Mount Pleasant Town Council votes 5-4 against Gregg Tract “big box” zoning restrictions

MOUNT PLEASANT — In a 5-4 vote before a packed house tonight, Town Council voted to change the zoning code in a way that opponents feared will pave the way for “big box” development across from Towne Centre.

At issue was a provision in the code that the ground floor of a building, the “footprint,” is limited to 70,000 square feet if it is part of a project on less than 50 acres. In earlier votes, that limit was upheld by the Planning Commission and the Council Planning Committee.

But today, a majority of Council voted to scrap the limit in a first reading ballot. A second, final reading vote will be required at another Council meeting.

Voting no were Council members Thomasena Stokes-Marshall, Linda Page, Elton Carrier and Chris Nickels.

Many saw the vote as a ballot on the future of the Gregg Tract and the Henrich Properties development planned there called Towne Square. It is on fewer than 50 acres of land and includes two buildings of more than 100,000 square feet.

If all goes as planned, one will be a home improvement store and the other will be a wholesale retailer. The third 50,000-square-foot building would be a sporting goods store.

Company President Ben Henrich said the project will improve drainage, create hundreds of jobs and fill town coffers with millions of dollars in new revenue.

The Planning Commission and Town Council last July deleted the provision from the zoning code that would prohibit the two biggest buildings because it was deemed antiquated, but it was discovered recently to also exist in another part of the code. For that reason, the commission and council were asked by town staff to delete the newly discovered provision to make the zoning code consistent.

The Planning Commission and Council Planning Committee refused to make the change during meetings in the past two weeks.

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors supported removing the provision in the town zoning code regarding limits on big box development.

“If you continue with the current burdensome regulation, the town will be promoting urban sprawl, creating unnecessary barriers to new development and promoting a standard that has no rational basis within the real estate industry,” the organization’s president, Herbert Koger Jr., said in a letter to Mayor Billy Swails.

The town now has two Walmarts, a K-Mart and a Lowe’s.

Source: The Post and Courier Newspaper, Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Mount Pleasant, SC Town Council to vote on big box store

The future of development in Mount Pleasant is at stake tonight at the town council meeting.

Up for a first reading is a request to remove a section of the Code of Ordinances. The section, code 156.055(C) (2)(c)11, caps building footprints at 70,000 square feet on lots smaller than 50 acres.

Development of a property known as Gregg Tract became the public face of the debate when Henrich Properties submitted plans to place three buildings, including two with footprints larger than 100,000 square feet on the 20-acre plot. In February, Henrich withdrew its application for further study.

Henrich Properties insists removing the code isn’t about their project; it’s about the future of development within the town.

“What’s being voted on, and what has been voted on in the past several weeks … it’s not about our project, it’s about clearing up and making the ordinances consistent,” said Ben Henrich, president of Henrich Properties.

“As much as we would like to say it is about us, and we feel it has become about us, it’s not about us,” he said. “It’s about the future of Mount Pleasant.”

The code up for vote tonight is a duplicate of a section of code that was removed by the town council last July.

Eric Demoura, Mount Pleasant town administrator, said in an interview last week that the issue had to go before the full town council again because there is uncertainty as to why the first section was removed.

Bonny Luthy, owner of Office Express in Mount Pleasant, said she wants the code to remain on the books to protect small business owners. She also said she’s heard uncertainty as to whether the council’s vote to remove the code last summer was to remove the duplicate, or the ordinance itself.

“I think there’s a big question mark there,” she said. “It was my understanding that the reason they got rid of it was because it was a duplicate. They got rid of it because it was redundant.”

Henrich said the ordinance will impact more projects than just his own, and that large-sized developments aren’t necessarily a bad thing for the community.

“By not making these ordinances consistent, it is saying that the town is looking to keep a mechanism in place that restricts their ability to consider benefits in the future,” Henrich said. “It can affect office campus development. It can affect companies who could be major employment generators and are considering Mount Pleasant.”

Source: Charleston Regional Busines Journal - Published May 8, 2012

S.C. home sales continue to climb

The real estate market continued its upward trajectory during the month of March, according to the latest home sales report from the SC Realtors.

Statewide home sales have now increased the first three months of the year, when compared to 2011, which was another down year. In March, statewide sales were up 4.6% at 4,405, with median price dropping slightly to $144,825.

