City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, good afternoon and welcome to uh first meeting February. A few people in the audience and hopefully a few more watching us on our YouTube channel. Invitation tonight be given by Councilman Kyle Newton and a respectful flag led by Mayor Pro Tim Jeff Roberts. Please rise.

Let us pray. Gracious God, as we gather today to do the work set before us, we pause to center ourselves in gratitude and humility. We ask for wisdom in our discussions, clarity in our decisions, and respect for one another as we serve the greater good. [clears throat] Today, we also hold our hearts eaten. We give thanks for a life marked by service, service to his country as a captain of the United States Air Force, service to his community through his work on the Anderson City Council, and service to justice as a municipal judge. He loved his country and his community and he answered that love with commitment, integrity, and leadership. May his example remind us why this work matters. May we be guided by the same sense of duty, fairness, and care for others that he showed throughout his life. And may we honor his legacy by striving to serve with honesty, courage, and compassion. Bless this meeting, our community, and all those we represent. In your name we pray. Amen. Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

So, our last meeting was January 12th and those minutes have been distributed. Are there any corrections or additions to those minutes? Make a motion we approve the minutes first. Steel second by Dr. Thompson. All those in favor say I. Opposed. Those minutes pass unanimously. We have one item of old business and that item is request second reading of ordinance 26-02 to reszone 1101 1103 11:05 Mle Road from Limited office to NC neighborhood commercial. Muan,

Mr. Mayor and Council, this resoning request comes before you on second reading and was previously approved at the January 12th meeting along with the recommended approval from the planning commission. The request for reszoning is for the intended purpose to allow for a church to occupy the existing building and site located on Mccle Road just a block off East Gramble Street and is currently zoned limited office. Mr. Chris Darnell will present the details of this request. Mr. Darnell,

thank you, Mr. Mchuan. Um, so just to remind everybody, um, this application is to locate a church on this property. Churches are allowed in the L district, which is the current zoning for the property, but there is a minimum 2 acre lot size. Um the current um lot or the current configuration [snorts] of lots is 1.8 acres. The applicant did try to purchase land from adjacent property owners but was not able to do that. So that's why they're asking for the reszoning. Um the adjacent lots are fronting on on Greenville Street as Mr. Mikuan said are zoned in C. So this is not a spot zoning. It would just be a continuation of that a little bit further back off of Greenville. Um the future land you it's important to note that the future land use map on the comprehensive plan um provides the city's long-term version for how land should be developed and it designates uh this property as public semi-public which encourage um which encourages community service providers like religious institutions. Um, it's also important to note that in the upcoming changes in the UDO to the zoning map, um, there is a zone um, labeled PI, which stands for public um, institutional that's very limited to nonprofit churches, government buildings, things like that. And this could be designated that zone as well on your all's approval. So again, planning commission recommends approval of the request in their January meeting and um staff recommends approval as well.

Thank you. Any questions, comments? Mr. Steel, I had a question just to follow up. You said that we're going to have that PI, the public institution designation. We don't have it yet. That is correct. So when you said it could be designated that that [clears throat] means that if we zoned it neighborhood commercial now when the UDO comes through it could be reszoned again under that category. So, it's a when we're looking at all the zoning um citywide, we consider the current uses on those parcels. And because this is a church use on this parcel, we would default to a PI zoning district for that parcel at that time. At that Okay. I just want to clarify Yes, sir.

what you were saying about the PI. Thank you. Of course, Miss Stewart. So to follow up on what Councilman Still said. So even though it's going to be reszoned to neighborhood commercial, uh let's just say the church didn't want it zone PI. They wanted left neighborhood commercial. Would they have an opportunity to leave it there or would they just be it it would be our discretion or their discretion? So at that time at they would come before you and say, "Listen, we're not interested in the PI zoning." and would make that request of you at that time. So, it would stay neighborhood commercial up until that time. Yes, sir. And that's correct.

