Goose Creek City Council Regular Meeting – October 14, 2025
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Goose Creek City Council Regular Meeting – October 14, 2025
Mayor Gregory S. Habib called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, in Council Chambers. Councilmember Melissa Enos-Sims was absent. The meeting included public comments, approval of minutes, a Mayor’s Leadership Council report, second readings of two ordinances, introduction and first reading of the FY 2026 budget and a zoning map amendment, a mayor’s report, and an executive session to select the Employee of the Year.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes – Minutes from the August 29, 2025 Budget Workshop and September 9, 2025 City Council meeting were approved unanimously without discussion.
- Annexation Ordinance (Second Reading) – An ordinance annexing three parcels on Nello Drive (TMS# 235-14-04-030, -036, -040) was approved unanimously without discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Eric Stewart, 208 Blenheim Court – Inquired whether the city or police department planned to address articles published by the Carolina Courier. Mayor Habib stated the public comment period was for statements, not a back-and-forth, and did not provide a response.
- Donald Nash, 213 Laurel Avenue – Reported that a police vehicle ran a stop sign near the Department of Public Works, nearly causing a collision. Mayor Habib said he would have Captain Hornor investigate and report back.
- Kevin Patterson, 446 Indigo Road – Presented extensive concerns about an Airbnb next door, including excessive parking, blocked driveway, noise, and lack of property management. He requested a dialogue with the city to clarify codes and enforcement. Mayor Habib acknowledged the complexity and agreed to have staff research code vs. criminal issues and then follow up.
- Barbara Bates – Asked that candidates running for non-partisan Goose Creek City Council seats avoid making the race partisan.
Presentations & Reports
- Mayor’s Leadership Council – Two students, Parker La Mere (senior, Cane Bay High School) and Avery Perez (junior, Northwood Academy), presented their recent activities: visiting city parks (suggesting a water fountain near basketball courts and improved parking signage at Central Creek Park), learning about local government, touring the Button Hall Avenue Fire Department, and receiving assignments to interview school resource officers. They also previewed upcoming job shadowing opportunities.
- Introduction – A.D. Jordan, Regional Director for Senator Tim Scott – Mr. Jordan was unable to attend due to the federal government shutdown and will schedule a future appearance.
Discussion Items
- Micro Drive-Through Facility Ordinance (Second Reading) – An ordinance adding “Drive-Through Facility, Micro” to the Village Node (VN) district’s table of permitted uses. Councilmember Cox moved to amend by removing the condition “does not contain an amplified ordering system” from the definition. The amendment passed unanimously. On the main motion, Councilmember Tekac opposed, stating that the planning department’s two-year effort should be allowed to play out without changes. The ordinance passed 5-1 (Tekac opposed).
- FY 2026 Budget (Introduction and First Reading) – Mayor Habib presented the $66,601,000 expenditure budget, including $50,298,381 in general fund expenditures (a 6% increase without a millage increase). Revenue drivers included local option sales tax (20% of budget) and business license revenue (20%, having doubled over 7–8 years); property taxes accounted for only 11%. Highlights included five new positions (two sworn officers, a crime analyst, a court clerk, a business license specialist), 12 fully funded firefighter positions for the upcoming Fire Station 4, adjustments to police and fire pay, a 4% cost-of-living increase for all employees, and capital projects (Fire Station 4, joint police/fire training facility, City Hall renovations, the Safe James Avenue crossing project, and rolling stock replacements). The public hearing had no comments. Councilmember Tekac thanked CFO Tyler Howanyk and staff. The motion to approve carried unanimously. A “Budget and Brews” community event was announced for October 21 at Stones Throw Brewing.
- Rezoning from Village Node (VN) to Planned Development (PD) (First Reading) – A request for +/-10.17 acres at 603 North Goose Creek Boulevard. Developer Logan Stern of JJR Development spoke. Councilmember McSwain expressed concerns about lack of shade (requesting tree preservation), opposed a potential hotel, questioned the contemporary design versus traditional architecture, and relayed Planning Commission concerns about lighting and density (noting the maximum of 584 units but that actual plans are lower). Councilmember Harmon supported the boutique hotel idea and encouraged creative thinking. Councilmember Tekac liked the contemporary look. Mayor Habib disagreed with McSwain on the hotel, agreeing with Harmon. The motion to approve carried unanimously.