On average, a home stayed on the market 139 days, six days less than a year ago.

New listings in South Carolina decreased 11.3% in March to 9,413. Pending sales were up 8.6% to 5,254. Inventory levels shrank 15.9% to 49,249 units. And absorption rates improved as months’ supply of inventory was down 19.6% to 11.8 months, SC Realtors reported.

In the state’s largest real estate market, Charleston Trident reported 898 sales, up 4.4%, with median price at $182,240, up 2.5%.

In Columbia, sales increased 16.7% to 615 and median price was up 2.4% at $135,000.

In the Upstate, Greenville area sales were at 619 for the month, up 7.1%, and median price increased 4.3% to $144,000. Spartanburg area sales reached 262, up 18.6%, with median price dropping 2.1% to $103,236. And in the western Upstate, sales dropped 13.8% to 219 and price increased 11.3% to $120,250.

Statewide, homes with the strongest sales growth were in the $200,001 to $300,000 price range. Sales for homes in that range were up 8.4%.

For the first quarter, sales were up 6.1%, while median price increased 2.1%. Here’s a look at first quarter data:

Source: Charleston Business Journal - Published April 16, 2012

Amazon company leases old North Charleston city hall

Amazon is expanding in North Charleston.

The city of North Charleston leased the old city hall building to CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing LLC, part of the Amazon group of companies.

“Leasing the former city hall for the expansion of CreateSpace is certainly terrific news for the city of North Charleston with the added benefits of jobs and an investment that will resound throughout the region,” Mayor Keith Summey said. “We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with CreateSpace and remain committed to being a business-friendly community.”

The company leases an office at 7290 Investment Drive. The city hall building offers 59,643 of rentable square feet.
“We’ll be moving some of our current employees to the building in the coming months, and also retaining the lease for our current building,” said David Symonds of CreateSpace.

CreateSpace will pay $793,251 in rent for their first year. Terms of the lease stipulate an escalator increase of 2.5% annually for five years. The company also has two options to renew their lease in five-year increments with additional escalators.

North Charleston is investing $2.5 million to upfit the building for CreateSpace’s needs.

Summey’s office said the renovations would have been required for any tenant, and include updating sprinkler systems and bringing the old building up to current code.

Summey said in an interview Monday he expects the expansion could add 200 jobs initially, and an eventual job total of 350 jobs.

Rumors of Amazon’s expansion started when the North Charleston City Council approved severing an old lease on the building and approving a lease to a company then-referred to as “Project X.”

Amazon confirmed the rumors via written statement today.

“As a Charleston business for over 12 years, we look forward to furthering our investment in the community,” Symonds said.

CreateSpace originally began as Great Unpublished, an on-demand book publisher started in 2000. The company, which later became BookSurge, was purchased by Amazon in 2005.

Source: Charleston Regional Busines Journal - Published April 24, 2012

 Page's Okra Grill - Mount Pleasant, SC

Sunday, March 6th, 2010 - My family and I attended a customer appreciation party given and hosted by Page's Okra Grill in Mount Pleasant, SC.  The Page family who own and operate one of Mt. Pleasant's best resturants put on quite a little get together for their fateful patrons and friends.  There was live bluegrass music playing and much BBQ and Oysters to go round! Chef Shane did an outstanding job with the BBQ as usual!

Page's Okra Grill has absolutely the best breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Lowcountry! They have something for everyone and at a great price.  Not only is the food outstanding - the service is exceptional! 

If you haven't tried Page's Okra Grill or even if it's been awhile since your last visit (like just yesterday!) - go give them a try! You'll be glad you did and I'll see you at the next customer appreciation BBQ!

Check out their website: http://pagesokragrill.com/

or visit them on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001643504454

Page's Okra Grill                                        
794 Coleman Blvd
Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 881-3333

Mount Pleasant, SC Approves $65.12M budget

Days after Mount Pleasant was named an All-America City, it was back to business for Town Council, which on Tuesday approved a $65.12 million budget for the coming fiscal year.

The plan remained largely unchanged from a first reading last month, with council tacking on $367,140 to the general fund from the sale of easements to a communications company.

An unexpected $320,000 spike in revenues received from county taxes, which officials said they had budgeted for conservatively, will go toward municipal complex improvements and several other projects covered by tax-increment financing.

