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Residents urge Dorchester County to reduce Orangeburg Road footprint, cite displacement and cemetery concerns
Summary
Residents and landowners told county council the Orangeburg Road Loop design (lane width and shared-use path) could displace long-standing communities, affect historic cemeteries, and create assessment and relocation challenges; staff described the public-hearing process but made no on-the-record compensation promises.
Several residents who live along the planned Orangeburg Road Loop addressed Dorchester County Council on Jan. 5, urging design changes and protections for long-standing neighborhoods.
Valvey (Valvy) Grant of 161 Orangeburg Road told the council the "Red Road Community," a historically rooted neighborhood, would be harmed by the project's proposed footprint. She specifically named Smith Cemetery and Sellers Cemetery on both sides of the corridor and asked that the county remove a proposed 10-foot shared-use path and 5-foot sidewalks in sensitive stretches to limit displacement. Grant framed the concern in historical terms, referencing the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 as precedent for roadway projects that destroyed neighborhoods.
Eric Green, who lives at 135 Orangeburg Road, asked how far the widening would extend near his property, whether assessments would be reassessed, and how homeowners who lose houses would be compensated. Green raised a specific concern about a neighboring uncle who is a Vietnam veteran and may be displaced; the chair offered to follow up after the meeting and collect contact information for further discussion.
Landowner Malika Witchard said her family owns multiple tracts along the route, thanked a council member for supporting a narrower lane option, and urged removal of the 10-foot shared-use path between Dorchester Road and Burling G. Myers Parkway because of the project's increased footprint. She asked the county to ensure affected homeowners receive fair market compensation and retain the ability to rebuild if county lot-size rules would otherwise prevent reconstruction.
County staff described opportunities for public input, permitting, and the planning process, but the transcript records no on-the-record commitments regarding compensation, specific mitigation measures, or final design changes. Residents asked for further engagement and said they would continue to press for adjustments that reduce displacement and preserve burial sites.
