Columbia will be looking for a new building inspector as it continues its task of cleaning up properties along with a major overhaul of its zoning ordinances.
Aldermen accepted Bo Williams’ resignation Tuesday after the Marion County School District hired him last week to be 16th Section land manager.
Williams’ last day with the city will be March 1. He had started in December following the retirement of longtime Building Inspector Lonnie Stringer.
Whoever is hired will have a major task: The city is looking to do a rezoning over the next year as officials have repeatedly said the city’s zoning standards, set nearly four decades ago, are outdated and confusing.
What Mayor Justin McKenzie called a prime example of that was seen during Tuesday’s board meeting. Aldermen voted unanimously, following McKenzie’s recommendation, to allow a property at 909 Gill St. to remain a duplex, which it had been used as for years despite not being zoned for that.
The board had delayed action on the matter two weeks ago after real estate agent Sharmaine Frazier approached the city about it. Frazier is representing the seller in a pending transaction, which was being held up until the buyer could confirm that it would be able to continue as a duplex.
Frazier presented a letter to the board Tuesday from Lori Watts of the Historic Preservation Commission stating it was listed as a duplex in its records.
McKenzie said the confusion over the property’s status is a prime example of why the city needs to move ahead with rezoning over the course of the next year.
“We’ve fallen way behind,” he said.
Alderman Edward Hough asked if the new buyers are residents of Columbia or Marion County, and Frazier said she doesn’t know because she doesn’t represent the buyer. The city has had problems with absentee landlords not keeping up properties.
Also Tuesday, Williams’ gave his monthly report to aldermen Tuesday and included a new innovation: Projecting images of the properties being described onto a TV mounted in the board room so that everyone involved could see what he was talking about.
The board voted to demolish a burned out home at 542 D St. and a home with the roof falling in on Brown Street.
The board scheduled hearings for the following properties, which had various issues that Williams discussed with the board: 1113 Carolyn Ave., 1111 Carolyn Ave., 804 Church St., 1120 Mobley St., 311 Hawkins Ave., 321 Hawkins Ave., 706 Dukes Ave.
1300 Loftin St., 1210 Loftin St., 1705 N. Main St., 110 Government St. and 310 Hawkins Ave.
The board also had a lengthy discussion about modular houses in response to a request from Olivia Hunt to put one at 1117 N. Park Ave. for her mother-in-law. Hahn said in the past the board has classified such houses as mobile homes, which are not allowed per city ordinance.
After a back and forth, Hahn said if there’s a question about zoning that Williams can’t confidently answer himself, then it needs to go to the Board of Adjustments, which would make a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen.
The board discussed a request from Hayman Engineering to enlarge its parking area. The business at the corner of Broad Street and Park Avenue is in an area zoned residential but has a special use variance. That means if the business is sold it goes back to being a single-family dwelling.
The board discussed cleaning up a property at 801 Willow St. but ultimately took no action after the owner, Jered McDaniel, promised to make improvements. He said he bought it last year from Stanley McDermit and has been real busy, working three jobs, and unable to fix it up yet like he planned.
Alderman Anna Evans said the woman next door has small children and a tarp blown off the roof in the back is a hazard for them. McDaniel said he agreed it was bad and would make improvements, adding he had removed two dump trailers worth already.
“I’m going to make it a nice house, just need a little time,” he said.
“We’ll work with you if you work with us,” Evans said.
Pictured Above: Confusion over the zoning status of this duplex at 909 Gill St. is one example why rezoning is needed, officials say. | Photo by Charlie Smith
