AC Repair in Huger, SC

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Residents of Huger expressed frustration Monday night after the Berkeley County Council voted to move forward with a settlement in a lawsuit involving a proposed 150-acre sand mine off Charity Church Road.

Cedar Hill Acquisitions LLC, a company linked to Beemok Capital, owned by Lowcountry billionaire Ben Navarro, is seeking to develop the mine at 1368 Charity Church Road.

Community members say they remain in the dark about the terms of the settlement or the scope of the development because the case is still tied up in litigation.

“This thing can work for both parties, but not the way it’s being done,” said Huger resident Vincent Holback. “It’s being done sneaky and deceptive as far as I’m concerned.”

The proposed mine could operate for decades, according to Riley Egger, a representative for the Huger Residents Group.

“A mine of this size, 150 acres, it can last four decades,” said Egger. “All of this material is more than likely going to help build up a different residential community. We’re essentially digging out one community to build up another.”

Residents first raised concerns in the spring when Cedar Hill requested a special exception from the county Board of Zoning Appeals to operate a mine exceeding 5 acres. The board denied that request, prompting the company to file a lawsuit appealing the decision.

The council was originally set to vote on the settlement in November but opted to defer. On Monday night, dozens of Huger residents returned to council chambers, urging members to deny or again delay the vote.

“I was really disappointed,” Holback said. “I felt like the citizens’ voices weren’t heard and that this decision was made even before the fight began.”

Residents say they already feel the effects of heavy industry in the area, including four existing sand mines and industrial traffic.

“Pollution, the traffic, the noise — we already have four mines on Charity Church Road,” Holback said. “We have more than enough truck traffic in Huger. We don’t need any more.”

Egger noted that the property is zoned Flex-1, a classification intended to manage growth, protect agricultural land and preserve the county’s historical resources.

“Large-scale mining is inconsistent with that goal,” Egger said.

Residents also criticized Cedar Hill for what they described as insufficient communication with those who would be directly affected.

“We only want Beemok and Ben Navarro to show the Huger community the same courtesy of diligence as they’re giving the millionaires downtown for Union Pier,” Egger said.

Holback said many neighbors learned about the proposal only after the matter was posted to county council agendas.

“People who were 500 yards, a half a mile from this mine, knew nothing about it until the meeting” said Holback.

District 8 Councilmember Steve Davis cast the lone vote against moving forward with the settlement.

A spokesperson for Berkeley County said the county cannot comment on pending litigation.

Residents say they plan to continue pushing for transparency and accountability as the process moves ahead.

“Our voices aren’t being heard the way that I feel like they should be,” Holback said. “But we’re going to make sure these rules and bylaws and standards that they said that they were going to do are met. We're hoping that they are a good neighbor."