Join Us: Dorchester’s Zoning Amendment Meeting on November 14

Resource Extraction Areas 2.5 Mile Buffer

This Thursday, November 14, The Commission will meet at 4:00 PM. Meetings are held in the Summerville County Council Chambers at 500 N. Main Street (Cedar St. Entrance). Here is the link to the Planning Commission November Meeting Agenda Packet: https://www.dorchestercountysc.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/25045/638666671247439337

Of interest for this meeting to the community of the Town of Dorchester is Agenda Item 6 (Old Business) A. ZTA 24-07: Text Amendment to the Dorchester County Zoning and Land Development Standards Ordinance Number 04-13, as previously amended, with respect to Article X, Section 10.4.11 “Mineral Resource Extraction Operations” for the purpose of limiting the proximity of new mineral resource extraction operations from existing permitted operations.

The intent of the ordinance text amendment is to limit the mining density in our county. The amendment is modeled after a successful similar ordinance amendment in Charleston County. Page 21 of the agenda packet shows the existing mines and the proposed buffer around them. Page 22 of the agenda packet includes a rather long Pro-mining letter opposing the ordinance change.

I believe that for our community, this proposed amendment to the ordinance is a positive step. It aims to control some of the sand mine truck traffic pummeling us in our area.

This is an open public meeting that includes public feedback and comments. Please plan to attend and make your voices heard for a positive change.

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Dorchester County Council To Consider Limiting Mining

Sand truck

After years of public feedback, it looks like the Dorchester County Council is finally considering some action to limit the negative impacts of mining operations in our area.

There is a Dorchester County Council meeting tonight at 6 pm (the County Planning meeting is at 5:45 pm). The hot topic is the Public Hearing, which is to amend the county mining regulations to limit the proximity of new mining operations.

If you can attend, please do and make your voices heard.

Planning Committee Agenda: https://docs.google.com/gview?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgranicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdorchester%2Fa342504a3e608349ebebcd358899ee2e0.pdf&embedded=true

County Council Agenda: https://docs.google.com/gview?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgranicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdorchester%2F25f03316663850fa45e5aaf192b723ba0.pdf&embedded=true

Hurricane Preparedness Expo at Ashley River Park

Hurricane Expo 2024

With the 2024 Hurricane Season about to start, Dorchester County is encouraging residents to attend the Hurricane Preparedness Expo at Ashley River Park. The Hurricane Preparedness Expo aims to provide valuable information, tips, and resources to help residents of our county prepare for hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Event Details: 
Date: Sat. June 1, 2024
Time: 10:00AM – 1:00PM
Location: Ashley River Park, 200 Renken Road, Summerville

Win a New Generator!
The Hurricane Preparedness Expo will feature a range of fun activities and offerings. These include interactive exhibits, food trucks, an inflatable obstacle course, an electric children’s train, balloon art, face painting, and emergency services demonstrations. Charleston Electric will also be raffling off a brand new 3600-watt Generac GP3600 portable generator. 

Other Fun Activities at the Expo
Representatives from Tradesman Brewing Company will be there with samples for our 21-year-old and older crowd with our special hurricane beer, Know Your Zone.

Coastal Coffee Roasters will also be there with our one-of-a-kind coffee, Storm Surge.

The Red Cross will host a blood drive during the Expo. You can Pre-register to give blood here. Visit this link to pre-register and sign up to donate blood

Please note: If you do not have a Park Annual Pass, admission to the park is $2 per person (free for 3 years-old and under).

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Upcoming Joint Town Hall Meeting

Dorchester County Logo

Chairman Todd Friddle from Dorchester County Council, Ms. Kellie Bates from the DD2 Board of Trustees, Dr. Charmaine Palmer-Roberts from North Charleston City Council, Chief Richardson from the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, and Representative Chris Murphy from the S.C. House of Representatives, invite residents to an upcoming town hall meeting at the Wescott Park Clubhouse.

Residents, community leaders, and stakeholders are encouraged to attend and actively participate in this meeting. This is a unique opportunity to engage directly with elected officials and decision-makers, shaping the future of our community. Topics of discussion will include education, infrastructure, public safety, and economic development.

To submit your questions to the moderator, please email them to mmills@dorchestercountysc.gov.  

Date: April 3, 2024
Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Location: Wescott Park Clubhouse Address, (9006 Dorchester Road, North Charleston)

County Greenbelt Master Plan Public Input Sessions

Dorchester County Logo

Dorchester County will be holding two upcoming in-person public engagement sessions designed to gather community input for the development of the Greenbelt Master Plan.

