A new building height limit in downtown Aiken will go before its first City Council vote Monday.
The 7 p.m. meeting is open to the public in the Municipal Building's Council Chambers, 214 Park Ave.
For several months, City officials have discussed increasing the maximum height limit in Aiken's downtown from 50 feet to 75 feet, following local hotel owner Neel Shah's announcement that he plans to construct a six-floor addition, on the side closest to Newberry Street, adjacent to Hotel Aiken on Richland Avenue.
Downtown Aiken's building height has been in place since the 1970s, and for Shah to build the addition, the height ordinance must be changed.
Renderings of the hotel addition show queen- and king-size rooms, a dining area and a possible exercise room on the bottom floor.
The Aiken Planning Commission already approved the measure by a majority. Planning Commission member Kent Cubbage was the only member who opposed the height change.
Council will also hear and discuss a request to support the installation of shared lane markings, or "sharrows" for vehicles and bicyclists on Silver Bluff Road between Indian Creek Trail and Richardsons Lake Road.
The Aiken County Urbanized Area Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, an advisory committee to the South Carolina subcommittee of the Augusta Regional Transportation Study, initially requested the markings from the Planning Commission. The markings would be installed on a roughly 1-mile stretch of Silver Bluff, and show a person on a bicycle with arrows on top, alerting motorists that cyclists may be on the road as well.
Planning Commission voted last week not to recommend the markings in a 6-to-1 vote. Commission member Susan Debruhl was the lone member to approve the markings.
Council will also vote on:
- Second reading and public hearing of an ordinance to amend the concept plan for Woodside professional suites.
- Second reading and public hearing of an ordinance to amend the zoning rules regarding RV parks.
- First reading of an ordinance to rezone property at 1139 York St. N.E. from industrial to general business. Applicants intend to build a Waffle House restaurant at the location, which currently is an auto sales lot.
Before the regular meeting, Council will meet in a 6 p.m. work session to discuss the prioritization of projects under the hospitality tax fund, a draft letter to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson regarding the hospitality tax and a request to amend the budget regarding the airport fund.