The regular meeting of April 3, 2000, having been duly publicized, was called to order at 7:00 P. M. by Mayor Jones.

 Dr. Michael Andrews of Fairview Presbyterian Church rendered the invocation and Mayor Jones led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Members present were Mayor Jones and Councilmembers Baggott, Carpenter, McDowell, Mottel, and Smith. Councilmember Sullivan was absent due to work.

 Also in attendance were Charles B. Martin, City Administrator; Kelly Zier, City Attorney; George M. Grkovic, Director of Economic and Community Development; T. Lee Wetherington, Director of Public Safety; Thomas C. Zeaser, Director of Engineering/Public Works; and Donna B. Young, City Clerk.

 The minutes of the regular meeting of March 20, 2000 and study session meetings of March 20 and 27, 2000 were approved as submitted by general consent.

 ITEM 1. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: MUROOKA PROPERTY BILLBOARD – Ordinance, Third and Final Reading

WHEREAS, on April 15, 1991, by adoption of Resolution #91-06, the City Council established the North Augusta Riverfront Redevelopment District for the purpose of addressing blighted areas within the district through the acquisition, preparation, sale, re-planning, and redevelopment of such areas where such conditions exist in accordance with sound and approved plans developed in conjunction with private financial institutions and in cooperation with private and public sectors to promote the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare of the citizens of the City of North Augusta and to stimulate economic development; and

 WHEREAS, with passage of Resolution #96-06, adopted February 19, 1996, Mayor and City Council adopted the Master Plan for the North Augusta Riverfront Redevelopment District as prepared by the Joint Venture of Lane, Frenchman, and Associates, Inc., and City Design Collaborative, Inc., along with the North Augusta Citizens Advisory Panel, stating that the Master Plan is to be used as a guide for the progressive and orderly development of the North Augusta Riverfront and Downtown Redevelopment Districts; and

 WHEREAS, the Master Plan for the North Augusta Riverfront Redevelopment District outlines the goals, objectives, policies, and projects along with recommended phase development and potential funding sources for a period of years within the district and encompasses the goals of access, use, character, image, and economic development; and

 WHEREAS, with a desire to proceed with the implementation of the Master Plan for the North Augusta Riverfront Redevelopment District and facilitating private sector redevelopment activity within that portion of the Riverfront Redevelopment District referred to as the Central Riverfront Area, City Council, through its adoption of Resolution #99-18, retained the services of Hunter Interests Incorporated for the purpose of preparing the Central Riverfront Redevelopment Strategy for North Augusta’s Riverfront Redevelopment; and

WHEREAS, Hunter Interests Incorporated has completed the final report for the Central Riverfront District Development Program and has presented it to City Council.

 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council for the City of North Augusta, South Carolina in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof that the final report of the "Central Riverfront District Development Program" as prepared by Hunter Interests Incorporated is hereby received and accepted. The report shall be used as a guide for the City’s continued development of the Central Riverfront District and for the purpose of encouraging private investment partnered with public interests within the district.

 ITEM 3. STREETS AND DRAINS: RIVER CLUB SUBDIVISION – Deed of Dedication – Resolution

 WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture, a joint venture and South Carolina general partnership, developed The River Club Subdivision, Phase One according to the requirements of the North Augusta Planning Commission and the City, and owns the streets, utilities, and easements; and

 WHEREAS, it is the policy of the City that, upon receiving final plat approval from the Planning Commission, the City will, following inspection by the City's Engineering Department, accept a deed of dedication for the streets, utilities, etc. for the purpose of ownership and maintenance when said deed is accompanied by a maintenance guarantee; and

WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture, a joint venture and South Carolina general partnership, has prepared a deed of dedication for certain improvements to be deeded over to the City of North Augusta; and

 WHEREAS, a maintenance guarantee and letter of credit accompanies the deed; and

 WHEREAS, the City Engineer has made final inspections of the subject improvements, and these improvements do meet City standards.

 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Council of the City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof, do hereby accept a deed of dedication for:

 All those strips or parcels of land in Aiken County, South Carolina, consisting of the street and roadways and the utilities located therein in that area designated as "EAST SHORELINE DR. 50’ R/W" on the plat of Phase I of The River Club prepared by Cranston, Robertson & Whitehurst, P.C. on June 11, 1999, revised March 10, 2000, a copy of which is recorded in the RMC for Aiken County, South Carolina, in Plat Book 42, Pages 246 – 250, to which plat reference is made for a more complete and accurate description as to the metes, bounds and location of said property, and said plat is attached hereto and by reference made a part hereof. As evidenced by its acceptance of this deed, the Grantee agrees to incorporate said street(s) and roadway(s) into its system of streets in North Augusta, South Carolina.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a Maintenance Guarantee and Letter of Credit valued at $70,500.00 are hereby accepted.

