City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, good afternoon. Welcome to our first meeting of the year 26. A few people in the audience and hopefully a few more people watching us on our YouTube channel. Invocation tonight will be given by Councilman John Roberts and I will lead us in respect to please rise. Dear heavenly father, we come to you tonight. We ask that you be with us council makes decisions tonight. They would be not only beneficial to our community. Father, as always, we ask that you be with our city staff, our employees, and our first responders. God, be with them as they place themselves in harm's way to protect us. These things we ask your most holy and heavenly name. Amen.

Amen. allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

But our last meeting, no uh December 8th, the minutes have been distributed. Are there any corrections or additions to those minutes? Not hearing any. Do I have a motion to approve? First by Mr. Newton, second by Mr. Stewart. All those in favor say I. I.

Opposed. The minutes of December 8th pass unanimously. We have one item of old business and that item is request second reading of ordinance 26-01 to reszone 409 highway 29 bypass north from LI light industrial to R20 residential single family residential Mr. Mr. Mayor Council this is uh this was referred to the plan commission um it's back to you guys for consideration um and we pass first reading. So, this is a second reading. Mr. Maurice McKenzie, our plan development director, will go over the item.

Thank you. As Mr. Mchuan mentioned, this did come before you for first reading on at your December 8th meeting. you approved it on first reading and I'll just give you a brief recap since we did discuss it at length last month. But this request is to reszone the subject property from LI light industrial to R20 single family residential in order to bring the property into zoning performance. There's a single family house that exists on the property and with the LI zoning LI does not allow single family residential uses. So they are requesting to reszone it to make it um in conformance and not just a legally non-conforming use anymore. According to the applicant, it's always been in use as a single family residential dwelling. The reason for the request is that the property owner is wanting to sell the property, but they're having trouble in doing so because the property is non-conforming and uh potential buyers are having difficulty securing a loan because of the non-conforming status. So by reszoning it to R20 single family residential, it'll be back into zoning compliance. And this would be considered a downzoning, meaning that the more intensive light industrial uses would go away. It' be more for single family residential. Now, if it is reszoned, and we did talk about this last month, that 29 Bypass has a variety of land uses, different zoning classifications in the area, and there may be other properties that are non-conforming like this one. So, as we continue the process of updating our zoning ordinance and zoning map, we will take a closer look at this area to make sure everything complies and also provides a good guide for future development along the corridor. Again, you did approve this on first reading at your December 8th meeting. Planning Commission also recommended approval.

Thank you, sir. We did have a good discussion in regards to the last meeting. I thought think the applicant is here again today. Um, but I open it up for any additional questions. Council province, the more I think about this, um, I probably would think it's zoned correctly. as it is. I see this section remaining light industrial and the only reason we're considering this is because the future owner can obtain bank financing. I'm not sure that's the right reason to do it.

Again, we will look into the area to make sure that light industrial is your perfect zoning. You are right in saying that when you look at the area from a bird's eye view, there's a lot of industrial related uses in the general area.

You know, I think when we take the bigger look at the re the zoning map around the entire city, this is going to remain all So, are we just kicking the can down the road for the next perhaps? So I I have I have some res. Do you know Mr. McKenzie when this is going to be looked at closer? I know we've had this conversation several time. I mean we just general conversation on different areas through the city where we may go ahead and resone something now but yet we're going to take a closer look at it when the zoning happen but I'm not sure like J.

Right. We updated the comprehensive plan last year. you adopted that. So, we move forward now with updating our unified development ordinance, which is our zoning ordinance, our subdivision regulations, all of those regulatory documents. We're in the process now of completing that. We have the final draft that staff is going through now just to complete that. Along with that is a zoning map update. So, we take a look at situations like this. And I'm thinking that the adoption will take place, you know, maybe this summer, sometime like that. When staff looks at, hey, is this and you have a request come in like this, we have a check say, all right, yes, it meets this, this is that, and this is why we make recommendation or, you know, kind of like this one. This [snorts] I guess hinge on being able to get financing, you know, is that a item that's on our checklist to say, yes, if you can't get financing, we're resolving it for you.

