Plans for hundreds of homes could transform rural town
On the verge
The Post and Courier
'I grew up in this house. I was born in this house,' said Lyn Inman as she watered plants on her porch while taking a break from mowing her yard in Awendaw on Friday. 'We are the originals.'
The Post and Courier
Awendaw's rural nature is reflected in these mailboxes along Doar Road.
AWENDAW — A resident can raise chickens here and it's unlikely anyone would mind. The biggest thing around is the Sewee Outpost, a general store for hunters, fishermen, campers and visitors to the Francis Marion National Forest and Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
Although sleepy in appearance, the town is at a crossroads where its rural lifestyle meets plans for hundreds of houses on thousands of acres. The 322-acre Nebo tract is on the agenda for Monday's Planning Commission meeting.
The property is surrounded by forest on both sides of U.S. Highway 17 and borders the Fairlawn tract, a 7,000-acre chunk of land whose owners said they may try to bring into the town.
Town Council recently approved a development agreement for 965 homes on the 1,300-acre King Tract that borders the forest. If it is built, the project would more than double the town's size.
"No one wants another Mount Pleasant out here, but unless houses are built in these developments, we'd have a hard time attracting businesses," said Linda Warren, who lives in Bulls Bay Overlook near the Intracoastal Waterway.
Warren and her husband Charles retired to the area eight years ago. Awendaw has a handful of businesses. "A lot of people like it that way, but then a lot of people don't," Warren said.
Mike Taylor, who lives on Seewee Road, enjoys the peace and quiet but worries that what drew him to the area 15 years ago is gradually fading because of development.
"I think it's a bad thing because they're putting 250 houses right down the road and the road can't handle it," Taylor said.
Awendaw is constructing a $6 million water system that includes a tall tower and 10 miles of underground pipe. It needs $1 million more to complete the job.
The town has been in preliminary discussions with Mount Pleasant Waterworks to operate its system. For some, that raises the prospect of Waterworks running sewer lines up to Awendaw to replace septic tanks, a move that could further spur development. But Waterworks General Manager Clay Duffie said, "Sewer is not on the table. This is water only."
A new water system would mean up to three homes could be built on an acre, tripling the current limit. Town residents rely on wells. An Awendaw sewage treatment plant has been discussed, but the council has delayed any plans for sewer until its water system is complete and residents have running water.
Mount Pleasant is building a $1.8 million regional police and fire training facility bordering Awendaw. The Charleston County Board of Zoning Appeals narrowly approved the 38-acre project over the objections of a vocal contingent of Awendaw residents. Mount Pleasant has constructed an entrance road, gates, lights and a well. An indoor firing range and a fire training tower are planned.
"They seem to think that we're the great dragon," said Mount Pleasant Town Administrator Mac Burdette. "We're going to be good neighbors. They'll never even know we're back there."
Awendaw Mayor Pro Tem Samuel Robinson said growth should be compatible with the town's character. He noted that Mount Pleasant development has changed the Four-Mile and Six-Mile communities.
Robinson fretted over the prospect of newcomers building expensive homes that will drive the cost of local real estate sky high. "One of the great concerns of development is the displacement of native people," he said.
Robinson, a candidate for mayor, said many local residents are land rich and cash poor. Higher land prices can mean unaffordable taxes that force owners of family land to sell. "The price of development is paid by poor folks," he said.
The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League is concerned about how development could affect the surrounding national wilderness areas, but they don't oppose the new town water system. "What we're nervous about is if Mount Pleasant comes in to do water, what stops Mount Pleasant from coming in to do sewer," said Jane Lareau, a volunteer and former project director with the organization. "In terms of wilderness areas, it's about as good as you get."
William Alston has been mayor of the town since it was incorporated in 1992. He plans to run for mayor in November.
Asked about his vision for the town, Alston said he would be sharing a "vision statement" with the public within a month.
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Comments
Tides (anonymous) says...
The greedy, corrupt land developers and those they hire to lobby government. I wonder if Arthur or Tommy Ravenel have anything to do with this?
June 20, 2009 at 5:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Moontree (anonymous) says...
If there are people who do not like the lack of businesses then they are free to move. Why do some "leaders" in small towns think more is better?
June 20, 2009 at 6:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Moontree (anonymous) says...
With all of the empty foreclosed homes across America, I can't think of a better idea than to build hundreds of homes in the middle of nowhere. And with budget shortfalls the government has better things to do with taxpayers' money than subsidize developers' projects by building costly utility infrastructure.
June 20, 2009 at 7 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sdr35hw (anonymous) says...
If you build it, they will come.....or maybe not. I dont think there will be a large housing demand for a few years. Any demand can be met with foreclosures.
June 20, 2009 at 8:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shoelaces (anonymous) says...
The people I know who moved to Awendaw moved there because it didn't have all the things this article is talking about. They don't want it to be developed. They don't want businesses out there. That's why people move from urban areas to rural areas.....to get away from these so-called "do-gooders" who think everyone should live like they do.
MOON...I agree!! I have to wonder about the people who move to places like Bulls Bay Overlook...not a tract home neighborhood!!! My guess (could be wrong on this) is it is filled with people who want to keep their quiet, secluded, GATED neighborhood free of outsiders, but they want all the luxuries they left behind in the 'burbs.
Government intervention coming in to screw up a good thing..
June 20, 2009 at 8:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
canyouseeme (anonymous) says...
"We're going to be good neighbors. They'll never even know we're back there."
Did he really say that? With a straight face?
June 20, 2009 at 8:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mienliebte (anonymous) says...
