Bees Ferry project planned
Construction could begin in 6 to 18 months
By David Slade
Despite the downturn in the housing market, the Bees Ferry Road area on Charleston's northwestern edge continues to be a hot spot for new development.
A Virginia-based real estate company has laid out plans to develop a new community called Verdier Pointe, with up to 468 homes and 180,000 square feet of commercial space, on the west side of Bees Ferry Road adjacent to the Grand Oaks development.
The Post and Courier
"It creates a mixed-use kind of Main Street area off of Bees Ferry Road that would have commercial and residential units above stores," said Christopher Morgan, director of Charleston's Planning Division. "It would have things like drug stores and restaurants."
The "commercial village district" in the plan would feature on-street parking and public plazas and squares. The development plan also calls for an apartment complex with up to 304 units, and up to 124 single-family homes.
The Charleston City Council has given initial approval to the plan and could sign off on the development as early as next week, clearing the way for the 102-acre property to be annexed into the city. If final approval is granted, construction could start in six to 18 months.
Commission presentation
From a presentation made to the Charleston Planning Commission
Zoning D 4: Bees Ferry Road (Verdier Pointe; West Ashley) (9 page PDF)
The development is the latest in a parade of large developments planned along the city's edge in West Ashley. The largest of those, Long Savannah, could eventually have 4,600 new homes and a town-size commercial area, which would sit at the end of a planned extension of the Glenn McConnell Parkway.
"People are looking at being ready to go when the housing market picks up again, which it will," Morgan said.
The city has been working with developers to ensure that the new developments would be connected to one another so that people could travel between homes, shops, schools and parks using neighborhood streets. Verdier Pointe, for example, would eventually have two roads connecting to Grand Oaks, and Long Savannah is likewise expected to connect to Grand Oaks, allowing travel between the developments and alternate routes out to Bees Ferry Road.
"One of the things we liked about (Verdier Pointe) was it gives the people in Grand Oaks more ways to get to Bees Ferry Road," Morgan said.
The development plan was submitted by H.H. Hunt, a Virginia company that has locally developed the 212-unit Abberly at West Ashley apartments and the Spring Arbor at Daniel Island senior living complex. Company officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Verdier Pointe plan calls for phased construction, with most of the commercial area to come only after a planned widening of Bees Ferry Road has started. That Charleston County project is scheduled to begin late next year.
When the plan was first presented to the City Council on Nov. 25, West Ashley Councilwoman Deb Morinelli expressed concern that the new construction could worsen flooding problems along Church Creek.
An engineer representing the developer said Church Creek wouldn't be impacted, but she remained skeptical.
Morgan said any new development would have to meet regulations meant to ensure they don't create flooding problems.
"All of our standards make sure that drainage from projects like this don't exacerbate existing conditions," he said Tuesday.
The City Council next meets at 5 p.m. Dec. 9 in Charleston City Hall.
Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
zoomru (anonymous) says...
Hmm......
I wonder where the people are going to come from.....
I wonder if there is going to be a NEW Business or Industry announced in the near future for the AREA..??!!
I wonder if they are being enticed with FREE energy..????
Hmm....Follow the MONEY..??!!?
What major INDUSTRIAL land transactions have occurred in a 4 mile Radius....????
Hmm......
December 3, 2008 at 7:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
Hmm.....
"A Virginia-based real estate company has laid out plans ..."
..isn't Norfolk-Southern based out of ...VIRGINIA..??
Hmm.... wasn't there a LAND swap involving Biedler Forest...????
Hmm..... we have a NEW port where..?? Jasper...
Who sits on what BOARDS...and how does CSX and NS marry up..???
WHO IS GETTING SET...UP...???
Parker's FERRY..????
December 3, 2008 at 7:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
Connect the DOTS.....
http://www.thestate.com/nationalpolitics...
Hmmm....don't we have a Titanium Mine Co. moving into Laurens County..?? Didn't Laurens County Landfill just ....EXPAND..???
...who owns TRACK from Laurens to Charleston....???
What is Riley and Summey trying to do..??? ...along with County Council...???
The pressure to get a LANDFILL in Cherokee County involves a NEW rail LINE.....for CSX or NS...???
