Continued debate over a proposed Lexington lakefront resort will move on to an unprecedented forum later this month.

On July 12, the Town of Lexington will hold a combined work session with County Council members to discuss Smallwood Cove, the 93.53 acre development set to be built along the shore just south of the Lake Murray Dam.

According to Laurin Barnes, communications manager for the town, Lexington called for the combined session, with Mayor Pro-tem Hazel Livingston telling the Chronicle it will be the first time the two councils have sat together for a meeting.

Gavin Smith, elected in May as Lexington’s newest council member, credited Livingston for making the meeting happen, saying she spearheaded the logistics and adding that he worked alongside her and helped get the conversations going.

Livingston said that she spoke with County Council Chair Beth Carrigg and Vice Chair Darrell Hudson about a combined session, adding that they were both very open and eager to have more conversation about bettering the county and community.

“I think it's just a good idea because the project at hand affects county and town,” Livingston said. “And I would like in the future to see a lot more of this to where we discuss things that are affecting both sides.”

“I think just more communication between the two can't do anything but be a positive effect,” she added.

Smith told the Chronicle the meeting will lead to discussions on roads, traffic, infrastructure and emergency services among other topics, saying that these will not only impact Lexington but the entire county as well.

“We wanted to make sure that they were able to come to the table and share their thoughts. We started individually hearing from some of those members of the county council,” he said. “So we thought what better way to show you know that we are trying to achieve the best outcome for the community, by bringing stakeholders to the table from the county council as well.”

Council continues to see pushback from residents, specifically a group called Develop Lexington County Responsibly. The group attends meetings and has been circulating a petition to stop the development of Smallwood Cove.

On July 3, the group posted on Facebook in opposition of the conference center the town is set to pay for as part of the $733 million development. The center, set to be between 25,000 and 50,000 square feet, would host meetings and events inside the town limits and would cost the town $30 million to construct.

According to the post, there are three reasons they want to oppose the center – to preserve the community's identity, protect residential areas and prioritize local needs.

The post contends that annexing the property will disrupt the natural flow of the town and erode its unique character.

“Let's defend our community's identity and maintain the charm that attracts residents and visitors alike. Lexington is a family town. How can we #keepourchildrensafe if it becomes a tourist attraction?” the post reads.

The post also posits that families will be displaced and neighborhoods will be disrupted due to the town annexing and developing residential areas.

“Instead of investing in a large-scale project that benefits outsiders, we should focus on meeting the needs of our existing residents. Our schools, roads, and general infrastructure require attention and improvement,” the post reads.

Last month, council moved at its workshop session to add to its July agenda a measure calling for a second traffic study to assess how the development could affect the area.

Livingston told the Chronicle she believes it important for the town to take a step back and relook at the project, mentioning her concern regarding the limited greenspace being required within the development.

“This council and the previous councils have worked to put a comprehensive plan and zoning and regulations in place for the community, and the planning commission has worked very hard too for us to follow those guidelines,” Livingston said. “I do think that the council – I can't speak for them, you'd have to ask them – but I do think most of them think that we've got to back up and look at this a little differently.”