Richland County Denies Clinic Rezoning Request

A rezoning request for a proposed health clinic on a site on Old Tamah Road was unanimously denied by Richland County Council during a public hearing Tuesday. 

In a report from The State, council members voted against approving a request to change a 3.5-acre site zoned as rural (RU) to an office and institutional district (OI) zone.

The request was to allow Lexington County Medical Center to build a clinic that would be located near Dutch Fork Middle School and Dutch Fork High School as well as residential areas. 

According to a Planning & Development Services Department staff report, building a clinic in the area wasn't recommended.

"Commercial/office activities should be located at traffic junctions or areas where existing commercial and office uses are located," according to the county's Comprehenive Plan for Future Use Map. 

The requested ammendment is not in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan, according to staff.

There is a dentist office near the proposed site but it was built under a previous land development code.