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June 26, 2024
COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVES
HIGHER DENSITY LAND USE PLAN
Last night, Council approved a Comprehensive Land Use Plan that the county's own consultant admits INCREASES DENSITY on the Waccamaw Neck compared to the current plan. By the county consultant's calculations, the plan will allow up to 12,000 new households. That equates to a potential population increase of 29,040 - DOUBLE the existing population of the neck!
Waccamaw Neck citizens are outraged.
ELEVENTH HOUR RELEASE OF NUMBERS
KIG experts analyzed the data early on and concluded unequivocally that the proposed plan increases density substantially. For months, citizens have been challenging the county to "run the numbers" themselves and share them with the public.
The county consultants finally released their findings during a Zoom "Council Workshop" that took place immediately before the regular council meeting last night. No numbers were provided to the public ahead of time, leaving residents only minutes to evaluate the consultant's report and prepare for the public hearing.
The critical takeaway is that the consultant's conclusion was consistent with that of independent experts from the community who found that the new plan proposes a substantial increase in density on the Waccamaw Neck compared to the current plan.
THE SPIN
County administration downplayed this finding and continued with their charade that the new plan "reduces density" by comparing it to outdated high density residential zoning that has been in place since the 1970's, rather than comparing it to our current Land Use Plan maps which were last updated in 2015.
For decades, outdated zoning ordinances on the neck were not brought into accordance with our current Comprehensive Plan or any previous Comprehensive Plan as required by state law. And now, the county is proposing the approval of an increased density plan as a way to reduce density by downzoning? The logic is utterly absurd.
As our legal counsel pointed out during the public hearing last night:
"The county could downzone under our current low density plan today. They could have done it yesterday, or last week, or last year, or ten years ago. They certainly do not need to approve a higher density plan to downzone and reduce density."
Clearly, county administration is willing to do whatever it takes - even if it means misleading the public - to secure approval of a plan that will guarantee more tax dollars to support the entire county at the expense of Waccamaw Neck residents. Mercado and Elliott have shown us that they are fully on board with this agenda.
MERCADO & ELLIOTT BETRAYAL
Despite the vehement opposition of thousands of Waccamaw Neck citizens, hundreds of whom showed up at multiple public meetings, Stella Mercado and Clint Elliott voted in favor of the increased density plan.
Time and time again, Mercado and Elliott have broken their promises to the people they were elected to represent. From the day they were sworn in, they have consistently supported the county administration agenda, voted to increase density and decrease transparency, contrary to the wishes of their constituents whom they routinely ignore or dismiss. This level of arrogance on the part of inexperienced, newly elected council representatives is unconscionable.
Bob Anderson, the only Waccamaw Neck councilman who actually represents the people and who would have voted against this proposed land use plan, had longstanding arrangements to attend a family wedding in Hawaii, so could not be present at the meeting.
County administration knew of these plans well in advance. It seems highly coincidental that the first vote on the land use plan, which Anderson vocally opposed, was scheduled for a date when he was not available.
Ironically, Councilman Everett Carolina, who represents the Santee area of Georgetown, has been far more supportive of Waccamaw Neck residents than Mercado and Elliott have ever been. Carolina made a motion to defer the vote until all council members could be present. This was reasonable and courteous. No one seconded his motion, so it died. This tells us all we need to know about Mercado and Elliott.
WHAT IS THE NEXT MOVE FOR
CITIZENS OF THE WACCAMAW NECK ?
It has been said that to do the same thing over and over expecting a different result is the definition of "insanity." Clearly, the current county government system is not working for citizens of the Waccamaw Neck. It is time to re-direct our time, energy, and resources into a new strategy.
If we do not want to become Myrtle Beach, we have no choice but to take control of our own planning, zoning, and land use decisions.
In the next week or so, please be on the lookout for more information on this subject from a study group that has been carefully analyzing alternatives and options for the past year. They are an independent organization that is not affiliated with KIG, and we look forward to hearing what they have to say.
Thank you for your continued support of our important and effective work.
Your friends at
KEEP IT GREEN
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