Sumter County Council certifies 1% sales tax referendum and approves multiple rezoning and ordinance measures; one rezoning denied

Sumter County Council on Tuesday certified the results of a one-cent (1%) Capital Projects Sales and Use Tax referendum and approved a series of zoning and ordinance measures, but denied a second-reading rezoning for two parcels on Pinewood Road and Golden Bay Road.

County Attorney Johnathan Bryan told the council the referendum returned 25,174 votes in favor and 15,954 opposed. Council unanimously adopted a resolution declaring the results and directed the chairman and clerk to execute the paperwork to process the measure.

Council acted on multiple land-use items during the meeting. Planning Director Helen Roodman presented a first-reading rezoning for a 10.0-acre parcel at 2950 Ebenezer Road submitted by Charlotte James to convert the parcel from Residential-9 to Agricultural Conservation to allow a retail farm-goods storefront; the council granted first reading. A separate first-reading rezoning for a roughly 33-acre portion of 725 S. St. Paul’s Church Road (applicants Tyler Dunlap and a Mr. Hilton) to change R-15 to R-9 was also advanced on first reading after staff explained lot-size and septic constraints.

The council considered amendments to the county zoning ordinance governing large-scale solar projects (primary photovoltaic systems, NAICS 221114). Planning staff described proposed setbacks and adjustments to the special-exception review criteria and said a homeowner-developer setback waiver would be a private agreement between landowners and developers. Council granted first reading to the solar amendment as presented.

Council denied second reading of RZ-24-18, a request to rezone two parcels totaling about 9.11 acres from Conservation Preservation to Agricultural Conservation. Planning staff clarified minimum-lot-size and Board of Zoning Appeals variance requirements; the motion to deny second reading was carried (motion by Councilman Carlton B. Washington, seconded by Councilman Charles T. Edens). Vice Chairman James R. Byrd, Jr. voted in opposition to the denial.

Two third-reading rezonings were adopted. Council unanimously approved rezoning approximately 4.79 acres at 2785 Byrd Street from R-9 and General Commercial to Agricultural Conservation, and likewise adopted rezoning of roughly 41.7 acres at 1080 W. Brewington Road from Agricultural Conservation to Heavy Industrial.

In Old Business, council granted third reading to an amendment of the Sumter-Lee Industrial Park master agreement to enlarge the park to include property associated with E-Vac Magnetics LLC (referred to previously as Project Black Nickel). The council also approved the sale of a 0.226-acre parcel on Broad Street to the South Carolina Department of Transportation; staff said the offer was $17,730.

Committee business included a unanimous council vote to extend a contractor completion date for CNC Property Holdings, LLC to Aug. 31, 2025, for work at Magnolia Street and Lafayette Boulevard.

During public comment, Robert Parker said he was seeking to be a responsible property owner in the neighborhood associated with RZ-24-18 and denied plans to operate a mobile home park. Dr. Alexandra Baten asked council to consider drafting an ordinance to address firearms use in closely spaced urban neighborhoods and said she and Captain Hawkins are coordinating on the concept.

The meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m. with no executive session held.