COASTAL OBSERVER

In creating a new land use plan for Georgetown County, consultants also hope to rebuild trust between citizens and officials after a series of contentious land use decisions that have spawned four lawsuits.

“It’s a strong sentiment from some people. I’m hoping this whole process, in where it’s going, is going to rebuild that trust. That’s the goal,” said Irene Tyson, planning director for the Boudreaux Group, the Columbia-based firm hired by the county to prepare a draft of the land use element of the comprehensive plan.

The process began this week with public forums in Georgetown, Murrells Inlet and Choppee. Participants were asked to provide their goals land use policy and to show where they think residential, commercial and land preservation should take place.

The first session at the Howard Auditorium drew about 75 people from across the county, including some who were skeptical of the process.

The current land use plan “has been violated left and right. How is the new one going to be any different?” asked Nicole Barksdale, a Ricefields resident. “You can make any plan you want, but they don’t follow the one we have now.”

“There’s a lack of trust in the community for the people who are in charge of these land use plans,” said Anne Zavacky, who lives near property in Parkersville that was approved for a townhouse project that is being challenged in court. “At every turn, the people of the community have been betrayed.”

Tyson facilitated a County Council retreat earlier this year and a CEO roundtable for the county’s Alliance for Economic Development last year. 

She said she understands the concerns.

“Right now, you have no reason to trust me,” she said, but said she hoped to win that trust as the process continues. “We’re looking forward now.”

The process at this week’s meetings was similar to one used a couple of years ago for a study of land use along the Highway 17 corridor on Waccamaw Neck. 

Participants placed stickers on maps to show what they think the future land uses should be and were asked to show their preference for different styles of buildings, both residential and commercial.

“How do we know when we do all this work and tell you what we want or don’t want that you’re going to follow the land use plan?” asked Karen Wesdorp, a Litchfield resident.

The draft plan that Boudreaux is due to deliver by the end of the year will also contain recommendations for implementing the update in the county’s zoning ordinance and development regulations, Tyson said.

The comments received this week will be compiled and trends identified. 

The map data will also be consolidated.

“We’re going to have a good six weeks of work to process this,” Tyson said. “There is a lot of data, opinions and best practices that we’re going to be layering here.”

A virtual “brown bag” forum will be scheduled to take additional comments. 

When a first draft of the plan is completed, there will be another round of public input sessions.

Those will be held at different locations from the first round, Richardson said.

The land use update also includes a focus on affordable housing.

Jeff Lee, a Georgetown resident, looked at the images of existing housing and shook his head. His daughter ended up moving to her husband’s home state of West Virginia.

“There was no place they could afford,” he said. “It just broke my heart.”

The last of the first round of input sessions is today at 5:30 p.m. at the Northwest Regional Recreation Center on Choppee Road. 

People who want to provide comments can also email landuse@gtcounty.org.