Chapin’s sewer tap freeze targets Brighton development. Here’s what to know
A long-stalled business park in Chapin, South Carolina, has become the center of a development showdown as the town’s mayor uses sewer tap approvals to slow growth. The dispute pits Chapin against Lexington County over a $20 million mixed-use project at the long-dormant Brighton park.
Here are key takeaways: - Mayor Bill Mitchell has extended Chapin’s moratorium on new sewer taps until wastewater plant capacity is expanded, a project estimated at $42 million that could take six to 10 years.
- Mitchell first announced the freeze on new water and sewer connections immediately after taking office, citing strain on the system that has caused sewer overflows into Lake Murray during rainstorms.
- The freeze puts the town at odds with Lexington County’s plans to sell the 200-acre Chapin Business & Technology Park for a mixed-use development, including a new amphitheater, library and retail. Chapin would have to provide the equivalent of 667 sewer taps to the development.
- The park has sat vacant for almost a decade despite Lexington County spending more than $16 million on it, with the county paying nearly $200,000 annually to maintain the empty space.
- Lexington County Council has given initial approval to convey park property to Brighton Capital Partners LLC for a $20 million mixed-use development that backers say could bring 2,500 jobs, though Mitchell says he was “stiff-armed” on details.
- Chapin’s population grew from about 1,400 in 2010 to 1,800 in 2020, and the town has seen 35 sewer overflows between 2022 and 2025 as aging infrastructure struggles to keep up with surrounding growth.
- Candidates at an October election forum debated whether denying sewer taps could trigger lawsuits from developers, with some suggesting septic tanks as an alternative for blocked projects. Mitchell said then that limiting access to the town’s sewer system was key to blocking growth.
- A separate $75 million to $80 million Columbia Avenue expansion and bypass project running past the Brighton entrance is set to begin construction this summer and continue until 2029. Officials hope the changes will alleviate traffic concerns on Chapin roads.
- A 2020 investigation found the county overpaid for the original park land and built a $1.3 million road that also benefited private developer Stewart Mungo, with only 121 of the park’s 200 acres deemed usable.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
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