The City of Clinton could become a renowned outdoors experience destination, depending on the outcome of a public hearing on May 1.
Residents and interested citizens are encouraged to attend, or watch the meeting on the City’s Facebook page, as City Council considers a rezoning request that can greenlight the Bush River Resort - it involved rezoning 34 acres in the city from residential to commercial to provide a gateway to a 300-acre tract most of which is in the county.
Sanbell Inc., of Simpsonville, has proposed a commercial business, RV Park and cabins, restaurant and pool, zip-lines and a sport shooting facility on the property. Developers have said they want to develop a family-based fun experience that can connect children, parents and visitors to nature and provide wholesome programs, as well as a restaurant open to everyone.
It could join The Clinton House Plantation and Musgrove Mill Golf Club as recreation destinations near Clinton, located near the split of I-385 and I-26. Also near Clinton is the Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, which this weekend plays host a living history event from the Revolutionary War - the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution will be in 2026.
The City already has conducted one public hearing, before the planning commission, about this proposal; however, commissioners asked the developers to bring back some modified plans. In a followup meeting, commissioners were concerned about the RV Park because Clinton does not have a RV Park Ordinance (but Laurens County does have such an ordinance but does not have zoning).
This next public hearing will be before the City Council on May 1, 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the MS Bailey Municipal Center, 211 North Broad St. It is part of the City Council’s regular monthly meeting.
The property proposed for rezoning is 1216 North Sloan St. (pictured above)
Residents there are concerned because, presently, the narrow, residential street is the only way in or out of the property. To sustain a 300-acre development, Sanbell is proposing a back road in the county into the site and possibly an entrance easily accessible to I-385/Hwy 308 north of Clinton.
In a separate development which could have a long-term impact on Uptown Clinton, the City is marketing a major, vacant uptown building, 100 and 102 West Main Street.
The City of Clinton has a bite on the building it just acquired through its partnership with the Clinton Economic Development Corporation. The building at West Main and North Broad is in city’s possession for $250,000.
When it sells, the City and CEDC will recoup that expense, plus the cost of any work done to rehab the building, City Manager Tom Brooks told the city council on April 10.
Brooks said work also can include 107 Wall Street, a building “that’s falling down,” and the City will see how it can leverage the two buildings for private ownership. West Main and North Broad has sat vacant for two years after changing ownership; half of the building used to be a long-time business, The Gray House antiques and frame shop.
Brooks said he is working on a set of procedures for how money like this is placed back into the city coffers designated for economic development. He said the city sold land to Sanbell Inc.
That transaction netted $15,000/acre for a property the city paid $4,000/acre for, and the City/CEDC recently sold its second spec building at the I-26 - Hwy 72 “gateway” into the city.
“What are we going to do with those profits, and how are we going to invest those in our downtown and move forward,” Brooks said of the procedures he is developing. Also, the Lydia Mill property now is in the hands of County Forfeiture and a developer is looking at that property, the city manager said. Grants for mill property redevelopment will be sought through the Upper Savannah Council of Governments.
“We have a developer teed up who wants to clean up and develop the (Lydia) property,” Brooks said
On the West Main and North Broad property, the City has received several inquiries of interest and one letter of intent.
It now has developed a RFP (request for proposal) that solicits concrete plans for the building going forward and the amount a developer is willing to pay to acquire the property. The letter of intent can be considered a more substantial “bite” on the property than simply expressions of interest.
The RFP is on the city’s Facebook page and has appeared in The Clinton Chronicle.
Brooks said he and others are working on plans to re-use residential properties that the city has condemned, seized, and cleared. He said Habitat for Humanity Greenville, which has taken over duties for Laurens County, is interested in these once dilapidated and now reclaimed properties.
The city manager said he planned to participate at the invitation of Council Member Anita Williams in a Ward 2 Town Hall Meeting, April 23, 2 p.m. at Friendship AME Church.
“Any council member who wants to have a ward meeting, I will be glad to speak,” Brooks said.
The meeting’s focus was roads and drainage repair, condemned property, and ordiance enforcement.
