Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rezoning Case 26 004 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission advances Broad River Road rezoning after resident traffic, drainage objections
Summary
The Richland County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of rezoning case 26-004 MA (M1 to GC) for a 15.76-acre Broad River Road-area parcel proposed for about 200 multifamily units; neighbors cited traffic, access and flooding risks. The matter goes to County Council May 19.
The Richland County Planning Commission on May 4 recommended that County Council approve a rezoning request (case 26-004 MA) to change a 15.76-acre parcel along WS Julius Richardson/Broad River Road from M1 (light industrial legacy zoning) to GC (general commercial).
Staff told the commission the request is compliant with the county's current comprehensive plan and consistent with commercial development along Broad River Road. The applicant, identified in the staff packet as Kevin Connelly (who introduced himself in remarks as Kevin Connley), said the rezoning would remove heavier industrial uses and that the team proposes roughly 200 multifamily units — about 11 units per acre, below the theoretical GC allowance discussed in the packet.
The commission's recommendation matters because it is advisory to County Council; the council will hold a public hearing and a final vote. Commissioners debated the application after a string of public comments from nearby residents who said re-opening Julius Richardson Road to substantial new traffic would harm the area's rural character and raise safety concerns.
"We've gotten used to that road quiet," said Tim Stafford, a nearby resident. "Now they want to go back and make it a racetrack again." Several neighbors said they were worried about driveway location, increased daily vehicle trips, flooding along White Horse Branch and possible property-value declines if high-density housing is built.
The applicant responded directly to access and drainage concerns, saying the development would not connect to Julius Richardson Road and that the primary intersection improvements would tie into the existing traffic signal; he also said stormwater plans would be engineered to meet applicable review standards so post-development flow would not increase.
Commissioners pressed staff on how additional access would be authorized; staff explained access depends on the number and type of units, road maintenance authority and that the South Carolina Department of Transportation issues encroachment permits and can limit access points. Staff also noted that some access points can be limited to emergency use only.
On a roll call vote (Grady yes; Durant yes; Duffy no; Lloyd no; Frierson yes; Yonke yes), the commission advanced the request to County Council with a recommendation of approval. Dissenting commissioners said they were uneasy because the county's new comprehensive plan was pending adoption and because of uncertainty about the ultimate density and community impacts.
The rezoning will be heard by County Council on May 19 at 7 p.m.; the applicant and staff also noted a town-hall meeting on May 13 at Killian Park to discuss related cases.
