Suggested Zoning Changes
I wanted to begin a conversation about the newly suggested zoning changes put foward by County council. Before we get started, I want to be expressly clear that the comments I post here are my opinions and my opinions only. I will also refer to an individual property owner as an IPO during this post. This past Tuesday (01/15/2013) during the County council meeting I was shocked to learn that County council is working on an ordinance that will forever change the way zoning issues are handled. The way that I understand the proposed ordinance is that anytime an IPO approaches County council for a change in status from let's say R-20 to C-1 or C-2 commercial the IPO will have to specify exactly what type of commercial business will be locating on the property in question. Not only will the IPO have to specify the nature of the future business, but the development itself will have to be built within 1 year. That's assuming that council finds the future development conducive for the area and approves the zoning request. If it's not built within 1 year the developer will have to petition council for a 6 month extension. After the second 6 month extension has been exhausted and the development hasn't been built the property in question will revert back to the original zoning classification. At this point the developer will have to reapply for a change in zoning status even if the developer intends on buildng the project but for some reason he/she encountered delays. This ordinance will also make it virtually impossible for an IPO to market any property that he/she owns that may be suitable for commercial development. The ordinance will also create a middle man (county council) between the IPO and developer with the middle man (county council) having an uneven balance of power on their side. There are so many variables when you consider everything to be done in order to get a commercial project from beginning to end that placing a firm time line on the development is ridiculous. Let's take 1st Quality for example: Was 1st Quality completed within a 2 year period? No, not anywhere close. As a matter of fact the 1st Quality project was in its beginning stages when Joey Preston was County Administrator. That's how long a project of that size and scope can take. Things don't happen overnight in business, and that's especially true in commercial development. County council is trying to sell this by saying that this will give them one more tool in their toolbox to work with, and they want to try to protect the integrity of neighborhoods. What an ordinance like this does is open the door for impropriety and corruption as well as put IPO'S at a disadvantage. It will also serve to stifle the economic growth potential for Anderson County. The business reputation of Anderson County has already been damaged, and this ordinance will make future developers even more reluctant to do business in our County. There are many more reasons as to why this ordinance is a bad idea, and I will leave it up to others who wish to post and give their input. I will close by saying that for a County council that claims to be "all in" for economic development this ordinance will do nothing except hinder future economic growth. We may as well put a chain link fence around the entire County and say to developers we don't want you here.
ArcLight67
You bring up many interesting points, ArcLight. This ordinance will help kill many potential commercial and industrial development deals before they can even get into the planning stage. It also will in effect limit the number of new housing developments that will be done in Anderson County. Just ask yourselves who introduced this ordinance and what motive does this councilperson have in doing so. This ordinance is especially troubling since not all areas of the county have zoning.
RE: ArcLight67, merrymacsc
Since 2008 and especially since 2010, the State of South
Carolina has experience a job growth trend, but Anderson County under this
current Anderson County Council and its interim county administrator has
experienced a negative job growth trend. In fact, the job loss/economic
development in Anderson County according to recently released State of SC reporting
is the worse county in SC.
This current zoning ordinance authored by Cindy Wilson
grants this county council more damaging control over commercial development
and does indeed place this current county council in a controlling middleman
position in the process of development and closing of commercial property negotiations
between individual property owners in Anderson County and potential commercial
developers. The interference in commercial negotiations by this current county
council has already cost and delayed Anderson County economic development in
the last four years.
To present the folly of Cindy Wilson’s ordinance – consider a
commercial developer who is considering a best use commercial site in Anderson
County for a larger multiuse project. In this project will be many types of
retail stores, service oriented facilities and entertainment/food service
establishment facilities. Under Cindy Wilson’s ordinance the above project
could not consider Anderson County. A simple fact this current council does not
understand is that proper commercial zoning on best-use commercial property
must be in place before a commercial developer will consider that particular
tract of property for a project. Even the time restrictions in Cindy Wilson’s
ordinance are absurd – a commercial deal is not an overnight deal –successful
completion of commercial deals may be 5 to 10 years in process.
More than likely Cindy Wilson and her council clowns will
pass this restrictive zoning ordinance and Anderson County will continue its
downward spiral into the “Dark Ages” aided by this anti-development tool.
Zorro1
well..since when has cindi wilson ever cared about growth or development? (unless her fingers were involved in it as history has revealed)
this proposed change certainly will not encourage growth or economic development.
On a side note, i was driving through Sandy Springs and noted how downward the entire area between pendleton and I 85 has gone the last few years.
"
What used o be a fairly pleasant part of anderson county is now home to "moonshine and goats" bars..motorcycle clubs..and uncountable poorly built and horrible looking temporary businesses. I say temporary, because none of them will be standing in 10 years. Junky, trashy and eyesores.
All of this has occurred on the current councils watch and is a poster child of their vision for the future of Anderson county.
If you havent driven to pendleton lately..do so just to see what is coming
RE: Zorro1
You are exactly right about the multiuse facilities under this proposed ordinance. That would mean under this type ordinance a project like the Anderson Mall couldn't be built. This is one of the reasons that I chose to get this information out in a public forum atmosphere. Citizens need to know how this ordinance has the ability to negatively affect individual property owners, and the citizens of this County who don't own any property but hope and pray everyday for new and more well paying jobs in Anderson County. This council needs to understand all the negative effects that a decision like this has the potential to cause. This ordinance will no doubt stifle economic growth possibilities that this County may have by driving away future developers. It also has the potential to drive the crime rates up because of the damage to our economy. There are so many negative variables that could come from this ordinance and citizens of this County should be outraged by the proposal of this economic growth killing power grab. IMO this proposed ordinance is nothing more than a ploy to allow County council to micromanage and control potential economic development and the citizens.
