[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6627835,"mediaKeyId","2754009-fe83e736d727999e6e04ddefc9f064c6","parentId",2754009,"title","Council approves annex referral, firefighter gear buy, transit compliance resolution, abandoned-building certification and SRF loan support","audioSeconds",347,"startMs",2496000,"endMs",2843000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2754009-fe83e736d727999e6e04ddefc9f064c6&start=2496&end=2843","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2754009-fe83e736d727999e6e04ddefc9f064c6/thumbnail_2496000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6627835/Anderson-City/Anderson-County/South-Carolina/Council-approves-annex-referral-firefighter-gear-buy-transit-compliance-resolution-abandoned-building-certification-and-SRF-loan-support","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6627835-6c4ffeff01fc2a2f4c1e4c0e358f02bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200812&Signature=mEkObCJzEDIHHdKYAh7aQ4vKc6MgcJEJD4eYh87DRHFQEY1ouZxldj4MaOT1ZgUCWdwz6FxAc77UkeWSBcZ89ES7RvVZotS-Q~gNrxbw~3nEz~ellJyqzSHfmYydoDV8xqd-~fpvAGV3iUhMbfuvhi6heSGjHt4vlpdAIs40xSBDQlJsAF4sTMEAAHlzdl3vES4zHryoaWfkdSqjZ0hbH9ebZKfPqRYcrZu905NXVX9Keqxn8tScNq-gr4etesZHrKFDdyxQEFiLcLPT01WHfuHkFjMcoTOsbUe3GBXp-YbXNETH9-iQK58ebxaojqHu42CmJL~QUoGElm06p9VvgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Anderson","date","2025-03-24T22:48:10.137Z","article","Anderson City Council took a set of five formal actions on new-business items, all approved unanimously by voice vote.

Referral to planning commission for annexation and PDD: Council referred a petition to annex and rezone roughly 22 acres (northern portion of tax map 12100-04-009) off Swiss Parkway near the Beltline Connector to the planning commission for review. Staff said the request would be considered as part of a planned development district (PDD) and that approximately eight acres are proposed for multifamily senior housing while the remainder is not slated for immediate development. Staff noted the PDD will include language that ties future phases back to the comprehensive plan and requires returning to planning commission and council for review when additional development is proposed. The referral will appear before the planning commission on April 15 for a full public hearing.

Purchase of firefighter personal protective equipment: The council approved use of a state grant and city funds up to $125,000 to purchase bunker coats and pants for firefighters. Fire Chief Charlie King told council a gear committee evaluated proposals and recommended AEST (vendor) as providing the best package and service; staff said the approved funding will procure 38 sets for roughly half the department, with the department aiming to provide two sets per firefighter over time. Chief King emphasized the NFPA lifecycle and firefighter safety, saying the department seeks a second set so gear can be decontaminated after fires.

Federal Transit Administration compliance resolution: Council adopted a resolution authorizing the city to file applications and attest to the certifications and assurances required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for urbanized transit funding under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53 and related federal programs. Elizabeth Willett, who handles transit accounting, said the resolution formalizes a compliance document FTA requested; staff said it does not change current operations or funding but ensures the city’s paperwork and authorized officials are on file with FTA.

Abandoned building certification: Council certified a downtown property (the former Yellow Cab building at the corner of Main and Calhoun) as an abandoned building for purposes of state redevelopment tax credits and incentives. Andrew Strickland, assistant city manager, said the property owner PF Meeco is planning a revitalization project for the building and that the certification is a routine step required to access certain state credits because the structure had been non–income-producing for the statutory period.

Resolution supporting Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan: Council approved a resolution supporting a $3,750,000 SRF loan to replace and update water distribution lines in the Wellington Mills and East Market Street areas. Utility director Scott Banks said the project is in the capital improvements plan; estimated annual payments are $234,096 at a 2.3% interest rate for 20 years and will be paid from the water fund. Staff said the work will replace aging 6-inch cast-iron and 2-inch galvanized lines, extend dead-end lines for better system flow and move some service meters to the front of properties where needed.

