[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6655552,"mediaKeyId","5386450-6cb92416385161eaa67594cf8e669011","parentId",5386450,"title","Votes at a glance: Aiken Council approves multiple annexations, rezoning, textile‑site certification and accommodations‑tax awards","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",5009000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386450-6cb92416385161eaa67594cf8e669011&start=5009&end=5009","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386450-6cb92416385161eaa67594cf8e669011/thumbnail_5009000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6655552/Aiken-City/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-Aiken-Council-approves-multiple-annexations-rezoning-textilesite-certification-and-accommodationstax-awards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655552-a8a5ea468242c98c4d21c9ea04a1b378/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098821&Signature=knNlYUs3pibWUWWbWx0Z~7MFj6CjjumMVyHrB4bSpw8BpjTr04W9rSj-vmaR5YJv5To8DqP2nVxIm36rUYBhVjrofQ819JU6jZdF2t9kZx1ch0mDzKx0PhevTTASqfGUGqQCTtWV8TopG3w6a0r39d4FdQgi1VxWqZdgR-W3w1AiWqKT2yYzw2FyDDv1rlPNjrpUNHJifxVEccwmm-W2XguoUpZNO98KmPhMpCRUDJF0S6jK7vx9c9a5vCjzUDh1mP7iToP2ywGMGSwyG68xEyGTW4sJGNNLNFsXIIBzoYovLeSJkDNcydtAHRyQb1y~xDh-3WFo8IntsGHyy7pDeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Aiken","date","2025-07-15T12:29:35Z","article","Aiken City Council on July 14 handled a series of routine land use and finance matters with unanimous votes on second reading, a certification under the South Carolina Textiles Communities Revitalization Act and approval of accommodations‑tax grant adjustments.

Key votes and outcomes:

- Continued: Second reading and public hearing on an ordinance to annex 181 and 203 Thoroughbred Run and zone the parcels planned residential — continued at the applicants’ request to the council meeting of Aug. 11, 2025. Motion to continue was made by Councilman Gerardo and seconded by Councilman Woltz.

- Rezoning: Ordinance to rezone property at 215 and 221 Greenville Street NW from Limited Professional (LP) to Downtown Business (DB) passed on second reading unanimously. Staff said the rezoning (approx. 4.35 acres) would allow additional commercial uses and up to 55 feet building height under DB.

- Textile certification: Council approved second reading certifying a property in the 100 block of Williamsburg Street SE as a textile mill site under the South Carolina Textiles Communities Revitalization Act (Title 12, Chapter 65 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976, as amended) to allow the owner/developer to pursue state income tax credits. The project is the former Jackson Petroleum site; staff said investment is expected to exceed $25,000,000. Councilman Waltz recused himself from this vote; remaining members voted in favor.

- Annexations and zoning (second and final reading, each approved unanimously):
- Annex 130 Linwood Drive; zone RS‑15 (approx. 0.39 acres).
- Annex 424 Jahozie Drive; zone RS‑6 (approx. 0.18 acres).
- Annex 1700 Park Avenue SE; zone Light Industrial (LI), approx. 1.94 acres.
- Annex 948 Dougherty Road; zone General Business (GB), approx. 0.91 acres (currently a hair salon).
- Annex 950 Doherty Road; zone Residential Multifamily Low Density (RML), approx. 1.38 acres (single parcel with two houses).

- Rezoning 620 Lawrence Street NW from split RS‑10/GB to solely General Business (GB) passed unanimously on second reading; staff said the change would allow an engraved stationary business and completes a corridor zoning transition.

- First reading: Ordinance to amend city code to allow consent agendas (section 2‑64 subsections 4 and 5) passed unanimously on first reading; public outreach and final language cleanups were requested by council.

- Accommodations‑tax (ATAX) grants: Council approved recommendations from the ATAX committee to allocate marketing funds for tourism‑related events for FY 2025‑26. Staff said an earlier estimate of $375,000 in marketing funding was revised to $475,000 after state revenues were received; the committee adjusted awards to reflect the higher amount and council approved the allocations unanimously.

