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Parts of South Carolina’s “Low Country” are being discovered. The region has been a sleepy and rural area, but as the opportunity to live near the ocean is being bought up, growth and development is coming to this part of the old south. Instead of lining up with hat in hand to monetize every square inch of its land, the leaders of Jasper county have taken the approach of quality growth. That means tight zoning of land, developers paying for the improvements, and lots of greenbelts and open areas.

And boy will that make a difference in the quality of life 10 years down the road. Instead of congestion that will squander the beauty, they will have quality and organized development.

I have has the opportunity to live in a smart growth community. Our county has insisted on 5 acre lots in most of the county and the towns and cities tend to have very organized and restrictive housing criteria with lots of greenbelts and open spaces. And it is wonderful.

Some may dislike this approach but watching the rest of Metro Atlanta explode and have a hodgepodge of housing built around it makes me see the logic and appreciate the housing appreciation that goes along with it.

Longtime residents and local officials who want to guide growth, but not hinder it, say they believe that Jasper will benefit from developing later than other parts of the South. Having watched their neighbors, particularly Beaufort County, become overwhelmed by growth that spilled over from Hilton Head, Jasper officials say, they saw what was coming and got together to set some ground rules.
“In areas like ours, where people are starved for development, they’re willing to give away the farm,” said Kevin Griffin, assistant city manager of Hardeeville, who has an advanced degree in urban planning. “But we’ve really tried to get ahead of the growth, rather than being five years behind and having to catch up.”
More than two years ago, local leaders from Hardeeville and Ridgeland got together with county officials to collaborate on a shared growth plan. A five-mile radius was drawn around Ridgeland, and another five-mile radius was set around Hardeeville, delineating where development could occur according to local zoning laws.
Any landowners who fall outside of each town’s boundary and want to build have to petition to be annexed, and if approved, pay for the installation of sewers, water, and roads. After extensive research, the joint planning committee determined that every new residential unit costs about $6,200 in services.
“People talk about smart growth, but this is more like fiscal growth,” Mr. Griffin said. “We don’t say you can’t develop here; it’s a pay-to-play environment. Suddenly, that cheap land doesn’t seem so cheap anymore. But the good developers, the ones who want to be stewards of the land, they are the ones who can adjust their plans and create a quality product.”

‘Smart Growth’ in South Carolina - New York Times.

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