Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright said “growth is inevitable,” as plans for another Holly Hill-area development advanced on Monday.

“We can’t stop it. It is coming. We need to just prepare for it the best way we can. The Planning Commission people are doing their jobs to try to do that,” Wright said.

Council gave second reading approval to Red Pill Partners’ request to rezone property located near Monarch Road and Boyer Road from forest/agriculture to residential development.

Red Pill Partners wants to develop 162 acres on Old State Road with about 130 homes.

The county received three comments opposed to the rezoning and one in favor.

It is the third residential development announced in the Holly Hill area since July 2021.

There are plans to build between 50 and 100 detached, single-family homes on Bunch Ford Road behind the Regional Medical Center’s primary care practice and across the street from Holly Hill Academy.

The other proposed development would cover 65 acres near Bunch Ford Road and Academy Lane.

Some local residents have expressed concerns about the developments and their impact on the rural nature of the area. Some have also questioned if the area has adequate water and sewer capacity or amenities to handle such growth.

In other matters:

• Council gave unanimous second reading to an exchange of property with the county school district for possible future needs.

The exchange will entail the county giving the school district property on Red Bank Road near U.S. 601 and the school district giving the county property near Interstate 95 on U.S. 15 – the site of the former Dantzler Middle School.

“We actually had one prospect look at that property at one time,” County Administrator Harold Young said. “It has to be worked. It has an old school on it that has to be demolished. I think it gives us an opportunity to have a footprint on I-95 for some economic development property.”

• Council unanimously agreed to give county administration the authority to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grants to expand broadband infrastructure in the county. No matching funds are required.

• Council was informed the county’s Public Works committee unanimously voted to discontinue maintenance on Lambert Street and a portion of Hannah Drive in the Santee area.

The streets do not have any homes, mail or school bus routes.

The streets also have low traffic flow, with Lambert having about 28 vehicles over a week-long period. Hannah had about 78 vehicles over this same time period.

The roads currently go through the S.C. Gateway (formerly Jafza Magna Park) and land owned by Super Land Holdings LLC.

• Council unanimously agreed to give the Grand American Hunt and Show event $12,000 for rent, utilities, advertising and insurance to keep the event in Orangeburg.

Council also gave the Elloree Heritage Museum $15,000 for advertising, printing and mailing their newsletter, hosting different programs, insurance, and necessary repairs to keep the museum open.

The requests were granted upon the recommendation of the county’s Tax and Tourism Committee. Funding comes from the county’s share of the state accommodations tax.

The Branchville Railroad Depot asked for money for renovations, tables, chairs and equipment, as well as for improvements to the grounds. The Tax and Tourism Committee requested more information on the plans.

• Council gave unanimous third and final reading to an ordinance adding provisions to its public services code to ensure commercial driveways meet state standards. The standards are designed to ensure the integrity of pipes and culverts.

• Council unanimously gave second reading to a fee-in-lieu-of-taxes incentive for a company called Project Stallion. Typically, projects are not publicly identified until deals are finalized.

The company is planning to invest $17.6 million and create 30 new jobs in Orangeburg County. The investment includes $6.5 million in buildings and $11.1 million in machinery and equipment.

The company is planning to locate in the former Mayer Industries building at 3777 Industrial Boulevard. Industrial Boulevard is near Interstate 26’s Exit 145.

The project would also be placed in a multicounty industrial park with Dorchester County. A joint multicounty industrial park is not a physical park but a mechanism for providing incentives to a company.

• Council gave unanimous first reading to an ordinance placing Tri-County Electric Cooperative’s $10 million to $12 million broadband expansion project within a joint county industrial park with Calhoun County.

• Council went into closed session to discuss matters related to a proposed contractual agreement regarding the Orangeburg County Courthouse.

Council received economic development updates from a number of projects including Project Stallion, Project EA, Project Aurora and Project Pizza.

• Council read a resolution honoring National Women’s History Month, which is observed in March.

Orangeburg County Council Tuesday unanimously approved continuing to extend its broadband infrastructure throughout the county.

The council voted to spend $3,333,865 for the first phase of the broadband extension. The company doing the work will be Columbia-based Utility Service Contractors Inc.

The county also approved engaging with Missouri-based Graybar for $1,482,146 for the second phase of the broadband project.

The monies are a part of a $13.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture ReConnect Program grant the county received that covers Cope, Felderville, portions of Santee, Neeses and North.

Phase 1 is eastern Orangeburg with a targeted completion by the end of the year, though there could be delays due to supply-chain issues.

Phase 2 is in western Orangeburg. Phase 2 should be completed by mid-year 2023.

Council also unanimously approved engaging St. Matthews-based Porth Construction for $3,496,190 to build the SC Gateway pump station and make sanitary sewer improvements.

The project, which is expected to be complete by year’s end, will help connect the 1,322-acre South Carolina Gateway Industrial Park (formerly JAFZA Magna Park in Santee) to the county’s wastewater system.