“We’re very pleased with the way the process went this year,” said Eric DeMoura, Mount Pleasant deputy administrator. “The budget met the council’s goal of not increasing taxes while also not decreasing the amount of services we offer.”

The budget, which is balanced, includes no tax increases for the 17th straight year, and no municipal positions were eliminated, officials said.

No new jobs are budgeted, however, and town employees won’t receive raises or Christmas bonuses. The town currently has about 40 positions that it won’t fill.

DeMoura said employees could reap the benefits of $317,000 of budget surplus midyear, if plans stay on track.

For the All-America City award, $25,000 was moved from a contingency fund to promote the distinction, including the installation of star-spangled road signs.

Among the town’s capital investments, the police department is set to receive 25 replacement cars, and a new ladder truck and pumper truck are scheduled for the fire department. Two new garbage trucks have also been budgeted.

In all, the 2011 budget is about 1% higher than 2010’s.

Mount Pleasant, SC named a Top 10 All-America City

It might technically be a town, but Mount Pleasant was named a Top 10 All-America City on Friday.

2010 All-American Cities Chandler, Ariz. Lynwood, Calif. Rancho Cordova, Calif. North Miami, Fla. Acworth, Ga. Des Moines, Iowa Salisbury, Md. Gastonia, N.C. Mount Pleasant El Paso, Texas

The winners were announced by the National Civic League at the 61st annual All-America City awards in Kansas City, Mo. Town officials said the distinction can be used as a marketing tool.

To claim the title, each community had to demonstrate “innovation, inclusiveness, civic engagement, and cross-sector collaboration by describing successful efforts to address pressing local challenges,” according to league officials.

“These were communities who demonstrated good governance on a daily basis,” Deputy Town Administrator Eric DeMoura said of the winners.

In naming Mount Pleasant to the Top 10 list, the Denver-based National Civic League cited the town’s Johnnie Dodds Boulevard Mobility Study, Coleman Boulevard Revitalization Plan and the Weaving Aquatic Training with Education and Recreation program.

Mount Pleasant was one of 27 communities named in April as a finalist for the award. Mayor Billy Swails donated his $25,000 salary and local businesses and individuals raised more than $18,000 for the town’s campaign, according to Martine Wolfe-Miller, Mount Pleasant’s public information officer.

Part of that funding was used to pay for sending the delegation of 41 to Kansas City.

Mount Pleasant became the 11th All-America winner from South Carolina and the first since 2006. Previous award winners are:

• Richland County (2006)
• Georgetown County (2005)
• Orangeburg County (2005)
• Anderson County (2000)
• Aiken (1997)
• Hartsville (1996)
• Charleston (1977-78)
• Rock Hill (1969)
• Florence (1965)
• Columbia (1951, 1964)

Source: Charleston Regional Business Journal - By Daniel Brock - Published June 21, 2010

New Colorado State Hurricane Forecast for upcoming season.. Numbers keep going up!

ATLANTIC BASIN SEASONAL HURRICANE FORECAST FOR 2010

June 1st - MARKS THE FIRST DAY OF THE 2010 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON...
WHICH WILL RUN UNTIL NOVEMBER 30.  LONG-TERM AVERAGES FOR THE NUMBER OF
NAMED STORMS...HURRICANES...AND MAJOR HURRICANES ARE 11...6...AND 2...
RESPECTIVELY. 

 THE LIST OF NAMES FOR 2010 IS AS FOLLOWS: 

 NAME           PRONUNCIATION    NAME            PRONUNCIATION
 -------------------------------------------------------------

 ALEX                            LISA            LEE- SA

 BONNIE                          MATTHEW

 COLIN                           NICOLE          NI COLE-

 DANIELLE       DAN YELL-        OTTO 

 EARL                            PAULA

 FIONA                           RICHARD         RICH- ERD

 GASTON                          SHARY           SHA- REE

 HERMINE        HER MEEN-        TOMAS           TO MAS-

 IGOR           E GOR-           VIRGINIE        VIR JIN- EE

 JULIA                           WALTER

 KARL 

Charleston, SC Real Estate Forecast for 2010

The forecast for this year for Charleston area home sales is to increase 12.7%, with average prices rising 2.2% to $257,147.

