Local property owners voiced questions over a proposed city ordinance that would have city officials inspect rental properties in Charleston, during the Student Senate’s External Relations Committee meeting Wednesday.

The committee also discussed the old Wal-Mart location, parking issues on Fourth Street, and the city’s efforts to lure a 24-hour diner to the former Hardee’s site.

The proposed ordinance, in which committee chair Hugh O’Hara said he would rewrite the existing zoning code for the city, includes a provision that would allow city officials to inspect rental properties for safety.

Currently, city officials are only allowed to inspect a residence when requested to by a resident, said Mayor Dan Cougill.

However, Cougill said, many off-campus students haven’t experienced renting their own place, and lack the life experience to understand what issues warrant calling city officials.

Charleston resident Bill Drake disagreed with Cougill.

“Why does the city have to be the parents of these students?” Drake asked.

Andy McArthur, owner of McArthur Manor in Charleston, said that the committee should also take into consideration elderly residents that live in rental properties in Charleston, as well as students.

Cougill said he wanted a workable solution to the debate over the ordinance. The City Council will delay a vote on the proposed ordinance until students return this August, Cougill said.

Also, Cougill said the old Wal-Mart location,at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and University Drive, would remain vacant until the owner, John Young, finds another store to occupy the location.

However, Cougill said, Young has little incentive to market the location as Wal-Mart’s still has three years left on the property’s lease.

Wal-Mart is trying to find a company to take over the lease, Cougill said.

Citing increased traffic because of a new parking lot, O’Hara also asked the city to install a stop sign on Fourth Street near Coleman Hall.

O’Hara said that a new parking lot at Fourth Street and Garfield Avenue has increased traffic to the point where “it’s very difficult for students to cross (Fourth Street).”

Cougill thought that a stop sign was too drastic of a move.

“I hate putting signs up just for the sake of putting signs up,” Cougill said.

However, O’Hara said Cougill agreed to install a pedestrian sign with flashing lights at the location.

In other business, the committee discussed placing a 24-hour diner in the location formerly occupied by a Hardee’s restaurant.

Cougill said that the Hardee’s corporation plans to appraise the location before it would consider selling the property.