We don't necessarily have a checklist like that. We look at the comprehensive plan, look at what's around it and things like that typically. So, but to answer your question, is there a check the box selling the property? No. Well, if I remember correctly, one of the concerns about this was there is a residential house though on this specific lot. Correct. That's correct. And I think there's another one or two in the general area if I'm not mistaken.

So, one of the issues with zoting here is we don't have a necessarily clear neighborhood character where you literally have a residential house next to what's very clearly light industrial and and unless they raise the the house and put light industrial on it, both these properties are likely to stay light industrial. The area is probably light industrial moving into some residential nearby. But this specific lot if it stays light industrial will basically you you can't you'd have to totally redo the entire property. Is that right?

Right. Yeah. Right now it's a legal non-conforming use. So it could remain residential moving forward. But if it is vacated for more than four months or if it's damaged by fire for instance by more than 50% it reverts back to an industrial status. No more single family. M. So, Mr. McKenzie, I think I remember when we discussed this at the earlier meeting. So, it was a it's a house. Yes.

And that house was there prior to any zone and then because the age of the house, it it was a house there and some industrial moved around it. The city came up with zoning, did an overlay because majority of it is industrial, but it's a house.

That's right. A lot of times, well, this is a 1998 iteration of our zoning, and the more modern or the first modern one, if you will, was like in the 60s. And what most likely happened and created this pattern is that a lot of times you look at the predominant use in the area and then you lay down the zoning over it. And every now and then you have some things that are caught like this that are considered legal non-performing which that's what the reason for legal non-conforming uses. It gives you an opportunity to keep it as is. But again, if it goes vacant for more than four months or it is burned by fire, it has to revert back. Any other questions?

You know, I know you do have a house on the other side of before you get to the storage unit, but you know that that is I don't know how long that house is going to be around. It's in dire straits right now. So, you know, whether it gets rehab or not home right there on the corner before you get to the the new uh I guess the warehousing. You got the gas station on top of the hill up there. Then across the street, you got that other garage. It's just, you know, there's a lot of light industrial there. stick out on the back side of it building highway.

When you said kicking the can down the road, explain that. All right. Let's say we reszone it to residential R20.

Yep. in the future that owner tries to sell it or I see the trend of this area moving light industrial. I don't see it moving residential. if anything is moving light as usual. So, I'm just saying we're gonna we're gonna see this again in the future. If if this property is sold again and it's a it's not an issue if it's sold again as residential res, but if it's sold again and somebody wants to put in a commercial application or light industrial application, we're going to we're going to see it again. What's that process look like? If it's sold and then sold as the request is to go to some type of commercial zoning, lot industrial, what what does all that look like?

So, if somebody buys the house and then five years from now wants to turn it into commercial, Yes. they would have to come back for another zoning classification that meet what they want. Come back in front of us. Yes, sir. To resone. But the property as it is to not I'm not I'm not saying neighbor commercial or some other commercial zoning but to serve a light industrial purpose you'd basically have to demolish the building on the current site. Well, right and then there could be lot constraints. I mean, you know, you're talking about a half an acre piece of property. So, how feasible is it to even have an industrial use on it unless it was part of a bigger

unless you combined it with something? Yes, sir. Right. This going to be owner occupied or rental property. All I know is they're wanting to sell the property. We don't we don't keep up with renter versus owner occupied with properties like that. you're saying over, you know, a homeowner living there.

My understanding from the question, if I'm I'm recalling correctly, our last meeting where we did ask owner some questions is it was going through the probate process and they were trying to sell it as part of the probate process because the owner had lived there and it was really hard for get financing now that the owner who had lived there and wasn't owner occupied, but I don't know if there's clarity on who would end up purchasing the property should it get resent. Gotcha. Any other questions before we call?

May leave a comment. I I don't wish to do the owner any harm by not being able to sell the property. If anything, it is a down zone. So, no harm. I still think we'll see it in the future. That's possible. True. I I don't disagree, Mr. Roberts. I I certainly see your because somebody can the ne the the light industrial next door might buy it and want to expand their business and move it over there and it'd be non-conforming. The issue I have is the homeowner owned it for 50 years and we impose zoning on them. He can't sell it. And I think that's, you know, that's an issue. Any other any other questions?

