September 2016 Council Highlights

  • Council approved an ordinance to allow for embellishments on billboard signs, to allow them to be more versatile to owners and more 3-D in design.

 

  • Downtown hotel land transfers were given final reading earlier this month and closing on the property is expected within the next week. Land disturbance permits have already been applied for, so they are ready to hit the ground running with the Hyatt groundbreaking very soon. Council also approved a bond with the existing tax increment financing to assist with building a public parking garage adjacent to the new hotel downtown.

 

  • City approved a contract to replace the sewer lines along Edgewater Drive. This project will involve pavement disturbance and full line replacement, and barring no holdups, like bad weather, it should begin within the next few weeks.

 

  • Council also held public hearings last night to gain public comments on cell tower setbacks regulations in non-residential areas as well as a request to permit mini-warehouse storage unit on 7.9-acre parcel on the south side of Patriot Parkway, across from Constitution Drive.

 

  • Council approved three annexation requests:
    • 2.53 acres located between 355 & 375 Loring Mill Road
    • 75.41 acres located at 320 Loring Mill Road
    • 12.943 acres located between Patriot Parkway and Springdale Road

 

  • Council approved a rezoning request located at 95 Keels Road. The 31.3 acres will be rezoned from Residential-15 to Residential-9, which basically allows lots to be smaller and has more uses for residential housing.

 

  • Council approved a contract to rebuild the Sumter Fire Training Center, which was damaged during the October 2015 flood. This facility house important training equipment, classrooms and also served as a back-up 911 facility, should our main 911 facility ever be compromised. Sumter’s Fire Training Center is utilized to train numerous counties around Sumter as well as Shaw AFB.

 

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

  • New floodplain mapping has been proposed for Sumter County and City of Sumter. These maps are intended to be more accurate and will impact a lot of residents. Comparison maps are available for review at the Sumter City-County Planning Department, 12 W. Liberty St, from 8:30am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

 

  • Sumter Opera House had such great success with their summer movies, bringing in over 5,000 people over the course of two months that will be hosting Classic Friday Night Movies once again this season, starting in November. Your favorite, 70s, 80s and more are expected to show on the big screen. Follow the Sumter Opera House for more details.

 

  • Speaking of the Sumter Opera House, get your tickets early for your favorite shows, tickets are selling at a 60% higher rate than last year, so we fully expect advance sell out shows. The full season is available online at SumterOperaHouse.com. Discounts are also available. The City of Sumter has also received a $25,000 grant from Duke Energy to help fund the Youth Education Series (Y.E.S.). These funds will pay for tickets and transportation for Sumter youth to attend arts and educational programs at the Sumter Opera House. The series will host 10 different shows and participants will visit from 10 different grades all across the Sumter School District throughout the year.

 

  • Are you experiencing potable water issues or sanitary sewer problems? City of Sumter customers can call our 24 hour hotline to report issues at 803-436-2558.

 

  • Swan Lake Iris Gardens was once given a Certificate of Excellence for 2016. TripAdvisor gives a Certificate of Excellence to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers.

 

  • Residents of central South Carolina may see and hear U.S. Army special operations forces flying aircraft and conducting ground operations as they conduct military training during the nights and early mornings this week around McEntire Joint National Guard Base. The operations are taking place so military forces remain in top fighting form. Disturbances will try to be minimized and residents should not be alarmed if they hear training ammunition, helicopters, airplanes and tilt-rotor aircraft flying in the area. The exercises will continue through Friday and are not open to the public.