Sumter County Council approves first readings for three rezoning requests and reallocates ARPA funds to Dalzell fire station
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Summary
At its Oct. 8 meeting, Sumter County Council granted first reading to three rezoning requests, approved reallocating $226,251 in ARPA funds to the Dalzell Fire Station construction, adopted calendars and a proclamation recognizing Respiratory Care Awareness Week, and received reports on Hurricane Helene and EMS plans.
Sumter County Council met Oct. 8 in the County Administration Building and, in largely unanimous votes, advanced multiple land-use items and administrative measures.
The council granted first reading to three rezoning requests presented by Planning Director Helen Roodman. RZ-24-15 would rezone a roughly 4.79-acre parcel at 2785 Byrd St. from Residential-9 and General Commercial to Agricultural Conservation to align the site with Military Protection and Conservation Planning Area policies. RZ-24-16 covers three adjoining parcels totaling about 41.7 acres at 1080 W. Brewington Rd.; the applicant’s agent, Mack Kolb, said the parcels are intended to accommodate a metals manufacturing use (NAICS 332312). Council members noted the site lies across from the Sumter Municipal Airport and falls in a Priority Economic Development planning area; the Planning Director said airport-compatibility impacts will be evaluated at site-plan review. RZ-24-18 requests rezoning two parcels (about 9.11 acres) on Pinewood Road and Golden Bay Road from Conservation Preservation to Agricultural Conservation; property owners Robert Parker II and Clarence Haslam were identified in the staff report. Each rezoning received a motion for first reading and was carried unanimously.
Council also accepted a Fiscal, Tax and Property Committee recommendation to reallocate $197,831 from ARPA broadband funds and $28,420 from the Dabbs Cross Road Fire Station account to the Dalzell Fire Station construction project. The committee’s motion was brought to the full council and approved by unanimous vote.
In other business, County Attorney staff presented Ordinance #24-1010 to amend the Sumter-Lee Multicounty Industrial Park Agreement so the park may be expanded to include property owned or operated by e-VAC Magnetics LLC (previously identified as Project Black Nickel). The ordinance summary references a fee-in-lieu (FILOT) agreement tied to the project and notes the ordinance would be effective after third reading; the transcript excerpts provided do not record a council vote on this first reading.
Chairman James T. McCain presented a proclamation designating Oct. 20–26, 2024, as Respiratory Care Awareness Week; Susan Hilditch accepted the proclamation and Council approved it unanimously. Council also approved its 2025 meeting calendar and the Sumter County Government 2025 holiday calendar on unanimous motions.
County Administrator Gary Mixon briefed council on local impacts from Hurricane Helene (Sept. 26–27): about 3 inches of rain, wind gusts up to 55 mph with sustained winds of 25–35 mph, roughly 4,000 homes without power, four homes damaged and several trees down. Mixon said Emergency Management is preparing for Hurricane Milton, expected Oct. 10–11. Councilman Carlton B. Washington thanked Black River Electric Cooperative for restoration work in the Rembert area. Public Safety Committee chair Washington also reported the committee received a detailed briefing from Sumter County EMS Director Kent Hall on planned improvements and cost-saving measures for the EMS department.
During public comment, Cindy Brooks-Parks raised concerns about the Register of Deeds Office, thanking Assistant County Administrator Lorraine Dennis for follow-up, expressing concerns about two employees, and urging that county staff be allowed to return non-local calls; no council action on those comments was recorded at the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 6:29 p.m.
Votes at a glance - Agenda approval: Motion by Vice Chairman James R. Byrd, Jr.; second by Councilman Artie Baker; carried unanimously. - Minutes (Sept. 10, 2024): Motion by Councilman Eugene R. Baten; second by Councilman Artie Baker; carried unanimously. - RZ-24-15 (2785 Byrd St.) first reading: Motion by Artie Baker; second by James R. Byrd, Jr.; carried unanimously. - RZ-24-16 (1080 W. Brewington Rd.) first reading: Motion by Artie Baker; second by Charles T. Edens; carried unanimously. - RZ-24-18 (Pinewood Rd./Golden Bay Rd.) first reading: Motion by James R. Byrd, Jr.; second by Artie Baker; carried unanimously. - ARPA reallocation to Dalzell Fire Station ($197,831 broadband; $28,420 Dabbs Cross): Motion and second from committee; carried unanimously. - Proclamation (Respiratory Care Awareness Week): Motion by Artie Baker; second by Charles T. Edens; carried unanimously. - 2025 meeting calendar: Motion by James R. Byrd, Jr.; second by Charles T. Edens; carried unanimously. - 2025 holiday calendar: Motion by James R. Byrd, Jr.; second by Artie Baker; carried unanimously.
What happens next The rezoning items granted first reading will return for subsequent readings and any required public hearings per county procedures. Ordinance #24-1010 was presented for first reading and references a FILOT agreement; the transcript excerpts do not record a council vote on that first reading. Staff will proceed with site-plan and airport-compatibility reviews where noted.