Sidney Evering

The Board of Zoning and Appeals meeting commenced with a moment of silence, after which the election of the chairperson and vice-chair was postponed due to a lack of full membership quorum. There was no old business addressed. The new business focused on the consideration of a request from Paragon Incorporation of South Carolina LLC for a special exception and parking variance for property located at 237 and 245 Maxi Street in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The request concerns allowing a rooming boarding home group housing dormitory use for housing students. The developer is requesting a variance to reduce the required 18 parking spaces to 10, citing the provision of shuttle service to South Carolina State University and the allowance of e-bikes and scooters. Board members discussed the parking reduction, the availability of one ADA accessible parking space, and the process by which the South Carolina State University Real Estate Foundation manages student assignment to various housing locations, including those without sufficient parking.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the minutes from the November 20th, 2025 meeting. Key discussions under new business included the confirmation of the 2026 commission chair and co-chair positions, with nominations being made and confirmed. Staff addressed housekeeping items, including thanking members for their participation in 2026, distributing the 2026 meeting schedule (which generally occurs on the third Thursday of each month, excluding January, July, and December), and requesting confirmation of contact information for important communications. Furthermore, members were reminded about upcoming required training, as their previous training coverage expired in December, and materials such as Robert's Rules of Order and planning guides would be distributed electronically.

The meeting included an opening prayer and a welcome to the Hexagon group from New York City, as well as a guest candidate. Key discussions centered on the continuation of the animal control ordinance until the second meeting in April to allow the attorney to finalize revisions concerning city code, county code, and state law, alongside ongoing consultation with the Department of Public Safety regarding enforcement. A significant portion of the meeting involved a debate regarding the public comment policy, specifically addressing whether to introduce a structured public comment period at the beginning of meetings or maintain the current requirement for citizens to be placed on the agenda by a specific deadline. Council members shared differing views on the existing versus proposed structure. Additionally, an update was provided on the new fire truck purchase, confirming that financing for $822,833 was complete, covering all necessary enhancements and badging.

The City Council meeting, which was the first of the year, began with an invocation. The minutes from the December 16, 2025 meeting were approved. The council recognized the January Community of Character trait, which was perseverance. Several resolutions were passed honoring long-serving employees from the Department of Public Utilities: Jim G. Riley (31 years, 3 months, 19 days), James N. Hill Jr. (28 years, 2 months, 19 days), and Ben F. Jones (36 years, 3 months, 16 days). Old business included the third reading and approval of an ordinance to change the zoning map for city-owned property at 1895 Columbia Road from A1 residential to OI office institutional residential to make it more attractive for sale. The council also approved the third reading of an ordinance changing the zoning for property at 237 Maxi Street from A2 residential multi-unit to A3 residential general district to accommodate planned student housing developments, clarifying it is not classified as a boarding house. A similar zoning change ordinance for the adjacent property at 245 Maxi Street was also approved to combine lots for the new structure. New business involved the consideration of a resolution to support the Municipal Association's 2026-2027 legislative advocacy initiatives, highlighting support for protecting city authority over short-term rentals, closing municipal enclaves, increasing flexibility for accommodation tax revenues, and supporting police infrastructure funding.

The meeting included council formalities such as prayer and recognition of the December Community of Character trait, which was self-discipline. A significant portion of the discussion centered on the second reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 12 of the city code regarding animal control. Key points of contention involved the regulation of exotic animals, including potential bans, the lack of grandfathering clauses, and the need for clear definitions and training for enforcement officers. Council members debated the scope of exotic animals, comparing the proposed ordinance to county code, and ultimately decided to table the vote on this ordinance until the next meeting to allow for revisions, particularly concerning exotic species definitions and a potential grandfather clause. Additionally, the council considered the second reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 2 regarding election procedures, proposing to reinstate candidate nomination by petition, requiring signatures from at least 5% of qualified electors, a method currently used by 17 other municipalities in the state.