City council takes a positive step

The Waynesboro City Council did the absolutely right thing Monday night when it adopted a new, more flexible, building ordinance for the city. The second reading of the ordinance passed easily with little debate and only one negative vote.

Opposition from City Building Inspector Ronnie Baxley, who threatened to resign over the issue, apparently had little effect on the vote. Mayor Jesse Stone, a strong advocate for the change, has admitted that property owners have faced an uphill battle in trying to renovate older buildings in the city. This measure will allow for some exceptions to the code for certain issues not related to safety, and could result in significant financial savings for developers.

With more bad news coming from the manufacturing sector of the local economy, it is all the more important to strengthen our downtown business community any way we can. Several new property owners have indicated a desire to renovate their older downtown buildings and have expressed support for the ordinance. There has even been some interest in the construction of loft apartments in the downtown area.

All of this is welcome news, and we commend the mayor and council for their courage and foresight.