Citizens.....our leaders are bending US over royally because who is going to be paying taxes for DHEC .."oversight"? Subsidizing the Methane Lollipoop to Milliken..???
I wonder if the Motley LAW firm is up for a CLASS ACTION Lawsuit...???
The state taxpayers are getting...CREAMED....!!!!
MY...GOD !!!
December 3, 2008 at 7:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
Keep on adding more neighborhoods, yet leave Bees Ferry as a two lane road. As if the traffic isn't bad enough already on Glenn McConnell. This will only make it worse. Hopefully we can sell our house soon and get out of this traffic nightmare that continues to grow.
December 3, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dawhetsell (anonymous) says...
I grew up in that area. I hunted in BEAR SWAMP (Bees Ferry Rd. ).Then even Springfield sub-divison was not built. They have problems in that area every time it rains,a swamp floods every time it rains. They need to put houses in the swamp ,because they will sell within the next 25 years when and if the economy gets better. I think it is a good job investment like the auto companies,keep building them when no one is buying them to keep the jobs for the illegal immigrants, they need to send money to Mexico for Christmas.
December 3, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ashleyatwork (anonymous) says...
Grand Oaks will have more choices to get to Bees Ferry?
Then what? Stop light after stop light to get on Bees Ferry creating bumper to bumper traffic for miles?
December 3, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Wait a minute. I thought Bees Ferry was supposed to be widened from US 17 to SC 61. Aren't there plans for that? If that is the case, will the development conform to the current width of the road, or will it start widening the road there?
December 3, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
I live in Grand Oaks and we have enough people this way. When we built our house just FIVE years ago, there was hardly any traffic on Bees Ferry and Glenn McConnell like there is now. I moved from Mt. Pleasant, where traffic is horrible thinking "Wow, this area of W. Ashley is not bad at all! (5 years ago)" Now sometimes in the mornings it takes me 40 minutes to get to Lowes, which normally is a 5 minute drive during the day.
WE DO NOT NEED MORE DEVELOPMENT! Now Im ready to move to Johns Island or maybe it will be safer to move to Wadmalaw!
December 3, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
BTW, Developers do not care about what we want. They only care about that dollar going into their pockets. :-( Meanwhile, overcrowding our schools so that our children are 25 students to 1 teacher and then the school system becomes worse than before. Ridiculous! Not to mention how horrible the roads are.
This burns me up, can you tell? lol
December 3, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
ChasCarolinaGirl, we moved over there 3.5 years ago and everything you say is absolutely correct. Back in 2005, we didn't sit in much traffic at all. Now, if I don't leave the house at 6:45, I have to sit in that traffic on Glenn McConnell for 20-30 minutes. Sometimes I leave the house around 7 or so and leaving just 15 minutes later will set me back another 15-20 minutes or so in traffic. If I leave after 7 am, the traffic is always backed up to the Glenn McConnell/Bees Ferry intersection. Then once you get past the red light at the high school, you have to sit in the traffic backed up from the redlight by the Lowe's. I wish the economy would pick back up and we could sell our house because the developers are ruining the reason everyone moved to Grand Oaks in the first place.
December 3, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
Not to mention, Grand Oaks has enough of their own problems with there being only one traffic light coming out of the neighborhood. That light only lets a maximum of 10 cars go at a time. I've had the traffic from that light backed up to Ashley Gardens Blvd., which is .8 of a mile. And when the light is only letting 10 cars go at a time, that equals another 20 minutes just to get out of the neighborhood. Instead of building more neighborhoods, fix the problems that are already there. Sheesh!
December 3, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
I completely agree Clemsurf. If you leave at 7 or later, your screwed. I try to leave around 645 just to get to 526 by 730. I love living in this area and in Grand Oaks, but the traffic leaves a lot to be desired. Oh and not to mention Shadowmoss residents cutting thru Grand Oaks to get to their neighborhood because its bad on Bees Ferry. They need to do something with the roads before bringing new development in.
Look at how slow those townhouses are selling for that they just cleared all that land for. They haven't even started building the 2nd set. I miss seeing the deer that used to live back there.
December 3, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jim_Isle (anonymous) says...
