Category Archives: Meetings

Botanists Needed for Owens Field Park

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Are you an amateur or aspiring botanist? Herrick Brown, a botanist with the Department of Natural Resources, has begun to catalog the plants at Owens Field Park. Please join Herrick for an introductory meeting on February 10 at 4 pm at the Hamilton-Owens Field airport conference room to learn how you can help identify, photograph, or catalog the species in the park. No prior knowledge needed. Herrick will provide a primer on commonly found plants.

The content you help create will be featured here. RSVP by emailing Jenna Stephens at jenna@rosewoodcommunity.com.

January 17, 2013 Meeting Minutes

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Rosewood Community Council
1/17/2013 Quarterly Meeting
Hamilton-Owens Airport conference room

Jenna called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm and introduced Lane Goodwin as a new board member and secretary.

District 5 County Council member Seth Rose provided an update on his initiative to improve the Rosewood Trail at Owens Field. An RFP has been issued for a design for the trail and storm water run-off issues have been discovered. Once these issues are addressed, the project can move forward. Richland County is providing $65,000 toward the project.

Mr. Rose has sponsored a motion through Richland County Council asking the city to work with County Council to approach Associated Asphalt about relocating the plant to a more appropriate location in the county. Jenna stated that Mr. Rose’s motion is the only recent activity concerning the asphalt plant. The Easy St. area has been cleaned by the EPA and deemed safe from lead and arsenic. RCC still retains counsel but no lawsuit has been initiated.

Corporal Scott Stover of the city’s Crime Prevention Unit spoke about home crime prevention. The unit provides free home security surveys. He encouraged residents to call (803) 545-3555 to set an appointment. He also spoke about the city’s new RAIDS online crime-mapping system.

Officer Broder of the Proactive Community Enforcement (PACE) unit gave an area crime update. Residents have expressed concern about people walking through the neighborhood knocking on doors. Officers have field interviewed these people and determined they have valid peddlers licenses from the city. However, any resident may post a “no soliciting” sign on their home in order to not be solicited and is encouraged to call CPD if he or she sees suspicious behavior.

Captain Navarro of the city’s Community Services Division introduced himself and spoke about the city’s Citizens Police Academy beginning March 5. The program is open to all residents but slots are limited to 30 citizens per course.

Corp. Stover stated that an assessment had been done and sent to the city’s Park and Recreation Department about installing a call box in Owens Field Park.

Jenna stated that RCC plans to raise money for bulletproof vests for CPD and will send an e-mail with more information soon. Also, a grant has been awarded to Rosewood Elementary School to install a sidewalk on Walker St. between Heyward St. and Harvard Ave.

Michelle Huggins announced that every Saturday from now until the end of February, from 2-5 PM, registration will take place for youth baseball. The league is looking for coaches and sponsors.

CPD Contacts:
Officer Broder (803) 315-9143; asbroder@columbiasc.net
Capt. Sharp (South Region Captain) (803) 737-5881
Corp. Stover (803) 545-3555 (office); (803) 240-8009 (cell); mstover@columbiasc.net
Capt. Navarro (803) 545-3391 (office); (803) 413-5760 (cell)
Sgt. Wesley, PACE (803) 730-7926; djwesley@columbiasc.net
Lt. Felder, Community Services Division: (803) 413-8451
Officer Carrizales, Community Services Division (803) 413-8318

Richland County Sheriff’s Department Contact:
Dep. Hall, Community Action Team, Richland County Sheriff: (803) 513-3396

January 17 Quarterly Meeting

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Join us on Thursday, January 17th, 6:30 p.m. for a presentation from Corporal Scott Stover, with the Crime Prevention Unit of the Columbia Police Department, about how to reduce your chance of being a victim of a crime.

Also on the agenda: Rosewood PACE Officer Broder will update us on recent crimes in the neighborhood, County Councilman Seth Rose will talk about Seaco and Owens Field Park trails, and we’ll have updates on park improvements.

The meeting will be held at the Hamilton-Owens Field Airport conference room, 1400 Jim Hamilton Blvd. [Map] See you there!

October 18 Meeting Recap

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Congratulations to RCC’s newly-elected secretary Lane Goodwin, and to Cyndy Storm, our newly-elected treasurer. Both were elected in a special election at the October 18th meeting to serve out unexpired terms.

Thanks to Mike Dawson of the River Alliance and Betty Gregory of Citizens for a Greater Midlands for presenting the proposed projects in Rosewood that would be funded by the penny tax. Read more about the projects that will be implemented in Rosewood if the penny tax passes on November 6.

Moryah Jackson–a candidate for Richland County School District One At-large–and Robert Rikard–the Democratic candidate for Senate District 20 both spoke at the meeting.

The next Rosewood Community Council meeting is scheduled for January 17, 2013.

October Quarterly Meeting: Penny Tax and Elections

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Join us, Thursday, October 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Owens Field Airport conference room, 1400 Jim Hamilton Blvd. for RCC’s quarterly meeting. Mike Dawson, with the River Alliance and Citizens for a Greater Midlands will present how the Richland County Penny Tax would affect the Rosewood neighborhood and answer questions from neighbors.

