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Last Thursday, the Town of Hollywood held a Q&A session to hear both concerns and hopes from residents regarding the future of the town. These meetings are meant to give the community an opportunity to weigh in on updates to the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances to better regulate how the town addresses future growth and development. The community has been showing up to meetings and speaking out. It is paying off, as the Post & Courier reported on Friday, with the withdrawal of the rezoning request for Longleaf Estates and the possible reevaluation of the development. However, the fight is not over yet. This week, a permit application was submitted to the Department of Environmental Services (DES) for construction and infrastructure of a new design for phase one of Longleaf Estates. This version is denser than the original and we are concerned about the lot sizes and locations for 65 individual septic tanks, as they are proposed to be adjacent to wetlands. Please take a moment to share your concerns by submitting your own comment to DES and requesting a public hearing for the permit. A template for your comment to DES can be found below. |
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You can submit your comment requesting a public hearing through the DES portal here. Comments are due by Monday, April 7. See below for sample language and make sure to request a public hearing. The more people to request a public hearing, the more likely it is to happen. |
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SAMPLE LANGUAGE: “Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the permit application for the construction and infrastructure of the first phase of Longleaf Estates. Looking at the application, I am concerned that the small lot size for each unit is not adequate for the necessary drainfield area associated with septic systems. The neighborhood has been poorly configured so as to place the lots on septic directly adjacent to the wetlands, rather than buffering the wetlands with lots connected to public sewer. Though the permit application states that there will be no wetland impacts, surely there will be indirect impacts to the wetlands from waste runoff and leachate given the density and close proximity of these systems to the wetland area. Furthermore, these impacts are likely to increase as groundwater tables continue to rise in the South Carolina coastal plain. I am requesting a public hearing for this permit to offer the residents of Hollywood an opportunity to voice their concerns for this project.” |
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Keep the engagement up, and hopefully we will see you at the Planning Commission meeting next Thursday, April 10, to hear the status of the Longleaf Development as well as suggestions from the town planner for stronger zoning ordinances to keep Hollywood rural.
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