Planning commission approves private-road waiver for Edisto Drive one-lot subdivision in Santee Circle

The Berkeley County Planning Commission on Oct. 31 approved a waiver of private roadway requirements in the countyland development and subdivision regulations for an intended one-lot subdivision (TMS 123-00-03-029) on Edisto Drive in the Santee Circle community, County Council District 8.

The commissionaction followed staffpresentation that the applicant had provided a gravel road maintenance agreement bearing roughly seven or eight resident signatures. Cole, a planning staff member, told the commission the maintenance agreement was the primary update since the item was last considered.

Alma Lesue, the agent for the applicant, said she attempted to contact every household and obtained the signatures that appear on the agreement. "I wasn't able to get a hold of everybody that lived there. There were some people that just weren't home or there were some homes that were vacant," Lesue said.

Resident Tony Weeks told the commission he and his family have maintained the road since it was built and that they would prefer the roadway remain gravel. "I don't mind using mine and my son's equipment to scrape the road with loose rock," Weeks said, but he added he did not want to be the sole party financially responsible for buying rock and covering ongoing costs on a retirement income.

Commissioners asked how many lots the road serves; Lesue estimated there are about 21 lots but said she was not sure how many are currently occupied. Staff confirmed some properties are vacant. A staff member also clarified a previous family-subdivision restriction cited by a resident could be affected by the availability of septic or sewer service; if adequate septic systems are installed, building could be possible under current provisions.

A motion to approve the waiver was made and seconded; the commission voted in favor and the motion carried. The motion on the record was "Move to approve." No named mover or second is recorded in the transcript. The minutes show an affirmative voice vote and no recorded nays.

The waiver removes the requirement that the roadway be improved to the private roadway standard in the countyregulations and leaves maintenance responsibility to the neighborhood-level agreement provided to staff. The agreement submitted with the application indicates residents would share maintenance responsibilities, but several speakers said fundraising for aggregate and fuel has been limited and that no single person had committed to ongoing purchases. The commission did not attach additional conditions in the recorded motion.

The county council retains final decision-making authority on rezoning and related subdivision matters; staff advised anyone interested in follow-up that council dates and land-use committee information can be obtained from the planning department.