'Safety imperative': Council OKs Goff closure
By: GENE ZALESKI, The Times and Democrat
Apr 18, 2024
![](/images/default-source/about/student-centeref5a92d4-ba81-4d83-acf9-0361992c989e.jpg?Status=Master&sfvrsn=47b8090e_1)
The new ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ student center is located at Magnolia and Goff.
Orangeburg City Council has given its final OK to the closure of a portion of Goff Avenue near ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ University.
ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack said the road is not being closed to block anyone from campus, but to improve safety.
The
university has “375 residents living on Goff Avenue with addresses
there between High Rise and Goff, between Clark Street and Magnolia
Street," Warmack said.
“It is imperative that we protect those citizens like no other. It is imperative that we keep these babies safe,” he said.
Orangeburg
City Council delayed the third and final vote on the closure twice
before to ensure all neighbors’ concerns could be heard on the matter.
Council also wanted to make sure the ordinance legally guarantees
property owners directly impacted by the road's closure perpetual access
to their properties.
The body voted 4-2 on April 16 to approve the road's closure.
Orangeburg
Mayor Michael Butler, Councilwoman Liz Zimmerman Keitt, Councilman
Richard Stroman and Councilman Dr. Kalu Kalu voted in support of the
closure. Councilwoman Sandra Knott and Councilman Jerry Hannah voted in
opposition.
Councilwoman Annette Dees Grevious was absent but has
abstained from all discussions and votes on the issue because of a
conflict of interest. She is a professor at the university.
The vote received a round of applause from the ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ students in attendance in a standing-room-only council chambers.
The
ordinance allows the city to accept ownership of Goff Avenue from the
state. The city would take control of the area from Clark Street to
Magnolia Street.
The city could then close that portion of the
road and turn it over to ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ, which would allow the university to
control the area along its campus.
ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ safety officials said
there is a plan to have a gate at Clark and Magnolia streets. Goff
Avenue would primarily be closed at night.
Emergency,
fire and law enforcement services will have unimpeded access to the
road, as will property owners, ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ officials say.
Property
owner Norma Murdaugh has consistently been opposed to the road's
closure, saying it would impede her ability to rent out her property.
The other property directly impacted by the road's closure is uninhabited.
Prior
to Tuesday’s vote, Murdaugh asked council if a proposal to fence off
Goff Avenue has been submitted in writing so that the citizens can
review it.
“It is imperative that citizens that are going to be
impacted by the proposal be given the same courtesy as the board and a
chance to study and review the written copy,” Murdaugh said.
She asked that ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ administrators set up a meeting with concerned citizens to address their concerns.
The
ordinance contains language that grants, “legal access rights to any
real property owners ... whose property abuts Goff Avenue.” It also says
that, “ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ University is required to simultaneously convey
individual perpetual access and utilities easements to, and for the
benefit of, any real property owners whose property abuts Goff Avenue,
which easements shall be in recordable form.”
ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ University Director of Auxiliary and Facility Services Bill Kropff discussed the planned gate system.
Signs will indicate when the road is closed and direct people to either Clark or the open portion of Goff.
There
will be two lift-arm gates that will be triggered by pressure plates,
Kropff said. A call button will allow people to contact public safety to
enter if they cannot enter electronically, Kropff said.
There will be an area for people to turn around if they are not admitted.
Where
Magnolia and Goff intersect, there will be a double solid gate that
will be opened and closed by public safety and there will speed bumps on
Goff Avenue to slow traffic, Kropff said.
Councilwoman Liz Zimmerman Keitt expressed her appreciation at the presentation and the proposed gate.
“It
is professional and it looks really great and I think that anyone with a
prayerful mind would appreciate what you are doing,” Keitt said. “I am
hoping the residents will realize that once the gate and all of this is
done that they are going to find out that it is going to be much quieter
for them.
“They won't have the traffic. A gated area makes sure only certain people come and go and this is what we need on Goff Avenue."