February 2018 Council Highlights

  • Council gave final approval to rezone .24 acres of land located at 1947 McCray’s Mill Road from general residential to general commercial. This property is directly adjacent to other commercial properties and it will allow owners to better market the property for sale.

 

  • Council also gave approval to rezone .28 acre parcel of land at 301 South Main Street from light industrial to the Central Business District. This property is located within the Downtown Planning Area, and is influences by the Priority Commercial Corridor, which is a priority investment area within the City’s 2030 comprehensive plan.

 

  • Council held a special meeting last night to discuss public comments received over the past few months regarding the federal HUD Community Development Block Grant program. While many of projects were recommended the funding is specific and limits use. The draft proposal would focus funds on several key programs, including those that will:
    • Assist with ongoing demolition and rehab of LMI housing projects;
    • Assist with the summer youth employment program, with a goal to hire approximately 40 LMI students;
    • Assist the Sumter United Ministries with their LMI home rehab program;
    • Assist the YMCA with vouchers for LMI youth to participate in activities; and
    • Assist with historic preservation of our Downtown.

 

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Downtown Development Board is reporting that the area of Main Street in front of the Sumter Opera House will be raised to help slow traffic. The speed limit on Main Street is 15 miles per hour. This median will include cobblestones, pavers and lighted bollards to assist with the safety of the additional foot traffic downtown is experiencing.

 

  • In 2017, the Downtown Sumter (our Central Business District) had over $20 million in public-private investments, with the hotel, new parking deck and five new businesses. The entire city experienced over $90 in both commercial and residential investments last year.

 

  • The City recently added an additional outdoor basketball court as well as a playground and picnic pavilion to the area surrounding Riley Park. With the use of area collegiate baseball teams as well as the P-15s hosting games and tournaments throughout the year, more and more families are visiting the Riley park area.

 

  • Speaking of visitors, in 2017 our Palmetto Tennis Center hosted multiple regional and state collegiate tournaments as well as two Pro Opens and was named as one of the top tier tennis facilities in the United States by Sports Planning Guide. All in all, the local economic impact of the Palmetto Tennis Center, on the Sumter community, is up over 20 percent to approximately $22.5 million in 2017.

 

  • Sumter Development Board will host a grand opening of their new facility on Liberty Street on March 15 from 2 PM to 8 PM

 

  • Sumter Litter Alliance is hosting a public meeting on Monday, February 26 from 5:30-7 PM at the Swan Lake Visitors Center. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the mission of the group, to address concerns from the public and to invite attendees to get involved with the effort. The meeting is open to the general public.