Council moves to clarify stormwater responsibility and adjusts RV park stay limits
Council voted to amend the Stormwater Management Ordinance to clarify the county's limited enforcement role outside of specific urban areas and approved a second reading to allow recreational vehicles to stay for up to 12 months in designated parks.
8 votes8 passed
The vote behind the headline
Case 23-16: Zoning amendment for RV and trailer stay limits (2nd Reading):Council approved a zoning amendment extending the maximum stay for RVs in parks from 9 to 12 months.DevelopmentParks & rec
Unanimous · 6-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Katie Guinn✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Danny Catoe✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Russell Brazell
This ordinance amends the Unified Code of Zoning and Land Development Regulations to adjust stay limits for recreational vehicles in designated parks. Originally proposed to increase the limit from three to nine months, Council amended the measure during the meeting to establish a 12-month limit. The move aims to accommodate transient workers, such as travel nurses and industrial contractors, who utilize these parks for extended periods. During the public hearing, local campground owners provided testimony on the importance of these parks for the local economy and the necessity of flexibility. Council members expressed a desire to prevent the parks from becoming permanent residential developments while ensuring the ordinance does not hinder the operational needs of legitimate businesses. This was the second reading of the measure, and it will now proceed to a third reading for final approval.
Amendment to Joint County Industrial Park boundaries (3rd Reading):Council approved the third reading to expand the joint industrial park boundary to include specific property.Jobs & economyParks & rec
Unanimous · 6-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Katie Guinn✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Russell Brazell✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe
This ordinance formalizes the expansion of the Joint County Industrial Park, established by an agreement between Kershaw and Fairfield Counties. This specific expansion is required to include real property associated with the economic development project known as Project Panel or Pinnacle Precast, LLC. The property is located near the City of Camden in the Wateree Township and consists of approximately 67 acres situated between U.S. Highway 1 and Interstate 20. This is the third and final reading of the measure, following a public hearing held earlier in the meeting. With this approval, both counties have now taken the necessary steps to expand the park boundaries. This expansion is a key legal component of the economic development incentive package for the business locating on the property. No public comments were received regarding this ordinance during the public hearing.
Case 23-15: Stormwater Management Ordinance clarification (2nd Reading):Council approved an ordinance to clarify the county's limited stormwater enforcement role outside specific urban areas.Water & sewer
Unanimous · 6-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Katie Guinn✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Russell Brazell✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe
This ordinance amends the Kershaw County Stormwater Management Ordinance to clarify the scope of the county's enforcement responsibilities. Specifically, it establishes that the county does not have a mandatory duty to monitor or enforce South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) permits for land disturbance activities that occur outside of the Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (SMS4) area. The SMS4 designation currently applies to the Town of Elgin and certain surrounding unincorporated urbanized areas. County officials explained that the previous ordinance language was overly broad and could be misinterpreted as creating a mandatory obligation the county is not staffed to handle. By clarifying these roles, the county aims to focus its finite resources on the SMS4 area while deferring enforcement for permits outside those boundaries to the state. This was the second reading of the measure, and it will proceed to a third reading.
Case 23-16: Zoning amendment for RV and trailer stay limits (2nd Reading):Council approved a zoning amendment extending the maximum stay for RVs in parks from 9 to 12 months.DevelopmentParks & rec
Unanimous · 6-0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
✓ Katie Guinn✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Danny Catoe✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Russell Brazell
This ordinance amends the Unified Code of Zoning and Land Development Regulations to adjust stay limits for recreational vehicles in designated parks. Originally proposed to increase the limit from three to nine months, Council amended the measure during the meeting to establish a 12-month limit. The move aims to accommodate transient workers, such as travel nurses and industrial contractors, who utilize these parks for extended periods. During the public hearing, local campground owners provided testimony on the importance of these parks for the local economy and the necessity of flexibility. Council members expressed a desire to prevent the parks from becoming permanent residential developments while ensuring the ordinance does not hinder the operational needs of legitimate businesses. This was the second reading of the measure, and it will now proceed to a third reading for final approval.
