Dorchester a national growth leader
County among 50 fastest-growing in U.S. last year, new census data reveals
County among 50 fastest-growing in U.S. last year, new census data reveals
Dorchester County was one of 50 fastest-growing counties in the nation last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The county, which includes Summerville and parts of North Charleston, ranked No. 48 on a report released early today. The report was based on the percentage that the number of houses increased between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006. Dorchester County posted a 5.5 percent increase.
Charleston and Berkeley counties each posted a 3.3 percent increase. Neither of them was in the top 100, so they weren't compared with the rest of the nation.
Dorchester County has been getting more houses because the Charleston-area economy has been growing and the county is the natural place to build right now, according to Frank Hefner, an economist at the College of Charleston.
"It's not just Dorchester County," Hef-
Hefner said. "What we're seeing is the whole tri-county area growing."
The majority of those who live in Dorchester County work in Charleston and Berkeley counties, said Robert Pratt, a commercial and industrial real estate broker and chairman of Charleston Regional Economic Development Alliance.
File/The Post and Courier
<p><strong><em>Signs advertising new subdivisions compete for space at the intersection of Bacons Bridge and Dorchester roads near Summerville</em></strong></p>
They live in Dorchester County because similar houses are generally less expensive near Summerville than they are Charleston or Mount Pleasant, and Summerville is closer to Charleston than parts of Berkeley County.
"Berkeley County has a lot of industries," he said. "Summerville is a natural place to live if you work in Berkeley County."
Also, families with children often buy a house in Dorchester County because of the reputation of the schools around Summerville, said Rita Berry, president of the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce.
It's not the bigger, new plants that have moved here recently that are causing the growth, Hefner said. Plants such as DaimlerChrysler and Vought Aircraft Industries in North Charleston generate a lot of attention for the area, but many smaller businesses and industries drive the economy, Hefner said.
"It's like the 1,000 points of light," Hefner said. "It's not a big flame; it's more like when everybody holds up a little flashlight at a concert."
The Census Bureau report gives a snapshot of the national housing market just before it started cooling off in the last part of 2006. The slowdown also affected the Charleston area. For instance, building permits for new houses in Summerville are down 42 percent through August compared to last year, from 603 to 350, according to the town's planning department.
But people will keep buying houses in the Charleston area as long as the local economy keeps growing, said Phillip Ford, executive vice president of the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association.
"You have to remember that 2005 was the best year ever," Ford said. "I think the market normalized. Things could be a lot worse. It's a lot better here than in other parts of the country."
There are no signs of the economy slowing down much, unless national housing lenders tighten the reins a lot more, Hefner said.
"If people can't get loans to refinance houses, that could be a problem," Hefner said. "I don't see that as a particular problem now for this area."
Two counties in South Carolina grew faster than Dorchester County in the Census Bureau's report. Horry County was No. 12, with a 7.6 percent increase in the Myrtle Beach area. Beaufort County was No. 40 at 5.9 percent.
The Grand Strand building frenzy was driven by population growth and by speculators hoping to cash in on that growth, said Donald Schunk, research economist at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, near Myrtle Beach.
Similar to the Lowcountry, the Myrtle Beach area attracted droves of new residents drawn by the mild climate and strong economy, he said. But the region grew even faster than other desirable parts of the state thanks to relatively lower housing costs, he said.
Much of the growth in Beaufort County stems from the area's popularity as a retirement destination, said Carlotta Ungaro, president and chief executive for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. ABC News recently called Beaufort one of the nation's top three retirement spots in terms of bang for your buck, along with San Juan, Puerto Rico (a U.S. territory), and Loveland, Colo., Ungaro noted.
The city also benefits from three military installations, which fuel housing demand from base workers as well as retired military who move back to the area, she said.
Reach Dave Munday at 745-5862 or dmunday@postandcourier.com. Reach Caroline Fossi at 937-5524 or cfossi@post andcourier.com.
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Comments
mggoose2000 (anonymous) says...
Let's see, if you're a developer, you can cut down all the trees, build new homes, tear up our roads with your construction trucks hauling overweight loads on roads that will not support the weight or the amount of traffic, cause residents to pay for water and sewer services that your new neighborhoods require, cause traffic snarls and accidents and then you run to the bank with all of your money. If the P&C wants to report about an important issue rather than report "fluff", why don't you talk to some of the residents like myself and find out how we feel about all of this and the effects that it has on our pocketbooks and lives? Anybody that lives in the County knows what is reported in the article but do the rest of your readers know, as Paul Harvey would put it; "the rest of the story?"
September 12, 2007 at 7:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sbumgarn (anonymous) says...
what exactly are getting at?
September 12, 2007 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scgreetins (anonymous) says...
If I'm not mistaken, Dorchester County ALSO includes the towns of St. George and Reevesville. Where's the growth there? We're still waiting on it. And as long as reporters and politicians only talk about Summerville, Summerville, Summerville, nothing will grow here. I'm sick of it......
September 12, 2007 at 9:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Well, the newspaper does a fair job at reporting the growth and the causes, but is it addressing the HUGE lack of infrastructure to sustain this growth in lower Dorchester County, or even the other 2 counties in the metro area?
You have all of these anti-growth people who prohibit new roads and highways from being built, but that insanity doesn't stop the developers. They build houses anyway, since it is their right as landowners. So, the "if you build roads, they will come" mentality is actually foolish. Bottomline, when you live in a highly desireable area, prohibiting new infrastructure DOES NOT limit development. Smart choices need to be made for the metro area:
1. A new interstate needs to be extended to Charleston, such as the planned I-14 from Augusta. I-14 would give Chas residents a southern route to I-95 and directly connect the city with Atlanta. Hurricane evac would also be easier. Make the Glenn McConnell extension into this.
