Orangeburg County Council: County tax increase possible

“It would be a three-mill increase if the revenue does not come in to support that, but we feel like it should,” Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said.

“When we get to October, that will tell the story of how many mills it would be, but council has committed to no more than 3 mills,” he said.

The county is anticipating revenue from a number of sources that could help offset the need for any tax increase, Young said.

The revenue could come from the county’s new residential developments, the state budget and federal funds earmarked by Congressman James Clyburn and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Young also said the county is going to receive tobacco settlement money. South Carolina received an $86.5 million payment from a settlement with four major U.S. cigarette manufacturers. Since 1998, the state has received a total of $1.8 billion in its share of tobacco settlement money.

Council gave second reading to the county’s budget ordinances on Monday. The county’s 2022-23 fiscal year begins July 1.

Young said the primary reason the county will need additional money is because of the request from the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office for a budget increase of about $1 million for equipment and personnel.

In other business:

• Council unanimously agreed to amend the tax incentive agreement with Inbra Chemical Company. The company has invested $20 million and created 20 new jobs. That exceeds the company’s original projection of a $7.7 million investment and 15 new jobs.

• Council gave 5-1 first reading to the rezoning of property at 2251 Magnolia St. in Orangeburg to commercial general for the purpose of opening a medical diagnostic testing facility. Council Vice Chairwoman Janie Cooper-Smith was opposed to the rezoning.

The property, which is about .31 acres, is currently zoned residential general.

The property has one structure on it that formerly operated as a nail salon/barber shop. The business operated prior to zoning, and the business use was grandfathered into the zoning ordinance, according to county zoning officials.

The business has been closed for more than six months, meaning it needs rezoning approval before being allowed to operate as a business.

Adjacent properties to the north, south and west are zoned residential general. Properties to the east are zoned commercial general.

The surrounding area is comprised of a mixture of uses such as single-family housing, commercial and undeveloped properties, according to the rezoning application.

The county’s Planning Commission approved the rezoning request with a 3-1 vote earlier this month.

• Council gave unanimous first reading approval to rezoning about 71.13 acres of property on Academy Lane in Holly Hill to residential general for the purpose of residential housing.

The property has been zoned forest agricultural. The change is being requested by Crescent Property Holdings LLC, which wants to create “affordable workforce housing.”

The property is approximately 1-1/2 miles from the town limits of Holly Hill.

The lot is currently undeveloped and vacant and is surrounded by land zoned forest-agriculture. There is a mixture of single-family residential, agricultural, public, commercial and undeveloped properties near the proposed site location, according to the zoning application.

County planning officials say the developer has not submitted conceptual design plans for the property and has not provided an estimate of the number of houses to be built.

• Council gave unanimous first reading approval to rezoning a portion (about 2 acres) of property at 7324 Old Number Six Highway in Santee to commercial general for the purpose of a boat repair shop.

The entire property covers about 11.25 acres and has been zoned forest agricultural. The property is about one mile east of the town of Elloree and three miles west of Santee.

The site is a corner lot fronting Old Number Six Highway and Tee Vee Road.

Adjacent properties to the north, south, east, and west are all zoned forest-agriculture. There are several commercial businesses operating in the vicinity of the proposed site as well, according to the zoning application.

An individual voiced opposition to the plan to county planning officials via phone. The county’s Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning prior to the matter coming before County Council.