Chamber pulls Highway Overlay support

The Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce no longer supports proposed plans for a Highway Overlay District in the City of Aiken.

David Jameson, CEO and president of the Chamber, said the organization's board of directors met Thursday morning and decided that the proposal would not be in the best interest of small businesses that are struggling in a difficult economy.

"As much as we agree with the concept of having these gateways and thoroughfares improved, the timing is wrong," Jameson said.

The Chamber was initially in support of the proposed plans that would essentially regulate design of the buildings located in the district. Several members of the Chamber formed a Highway Overlay Task Force that worked closely with the Planning Commission and Design Review Board (DRB) on the plans for about a year. However, Jameson said, changes released in a draft on Jan. 6 said stricter wording than members of the Chamber felt was necessary.

"I think it kind of changed the game a bit," he said.

Areas that drew concerns from the Chamber included a portion of the proposal that said any change in the color of more than one-third of a building's exterior would require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the DRB. Jameson said members also expressed disapproval with a portion of the proposed design guidelines, which said permitted paint colors for a building's exterior must be chosen from a palette of colors already approved by the DRB. Colors not on the palette would require DRB approval.

"There doesn't seem to be any real flexibility built in here," Jameson said. "Everybody didn't think every building should be the same set of colors in Aiken."

Jameson said the proposal will be tough on small-business owners unless there is an incentive plan to help them adhere to the guidelines.

City Planning Director Ed Evans said City Council members asked the Planning Commission and the DRB to work on a proposal for the district several years ago. The two boards have been putting together the plans for about a year.

"I think the motivation behind this was that council thought there was a need for architectural standards along major roads to perhaps prevent certain development not in Aiken's character," Evans said.

Areas that would be affected if the proposal were to pass includes Richland Avenue East and West, Whiskey Road, Silver Bluff Road, Laurens Street, York Street, Pine Log Road, East Pine Log Road, University Parkway, Hitchcock Parkway and Rutland Drive. The proposal will go to the Planning Commission for its first public hearing on Feb. 9. A public hearing will be held for the Design Review Board on March 2. After the two hearings, the proposal will go to City Council for another set of public hearings before a final decision is made by City Council.

Jameson said he urges small-business owners to attend the public hearings and make their concerns known.

"It's our hope that the boards and commissions that hear this before this goes to council will come up with a plan that is more workable," he said.

Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.