Sumter County council defers rezoning of 37-acre Sherwood Forest parcel after resident concerns

Sumter County Council on Jan. 14 deferred a rezoning request for about 37 acres along Myrtle Beach Highway known as part of the uncompleted Sherwood Forest plan, following extensive public comment about traffic, safety and sewer access.

Planning staff told the council RC 2422 would change the property from light-industrial/warehouse to R-6 residential and said the applicant has proposed roughly 111 single-family lots. Staff said the site is heavily wooded, fronts Myrtle Beach Highway and would require access from Wilmington Road; any development would require the developer to obtain access to city sewer service, which will likely entail relocating a sewer force main and upgrades to lift stations.

The public raised safety and infrastructure concerns. Eugene Bacon, a longtime former county council chairman who said he lives nearby, urged the council to deny the request, saying the area lacks retail access and that residents currently cross the four-lane highway to reach stores, a practice he said has led to fatalities. “We built developments across there… it’s not access to retail stores,” Bacon said. Sandra Ruff, who said she lives on Wellington Road inside Sherwood Forest, said she bought her home because the street was a dead end and worried new connections would increase speeding and accidents. John Davis, who said he lives at the end of Wellington Road, also said the proposal would sharply increase traffic for neighborhood roads.

A developer representative who identified himself as Tony said the plan is preliminary and called it an effort to build a neighborhood; he said future phases could orient access toward Myrtle Beach Highway and that developers would aim to phase the work. Council members repeatedly urged the applicant to speak directly with residents before the council acts.

Council members moved to defer action so the developer could meet with residents. The council chair called the motion and members voted in favor to defer; staff said they would provide contact information for the developer and for residents and expect the item to return at the next meeting in about two weeks.

Why it matters: Planning staff said the request is consistent with the county’s Comprehensive Plan (2040) given surrounding residential zoning, but council members and residents focused on onsite access, whether city sewer can practically be extended and immediate traffic and pedestrian safety on Myrtle Beach Highway. The deferral directs the applicant to hold discussions with neighbors and return with follow-up information before the council takes a final vote.

Next steps: Staff said the developer must demonstrate sewer access arrangements with the city, resolve fire-access requirements (two accesses or a remote fire access for more than 30 lots), and meet with adjacent homeowners about road connectivity and buffering. The council set the item to return after the community meeting; no final rezoning vote was recorded in the transcript.