So, and I guess that kind of leads, you know, my second uh question is that, you know, I know this is a church, a small church now. I know they're growing. That's why they're looking, [snorts] you know, to come here. And as I'm I would assume they would continue to grow. They probably outgrow this space, you know, at some point in time. But my my concern would be is that you got St. Joseph's Catholic School uh which is right that that borders up to that and just wanted to see what we can do um for any type of buffers or protection because I'm just looking at hey the church leaves and it's neighborhood commercial then there's a lot [clears throat] of other uses that could be there instead of a church and would we want that you know backing up to a you know a longstanding church and a school that that it borders. So, our current landscape ordinance provides for an adjacent it's called an adjacent use buffer um which with the determination of the zoning administrator can be applied to a property if the uh two uses are incompatible. So, I can give you that that that's in the code that there could be an additional buffer with plantings required if that were not a church.

But with it being a church, there's no because separation requirements or anything buffers or anything backing up to their property because those two uses are the same uh the the Catholic church and this church there would not the uses are the same so there's no incompatibility so there would be no additional buffer required but but any other nonchurch use would require if they're if it's incompatible yes sir if it's incompatible with the with the school or the Catholic church and it's important to note that the the parcel that's immediately adjacent to them is the vicorage of the Catholic Church. Um the uh school is actually further off to the right hand side.

Well, they're but I know they're looking into it. You know, they got a big capital improvement. Uh they're getting ready to expand to build, you know, additional buildings on their property and as they continue to grow. So, that's what I'm Yes, sir. Long term instead of just a short term. Yes, sir. I I understand where you're coming from. And speaking to that development, um, none of that expansion is on that parcel. None of the expansion for the school is on that parcel that's immediately adjacent to the two parcels you're looking at tonight. Okay. All right. Thank you. Yes, sir. Mayor Pro Tim. Um, I consider this request reasonable and less appropriate. Therefore, I would That was first by Mayor Pro Tim.

Second, second by Mr. Harvin. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. That passes unanimously. We have four items of new business. And the first item is request consideration of an ordinance to annex and zone to GC General Commercial approximately 9 approximately 9.8 8 acres located off of South Carolina 28 bypass near the Clemson Boulevard interchange. Miss Mchuan,

item B1 is request for organization and zoning of approximately 9.8 acres located off SE 28 bypass near the Clemson Boulevard interchange. While the parcels are currently vacant, the proposed use is for new construction of a prospective apartment complex. This resonary request comes before you on first reading and was previously recommended for approval from the planning commission at their February 3rd meeting. These parcels fall within the urbanized and commercial area of northern Anderson and are contiguous with the municipal boundaries. Additionally, these parcels are in the city's water service district and are in proximity to the electric city transit bus service. Furthermore, the site is able to be serviced by the city of Anderson public safety. I'll turn it over to Mr. Darnell to present the details of the request.

Thank you, Mr. Mchuan. Um, so again, the property, so again, this is six lots. You can see them there. um and they are adjacent on the the southern side to the city limits. Um it's important to note that these lots and the adjac and the the road the service road that that accesses those lots was approved as a commercial development essentially in the county. Um to develop this property, annexation is required to obtain water and sewer per the water and sewer service annexation agreement and restrictive covenants. Um the applicant again is um asking or considering um construction of an apartment complex that would be attainable housing. staff believes GC general commercial zoning is the most appropriate because it fits the adjacent uses um there on the bypass and at the bypass in Clemson Boulevard and GC. It's important to note that GC also allows for the multi- family use that's proposed by the applicant. Again, planning commission recommended approval at their February meeting and staff recommends app approval as well. The applicant is present if there are questions of them.

Thank you. Any questions? Council, Miss Steel, Stewart, Mr. Roberts,

and looking at this, um, you know, it seems like the applicant wants to put something very similar to the other apartments in the area. Um, if you look kind of across there, you have RM18 for the other two complexes that are out there that are similar facilities. Is there a reason that the recommendation is for general commercial rather than for that RM18? So again, the the general commercial recommendation was based on its proximity to the highway, the four-lane highway there, the bypass and um the off-ramp and the adjacent uses there as you see coming in off of the off the bypass. So that would the GC also allows for multif family. It just seems like it fits better. A GC designation fits better than the RM18. I do understand what you're saying though that it is adjacent to RM18, but it's also adjacent to and has access to that four-lane highway, which is where you would locate General Commercial.

