S.310 would permit the town of Camden to annex a specific commercial property by ordinance after finding “that the commercial property, including its improvements, constitutes a danger to the safety and health of the community by reason of lack of ventilation, light, and sanitary facilities, dilapidation, deleterious land use, or any combination of these factors.”
Under current law, if an entire area that’s proposed to be annexed belongs to a corporation, it may be annexed on the petition of the stockholders of the corporation. This bill attempts to expand the already substantial powers of government entities to exercise eminent domain.
Allowing the seizure of private property by ordinance regardless of the consent of the owner is a flagrant violation of property rights and would set a very dangerous precedent in South Carolina. In addition, this bill is targeting a specific piece of property (a strip mall). This is a violation of one of the most basic principles of good government – that legislation (at any level) should never target specific individuals or businesses.