Abandoned and deteriorating, the Cayce property stands empty following its owner's demise. Ongoing legal battle over permits continues.
In the heart of Cayce, South Carolina's Avenues neighborhood, a vacant and decaying home at 1028 M Ave stands as a testament to a lengthy legal battle between the city and its longtime resident, Richard Best.
The legal battle, which began in May 2021, stemmed from Best's application to place a 1,000 square-foot single family home on a vacant lot in the neighborhood. The city granted the permit in October 2020, but an appeal was made by neighbor Danny Creamer in March 2021. The permit revocation has left the property in a state of disrepair, standing as an eyesore in one of Cayce's most sought-after neighborhoods.
Jake Moore, Sr., Best's attorney, has stated that plans for changes to the home's exterior have been submitted. However, the permit remains in limbo while attorneys continue to argue over what's fair and legal.
The judge overseeing the lawsuit between Best and the city of Cayce has asked both parties to find a solution that satisfies everyone. Despite the ongoing legal battle, Cayce has continued to experience steady growth, with the county of Lexington projecting an additional 33,000 people by 2040.
In an effort to manage this growth, the county enacted a process known as concurrency review in July of last year, which involves consulting various county agencies when a new housing development is proposed. However, County Councilman Todd Cockrell stated that concurrency doesn't have any teeth, and it's unclear what the legal ramifications would be if a subdivision were denied.
The city of Cayce has increased its allocation for legal expenditures by more than $37,000 annually between the 2021 and 2024 fiscal years. Around $17,000 of this increase could be attributed to inflation. The city hired a new city attorney, Will Dillard, at the beginning of 2025.
The county of Lexington began imposing impact fees on developers in 2020, but no subdivision has been turned down as a result of the findings from concurrency reviews. This suggests that, while Cayce has been actively managing its growth, the legal battle between Best and the city may have been an exception rather than the rule.
Cayce has experienced steady growth and increasing housing demand, with neighborhoods like The Avenues popular for affordable homes and community amenities. This suggests an ongoing effort in residential development, potentially including in-fill projects to accommodate growth without expanding the city’s footprint excessively.
However, the specifics of Cayce's approach to growth and development, particularly regarding in-fill development and legal disputes over property rights, are not explicitly discussed in the current search results. For concrete details, local government planning documents, city council minutes, or regional news sources about Cayce’s urban development policies and legal cases would need to be consulted.
Investing in real-estate in Cayce's Avenues neighborhood might be an attractive opportunity for those willing to navigate ongoing legal disputes, as the area experiences steady growth and increasing housing demand. However, potential investors should be aware of the potential challenges and complexities related to in-fill development and property rights, which can be found in local government planning documents or city council minutes. In addition, managing this growth could involve strategies such as the use of impact fees on developers, as well as concurrency review processes, although the effectiveness and legal ramifications of these measures remain unclear.
