Cope
The plan is for DNR to purchase a 4,664-acre tract of land on Highway 56 for the public nature and hunting area. The tract contains the historic Belfast House and sits mainly in Newberry County. DNR has already purchased 2,228 acres.
The remainder of the land has been purchased by The Conservation Fund to be held for DNR as it raises money to complete the purchase.
Of the property, 900 acres is in Laurens County and the rest in Newberry County.
Two weeks ago, after more than an hour of discussion, County Council voted 5-2 to oppose the purchase and then to support a bill in the state legislature requiring DNR to pay a fee in lieu of taxes on the property. The state constitution states that no state governmental agency is required to pay taxes on property.
During Wednesday’s meeting, council chambers were packed and many pros and cons of the purchase were discussed.
LAND VALUE
Concern: Councilman Bill Waldrop voiced concern over the $8.1 million selling price of the property saying it was too much to pay for the 4,664 acres.
Councilman Edgar Baker said he hated to see the high cost of the property raise property values for other landowners in the county.
S.C. DNR Assistant Director and Prosperity resident Emily Cope stated the property had passed a federal appraisal review and the land value was accurate.
Little Mountain resident and gun shop owner Gerald Stoudemire asked how much land the county owned and what kinds of return it was bringing. He also stated the county paid $6.4 million for 465 acres of land at Highway 773 and I-26 in 2006, and had not seen a return on the money.
REVENUE FROM
THE PROPERTY
Concern: The property once brought in around $12,000 in property taxes for the entire parcel. With the phase two purchase, that will be $5,000 less in county tax collections. Some on council are concerned over the loss of revenue.
State House District 40 Rep. Walt McLeod stated with the county’s tax base being weak the county needs “hard cold cash.”
Councilman Steve Stockman says he believes that the county will see benefits from the purchase including the recreational facility helping to bring in more taxes and industry.
Council Chairman Henry “Buddy” Livingston said he wished the county was able to debate other state actions that cost the county much more. He added the state could help the tax base by increasing cigarette and automobile taxes.
Sumter National forester and Clinton resident Tarri McKinney told council that voicing concerns over losing $5,000 in taxes were just fear and terror tactics being passed on to the public.
“Your tax base has fallen because of the industrial base, not property taxes,” said McKinney.
He added the Belfast purchase would bring in more taxes than having the land divided into half-acre parcels with mobile homes on them.
Councilman Kirksey Koon questioned if the property was not purchased in whole if the state would lose $4.5 million in federal funds.
Cope said “yes,” the money would be given to someone else.
Livingston says federal money is slim and he hates to see the county lose this money.
“Wasteful spending cannot be justified just because it is being wasted in our county,” says Councilman Les Hipp. “If we accept this money we are justifying earmarks and pork barrel spending in every other country and municipality in the country. This would increase the country’s debt and ultimately result in tax increases for everyone.”
INDUSTRIAL POSSIBILITIES
Concern: Hipp voiced concern over the property being saved for future industrial development or a possible industry like BMW.
Cope reminded council that the closest water line to the property was nearly 10 miles away in Silverstreet and sewer lines were even further. She added the property is not near the interstate or railways.
“There are 27 miles of interstate with two sides giving you 54 miles of interstate frontage for industrial development,” argued McKinney.
Also, 12,000 acres across the road from the Belfast Plantation is currently on the market.
TOO MUCH PUBLIC LAND?
Concern: DNR owns 277,000 acres of land in the state and the Sumter National Forest is in the county.
Some on council asked why DNR could not do programs on forest land.
Both Cope and McKinney said the agencies work together but have much different missions. DNR focuses on wildlife and forestry focuses on the timber with recreation as a side.
Many at the meeting said the Indian Creek rifle range in the Sumter National Forest was not maintained, crowded, unsafe and not worth visiting.
The Belfast range is being designed by the National Rifle Association, which will staff it with volunteers.
Also, there are rumors the Indian Creek facility could close.
Cope adds DNR has no properties in the lakelands area and has already drawn hunters and other visitors from across the state to the site.
“Why hunters can’t find a place to hunt is beyond me,” said forester Tom Henderson in his opposition of the purchase.
Cope said many citizens like herself can’t afford to buy enough land to hunt on or high hunt club fees and this provides opportunities for more people.
Local business owner Eddie Wilson says he loves taking disabled children to hunt and fish. He added currently he has enough land to take them on his private properties, but the venture is worthwhile. He added the next time he had a hunt for the disabled that he would invite County Council to share the experience to see the kind of disabled hunts that would take place at Belfast Plantation.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
Concern: Hipp stated he had talked with other county leaders who said DNR property brought no value to their communities, but refused to publicly name the people he had talked to.
He said Chesterfield got no value from the land but Cope said the land in Chesterfield was owned by the S.C. Forestry Commission and not DNR.
PROMOTING
NEWBERRY COUNTY
Concern: Hipp found fault with the direction on the DNR Web site taking people through Jalapa to get to the property and not through any municipalities in the county.
Cope said she would have the directions changed and suggested the county communicate such concerns with her.
The directions to the site were changed by noon yesterday.
McKinney asked what Newberry County was doing on its Web site to promote the use of the public property.
“Someone else has done the work for you, you have to figure out how to market it. These are visionary efforts,” McKinney told council.
“This will be a destination facility,” said Prosperity resident Gary Peters.
National Wild Turkey Federation Senior Wildlife Biologist Mark Hatfield said his agency has sent 20,000 announcements about the purchase of the Belfast property to residents in South and North Carolina and Georgia. The NWTF will also have a banquet on Tuesday night with hopes of raising $100,000 for the purchase of the additional property.
“I am amazed at the number of people who are wanting to locate next to forest service land,” said Newberry realtor and forester Billy McFall.
PUBLIC LAND FOREVER
Concern: “Once DNR has ownership of this property, it is forever gone from any future development,” said Hipp, who was echoed by McLeod.
“On Bull Street there is 100 acres of public land up for sale,” said Little Mountain resident Steven Yandle.
What’s next?
The purchase of the new property must be approved by the state legislature’s joint review and budget and control boards.
Livingston also has said the County Council does not have a say in the legislative decision and the county discussions were nothing other “than a waste of time.”
Sen. Ronnie Cromer and State District 15 Rep. Jeff Duncan have both signed off in support of the land purchase, while McLeod opposes the move.
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