Rail access, a four-lane highway and relatively close proximity to the state's interstate system are all strengths that will attract industry to western Orangeburg County, a fledgling development committee believes.

Members of the Orangeburg County Development Commission have teamed up with officials from the Neeses, Norway, North, Livingston, Woodford, Springfield and Cope areas to study the feasibility of developing an industrial park in the county's western region.

Developed just a year ago, the committee has already initiated an infrastructure and target marketing study to assess water and sewer service and potential sites for locating an industrial park.

Alliance Consulting Engineers conducted the study, with some of the work subbed out to INSIGHT Inc., another consulting company.

"The idea behind the study is to understand the access that we have on the western side of the county. We want to know where all the water, sewer, gas and telecommunications are and how everything fits within the framework of public infrastructure, including road improvements, in order for us to best find a location for economic development," OCDC Executive Director Gregg Robinson said Monday.

"This is the first step. We're in the process of finalizing our findings. We'll have the full report to the committee, I'd say, within the next 30 days," Robinson said.

"That will be the blueprint for following up on whatever action we put our resources to. It's an integrated process," Orangeburg County Administrator Bill Clark said.

"You have (Highway) 321 and rail that runs directly down to the Port of Savannah with CSX Railroad. We're trying to determine the best possible location to place an industrial park that serves the area," Robinson said.

He said the South Carolina Electric & Gas Cope Generating Station is probably the largest industry among the other businesses in the region. There are approximately seven other smaller ones, including AMTEC Control Integration Co. in Neeses; Paul Argoe Screens Inc. in Woodford; North-South Wood Preserving Co. in North; Harrell's Fertilizer in Norway and Talley-Corbett Box Co. Inc. in Springfield.

Brad Snelgrove, OCDC research/grants manager, said Orangeburg County had an unemployment rate of 10 percent as of January, much higher than the state and national jobless rates of 6.6 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.

Officials are hoping the lack of several major industries in western Orangeburg County will be offset by the location of prospects who fill the target market niche in the industrial park.

"The improvement in the recent widening of 321 through the western part of the county is important, and we know from traffic studies that the portion of the county has become a very popular corridor for truck transport activity," Orangeburg County Administrator Bill Clark said.

"What we're certainly looking to do is balance economic development in the county. Interstate 95 and I-26 are natural corridors for development, of course, but the western part of the county has resources as well," he said.

"It has the ability to offer affordable land, and it has rail access. So, all of these resources can be used to help bring development and great opportunities to the western part of the county," Clark said.

Norway resident Joey Williamson, an OCDC member who represents western Orangeburg County on the commission, said the industrial park would not be of mammoth proportions.

"The one we did in Orangeburg is better than 400 acres. We aren't looking at anything that big -- maybe 150 to 200 acres. We have all sorts of studies that are out. Alliance Engineering is doing some of that, and they've subbed some of that to a company called INSIGHT to determine what our strengths may be and what sorts of industries may locate here," Williamson said.

He said there are deficiencies that have to be assessed.

"One thing we don't have is the water and sewer infrastructure. Neeses doesn't have sewer at all, and both Norway and North have deficiencies, so there may be the possibility of looking at one system. It's too early to say," said Williamson, noting that another meeting will likely be held when the county land-use plan is more thoroughly hammered out.

"We want to make sure that everything coincides and fits within the county master plan. ... We're waiting until the county land-use plan is pretty much finalized," he said.

"The county is working with the planning commission to bring forward the county-wide zoning and land-use plan. That will be a tool for all the county officials and a guide as to where development is most likely to occur," said Clark, who noted that $2 million was set aside as part of the county's penny sales tax referendum to acquire land, develop roads and identify the water and sewer infrastructure needed to bolster economic development in the western region.

North Mayor Earl Jeffcoat said economic development is one of his town's top priorities. He said he hopes development of an industrial park will help attract businesses to the area.

"We'll have railroad accessibility and Highway 321, and we are fairly close to I-26," he said, noting that the newly-widened Highway 321 looks "outstanding."

Of an industrial park, Neeses Mayor Kenneth Gleaton said, "It'll be wonderful for the western portion of Orangeburg County."

Gleaton said he does not care which town the park would ultimately be located in, as long as it meets the needs of the people. He said part of meeting those needs will involve the scope of industries located in the park.

"I'd like to see a number of smaller industries instead of one large one because, if it failed, then so many people wouldn't be out of a job," Gleaton said.

Robinson said the results of the study will, hopefully, answer a lot of questions.

"The idea is that we have to understand what we have before we can go and start selling our resources. So, it's all about project development before prospect development. There are presently people in that area who are having to drive to work. We hope to create opportunities locally to make them stay at home to work," he said.

"There's some good momentum," Clark said. "As long as we can keep the group together and everybody working for the benefit of the region, good things will likely happen."

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

You must be logged in to comment.