Commission reviews rezoning requests for two Halltown Road parcels; sewer availability and unit limits discussed

Miss Mahan, planning staff, presented two rezoning requests for adjacent parcels on Halltown Road during the county commission work session, saying the larger conversation centers on sewer access and how many housing units would be allowed if the lots were rezoned and combined. “This parcel of land is in the city limits, so you would use the Hartsville zoning table of uses,” Miss Mahan said. The first parcel at 441 Halltown Road is about 16,553 square feet (0.38 acre). Under the proposed R-3 zoning, staff said the parcel would be allowed four units; the neighboring parcel (about 0.44 acre) would be allowed five units for multifamily development. Miss Mahan said if the two lots were combined the total allowed would be nine units, because R-3 zoning limits lot coverage to 40 percent. Miss Mahan told commissioners that sewer service is not available to the 441 Halltown Road parcel and that sewer would have to be extended from the adjacent line at Claiborne Street at the developer’s expense. “Sewer ends at Claiborne,” she said. The planning consultant’s staff report, included in the commission packet, recommended approval and noted the rezoning could contribute to revitalization of an older section of town. The planning commission gave the rezoning requests a favorable recommendation on a 3–2 vote. One planning commissioner cited lack of sewer as a reason to oppose the first parcel and another expressed general opposition to additional R-3 zoning, according to comments reported at the work session. Miss Mahan said notice requirements were met — signs were posted and a public hearing notice ran in the newspaper — but no residents attended the planning commission public hearing. No final vote on the rezoning ordinances was taken at the work session; the items were presented for the commission’s first reading and informational review. Commissioners asked staff questions about unit counts, the effect of sewer availability on density within city limits, and whether the parcels are commonly owned; staff confirmed the lots are owned by the same individual and that sewer service ends at Claiborne Street. Next steps noted by staff: the rezoning requests will proceed through the formal ordinance process with future readings and any required public hearings before the commission makes a final decision.