Changes to the Ashley River Historic District Overlay ordinance are on County Council’s agenda for Monday, June 18.  The meeting will be held in Council Chamber in St. George at 7:00 p.m.  These two proposed changes indicate once again Council’s attempt to change laws and bypass the comprehensive plan in favor of development.

 

            A major change removes all but a small sliver of the MeadWestvaco tract known as Ravenwood (approx. 4,000 acres) from District 2 (density 1 unit to 4 net acres) and rezones it as Rural Residential which would allow 1 unit per 1 acre. Removing it from the ordinance also would allow planned developments.  This is unacceptable for several reasons:

 

1.  MeadWestvaco has given no reason publicly for their request for this change.  If they don’t plan to develop it, the public needs to be informed and legally binding documents need to be put into place.  Maybe THEY don’t plan to develop it, but it could be sold to someone who would.  Corporate leadership, corporate policy and corporate strategy change in order for corporations to survive and thrive.

 

2.  Infrastructure for any development in this area is non-existent to woefully inadequate.

 

3.  Other properties including Watson Hill have been left in District 2 of the Overlay ordinance with a required density of 1 to 4 acres.  Smaller tracts on the Ashley River side of highway 61, designated District 1 are left at 1 to 3.  Eliminating Ravenwood certainly makes it difficult to justify this and hence seriously endangers the entire ordinance.

 

4.  Ravenwood is included in the recently announced MeadWestvaco East Edisto project.  This project is certainly a positive step in that it keeps 70,000 undeveloped acres in the hands of one owner, MeadWestvaco, rather than being sold off to a myriad of individual developers.  However, MeadWestvaco has repeatedly made it clear that they want extensive public input as plans for East Edisto develop.  In fact today’s Journal-Scene provides dates and locations for the first meetings.  Apparently, Ravenwood will be addressed in one of those meetings.  There have been three years of overwhelming public input into this ordinance which includes Ravenwood and yet they are now asking to go entirely against the majority of that input.  Does this bode well for the future of the rest of the 70,000 acres???? 

 

            A third ominous change proposed involves increasing the size of commercial buildings. The ordinance limits commercial development with most being confined to within a ¼ mile radius of highways 165 and 61.  The original limit was 3,000 sq. ft. with 25,000 allowed for a grocery store which is fine for a neighborhood grocery store. http://www.newrules.org/retail/howbigisbig.html )  This sets a dangerous precedent.  The proposed change would allow 50,000 sq. ft. with a maximum of 70,000 to accommodate ancillary businesses.  There was never any public question or objection to this section of the ordinance.  This change has been brought about by Food Lion.  They had received approval under the original ordinance with knowledge of those limits and came back requesting an increase when they figured out they would need more square footage.  Do they not know how big their stores need to be??

 

Please email or attend Monday’s meeting and ask Council members to leave Ravenwood in the Ashley River Historic Overlay District ordinance in District 2 and to leave the commercial size allowances as originally written.