Hartsville Receives Rural Planning Award

The City of Hartsville has been recognized with the Outstanding Rural Planning Award from the South Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-SC) for its One Hartsville Master Plan, honoring the city's commitment to community-driven planning, thoughtful development, and long-term investment in Hartsville's future.

The award was announced during the Oct. 13 meeting of Hartsville City Council, where representatives of The Boudreaux Group provided an update on the master plan and the city's progress in bringing its recommendations to life.

Thomas & Hutton (T&H), a privately held and employee-owned professional services firm, received the award, which it shares with the City of Hartsville, Boudreaux, Arnette Muldrow, Restoration 52, and the residents and stakeholders who contributed to the planning process. Together, the team developed a community-driven vision that builds on Hartsville's existing character while guiding future growth and investment.

At the heart of One Hartsville is the belief that the community's future should be shaped by the people who call it home. The planning process placed a strong emphasis on public engagement, including 14 targeted focus group discussions, a community survey with 371 participants, and a public planning charrette held in July 2024. Feedback gathered directly from residents and community stakeholders helped establish the plan's priorities, ensuring that its vision reflects the needs, concerns and aspirations of the entire community.

Revitalizing South Hartsville emerged as a key priority, with recommendations focused on neighborhood reinvestment, expanded housing opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and stronger connections to downtown and surrounding areas. The plan recognizes that Hartsville's long-term success depends on creating opportunities for growth and investment that benefit every neighborhood.

The master plan places particular emphasis on revitalizing Hartsville's City Center through improved pedestrian and bicycle connections, streetscape enhancements, and redevelopment opportunities. Recommendations also focus on strengthening connections to existing community assets, including the Rail Trail and Kindred Hearts Trail.

Community input also helped shape the vision for the city's approximately 10.5-acre property at Fourth Street and Railroad Avenue. Identified as a significant opportunity for mixed-use development, the site could accommodate a combination of commercial and retail space, residential housing, public gathering areas, and potential higher education uses.

Additional priorities outlined in the plan include addressing a projected need for more than 332 housing units, improving pedestrian and transportation connectivity through Complete Streets principles, and updating development regulations to support responsible growth.

The city is already taking steps to turn the plan's vision into action. Among its accomplishments are the adoption of a new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and the advancement of 139 housing units through various stages of design and development.

During the City Council presentation, Irene Dumas Tyson, director of planning with The Boudreaux Group, praised Hartsville's commitment to the planning process and celebrated the statewide recognition.

"They don't give this to just anyone," Tyson told the council. "The City of Hartsville was way above exemplary, and I want to say 'Cheers!' to all of you. It's wonderful!"