Following is a partial transcript of this week’s episode of the Columbus Connection podcast. For the full program, follow The Columbus Connection with Jefferson Weaver on Spotify. Click the link on this website for more.
Are we seeing a shift in attitudes toward development in Columbus County, or just elected officials being more willing to listen to the electorate?
In either case, it’s a good thing.
In the past week, county residents spoke out against two planned developments, one near Dothan and the other near Tabor City. Emotions were riding high in the commissioners chambers during the public hearings, but the folks who spoke had their facts straight, and they spoke from the heart.
They described problems with flooding that could be traced to current development in the south end and the clearing of timber for land preparation. They expressed concerns over an historic cemetery, and whether or not a homeowners association would abide by its word to allow that cemetery to be respected and maintained. They pointed out the problems in our neighboring counties, where virtually uncontrolled growth has led to congestion, overwhelmed infrastructure, lower services, overcrowded schools and more.
Those developments were scheduled to bring 1,000 and 190 homes (respectively) to Columbus County. Another development would have eventually added 10,000 addresses to the Nakina ZIP code, sparking speculation that Nakina would eclipse Whiteville in ten years.
Yet another developer wants to bring 4,500 homes – potentially 10,000 new residents – to a swampy area near East Columbus High School. Then there’s the potential 10,000 to 15,000 homes considered in the Delco area. The development train was rolling down the track to Columbus County, and rolling hard.
Thankfully, county commissioners listened, and yanked the brake lever, bringing the locomotive to a screaming halt.
The Sarvis and Coleman tracts were sent back to the county planning board for review. At the same time, then entire board of commissioners voted unanimously to instruct the county manager to review and begin reworking the subdivision and planned unit development ordinances. Squarely in the crosshairs were lot sizes and preserving the rural nature of our county, which draws so many people here in the first case.
Since then, the Old Lake Road project has been pulled back by its engineers for more stud, and the Paloma tract has been outright cancelled.
Contrary to popular belief, most people in this county are not anti-development. They are pro-Columbus County, and that means being in favor of sensible development.
The attitude of the county commissioners and the outgoing economic development director was sometimes one of not being able to stop – and barely being able to control – the hyper development spreading in from our neighbors. At the rate we were going, it was inevitable that we would see dramatic shifts in the quality of life in our county, and there was nothing to be done. The folks who helped make this county so attractive to those developers in the first case would just be out of luck, and have to deal with the change. Basically, the choices were either accept the fact that your home is changing, or get out.
Others saw and still see development as the next tobacco or textile industry boom. That’s always a nice thought, but it’s a pipe dream. Construction jobs are not permanent. The retailers drawn by 10,000 to 25,000 new residents with money to spend would add to the tax base, but retail jobs simply do not pay enough to allow folks to buy homes and invest in their homeland.
Affordable housing is already an issue here. None of the properties being developed were or are starter homes, or even middle-income rental properties. With nowhere to live, there’s no one to man the cash registers, cook the meals, or help the customers. With nowhere to live, workers aren’t going to flock to any community. And without a base of employees, there’s no reason for a retailer to move here when they’re already established less than a half-hour in the other direction.
Residential development is needed here; the old standby mobile home doesn’t last forever, and in some cases can be a waste of money someone could use for a stickbuilt home that provides stability and longterm tax revenue, not to mention an investment that pays off for the homeowner. The more high-end homes are created, the less room there is for less-expensive homes, the kind bought by working families.
From the perspective of the county tax coffers, hyper development looks like a gold rush, at least until the infrastructure fails and the swamps flood and the brand new schools are overcrowded before they open their doors. From the perspective of local folks looking for a place to call home, on local salaries, those developments are not quite so attractive. The same goes for folks who are concerned with what will happen to the quality of life that makes rural communities stand out.
In surrounding counties, there are growing conflicts between farmers, hunters and others who love the outdoors every year. There were vague assurances that buyers of homes in new developments would sign agreements that they wouldn’t complain about the current residents, or file lawsuits against farmers whose tractors share the roads, or hunters who run dogs and harvest deer on land where they have permission to do so. Most of the folks who come here are trying to escape the city and life up North, and as such have no concept of traditional hunting or taking into account slow-moving farm equipment when you’re heading to the store or work.
But the examples seen in other counties should give anyone reason to distrust any non-legally binding piece of paper.
Development – sensible development – could be a huge boon for our county. But it must be done correctly, or we’ll just be another example of development gone wrong.
The commissioners deserve credit for showing courage and listening to their constituents on this issue, even if they’re having to eat the elephant one bite at a time. They have the responsibility to help our county grow, while making sure their constituents are served. It’s a hard job, and sometimes it’s even harder to go against the grain.
The people of our community deserve just as much credit if not more, however. They have shown the power of the voting public holding their elected officials accountable. — JCW
Be the first to comment