Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll have a little bit of patience with us. The audio is working, but the visual is not. We're trying to get it to fix it. So, we're going to delay for a few minutes to give them a chance so that everything's properly recorded. [clears throat and cough]

No, they [clears throat] have to That's where I got it. So they were ready. December the 16th, 2025. The video is still not working, but it is on the way. We're going to go ahead and start the meeting and hopefully they'll have it resolved by the time um we get short into the meeting. Um would the clerk please call roll

Jason Cavalier? Yokima Kuritan here. Lynette Henson here. Judiana Tinkllinberg here. Michelle Richards here. Sheila Henson here. Francis Lou here.

Thank you. Would the clerk please make note on the record that a quorum of the planning commission is present? The notice of public meeting, including the meeting agenda, has been posted the required length of time in the lobby of the county administrative building and on the county website, and the news media was notified of the meeting place and time. Please welcome everyone to the Lancaster County Planning Commission meeting. Please make sure that all of your electronic devices are silenced and turned off. Please abide by the rules um posted in this room for the meeting. Please remove any hats. Um no profanity. Try not to interrupt one another. Please. Um a signup sheet was provided at the entrance room. Um I hope everyone added their name already to um speak tonight um for what was on the agenda. You will be called at the appropriate time to speak. Um Miss Henson, [clears throat] would you do the pledge and the prayer? Sure.

Thank you. So, let's please rise for the pledge of allegiance and opening prayer to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Gracious heavenly father, I thank you so much for letting us gather here tonight. Lord, I just pray that you be with each and every one of us. Let us hear what we need to hear and see what we need to see. Lord, we just pray that you your will be done, Lord. We just pray that your uh each one of us have discernment uh for what we are we are going to be talking about uh for the upcoming growth of Lancaster County. Lord, we just uh pray that you just be around us and let us hear consciously and clearly in this Jesus precious holy name I pray these things dear Lord. Amen.

Amen. Thank you. [snorts] Um so commissioners, you have before you the agenda for tonight's meeting. Do I hear a motion? Um, I'd like to make a motion to remove item 9A as it's been rescheduled and that's the continuing education. Do I have a second? Second.

So, um, show of hands in favor. [snorts] Motion passes six to zero. Um, so, um, motion passes to amend the agenda to exclude item number 9A. The next item on the agenda, you need to approve the agenda as amended. Oh, I'm sorry. Yes. [laughter] So, um, now, um, need a motion. I need a I need a motion to approve the amended agenda. Motion to approve. Second.

All right. Show of hands. Passes six to zero to approve the amended agenda. Thank you, ma'am. All right. Um, so next um item on the agenda is the approval of the minutes. The first one is the minutes of our 1118 2025 regular meeting. I would like to make a motion to amend that um meeting minutes to remove um the statement that was submitted by Jason Cavalier at the very end of the meeting just before we um on pages 69 to 71 which is the last pages of it. I'm making a motion to remove that. I don't think it was properly submitted. It was not on the agenda, so it was not part of it and should not have been included in it.

Second motion to approve. I have a question. I I honestly didn't see it, but I just thought at the end and refresh me I my memory. I just thought that he said instead of reading it, he would submit it. So since he would have read it had he known it was not going to be in here. And like I said, I don't know what's in it. I I Is it in the minutes right now? Yes. I I'm I'm sorry I did not read it. Um so I don't I'm not judging on content. I'm just judging that if he said I would read it, but instead I'm going to submit it not knowing that it wasn't going to be included. I don't think it's right to vote not to put it in.

Well, it was not on the agenda, so he would not have been allowed to read it. I would have told him it was not on the agenda and it was not appropriate to read it after. Okay. And I'm I'm willing to be schooled here. Um but at the end when we all have other business, isn't aren't we all allowed to bring up no things? So we can't say anything at a meeting unless we know ahead of time what we're going to do. Correct. Yep. That's what the workshop's for. But okay. I I don't understand that because like I said again, I don't know. I mean, we could discuss it in the executive session.

I don't want to discuss it in the executive session. I just mean I think the public should know and I I do not know what's in there. For all I know, he could say Francis Lee was a fraud and I'm sitting here saying I want that out in public. But I'm just saying that if any of us have something and say I will read I would read this, but instead of reading it, I would submit it. It just seems not right to but Robert's rules are it was not on the agenda so it is not legally included in the minutes.

So if I may commissioner Lou the problem is your last agenda did not have the last thing was a status of items tabled recommitted deferred or held there was and then it was adjournment after that. There was no other as you have on your agenda this evening. So if there had been a place like that for miscellaneous items or other items, then it would have been appropriate for a statement to have been read or made or submitted at that point. So it is legally improper that that be submitted because there was no item on your last meeting agenda where he could have properly done that. So because someone leaves the word other off an agenda, we get screwed that you you all approved the agenda and but I'm just saying that like I said

there was no technical place commissioner Lou on the agenda for that to have been done. There is an item other that was there that was not on your last agenda. Had this commission amended the agenda to put something on there to have that, then it would have been proper. But legal and technically, it was not a proper place for this to be submitted at that meeting.

Okay. At what point tonight can I make a motion that we always have other put on there in case any of us have pearls of wisdom to share and not accidentally get censored in? do have an you do have an item on the agenda tonight number nine that has other that was supposed to be your continuing education training. So there is a spot this evening on this agenda where you could bring up a matter such as that for consideration. It cannot be voted on. It can be a suggestion that you make to staff to include that from here on. Okay. But it's not an action item. It would be a request much as Mr. Cavaliers would have been a request under that item had that item been on the last agenda.

Okay. I just want to make sure going forward and you can tell me tonight when I can jump in with it, but I don't think any of us, regardless of what the the subject matter is, and I know this is a very sensitive matter, even though I don't know what this is, um I just don't think any of us should end up with our hands tied because the word other was not put on an agenda.

And again, you can make that request this evening for staff to include that from here on on your agendas. But you all also, as you just did, have the ability to approve agendas and you can add things as long as they are by by South Carolina FOYA. You can add things to agendas as long as they are not final actions by two twothirds vote of this board. So there are ways procedurally that these things can be done, but that was not done at your last meeting and there was no item on that agenda. So that's why it is legally and technically improper for that statement to be included at the minutes and that is why the motion is being made. I respect your legal opinion completely on this. I had no idea, but I just want to make sure that as a body we're not hog tied by technicalities going forward, but I I respect your comments and opinion and knowledge.

So, I made a motion. It was seconded by second. So, um, show of hands in favor of approving the amended minutes for the 11:118 regular meeting.

I would like to I um there were some things that I had actually said u in the last meeting that did not get recorded. Um, and I would like to have those added into the minutes if that is possible. I know that this says on here that it's not verbatim, but it also was um it was important to me because it was important to some citizens that were in my in my district that uh wanted me to to have that on record and I would like to to add those. Um I don't know how I I can I can send it over and so it's just going to be [snorts and clears throat]

So are you asking to postpone the approval of these amend of these minutes so that that can be researched and added into the proposed minutes? Yes, I am. Okay. Then that that is the sub subsequent motion that has been made at this point is another motion. Okay. So, we have a subsequent motion to um postpone approval of the minutes from the November 18th meeting until our next meeting so it can be amended. Do we have a second to that motion? I second it. Need to vote.

All right. Uh show of hands to um postpone the approval of these minutes to our January meeting. Show of hands in favor. Against. So passes four to two. Do I have to go back and redo the other one? All right. Okay. Or postpone. All right. So we have postponed this. Okay. [gasps] Yes, we do. [laughter] Um, next item on the agenda is the approval of the minutes from our December 4th workshop. I have a motion. I'll make a motion to approve.

Second.

