How they voted - unanimous

What this was about

This ordinance introduces a Building Permit Allocation System (BPAS) to regulate the pace of residential development in unincorporated Kershaw County. The system establishes specific permit caps categorized by housing type, including single-family dwellings, multi-family units, and accessory dwelling units, to be released in six-month cycles. The measure serves as an interim management tool while the county undergoes a comprehensive rewrite of its land development regulations. During the meeting, Council amended the proposal to include a 30% reduction cap on permits as an initial placeholder. The program specifically exempts planned development districts and renovation projects. This initiative responds to recent census data indicating Kershaw is the fastest-growing inland county in South Carolina, which has pressured schools, emergency services, and road infrastructure. Council members and the ad hoc Smart Growth Committee emphasized that this system aims to maintain quality of life while the county aligns its infrastructure capacity with its population growth.

Who said what

» Councilman Derek Shoemake: The only way to slow growth is to slow growth.

» Councilman Sammy Tucker: We need to grow in a responsible way where services will not be so stressed where quality of life will not be compromised.

» Zack Hoover, Planning Director: If the primary use of that pool house is to have a bedroom and be a living quarters, then we will classify it as an accessory dwelling unit.

» John DeLoache, County Attorney: This ordinance establishes the numbers, and we could certainly look at adding a provision that explicitly says it could be adjusted on one vote.

How they voted - unanimous

What this was about

This package of eight ordinances implements new development standards recommended by the ad hoc Smart Growth Committee to improve community character and infrastructure durability. The measures include stricter architectural design standards for major subdivisions, such as façade material requirements and foundation mandates, to prevent excessive uniformity. New open space rules ensure that reserved land is functional for residents by excluding wetlands and flood zones from calculations. Sidewalk mandates now require paths on both sides of streets in new developments to improve pedestrian safety. Furthermore, the parking ordinance limits on-street parking to one side of the road in subdivisions to assist emergency vehicle access. The package also includes administrative changes: increasing developer financial guarantees to 150% of improvement costs, requiring naming conventions for private drives over 2,000 feet, providing staff more time for reviews, and allowing the Planning Commission to formally weigh impact assessments - such as school capacity reports - when approving new project applications.

Who said what

» Councilman Derek Shoemake: This expressly gives the planning commission the ability to consider impact assessments, which includes school impact assessments in approving developments.

» Jonathan Proctor, Planning Commission Chair: I think you have covered it pretty well, and I cannot think of anything that you have not added.

» Councilman Brant Tomlinson: This is a way that we can really effectively manage how many homes are being built in Kershaw County.