Lexington County approves Project Aqua fee-in-lieu agreement and sale of Lot 9 in Saxe Gotha Industrial Park

Lexington County Council on March 11 approved Ordinance 25-01 at third and final reading, authorizing a fee-in-lieu of ad valorem taxes and special source revenue credit agreement between Lexington County and entities identified as All Tape Adhesive Manufacturer Incorporated (collectively identified in the ordinance as the company) for a project previously identified in county materials as Project Aqua. The ordinance also authorized the sale of county-owned property identified as Lot Number 9 of the Saxe Gotha Industrial Park to Marlborough Development Team Incorporated and approved a contract of sale incorporated into the ordinance.

The ordinance reading cited statutory authority as chapter 44 of title 12 and chapter 1 of title 4 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976, as amended. Council moved and seconded an amendment that explicitly approved the contract of sale and authorized the chair of county council or the county administrator to sign and deliver the contract and related documents. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members recorded as voting yes.

Why this matters: The ordinance implements a fee-in-lieu and special source revenue credit framework for a project the county identified as Project Aqua and completes approval of a sale of county property tied to that project. The council’s action finalizes the local approvals explicitly named in the ordinance and authorizes execution of the transaction documents.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 25-01 (third & final reading): Approved. Purpose: authorize fee-in-lieu tax and special source revenue credit agreement and approve contract of sale of Lot 9, Saxe Gotha Industrial Park, to Marlborough Development Team Incorporated. Vote: unanimous (roll call recorded “Yes” for Councilwoman Kerig, Councilwoman Wessinger, Councilman Fisher, Councilman Cockrell, Councilman Hudson, Councilman Brigham, Councilman Bishop, Vice Chair Conwell, and Chairman Cullum). Second recorded as Hutchinson; mover not specified in the transcript excerpt.

Supporting detail and council procedures The ordinance text read into the record referenced the statutory chapters above and described the company as “All Tape Adhesive Manufacturer Incorporated” and affiliates and/or other project sponsors acting collectively under the name previously used by county staff, Project Aqua. Council amended the ordinance on the floor to add a new section explicitly approving the contract of sale and authorizing county signing officers to execute the document and any necessary instruments to complete the transaction; that amendment was approved prior to the final vote.

Formal roll-call votes were recorded by the clerk for this and other agenda items; the transcript shows the clerk calling each member’s name and each responding “Yes.” The ordinance and the attached contract of sale were referenced as part of the ordinance record.

Ending The council did not attach additional discussion or conditions to the ordinance in the transcript excerpt. The county clerk’s record and the final signed ordinance and contract will provide the complete legal text and implementation schedule once those documents are executed and filed.