Did You Catch Our Article in Sunday's Paper?

What, specifically, are we trying to remedy here?
By JENNIFER BRADEY
For the Herald-Journal

Zoning refers to the assignment of land, by a municipality, for a particular use. Common zoning designations are residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial. If enacted, Spartanburg County regulations could dictate what kinds of structures and activities, and sometimes what size of lots, extraction of natural resources, maintenance or types of pets or livestock, or other activities, are allowed in certain zones.

Some things that could be controlled include size of lots for subdivision, types of structures, use of the land for agriculture, industrial or other uses, external appearance or style of structures, density and setbacks.

According to a recent poll conducted by Ayres, McHenry & Associates, 40 percent of Spartanburg County voters say the economy and crime are the most important problems facing the county, while only 8 percent indicated growth. Spartanburg County residents are far more concerned that the county will not create enough jobs in the next few years rather than grow too much during that time.

While we understand that, by state law, we are required to reauthorize our land-use ordinance at this time, it is important to realize that further regulations may not be the most important or immediate concern of our county's residents despite what you may hear in the media.

Folks are frequently quoted in the local media lamenting the "growth problems" or the "problems in Boiling Springs," but admittedly we remain a bit perplexed on the subject. Boiling Springs seems to have everything going right: new construction and development, a great school district, economic progress well beyond other areas of the county and an array of affordable living choices.

In this instance, it would be helpful to know exactly what we are trying to remedy in an area where everyone seems to want to live and build. If the issue is congestion on Highway 9, zoning isn't going to fix that, nor will it prevent it in other areas. Take, for instance, Woodruff Road in Greenville. Zoning surely didn't prevent major traffic problems there.

Residential and commercial growth are fluid - meaning that when it is stopped in one place, it will inevitably occur somewhere else. Attacking past development patterns and blaming builders does not recognize the fact that housing preferences of Spartanburg residents dictate where development occurs.

Notwithstanding the revitalization of older suburban and inner-city markets, even under the best of conditions, infill development will satisfy only a small percentage of a community's demand for new housing.

Let our elected officials regulate those things we find most offensive. Perhaps our issues are crowding of roads, fear of dump sites, unsightly cellular towers, poor school locations, adult-oriented businesses - whatever they are, we should let Spartanburg County Council, in cooperation with the Planning Commission, target them specifically. And in most instances, they already have. We should be fearful of untargeted solutions but rather take a rifleman's approach and zero in precisely on the perceived problems.

Arguably, our current ordinance does not allow for mixed-use development and probably stands to improve on setback and buffering requirements. We look forward to working with County Council on these issues and are certain they may be remedied outside of the zoning debate.
Our members and leaders want to make sure the plans laid forth ensure future growth as well as preserve the special character of Spartanburg County. We believe, however, that the current ordinance and the free market provide stringent land-use controls and should not be crippled by a third party of government officials.

Historically, the Home Builders Association has worked hand-in-hand with County Council on land-use issues and assisted in crafting our current ordinance. Our builders, developers and associate members take great pride in our community and our industry and want to be part of the solutions to any problems Spartanburg County may face.

We do not wish to impede progress or the beautification and livability of Spartanburg County. It is just imperative that the proposed solutions actually be able to "solve" the perceived problems.

Full article available at: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080907/NEWS/809070342/1132/opinion&title=What__specifically__are_we_trying_to_remedy_here_

Shallow Brook - An Environmentally Friendly Community

Our Showcase of Homes Chairman and Committee are proud to announce the location of the 2009 Showcase of Homes. After receiving six great bids, the Showcase Committee selected Shallow Brook, developed by Steve Angel (Angel Properties).

Shallow Brook’s theme is “Think Green”, and Steve is promoting environmentally-forward building techniques and has a list of thirty sustainable development suggestions for participating builders. The homes will likely be priced in the high $300’s.

Directions to the subdivision: Take Reidville Road towards Reidville. Turn left onto Hwy. 417. Cross over Hwy. 290. Travel 1.5 miles. Shallow Brook will be on the right.

Interested builders should contact the HBA office for more information.

***Pictures coming soon

First Community Land Use Meeting Held Last Night in Una

There were about 50 people in attendance at the meeting at the Una Fire Department. Contrary to the newspaper's (or a Councilman's) report, we had only 6 people in attendance....3 of whom did not speak a single time. Of the 3 that did speak, 1 was a resident of that Council District, 1 was asked to speak by the Assistant County Administrator, and 1 relayed the comments of the group with whom he worked and did not make personal commentary. Tell me - is that stacking the deck?

Yes, we encouraged our rank and file membership to attend the meetings and sent them our official policy statement. This is the first time our membership has received an official statement from our leadership and we encouraged them to get involved. We would be remiss as a good membership organization if we did not inform the very people whom this will affect the most.

Land Use and Review of the ULMO

The HBA recognizes that sensible growth is imperative to the well being of Spartanburg County. As such, we believe that careful review of our current Unified Land Management Ordinance (ULMO) is merited at this time. Furthermore, we believe the ULMO, when properly enforced, has served our county well, and with a few modifications, will guide our growth in Spartanburg County in a manner that is suitable for all citizens.

Our members understand that there are current shortfalls in the ordinance, specifically in areas such as mixed use developments, setback requirements, and confusing buffering requirements. We also recognize there is strong concern for protecting property owners from incompatible adjoining uses. Our current ordinance can and needs to be modified to address these and other challenges that we face now and will face in the future.

Further, our conviction is “parcel-by-parcel zoning” would not be advantageous for Spartanburg County. However, we recognize that there may be other land use mechanisms that could help protect our special attributes of the County, while not hindering property values and affordability of new homes and development. We wish to be part of these discussions to find a compromise that is suitable to everyone.

Similar to the original drafting of the ULMO which had input from many varying perspectives throughout the County, we strongly believe that the best revised policy for growth management will only come from allowing all voices to be heard.