By: Natalie M. Zeigler
City Manager
The City of Hartsville has been working hard to make significant improvements to infrastructure and quality of life. Bettering the lives of citizens is our primary goal and that includes striving to make Hartsville attractive to those outside of the city as well. We want to make the city attractive for new business opportunities. Over the last decade, residents have seen a vast growth in economic development. Continuing that progress, we are also working to bring more jobs to Hartsville with the intended development of a new industrial park.
City Council has passed the first reading to authorize the establishment of the industrial park. Council will have their second public reading next month. The park will be comprised of several parcels of land that could accommodate a variety of new industries to Hartsville.
The proposed site is a total of 225 acres with facilities constructed along S. Marquis Hwy (Route 15). Its location provides railroad access, allowing greater potential for distribution. This future industrial park would create more jobs for residents in Hartsville and the surrounding area. In addition, the establishment of this industrial park could provide opportunities for education through skills training.
The park would incentivize new businesses to come to Hartsville, and significantly change the landscape of the city. We would see new residents move to Hartsville for jobs provided by the industrial park, thereby increasing our population and dollars spent within city limits. We could also expect to see new accommodations to meet an inflow in industry.
Future projects like this are vital to advancing our desire to increase investment in the Hartsville. Economic development means increased tax revenues, and that translates into better public services and more improvements to all areas of the city. Economic growth encourages investment. Investment encourages an increase in local goods and services, creating a cycle of sustainable economic growth.
We want to support industrial and commercial development because it benefits our community financially and culturally. By having a variety of business opportunities, Hartsville will attract greater diversity, and more diversification offers new perspectives, new vision of our future together. I look forward to plans for the industrial park to proceed, and the positive change that could come as a result.