Council likely to OK new homes
Planning Committee votes to move forward with Pine Trace
SUMMERVILLE — Despite a shaky economy that's put the brakes on a once-booming building industry, Town Council is set to approve plans for 930 more new houses.
The Post and Courier
The IDEA Real Estate Group, which has offices in Farmington Hills, Mich., and Charleston, wants the town to annex 332 acres behind the S.C. Coastal Rehabilitation Center on Miles Jamison Road for a planned-unit development called Pine Trace.
Council's Planning Committee unanimously voted Wednesday that council approve the annexation and development agreement.
Mayor Berlin G. Myers has been backing the project and is expected to deliver the swing vote when it comes up for final approval Jan. 14.
Construction wouldn't start for two years, and the developers are banking on the economy picking up again by then. It's not an unreasonable expectation, Phillip Ford, executive vice president of the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association, said when contacted after the Planning Committee meeting.
"If they were starting to sell houses tomorrow, I would wonder," Ford said. "But I've not heard any economist who doesn't think we won't be out of this construction downturn by 2011."
If you go
WHAT: Town Council meeting
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Town Hall annex, 200-A S. Main St., Summerville
Councilman Howard Bridgman said he will vote against the project when it comes before the full council because the town already has approved more houses than roads and schools can handle.
"We've already approved thousands of new houses, and here we are approving another thousand," Bridgman said. "I'll vote against it, but I don't think it will do any good."
Bridgman was on the Planning Committee until this month. Myers replaced him and Bob Jackson with Bob Flowers and Ricky Waring. Myers said it was not because Bridgman and Jackson opposed Pine Trace and Flowers and Waring supported it.
Councilmen who favor Pine Trace argue that the town needs the money. Revenues have plummeted as construction has slowed, prompting the town to freeze hiring and pay raises until further notice.
Previous story
Pine Trace objections persist, published 12/26/08
The town passed a 90-day moratorium on new residential developments in October 2007 but let it expire, and efforts to renew it failed. Pine Trace is the first major project since the moratorium.
Residents who live in neighborhoods near Pine Trace have argued that roads can't handle the extra traffic, and more new houses will make it harder to sell existing houses that become empty. One resident counted three dozen empty houses in The Bridges of Summerville, which is next to Pine Trace.
Dorchester District 2 officials are concerned about where to put new students. But the developer is donating land for a school. A new school at Pine Trace would get 500 or 600 students out of mobile classrooms at Spann, Fort Dorchester and Oakbrook elementary schools, officials estimate.
The developer also will donate $500 from each house toward a school, which would add up to about $450,000 of the $30 million cost. Also, the 930 houses include 200 townhomes for senior citizens, who typically don't have children in school.
Reach Dave Munday at 745-5862 or dmunday@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
ballachulish (anonymous) says...
I shudder to think what will happen the next time there's a major Hurricane due to hit Charleston.
You can't keep cramming more and more people into the Low Country, and expect everyone will be able to evacuate safely, there are simply not enough roads to accomodate them.
Throw in the ignorance of the non-natives, who have no experience with a whopper-chomper like Hugo, this is a recipe for disaster.
Stop Building!
January 8, 2009 at 3:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cubfan (anonymous) says...
Idiots. $450,000 of the $30 million cost of a new school? And WHERE is the rest coming from? Until the new school is built I suppose these Pine Trace kids will be crammed in with the kids who have lived here all their lives. Like my daughters don't have enough kids in their classes already. Because I'm SURE the houses will be built before this new school will ever see the light of day.
January 8, 2009 at 5:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Nonsense (anonymous) says...
As a voter in Summerville, I will never vote for any of these idiots on town council who approve these new developments in spite of overcrowded schools and gridlock on the roads around Summerville. Not to mention the crowding of wildlife out of it's natural habitat - I see more dead deer on the roads in the morning because they don't know where to go - I saw a huge deer running through Quail Arbor one night - confused about where the heck it was....bring on a moratorium to this new growth - it's killing the quality of life (or what is left of it) in Summerville and Dorchester County!!!!
