Council approves proposalAnnexation of 28 acres narrowly gets initial OK By Edward C. Fennell (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, August 14, 2008
SUMMERVILLE — Town Council narrowly gave initial approval to a controversial proposal Wednesday to annex 28 acres in Dorchester County and zone it for residential and commercial development. Council members supporting the plan said that although a comprehensive growth plan is still being worked out, the development fits the town's plans for growth. The plan is good for Summerville, and the commercial development will bring in much-needed new business-tax revenue, and perhaps avert future property tax hikes, they said. Opponents maintained that the proposal will allow too many uses, including apartments, condominiums, self-storage units and car washes, and will adversely impact already overcrowded schools and traffic problems on Dorchester Road. Voting to approve the annexation of properties owned by Everett A. Knight Sr. were Councilmen Ricky Waring, Aaron Brown and Bob Flowers. Councilmen Bob Jackson, Howard Bridgman and Mike Dawson voted against. Mayor Berlin G. Myers cast the deciding vote in favor. Before the 4-3 first-reading vote, a lively debate was aired. Speakers from the audience included some in the standing-room-only crowd consisting largely of Walnut Grove subdivision residents opposed to the development. Walnut Grove is outside town limits but abuts the town and the area that would be annexed. Also speaking were County Councilman Jamie Feltner, who appealed for the town to work with the county to control growth, and County Council Chairman Larry Hargett. Hargett read a letter from S.C. Rep. Annette Young, R-Summerville, opposing the development. Feltner said the proposal "represents the very model of the worst planning, or lack of," and directed some comments to Councilman Brown. Feltner derided quotations supporting the proposal attributed to Brown in the Summerville Journal Scene. Brown said Feltner and County Council haven't done a better job than the town in dealing with rapid development. "Feltner needs to clean his own annexation house," Brown said. Todd Morris, a retired Navy submariner and president of the Walnut Farms Homeowners Association, told council, "You are driving the sub, S.S. Summerville, to the bottom of the ocean and once we hit bottom there is no way back." |
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Comments
This article has 6 comment(s)
Posted by WhoCares on August 14, 2008 at 7:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why do the residents of Walnut Farms think they should be able to dictate what the town does...especially since they are not a part of the town?? Let them vote for annexation of Walnut Farms and start paying taxes, then they will have a right to have a say in town policies. They should not get representation without taxation!! Either put up or shut up...and grow up!!!!
Posted by Spartan on August 14, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Annexation by Summerville is just like North Charleston, City of Charleston, Goose Creek, etc. The municipalities see the revenue stream from the increased tax base to help fund services that are academic and likely to happen with or without the annexation. So they annex. Its a win for the city and a loss of control by the county. This is the oldest game in the book and likely will continue. With North Charleston potentially surrounding Summerville, I see Summerville being more and more annexation friendly for protection. Summerville does have a commercial design review board and impact fees. So the neighbors should actually relax. Unfortunately, the county does have the moratorium still on the books (about 10 months and running) and this will probably continue as long as the no growthers have four votes at Dorchester County council. The moratorium is a no win for Dorchester County and it should be terminated. The town terminated their moratorium realizing it had no real affect and simply pushed property into neighboring municipalities(North Charleston). Congratulations to the Mayor, Bob Flowers, Ricky Waring, and Aaron Brown. They made a good business decision. The 3 councilman (Jackson, Bridgeman, Dawson) who voted no have no vision-simply are against growth as they have proven over and over again. And its unfortunate the county will have to lose its control, but hey, this moratorium is their own bitter pill prescription.
Posted by jeffyoung007 on August 14, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good old boy system wins again.
Posted by jblakeslee on August 14, 2008 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It may be thought of as a good business decision by some, but it is a poor decision ...period. There are already two storage faculities within a mile or so of this proposed one. There are 1200 houses being built in the new Limehouse sub-division, each with a mininum of two cars, another 25 acres of trees gone. (don't complain when the deer and other animals show up in your backyard, we keep destroying theirs). New apartment buildings mean more cars, and more children for the schools that are already bursting at the seams.....
Election day is coming! This was a quality of life issue, not a business one.....think about that next time your stuck in traffic on Dorchester Road.
Posted by CaptPete on August 15, 2008 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They better have cash to develop. The lending sources have dried up for these spec type deals. Maybe in five to seven years things will pick up again.
Posted by anon on August 15, 2008 at 5:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes that is exactly what we need, more commercial centers with crap in them that no one goes to. Hey Dorchester County get a clue. If you actually gave the residents here some decent places to shop and eat within the county then maybe we wouldn't have to go to Berkeley or Charleston County to do our business and spend our tax dollars. How many freakin' storage facilities, nail salons, title loans and check advance stores does one town need?