Mobile Home Sales in Sandy Run, SC

Calhoun County is making progress on the development of projects funded by the 1 percent capital projects sales tax, an official says.

Calhoun County voters approved the 1% sales tax to fund certain projects in a 2018 referendum.

The county expects to spend a total of about $6.6 million on the projects, including buying and equipping ambulances for the Calhoun County Emergency Services Department.

The county is also seeking grants to help fund the projects.

County Procurement/Grants Coordinator Marc Briggman provided county council with an update on the projects during a meeting last week.

The projects include:

• Calhoun County/Cameron and St. Matthews water line reach: The project is in its development phase. Right-of-ways are being obtained and engineers are designing the project.

About $271,365 has been spent on the $2.5 million project. The county is also looking to get about $10.5 million in federal appropriations for the project.

The project will extend Lake Marion Regional Water Authority water lines to serve the area.

• Cameron historical depot: The request for proposal for construction is being drafted to be put out for bid. Engineers are going through the building to assess its needs. About $11,252 has been spent on the $400,000 project.

The project includes the renovation of the historic depot in Cameron and related improvements, including improving the depot’s handicapped accessibility.

• Sandy Run Fire District substation: The architectural layout of the station is about 45% complete. About $14,450 of the $247,000 budget has been spent.

This project includes constructing and equipping a new substation in the Sandy Run Fire District area.

• Sandy Run ladder truck: The request for proposal for the ladder truck is ready to go out to bid. The ladder truck will be dependent on the Sandy Run substation being built.

“We have nowhere else to park that ladder truck without that substation in Sandy Run,” Briggman said. The truck’s estimated cost is $500,000. No money has been spent.

This project includes the acquisition and equipping of a new ladder truck in the Sandy Run Fire District area to support the northern portion of Calhoun County, particularly industries.

• St. Matthews demolition: The demolition of the dialysis building and St. Matthews High School has been completed. Asbestos reports are needed for houses along Bridge Street before demolition proceeds. About $265,446 has been spent of the $545,000 budgeted.

The project also includes the remediation of the old town hall, the creation of parks and recreational facilities on the sites of the old town hall and the old school as well as related infrastructure.

• St. Matthews Lake Inspiration: Work is about 50% complete. The project includes the development of sidewalks through the park and a bridge over the waterways. Additional pavilions will be placed in the park, as well as a walking trail.

About $203,632 has been spent of the $525,000 set aside for the project.

• Animal shelter: The architectural drawing is about 65% complete. About $13,472 has been spent on the $100,000 project.

The county is receiving about $140,000 from a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant and a $36,400 Community Foundation grant.

The project includes the construction of additional facilities housing dogs and cats on Purple Martin Drive.

• St. Matthews streetscape: The final contract for the F.R. Huff Drive resurfacing has been awarded. The Pocket Park down near town hall is about 70 percent complete and the guard rail along the railroad track has been completed. About $112,916 of the $420,000 budgeted has been spent.

The project includes improving the streetscape in downtown St. Matthews.

• St. Matthews Public Safety Renovation: The town hall renovation is about 50 percent complete. About $58,600 of the $210,000 budgeted has been spent.

The project includes the renovation and construction of facilities for the fire department, judicial court and other public safety functions.

• Cameron downtown demolition: Three downtown buildings have been demolished. About $46,850 of the $250,000 set aside for the project has been spent.

• Calhoun County emergency communication: The project is complete. The project was $505,562, or about $5,000 over budget.

The project included constructing, acquiring and equipping facilities and equipment to provide 800 megahertz radio service for emergency service providers in Calhoun County.

• Calhoun County ambulance: The project is complete. The project was $177,910 and below the $190,000 budgeted.

The project included the acquisition of an ambulance for the Calhoun County Emergency Services Department.

• Sandy Run pumper: The truck has been ordered and the deposit paid. The county expects to receive the truck in the next two years.

About $279,476 has been spent of the $370,000 budgeted. The total cost of the truck is estimated to be $549,520, or $179,520 over budget.

