LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — Lexington County's planning committee is in talks about new limits to apartment complexes. Leaders there said it's to put a cap on some growth problems.
"You want to manage it to where it's sustainable," said Larry Brigham, Lexington County councilman for District Two.
This is Brigham's stance on growth in the county. It's no secret Lexington County is getting inundated with newcomers wanting to plant roots.
Councilman Brigham explains he knows the growth exists and more is coming. It's just about making sure the county is still a livable environment.
"If you put apartment beside apartment beside apartment, it's tough to manage because of all the traffic that goes with it and the people and it taxes the school system, public safety, all those aspects that we have to deal with," Brigham said.
That's why he explains Lexington County Council's planning committee is considering capping new apartment complexes at 200 units each.
"We're also talking about spacing of the apartments, two to three miles away from one unit to the other apartment complex," Brigham said.
Lexington District Two, the area Brigham governs, is mainly rural, but he said District One and his district have the largest land masses in the county - and land means opportunity for developers.
Brigham also adds that the western end is expected to be the number one growing part of the county.
"So I am really listening, trying to make sure that when the apartments and the growth that come with it hit, that we have everything we need to be able to manage it where again, it can be sustainable for a long period of time," Brigham said.
Brigham explains that the planning committee is also discussing an agriculture district from I-20 to US Highway One to protect farmland.
He said it's still unclear when these talks will result in a final decision and move to the regular council.
Brigham said Lexington County is trying to speed up the process for some of these agenda items by having more meetings than usual, two in November and December, when normally they'd have one meeting each month.