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Council discusses roads, transportation master plan and zoning near RM parcel; B&C road funds halved from prior year
Summary
Councilmembers reported work on a draft transportation master plan with Sunrise Engineering, said B&C road funding dropped from about $180,000 last year to $90,000 this year, and discussed how a local RM zone limits residential density in ways that could shift development into commercial parcels.
During council reports on Feb. 11 Mount Pleasant councilmembers and staff discussed transportation funding and zoning issues that could affect future development.
Transportation and roads: Councilmembers said the city is finalizing a transportation master-plan draft prepared with Sunrise Engineering. Once adopted, the plan would be used to pursue grant funding and other sources to advance road projects. Councilmembers said last year's B&C road allocation was about $180,000 but this year's allocation arrived at about $90,000; members said they will use the smaller amount to prioritize repairs and that the city may need to borrow to fund larger projects or consider a ballot measure.
Zoning and development: Councilmembers raised concerns about a single RM (residential medium/high density) zone in town that allows up to eight dwellings per acre; they said code currently produces a situation where the commercial zone allows fourplexes on the same ground but the RM zone can produce only two duplexes, creating incentives to convert commercial land to higher-density housing. Members discussed seeking public input and possible zoning code changes to address the inconsistency.
Other notes: Council received a report that an unnamed employee, Crystal Lee, submitted a resignation (planning staff). The head works project was reported about 60% complete. A speaker who identified involvement with CDRA asked whether the board had ever seen the contract with the state; the speaker urged that the board review the actual contract documents rather than rely only on the executive director's summary.
Why it matters: The transportation plan and accompanying funding decisions will guide which road projects move forward. Zoning inconsistencies could influence where higher-density housing is built and affect the city's commercial land supply.
Next steps: Councilmembers said they will continue to finalize the transportation master plan and bring zoning-code conversation and potential public hearings to future agendas.
