Commission hears notice of duplicate road-name issue; public warned about cost of renaming

OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. — The Oconee County Planning Commission on Monday was briefed about a duplicated road-name issue in a failed subdivision and heard a public comment urging the commission to consider the financial impact of renaming for people who live or operate businesses on affected roads.

County staff said a subdivision road planned as a loop was not completed; the unfinished loop now creates two different road segments in opposite directions that share a single name. Staff said the GIS office had flagged the problem and that the matter would likely be scheduled for a public hearing in March or April when the county receives a formal renaming package.

The packet from addressing/GIS, staff said, typically includes a justification for the name change, tax map numbers for affected properties, a map, three proposed alternate road names, signatures from 75% of property owners affected by the change and the required fee. "There are considerable considerations for somebody, especially if there's a lot of people that already hold on the road, whether it has to be changed, it can be quite a long time," staff said.

In public comment, Tom Markovich warned of the cost to residents and businesses when street names change: "There is a phenomenal, in some cases, financial impact on people that are living on a particular road, and all of a sudden their road changes. And especially if they operate a business on any 1 of these given roads, and they have to begin changing everything." Staff confirmed the commission would receive the GIS package and hold a public hearing before making a decision; no vote or formal action occurred on the matter Monday.

Ending: Staff expects to bring a formal renaming request to a future meeting with the GIS packet and public-notice requirements; commissioners did not take any formal vote at Monday's meeting.