Show of hands to approve. Passes six to zero. All right. [clears throat] Next item on the agenda is citizens comments. Um, I would like to remind people that in this particular part of the citizens comment, this is only for items that are not on tonight's agenda. Um, so if on the three people who signed up for this, you can speak, but not about anything that is on tonight's agenda. That would have been for the other signup sheet. Um, so um, like I said, we've had three citizens uh, signed up. Uh please remember um that this is not a dialogue with a planning commission or a question and answer session. This is citizens opportunities to address the planning commission with your concerns. We ask that you address the planning commission as a whole body and not any individual commissioner. When your name is called please come up to the dis um adjust the microphone as needed. State your name and address for the record. You will be given three minutes to address the planning commission and the time will start after you say um your name and address. And we please ask that the other attendees please refrain from speaking um and interrupting the speaker. So please Miss uh Barbara um Scantanel please come up. [cough] Excuse [clears throat] me. Barbara Scanell 8016 Carolina Lakes Way in Sun City. Madame Chairwoman and members of the planning commission, over the past several years, new residential development throughout the Indian land panhandle and commercial development along arterial roads such as highways 521 and 160 has created near gridlock

conditions, not only at peak commute times to get to work or school, but at different times throughout the day. Monday through Friday and on the weekends, collector roads and local roads are also impacted. It often takes three or more traffic signal cycles for vehicles to get through each intersection along Highway 521 from Jin Wilson Road to the south up to the North Carolina border. I have had first responders, EMS, fire, and sheriff with lights and sirens on several vehicles behind me that can't get through because there are no lanes available to maneuver around. I have also seen first responders have to drive into opposing traffic, which is very dangerous for them and other vehicles on the road. Traffic circulation and drainage requirements for new zoning and development applications are inconsistent at best. As you all know, oftentimes none are required at all. And again and again, developers have said that they don't have to do road and drainage improvements because they are not required by SCO nor are they in the UDO. Now, right now, I know we're in the process of redoing that and some of you serve on that committee. This situation is not sustainable not just for Indian land in the panhandle but for the entire county. Up to now most of the rapid development has occurred in the panhandle. However, nu numerous new development applications are now being received in county districts 2 and three and the city of Lancaster. It's just a matter of time before development also occurs in districts five and six. Lancaster County is in the process of updating the UDO. I am recommending that a new tra master master traffic circulation and drainage plan must be created by a traffic engineering firm hired by the county and added to the UDO for all arterial collector and local roads to be applied throughout the entire county. Traffic impact fees can also be assessed for various road

projects identified by the county transportation committee. I understand that adding the master traffic circulation draining plan to the UDO and assessing road impact v specific road projects on new development applications will not fully address or pay for the needed and road and drainage improvements. However, adding such requirements going forward forward will help reduce the costs assessed on all Lancaster residents and taxpayers in the future. So please consider this when request to add this information that you have a road master road and drainage plan and impact fees to the UDO that you're updating at this time. Appreciate you all. Thank you very much.

Thank you ma'am. Um our next speaker is Kathy Storm. Kathy Storm. There she is. [cough and clears throat] First, let me say I'm very confused about the two different sheets. Uh, one is for general citizens comments and one was specifically um related to the um reasonzoning 2025 2538 the CF Smith Harris tracks. I don't I [clears throat] don't think we all understood that when we were which sheet we were signing up on.

Okay. So I um do you wish to speak on the Harris tracks? I do. Can I move her name to that list? Okay. I will move your name to that list then. Thank you.

And then Tony McCannon or Mckamean? My name is uh Tony McCammon. I live at 2112 Hartwell Lane in Indian Land. Um, I go to almost all the county council meetings and I've been tracking um the very difficult decisions that the council's been making regarding the infrastructure in Indian land and how that is also being moved south towards the other districts. Last night I went to the developers presentation on the Laurel Hill property and the impact that that's going to have on the roads. My greatest concern is that the UDO that is currently being revised that there not be decisions made now that will not hold accountable any development to the new UDO. Our current UDO is not sufficient for the problems that we face and we need solutions that are be going to be consistent throughout the county and that um are not going to be subject to timing issues which is I think partly what we're dealing with right now is we have a moratorum on residential but not on commercial. So if we have a residential property

that's going to be reszoned to commercial, then bingo, they're not under the new UDO. So please consider what the citizens are saying about the impact. It is tragic. If you don't live in Indian land, please come down there and drive the roads at the appropriate times and see the kind of danger that are on our roads because people are making crazy decisions as to how to move in and out of developments and and all the commercial um uh properties that are currently on 521. It it it's really scary. And I came from Central Florida, so I know what fast growth looks like. And we can do a good job in Lancaster County going forward. But we need this new UDO in order to do a the best job that can be done for the entire county and not just Indian land. Thank you for your for your time and all the work that you put into this. Uh, I know it's not an easy job. So, thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Um, thank you for all of our speakers tonight. We will now consider ourselves out of citizens comment and move on to the next item on the agenda. Um, the next item on the agenda is executive session. Um, I need a motion. Do I need to read? All right. All right. So, we're going into executive session to for the receipt and review of legal advice subject to the attorney client privilege regarding an appeal of the planning commission decision. And I would also like to invite um our interim county administrator, Steve Willis, to please join us for this meeting. I need a motion to go into executive session. I'd like to make a motion to adjourn for uh executive session.

I second it. All in favor? Passes six to zero. So we will be back shortly. Everyone please be patient.

That's the mode that they were So, so which camera are we looking

that camera? Y we good. Okay. Now we need to make it work. He's looking at it.

Why is it not Is this is that your

Yes. Now that I know what you did. What did you do? You took this panel all the way back and logged in again. Didn't touch the bration and that chose presentation. So, okay. to trust it. It's already when I get Start.

All right. Can I have a motion to come out of executive session? I have a second. Second.

All in favor? Passes six to zero. Madam chairperson, for the record, the planning commission met an in executive session in regards to one matter, one item, excuse me, the receipt and review of legal advice subject to the attorney client privilege regarding an appeal of a planning commission decision. No motions were made. No votes were taken. Thank you, ma'am. All right. Next item on our agenda is um public hearing [clears throat] items for recommendation to council. Item number RZ 2025 2538 C excuse me [clears throat] CF Smith Harish Tracks I was going to try to catch us up on our slides but so thank you thank you good evening planning commission I am presenting to you this reszoning 20252538 eight. Uh so what you have in front of you is a reszone request for five parcels totaling 71.1 acres uh located on Charlotte Highway. It is currently zoned low density residential and the proposed zoning is regional business. The map that you're looking at here um is from our GIS map uh to kind of give you a clear picture of the entire parcel that's not broken up between the five that they're covering. Right here to your left, if you'll look at this slide, is the moratorum map because I did want to cover this because this these parcels are actually located within our moratorum zone. However, because they are commercial in nature, uh they were given the approval to be heard uh by the planning commission and county council. Now, should the reszone be approved and passed and we receive plans of residential nature, those would not be reviewed and they would be subject to the moratorum until it's lifted.

