Call to order

The meeting of the West Columbia Zoning Board of Appeals was called to order on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 6:02 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to determine whether the board would accept or deny a request for a proposed rooming and boarding (halfway) house on N. Brown Street. Chairman Fred Carter, J.W. Hendrix, Richard Kuppens and Homer Monts were present. Julie Huffman was absent. Councilman Boyd Jones was among a substantial crowd that occupied the majority of the chamber.

Public hearing

Chairman Fred Car ter began by briefly explaining the rules of a public hearing. Following Fred Carter's remarks, Zoning Administrator Br ian Carter went over the history of the site where the halfway house would be located. Carter explained that the zoning restrictions of the area where the proposed halfway house would be located required that a special exception be given. Carter also went over the crime statistics of the area from January 22, 2008 to October 22, 2008.

After Brian Carter's staff analysis of the proposal, several supporters of the proposal spoke, including Audrey Richards, who owns the property where the proposed halfway house would sit and Rev. LeVonia Belt of Brookland Baptist Church. Each emphasized the purpose of the halfway house (which would be called the Jackson Transitional Living Center) was to provide support and outreach to nonviolent offenders, who had recently been released from prison. Richards and Belt explained that the halfway house would not accept registered sex offenders and would only assist those who originally came from the West Columbia area. According to Richards and Belt, residents would be required to sign a strict code of conduct and a supervisor with human behavior training would be on- site at all times. Another supporter, Mr. Leon of West Columbia, reminded the audience that those just out of prison have nowhere else to turn and a halfway house could add value to the area. In not helping former prisoners, "We are our own worst enemies," he said.

Residents from the N. Brown Street area voiced their opposition to the plan. Led by Mickey Pringle of West Columbia, the opponents expressed concern that the neighborhood already has a severe drug problem and several assaults on women in the area have taken place over the last year. A woman speaking against the proposal drew loud applause when she said that children need to be helped "in the playpen, so they don't wind up in the state pen!"

Another woman whose son had recently returned to prison expressed doubt that rehabilitation programs in the area were effective.

Pringle added that instead of being "reactive" to former inmates in the area, residents must be "proactive" to ensure their citizens do not become criminals in the first place. Pringle pointed out twice that he did not believe the halfway house would have the same level of security as the Broad River Correctional Facility on Broad River Road. He urged commissioners to consider whether they would want to live next to the halfway house.

Decision and adjournment

After conferring for a short time, the commissioners unanimously rejected the request for the proposed halfway house by a vote of 4- 0. Having no further business, the board adjourned at 7:45 pm.