I'm not a banker, so I don't know you know what you know what the constraints would be. you know, if you're trying to sell a piece of property from a light industrial to a resain a motion request,

uh the request is the recommendation is the council approve the reszoning from a light industrial to a single family residential property at 409 Highway 29 bypass North. Mr. Mayor, you know, I I'm kind of tending with what council Roberts said. I think that it is going to continue with the trend of light industrial. However, you know, there is another residential property right next door to it and there some residents across the street. Uh I do see this trending in the future more than light industrial than I do residential. But again, to a point being is that this guy, whoever owned the property for all these years, you know, you know, we shouldn't be the hold up for him, you know, having to sell it because of something they were done back in 1998. So, I'll make a motion that we approve it on second reading.

Sir, first by Mr. Stewart, second by Mr. Newton. All those in favor say I. I opposed passes unanimously. On the second reading, we have six items of new business. Our first item is request consideration of an ordinance to reszone 11:01, 11:03, and 11:05 M Road from light office to NC neighborhood commercial. Muan,

thank you. This is uh coming to you uh from the planning commission and coming to you on uh first reading. And so you'll see this again our next scheduled meeting. Um if it shall pass tonight uh Mr. McKenzie will go over this item, the scope of it as well, the request. Mr. McKenzie,

thank you. You'll see there's three addresses, but they're actually two parcels of land. So that's what we're um looking at this evening. You'll see it on your attached map in your packet, but the applicant's requesting to reszone the property from LO limited office to NC neighborhood commercial in order to have a church occupy these two parcels of land. Now, the interesting thing is is that the LO zoning that is currently zoned allows churches, but there is a conditional use associated with it that says that churches must be on [snorts] a minimum of two acres property. U that's similar to our residential zoning districts. There's a minimum of two acres. So that's the reason why we're here. This property is a little over 1.8 acres. If they had a tenth of an acre or 210 of an acre, we wouldn't be here this evening because they would be allowed to do it. But there is a property size constraint. So in order to um overcome that, they're requesting to go to neighborhood commercial zoning. NC zoning also allows churches, but there are no lot limitations, lot size limitations to that. So, if you look at your map, you'll see that NC zoning does exist near these properties. You see the properties that are fronting along East Bramble Street. Those are zoned neighborhood commercial. You do have LO limited office zoning to the east. And interestingly enough, those properties are owned by a church. So, you have church uses in the area as well. And because of the location of the subject properties in relation to the surrounding zoning and also the adjacent uses of church, you have two supporting factors there. And this is not considered a spot zone. Kind of like the other one could have been. This one is close to existing neighborhood commercial as you can see on the map.

And also I want to point out to the south across Mccle Road you have property that's zone general commercial which extends deeper down road that's the property that was a shopping center it's now owned by an reason we're here tonight is to go to neighborhood commercial to allow the church because of the twoacre constraint from the limited office. Now, if this is reszoned, they will have to submit site plans, building building plans as well to the city to have those reviewed and approved. Now, this did go before planning commission last week on January 6, and they did unanimously recommend approval. Thank you.

And I think we have a lot of people um here representing the applicant. Thank you. I had a question um kind of in line with what um I can't remember if it was Mr. Roberts, Mr. Stewart as the last We talked about we're overhauling uh some of our zoning guidelines. You indicated that that probably would come before us sometime in the summer. Would is that 2 acre limited office uh restriction is that going to be part of the the new zoning or not?

I'm not 100% certain of if that's going to be in there. We've been reviewing so much. But I will say that there's a good chance that limited office zoning is not even going to exist anymore. It's going to be combined with neighborhood commercial and have other caveats. So there's going to be some changes with that and yeah, you may not have this constraint. You may have it if we continue to have churches in residential single family residential zones. It sometimes makes sense there because you want to have a little more wiggle room and you know area that won't be so much where a church is a budding a house next door 10t away or something like that. And what would the neighborhood commercial allow? Obviously, this is going to be a church. Y

but in the future, what would it allow that limited office does? Good question. Uh it allows it'll bring in the retail element to it. Um restaurants, that's about it. That's different than limited office retail restaurants. And also, we talked about lot size constraints, too. You know, it's all dependent too on how big the property is as far as how intensive the commercial use would be. what you see across or in front of it, the banks along East Greenville Street, that's the kind of thing you would typically see. Thank you, M. Stewart.

