March 26, 2006

Firm wants to build new office park in Indian Land

By Jenny Hartley - Staff Writer

INDIAN LAND - Land along U.S. 521 and Henry Harris Road could be rezoned from a planned development district to commercial property to make way for more office buildings.

Lauth Property Group's Gary Reader asked the Lancaster County Planning Commission to approve rezoning the 185 acres Tuesday.

Lauth is also developing Edgewater Corporate Center on U.S. 521 south of S.C. 160, were HSBC Mortgage announced plans to relocate from Charlotte.

The planning commission approved the rezoning request 4-1. Lancaster County planning staff recommended denial of the rezoning because of residential zoning in the area.

The property was rezoned for Cambridge Homes' Ansley Park planned development district in November 2004, but no progress was ever made on the project. Plans for that development included 420 single-family homes, 130 townhouses and 9 acres for commercial development.

Representing Lauth, attorney William Tindal said another office park would help the county keep taxes low. The first building in the proposed new office park would generate $300,000 in taxes in a year, based on figures for Edgewater Corporate Center.

Reader told the commission that Lauth does not build small strip centers, but larger projects like office retail, industrial and medical-office space. He said five parking garages will be needed in Edgewater Corporate Center, showing how the demand for office space has grown since the Edgewater project was approved.

The new project, called South Gate, will bring sewer service along with it, Reader said. The company will look at repaving Henry Harris Road, a concern of area residents, where a second entrance will be built.

Reader said a county ordinance requires the entrance for adequate access by emergency services. He pointed out how Edgewater received grants for improvements to Possum Hollow Road, U.S. 521, S.C. 160 and sewer lines because of the development.

South Gate would be fronted by a black, painted fence and bronze-cast horses, similar to Black Horse Run, with stone markers topped by spires like those at Churchill Downs, Reader said.

With South Gate, the county would have the potential to recruit Fortune 500 companies, Reader said. He said Ballantyne can also recruit them, but South Carolina can offer better economic development incentives and quality homes are being built in the areas of the office parks.

"York County can still do it (recruit)," Reader said. "Ballantyne and Lancaster County are the hottest office development areas right now."

A few Henry Harris Road and Ravenwood subdivision residents spoke against the rezoning.

Les Duncan said it's misleading that there will not be an increase in traffic. She said the B-3 rezoning allows all types of businesses.

Duncan said he's also concerned what effects the development would have on the environment and nearby wetlands.

Ravenwood Drive resident Linda Woodall said people walk dogs, jog or ride their bikes along Henry Harris Road, which she said is often used as a short cut to Marvin Road. There have been fatal crashes on Henry Harris Road, and Woodall fears that someone else will get killed if there is more traffic on it.

Commissioner Doug McClellan voted against the rezoning. Commissioner Timothy Hinson said he understood the concerns of the homeowners in the area, but felt the office park would benefit the county.

"It's great everyone wants to live in Lancaster County, but it'd be nice to have some jobs and some sales tax," Hinson said.

The planning commission's vote is advisory to Lancaster County Council.

County Council will consider the rezoning at its April 3 meeting, planning director Chris Karres said.