Massive East Edisto tract could one day be new townBy Katy Stech (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Grace Beahm Alec Brebner, assistant planning director with Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments talks with Dorchester County resident Lucy Anne Cathcart about the plans for the MeadWestvaco land in the East Edisto area. View the plansClick here to view the preliminary plans PDF - 2.13MB MeadWestvaco Corp. unveiled a draft master plan Tuesday for its East Edisto property that calls for developing about one-quarter of the site, or 18,000 acres, including what eventually could be a new town. The paper company said about 75 percent of the 72,000-acre tract along the Edisto River west of Charleston would remain as open space through a combination of conserved lands, parks, lakes and rural areas. The initial construction phase, which could take two decades or longer to complete, is concentrated on the north end of the property, in Dorchester County. It would include a business park to provide area residents with jobs, possibly from an unidentified biotechnology firm. It also would have three residential and commercial "villages" that would be smaller than or similar in size to The Ponds, a 2,000-acre nearby development. "This is very much a natural path of growth for the region," said John A. Luke Jr., MeadWestvaco's chairman and chief executive officer. The company said the three proposed villages will be "more than places to live." "The intention is for them to be places to work, play, worship and learn," MeadWestvaco said in a statement. "It calls for quality schools at all levels — elementary through high school, as well as adult education opportunities and institutions of higher learning." Two to three decades from now, MeadWestvaco said, work could begin on what would essentially serve as a new town slightly larger than the nearby villages. The location would be closer to the center of the East Edisto tract and include more civic functions, such as an unidentified community college that has expressed interest in obtaining land for a campus. A similar town center also was shown for the south end of the property, along Savannah Highway and west of Ravenel, but that could be 20 to 30 years away. The huge expanse of land between the two proposed town sites would feature a network of roads and recreational trails for horses, hikers and bikers. An undisclosed number of homes would be allowed on property beyond the three villages, though they would have various restrictions, such as minimum lot sizes. Ken Seeger, president of MeadWestvaco's community development and land-management group, said the company will not build homes or businesses directly along the Edisto River, largely at the request of residents. MeadWestvaco did not release projections at Tuesday's public meeting on how many people could one day live in the East Edisto development. Seeger said construction will be based on regional growth patterns, not speculation. "East Edisto will only grow in response to market demands," he said. MeadWestvaco has organized a series of community meetings in April to gather more feedback about East Edisto. It hopes to finalize the master plan by this summer. The company thinks what it presented is "close" to what the finished product will look like, Seeger said. By early next year, MeadWestvaco hopes to submit development plans to Dorchester County and Charleston County governments. It likely won't break ground for another three to five years, but Luke said the company will "lock down" specifically how the land can be developed before then. He also said the various restrictions, such as the number of homes allowed per acre, will be difficult to reverse after the development deals are signed. The magnitude of the East Edisto project has caused a sense of unease among some people who live near the rural timber tract. While most residents understand that MeadWestvaco has the right to develop its land, many said they are disappointed that their quality of life might change. But the reception at the meeting was for the most part warm. Wilbur Jones, who owns family land near the Edisto River north of Savannah Highway, said he was initially cautious of MeadWestvaco's announcement a year ago but said that what officials presented was reasonable. "I try to live in a real world, and, at this point, I'm coming away with good feelings," he said. Bob and Linda Baker live on 41 acres of forestland near Summerville that is entirely surrounded by MeadWestvaco acreage. Two years ago, they moved from one of Summerville's largest subdivisions to the rural area for a change of pace and the opportunity to build a modest farm. But Bob Baker said the two own "enough land to disappear in," and that the proposed development would improve their property values and make their commute to shopping areas shorter. He also said he understands that the region needs to grow. "If you don't grow, you die," he said. MeadWestvaco said it will serve as the main developer for East Edisto, meaning it would install the roads and other infrastructure and oversee how the various phases are built out by other companies. Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 17 comment(s)
Posted by Slick50 on March 26, 2008 at 6:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
By early next year, MeadWestvaco hopes to submit development plans to Dorchester County and Charleston County governments.