Calhoun County failed to meet a payment deadline for the purchase of the new fire truck, resulting in the county having to pay nearly $22,000 more for the same truck.

The county has looked at the matter internally and says it has addressed the issue.

While the truck was to be purchased with $370,000 from the capital projects sales tax, inflation raised the cost by the time it was designed and ready to order.

There is additional funding from a U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Facilities grant for $50,000 and a pending Community Foundation grant for $24,000. Officials also intend to spend money from the county's budget in the coming fiscal year to help pay for the truck.

• Sandy Run recreation: The opening and upgrades have been completed at the new Heyward Community Park.

Equipment has been ordered for the Sandy Run recreational complex. About $47,964 has been spent on the $100,000 project.

The county is also going to receive about $78,202 in South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism grant money.

• Calhoun County water line: The Carolina Lane and Stabler Hill Road water line projects have been completed. The county is looking at another area in the Fort Motte and in Sandy Run areas for water line placement. About $95,796 has been spent of the $400,000 budgeted.

The trail was made possible with $100,000 in state funding. It's part of a near $700,000 in state funding being allocated toward projects in Calhoun County.

SANDY RUN, S.C. — A walking trail in the Sandy Run community of Calhoun County will soon serve as an outlet for local recreation.

“If it benefits Sandy Run, then that’s what we’re after is the benefit here and be a positive thing and not a negative thing," said Sandy Run Outdoors owner Ted Taylor.

The trail was made possible with $100,000 in state funding. It's part of a near $700,000 being allocated in the state budget this year going toward a series of projects in the county. Representative Russell Ott oversees the district and helped move the projects forward.

“It’s a place for them to see their neighbors, first and foremost. Not everyone has a large track of land that they’re able to go out and walk. I would much rather prefer somebody having a place they can go to that’s safe, that they’re able to get outside and not have to walk up and down the road," said Ott.

The trail will be located near the intersection of Highway 21 and Highway 176. It will be next door to Taylor's recreation and construction businesses in Sandy Run.

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“I think it’s a good thing because it provides a place for ladies to go walk, men too, but I think it’ll be primarily for ladies in the community to walk, meet in the community, get together, whatever the case may be so I think it’s a good thing," said Taylor.

County leaders say they plan to work with local non profit The Sandy Run Ruritans to beautify the green space around the trail. The non profit has experience picking up trash and planting flowers around the community.

Taylor says this comes as the community is on the verge of growth.

“There’s not anything I think we’re gonna be able to stop it all. As long as we can control it, and keep Sandy Run as a community and a family oriented area we’ll be happy," he said.

Construction of the trail is set to begin within the next couple of weeks.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - New developments could be coming to a small area in Calhoun County, but some residents have mixed feelings.

County leaders are leaning towards bringing nearly 200 homes to this plot of land but some people who live here say there’s just not enough space and the area can’t handle the growth.

“We don’t have the infrastructure to support this kind of development,” said Sandy Run resident, Angie Culler-Matthews.

Angie Culler-Matthews is a longtime resident in Sandy Run. She is one of many who oppose the idea of bringing 170 new homes to the area.

She says, “There’s been public outcry. This does not fall in line with the wishes of our community.”

Matthews says a 130-thousand-dollar study done back in 2019 proved that citizens of Sandy Run wanted to preserve the rural landscape of the county.

Executive Summary Sandy Run Area Plan May 2019 ii through Sandy Run. Hurricane evacuations often result in I-26 lane reversals and US 176 is the primary

“And we thought we had a plan in place that would do that and when it was challenged, we’d be able to sustain but of course now that’s the discussion we’re having,” said John Nelson.

Nelson is the council representative for Sandy Run. He’s referring to an ordinance that was passed last year that would keep large developments out of the town.

He says, “It’s perfectly legal for the enterprise that bought the property and wants to put the development out there to request a variance.”

So far county council members have voted to move the process forward despite a petition with more than 700 signatures calling for a stop to the developments.

