A proposed ordinance that would alter future development opportunities around the Greenwood County Airport will be subject of a public hearing Tuesday.
Among the most high-profile changes would be requiring new subdivisions to include a disclaimer on deeds that the property is within 10,000 feet of an airport, limiting new businesses to no more than 100 employees and mandating that owners of non-conforming structures maintain and install aviation markets at their own expense.
“The regulations set forth in this article are designed to protect, promote and improve the public safety and general welfare by preventing the location of structures or natural growth which would constitute hazards or obstructions to aircraft operating in the vicinity of the county airport. Through these regulations a general compatibility between use of property within the airport and in the vicinity thereof can effectively be brought about,” the ordinance states.
The provision has its origins in a 2012 change to the South Carolina Code of Laws, which tasked the state Aeronautics Commission to create maps delineating what types of land use may be incompatible for airport use and operations.
“The staff here has worked hard with many communities already to address the state code with local ordinance development, but our airports are not all protected with these ordinances yet. The system of airports in South Carolina represents great economic impact and as encroachments happen, that can diminish the utility and value of this critical part of the state’s transportation infrastructure,” James Stephens, the commission’s executive director, said.
With 44 of the state’s 46 counties maintaining a public airport, Stephens said officials expect local governments to review it and create tailored versions.
“As the aeronautics commission continues to have dialogue with our local airport owners, we have been encouraging them to adopt local ordinances that further protect and solidify this oversight for our airports. These local ordinances can be specific to the local airport, and should be customized to meet the specifics of the local community and airport,” he said.
A full copy of the proposed ordinance can be found on the county’s website at greenwoodsc.gov.
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