 ITEM 4. STREETS AND DRAINS: RIVER CLUB SUBDIVISION AND GOLF COURSE – Utility Easements - Deed of Dedication – Resolution

 WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture, a joint venture and South Carolina general partnership, developed The River Club Golf Course and The River Club Subdivision, Phase One according to the requirements of the North Augusta Planning Commission and the City, and owns the utility easements; and

 WHEREAS, it is the policy of the City that, upon receiving final plat approval from the Planning Commission, the City will accept a deed of dedication for the utility easements, etc. for the purpose of ownership and maintenance; and

 WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture, a joint venture and South Carolina general partnership, has prepared a deed of dedication for certain utility easements to be deeded over to the City of North Augusta; and

 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Council of the City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof, do hereby accept a deed of dedication for:

 AN EASEMENT IN PERPETUITY UNDER, ACROSS AND THROUGH four easement areas designated on the plat of Phase I of The River Club prepared by Cranston, Robertson & Whitehurst, P. C. on June 11, 1999, revised March 10, 2000 (which consists of five pages) and one easement area designated on an Easement Plat of The River Club dated June 11, 1999 (which consists of one page), as follows:

1. "20’ SANITARY SEWER EASEMENT" shown on page 5 of said five page plat;
2.  LIFT STATION TRACT 0.09 AC." Shown on page 5 of said five page plat;
3.  "20’ DRAINAGE AND UTILITY EASEMENT" shown on page 5 of said five page plat; 
4. "20’ DRAINAGE AND UTILITY EASEMENT CENTERED OVER EXIST. FORCE MAIN" on page 5 of said five page plat. 
5. "NEW 20’ WATER LINE EASMENT" shown on page 2 of said easement plat;

 The said five page plat is recorded in the RMC Office for Aiken County, South Carolina, in Plat Book 42, at Pages 246 - 250, and the said Easement Plat is recorded in said RMC Office in Plat Book 42, at Pages 247, 250, and to which plats reference is made for a more complete and accurate description as to the metes, bounds and location of said easements, and said plats are attached hereto and by reference made a part hereof;

WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture, a joint venture and South Carolina general partnership, developed The River Club Golf Course according to the requirements of the North Augusta Planning Commission and the City; and

 WHEREAS, as part of the approved development plan, North Augusta Golf Venture was to provide certain properties adjoining the golf course to the City for the purpose of the City’s constructing Riverside Blvd.; and

 WHEREAS, as part of the approved development plan, North Augusta Golf Venture was to provide paralleling its’ entrance drive to the City for the purpose of the City’s extending the North Augusta Greeneway; and

 WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture has prepared a deed of dedication for these properties to be deeded over to the City of North Augusta; and

 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Council of the City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof, do hereby accept a deed of dedication for:

 ALL that parcel of land in Aiken County, South Carolina, located on the easternmost right-of-way of Riverside Boulevard, containing 0.03 acres and being designated as Tract "B" on Page 1 of a plat prepared for North Augusta Golf Venture & City of North Augusta, South Carolina, by Cranston, Robertson & Whitehurst, P.C. dated January 10, 2000, revised February 25, 2000, a copy of which is recorded in the Aiken County RMC Office in Plat Book 42, at Pages 242 – 243, to which plat reference is made for a more complete and accurate description as to the metes, bounds and location of said property, and said plat is attached hereto and by reference made a part hereof.

WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture, a joint venture and South Carolina general partnership, developed The River Club Golf Course and The River Club Subdivision, Phase One according to the requirements of the North Augusta Planning Commission and the City, and owns the drainage easements; and

 WHEREAS, it is the policy of the City that, upon receiving final plat approval from the Planning Commission, the City will accept a deed of dedication for the drainage easements, etc. for the purpose of ownership and maintenance; and

 WHEREAS, North Augusta Golf Venture, a joint venture and South Carolina general partnership, has prepared a deed of dedication for certain drainage easements to be deeded over to the City of North Augusta; and

 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Council of the City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof, do hereby accept a deed of dedication for:

 FOUR EASEMENTS IN PERPETUITY UNDER, ACROSS AND THROUGH those easement areas designated as Easement #1, Easement #2, Easement #3 and Easement #4 on Pages 1 and 2 of a plat prepared for North Augusta Golf Venture & City of North Augusta, South Carolina, by Cranston, Robertson & Whitehurst, P. C. on January 11, 2000, revised February 29, 2000, a copy of which is recorded in the Aiken County RMC Office in Plat Book 42, at Pages 242 - 243, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more complete and accurate description of said easements and said plat is hereto and by reference made a part hereof.

 WHEREAS, the City of North Augusta owns Railroad Avenue; and

 WHEREAS, with the development of the River Club Golf Course and the construction of Riverside Blvd., a portion of Railroad Avenue no longer serves a useful purpose for the City; and

 WHEREAS, for the construction of Riverside Blvd., North Augusta Golf Venture provided certain lands to the City; and

 WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council find it in the best interest of the City to deed this portion of real property to North Augusta Golf Venture. Said property being described more fully as follows:

 All that tract or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the City of North Augusta, Aiken County, South Carolina, on the northern right-of-way of Shoreline Drive containing 0.17 acre and being shown and designated as Tract "D" on Page 2 of a plat for North Augusta Golf Venture & City of North Augusta, South Carolina, prepared by Cranston, Roberson & Whitehurst, P.C. dated January 11, 2000, revised February 29, 2000, a copy of which is recorded in the RMC Office for Aiken County, South Carolina, in Plat Book 42, at Pages 246 - 250. Reference is hereby made to said plat and it is incorporated herein for a more complete and accurate description of the metes, bounds, and location of said property.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and City Council for the City of North Augusta in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof that the property above described as a portion of Railroad Avenue be deeded to North Augusta Golf Venture.

 BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the City Administrator is hereby authorized to sign the Deed of Bargain and Sale on behalf of the City of North Augusta.

 ITEM 8. STREETS AND DRAINS: RAILWAY AVENUE. –Deed of Bargain and Sale – Ordinance, Second Reading

 Approved: 4/17/00