Dennis Marstall, County Administrator, Lancaster County
In an interview with Invest: Dennis Marstall, county administrator at Lancaster County, shared how the county is diversifying its housing and community amenities, while also highlighting pharmaceuticals, healthcare, light manufacturing, and agriculture as emerging industries.
What have been some major highlights over the past 12 months for Lancaster County?
The biggest development is that, for the third year in a row, we are experiencing significant population growth. We had above 3% population growth this past year, which is more than Mecklenburg County and Charlotte. It is more than any other county in the region. If Charlotte and Mecklenburg are a fire, we are the gas feeding it because everyone’s coming down here.
Additionally, a lot of our investments went into improving our quality of life. Our county council recently adopted a strategic plan that is focused on five areas and on being more intentional about public safety and different things. As part of our development focus on quality of life, we opened new soccer complexes, contributed money for what will be the third state park in the county, and are developing 100 acres for a new regional park.
We are also trying to slow growth, which might seem crazy. Since we have been so red-hot with developments, we are in the midst of updating our development ordinances to ensure we have the infrastructure, quality housing, and other things we want. Another big news item from the past year is that we are becoming a more suburban county to Charlotte. This is reflected in the influx of retailers like Costco and Target.
What are the five areas that you are looking to invest more in?
Our five areas of focus are public safety, infrastructure, resource optimization, high performance, and quality development.
Public safety is always our top priority. With population growth, we have had to increase the number of sheriff’s deputies and ensure we have adequate ambulance coverage and staffing. Then we have the infrastructure, which ties into our unified development ordinance and keeps up with growth. This includes the developments we want.
We also focus on optimizing resources, which means not putting all the growth burden on the property tax base. This has led us to undertake a ballot initiative in November to raise a local sales tax dedicated to road funding. Investing in our infrastructure by optimizing our resources is key.
Another focus is high performance, which pertains to our internal culture, problem-solving, service delivery, and customer service. We have an internal high-performance focus.
What are some of the key strategies in place to address the changing needs of the county’s growing population?
Quality of life is paramount, especially now that people can live anywhere and work remotely. We need amenities that enhance the quality of life. This is why we have been growing so fast. We offer a mix of housing options. Prices are a bit cheaper here, as land prices and other costs are lower in South Carolina compared to North Carolina.
Our housing strategy includes executive housing, but we also have workforce housing, which is becoming scarcer. With suburbanization, we have seen four apartment complexes come online recently. We did not have much multifamily housing before, and this serves the workforce and people in transition. They might rent an apartment first before choosing a permanent home.
We also have more townhomes coming, meeting different needs. A unique aspect is our growing number of seniors and veterans. We have more than 55-plus communities coming online. One community, Sun City, has about 2,200 homes. A new development will have 1,200 homes, all for the 55-plus demographic. We are focusing on senior and veteran markets as part of our housing strategy.
Are there any new or emerging industries that will impact economic growth as the county transitions from a manufacturing-based economy to a more diverse one?
A growing industry for us is pharmaceuticals. Nutramax, a company that produces joint supplements for pets, is expanding here. This involves chemistry and pharmaceutical jobs, which require more specialized skills.
Healthcare is also a significant growth area. Novant Health has opened a new hospital just north of our border, and the Medical University of South Carolina is opening a new campus in our county. Our local hospital is now a primary kidney transplant center and will host an intern program, bringing in 50 doctors. This growth in healthcare supports our economy and community.
We continue to have light manufacturing, textiles, cotton production, and timber. Agriculture and timber are crucial, feeding a local paper plant in the neighboring county. We have a diverse economy with a mix of industries driving growth, including headquarters and technology operations
What initiatives is the county prioritizing to ensure preparedness for future jobs?
Recruitment and retention, especially in government roles, is challenging compared to the private sector. We have unique services, like emergency medical services (EMS) and firefighting. We have programs in high schools for fire and EMS training, enabling students to graduate with all the necessary training for a starting job in EMS or fire services. This partnership with local schools helps us train our future workforce.
We also organize job fairs and collaborate with our local technical college, which, although not in the county, serves our area. We focus on future trades and work closely with local manufacturers for training programs. Our chamber of commerce and existing businesses play a crucial role in helping grow and train the talent we need.
What are some infrastructure projects that Lancaster County is working on, such as water, sewer, or transit, to improve overall community health?
In some areas, we do not handle water and sewer as a local authority manages that, and it is not under my or the county council’s control. However, through a state agreement, E&J Gallo Winery has moved its East Coast operations to the neighboring county, but its water and sewer services are coming from Lancaster County. Our separate authority helps generate economic development as our jobs go to that plant. They are doing a lot of system capacity work for water and sewer. The local city of Lancaster is expanding its wastewater treatment plant because housing developments need enhanced capacity for water and sewer. We work with our partners at the water and sewer district, which has significant expansion plans. We are also involved in inter-basin water transfer discussions between rivers on each side of the county to help grow the region, making it a regional issue for future water needs.
We have a joint wastewater treatment plant with the neighboring county through our water and sewer district, showcasing regional cooperation. Understanding the growth needs across the area, we have a $400 million plan over the next 15 years for roads, including highway expansions and local road repaving. Parks and recreation and quality of life are also major focuses of our infrastructure spending.
What are your key priorities for Lancaster County over the next few years?
Our priorities align with our strategic plan. We are dealing with overcrowding at our current jail facility and are planning a new $90 million detention center, which will break ground within the year. Public safety remains a priority, along with projects like building new ambulance stations, greenway expansion, and streetscape improvements with the local city of Lancaster. Funding our services amid growth without overburdening property taxes is crucial. We are seeking more grants, state and federal funds, and adjusting service fees, including out-of-county fees for facilities use. Our adult and youth sports programs have expanded exponentially, and charging out-of-county fees helps us better manage our resources.
Our strategic plan includes public safety, infrastructure, quality development, resource optimization, and high performance. The outlook is positive, with South Carolina experiencing significant growth. We have a supportive state legislature and ample resources, resulting in increased tax revenues. We managed this year’s budget without a property tax increase, keeping local taxpayers happy. Projections indicate continued population growth, reaching around 116,000 by 2030 and up to 135,000 by 2035. Our challenge is ensuring quality growth to meet our needs with suitable housing, jobs, amenities, and quality of life.