Votes were unanimous where recorded, except for the textile‑site certification in which Councilman Waltz recused himself; council members present approved the remainder of the ordinances without recorded opposition.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Aiken City Council Meeting July 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its July 14 meeting the Aiken City Council approved multiple second‑reading ordinances and grant recommendations in routine business, continued a developer request and certified a redevelopment site for textile‑focused tax credits.","taxTitle","Aiken City, Aiken County, South Carolina","taxId",52307,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6655556,"Aiken council approves first reading to add consent agendas to meeting rules; public comment allowed to remove items",303,4056000,4359000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386450-6cb92416385161eaa67594cf8e669011&start=4056&end=4359","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386450-6cb92416385161eaa67594cf8e669011/thumbnail_4056000.jpg","/articles/6655556/Aiken-City/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Aiken-council-approves-first-reading-to-add-consent-agendas-to-meeting-rules-public-comment-allowed-to-remove-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655556-6363321f5cb0f6026b6d6e03024bdabb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098821&Signature=QY9m1ptOlSTPWHhCr525c6LGqLhkZpFHdhpVip4j~seCvxiWrhIAP0IBQiI6D5rAzuGrNhe7JrjPDgoCVzIqPi3CtWGkRH-kzJVv7eSQ0Bw~cSMSH-89~HNXcWQg~A8Xzu5QhOm7jpWCu7yCJFfnfe2SZABMfDxijZ6FS15WWQbKPU5mwEzdnwdoHAXK76ehKv4XS4RUz0E7WRUct2Usq-KSfDjZY3F~8jsJKbmtQCt5n2SxVNl2fpyfVrUU1Np1ejS07dyGiKVgnSjopL5uXXIeSeTq4A3-640vGXiIdUmVTJsXa1rEcfOobMgPiuBdHn4e5NxK1Mz2qDOGZLAUdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Aiken City Council approved first reading of an ordinance on July 14 to amend Aiken City Code, section 2‑64 subsections 4 and 5, to allow a consent agenda for routine or noncontroversial items.

City staff framed the change as a procedural efficiency measure that would let council bundle routine items — such as many annexations and ministerial ordinances — into a single vote while preserving opportunities for public input and for any council member to pull an item for discussion. “The thought process is this can be a tool to increase efficiency of city council meetings for routine or noncontroversial items,” the presenting staff member said.

Under the proposed rules, any item placed on the consent agenda would have its title read aloud during the meeting, preserving the legal requirement for a reading, and could be removed from the consent agenda at the request of one council member. The ordinance as drafted also allows members of the public to request removal: an online form and a paper form will be available for submission to the city clerk prior to the start of the meeting; the forms must be submitted before the mayor gavels the meeting to order.

City Attorney and staff noted one adjustment in the draft language to preserve state law requirements for public comment on appointments to the Design Review Board; appointments and most boards and commissions will remain stand‑alone agenda items and therefore will not be placed on the consent agenda.

Council members debated rollout and public education steps, emphasizing the need to ensure residents know how to request removal of items. “We have to communicate it,” one council member said, urging outreach beyond simply posting the change on the website.

