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Senator needs to remove hold on vital planning bill

Measure requires coordinated approach to key issues

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As local governments complete a Southern Beaufort County Regional Plan and begin work on a similar plan for the north-county area, legislation that could have considerable impact statewide is being held up in the state Senate.

According to The Sun News of Myrtle Beach, Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, has filed an objection that prevents discussion and passage of the bill. The objection could kill it for the year.

Provisions of the bill, which grew from a recommendation of Gov. Mark Sanford's quality-of-life task force, would amend the Local Government Planning Act to require that county and municipal councils include critical elements in comprehensive plans. Among them are transportation and affordable housing.

The transportation element requires local governments to take into consideration new development's impact on transportation systems. It would include road improvements, new road construction, transit projects and pedestrian and bicycle projects. The transportation element must be developed in conjunction with the land-use element to ensure transportation efficiency for existing and planned development.

The affordable housing element requires an analysis of the housing market and housing regulations that add to the cost of developing affordable housing. And the bill requires an analysis of market-based incentives to be used to encourage development of affordable housing, such as bonus densities, design flexibility and streamlined permitting.

The priority investment element could improve planning and development coordination among local governments and would encourage good stewardship of dollars for roads, water and sewer service, and other infrastructure.

To the extent that local governments here are discussing regional plans, Beaufort County is fortunate. But Beaufort County and the rest of the state need this mandate to focus on the stress of development and the need for affordable housing in the fastest-growing area of the state -- the coastal plain.

It would be nice to be out front for a change, instead of performing triage on every annexation and development proposal that comes down the pike.

Sen. Elliott should let this bill pass or fail on its own merits, not through procedural sleight of hand.