Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
North Augusta reviews CPSD4 priorities; drainage project and telecom code changes advance
Summary
At a March 9 study session, staff presented a reprioritized Capital Project Sales Tax 4 list including the "big four" projects and said funds on hand now allow multiple projects to move forward; a Crestview-Woodlon drainage project has a low bid ready and staff previewed an ordinance to allow telecommunications towers on public property to address cellular coverage gaps.
City staff on March 9 asked council to approve a reprioritized list of projects funded through Capital Project Sales Tax 4 (CPSD4), described a ready-to-award stormwater drainage contract, and previewed a change to the development code to permit telecommunication devices on public property.
City Administrator Jim Clifford summarized the reprioritization and how the "big four" — including Georgia Avenue traffic calming, two stormwater projects and the downtown greenway connector — fit into staff's recommended order. "We're in a really good place to move forward on a lot of projects ... because that money is sitting there available for use, not projected funds," Clifford told the council, citing the staff preference to bring discrete actions to council for projects two through ten over the coming months.
Engineering Director Tom Caesar said bids are complete for the Crestview-Woodlon drainage improvements and a low bid was received during the offsite; staff recommended immediate action to move funding and construction so residents see progress quickly. "We are ready to move forward on that project," Caesar said, adding the project is in the Hammond Hills neighborhood and addresses a deteriorated ditch that has generated citizen complaints.
On telecom policy, staff previewed ordinance 2026-07 (second reading) to amend the North Augusta development code use table to allow telecommunications towers and antennae on public property. Staff noted the amendment would align the code with existing practice and enable projects such as a potential Verizon tower near the Riverview Park Activity Center to address cellular coverage gaps in neighborhoods including Hammond Hills.
Staff also reminded council that the accommodations tax advisory committee will interview applicants March 11 and return a recommendation on roughly $41,000 in redistributed funds that the council will consider in a future packet. Finance and public works directors provided routine operational updates including utility billing schedules and ongoing interceptor-pipeline work.
Next steps: council will see individual project actions for prioritized CPSD4 projects at upcoming meetings; staff proposed moving the Crestview-Woodlon drainage project forward as soon as legal and contracting steps are completed.
