PENDLETON — On Monday, Town Council approved first readings of increases for water, sewer and garbage rates.

Water/sewer accretion includes a 75-cent hike in both water and sewer minimum bills. In addition, a $1 increase will be added to the each

additional 1,000-gallon increment charges — water rising from $5 to $6 and sewer from $5.50 to $6.50.

Under an ordinance giving first reading approval Monday, garbage fees would increase $3, from $5 to $8. All told, the water, sewer and

garbage fees would result in minimum Pendleton water/sewer bills rising from $26 to $30. The current 75-cent Department of Health and

Environmental Control (DHEC) fee will remain unchanged.

During a public hearing for the water/sewer increase, no residents spoke out against the changes. Pendleton last raised its water fees in

2006.

The proposed water/sewer rate hike would mitigate a $158,000 shortcoming in wastewater treatment funding. The garbage measures are

being implemented to rectify a $127,000 shortcoming in the general fund.

In order to pass the increases before a target date of Sept. 1, council scheduled a called meeting for 7 p.m. Aug. 19 to give the associated ordinances a second reading.

In a related matter, council voted Monday to authorize Town Administrator Teri Sloan to obtain a $250,000 loan. The $250,000 would pad Pendleton's general fund, which Sloan said was running low. The loan will be obtained from Palmetto Bank at a 4.10 percent interest rate.

The loan is due by March, but Sloan expects the town to be able to pay it off by mid-January, by which time most of Pendleton's property tax

revenue will be in.

Such a loan is not unprecedented. Last year, Pendleton also obtained a $250,000 loan from Palmetto Bank; that loan was paid off around Feb.1,

Sloan said.

On Monday, town council also gave first reading approval to an amendment to the town zoning definition of "family."

A key facet to the changes in the definition, recommended by the planning commission is that it would disallow three unrelated cohabitants in zones R-1, R-2 and PDR.

In addition, Town Council gave first reading approval Monday for major changes to the site plans for Villages At Town Creek.

Changes include the relocation of the development's retail area to the front of the site, along Lebanon Road. Phase 1B of the project will be

reconfigured to include 78 single-family homes instead of 115 townhouse.

The revised site plan also features a project timeline, designed by developer Apex Homes. Milestones include: completion of first 61 units

currently under construction by the end of September and completion of the development's retail area and last 40 units to phase 1A by

January 2010.

Developer timelines are mandatory as per Pendleton's zoning ordinance.