New annex must meet guidelines, county says

Columbia County Commissioners said the new courthouse annex doesn't have to conform to new guidelines they passed a couple of ago regulating how buildings appear at the Evans Government Complex.

With that being said, they voted unanimously to send the matter of landscaping back to committee where it can be determined how much it would cost the county to bring the building into compliance.

Because the project began before the new guidelines were passed, the court annex can legally be grandfathered in, commissioners said.

"That is going to be the flagship," said Commissioner Frank Spears. "We ought to see if we can bring (the annex) up to the new guidelines."

Commissioner Diane Ford said it was essential that landscaping begin soon. To make sure that happens, commissioners voted to approve $138,000 to begin landscaping the site and will wait to see how much it would cost to bring the annex up to date with the new guidelines.

During the same meeting, commissioners voted to give the Augusta Sports Council $25,000 out of a contingency fund. The money will go to help the council prepare for the Georgia Games, which will begin on July.

Commissioner Jim Whitehead said when the games were held in Augusta in 1999, Columbia County experienced a huge rise in revenue during week of the games.

"We certainly need to do our part," Whitehead said.