City Oks Planning, ATAX, Zoning, Architectural Review Appointments

Observer Reports

Anderson City Council on Monday approved a contract with Spruce Lighting & Events to upgrade and expand downtown holiday decorations for the upcoming Christmas season. The $125,800 contract will include decorations for: lighting Main Street, Carolina Wren Park, Church Street Heritage Plaza, North Main Commons, North Linley Park and adding City Hall and South Linley Park as additions this year.

Council also appointed representatives for the Planning Commission, the Board of Architectural Review and the Board of Zoning Appeals as part of Monday’s meeting. Each appointment is a four-year term, and are as follows:

Planning Commission: Marshall Pickens, Ron Sconyers, Bryce Nivens, Steve Lefevre, and Carey Ulrich.

Board of Architectural Review: Bill Johnson, Westside Historic District; Billy Zion, Architect; Jill Helgeson; At-Large; and Gia Townsley, Real Estate.

Board of Zoning Appeals: Glenn Roberts, Real Estate; and Olin Bell, Construction.

In addition, council approved the appointments/reappointment to the Accommodations Tax (ATAX) Advisory Committee, whose seven members are representatives of the hospitality industry that are appointed for four-year terms. The ATAX Advisory Committee had three expired terms to fill that expired in December 2024:

Diann Simms (arts and cultural) was reappointed.

Traywick Duffie, Restaurant Manager at Grouchos Deli, appointed to an expired term held by Shelton Pace (hospitality/restaurant).

Kirk Watkins, Regional Director at Up on the Roof, appointed to an expired term held by John Doolittle (hospitality/restaurant).

The other four members that serve on this committee are Summer Fredette (hospitality/ restaurant), Dwayne Bowes (hospitality/lodging), and Cindy Suttles (hospitality/lodging), and Reggie Hawthorne (At-large).

In other business on Monday’s agenda, city council approved:

The annexation of 7.53 acres located at 3801 Clemson Boulevard, property of Publix grocery store and an abutting storefront. In 2016, the remainder of the shopping center was annexed into the city limits.

Council will also vote on an agreement with Broadway Water and Sewer District to bill and collect sewer revenues for Electric City Utilities sewer customers in their district. Under the new proposal, Broadway Water will assume responsibility for billing and collecting the city’s sewer charges as part of their regular utility billing process. The city will pay Broadway Water a fee of $4.00 per customer for this service.