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Commission adopts Reaching Riverbanks Community Mobility Plan as an addendum to the comp plan
Summary
The Planning Commission voted to adopt the Reaching Riverbanks Community Mobility Plan (NAC Plan‑2024‑0001) as an addendum to the comprehensive plan; the plan, prepared with the Central Midlands Council of Governments, recommends multimodal and connectivity improvements in a multi‑jurisdictional area north of Elmwood and around Dutch Square.
The Planning Commission voted to adopt the Reaching Riverbanks Community Mobility Plan (NAC Plan‑2024‑0001) as an addendum to the City of Columbia comprehensive plan. The plan was prepared by the Central Midlands Council of Governments in collaboration with city and county staff and a consultant team.
Planning staff briefed the commission on the plan’s scope and public outreach. Staff said the study area spans neighborhoods north of Elmwood Avenue, along rivers north and south of I‑20 and includes both incorporated city areas and adjacent unincorporated portions of Richland County. The consultant team conducted a design charrette and multiple public meetings and incorporated community input into a vision and goals that frame the recommendations.
Key plan topics staff highlighted include improved river access, increased neighborhood connectivity through additional street connections and rights‑of‑way adjustments, streetscape and lane‑reassignment concepts for major corridors, and a growth/conservation framework aligned with existing future land use classifications. Staff emphasized the plan does not itself change the city’s future land use map; rather, it provides policy guidance and identifies opportunity sites and catalyst projects, including possible scenarios for large sites such as Dutch Square Mall.
Staff said the plan has already been adopted by the Central Midlands Council of Governments and is anticipated to be adopted by Richland County; adoption by the city will add policy weight for coordination with state and regional transportation agencies and for funding considerations. Commissioners asked whether illustrative recommendations for corridors such as I‑126 represent engineered proposals; staff replied they are conceptual and would require subsequent traffic studies and engineered design by the appropriate transportation agencies.
The commission approved the plan by motion; staff noted the plan will be used as a policy document for future rezonings and transportation planning and could inform funding and project selection by agencies including SCDOT and regional bodies.
Votes at a glance: NAC Plan‑2024‑0001 (Reaching Riverbanks Community Mobility Plan) — commission adopted plan as an addendum to the comprehensive plan.
