenario we would provide funding from the City of Aiken to own the parcel of land on which the SPCA would build facilities for the City of Aiken. They would operate and maintain the animal shelter and continue with the highly successful spay/neuter program. As Director Frommer has shown the costs have dramatically decreased over the last five years since the spay/neuter program began in 2005. This year our projected costs will be less than $45,000, which is a decrease of 35% during this timeframe. We anticipate these costs will continue to decrease with an active spay/neuter program.
Ben Moore is working with Mary Guyn with the SPCA on developing an agreement, which will allow the City of Aiken to have ownership of the parcel of land upon which our portion of the facility will be built. This agreement would be brought back to City Council at a later date should you decide to use public funds for this non-profit facility.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE PLANNED COMMERCIAL CONCEPT PLAN FOR LACY SCHOOL OF COSMETOLOGY: City Council approved the annexation of a five acre site at 1706 University Parkway on June 22, 2009. Jay Lacy is prepared to begin construction on the first phase, but will need permission to revise the second phase consisting of 1.85 acres. In order for him to balance his grading for the site he will need to remove some of the dirt, which is currently in the second, phase and move it to the first phase. Due to this grading requirement most of the trees on the 1.85 acres will need to be removed. With Council's approval he will be able to grade the site as desired and remove the trees on phase two. Should Council approve this request the Planning Commission is recommending that a number of the trees would be replaced, and he is requesting a waiver from the requirement to plant replacement trees on this portion until it is developed and landscaped as per the Zoning Ordinance.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve this request based on the condition that there is an untouched buffer 25 feet deep along S.C. 118 and that trees are planted around the perimeter of phase two. They further stated that no vehicular traffic would be allowed on phase two until it is developed except in conjunction with functions such as planned festivals.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX PROPERTY AT 3441 SARATOGA STREET: Donald Winslow, owner of a .92-acre lot at 3441 Saratoga Street is requesting annexation of a single family dwelling under the RS-15 zone. The owner is interested in the lower in-city rates and other city services. The proposed RS-15 zone is compatible with the size of the property and the zoning in the area meets or exceeds the minimum standards. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the annexation of this property at their December 14, 2010, meeting.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX PROPERTY AT 114 LYNWOOD DRIVE: Jennifer and Chris Coffey, owners of a .39-acre lot at 114 Lynwood Drive, are requesting annexation. We recently annexed two other properties on this street, and this will be the third lot and home within this established neighborhood. The applicant is interested in lower rates and city services. The proposed RS-15 zone is compatible to city standards. The Planning Commission unanimously approved this request at their December 14, 2010, meeting.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE THE CONCEPT PLAN FOR MURPHY OIL: Murphy Oil, USA is requesting approval of their concept plan for a convenience store at 3575 Richland Avenue W. on a 1.35 acre site. The gas station will consist of 20 fueling stations and is located on an outparcel at the Shoppes at Richland at the entrance to Wal-Mart. There are no external driveway cuts onto Richland Avenue and the property would be accessed from the parking lot and the western entrance drive to the shopping center.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved this request at their December 14, 2010, meeting with the following conditions.
1. that the access onto the center's entrance drive be right-in/right-out only and that it be designed and constructed so that left turns are not possible;
2. that the gas station canopy have a green standing-seam sloping roof from the bottom edge of the roof to the top edge of the roof except to allow an identification sign a maximum of 15 feet in length; that the flat part of the roof be green, standing-seam metal; that the supporting columns be white; and that the design and colors be approved by the Planning Director;
3. that the following be done within 180 days:
a. a revised Concept Plan be submitted showing any changes required by Council and listing conditions of approval; and
b. the applicant signs an agreement stating the conditions of approval.
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE AGENDA: Every year the Municipal Association of South Carolina approves an agenda, which recognizes the common goals and core functions of cities and towns. Each year the MASC agenda ties back to the core principles of promoting economic growth, enhancing a positive quality of life, and encouraging local accountability and fiscal responsibility. This year's agenda (Exhibit A) sets forth four priorities to change state law to better serve residents and businesses by increasing the flexibility of local elected leaders to meet these needs.
1. Update the state annexation laws to allow more flexibility in annexing property completely surrounded by a city or town to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.
2. Allow municipal residents to pursue a capital project sales tax to fund specific projects when the county has opted not to pursue this option.
3. Allow cities increased flexibility under the millage cap to choose when to increase millage rather than be forced by law to increase it on an annual basis.
4. Increase the tools and opportunities for cities to eliminate blight and encourage economic development.
The Municipal Association has asked cities and towns within the state to support this legislative agenda for 2011-2012. Attached is a resolution for City Council's consideration concerning this agenda.
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF HISTORICAL MARKER IN DOWNTOWN AIKEN: At the December 2010 Design Review Board meeting, they considered a request for a historical marker to be erected on Richland Avenue. This marker would recognize the Detection of the Neutrino at the Savannah River Site in 1956 and the awarding in 1995 of the Nobel Prize in physics related to the discovery.
