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Sumter County approves two rezonings and an infrastructure-fund amendment
Summary
Council approved a first-reading rezoning for 601 Pitts Road and a second-reading rezoning on Thomas Sumter Highway to permit commercial uses, and unanimously passed an ordinance authorizing limited infrastructure loans to developers; one budget ordinance was removed from the agenda.
Sumter County Council on Jan. 11 approved a pair of rezoning requests and second reading of an amendment to the county's Infrastructure Fund ordinance.
Planning staff presented RZ-21-24, a request to rezone about 5.8 acres at 601 Pitts Road from Residential-15 to Agricultural Conservation to allow a Special Events Facility by conditional approval; the Planning Commission recommended approval, and Council granted first reading.
Council also held a public hearing and approved second reading for RZ-21-22, rezoning two parcels totaling about 1.35 acres at 4185/4189 Thomas Sumter Highway from General Commercial/Agricultural Conservation to General Commercial to enable an automotive dealer. Resident Jamie Doyle raised concerns about a recent traffic fatality on the highway and asked whether sidewalks, lighting and improved ingress and egress would be provided. Applicant Christopher Patten told council he intends to open a used-car dealership and said he "does not plan to install lighting on Thomas Sumter Highway or place lighting at the location" Doyle mentioned.
County Attorney Johnathan Bryan presented Ordinance 21-969, which amends Ordinance No. 02-461 to permit the Infrastructure Fund to provide loans to private developers for speculative industrial buildings. Bryan described the terms: "the maximum amount of any such loan will be the lesser of Two Million ($2,000,000.00) Dollars or Twenty-Five (25%) Percent of the project budget," the loan must be secured by a mortgage, and approval would require a supermajority of five council members. No members of the public spoke in opposition to Ordinance 21-969 at the hearing.
Council voted unanimously to grant the respective readings: first-reading approval for RZ-21-24, second-reading approval for RZ-21-22, and second-reading approval for Ordinance 21-969. Ordinance 21-970 (a 2021–22 budget amendment) was removed from the agenda at the administrator's request and not considered.
