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Midway Fire Rescue improves ISO rating to Class 2
Jan. 13, 2015

Midway Fire Rescue has a reason to celebrate this month as department was recently notified that its fire protection rating from the Insurance Services Office will improve to a Class 2 effective April 1. This change not only means the department’s level of fire protection service has increased, according the ISO analysis, but it could also earn lower property insurance rates for home and business owners in the department’s coverage area. With the update, the department’s rating drops from a Class 4.

ISO ratings play an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies. In fact, most U.S. insurers — including the largest ones — use these ratings as part of their decision-making when deciding what business to write, coverages to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance...

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Public input sought on comprehensive plan updates
Jan. 7, 2015

The Georgetown County Planning Commission is looking for public input on proposed updates to the land use element of the county’s comprehensive plan. Input will be accepted at the commission’s next meeting, Jan. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the historic county courthouse, located at 129 Screven Street.

State law requires that counties and municipalities update their comprehensive plans every 10 years and review them every five years. The land use element of Georgetown County’s comprehensive plan is due for its five-year review.

The purpose of the comprehensive plan is to guide future growth, development and redevelopment in the county. The land use Element contains both maps and text outlining proposed goals and strategies. The text describes existing land use patterns in the county and helps decision-makers when determining the proper use of land for zoning amendments, as well as developing future zoning code revisions and other land use implementation tools. The element provides an assessment of existing land uses within the county and lays out future land use categories that are used to plan for the placement of uses for the next 10 years. Most importantly, the element provides land use needs and goals as well as the implementation strategies necessary for achieving those goals.

For this review, staff proposed numerous updates to the text, which reflect development in the county since 2007 and goals that have been addressed since the latest revision....

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Fire departments offer winter safety tips
Jan. 12, 2015

Though temperatures are expected to be a bit warmer this weekend, winter is far from over and this is the time of year when accidents related to heating tend to increase. When outside temperatures drop to near or below freezing, families often use whatever means they can to stay warm. As a result firefighters often see more home fires and incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning this time of year.

Historically, fire deaths and injuries increase about 63 percent in the winter months (December-March). In 2014, fire deaths increased in South Carolina by 30 percent over the previous year.

The fire departments of Georgetown County want families to stay warm and safe this winter, and offer the following tips to help...

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Capital Project Sales Tax to go into effect in 2015
Nov. 5, 2014

In the November 2014 general election, Georgetown County residents voted to implement a 1 percent Capital Project Sales Tax to help fund vital capital projects, including dredging at the Port of Georgetown.

The sales tax will begin being applied to taxable purchases in Georgetown County on May 1, 2015, and will remain in place for exactly four years, disappearing on April 30, 2019.

It is anticipated the tax will generate about $7 million per year, for a total of $28 million during the life of the tax. These funds will be used to pay for projects in three key areas: Dredging, countywide road improvements and enhancements to fire and rescue service.

For more information about the tax and the projects to be funded, see the links below or call (843) 545-3164.

Roads list

Projects Flyer

Frequently Asked Questions

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