Residents offer visions

COG holds forum on community goals

About 250 people attended a forum Saturday that focused on how the Lowcountry is changing, some saying they want a stronger sense of community.

Residents from 21 of the region's 27 municipalities attended the Our Region Our Plan forum at the Charleston Area Convention Center. The "kickoff meeting" began a two-year conversation between the tri-county region's community members and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments. Attendees in groups of 10 listened to presentations from the COG, took polls and discussed topics such as the key opportunities facing the region.

The event was considered the biggest public session in the two-year, $1.5-million planning process to provide a new blueprint for how local governments should build roads, schools and utility lines.

Some participants gave their visions of the collaboration:

Inez Brown Crouch, James Island Public Service District Commissioner:"I came here because I'd like to see a collaboration between us (the regions). ... Transportation is one (priority), and I'm very concerned about environmental and health issues. And education."

Amanda Smith, West Ashley:"I'm concerned about maintaining the sense of the Lowcountry. Everything's growing and new and looks like other places. I want to bring back the Lowcountry feeling and ... a sense of community."

Mac Baughman, Summer- ville:"I want to look at developing sustainable towns where people can live, work and play, and places where we can help support mass transit."

AJ Davis, North Charles- ton:"I'd like to see more communication between the counties and more emphasis on creating a competent work force in the region internally, and also, lastly, more attention focused on the issues of true affordable housing and higher livable wages."