LANCASTER COUNTY NEWSLETTER

September County Council Update

Highway 521 • School Board Elections • UDO • County Updates • Community Events

🚦 FOUR MILES OF HIGHWAY 521 — A LOT IS HAPPENING

This month I will focus on a relatively short stretch of Highway 521 — from Van Wyck Road north to MUSC Health and The Point.

It is only about four miles, but when you put the projects together on one map, it gives a much better picture of the amount of development already underway, approved, planned or being marketed along this corridor.

My review identified 11 major development projects plus six additional marketed or under-contract properties along this approximately four-mile stretch.

The numbers are significant:

• 11 major projects
• More than 1.6 million square feet of specifically identified or master-planned nonresidential development
• 1,224 specifically quantified residential units
• 70.7 additional acres currently marketed or under contract

Those numbers are actually conservative. They do not include unquantified commercial pads, a contemplated multifamily component at CrossRidge, the eventual buildout of Legacy Pointe or future expansion of the MUSC campus.

I know this map is not perfect but hopefully it can give you enough to understand locations.

Moving South to North — Four Miles of Highway 521

The roughly four-mile stretch of Highway 521 from Van Wyck Road north to MUSC contains an extraordinary amount of development in a relatively short distance. Some projects required rezonings or development agreements from County Council, while others were allowed under existing zoning and moved through the normal site-plan and permitting process.

VAN WYCK ROAD / SOUTHERN END

Indian Land Storage- #1 on map​
Directly south of Van Wyck Road, the new Indian Land Storage development adds approximately 110,000 square feet of self-storage along the west side of Highway 521.

Council Action: By-right commercial development under existing zoning — no Council rezoning vote required. Owner of property has the right to develop for this use.

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​Potential Grocery / “Neighborhood Walmart” Site - #2 on map​
Directly north of Van Wyck Road is a commercial site with plans showing approximately 49,800 square feet of retail space. A grocery store/Neighborhood Walmart has been associated with the site.

Council Action: By-right commercial development under existing zoning — no Council rezoning vote required. Owner of property has the right to develop for this use.

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Indian Land Marketplace — CF Smith/Harris Tract- #3 on map​
This is one of the largest remaining commercial sites along this portion of the corridor: approximately 71.1 acres between Highway 521, Laurel Hill Road and ParkStone. The concept plan shows approximately 340,000 square feet of commercial development, including a major retail anchor, additional retail buildings and outparcels that could accommodate restaurants and other businesses. No major anchor tenant has been publicly confirmed.

The project required rezoning from Low Density Residential to Regional Business. The Planning Commission recommended denial 6-0, while County planning staff recommended approval.

Council Action: Rezoning approved — 5-2 final approval on August 10, 2026 with Brian Carnes, Neal, McGriff, Mosteller and Harper voted yes. Graham and Jose Luis against.

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ParkStone- #4 on map​
ParkStone combines apartment development with a growing commercial area. The residential portion contains 266 apartments.

The commercial portion now includes Texas Roadhouse, Culver's and Circle K, along with additional commercial pads. Piedmont Medical Center opened a 10,000-square-foot, 24-hour freestanding emergency department with 12 exam rooms, trauma care, imaging and laboratory services.

Council Action: Rezoning approved - 6-1 final approval January 2019. Brian Carnes, Honeycutt, Blackmon, Harper, Mcgriff and Mostetller voting yes. Terry Graham voted no.

CENTRAL CORRIDOR

Legacy Pointe- #5 on map​
Legacy Pointe is developing along Highway 521 north of Dobys Bridge Road. One of the newest additions is the Extra Space Storage facility at 8479 Legacy Pointe Place, along with additional commercial property and internal access serving the site.

Council Action: By-right commercial development under existing zoning — no Council rezoning vote required. Owner of property has the right to develop for this use.
​

Tadlock Drive / Tessa Cross Ridge — Missed this one initially. Not on the map.

Approximately 50.8 acres directly north of Legacy Pointe (#5). Approved for 238 residential units plus two commercial outparcels totaling about 7.2 acres along 521. Originally approved as multifamily apartments, the developer now markets the project as Tessa Cross Ridge, a 238-unit townhome community. No commercial tenants have been announced.
​Council Action: Rezoning final approval September 26, 2022. Harper, Mosteller, Honeycutt, McGriff and Mosteller voted yes. Brian Carnes and Terry Graham voted no.

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​The Arches / Worldreach- #6 on map​
The Arches is a 12-acre commercial development with an overall master plan of approximately 78,750 square feet of commercial, medical, professional office and daycare space.

Businesses and uses include Guthrie's, Panda Express, Arches Dental Care and The Learning Experience. The Learning Experience occupies approximately 10,000 square feet and is licensed for up to 238 children. Panda Express is approximately 2,600 square feet. County records also identify medical-office development at The Arches.

7 Brew is also planned on approximately 0.565 acres at 2637 Worldreach Drive, requiring that small parcel to be rezoned from General Business to Regional Business.

