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Goose Creek Council approves zoning tweaks, property sale, road-acceptance IGA and multiple contracts
Summary
On March 11 the City Council approved a second-reading zoning code amendment, a property sale adjacent to City Hall, an intergovernmental roads-acceptance agreement with Berkeley County, several engineering and purchase contracts, and staff changes including raising an employee down-payment assistance cap and hiring a new HR director.
Goose Creek City Council during its March 11 regular meeting approved a package of ordinances, resolutions and contracts that update the city's zoning code, authorize a property sale and repurchase agreement adjacent to City Hall, and fund several facility and equipment projects.
The council took multiple votes that were introduced and discussed as routine business and finance items. Staff characterized the zoning action as a set of technical updates following a major rewrite completed over the past two years. The council also approved a sale and repurchase agreement and related reciprocal access easement for property next to City Hall; a councilmember recused themself from that vote.
Key items approved included a resolution to amend the intergovernmental agreement with Berkeley County to accept roads for maintenance if they meet county standards and funding availability; an increase to the city employee down-payment assistance cap from $10,000 to $15,000 with eligibility tied to area median income; engineering contracts for overflow parking ($46,000 to Cameron Baker Engineering) and a restroom and construction oversight at Crowfield Golf Course (Cypress Engineering, $26,840); and the purchase of a Kubota excavator for the golf department ($49,595), with the overage absorbed by the department's equipment budget.
Council also approved an expanded contract for municipal advisory services with Water Street Public Finance related to the Karnes Municipal Improvement District in preparation for anticipated bond issuance around July, and formally hired Jennifer Leland as the city's new human resources director. Mrs. Ziegler presented the items and told council the down-payment change will tie eligibility to area median income so the cap adjusts annually.
Votes at a glance
- Zoning ordinance amendment (Title 15 land usage; second and final reading): approved by voice vote. Motion to adopt moved by Councilwoman McSwain; second by Councilman TCAC. (Second reading of a zoning code update driven by implementation adjustments after a two-year rewrite.)
- Sale and repurchase agreement and reciprocal access easement (property adjacent to City Hall): approved by voice vote. Mover and seconder: motion made and seconded during meeting; one councilmember recused. Design standards and later PUD approval expected.
- Resolution amending Berkeley County/City of Goose Creek intergovernmental agreement accepting roads for maintenance: approved by voice vote. Motion moved by Councilwoman Eno Sims; second by Mayor Pro Tem Green Fletcher.
- Employee down-payment assistance program amendment (raise cap to $15,000; eligibility tied to area median income): approved by voice vote. Presented by Mrs. Ziegler; motion moved by Councilman TCAC; second by Councilwoman Cox.
- Cameron Baker Engineering — overflow parking engineering ($46,000): approved by voice vote. Motion moved by Councilwoman Eno Sims; second by Councilman TCAC.
- Cypress Engineering — Crowfield Golf Course improvements (engineering and construction oversight, $26,840): approved by voice vote. Motion moved by Councilwoman Cox; second by Councilman TCAC.
- Municipal advisor contract expansion with Water Street Public Finance for Karnes MID bond work (anticipated July issuance): approved by voice vote. Motion moved by Councilwoman McSwain; second by Councilwoman Eno Sims.
- Kubota excavator for Golf Department ($49,595; over budget, overage absorbed by golf equipment budget): approved by voice vote. Motion moved by Councilman Harmon; second by Councilman Tikak.
- Hiring of Jennifer Leland as Human Resources Director: approved by voice vote. Motion moved by Councilman Harmon; second by Councilwoman Cox. One councilmember recused from a separate personnel-related vote earlier in the meeting; the hiring vote as recorded concluded with council approval and staff stated Leland starts Monday.
Council did not record roll-call tallies in the meeting transcript for most items; approvals were taken by voice vote with council members saying “aye.” Where members recused themselves, the transcript notes the recusal but does not record individual aye/no votes.
Background and context
Mayor Gregory Essobied framed the zoning action as an expected “tweak” following the city’s two-year zoning rewrite and credited planning staff, including assistant city administrator Brian Cook and planner Kendra, for the work. Mrs. Ziegler presented most of the administrative, purchasing and personnel items and supplied dollar amounts and brief project descriptions to the council.
Several items will return to council or staff for further action: the property adjacent to City Hall will be brought back for PUD (planned unit development) approval with design standards to be reviewed; the municipal advisory engagement precedes the anticipated Karnes MID bond issuance; and staff will coordinate schedule and permitting steps for projects funded by the approved engineering contracts.
Several ceremonial items and awards were presented earlier in the meeting but were not central to the council’s formal actions reported here.
