HOLLYWOOD - Frank Marvin's plans for developing some 235 acres of old farmland along the Toogoodoo River were looking good. In December, despite some public outcry, Hollywood Town Council switched its zoning from rural agricultural to a new category that allows up to four homes per acre.

Then Charleston dropped the bomb.

The city's utility, the Charleston Water System, notified Hollywood that the town would see a new limit on the amount of raw sewage that it could send for treatment.

In effect, the decision banned major development in a greenbelt around Charleston. It re-inforced the zoning plans of the city and county that call for future development to be concentrated around the urban core and limited in the rural areas.

Marvin, who owns Marvin's Meats Inc. on S.C. Highway 162, knew he had been outmaneuvered in what he sees as a political chess match.

'I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that it has a significant effect,' he said. 'You can't move ahead. They've got it temporarily blocked.'

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley explained that the decision was based in part on the limited capacity of the Plum Island plant, but his desire to control sprawl also played a big role.

'Certainly, our sewer service was not intended to facilitate growth not consistent with the county land-use plan. We felt it was important to communicate that to Hollywood,' he said.

'A sewer line is a very powerful stimulus for land development, and I think it's important for those of us who are in the sanitary sewer position to make sure that it is supportive of good regional planning.'

The Hollywood sewer saga is just one example of how local governments, prodded by calls to better prepare for growth, are taking new steps to do just that.

Ad hoc regionalism

Three years ago, state lawmakers

began debating a bill to promote regional planning and more cooperation on roads, sewer lines and schools - the kind of public investment that can encourage growth. That bill hasn't passed, though it might this year. But cities and counties in the Charleston area aren't waiting on it.

When newspaper stories highlighted the growth threat to the Francis Marion National Forest, Mayor Riley, Mount Pleasant Mayor Harry Hallman and others began discussing an intergovernmental pact to preserve existing zoning in the forests and marshlands north of Mount Pleasant by prohibiting new water and sewer lines.

Meanwhile, the county and Mount Pleasant officials have agreed to hire the Coastal Community Foundation to look at what should be done to preserve the neighborhoods and relieve traffic congestion along U.S. Highway 17 and Rifle Range Road.

On the southern end of the Charleston metro area, the city of Charleston, the county and the school district have formed two growth-management committees to plan for future development in the West Ashley area and Johns Island.

Their work pleases Chris Cannon, a Johns Island resident who has been active in monitoring rezoning and development plans for the island.

'There's always been the feeling that if someone goes to the county and can't get their property rezoned to what they want, then they'll go to the city,' he said. 'The idea is to stop this from happening and not give people the idea that they can do it that way. This is a good example of the city and county working together.'

'It's very political'

Most of the new efforts toward regional planning involve just that - planning.

But Charleston Water System's decision to back up existing plans with limits on future service is a whole different step, one with immediate impact.

Just ask Lydia Johnson, who works for a development company that recently had a large tract under contract in the Hollywood area. The plan called for subdividing it into 500 lots, plus preserving wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas. News of the sewer limits stopped it cold, just like Marvin's plans.

'If you have septic fields, you have to spread out those drain fields accordingly and it doesn't allow you to cluster as you would like to and build as sensitive as you would like to,' she said.

With the prospect of no central sewer, her company let its option expire.

Marvin said the move might be part of a plan to reduce property values as the county gears up its efforts to preserve rural land.

'I was born in Meggett. In the South Carolina history book, Meggett is known as the cabbage capital of the world, but we who live in Meggett and Hollywood didn't fall off the cabbage truck yesterday,' he said. 'It's very political.'

S.C. Landowners Association Chairman John Templeton said there's a bigger picture to consider when limiting sewer and development to places such as Hollywood.

'It will limit the supply of affordable housing. Hollywood will develop, but it will be many estates, many farms where you have to use a well and septic tank that only the rich can afford,' he said. 'It's sort of rural gentrification.'

Riley said when the city first offered to help Hollywood establish its own sewer service by agreeing to ship the waste to Plum Island for treatment, it was to help a small community that had a problem with pollution from failing septic tanks.

'Now we see great development pressures, and we have a great responsibility to make sure our growth is prudent and our land-use plan, which was the result of a huge amount of citizen participation, is followed,' he said.

Hollywood and other communities in southern Charleston County could try to create their own regional sewer authority to provide service that the city is no longer willing to offer.

That process would take several years, but Hollywood Mayor Gerald Schuster said he wants to get started.

'I know I get a bad rap as one who likes to see development. I like to see managed development. I don't want to keep my head in the sand,' Schuster said. He said he plans to talk with leaders in Meggett, Ravenel and others to get the ball rolling to create an authority.

'Regional planning is the way to go. I'm all for that,' he said. 'We're looking into spearheading that.'

 

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or at rbehre@postandcourier.com.

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