Mr. McKenzie, I guess, uh, I know we're looking for a reasoning, but this would be considered like a variance or anything because you kind of, you know, instead of coming for us for a check getting variances from a conditional use that's for the property, but it's really not a variance type request. there's not a hardship because the property is just, you know, yeah, the property is too small, but there is a conditional use that says you have to have two acres. So, we did study that and try to figure out ways to assist because, you know, we were so close to two acres. You know, I was hoping it was like 1.99, you know, we could kind of round up, but it just felt just shy. So, we felt like this is the best way to do it.

And I guess at some point they had to bring back some plans to kind of show how parking.

That's right. Yeah. From a site perspective, you got to look at parking, enhance landscaping to better meet our codes. Also, these buildings were Yep. signage and these buildings were kind of office related, lab, whatever it was previously. So, it it's probably not built to the assembly occupancy that a church is. So, there could be some upgrades associated with that as well, but I don't know to what extent. about half answered my question, but mine is related to parking. And does the applicant plan to build or expand the building and then therefore decrease the available space for parking?

I can ask. We I don't think they plan to expand at the present time, but is there enough parking space? If I may speak to that, my name is Chris Barnett. I'm the pastor, the lead pastor of the point church. Um, we have we have a small Sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. Pastor Chris Barnett of the Point Church. The Point Church.

So, uh, we have a smaller congregation. We have about 50 to 60 members. Um, so right now we that that 1.89 acres would be plenty sufficient for parking for everybody that we uh that we have currently. um with really no no problem whatsoever. We do have plan to grow.

We do plan to grow as to your question of growth. Um so the way that the the facility works seems like it would work well for us. There is an office building there. Um that um as was indicated we'll need to do some upgrades upits to make sure that it fits code for an assembly, but again because of the size of our congregation, there's not really going to be that much. Um so we can that building for our current assembly needs. Then there is a warehouse like building next door which is kind of just a blank canvas empty shell that we could add into and then there's a full acre lot for that could be used currently for parking for whatever else we need. So our thoughts um if we grow as you indicated and as we hope provides um is that we would utilize those buildings kind of temporarily and then potentially even tear down buildings in order to make space if we built a larger building. end of the property. So, we're definitely thinking in terms of growth, but progressive growth over time.

And you're currently in the city on Main Street. We had been on Main Street. Um, yes, the church has been around for 10 years, almost 11 years, and uh we were meeting on Main Street and that property sold. And so, we have been leasing from that that place. And so, now we're currently meeting on the AU campus at the library. Thank you. Any other questions for that? Motion to approve. Have a first by Mr. Newton, second by Mr. John Roberts. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I.

I. Opposed. Passes now. Thank you. The third item of new business is consideration to purchase handheld radios for the police department. Mu. U. Mr. Mayor. Uh, it's actually the Municipal Election Commission. I'm sorry. Skip. Check it. Number two, request consideration of reappoint to the Municipal Election Commission.

Thank you. Uh the Anderson County does uh coordinate our elections for us, but our our legal office coordinates between the city um and the municipal commission uh and Anderson County elections. Frankie Mlan, our city attorney, who will go over this item for the uh appointments.

Like David said, the county election commission. We also have a municipal election commission and they limited basically to certifying the ballot and the election once has occurred. They are trained. We have three of them that have been doing that for a number of years. One of Claire Humphre and Rene Phil York and David Ford are three members of that commission. David Ford and Rene York's terms they need to be reappointed so they can handle that. So as our recommendation they be re They're willing to continue to serve.

They would contact. With that, I'd make a motion we reappoint them. I'm grateful for the work they do. It's even though I know the county handles a lot of our stuff. Uh, you know, full and fair elections are very important for our city and I appreciate the work they do and would move that they be reappointed. First, second, Mr. Harvin.

