05/25/2026
👀 Check out the chart, or read the post for the information. 🔽
📊 LEXINGTON COUNTY COUNCIL VOTING RECORDS REFLECT RESIDENTIAL ZONING CHANGES AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT
📢 Lexington County Council records show June Primary incumbent candidates Beth Carrigg,
Larry Brigham, and Glen Conwell, along with Darrell Hudson, Charli Wessinger, and former councilmembers Scott Whetstone and Bimbo Jones (who were unseated in June 2024), worked together to pass some of the BIGGEST ZONING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT REFORMS Lexington County has seen in DECADES.
Incumbent Candidate Voting Records are important for voters to review ahead of the June 9 primary.
Please see the VOTING RECORD chart provided with this post by clicking on it and zooming in to read the information.
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📋 KEY ZONING & GROWTH POLICY CHANGES THEY MADE SINCE 2020 INCLUDE:
✅ 🏡 Decreased Allowable Residential Density in Developments:
• Single-family homes: changed from up to 12 homes per acre ➜ to maximum of 4 homes per acre while some street classifications only allow 3, 2 ,or even 1 homes per acre
• Townhomes/duplexes/patio homes : changed from 12 homes per acre ➜ to maximum of 6 homes per acre and only allowed on certain street classifications to handle the car traffic for higher densities
• Apartments: changed from 20 per acre ➜ to maximum of 12 per acre and only allowed on 4 lane roads to handle the car traffic for higher densities with complex spacing of 3 miles between complexes and a cap of 250 units per complex
✅ Concurrency requirements to ensure adequate levels of services for EMS, fire, law enforcement, waste management, and schools are available before new developments can be permitted
✅ Increased setbacks to space houses farther apart and from the road and established minimum lot sizes
✅ Lake Murray/Saluda River Watershed and agricultural protections such as increased buffers and lower density
✅ Trophy tree protection and tree inventory requirements to save 25 percent of trophy trees, limits clear cutting
✅ Updated Comprehensive Plan
✅ Stormwater regulation updates
✅ Countywide Traffic Improvement Plan (TIP) funding with shovel ready projects being studied now and can also be used to require developers to help with nearby road improvements
✅ Coordination with SCDOT and COG on road projects
✅ Funding increases for law enforcement and emergency services
✅ Upgraded fire trucks and EMS units.
✅ Added a new West Region Service Center in District 2 (Larry Brigham) area providing fire, EMS, and sheriff services, as well as a new fire department on N. Lake Dr./Hwy 6 near the Lake Murray Dam in District 7 (Beth Carrigg) area.
✅ Votes for ONE millage increase in the past 8 years for first responder pay due to Covid.
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⚠️ IF THESE ZONING CHANGES WERE PASSED, WHY AREN’T WE SEEING THESE CHANGES IN EVERY DEVELOPMENT BEING BUILT TODAY?
Many subdivisions and residential developments recently and currently being built today were approved under older zoning rules before these zoning changes took effect. Because some development projects were already in the pipeline when the zoning changes were passed, they are allowed to be grandfathered in under prior regulations.
The state allows developers up to 5 years from the date of permitting to break ground with a possible two year extension.
As time goes on we will begin to see these zoning changes reflected in the residential developments being built more consistently moving forward.
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🚦 ROADS AND JURISDICTION CONTEXT
• SCDOT maintains ~1,500 miles of state roads in Lexington County
• The county maintains ~600 miles of paved roads many of them being subdivision roads and ~600 miles of dirt roads
Most of the roads citizens drive on are state-maintained, while the county is responsible primarily for local and subdivision roads.
So, the county council does not have justification/control over most of our roads and traffic issues due to those roads falling within the state/SCDOT jurisdiction and NOT County Council.
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📊 PUBLIC RECORDS
A review of council voting records of incumbent candidates for the June Primary reflects:
⭐ Beth Carrigg
⭐ Larry Brigham
⭐ Glen Conwell
Consistently have supported these residential development zoning changes, infrastructure funding, and public safety-related actions since 2020.
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🗳 ELECTION INFORMATION
County Council District races for Council Districts 2, 7, and 8 will be decided in the June 9 primary as the winner of the primary will advance and be the only name listed on the Nov ballot. Early voting is May 26–June 5.
Voters are encouraged to review public voting records and candidate information as part of their decision-making process.
Stay informed and share this information so others are aware.
Together, we can and do make a difference for the communities of Lexington County! 🇺🇸
