An update to the secret, major Exit 18 business development.
by Don Moniak
September 10, 2023
Aiken City Councilman Ed Girardeau recently revealed that a major development around South Carolina Exit 18 of Interstate Highway 20 (I-20) is code-named “Project Unicorn.”
Mr. Girardeau cited the project name in a May 20, 2023 email to City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh. (1) In response to an inquiry as to whether the code name referred to the proposed Savannah River National Laboratory downtown office complex project, Mr. Girardeau answered:
“Mr. Moniak,
The only ‘Project Unicorn’ that I’ve heard mentioned is the the name that the Western SC Economic Development Partnership is calling the potential development off I-20 on Exit 18, but I’m pretty sure you’re aware of it. If I remember correctly, you asked about that at a Council meeting months ago.”
That meeting “months ago” was held on May 9, 2023. Prior to that meeting, Aiken City Council convened a closed-door Executive Session meeting (2) to discuss, in part:
“The provision of City utility services to encourage the location of a new business to be located near the intersection of Highway 19 and I- 20.”
The legal rationale for the closed-door session was Exemption #2 under South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act governing Open Meetings:
“Discussion of matters relating to the proposed location, expansion, or the provision of services encouraging location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area served by the public body.”
City of Aiken Sewer and Water Development North of I-20
The potential for major developments around Exit 18 are enhanced by the recent expansion of the City of Aiken’s water and sewer system.
On December 20, 2020, Aiken County Council approved expansion of the City of Aiken’s Sewer and Water District to “Include Certain Unincorporated Areas Located Generally North Of Interstate 20 Along U.S. Highway 1 And S.C. Highway 19; Between Wire Road (S-49) And Interstate 20; And West Of S.C. Highway 19 Near Interstate 20 As Are More Specifically Shown On The Attached Map.”
The rationale for the expansion was contained in a letter from Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh to Aiken County Administrator Clay Killian. The letter stated, in part:
“We have received multiple inquiries from various entities over the last 18 months about water and sewer service availability for possible residential and commercial development in this proposed new area.”
Since that time, the City of Aiken has pursued expanding its sewer system north of I-20. A key element of this expansion is the $3.5 million+ “Northside” Sewer Gravity Lift Station project. Details regarding that project were reported in prior to the May 9th meeting in Aiken Takes on Exit 18. During the meeting, City Council approved two major sewer line easements that bring the sewer expansion effort closer to reality.
The revelation that the Western SC Economic Development Partnership is involved with the secret project adds further intrigue to the situation. The Partnership has yet to confirm nor deny the existence of a “Project Unicorn.” Likewise, Aiken City Council has neither confirmed nor denied its existence.
The WCEDP is the private non-profit wing of a large, multi-county public-private partnership, similar to the much smaller, quasi-governmental Aiken Corporation, but with one major difference: the Partnership gets more of the big results its founders sought. Their record of success luring industry to the region includes the two Bridgestone plants, Generac, and MTU Diesel.
These endeavors to attract industrial development generally involve government-owned industrial parks, or adjacent agricultural and timber production that function as industrial reserve lands. Once the details of a project are known, and the project is approved, lands classed as agricultural and/or forestry can be rezoned as industrial property.
In the case of Project Unicorn, the WCDP is not part of a secretive process to expand the county’s industrial and/or major retail base in areas with supporting infrastructure. The WCDP and the City of Aiken are furtively pursuing a major business enterprise that will impact a piece of rural Aiken County that remains traditionally rural in nature, and which already is plagued with substantial highway safety issues.
Footnotes
(1) The following email was obtained through the SC Freedom of Information Act. Neither the redaction nor the highlighting of Project Unicorn were in the original response.
(2) The Executive Session meeting minutes do not include the names of all attending parties, including City Council members. When informed of this oversight, Aiken City Manager City Stuart Bedenbaugh committed to investigating it. SC FOIA requires a listing in the meeting minutes of public officers attending any public meeting, including Executive Sessions.