Senior Community Planned for Blythewood
WINNSBORO – With the owners of an approximately 4-acre tract at the end of Creech Road in Blythewood seeking to have that property developed into a multi-family senior living development, Winnsboro Town Council Tuesday night agreed to provide a willingness to serve letter for up to 20,000 gallons of water per day. That agreement, however, came with what is becoming a standard contingency, according to John Fantry, Winnsboro’s attorney for water and utilities.
“It would be contingent upon the developer entering into a development agreement, as we’ve done in the past, then we would commit the water, in this particular project, in 2016,” Fantry told Council. “If it needed to be phased, based on what the design is, we would phase it in so we would have a reasonable impact upon our citizens.”
The request was made by Darren Rhodes of Fowler Realty and Land Services in Columbia on behalf of the property owners, Margaret Dubard, Linda Peake and Bonnie Martin. No developer has yet made a bid on the property, Fantry said.
Rhodes told Council the plans for the property entailed 64 two-bedroom, two-bath units, with each unit expected to require 300 gallons of water per day. Construction is not planned to begin before January of 2016, Rhodes said, with the project expected to be completed in one phase. The property (tax map number R15100-05-06) is located at the end of Creech Road in Blythewood, behind the Russell and Jeffcoat offices.
Red Gate
Following up on a vote at their Jan. 6 meeting to provide a willingness to serve letter for 100 taps over the next two years to property at Blythewood and Syrup Mill roads, Council voted to authorize Town Manager Don Wood to execute that letter, making the commitment official. The property was formerly under development by Red Gate Development, but is currently owned by Arthur State Bank. The letter comes with the same contingency as the Creech Road property.
WWII Memorial
Bill Haslett, who is heading up a committee to have a World War II memorial placed on the grounds slated to be developed into a park at the old Mt. Zion School, appeared before Council Tuesday night, asking them to release the $5,000 in matching funds Council promised him last year. Haslett said his committee has met their end of the bargain, raising $16,000 for the project. County Council also agreed last year to kick in $10,000 in matching funds, and Haslett said he would be asking them to cut a check as well later this month.
Councilman Clyde Sanders suggested Council hold a joint work session with Haslett’s committee and the developers of the park to ensure the both projects are properly coordinated. Sanders also put a motion on the floor to release the funds, but withdrew that motion after Councilman Danny Miller stressed that the work session should come first.
Haslett said the project was on a tight schedule if it was going to meet its projected Memorial Day dedication on May 25. As for the park, Connie Shackleford, the Town’s Grants Coordinator, said those plans had not yet been received by the Town but were due any day now. The completion date for the park is Sept. 15, she said.
Water Department Buys
Council also approved requests from the Water Department for a replacement control panel at lift station 19 near Richard Winn Academy, as well as a replacement pump at a total cost of $6,657.95. The department’s request for a replacement service truck was also approved by Council. The 2004 Ford regular cab four-wheel drive with Triton 5.4 diesel engine with just under 50,000 miles on it will cost the town $20,470.