The ordinance passed its first reading unanimously. Councilman Burrell made the motion and Councilwoman Broll seconded it. The council asked staff to provide clear public instructions on the website and at meetings before the rule takes effect.","Council voted unanimously in favor of first reading to amend city code to allow a consent agenda for routine items, with a form and in‑meeting process for the public to request removal of items from the consent list.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6655561,"Aiken city manager announces third‑party review after late‑June water discoloration; residents press for answers",282,1750000,2032000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386450-6cb92416385161eaa67594cf8e669011&start=1750&end=2032","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386450-6cb92416385161eaa67594cf8e669011/thumbnail_1750000.jpg","/articles/6655561/Aiken-City/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Aiken-city-manager-announces-thirdparty-review-after-lateJune-water-discoloration-residents-press-for-answers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655561-2256712ff603dad016d70722e6245f34/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098821&Signature=bNF7DEhNrAfTkb4b24L5mXlrfVmwAvQg7HNv2H6oWudIWERX0sfUnUnG46xgMyfvjL6A-bprzJMrxw8zHhcb1oEyFHdhTTWdZc-tGPI82UguOTYypNcWnbmGaZo9CHlq-9xh6IvnDer1vQQHs6uZhlwTiyLEG6dojnKRLW1MEwcFwyQ2vDn554AEWxSx2Xzf3maWxMG3AdKxUUM~PwjspesPYQezxlWMhAfc7FSek5E85ebCN3Dt1GFj6F~~mcEGA92pfP0UtDvvIZMlWsfYWWi-FOM47gpRdD1ilA3lqPvBa59TdbDjqjOv2f6bsFrJtxffFLBa5RwGdTYMIusuEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Aiken City Manager told the City Council on July 14 that the city will engage a third‑party firm to conduct an after‑action review of discolored water complaints that occurred between June 24 and June 30.

The manager said the city has not yet determined a single root cause, citing possible contributors that residents and staff have discussed, including high demand during hot weather and ongoing plant work. “We did not meet our standards, as it relates to water service, between June 24 and June 30,” the City Manager said, and announced plans to hire an outside firm “Wednesday” to help determine the causes and recommend improvements.

Why it matters: Hundreds of residents called or posted about brown or discolored tap water in late June and early July. The city’s pledge to bring in an independent reviewer aims to identify technical failures and restore public confidence in drinking water safety.

At the meeting, engineer and resident Dr. Robert LaShear told the council he believes “water hammers” — high‑pressure shock waves in pipelines — are the primary cause of increased water main breaks and the recent brown‑water incidents. LaShear asserted the city’s public explanation that extreme demand caused the problem was inaccurate and said his offer to perform a no‑cost assessment was declined. “Water hammers are the primary reason for increasing brown water complaints in Aiken,” LaShear said during public comment.

The City Manager responded during the public‑comment exchange that the city is hiring a third‑party firm to investigate, and disputed LaShear’s characterization that officials had attributed the problem to only one cause. “We’re hiring a third party firm, and I do, you’re incorrect,” the manager said, noting the city’s earlier communications mentioned both high demand and work at the plant.

The manager also asked residents to continue reporting discolored water. The city provided a phone number for reports: (803) 642‑7629, and said online reporting remains available. The manager said the city had received no new reports in the several days immediately before the meeting.

Other public comments touched on safety and testing. Becky Phillips, a resident, suggested broader testing and welcomed a planned new water‑treatment plant. Some speakers asked whether lead service lines were known and whether water sampling points were sufficient to determine citywide safety.

What officials said they will do next: the City Manager said the outside review will be part of an after‑action review to answer outstanding technical questions and to recommend operational changes. No resolution or formal council vote to hire the firm was recorded during the meeting; the manager announced intent to engage the firm and asked customers to continue reporting water quality problems to the number above.

Public records and offers: LaShear said he filed Freedom of Information requests and that he had offered to assess the system pro bono; the manager said the city declined that offer and would proceed with a contracted third‑party review.

The council did not take immediate legislative action on water system policy at the meeting. The city manager’s remarks and public comments will inform the pending third‑party review and any later staff recommendations to council.","City officials said they will engage an outside firm to review a series of brown‑water complaints that affected service June 24–30. Residents at the July 14 Aiken City Council meeting blamed system operations, raised health concerns and offered outside expertise.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Aiken Council approves multiple annexations, rezoning, textile‑site certification and accommodations‑tax awards

Aiken council approves first reading to add consent agendas to meeting rules; public comment allowed to remove items

Aiken city manager announces third‑party review after late‑June water discoloration; residents press for answers