Lancaster County Council convened its regular meeting Monday, April 13, 2026. The session featured a packed agenda bookended by passionate citizen commentary on infrastructure and growth, a series of celebratory recognitions for county employees and programs, and two of the most consequential votes the council has taken this year, final approval of both the Haven development rezoning and its accompanying development agreement. The meeting also produced a notable setback for the county’s first-ever nonprofit grant distribution process, which council postponed after members raised concerns about the vetting of applicants.
Citizens Sound Off on Growth, Infrastructure, and Economic Development
Five residents addressed council during the citizens comments period, maintaining the drumbeat of concern about Lancaster County’s growth outpacing its infrastructure that has defined the public forum at nearly every recent meeting.
Tony McCammon of Indian Land introduced the concept of concurrency, the principle that public infrastructure including roads, schools, fire, EMS, electricity, and water must keep pace with growth to protect public health and safety. He told council that a bill on concurrency is now moving through the South Carolina General Assembly because counties statewide are failing to apply it, forcing citizens to appeal to state legislators to require what should simply be common sense. “We elected all seven of you believing that you possessed enough common sense with a percentage of courage to make right decisions for the good of the entire county,” he said, urging council to hold town halls to explain their decisions to constituents who are living with the consequences of unchecked growth.
Kathy Storm of Indian Land zeroed in on the $100,000 nonprofit grant distribution on the evening’s agenda, raising three pointed questions before the item even came up: what criteria determined which organizations made the list, who decided which groups provide the most benefit to residents, and whether council members themselves had adequate time to weigh in on the priorities. She noted bluntly that $100,000 would go a meaningful distance toward infrastructure needs that residents have been requesting at meeting after meeting.
Jean Doyle of Lancaster offered a more nuanced perspective, acknowledging that Indian Land’s growth frustrations can sometimes create an impression that its residents are an “entitled class” demanding more services, while noting that 23 percent of Indian Land residents receive some form of financial assistance from county services. She turned her attention to economic development, questioning the effectiveness of the county’s economic development advisory board — which held only two meetings in 2025 and went a full year without convening — and asking who is actively recruiting businesses rather than relying on passive social media posts. She called for a comprehensive, measurable economic development strategy and asked whether the county’s various development entities even communicate with one another.
Libby Sweat Lambert of Activity Road returned to the affordability crisis, reporting the results of personal research she conducted after the previous meeting’s discussion of Hope in Lancaster’s client base. She said she visited Founders Federal Credit Union to ask whether the median-income Lancaster County resident could qualify for a mortgage on the homes currently being built in the county. The answer, she said, was no — the homes require approximately 40 percent of income for the loan payment, and median-income residents simply cannot qualify. “The houses are being built and they’re not for Lancaster County residents,” she told council, before turning again to the transportation gap, describing watching Hope in Lancaster’s clients arrive three, four, and five to a car because many could not otherwise get there. She closed with a direct challenge to council: “The votes that you are making is your legacy tonight.”
Yokima Curitan of Lancaster cited a 2005 fiscal impact assessment by the Clemson Thurman Institute — now two decades old — that warned Lancaster County’s pattern of residential development would generate more demand for services than revenue to fund them. “Those 60 pages of warning are 60 pages of I told you so,” she said. She noted the county still lacks a dedicated emergency operations center or unified countywide communications system for major disasters, is operating without a permanent county administrator, and has eliminated both its development services director and planning services director positions. “Growth should not be approved unless and until there are realistic, funded plans for the roads, schools, EMS, and stormwater systems that growth requires,” she said.
Jane Alford of the Lancaster County Council of the Arts closed the public comment period on a lighter note, announcing the opening of Touch and See, the Arts Council’s first multisensory exhibit where visitors can touch the artwork, as well as the third annual Lancaster County Literary Arts Festival scheduled for April 25th and 26th with events throughout the city including author talks, writing workshops, a Greenway story walk, and a poetry open mic. All events are free and open to the public.
Four written electronic comments were also submitted: one requesting a $10 million quality of life grant to the Lancaster County School District; a letter of support for the Haven from MPV Properties; a letter from Yokima Curitan formally introducing the AI on Purpose organization and its intent to engage council on workforce development and CDBG priorities; and a letter of support for the Haven from Susan Wear.
