Cayce officials vow to continue Knox Abbott Drive improvement plan

Cayce leaders promise to proceed with a facelift on a section of Knox Abbott Drive as well as other projects despite Lexington County’s refusal last week to help.

But the setback means it will take longer for the projects to be completed, and the plans could be scaled back, officials said.

Cayce “is committed to these projects,” a statement attributed to unspecified city leaders said. “We will continue to look for other funding sources and partnerships.”

City leaders are scrambling to come up with a new approach after County Council turned down a request to support a 20-year extension of a development tax district that expires in October.

The rejection “likely puts several of the projects on indefinite hold,” assistant city manager Shaun Greenwood said. “The projects would have to be redesigned and/or drastically diminished.”

City officials sought the extension to help pay for projects that include a facelift on a mile of Knox Abbott Drive and a visitor center at the 12,000-year History Park. The Knox Abbott improvements would feature landscaped medians and other improvements for several blocks near Parkland Plaza, estimated to cost up to $10 million, depending on their length.

City officials have said they hope the improvements would reduce speeding and the number of collisions as well as improve pedestrian safety.

Continuing the tax district would have required the county to give up more property tax revenue. The loss was estimated at $4.6 million over 20 years on top of $1.8 million given up previously.

That’s too much with pressure to add deputies, firefighters and ambulance crews as well as repair roads, some county leaders said.

The extension was rejected 5-4 last week in a rare refusal by county leaders to cooperate with local officials on civic improvements. City officials sought to extend the 188-acre district near the Congaree River through 2037.

City officials had hoped to work on the Knox Abbott improvements next year at the same time that the road is torn up to install water lines. Doing both together would save money and inconvenience drivers less, city manager Rebecca Vance said.

Lexington County Councilman Darrell Hudson is leaving open the possibility that Cayce could get approval for a new version of the development tax, known at tax increment financing. “We’ll consider it as long as there’s a crystal clear explanation as to where the money is going,” he said.

The other major project that Cayce planned to pay for with the extension is a visitor center at the park near the river.

Some business leaders call the county rejection short-sighted, saying the improvements will help drive new development that pays off later.

“It’s a delay, but it’s not going to stop those from happening,” said Gregg Pinner, executive director of the Greater Cayce West Columbia Chamber of Commerce. “Everyone will be trying to do what they can to keep the momentum going.”

This story was originally published April 16, 2017 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Cayce officials vow to continue Knox Abbott Drive improvement plan."