Council Action: The Arches, Crossridge, Target, YMCA was difficult to nail down the approvals. These were bought in multiple rezonings over several years starting in 2008.

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CrossRidge / Target / YMCA- #7 on amp​
CrossRidge is a much larger master-planned development of approximately 190 acres. When completed, the commercial center is expected to contain more than 270,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space.

The centerpiece is the 147,000-square-foot Target, which includes Starbucks and CVS. Plans also include roughly 28,000 square feet of multi-tenant space and additional restaurant and retail development. The Upper Palmetto YMCA is part of the larger CrossRidge area.

The history goes back considerably farther than the recent Target construction. County records show the original development agreement for what was then called the “City of Lights” was approved around 2007, followed by creation of the 411-acre PDD-26 and its master plan through Ordinance 959 in December 2008. The County later adopted a 2015 ordinance clarifying the original PDD because of errors in the earlier recorded documents.

Council Action: PDD-26/master plan approved December 1, 2008 with several smaller tweaks and adjustments over the years.

NORTHERN END

The Exchange — Costco / Lowes Foods- #8 on map​
The Exchange is a 130-acre mixed-use development. The original 2021 plan allowed 710 residential units and 105,000 square feet of nonresidential development. The development agreement ultimately allows as many as 720 residential units — 320 townhomes and 400 apartments.

Costco, including its gas station, occupies the major retail site, while Lowes Foods anchors another portion of the development. Adding Costco's roughly 156,000-square-foot store to the other approved commercial space puts the overall retail/commercial program at roughly 271,000 square feet. Additional planned uses include restaurants, a bank, coffee and medical-office space.

Council Action: 2023 — 28.01-acre Costco-related rezoning passed 6-1 at second reading (Jose Luis opposed) and 4-2-1 at final reading (Brian Carnes, Mosteller, Blackmon and Harper voted yes. Terry Graham and Jose Luis opposed; Charlene McGriff absent).

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MUSC Health Indian Land- #9 on map​
The MUSC Health Indian Land campus encompasses approximately 84 acres, with roughly 28 acres being developed in the initial phase. Plans include a 50-bed hospital and a three-story, approximately 62,000-square-foot medical office building. Taken together, the initial hospital and medical-office development is approximately 217,000 square feet.

The campus is planned to provide emergency and inpatient services as well as specialties including primary care, cardiology, orthopedics, OB/GYN, oncology, imaging, pharmacy and rehabilitation services.

Council Action: Rezoning- Final approved June 22, 2020. Vote was 7-0.

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The Point- #10 on map​
Across Highway 521 from the MUSC area, The Point is a roughly 44-45 acre commercial development planned for 12 commercial lots. Current plans call for approximately 240,000 square feet of development, including a roughly 90-room hotel, medical and professional offices, restaurants, retail, self-storage and daycare space..

Council Action: By-right commercial development under existing zoning — no Council rezoning vote required. Owner of property has the right to develop for this use.

🏗️ Properties to Watch — For Sale / Under Contract

In addition to the major projects above, there are six significant commercial properties currently being marketed or under contract along this same four-mile stretch of Highway 521. Together they represent about 70.7 acres of additional development potential.

• #1 — Hwy 521 near Doby’s Bridge Road:4.4 acres, commercial property listed for approximately $1.76 million.
• #2 — 8563 Charlotte Highway:3.7 acres, zoned General Business, listed for $3.7 million.
• #3 — 8937 Charlotte Highway / Possum Hollow Road:15.29 acres, zoned General Business and currently marketed for commercial development.
• #4 — 9159 Charlotte Highway:13 acres, with about 9.4 acres zoned General Business; currently under contract at $5.33 million.
• #5 — 9400–9500 Charlotte Highway:0.88 acres, zoned General Business and marketed for retail/commercial use near MUSC.
• #6 — 9457 Charlotte Highway:33.4 acres, zoned General Business, across from the MUSC campus; currently listed for $10.855 million.

Why this matters: These properties are not approved projects, but they show that additional commercial development potential remains along the corridor beyond what is already under construction or announced. General Business zoning gives the owner a path forward without needing council approval to develop commercially.

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🏫 LANCASTER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

There are several important Lancaster County School District Board of Trustees races this fall, so I wanted to provide a simple explanation of how the School Board is structured and who is running.

The School Board is separate from County Council. It consists of seven members representing seven single-member districts, with members serving staggered four-year terms. Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 are elected during gubernatorial-election years, while Districts 2, 4 and 6 are elected during presidential-election years.

Four School Board districts are therefore on the ballot this year:

• District 1: Eddie Boykin (incumbent); Kristen Setzer; Melanie Vaughn
• District 3: Courtney Crump Green (incumbent); Annette G. Melton
• District 5: Rick Crimminger. Current District 5 member Casey Cato did not file for another term.
• District 7: Melvin Stroble (incumbent); Bryan Vaughn

The races are nonpartisan, meaning candidates do not run with a political-party designation. If you vote straight ticket it is very important to scroll to the bottom of the ballot to vote for School Board.

