BLYTHEWOOD – Town Council will take its final vote Monday evening on a zoning text amendment that will, if passed, provide for the Limited Industrial Two District (LI2) in the town and regulations relating to that district. According to the Town’s Economic Development Consultant Ed Parler, the new zoning district will allow a wider variety and greater intensity of manufacturing uses than the Town’s current Limited Industrial District (LI).
Industrial uses allowed will include tire manufacturing, textile industries, testing laboratories, public relations agencies, cafeterias, restaurants and more. But Parler said LI2 would not allow such uses as foundry and smelting operations or distribution centers. He said distribution centers should be located elsewhere because of their heavy use of truck traffic.
Council will also be considering whether to allow the height of the buildings in the district to extend to 100 feet as recommended last week by the planning commission. Should Council approve the height extension, the Board of Zoning Appeals would have to option to approve an additional 10 feet. The building height in the ordinance as it is now written is 35 feet. Parler appealed to the Commission to approve the height extension, saying the County has no height limit at all.
Parler said the text amendment is needed for the rezoning of a specific 600-acre tract of land located between Ashley Oaks and I-77, known locally as the Barnett property. Parler said Richland County has its eye on the property for an industry it says is interested.
“Be assured,” Parler told Council, “that if you establish this LI2 zoning district, you will immediately receive a zoning request for LI2 zoning for this 600-acre property and the applicant will be Richland County.”
Other items on the agenda include possible action on a new structure for rates for business meetings at the Manor, presentation of the proposed FY 2016 budget, consideration to bring the Wall that Heals to Blythewood to honor the community’s war heroes and appointment of a new Town Clerk. The current Town Clerk, Beverly Colley, was recently married and will be relocating with her husband.
The meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, April 27, at 7 p.m. at The Manor.