Building permits is expected to drop slightly from 2,902 (2009), to around 2,700 this year and remain flat for 2011 until some of the current inventory is absorbed in to the market.

Information provided by the annual Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce forecast

Charleston home sales rise 22% from March '09 to '10

March home sales in the Charleston area increased 22% over last year, with prices about the same as in 2009.

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors reported today that 691 homes sold during March at a median price of $185,000. Last March, 568 homes sold in the area, also at a median price of $185,000.

Year-to-date, home sales in the Charleston market are up 23% over last year. Prices are up 3%, the Realtors reported.

Through March, 1,670 homes sold this year. During the same period last year, 1,357 homes had sold.

The Realtors group said the data show a strong beginning to the spring and summer, which are usually busy but started slow in 2009.

“The activity in the early months of 2010 is incredibly encouraging — every month, we’re seeing sustainable growth in home sales and prices are holding steady” said Jeremy Willits, president of the Realtors association. “We didn’t have sales numbers in this range until May or June in 2009.”

Willits said the federal homebuyer tax credit has spurred sales locally, and no one is sure what will happen after it expires at the end of this month.

“The tax credit was not intended to be a long-term initiative,” he said. “It incentivized the purchase of a home, following a year of uncertainty and volatile market activity. It was designed to help stabilize the market, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen it do in Charleston.”

Rising mortgage rates and the uptick in buyer activity could prompt potential buyers to act soon, the Realtors’ monthly report said. 

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors reported last month that 509 homes sold during February, a 22% increase over the 417 sold the prior year. Revised numbers reported today show that 541 homes sold during February, a 30% increase over 2009.

February’s median sales price was $179,755.

The local market had 9,849 active listings as of March 31. March represents the third consecutive month in which inventory was lower than 10,000 listings.

During March, 145 homes sold in Berkeley County at a median price of $163,343. Volume was up 6% from last year, while the median price fell 1%.

In Charleston County, 378 homes sold at a median price of $246,000. Volume was up 31% over last year, and prices were up 9%.

Dorchester County home sales totaled 142 in March, up 27% from last year. The median price was $148,400, down 8% from last year.

Source: Charleston Regional Business Journal, Published April 1, 2010

Trade mag: Charleston housing market on the mend

A national trade magazine for homebuilders staked out the 20 healthiest housing markets for 2010 in its latest issue. Charleston was the highest-ranked market listed in South Carolina, with the Greenville region coming in at No. 19 and the Grand Strand at No. 15.

Staff Report
Published March 1, 2010

A homebuilder trade magazine has marked the Charleston housing market as one of the top 5 regions on the mend.

Builder magazine staked out the 20 healthiest housing markets for 2010 in its latest issue. Charleston was the highest-ranked market listed in South Carolina, with the Greenville region coming in at No. 19 and the Grand Strand at No. 15.

 The analysis of housing markets showed some repeats from the previous year, the magazine’s editors noted, including Texas, which had a strong showing. Quality of life and costs helped push the Lowcountry coast near the top, they said.

“But Lone Star markets were eclipsed this time around by some relatively hot markets in the Carolinas, which accounted for seven of the top 20 spots,” Builder said in the story. “Many of the major cities along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard continue to benefit from a strong influx of people drawn by a comfortable way of life, affordable housing and growing employment prospects.”

The analysis also pointed out that the rankings are for an industry that has been pummeled by the recession, adding that there are few truly healthy housing markets in the U.S. compared to previous years.

“These markets may be healthier than others, but they aren't healthy in the way they were during the housing boom, when it was common to find rising population, employment and income. Virtually every housing market still has at least one blemish,” the magazine said.

For the Charleston region, the magazine specifically noted that a 2% population growth each year for the past five years puts the area among the largest housing markets in the country.

“Underlying demographic strength helped the city escape some of the pain felt in other top housing markets. Home prices, which fell only 4.2% last year, are expected to climb in 2010 as the region begins to add jobs again,” the magazine said.

