West Columbia meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

West Columbia Council to weigh ballpark transfer, franchise agreement

The West Columbia City Council will consider first readings of ordinances to convey B Avenue Ball Park to the county and to grant a franchise agreement to PBT Communications at its Aug. 4 meeting. The agenda also includes two annexations and adoption of a roadway safety plan. No final decisions were made, as minutes have not yet been published.

City Council (Aug. 4)

The council will take up first readings on:

• **Ballpark conveyance:** An ordinance to convey B Avenue Ball Park (815 B Avenue) to the Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission.
• **Franchise agreement:** A nonexclusive franchise agreement with PBT Communications Inc., doing business as Comporium.
• **Annexations:** 3.22 acres at 184 Lott Court, and 1.21 acres at 521-523 1/2 and 529 Taylor Street.
• **Safety plan:** Adoption of the Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan, with a goal to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

These items are listed as first readings, meaning they are proposed and not yet final.

Planning Commission (July 27)

The Planning Commission meeting scheduled for July 27, 2026, was cancelled. No business was conducted.

Beautification Foundation (Aug. 4)

The West Columbia Beautification Foundation met to receive progress reports. No formal decisions were listed on the agenda. Items discussed included:

• Monthly financial report as of March 31, 2026: $184,414.71.
• Highway 1 median beautification project went out to bid April 16, 2026; bids were due May 18, 2026.
• The 2026 raffle, with a focus on expanding participation and auction items.
• Taste of the River 2026 event: 81 tickets sold, 69 remaining; the event is capped at 150 tickets.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the next 14 days as of Aug. 10, 2026.

West Columbia roundup: July meetings lack published minutes; Council set to weigh ballpark transfer and HUD grant renewal

What happened recently

West Columbia's recent government meetings left no official record of decisions available to the public as of this roundup. The July 20 Special Council meeting was scheduled to consider several consequential items, but minutes have not yet been published, so no outcomes can be reported.

The July 21 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting and the July 27 Planning Commission meeting were both cancelled, with no business conducted.

July 20 Special Council (agenda only — outcomes not confirmed)

The agenda listed items the Council was set to take up, but because minutes are not yet published, this roundup cannot confirm what was decided:

• Second-reading consideration of an ordinance for a non-exclusive franchise agreement with MCIMetro Access Transmission Services, LLC.
• Second-reading consideration of an ordinance amending Code §8-2-10 to prohibit commercial/industrial trucks on certain streets.
• Ratification of the Urban Entitlement Resolution and renewal of the intergovernmental cooperative agreement with Lexington County to continue receiving HUD Community Development Block Grant, HOME, and Emergency Solutions Grant funds for fiscal years 2027–2029.
• Executive-session discussion of a personnel matter related to the City Administrator's routine annual performance evaluation.

The HUD grant renewal is the most consequential item on the agenda because it concerns continued federal funding for community development, housing, and emergency-services programs over a three-year period. Whether it passed is not yet in the public record.

Cancelled meetings

• Zoning Board of Appeals, July 21, 2026: cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Contact the City Clerk's office at (803) 939-8608 or [email protected] for special accommodations.
• Planning Commission, July 27, 2026: cancelled. No business was conducted.

Coming up

Regular Council — Monday, August 4, 2026

The Council is scheduled to consider several first-reading ordinances and other items:

• First reading of an ordinance to convey B Avenue Ball Park (815 B Avenue) to the Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission.
• First reading of an ordinance for a non-exclusive franchise agreement with PBT Communications Inc., d/b/a Comporium.
• Annexation of 3.22 acres at 184 Lott Court.
• Annexation of 1.21 acres at 521-523 1/2 and 529 Taylor Street.
• Adoption of the Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan, with the stated goal of eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

The ballpark conveyance is the most notable land item: it would transfer a city-owned park property to the county recreation and aging commission. First reading is a proposal, not a final decision.

West Columbia Beautification Foundation — August 4, 2026

The Foundation is scheduled to receive progress reports, with no formal decisions listed on the agenda:

• Monthly financial report as of March 31, 2026: $184,414.71.
• Highway 1 median beautification project went out to bid April 16, 2026; bids due May 18, 2026.
• 2026 raffle discussion, focused on expanding participation and auction items.
• Taste of the River 2026 event update: 81 tickets sold, 69 remaining, capped at 150 tickets.

Note on the record

All recent-meeting items above are drawn from agendas only; minutes have not been published. Vote tallies, final dollar amounts, and whether ordinances passed are not available in the supplied record. Readers should consult the official City of West Columbia documents for confirmed outcomes.

West Columbia Council set to vote on $4.49M Meeting Street contract; Planning Commission discusses short-term rental regulations

The West Columbia City Council will consider awarding a $4.49 million contract for the Meeting Street Improvement Project at its July 7 meeting, along with a $2.22 million contract for a utility services maintenance building and several other infrastructure and regulatory items. The Planning Commission last month held a public hearing on a proposed text amendment to define and allow short-term rental units in various zoning districts.

Planning Commission discusses short-term rental regulations (June 22)

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on a text amendment that would define a short‑term rental unit as a rental of less than 30 consecutive days. Under the proposed change, short‑term rentals would be allowed as a permitted use in residential zones R‑1 and R‑2, commercial zones C‑1, C‑2, and C‑3, with clarification for the Gateway Overlay District (GOLD). Commissioners also approved the minutes from their May 26 meeting. The city has not yet published minutes from the June 22 meeting, so no votes or final recommendations are available.

Council to consider major contracts, truck restriction, franchise agreement (July 7)

The City Council’s July 7 agenda includes several notable items:

• **Meeting Street Improvement Project** – Award of a $4,488,212.50 contract to AOS Specialty Contractors.
• **Utility Services Maintenance Building** – Award of a $2,216,646.00 contract to Solid Structures.
• **Sidewalk funding** – Approval of a financial agreement with the South Carolina Department of Transportation for a sidewalk on Double Branch Road.
• **Truck route restriction** – First reading of an ordinance that would restrict commercial trucks on designated streets.
• **Franchise agreement** – First reading of a nonexclusive franchise agreement with MCIMetro Access Transmission Services.

Council members will also hold an executive session to discuss economic development matters related to the Meeting Street corridor.

Coming up

• **July 7 – West Columbia City Council regular meeting.** Check the city’s website for the agenda, time, and location.
• The July 7 meeting of the West Columbia Beautification Foundation has been cancelled. Its next regular meeting is scheduled for August 4.