Irmo council approves business-license updates, economic development grant program and vegetation rules; OKs towing policy and police equipment purchase

The Town of Irmo Town Council on Oct. 21 approved several administrative and public-safety measures, including updates to the town business-license ordinance required by state law, a new economic development grant program for small businesses, regulations on vegetation and dead trees, revisions to the town's wrecker and towing policy, and a purchase of firearms and accessories for the Irmo Police Department.

Council members said the business-license update implements South Carolina Act 176 and standardizes license classifications. The economic development ordinance establishes a grant program meant to recruit, retain and support new businesses inside Irmo city limits; staff described one incentive that would waive a brick-and-mortar business's license for the first three years and then phase in charges in later years. Council also voted to add a section to the vegetation ordinance to address removal of dead trees, and the economic-development ordinance and the vegetation ordinance each give the town’s code compliance inspector authority to issue municipal summons when owners fail to abate nuisances, as noted in the meeting.

The council approved revisions to the town’s wrecker and towing policy to confirm that rotation towing services used by the police department will tow vehicles for town purposes without charge and that the town may provide vehicle storage for investigative cases. The council also approved a staff recommendation to purchase Glock firearms and…