My family comes from Awendaw. That's my mom on the front porch, watering her plants. Developement has already changed this little town and not so much for the better. I remember walking down Doar Road picking blackberries with my parents and brothers. Now I would be afraid of doing the same thing with my grandson because so many of our new neighbors fly down the road like it's a speedway.
Why move to a quiet, rural community, then complain about how little is there? Move back to the city and speed on the Mark Clark.
June 20, 2009 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CaptKick (anonymous) says...
I agree with you "canyouseeme". The Mt. P City Council is chomping at the bit to start telling those good folks how they should live. The chickens in the yard will be the first thing to go!
Just wait till those good folks get a taste of the INTRUSION into your lifestyle a well organized Home Owners Association can bring.
June 20, 2009 at 9:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
These people were happy to get 6 million tax dollars to build their water system, and they want millions more for waste treatement. Those are my tax dollars at work, now they say I can't live there because they want to stay small and rural?
Here's an idea, pay back the 6 million and counting and you can live rural. But how are fewer than 1000 people going to pay for a 6 million dollar water treatment center? Answer, they want us to pay for their water treatment and then they thumb their noses at us and tell us to go build in Mt. Pleasant. Oh, but Mt. Pleasant wants to spend millions of other peoples tax dollars to make their town pleasant too, and they also thumb their noses at the people who pay for it and tell us to go live elsewhere. Everyone wants a small rural community but then they want someone else to pay millions for their infrastructure so they can live like they're in a big city. You want the little town feel but in order to get that you restrict housing which increases the cost of housing then you cry that housing isn't affordable. You restrict density then expect tax dollars to fund mass transit for a handful of people spread out over hundreds of square miles. You want everything that comes with living in a big city but you want everyone to stay away so you can have the Mayberry feel to your town. It don't work that way folks.
June 20, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Picky (anonymous) says...
South Carolina really needs to develop some community rights laws. If a person wants to live in a rural area or small town, she shouldn't have to move every ten years.
It's clear that a majority of SC citizens would prefer stable communities.
June 20, 2009 at 11:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tc1 (anonymous) says...
"Make your voice heard"
Get the HE!! off my property and don't come back!
June 20, 2009 at 12:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nappyd (anonymous) says...
Trying to will that area to grow into being the next Hilton Head or Pawley's just isn't going to work for several reasons, including how far away it is from anything and that the land's just not as good as the already developed places.
June 20, 2009 at 1:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CombatCoastie (anonymous) says...
AmericanZero, yes! Organizing a community effort against the development is certainly the way to go. However, if you read this article from the P&C http://www.postandcourier.com/news/20... or even any previous ones regarding Awendaw, you'll see that the town council and Mayor Alston are not open to public opinion and are blatantly racist toward whites. So it will be a long and difficult fight.
June 20, 2009 at 2:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
postman01 (anonymous) says...
Note the stupidity and utter falsehood of the following: "Robinson, a candidate for mayor, said many local residents are land rich and cash poor. Higher land prices can mean unaffordable taxes that force owners of family land to sell. "The price of development is paid by poor folks," he said."
He's either retarded or lying. Wealth takes many forms and this includes owning land that is worth a lot of money. Land NEVER EVER, in and of itself, bought dinner for anyone, built them a house,sent kids to college, or provided a secure retirement (using it for productive purposes can do these things). This concept is known as net worth. The skyrocketing value of land is making the people who own this land much richer. What happens when they sell it is that they change a large portion of their net worth from an illiquid asset (land) to the most liquid asset of all: money. Robinson is either LYING or he is as stupid as he sounds. The assertion that "development is paid for by poor folks" is a material lie. It dramatically increases net worth, making them richer, and they don't pay ANYTHING for it. Robinson's opinion is the opinion of a deceitful and LOW IQ mind--period. He shouldn't be elected dog catcher.
June 20, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gingerisler (anonymous) says...
majorjohnson is right . . . awendaw wants water and sewer. They just dont want to pay for it out of their own pockets!
June 20, 2009 at 5:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shoelaces (anonymous) says...
NO!! Awendaw does NOT want any outside interference...that's why they are there!!!
The new peope who move there are there for the rural atmsphere...they like that the Outpost is the local store...they like driving to th dump...
It's the people from Mt. P. coming in and trying to do a soft sell to the "old timers" who are the bad guys. They will fall for it because they don't know any better.
It's the outsiders who want to bring change.. I just don't know why you would move to the country to presumably get away from overcrowding, and complain about living in the country............you can't have it both ways
June 20, 2009 at 7:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mienliebte (anonymous) says...
"These people were happy to get 6 million tax dollars to build their water system, and they want millions more for waste treatement. Those are my tax dollars at work, now they say I can't live there because they want to stay small and rural?"
Those benefiting from this "great" new water system are primarily newcomers. The "old-timers" use well water. At least until they're forced to tie into the new system, which is going to be extremely expensive.
So yes, I'd still say move somewhere else with all those "conveniences" that the old-timers have been doing without, and happy to continue doing without.
In other words, "these people" are people like you.
June 20, 2009 at 8:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bigwhip (anonymous) says...
All we'uns from Awendaw need to take a look at who represents us on County Council, Dickie Schweers and Joe Mckeown AND who they have appointed to the County's Planning Commission. Mckeown appointed THE Bobby Miller and Schweers appointed Noel Thorn. Also, know that Teddy Pryor appointed an East Cooper person in the likes of George Freeman. Politics produces strange bedfellows.
June 22, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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