Welcome to the newsletter for Lancaster County!

This edition has quite a bit of information regarding impact growth has on infrastructure and several proposed developments.

This newsletter is in response to frustration with communication in the county. Councilmember Jose Luis (District 7- Indian Land) is responding as well. Join him for a Town Hall meeting at Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea at 6:30 on February 26th. Topic - What is coming and how to get involved.

Register for free by going to this link or attend virtually by clicking here. Seating is limited so reserve early if you want to attend in person! Great way to hear directly from the source and ask questions.

If you have any questions/comments about the county, do not hesitate to reach out to me- 803-804-6017 or simply reply to this email. Follow me on Facebook for more updates.

If you have friends/neighbors/family that would be interested in this information, forward the email to them and they can click this link to sign up.

Thanks,
​Stuart

Growth and Impact on Infrastructure​
Emergency Services
​Significant discussions are happening with emergency services leaders within the county in conjunction with County Council. Here is a snapshot on a few of the big items being discussed:
- Land has been purchased on Harrisburg Road for a fire station. County must find a funding source for this fire station within this budget cycle (now to end of June).
- EMS station at Tree Tops- Station is approved and land is secured with a funding source but the problem is the funding source is not available until roughly 2027 (sales tax). We need to find a way to fund sooner.
- Fire Trucks/apparatus- Multiple old equipment and trucks needs to be replaced across the county. COVID and related impacts delayed normal order processes. Trucks are on a 3 to 4 year production delay from order date. Again budget implications that need to be solved.
- Full -time Fire fighter staffing in the county. Indian Land and Van Wyck fire districts have addressed in the top part of the county but lower part of the county needs to address. Again budget implications.
- Discussions on how for EMS and Fire services to work closer together to be more efficient on first responder type calls. Really good ideas that will make a difference are on the table for discussion and implementation.

Two recent articles in the local paper.
​Fire focused
​​General growth focused​
​
​Road Infrastructure
​Significant discussions on roads within Council and County administration. Two big items:
-Develop and communicate the overall strategy for planning for roads maintenance, traffic improvement and opportunities throughout the county including dedicated resources within the county regardless of state or local roads.
- Funding sources. I will get in more detail over the next few months in this newsletter on funding but essentially there is very limited ongoing funding dedicated to road infrastructure within the county - less than four million a year which doesn't go far. The county must identify an ongoing funding source that is more significant. The only way to attract state projects and funding (ie 521 improvement) is to provide county funds to put "skin in the game".
​
​Development Updates!
​The planning commission meeting on February 18th at 6pm at the Lancaster County Admin building is packed with several items. Check out the agenda and related documents. Below are the big items. Attend in person or watch online live/later.
The Planning Commission will listen to citizens, staff reports and applicants and make a recommendation to County Council on approval/denial. County Council would hear these items on the March 10 meeting if the applicant decides to move forward. If you have concerns, voice your opinions. If you already submitted electronic comments for Kolter in January- no need to do again.

Cresswind by Kolter- Big Indian Land impact. 850 houses. This meeting was postponed due to weather and was featured in the January newsletter. Click here to review all the details in the January newsletter. If you click a link on the January Newsletter, you may be redirected- just click the link on the next page. Since the meeting changed from January, several links moved to February meeting. ​
Silver Run Development- Top of County- off Calvin Hall Rd
​Proposed 44 lots. Click here for the details filed with county.
​Blackhall/Waxhaw Hwy- Hwy 75 going to Waxhaw across from Our Lady Grace Church (39 acres)
Rezoning application from Rural Neighborhood to General Business.
​Cogito Academy- Charter School off Shiloh Unity Rd- 22 acres
​Click here for details filed with county.