Any further discussion? I would also like to thank them. You know, obviously everyone up here is elected and uh one of the races I was in through the years. It was rather close and they actually had to count every ballot. Frankl might remember that and I appreciate they were willing to serve and serve the citizens. Any other comments, questions, observations? Have a first and second. All those in favor say I. Oppos. Thank you. Now to the request consideration to purchase handheld radios for the police department. M.

Thank you. I'm going just for a minute as I introduce this to lump this together with the fire department and our conversation involving the advancement of technology as far as the radios um communication uh both handheld and the fence radios within the patrol units and the the fire engines that we have uh as the we're using the most state-of-the-art technology that exists uh for radio communications for our public safety department. It's been a big investment by the city. um is excellent technology and it serves uh serves the purpose very well for us across um our public safety departments both fire and police can talk to each other it has that capability you can talk to highway patrol talk to DNR um any law enforcement agency across the state is interoperable and so this was a this was a big recommendation post 911 it took a slow roll out to get it implemented the city was at the front end of that implementation uh with the current radios uh that we have. Um so we've spoken about this several times during our budget and budget prep and our capital improvement plan as far as the equipment that we have for both the police department and fire department. This is phase two for the police department. So there'll be the second purchase of these radios and chief will go over the the specifications of these but this is a second purchase. We do have currently operational um about half the department now on the new radios and then same with the fire department. Uh we've made their first purchase and then we'll have a two purchase cycle with them as well with the is that same type of radio and the the same capability. Uh with that turn over to Chief Stewart to talk about the uh the bidding process and the the scope of the radio itself. Uh Chief Stewart.

Thank you sir. Thank you uh Mr. Mayor and council. As uh Mr. Mchuan said, if you remember, we have purchased and replaced all our incar mobile radios and we have replaced half of our walks. Um, we're at a point now, as Mr. Mchuan said, this is required by 2027, we go to encrypted radios. And basically what that means in layman's term is you will not be able to listen to us with a scanner anymore. That's required of everyone that has went to the Palmeta 25 network 800 megahertz. Um, we did put this out bid um to our local competitors close by in North Carolina. Kimble Rock Communications, we did have a bidder from the internet. Um we did uh last time purchase from Kimell. We've had no issues with them. They actually deliver the product here to the city, so we don't have to pay for shipping and handling. This is the same company that the sheriff's office deals with, and we're trying to stay on that same network that however their radios are set up. We're setting ours up the exact same way as the sheriff's office. And that has made a major accomplishment for interoperability when we have those those things. Um, as Mr. Mchuan said, it does um give us a little more access to radios. Uh, even with encryption, we have an event happen, we can switch off of that and go to an ops channel or even if it's in the upstate, we can go to a regional channel where we can have all agencies on one standard system. Um that in a nutshell, the uh request is coming to purchase the remaining uh 55 radios which will complete for all our class one officers. Um [clears throat] and that will equip us. We will be done.

Thank you. Any questions of the chief? No pro. That's the DA. So, our officer that serves on the DEA task force, we get an assert amount of commission every time there's a seizure. Mr. Mayor, I just like to say I'd like to make a motion that we approve the contract with communication for 185,87125 radio. Second.

We have a first by Mr. Stewart, second by Dr. Thompson. Any further questions? Is our share of the commission as you call it? I mean, is that do we budget that in or is just icing on the cake, so to speak? I mean, can we see enough ahead? You're talking about the e-share fund. Yeah, we budgeted in a number based on trends that that we see and it's it's about the same year over year and so the task force and I mean they could come across a significant event um investigation and there's a large seizure amount that gets distributed out but typically it's about the same

and it's just based on the territory. Yeah. that that task force that so the task force that we're part of and it's it's it's not countywide, it's regional wide and even can cross state lines, but um it's active and then we're it's a huge benefit to our community. And then these are restricted funds that must be reinvest back into the police law enforcement use. Have first and second. All those in favor say I. I opposed passes unanimously. Thank you, Chief. Thank you.

The fourth item of new business is request consideration of approval and adoption of the electric city transit policy um title six plan for South Carolina Department of Transportation. Mr. Mu.

