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Tag: Abney Hills

  • Commission OKs plan for phase 4 of Abney Hills

    BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood planning commission voted unanimously Monday night to approve a sketch plan for the fourth and last phase of the Abney Hills subdivision off Fulmer Road.

    Town Administrator Brian Cook said the 131.94-acres, formerly owned by Essex Homes and recently purchased by Stanley Martin Homes, will be divided into 174 lots with an average lot size of 18,097 square feet.

    The lots are zoned R-12 (single family residential district.)

    As discussed during the preliminary plat approval for Phase 3 last year, a secondary access onto Valley Estates Drive from Mount Valley Road will continue to be an ‘Emergency Only’ access point.

    Cook explained that if the commission approved the plan Monday night, Martin Homes can move ahead with construction drawings, but Cook said there are some wetlands that will be reviewed by Richland County before construction of the subdivision can proceed.

    Also, approval of the sketch plans by the commission will be contingent upon the results of the traffic study that currently requires an auxiliary lane at Turkey Farm and Fulmer Road. But that lane would not be required until 2025. According to Martin Homes Project Manager Shane Alford, a final determination on the necessity of auxiliary lanes will be made by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

    Cook suggested that the planning commissioners might want to look more closely or have suggestions regarding open space reserved for active or passive recreation as well as any potential for sidewalks and street trees.

    The build out for Phase 4 is expected to be between three and five years. Total lots in the completed subdivision will be 347.

    The commission voted 6 – 0 to approve the sketch plan.

  • PC Oks Abney Hill Phase 3

    BLYTHEWOOD – Although it was not specifically an agenda item, the agreeable response by a builder to a request made by members of the Mt. Valley Road area at the February Planning Commission meeting was a highlight at Monday night’s meeting.

    Last month, residents asked that public access onto Valley Estates Drive from Mt. Valley Road be closed. The heavy construction traffic was destroying the only entrance to their homes, residents told Commissioners. Resident Charles Bayne made the request during public comment time in February and appeared again at the March meeting.

    Frank Berry, on behalf of Essex homes, presented a plan Monday evening that designated the secondary access onto Valley Estates Drive from Mt. Valley Road as an “Emergency Only” access point to be secured by a double-swing gate, supplied with a Supra Lock Box for key access by emergency vehicles. The E911 has updated GIS in CAD for future response of emergency vehicles. Otherwise, secondary access onto Valley Estates Drive from Mt. Valley Road will be stopped by the yet-to-be installed gate.

    In the meantime, Berry said a ‘No Entrance’ sign has been placed at the emergency entrance. Berry said the gate has been ordered and that he is awaiting delivery.

    “I anticipate it will arrive within 45 days,” Berry said.

    The main item on the agenda was the request for approval of the Abney Hills subdivision Phase 3 sketch plan. Phase 3 totals 17.39 acres with 31 lots averaging 16,027 square feet.

    With 33 single family homes, Phase 3 is expected to be built out by 2021, Berry said. It will have access on Valley Estates Drive in Phase 1 which is built out with 90 lots. In Phase 2, construction on 52 lots is underway. Future phases across the creek have the potential for 192 lots and a build out date of 2024.  The remaining phases of Ashley Oaks (across Fulmer Road) are known as Phases 8 and 9 and include 159 lots.

    The findings of a traffic impact study conducted in November 2018 indicate that no road improvements need to be considered for Phase 3 (2022 build) Berry said.

    The sketch plan was approved unanimously as presented but contingent on the gate being installed as described at the secondary access on to Valley Estates Drive from Mt. Valley Drive.

    Chairman Donald Brock announced that Planning Commission member Michelle Kiedrowski has resigned from the Commission.