Even with COVID-19 concerns, the Columbia City Council meeting Monday had a large crowd on hand to hear the fate of a proposed subdivision near Route 3 and Route 158.

The City of Columbia set up an online option for people to attend the meeting virtually due to an executive order by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker limiting meetings to 50 people or fewer.

Those who attended the meeting in-person were greeted by Columbia EMS personnel, who asked a series of questions and took attendees’ temperatures before allowing access to the council chambers.

The meeting was also delayed 15 minutes to allow anyone who may have been turned away to get home and watch online.

No one was denied entrance, according to Columbia EMS Chief Kim Lamprecht.

The meeting began with a moment of silence for  late Columbia Police Department officer Jared Reddick.

The main business was a vote on a proposed Community Unit Plan type B near the Country Crossings subdivision.

The vote on the CUP was tabled during the March 2 meeting to allow for further consideration of the plan.

Developer Marty Hubbard, who submitted the plan, spoke to the council during public input.

“I will develop the property” regardless of if the CUP is approved, Hubbard said. “I have tried to meet (Country Crossings residents) halfway. I don’t know what else to say. I have tried to work with the people.”

Hubbard’s plan was revised several times in response to public input during Columbia Plan Committee and city council meetings, including changes to lot sizes, masonry requirements and addition of green space area.

The vote to approve the CUP failed with a 4-4 vote. The motion required a two-thirds supermajority due to the amount of objections received by the city.

Aldermen Mark Roessler, Jeff Huch, Kevin Martens and Jay Riddle voted against the plan.

In other business, a motion was passed to award a bid for work on the Bolm-Schuhkraft Connector Trail Project to Baxmeyer Construction of Waterloo in the amount of $381,487.77.

The city received a federally-funded Transportation Alternatives Program grant in the amount of $232,000 to help create the trail, which will connect the existing loop trail in Bolm-Schuhkraft Memorial Park east of Columbia High School with North Main Street. 

The first steps in the plan are to build a six-foot-wide sidewalk with curb and guttering from North Main Street to the end of West Monroe Street and construct a 10-foot-wide asphalt trail connecting to the existing trail. 

Construction is set to begin soon. 

Also on Monday, an ordinance was adopted to amend the city’s liquor code to allow for appeals of liquor commission hearing decisions. The latest liquor control matter has involved Sunset Overlook on Bluff Road.

Columbia City Administrator Douglas Brimm outlined a preliminary budget for fiscal year 2021 for the council.

Columbia Police Department officer Jason Donjon was congratulated for recently completing FBI Academy training.