Council should follow zoning plan

Discussion of the proposed Sam's Club is continuing, and it looks like the first reading will most likely be delayed past Aug. 14, as it was originally scheduled, but everyone should continue to watch for the public announcement of the meeting.

The land in question is zoned Planned Commercial and was annexed as such based on a required concept plan. The current concept plan approved by City Council in 2005 was for a well designed strip mall with small retail shops and two larger stores of approximately 30,000 and 25,000 square feet plus out parcels at the Whiskey Road frontage for restaurants and/or professional buildings. The overall square footage is close to what the Sam's would be, but the land use concept has changed drastically. We must ensure that this land will be developed in a manner that would better serve the surrounding neighborhoods instead of a Sam's warehousing type operation which would reach out regionally.

The Planned Commercial ordinance states that "Each concept plan is subject to detailed review by City Council, and there shall be no entitlement to either the intensity of use, density, or minimum required open space." It also requires that "Any change in the approved concept plan that affects the intent and character of the development, the density or land use pattern, or similar changes shall require approval by City Council after receipt of the recommendation of the Planning Commission." I believe this is a good law and not only are we completely within our rights to follow it, but we would be derelict in our duty if we chose to ignore it.

Dick Smith
Aiken
The writer is a member of Aiken City Council.