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AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. – In a strategic move, New Ellenton has initiated an agreement with Aiken County, inviting them to play a limited role in the city’s code enforcement. This collaboration specifically targets floodplain management and the issuance of building permits.
City officials emphasize this is not a complete transfer of responsibilities. Instead, it’s a focused effort to align with state and federal regulations regarding flood damage prevention. This step was prompted by the necessity to update New Ellenton’s flood damage prevention guidelines.
The city sought Aiken County’s expertise to comply with standards set by FEMA and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Recent updates to New Ellenton’s flood damage prevention rules were accomplished through cooperation with regional authorities on newly developed floodplain maps.
Lynn McEwen, the City Administrator of New Ellenton, explained, “In a small town, we face challenges in managing these tasks independently, so we reached out to the county for assistance, which necessitated an intergovernmental agreement.”
“That’s something that in a small town we have a little difficulty time in doing so, we looked at the county to help us out with that and so we needed an intergovernmental agreement,” said New Ellenton City Administrator Lynn McEwen.
Under the agreement, the county would oversee floodplain enforcement.
It would also continue handling building permits and inspections.
“The rest of the code enforcement in terms of other types of things, like whether it’s you know, animal control or any other type of, code enforcement that we need to do here in city of New Ellenton, we’re still working on that type of things for our, for our own city,” said McEwen.
On designated floodplains, new construction is restricted. Land can’t be altered to redirect water.
Development must meet strict elevation and safety standards.
City leaders say the floodplain area in New Ellenton is small, near Valley Street. Most of it is wooded. Some homes sit nearby.
“When we have a lot of rain, we gonna end up getting a issue where there’s gonna be a lot of flooding and, and that could possibility of happening,” said McEwen.
If someone wants to build in that area, the decision would be turned over to the county.
“And it goes back to, the South Carolina DNR and others through the federal government that FEMA and they watch out for that to make sure that people don’t you know, build on top of floodplain areas,” said McEwen.
County leaders still have one final reading on the agreement.
City leaders expect that vote in March.