Mr. Roberts, I [clears throat] realize this is in our water and sewer service area. Yes, sir. Are there any water service area? Water service. Not correct. Okay. Are there any requirements to extend our service to provide water or [clears throat] or and if there is who's at whose expense is? Yeah. It's not it's not necessarily we have capacity there and the developer will tap into that tap into our water system. Correct. At their expense

and the county's sewer system at their expense. So no no infrastructure cost on our correct it's already there. Y Dr. Thompson right?

Any other questions? M Stewart, uh, the white building that's right there, is that well retired. Um, where is that again? On your map in front of you, the white building on the left. Lower lower right. Yeah, lower right. Right there, I believe. So, Creek Side Barbecue is across the street. Is across the street? Yes, sir. So, and I understand, but I'm kind of leaning towards what Councilman Steel said. I'm just trying to understand. You got RM18. I'm just general commercial. There's a lot more uses that you could put there,

including a a restaurant. I think I think that was one of the thoughts that we had is that if you had a restaurant opportunity to come here because you have Longorn, you have Hollow Garden, you have all these right nearby, you would be limited by going to RM18 for a restaurant. So, are is the plan Sorry. I'm saying so was it but is there not it's going to be strictly a housing development, not each perspective. It may or may not happen.

So, I think it's it's important to note that that access road is off the bypass. Access to these parcels will be off the bypass where you already have an an existing commercial, albeit in the county, but existing commercial buildings and uses

and and I guess Oh. I understand, you know, because even like the ones across the street on Ashton Place, I think it just got built across the street. We put those at RM18, even though you got your own commercial on the other side of it. So, you know, so just trying to understand the rationale, you know, what you're making here when you just did something different, you know.

Yeah. The the position from the city would be this. you have so what's being proposed is an application process with the state as you guys are familiar with for apartment complex so that may or may not be successful setting this up obviously this is within our urbaniz area of Anderson it fits in an area that we've designated uh given the opportunity would be ripe to come into the municipal boundaries and we can provide the services available in this area is consistent with what you have in the area and and the fact it's already zoned for commercial in the county. You wouldn't want to limit yourself to okay, well, we got to go through a whole thing or you just it's just a risk thing when you have a franchise all of a sudden looking for it, looking at you as we have a lot of that happening in this area uh to locate. That's the first thing they're going to look at and that's a risk to them is we go ahead and appropriately zone it in our opinion to general commercial with it running that roadway knowing also there would be a buffer. There's a lot of trees there. You have a natural buffer that you could save, but it would be a buffer if it was GC to that apartment complex, the Hampton's apartment complex. So you have a lot of room there to have a buffer if it were to be out in a a new big restaurant or something.

So So this application I this this is a house tax credit program would you say application? Okay. So they need this for points. Yes sir. Okay. Okay. And then another one would be too how how I look at is obviously retail is a huge economic impact on our city um and the revenue that comes in and the services we're able to provide and we're very fortunate with the commercial quarters we have is this is a good site for a retail opportunity

response time [clears throat] from you know if it was a you know fire safety to get there I know we should I guess what new fire station 4 gets built and that's what we're anticipating probably happen all about the same time the fire station correct and this development. So

so fire station 4 uh fully paid fire department class one.2 [clears throat] miles away from this site. Um our backup station is uh 3.2 miles away from that site. That would be station two and station three is 5 miles. All fully staffed firefighters be able to respond. public safety in this area issue. From a um excuse me, from a police standpoint, we already have a northern section here that we cover all the retail area. It wouldn't be any additional to for these parcels to be added.