Well, can you click? It's not working. But what you've got underneath that moratorum map is the zoning map from our GIS map here to show you the surrounding zoning district. So, of course, you can see there uh to the east or to the north, you've got regional business that's used for commercial multif family. Uh south there is is the PDD that we know as the Prominade and Sun City. And then to the east you've got residential uses between MDR and LDR. And to the west you've got a combination of of commercial residential uses of neighborhood business, general business, and MDR. Um here these subject parcels have an expansive availability of buffers to the neighboring residential districts in the back there. Uh because of the regional business zoning, they would be required to do a type-C buffer which is the largest um and requires complete opacity. And then there's also expansive arterial road access for Charlotte Highway. Um, and then of course like I stated, it's not subject to the moratorum due due to its commercial nature. Oh, psych, sorry. This is a cut from our uh future land use map and our comprehensive plan. Uh, the parcel is in that kind of rectangular core mixeduse area. So, it is already zoned for a regional business district. uh that is permissible in this future land use designation. And from uh our comp plan as well, there's a panhandle objective of 4.1 uh that would improve design standards and that's mentioned because they would be subject to the highway corridor overlay and they would be required to do internal connectivity standards from the UDO which prioritize pedestrian access and building facade. So those things align with that comp plan goal. Uh here are some pictures from the property and what I did want to cover is that we did have a couple of questions from our previous workshop meeting that I I wanted to address that should be in your packet. Uh the first one was

regarding if the regional business zoning district allows data centers. Um so I did meet with the zoning department and our development services director and it was decided that Lancaster County's current code does not allow data centers. there's not a defined use and that if they were to pursue that, they would have to pursue a text amendment to do that. Um, and that if a text amendment were to be filed to include this, that regional business would not be a zoning district that would be inclusive of that use. Uh, the second one was for uh accident and traffic count for this specific block between Jim Wilson Road and Shelley Mellison. Although I wasn't able to get specific accident data in that fashion to get this published, I did uh add an attachment in your packet that has the SE dot traffic counts that were done for the site that's a little bit south of this site but relevant to this area because it's measuring from Highway 75 Waxaw Highway all the way to Shelley Mullis which would go past where these parcels are. And so those counts, the average speed and and the time of day is is highlighted on that in your packet if you'd like to to review it. And then uh like I said, here's some uh property pictures from the signs. And then based on the county's, uh UDO and then guiding principles like the comp plan staff is is recommending approval of this request as it's permissible. And I'm here for any questions. And the applicant is also here. They'll have a presentation for you right after me, but they're here for questions as well. Commissioners, does anyone have any questions for Dr. Willis?

Um, it may be too late, but is there a way that we can get you going forward accident reports or accident counts for a certain area? What does that entail? So, one of the things that I looked at, and I'll just specifically what I looked at. One of the things that I looked at is because Charlotte Highway is um a state road that's monitored by the highway patrol. They're they do have accident data for 521, but it's for the entirety of Charlotte Highway. Um and in looking at their data, they also didn't designate between 521 north and 521 south. It just says 521. So that could encompass, you know, all the way down Kershaw Camden Highway because that's technically 521 south um and north all the way to the border and it and it doesn't break it up per location. And so it was hard to kind of tell what was for this area and what wasn't. Um and then for the sheriff's office, I would have to reach back or wait for correspondence from them to see if that's something that they can pull because that's kind of a a joint partnership between Highway Patrol, which you know is a state entity, and then the sheriff's office. So for this one, it just was

not asking. Oh, thank you. Yeah, my question tonight was not relative to this project, but just going forward how we would do that. So that's it's a lot easier when it's a county road, too, because when it's a county road, the sheriff's office is a little bit more um they keep up with a lot more data that way or calls that way. Um so it might be a little bit easier if it's like a county road, but you would run into that then when you have like a private drive or something, you might run into issues there, too. So unfortunately I and if you'd like those from the highway patrol, I'm happy to provide those to you so you can look at them, but it's it's very generic. Sounds very generic. Thank you. It is. Any other questions, commissioners?

Okay. Is the applicant here? They are. You would like to come up and um speak, please uh state your name and address for the record, please. Good evening. My name is Neil Robinette. Uh I live at 193 National Drive in Piner, North Carolina. [clears throat]

Uh good good evening. Thank you to the planning commission and staff for the opportunity to be here tonight. Uh, it's a privilege and an honor to to be here with you guys. I'm Neil Robinette. As I said, I'm CEO of CF Smith Property Group, the proposed developer. I'm joined by our director of development, John Parker, as well as Ben Johnson Robinson Bradshaw, who's helping advise us on our land use process. We're here to introduce ourselves as well as the proposed property for reszoning. Uh, I would stress to you that we are very early in our process. We are in the midst of our feasibility and due diligence processes with much much unknown and still a lot more work to do. At this point, we're we're solely focused on the the reszoning as the natural first step for us. As we as we started working on this project, um we felt the property could really really take us in a few different directions in terms of how it was developed and the uses associated with it. And as we were going through early investigations and having conversations surrounding the property in the community, we understood that a more a more commercialoriented use proposal would be appropriate, which has really led us here to this specific request tonight. And I'll introduce our firm um before allowing Ben and John to speak further on the specifics of of the project. [clears throat] CF Smith is a 60-year-old family-owned and operated retail developer and investor. We're focused on the Carolinas and we're based in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Our our area of expertise is in the development of shopping centers and and out parcels for retail retail users. Um, over our history, we've completed over 10 million square feet of retail projects across 23 states. And today, we wholly own 500 million in real estate assets

within the portfolio, managing over 200 tenants across a 100 retail properties. And our purpose or or our mission, if you will, is to create community value through meaningful relationships by working with with all the stakeholders involved in any project to deliver deliver a project that is, you know, instilling a value and high quality while also helping our our tenant partners grow and serve their customers is how we strive to to accomplish that mission. We are a a long-term holder of all of our developments and we are very intentional about being a part of the communities that we develop in. We see these as 40 50-y year partnerships. [clears throat] Our perspective on development is that we are only successful when our tenants are successful and and they are only successful when the projects that we build are appreciated and supported by the customers that they serve. So we see all all three of these being very connected and crucial to successful conclusions. So we're as focused on day one opening a project as we are 50 years down the road and how that project's going to perform over time. We'll we'll be there with it along the way.

[clears throat] So, I wanted to just share a few slides uh real quickly of project images that that we've completed. Uh and it's simply to provide a sample of the types of tenants that we work with. Um the the quality of product that we we try to we try to complete as as well as the depth and capabilities of our team. So, with that, I will um I'll turn it over to Ben first and then then I think John will come in and take take you guys through site and some more of the specifics around the reasoning request. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. [clears throat]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um I'm Ben Johnson. I'm a lawyer in Rock Hill. I represent CF Smith. Um my address in Rock Hill is 310 College Avenue. Um up here I want to talk about two things very quickly. One is the comprehensive plan and I know you all are familiar with it. Um we're involved in it uh have studied it. Um this site is is compatible with the f future land use designation in the comprehensive plan and of course it's to be used to guide the future development of the county. And I know most of you know that the comp plan it was a two and a half year process um completed in April of 2024. uh if you've one of the first pages in it over over 12 meetings um hundreds of uh attendees 12 sub region meetings one focused on Indian land uh in particular more than one uh and and then thousands of um people viewed it or gave input um what is the what is the purpose of the plan it's it's um to be the primary tool to guide the future development and future land use of the county. And I'm going to read uh through this map. Though this map is not regulatory like the zoning map, it must be used by the plan commission and the county council when considering resonings and similar development decisions. And I don't know if we do we have the future land use map this

have to work my devices. glasses for me. Um,

thank you. There it is. So, when the when the all of the meetings were held among the county and all the citizens groups, the staff, the this planning commission, the county council, this particular area was designated on this map as core mixed use. And what that means as described in the plan is that the future land use map plans for the development of a core mixeduse area in the panhandle. And they focused on an area basically between 160 and also in the vicinity of Jim Wilson Road. And the as you read the plan that is to be and to become an urban centered area with walkability and the kinds of things that you would see in a mature urban development. And when you read about um what should be elements of this plan it says these areas should accommodate a wide r wide range of higher density housing as well as major commercial and mixeduse developments. So, out of the 2 and 1/2 year process that the county went through, um this area, and there not many at all, uh is designated for future commercial development. And when we heard about this project, um it was clear that it fit and that it should be pursued here because of that. And again, it is to be uh used as by you in making your decision on this resoning because the reasoning is compatible with it. Um but I want to add quickly because of this area has been slated for um growth uh and to be uh used as core mixed use. Uh, I would take advantage of this

developer. Uh, CF Smith is located in Pinehurst. Uh, Mr. Robinette gave a brief history of his company. Uh, they don't like unlike a lot of people you who come through here. They buy and keep their projects. I've represented uh we they they work collaboratively. They plan to be a neighbor. Um, we met early on. I told them that a neighborhood meeting was voluntary, not required. They said, "Oh, we want to meet our neighbors." We had a neighborhood meeting. We had a good turnout. We had a um we had a good exchange. They're they're collaborative by nature. I've done this a long time. I don't I've not had a client just stick a stack of business cards on out and said, "Here, call me." And they've been on the phone and they've been talking with people. We talked in the hallway. I talked this morning at at my three-year-old grandson's Christmas program. Someone pulled me aside and talked about it. He was there. And we're going to continue to talk about it and we're going to continue to meet about it. Um they're going to keep this project. They're going to own it. You have their phone number. They want to be a good neighbor. And I my recommendation is is is to take advantage of this. Thank you very much.