Base Lease and Operating Agreement for Mt. Pisgah (2nd Reading):Council approved the second reading of a lease agreement for the Mt. Pisgah Community and Resource Center.County property
Unanimous · 6-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Katie Guinn✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe
This ordinance authorizes a base lease and operating agreement between Kershaw County, as the lessor, and the Mt. Pisgah Community and Resource Center, a non-profit organization acting as the lessee. The agreement provides for the use of the former Mt. Pisgah Elementary School building by the non-profit. Council members voiced strong support for the center's efforts, noting that the organization has already begun utilizing the space to provide valuable resources and services to the local community. This was the second reading of the ordinance. The county attorney noted that a public hearing and the third reading of this measure are scheduled to take place at the first Council meeting in October.
Public Comment Guidelines amendment:Council updated public comment rules to require in-person attendance and limit record-keeping to names of speakers.
Unanimous · 6-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Katie Guinn✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe
This measure formally amends the Council's rules for public comments. Under the new policy, citizens wishing to address the Council must be present in person to speak and sign in prior to the meeting. The updated guidelines specify that the official meeting minutes will record only the names of the individuals who spoke, rather than providing a verbatim transcript of their comments. Furthermore, the Council will no longer read aloud emails submitted as public comments during the meeting, though Council members may still choose to read such communications during their own individual briefings. These changes were aimed at streamlining meeting procedures and avoiding the complexities of transcribing or summarizing submitted written statements.
Council approved a transfer of funds to the Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments (COG) to cover the costs of repositioning an existing generator at the Council on Aging facility. The generator was originally purchased by the COG but was installed in an incorrect location due to property line issues and safety concerns. The total cost of $13,495 will be partially offset by a $2,500 reimbursement from the Council on Aging to the county, resulting in a net cost of $10,995. The funding will be reallocated from the county's property and liability insurance line item, which currently has a surplus. Council members noted the urgency of the matter, citing the need to ensure backup power for the senior population during hurricane season.
Board and Commission Appointments (Library, Zoning, Clean Community, Olde English District):Council made several appointments to county boards and commissions to fill vacancies.DevelopmentParks & recAppointments
Unanimous · 6-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Katie Guinn✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe
Council filled several vacancies across four county boards and commissions. Appointments included Tiffinie Lee to the Library Board, Mark Sury to the Board of Zoning Appeals, and Robin Hayes, Tom Webb III, Christine Dennis, and Andrew Whitaker to the Clean Community Commission. Additionally, Rickie Good was appointed to represent the county on the Olde English District commission. Council members expressed appreciation for the volunteers' willingness to serve the community. The Council also noted that they will transition to a new digital system called MatchBoard to manage future appointments and maintain a better database of interested citizens.
Routine housekeeping votes, including agenda adoption, approval of August 22, 2023 minutes, and adjournment, PASSED unanimously.
Discussed, no vote▸showhide
Council received a legislative update from Representative Ben Connell regarding over $43 million in state funding secured for various Kershaw County infrastructure projects, including sewer improvements and local boat ramp upgrades.
Members also discussed the ongoing status of the county jail study and upcoming community engagement sessions for the Comprehensive Plan and recreational projects.
Coming up▸showhide
Tourism Advisory Committee Appointments: Scheduled for the September 26 meeting.
Airport Commission Appointments: Scheduled for the September 26 meeting.
Third Reading of Case 23-15 and Case 23-16: To be placed on a future agenda.
Public Hearing and Third Reading for Mt. Pisgah Lease: Scheduled for the October 3 meeting.
This is an independent summary prepared from the county's official published minutes and the meeting's live stream, not an official county communication.
How this recap was made: Prepared from the county's official minutes (the verified vote record) combined with the meeting's live stream (quotes and discussion). This is an automated summary written by software (a neural-network summarizer working from the documents above). Rely on the official county record for anything important.