All right. the city runs um as you're aware countywide uh transportation system um with using buses and we recently had a order for uh three new buses that will come in the form of looking like trolley so we're excited about that um our route stays busy and we operate uh Monday through Friday um we receive funds from mainly from two different places first the FDA federal government then also a small portion from DOT who also receives those funds from the FDA, the federal government. Uh but with that comes of several different compliance and checklists and we do have a audit u that we have a very very uh detailed one that updates your policies and so forth every three years. Uh this is actually coming um the request from SC DOT which was part of their checklist with the um FTA uh to update this particular policy um title six and Keith Moody our our transportation manager will go over uh the overall bit of this. It's a it is a good bit but uh Mr. Moody.

Thank you Mr. Mchuan. Mayor Council um Mu is saying that we do receive the funding from SC DOT and from FTA and we have to come into mandated compliance and there's updates that they uh asked us to do uh through the U FTA trianual and now with the oversight that the SCOT is doing. Some of those things that uh they asked us that they mandated for update was the public notice of rights. We had to update the protocols. Uh the compliance procedures, we had to refine some of the processes. Um the limited English proficiency that plan, we had to ensure that the access for all leaps is available. And then the public participation plan, we had to make that available to all u of the public uh of all walks of life. And the service standards, the policies for the vehicles, we had to make sure that it was in there that any equipment is able to go to any route. We can't say this bus is just for the purple route. We have to be able to flex it into all routes. and the staff would like to re recommend the approval and adoption of the 2025 to 2028 title six plan.

Thank you, Mr. Moody. Any questions, comments, Mr. Stewart? In this new plan for 2025 through 2028, do we have uh location of a possibly new bus shelter that's going to be placed and where they're going to be placed along the roots?

We do not, sir. Well, let me clarify. This this plan specifically is to just update title six um title six as far as compliance. It doesn't go long range plan as far as the routes and the infrastructure that we're putting out there. So, that's not what this is in particularly. So, it's not included in this. They just talked about the plan is you know shelters are distributed equitably throughout all the you know the service areas but as we continue to grow you know where are these shelters coming part of the plan so because as we grow some areas may not be as equable as other are shelters are provided and and so we can have that discussion. No, absolutely. Yeah. So, it does connect the plan in that instance as far as um I thought the clarification uh was that does it actually define and do we are we budget within this plan that no it does connect to it so that it's making sure that the transit is equal across all sectors and what it serves. [clears throat]

Good. Anything else? I'll make a motion to approve the time first by Mr. Second second by Mr. Steel.

I just want to briefly comment. I have a toddler who's obsessed with buses and so I constantly as I'm driving around Anderson here bus. So it's brought to my attention looking at our city buses and our city bus stops and it has amazed me how many people we really serve. I'm glad that my toddler brought that to my attention. Um, but I also want to thank everyone at Anderson City Transit for um the hard work y'all do in making sure that so many people get across to work, grocery store, medical appointments. Um, it's a vital vital service. So, we appreciate you. Good. First and second. All those in favor say I.

Opposed that passes unanimously. Our next item is request consideration of the in contract for the downtown greenway connection. Mchuan,

I just want to speak to this uh just a little bit before I turn over to assistant city manager Andrew Strickland who's managing the project for us. But um specific to this, as you can see, we completed Lindley Park. Uh it's very active, used very heavily uh from the playgrounds to the walking to the trail side of things. We're working on the leg right now. under construction um and will be complete in the next several months here between Lley Park and the recreation center. Um as we talked about through the budget process and our capital improvement plan, uh we did have in there budgeting for the project and design fees to incorporate from where we're leaving off at the rec center to downtown. Uh which Mr. Shiken will talk a little bit more about, but wanted to add that we had that project in there. So this is budgeted. Um and then this also takes a look at where the connection would be with a streetscape that we have not done yet. So um that's a conversation in the overview Mr. can [snorts] introduce to you Mr. app in an effort to like Mr. continue to roll out our trail greenway miles throughout the city. We have before you tonight design contract with Bton and Mink. Go through the details in just a second. Uh but really Mr. Mc mentioned it a second ago. U we're under construction currently with a another section of the W Creek Greenway between Lley Park and Rex. Um that should be complete later this spring. Uh the the next section the next phase of that greenway would take the trail from the rec center on the south side of the rec center street to downtown. And we just say to downtown south to downtown is a broad uh a broad statement because we really know quite yet where