Any of you think about who made the comments about the development? Yes, that's Christopher Morgan from the City of Charleston. If someone could tell me why the city is out there helping the traffic get backed up, I'd like to know. Why don't you form the Town of West Ashley and fight these people? Look at the zoning that the city has already approved, look at the swamp, and you've got Greed with a capital G. You really have to go to Planning and Zoning meetings to get any of this stopped (City of Charleston, that is.)
December 3, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UrGatorbait (anonymous) says...
Hey JohnnyHolmes, ace history buff and general pain in the backside, Virginia is the home of your hero, Gen. Lee and where the bulk of the war was fought and you tell them to go back north? Yep another product of the SC education system at work. Stay classy man.
December 3, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
Yes they cleared the land for those townhomes over 2 years ago and they have only built one section of townhomes. They built a pond and put the bridge on the back side of the pond. Why? Now you have to walk all the way to the back of the pond to access the little island. And why don't they clean up the pond? There are random trees growing and weeds are sticking up everywhere. It just makes the neighborhood look tacky. Not to mention they cleared alot of land for that small area of townhomes. Did they really need to build those ponds? They cleared alot of land and now you will very seldom see any of the deer or turkeys that used to be out.
They also cleared all of the land for Boltin's Landing a mile down the road almost 2 years ago and look at how many houses there are in there? Ummm not many at all. It's an empty neighborhood. But this dolt has a great idea to build 480 more homes when other neighborhoods can't even sell their houses. Go ahead and clear the land but when you have to file bankruptcy because you can't sell any lots, don't ask for a bailout!
December 3, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chucktonian (anonymous) says...
more soulless McMansions for the yuppies to move into. YAY!!!
December 3, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
Then why don't they buy the many houses that are for sale if they really want to move over this way? That rather than building new houses!
Clemsurf, that whole area looks bad. I get to look at it thru my back yard ever day, needless to say driving by it twice a day also. It was a waste and should have been kept wooded.
JohnnyHolmes ~ I don't remember asking for a developer to give us advice on traffic routes. If anything, I do not believe that we need more houses this way. Too many for sale already. Charleston is getting way to big for its britches!
December 3, 2008 at 1:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
Just in Grand Oaks Plantation there are over 100 houses for sale. And think about Shadowmoss, Hunt Club, Boltin's Landing, and Hickory Hill. There are many homes for sell and they just aren't selling. Some of the houses in Grand Oaks have been for sell for over 2 years when we sold our old house. I hope that guy builds his houses and then has to eat them. It would be a poor decision on his part. Plus, why would anyone want to buy in a neighborhood that backs up to the landfill? Then the idiots who buy will be complaining of the smell of trash permeating their neighborhood. It would be a poor decision all around.
December 3, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
We get updates thru our neighborhood website and one was that we will see the top of that landfill in about another 10 years from where we live (Mt Royall). That neighborhood will be between us and that landfill. They are going to have a mountain of trash in their backyard. If you ever look at the satellite imagery of this area, the landfill is bigger than Grand Oaks.
December 3, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slimbo6969 (anonymous) says...
ChasCarolinaGirl wrote the following:
"WE DO NOT NEED MORE DEVELOPMENT! Now I'm ready to move to Johns Island or maybe it will be safer to move to Wadmalaw!"
Right now there is no place safe from our "little bat eared thief" from Charleston. He has had his way with James Island and now he has his sites set on Johns Island and then onto Wadmalaw Island.
The following is what is on the planning boards for the West Ashley Area along Hwy 17 South, Bees Ferry Rd. and Hwy 61.
1. Long Savannah (Hwy 17 and Bees Ferry Road at the new Publix), could eventually have 4,600 new homes and a town-size commercial area, which would sit at the end of a planned extension of the Glenn McConnell Parkway.
2. Verdier Pointe Track (Bees Ferry Rd and Charleston Land Fill) - The "commercial village district" in the plan would feature on-street parking and public plazas and squares. The development plan also calls for an apartment complex with up to 304 units, and up to 124 single-family homes.
