Letter: Development Will Have Negative Impacts

Beginning in the earlier nineties to the present, I have observed how our local appointed and elected government officials have performed their duties.   One action that has proven consistent among our officials is the decision not to allow new housing development traffic to travel through another community.  This has been the normal until recently when the Planning Commissioners recommended approval of a development (Oyster Point) in the Six Mile Community.  The Planning and Development Committee later did the same.  In both cases, the justification was that if they did not approve the annexation of the project the developer would go the County and develop the project with access to water and sewer without annexing.

However, if this project is approved as proposed in the Town of Mount Pleasant, the impact on the existing communities would be greater than constructing the project in the County.  There is a housing development (Palmetto Fort) adjacent to the proposed Oyster Point development that is approved in the County for 282 houses. The Palmetto Fort developer could request the three homes per acre zoning and increase the number of lots to 375. The two projects would have a combined total of 968 homes. It is hard to believe that our representatives feel that they are operating in the best interest of the citizens of Mount Pleasant. The average daily vehicle trips on Six Mile Road between Highway 17 and Rifle Range Road is 3000 vehicles. With the construction of these communities, the average daily vehicle trips on Six Mile Road between the heart of the Six Mile Community and these communities is estimated at 7000 to 8000 vehicles.

This development will have an impact on all communities along Rifle Range Road. This project should be tabled until an equable solution can be found. 

Sincerely,
George Freeman