BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. — The Town of Blythewood Planning Commission heard community voices on an annexation proposal near the Scout motors site. Yellow signs on the Scout Motors construction site are bringing up questions about what’s next for the project and the surrounding area.
“I guess it’s good for the community, but I hate that its so close, that there’s already so much going on in the town,” Zachary Callahan said.
Blythewood held a public hearing regarding the proposed annexation of 461.56 acres and some rezoning near the Scout Motors site.
In a statement, Planning Commission Chair Malcolm Gordge told News 19, “All I can tell you is tonight’s meeting is a regular Planning Commission meeting, and we will be considering zoning map amendments relating to the Scout project. Our recommendations will be on the agenda for the next Council meeting -- scheduled for Sept. 11 -- for their decision.”
The meeting agenda states the reason for annexing the land is because the property borders are noncontiguous. This means parts of the land near the project site on Community Road and Blythewood Road aren’t a part of the Town of Blythewood. As of right now, Richland County owns the land. But this annexation proposal has raised questions from community members.
“I would say they (the Town of Blythewood) do need to come with a very good on case on why you need more land, because that is a good chunk of land that’s sitting over there so what more do you honestly need,” resident Zachary Callahan said.
Others say the expansion was bound to happen with the trend of economic development in the state.
“I mean, it ain’t nothing new. Everything else that’s happening in South Carolina, I mean everybody coming in and, you know, tearing down all the trees and putting all kinds of apartments and houses like that, so it ain’t no different than other stuff that’s going on,” resident Jewel Jenkins said.
Last night's public hearing was only the beginning of the process as the proposal will have to go before the town council and the county council.