First Meeting on Proposed Birch County Scheduled

Those interested in forming a new county in the Midlands will have a chance to meet with the group leading the effort to be free from "government that taxes too much."

According to an advertisement in The New Irmo News, the first Citizens for Birch County meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, at The Cotton House from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The group is expected to discuss the possibility of forming the new county, which would include parts of Ballentine, Irmo and Chapin, as well the possibility of annexing parts of Richland County into Lexington County. 

The proposed new county in the Lake Murray area is named after those communities that would make up the area. 

Discussion of the new county was rekindled after the sales tax increase or transportation penny in Richland County was passed in November.

The increase — a penny per dollar on most purchases for the next 22 years — is estimated to generate more than $1 billion to be used for the bus system, roadways, bike paths, and pedestrian greenway projects.

To form Birch County, it would take one-third of the registered voters in the “new county” to sign a petition, the governor could call a special election and approval from the Department of Justice, according to Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Richland. 

To change to Lexington County, it would take 10 percent of registered voters in the “effected area” to sign a petition, a special election (see more) and approval from the Department of Justice. 

If the group is successful at forming the new county, Birch would become the 47th county in South Carolina.