Special Presentations
Finding Serenity Nonprofit Update
Julie Walters of the Women’s Enrichment Center and Finding Serenity presented an update on plans to develop 88.6 acres of land adjacent to the Lancaster County Airport. The project envisions repurposed train cars as rentable event and venue spaces, a maternity house for women transitioning into cottages, housing donated by True Homes for economic development purposes, and programming connected to the airport to attract businesses that could fly directly into Lancaster. Walters said the project is largely funded through corporate partnerships, with Amazon’s giving program alone producing $364,000 in nonprofit donations from November through December of last year, with total projected contributions approaching $1.5 to $2 million. She also announced that the Giving Well program is expanding into Lancaster County middle and high schools and that she will present it to South Carolina university deans and school superintendents statewide in June.
Lancaster County Fire Rescue High School Program
Training Officer Keith Wilson recognized the Lancaster County Fire Rescue High School Program, which has placed 54 students in paying fire service jobs since its founding in 2011. Wilson introduced students who placed first, second, and third in a statewide competition — G. Chapman, Gage Ingram, and Nicholas Craig, respectively — noting that each comes from a family with deep roots in the Lancaster County fire and EMS community. Chapman’s father recently retired from EMS after more than 20 years of service; Ingram’s father is a longtime member of Shallow Fire Department; and Craig’s grandfather has over 60 years in the fire service. Wilson said the students hold national firefighter certifications good anywhere in the country, and invited council members to visit the high school fire station. Council Members McGriff and Mosteller noted they were both on the school board when the program was established. One council member noted that one student will be competing at nationals, though a scheduling conflict with a graduation ceremony complicated the celebration.
VFW Awards for Paramedic and Sheriff’s Officer of the Year
VFW Post 12136 Commander Robert Suzansky presented the VFW Paramedic of the Year award to Terry Falandbury of Lancaster County EMS and the VFW Sheriff’s Officer of the Year award to Sergeant Cassie Thompson of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. Suzansky offered a personal note, disclosing that he had recently been transported by York County EMS following a medical event and had recovered fully, saying it left him even more appreciative of EMS personnel — and more convinced that Lancaster EMS is the best around.
Lancaster County Library — State Resolution
Library Director Dr. April Williams presented a concurrent resolution from the South Carolina General Assembly — House Bill 5041 — recognizing and celebrating the historical and ongoing contributions of South Carolina public libraries and encouraging continued investment. Williams noted that South Carolina in 1700 was the first colonial legislature in what is now the United States to enact legislation establishing the intent for a public library, and that South Carolina public libraries now record over 10.8 million visits annually, circulate over 26 million items, and host over 58,000 programs attended by more than 1.4 million people. She invited council and the community to celebrate National Library Week, April 19–25. The resolution will be framed and displayed at the Lancaster County Library.
Consent Agenda
Council unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from the March 11 special meeting and the March 23 regular meeting, and the second reading of an ordinance approving a temporary construction and permanent easement grant to Lancaster County Natural Gas Authority on property off Harrisburg Road, which had passed 7-0 at the March 23 meeting.
Item 8A: Haven Rezoning — Third and Final Reading (Ordinance 2025-2001)
Passed 4-3 (Graham, Luis, McGriff Opposed)
Council gave final approval to the rezoning of approximately 604.56 acres on Charlotte Highway from Rural Neighborhood to Medium Density Residential Cluster Subdivision Overlay, clearing the last legislative hurdle for the Haven development by Lennar Carolinas. The vote carried 4-3, consistent with the margins at first and second readings, with Council Members Graham, Luis, and McGriff casting opposing votes.
Planning staff Shannon Catoe noted no changes to the rezoning since the prior reading, though she flagged that amendments to the companion development agreement would be addressed in the next item.
Council Members McGriff and Luis each restated their opposition on the record. McGriff said her position has not changed and will not change until there are approved, funded plans for EMS stations, a fire station, law enforcement, and infrastructure. “We’re going to build the developments and think about the problems later on,” she said. “We’re not going to get ahead.” Luis echoed her concerns, saying people are watching this vote and that constituents have consistently and clearly raised infrastructure concerns.
