County Council gives initial OK to temporary halt
From staff reports
Jasper County leaders last week gave preliminary approval to a 270-day halt to large residential subdivisions, commercial development, and signage within the Euhaw Broad River Area of northern Jasper County.
“We have seen tremendous development growth over the past decade, and Council wants to step back, let our planners do their work to update the Comprehensive Plan, and come back with recommendations on smart growth and where that should best occur,” County Administrator Andrew Fulghum said.
County Council voiced its concern over the impact of new subdivisions and commercial development on roads, evacuation routes, streetscapes, overall traffic congestion, stormwater management and how to protect open space and natural habitats in the northern part of the county.
“As a county, we understand we are in a critical location between Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and Savannah,” Jasper County Council Chair Martin Sauls IV said. “More and more people are making the good choice to live in Jasper County, but we want to be sure we put protections in place to protect our heritage and natural resources.
“This moratorium will allow the county time to assess current zoning ordinances, preserve critical environmentally sensitive land, but also determine what areas may be suitable for development as well,” Sauls said.
The temporary moratorium ordinance requires two additional votes by Jasper County Council and a public hearing June 5. The 270-day countdown begins when the ordinance receives final approval. The pending ordinance doctrine took effect in first reading. The South Carolina Supreme Court has approved the “pending ordinance doctrine” as a basis for a local government to refuse to issue a building permit when such proposed use is repugnant to a pending and later enacted zoning ordinance.
The temporary growth hold applies to new commercial and residential development in the areas along the Broad River, Highways 170, 462, Bees Creek Road, and the area known as the Okeetee Club.
The pending ordinance affects new residential subdivisions of four or more lots, or four or more multi-family units, commercial development and signage in the Euhaw Broad River Planning Area, including the SC Highway 170 corridor to the municipal boundaries of Hardeeville.
The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League stood in support of the moratorium, saying it “greatly appreciates the council, staff, and Broad River Task Force for their leadership in this endeavor to retain the sense of place and community quality of life that defines Northern Jasper County.”
