Florence County Council to consider development project, land-use plan

Florence County Council will meet Thursday to vote on second reading of ordinances regarding an economic development project and hold a public hearing on the updated land-use element of the county’s comprehensive plan.

Council will vote on an ordinance that would establish a fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreement as an incentive for the economic development effort, code named Project Element.

“It’s going to be a good thing; it’s going to be a good many jobs for the area,” Council Chairman K.G. “Rusty” Smith said.

Smith said, however, he couldn’t give any specific information because he didn’t want to jeopardize the project.

County documents included with this month’s meeting agenda don’t specify a projected number of jobs the project could create or an estimated dollar amount of the investment. The agenda states that the full text of the ordinance will be provided prior to Thursday’s meeting.

The agreement would allow the lease and sale of land for Project Element, and the property would be subject to “certain payments” in lieu of taxes, according to the ordinance.

A related ordinance would provide for Florence and Williamsburg counties to develop and operate an industrial and business park in Florence County.

Before going into effect, the ordinances must pass a third and final reading, which could take place at council’s October meeting.

Council’s agenda for Thursday also includes an executive session for contractual matters regarding an economic development project; pending real property matters; and personnel matters in the solicitor’s office, finance department and chief magistrate office.

In addition, the land-use element of Florence County’s comprehensive plan is up for a second reading at Thursday’s meeting.

Revisions to the draft of the plan have removed areas designated Conservation Management, which had aimed to protect any parcels touching water, and has instead focused on the county’s floodplains.

The designation drew criticism from developers, who voiced concerns during planning commission workshops earlier this summer.

The proposed update to the county’s land-use element would require a county review of development that would take place in floodplains.

The county plans to participate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community Rating System program, which can reduce flood insurance premiums by 5 percent initially and as much as 50 percent, Florence County Planning Director Bill Hoge said earlier this year.

The comprehensive plan is undergoing an update after 10 years, as state law requires.

Council also will vote on a resolution for several county departments to use the South Carolina Procurement Card Program rather than maintain open charge accounts with Florence County vendors for small purchases.

Florence County Finance Director Kevin Yokim is scheduled to give a presentation on the program, which has been in place about 10 years.

The open accounts expose the county to “a certain amount of financial risk,” but the procurement card program could decrease processing costs for a purchase order from more than $75 to less than $25, according to county documents.

IF YOU’RE GOING

WHAT: Florence County Council regular meeting

WHEN: 9 a.m. Thursday

WHERE: Room 803 of the Florence City-County Complex, 180 N. Irby St., Florence

INFO: Call Clerk to Council Connie Y. Haselden at (843) 665-3035