SPECIAL NOTE – On Thursday, September 24, 2009 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Town Creek Baptist Church located at 250 Town Creek Road, there will be drop-in meeting with displays for viewing proposed improvements to Silver Bluff Road from Indian Creek Train to Richardsons Lake Road. The meeting is conducted by South Carolina Department of Transportation and will reflect their plans to improve traffic flow by adding turn lanes and installing signal devices.
AUGUSTA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION (ARTS) STUDY FY2010-2013 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM – The draft Transportation Improvement Program published by ARTS is available for review at the Aiken County Planning and Development Department at Kalmia Mall or by going to the web site at http://www.augustaga.gov/index.asp?nid=680. This is the document that reflects the status of transportation projects that affect the City of Aiken and surrounding areas.
ELECTION RESULTS – Congratulations to Reggie Ebner who was elected to replace Dick Smith for District 4. Congratulations also to incumbent Don Wells who won re-election and to Steve Homoki who was elected to replace Jane Vaughters. We should be especially grateful to Allen Brodie, Kent Cubbage, and Liz Stewart for giving voters a choice of candidates. Each of the candidates worked extraordinarily hard to campaign and they all did so running a clean campaign. Aiken voters should be proud of their efforts.
NORTHSIDE TRANSPORTATION STUDY - Council requested that we study anticipated road projects for our Northside. We have selected Wilbur Smith Associates to assist with our study of the area North of the City limits to just North of Interstate 20. As part of our Northside Comprehensive Plan, a Northside Transportation study will be completed. This plan will identify and prioritize existing road improvements as well as new road construction.
PARK DEDICATION. The Governor Aiken Neighborhood Park will be dedicated Sunday, September 27 at 6:00 p.m. Plans are being made for a jazz concert to follow this dedication ceremony.
AIKEN PARKS, RECREATION, AND TOURISM RAIN-OUT LINK AND FACEBOOK. As part of providing information through new communication channels, APRT has established a Facebook account with this link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Aiken-SC/City-of-Aiken-Parks-Recreation-and-Tourism/57666442425?ref=ts. In addition the link to see if any APRT-sponsored event is rained out is: http://www.rainedout.com/. This is another excellent case of the City using technology to communicate with residents.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY - The annual St. Mary’s Chocolate Festival will be held Saturday, October 3, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ADPS Director Peter Frommer has approved their request to close Fairfield Street between Park and Richland Avenues from 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. that day.
LIFE MAGAZINE’S HIDDEN AMERICA. Aiken has received special mention in its 2009 publication Hidden America. In the South Carolina section, Aiken is cited as “a small-to-medium-size[d] antebellum city of handsome architecture and aristocratic bearing.” Willcox Inn is mentioned – along with some of its more famous guests – along with the various equestrian activities taking place here
RECOGNITION OF CAL RIPKEN 11 YEAR OLD STATE CHAMPS - The City of Aiken's 11 Year All Star Team recently competed in the South Carolina State Championship. They won this tournament and advanced to the Southeastern Regional Tournament which was held in Aiken. If you had made it to any of the games you would have seen very exciting and great play at the tournament with Aiken finishing second. The team was managed by Richard Abney with assistance from Chris Varnadore and Steve Smithers. Their record at the state tournament was 3 and 0 and at the Southeast Regional Tournament 4 and 2. The team players consisted of Matthew Abney, Mason Collins, Keaton Allison, Jimmy Carver, Tyler Fairchild, Owen Griffith, Eric Hogue, Cameron Meares, Trey Poleweski, Dalton Poole, Joey Smithers, and Will Varnadore. We congratulate them on winning the State Tournament and look forward to additional success with this program.
MUNICIPAL CUP AWARD - Last month at the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) Annual Conference, the City of Aiken received the Municipal Cup for innovation in development of our Police Athletic League (PAL) program. It's coordinated by a volunteer board and directed by department coordinator Lalita Ashley. This program started with Neighborhood Diamonds, a baseball program which provided an outlet for youth who never had an opportunity to participate in a baseball program. From this, leagues were developed for children to have an opportunity to participate in organized basketball, baseball, cheerleading, track and field, golf, chess and youth leadership programs. Currently at anytime approximately 100 youth are involved in some program throughout the year. This creates a positive relationship amongst one another, the department, the community, families and others. Our goal is to deter child obesity, allow them to model other productive citizens, to promote positive and appropriate role models and encourage educational efforts, performance and attendance. This program has been extremely successful through the assistance of our Public Safety employees as well as citizens throughout our community who have volunteered their time and talent. Due to the community volunteers and Public Safety Department, this program has become a success for the entire community, and we received the Municipal Cup Award on Saturday, August 8, 2009. At tonight's meeting the MASC will present to the Mayor and our Public Safety Department the Municipal Cup recognizing our PAL program.
