Dear Mr. Samuel Levin,
There are those who say that public hearings, such as those held by the Beaufort Metropolitan Planning Commission, are just for show, but the Whitehall Point experience shows that is not always the case.
The purpose of this open letter is to provide feedback to you and your colleagues, based upon the Revised Development Plan for Whitehall Point, recently submitted with your signature, and to say thank you.
During the course of previous Whitehall Point plan reviews, we (citizens and groups concerned about the development of Whitehall Point) asked that the monolithic apartment buildings not be placed on the property. You have responded by removing the apartments, and distributing a smaller contingent of residents in cottage-type homes at Whitehall Point.
It was requested that there be a dramatic reduction of concrete and asphalt on the 19 acres, that there be more open land. You have responded with several open areas, and you have specified pervious materials for parking, streets, and walkways throughout the community, which will dramatically improve drainage from the property, and will lessen the amount of polluted storm runoff that will enter Beaufort River and Factory Creek. And, you have specified a meandering pervious walkway, also previously suggested, along the Beaufort River boundary of the property.
We residents of Beaufort city and county recognize the genius of having assisted living and independent living facilities in such close proximity, as they are mutually-dependent to some extent, and much needed in our community.
So thank you for all you have done to make Whitehall Point a more environmentally-friendly, walkable community, and also your plans to return a commercial restaurant to Whitehall, which has been sorely missed and much needed today on Lady’s Island.
Finally, after studying data concerning the increasing trend in vehicle accidents involving injuries in zip code 29907 for the past several years, I can only request that any efforts on your part to further reduce the number of residential vehicles accessing Sea Island Parkway going downtown daily from Whitehall Point will do much to alleviate grid lock at the bridge, as well as future accidents and the inevitable need for expedient evacuation of the Sea Islands when named storm incidents occur.
Fereol de Gastyne, Beaufort
