(A) The primary purpose of this chapter is to create a meaningful incentive for the renovation, improvements, and redevelopment of abandoned textile mill sites located in South Carolina.
(B) The abandonment of textile mill sites has resulted in the disruption of communities and increased the cost to local governments by requiring additional police and fire services due to excessive vacancies. Many abandoned textile mill sites pose safety concerns. A public and corporate purpose of the local governments will be served by restoring the textile mill sites to a productive asset for the communities and result in increased job opportunities.
(C) There exists in many communities of this State abandoned textile manufacturing related or owned facilities. The stable economic and physical development of these areas is endangered by the presence of these abandoned facilities as manifested by progressive and advanced deterioration of structures. As a result of the existence of these abandoned facilities, there is an excessive and disproportionate expenditure of public funds, inadequate public and private investment, unmarketability of property, growth in delinquencies, and crime in the areas together with an abnormal exodus of families and businesses so that the decline of these areas impairs the value of private investments and threatens the sound growth and the tax base of taxing districts in the areas, and threatens the health, safety, morals, and welfare of the public. To remove and alleviate these adverse conditions, it is necessary to encourage private investment and restore and enhance the tax base of the taxing districts in the areas by the redevelopment of these abandoned facilities.