County Council - Regular Meeting

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It's on now. Okay. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. We'd like to call this Earnburg County Council meeting of February the 2nd, 2026 water. And I'm going to ask uh Councilman Garvin to give us a moment of thanks before we proceed any further. Our most gracious,

our most gracious God, we come just as we are. Want to thank you for giving us opportunity to be here today. Father God, we realize that a lot has been going on. We ask that you bless each and every sign of our voice. Ask that you bless every home, everybody represent here. Ask that you give us the knowledge to do what we need to do for the people that we represent within Montbury County. In your name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you so very much. Um I would ask every council person if you got a comment or you say anything to please uh get close to your mic. Uh there were concerns about some of them said they can't hear. Is that right, Mr.? Yes, sir.

Okay. So, make sure if you have anything to say, speak directly into the mic. So, okay. At this time, uh I would appreciate a motion and a second for the approval of minutes of the January 20th, the 22nd, the 27th, and the 29th special meeting we had. So, moved, Mr. Chairman. Second. Moved by Mr. McCaster and second by Miss Frasier that those minutes be approved as written. All in favor, please say I. I.

Any opposes? The eyes have it. The motion is carried. Again, to the public, um, for those who may not have attended any of our meetings before, we have our public comments at the beginning of our meetings and the public comments in two areas. Public comments of agenda items and public comments of other matters. Uh public comments of agenda item means that uh if you have and I open the floor for that if you want to comment on the agenda item that's on your agenda you will come forth and present your comment. When we close that, we'll open it for other matters. That mean that you have the opportunity to come before us to present anything that you want to ask or comment on. Um, now public comments mean you comment. We don't get into a back and forth dialogue unless you have a specific question, you try to answer it or have the staff to answer it. So, um, that's what we got with public comments. And you got three minutes. Uh, up to three minutes. That don't mean you have to take three minutes. Okay. But we you have up to three minutes for your public comments. So this time the floor is open for public comments of agenda item. Anybody want to put anything on our hearing? None. We will close the agenda item and open it for public comments of other matters. If anyone have something they would like to bring before council, please state your name and the subject matter so that the clerk will have it for the record.

Good evening. U my name is Kaylee Lee 3220 Timberline Drive, Orangeburg, South Carolina 29118. Um this is regard regarding ordinance number 2025 04 2111 regarding the restriction of parking and storage of certain vehicles in residential districts where I currently reside and pay taxes. Um I brought this issue up in December December 15th and I'm bringing it up again because my issue has not been resolved. Um, when I purchased this property, one of the items that we looked at was making sure that there would be enough be not only enough space for my fiance to park, but also a safe location where he can park his truck and his personal vehicle when leaving early in the morning to get to work and come home. For that to be snatched away from us by the council is not fair and it is not right. I understand the other side of community members that presented this issues of trucks being parked blocking the streets, causing disruption in neighborhoods, damaging the roads, and causing property values to decline due to visual blight. But that is not my case whatsoever. And we seem to be penalized by these actions. That is not fair for citizens like me that not only pay property taxes but vehicle taxes um to the county of Orangeburg. We do not bother anyone and we work hard to ensure that our family has a roof over our heads and a house and a house to call our home. We chose Orangeburg County to be that home. I would like to invite a time or schedule a phone call to speak about this issue as it related to my fiance parking his 18-wheeler that he was in violation and bringing a resolution that can be

provided regarding the concerns that I brought before you on December 15th and on today. Um, I would appreciate if the questions and concerns provided could be placed in writing by the council member that put forth this ordinance. Thankfully submitted in Orangeburg County taxpayer, a homeowner in count in Orangeburg County, and a concerned citizen. Thank you. Kayla, K A Y L A, last name Lee, L E, and I reside in District 6. Thank you so much for bringing that up. We will someone will get the from uh the administration or whatever unless you wanted to say something in district 6.

Well, I'm in district 7 and I'm the person who wrote the ordinance, but I'm not going to answer you. We had three readings and a public hearing. The ordinance has already passed and it's in a um full effect. So, there's nothing we can do at this point for a resolution other than for your fiance not to park his truck there. Okay. Any other comments from anyone?

Yes. Good afternoon. My name is Ruth White and my husband, William White. And I am new, not really new to Orangeburg, but 20 years, I'll say, but not new to coming to a issue like what I'm bringing here for today. I live in Orangeburg, South Carolina. And my what I'm bringing here before this body today is removal of trucks, big trucks. Uh there is one on do I need to give specific where the trucks located at? You can.

One is on 487 4879 Misty Pine Road in Orange, South Carolina. And the other one is on 402 Orlando Drive. And these vehicles is in a residential area and it's a very nice area we live and I pay city tax as well and I'm a resident there as well. And according to what I watched in the news, no big vehicle should be parked in a residential area. And as when these big vehicle come in at night, I don't want to be disturbed for my rest. When they leave early in the morning, I don't want to be disturbed from my rest. And I know we all have to work to pay our bills, etc. But we all should be mindful for those who don't have those big vehicle and also considering keeping our community up to par. So, I like to have something someone to look into this matter for me.

Okay, ma'am. Um, someone will uh the guy for the record and administration. Repeat that address one more time. Oh, 4879 and Misty Pine Road. Yes. And 42 um Olandier Drive in Orange, South Carolina. Okay, thank you very much. All right, thank you.

Any other um comments from anyone for anything? I was born cut a lot.