Thank you, sir.

[snorts]

Good evening, commissioners, madam chair. My name is John Parker. I'm with CS Smith Property Group. Uh my address is 100 Magnolia Road, Sweet 300 Pinehurst, North Carolina. Um [clears throat] am I in control of the slides or is we go to that one? I am. Okay, we'll start with this one if that's okay. Um, [clears throat] as you can see there in in blue, uh, is the the property and um, that we have the request for the resoning on. Um the purpose [clears throat] of this slide is to really show that u this corridor 521 has really grown um you know to become a commercial corridor commercial um node in this area. Either side of of us is is existing commercial or mixed use. Uh but you can see that this has really grown into a commercial corridor in this area. [clears throat] Again some of this may be a little bit repetitive. um staff did an excellent job of of presenting. Of course, um [clears throat] as you see on the map outlined in red is the is subject property that we're requesting resoning on. Currently low density residential. Um on either side of us on on 521 is existing commercial or mixed use that it really supports the the request to to have this property reszone to a regional business as well. Again, [clears throat] back to the future land use map. Um, you know, the core mixed use is intended to facilitate for major commercial uh and mixed use development. This is the Lancaster County comprehensive plan future land use map.

So, we are we are trying to bring what the comprehensive plan is is asking for. Um, So, switching gears a little bit. This is a conceptual bubble plan. Um, you know, these slides were presented, all of these slides were presented to the community last night at the rec center. Got a great turnout, got some great feedback. Um, what [clears throat] we're showing in the light blue up front um is intended for your high-end retail, you know, your QSRs, your sitdown restaurants. You know, we we have a large list of of big names that we like to work with. Um, most people like them. Um, to the rear of that in the peach is what we're proposing for your anchored shopping center. All of this is very high level right now. We're we're not really talking to anyone yet. Um, in the green areas, and we described this to the community last night that these are intended to remain open. Um after the meeting last night, we discussed as a as a team and we're going to be dedicating those spaces, permanently making them open space where they can never be developed, the green areas. Um so those will be deed. Um Ben and his team will put together a developer agreement. We'll put those in title and on a plat. Um [clears throat] additionally to the rear, we we know we have neighbors to the rear. The topography in the rear of the property is pretty challenging. Our intent is to bring the development as far forward as we can. And if you look at the proposed new Laurel Hill realignment, which is the next topic of conversation, which is in the U violet on the right hand side of the plan, the reason we have a sway in in Laurel Hill is to allow us to to pull and shift forward away from our neighbor to the west and away from our neighbors

in the rear any development that we may lay out to give more buffer, more, you know, natural space and and kind of, you know, be respectful to our neighbors. Um [clears throat] on the frontage we're showing a placeholder. Now this is very preliminary. We have had early discussions with DOT. We have kicked off a traffic impact analysis to determine you know what is going to be needed in the general area to improve conditions. Is the location of the traffic signal that we're showing on the plan a suitable location? Uh we've already heard back from NC DOT about that location. Um, and there is a road um, hard to see on there, but I'm sure you're familiar with it. Far far plan left is um that is make sure that's Halifax and then is Milsap, the next road over. We approached um our neighbors to the north about putting a signal at Halifax. Um, in [clears throat] order for that to happen, which would serve the community across the street, our development and the the development to the uh to the north, they would have to agree to close their curb cut or or the median cut, um, which they were not uh willing to do. So, we went back to DOT. Milsap looks like where the the signalized intersection will end up going. We're we have a call um the end of this week with DOT to revisit that and uh get that TIA in motion, but you know DOT started from the beginning speaking uh very positively about trying to help the community across the street with ingress egress with getting a signal for them. Um la lastly on this plan [clears throat] in in the violet again if you if you look through the plan a little bit or go back to the original slide uh without a a bubble plan you can see how Laurel

Hill Road kind of meanders through the the track and then approaches 521 at sort of an angle. Um the angle approach to 521 I know has to be challenging for for exiting an entrance. Um it's definitely not a safe alignment. Um but we also want to separate Laurel Hill Road from any commercial development. Um so I will skip toward one. So what we're proposing is to realign Laurel Hill to make it more parallel uh coming down the right hand side of the property and preserve some of the natural foliage and trees going along that adding in of course with count with of course approval from the county. what we're showing here um with additional plantings going down giving it, you [clears throat] know, a little bit more personality, some walking paths and interconnectivity, more of a boulevard feel. Now, we did get some feedback from the community. There was there was a lot of questions and comments going around, especially related to traffic and the signal placement. We've taken all that. We're we're feeding that back to DOT this week. Um, you know, I think the the sentiment on what we're showing here, they uh maybe the community felt like it was a little bit more robust than they were expecting. We're going to work with staff to to dial that in. We're going to continue to meet with the community as well. We're already planning another meeting with some of the the residents on Laurel Hill Road to to drill down on that a little bit more. Um, you [clears throat] know, we we're trying to be great neighbors. are trying to exceed and go above and beyond and um you know excel and and and exceed expectations. So um I know that's a lot to take in but u we we are making a a valiant effort um on the rear of the property. We're we're planning to increase that distance and

buffering to to try to keep everybody's view out the back door as as similar to it is, you know, similar to what it is now or better. Um, I'd love to answer any questions you may have if anything I've shown thus far. Questions for the applicants? Yes. Um, I just want to clarification. You mentioned um the signalized entrance would be different than what you showed on your plan, but it would be aligned with the neighborhood across the street, one of their entrance.

Uh yes. Uh yes, ma'am. So, what we are showing today, we did not want to change from what we showed uh the community last night, but there's ongoing conversation with DOT. We received the comment back from DOT very late. We had already sent out some versions of this plan, so we stuck with this until we have our meeting with them. But if you can imagine the the uh yellow block that's on the screen right now, moving more down to Milsap, that would be the proposed signalized intersection that we are are going to continue to work on. Is it their discretion? But, you know, from the conversations we've had, they are um I mean, from the beginning, they've been wanting to try to get something uh in that section for the community across the street as well. [clears throat]

Thank you. Oh, my pleasure. Um I was at your meeting last night and very large turnout. So, I'm um thank you for trying to incorporate um the residents concerns. Absolutely. Believe that. moving forward and complaints. We will we will have these updated um as soon as we meet with DOT and we'll we will make sure everybody that we can can see the that progress as we make it. My pleasure.

Yes. Just thank you. Just relative to that traffic light, how many feet would that be from the Sun City uh prominade traffic light? I would I would need to get that data to be accurate to give to you, but I can I can follow up with staff on that if that's okay and get that to you. I don't have that. I if it's not tonight, I don't think that's helpful. Thank you. I apologize. Any other questions? All right. Thank you, sir. It is my pleasure. Thank you.

