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Sumter County Council approves rezoning requests, adopts comprehensive-plan update and schedules committee review of solar setback changes
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Summary
Council granted second-reading approval to two rezoning requests, adopted the Sumter 2040 Comprehensive Plan update and approved a property sale; members agreed to hold a Land Use Committee to review proposed solar setback changes before finalizing that ordinance amendment.
Sumter County Council on Nov. 26 approved two rezoning requests, adopted a five-year update to the county comprehensive plan and passed a property-sale ordinance, while scheduling a Land Use Committee meeting to review proposed changes to solar-project setback rules.
At the start of the meeting, Chairman James T. McCain Jr. presided over routine business; Council then moved into land-use items. Planning Director Helen Roodman presented RZ-24-19, a request to rezone a 10.0-acre parcel at 2950 Ebenezer Road from Residential-9 to Agricultural Conservation to enable a retail operation for farm-grown products. Property owner Charlotte James told the council she and her husband plan to plant native vegetation to improve pollination and wildlife habitat, that they will not establish a mobile home park, and that they hope to pursue conservation-related programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Councilman Artie Baker moved for second-reading approval; Councilman Eugene R. Baten seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
Roodman then presented RZ-24-20, a request from St. Paul Development LLC to rezone a roughly 33-acre portion of TMS# 159-00-02-001 from Residential-15 to Residential-9 to allow a subdivision. John Hilton and Tyler Dunlap spoke in support. Roodman said the developer increased the number of lots from 30 to 40 after engineering a second access point approved by the Sumter Fire Department. Councilman Baker moved and Councilman Charles T. Edens seconded the motion for second-reading approval; the motion carried unanimously.
The council took up OA-24-06, an ordinance amendment to the Sumter County Zoning and Development Standards Ordinance addressing primary photovoltaic solar energy systems and proposed changes to setback standards and special-exception review criteria. Roodman said the Planning Commission had recommended approval of the initial changes; no members of the public spoke. Councilman Carlton B. Washington requested further information about the proposed changes, and other council members agreed that a Land Use Committee should review outstanding questions. Vice Chairman James R. Byrd Jr. moved to grant second reading as presented; the council also agreed to schedule a Land Use Committee meeting for further review before final action.
Council then granted third reading and adopted MA-24-02, the five-year update to the Sumter 2040 Comprehensive Plan, after Roodman reported there were no changes to the proposed update. The council also adopted Ordinance #24-1011, approving the sale of 0.226 acre on Broad Street to the South Carolina Department of Transportation; Attorney Bryan presented the ordinance and said there were no changes since introduction. Motions on the plan and the property sale were unanimous.
The meeting closed after brief committee reports and public comment. The county will host a Land Use Committee meeting before the next full council meeting to address questions about the solar ordinance amendment.
The council adjourned at 7:31 p.m.