Brooks’ report to council came after a closed session discussion by council of a personnel matter involving a former employee of the utility billing department and proposed but not described “land options” with School District 56. No action was taken at the April 10 meeting and which land is under consideration was not announced.
In other business, Brooks and Harold Nichols, executive director of the Clinton Family YMCA, announced a state grant of just under $72,000 to resurface tennis courts and pickleball courts at the Y, in exchange for these courts being open to the public.
Pickleball, a modified form of tennis, is the fasting growing sport in the United States. There are currently 36.5 million Pickleball players estimated in the United States according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals in 2022.
Also, council agreed to spend between $12,000 and $15,000 hiring Mauldin and Jenkins accountants to determine why the city’s Rate Stabilization Account is about $4 Million short of what it should be - money for the audit will come from the Rate Stabilization Account itself.
This is not a forensic audit, which is much more expensive, council was told.
Council agreed to the procedure on a 6-1 vote, with Council Member Megan Walsh voting “no.”
Council set April 24 and April 27 as budget workshops, with the goal of having the next city budget ready for the first of two readings on May 1.
Council also recognized 20 years of service by Jeffrey Windsor of the Department of Public Works, appointed Michael Stoddard to the Design Review Board, received information about a PMPA scholarship (essay) contest for District 56 students, proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, authorized the SC Municipal Association as the collecting agency for local revenue service programs (like the telecommunications fee, the association keep a 4% fee), and accepted a resolution designated 71% of the city’s local option sales tax proceeds for residential property tax relief and 29% for equipment and training in the police and fire departments.
Council Member Williams urged the city to find a place(s) for homeless people to shelter and to have a humane officer in the city on a regular basis, because pit bulls are threatening people walking in neighborhoods.
Mayor Randy Randall said, “I want to thank all of you here, staff, council members, for showing kindness to me on the passing of my mom (Jo Rider “Bug” Randall). I appreciate the good thoughts everyone showed to my family, and added, “I’m excited to see what we can do moving our city forward.”
Other Meetings:
Planning Commission - Annexes and zones to Residential 1 the School District 56 office at 100 Old Colony Road — the zoning is residential because all of the district’s schools in Clinton are zoned residential and this property is contiguous to Eastside Elementary School.
The city does not have an Education zoning designation.
Sandell Inc. presents an updated development plan for 44 acres in the city limits (commercial on North Sloan St.) and the rest of a 300-acre tract for recreation in the county, which does not have zoning. Some of the property will be a RV Park, and the city has no ordinance related to these parks (the county does have a RV ordinance). Members call it “a wonderful development” but it cannot move forward with a planning commission recommendation for approval to city council without regulations governing RV Parks - it’s a “gray area,” the commission was told. Commission members are worried about setting a precedent for future requests, and it tabled the development.
Meeting was April 11 (meeting video is on the City’s Facebook page).
Tree Commission met April 17, and Design Review Board met April 20 for design review for 113 North Broad St. and 112 Musgrove St. City Council met Monday and Thursday evenings for preliminary budget workshops.
The Clinton Business Association met Thursday, 8 a.m. at PC 112 on Musgrove Street, to meet 112 and Capitol Theater, Laurens, Director Margot Brooks.
AGENDA
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF CLINTON
Mayor – Randy Randall
Danny Cook – Ward 1
Anita Williams – Ward 2
Robbie Neal – Ward 3
Gary Kuykendall – Ward 4
Mayor Pro Tem-Ronnie Roth- Ward 5
Megan Walsh – Ward 6
City Manager- Tom Brooks
Assistant City Manager – Joey Meadors
Agenda
Regular Council Meeting
May 1st, 2023 6:00 PM
P.S. Bailey City Council Chambers
M. S. Bailey Municipal Center
MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ELECTRONICALLY
ON CITY OF CLINTON’S FACEBOOK PAGE
@CITYOFCLINTONSC
https://www.facebook.com/cityofclintonsc
2. Invocation – COUNCILMEMBER roth
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. COUNCIL MEETING – APRIL 10TH, 2023
18. REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
THE AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO 24 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING. A FINAL AGENDA WILL BE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING DATE.