We we would be stretching it pretty thin on a busy day without fire station 4. without fire station 4 and and not knowing that's coming and the architects are here in town now and we're working on that as fast as we can. Um then it probably wouldn't be doable. Good. All right. Thank you,

Mr. Ste. So going back to the last application we considered, you said, "Okay, if they come in as neighborhood commercial, but then we have this PI zoning, um, we could kind of essentially back zone to that proper uh zone at that time. Would that be an option for this property if let's let's say that this helps them get the points they need to move forward with their their development, break ground, we have the whole apartment complex there. At that point, would it just remain general commercial

if the if the apartment complex is there in its zone? Yes. Unless you wanted to change it in your map. So, when the map policy comes before you, you could you could change that. Anything else? I think it uh I think it makes sense to do it this way. I think it helps the applicant. help the city and doesn't tie their hands should that not qualify or whatever change and it was my property I'd want to be able to leave it at GC as well. So, uh I think it's a win-win. So, I make a motion to approve.

First by Mr. John Roberts, second by Mr. Steel. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I.

Opposed. That passes unanimously on the first reading. Our second item of new business is request consideration of ordinance annex and zone 1310 West Market Street to NC neighborhood commercial. Miss McCuin, this reser request comes before you on first reading and was previously recommended for approval from the planning commission at their February 3rd meeting. These parcels fall within the urbanized area of West Anderson and are contiguous with the municipal boundaries. Additionally, the parcels are in the city's water and sewer service district. Furthermore, the site is able to be serviced by the city of Anderson public safety. Mr. Darnell will go over the the details of the resoning requests and annexation.

Thank you, Mr. Mchuan. So, um, as you can see, this is pretty much, um, an infill annexation. We're closing up a hole with this application. So, there's two lots between that, the NC that you see on your screen, which is in the pink, and the yellow, which is single family residential there on on the right hand side. Um there is an existing barber shop again in that pink area of the NC. Um the applicant is asking to annex this so that he can expand that and construct a barber uh school. Um all we have at this current time is a floor uh floor plan for that. But um with that with this annexation and that development of that school, he would need to comply with the landscape code, the sign ordinance, and other ordinances um that the city has. So we would have a hand in what that development looks like. Staff believes the NC um neighborhood commercial zoning is appropriate given um its uses. And um I'm sorry, excuse me. Given its proximity to that to the existing zoning, so it's not a spot zoning uh concern here. Planning cons commission recommended approval at their February meeting. Staff recommends approval as well. Are there any questions?

Thank you. Questions, comments? Thank you. Any other questions, comments? Pleasure to make comment. I know the game does a great job with the barber shop

over there and I think this would be a great opportunity to help, you know, a small business kind of expand to grow into something more. And if I'm looking at this map correctly, across the street, that's R5. That's actually nonconforming, right? Because those are businesses, right? Um, yes, sir. You're correct. Those those buildings are more commercial in nature. Any other questions, comments?

Have first by Dr. Thompson, second by Mr. Stewart. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I.

Opposed. It passes unanimous on the first read. A third item is request consideration of approval to renew contract for open gov asset management software. Miss. Mchuan. The request is for general approval for a contract renewal for the city's operations management software that also serves as our asset management functions used across various divisions. I'll turn over to Miss Ashley Puit, the city's ITGIS manager who administers the software to present the details of the contract renewal. Miss Puit,

thank you. Mr. Mcuan, um, as Mr. Hugh mentioned this asset management software runs on a three-year um contract term. Um we previously renewed in 2022. Um the software has expanded. It started in wastewater. Um it's expanded to water operations. Um our public works division uses it. Parks and wreck with a emphasis on park maintenance um requests that come in. Um it's integrated with our sort of 311 system Anderson connect also known as clic um so that the expense of that entire service is enco is encompassed in this contract. Um there are also integrations that are within this contract for fuel system management. So we have something we use at our pumps called DXF fleet and then also any kind of wex card we use if fire or sanitation uses it out if they use you know sort of commercial gas out into region it gets integrated into this to track all of that information. um all of our operations. So requests to work order management is held in this as well as all of the assets that goes toward. So if we were to do work on an asset, this is the software we use to attribute the time, the materials, the resources to that particular asset and then sort of keep a life cycle of everything the city's managing. Um it's held in a three-year term. increases 5% annually with the first year being 98,000 going up year two and year three for a total of 3,231.33. Um we feel this is a good move for us. Um it was formerly Cardigraph. They've kept Cardigraph staff on for open gov. We've got a lot of our departments trained to sort of know how to use it, know how to get in and they've got a lot of sort of invested in the system in terms of creating automations, preventative maintenance plans, things