Hi, my name is Richard Hobs. I'm a resident of Charleston, South Carolina. I purchased a piece of property that was on Log Cabin Road. It is parallel with the interstate and I purchased this property approximately 6 years ago from a Mr. Robert Lee Simmons. And um I I purchased the property with the intent that the widening of the interstate was coming and I bought the property without needed access. But the reason I bought the property was because without the deed access, I had to pull cash out of pocket because banks don't loan money on that. It's because there was an access road to this property that's used by the state of South Carolina, Orangeburg County, Covenant Media Outdoor Advertisement. Um, and anybody that wants to have them a drink while they park. But anyway, I cleaned this property up. I've cleared this property and I went to apply for a permit to dig the dirt off of this property approximately 27.4 acres and I was going to dig 14. When we went to get the permit from Orangeburg County, they said that I would have to get a letter from land owners saying that it was okay for me to use that access. when since 1963 the state put that access in at the approach at the apron at log cabin road there is a 32 ft apron that means that there's 32t of pipe there and the pipe has got the characteristics of being of that age I work for true construction in Charleston South Carolina that's all we do we put in roads we put in highways we put in turn lanes we replace this pipe and I'm just asking the grace is a waiver from Orangeburg County. And

if I it would be great for me to get each and everyone's email address and share with you the pictures, the location, the tax map numbers of all surrounded properties to give me permission so that I can move forward because they desperately need this dirt from I 95,26 all the way through Orangeburg County. That's that's pretty much it. And I I just wanted to come here tonight to state what I'm here for. I'm not asking for special privileges. This was not just a road that I cut in. It's been there for 70 years. And it's been the access to three different property owners, including the maintenance of a billboard on a monthly basis. And I contacted and done due diligence with the billboard company and the billboard company tells me that that is a commercially grandfathered inroad and that's that's that's all I know to say.

Well, just leave your name and and information with the administration or the clerk and then the administration will look into it and get with you. Leave your contact information. All right. All right. And would it be fair for me to get y'all's email address? That's be fine if you want to get that The clerk will give you all our email address.

Any other comments from anyone? Hearing none.

And this man um trucking and Kevin.

I definitely call. Yeah. All right. Thank you. Any other comments?

Hearing none, we will close the comment portion of this uh meeting and we'll go into our regular agenda. First item on first item on the agenda is audience and third reading and it's in for the consideration of request from Jasper balls to reszone property at 267 greater fire road in Utahville. Uh tax map number 0362-07-1-006 from residential general district to forest agriculture district. Uh for those who may not have been at the previous two meetings, Mr. Administrative, will you give a summary on that before we ask for motion?

Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, the plan commission met on December 10th, 2025 to discuss that recommendation of Jasper Boils. He's requesting to go from residential general to forest and agriculture site is made up of one parcel, 2.92 acres access from greater fire road. Uh the adjacent property owners were notified via US mail about planning commission. They were given the opportunity to submit comments electronically via email to call directly by phone or submit writing to the planning director or intending purpose. The I mean in person notice was submitted to the TND and after notification there were zero citizens that expressed their support. There was zero citizens that expressed their opposition. Planning commission presents this to you with a unanimous 6 to zero approval. Any questions from any council person? If not, could I get a motion and a second for passes of of uh passes of uh third reading on this item?

So move, Mr. Chair. Second. Moved by Mr. Garvin and second by Miss Frasier that we have third reading on item one. All in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Eyes have the motion carried. Next item is an update. Um and this is an update from committee as a whole and I think uh Mr. or Yes sir, Mr. Chair on that.

Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, the committee meeting as a whole today was to look at the um and review the sustainability plan. After review, um council requests additional time to make sure we go through the plan and be very knowledgeable of it. So, we are postponing the vote on the sustainability plan to the next meeting to get more time for input. And for anybody who would like to look at the basis of the plan is orangecountygrows.com. If you want to follow that, orangecountygrows.com and that all of the sustainability information for the plan is on that website. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Administrator. Could I get a official motion from uh council to uh move this forward to the next meeting? Second. Moved by Miss Cooper Smith and second by Mr. Loris Frraasier that we move item two to next council meeting for uh action. All in favor of it, please say I. I. Any opposes to it? Eyes have it and the motion is carried. or I ask uh give me a motion for executive session for personnel matter concerning economic development. I get a motion on the second floor for executive session. So move for executive session, Mr. Chair.

Second. Moved by Mr. Garvin and second by Miss Walker that we go into executive session for personnel matter involving economic development. All in favor please say I. Any opposers? Eyes have it and the motion is carried. Before I ask for a motion of uh adjournment, anybody have any comments? There are none.

I do, Mr. Chairman. I'm sorry. Just wanted to thank the um uh public safety, first responders, emergency services, uh Red Cross, DSS, everybody involved in the um shelters and the um stuff that they did for the um storm and the citizens over this past weekend. and we appreciate what they do and also um all of the um sheriff's department, public safety and everybody who were out there risking themselves when it was icy and and very very cold. So, we just want to thank them for doing that and thank council uh for providing for the citizens by allowing those u um areas to be open for the citizens who needed it during the storm. Thank you.

Thank you, M. M. At this time, could I get a motion and a second for adjournment from regular meeting? So move, Mr. Chair. Second. Moved by Miss Frasier and second by Mr. Ravnel that we adjourn. All in favor say I. I. Any opposes? The eyes have it. The motion is carried. Uh,