County Adds EMS Site, Sheriff Substation in Piedmont

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council approved a resolution on Tuesday to lease space from the AnMed Health Piedmont Campus to provide space for the county’s Emergency Medical Services and for a substation for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.

The county will rent a 2,919 square-foot building in the complex, located at 2110 Highway 86 in Piedmont, for $6,250 per month. Officials suggest the new location for EMS and the Sheriff’s Office will provide better coverage and response times for that part of northern Anderson County.

Council also gave formal approval on Tuesday to plan to take possession of the property which housed the historic Pelzer Lower Mill and to spearhead efforts toward development of the 72-acre site along the Saluda River.

Anderson County has been asked to chart the course for the future of that property along the Saluda River that was once home to four separate cotton mills built between 1881 and 1895. The mill changed hands several times in the twentieth century before being purchased by Gerber in 1986, who ceased production in the 1990s.

Administrator Rusty Burns said Pelzer Heritage Commission requested the county take responsibility for the property.

“We will be responsible for it and can access funding not available to them,” said Burns, who added the county has already directed between $3-4 million for use on the property.

The county has already met with Pelzer Mayor Will Ragland and other leaders about the direction for development of the 72-acres that housed the mill.

“They have a lot of very valuable land on the Saluda River that we would like to make sure is developed appropriately to compliment the rest of Anderson County,” said Burns

Anderson County Councilwoman Cindy Wilson praised the move saying the redevelopment of the mill property offers “so much potential to a vibrant community.”

Also on Tuesday, council approved tax incentives for JBT Development, LLC, who will provide a $6.2 million capital investment for an industrial spec building on Hampton Road. Anderson County Economic Development Director Burriss Nelson said the first year economic impact to the community from this investment will be $1.8 million.

County Council Vice Chairman Brett Sanders recapped the meeting for the Anderson Observer in this interview.