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Resident asks Edgefield County to limit DNR access after planned heritage-preserve purchase
Summary
A resident urged the council to place specific limitations on South Carolina Department of Natural Resources activities after learning DNR plans for a heritage preserve that may include a parking lot and trails adjacent to private property; he raised concerns about access, potential vandalism and road improvements.
During the public comment period at the Aug. 6 Edgefield County Council meeting, resident Jeff Hutto urged council members to seek clearer limitations on the Department of Natural Resources’ planned heritage preserve after learning a narrow strip adjacent to his property is included in the DNR purchase.
Hutto said DNR staff told him the strip could serve as a public parking lot to support archaeological digs, trails and exhibits, and he voiced concerns that a parking lot and increased public traffic could lead to vandalism, artifact theft and additional county maintenance burdens on a long dirt road. He also referenced a previous break-in at the Tompkins Library and an estimated, rough figure for paving the access road (he said "probably $2,000,000" as a personal estimate). Hutto said he supports archaeological work but asked the council for "more explicit and specific limitation to the DNR."
County staff invited Hutto to submit his comments in writing through the clerk for formal consideration. No council action occurred during the meeting on the matter; staff did not announce any formal restriction or agreement with the resident’s requests.
What happens next: The county clerk accepted Hutto’s offer to submit written comments and staff can include them in future discussions with DNR or in any public hearings tied to the preserve purchase.
