Draft comprehensive plan update remains in progress; planning commission to continue public input

Kershaw County staff updated council on the county comprehensive plan draft and the timeline for public input and next steps.

Planning staff said the draft plan is available for review but remains a working document. Staff noted typographical corrections and several areas where added clarity would help (for example, stormwater language and references to county economic assets). Planning Commission chair Ned Towel and staff advised additional public outreach and two more months of commission review before transmitting a recommended final plan to council. The commission chair told council that volunteer commissioners will continue to deliberate and that additional public meetings will be scheduled.

Council members discussed sequencing the comprehensive plan adoption and a subsequent rewrite of the zoning and land‑development regulations (ZLDR). Staff and the planning commission said a clear, adopted comprehensive plan helps inform the ZLDR rewrite, and council members signaled they expected an extended ZLDR process to follow the plan (participants mentioned an extended timeline for the ZLDR rewrite).

No vote was required; staff will continue to schedule public meetings, receive public comments and refine the draft. Council members asked staff to accommodate additional commission and public meetings and to aim for clarity on the plan's recommendations before initiating the zoning rewrite.