Cha-Ching....can you say "bigger tax base, baby"?
Posted by theronce on March 26, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here we go again. It's relentless.
Posted by 5thGenerationLocal on March 26, 2008 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is exactly what we need --another reason for Yankees to move here. Way to go MeadWesvaco. Nothing like selling out your local community.
Posted by Paul on March 26, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thats all we need more developement so the mayors can increase their coffers with more tax money ...
Posted by majorjohnson on March 26, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well why don't you 4 go buy that property. That way it can stay undeveloped, the yanks will stay up north, and all you have to do is pay the property taxes on 18,000 acres every year.
Oh wait, you're greedy sellouts, keeping your money instead of helping your local community. For shame!
Posted by trm2105 on March 26, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I for one am sick of this southern provincialism, particularly the kind that is perpetuated by attitudes that the southern states are still a confederacy, which by the way was started by a small group of elite whites and sold to a majority of poor whites to fight a war that if won, would have maintained the status quo at the expense of not only slaves, but the poor white majority that suffered that greatest loss in defending a few wealthy slave holders' interests.
Posted by charlestonian on March 26, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Do you really think Joe is going to let a new town be formed in his backyard? It will eventually be brought into Charleston by back door Joe deals.
Posted by icbmman on March 26, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bob Baker gets it, much less than some of the posters here. Growth is necessary to continue to have a thriving city. My only problem with this development is that it will affect any consideration to extend Glenn McConnell and make it an I-14 extension that would travel to Walterboro, I-95, and eventually Augusta. The Chas area needs another interstate for hurricane evacuation, particularly. It seems as if East Edisto would completely inhibit that.
Posted by Early on March 26, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
On the bright side, these folks are PLANNING AHEAD instead of the kind of development that took place in the Summerville area which devastated the infrastructure. I say well done!
Posted by pompusmaximus on March 26, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ha, Alec isn't a big guy so that lady in the picture must be like 4 feet tall.
Posted by georgebushsux on March 26, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
trm2105, great post but it will take more than words to change the mind set of some down here? Some folks continue to forget that WE ALL LIVE IN A FREE SOCIETY by which allows us to live where ever we choose.
The "stars & bars flag" is wrapped alittle to tight around some of them?
Posted by jackson707 on March 26, 2008 at 12:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What about all the trees and wildlife ???? We have to much development going on now. We need to stop. Before to long we will be like atlanta and other big cities. Do we really want that here in the Lowcountry. Stop all the development.
Posted by Thomas1776 on March 26, 2008 at 2:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's all about developers like Ravenel wanting to stay rich like Kings. Money rules and buys votes in government. Behind the scene gifts and vacation packages buy votes. $5000.00 cash buys votes.
People need to realize that your government is not for you. These people we elect and who are hired to run things are on the take. Do audits and you will catch them.
Posted by TP on March 26, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard the 50-60 year plan for this Edisto development includes a one-way bullet train to transport eager Yanks from Boston-NY-Connecticut-New Jersey to the LowCountry. Don't worry, this train will not be for all Yanks, just the really whiny, grumpy, rude ones that have a problem with the way everything is done in the south.
Posted by Marshpoodle on March 26, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The low country will go by the ways as Florida did but just a lil faster. I suspect the tricounty area will continue to grow much like miami did in the sixties. only there is no everglades blocking the expansion.
Posted by lexylady on March 26, 2008 at 7:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I sold a beautiful piece of property on the Edisto River several years back. That was the biggest mistake I ever made. I could have sold it today for a mint and moved up North away from the Yankees..Plenty of land up there.LOL
Posted by combahee on March 27, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
With the huge problems we are all facing in over development in coastal SC, this will just make the situation worse. Where will the sewage go? Where will the water come from? How about new landfills? What impact will it have on current roads and travel patterns? What of the residents in adjoining counties?
There are too many variables which the citizens of SC will end up having to foot the bill for.
Much better to leave the land as a conservation buffer.