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West Columbia council clears first reading of transportation-facilities ordinance; staff to clarify grandfathering
Summary
City council approved first reading of a proposed ordinance regulating passenger bus terminals, requiring site plans, traffic studies and private security; staff will review whether existing charter or storage operations would be grandfathered.
The City of West Columbia City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance to regulate transportation facilities, including passenger bus terminals, after a staff presentation and council questions.
City staff member Miss Dickerson told the council the ordinance “would provide regulations for bus terminals. It would require a site plan to be included with the business license application for a bus terminal, would require a traffic study, that would be approved by DOT. It sets forth parking requirements for buses as well as vehicles on the site. It also provides regulations for site design aspects of the bus terminal, such as lighting, trash receptacles, benches, and noise from outdoor speakers. And in addition, it would require private security at the location at all times during its operation.”
Council members pressed staff about whether the ordinance would distinguish between passenger terminals and businesses that store or maintain charter buses. Councilman Moy asked, “Now does this, ordinance, would it delineate between a charter bus, service that might store buses and a bus terminal for commuter type people where people come up and buy a ticket, or is it all covered under the same ordinance?” Miss Dickerson and other staff said the city expected to treat passenger terminals as the primary focus and said existing, nonpassenger operations would likely be handled differently and examined case by case.
City staff indicated they will research how the ordinance would apply to existing businesses and properties and provide a detailed response before second reading. One staff member said: “...for an especially for an existing business, we'd be grandfathered. But, an existing business that is doing a different type of activity may not necessarily have to comply with all of these rules. But we will, research that between first and second reading and, make sure we have a detailed answer for you and counsel.”
The council voted to approve first reading on the ordinance; staff said they will return with clarifications about the scope and potential grandfathering for existing uses, and confirm whether certain nearby operations fall inside the city limits.
Council members and staff flagged the Leapart Road/Mineral Springs Road area as one location to verify for current boundaries and to avoid creating unintended future difficulties in enforcement or application of the code. Staff committed to review the matter and report back before second reading.