In other matters, council gave unanimous first reading to provide a fee-in-lieu-of-tax incentive to a company publicly being identified under the name Project Stallion. Typically, projects are not publicly identified until deals are finalized.

The company is planning to invest $17.6 million and create 30 new jobs in Orangeburg County. The investment includes $6.5 million in buildings and $11.1 million in machinery and equipment.

The company is planning to locate in the former Mayer Industries building at 3777 Industrial Boulevard. Industrial Boulevard is near Interstate 26’s Exit 145.

The company will also request the project be placed in a multicounty industrial park with Dorchester County. A joint multicounty industrial park is not a physical park but an incentive mechanism for a company.

Council also unanimously approved a resolution accepting a grant to help fund Orangeburg County sheriff’s officers to serve as school resource officers for the Orangeburg County School District.

In January, the OCSD received a six-month school resource officer grant from the S.C. Department of Public Safety. Under the $568,692 grant, six school resource officers will be funded through June 30 of this year.

The grant will bring SROs to Holly Hill-Roberts Middle School, Elloree K-8, Marshall Elementary School, the Cope Area Career Center, the Orangeburg Technology Center and the Lake Marion High School Technology Center.

The SROs could be placed in other schools if needed.

The grant will pay for salaries, equipment, training and vehicles.

t is renewable for five years and would total about $3.5 million over five years, if desired.

The district plans to apply for a renewal for an additional year running from July 1 through June 30, 2023.

The district currently has 10 SROs.

Council also gave unanimous first reading to an exchange of property with the county school district for possible future needs.

Young explained the county has a piece of property off Red Bank Road near U.S. 601 that could be advantageous to the school district and the school district has property near Interstate 95 on U.S. 15 — the site of the former Dantzler Middle School which closed about 14 to 19 years ago.

“We are just swapping properties between the two,” Young said. “Because the value of our property is a little higher, they are allowing us to harvest the timber off of that property that they have to balance it out.”

Following the agenda portion of the meeting, Councilman Johnny Ravenell asked about the status of the county’s plans to expand the wastewater-treatment capacity at its Goodby’s Creek Wastewater treatment plant on U.S. 176. 

The tank is designed to treat about 500,000 gallons of wastewater a day. Currently, the plant is permitted to treat about 250,000 gallons a day. The plant will primarily serve the Matthews Industrial Park on U.S. 301 and U.S. 176 but will eventually look to serve the town of Elloree.

Young said the county is working with the USDA and has requested from the federal and state delegation to receive funding to expand the facility’s capacity.

Ravenell said expanding the facility will be important for economic development.

Ravenell also expressed his hopes that broadband projects ongoing in the county would help provide increased competition to existing providers such as Frontier. Ravenell said he has heard from some individuals about their difficulty in getting out of their broadband contract due to the lack of competition.

In other business:

• Council agreed to approve a resolution providing tax incentives to Orangeburg solar farm Brewer Renewables LLC.

Brewer Renewables, a subsidiary of Seahorse Capital, is building a solar farm on Cannon Bridge Road near Riley Road. The project is expected to be operational in 2023. There are no new jobs associated with the solar project.

The resolution was needed to transfer the original fee-in-lieu agreement approved two years ago to a new entity.

• Council gave unanimous second reading to an ordinance adding provisions to its public services code to ensure commercial driveways in the county are in line with state codes in order to better ensure the integrity of pipes and culverts. No one commented during a public hearing on the ordinance.
• Council read a proclamation naming the third Saturday in February as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, South Carolina Zeta Youth Affiliates Day in the county.
• Council gave unanimous first reading to an emergency ordinance allowing electronic meetings of council to continue. The extension was approved for 60 days and is in place to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
• Councilwoman Janie Cooper-Smith, who has often been outspoken on the importance of not littering, reminded all that April is a countywide cleanup month and said there will be a number of group cleanup events planned.

She also noted April is zero-tolerance-for-litter month and noted law enforcement will aim to double down on littering crimes.

• Council went into closed session to discuss contractual matters related to the Orangeburg County School District.

Another residential community is planned for the Holly Hill area.

The project is planned for about 162 acres on Old State Road, east of Holly Hill.

Orangeburg County Council gave unanimous first reading approval Tuesday to Red Pill Partners LLC’s request to rezone the property from forest/agriculture to residential development.

The property is located near Monarch Road and Boyer Road.

Adjacent parcels are all zoned forest/agriculture, although the surrounding area is a mixture of residential, commercial, recreational and undeveloped property.

County planning officials say the proposed zoning change is in line with the county’s and the town of Holly Hill’s comprehensive zoning plans.

The county received three comments in opposition to the project and one in support of the project.

The project will include about 130 homes and there are hopes the development can be served by the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency when the town of Holly Hill taps into the system. The property will be served by the town’s existing sewer.

The matter received unanimous approval from the Orangeburg County Planning Commission earlier in February.

Attempts to reach North Carolina-based Red Pill Partners for more details about their plans were unsuccessful.

It is the third residential development announced in the Holly Hill area since July 2021.

There are also plans to build between 50 and 100 detached single-family, single-story and two-story homes on Bunch Ford Road behind the Regional Medical Center’s primary care practice and across the street from Holly Hill Academy.

The other proposed development would cover 65 acres near Bunch Ford Road and Academy Lane.

Another residential community is planned for the Holly Hill area.

The project is planned for about 162 acres on Old State Road, east of Holly Hill.

Orangeburg County Council gave unanimous first reading approval Tuesday to Red Pill Partners LLC’s request to rezone the property from forest/agriculture to residential development.

The property is located near Monarch Road and Boyer Road.

Adjacent parcels are all zoned forest/agriculture, although the surrounding area is a mixture of residential, commercial, recreational and undeveloped property.

County planning officials say the proposed zoning change is in line with the county’s and the town of Holly Hill’s comprehensive zoning plans.

The county received three comments in opposition to the project and one in support of the project.

The project will include about 130 homes and there are hopes the development can be served by the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency when the town of Holly Hill taps into the system. The property will be served by the town’s existing sewer.

The matter received unanimous approval from the Orangeburg County Planning Commission earlier in February.

Attempts to reach North Carolina-based Red Pill Partners for more details about their plans were unsuccessful.

It is the third residential development announced in the Holly Hill area since July 2021.

There are also plans to build between 50 and 100 detached single-family, single-story and two-story homes on Bunch Ford Road behind the Regional Medical Center’s primary care practice and across the street from Holly Hill Academy.

The other proposed development would cover 65 acres near Bunch Ford Road and Academy Lane.

Orangeburg City Councilwoman Liz Zimmerman Keitt received a national civic award for her volunteerism in the community.

Keitt was chosen as a Top 100 national winner of the 2021 Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award. The award was presented at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“It is a great thing for Orangeburg to receive this award. Because of what I have done, we will be the model for South Carolina,” Keitt said. “We are just happy to have the award. I will continue to volunteer and bring more to Orangeburg, South Carolina.”

Keitt was selected from nearly 700 nominations from 49 states in recognition of her volunteer efforts. The award was presented by Kansas-based CivicPlus, a private web-development firm that advocates for volunteership among public servants.

Keitt is founder of Project Life Positeen, an after-school group that provides tutoring and mentoring to students from K-5 to 12th grade, as well as summer programs and college aid with the Kiwanis Club.

Project Life Positeen will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in August 2022.

“Ms. Keitt, you are an inspiration to all of us,” Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said in presenting the award.

STACVA is an annual program that honors 100 public service volunteers in localities under 25,000.

It aims to spotlight the urgent need for citizens to fill critical civic volunteer roles, including local government boards and councils, volunteer firefighters, EMTs, and the many advisory committees that support key local government functions. 

CivicPlus cites the purpose of the recognition on its website.

“Research shows that the percent of people volunteering in small communities and rural counties has dropped substantially over the last 12 years,” the business states. “Civic volunteerism is the lifeblood of small town and rural America. STACVA is intended to help address this critical shortage by recognizing and supporting ‘hometown heroes,’ and by promoting best practices designed to spur a cadre of new civic volunteers to fill these vital roles.”

City Administrator Sidney Evering thanked Keitt for her work.

“Thank you for your service and volunteerism,” Evering said.

In other matters, Merle and George Buck provided council an overview of the improvements done at the area of Riverbank Drive in front of their property.

The Bucks came before council in January expressing concerns about the number of accidents that have occurred in front of their property, with speed and distracted drivers being the main reasons. The Bucks’ property is near a curve in the road.

Since the couple’s January appearance, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has placed reflective signage at the curve and has used speed radar devices in the area.

“It appears the traffic has slowed a bit,” Merle Buck said.

The Bucks’ request Tuesday is for the city Department of Public Safety to continue to monitor and enforce the speed limit in the area. The posted speed limit around the curve is 30 mph.

In other business:

• Councilman Jerry Hannah requested at the start of the meeting to amend the agenda to add the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety as an item.

City attorney Michael Kozlarek said the matter could not be added to the agenda at the time because a city ordinance requires the city administrator to be informed of any changes to the agenda no less than six days in advance of a council meeting.

Kozlarek also said that the addition of the item would be at odds with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, which requires giving 24-hour public notice.

Council members agreed to abide by the existing city ordinance and not add the item to the agenda.

• Council recognized the February community of character trait of self-discipline.
• Council entered into closed session to discuss contractual matters related to finances regarding the new city hall and downtown buildings. Council also entered into closed session to discuss the performance evaluation of Evering and to receive a legal briefing from the city’s attorney.