Find Your District

Keep in mind the school district and county districts are the same.

​View the Lancaster County Council district map​

​Click here to see your sample ballot which will show you exactly what will be on the ballot for all races.

District 1

Because District 1 is also the district I represent on County Council, I am going to spend a little more time on this race.

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Eddie Boykin — Incumbent​
I have not found a campaign website or social-media page with any info. His official School Board profile includes his phone number and email address, so residents can reach out to him directly with questions.
​Eddie Boykin — School Board profile & contact information​

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Kristen Setzer — Challenger​
Kristen has posted information about her background, priorities and campaign on her Facebook page. Residents can review that information and contact her directly through the page.
​Kristen Setzer — Facebook page​

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Melanie Vaughn — Challenger​
Melanie has also posted a significant amount of information about her background, experience and priorities on her campaign Facebook page. Residents can review that information and contact her directly through the page.
​Dr. Melanie Vaughn — Facebook page​

I encourage District 1 residents to take some time to look at the information the candidates have provided and, if you have questions, reach out to them directly. School Board decisions have a significant impact on families, taxpayers and the long-term growth of our community.

I do not typically endorse candidates but I will in this race. Kristen has reached out to me multiple times and we have talked at length. She has the common sense needed on school board. She asks the right questions and she will not back down on important matters. She has demonstrated these qualities on the Van Wyck Town Council where she has done an excellent job. The communication between school board and county council is really important. Kristen and I will both communicate well which has not always been the case between school board and council in District 1. The school board has difficult decisions to make and I believe the Kristen is the right choice for Lancaster County District 1 School Board. We would be lucky to have her represent us and the kids in District 1.

⚡ QUICK COUNTY UPDATES

🏗️ UDO — Final Stages

The rewrite of Lancaster County's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) continues to move toward completion.

After additional Planning Commission review and a September 16 County Council work session, the current schedule is:

October 12 — Public Hearing & Second Reading​
​October 26 — Third and Final Reading

That schedule is later than the dates originally published by the County and provides additional time to work through the remaining changes before adoption.

The UDO is important because it establishes many of the rules governing future development — including zoning districts, subdivisions, road standards, open space, buffers, connectivity and other development requirements. At the final reading the residential moratorium in the northern part of the county would be lifted.

⚾ Regional Athletic Complex — Construction Begins

Lancaster County officially broke ground August 25 on the new Lancaster County Regional Athletic Complex in the Roselyn development along Charlotte Highway.

The approximately 84-acre complex is planned to include three turf baseball fields, three grass soccer fields, batting cages, a splash pad, stadium-style seating and other community amenities. The County currently expects the complex to open in late 2027.

​See the Regional Athletic Complex plans and updates​

🎙️ County Catch-Up

Lancaster County has launched County Catch-Up, a new podcast/video series featuring conversations with the people who serve the County. Highly recommend checking these out.

Episode 1 — Sheriff Barry Faile & Coroner Karla Knight Deese​
A conversation about public safety, leadership, their careers in public service and the challenges of serving a growing county. Sheriff Fail talks to about minute 11 and Karla Deese starts at minute 11.
​Watch Episode 1​

Episode 2 — County Administrator Brian Tucker​
A conversation with County Administrator Brian Tucker about his background, his approach to county government and priorities as he begins leading Lancaster County's day-to-day operations. Great way to hear directly from the leader of Lancaster County Government.
​Watch Episode 2​

📅 AROUND LANCASTER COUNTY

Here are a few things happening around the County over the next several weeks.

🎬 September 24 — Southern Circuit Film Series

6:30 pm Bundy Auditorium | USC Lancaster | Free | All Ages

The series opens with Minnie Evans: Draw or Die, directed by Linda Royal. Five additional documentary screenings are scheduled through April. I am excited about the film series.

​View the full film series & get tickets​

🏺 September 26 — 10th Annual Lancaster County Pottery Tour

10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Various locations around Lancaster County

Visit local pottery studios, meet the artists and see their work. This is a free countywide event and a good opportunity to explore parts of Lancaster County you may not normally visit.
​Pottery Tour details and studio locations​

📚 October 1, 8, 15 & 22 — Community Archivist Workshop Series

Native American Studies Center | Downtown Lancaster

Medford Library's four-part free workshop series teaches residents how to organize and preserve photographs, documents and other family or community historical materials. Participants receive an “Archivist in a Box” starter kit.
​Community Archivist Workshop information​

🎨 October 25 — Marian Hagins Memorial Art Competition

The Lancaster County Council of the Arts' annual Marian Hagins Memorial Art Competition returns in October, highlighting work by artists from the area.
​See upcoming Lancaster County arts events​

🎶 October 30 — The Majestic Horn

6:30 PM | Lancaster Cultural Arts Center

Mallarmé Music presents an evening of chamber music featuring horn quintet and double-horn sextet performances at the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center in downtown Lancaster.
​The Majestic Horn event information​

STAY IN TOUCH

Thank you to everyone who continues to reach out with questions, concerns and ideas.

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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