Richland County Planning Commission
BLYTHEWOOD – The Richland County Planning Commission voted Monday night to recommend that county council approve rezoning of two parcels totaling 157.44 acres (adjacent to Ashley Oaks neighborhood) from Agriculural/Homestead (AG/HM) zoning to Residential (R2) zoning.
Phil Bradley, representing Haven Communities, presented the rezoning request to the commission.
According to the Richland County staff report, R2 zoning allows up to sixteen dwelling units per acre. Based on a gross density calculation, the maximum number of units for this site is approximately 472 dwelling units.
The 157.44 acres are made up of two adjoining parcels located at 214 Blythebrook Road and 1509 Fulmer Road in Blythewood 29016 which is in the unincorporated area of Richland County and, therefore, under the zoning jurisdiction of the county.
On behalf of Haven Communities, Bradley requested the commissioners to recommend that county council rezone the property from agricultural (AG) and homestead (HM) to residential (R2). He reminded commissioners that the parcels had come before the planning commission last year requesting R3 zoning, a more dense zoning than R2.
The planning staff recommended disapproval of the rezoning at that time, stating that it did not comply with the county’s comprehensive plan, which designates the area for low-density development. The planning commission also recommended against the rezoning, and the applicant withdrew the request at the March 24, 2025 county council zoning public hearing.
“The proposed rezoning is not compliant with the goals of the R2 designation, as it does not offer a density that aligns with the designation’s intent,” staff reported. “While the plan supports higher-density development when paired with open space preservation, the current Land Development Code (LDC) does not include a provision that supports this objective.”
However, the county’s planning staff’s conclusion was mixed, also noting that the requested zoning would allow for density and development standards that align with the character of some of the surrounding parcels.
Rebecca Nelson, whose property sits next door, said a zoning change would significantly change the rural character of the area where her family lives.
“I own 1507 and 1515 Fulmer Road. That’s right next to this property,” Nelson said.
She said when her family moved to the area it was zoned Agricultural (AG) and low-density, and that she didn’t expect this.
“Instead of being a homesteader, which is why we purchased agricultural property several years ago, now we’ll have 15 to 20 homes backed up against our property,” she said. “R2 is not low density… it’s far from what the comprehensive plan calls for.
“The amount of units that you plan on putting on this property is definitely high density,” Nelson said. “The land development code does not include a provision that supports this objective.“
She pleaded with commissioners to preserve the area’s existing character, saying that her family purchased their property “to get out into the country, out of the town.
“I just hope that you guys can help us maintain and keep this area what it is and what it should continue to be,” Nelson said.
They did not.
Only one commissioner spoke up in Nelson’s behalf.
“It’s becoming a hodgepodge of zoning here, and I don’t see the consistency,” that commissioner said, noting the proposal’s inconsistency with the comprehensive plan.
But the others looked to the development in the Town of Blythewood, the pressure from Scout for development, and the growth in residential development nearby.
“I would say that R2 zoning is in keeping with the zoning of the properties to the west of the site, as well as those within the town of Blythewood,” Commissioner Grady said as he made the motion to recommend the rezoning request.
Without acknowledging Nelson’s concerns for her property, every member of the commission voted to recommend that council approve the rezoning request to R2 zoning.
Next, county council will hear the rezoning request at a public hearing at 7 p.m., on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
On May 13, from 6 to 7 p.m., the public is invited to attend a town hall meeting at Killian Park to learn more about the rezoning request.
Blythewood Planning Commission
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Planning Commissioners voted Monday evening to recommend rezoning 60.65 acres at Fulmer Road and Mt. Valley Road from Rural (RU) to Residential (R-5) for high density residential zoning. R-5 allows single-family detached units, duplexes, multi-family units, manufactured homes and, as a special exception, mobile home parks.
The parcel borders 157.44 acres in Richland County that the county’s planning commission recommended – also on Monday evening – for rezoning to accommodate 472 homes.
All this, in spite of the fact that Blythewood Town Council adopted a zoning ordinance on June 26, 2017, downzoning selected parcels in the R-5, R-8, and R-12 districts (that allowed minimum lot sizes of 5,000, 8,000, and 12,000 square feet, respectively), to the D-1 zoning district.
“The goal in downsizing, was an effort to slow high density growth in the town and to eliminate large developments of small-lot residential subdivisions within the town limits.” said then-Mayor Mike Ross. “We wanted to stop approving zoning districts less than 20,000 square feet.
“We have gotten developers, developments, and neighborhoods that have so many houses in them,” said Ross, “that we don’t have infrastructure to take care of it.”
The 60.65 acres that were recommended for high density zoning Monday night are bordered on the north by Rural zoning; on the south and east by Agricultural zoning; and on the west by R-40 Low Density, residential zoning.
Even though R-5 zoning allows for up to eight homes per acre, Brandonn Pridemore, of R. Joe Harris & Associates, Inc, representing the applicant, South Fork Ventures, LLC, says the plan is to build only 97 homes on small lots in the 60.65 acres. That leaves approximately 50 percent of the 60.65 acres as green space, provided Pridemore is allowed to incorporate cluster housing in the project.
“This is strictly single-family detached homes,” Pridemore assured the commissioners. “We’re not proposing multiple families …this is based on R-5 cluster conservations. Now, the reason we went with R-5 was to create kind of a purpose-based subdivision, if you will. And this is the vision of what we have. We wanted to preserve as much of the open space as we can.”
Pridemore said R-5 zoning would allow the protection of farmland areas, the creation of conserved open space, and save trees.
“We’re looking at a natural pond, surface trails, pond views, and a little steep slope. We want to find pathways that link in,” he said. “There’s going to be road connections here, and we’re going to propose a water park.
“We think this is going to support the Scout industry,” he said. “Being so close to Scout is going to minimize the traffic and give people a place to live close to work.”
“I want to echo what Brandon said,” the Town’s Building and Zoning Analyst Kirk Wilson said. “We have met with Brandon on multiple occasions since Christmas. I was not keen initially on what he was proposing, but …about 40 of those 65 acres are looking to be preserved.
I’m not trying to influence anybody’s decision, but while the R-5 zoning isn’t ideal in a perfect world, it certainly makes sense with what they’re trying to do. I just wanted to state that. On top of it, they’ve been very easy to work with and very receptive to comments and adaptations.
“I don’t have a vote,” Wilson said, “but I just really like the idea of them saving two-thirds of the land. That’s my own opinion,” Wilson said. “I kind of had a hard time wrestling with the R-5 because I know it’s higher density. But, you know, 97 lots, less than 100 lots … and they did save the pond. And they’re going to incorporate the pond as kind of a feature of the neighborhood.”
“That’s the big reason why we really wanted to make the lots smaller, to be able to use the common area open space, right?” Pridemore said. “Anytime we have to get into building larger lots, we’re unable to value engineer the site like we can with smaller lots like this. And you cannot necessarily preserve as much common area open space and keep it usable.
The planning commissioners voted unanimously to recommend that town council approve the requested rezoning from RU to R-5.
Town council will hold a zoning public hearing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, during it’s regular monthly council meeting at The Manor. The public is invited to attend the public hearing where they will be able to speak for or against the rezoning before it is voted on.