Lexington County Council unanimously approved a contract during the June 24 meeting that will lead to the expansion of the Lexington County Airport in the Pelion area.

The county is purchasing land on Downey Drive near the town of Pelion for $32,400, according to public documents.

The airport used to be called the Pelion Corporate Airport, and is still called that on some smartphone navigation apps. According to the county website, the county purchased the airport from the Town of Pelion in 2004.

“Since its acquisition in 2004, the County of Lexington has successfully been able to maintain and upgrade the Lexington County Airport at Pelion’s facilities through a number of capital improvement projects,” the county website reads. “The County of Lexington intends to continue these capital improvement projects over the next several years in an effort to position itself to become a small corporate airport and maintain its current status as a general aviation airport. The airport is a significant economic catalyst for South Carolina and to surrounding areas and it provides essential aviation services to meet community demand.”

Tax map records indicate the plot totals two acres.

In other news

Lexington County Council also voted to regulate patio homes due to an “influx of development,” as Councilwoman Charli Wessinger worded it during the June 24 meeting.

Council voted 6-3 on first reading to reduce the number of patio homes from 12 to six per acre, also placing similar regulations on duplexes and townhomes. Additionally, the board of zoning appeals would only need a simple majority vote on proposed projects; the board currently requires a super majority.

This needs to pass two more readings to become official.

County council also unanimously approved a contract to purchase land for economic development purposes, but did not share more details on what the economic development project entails, which is typical of economic development projects.

The county will purchase land from Dempsey and Lanier Holding Company, LLC, documents say, and the land is located north of the Town of Gaston. Tax map records show one of the parcels listed in meeting documents totals 5.38 acres and seems undeveloped. The other parcel of land listed totals 67.85 acres, according to tax map records, and also seems undeveloped.

The county is purchasing the land for $1,825,000.