Board seeks uniformity

The Evans Town Center soon might be coming to a corridor near you.

At the Columbia County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday night, members unanimously approved a second and final reading of an ordinance that would allow many of the regulations of the Evans Town Center to be applied in other corridors throughout the county.

Such corridors have not yet been determined, but Jeff Browning, the county's planning director, said the idea is to set an overlay district guideline that would allow many of the town center regulations to be enforced in other areas once the areas have been established.

Browning told commissioners the ordinance could require more tree density and shrubbery along road frontage in corridors in an effort to prevent motorists from seeing only car grilles in a parking lot as they drive by businesses.

In other action:

- The commission unanimously approved a first reading of an ordinance that will require an international building code to be enforced in lieu of portions of the Standard Building Code.

"This is just to bring us into compliance with the latest code used throughout the country,'' Commission Chairman Ron Cross said at Tuesday's meeting.

- Commissioners stated that the first two major projects in the county to receive stormwater utility money will be on Ridge Crossing in Martinez and in the Springlakes subdivision.

- The commission approved the county's 2005-06 fiscal year budget, which has no millage increase. The budget, which takes effect in July and calls for a total general fund expenditure of $44.1 million, provides $9.4 million for the sheriff's office, a 5.3 percent increase from the current fiscal year. The budget also provides $5.9 million for the county jail, a 5.1 percent increase from this fiscal year; $2.4 million for roads and bridges, a 5.4 percent increase; and $1.68 million for recreation, a 2.4 percent increase.