New restrictions on development proposed in Mount Pleasant – Charleston Post Courier

MOUNT PLEASANT As the town prepares to tackle flooding problems in the Old Village, at a cost that works out to almost $10,000 per home, another development moratorium has been proposed.

Supporters in some of the oldest parts of Mount Pleasant say the development of more homes, and larger homes, has contributed to flooding problems by covering more land with buildings and driveways.

"The purpose is not to keep people from building homes," said Councilman Will Haynie at a meeting this week. "The purpose is to keep peoples homes from flooding."

A proposed moratorium that received initial approval Tuesday targets the subdivision of properties into multiple building lots, and the construction of accessory dwellings, which are small, secondary homes on the same property as a primary home.

However, Haynie and Councilman Joe Bustos said they want to change that plan, before a final vote next month, and focus instead on how much of a property can be covered with buildings and pavement. A land-coverage standard could potentially restrict building additions, which have outnumbered new home construction by more than four to one over the past decade.

On Tuesday, Councilmen Paul Gawrych and Mark Smith, along with Mayor Linda Page, declined to support the moratorium in its current form, restricting property subdivisions and accessory dwellings. Page indicated she may support the moratorium if it's changed before a final vote, as Haynie suggested.

"Its not that Im fighting you on the issue," the mayor said to him.

The council unanimously agreed Tuesday to have the town's staff prepare a request for proposals to design drainage improvements for parts of the Old Village where the need is considered most urgent.

A $100,000 study by Thomas & Hutton found that the broader Old Village area needs $25 million in drainage improvements. Two areas, known as the Royall Avenue and Edwards Park drainage basins, were determined to be the top priorities.

A drainage basin is, in terms of flooding, a self-contained area. The Old Village has about two dozen drainage basins, but the Royall Avenue and Edwards Park basins cover large portions of the area, where the town was first founded.

The Royall Avenue and Edwards Park drainage basins, outlined in blue, could get about $9 million in drainage improvements. They were parts of a larger area where flooding problems were studied in Mount Pleasant.

Together, it's an area that runs from, roughly, the back of Moultrie Middle School to Center Street, and from Royall Avenue to Pherigo Street. There are 881 properties in those two drainage basins, and addressing flooding problems there is estimated to cost $8.7 million.

The town has not determined how to pay for the work, or the estimated $800,000 design phase that Town Council has voted for.

Town Council has recently turned to development moratoriums in response to several growth-related issues.

Mount Pleasant has a two-year freeze on new apartment developments in place throughout the town, which followed an earlier apartment moratorium. Town Council has also considered, but did not approve, a moratorium on all residential development, another one on accessory dwellings, and yet another to prevent tree removal or land clearing on any tracts of five acres or more.

The tree-related proposal, from Councilman Gary Santos, was defeated Tuesday. It was aimed at preventing land clearing for 90 days while the Planning Commission considers changes to the town's tree regulations.

"Im just trying to protect the trees," Santos said at the meeting. "Im afraid the unprotected trees will be cut down if people hear (that the town might change the rules)."

Santos received support for his proposal from Haynie, Bustos, and Councilman Jim Owens, but it failed on a 5-4 vote with the rest of the council and the mayor opposed.

Reach David Slade at 843-937-5552. Follow him on Twitter @DSladeNews.

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New restrictions on development proposed in Mount Pleasant - Charleston Post Courier