3. Watson Hill Track (Hwy 61 between Bees Ferry and the Plantations). Between 800 and 1200 new homes are planned for this track of land: These numbers are the current limits established because Hwy 61 can not support any more: But when a new bypass road is constructed these numbers could go higher: A new route to the current Glenn McConnell Parkway:
If the average house hold had 2 cars each:
Sub-Division Home x Cars = Total
Long Savannah 4600 x 2 cars = 9200
Verdier Pointe 468 x 2 cars = 936
Watson Hill 1200 x 2 cars = 2400
Total 12536 cars 2 times per day
All of the cars have to go somewhere and somewhere is Hwy 17, Bees Ferry Road, Glenn McConnell and Hwy 61, all of which are over crowded now...
This total number does not include what is already there. There could be another 10000 to 12000 cars 2 times per day.
Why would anyone want to live WEST OF THE ASHELY with what is planned for the near future:
You think you are having problems traveling Glenn McConnell Parkway now just you wait:
December 3, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
Oh, I know. Believe me. I have even entertained the thought of moving to the upstate, even after growing up here. Charleston is not that great. The schools are horrendous, the traffic is horrible and people are more stupid and rude by the day!
Slimbo ~ Your comment about our "little bat eared thief" is funny! No, I know exactly what you are saying. I grew up here in Charleston and Ive seen it change for the worst. Many love it now, but because many of them don't know the old Charleston. The more humble Charleston that I remember. Im all about change, but not like this. Too fast for us to develop properly.
December 3, 2008 at 2:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
People aren't even buying the houses that are available now or the ones where the land has been cleared for months. What makes anyone think they will buy houses in these new subdivisions? And if they did expand our roads, they would just build even more neighborhoods. Growth will continue and you can't stop it. Well they can stop it but they choose not to. I'm leaving West Ashley as soon as someone buys my house but even leaving Charleston is now becoming an option because of all of the reasons ChasCarolinaGirl listed.
December 3, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slimbo6969 (anonymous) says...
The "little bat eared theif" is not my idea...
But it fits along with "Weasel"... I looked it up in the dictionary and low and behold it said a long time mayor of Charleston, SC...
December 3, 2008 at 2:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
Slimbo ~ LMAO That is great! Have you ever seen him close up in person? Exact description. I want to wax his eyebrows sooooo badly! lol
Clemsurf ~ We could be neighbors and not know it! lol Did you call the cops on my party the other night? lol j/k
December 3, 2008 at 2:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slimbo6969 (anonymous) says...
I don't think waxing would help...
It would be a treat to see it done and the pain that he would be in...
Better yet, one "wire" bristle at the time would be even better...
December 3, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BILLYBOB (anonymous) says...
UP NORTH IS ANYONE OR ANYTHING NORTH OF CHARLESTON,SC !!!!!IT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HISTORY,OR EDUCATION, OR WHO FOUGHT ON WHAT SIDE. NORTH IS LIKE A COMPASS (UP NORTH).
December 3, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Neponset (anonymous) says...
Like it or not, real estate is all about location (repeated twice). Hwy 61 just doesn't have it - access, flooding, etc. Month after month we read about real estate going deeper into the toilet and still the folks in the business continue to plan new developments in what left on the outer fringes. I guess they just don't have any other business skills and won't stop trying with other peoples money, until these other people stop lending it to them or they run out of land.
December 3, 2008 at 3:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
Im still laughing with you Slimbo! This city is way too big for him to handle anymore. Why can't the people of Chas understand that?
December 3, 2008 at 4:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TheSafetyMan (anonymous) says...
Alright, I agree with everyone, now its time we did something about it...PROTEST! Write the old bat eared idiot and complain, write the useless congressman, do something.
December 3, 2008 at 4:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Girleygirl (anonymous) says...
ChasCarolina- I'm upset that you want to wax his eyebrows...he would look more like the vampireman in that old vampire movie and right now he look like a walrus on a diet...leave makeover edition ALONE please...not a good idea. :>) You went from bad to worse!!!
Zoomru-make a good point as well but so do all of you all. I was looking into buying some land in Wadmalaw but I really do think I need to wait and go to this meeting.
December 3, 2008 at 5:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
palmettotree (anonymous) says...
Keep on adding more neighborhoods, yet leave Bees Ferry as a two lane road. As if the traffic isn't bad enough already on Glenn McConnell. This will only make it worse
Clemsurf I was thinking the same thing. I try to avoid Glenn McConnell and Bee's Ferry during rush hour. they are building up way too much for my liking. Thankfully I have another option to get home from work. I keep telling hubby it is time to move.
