Berkeley County officials expect boom to persist

Berkeley County is growing at a rapid pace.

With many residential and commercial developments in the works, Berkeley leaders expect perpetual growth throughout this largely rural community.

Goose Creek

Soon to open its $600 million data center near Goose Creek, Google will employ 200. Plans are in the works for Roper to erect a 50-bed hospital that would employ nearly 500.

In Goose Creek, the 2,300-acre Carnes Crossroads development to be built off U.S. Highway 176 will be the epicenter of growth, said Daniel Ben-Yisrael, director of planning and zoning.

Ben-Yisrael attributes Goose Creek's growth to its convenient location in relation to surrounding areas and housing affordability.

Traffic problems have been a long-standing issue for Goose Creek. City officials hope the proposed extension of Henry Brown Boulevard from Liberty Hall Road to U.S. Highway 52 will help ease traffic congestion along that busy highway.

"Our intentions are to grow in an orderly fashion and to manage the growth that is inevitable for this area," he said. "We have seen a steady rate of development."

The current nationwide economic and housing crises have somewhat slowed new development in Goose Creek.

Developments in Carnes Crossroads have experienced delays. A few building permits have been withdrawn, but Ben-Yisrael is confident the market will rebound.

He thinks the economic impact to Goose Creek will be relatively minimal.

"The city has a good diversification of its revenue stream," he said. "I think in the long term it will balance out and we'll be in good shape."

Hanahan

The city of Hanahan is between North Charleston and the Goose Creek Reservoir and doesn't have much room to grow.

City officials said they expect any major growth to occur in Tanner Plantation off North Rhett Avenue.

The influx of new residents to that area has caused serious traffic problems for morning commuters leaving Tanner Plantation. Hanahan City Council even considered a building moratorium to address the traffic problem. But traffic lights at Tanner Ford Boulevard and North Rhett are being installed and should be operational this month, said Hanahan City Administrator Hal Mason, and should help address the problem.

Moncks Corner

Moncks Corner Town Administrator Marc Hehn says he has every reason to be confident about his town's growth potential.

In June, Moncks Corner Town Council voted unanimously to annex 1,000 acres along U.S. Highway 52 south toward Cypress Gardens Road, taking in mostly undeveloped land surrounding several subdivisions that have sprouted up in that part of Berkeley County.

The annexation includes much of Moss Grove Plantation, the Oakley Pointe subdivision just north of Oakley Road and Foxbank Plantation north of Cypress Gardens Road.

"Residential projects are taking off, and we're still seeing growth and developments moving forward," Hehn said.

The town wanted the additional revenue from annexed areas to help it pay for a proposed $10 million recreational complex it wants to build near the town's center, Mayor William Peagler said in an earlier interview.

"We want the town to grow and increase the tax base to provide new services to the people," Peagler added.

Berkeley officials are aware of the area's future growth potential. The planning commission has hosted several community meetings recently to receive input from residents on types of housing developments most suitable for their communities.

Berkeley officials expect the area to grow by nearly 40 percent in the next 22 years and are planning for at least 60,000 new residents by 2030.

Reach Jasiri Whipper at 937-5540.