The Coastal Conservation League, South Carolina Environmental Law Project, Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation, Pawleys Island Litchfield Business Association, and community leaders have announced the launch of a new public awareness campaign designed to engage the community in intentional land use planning in Georgetown County.
Thrive Georgetown is a coalition of community planning advocates coming together to lead smart, equitable, and sustainable growth, advancing the new county zoning ordinances and planning for a future Georgetown that is smart and intentional.
Georgetown County is growing, and as it does, more development pressures will be put on the land and community, traffic and housing costs will increase, and the rich cultural and historical identity of the county will be at risk. With increased development also comes a degradation of natural resources, loss of green space, and increased flooding due to inadequate stormwater infrastructure.
The community must come together to ensure future growth is sustainable, equitable, and guided by a vision that protects the County’s natural and cultural resources.
Through collaboration and leveraging our deep knowledge of coastal South Carolina, along with science-based research and data, we can work together to advance new county zoning ordinances and plan for a future Georgetown that thrives smartly and intentionally.
Thrive Georgetown handout (1)This campaign builds on the efforts made during the Georgetown County Comprehensive Plan update by engaging the community and advancing aligned goals. The updated Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance present a unique opportunity to establish rules that support resilience, environmental protection, and community well-being.
Thrive Georgetown will collect feedback from the community through online and in-person activities and use that feedback to educate and support the land use plan and smart growth policies.
Sustainable growth recognizes and considers the balance between population growth — which is inevitable given the attractive weather, quality of life, and economic promise of our region — and environmental impacts.
Smart development calls for zoning ordinances that protect our natural and cultural resources while providing quality, low-impact housing options for our critical workforce.
The recently passed Georgetown County Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element can be an important tool for collaborating on ordinances that balance development with nature preservation. The strategies and tactics of the Thrive Georgetown campaign will build on these tools.
Using comprehensive studies and ideas from reliable sources across the economic and social spectrums, the community of Georgetown can set the stage for sustainable development in the county and serve as a model for others to follow.