Another resident, Rob Combs, says “Our water system can’t handle what the amount of houses they’re talking about bringing in. We don’t have the sewer services they’ll need.”

“When we get an opportunity in a small county, we’ve got to jump on it,” said Calhoun County Council Chairman James Hagler.

Hagler is one of three county council members that supports these new developments. He says while nothing is set in stone, this proposal could bring much needed growth to Sandy Run.

He says, “The final decision will be blamed on us. I’ve seen stuff that this county has done and lived to regret of emotions, and I think a lot of this is emotions now.”

Residents in Sandy Run will be holding another meeting Thursday night to announce their recruitment of new county council members. The County Council will have to vote two more times for the developments to pass. Their next meeting will take place Monday, September 12 at 5:30 p.m.

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Calhoun County Council voted no to a proposed 170-home development on 11 acre site.

SANDY RUN, S.C. — A win Monday for some Sandy Run residents hoping to keep their rural community, rural for a little while longer.

Nick Stabler, Chief of the Caw Caw Fire Department, has been a resident of Sandy Run for the majority of his entire life. He says he is happy to know that his neighborhood will not change after the Calhoun County Council voted no to a 170-home development right in his backyard.

"I live on a farm, my grandson and his wife live a mile from me... and my granddaughter lives 2 miles from me. I get to see my grandchildren every day and I just like that type of life," Stabler said.

RELATED: 'We are not going to be quiet': Calhoun County planning commission to review revised request to build 170 homes

Stabler like other residents has known for years that some kind of housing development would come to Sandy Run. Even after the vote Monday to deny the 170 homes, Calhoun County Councilman, John Nelson says some sort of development is still possible.

"The developer could come back to us again with another proposal that reworks this, but hopefully, it follows our codes and ordinances," Nelson explained.

According to a zoning ordinance in Calhoun County, each home in Single-Family Residential Zoning must be on a quarter of an acre and the current proposal from gateway one development places the homes on 8400 square foot lots which are less than the quarter acre requirement.

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If the developer comes back with another revised proposal for the 11 acres that are designated for development, their plan would it will have to go through another review process by the planning commission and Calhoun County council which could take a few months.

The next county council meeting for Calhoun will be Monday, September 26 where the council will continue to review the MUSC and Regional Medical Center partnership.

Developers are doing away with their initial proposed plan to build homes there and instead are trying to rezone land for community commercial and industrial.

CALHOUN COUNTY, S.C. — The Calhoun County Council is considering a new request to rezone property in the Sandy Run community. It's the same property where a development failed earlier this year after residents complained about what was supposed to go there.

In September, the council voted no to a proposed 170 home development in the Sandy Run community. This came as residents expressed concerns about traffic and overcrowding at the rural neighborhood located at the intersection of Interstate 26 and Old Sandy Run Road.

“As far as traffic goes, the county doesn’t necessarily regulate traffic requirements for improvements, that’s SCDOT and something that I did tell the tenants at the meeting is that just because it’s rezoned doesn't mean all those requirements go away," said Calhoun County Deputy Administrator Richard Hall.

This time around, developers are doing away with the proposed plan to build homes there and instead are trying to rezone land for community commercial and industrial.

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“With a planned unit development district like we had before, that is a change to a specific type of uses that are spelled out," said Hall. "This one is just rezoning the property to commercial and industrial so it can be used for any of the categories that are approved in that zoning category."

The entire property is about 130 acres of land. Hall says commercial use of 90 acres of land could include businesses like gas stations, strip malls, or retail shops. There will be about 40 acres of land for industrial use that would allow space for the manufacturing industry.

Patrick Mack has lived in the Sandy Run community for 47 years.

“Sandy Run could benefit from a small grocery store. Not necessarily a huge strip mall or something like that but just a small IGA or something along those lines," said Mack.

There will be two more readings and a public hearing before this proposal is approved. The second reading will take place December 12 at 5:30 p.m.