Colleton residents protest recent industrial rezonings, council flags separate Green Pond rezoning passed unanimously

Colleton County Council on Dec. 3 unanimously approved Ordinance 24-0-18 to rezone a 22.20-acre parcel on Green Pond Highway (tax map number 1950000068) from Urban Development 1 (UD-1) to Industrial (ID).

At the same meeting’s public-comment period, residents from Red Bank Road, Maple Ridge Road and nearby neighborhoods urged the council to rescind or reconsider a different rezoning and a proposed rock yard they said will be placed adjacent to homes. Speakers said they were not adequately notified of that rezoning and raised health, safety and traffic concerns, and alleged a history of environmental violations by the company they identified.

Why it matters: the council’s formal action on the Green Pond parcel moves that property to an industrial zoning classification, changing permitted uses on that site. Separately, residents’ objections to a rezoning and a quarry/rock-yard operation near Red Bank and Maple Ridge — including claims about truck volumes, dust, and water impacts — prompted council members to say they would investigate and to remind residents of upcoming planning meetings where public input is sought.

The council vote and the residents’ concerns Ordinance 24-0-18, described in the meeting as authorizing the rezoning of a 22.20-acre parcel on Green Pond Highway from UD-1 to ID, was moved, seconded and carried unanimously. The council did not discuss that ordinance at length during the meeting beyond the motion and voice vote.

During the public-comment segment, multiple residents described a separate, locally significant rezoning and an apparent plan for a rock yard near Red Bank Road and Maple Ridge. Several speakers said they first learned of the change through word of mouth or after a separate meeting and not through county notice. They said they saw no visible road signage required by state law, and they asked the council to rescind or reconsider the rezoning.

Speakers described expected impacts: heavier truck traffic on narrow roads, speed and safety risks for children and residents, and dust or water pollution that could affect homes, crops and livestock. One speaker identified the company proposed for the site as “Idle Work Materials” and said, based on internet searches, the company and its subsidiaries have faced enforcement actions and fines in other states; another speaker said the total fines exceeded $48,000,000. These claims were presented as residents’ reporting and were not corroborated by county staff during the meeting.

Council response and next steps Council members said they had not been briefed about the project before community members raised it. Vice Chairman Philip Taylor said he first learned about the situation through constituents and word of mouth and that he and other council members had not previously discussed the project in a council meeting. Council members told speakers they heard their concerns and that staff and the council would look into the matter; one councilor asked residents to watch for announcements about upcoming comprehensive-planning meetings and public hearings, which the council said will be posted on the county website and the local paper.

What residents asked for Residents asked the council to: - Reconsider or rescind the rezoning affecting homes along Red Bank Road and Maple Ridge Road. - Provide clearer public notice, including road signage and direct community outreach for future rezoning actions affecting neighborhoods. - Require stronger mitigations for traffic, dust and water runoff, and to consider buyouts or other remedies if environmental harm is proven.

Claims and limits of the public record Speakers attributed the company name and the history of enforcement actions to internet searches and public information; the council did not verify those claims during the meeting. The ordinance the council passed at the start of the meeting (24-0-18) applies to the Green Pond Highway parcel described in the agenda; speakers’ complaints about rezoning and a rock yard concerned nearby neighborhoods and an apparent separate application. The council made no formal decision about the residents’ requested rescission during the meeting.

Community context and safety concerns Multiple speakers described narrow local roads, frequent heavy trucks and safety worries for children and neighbors who walk or bicycle. Parents said they feared that large loaded dump trucks could not stop quickly enough for children who run into the roadway. Other residents described prior local incidents of air- or dust-related impacts from industrial activity and said those experiences heightened their concern.

Next steps Councilors said staff would look into the residents’ claims and the procedural history they described. The council also noted an upcoming round of public meetings on comprehensive planning; officials said those sessions will be advertised on the county website and in the local newspaper and that they expect additional public input opportunities as planning and permitting proceed.

Ending: The council’s immediate action on Dec. 3 was limited to the Green Pond Highway parcel (Ordinance 24-0-18). Residents seeking reversal of the rezoning or changes around Red Bank and Maple Ridge told councilors they will continue to press for review and said they expect follow-up from county staff and elected members. No formal rescission or additional zoning vote was taken at the Dec. 3 session.