Planning commission approves annexation and sketch plan for West Main auto dealership; neighbor raises stormwater concerns

The planning commission voted unanimously to recommend annexation of roughly 29.31 acres owned by Satcher Properties LLC and approved a sketch plan for a phased automobile dealership and commercial center on the West Main/US 378 corridor.

Jessica, the staff presenter, said phase one envisions a roughly 48,000-square-foot dealership with showroom, service areas and extensive vehicle display and parking. "The plan is intended to establish the overall development concept and site organization," she said, noting access will be from West Main Street and Highway 378 and that a traffic impact study is underway to determine final access configuration.

Commissioners and staff discussed a right-in/right-out primary access for the dealership and how future left turns would be evaluated against SC DOT spacing requirements. Randy Edwards, the town's transportation director, emphasized the need to vet any access against designs already in progress for the Gibson/US1/378 corridor, which the town has identified as an impact-fee project.

Travis Asville, HOA president for a neighborhood directly behind the proposed site, told the commission his community frequently finds trash and debris in its pond and described prior drainage problems when an on-site pond failed. "Right now there is an incredible amount of trash and debris that just flows down from 378 all through our property," Asville said. He asked whether the proposed development includes a responsible stormwater plan to prevent additional runoff impacts.

Staff replied that stormwater design and detention will be required and must be approved through the state permitting agency before construction moves forward.

The project team said they expect to begin construction in early 2027 if permitting and design proceed on schedule. Bill Atkins of Pyramid Contracting, the design-builder, said, "It' be the first quarter, late first quarter of 27 that we would initiate." The commission approved the annexation and the sketch plan by unanimous vote.

What happens next: The sketch-plan approval advances the project to more detailed site-plan and engineering reviews, SC DOT spacing review where applicable, and required state stormwater permitting; the town noted separate permitting and design approvals are required before construction.