I would also like to say that IMO I don't think that Cindy Wilson should be proposing much less voting on an ordinance like this. I say that because in the past she was active in the real estate business, and she has the potential to have viable contacts in the real estate business. That seems unethical and down right wrong IMO, and it could lead to possible corrupt activities from the present County council. This ordinance could also make it possible for County council to play favorites when it comes to individual property owners and developers.
ArcLight67
Cindy Wilson, a person who has never developed any piece of real estate now wants to make a bunch of new rules? huh!
Part of the problem I see concerns the way we do zoning in Anderson County. Not all areas of the county have zoning. Zoning is accomplished precinct by precinct. I'm not sure how many precincts of the county actually have zoning ordinances in place. I know the Five Forks precinct passed zoning after the GNC plant was built. Denver-Sandy Springs has only recently passed a zoning ordinance. I think one of Powdersville precincts--maybe Three and Twenty began the process for a zoning referendum in response to the landfill built in that area. I'm not sure about any others. I would suppose there is a list somewhere in the planning department but I just don't feel like looking it up right now.
It would seem to me, however, that someone living in a zoned area could have a potential lawsuit against the county, especially if someone in an unzoned area lured prospects to a piece of property there.
I would also bet (were I a betting person and had any money to bet) that there is a particular developer or real estate broker that has some how crossed someone somehow, sort of like the National Guard deal or the Kroger building deal. Dig deep enough and someone will find a personal and/or reason for this ordinance. It is certainly not for the best interest of Anderson County and its citizens.
RE: merrymacsc
The problem with a valid, winnable lawsuit by an Anderson
County resident against Anderson County is a money disadvantage. Anderson
County has unlimited taxpayer dollars to be used against an individual county
resident. This current county council has proven that it will use this
unlimited advantage even in an unwinnable lawsuit. An individual Anderson
County resident is playing against a political stacked deck.
There are already zoning decisions that have been made by
this current council based wholly on a person dislike/retaliation against
certain county property owners or developers. These small-minded decisions have
prevented economic development for all county residents. Such is the way in “Good
Old Boy” politics in Anderson County. As long as this current county council
stays in power, the prospects for real, positive, intelligent growth for
Anderson County and its residents will remain in a sealed bottle.
Zorro1
Another issue thats completely unfair to individual property owners is the fact that this ordinance would make it all but impossible for someone with property thats suitable for commercial development to market said property. There are citizens of this County who at some point years ago bought real estate as an investment toward their retirement. Now with this proposed power grab being implemented by this controlling County council that investment will be devalued and the property owner could be forced to sell it for little to no gain.
I would also like to point out that this councils SPEC building proposal would be illegal under this new ordinance since there is no specific intent for the use of these buildings. IMO the recent moves by this council should show the citizens of this County that councils only intent is to control and have the legal ability to settle petty scores with individuals and developers that they don't like. This ordinance will also give this council the ability to control and dictate the size, scope, and nature of any new development thats interested in Anderson County. This ordinance IMO has nothing to do with protecting the integrity of neighborhoods. It's about this councils insatiable appetite of greed, and their small minded need to control.
ArcLight67
May as well ADD to your list of bulls**t reasons why development will never come here is
>>Frantic Chowder is on the committee, Chairman in fact.
>>Mary Wilson is on the committee involved.
>>Ediot Moore is on the committee involved.
I saw a comment on the independent Mail that stated Mary Wilson has properties along the I-85 corridor that are right where she wanted to "encourage" development. I wouldn't be shocked if this two million dollar boondoggle was built right there.
AI-M story.....interesting that there are no comments.
Proposed ordinance would limit time to develop rezoned land in Anderson County
RE: centrist-view
AIM gave its limited exposure treatment of that particular
article - I guess they were following orders. By the way I don’t recall seeing
a single article on Governor Haley’s State of the State address after the
address was given.
Zorro1
RE: centrist-viewAIM gave its limited exposure treatment of that particular article - I guess they were following orders. By the way I don’t recall seeing a single article on Governor Haley’s State of the State address after the address was given.
Zorro1
-zorro1
Zorro 1,
What and how the AIM "reports" on "news" is the reason I missed Arts sudden illness at the last Council meeting. While other papers report on Africa and the Middle East, the AIM reports on ballet teacher retiring.
Regards,
Nicole
So will this affect the EOC when it's lease expires?
Ms. Wilson has some property listed with her real estate business along I-85N not far from exit 27, on the Anderson side of I-85. I think a while back Anderson Christian School supposed to build on the same property but that never happened. I wonder how the proposed rezoning rules affect that listing, or any others she might have. Why would anyone want to list with a realtor who wants to make zoning and development difficult and more costly?
It would seem counterproductive for either she or Tommy Dunn to support the proposed changes in the zoning process.
And WHY would anyone even concider a Realtor who allegedly cannot use a computer!!?
How on Earth is a Realtor providing the best service to their client when they cannot even use a MLS?
Because in "The Good Old Days" realtors didnt use computers because they didnt exist.
cindi wants to return Anderson County to a more gentile day when the landed gentry benevolently governed and the agrarian culture reigned supreme.
if nothing else, cindi is true to her roots.