A greenbelt is an undeveloped land area around or within cities, safeguarded to preserve nature, biodiversity, and recreational spaces. It serves multiple purposes, such as environmental conservation, flood prevention, and supporting sustainable urban planning. Greenbelts seek to strike a balance between urban development and maintaining green spaces for community well-being and environmental health. The Dorchester County Greenbelt Master Plan will help guide funding for eligible projects such as land acquisition and purchase of conservation easements as a result of the 2022 Dorchester County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Referendum. 

The public input sessions will be held as follows:

1. St. George Rosenwald School:

  • Date: Thursday, February 8, 2024
  • Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
  • Location: St. George Rosenwald School, 205 Ann Street, St. George, SC 29477

2. Alston Middle School Cafeteria:

  • Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
  • Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
  • Location: Alston Middle School, 500 Bryan St. Summerville, SC 29483
    (Enter the building from Highway 78)

These sessions serve as opportunities for community members to share their thoughts, suggestions, and concerns which will directly shape the Greenbelt Master Plan.

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Dorchester Hopeful to Get Broadband! … Eventually

Dorchester broadband map

You should mark you calendars and make plans to attend the Dorchester County Community Meeting on 8/31/2022, at 6 pm, in the Woodland gym.

Rural broadband internet is finally coming to our area, but maybe not right away. Progress takes time I guess. The Eagle-Record recently published there will be a Dorchester County sponsored community meeting at the Woodland High School Gym on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, at 6:00 pm. The purpose of the county sponsored meeting is to provide a second update to affected area residents. Presenting and available for your questions will the two prime area provides, Home Telecom and Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative (PRTC).

The Dorchester County Rural Broadband Project is intended to expand the high-speed internet access in our area over the next three years. Project details, including information on our town of Dorchester (South Dorchester), is listed in the Dorchester County Rural Broadband Project web site. This project is being funded with $8.5 Million dollars of taxpayer monies in the form of federal grant funding and with additional matching funds from both Home Telecom and PRTC in order to get the fiber cable installed to provide the needed broadband internet to over 4000 rural homes currently without high speed internet.

Plan ahead! A dinner meal will be provided if you register ahead of time by calling Tracy Langley, Clerk to Council, at 843-832-0196.

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Town of Dorchester Community Meeting

Dorchester Community Meeting

We’re meeting again!

Our town community meeting will be held 6pm on August 12, 2021, at the Ray O Sunshine market. The address is 2514 Highway 78, Dorchester, SC 29437. We’re looking forward getting back together and discuss topics of interest for our community. All are welcome, we will be meeting outside so dress comfortably and bring a chair.

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Dorchester Community Meeting Minutes from August 20, 2020

These are meeting notes from our August 20, 2020 virtual community meeting.

Online attendance was low with the Zoom meeting format. Attendance worked out to be about 6 to 8 people who were able to connect and attended at least a portion of the virtual meeting.

There was a general discussion of low or poor availability of Rural Broadband & cell phone coverage in our area. Recommendations were made for individuals to call or email our Dorchester County Council representatives (Harriet Holman for District 1 & George Bailey for District 3) and ask them what is being done to provide “Rural Broadband” internet for our area.

There was discussion of a new phone/internet provider company, PRTC, coming into the St. George area, however they were not servicing the Town of Dorchester at this time. The recommendation was put forth for individuals to contact them and inquire about service in the town of Dorchester area, with the hope being the inquiry volume would help show them where to expand services.

There was discussion of sending questions related to township to the Mayor of Reevesville, Mr. Paul Wimberly. These question will be sent to the Mayor to help provide feedback for our community. Any input into the questions can be submitted through the Contact page of this site.

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Harleyville 2020 Comprehensive Plan – Existing Conditions Discussion, August 20, 2020 6:30 PM

Please join the Harleyville 2020 Comprehensive Plan – Existing Conditions Discussion via Zoom webinar on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m.

This discussion will begin brainstorming an updated vision statement and consider related goals, objectives and possible recommendations for the first half of the required Planning elements.

If you have not already, please be sure to visit the project website before the meeting to watch the Virtual Public Workshop Video and/or view the Workshop Presentation PDF Flipbook!     

Click this link to join the webinar

Passcode: 985250

Webinar ID: 894 3307 6570

If using an iPhone, call: +19292056099, 89433076570#  or +13017158592, 89433076570#

If using a telephone landline: +1 929 205 6099  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 669 900 6833  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 346 248 7799

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