like that. So, we feel it's in our interest to continue with open gov. Um, thank you. We appreciate it. Mr. Roberts John um what was the company you mentioned that it previously was Cardigraph asset management out of and that's when so was that three years ago or six years ago uh so we had the 2014 you working with the EPA and then after that you had to bring on there was a lot of shortly after that a lot of mandates that we had to meet and so it got brought on the sewer side first

different systems and that seemed to be Yeah. Another example, John, certain Mr. Roberts would be is we recently had a contract before us to exercise, well, it was broken out over three years too, but all the hydrants in the city and all the valves, the water valves in the city, right? And within that contract it actually stated that they would gather uh confirm the GIS information we had confirm the flow of it including static uh and the flow to it and then also what the status of the valve was that all information would being uploaded to this system and then it gives you a visualization of it our entire water sewer system and you can just click and point on it. It'll tell you exactly what it is, what's the history of it. Um that's a good example of it. We also have it on our generators, elevators, you name the mechanical,

which is how we're able to time see quick fix, too. So, if you went in, there's a um actually and I were talking about this earlier. If you went in, you said you recognized it was an elevator issue at West Whitner parking garage, you could select that on CClick [clears throat] Fit, the app. It was sending that into this software program, issue a work order for the SDA, and we would be inspecting that. So overall, the department heads, everyone's pleased with this system. Very pleased. And I I'll also add to it, too, because we're just talking day-to-day right now.

When we had the hurricane Helen, we had already used it in emergency management prior to that on some other smaller storms that we had. But when Hurricane Lane came along, it was a huge once we got all the 911 calls and we had all that in of the lines down, the trees down, the hazards, we inserted that into this software system as well uh which told us our current status and then we could run different routes off of that and that's we utilize that to deploy our assets to uh during the recovery.

Mr. Harvin, so Mr. Mchuan um So when we started this with the sewer and it was the mapping of the sewer and the maintenance and all that did we just internally expand this as because I I mean I think I remember the conversation of how it exactly started and it wasn't this massive data collection management. I mean to me I think it's you know you can get the fuel usage of certain vehicles. I think it's unbelievable. And it started out as a mapping and sewer control flow. How did we get to where we are today? Did they just keep offering more and or we just they offered and we just expanded what we were using?

Yeah, they were they were developing their software out. Naturally, it was if if you can map the sewer system to that level of detail, you can do the water system. So, they convert over to the water system. And then you have the wastewater treatment plants and all the different functional elements, mechanical elements of the wastewater treatment plants. Um, of course, our engineering division of pole works worked closely with utilities and they saw the benefit there. So, it kind of rolled over and it just kind of kept rolling over um one to the nets um with the benefit of it. But I want to give another example uh that about a year ago, it's been about a year. Um we, you know, first we thought this is something that we need to push to a consultant to do was to look at our sanitation routes and look at the efficiency there because we we grew, you know, certain areas of the city and these these routes were fits with a certain volume and the numbers were way off. You know, you would have 2,800 carts for pickup one day and you know, 1,100 for for another day on pickup and obviously you want to smooth that out. Well, our engineering folks and and public works administration said, "Hey, I we believe this software can help us accomplish this and we want to take this on as a project, so let's go for it." And it did. It it was it was uh really something else and it leveled out all our pickup days. So, a good example of that is um when we had the ice event and we couldn't run on Monday, we know we can do a double day on Tuesday. Now, we might have to be running later in the day, which we did, but we can do a double a day and because it leveled that out and we don't have these and we'll continue doing that as the growth pattern changes. But that was another powerful tool that the software allowed us to do that what we didn't have access to before.

