LEXINGTON, S.C. (WIS) - A 600-home housing development in Lexington County is making progress as county council members vote in favor of developers taking the next steps.
The development includes property in an unincorporated part of the county, east of Old Orangeburg Road, on both sides of Bluff Ridge Road.,
Originally, the Lexington County-based developers went before the council last year with a proposal for 316 single-family homes.
The council approved that project in June, according to county records. Those exact developers are now going back before the council after having bought more land, looking to double the number of dwellings on site. ,
Developers bought an additional 40 acres, which would mean single-family homes could jump from 316 to 424, plus the addition of 200 new duplexes.
Double could mean trouble according to residents who live near the proposed project site. Lindsey Hursey, a neighbor off Edmund Highway, said she’s worried about the traffic and population influx it would bring to a quiet rural part of Lexington County.
“It definitely makes me feel like it could be trouble, but hopefully everybody will do what they should and it will run smoothly,” said Hursey.
County council member Clifford Fisher, whose district includes the development site, was asked by WIS whether he would vote in favor of the new development plans. He said yes, claiming that part of Lexington County could use some growth.
“You really got to blame development on people who inherit or have large tracks of land that are selling them. Without that happening, you wouldn’t have development, said Fisher. “This comes really valuable to firemen, paramedics and all the people that we depend on everywhere. The factory workers and everything so far that it’s going to fill a very needed area”.
How can developers add that many more homes if they’ve only purchased an additional 40 acres, when the previous plan had nearly 180? Because it still complies with the counties’ density regulations, meaning the developer is still able to build the number of homes they have planned per acre, largely in part to the duplexes.
“There is no way that you can graduate with a student loan, get ready to get married, and afford the 330,00-dollar homes that are in this town. It would be great if everyone could, but they can’t. So, they need starter homes, and I think that’s what the intention of these homes is”, said Fisher.
In a planning commission meeting, commissioners reviewed the impact this would have on the local school district.
Lexington School District Two reported a study that found that construction of a new school wouldn’t be necessary now, but that would change if there is future development in the area.
“I get both sides of it, I can see why they would want to be here, but I could also see why the other people that are here like us wouldn’t necessarily want a huge neighborhood to come in and disrupt our little peaceful country life we have got out here”, said Hursey.
The study found that 13 new staff members could be needed, including nine teachers, estimating an additional $1 million for salaries. With the potential for 600 new homes, residents tell me they’re worried about the traffic it could bring in. Council member fisher agreed, citing the penny tax as a way to help alleviate road congestion that could come along with new developments.
“We aren’t prepared to take care of the traffic we have now, and yes, this is going to bring in more traffic, but if we had the penny sales tax, we would have the money to do it”, said Fisher.
A Lexington County spokesperson told WIS that no traffic study has been conducted yet. Lexington County plans show the project will be completed in 6 to 12 phases over 6-10 years, should the council ultimately approve the development.
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