After a busy first half of 2025, June has been relatively calm for Columbia aldermen.

Apart from items on the consent agenda, Columbia City Council only had two other items up for a vote in the past month.

The first action item was approval of a construction variance for use of exterior construction materials for 24/7 Onsite Cameras located at 320 E. Locust Street during the June 2 meeting.

The request gained recommended approval during the May 12 Columbia Plan Commission meeting.

During brief discussion at the May 19 council meeting, it was noted the exterior materials to be used match materials currently in place on an existing building on the property.

The second item approved this month was an award of two separate $5,000 façade program grants for the Row Commercial Properties buildings at 808 and 816 S. Main Street.

The funds will be used to defray the cost to replace asphalt shingle awnings on the buildings with black, seamless metal.  

The projects are expected to cost $31,500 and $40,000, respectively.

The city passed an ordinance in 2008 to provide businesses funds for projects intended to improve exterior aesthetics of businesses in the city.

The program, revitalized in 2024, matches qualifying improvements at 50 percent of the cost, up to $5,000.

Within the past week, three businesses were announced as 2025 recipients of façade grants: White Cliff Studio at 124 S. Main Street, Brinker Investments LLC at 111 W. Locust Street and  Millers on Main – formerly Reifschneider’s Grill and Grape – at 608 N. Main Street.

Business owners interested in the program must complete an application which may be found at columbiail.gov and entering “façade grant application” in the search toolbar.

Two discussion-only items were also presented in June.

During the June 2 meeting, John Brancaglione of PGAV Planners was on hand to present his approach to a “unified development code.”

Columbia officials have stated a desire to revise and consolidate the city’s zoning, building and other municipal ordinances for several years.

During his presentation, Brancaglione described a variety of instances in which the city’s current code composition contains outdated language and redundant or conflicting construction and zoning requirements.  

PGAV is the same company which finalized the city’s latest comprehensive plan and developed the Route 3/I-255 Business District last year.

During the June 16 meeting, Columbia City Attorney Terry Bruckert described a proposed ordinance amendment regarding weeds and tall grass.

Bruckert said this amendment is intended to deter “certain members of the public who like to let the grass grow” from becoming habitual offenders.

Currently, the city is required to serve property owners notice before it can take abatement action. 

The amendment as proposed would eliminate the notification requirement following the third occurrence. It would also include  an “escalation in the fee assessed on such owner or occupant for each subsequent offence,” according to the agenda report.

Brucker said he was in favor of the escalating fee as it not only covers the cost of abatement via the city or a contractor, but it also provides a significant deterrent to repeat offenses.

The amendment is expected to be put to a vote during a July council meeting.

In other business, Columbia City Engineer Chris Smith told the Republic-Times on Monday the city is looking into the possibility of installing culverts underneath a section of Valmeyer Road near Carr Creek as a remedy for recurring issues on that stretch of the road.

Valmeyer Road has been closed from its intersection  at D Road to Bluff Road since early April following a collapse of the roadway.

Smith said the plan “requires review and comment from multiple regulatory agencies.”

He said the information has been sent, and the city is awaiting reply.

“Their comments will help us determine if the culvert idea is a viable option or not,” Smith said.

In other roadway news, Columbia is planning to begin its second phase of reconstruction on Centerville Road later this summer. The city will lay new pavement and install new curbs and gutters, storm and sanitary sewers and water mains along the road from Columbia Avenue to Riebeling Street. Work will also be completed on Columbia Avenue from Centerville Road south to its terminus and on Kremmel Street from Centerville Road to Schmidt Street.

As previously reported, the city announced June 9 it had indefinitely ended its Municipal Electric Aggregation Program after the May meter readings.

Electric customers in Columbia have approximately 60 – two billing cycles – to choose a new provider. Otherwise, customers previously enrolled in the aggregation program will be automatically assigned to Ameren Illinois for electric service.

The next meeting of the Columbia City Council is at 6:30 p.m. July 7 at City Hall. Past meetings are accessible on the City of Columbia, IL – Government Facebook page, where meetings are also streamed live.