Uh we will now consider ourselves into public hearing. Um as a reminder when your name is called please come to the dis and adjust the microphone as needed and state your name and address for the record. You'll have three minutes to address the planning commission. Um, I would like to make one comment. Excuse me. That, um, please remember, uh, citizens, your comments tonight need to be related specifically to this project and this resoning project, not to general and other things in the county, but try to keep your comments related to this project. Um, the first person we have signed up is Jared Callus. Mic test. All right. Good evening, madame commissioner. Uh, madame chair and commissioners. Thank you for your time. My name is Jared Kalis. I live at 293 Laurel Hill Road in Indian Land, South Carolina. My house happens to back up against the uh eastern part of the property of the proposed resoning location. Uh I am a licensed architect and quite familiar with uh procedures and plans and things like this and I appreciate the presentation given and the detail they've put into it. Um my my intent tonight is to remind the commission of the uh the big picture and that what you're intending and you're trying to do is you're trying to decide is this resoning the right thing for our overall community and is it the right thing for the neighborhood? is it at the right thing at this right location. Um, I also want to mention in case you have been felt otherwise, you're not obligated to either recommend or approve this resoning even if it happens to be in alignment with the overall plan. If you decide that this happens to not work

in this particular location, uh, you have the freedom, I assume, to choose to disapprove. Uh I I believe uh that this resoning is not right for this part of the community and I assume that you will hear this as well from other neighbors in the community. There are lots of reasons for this. I want to start by saying that the existing lowdensity residential that is there serves as a really welcome breather for everyone. Um traffic is bad enough. The whole 521 as they've correctly showed is now a bunch of commercial properties, stop lights, traffic, and uh this is a very um it's a brief but it is a nice breather and for those of us that live in the neighborhood, very nice breather to have that and the privacy and everything that we have is would be uh lost through this. Uh, in my opinion, this resoning really just primarily has negative impacts for the overall community locally, regionally. Um, I don't see it solving any problems. Uh, but I do appreciate that they're trying to solve problems that their development does create. So, I appreciate that. Uh, but I think that our little section of 521 just really can't handle this resoning to commercial. Um I I don't think that there's also been sufficient study of all of the implications of what this would would result in. So uh I think if you were to take the time to consider all the implications, it would not be quite so beneficial to approve the reasonzoning. Uh but uh I think really here in the end to conclude I with this respectfully this resoning should either just be declined or slowed significantly for you and for the developer to spend more time analyzing the impacts of traffic noise security environment uh as well. But thank you for your time. I appreciate your uh listening to me and to the other

comments ahead of us.

Thank you Mr. Callas. Next is Barbara Scanell. Sorry for all the trees I kill. Um, is this okay? My name is Barbara Scanell. I live at 8016 Carolina Lakes Way in Sun City. Before I address this, can I mention just one thing for a question from one of the planning commissioners as far as getting traffic information traffic accidents? You may staff may want to check with the 911 communication center because they have all the calls coming in and they may be able to provide that report to you the staff just as because I used to do that kind of system so I have clue.

Okay, done about that. Okay. Um Okay. So this I went to the meeting last night and um as stated Mr. Robinette who is the CEO did leave his cards and I did reach out to him this morning and I appreciate him actually doing that. So this is what the email I sent to him. I attended the community meeting you and your staff hosted at the Indianland Recreation Center yesterday evening. I was the one who recommended that you withdraw from the public hearing this evening and rescheduled to the next planning commission meeting on January 20th. Doing so would provide your staff the time needed to address the issues brought up by the residents and prepare the most accurate information to the residents planning staff planning commission including and what included were there was someone that had a property line dispute with what the proposed development was going to be on the natural barriers. Um, I can't remember the gentleman who just spoke, but he talked about having actual documentation um to take care of the east and west for the natural site and that they would do something with the backside because right now it lines right behind um Shelley Woods. Again, how far give specifics in writing, not just speaking. Um traffic circulation, they're having a meeting with SC DOT this week, so it'd be nice to get those things more finalized. and the format of the shopping center itself. The actual um the second page that I gave you was uh in the packet that was on the um connect to the agenda and you see it's two large big box stores is the main thing and that's an issue. Um so I said this morning it occurred to me that the residents at the meeting said they didn't want at the pro at the proposed shopping center but they didn't say what they wanted. They just said, "We don't need want more grocery stores, more car washes, and all that other stuff." But

everything they showed you up there and that sheet showing what they did already in other shopping centers, we already have. And some of things we have nine and 10 of already. Um, rather than two large box stores, consider changing the format to numerous smaller stores that residents currently drive to outside Indianland and actually shop at, such as Chico's and Taylor Children's Plays, small Cabelas. boy, we've got lots of people that need that kind of stuff. Um, Academy Sports, whatever. And recruiter joining choices like that have better ambiance, seafood, restaurant, you know, different things that I said. And so my suggestion still is because these things are proposed that that they want to do. You can um approve, deny, or you can say, you know, we want to get that more finalized information documented from you. And so you can actually say, "Please, we'd like to postpone this to a vote at the next meeting to give the developer and the residents and the planning department and all of you the specifics, not just this is what we we're thinking of doing." And other developers have done it as well. I have um spreadsheets that people actually signed tonight time.

So I'll give that so you can see that as well. 48 denied, four approved, and two votes.

All right. Thank you, ma'am. Uh, the next person is John Saul. [cough] All right. I'm John Saul, 201 Brier Drive, Indian Land, which is at the retreat at Ray Rayfield, directly across the street from the uh propos proposed uh project. Uh I'm here to ask uh the planning commission um I apologize uh madam chairman and ladies of the commission here to ask the planning commission to deny the zone change application RZ 2025 2538 and to add a master traffic circulation and drainage plan and road impact fees to the UDO at this time. We're we're just not ready for this this project. There's too many ifs, ands, or buts uh up in the air. If you do decide to approve a zoning request for RZ 2025 uh 2538, then please require the the developer to make the road improvement corrections outlined in item one through three listed below and identified in the map identified as detachment A. That is uh the uh deadend street behind Culver's which was I think the developers have said they plan on uh taking through to

tie in to Murphy Road across the access uh road in the development on over to Laurel Hill Drive. Uh currently there are 40 houses off Laurel Hill Road, 375 homes in the retreat at Rayfield and 266 apartments in uh Parkstone at Indyland. At present, there is very poor traffic connectivity. None of these residents have a safe way to make left turns on the Highway 521. They either have to turn right and make a U-turn or cut across three lanes of traffic. And that includes uh the traffic, the patrons of Culver's coming out of there if they're heading south. This is dangerous for all drivers on Highway 521 uh for those driving straight in both directions, for those trying to make left turns from their developments. This can be corrected by improving the connectivity from the surrounding houses and the apartments to the proposed shopping center service road and traffic signal. Uh this would enable residents to safely make left turns on the highway 521. Uh again, I complete agreement with uh moving the traffic signal up to uh Murphy Drive and Halifax Drive. We need desperately a way to safely get in and out of uh the retreat at Rayfield going north on 521. Uh also uh uh I I just don't understand how that could uh a traffic si signal that close to uh uh Culver's there could uh impede or make things any less safe than they are right now. Also regarding Laurel Hill Road, beautiful mockup. Loved it. Uh with two big box stores back there of

70,000 square feet each time trucks back in through there. All right. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Next person on the agenda is Madame Chair, I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt, but are we allowed to talk about all these traffic and safety concerns for a reasonzoning? They are. Most of their comments are being rephrased specifically to this development. So, yes, they are within the purview of this resoning. Okay. I thought we just couldn't consider safety at all the reasoning and if it is specifically related to this resoning request. [clears throat]

Thank you for the correction. All right. Uh Mr. Bruce. Okay. I live in Walnut Creek and I want to thank address 7199 Chrysanthemum.

Thank you. I want to thank you for letting me speak. And you know, you want traffic uh right up for Laurel Hill. In the last three years, I have not pulled out Laurel Hill in the divider pieces of cars. I have not pulled out without seeing a piece of a car sitting in the divider. And for three years now, so that that's my traffic report on that. That's my accident report on the place. Um, I pull out of Walnut Creek and I go north. I sit probably about 10 10:30 in the morning. I will sit at Van W for three uh two to three red lights. Then I will go to Jim Wilson. I will sit for two to three red lights. Shelley Mullis, two to three red lights. As we were sitting here tonight, I was watching the traffic on my GPS till 6:30. Route 160 521 uh and Marvin Road was bumper to bumper. That's 6:30 this evening. And we want to add another 1,500 parking spaces for stores. And then we're talking bumper to bumper. When I leave, um, if I'm working in Sun City and I have to go to Lowe's up on 160, it is it's approximately 5 miles, I guess, and it takes me 35 to 40 minutes each way. Uh, 521 was designed for 45 miles per hour. Some of the parts were designed for 55, I think. Uh, at that figure, I'm averaging eight.

