City Annexes 139.5 Acres for New Development

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson City Council on Monday unanimously approved the annexation and rezoning of 139.5 acres on Shockley Ferry Road across from Silver Brook Cemetery to single-family residential which is expected to have 235, 7,000-square-foot lots. The houses will be required to meet all city requirements and will have a density of 1.75 houses per acre.

Council moved ahead with a major overhaul for pedestrian and vehicle traffic between Anderson University’s main campus and the school’s athletic campus on Business 29 (Boulevard/Williamston Road)

A six-foot wide, half-mile sidewalk linking the two campuses is aimed at improving pedestrian safety and keeping pedestrians off the road. It will cost $396,000 and be paid for by the City of Anderson’s accommodations tax funds. The sidewalk is part of a larger project which will feature a roundabout at the intersection of Boulevard and Calhoun Street and a 12-foot-wide multi-use path along Boulevard from Calhoun Street to Rocky River when funding becomes available.

Anderson University’s growth as the largest private higher education institution in the state, including the growth of the Athletic Campus which is adding football this year, is part of the urgency to move ahead with the sidewalk until funding is available for the other projects.

Council also approved up to $2.7 million to reimburse the city for the costs incurred before the issuance of the capital leases for the Public Works Division on Monday. See full agenda for list.

Meanwhile, Council unanimously rejected a request to rezone part of a lot at 307 Concord Road for use as neighborhood commercial. The developer of the property, which has frontage on both Concord and Pine Lane, wanted to use the Concord forefront as a site for food trucks, and the back half of the property for two single family houses.

Councilman Kyle Newton, who represents the district where the property is located expresses concerns about long-term ramifications including potential future uses iof the property if given the requested designation change.

Also on Monday, council:

Approved rezoning for 710 West Mauldin Street to allow for a duplex to be built on the lot.,

Approved, on first reading, rezoning 10 acres located at 110 Fairway Green off U.S. 29 South for 80 proposed townhouses. The townhouses would be a minimum of 1,500 square feet and the development would include sidewalks, a large common area and a pocket park.