Council clears first reading for rezoning to permit portable sawmill after neighbors raise noise and clearing concerns

A request to rezone a 3.75-acre parcel to General Development (GD) — the county’s least restrictive zoning district — passed first reading on Tuesday by a 4–3 council vote after debate about the applicant’s portable sawmill use and the broader implications of spot rezoning.

The applicant told council the operation uses a single diesel-powered portable mill (similar to a Wood-Mizer) to cut lumber salvaged from land clearing and grading work; he said the sawmill runs intermittently and produces noise comparable to a lawn mower or tractor. Neighbors objected, saying land near their homes had already been cleared and that a commercial zoning change could permit broader uses in the future if the current operator stops the business.

Council members divided over the issue. Supporters said the applicant is an entrepreneur with a history of the operation and that nearby rezoning decisions and existing GD zoning in adjacent lots made rezoning reasonable. Opponents cited the risk of “spot zoning”: once a property is rezoned to GD, a future owner could pursue uses the current owner does not. Councilor Derek Shoemake said the small scale of the current mill made him uncomfortable because the GD designation remains if the buyer changes; he opposed the rezoning. Councilmen Russell Bridal, Connell, Thomas and Cato voted for first reading; Shoemake, Tucker and Jones opposed.

The item will return for further readings before any final rezoning action. Planning staff told council the two planning commission members who voted against the proposal were concerned about South Carolina’s lack of conditional zoning and the broad range of uses permitted under GD. The applicant agreed he could limit hours of operation but noted that zoning ordinances generally regulate uses rather than hours, and that specific hour restrictions would require code changes or deed restrictions.

Council members asked staff to research options to protect neighboring property owners — for example, deed-restricted covenants, development agreements or targeted site conditions — and to return any recommended measures with the second reading.