Review begins for Columbia capital improvement plan

Millions of dollars worth of road, utility and public safety projects in Columbia are on the table for consideration.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission started its review of the Capital Improvement Plan for next fiscal year. The document details the projects the city will fund through various funds, including its special quarter-cent sales tax voters approved in 2015. The projects are divided into different times that the city could have the funds to perform the work, in increments such as 1-2 years, 3-5 years and 6-10 years.

The city council will review projects paid for during Fiscal Year 2018, which begins in October, at its budget retreat next month. The group could decide to move up projects from one time category to another.

The commission heard from city staff regarding the CIP and its relation to the strategic plan. That plan focuses on three neighborhoods in town experiencing higher levels of unemployment, poverty and crime than the average in Columbia. The city identified 90 projects in the 1-2 year range for FY 2018, and six will take place within the specified neighborhoods, according to a count done by ABC 17 News. While some projects are considered “citywide,” the count focused on those that would take place within the boundaries of the strategic neighborhoods.

Some commission members told staff they appreciated the update on projects that were occurring in those neighborhoods. Vice president Anthony Stanton said investment in those areas could help improve conditions there. Tootie Burns, secretary for the commission, said the plan would make the city less “top heavy” in its work to improve areas of town. Commission member Sarah Loeb questioned why the commission should move projects there ahead of others.

Burns told ABC 17 News the city should engage residents there further to find out what projects they want. She felt the staff had put together a list of projects she felt were necessary.

“I think it’s important that anytime you go into an area that the neighbors and residents are telling you what their needs are, and then you can work in tandem with what the city wants to accomplish,” Burns said.

The city recently acquired several acres of land on Strawn Road, near I-70 in west Columbia. Deputy City Manager John Glascock said the piece of land would help staff complete the I-70 interchange at Sorrels’ Overpass. Burns said she trusted his and the road staff’s judgment on its necessity.

“Anytime the city can acquire property that they can look down the road and see what would be beneficial for our transportation issues, I think that’s a good thing,” Burns said.

The commission will hear from department heads of Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Utilities at its April 20 work session.