By David Meade
Williamston Mayor Mack Durham and all four councilmembers met Tuesday evening for their monthly worksession to discuss projects and issues and possible solutions. Planning for future growth was the overall theme of the meeting which included discussion on the town’s new landscape ordinance, sewer allocation and the mayor’s priority project list.
The town’s landscaping ordinance, which is currently in the process of being drafted , was first to be addressed. Councilmember Rockey Burgess, who is on the landscape ordinance review committee, updated the mayor and councilmembers on the status.
Burgess said they want the ordinance to set consistent guidelines for future growth in the town yet not be too restrictive .
The landscape ordinance will apply to new construction, he said.
The wording in the new ordinance is being compared to the current town landscaping/building ordinance which Burgess said is approximately 30 pages. It is also being compared to County and State requirements for consistency.
In addition to working on the details of the ordinance, the committee is also considering whether a town employee, the planning commission or some other entity will be responsible to sign off on permit applications for building or construction projects the ordinance will affect.
Burgess said the mayor or the mayor’s designee, in other words someone associated with the town, will have to be responsible for plan review and making sure new projects meet the requirements of the ordinance.
There was also discussion about enforcement.
Mayor Durham said the Landscape Ordinance is needed to “keep beautification in our development” and Councilman Burgess added, “but be reasonable about it.”
Another area affecting possible growth is capacity at the town’s Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Durham said approximately one third or more of the plants designed capacity is not being used, however it is allocated. The current allocation leaves the town with little room to grow without the plant being expanded, or the allocation being revised.
According to Durham, the town is operating at eighty percent of its allocated capacity, however there is unused capacity allocated to Anderson County and other entities.
The county’s allocation of 300,000 gallons amounts to one third of the plants total capacity, and none of that is being used, he said.
Durham said he is considering some type of charge for unused capacity the county and others have allocated at the plant.
Durham also said he has spoken with county officials who said they are willing to sell the unused capacity allocation back to the town at the price they originally paid for it.
“It is hard to grow without sewer capacity,” Mayor Durham said.
Durham presented a priority list for projects he would like to see the town move forward on.
Mayor Duham said his goal is to “Create foot traffic for downtown” which will bring customers for businesses. “We have to create it.”
The mayor also said he wants to encourage public/private partnerships and corporate investment along with available grants, to fund the projects.
He said he also wants to create some excitement and community support with smaller projects in hopes of getting community support for projects down the road.
He also said he hopes to garner corporate support by encouraging their employees to get more personally invested by being on local boards.
Among the priorities are two gateway projects recommended by the recent Community Master Plan sessions. Estimated cost on the projects is $400,000.
Durham said the town has applied for an ARC grant to fund half the cost and hopes to fund the other half with a public match.
Grants will also help with other projects including: remodeling of the old depot for a farmers market, continuation of Mineral Spring Trail, and sidewalk projects along Minor Street and Greenville Drive.
Durham said he would like to have a feasibility study done to see what kind of specific businesses are needed to grow the downtown. The town is looking into a USDA grant to fund the study.
Durham said he also wants the town to consider an electronic message board.
The town is also planning to install lights on the Hwy. 20/West Main St. bridge, he said.
Durham said he wants to look into the possibility of instituting component facade grants, with funding through a corporate grant.
The mayor said he also wants the town to purchase a garbage truck and is looking into a lease purchase on a slightly used truck from a larger municipality. The truck will have tippers allowing easier dumping.
New town supplied garbage cans would also be a part of the service upgrade, according to the mayor.