Builder magazine’s 20 healthiest housing markets for 2010

1. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
2. Raleigh-Cary, N.C.
3. Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C. (This region spills over into South Carolina.)
4. San Antonio
5. Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville
6. Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, Colo.
7. Huntsville, Ala.
8. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C., Va., Md., W.V.
9. Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.
10. Eugene-Springfield, Oregon
11. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
12. Richmond, Va.
13. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn., Wis.
14. Colorado Springs, Colo.
15. Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway
16. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, Ore., Wash.
17. Wilmington, N.C.
18. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas
19. Greenville-Mauldin-Easley
20. Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa

Source: Charleston Regional Busines Journal

Land grab continues for industrial parks in Jedburg, S.C.

Texas-based Trammell Crow Co. recently closed on 97 acres in the Jedburg area on which it plans to develop Omni Commerce Park.

The Dallas developer purchased the land for $6 million from Eastway Properties LLC, according to Grubb & Ellis Barkley Fraser, which represented the seller in the deal.

The plot, on the site of the former Baucom Nursery, is next to New York-based Rockefeller Group’s planned industrial park site and across the street from Hillwood Development Co. LLC’s proposed industrial park and Johnson Development Co.’s existing site.

The developers are prospecting that the Jedburg area near Summerville will become the next logistics center because of its proximity to the Port of Charleston and Interstates 95 and 26.

The first phase of Omni Commerce Park will include 1.35 million square feet, according to promotional material published by Trammell Crow Co. The company expects the first 500,000 square feet to be available in the first quarter of 2009.

Trammell Crow representatives could not be reached for comment. The real estate development and investment firm reported June 30 that it had more than $9.9 billion worth of projects at varying stages of development and owns or has developed more than 500 million square feet of buildings.

By Daily Journal Staff

Mount Pleasant SC - Southern National BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival

Barbecue and bluegrass - served up southern style all day Sunday August 31, 2008 at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, S.C.. Legendary bluegrass icon Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys are the musical headliners along with the Nashville Bluegrass Band and local favorites Homeboy Reunion. Professional barbecue teams will compete in a cook-off sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Locals and amateurs are invited to show-off their talents. Come enjoy a big plate of Haven (barbecue). There will also be a mechanical bull-riding competition, celebrity dunking booth, jump castles, and carnival games with the day ending with a fireworks show. Events are 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are $20 in advance; $8 for children ages 6-12; no charges for children younger than 6. Tickets will be available at the gate for $22 and $10 for children. No coolers are allowed.

4th Annual Furry Affair

Benefit for the Charleston Animal Society (formerly the John Ancrum SPCA). The event is designed to increase awareness of the Charleston Animal Society's 128-year history and its role in the community while raising funds to care for the shelter's homeless animals.

The juried art exhibit and auction is from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday at Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain St. in downtown Charleston. Tickets are $75 each. 

Dozens of items, including jewelry and artwork, will be available and reflect the theme of "animals or the world they live in." For more information, call 843-329-1545 or click here.

Mount Pleasant to consider new housing ordinance

The Mount Pleasant Planning Commission will consider a proposal Wednesday aimed at giving developers incentive to build affordable work force housing.

The proposed planned development, work force housing zoning district would allow developers to deviate from traditional land restrictions, allowing higher density on less acreage and leeway on other tenets such as setback requirements, said Kelly Cousino, a town planner.

In exchange, a developer would have to sell or rent 30% of the units as work force housing units. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deems work force housing units as those priced appropriately for a family of four earning up to 120% of the area median income, which in Mount Pleasant would equal $70,050. For rental units, it is 80% of the median area income, or $46,700.

The median area income for the Charleston-North Charleston statistical area, taking in Mount Pleasant, is $58,400. HUD guidelines establish that a family or individual should not spend more than one-third of household income on housing.

At the end of 2007, Mount Pleasant’s median home price was well over $365,000, which shuts out many in its own work force, particularly those in the hospitality and retail sectors, according to the Lowcountry Housing Trust, which supports the new ordinance.

“Land costs in Mount Pleasant are really high. It really puts it out of range for essential workers: teachers, firefighters and that sort of thing,” Cousino said. “Affordable housing is also really important for economic development. For companies moving to an area, having affordable housing helps them attract and retain workers.”

The planning commission meets at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Town Hall. The commission gives recommendations to the council but doesn’t make final decisions. The ordinance was drafted with recommendations from the town’s work force housing advisory committee, which has been working on the issue for more than nine months, Cousino said.
 

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal By Molly Parker , Daily Journal Staff
 

Riley enters ninth term

Cigar Factory mixed-use building launches sales