City council approves rezoning, budget first reading, easement abandonment, veterans grant, resurfacing bid and surplus-vehicle donation

The North Charleston City Council on May 22, 2025 approved a slate of routine and legislative items: minutes from the May 8 meeting; two final-reading rezoning ordinances; the first reading of the fiscal-year 2026 budget ordinance; an ordinance abandoning part of a drainage easement; acceptance of a South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Homelessness and Transition Grant; a resurfacing bid award to Sanders Brother Construction Co., Inc. for $1,337,242.50; donation of surplus North Charleston Fire Department vehicles to the Lowcountry Firefighter Support Team; and an accommodation-tax funding request.

Why it matters: the first reading of the budget ordinance begins the formal adoption process for the city's fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. Rezoning approvals affect land use in Council Districts 8 and 10. The resurfacing contract allocates $1,337,242.50 for transportation infrastructure work; grant acceptance and vehicle donations involve service delivery to veterans and first responders.

Key outcomes and details:

- Approval of minutes (May 8, 2025): Council moved and seconded approval; roll call recorded unanimous "aye" votes. (Transcript roll call at 14:20.)

- Rezoning: Final reading approvals for properties addressed as 5523 and 5525 Attaway Street (TMS 47314 Parcel 81 and 47314 Parcel 80) from R-1 (single-family residential) to R-2 (multifamily residential) in Council District 8; and for property addressed as 2132 Dorchester Road (TMS 46906 Parcel 69 and an unaddressed parcel TMS 46906 Parcel 62) from B-1 (limited business) to R-1 (single-family) to R-2 (multifamily) in Council District 10. Council moved, seconded and approved both final readings by roll call.

- Budget ordinance (first reading): Council gave first reading to "An ordinance adopting the budget ordinance of the City of North Charleston, South Carolina, fiscal year ending 06/30/2026." The item was presented as an advertised public hearing; a motion to proceed passed by roll call. (No public speakers addressing the budget were recorded at the hearing.)

- Easement abandonment: First reading of an ordinance abandoning 5 feet of an existing 20-foot drainage easement on TMS 46916 Parcel 741918 (Railroad Street) in Council District 10 passed on motion and roll call.

- Resolution and grant acceptance: Council authorized the city to accept the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Homelessness and Transition Grant Award (resolution text by title; grant amount and detailed terms were not specified in the meeting transcript).

- Bid award: Council approved a low-bid award for the Dorchester County FY25 resurfacing project to Sanders Brother Construction Company, Inc., of North Charleston, South Carolina, in the amount of $1,337,242.50.

- Donation: Council approved donating surplus North Charleston Fire Department vehicles to the Lowcountry Firefighter Support Team at no cost.

- Accommodation tax funding: Council considered and approved an accommodation-tax funding request; specific project and dollar amount were not specified in the transcript.

All motions recorded in the transcript were moved and seconded and carried on roll-call votes. Where roll-call names were recorded in the transcript, votes were entered as "Aye" by Ms. Jerome; Dr. Palmer Roberts; Ms. Nefertiti Brown; Mr. Brown; Mr. Hudson; Mr. Skipper; and Mayor Reginald L. Burgess (and others listed in the official roll calls). The transcript did not record any "no," "abstain," or "recused" votes for these items.

What the record does not show: Several items were taken by title only with little or no discussion at the meeting; the public hearing on the budget was announced as advertised but no public testimony on that item was recorded in the transcript. Specific contract terms, grant amounts (except the resurfacing bid), and the name or amount for the accommodation-tax request were not specified in the meeting transcript.

Speakers named in the transcript relevant to the votes and motions included Mayor Reginald L. Burgess, Ms. Jerome (Councilmember Rhonda Jerome, referenced elsewhere in the transcript), Dr. Palmer Roberts, Ms. Nefertiti Brown (Councilwoman), Mr. Brown (as recorded in roll calls), Mr. Hudson, Mr. Skipper, and the Madam Clerk, who called roll for multiple items.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Minutes (05/08/2025): approved (unanimous roll call recorded as "Aye"). - Rezoning: 5523 & 5525 Attaway St. (R‑1 to R‑2), final reading: approved. - Rezoning: 2132 Dorchester Rd. and adjacent parcel (B‑1 / R‑1 to R‑2), final reading: approved. - Budget ordinance (FY2026), first reading: approved (first reading). - Easement abandonment (5 ft of 20 ft drainage easement, TMS 46916 Parcel 741918): approved. - Veterans Homelessness and Transition Grant acceptance: authorized (amount not specified in transcript). - Resurfacing contract (Dorchester County FY25): awarded to Sanders Brother Construction Co., Inc., $1,337,242.50. - Donation of surplus fire vehicles to Lowcountry Firefighter Support Team: approved (no cost donation). - Accommodation-tax funding request: approved (project and amount not specified in transcript).

Actions recorded below correspond to the motions and roll-call outcomes captured in the meeting transcript; where mover/second or detailed motion text was not recorded in the transcript, those fields are marked "not specified."