Town Looks to Annex Colonial Site

The Summerville Planning Committee meets 4 p.m. Wednesday to consider a petition to annex Colonial Dorchester State Historic Park on Dorchester Road. 

"It'll be a real feather in the town's cap to have something so prominent in the development of South Carolina," Councilman Bob Jackson said.

Nearly 250 acres along the Ashley River, the site is mostly zoned multi-family residential (R-4) through the county, but if it is annexed into the town, it would become zoned public lands. The property is owned by the state. 

The annexation is one of the steps toward revitalizing the Oakbrook area along the Ashley River, which includes the Jessen Boat Landing. In 2012, Jackson proposed revitalizing the area and connecting it to the existing state park up river to create a tourism destination that protects the land, but also adds dining and shopping in a walkable experience. Click here to read more about his proposal.

"The site coming into town would greatly aid in helping that along," Jackson said. The town owns the Jessen Boat Landing, and is working with owners of surrounding lots to protect the land. He added that the Colonial Dorchester site and the boat landing could be connected by a bike path. 

Jackson said the only expense the town will incur in the annexation is providing fire and police to the Colonial Dorchester site. Any work done by the town to provide facilities would likely be funded through the hospitality tax fund, Jackson said. 

The Colonial Dorchester State Historic Park is currently on three parcels, but would become one parcel under the annexation. 

After going through committee, annexation will go before full council, where it must have two readings with the majority of council in favor of the annexation.