NEWBERRY — Newberry County Council has approved final reading of an ordinance to rezone land located at the crossroads in Chappells, paving the way for construction of a new Dollar General.
Council unanimously approved the rezoning from Rural (R2) to General Commercial (GC) after a motion from Councilman Leslie Hipp and a second from Councilman Bill Waldrop. The 2.39-acre parcel is part of a larger 53-acre parcel located at the intersection of S.C. 34 and S.C. 39 in Chappells.
Greg Googer with Patton Development Company, which develops Dollar General locations across South Carolina, said the company is looking forward to bringing the development to the county. He said it will be an investment of more than $1 million and will create six to nine new jobs.
During a public hearing held prior to final reading, Chappells resident Sam Ziady requested that the facade of the building be enhanced since that intersection is one of the first things people see.
“It is a crossroads as people enter the county from Greenwood County and Saluda County. It is also a very prominent site, very visible,” Ziady said. “This is just a request for an enhancement of the exterior elevation and consideration of the lighting and landscaping. We have a growing lake community in the Chappells community, we are growing along Lake Greenwood, and people are concerned with that image.”
Hipp had similar concerns and asked Googer how committed Dollar General is to developing something that is aesthetically pleasing, especially because of the crossroads in Chappells.
Googer said Dollar General would certainly look at some of the concerns that were voiced, but he could make no promises.
“Unfortunately, for a very rural location like Chappells, we do not have a lot of money in the budget for expensive upgrades. However, things like lighting and some landscaping and things like that we can certainly take a look at to make it as pretty as possible,” Googer said. “We try to be good neighbors and do what we can.”
Hipp said it would be important to make the front of the building appealing.
Googer said they chose the Chappells area because it’s often difficult for people who live in rural areas to get to a location where they can shop, so bringing a “modern community store” to a community like Chappells helps the community, he said.
Councilman Travis Reeder asked Googer if they would consider meeting with Chappells residents before construction begins. Googer said they typically do meet with residents who live around incoming Dollar Generals.
Council also approved an ordinance to rezone 3.4 acre parcel on Haltiwanger Road from Light Industrial (LI) to Single Family Residential (RS3). During a public hearing, Emory Lester discussed his concerns about the re-zoning.
“This is property that adjoins me. I have a business on CR Koon Highway, and it’s kind of directly behind it, and it’s always confusing back there with light gun fire. A lot of times I have clients ready to buy something and we have something like this (gun fire) and it causes confusion,” Lester said. “I think with having it zoned as Light Industrial versus Single Family, it is less likely to come back down to something like we are having back there now.”
Lester added there are a lot of trailers in that area, and he believed this would add about six more to the equation.
“I lived in that area, I am aware of gun fire, but this is not going to add trailers to the property, just replacing two trailers,” said Councilman Kirksey Koon.
Anne Peters, director of Planning and Zoning, said the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office would have to look into the gunfire issue. Council approved the rezoning after Koon made a motion and Reeder seconded. The motion passed 6-1 with Waldrop voting against.
Other business, Council:
• Approved third reading of an ordinance to rezone of 2.20-acre parcel on Rikard School Road from Single Family Residential (RS-1) to Single Family Residential (RS-3) for the purpose of placing a manufactured home on the property.
• Approved third reading of an ordinance to create the Fox Briar Subdivision Special Tax District.
• Approved first reading of an ordinance to repeal Newberry County Code Section “Petty Cash Expenditures Revolving Fund” and to revise and restate the section to address affirmative action. This would repeal an unused provision regarding petty cash purchases, a provision the county does not use, and insert an affirmative action statement as requested by the Central Midlands Council of Governors.
• Approved a bid from Satterfield Construction for $232,405 for paving on Winding Jolly and Rollin Road. The county also received a bid from Lindler’s Construction Company for $269,140.75.
• Approved a bid from Satterfield Construction for $123,739 for paving on Wessinger and Sexton Road. The county also received a bid from Carroway Construction for $242,615.
• Recognized Newberry County employees for their years of service: Jessica Attaway, Sheriff’s Office, five years; Kara Cannon, Economic Development, five years; Georgia Wardlaw, Clerk of Court, five years; John Fulmer, Sheriff’s Office, 10 years; and Crystal Waldrop, purchasing director, 15 years.