Council approves annexation and PDD zoning for 903 West Malden Street after revisions

Anderson City Council voted unanimously Feb. 3 to adopt Ordinance 25-01 on second reading, annexing about 4.5 acres at 903 West Malden Street and zoning the tract Planned Development District (PDD) to allow a single‑family residential subdivision.

Maurice McKenzie, planning and development director, told the council the PDD document — included in the council packet and revised after a Dec. 9 first reading and a Jan. 15 drop‑in meeting with council members — sets specific development standards for the site. The applicant proposes a maximum of 38 single‑family detached homes, a density the staff described as about 8.8 units per acre.

McKenzie said the revised concept plan adds sidewalks along Malden and Bleckley streets, internal sidewalks on both sides of new streets, turnarounds for exterior lots to avoid backing onto busier corridors, perimeter buffering, street trees at roughly 40 feet on center and removal of an existing billboard on the property. He said the developer moved houses on Malden Street back about five feet to increase driveway parking and removed a proposed new black fence between the development and the adjacent Saint Francis Park to allow the park to be an amenity for new residents.

Steve McNair, representing the builder, said the planned homes will be modest in size — about 1,300 to 1,500 square feet — and that the builder intends to pursue South Carolina mill tax credits and other financing sources to subsidize prices. McNair said the company hopes to target owner‑occupied, affordable product and work with housing authorities or lenders so buyers such as teachers, first responders or other qualifying householders can access financing; he said the most likely sales prices were expected in the low‑to‑mid $200,000 range, with a target closer to about $210,000–$215,000 if possible.

Council members asked about traffic at the Bleckley/Malden intersection and whether the state Department of Transportation would need to review changes on state roads. Staff said most exterior streets are state‑maintained and the city would coordinate with DOT for any safety changes. Council members also discussed neighborhood conditions, Friendship Court nearby, and the potential for new homeowners to contribute to neighborhood investment.

After discussion, the council (motion by Miss Horvin; second by Mr. Horgan) approved the ordinance on second reading. The motion passed unanimously. The developer and staff will proceed to construction‑drawing review and fulfill tree‑preservation and other PDD requirements before permits are issued.