Colleton County council amends joint industrial park agreement, approves economic development measures and workforce board appointment

Colleton County Council voted unanimously on June 3 to amend and extend a joint development agreement for the Joint County Industrial Park with Hampton County and to advance several other ordinances and resolutions tied to economic development and county administration.

The council approved Ordinance 25-003 in a public hearing to amend and extend the agreement that governs the Joint County Industrial Park between Colleton County and Hampton County. Council members also moved forward a first reading on an economic-incentive ordinance tied to a project identified in the meeting as “Project Star” and advanced a draft ordinance to add truck-and-bus restrictions to county roads.

Why it matters: the industrial-park amendment and the suite of tax and fee agreements discussed in the meeting are procedural steps counties use to make sites eligible for large private investment and to structure tax incentives and special-source credits tied to specific projects. Council discussion was brief and procedural; public hearing was opened for Ordinance 25-003 before the council voted to approve it.

In other action, the council approved several resolutions, including a fee-in-lieu (payment-in-lieu) authorization related to Project Star (Resolution 25-R-33), a grant-acceptance budget resolution for FY2025 (Resolution 25-R-34), and a scheduling resolution to reschedule a July meeting (Resolution 25-R-37). The council also approved Resolution 25-R-39 to appoint Shantel Brown, identified in the meeting as recruiting manager at Wayne Brothers Company, to the Lowcountry Workforce Board.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 25-003 — Amend and extend term of agreement for development of Joint County Industrial Park (Colleton County and Hampton County). Outcome: approved in public hearing; motion carried unanimously (tally not specified in transcript).

- Ordinance 25-007 — (first reading) Fee and loan tax and special source credit agreement between Colleton County and a company identified as Project Star. Outcome: advanced at first reading (motion and second; unanimous vote noted, counts not specified).

- Ordinance 25-006 — (first reading) Amend Title 10 (Vehicles and Traffic), Chapter 10.04 (Truck and Bus Restrictions) of the county code to prohibit through truck traffic on specified Colleton County roads. Outcome: advanced at first reading (motion and second; unanimous vote noted, counts not specified). The ordinance text discussed exemptions for pickups/deliveries and similar specified business uses.

- Resolution 25-R-33 — Authorize fee-in-lieu tax agreement for Project Star (payment-in-lieu structure and credits). Outcome: approved unanimously (counts not specified).

- Resolution 25-R-34 — Accept and budget grant funds for FY2025. Outcome: approved unanimously (counts not specified).

- Resolution 25-R-37 — Reschedule July meeting. Outcome: approved unanimously (counts not specified).

- Resolution 25-R-39 — Approve appointment to the Lowcountry Workforce Board (Shantel Brown, recruiting manager, Wayne Brothers Company). Outcome: approved unanimously (counts not specified).

What council members said: council members asked procedural and scope questions about the ordinances (for example, whether the truck restriction ordinance would allow drivers who live on restricted roads to access their homes and whether pickups/deliveries would be exempt). Staff responded that the statute language and the ordinance’s existing exemptions would cover pickups and business-related access, and that additional clarifying language could be added if the council requested it.

Next steps: some items (notably budget matters) were flagged for additional work or later readings; staff told the council that formal amendments and third readings will be part of the public process for final budget and millage decisions.

Ending: with those votes complete, the council moved on to recognitions and a public comment period that included presentations on community restoration and workforce training programs.