We’ll be joined by Robert Rikard, candidate for Senate District 20, and Moryah Jackson, candidate for Richland County School District One At-large. We’ll also hold a special election for secretary and treasurer. Come meet your neighbors and hear what’s going on in the neighborhood!

You can also read more here about what the penny tax means for Rosewood.

August 28 DHEC meeting recap

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Thanks to everyone who attended the DHEC public meeting on Tuesday. While it seems more questions were raised than answered, this meeting was a constructive step forward toward addressing the existing pollution and finding a solution that removes polluters from our neighborhood.

We agree with Mayor Steve Benjamin’s assessment at the meeting that the best solution here is one that removes the Seaco plant from our neighborhood. RCC also strongly supports the Mayor’s land swap proposal to relocate Seaco from Rosewood to another, sparsely-populated location in the county.

Please contact Mayor Benjamin and Councilman Moe Baddourah and let them know you support Mayor Benjamin’s land swap proposal.

skbenjamin@columbiasc.net
moebadd@hotmail.com

Read comments offered at the meeting by RCC here.

At the meeting, Associated Asphalt presented their plans for expansion, to include building a railroad spur on newly-acquired non-adjacent property and instituting a scrubbing technology to help alleviate smells from the plant. We learned that Associated Asphalt is owned by Goldman Sachs. We also learned that hydrochloric acid, a dangerous substance that is a chemical component of asphalt emulsion, is stored in a 7,500 gallon tank on Seaco property.

We have a long road ahead of us. RCC plans to remain involved with DHEC, EPA, and political leaders to ensure that the lead, arsenic, and any other pollutants are removed from our neighborhood and that responsible parties bear the cost of making our neighborhood safe for all of our residents.

Find out more about the meeting from an article in The State, an article in The Columbia Star, and video coverage from WOLO.

DHEC Public Meeting August 28

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What: DHEC-sponsored public meeting re: Seaco asphalt emulsion plant expansion
When: Tuesday, August 28, 2012, 6 p.m.
Where: A.C. Moore Elementary School auditorium [map]

Please join us to voice your opposition to the proposed expansion of the Seaco asphalt emulsion plant in the Rosewood neighborhood. We need strong neighborhood support to show DHEC that a neighborhood is not the right place for heavy industry that pollutes our groundwater and air!

RSVP here on Facebook.

DHEC staff will give a short presentation on the findings of contamination on the property and then open the floor for public comments.

Read more about the proposed expansion and the position of the Rosewood Community Council here. Also, please contact our elected leaders to voice your opposition.

City Council Contact information:
Mayor Benjamin
Rosewood Representative Moe Baddourah
moebadd@hotmail.com
At-large Member Tameika Devine
At-large Member Cameron Runyan

City Meeting July 25 re: Seaco

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The City of Columbia has called a press conference and meeting tomorrow morning (July 25) at 9:30 a.m., on the second floor of City Hall, to discuss the recent developments with the Seaco expansion, including today’s news of lead contamination in the groundwater. More information about that development is available here. If you are available at 9:30 a.m., please join us to discuss the neighborhood concerns about the Seaco expansion with our elected leaders. Public input is extremely important. If you’re not available, please contact our City Council members to share your concerns. RCC’s concerns include:

  • Rosewood is a 3000+ home neighborhood with 8 parks and 4 schools. It’s a neighborhood, not an industrial park.
  • This expansion threatens the public’s health. Threats to public health demand an immediate response.
  • This expansion threatens planned developments like the All Local Farmer’s Market relocation, Curtiss-Wright hangar renovation, and other local businesses that make the neighborhood a great place to live and work.
  • Existing and future pollution threatens property values of our homes and discourages new residents.
  • This pollution is only now being brought to the public’s attention.

We are asking the city to explore ALL options, including:

  • zoning changes to prevent expansion
  • a land swap with a business park or the county
  • anything that prevents a HEAVY industrial, polluting plant from expanding into our neighborhood
It is important that our elected leaders hear from us about this matter. Please spread the word.

City Council Contact information:
Mayor Benjamin
Rosewood Representative Moe Baddourah
moebadd@hotmail.com
At-large Member Tameika Devine
At-large Member Cameron Runyan

July Quarterly Meeting: Development

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Owens Field Airport hangar

Have you heard about the amazing plans to renovate the hangar at Owens Field Airport? [Map] Curious about the All Local Farmers’ Market moving to Rosewood and expanding it to include some really cool stuff? This neighborhood is rocking!

You can read here and here about some of the developments, and join us on the 19th to find out more!

Who: The Owens Field Airport hangar developers and Emile DeFelice
What: RCC Quarterly Meeting
When: Thursday, July 19th, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Hamilton-Owens Field Airport conference room, 1400 Jim Hamilton Blvd. [Map]

Also on the agenda: Moryah Jackson, candidate for Richland County School District One; special election for secretary; and plans to expand the Seaco asphalt emulsion plant