Eight. Can you please keep your comments related specifically to this resoning request?

Technically, I am because what I'm talking about is 1,500 more parking spaces. Now, I I'm I'm actually probuilding and these guys I've spoken to them last night seem like they're very nice. Seems like the company is very good. The problem is Lancaster is not set up for it. Lancaster, our traffic is unbelievable. Also, sewer and water, which is part of this because you're going to be sucking down more water and you're going to be adding sewage. The sewage plant, even if you totally redid it right now, is still decades behind the times from across America. The design is not set up to handle the sewage. You still pump it into the catala. Most places are adding dirt, wood chips, and leaves, letting and to the solids and liquid, letting it sit for two years, and then giving it away as top soil. We're dumping in catala. Once every 50 to 60 years, the kataba backs up and on top of it, you're [clears throat] taking drinking water

time. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Mr. Roger Huff, [clears throat and cough]

Roger Huff, uh 564 Moses Drive. Uh and I am the president of the HOA at a retreat at Rayfield. Uh I have three points. Number one, I believe that commercial development should be included in the moratorum for the same reason that residential were added to the moratorum. Same issue, different different size projects. So I I believe that. Second of all, I don't believe there's enough details on the project that is being proposed by the Smith company for you to make any decision. If you make a decision tonight, there's a lot of handwaving uh going on on this project. Third, and I do appreciate the Smith company uh recognizing the issue our neighborhood has in getting access to uh 521 uh because of the design that was originally done for the neighborhood was done so poorly. Um third, we have lots of safety issues right now today. The addition of the covert pro uh property with the uh uh apartments has created a significant safety hazard. I personally believe that this commission is responsible. I'm not talking about you individually, but you, the commission, is responsible for the mess that has gone on in Indianland because you continue to approve uh activities that should not be approved without understanding the true impact of the traffic, the traffic flow. Uh, as everyone here that experiences 521 in there will say, it is a disaster. Uh, flow is bad. uh accidents are going up, the number of uh incidents at intersections is going up. It's a disaster and we just keep approving

you keep approving activity in that community all the way up in five down 521. I just ask that you guys really think about what you're approving. The the Smith property has the capacity to put two more uh facilities the size of Costco in that parking area, their their property area. Two more the size of Target. Two. And and and are you are you not concerned about that? I'm really really concerned that you guys are not understanding what is going on in Indian land. I'm going to quit. My wife said I had to be careful. So,

thank you, sir. Thank you,

John Zto. Good evening. My name is John Zto. I live at 1017 Princeton Drive. That that is in uh the retreat at Rayfield directly across from the proposed project. I would like to invite you to the retreat at Rayfield. If you'd like to come to dinner, my wife and I will host you. come sometime between 4:30 and 7 and experience experience what is happening on our streets. You know, as you stated, 521 was designed for 45 miles an hour. They're doing 60 when the lights are green, but when the lights are red, you can't do five. It's bumperto-bumper backed up. You've heard about the left turn coming out of the uh Culver's. We have to make a roundabout, a turnaround if when we want to get into our neighborhood and we're heading north on 521. Right at that intersection where this new left turn has been put out of at Culver's is where we have to make our turnaround to go southbound to get into our neighborhood. People coming out of that de area have no patience. They are not allowing us to

make that turn. We are being cut off. It's a a it's accidents waiting to happen and they're happening. My question is the recommendation from the planning staff is to approve this. They've already made their recommendation. What have they looked at? Okay. They looked at a traffic study that is somewhere south of Van Wick. We're not south of Van Wick. The further south you go, the less traffic there is. I would like to see a study from Shelley Mullis to Sun City Boulevard. That whole corridor needs to be looked at. You can't look at it on peace meal. You have to look at it in in its entirety because it is it's a mess. Last night, I I love the one comment. The gentleman said he has watched a telephone pole that has been moved four different times. We have had intersections that have been redone three times in the last 5 years. Where is the planning? Where is the forethought and looking at the future? Not just solve this little issue today, but solve it for the next 10, 15, 20 years. You're wasting a lot of money. And it's and it's gonna all come back to us, I'm sure. I thank you for your time. I appreciate what you do. Uh like Roger, I'm also on the board. Oh, it's thankless.

All right. Thank you, sir. [applause] Miss Allison Con.

Good evening, commissioners. Madam Chair, my name is Allison Kangi. My address is 177 Hatchway Road, Indianland, South Carolina. Um that is a street directly off of Laurel Hill. I'm here with all of my neighbors tonight and um we firmly believe that the this reasonzoning plan is going to probably affect us the most. So we definitely need our concerns and um requests heard and considered by you all. Um our I would say biggest concern right now is just overall safety. Um I'm not against growth and success of businesses at all. Um I wish you all much success. However, um you know, I do w I would find more comfort in supporting this growth if um so for example, like if the resoning is not approved, could you possibly turn around and just um you know give the land away and build apartments? I don't know if you can answer that question, but that would be one of our biggest fears is is if you decide to turn that beautiful land into apartments. Um, also, you know, if you have two big box retail stores such as a Walmart or a Home Depot, I know many residents will find good use out of that those stores, but please keep in mind that you will also affect a lot of crime. Um, we have a neighbor that we're very close with. He works for the police department and states this fact that, you know, many of these retail stores when there um is theft, store employees are not even bothering to call the police and they're just letting people steal. And this does not sit well with me knowing that right in front of our homes, we're attracting people from other places coming to these stores knowing that they can get away with

that. So, please just consider this um as you make these decisions. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.

Luke Benton. Luke Benton and 186 Hatchway Road, Fort Mill, South Carolina. So my biggest concern is back if you go back to their presentation on their drawing for the new Laurel Hill that they want to put in. I said we do have a shopping center entrance coming onto our own drive. So there it allows us to where 18 wheelers and everything else come into it. And if you look at the drawing like I said oncoming traffic, everybody's going to take the easier path to get into that shopping center because it ain't going to have a stoplight. You know what I'm saying? So easy path in, easy path out and it's quickest way. So people going to take it. I said, "And then my thing is when traffic starts coming out more than it does out the other entrance, where's they going to stop it because people can't turn into there if there's traffic sitting there blocking the road?" And I said, "You got two ways and it's going to end up on 521 again." I said, "At that point." Now, I do appreciate y'all taking consideration last night for our opinion about the green areas. That's a great option. I appreciate that. And I said, "We do all appreciate that part of it, but I said my biggest concern is who's going to maintain this." Yeah. They say the county's going to maintain this. county don't do nothing for our road. I said they don't come down and clean up our roads when trees fall across it. We as the community for our neighborhood have to. I said and I do believe that if they do do this, I said they do need to maintain our road along with their stuff with all the brush, apparel, trees, whatever flowers that they plant and grass, it should be maintained and cut. Just same with the the shopping center. I say it's just it's just no way for the community to come in here and cut our grass every week and keep it looking presentable without it being two foot high. So, but that's all I got to say, but I appreciate it.