- Executive Session – Council voted unanimously (6:43–6:53 PM) to enter executive session under SC Code §30-4-70(a)(1) to discuss the City Employee of the Year. Upon returning, they unanimously approved the selection of an employee from the Golf Department.
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes from August 29, 2025 and September 9, 2025 (unanimous).
- Adopted the micro drive-through ordinance as amended (5-1).
- Approved annexation of three Nello Drive parcels (unanimous).
- Introduced and approved first reading of the FY 2026 budget (unanimous; public hearing held with no comments).
- Approved first reading of the rezoning from VN to PD (unanimous).
- Selected and approved the Employee of the Year from the Golf Department (unanimous after executive session).
- Mayor announced numerous upcoming community events, including the Christmas Parade (Dec. 13), Budget & Brews (Oct. 21), Halloween Carnival (Oct. 25), Trunk or Treat (Oct. 31), Cultures in the Creek (Nov. 15), and Senior Christmas Dinner (Dec. 10).
- Meeting adjourned at 6:54 PM.
Meeting Transcript
What's the one I do on fifty-two Middle Earth? And I wanted to buy some. Three to five foot bushes go around my patio. And I went to buy them and I said, Do you happen to go $80? Yeah. Yeah, it would take me like three weeks. It would be well worth it. Yeah, like I said, it would take me three weeks. I'd do a bush a day. Call this meeting in order. Thank you all very much for being here. Today is Tuesday, October 14th, 2025. This is our regularly scheduled council meeting. Uh, and again, I appreciate everyone in attendance. Uh Josh TG, the pastor of Goose Creek United. Um St. James United Methodist Church. You'll see you will get there, Mayor. Yeah, fair enough. Well, lead us in prayer and we'll follow that with the Pledge of Allegiance. Shall we pray? Gracious God, as we gather this night in community, we recall and celebrate the days that are before us and the wonder of nature as in the northern hemisphere. The plants continue to yield their harvest, and we thereby are fed. We pray this day for all those who work to tend the earth and bring forth a harvest. Thank you for new and creative ways that our community is engaged in bringing food into the world through initiatives like the Edible Forest at John McCant's, inspire the creativity and capacities that allow a community of care to continue to flourish in the world. As we gather and deliberate, guide our conversations and convenings in both care and love and grace that allows us to hold space for all of our neighbors, those who share a like-minded opinion or a difference, help us to be willing to listen to, to learn from, and to celebrate the opinions and perspectives of others that help us to grow in our capacities and capabilities, allowing us to become our more perfect selves. Let us not be distracted by the things that bear our own anxieties and encourage us to give air to our own grievances, but let us become capable to cultivate in each other the capacities to be present in our community with one another. Thank you for all those who are elected and employed to serve our city. We pray for their wisdom, and we pray that you grant them the rest that they need from their work, and especially those who serve the city tirelessly for the health, safety, and welfare of our city. Most of all, we pray, oh God, you grant us your peace. Amen. I pledge allegiance by the United States. Under God, individual. That's interesting that this what that reads there. Uh ladies and gentlemen, uh four people signed up for public comment. Mr. Stewart, if you'd like to come on down. Uh Eric Stewart, I'm in uh the commons off of Blenheim Court. My concern is as an ex-city employee who spent four years here. I'm curious if the city or the police department or anybody specific plans to address the fact-based articles that are being published by the Carolina Courier. This is not a back and forth, Mr. Stewart. You tell us what you want to say, and you can go ahead. Are you gonna respond? This is not a back and forth, Mr. Stewart. You have a statement you can make and we'll listen. We don't go back and forth. So if so I if I'm not getting there, yes or no, that's fine. Thank you.
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