September 2017 Council Highlights

  • New Historic Preservation Design Review Guidelines have been approved. The guidelines are a result of a nine-month public process to help more clearly define the guidelines for both the Hampton Park and Downtown historic districts. The plan does reinforce the City’s commitment to historic preservation. There were no major changes, only more user friendly and information descriptions, including illustrations and examples of what is appropriate.

 

  • The City approved a sewer line rehabilitation and replacement project for the Crosswell Drive and Yeadon Street lines. This line does cross Lafayette, so it will disturb traffic, but the lines are over 90 years old and it must be completed before it creates a bigger problem.

 

  • The City approved two rezoning requests this month, including one parcel on Artillery Drive to limited commercial, which is owned by the City to bring it in line with current zone practices in the area and another on US 15 South from agriculture/planned development to general commercial.

 

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

  • Sumter Planning Commission is currently seeking public input in the new Long Range Transportation Plan. An online survey is available and includes a question and answer section as well as an area where the public can mark specific areas on a map to highlight improvements needed. The online survey will be open until October 12 at www.sumtersc.gov. The SUATS organization will also host a public meeting on October 12 in the Swan Lake Visitors Center, located at 822 W. Liberty Street from 5:30-8 PM to discuss the process of updating the Long Range Transportation Plan.

 

  • October 11-13 a video crew from New York, working for the City of Sumter, will be heading into town to record events, activities and more about our City. The topics for the videos include Healthcare, Education, Economic Development, Arts and Culture and Parks & Recreation and more. Once complete the videos will be made available on the City’s YouTube channel as well as linked to from our website. Staff, along with representatives from the contract company, CGI Communications, will be in touch with many community partners to discuss their role and assistance in the video production. If you have any questions, please contact Shelley Kile, Communications Director, at 803-774-1661.

 

  • Major projects the City is currently working on or upcoming, include:

 

  • Sumter Police Department Headquarters,
  • Sumter Fire Department Headquarters,
  • Manning Avenue Corridor,
  • Tennis Center Facility,
  • Shaw Park,
  • N. Main Street Corridor,
  • Alice Drive Fire Station Renovation,
  • Memorial Park facility abatement and demolition project,
  • Sumter Pride Demolition Projects,
  • Streetscape improvements,
  • Lemira green space,
  • and Sumter-Shaw Farm project.

 

If you are a vendor and would like to be considered for an upcoming contract, please visit our website at www.sumtersc.gov/purchasing to register.

 

  • The City of Sumter is an Entitlement Community. This entitlement status affords the City the opportunity of receiving Community Development Block Grant funds on an annual basis. The purpose of the funds is to improve the neighborhoods and make life more livable for low-moderate income citizens. Citizen’s participation is a requirement. The City of Sumter will satisfy this requirement by holding public meetings prior to preparing the upcoming Annual Action Plan. The next scheduled meeting for this will be:

 

  • Thursday, September 21 at 6 PM at the North HOPE Center, located at 904 S. Main Street and
  • Tuesday, October 17 at 6PM at the City Council Chambers, 4th Floor of the Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main Street.

 

Citizens are invited to come out and participate in these community meetings in preparation of the City of Sumter Community Development Department fiscal year budget process for the period of April 1, 2018-March 31, 2019. Entry to all meetings places is handicapped accessible. Hearing impaired or deaf persons may call 774-1649 for assistance. Persons needing an interpreter may call the same number for assistance.