Interesting. Mr. Stew, what is our current contract this year? What are we paying this year? We know I know I know for the new contract it starts out at 98,000. What what are we paying this year? Thought I had that number, but I don't. I believe it would be 5% less than 89. They just went up 5% from what we're paying now to the current new contract or three years. I know it increases. Yeah. 5% now, but I didn't know if they took a 15% hike for this new contract or

This one is higher than 5% on the amount we're paying now because we used this as an opportunity. So since we've had it, we have had effectively a hundred user licenses, which has limited us capacity wise, we'll have like one crew where someone's logging the time for someone else and or their entire crew at one time. Um, and when OpenG gov purchased Cardigraph, they moved to a model where you couldn't add X number of users, 25, 30, whatever you wanted, it they said we're unlimited. We had a call at that time where the price we felt was just we couldn't do it. like we just felt like it was too much money to ask or a single, you know, just to switch over at that point and through some conversations at conferences with other municipalities. I got the impression that the time to sort of make that jump is when they want us to renew to get a better quote from them than we were getting mid-contract. So, this would be for unlimited. Um, after a lot of discussion, they got it down. We asked if they could get it down as close as possible to what that price would have been andor under 100 year one to keep it flow and this was what they worked with. So we felt like per the number of users we have capacity for that we're getting asked like sanitation is a good example right now they don't have the capacity to have all operators running it on their trucks but through conversations with sanitation director he was like that would help us potentially eliminate other products we've used to work around a lack of um licenses so yeah

so it be unlimited users yes good anything else guys Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion we approve this. First by Mr. Harvin, second by Mr. Roberts, John Roberts. Further discussion. All those in favor say I.

Opposed? That passes unanimously. Thank you. The last item is request consideration of a resolution certifying certain real property in the city of Anderson as an abandoned building site. M. Mchuan. The re resolution before you is for the former Sears property located at the Anderson Mall. The request comes from representatives of the owner seeking state income tax credit incentives for rehab and renovation of the abandoned building. Our city attorney Frankie Mlan put this together for you. Um you have seen this from time and time come through as far as uh these requests. Um they can be for property or state income tax. uh we direct them to see the state income tax. Uh Mr. Mlan, can you add to to that?

Uh just a little bit. This is uh like the old Sears building at the mall that this company now owns and is going to bring some kind of story and I think it's called Rural King is what they're looking at putting in into the Sears, but they're they're just asking like you have done before to certify that it has been abandoned for over five years. series has been closed I think for seven years or so but that's that's their request and we recommend thank you be any questions comments what is the the new tenant going in what was the name rule king rule and what are they they're a large retailer for um

agriculture kind of sell everything agriculture um try to supply type retailer clothing too kind of everything in that realm. Okay. Do they does this company own just the Sears property or Okay. They bought the entire Sears parcel. Got it. Okay. And so the the mall interesting enough. So you see the nest parcel down uh many of the stores. So Bel owns their own property.

Uh Dillers owns their own property. uh the Anderson Mall, if you will, is kind of the corridor center part and then over to what was the former JC Penney and that's owned by the actual mall corporation. Hard to believe. I think Sears has been closed for about eight or nine years.

Yes. Yes, ma'am. So the the retailer is a larger retailer called Rule King and they bought the entire parcel and it's it will add a lot of activity to the site particularly being that the fact that it's on the back of the mall and I think that's very helpful for the property and the mall itself and then hopefully that translates to more pedestrian traffic which would help with the inside of the mall as far as the retailers coming inside the mall that need the pedestrian traffic. Uh it was brokered once owned by by him, Mr. Bennett, and then um brokered out and sold to this company that's also is the retailer.

Thanks. Any other questions, comments? First by Mr. John Roberts. Second by Mr. Harvin. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Passes. Thank you. We're at the end our meeting. Um I entertain a motion to adjourn. First by Mr. Newton, second by Mr. Steel. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose.