Project boosts Santee ‘environment for growth’

SANTEE – Santee Town Council approved first reading of an ordinance to amend its official zoning map to provide for general commercial development and construction of a residential planned unit development along Old Number Six Highway.

“About a third of the property is already in the town, and the other was outside of the town. It is being done in three areas. The front part of this property is on Highway Number 6 going toward Eutawville. All of the property that’s fronting on Number 6 will be commercial, and all of the property in the rear of that will be residential,” Santee Mayor Donnie Hilliard said.

Mt. Pleasant-based Hussey Gay & Bell is the project developer. Super Land Holdings LLC is the entity that sold the land to the developer, Hilliard said.

According to South Carolina secretary of state online records, Super Land Holdings LLC was incorporated on Dec. 27, 2019. The company lists James W. Roquemore of Orangeburg as the registered agent.

“The front part, which is the commercial property, will remain as is until someone comes along and wants to build a store or whatever. I don’t know what that’s going to be, but that’s what that front part will end up being once the zoning is finalized,” Hilliard said.

The town council will meet again on Feb. 9 to consider final second reading approval of the zoning changes.

The largest portion of the land is zoned for single-family residential, which will be rezoned to residential planned unit development, as well as a portion to general commercial. A portion of the land already zoned general commercial will also be rezoned to residential planned unit development.

“The rear part of the property will be subdivided into what is termed as a planned unit development. That is where the developer has agreed to work with the town and try to create an environment where the homes will be somewhat affordable instead of building exclusive homes,” Hilliard said.

“A lot of the people are upset and saying that that’s what is going to happen: It’s going to be a gated community. No, it’s not going to be a gated community,” he said. “The developer has agreed that he will be subject to the restrictions that the council and the town ask for in making the homes somewhat more affordable.” 

The mayor said the project will be built in phases.

“Right now they’re looking at anywhere from 50 to 100 units in phase one. The remainder of the property, if they would build it out to completion … there could be a possibility of 400 homes being built on the 69 acres,” he said.

“They’re projecting that. I don’t see it, but, then again, that’s me. I’m not an engineer. All we (town council) do is regulate just like a regular county or town in terms of getting building permits and what have you thereafter,” Hillard said. “The town has no investment whatsoever in this property.”

He said the project is nonetheless welcome as it will help further develop the interchange on and off of I-95 and U.S. 301.

Spring 2017 included the opening of the new Exit 97 and U.S. 301 Extension interchange from S.C. Highway 6 to Interstate 95. The stretch of roadway is also known as the U.S. 301/S.C. Highway 6 Connector.

The $45 million project formed the eastern anchor of South Carolina’s Global Logistics Triangle. The Global Logistics Triangle is the name Orangeburg County uses to market the area bordered by I-26, I-95 and U.S. 301.

“Town council welcomes it. It falls within our comprehensive plan. The Town of Santee has been trying now for some 20 years to develop an environment for growth. We got that $40 million interchange out there saying, ‘Here we are, come,’ but we never really have any, what I call, inventory to try to attract people,” he said.

He continued, “If you get a factory in Santee, there’s no place for people to stay. But this is helping us along the way in getting to that point. Even with the Dubai project, looks like some activity is going on out there after all these years. Although that’s right outside of the town limits, it’s still within the footprint of Santee.”

It’s been more than a decade since Dubai World, parent company of Jafza International, said it was considering Orangeburg County for a $600-700 million logistics, manufacturing and distribution center.

While the company purchased land in the Santee area, the project never materialized as planned following the global economic recession that began in December 2007.

Now there is movement again at the 1,322-acre “South Carolina Gateway Industrial Park,” formerly JAFZA Magna Park.

Two pads have been built at the site to house future speculative buildings attracting companies to the area.

One pad is on a 22-acre site and will house a 250,000-square-foot speculative building. The other pad is a 20-acre site and will house a 125,000-square-foot speculative building, according to the project’s website.