Kershaw County council backs 180-day moratorium on major subdivisions after public outcry

Citing residents' concerns about rapid growth, infrastructure strain and loss of tree cover, Kershaw County Council on Tuesday approved, on first reading and as amended, a 180-day moratorium on major subdivision approvals in parts of the county.

The 5-2 vote followed a lengthy public-comment period in which at least a dozen residents urged council to slow development until a revised comprehensive plan and updated Zoning and Land Development Regulations (ZLDR) are in place. Councilmembers said they acted on a planning commission recommendation and directed staff to work on specific regulatory changes during the pause.

The moratorium as adopted on first reading was amended to exclude single-family residences and planned development districts (PDDs) and to include minor subdivisions only above the planning commission threshold (as amended). Council members who voted for the measure said they wanted to preserve the county’s character and give the planning commission time to finish work on subdivision standards and related studies. Council members who opposed the measure said the county needed a narrower, geographically targeted approach and raised legal and timing questions about whether the required studies could be completed in six months.

Residents who spoke urged a range of changes during the moratorium, including stronger tree protections, better water and sewer planning, impact fees, and equine- and historic-overlay protections for parts of the county that host polo, fox hunting and steeplechase traditions. Speakers included long-time residents and leaders of local associations who told council the county’s growth trajectory requires a pause to craft enforceable standards. Several said they support growth but asked that it be planned to protect water, schools, roads and public safety.

Councilman Jimmy Jones, who introduced the ordinance, told the council the planning commission — which the county appoints and which voted in favor of the pause — told staff the current subdivision rules are insufficient to protect environmental resources and to deliver the quality of residential development many residents want. Jones said the commission asked for six months to work on amendments and the council should give it time to act.

Councilman Russell Bridal and others said they supported the principle of a pause but wanted the moratorium drawn more narrowly to target river corridors and the densest growth corridors. Councilman Brent Connell and Councilman Tory Tucker opposed the moratorium as written, saying it could impose on property rights and that the timeline for the studies is optimistic; staff and several council members warned the recommended studies typically need a year or more.

The council left the moratorium in place as a first-reading ordinance and will consider it again at subsequent readings. Council members and staff said any extension beyond six months would require a new council vote. Supporters and critics agreed the next weeks will require close coordination between the planning commission, county staff and outside consultants to scope studies, identify funding and produce enforceable ZLDR amendments.

Votes at the first reading: Yes — Shoemake, Bridal, Cato, Thomason, Jones; No — Tucker, Connell. The ordinance was approved as amended on first reading.