City Council Standing Committee — Columbia, SC
Date: 2026-04-28
Time: 13:00

Columbia Health Social and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting Agenda
 Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 1:00 PM
 City Hall • Mayor's Conference Room
 1737 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201
 City Clerk’s Office: (803)545-3045 or cityclerk@columbiasc.gov

 The Honorable Sam P. Johnson, At-Large, Chair
The Honorable Edward H. McDowell Jr., District II • The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey, At-Large


Call to Order

Approval of Minutes

1. March 24, 2026 Health, Social, and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting
 Minutes

Presentations

2. Prisma Health Community Initiatives – Ms. Lisa McFarlane, Vice President / Prisma
 Health

3. Riparian Buffer Zones Follow-up – Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E., Engineering Director

4. Richland County Transportation Penny Program Review – Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E.,
 Engineering Director and Mr. Robert Anderson, Public Works Director

Adjournment




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Columbia Health Social and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting Agenda
 Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 1:00 PM
 City Hall • Mayor's Conference Room
 1737 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201
 City Clerk’s Office: (803)545-3045 or cityclerk@columbiasc.gov

 The Honorable Sam P. Johnson, At-Large, Chair
 The Honorable Edward H. McDowell Jr., District II • The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey, At-Large


 Call to Order

 Approval of Minutes

 1. March 24, 2026 Health, Social, and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting
 Minutes

 Presentations

 2. Prisma Health Community Initiatives – Ms. Lisa McFarlane, Vice President / Prisma
 Health

 3. Riparian Buffer Zones Follow-up – Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E., Engineering Director

 4. Richland County Transportation Penny Program Review – Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E.,
 Engineering Director and Mr. Robert Anderson, Public Works Director

 Adjournment




 Page 1 of 1

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 Columbia Health Social and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting Minutes
 Tuesday, March 24, 2026

 Call to Order
 The Columbia Health, Social, and Environmental Affairs Committee conducted a meeting on
 March 24, 2026 at City Hall (Mayor's Conference Room), 1737 Main Street, Columbia, South
 Carolina 29201. The Honorable Sam Johnson, Chair called the meeting to order at 1:06
 p.m. The Honorable Edward H. McDowell, Jr. and The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey were
 present.

 Approval of Minutes

 1. February 24, 2026 Health, Social, and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting
 Minutes
 Upon a motion made by Mr. McDowell and seconded by Mr. Bailey, the Committee voted
 unanimously to approve the February 24, 2026 Health, Social, and Environmental Affairs
 Committee Meeting Minutes.

 Presentations

 2. Riparian Buffer Zone Considerations – Mr. Bill Stangler, Congaree
 Riverkeeper
 Mr. Bill Stangler, Congaree Riverkeeper explained the role of riparian buffer zones in
 protecting aquatic resources by filtering pollutants before they reach waterways. They
 noted that buffer widths vary depending on purpose, with 50 to 100 feet on both sides of a
 stream supporting water quality, and 100 to300 feet benefiting wildlife habitats. For
 designated scenic rivers, such as the Saluda River, a minimum buffer of 100 feet is
 recommended. Within the City of Columbia, there are approximately 14 miles of river
 frontage, including 9 miles along the Broad River, 3 miles along the Lower Saluda River,
 and 2 miles along the Congaree River. He recommended increasing the City’s buffer
 requirement from 50 to 100 feet, noting that the change would impact a limited number of
 properties.

 There was discussion about the scenic river designation; rivers selected for buffer increase;
 example of lower quality buffers; the surrounding municipalities' buffers; and conversations
 with stakeholders.

 3. Tree and Appearance Commission Update – Ms. Viola Hendley, Chair
 Ms. Viola Hendley, Chair / Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission outlined priorities for
 2026–2027, including participation in year one of the three-year Trees for SC grant and
 efforts to separate the Columbia Landscape and Tree Fund from the General Fund. She
 emphasized the importance of recognizing the value of trees in development, promoting
 utility undergrounding as a best practice, and exploring programs such as Line City USA in




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 partnership with Dominion. She also highlighted the need to hire additional arborists to train
 crews and address community concerns about tree removal through better communication.
 She noted the City’s responsibility for tree maintenance and discussed environmental
 initiatives such International Dark Sky lighting to reduce the impacts of artificial light.

 Mr. Gray Taylor, Chair-Elect / Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission provided an
 overview of the Trees for SC grant, describing it as a high-level assessment of the City’s
 tree canopy. He noted that the analysis evaluates overall canopy coverage, currently
 estimated at approximately 42 percent, and identifies potential areas for future planting. He
 explained that this broader assessment will help guide the next phase, which is the
 development of a comprehensive tree inventory. This inventory will involve evaluating
 individual trees for health, hazards and maintenance needs and supporting more proactive
 management. He emphasized that the grant provides a strategic foundation for long-term
 planning and informed decision-making regarding the City’s urban forest.