that route is going to go. And so part of the fees that Bolton and me have developed would be to create some options for public consumption, some some public engagement to kind of get some feedback on on appropriate locations for that for that routing kind of which side of the street, which side of Whitner Creek that trail needs to be on. There's there lots of alternatives, lots of gray areas, and so there's some built into that as well. Most likely though that trail would interact with downtown Anderson around textile point around four street around Pearl Street. Uh and so we actually asked the Bolton and Mink team and developing their contract proposal um to to propose a fee for design of the or streetscape as well. Street, if you recall, from basically from Textile Point on the west from the the bridge at Murray Avenue to McDuffy Street crossing over Main Street to McDuffy Street is really one of the few remaining downtown streetscapes that we have haven't been updated, that hasn't gotten the downtown main streetscape experience done. So part of this fee uh does include the $384,000 not to exceed amount does include a streetcape design for street as well. So staff does recommend approval of Bolton and me. We advertised an RFQ in August of 2025. We had very robust response. I've got eight firms submit which is excellent. We'll talk about that again in just a second with the next item but a lot of firms in the upstate region looking seeing what Anderson is doing and want to be a part of it. So, very exciting days for sure. Part of the fee does include, like I mentioned, public engagement. So, we will do some some public renderings and

engagement processes, dropins, that sort of thing. Um, but it also includes construction administration. We do intend we have we have funding available in the capital improvements plan uh of a million and a half dollars for the trail portion. Um, so once once it comes time to to get a contractor on board, we'll do some pricing, make sure we're on track for that as well. Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you. Questions, comments, M. So, um, Mr. Strickland, so right now I think if I read correctly, we're at 4.5 miles of the 15 mile route. That's about right. So four and a half miles at East West Parkway. Okay. Plus about a mile and a half through park once it's complete to the rec center. Plus this this little section will be about 34. Plus all the running paths of the civ center and also the amb plus lots of loops.

What about timeline? I mean what are what are you looking at from timeline? Uh it it'll it'll take uh excuse me I forgot Kelly Green with with Bolton and make is here. I'm gonna let her answer that question actually. She's going to have their current schedule. Good evening all. Thanks for having me. Um we are very excited about this project. Um we intend to have um plans completed by the end of the year. Um again that could go a little faster or slower depending upon our public engagement and what kind of options we have um to provide to the public and what kind of feedback we have. Um so it could be sooner than than that but definitely by the end of the year is our plan. Good. Any other questions?

Maybe maybe a comment for you. U we are going to be repaving Main Street in 26. So anything that affects that resurfacing of Main Street, please keep that in consideration. Nothing has to be redone because the streetscape does plan to cross Main Street. That's right. Good to know. Thank you. We would we'd hate to have to tear out an intersection.

Um what kind of public engagement are you talking about community meetings where people get to actually um like we've done in the past actually help design the path? Most likely it's going to be choosing between alternatives preference feedback alternative routes. When it comes to the streetscape, there probably be a little bit more feedback with our experience. There tends to be a lot more interest. So, no choosing between alternatives, routs, comments.

Um, Dr. Thompson and I were talking earlier and this runs through my district into her district and connects um both of ours all the way into downtown. Um I'm very excited about this uh seeing the LY Park peanut about be completed and that trail extend even from the north portion to the south portion. I've seen an incredible uptick in use. Uh bike some certainly walk, jog. Um it's been a great bo to our neighborhood. I think it's going to be a great our community, period. For all of those people who live in our neighborhoods and along this trail to be able to get on a bike uh walk with their families and go all the way from that park uh at Lindley all the way in and along the way to downtown and for those who live downtown to have a new uh safe pedestrian bike specific path that will lead up to the amenities at LY Park as well. Um and and I'm excited to see this next phase as part of connectivity plan. Um I think it shows the city's commitment uh to to connectivity. Um and I'm I'm just I'm personally really really excited about um the opportunity for um huge swaths of our community now to be able to have a different way other than just hopping in their car and getting to our downtown business district hopefully to eat and drink, spend their money and um that's going to be a good thing for everyone involved. So with that, I would move that we approve this request.

