LEXINGTON, S.C. — For months, a loud and sometimes pungent pump truck has made an unexpected home behind Main Street businesses in Lexington, raising concerns from residents and shop owners alike. Now, the town is taking legal action to fix it.
"We’re running a bakery and sweet tastes and wonderful smells are at the heart of what we do, and this is kind of in conflict with that," said O'Hara's Bakery Cafe Owner Matt O'Hara.
Every day, O'Hara walks past what he calls an eyesore in his parking lot.
"It has been here 24 hours a day, seven days a week from then until now," said O'Hara.
According to the Town of Lexington, the truck is a response to a nearly century-old sewer line failure. Communications Manager Laurin Barnes said the line is located beneath the buildings, making repairs or replacements impossible without acquiring the property.
"Our inconvenience is just the visual and the occasional unpleasant scent in the neighborhood," said O'Hara.
Seeking resolution, the Town began negotiations with adjacent property owners for an easement, but they said that discussion failed. Now, the town is taking legal action to condemn the properties at 121 and 127 East Main Street in order to get an easement.
While the legal process plays out, uncertainty lingers for business owners like O'Hara.
"The biggest issue is the unknown. You know, what is going to become of it and how is the resolution going to affect our business," said O'Hara.
There are $78 million in water and sewer projects included in the town's five-year capital improvement plan.
Because the condemnation process goes through the courts, it's unclear how much longer the truck will be parked here.