January 8, 2009 at 6:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
They should have passed a moratorium on growth before you three moved to Dorchester county. Oh wait, no one wants to stop growth BEFORE they buy their home, you do that AFTER you buy your home. Kind of like developers are OK when you want a house, but evil greedy bastards after. And impact fees should be sky high to make those new homeowners pay their fair share, but impact fees shouldn't be retroactive to existing homeowners because you're already paying way more than your fair share.
January 8, 2009 at 7:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
voxpopuli (anonymous) says...
It's interesting to see Summerville doing exactly what it has told North Charleston to do many times.
January 8, 2009 at 8:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GermanyXO (anonymous) says...
Too many houses.
Too many families.
Too many students.
Not enough schools.
Not enough teachers.
Not enough planning.
How many men and women would want to teach in an overcrowded district where teachers' salaries aren't competitive with cities outside Dorchester District 2? Clearly, Summerville's Town Council once again is going down the slippery slope of permitting new growth to fund the upkeep of existing growth. Summerville's tax revenue shortfalls will not be solved by building new homes to attract more tax-paying families, because more families will only add to the wear and tear on our roads, schools, water, and sewage system capacities.
Has Town Council studied how 930 homeowners taking a shower, flushing a toilet, and washing their hands (at the same time) will impact the existing water supply & wastewater infrastructure servicing neighborhoods along Miles Jamison Rd?
Didn't think so. Summerville Town Council: Do your homework.
January 8, 2009 at 9:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jblakeslee (anonymous) says...
The people do not want this, the school district does not want this....the roads cannot handle it, ....but none of that matters....the town council wants it to increase revenue....does not matter matter what anyone else wants, it is always about the money!
January 8, 2009 at 9:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GermanyXO (anonymous) says...
"Councilmen who favor Pine Trace argue that the town needs the money. Revenues have plummeted as construction has slowed, prompting the town to freeze hiring and pay raises until further notice."
It sounds like our Summerville Town Council members need to revisit the idea of raising taxes to both maintain and upgrade road, school, water, and sewage infrastructures. Existing homeowners' expectations for improvements in infrastructure will continue to ferment while the expectations for infrastructure improvements from new Pine Trace homeowners are piled on.
And to top it off, since there will be 930 (likely more since that's how builders usually operate) new homes, the increase in housing supply will directly influence the appreciation of homes in surrounding communities. Summerville's Town Council can no longer bet on increases in tax revenue based on an increase in home values, because its members are so excited about approving a new development, which will pretty much guarantee nobody's home appreciates in value. It's basic supply and demand, but I wouldn't expect any of the town council members to understand it.
Town Council members: Do you care more about what you get to add to your resume, or do you truly care about attracting the right kind of growth in Dorchester District 2?
January 8, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
I once lived in a rural NC county and overheard the county manager tell the commissioners,"we have to find more creative ways to generate revenue".
The Tri-County area legislators are experts on that subject.
January 8, 2009 at 10:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hadenough (anonymous) says...
Summerville town council is doing their best to turn Summerville into a Ghetto.
January 8, 2009 at 11:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
notafan (anonymous) says...
I wonder which one of the council members and mayor have a direct financial interest in this land. Can anyone say kickbacks??
I live in Summerville and embarassed at the number of fools that are currently in the public sector. One day the citizens of Dorchester county will vote for someone based on merits and qualifications and not because they know someone's fathers, mothers, best friends, cousin. Good ole boy network at work. You get what you vote into office.
You get what you vote for.
And when is Summerville going to get a new mayor. At some point someone needs to let Berlin know that his time has past. Time for some new blood.
January 8, 2009 at 11:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rollnwflo (anonymous) says...
If we had term limits for every elected office, and the people who ran for office looked at it as public service rather than a way to wealth then we would see better government. Then again, if pigs could fly....
January 8, 2009 at 12:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
Weren't these people recently re-elected. You wouldn't expect that the mayor's private business interests would have any effect on his vote, would you.
Here they go putting another bunch of houses built in a swamp. What do you think will eventually happen to these houses and thousands more like them, built where once I used chest waders and a canoe sometimes in these areas. Clear cut it and cut a ditch through it to build these houses. The buyers will never know. What was Christmas about, now.