First by Mr. Steel, second by Dr. Thompson. Any further questions, comments? Speaking of the trailers, some people are already breaking the rules and on the trails before they've been, but that's okay. That's okay. They can enjoy it. We're glad they are. Sure. We're all shocked by All those in favor say I. I opposed. Passes unanimously. The last item is request consideration of the architectural service contract for fire station 4. Mu,

the plans for fire station 4 as far as um expanding our public safety infrastructure on the fire and rescue side have been uh for a long time coming. Uh for 10 years, we've been working to move towards a station four on the northern end from the city. Uh we have a heavy commercial area uh of Clemson Boulevard after you go north past fire station 2. Uh we saw the need and as that area continues to grow and the commercial continues to replenish itself. We had the Kmart site flip over completely being reinvested in and the commercial continues to come into the area. It's a uh great sector of our city as far as the economics. Um it is quite a stretch for station two uh to get to that northern end when there's traffic. Uh we are ISO one so we're in the top 10% of all fire departments in the country and it's uh the highest ranking that you can have for a fire uh fire station uh rather fire department. With that um and being a class one, you have to proactively anticipate your future needs. And that's what we've been doing for station 4 as far as our response uh the different distances the for the different uh rescue companies to respond to and where they're responding from. And station 4 was identified uh through that process. We ultimately purchased property um for station 4 in October of 2024 and been moving forward with plans to uh get to where we are today to recommend a architectial services agreement to you. Uh with that uh Mr. Strickland led our committee for the request for qualifications process for you and he'll go through the recommendation the process and the recommendation and uh for your consideration Mr. Shle.

Thank you Mr. Mayor and council you have before you request to authorize and award the design contract for station 4 in October 2025 combination of city administration staff engineering staff personnel advertised firms I mentioned with the previous item we had eight for that item for that request we had nals fire station design. So again robust robust interest being part of the city of Anderson's growth reinvisioning. So at the end of that into that process we are pleased to recommend Craig and Davis PBK to this to this effort. They come with robust design experience both institutional civic institutional but also PBK side. a lot of fire design experience as well. So very much looking forward to working with them on this very important project. The goal of this design process is to design. We said a couple times tonight work session prior a generational fire station building that we can we can renovate 100 years that the interior and exterior design is still functional and still appropriate for our community of time. very much looking forward to this. We have John Hans, principal Golden Davis here with us tonight. I'm sure happy to answer them. Staff does recommend this lump award in the amount of $72,000 design would be complete in the fall this year.

26 construction start on [clears throat] the heels of that completion about 12 to 12 we'll call it 16 month construction period uh so again happy to answer any questions we will continue that number of our projects recently Mr. Mayor, you know, none of my fellow council members have any comments. You know, given the experience that our staff have had over the years and the things that we've seen in this community that Craig Golden Davis has done, PK, I would just like to make recommendation that we move forward with this contract for $72,000 for fire station number four. really truly needed on uh Clson Boulevard out of town.

Have a first by Mr. Stewart. Second, second by Mr. John Roberts. Um could someone talk about the the total scope of the the product the budget for and what all that entails? Yeah. No. Um no really the entire project including construction designs both site and architecture will continue to get that in more detail as design continues as we go along.

Any other questions coming? I'd just like to thank the committee that had to interview all the folks and pick one and appreciate the job and the diligence that they did to get us to where we are. I agree. Have a first and a second. All those in favor say opposed. That passes unanimously. We don't have anything else but I spotted a young man and a tie back here. So that means that you must have some type of work you're trying to complete. You want to stand up and note you just note them from school. I was wondering

disagree. Disagree. Were you not paying? No, we just No, I mean I would say maybe we can talk afterwards. [laughter] No, we'll give you something. Yeah, thanks for coming. Appreciate it. All right. I'd entertain it. Oh, yes. We do have our um city's MLK breakfastes this Thursday at 8:00. Friday, Friday at 8 o'clock. And so, um hopefully everybody will be able to come there. Good breakfast, good music. Anything else? I make a motion we adjourn.

First by Mr. Steel, second by Mr. Harbin. All those in favor say I.