If you want to voice your opinion, here are the options:

• Speak at a county meeting. Simply arrive before the meeting and sign up to speak at the door when you walk in. You will have 3 minutes to speak on a topic that is listed on the agenda. It will not be a dialog with council. Council can only listen and is not allowed to comment or engage.
• Send a citizen's comment electronically. These comments are noted as public record and given to each member of the Council. You need to do comments for each meeting. Good option if you can't attend in person. Click Here. ​
• Email County Council directly. This is not entered into public comments but a good way to speak directly to each person on council. Here is a link that you can read about each Council member. Click on the map to see where each district is located.
  District 1- Stuart Graham- smgraham@lancastercountysc.gov
• District 2- Charlene McGriff- cmcgriff@comporium.net
• District 3- Billy Mosteller- bmosteller@lancastercountysc.gov
• District 4- Jose Luis- jluis@lancastercountysc.gov
• District 5- Steve Harper - steveharper@lancastercountysc.gov
• District 6 - Bryant Neal - bneal@lancastercountysc.gov
• District 7- Bryan Carnes - briancarnes@lancastercountysc.gov

Tips: Do not bash, be hateful or disrespectful. Speak from your heart, be concise and if you have information/facts that you are speaking about...make sure that it is correct. You don't have to be a great speaker. You can simply say that you oppose or support the topic and a brief reason. Keep it to less than 3 minutes.

Important Topics for Lancaster County

• Here is how to know what is coming up on county meetings with an email to your inbox!! Click here and sign up. An email will be sent about a week prior to meeting with agenda and supporting docs. Great way to see what is coming, determine if you need to comment/research plus it is a good reminder on what the meetings are happening. Miss a meeting- you can catchup by streaming the meeting. Click link. ​
• Interested in participating in the county. One opportunity to participate in the Community Relations Board- Click here for more info. Email or call me if you would like to join.
• Lancaster County Development updates:
  • Click here for the status of in-process developments throughout the county.
  • There are significant number of developments that are approved by the City of Lancaster. I am working on a way to show what is approved/in process.

Lancaster County Council - Feb 10th, 2025 Meeting Recap
Recorded meeting - Click Here​

