Sumter County Council defers rezoning request for 4065 Country Lane after neighborhood objections

Sumter County Council on Feb. 22 deferred a rezoning request for a ±5.81-acre tract at 4065 Country Lane after neighbors raised concerns about traffic, crime and flooding.

Planning staff told council the applicant, James Erin Dyson, seeks to rezone the property from General Residential to Agricultural Conservation to allow mini-warehouse units. County planner Helen Roodman said site constraints would require subdivision before a mini-warehouse could be built because a mini-warehouse site cannot exceed four acres; access would be limited to St. Paul Church Road under the Comprehensive Plan. Roodman said the project would be subject to site-plan review, required stormwater permitting, and a vegetative buffer between the commercial use and adjacent residences.

Neighbors speaking during the public hearing said the area is a quiet residential neighborhood and expressed worry that a storage facility would increase traffic, attract crime and worsen localized flooding. Brent Pokay told council residents in the neighborhood “are like family” and urged them to deny the rezoning. Ernie Seruya said the parcel floods frequently and asked how development would affect nearby homes.

Applicant James Erin Dyson said controls would include a six-foot fence, a timed gate with security codes and limited operating hours — “the business will not be a 24-hour business; the latest hours would be until 10:00 p.m.” He also said there would be an on-site dumpster for tenant waste.

After discussion, Councilman Charles T. Edens moved, Vice Chairman James R. Byrd seconded, and council unanimously voted to defer second reading to allow council members to visit the site and to have the County’s Stormwater Department review the property and proposed improvements.

Next steps: the item was deferred for an on-site inspection and further stormwater analysis; no final zoning decision was made at the meeting.