The City of West Columbia is considering adopting a new framework for allowing new structures to be built on already developed lots, as it moves forward with a high-profile parks project.

That parks project is a proposed bridge and river access point, giving residents of the Saluda Gardens neighborhood a direct connection to the Saluda River and providing West Columbia with a pedestrian connection to the Saluda River Greenway, located across the river in the City of Columbia.

The project, announced in September, would bring the bridge, river access and parking to a spot next to the Botanical Gardens entrance to the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden on Mohawk Drive. At the time the project was announced, the city said it couldn’t provide a final cost estimate, but the money was expected to come from grants and city funds.

“We are still in the overall project development phase,” Anna Huffman, the city’s director of public relations, told the Chronicle this week. “Once we determine a final design, then we can develop a cost estimate.”

At a special called Jan. 22 meeting, City Council gave unanimous approval for the city administrator to enter into contract negotiations with The Land Plan Group to do designs for the site, including a new gravel and asphalt roadway to an asphalt parking lot next to the proposed pedestrian bridge, a water rescue platform, river access, a trail connection to existing zoo restrooms, along with a trail connection to the bridge.

With the city continuing to see an influx of new business and construction activity, council also discussed the possibility of putting in place an infill development ordinance, with Wayne Shuler, the city’s director of planning and zoning, bringing forward the idea and explaining that he gets many calls from residents looking to build new structures on already developed properties, both residential and commercial.

Shuler laid out three options for how the city might organize an approval framework for such requests — treating each request a special exception to local zoning, which would send them before the Zoning Board of Appeals to determine if the project is approved; treating each project as its own overlay district, which would require requests to go through the Planning Commission for approval before council would have to conduct two readings if it ultimately chose to approve them; or creating a larger overlay district or districts throughout the city, which would establish standards for infill development in those areas and allow city staff to approve or deny the requests without having to go to council or another board or commission.

There was a consensus among the council members who spoke that they would like to retain control of the approval process for new infill developments within the city, though Council Member Mike Green expressed some concern about making this approval process too rigorous, as it could scare off people looking to bring healthy additions to West Columbia.

Mayor Tem Miles and others saw council, with its broader powers, as the entity best positioned to address each request in a way that best satisfies the needs of potential developers and the concerns of surrounding residents.

“I just get worried about if we're going to have some time to review, having and being the Zoning Board of Appeals with no council input, because it kind of tied our hands if situations come up where we need to figure out the best way to work it,” the mayor said. “ I kind of feel like if we're gonna have a review for approval, I feel like we should be involved in that process.”

Council Member Jimmy Brooks agreed and added that he believes whatever standard the city sets should apply to all areas equally.

“I think as the city grows and as neighborhoods age, there may be other opportunities that we don't see right now, maybe 10-15 years down the road,” he said. “So I think doing it for the whole city's the best way to do it. That way, when somebody's got a good plan, they come before us, we can make that conversation and have that decision made and hear input from the public.”

Council Member David Moye identified the Mill Village near the Congaree River as one area that could benefit from the city allowing for targeted infill development, enthusing that residents there could utilize tight alleyways to add garages and carriage houses, enhancing their properties without impacting their neighbors.

“It’ll help us clean up some of the parking situation in that neighborhood,” he said.