Thank you, sir. Jimmy Nibbit. [laughter]

Uh, yeah. Which one? Y'all should have a copy. I'm gonna try to summarize it. My name is Jimmy Knobblet. I'm at 351 Laurel Hill Road. I'm here to speak against this reszoning of the the numbers. Most importantly, my property is directly backs up to this property. Um, we share borderline with the development and so the request to move from a low density residential all the way to the regional business zoning is just too big of a jump. There's no transition period there. You're asking to put a high density commercial zoning density big box stores and regional traffic directly in my backyard. I mean adjacent to my home. Um currently the Laurel Hill is uh you know wooded and pastured. We've talked about all these things. Uh again, my biggest concern is Laurel Hill and keeping it as a residential use only like they said, keep the commercial vehicles out. Make it somehow that is not completely impacted by this. And then just as a good neighbor like they say they want to be a quiet zone, certain hours, darkness, a bigger boundary in the rear. You know, I should be able to have a good night's sleep. I should be listening to dumpsters at 4:00 a.m. or tractor trailers unloading whatever hour of the day. And so, I know you said this green area, y'all are thinking about things before you approve it. There should be specifics. There is no complete plan here. This just saying, "Hey, just give us the zoning and we'll build what we want one day whenever we get around to it. Why can't we put on the paper what it's going to be

and then we can actually come to get a real vote from these people? I just think you're putting the cart in front of the horse. So that's my time. Thank you, sir. And Miss Kathy Storm. I'm a little short. Um, thank you commissioners for allowing us to speak tonight and for considering this an address for the record.

Oh, I'm sorry. Um, Kathy Storm, 5025 Redwood Grove Trail, Lancaster, South Carolina. Um, I went to the meeting last night also. Uh, of course I live on the other side of all this development that's going on, but [clears throat] if I want to go anywhere toward Valentine or whatever, I have to go through all of this traffic. Um, I want to be a good neighbor to all of the people that I live around. And I do not think that developing this property into a commercial uh, especially big box stores is being a good neighbor. I feel such compassion for the people who live on Laurel Hill and for those in um Shelley Woods. They have beautiful homes. There is no reason to put big box stores there. I um I think they're a very good company as far as I know, as far as we have been told. But um I just don't think that it's the appropriate time or good use of that land. Leave it open. We don't have anything in in Indian land anymore that's not being developed. Would be nice to have some trees. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Um would the applicant like to respond to any of the comments? Madam, Madam Chair, we have email comments that I need to Okay. Male citizens comments. Okay.

Okay. Well, we received 63 email comments. They will be attached to the minutes. Um to summarize, all commenters are opposed to commercial zoning at this site, which is adjacent to residential neighborhoods. Area residents would prefer that this location retains residential zoning. The principal concerns expressed are traffic congestion and traffic safety. Some additional concerns are location of traffic signs, negative impact on Rayfield ingress, egress, negative impact on adjacent residential property values, inadequate buffering adjacent to residential areas, negative impact on proposed relocation of Laurel Hill Road, negative impact on all emergency and safety services, potential for another big box retailer, which is unwanted, and unwanted duplication of services and vendors. These will be you have these in your in your possession and they will be attached to minutes.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you again. Um I just [clears throat] wanted to to touch on a a couple points. Um and uh we really appreciate the community comments. These are uh very similar comments that we received last night at our uh community meeting. Um, [clears throat] you know, current conditions. I I I've been hearing a lot about the current conditions in the rightway there. Um, you know, I I've developed a lot of properties. Uh, you know, some of the conditions that are existing, for example, um, community members turning out of the neighborhood across the street that are having to go south to do a roundabout to go north. these type of uh motions and movements in in the rightway are are contribute to additional backing up and and traffic congestion um signalized intersections um help control traffic flow. I think that there would be a a huge benefit um to the surrounding area for the addition of a a signalized intersection as well as any other improvements in that direct vicinity that DOT deems necessary that we of course as a developer will um pay for fully. Um, [clears throat] you know, I think the ingress and egress, uh, from the proposed development, um, the relocation of Laurel Hill gives a safer ingress egress. Uh, it's right in, right out only, and it gives the community leaving uh, Laurel Hill Road the access to a full signalized light. So, if they want to turn south on 521, they have a safer way of doing that. as a few members of the community mentioned, [clears throat] even as recent as today, there's there's pieces of cars there now. So, there's an existing issue in the area that this could help resolve. So, [clears throat] you know, a traffic

impact analysis is really going to dig into that data and DOT is going to use that data to to give um us the you know, best plan forward to improve the area uh the best way possible. Um, as [clears throat] far as additional traffic, uh, yes, you know, there there was a conceptual plan that we we threw some boxes on. Those meant to be, um, really just, uh, placeholders for us to see how we could develop the property, if if, uh, you what was possible, how how the site will look, and the limits that we were willing to stay within. You know, since that version of the plan was created, a lot has changed in our mind. Um, as I mentioned earlier, this is a resoning request, but as I mentioned earlier, we we have looked at preliminary test fits of moving that development forward that's shrinking the size of those proposed um future box or or filament uh placements. Um, [clears throat] you know, this this development is meant to serve the community around it. Um, it's not a destination. It's not a Disney World. We're not bringing people in from other counties. This is meant to serve that existing community, people that are coming and going from work or that live in that general vicinity. So, I I I know that traffic impact analysis will elaborate on the trip generations and how many people outside of that community are proposed to be drawn in by the uh proposed development. So, we can look at that information as it comes in, but I I don't think we're going to see a lot of increased traffic is is my my point.

Right. And that's from my experience of doing this for a very long time. Please let the applicant speak and don't interrupt him.

But we we talk, you know, community talks about improvements. We need traffic improvements on this corridor in the county in general. [clears throat] How do we get there? you know, how how does a county fund those those movements? We need tax dollars. We need revenue to do those projects. The state needs it. The county needs it. And these projects can help fund it. So, you know, [clears throat] those are my my add-ons. So, we'll continue to be um a good neighbor and and try to do our best to meet the needs of the community and continue to work with DOT to address some of these issues that are existing in the rightway. Uh but we again we appreciate your consideration. [cough and clears throat] Love to answer any questions again if you have them.

Thank you, sir. Um that concludes um with all the citizens who were assigned to speak. So, we would not consider ourselves out of public hearing. So, commissioners, you have before you case number, glasses on, glasses off. Um, what is it? RZ 20252538. Um, do I hear a motion? Just to put it on the table, I recommend approval of the resoning. Well, I just we just need a motion to start the discussion. So, I need a motion and a second. I would like to a motion. Okay. Do I have a second for the motion? I'll second it.

All right. So, any more discussion or comments from the commissioners? Yes.

Um, this one's this one's hard. I um I'll start by saying I live in Indian land. I feel everybody's pain in this room. I know what we're up against and I know what um we deal with on a daily basis. Um so, I hear you loud and clear and I am being mindful of that. Um, I want to remind the commission that um, what we're deciding affects this parcel of land for forever. Um, and we have to think of is this right for this parcel of land um, moving forward. So, when I'm reading um our comprehensive plan and what it's slated as core mixed use, I might be interpreting it um slightly differently. What I'm reading, and this is verbatim, um these areas should help support a transition to a more urban environment over time with improved transportation connections, greater walkability, and more amenities for residents. The panhandle goal is set to improve and enforce design standards that promote walkability and connectivity. Um when I'm looking at what's presented in this project and I see two large very large buildings, um I just don't agree that it it does support that. Um so unfortunately I I do not support this project. I'm not sure that a large box store um is right for this um for this parcel of land. Um, so that's that's my opinion. Thank you.

Anyone else? Excuse me. [clears throat and applause]

Anyone else have any questions or comments? Yes.

Just judging at the map that we have to deal with, we always have to take into accountability what the adjacent land is. And I'm looking at this and just sat with my pen and circled LDR, MDR every time it came up. And especially the areas that it abuts are LDR and MDR and I feel that going to something like regional business is a huge change from LDR. Yes, there is uh the PDD on to the north and to the south, but all adjacent land, whether it's across the street or backing up to it, is LDR. And I don't see a strong enough argument what to support a change to uh regional business. It's just to me it's not compatible with the surrounding areas.

