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Council advances impact-fee plan on first reading after consultant briefing; critics raise implementation questions
Summary
On first reading the council advanced an ordinance to create development impact fees for unincorporated Kershaw County (parks/recreation and municipal facilities initially). Consultant analysis supports the fees as legally defensible; some councilors warned about limits, expenditure deadlines and effects on infrastructure planning.
Kershaw County Council voted on first reading to advance an ordinance that would allow the county to charge development impact fees on new construction in unincorporated areas to offset costs for specified capital improvements.
What the ordinance would do: The proposed ordinance—based on the South Carolina Development Impact Fee Act—would authorize county collection of impact fees for defined service categories. At first reading the council considered two categories for immediate adoption: parks and recreation, and municipal facilities and equipment (convenience centers, county administrative facilities and similar assets). The analysis and ordinance materials presented to the council also included completed studies for fire/EMS and water/sewer so the county could add those categories later without commissioning a new baseline study.
Key points from the consultant’s report - Legal framework and defensibility:…
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