 There was discussion about including tree canopy date including Fort Jackson; tree pruning;
 Line City USA locations; potential canopy assessment; and the financial component of tree
 mapping.

 4. Animal Services Ordinance Revisions - Ms. Victoria Clary, Superintendent / Animal
 Services
 Ms. Victoria Clary, Superintendent / Animal Services provided a recap of proposed
 amendments to the City’s animal ordinances, focusing on modernization and alignment with
 Richland County. Changes include revising breeding regulations by removing outdated
 provisions and requiring a City business license, as well as strengthening language around
 the sale of animals to address irresponsible breeding practices. She noted updates to
 tethering standards, including clearer definitions and a proposed reduction to a two-hour
 limit. Additional revisions address general animal care, refine medical exemptions for
 neutering to prevent misuse; and removal of the trained service animal exception. She also
 outlined updates to the licensing program to include increasing the annual fee for unaltered
 pets to $100 and introducing a one-time lifetime license option to improve resource
 allocation and generate revenue.

 There was consensus of the committee to endorse the revisions for City Council
 consideration.

 5. City Beautification Update – Mr. Robert Anderson, Director / Public Works
 Mr. Robert Anderson, Director / Public Works shared details from a recent multi-department
 meeting focused on strengthening neighborhood support initiatives. Discussions included
 coordination with the Community Development Department on grants, establishing grant
 guidelines, and exploring recurring annual funding opportunities for neighborhoods. He also
 noted the potential inclusion of a Council of Neighborhoods representative on a committee
 to support these efforts. Additional topics included developing standardized, durable
 signage with consistent materials and design; expanding landscaping and planting
 education, and enhancing litter control through main corridor maintenance, pet waste
 stations, and annual neighborhood cleanups. Hehighlighted the importance of community
 engagement through initiatives such as cleanup luncheons to foster neighborhood pride and
 shared that proposed signage would align with existing the City of Columbia parks designs.




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 There was discussion about keeping young people at the core of beautification efforts and
 school involvement.

 Adjournment
 The meeting was adjourned at 2:29 p.m.

 Respectfully Submitted:


 Erika D. Moore Hammond, MMC, CPM
 City Clerk




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Columbia Health Social and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting Minutes
 Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Call to Order

The Columbia Health Social and Environmental Affairs Committee conducted a meeting on
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at City Hall (Mayor's Conference Room), 1737 Main Street,
Columbia, South Carolina 29201. The Honorable Sam P. Johnson, Chair called the meeting
to order at 1:05 p.m. and The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey was present. The Honorable
Edward H. McDowell, Jr. was absent.

Approval of Minutes

1. March 24, 2026 Health, Social, and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting
 Minutes

Upon a motion made by Mr. Bailey and seconded by Mr. Johnson, the Committee voted
unanimously to approve the March 24, 2026 Health, Social, and Environmental Affairs
Committee Meeting Minutes.

Presentations

2. Prisma Health Community Initiatives – Ms. Lisa McFarlane, Vice President / Prisma
 Health

Mr. Anthony Jackson, Senior Vice President of Service Lines and Chief Community Officer /
Prisma Health acknowledged the significant opportunities within Columbia to create positive
change. He stated that Prisma Health recognizes meaningful improvement requires
collaboration and emphasized the importance of providing patients with multiple options for
accessing care.

Ms. Lisa McFarlane, Vice President of Business Development / OnMed presented an
overview of the OnMed Care Station, an ADA-accessible “clinic in a box” that connects
patients to live clinicians through a walk-in telehealth model. Patients can be diagnosed and
treated for nearly 90% of lower-acuity conditions on site. This helps to reduce costly
emergency room visits, particularly among unhoused populations. She noted that the
stations support up to 240 languages, require only a standard three-prong outlet, are
satellite enabled for underserved areas, and operate under a subscription-based model with
no cost to patients. Each station is assigned a care manager to assist with coordination and
continuity of care.

Ms. Stacy McPhail, System Director / Prisma Health outlined uninsured and out-of-pocket
emergency department costs across the Midlands, noting that approximately $104 million is
spent on emergency department visits regionally. She also emphasized the importance of
wraparound services for the care stations, including social worker and community health
worker support.



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Mr. Anthony Jackson, Senior Vice President of Service Lines and Chief Community Officer
/ Prisma Health said that the OnMed stations are not solely intended to serve the
unhoused population, but also provide broader community health benefits. He noted that
emergency rooms in Columbia experience significant wait times and high costs, while many
of the conditions treated in emergency rooms could be addressed through the care
stations. He stated that emergency room visits are among the most expensive forms of
healthcare engagement and highlighted the potential for hospitals to utilize the stations to
help manage lower-acuity patients. He also emphasized that accessible healthcare supports
workforce availability by helping individuals manage chronic conditions such as diabetes
and other illnesses.

