Dorchester County panel approves rezoning of 32.94-acre Highway 178 parcel to allow light-industrial uses

The Dorchester County Planning Commission approved a request to rezone a 32.94-acre parcel on Highway 178 in Saint George from General Commercial (CG) to Commercial Light Industrial (CLI), the commission recorded during its meeting. The motion to approve (R-933, TMS 007-00-00-069) was made by Commissioner Carter and seconded by Commissioner Judy; Commissioners Ayers, Pratt, Carter and Judy voted yes and Commissioner Ackerman recused. The motion carried.

County planning staff told the commission the rezoning would facilitate sale of the property to potential light-industrial users and that the parcel was previously zoned “absence of control” before 1997 when Dorchester County placed similar interchange properties in CG to regulate development. Staff recommended approval after reviewing the site’s constraints and the county’s future land use designations.

The request moved the property from CG to CLI to allow light industrial uses in addition to many of the commercial uses already allowed in CG. Planning staff noted the property falls partly within the county’s Natural Riparian Corridor and the Employment Mixed Use designations on the future land use map, and the applicant submitted a conceptual plan indicating there is sufficient high ground to avoid wetlands. Staff emphasized that the submitted plan is conceptual only and that rezoning approval does not constitute approval of a development plan.

If a future development meets thresholds for a traffic study, the developer would be responsible for any identified off-site right-of-way improvements. The parcel lies inside the service area for Dorchester County Water and Sewer (DCWS); any connection to water or sewer would require coordination with DCWS and, if service is not available, development would need to proceed on well and septic subject to SCDES approval. Any site development must obtain approvals through the county Technical Review Committee (TRC) for conformance with buffers, parking, stormwater and environmental performance standards.

There was no public comment on the rezoning at the meeting. The applicant or representative, Jack Owens of 509 Ocean Boulevard, Isle Of Ponds, attended and answered commissioners’ questions. Commissioner Ackerman recused himself from consideration of this item because of prior involvement in a preliminary site plan review, as noted on the record.

The commission’s approval changes the parcel’s zoning designation but does not authorize construction; development will require subsequent permitting, TRC review and any required state approvals related to wetlands or septic/well systems.