Dear
readers,
Ensuring
that the huge development pressure that
we feel now, and will experience even
more in the future, does not destroy our
community is a great challenge and a
real opportunity.
The Coalition for Smart Growth is
trying to be involved both in pressing
growth issues as they arise and in the
long-term growth planning process. This
e-letter is intended to give you a brief
update on relevant developments of
interest to Northern Beaufort County and
what we are doing to influence their
outcomes.
Incorporation:
The
Coalition for Smart Growth has recently
been accepted by the South Carolina
Secretary of State as a nonprofit
charitable organization able to solicit
tax-deductible contributions, including
member dues and other contributions,
which are tax deductible by the donor
for both state and federal taxes.
Thus, your future membership dues
and other contributions are both state
and federally tax deductible.
Wal-Mart
and other Big-Box stores:
The
Coalition has been participating in the
dialog about the Wal-Mart permit
application since it was filed.
The issue is still very much
alive and is proceeding on two tracks:
the permit application to build the
Wal-Mart and the renegotiation of the
Airport Junction Development Agreement.
We have spoken at both the City
Council meeting, at which Planning
Director Libby Anderson's denial of the
building was discussed, as well as at
the "workshop" the city held to allow
public comment on the Development
Agreement.
The next
event will be the Beaufort Zoning Board
of Appeals hearing, Monday, March 24th
at 5:30 at County Council Chambers
on Ribaut Road, on Wal-Mart's appeal
of Ms. Anderson's decision.
We feel that she was clearly
correct and we intend to speak in
support of her decision.
She determined that a store as
large as a 200,000 sq. ft. Wal-Mart was
not consistent with the master plan for
the development.
A grouping of smaller buildings,
the largest about 70,000 sq. ft. is
shown on the plan.
It is
important for as many of you as possible
to attend the hearing to make your views
known and your presence felt.
The key
issues we will be focusing on are
traffic, economic impact on local
businesses and environmental impacts at
the site.
We think there are more logical
locations in Northern Beaufort County
for "big box" stores, such as along
Route 170 near where Lowe's and the
existing Wal-Mart are, but certainly NOT
ON LADY'S ISLAND!
Clarendon.
/McLeod:
We continue to follow these two
developments.
Clarendon Farm is still approved
for 4,000 housing units but we are
hopeful that it will eventually be
preserved.
At McLeod, the County and the
military have purchased 375 acres to be
mostly preserved and we will be trying
to see that any future development on
the land is done well.
The
Clarendon/McLeod experience has made it
clear that there are a number of issues
that require continuous vigilance and
action by Smart Growth proponents. There
are many hotspots that have to be
monitored and we need more members to
help us stay involved with and have a
voice on all fronts. These include
annexations, intergovernmental
cooperation, regional cooperation,
long-range planning, residential in-fill
and density impacts on existing
neighborhoods, traffic control and
infrastructure, dock permits, water
quality, the Port Royal and Jasper port
projects, the school bond issue, etc.
(See our website,
www.supportsmartgrowth.org
for our regular Hotspots update link,
coming soon.)
Northern
Regional Plan
The Plan
has been drafted and an Implementation
Committee is in place but there are
signs that the municipalities may not
adopt the implementing intergovernmental
agreement.
(It
addresses many of the Hotspot issues
mentioned above.) We believe that the
planning process has generated a
positive dialog among stakeholders and
we are hopeful that implementation will
bring good results. However, there are
still critical unresolved issues, such
as a definition of "rural" land use
outside of the urban growth boundaries
that must be decided if the plan is to
be ratified and bring beneficial
results.
Future
annexation proposals must be monitored
so that the public can be notified &
participate in decisions. All
annexations should be thoroughly studied
for taxpayer, traffic and environmental
impacts. All planning meetings for the
County & the City & the towns need to be
monitored. We need more volunteers who
can attend meetings and take notes so
that we are on top of local planning
decisions. We believe that reform of
state legislation on annexation is
needed to deal with the problem of
"zoning shopping" that generates
overdevelopment and urban sprawl.
Northern
Bypass:
The
question of an additional bridge to
Lady's Island has been discussed for
years and is not likely to happen soon.
However, County Councilor Paul
Sommerville has formed a committee to
discuss if, where and when we will need
such a bridge and how to use the $6
million dollars allocated for studies.
We have a member participating in this
committee and we have urged the
preparation of an environmental impact
statement soon on this large project.
Impact
Fees- for schools and other services:
The
Northern Regional Plan has estimated
that each home costs taxpayers over
$6000 for school costs. Rather than
present residents paying for growth, we
hope for elected officials to add school
impact fees.
We, also, need to lobby state
elected officials for State enabling
legislation for impact fees for local
governments. Call or write Senator Ceips
and Representatives Erickson, Hodges and
Herbkersman! They need to know that
growth issues are high on the agenda!
You can contact your legislators
through:
http://www.scstatehouse.net/cgi-bin/zipcodesearch.exe
Dock
permits and water quality:
DHEC has
just posted signs at 23 Beaufort County
fishing locations warning against
fishing/swimming/eating fish. In SC
there are over 400 signs going up this
month! Fecal coliform bacteria are
associated with human and animal waste &
can cause serious health issues.
Impervious surfaces, sprawl, and over
development all have impacts on this
vital issue of water quality.
Looking to
the Future: MORE ACTIVE MEMBERS NEEDED!
We try to
be collaborative and fair in our work.
We are nonpartisan and our
membership includes a wide spectrum of
political viewpoints.
We know that our elected
officials respect our views and our
advice is often sought by them. We are
seen as responsible, thoughtful public
representatives with experience and
expertise.
We work closely with a variety of
other local organizations representing
all points of view on community growth
issues.
Our
website,
www.supportsmartgrowth.org
contains information about our group,
current activities, a membership
application form and more.
Please take a look at it!
If you are
not already a member of The Coalition
for Smart Growth, we ask you to join us.
We will keep you informed using
our email newsletter, meetings and other
methods.
Your dues and contributions,
which are now tax deductible, will
support our small administrative costs
for things like mailings and our website
as well as help us pay for newspaper and
other public notices addressing
significant issues. Our account
currently has $1750.52 on hand. We have
more than fifty members, (and growing!),
and an "interested persons" email list
of over three hundred.
What we
have in our community is worth saving
and improving, and working together is
the way to do it. Thanks for your help
and support!