There was discussion about OnMed's current use in the Midlands; use for pediatrics; the
pay structure; and subscription costs.

3. Riparian Buffer Zones Follow-up – Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E., Engineering Director

Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E., Engineering Director provided a follow-up to the previous month’s
presentation regarding a proposed 100-foot increase to the riparian buffer. She stated that
staff researched the buffer policies for neighboring municipalities and identified 66 affected
parcels involving 29 property owners along the Lower Saluda, Broad, and Congaree Rivers
within the City limits. She noted that properties already containing a 100-foot buffer within
the floodway were removed from consideration. She also shared that the Stormwater team
has been exploring an alternative approach through a special protection area utility fee
credit program. Under the proposal, properties providing an additional 50-foot buffer
beyond the existing 50-foot ordinance requirement could receive a 15% utility fee
reduction, while properties providing an additional 150-foot buffer could receive a 45%
reduction. The program would apply to applicable parcels throughout the City of Columbia
and would provide fee credits and help protect local river corridors.

Mr. Clint Shealy, P.E., Assistant City Manager of Columbia Water added that the proposed
approach would have a broader impact beyond the rivers by extending protections to
streams as well. He noted that it would provide commercial and industrial property owners
the opportunity to receive significant utility fee reductions and stated that the City of
Columbia could move forward with issuing credits immediately.

Mr. Bill Stangler, Congaree Riverkeeper supported the proposed buffer requirements,
noting that Lexington and Richland counties already mandate 50-foot buffers. He endorsed
using the incentives and the proposed 100-foot buffers along the three main stem rivers to
encourage stronger protections citywide. He emphasized that relatively few properties
would be affected and said the combined approach would demonstrate a commitment to
protecting water quality and habitat.

There was discussion about incentives in neighboring municipalities.

4. Richland County Transportation Penny Program Review – Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E.,
 Engineering Director and Mr. Robert Anderson, Public Works Director

Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E., Engineering Director shared that staff has met monthly with
Richland County since the introduction of the 2012 Transportation Penny Program to review
project updates and the status of projects still in queue. She noted that voters approved
the 2024 referendum, prompting discussions regarding the new Transportation Penny
Program. She stated that Richland County does not plan to issue bonds and will instead
utilize revenues as they are collected, with the first distribution estimated at approximately


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$21 million. She added that a portion of the funding will be allocated to The COMET and
expressed optimism that paving projects could begin moving forward during the next fiscal
year.

Mr. Clint Shealy, P.E., Assistant City Manager of Columbia Water explained that the City of
Columbia develops and prioritizes project lists annually as part of the Transportation Penny
Program process. He noted that this would be the first allocation of funding from the new
referendum and that projects have been categorized with the understanding that first-year
revenues will be limited. He stated that the process also helps establish a consistent
rhythm for submitting future projects.

Mr. Robert Anderson, Public Works Director discussed the opportunity to establish a
recurring paving program for the City of Columbia through the new Transportation Penny
funding. He explained that the City of Columbia previously conducted a Pavement Condition
Index (PCI) study, which rated city-owned streets on a scale from 0 to 100 and was used
to develop rebuild and paving lists. He shared the average PCI ratings by district: District 1
at 64%; District 2 at 57%; District 3 at 61%; and District 4 at 65%. He noted that Richland
County requested a funding level of $10 million annually and stated that the City of
Columbia is developing a scalable and equitable paving program that could adjust if funding
levels are reduced. Street selections were based on the percentage of city-owned streets
within each district, while also considering intersecting streets, upcoming water and sewer
projects, and planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements to ensure coordinated
infrastructure planning.

There was discussion about providing aid to neighborhoods at nearby state road
intersections.

Ms. Dana Higgins, P.E., Engineering Director reviewed proposed sidewalk, bikeway,
greenway, and special infrastructure projects tied to the 2024 Richland County
Transportation Penny Program, including the Vista Greenway, Waterfront Park Trail,
Assembly Streetscape phases, railroad quiet zone improvements, and the Assembly Rail
Separation Project. She noted ongoing coordination with SCDOT and Norfolk Southern,
discussed funding needs and project timelines, and stated that several projects are under
construction, in design, or moving toward construction, while additional opportunities will
continue to be evaluated as funding becomes available.

There was discussion about riverfront district connections, the state buy-back program, and
SCDOT's modernization and request for funds from the Transportation Penny Program.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 1:59 p.m.


Respectfully Submitted:



Erika D. Moore Hammond, MMC, CPM
City Clerk




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