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Council approves rezoning at 3584 Peach Orchard Road over neighbor objections
Summary
Sumter County Council granted second-reading approval to rezone a 1.86-acre parcel at 3584 Peach Orchard Road from Agricultural Conservation to Neighborhood Commercial to allow a used-car dealership, despite objections from an adjacent property owner who called the move spot zoning. Planning staff said the parcel meets minimum size and reuse criteria.
Sumter County Council on April 22 approved second reading of a rezoning request to change a 1.86-acre parcel at 3584 Peach Orchard Road from Agricultural Conservation (AC) to Neighborhood Commercial (NC), clearing the way for the property owner to operate a used car dealership.
Planning Director Helen Roodman presented the request, saying the site includes an existing commercial building that had previously operated as a bar and that the parcel meets the county’s 1.5-acre minimum for standalone NC zoning. Roodman told council that redevelopment of the site would be subject to conditional-use review and that standards for nonconforming sites are applied differently than for new builds. She said automotive sales are specifically prohibited in certain other commercial districts, so the NC designation is the appropriate, lower-intensity option under county rules.
An adjacent property owner, William Hoge, spoke in opposition during the public hearing, saying the applicant did not notify neighbors and asserting the rezoning amount to spot zoning that benefits only the owner. Hoge also argued the site is not at a true intersection and therefore conflicts with the comprehensive plan’s intent for neighborhood commercial uses. Roodman responded to those concerns by explaining the planning review criteria, the parcel’s eligibility under Article II of the zoning code, and how staff weighs historical use and building conditions in making recommendations to council.
On a motion by Vice Chairman James R. Byrd, Jr., seconded by Councilwoman Vivian Fleming McGhaney, council voted unanimously to grant second reading of RZ-25-01. The motion carried with all seven members present voting in favor. Council did not take additional conditions or modifications on the record beyond the requirement for conditional-use review during redevelopment.
The decision allows the property owner to proceed toward conditional-use approvals required for the proposed car lot. Council members and planning staff noted that denial would require the applicant to wait one year before filing the same rezoning request again unless additional land were added to the application. The county’s records list the parcel under TMS# 136-0002-023.
