McCormick County Council approves zoning change, raises solid-waste fee and OKs airport fencing grant; one rezoning fails second reading

McCormick County Council took a series of formal actions during its regular meeting, including final approval of a rezoning for a commercial gunsmith, a $20 increase to the annual solid-waste fee, authorization of a grant application for airport perimeter fencing (amended amount), reappointments to local boards, a $500 sponsorship for a state clerks conference and routine intergovernmental agreements.

Why it matters: The measures affect county revenues and operating costs (the solid-waste fee increase), shape local land use (the approved and failed rezoning requests), and advance an airport security/modernization project that will use a state aeronautics grant with a local match.

Key votes and outcomes

- Ordinance 02-1300 (third reading): Council approved a zoning-map amendment changing a property identified by McCormick County tax map 100-13000005 (102,009) from Forest/Agriculture to a commercial use. Council stated the Planning Commission recommended the change; the item passed on third reading and is adopted.

- Ordinance (2108 / tax map 139-0000024) (second reading): The council considered a zoning-map amendment to reclassify property from Forest/Agriculture to Commercial. The Planning Commission had recommended against approval. The council voted on second reading and the measure failed to advance to a public hearing/third reading (the council chair stated the item did not proceed because of the Planning Commission recommendation and the second-reading vote count).

- Ordinance 25-06 (third reading) — Solid-waste fee increase: Council approved an amendment to raise the annual solid-waste fee from $80 to $100 per household per year (a $20 increase). Council discussion noted the increase does not fully cover rising disposal costs; a council member observed that fully covering costs would require a higher fee (a figure cited in discussion was about $115 per year).

- Memorandum of understanding with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (FY2025–26): Council authorized the administrator to sign the annual agreement to house juveniles at the DJJ detention complex. Discussion noted the county lacks local juvenile detention facilities and that the agreement is a recurring annual contract. Council members also noted the contract added a capital-expenditure charge (transcript references $125 per day limited to 25 days, and a daily facility charge referenced as $50 per day), which was described during discussion; the transcript does not provide an implementation schedule beyond the FY25–26 authorization.

- Airport perimeter-fencing grant (South Carolina Aeronautics Commission): Council authorized the economic-development director to submit a grant application for perimeter design and bidding services. The application amount discussed was corrected during the meeting: council amended the request to $43,272 total project cost with a local match of $7,636; the amendment and the application as amended were approved.

- Reappointments and sponsorships: Council reappointed Charles Jennings to the GLEAMS board (public sector seat) and reappointed Angela Garrett to the GLEAMS board (low-income sector seat). Council approved a $500 sponsorship for the South Carolina Association of Clerks of Court annual fall conference (Hickory Knob) after an amended motion specifying the $500 amount.

- Proclamation: Council adopted a proclamation recognizing “McCormick County Strong Day” and heard the author perform the county song before adopting the proclamation.

Discussion and procedural notes

Council repeatedly referenced the Planning Commission’s recommendations when considering zoning matters. Several items were procedural (second-reading votes required to advance to public hearings). For the solid-waste fee, council members noted the county has subsidized disposal costs from the general budget for years and that the approved increase is intended to defray, though not fully cover, rising costs.

What’s next

- The approved airport grant application will proceed as amended; if awarded, design and bidding work will follow in accordance with the Aeronautics Commission requirements and the local match. - The failed second-reading rezoning will not advance unless reintroduced through proper procedures.

Ending: The council ended its regular business and moved to an executive session to receive legal advice on pending litigation (opioid litigation, processed-food litigation and initiative litigation) and to discuss contracts and personnel, per South Carolina Code of Laws §30-4-70.