The Charleston City Council voted to approve all action items on its agenda, including a resolution to accept a bid award in the amount of $267,785 for a steel sheet pile shore wall for Dam A at Lake Charleston, during its Tuesday meeting.

Mayor Brandon Combs said the sheet piling shore wall will be constructed across the dam and “dramatically improve” the area’s quality.

Additionally, a concrete walking path will be constructed across the edge of the water between the fishing pier and the boat ramp, he said.

Out of five total bidders, G & H Marine Inc.’s was the lowest for 400 linear feet of steel shore wall and mobilization, according to the bid tabulation sheet. The funds for this project are provided to the city in the form of a charitable grant.

The council also approved a resolution authorizing the purchase of a boat dock for Lake Charleston.

Combs said the city received $46,500 in a charitable grant for the purchase of a dock, but the city will spend less than $40,000 for it.

He said the remaining grant money will go toward “necessary materials and accessories, such as concrete, hardware and installation” for the dock.

Combs said the purpose of the dock, like the steel sheet pile shore wall, is to improve the quality of the south edge of Lake Charleston.

The council also voted to approve an ordinance that affirms the Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning’s recommendation to deny amendment to the city code of ordinance official zoning map.

Combs said the BZAP held a public meeting on May 16 and voted unanimously to not approve the proposed change for zoning district boundaries for real estate at 1540 Division St.

Zimmer Real Estate Properties LLC is the owner of the property at the address and requested the zoning map amendment from R-1 (single family residence district) to R-3 (limited multi-family residential district), according to the ordinance.

Representing the petitioner, Jason Williams testified before the BZAP, explaining that while the property had an issue with over occupancy in the past, it was “rectified,” according to the Finding of Fact sheet.

At the public hearing, five people commented in opposition of the petitioner’s proposal.

Donna Wood from Division Street said she did not want the zoning to change “just to accommodate this one house,” noting that other multi-family properties are available, according to the Finding of Fact sheet.

Pam Atteberry from Johnson Avenue said she can hear noises from the house even though she does not live that close to it; she also said there are plenty of other multi-family homes in the city.

Steve Bridges from Orchard Drive said he has seen a “decline and retaliation from renters due to reporting trash, debris, fires and damage to his property,” adding that he believes it is “disrespectful” to request for a rezone when the petitioner understood that it was already a R-1 residential district when the real estate was purchased, according to the Finding of Fact sheet.

Douglas Brandt from Orchard Drive said the property “currently abuts three R-1 properties” in his comment, according to the sheet.

Sally Cougill from Sixth Street said if the rezoning was approved, it could have a negative effect on property values and “impact the neighborhood’s way of life,” according to the Finding of Fact sheet.

The council also voted to approve two resolutions that confirm the disbursement of tourism funds; $2,000 will go to fund the National Softball Association South State Championships and $500 will go to WEIU to fund Kids Day, which will be Aug. 17.

The council approved the resolution that affirms the agreement for Lake Land College’s emergency medical services students to perform clinical time with the Charleston Fire Department.

Combs said the EMS program just recently went through an accreditation process. As part of this process, the expired agreement between Lake Land College and the city needed to be updated so that the EMS students are allowed to perform the clinical time on the city’s ambulances, he said. This agreement lasts until June 30, 2022, according to the resolution.

The council also approved both announcements from Combs; Tom Neal is appointed to a four-year term on the Electrical Commission and Jessica Killough is appointed to a three-year term on the Tourism Advisory Board.

Logan Raschke can be reached at 581-2812 or at lrraschke@eiu.edu.