The wording for the marker has been approved by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and there is an attachment showing the location of the marker between York Street and Chesterfield Street at 121 Richland Avenue E. The present location is temporary until the SRS Heritage Foundation finally establishes its permanent location. Currently they are located in office space provided by the Aiken Chamber of Commerce. The Design Review Board voted unanimously to recommend its approval.
APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION FOR ACCEPTANCE OF DEED OF DEDICATION OF APENCER DRIVE AND DETENTION POND: Several years ago City Council approved the development of attached housing along Spencer Drive. One of the conditions for approval was the development of Spencer Drive from East Gate Drive to the back of the Target Shopping Center. This road was completed several years ago along with a detention pond for the roadway, which they are now ready to deed to the City of Aiken.
Our Engineering personnel have observed the road and state that the developer has completed the remedial work from the punch list and the road is now complete and ready for dedication. The dedication would also include the detention pond for this roadway.
SECOND READING OF AN OFDINANCE TO AMEND THE PARADE PERMIT: The City of Aiken’s Public Safety Department approves parade permits to temporarily close roadways for events within our community. State law has recently changed and the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) regulations now require a municipality to submit a request for a temporary state road closure no less than three weeks prior to the event.
Our current regulations state that the applicant must submit their permit no less than ten days prior to the event.
We have revised the permit ordinance and increased the deadline to apply for a permit from the current ten to thirty days. This would give Public Safety ample time to submit the proper paper work to SCDOT to meet their three-week deadline.
MISCELLENAEOUS ADDITIONS:
SCDOT STATUS REPORT ON UNIVERSITY PARKWAY. SCDOT Chief Engineer Ron K. Patton has written regarding our requests we made at the December 2, 2010 state SCDOT Commission meeting. Regarding University Parkway, it appears that sidewalk installation from the USCA Campus to US Hwy 1 should begin March 2011 and be completed around the end of June. We will keep you updated on this timeline. Our request for additional turn lanes onto University Pkwy from US Hwy 1, and to convert University Pkwy from two to three lanes to complete.
BEE LANE STREETSCAPE PROJECT. Our Bee Lane streetscaping is continuing. The installation of paver bricks has been delayed pending the undergrounding of electrical service wires and installation of an above ground transformer by SCE&G workers. The latest information from SCE&G representative John Meadows is that they are beginning this work, which is expected to take two weeks to complete. If that holds true, then we should be able to get brick pavers installed before the end of this month, or early in February. In the meantime, our Public Works and Parks, Recreation and Tourism staff have worked together to create a designated temporary pedestrian walkway, which became necessary as we became aware of continuing foot traffic in this area.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. As this memo is being prepared, 80% of the parkway plantings are being done, pedestrian bridge locations are being confirmed and a design by staff is being finalized, and all porous pavements has been laid. The spaced brick pavers should be in place on Newberry Street by the end of this month. Clemson University staff will complete testing of the monitoring equipment in February, with results anticipated to be on line by the end of February. We have also finished up our submittal of this project – under the Public Works category – of our application for a Municipal Association of South Carolina Achievement Award.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN HOPELANDS ATTENDANCE. 13,076 people visited the Christmas lights in Hopelands this holiday season. Last year 13,093 visited. However, this year we had one rain cancellation night, and two nights when the weather was bitterly cold, so attendance this year suffered as a result.
COMMENDATIONS. Planning Director Ed Evans has shared his compliments about Wes Funderberg for his assistance with a historic properties Historic Resources Survey. This survey is being completed as part of our recently updated strategic plan – Aiken’s Tomorrow.
SAVE THESE DATES AND PLAN TO ATTEND:
THURSDAY, JANUARY 13 TO THURSDAY, JANUARY 27 is PRT’s annual spring sports registration time for youth baseball, youth soccer, girls softball, and buddy sports. Registration can be done online or at Citizens Park Complex on Old Airport Road.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 2011 FROM 3 TO 5:00 P.M., in our first floor City Hall Conference Center, there will be a drop-in in recognition of 25 years of dedicated service by retiring City Manager Roger LeDuc. Light refreshments will be served at this drop-in. We anticipate having a videographer present to provide you with an opportunity to record your well wishes for Roger and Renee. In addition, we will also make available a sign-in book.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON JANUARY 28 AND SATURDAY MORNING JANUARY 29, 2011 beginning with a noontime lunch on Friday, will be our annual Horizons Retreat. Roger will guide our Friday discussions, and I will facilitate Saturday’s session. The public is invited.
On January 9th,, 2011, The State paper ran an article on the front page entitled “$830 million deficit confronts legislators.” The article proceeded to ask readers “how would you fix the state budget?” Readers were given the option of raising taxes or cutting spending. Spending cuts were divided into categories and readers were given the opportunity of picking the category that they would most like to cut if they had chosen not to raise taxes.