Highlights: annual financial report, quarterly regional park update, appointments to various boards and commissions.
​Citizens comments: ​
1. Mary Ann Hudson, Lancaster, thanked Council for acknowledging her with the employee of the year award at its last meeting. She had accepted in absentia due to the flu.
2. Sam Beegle , Lancaster, opposed the new development of Cresswinds , stating stoplights and traffic needs additional infrastructure.
3. Bruce Cohen, Walnut Creek, stated that with 2400 cars per day expected from Cresswinds development , Hwy 521 will become a parking lot.
4. Renee Chandler, SunCity, stated there’s too much growth in Indian Land , and there is already a waiting list for primary care doctors for those age 55 and above.
5. Ann Dyckman, Treetops , opined on the fact that it takes her three hours to get home from her job at Southpark. She would like to see more EMS and police funding and wondered why Van Wyck Road is already being widened if the new development has not been approved.
6. Kathy Storm , Treetops , wants the planning commission, and County Council to work more closely together. She also stated that the New Indy smell is becoming a problem again. She reminded Council that “we voted for you and we are counting on you. “
7. Electronic comment from Tom Rainey, who is concerned about short term rentals in his neighborhood from Airbnb‘s. He would like regulations on this ASAP.
​Special presentations:
A. Audit presentation by Grant Davis, CPA , Director, Mauldin and Jenkins, LLC . The county was given a clean audit for its financial statements, and also for the two major programs funded by federal dollars for $9,803,000. Government wide financial statements had $145 million of revenue, $103 million of expenses, resulting in a $42 million increase. The county general fund financial statement had $84 million in revenue, $80 million in expenditures, for a $ 4.5 million net increase . There was a 8 1/2 month fund balance at year’s end which is very good . In the general fund expenditures , the largest percentage was spent on public safety at 35% totaling $29,179,130 and general government at 30% for$23,503,356. General fund revenues had property taxes at 67% with a total of $56,528,101 collected. The next largest percentage collected was 7% each from licenses and permits and inter intergovernmental . There was one material weakness, found in internal controls on page 148 of the report, which was not read out loud. Council and Harper asked if that had been resolved, and it has been addressed.
​Non-consent agenda: ​
A. Third reading of an ordinance to increase the height limit for properties zoned general business in Indian Land’s Highway Corridor Overlay , to a height of four stories or 55 feet Passed by a vote of 7–0 B. First reading to amend the current fiscal budget for three matters.
1. The sheriffs department detention property request for $25,000 from its current commissary fund balance, to use proceeds to secure inmate’s possessions and clothing in tamper proof bags and vacuum sealed bags and secure storage , including for health reasons of contaminated items , at time of detention .
2. Increase fund balance for juvenile inmate housing from $80,000-$110,000 for the fiscal year due to cost overruns because of a spike in juvenile detention in Columbia ( 16 detentions already this year. ) 3. Request by EMS to use $21,500 of the $45,000 collected from impact fees to pay for overruns on equipment purchases for Indian Land . Passed 7-0
​Discussion and action items:
A. Appointments to various boards and commissions
1. Reconstituted board of zoning appeals. Defer to next meeting.
2. Accommodations tax advisory committee Requires one applicant from north of Highway 5. Applicant Armah Shiancoe, District 4, passed by a vote of 7–0.
3. Community relations. To open at-large seat applicants, Marc Kahn , District 2 and Melissa Neira, District 7. Passed of 7-0.
4. Planning Commission. Tiffonya Yokima Cureton , District 2. Passed 7-0.
B . Regional Park update presented by Stephanie Snowden , deputy administrator.
The new park timeline began with the property appraisal in September 2019 for a total of $2,500,000. In the years since , the timeline has progressed to now where they are doing the park due diligence and getting ready to do schematic design and development. Phase 1 of the regional park will contain a multi use baseball complex , a multipurpose soccer field complex , a storage and maintenance building, and a splash pad / spray ground. The baseball complex will include three full fields, batting cages and bullpens, concessions and restrooms, and the coaches room. The soccer complex will consist of three full fields, concession and restroom building, and an event space. The maintenance building will be fenced with one bathroom, one office, a shop floor with extended roof. The splash pad will complex will have a splash pad, restroom building, and a covered shelter. Phase 2, which is not funded, will include an inclusive playground court complex with Pickleball and basketball courts , an amphitheater and shelter, T-ball miracle league field , and nature trails.
The total regional park budget for phase 1 has been approved at $34,730,000. Cost escalation factors included grading , surveying, inflation, design cost and increase square footage. The current steps they are working on is bid document process which will go through May 2025. No date has been set for groundbreaking. They are also working on identifying fundraising and sponsorship. Councilman Harper said it is time for Council to start thinking about naming the park. Work during the previous quarter has included a transportation study , the high water table report being received , an additional topography report was necessary , and Duke energy walked the site last week with the project managers. Chris Clouden of Parks and Rec commented that it’s possible there may be between 8 to 10 baseball tournaments for travel ball from May through August of the year when the park is completed since these travel tournaments now have to go to Atlanta. It is not possible at this point to book anything for 2026 tournament wise since park completion is not guaranteed.
C. Chair appointments to various regional organizations. Chairman Carnes re-appointed himself and Councilman Luis to RFATS ( regional transportation) , himself and Councilwoman McGriff to COG ( Council of Governments ) . He will discuss re-appointment to the I 77 alliance with Councilwoman McGriff . After discussion, Council decided they would like to be in control of regional park information gathering, rather than giving it to the regional park ad hoc committee.
Meeting adjourned at 6:56, since there was no executive session on the agenda.
Notes to the best of my ability. Photos and notes be not be shared without my permission. Due to a schedule conflict, I will not be able to attend the next county council meeting, but I encourage you to watch it online.
​
Respectfully submitted, Clare McConaughay

​Unsubscribe​