Lancaster County Newsletter
​📬 March 2026
Missed a county council meeting? - See below for recap: ​
​February 23rd, 2026- Regular Council Meeting
​March 9th, 2026- Regular Council Meeting
​March 11th, 2026- Workshop Meeting
All three meetings have significance.
- February 23rd: Council postponed second reading for two proposed developments.
- March 9th: The proposed C.F. Smith development was postponed again.
- March 11th: I do not typically recap workshop meetings, but this one was especially important due to the strategic plan review, the joint Fire/EMS proposal, and major infrastructure discussion—especially around fire and EMS coverage.
📬 March 2026 Lancaster County Update
Community Corner: Getting Out in Lancaster County
Lancaster County has a lot of talent and culture. Here are a few upcoming events worth checking out.
🎠Indian Land High School presents Mamma Mia!​
Indian Land High School has built an amazing drama program, and Mamma Mia! should be another great show. Performances are March 26–28 at 7:00 PM and March 29 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $14 at the door or can be purchased in advance here.
​Location: Indian Land High School, 6100 Charlotte Hwy, Lancaster, SC 29720
🎶 Lancaster Cultural Arts Center​
The Cultural Arts Center continues to bring high-level music and arts programming to Lancaster in a fantastic setting with amazing acoustics. It is great for the casual fan and the experienced music lover alike. I attended the Lazy Birds concert on March 14, and it was excellent. Check out the upcoming schedule here.
🎨 Lancaster County Council of the Arts – Plein Air Arts Festival​
The third annual Plein Air Arts Festival is coming up on March 21. It is a great way to enjoy the Greenway in the City of Lancaster while watching artists paint along the way. You can find more details here.
Planning Commission Opening – District 1
A Lancaster County Planning Commission seat for District 1 is now open. This is a great opportunity to get involved and serve in a role that helps guide growth and development in our county.
If you are interested in learning more or expressing interest, click here.
Development & Infrastructure in Focus
Over the last few meetings, Council’s discussion has increasingly shifted from simply “yes or no” on rezonings to a broader question: can our infrastructure and public safety systems support the pace and location of growth?
That has been especially clear with the two major rezonings currently in front of Council:
The Haven ​
Located on roughly 604 acres between Hwy 521 and Craig Farm Road, The Haven proposal would rezone property from Rural Neighborhood (RN) to Medium Density Residential (MDR) with a Cluster Subdivision Overlay. The proposal is roughly 900 homes. Full details- click here. After Council passed the first reading in the February 9th meeting, the second reading was postponed by a 4-3 vote in the February 23rd meeting to allow council to discuss Fire/EMS infrastructure in the March 11th workshop meeting.
C.F. Smith​
Located on 71.1 acres at Hwy 521 and Laurel Hill Road, between Aldi and Culver’s, this proposal would rezone the property from Low Density Residential (LDR) to Regional Business (RB) for a large commercial development with retail and outparcels. Full details- click here.
The project passed first reading, but Council voted at the February 23rd meeting to postpone second reading in order to clarify the conditional use of large-scale retailers in the Regional Business district and address access to the south.
Second reading was placed back on the agenda for the March 9th meeting, but it was postponed again—this time for up to 60 days—due to concerns raised by the management of the adjacent Parkstone development, primarily related to traffic and the proposed use of the property. The delay is intended to allow representatives from Parkstone and C.F. Smith time to meet and discuss those concerns.
Fire and EMS Proposal: What Was Discussed
A major part of the infrastructure conversation at the March 11 Council workshop focused on fire and EMS coverage primarily as a result of citizens speaking out begging council to discuss and take action.
Staff presented a proposal that would allow Lancaster County firefighters who already hold EMT certification or would voluntarily obtain the certification to provide countywide EMT-level medical care under Lancaster County EMS oversight, instead of being limited to basic first responder actions while waiting for an ambulance.
In simple terms, the proposal is meant to:
- improve early patient care, especially in rural parts of the county
- make better use of personnel who are already stationed across the county
- expand response capacity without completely rebuilding the current fire/EMS system
Staff said the model could be implemented through a formal agreement, medical-control structure, training oversight, and limited added support costs. Council’s discussion centered on the public safety benefits, the workforce and recruitment advantages, and whether this approach could improve response coverage as growth continues.
I am thankful for Clay Catoe (EMS) and Chief Nicholson (Fire) for coming together and advancing a proactive way to expand services to citizens without spending a bunch of money. It is a win-win for citizens and county employees.
If you want to go deeper into that conversation, check out the meeting recap and use the linked YouTube timestamps to jump directly to the discussion.
Why This Matters
Infrastructure discussions have been front and center for several years, but these recent meetings made something very clear: growth decisions cannot be separated from roads, fire protection, EMS response, and long-term service capacity.
Council is not just debating land use. The bigger question is whether Lancaster County is putting the right systems in place to support the next phase of growth in a responsible way which is what citizens have been asking for.
If you missed earlier newsletter editions, click here to see all the previous months. Great way to share it with your friends and neighbors via email or social media.
👥 If you're part of a group that would be interested in having me attend a meeting to discuss county matters, don’t hesitate to reach out—I’m always happy to connect.
If you have any questions or concerns about the county, feel free to reach out: 803-804-6017 or simply reply to this email.
Thank you for your continued engagement and support.
I’m grateful to serve the county I grew up in and love—and I’m always open to your questions, ideas, and concerns.
Best,​
​Stuart
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