City ready to annex Long SavannahBY DAVID SLADE AND TENISHA WALDO
The Post and Courier
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Plan would include moving growth line 
If you goCharleston City Council is slated to consider annexing the Long Savannah property and changing the urban growth boundary when it meets Tuesday at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 80 Broad St. The city also will host public planning workshops starting next week for the proposed Long Savannah development. The meetings will be held at the old Kincaid Furniture store, 1821 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. on these days: Friday, Nov. 30. Kick-off presentation at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. In a move that could add more than 3,000 homes to the city and reshape the edge of West Ashley, Charleston is poised to annex the proposed Long Savannah development and extend the "urban growth boundary" line in order to accommodate the plan. Two new public parks covering 1,800 acres, a developer-financed extension of the Glenn McConnell Parkway, and other public amenities depend upon the fate of the 1,253-acre subdivision. Supporters say the new parks would form a better boundary to suburban sprawl than the artificial growth boundary line that is enforced with zoning rules. "I think the wisest land-use planning decision would be to do exactly what we would be recommending: to allow the wonderful park to be the urban growth boundary," said Charleston Mayor Joe Riley. But opponents say moving the boundary line would set a dangerous precedent. "My personal thought is the line should not be moved without any logical or rational reason, and we have not seen that yet," said Charleston County Council Chairman Tim Scott. "In theory, the city of Charleston can completely ignore the county's plan and develop any way they want to." If City Council approves the plans, the Long Savannah property would be Charleston's largest annexation since Daniel Island, and the only time the city has supported a significant expansion of the urban growth boundary. The boundary line has been recognized by the city and by Charleston County as the point at which suburban-style development should stop. The Long Savannah developers originally submitted their request to change the zoning to the county, but this week took their plan to the city instead. Moving the growth boundary could mean about 3,600 homes, rather than around 1,500 under current zoning. Supporters, including Riley and the Coastal Conservation League, argue that a large mixed-use development could actually combat suburban sprawl by putting a new commercial center near existing subdivisions like Grand Oaks and Village Green. "Hopefully it will end up reversing some trips, because it will be a destination and not just a residential neighborhood," said Megan Desrosiers of the Coastal Conservation League. "We support density in the appropriate places, as long as the transportation infrastructure can support it." The developers have promised $15 million in public improvements, including road projects and money or land for new police and fire facilities and a school. The public parks abutting Long Savannah would be publicly financed, and the county already has approved spending most of the $9.3 million needed from the half-cent sales tax for that purpose. Plans call for a 1,568-acre county park and a 232-acre city park, both carved out of the 3,053 acres controlled by the developers. The developers behind Long Savannah LLC are Associated Developers Inc. and the SIM Group. SIM Group and its SINTRA development company in Mount Pleasant developed Hamlin and Brickyard plantations, Carolina Park and several communities in Summerville. Chris K. Phillips Jr., a partner in Long Savannah with Associated Developers Inc., referred questions about the plan Wednesday to attorney Lucas Padgett, who could not be reached for comment. The League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area has urged the city and county to not move the growth boundary, saying that doing so would lead to future losses of rural land. "Once the line is moved, there is no turning back," League officials warned last fall, a position reaffirmed by League President Lynn Greer on Wednesday. The Red Top community initially opposed the development but later reached an agreement with the developers on road and community improvements. Charleston City Council will first consider the annexation Tuesday, but the city has already scheduled a week of meetings to consider the design of the subdivision. "You take all of this together, and I really think it is one of the most important land use planning opportunities in a very long time," Riley said. County Councilwoman Colleen Condon said she is comfortable with the city taking the lead on the project and is pleased the public will be able to participate in planning workshops. Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 12 comment(s)
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Posted by skeeter on November 22, 2007 at 6:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Instead of Long Savannah why not annex the City of Savannah and be done with it.
Posted by mac0cm4 on November 22, 2007 at 7:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The greed of both the developers and the City of Charleston (Joe Riley) never ceases to amaze ne.
Posted by JH09915 on November 22, 2007 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Geechie, I totally agree with you.
It is virtually impossible to drive in Charleston and it makes no difference where you go around here, there is a crowd of people.. it sucks!!!
Posted by Native_Ink on November 22, 2007 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is joke. The county is supposed to administer the Urban Growth Boundary. We knew all along that Joe Riley wanted Long Savannah to move forward, but he has also sworn to abide by the county's UGB. For county council to roll over and play dead is a sad day for them. To invite the public to seven "planning" sessions when it's obvious the city doesn't care a damn about our opinions is ridiculous and a slap in the face.
Posted by carolinapanther on November 22, 2007 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It seems to me that Joe Riley is showing everyone why he is the best mayor in America! He is finding ways to grow the city and make it more beautiful!! Charleston is lucky to have such a great mayor!!
Posted by now_ready1 on November 22, 2007 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets see, when the City of North Charleston annexed and area about a mile or two just north of there it was so horrid because North Charleston was over ridding the counties less dense zoning. Supposedly, just for the benefit of the developer.
Now that the City of Charleston is doing what they accused North Charleston of doing, its a god send, bound to make the world a better place.
Didn't any of you Charleston voters, bother to think, even for a second, during the last election for Charleston mayor.
Its only going to get worse. This is just his opening salvo.
City of Charleston residents can't all be that stupid , to believe all thats being fed them....
Oh, Well, maybe I just answered my own question.
Good thing is that the City of North Charleston has plenty of room for all the refuges streaming up here from the south area.
Posted by Native_Ink on November 22, 2007 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
now_ready1,
Mayor Summey was wrong to try to annex Watson Hill, but Mayor Riley is of course just as bad. Riley strikes a very self-righteous tone when talking about the greedy landgrabs made by other towns, but he doesn't do anything to set an example. (Heck, he's the original bad example). Even Riley's contention that the Long Savannah parks will mark the "end" of suburban sprawl is a joke. He has no power over what nearby towns like Ravenel and Hollywood will do. He's basically passing the baton of suburban sprawl to them, and then I bet he'll criticize and patronize them once they decide to follow his example. Once upon a time I used to look up to Mayor Riley. I can't believe I was so naive.
Posted by now_ready1 on November 22, 2007 at 3:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Try, Native_ink????
Posted by Reader on November 22, 2007 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Moving the growth line is a TERRIBLE idea. We already have enough urban sprawl, and we certainly do not need more. The very idea that you will fight urban sprawl by permitting new strip malls closer to existing neighborhoods is insane. Joe Riley likes to comment about traffic that building new roads to fight traffic problems is like buying a new belt to fight obesity. The same is true for urban sprawl.
I say all of this with full knowledge that the fix is already in on all of this. God save us from Joe Riley!
Posted by now_ready1 on November 22, 2007 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Native_ink, in the beginning, it started with three important words ..... "WE THE PEOPLE".
How did we allow it to transform to "I the politician"?
Posted by JH09915 on November 23, 2007 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
City of Charleston residents are not dumb by any stretch of the imagination, they are just too lazy to get off of their asses and vote!!
Posted by Walt on November 23, 2007 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What blows me away are the hypocritical comments by the "League of Screaming Liberals". They were hell bent to get Riley reelected and now have the audacity to complain about his long known plans to move the Urban Growth Boundry.
Then there's the Coactal Conerrvation League, another bunch of "world-class" hypocrits who are willing to argue a camel through the eye of Riley's needle just to justify this blatant example of Riley's continuing urban sprawl.