Editor's clarification: The article below reports the Richmond Hill City Council agreed to “share” the cost of a landscaping and improvement project at Ellis Drive near the Ways Station shopping center. Though the finished product may look like a single project, the city is funding work to city-owned property, and shopping center owner Gene Brogdon is funding work to Ways Station. Both projects will be bid separately.

The Richmond Hill City Council will spend $10,000 to help fund a landscaping and street improvement project at the Ways Station Shopping Center on Ford Avenue following a split vote Tuesday at City Hall.
During its regular meeting Tuesday, the council voted 3-2 to share the cost of landscaping and improving the area adjacent to Ellis Drive with local developer and Ways Station owner Gene Brogdon.
Council members Russ Carpenter and Van Hunter voted in favor of the matter, while Marilyn Hodges and Jimmy Hires voted against. Mayor Harold Fowler’s vote broke the tie.
Brogdon said since he was making improvements, he thought the city would like to make some as well.
“I’m doing upgrades to my (shopping) center and to the parking lot that parallels the city street, and I was hoping the city would want to landscape and beautify one of their city streets,” he said.
Planning and Zoning Director Steve Scholar said some of the improvements were in city right of way.
Brogdon said sharing the cost with the city would allow for beautification of the street while also being responsible for city standards.
He asked the city to donate $10,300 for the projects and accept responsibility for removing existing pavement, gutters and sidewalks. Brogdon will be responsible for the grading, hauling and disposing of material, stripping and the landscaping.
He said he has bids out for his part of the project but does not yet have an estimated cost.
Read more in the Sept. 24 edition of the News.