Park improvements planned; county projects advancing in North, Eutawville

Orangeburg County is spending about $88,000 for the design and environmental permitting process for 32 acres at Indian Bluff Park in Eutawville.

Upgrades at Indian Bluff will include improvements to the boat ramp area, beach area, walking trail, signs and parking.

Carson Park boat landing in North will also see safety, road, sign and dock improvements.

The park is one of the county’s most frequented landings.

The engineer for the projects is Herbert W. Gilliam with Johnson, Laschober and Associates.

“This is another chance for the county to move forward as far as recreation is concerned,” Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said. “This will have us moving forward in both directions.”

The improvements were announced at Orangeburg County Council’s Monday meeting. In other business:

• Council gave first reading to a fee-in-lieu of taxes agreement for a 500,000-square-foot speculative building that will be built at the 242-acre Shamrock Commerce Center. The new industrial park is being built on U.S. Highway 301 near Interstate 26.

An unidentified company is planning to invest $25 million in the construction of speculative building in the park.

The project will be placed in a joint county industrial and business park with Dorchester County. The joint county industrial park is not a physical park but an incentive mechanism used to attract economic development.

The company developing the speculative building is being identified under the code name Project Shamrock 2.0.

• Council gave second reading to the sale of 1.59 acres to a buyer identified as Project CMR. The buyer has asked to remain anonymous.

The property is located in the Santee area, but the exact site was also not provided.

The public hearing for the property transfer was tabled until the next meeting because proper public notice was not given.

• Council agreed to enter into a lease agreement with a bank to place an ATM on a portion of the Orangeburg County Library property.

Young said the lease agreement will bring revenue to the county. The name of the bank and the terms of the lease agreement were not immediately released.

• Council gave first reading approval to the rezoning of property at 1606 Shillings Bridge Road from residential general to commercial general for the purpose of operating a business.

The property is .91 acres and is at the corner of Shillings Bridge and Wagon roads. The property has previously housed an outdoor grill and carport business.

Young said five neighboring property owners voiced their support for the rezoning and two voiced opposition. The Orangeburg County Planning Commission previously approved the request.

• Council gave first reading approval to the rezoning of property at 1532 Cordova Road from residential general to rural community for the placement of a single-wide mobile home. The property is .38 acres. The property is near the New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic church and Loadholt Street.

Young said the property currently has one single-family residential structure that has been condemned by building inspectors. He said seven neighboring property owners voted in opposition to the request. The Planning Commission had previously unanimously approved the request.

• Council gave third and final reading to the rezoning of property at 2729 Binnicker Bridge Road in Cope to commercial general for the purpose of operating a lounge/bar and grill.

The property was formerly the site of a bar and grill, but has been closed for over half a year. The duration of the closure triggers the need for the property to go through the zoning process to reopen.

It is located at the corner of Binnicker Bridge Road and Brandi Lane. The property is now zoned for forest/agriculture.

• Council gave third and final reading to the rezoning of property on Riverbank Drive/Jessamine Drive to residential single-family for the purpose of a single-family residential development. The property is already surrounded by single-family residential dwellings.

The property covers about 26 acres.

• Council gave third and final reading to an ordinance allowing the purchase of Motorola radios for the county’s Emergency Medical Services first responders, the sheriff’s office, county emergency services and fire departments.

The county plans to borrow no more than $1.6 million for the equipment. The county expects to repay the bond from its general fund but it is repayable from annual appropriations from other sources, Young said.

Young explained the new radios are encrypted and have Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing communication in challenging circumstances such as within buildings and rural areas of the county.

• Council recognized September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness month.