January 8, 2009 at 12:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cubfan (anonymous) says...
Major you MUST be involved in real estate somehow. Do you LIVE in Summerville? Does any of this affect YOU or do you just have to comment on everything?? Do you see all the trees being knocked down so they can build commercial buildings which sit vacant for years? Let the people move into existing homes...put the businesses into existing buildings...
There are so many vacant businesses on Trolley Rd and yet, they keep building more. There are plenty of existing homes for sale. So yes, Major, the developers ARE being greedy in Summerville.
January 8, 2009 at 1:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jblakeslee (anonymous) says...
Flowertown in the Pines? I don't think so....the trees do not stand a chance!
January 8, 2009 at 2:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cubfan (anonymous) says...
And if there aren't 930 existing homes for sale, let all the people move into the "major's" house. He obviously has no problem with growth.
January 8, 2009 at 2:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coolfreaknbeans (anonymous) says...
Enough already! Our schools are in crappy condition and overcrowded now. The solution for everything here is "build more". They don't take care of what they have and what problems are currently at hand.
ballachulish- You made an excellent point. How in the hell are we gonna be able to evacuate now? We had massive problems before.
January 8, 2009 at 2:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
I know cubfan...they were great guys when you wanted to build or buy a house, but now that you have yours and they're trying to sell someone else one they're greedy bastards. That's exactly what I said.
January 8, 2009 at 4:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lacaci64 (anonymous) says...
I could understand it if we had a housing shortage, but I just moved out of a subdivision in goose creek w/ more than 50 townhomes for sale. And most of them were on the market when I first moved here over a year ago. I was horrified when I moved back to charleston after a two year absence and saw how many new subdivisions and complexes have been built. Most of the wooded area around Eagle Creek Trail has already been eliminated. We used to be able to walk back there and see all kinds of wildlife...isn't any of that area considered wetlands?
January 8, 2009 at 4:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cubfan (anonymous) says...
My house has been here longer than I have been alive so I really can't say whether or not the people who built it were greedy bastards. I addressed more than the home building issue. I also addressed unnecessary commercial buildings. What do you have to say about that? I'm sure you have some kind of opinion. You have one on everything else. You're also the one who has a problem with student athletes and we've butted heads on that before, too.
I'll ask again, do you even LIVE in Summerville?? If not, then why do you care?
January 8, 2009 at 4:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jca (anonymous) says...
my question with the economy failing how can people afford to buy these expensive house when jobs are cut daily
January 8, 2009 at 9:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Funky_Winkerbean (anonymous) says...
Last time I checked there were more houses for sale in Charleston than there are people. Sell the ones we have first! Greed is one of the 7 Carnal Sins. Get these greedy builders out of our state. Every piece of land in and surrounding Charleston is full of history that should be preserved and cherished. Who needs another $400,000 house that'll go to ruin because of foreclosure. You need to make a pretty fat paycheck in order to by these MacMansions never mind the cost to heat and air condition them. This country needs it's green spaces and wetlands in order for the whole to survive. Things going on here in SC remind me of what's going on in the rain forest. People can't afford them and nature can't tolerate them. It's time to put a moratorium on building all across the board. That's a sure way to reduce the illegals in this country.
PS Arlet: No such thing as a Hurricane proof house. Houses built on sand will crumble! I don't care if it's built out of solid steel. You can say Bye-Bye... Flood insurance what a joke...
January 9, 2009 at 7:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
I'm just saying that people don't call developers greedy until they've bought their own house. Developers are only greedy if they're building a house for someone else. If they're building your house they're pretty great folks.
Developers are just the opposite of impact fees...Need a house, developer good, Have your house, developer bad, Need a house, impact fees bad, Have a house, impact fees good.
Never fails. I have yet to see someone who says the area is over developed offer to give their house up because the area is too developed, or anyone who thinks impact fees should be implemented offer to pay an impact fee for the house they live in already. Your house is never part of the over development, and your house never impacts anything, only other peoples houses do.
January 9, 2009 at 6:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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