All five items were approved by voice vote and recorded as unanimous.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Anderson Council Meeting - March 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Anderson City Council took a set of five formal actions on new-business items, all approved unanimously by voice vote.","taxTitle","Anderson City, Anderson County, South Carolina","taxId",4579,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6627840,"Anderson City council approves first reading of new 20-year comprehensive plan",731,374000,1105000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2754009-fe83e736d727999e6e04ddefc9f064c6&start=374&end=1105","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2754009-fe83e736d727999e6e04ddefc9f064c6/thumbnail_374000.jpg","/articles/6627840/Anderson-City/Anderson-County/South-Carolina/Anderson-City-council-approves-first-reading-of-new-20-year-comprehensive-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6627840-58ea4f6d1a8c0640051b984af506cb9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200812&Signature=Rcoiddit1z5YHunGGoUJv24HZdOQiW5x4rQnbfel0XGjGXBK-EdWx8O7DmIulOHUwFnrJp-ClF3GagXEh81zWxY7zOUiQB1-aZoj2YXb~8G7q5Oy2sWHxulfA64zzzlcwO0oCY79IqinLyFuYp~O1yTZLT12wfK2RZuHa6cbYOxJKZLN0zCccxdJpUcsTsSJVPucHJaZ469oEcYDCQLQ4LDFs3zwJWnNeccTPgQ9BNxzO3scOdDkyr8QUtz~aZqS6h3V3A5UTLQNCemS8EnTDEBh38vRuV5QdEY-NTAd3czLaO3JsCezFkKA1goSal2YD7KYOhJkcQrksB-cdlqnOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anderson City Council on first reading approved a new comprehensive plan intended to guide the city’s land-use, housing, transportation and resiliency choices over the next 20 years.

The document, which city staff and consultants developed over about two-and-a-half years and posted for public review for several months, was presented to council by Maurice McKenzie, the city’s planning and development director. McKenzie said the plan includes the 10 components required under South Carolina law and that the planning commission has already passed a recommending resolution after a public hearing on Feb. 20.

Councilmembers and staff framed the plan as a policy framework rather than a zoning map. “This document does not state that the property is being annexed into this zoning classification or has been annexed,” McKenzie said, describing the plan as “a guidebook for the future.” Several councilmembers emphasized that individual parcels would still require separate annexation and rezoning applications, public hearings at the planning commission and two readings by council before any regulatory change takes effect.

A public commenter, Michael Gardner, representing the Friends of the Electric City Trail, told the council he had provided feedback and that some trail map items in earlier drafts were inaccurate. Gardner said, for example, “the Whitner Creek Greenway isn’t complete or will not be completed by the end of 2025 to connect all the way to the Westside Community Center” and that some trail-extension statuses shown in a January publication were incorrect. McKenzie and staff said corrections were made after the planning commission hearing but that they would double-check the specific map items Gardner raised.

Councilmembers also discussed how the comprehensive plan will be implemented. Staff said the next major step is rewriting regulatory documents: the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations and other land-use rules will be consolidated into a unified development ordinance (UDO) designed to align with the new plan. McKenzie said the consulting team is already drafting that language and staff hopes to have the UDO ready “by the end of the year, first part of next year.”

Council discussion repeatedly stressed that the plan is intended to provide a consistent, citywide vision and to avoid “piecemeal” development. Councilmember Stewart asked staff to confirm that annexation and zoning are initiated by property owners; McKenzie affirmed that property owners must apply for annexation and zoning and that any such application would go through the public process.

Mayor and council approved the comprehensive plan on first reading by voice vote; staff said the document is typically revisited on a multi-year cycle and that adjustments can follow as growth patterns change.

Implementation steps cited by staff include preparation of the UDO, insertion of plan language into site-specific planned development district (PDD) documents when appropriate, and continued public engagement through the planning commission and subsequent council hearings.","Anderson City Council voted unanimously to approve the first reading of a new comprehensive plan that will guide land use, transportation, housing and resiliency for the next 20 years; councilors and staff said the plan is a framework and implementation will require updates to regulatory documents and future public hearings.","actionData","errors"]

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Council approves annex referral, firefighter gear buy, transit compliance resolution, abandoned-building certification and SRF loan support

Anderson City council approves first reading of new 20-year comprehensive plan