2. Finishing the I-526 connector to adequately connect all major points in the Chas area.
3. Build several new major streets to feed from the currently developed areas of Summerville to I-26.
4. Perhaps a Summerville-Goose Creek-Moncks Corner connector freeway?
5. BUILD the monobeam transit system from downtown to Summerville.
All of these projects, if built together, can help ease the harsh growth conditions that residents are currently experiencing. But these ideas don't just need to be talked about...they need to be done!!! And most metro area leaders are impotent in getting projects completed.
September 12, 2007 at 9:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
trod (anonymous) says...
I have no problem with them building devolping neighborhoods .but i think the devolpers should help pay for the infrastructure to support these neighborhoods.instead of running to the bank while our taxes are raised and we sit in traffic for hours.your right it is their right as land owners but as business owners also they should be held responsible for the impact their business create and be made to mitigate its effects. just like any other buisness has had to do around Charleston!
September 12, 2007 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
As much as I do prefer limited federal government, I agree that local governments need to enforce legal standards that require developers to support infrastructure when they are the ones that have instituted the need for it. True, we want to have capitalism, but there also needs to be responsibility with it. The same applies to our freedoms. I think what the developers at the new Carolina Bay development, which is West Ashley, are a prime example of taking responsibility. They're actually building a 4-lane connector street to connect Glenn McConnell and US 17 as part of the neighborhood's infrastructure. Wow...you don't see too many developers doing that.
However, think about how much easier traffic situations would be...we would have more inter-street, inter-city connectivity, which would reduce traffic congestion. Contributions to freeways would add lanes to expressways and maybe even set up an avenue for a monobeam tram.
The problem is land rights issues. Do we tax just developers who build neighborhoods or do we also tax shopping center and office construction? It does open a nasty door.
September 12, 2007 at 10:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
trod (anonymous) says...
I also agreed on more roads/interstates the artery system we have doesn't work.id like to see 1 more major interstate route as well as a large highway as well as more roads connecting.maybe they could create a taxlaw that effects those businesses that create x amount of additional cars/car trips on the road.
September 12, 2007 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
knightsville3 (anonymous) says...
I'm surprised so many people are willing to move to the unicorporated areas of Dorchester County near Summerville. Have you tasted the water provided by the Dorchester Water Authority? It's awful! What's wrong with it? The town of Summerville has great water. Also, the cost of housing in the Charleston area is really high. You can get a much nicer house with a bigger lot anywhere around Atlanta for the same price or maybe even less.
September 12, 2007 at 12:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mggoose2000 (anonymous) says...
sbumgarn:
I'm talking about the roads that I drive on everyday to get to work, to the supermarket, to whereever being destroyed by the amount of traffic that they weren't built to support. I'm talking about the fact that my child attends a school that is less than 2 miles from my home and it takes his bus over an hour to get from my house to school or from school to home. I'm talking about traffic so backed up that it takes 15 minutes for me to travel 4 miles to the interstate and 25 to 30 minutes to get to the Oakbrook or Summerville Walmart (8 miles either way). I'm talking about intersections that are so backed up that daily accidents occur because the people trying to navigate them are so frustrated that they force themselves into perilous situations. I'm talking about a proposed $4700.00 connection fee for sewer service that isn't passed on to each of the new homeowners in the 6 new neighborhoods within a mile of my home. Shall I go on?
September 12, 2007 at 12:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bertha90 (anonymous) says...
How about the attorneys, doctors, business owners, and really anyone who has a job that have been running to the bank thanks to this growth and the absurd increase in housing values. Growth equals prosperity. You can blame developers all you want, but your county offials were the ones that approved these projects. Everything is in place (ordinances, process, zoning) to manage growth and ensure developers pay their fair share. Little do you know, the developers typically pay their fair share. Then the county squanders it away, without any accountability. Also, I drive all over the three county area at all times of the day. I really never have a problem with traffic. If you live in an area that is prosperous, there will be vehicles on the road. All of this whining about traffic kills me. Live where you work, or stay off the major roads during rush hour, or don't complain.
September 12, 2007 at 5:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
localboy (anonymous) says...
If you live in the Town of Summerville, call your Town Councilman and tell them to support Aaron Browns efforts to put Town laws in place to control this unfettered growth. At the Monday morning Town meeting with the exception of two media persons and myself ONLY local builders and real estate folks were present!
September 12, 2007 at 5:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
trod (anonymous) says...
bertha try dorchester road around coosaw creek down to oakbrook around 7-8 am and 430-630pm any weekday.as for the growth in dorch. county alot of it skirts the town of summerville wich leaves the county council and unfortunately in our area k.summey has got his grubby little fingers all the way down to kings grant.i really feel for those in wescott i did the research and saw the planned road right through it .stopped me from purchasing a home there.we need roads widened and a new interstate/highway in charleston and the surrounding areas.
September 13, 2007 at 12:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
exorcist_pencocky (anonymous) says...
Hey trod, when did Keith Summey, Mayor of the City of North Charleston, get "his grubby little fingers all the way down to kings grant".
September 13, 2007 at 12:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
exorcist_pencocky (anonymous) says...
NancyN - Are you talking Dorchester Road, Dorchester County, or the town of Dorchester????
>>> NancyN - "dorchester should watch out because sooner or later, that disgustingly fat and stupid mayor summey will try to annex it". <<<
September 13, 2007 at 12:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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