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Bill to stop 'zoning shopping'

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A bill that would prevent rezoning of property for several years after it is annexed into a municipality would remove a key reason for making such a move.

But the better move would be for municipalities and the county to coordinate land-use planning and zoning so that we're all on the same page when it comes to the overall impact of development and its pace.

State Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton, wants to institute a three- to five-year waiting period before a property's density could be increased after annexation. The bill is similar to one introduced last year by four representatives, including Ben Hagood Jr., R-Charleston County.

This bill is born of the frustration of watching carefully laid plans upended with annexations and rezonings. Here in Beaufort County, "zoning shopping" has cost us millions and millions and millions of dollars as we try to play catch up with roads, schools, parks and libraries.

The impact of such annexations is readily evident. Studies conclude we have more than

$350 million in unfunded infrastructure to pay for in southern Beaufort County, much of it brought on by the fast growth in Bluffton, which has annexed tens of thousands of acres since 1998. Yet at the same time, we see other municipalities -- Beaufort, Port Royal and Yemassee -- continue to annex property and then rezone it for much greater densities than allowed under county zoning.

Hagood of Charleston County says the idea is to prevent "the aggressive, almost predatory, type annexation that we've seen some examples of, with a municipality trying to annex and change zoning to allow higher-density projects not in keeping with the broader plans for the area."

Hagood also recognizes that a one-size-fits-all solution may not be doable. Lawmakers, he says, need to be sensitive to an individual's right to seek approval for rezoning property.

But we need some mechanism to get municipalities to recognize and accept that their zoning actions have implications beyond their borders, especially when municipalities aren't responsible for providing schools and roads, the big ticket items we're having a hard time paying for.

Gov. Mark Sanford points to legislation that made it past the House last year, but not the Senate. The Priority Investment Act would require municipalities and counties to analyze the likely federal, state and local funds available for public infrastructure and facilities for the next 10 years. The list of projects to be paid for would have to be developed in coordination with adjacent jurisdictions and other appropriate agencies. Such legislation has been introduced again this year.

Given the development pressures we face in South Carolina, particularly along the coast, it might take the annexation bill and the proposed Priority Investment Act to slow this juggernaut.

But even more than new state legislation, we need officials at all levels of government to recognize the overall impact of their actions and the need to build consensus and cooperation when it comes to how much we grow and how we fast we grow.