That was proven again in a new report outlining the risks and rewards of growth in South Carolina. The challenge to do it right is laid out in a report prepared by two groups representing those who benefit from land planning and land sales: the Urban Land Institute and the South Carolina Real Estate Center at the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business.
The report, "Growing by Choice or Chance," reflects findings of a statewide committee of 36 civic and environmental leaders, developers and other business representatives, and public sector officials.
Failure to plan for quality growth will be measured in a diminished quality of life, overtaxed residents and loss of natural resources.
And the prospect for failure appears to be great. South Carolina's population is expected to increase by 1.1 million, to a total of 5.1 million, by 2025, with a third of the new residents expected to be along the coast. Developing those 743,000 housing units, 44 million square feet of retail space, 20 million square feet of office space, 66 million square feet of industrial/warehouse buildings and 23,000 hotel rooms must be done in a different fashion than current trends, the report warns. Unless something changes, that development would eat up the land space equivalent to 36 new Greenvilles.
Growth must be more concentrated and less spread out than it is today. The report cites examples of how urban and suburban development is far outpacing the growth in population. It says, for example, that between 1982 and 1997, Charleston, Florence and Columbia developed land at a rate three to six times higher than the population growth.
South Carolina as a state, and each of its local governments, must understand what lies ahead and do something about it now. The answer is not to stop all growth, but to plan the growth with a clear vision in mind. One answer, according to this report, is for business leaders and residents to see this need and insist on quality planning. They must lead the charge, rather than expecting government to do it all.
"We're not recommending more legislation," said committee co-chairman Jim Chaffin of Spring Island, who was an early executive in Sea Pines. "We're recommending market-based incentives."
The report includes more than 30 specific things that should be done to keep South Carolina from being swamped by progress.
Among them are means to protect, preserve and enhance environmental resources. That is particularly important in Beaufort County, where the economy, tax base and quality of life are driven by clean waterways and productive marshes.
Better coordination is needed between local governments. The state needs to provide ideas and technical help. Communities must encourage mixed land uses, set aside open space and provide public transportation. Development must be steered to areas that already have roads, utilities and schools. The public and business leaders must be educated to the value of logical planning and the penalties of poor planning.
"Well-planned, well-designed density can result in increased tax revenue, expanded job opportunities, expanded housing opportunities, additional public amenities and the revitalization of blighted areas," Chaffin said.
There have been plenty of warnings that the status quo must change. This one should hit home with the business community.