Aberdeen is still tweaking its Downtown Retail Overlay District (DROD) to promote and preserve a vibrant business community.

After a nearly two-hour discussion during a special called meeting Tuesday evening, the Town Board asked Planning Director Kathy Liles to make some additions to the DROD, including definitions of retail sales and services and entertainment.

"If we can get the definitions ight, we should be set," Commissioner Walter Wright said.

Currently, businesses such as dance or piano studios and other fee-based service businesses are not permitted in the DROD.

"I think if we clarify these education uses under retail services," Liles said, "then you can say you can do them. We want to list all these retail uses in the DROD because once we define retail services that is going to cover what can go there."

The DROD was established in 1993 to prevent the downtown district from becoming an area for warehouse storage and to create a climate suitable for retail businesses.

Questions about the effectiveness of the ordinance arose after repeated violations and loopholes became apparent, leaving the town unable to uniformly enforce its policies.

The board even discussed the possibility of getting rid of the DROD, but ultimately decided that it is necessary to promote a healthy business climate.

The board also heard an update on the Bethune Street rehabilitation project from Town Manager Bill Zell.

"The project is going well," he said. "They are doing several rehabs right now, and some of them are just about done as far as the rehab situation."

He said the town is contracting with Hobbs Upchurch & Associates as a "sub-administrator" on the project to assist Ray Manieri, of All American Associates. Zell said the firm is very familiar with the project and would offer a seamless transition.

The Bethune Street redevelopment project, which is being funded by an $850,000 Community Block Development Grant the town received in 2008, includes water, sewer and street improvements as well as construction of six Habitat for Humanity homes and the rehabilitation of five existing homes.

Five new homes are also included in the project, but the construction is not funded by the grant.

Zell and the board praised the work of Manieri on the project.

"It's really come together," Zell said. "It's going to be really nice when it's done."

The board met again Thursday. During that meeting, the commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the voluntary annexation of property t 618 Longleaf Road requested by Quality Built Homes.

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.