Columbia, Richland to develop joint plan for Olympia’s future
A master plan for the future of the Olympia area will be the product of collaboration between Richland County and Columbia.
The governments are contributing up to $75,000 each to hire a consultant to develop a plan for the “Three Mills” area encompassing the Olympia, Granby and Whaley neighborhoods and the south Assembly Street corridor. Jurisdiction in the area is split roughly equally between the city and the county.
The two governments also have a joint application to the state to pay for proposed transportation projects to south Assembly Street.
The area has risen as a planning priority for both the city and the county for a number of reasons, including:
▪ An increase in commercial development activity
▪ An increase in demand for student housing
▪ An increase in land-use conflict complaints from residents
▪ Concern for development in the floodplain
▪ Expansion of Vulcan Quarry
▪ Conservation-related issues surrounding Rocky Branch creek
Like master plans for other areas in the city and county, a master plan for the Three Mills area could include suggestions for certain kinds of development or neighborhood improvement projects such as streetscaping or parks, depending in part on the community’s wants and needs.
The agreement between the city and county, which was approved by City Council last month and by County Council on Tuesday, gives the city the responsibility of overseeing the process for selecting a consultant to develop a plan. A county representative will be a part of the selection process, and all payments from the joint account must be approved by the county.
All products that come out of the plan, including data, maps, drafts and other documents, will be the property of both the city and the county.
After the master plan has been completed, which is expected to take between 18 months and two years after a consultant has been hired, each government will be financially responsible for implementing the plan within its own jurisdiction.
Reach Ellis at (803) 771-8307.
IN OTHER NEWS: Cook’s Mountain update
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will become the owner of the coveted Cook’s Mountain property in Lower Richland later this month, when it will collaborate with the Richland County Conservation Commission concerning the future use of the land.
A Canadian mining company, Romarco Minerals Inc., purchased Cook’s Mountain and the adjacent Goodwill Plantation and is transferring the properties to DNR to be used as a public nature preserve. About 3,691 acres likely will be devoted to hunting, canoeing and wildlife observation.
The transfer had been delayed by an appeal of Romarco’s state mining permit application by the Sierra Club before a settlement was reached to clear the way for the transaction.
Romarco is opening what could be the largest gold mine on the East Coast and agreed to give the coveted riverfront properties to the state in exchange for disturbing up to 1,100 acres of wetlands on a 2,500-acre site in Lancaster County.
DNR has said it would limit access to the Richland County site only during deer and turkey seasons, when only hunters would be allowed.
The county Conservation Commission wants greater access so that “a wide variety of users, including hunters ... will have access to the property on a reasonable basis,” commission Director Quinton Epps said.
This story was originally published April 7, 2015 at 10:07 PM with the headline "Columbia, Richland to develop joint plan for Olympia’s future."