Council Member Harper, who supports the development, offered new information that may begin to address those concerns: he said he and County Attorney Ginny Merck-Dupont have been in discussions about using public service districts as a funding mechanism. Harper said Lennar has agreed to partner on setting up a public service district for the Haven and the adjacent Rosland development, which if established would allow a dedicated funding stream for fire, EMS, and sheriff’s services tied to the development. He called it a tool the county has never utilized before but believes could be applied elsewhere in the county as well. Council Member Mosteller said he knows nothing about public service districts and would need to be educated before forming an opinion.
Item 8B: Haven Development Agreement — Third and Final Reading (Ordinance 2025-2002)
Passed 6-1 as Amended (Luis Opposed)
Council approved the Haven development agreement on a 6-1 vote, with only Council Member Luis opposed, after adopting a series of clarifying amendments to strengthen the document. The amendments were presented by Council Member Luis himself — offering a notable contrast to his vote against the underlying rezoning — and passed 5-2 before the main motion carried 6-1.
The amendments clarified the definition of the developer as Lennar Carolinas LLC and any approved successors, defined “good cause” for delays to include acts of God, war, terrorism, and civil unrest but explicitly exclude financial inability, lack of financing, market conditions, or failure to act diligently. Most significantly, the amendments added language to Exhibit B making absolutely clear that no amendment, modification, or deviation to the development agreement — regardless of how it might be characterized administratively — can be made without formal county council approval. The list of changes requiring council approval includes any change to permitted uses or density, modifications to the development schedule, alterations to infrastructure obligations, changes to open space or design standards, any change affecting vested rights, and any change that could reasonably affect the timing, scope, or impact of the project.
County Attorney Merck-Dupont confirmed the amendments were in order. Council Member Mosteller quipped that while he’d prefer to have received the amendment language in advance, he’d defer to the attorney drafting them. McGriff acknowledged the second begrudgingly.
Following the vote, the chair noted the departure of Planning Director April Williams, who presented her last meeting before moving to her new role as assistant city administrator for the City of Lancaster.
Items 8C-8F: Utility Easements for Lancaster County Detention Center — Unanimous
Council unanimously approved the third and final readings of three ordinances granting utility easements to Comporium Communications, Duke Energy Carolinas, and Lancaster County Natural Gas Authority on county-owned property off Highway 9. Interim Administrator Willis confirmed all three are related to completing utility connections for the Lancaster County Detention Center and that there were no changes from prior readings. No members of the public signed up for any of the three public hearings.
Item 8G: Pageland Highway Rezoning — First Reading Unanimously Approved
Council unanimously approved the first reading of a rezoning request for approximately 1.5 acres at 1553 Pageland Highway from General Business to Low Density Residential. Planning staff Catoe explained that the property owner has an existing home on the lot and wanted to add a personal storage building, but could not do so under the GB zoning because it would be a non-conforming use. The county’s 2015 countywide rezoning had inadvertently changed the parcel’s designation to general business. The rezoning to LDR corrects that error, is consistent with the surrounding area and the comprehensive plan, and was recommended unanimously by both planning staff and the Planning Commission. District 3 Council Member Mosteller confirmed he has no objection to the rezoning in his district.
Item 8H: Budget Amendment for Juvenile Detention Costs — Passed 7-0
Council unanimously approved the first reading of a budget amendment transferring $78,375 from the county administrator’s special project account to the detention center’s service contract line to cover outstanding and anticipated invoices to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. Budget Analyst Josiah Park explained that the state constitution requires juveniles to be held separately from adults, and Lancaster County contracts with the SCDJJ facility in Columbia at a rate of $50 per day plus a $125 capital expenditure charge not to exceed 25 days per juvenile. The number of juveniles and their length of stay are determined entirely by state employees and family court judges, leaving the county with no ability to control costs.
Interim Administrator Willis told council he has raised the issue with the county’s legislative delegation, arguing the state should absorb the capital expenditure charge since it covers improvements to state-owned facilities. That argument, he said, has been raised for roughly three years without success in the General Assembly, though the legislature has now taken action — in a way that increases costs for counties. The vote was unanimous, with Willis noting drily that passing the budget amendment unanimously doesn’t mean council is in favor of the underlying policy.
