County Council Moves Ahead on ATAX Bond, Solar Farm Restrictions

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council on Tuesday moved forward with several measures aimed at better planning for accommodation tax funds (ATAX), protecting land development, regulating solar farms, new ethics restrictions and parental leave policies.

New Bond

Council passed on second reading a plan to create the legal framework for issuing revenue bonds backed by the county’s three percent accommodations fee and a portion of “park fees” to fund tourist‑oriented projects. Currently, ATAX are distributed annually in relatively small amounts to various groups who promote projects or events to “putting heads in beds” to generate taxes in the county’s hotels, VRBO and Air B&B rentals.  The proposed $12.7 million in such bonds, with a cap of 6 percent on the interest rate and plans to solicit bids from roughly 40 banks and financial institutions, would allow for the funding of more expansive and important projects. Such projects include significant renovations to the amphitheater and related infrastructure at the Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center, added boat‑ramp lanes and courtesy docks at Green Pond Landing, replacement of the ramp and docks at McFalls Landing, and upgrades at Dolly Cooper and Wellington parks.

County Administrator Rusty Burns said the debt would be repaid entirely from accommodations-tax revenues, which state law restricts to tourism uses, and not from property taxes. 

New Solar Restrictions

Council unanimously tighter restrictions concerning solar farm facilities in the county in an attempt to protect landowners and the county. The ordinance, approved on second reading, aims to provide detailed standards for large‑scale solar farms in unincorporated Anderson County, was tabled in October but is now poised to prevent the unbridled sale and abandonment of such facilities.

“This still needs work before third reading, but is a move in the right direction,” said Anderson County Councilman Tommy Dunn.

The final regulations are expected to include bonding requirements to ensure future responsibilities of maintaining and the closing of solar farms in the county, in response to concerns from Councilman Greg Elgin.

“This is a complicated subject, but this appears to be more detailed and an orderly method of dealing with it,” said Councilwoman Cindy Wilson. “I don’ think any of us realized the problems a solar company can cause by abandoning and decommissioning a solar farm.”

Minimum Lot Sizes

Council also gave final approval to an ordinance increasing the minimum lot size for single-family and “twin home” lots with access to public water and sewer in unzoned parts of the county to 14,500 square feet to tighten standards in rural and growth areas.

Economic Advisory Board Tightens Ethics Rules

Council approved an ethics measure aimed at tightening rules for the county’s Economic Advisory Board barring voting members from having any ownership or familial interest in property tied to proposed fee‑in‑lieu of tax or special source revenue agreements and explicitly stating that recusal alone is no longer sufficient.

Parental Leave Policy

Council also gave final approval to a change to the county’s personnel policy to allow up to two workweeks of paternity leave, drawn from employee accrued sick and annual leave. The ordinance codifies a more expansive definition of “parental leave” and adds a new section on “paternal leave” that applies to fathers, adoptive parents and non-biological parents, while requiring employees to notify supervisors when they intend to take such time.

2-1-1

At the earlier recognition meeting council designated February 11 as “2-1-1 Day,” commending the statewide referral hotline and the United Way of Anderson County for connecting residents to housing, food, utility assistance and other social services. In 2025, the 2-1-1 system logged nearly 180,000 referrals to more than 93,000 callers across South Carolina, including more than 4,00 calls and 6,300 referrals in Anderson County alone.

Black History Month

Council also proclaimed February as Black History Month locally, aligning the county with the national observance under the 2026 theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations.”