Council wants more time to plan growthDorchester County likely to extend residential development moratorium By Dave Munday (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
SUMMERVILLE — Dorchester County Council intends to renew the moratorium on new residential developments before it expires next month, giving the county more time to finish a plan to make sure building doesn't get ahead of roads and schools when the economy picks up again. The county's six-month suspension of new developments expires June 10. Council voted 6-1 Monday to give first-reading approval to renewing it for three months. "Our concern is that development proposals that are waiting in the wings will come in before we have a good comprehensive plan in place," said Councilman Jamie Feltner, who lives on Dorchester Road, one of the county's most congested areas. Councilman Chris Murphy was the only one to vote against it. "I think the economy is taking care of building here as in the rest of the country," said Murphy, a Summerville attorney. Phillip Ford, executive vice president of the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association, was not at the meeting but said he's concerned extending the moratorium will discourage commercial and industrial investments as well as residential developments. "People (considering commercial projects) are going to leave and they're not coming back," Ford said Tuesday. "When you start sending a message that you're anti-growth, I think you're going to see a ripple effect, and taxpayers are going to have to foot the bill." Hamilton Davis, Coastal Conservation League project manager, was one of five people who urged council to extend the moratorium. "It's not just slow growth or no growth but making sure the growth we do have is a good model," Davis said Tuesday. Feltner wanted to extend the moratorium for another six months, but council opted to pass the 120-day compromise proposed by Willie Davis of St. George. Council will hold a public hearing before final approval, which is expected at the June 2 meeting. The moratorium affects new developments of at least 10 units in Dorchester District 2, which includes the Summerville area rather than the more rural parts of the county. It does not affect projects that already have been approved. Reach Dave Munday at 745-5862 or dmunday@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 3 comment(s)
Posted by Slick50 on May 7, 2008 at 6:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
These people are not anti-growth. They just recently voted to slow things down AFTER they got snowballed by years and years of uncontrolled growth that they all admit they did not see coming. DUH !
It is Primary time, so now they are concerned about keeping their council seats. Vote em out and get some new faces in Dorchester County.
Posted by notafan on May 7, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I love Ford's comments. They might hold more weight if it came from someone whose job was not directly tied to the construction business.
Posted by sunshine on May 7, 2008 at 12:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
perhaps Mr. Feltner and his cronies should personally pay the property taxes for everyone who now owns land that they are restricted from using for at least 3 more months