ELLOREE, S.C. — Growth could be on the horizon for the Canebrake neighborhood located just outside the Orangeburg County Town of Elloree. Orangeburg County council is considering a request for a residential development that could bring 332 homes to the rural community near Tee Vee Road and Cleveland Street.
However, some residents feel the town doesn't have the infrastructure to support it.
“We are concerned about if they aren’t able to get on Elloree’s sewer what is their backup plan because with the magnitude of homes that they’re planning to put in the neighborhood that could influence all of our wells because we are all on private wells, so we are extremely concerned about that, " said Canebrake homeowners association president Dyanna Myers.
Developer DR Horton scaled back on its initial plan to develop 500 homes due to concerns about density. They do plan on keeping 86 acres as forest agricultural land.
“The developer is truly trying to work with the county and be a good partner as well as their due diligence with the community and citizens of that area. They took it upon themselves to meet with them several times," said Orangeburg County planning director Amanda Sievers.
In a council meeting last Monday, Elloree Business Association president Kristie Anderson expressed how this growth could potentially allow for a new bank to open in town. The town's only bank, South State Bank, closed in August.
"I have personally spoken to three different banks. None of them are willing to come to Elloree because we don't have the population or the deposits, or merchant deposits to make a bank worth coming to Elloree right now. They're waiting on the population to grow," said Anderson.
The first reading of this ordinance will take place at the next Orangeburg County council meeting on Monday, April 3.