Right. Most of the uses are residential on three sides. Yes. Thank you. Any other comments or questions? I have a question for um uh the developers. So um as you're probably aware, Lancaster County does not take over any new roads or whatever. And I noticed a couple of the um residents talked about who who's going to be responsible for maintaining Laurel Hill if you reroute it since the county will not be taking over the roads. We're more than welcome uh welcome the idea of maintaining that section of Laurel Hill on our our property. Absolutely.

Um you know, we we were assuming the county would want to retain that, but if the county would prefer we take care of it, we can we can definitely maintain that. This is actually a county maintain road. Oh, it is. Okay. Excellent. I did not know that. Okay. [clears throat] All right. Yeah. Okay. All right. All right. Thank you, sir. Any other questions or comments? Um, yes. Am I understanding? Pull your microphone down a little bit. Am I understanding that um the planning staff approved this or

the planning staff does not have the authority to approve anything based on based on the information that we have to look at for resoning which is the surrounding properties the adjacent properties as well as the future land use map we looked at those took those into consideration and recommended approval based on that that's what I was referring at a staff level those there are certain requirements that we have to look at and those are those requirements exactly that's exactly what I thought Yeah. Any more questions or comments?

All right. Um, so we have before us item number RZ 20252538, the CF Smith Harris Tracks. [clears throat] Um, um, may I have a roll call vote, please? Do we have a motion on the table? Yes, we already had a motion and a second. You did it. You motioned. I motioned, but I didn't know if that was to open the discussion. Yes, that was a motion to open discussion. Needed another. No, we do not need another one. Thank you. All right. Can I have a roll call vote, please? [cough and clears throat] Yakima Kuritan against. Lynette Henson, deny. Juniana Tinkllinberg against. Michelle Richards against.

Sheila Henson against. Francis Lou against. So, um, by a vote of six to zero, the motion is passed. [snorts] Um, denied. Denied. Um, sorry. Is denied. Excuse me. [laughter] It's been a long day. All right. Let's Let's keep it down, please. Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. Six of the motion is denied. I apologize. All right. This um this concludes our public hearing items for recommendation for the council. Would y'all like to take a short recess? I'm assuming most of y'all people want to leave. So um do we have have a motion for that? You can just call.

Yes. I'm going to call a fivem minute recess.

Our meeting will resume in approximately three minutes. Yeah. That doesn't necessarily mean then you won't start questioning how does it impact.

Yes. Yeah. I could change it and say there all your comments are moved points. Thank you dear. Thank you. Yes sir. Oh,

well, we're I mean, we want to have I I suggested we have to have a meeting in Indian land and around the county so that residents know where our hands are tied. I was shocked to find out how our hands are tied. And I said, "We need a a a workshop for the residents that started and with the title, why do we keep rubber stamping everything?" Then everybody would come and we'd say, "We are bound by law to do this or that or the other." I don't know you. I'm Roger. But hi, Roger. I was very impressed. Be willing to

facts and get finished so we can go home. Next on the agenda is our non-hering items. The first is case number R NRN 20252627 December group submitt

commissioners I gave you a last minute addition from Sandra for this item. Um there was an email she wanted to add Fawn Chase drive to Rosland Development phase three. So if you look on page two of the staff report where I list the names that will be added under phase three fawn Chase drive is another road name here. So these are road names uh new road names coming to us from Sander Burton at E911 addressing. They have been submitted via civil construction plans and preliminary plat. Um the applicants have fulfilled all requirements. Staff recommends approval of the street names listed in the attached application and I have them listed up here with the addition of Fawn Chase Drive under phase three. These two phases are the two phases for Rosland that are currently under the civil approval process. So they will be coming up within the next month or so. They're working through their civil construction plans. So when they get those done, they want to be able to move forward. Um staff recommends approval. I'm here for questions. Um, you have any questions about road names? Um,

I did include in relation to Fran's question at workshop, I included the road naming conventions. Um, they're attached in your packet so that you understand what the different suffixes mean if it's an avenue or a drive or a way. So, you know, it has to do with the road length. I was thinking of that today as I was writing

and I did add that list for you and I'll add those going forward so you have that reminder. [cough and clears throat] Excuse me. So, commissioners, you have before you item number n 20252627. Um, do I hear a motion? Make a motion to approve. Second.

Um, show of hands. Passes 62 nothing. Um, next on the agenda is NRN 20252663 Henson Hill Drive. Hello, commissioners. This is our other non-hering item for tonight. Um, Henson Hill Drive. Did I go too fast here? Yes. So, Henson Hill Drive, um Christy Henson owns an interest in um this parcel that's outlined in blue. They are they have proposed a minor subdivision. You can see the parcel to the rear all the way at the bottom of the screen there. Um we are holding the uh approval of that minor subdivision until the the uh private driveway is named since they won't be able to pull building permits until that is named. Um, the applicant has obtained written consent from other property owners accessing the easement that is included [snorts] in your packet. Staff has reviewed the requested name of Henson Hill Drive against county records and has noted the first choice Henson Hill Road. I'm sorry, Henson Hill. It's Henson Hill Drive. I have a misprint there. Um, is sufficiently different from existing names to avoid confusion. There's um in your packet in your um staff report there's a picture of where the road enters Hoke Road and applicant has fulfilled requirements and staff recommends approval of the name Henson Hill Drive for the private road.

Commissioners, do you have any questions? Do I hear a motion? So move. No. Okay. Um, those in favor? Um, passes 620. Are there any papers I need to sign this week?

Okay. Because we missed it last time. So, Well, um I'm actually probably going to take the day off Friday because my daughter doesn't have a car and she's flying in from California with the Hey, Mom, can you take me shopping on Friday? I haven't bought any Christmas presents, so I will swing by and sign them on Friday. [laughter] All right.

Okay, cool. [laughter] All right. Well, that concludes our non-herent items. Um uh item number eight, status of items tabled, recommitted or deferred or held. So SD 2023 0867 Kataba Ridge and Edgewater, they are continuing to hold their um application while they're waiting for um other things to to get completed. Um Miss Lou, we're to other now. And you wanted to add something. We had it discussed at the beginning of the meeting. [laughter]

Yes. I guess I'm sorry. I believe I this is the point where I would like to make a suggestion to staff that we always have an other category so that if any one of us has anything of any import to put on uh to discuss at the meeting just so that it's available so that by not having it the public would be deprived of all of our wisdom that night. Thank you, ma'am. Understood. Thank you.

Any other questions or comments? I would I still would like to go on the record as saying I don't know where this lands, but someone above my pay grade, which is nothing, um should push for county and city collaboration because we're seeing the large number of the large numbers of developments coming through. And while we can make decisions about the things that happen in the county, there's still infrastructure and other issues to be worked out. And I think that that requires um a larger collaborative um effort than just us. So I I would like that to I would like that to be under consideration.

Thank you, ma'am. Commissioner Kuritan. Thank you. And madame chairman, I did have another um topic. I think that just as we commissioners are constantly learning and being educated in the laws of South Carolina and the UDO and so forth, I would like to look into the possibility of having whether you call it an open house or open learning session for the public to understand what they can and can do, what we can and cannot do. I cannot imagine the frustration of being a citizen, seeing a yellow sign on a property or getting a letter saying, "We're seeking your input on this. Um, come to a public hearing and give us your concerns." And then be told, "No, that doesn't count. You can't talk about that. You can't do that." So, and I think it also would help them understand how we operate the way we do and what build by right means and reszoning and so forth. I think it must be terribly frustrating to have their opinion solicited and then told no, you can't say that. So, I don't know what form that would take and of course it can't be immediate. But I think any education opportunities we have there would not be strict education. And no one's going to come to something that we say come [clears throat] and learn about this, but just some kind of a open forum where someone is there um preferably someone who knows what they're talking about, which eliminates me to educate the public on what they can do to [snorts] get their points across and what they

cannot. And same for us. Thank you, ma'am. You're welcome. Any other questions or comments? Do I hear a motion to adjurnn? I make a motion to adjurnn and a second. I hear it too. Yes. Meeting adjourned. Okay. Oh, let's see. Oh.