December 3, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
palmettotree (anonymous) says...
Posted by slimbo6969 on December 3, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ChasCarolinaGirl wrote the following:
"WE DO NOT NEED MORE DEVELOPMENT! Now I'm ready to move to Johns Island or maybe it will be safer to move to Wadmalaw!"
Right now there is no place safe from our "little bat eared thief" from Charleston. He has had his way with James Island and now he has his sites set on Johns Island and then onto Wadmalaw Island.
The following is what is on the planning boards for the West Ashley Area along Hwy 17 South, Bees Ferry Rd. and Hwy 61.
1. Long Savannah (Hwy 17 and Bees Ferry Road at the new Publix), could eventually have 4,600 new homes and a town-size commercial area, which would sit at the end of a planned extension of the Glenn McConnell Parkway.
2. Verdier Pointe Track (Bees Ferry Rd and Charleston Land Fill) - The "commercial village district" in the plan would feature on-street parking and public plazas and squares. The development plan also calls for an apartment complex with up to 304 units, and up to 124 single-family homes.
3. Watson Hill Track (Hwy 61 between Bees Ferry and the Plantations). Between 800 and 1200 new homes are planned for this track of land: These numbers are the current limits established because Hwy 61 can not support any more: But when a new bypass road is constructed these numbers could go higher: A new route to the current Glenn McConnell Parkway:
If the average house hold had 2 cars each:
Sub-Division Home x Cars = Total
Long Savannah 4600 x 2 cars = 9200
Verdier Pointe 468 x 2 cars = 936
Watson Hill 1200 x 2 cars = 2400
Total 12536 cars 2 times per day
All of the cars have to go somewhere and somewhere is Hwy 17, Bees Ferry Road, Glenn McConnell and Hwy 61, all of which are over crowded now...
This total number does not include what is already there. There could be another 10000 to 12000 cars 2 times per day.
Why would anyone want to live WEST OF THE ASHELY with what is planned for the near future: It definitely does sound like it is going to be Mount Pleasant all over again. :(
You think you are having problems traveling Glenn McConnell Parkway now just you wait:
Slim thank for that update. I live off of 17 in Hollywood and this will sure affect me as well. It sure doesn't sound like good news for anyone.
December 3, 2008 at 5:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FBTracy (anonymous) says...
Has anyone that has made a comment look at the actual plans? Having the community planed as it is will make sure that surburban sprall......aka ATLANTA will not happen.
December 3, 2008 at 7:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
ChasCarolinaGirl no we're not neighbors. I live in the back of the neighborhood. We used to live over on Ashley Gardens where they're building the new park but we moved to the back of the neighborhood. Now we've been trying to sell since July and it's not going to well.
Plus I wouldn't call the cops on neighbors. I'd go talk to you in person first. I'm pretty cool and laid back.
December 3, 2008 at 9:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mnbvcxz (anonymous) says...
Can someone tell me something, coming into grand oaks, what happened to that magnolia section sign next to the pool? did a drunk driver run into it? its been like 2 months now is anyone going to fix it? just curious... i live in moss creek.
December 3, 2008 at 11:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justjerry (anonymous) says...
With all of this demand for houses - maybe not right this minute but when the market bounces back demand will as well - the folks that live in this area should be pretty happy. Home prices will start to rise again and you will come out OK, probably skim by the edge of the real estate bubble popping. It may seem like that area is far out of the way but with it's convenience, barring the traffic that has evidently now gotten over there, it is a pretty attractive place to live.
And, don't worry, little Joe has plenty more planned so that he can increase the property tax base and funnel more money into his little pet programs downtown....
December 4, 2008 at 5:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChasCarolinaGirl (anonymous) says...
Yeah, this was our first party in over a year and we are pretty laid back too. It was a little irritating that someone couldn't just come over to us and let us know, but some just like to stir up trouble just because.
My husband said that he saw a 4 door sedan sitting underneath the sign that was hit, but I have no idea of why it hasn't been fixed. Maybe they were uninsured and have to come up with the $. That is just a guess. No tellin'
December 4, 2008 at 6:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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