Conway officials look to green-light 1,200 homes near Highway 378

CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — Conway City Council Monday afternoon approved the first reading of a plan to annex about 450 acres where developers want to build more than 1,200 homes.

The land for the proposed project, which has been in the works since 2023, is near Juniper Bay Road and Highway 378.

Since the plan was last in front of council members in January, developers worked with the city on an agreement that reduced the number of homes by 500. The development would include residential homes, a city park and stormwater ponds.

Council approved it on Monday, only by title, allowing it to go back to the city’s planning commission before it gets to second and third readings.

Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy asked Jessica Hucks, the planning commission’s staff liaison, Jessica Hucks why the project was brought in front of council for a first reading before being been addressed by the commission.

“So going Aug. 1 1 and getting first reading would possibly allow final reading to take place on Aug. 19,” Hucks said. “Otherwise, it could be into September or even October before final reading could occur. So, they asked to expedite the first reading process.”

Many residents spoke out in November about concerns about traffic on an already busy Highway 378. The city said the highway could potentially be widened from two to five lanes and include traffic signals and turn lanes.

Councilmember William Goldfinch said that even though the council passed the plan on first reading, members can still vote against it in the future.

During a workshop meeting on Monday, Goldfinch says he likes that developers included a commercial aspect in the plan.

“They don’t have to get on [Highway] 378 and risk their life or clog up traffic to do it, to get some things that they need,” Goldfinch said. “But five years from now, 10 years from now, in the case of Warden Station, two decades from now, you’re going to need those commercial applications in place to serve those neighborhoods.”

The proposed development will go before the planning commission on Aug. 1, at which time residents will be able to air their concerns.

In other action, the council also passed the first reading of a proposed plan to annex 127 acres near John Doctor Road and Highway 905. Developers are looking at a residential project.

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Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook , and X, formerly Twitter . You can also read more of her work, here .

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