Dorchester County Council is considering a proposal that would eliminate large portions of the Ashley River Historic Overlay (ARHO) District – and remove many of the safeguards that protect this important area from incompatible growth and development. The Planning Commission will host a second workshop to discuss the impacts that this proposal could have on the district on September 10th. The public is welcome to comment during the commission meeting and will be able to observe the discussions during the workshop. Visit our project page for more information.
Ashley River Historic Overlay District Workshop
Thursday, September 10 at 4pm
500 North Main St.
Summerville, SC 29483
You can also submit written comments, via email or traditional mail, to Planning Commission before September 10 at the addresses listed below:
Email:
jcook@dorchestercounty.net
Please address letter to Chairman Robert Pratt, c/o Jennifer Cook
Use subject line: ARHO District
Traditional Mail:
Chairman Robert Pratt
c/o Jennifer Cook
500 North Main Street, Box 3
Summerville, SC 29483
Talking Points:
- For more than 300 years, the scenic Ashley River Historic District has been, and continues to be, of critical importance in the history, quality of life, and economic well-being of Dorchester County and South Carolina as a whole.
- In 2007 Dorchester County Council, after two years of public input from residents, landowners, preservation and conservation groups, and community leaders, created the Ashley River Historic Overlay (ARHO) District, with the intent of promoting responsible development and mitigating the effects of new construction within the district.
- These protections were created in an effort to preserve this area for future generations, with the primary goals of:
- Safeguarding the local heritage, natural beauty, and economic and recreational resources;
- Conserving wildlife habitat; and
- Protecting water quality and marine nursery resources
- Under Councilman Hearn’s proposal, these areas would revert to Absence of Control zoning, which could pave the way for substantial increases in residential and commercial development in this pristine rural area.
- We support keeping the Ashley River Historic Overlay District intact in its entirety and oppose any proposal to eliminate portions of it.
Thank you for your continued support.