Kershaw County council passes first reading of airport overlay district after hours of public comment and amendments

Kershaw County Council approved first reading of a revised Airport Overlay District ordinance Tuesday, voting 5-2 to move the ordinance forward after more than three hours of public comment and several last-minute amendments.

The council’s amended ordinance narrows the boundaries of the most restrictive zone near the runway ends, clarifies that commercial agricultural restrictions do not apply to private, hobby or personal equine activities, raises some conditional-use density limits to preserve development viability in East Camden, and extends the time a use may remain nonconforming from one year to three years.

The amendments were presented to the council by Councilman Tomlinson, who moved the revised text as the vehicle for first reading. Tomlinson said changes were intended “to recognize the historic current land use trends near the airport and to provide opportunity for future development at East Camden while protecting the airport from high density and encroachment of incompatible uses.” The motion to adopt the amended ordinance was seconded by Councilman Tucker.

The vote on first reading as amended was: Shoemake — yes; Tucker — yes; Connell (chair) — yes; Cato — yes; Tomlinson — yes; Bridal — no; Jones — no. The motion carried 5-2.

Why it mattered: dozens of nearby property owners, equine community leaders and East Camden institutions urged…