Bar in our Neighborhood!

[Brownie]

Native to Orangeburg County and living in the Cope area for 12yrs, I never dreamed that a bar would be within 400 feet of my home!!!

My serene/safe neighborhood has been taken over by speeding vehicles, alcohol containers, loud baring music and restless nights. The sheriffs department has been called out countless times to manage the loud music that penetrates my home and neighbors. They are now stating that they cannot fine due to no guideline for what is consider excessively loud!!??? Who is in control here??? The County better get with the program and establish some kind of guideline for the noise ordinance. At this point this establishment has no respect or the law or those that reside in Orangeburg County.

My daughter & grandaughter live within 100 feet of this bar... We have to put our County Council to work and get zoning in place for Orangeburg County or this could be your neighborhood. You know you can't have a hog farm next door, but its okay to have a bar that breeds violence, and pumps rift raft into your neighborhood. Please contact the County Council & press for County zoning.

Thanks.

[poptart]

Brownie you should view the topic named sheriff in this forum!!!!!

[Brownie]

Oh I have. I'm trying real hard not to finger point. When is that guy up for Re-Election?

[swampfox]

It sounds like this bar is an ongoing public nuisance. If the police get calls every time it gets too loud or there are drunks hanging around outside, it might make a difference.

Are there any other businesses nearby? I don't quite understand zoning that alllows one business in a residential neighborhood.

[Brownie]

The Sheriff office has been on the premises a minimum of thirty times since October; yet they cannot "shut it down" due to noise and trafffic. (there has to be drugs or violence involved) They came out 6 times in one night & would not issue a citation- just told the owners to "quiet it down a little"

The last time they came out one of the officers stated that he couldnt do anything, that is if he wants his job. I am so sick & tired of a "corrupt" police force.

There are no other business near this residential area. It is unzoned/unrestricted residential properties. You can't hog farm or chicken farm in your backyard, but your neighbor can operate "sin city"

[swampfox]

There's plenty you can do. File a petition with the county council. It would help a lot if your neighbors would join you.

Who actually owns the land? It might be worth your while to let them know that you will seek charges for public nuisance and maybe damages for public endangerment and decreased property values, which always happens when a place like this appears. You have been damaged, but it's probably more likely to get a response from the owner of the property than the guy running the business. Are there kids in the neighborhood? That would make a big difference. You can count on that there are illegal drugs in the place.

It sounds like the cops are unwilling. Are they really? They often try to see if people with complaints will just shut up and go away. Let them know you mean it.

Call the county zoning office (ask for somebody in 'compliance'). Unless it's agricultural land, I doubt that it is 'unzoned'.

WIS has a community help line for things like this. Email them at
CountOnWIS@WIStv.com

Go to county council meetings (unless you are in an incorporated city limit, then go to city council meetings). If even the county council won't help, it may be time to hire an attorney.

If you just let it go, it will get worse and somebody may get hurt.

[poptart]

Swamp Fox I am not sure if you are familar with the way Orangeburg works, but things don't get done like that here. I is kind of simple if you don't know someone or have alot of money you are SOL! The current "Sheriff" does not care about problems like this, because he just wants to have the power. The only way that things will ever change is for the people to vote him out and vote in a real "Law Enforcement Officer" to do the job and clean this place up. I do like your idea, and as a educated person I believe that is how it should be done. I have lived here all my life and continue to live here, but things have gotten progressively worse over the past 6-8 years. I hope things will get better.

[swampfox]

It would look ugly if there were pictures of children having to walk past the dirty, littered parking lot, maybe with a drunk or two left over from the night before, on their way to school in the morning. Or children who are not able to get enought sleep to be prepared for school in the morning because of the late night carrying on. Or again, pictures of Saturday night drunks on full display as people made their way to church on Sunday morning.

All of this is supposing that such unlikely situations exist.

[Brownie]

The bar owner owns the land. He use to live there, but it mysteriously burnt down. He then built a building and indicated that he was going into the "garage" and used car business. It is considered Agricultural land, it was once farm/dairy land.

I am currently involved with the County Council to modify County zoning in such a situation and I have filed a complaint with SC regarding the unrest. Which both are long, drawn out processes that can take years. Regarding county zoning, he would be "Grandfathered"

Swampfox you are right that the sqeeky wheel gets the oil, but Poptart hits the bulls eye on it's who you know. It appears the law is on our side and a couple of warm bodies. The Magistrate court has advised us to seek legal counsel, they are the only ones that will truly fight in our defense.

[swampfox]

Take those pictures!

The bad guys won't have pictures.

A decent attorney can do a whole lot with those. Not the advertise-on-tv attorneys, but a real one. Most attorneys will accept cases on contingency if they think they can win it.

[poptart]

Hey Brownie check out the post under Orangeburg County Sheriff's Department on www.palmettocops.com (http://www.palmettocops.com) and this may answer some of your questions!:fencing:

[Brownie]

Poptart--- thanks for the heads up on "palmetto cops" site. I'm such a political rookie.:cheer:


I have checked out some of those postings. It's interesting that on March 2 LW will be a speaker at one of my luncheons.
How hard to I hit between the eyes?:hand:
Brownie

[poptart]

Hey Brownie,


You like that huh? Well have you checked out the section about Sheriff in this forum? If so do you know him?

[Brownie]

No I dont know anything of him.