Item 8I: Opportunity Zone Designation Request — Passed 7-0
Council unanimously approved a resolution requesting that Governor Henry McMaster nominate Census Tract 103 — which includes the Heath Springs Industrial Park and surrounding area — for designation as a Qualified Opportunity Zone under federal law. Willis explained that the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill” currently moving through Congress includes provisions allowing governors to nominate additional opportunity zones beyond those originally designated around 2017. Lancaster County previously designated Census Tracts 107 and 108 around the City of Lancaster. Of the newly eligible tracts, economic development staff recommended 103 because it includes the industrial park, making it the most likely to generate commercial investment. Willis noted that opportunity zone designations trigger both federal tax incentives and state incentives through the Department of Commerce. Council Member McGriff expressed strong support, noting that Tracts 107 and 108 are in her district and she is glad to see the lower part of the county gaining additional economic development tools.
Item 8J: Nonprofit Grant Distribution — Postponed 6-0 with One Abstention
In what became the most contentious business item of the evening, council voted 6-0 with one abstention to postpone action on the distribution of $100,000 in nonprofit grants to the next meeting, after multiple members raised concerns about the vetting and selection of grant recipients.
Grants Coordinator Kathy Sanchez and Development Services Coordinator Shanda Kirkland presented recommendations from a seven-member county committee that reviewed 22 applications totaling more than $333,000 in requests, selecting 15 organizations for full or partial funding. The recommended distributions ranged from $3,000 to $10,000 per organization and covered a broad range of purposes including food security, housing support for formerly incarcerated women, youth development, medical supplies, arts programming, mental health training, animal welfare, and workforce development. Council Member McGriff recused herself from the vote.
The presentation drew immediate skepticism from several council members. Council Member Mosteller said some of the choices gave him “heartburn,” expressing concern that certain organizations are not Lancaster-based and that in a tri-county organization it is unclear whether the funds would stay in Lancaster. He specifically flagged Indian Land United, a soccer program based out of Fort Mill, saying he could not support funding an organization that isn’t primarily in Lancaster County, even if some Lancaster kids participate. He moved to postpone to the next meeting to allow time for further review.
Council Member Luis amplified the concerns, calling for a more detailed chart showing each organization’s legal name, year of formation, good standing with the Secretary of State, and most recent tax filing year. He said he had done independent research and found several organizations with tax filings that are multiple years past due, and at least one that had received a $350,000 state earmark in recent years but did not appear to have listed it in their financials. “I have a hard time giving organizations like that any money,” he said.
Council Member Graham thanked the staff committee for their work but said he was concerned about spreading the $100,000 too thin across too many organizations to make a meaningful impact, and questioned whether some of the funded programs involve recurring costs that would create an ongoing dependency on county support that could not be sustained. He said his priorities are critical and immediate needs and programs that build economic capacity or job training.
Kirkland and Snowden offered to provide all 22 full applications and backup materials to council members, and noted that the majority of the organizations are Lancaster-based and that those which are not were required to direct their specific projects toward Lancaster County residents. They acknowledged the points raised and said they welcome more detailed council direction going forward. Staff also committed to providing a report on how previous ARPA nonprofit grant funds were accounted for by prior recipients.
Council did not vote on the underlying grant distribution. Staff will return with additional documentation at the April 27 meeting.
Item 9A: Community Needs List Updated — Passed 7-0
Council unanimously approved an updated Lancaster County Community Development Block Grant priority needs list. One amendment was adopted: at Council Member McGriff’s request, the affordable housing and down payment/closing cost assistance language from item 9 — previously a standalone item — was folded into item 2 on neighborhood revitalization to more comprehensively capture housing affordability needs in one place and eliminate the separate item. Willis noted that because Lancaster County is not an entitlement community, CDBG funding is competitive through the state, meaning only needs that align with state priorities are eligible regardless of how the county ranks them. The updated list will be submitted to the Catawba Regional Council of Governments.
Boards and Commissions
Council unanimously approved the appointment of Michael Senkier to the Board of Assessment Appeals for an unexpired term ending June 30, 2027. Appointments for the Planning Commission District 1 seat and the Community Outreach and Engagement Advisory Board were postponed to the April 27 meeting. One other board appointment was postponed indefinitely.
Executive Session and Post-Session Action
Council entered executive session to receive legal advice regarding a potential contractual matter related to a lease agreement. Upon returning, the only post-session action was a unanimous vote to authorize Interim County Administrator Willis to negotiate a lease as discussed in the closed session. No further details were disclosed publicly. Council then adjourned.
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