Despite some new reservations about annexation in general, Orangeburg City Council is on track to add another 250 residents to the city.

Council held public hearings and gave unanimous first reading on Tuesday to ordinances that would annex Glenfield Apartments on Columbia Road.

Glenfield, which will come into the city under the 100 percent petition method, includes 104 units on 19 acres. Based on a census estimate of 2.5 people per unit, the annexation would bring another 250 to 270 residents into the city.

The issue of annexation costs to the city was raised by Councilman Charles “Buddy” Barnwell of District 3, who cited the cost of utilities, sanitation and other services.

“I have some concern with all of this annexation we’ve been doing. It’s all multifamily or residential,” he said. “I’m concerned we’re not taking business in and it will cost us more.”

City Administrator John Yow said council’s position has been, “that they take a bigger approach to grow the city.”

More businesses will eventually be taken in, as two or three commercial properties on Chestnut Street already have, he said.

“That’s why we passed covenant language requiring any new property getting water and sewer taps to sign covenants and come into the city,” Yow said. “Some property owners will save money and others will not. It’s a mixed bag. We haven’t done the numbers on this because we don’t know the number of cars paying taxes to the city. ... We’ll have to wait until we get the number of vehicles.”

According to Yow, any annexation will put the city closer to its goal.

“The real crucial part is when we have to add personnel or sanitation trucks,” Yow said. “Annexation has to be looked at by council.”

The administrator stressed that rental property is taxed at a 6 percent assessment rate, higher than the 4 percent for owner-occupied property. Also, he said that annexed property doesn’t go on the tax books until the following January, even though “we start providing services immediately.”

District 4 Councilman Bernard Haire asked if it were not true that “in order to get where we want to get we have to annex areas.”

An advocate of annexation, Mayor Paul Miller said that the city has been, “pretty dormant for a long period of time.”

“We’re on a roll,” the mayor said. “People realize the value of being in the city.”

Noting that “since all of the annexation is in my district so far,” District 2 Councilman Charlie Jernigan said that the rest of council “needs to get out and get some more people in.”

Yow reported that Haire is working on an annexation on Russell Street for his district.

Council also gave first reading to an ordinance placing the newly annexed property into City Council District 2.

No one spoke during the public hearings. The Planning Commission had approved the request.

In other business, council:

* By a vote of 4-2, gave final third reading to an amended rezoning request for a Whitman Street property.

The owners of Orangeburg Nursing Home want to use the property next door to their facility for administrative office space.

After multiple delays, the majority of council agreed two weeks ago to a motion by Barnwell to change the zoning from A-2 Multi-Unit Residential to O-I Office Institutional District, rather than the B-1 General Business District that had been proposed.

“In my opinion, we would protect the individual lady next door,” he said. “I don’t want to see someone build a business next to her house.”

Voting for the measure were the mayor, Barnwell, Jernigan and Councilwoman Joyce Rheney. Opposed were Haire, who cited concern for the homeowner next door to the facility, and Councilwoman Sandra Knotts. Trelvis Miller, who did not attend the previous session, was also absent from the vote.

* Gave final third reading to an ordinance placing newly annexed St. Matthews Road properties into City Council District 2.

* Gave second reading to an ordinance amending the personnel handbook in order to adopt new federal regulations regarding the Family Medical Leave Act.

* Appointed Harry Holman of the Public Works Department to a three-year term on the City Grievance Committee.

* Remembered the late Bowman Mayor Zelda Pelzer.

T&D Government Write Tucker Lyon can be reached at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 803-533-5545.

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