ANNEXATION REQUESTS – At tonight’s meeting City Council will be asked to annex (voluntary) the following properties:
a. 131 Vivion Drive
b. 503 Douglas Drive
c. 111 Collier Street
These are all first readings on an ordinance to annex the subject properties.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE PROPERTY AT 422 SOUTH BOUNDARY FROM RS-15 TO RSS – This ordinance, if passed, will allow the owners, by right on the 2.38 acre property. Currently under RS-15 zoning, the property could allow by right five additional single family dwellings. By rezoning the property, it will continue as a single family dwelling on property and allow horses. This property is adjacent to Hitchcock Woods.
DEED OF DEDICATION FOR SOUTH MEADOWS PHASE VI – Council will be asked to accept the deed of dedication for the water and sewer lines in Section VI of South Meadows.
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE REGARDING BED AND BREAKFAST/MEETING FACILITIES – This change has been requested by Stephen Mueller who operates the Rose Hill Bed and Breakfast facility. It would allow amplified music until 10:30 P.M.; the ability to serve meals from 7:30 A.M. to 11:00 P.M.; allow concerts every other week; and allow New year’s Eve events to extend until 12:30 A.M. on New Years Day with amplified music. The change would apply to all bed and breakfast facilities meeting certain criteria.
FIRST READING ON AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE PROPERTY AT 1506 TWO NOTCH ROAD – The owner of the property is asking that it be rezoned from RS-15 (residential) to LP (limited professional). A similar request in 2005 was rejected by the Planning Commission and the City Council.
APPROVAL OF STATE MAINTAINED STREET PAVING LIST – Each year Public Works inspects and rates all of our City and State Streets for potential paving. This item is a list of State maintained streets, in order of priority that the City is proposing to be paved in the next funding cycle. This list of streets in on page 162 of the Agenda packet for this meeting. I will post the link at the end of this email.
DIRECTION FOR PROPOSED HIGHWAY OVERLAY DISTRICT – For several months the city Planning Commission and Design Review Board have been meeting to create a Highway Overlay District. This effort is to provide design guidelines for new commercial and office buildings along the major corridors in the City of Aiken. It stems from City Council's recent decisions concerning the facades approved for Walgreens and Waffle House. During their discussions they solicited comments from the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has reviewed the regulations and is in agreement with the design guidelines. However, they would like to delay proceeding with these guidelines for approximately one year until the business economy improves. Before the Planning Commission sends out over a thousand letters to the various owners of property along these corridors, they are seeking guidance from City Council on whether or not to move forward at this point in time or to wait until the economy improves, approximately one year from now. Board would proceed with the hearings and the Highway Overlay District this fall and an ordinance would be presented to Council in the next 30 to 60 days. If Council decides not to wait, the Chairman of the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board would proceed with the hearings and the Highway Overlay District this fall and an ordinance would be presented to Council in the next 30 to 60 days.
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2008-2009 - Each year all the departments prepare a summary of their previous year's activities highlighting the results of the various goals and objectives. This Annual Report includes a tremendous amount of information which you can use over the next year as we discuss various issues and projects. Each of the departments put a lot of work into this report, and it provides a great recap of the many accomplishments in the City of Aiken along with statistical data covering several years. This report should be posted on the City web site (www.aiken.net).
Request for Approval to Display Banners for 175th Celebration - Within a few months the City will start their 175th Celebration. The committee has decided to install banners on many of the downtown intersection poles and would like City Council's approval. These would be displayed along side the Character banners. The 175th banners will be on display throughout the year and would be taken down after the final event in December, 2010. The 175th Committee and the Women's Club of Aiken both endorse the banners being a part of Celebrate Aiken.
AGENDA FOR SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
http://www.cityofaikensc.gov/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=1104&cntnt01returnid=277.
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