Berkeley County Council advances US‑52/US‑176 interim design, approves $600K grant and multiple rezoning requests; denies several rezonings and a Monks Corner T

Berkeley County Council on July 28, 2025, approved design work for interim improvements at the US‑52/US‑176 intersection, authorized multiple zoning changes and economic-development items, and recorded several denials on land-use petitions and a proposed town tax-increment financing district.

Most consequential for commuters, the council approved a motion to proceed with design of interim roadway improvements at the US‑52/US‑176 intersection, to be funded by the county’s one-cent sales tax. Staff said the next steps include a survey and design work; county engineers will return with estimated construction costs and schedules. The design alternatives discussed included at‑grade solutions that can be completed within existing right of way and would add multiple dedicated turn lanes to improve traffic flow.

On economic development, council approved a $600,000 pass-through grant to Harbor Logistics after staff said the county applied to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture for an expansion to support soybean exports. The motion for the grant passed by voice vote.

Land-use actions included a mix of approvals and denials across the…