Thomas:  “I’m in support of it”

The region’s government service agency, South Carolina “ACOG”, stands willing to assist Walhalla with its regulations covering lands and buildings.  At the city hall meeting last evening, the mayor and council received a proposal for staff of the South Carolina Appalachian Council of Governments to undertake an update of the city’s zoning law, along with a review of downtown design guidelines.  As explained, it’s to be a process that’ll involve the city planning commission, the public, and ultimately the mayor and council.  And one councilman, Josh Thomas, said, “I’m in support of it.”  And, as if to demonstrate why zoning –- the regulated use of land and buildings – is important to a densely-populated municipality, realtor Thomas reminded the meeting that years ago when the Bauknight antebellum house at E. Main and S. John went up for sale a major fast-food restaurant chain tried to buy it for $500 thousand.  Had the restaurant chain been successful, the antebellum home would have been torn down.  Today it is a center for weddings and other events.  And, more recently, a battle was fought and won to prevent a chain retail store from locating on a downtown corner lot.