Goff Avenue closure on hold

Claflin’s Department of Public Safety Chief Melvin Williams shows Orangeburg City Council security camera footage of a shooting on Goff Avenue. (TheTandD.com)

Orangeburg city leaders are still not ready to allow the closure of a portion of Goff Avenue by Claflin University for security reasons until they are certain the road's closure legally does not infringe on private property access rights.

For the second time, Orangeburg City Council unanimously tabled third and final reading to close a portion of the road.

The vote was tabled as council requested the city's attorney put in place wording in the official ordinance that guarantees private property owners impacted by the closed portion of the street have access to their properties in perpetuity.

The delayed vote was also intended to give Claflin University officials more time to finalize details on the type of gate mechanism that will be used to restrict the road's access.

"Anything we put into this document as it relates to closing Goff Avenue all of which needs to be there before we make any kind of decision," Councilwoman Sandra Knotts said. "Whatever we come up with it needs to be of such that everybody is aware, everybody clearly understands, and I am not just referring to council, but the residents who live in that area as well."

Knotts also said the public should specifically know what type of gate mechanism will be in place before council votes on the matter.

"Right now it is like a piece over there and a piece over here," Knotts said. "How are the residents going to get from point A to point B?  Is everybody going to have access and what kind of access will they have."

Claflin Department of Public Safety Chief Melvin Williams said regardless of the gating system or technology, residents will have full access.

"That will not change," Williams said.

Prior to voting on tabling the matter, a letter written to council from Claflin clarified that the university pledges to "maintain uninterrupted access to Goff Street for all residents.

"This pledge is unwavering irrespective of any future changes within the city council's composition or potential shifts in the university's leadership," the letter said. "This commitment will be clearly noted in terms of ownership transfer to ensure that the resident right to access their properties are preserved under any and all circumstances."

Some Council members requested the language in the letter be made legally binding, which prompted the tabling.

"We can put language in either the ordinance to make sure they have a perpetual access to their property," City Administrator Sidney Evering said.

The city has been considering accepting ownership from the state of Goff Avenue from Clark Street to Magnolia Street.

The city could then close that portion of the road and turn it over to Claflin, which would allow the university to control the area along its campus.

One of the city's specific concerns is related to the two properties that are going to be directly impacted by the road closure.

One is owned by Norma Murdaugh. The other private residence is uninhabited. Murdaugh has consistently been opposed to the road's closure, saying it would impede her ability to rent the property.

Murdaugh has requested an easement be given but Claflin University Director of Auxiliary and Facility Services Bill Kropff said an easement would not be the appropriate wording to use.

"What we would be doing is granting a right of access and that would be notarized," Kropff said.

The Murdaughs tried to express their concerns about the lack of an easement but were called out of order by Mayor Michael Butler.

Claflin officials have said that allowing the university to close the stretch of the street –about .35 miles – to public access will improve safety. The closure has been prompted by multiple shootings and large gatherings of people on Goff Avenue occurring between August 2021 and January 2024.

Claflin safety officials said there is a plan to have a gate at Clark and Magnolia streets. The closures of the street would primarily occur at night.

Emergency, fire, and law enforcement services will have unimpeded access to the road as well as property owners.

Council first delayed third reading during its March 19 meeting in order to allow greater input from residents near impacted area to provide their thoughts and input. A meeting was held with concerned residents on March 26.

Councilwoman Annette Dees Grevious has abstained from all discussions and votes on the issue because of a conflict of interest. She is a professor at the university.

Williams said resident concerns at the March 26 meeting ranged from speeding on the street and property access. 

Williams said some residents requested examples of what a gate system would look like.

On Tuesday, Williams provided a pictorial and video examples of gating systems that would include such things as barcode scanning, key fobs and key pads. Manned gates could also be a possibility, as well as paging systems.

One option, which Williams said he prefers, is two lanes, one that will stop guests and the other that would allow residents immediate access via barcoding scanner.

"There are all types of technology ... available and the types of things that we will be looking at to make this work for everyone," Williams said, noting he prefers the dual access, which can control visitors and allow residents unimpeded access.

Parking permits will provide student access.

Kalu provided a scenario where some students may have a number of nonstudents in their car. He questioned if the gating system would catch such situations.

Williams said it would not.

"We don't manage that now," he said. "Students are allowed to have visitors. If they have three or four or five people in the car, it may be mom, grandma and auntie. We allow our students access to campus without trying to identify every single person."

Kalu expressed concerns that non-students could cause problems, but Williams noted that individuals can still walk onto campus as well as pedestrian traffic will not be hindered.

Councilwoman Liz Zimmerman Keitt said through diligent prayer she has been able to discern that safety is the top priority.

"The safety of the majority of the people is what we want," Keitt said. "I would really love to see everyone on the same accord. That may not happen, but I wish it would. But if it doesn't, then we have to go with the majority of what people want."

"I do not want to see anybody get hurt just because we did not do what we needed to do," Keitt said. "Folks are bringing children from different areas of the world for us to take care of and we have that right to take care of everybody."