Commission forwards Sunday Avenue concept plan after public sewer-capacity concerns

The Aiken City Planning Commission voted to forward application 26-22006, a concept plan for a proposed Sunday Avenue development, to the Aiken City Council with six recommended conditions after a public exchange about infrastructure capacity and site access.

Jen Wilkinson (speaker S5), the applicant’s representative, told the commission the developer updated the plan from 144 to 168 units while keeping building types and heights unchanged. She said the proposal provides 20 more parking spaces than the city recommendation, meets a 40% open-space minimum, and has passed required traffic and pedestrian improvement thresholds. "We brought it to you last year, and we're updating the concept plan from a 144 units to a 168 units," Wilkinson said.

During commissioner questioning, members pressed the applicant about affordable-unit shares, site access along an unimproved gravel road called Jake Place, and long-term property management. Wilkinson said management would be handled by a contracted, long-term third-party manager (identified in the transcript as KHec/Cahec) and that the developer would pave the road to the project property line.

Public comment focused on sewer capacity. Aubrey De War (speaker S3) said the community was told by county sources the system’s capacity is limited; he asserted a figure of "410,000 gallons per day" and noted a recently discussed city capacity price of "$10.89 a gallon," urging the commission to require clearer project-specific sewer usage estimates in packet materials. "We were told very clearly ... we have limited sewer capacity," De War said. A staff member (speaker S11) responded that engineering is monitoring approvals, that the utility authority (PSA) controls final hookups and capacity allocations, and that developers work with engineering as projects move toward permitting.

Commissioners said the planning commission's role is advisory and that larger policy decisions about moratoriums and capacity allocation are for elected council to consider. After discussion the commission voted to forward the concept plan to city council with the six listed conditions; the referral does not guarantee building permits or utility service approvals, which are subject to downstream engineering and PSA review.