Newberry planners highlight interactive project map, AgTech zoning and annexations in annual report

Stacy Hectors, community development director for the City of Newberry, presented the Community Development Department's October-to-October 2024—–2025 annual report on Oct. 13, highlighting an interactive projects map, recent annexations and adoption of an AgTech zoning district.

Hectors told the City Commission the department finalized the comprehensive plan with the commission's help and created an AgTech zoning district, then rezoned the property for an AgTech use. She summarized development approvals over the report year, listing commercial and industrial projects including Zinnia Sofa small-scale event center, Progressive Orthodontics, Hedges Eye Care, OBD Kids Child Care Center, Wills Storage expansion, Northfleet Industrial, A and VAC Motocross Parts, Manus Auto Parts and Wawa.

The nut graff: Hectors said the department is operating with reduced staff since June and emphasized a new shared in-house GIS analyst, Nikki Daley, who maintains an interactive projects map on the City of Newberry website that links each parcel to related approvals and meeting records. Staff and commissioners said the map has reduced public calls and improved accuracy for field validation of utilities and project locations.

Hectors gave several data points for the department's work: about 185 acres annexed across 14 parcels, roughly 473 acres of future land use changes, 21 zoning changes covering approximately 857 acres, about seven site-development plans, roughly three variances, and about 10 subdivisions (preliminary and final). She also said staff reviewed construction plans for subdivisions during the year.

Hectors warned that recent state legislation has limited the city's ability to finish two elements of the comprehensive plan. She specifically referenced Senate Bill 180 as restricting retroactive changes the city can make to its comprehensive plan and land development code; that restriction, she said, has delayed completion of the capital infrastructure and CID (community/infrastructure?) elements. Hectors said staff are working with state officials to resolve the issue and will continue code updates within the limits of the statute.

Hectors demonstrated the projects map via a QR code and live example during the meeting. She said the map is updated rapidly by the GIS analyst and shows project status, approvals, meeting videos and linked resolutions or ordinances where applicable. Commission members and staff described the tool as more reliable than social media for answering public questions about specific properties.

Hectors said the department will continue rewriting and reorganizing the land development code as permitted by the state statutes and plans to streamline application processes. She noted two vacant positions in planning'an assistant planning director (newly created) and a community planner'and said the building department and permit staff are part of the broader Community Development Department.

Ending: Commissioners thanked staff for the mapping work and for advances in planning support. Hectors said the department anticipates a busy 2026 and will keep the commission informed as statutory issues with the state are resolved.