Presentation of Dorchester County Presentation of Dorchester County - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Presentation of Dorchester County Presentation of Dorchester County Comprehensive Plan Update for: Comprehensive Plan Update for: Greater Summerville Dorchester Greater Summerville Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce County Chamber of Commerce January 2, 2008 January 2, 2008

• Alec Brebner

Alec Brebner

• BCDCOG Assistant Planning Director

BCDCOG Assistant Planning Director

• Member of American Institute of Certified Planners.

Member of American Institute of Certified Planners.

• 10 years of experience in architecture and city &

10 years of experience in architecture and city & regional planning (private and public sectors). regional planning (private and public sectors).

• BCD Council of Governments

BCD Council of Governments

• Tri

Tri-

• county planning agency. Mandated regional

county planning agency. Mandated regional planning includes transportation and water quality. planning includes transportation and water quality.

• Comprehensive planning and land

Comprehensive planning and land-

• use planning are

use planning are provided as assistance to local governments at provided as assistance to local governments at their request. their request.

Thank you for the invitation! Thank you for the invitation!

What is Comprehensive What is Comprehensive Planning? Planning?

• A good comprehensive plan is a vision

A good comprehensive plan is a vision for a community and a long for a community and a long-

• range

range policy to make that vision a reality. policy to make that vision a reality.

• 3 basic components.

3 basic components.

• Inventory of existing conditions (“snapshot”).

Inventory of existing conditions (“snapshot”).

• The vision and a set of goals and policies to achieve it

The vision and a set of goals and policies to achieve it (“shape”). (“shape”).

• Implementation strategies for said goals and policies

Implementation strategies for said goals and policies (“build”). (“build”).

What is Comprehensive Planning? What is Comprehensive Planning?

• A local and democratic process…

A local and democratic process…

• Led by a group of your peers

Led by a group of your peers – – volunteers appointed by elected volunteers appointed by elected

• fficials:
• fficials:
• Dorchester County Planning Commission

Dorchester County Planning Commission. .

• Assisted by nationally certified

Assisted by nationally certified professional planners: professional planners:

• BCDCOG Planning Department, &

BCDCOG Planning Department, &

• Dorchester County Planning & Codes Dep’t.

Dorchester County Planning & Codes Dep’t.

What is Comprehensive Planning? What is Comprehensive Planning?

• Comprehensive planning is NOT

Comprehensive planning is NOT zoning! zoning!

• Nor is it an adequate public facilities

Nor is it an adequate public facilities

• rdinance.
• rdinance.
• These are tools that can be part of

These are tools that can be part of plan implementation. plan implementation. What is Comprehensive Planning? What is Comprehensive Planning?

Why does Dorchester Why does Dorchester County need County need comprehensive planning? comprehensive planning?

• In a nutshell, the County needs to set

In a nutshell, the County needs to set its investment priorities (of public $). its investment priorities (of public $).

• County must coordinate investment

County must coordinate investment with other entities (e.g., schools) & with other entities (e.g., schools) & landowners (re. use & development). landowners (re. use & development).

• County must set forth a vision for its

County must set forth a vision for its future to ensure coordinated future to ensure coordinated investment. investment. Why Comprehensive Planning? Why Comprehensive Planning?

What is Lowcountry residents’ vision of growth?

From: www.adcouncil.org

From: tigger.uic.edu

From: www.adcouncil.org

From: www.adcouncil.org

What’s the approach to What’s the approach to Dorchester County Dorchester County comprehensive planning comprehensive planning in 2007? in 2007?

• This is the population increase

This is the population increase projected for Dorchester County projected for Dorchester County between 2006 and 2030… between 2006 and 2030…

• According to SC Office of Research and Statistics.

According to SC Office of Research and Statistics.

41,661 41,661

Dorchester County Dorchester County Comprehensive Planning Comprehensive Planning

• In

In-

• migration has most Lowcountry

migration has most Lowcountry communities in a defensive posture. communities in a defensive posture. Dorchester County Dorchester County Comprehensive Planning Comprehensive Planning

• The best defense is a good offense.

The best defense is a good offense. Comprehensive Planning Approach Comprehensive Planning Approach

• The BCD Region is a growing,

The BCD Region is a growing, prosperous metropolitan economy! prosperous metropolitan economy! Comprehensive Planning Approach Comprehensive Planning Approach Google Google? ? Showa Showa Denko? Denko? Vought Vought? ?

• We must answer 2 questions to plan

We must answer 2 questions to plan the best course for the community: the best course for the community:

• How

How do we grow? do we grow?

• Where

Where do we grow? do we grow?

• Once we’ve answered these

Once we’ve answered these questions, we can plan questions, we can plan how to how to provide public services. provide public services. Dorchester County Dorchester County Comprehensive Planning Comprehensive Planning

On what lands should new development occur?

What cultural resources should be protected? Wire Rd.

Where can infrastructure support growth?

What is the carrying capacity of existing towns?

Future land-use map = what develops where.

What is the vision for What is the vision for Dorchester County Dorchester County communities? communities?

Dorchester County central neighborhoods

Dorchester County central neighborhoods

Future Dorchester County central neighborhoods

Future Dorchester County central neighborhoods

Future Dorchester County activity centers

Future Dorchester County activity centers

Future Dorchester County activity centers

Future Dorchester County activity centers

Future Dorchester County roadways

Future Dorchester County roadways

Future Dorchester County roadways

Future Dorchester County roadways

What’s covered by the What’s covered by the 2007 Dorchester County 2007 Dorchester County Comprehensive Plan Comprehensive Plan Update? Update?

• Foundation 1: Priority Investment

Foundation 1: Priority Investment Areas Areas

• Provide public facilities for economic development

Provide public facilities for economic development first. first.

• Coordinate infrastructure & land

Coordinate infrastructure & land-

• use planning with

use planning with neighboring jurisdictions, especially municipalities. neighboring jurisdictions, especially municipalities.

• Establish “transfer of development rights” program:

Establish “transfer of development rights” program: allows developers to mitigate density increases by allows developers to mitigate density increases by conserving important natural resources. conserving important natural resources.

7 Foundations of a “Solution 7 Foundations of a “Solution-

• driven Plan”

driven Plan”

• Foundation 2: Economic

Foundation 2: Economic Development Development

• Recruit industrial and wholesale trade employers,

Recruit industrial and wholesale trade employers, especially in upper part of County. especially in upper part of County.

• Play on Dorchester County’s strengths: promote

Play on Dorchester County’s strengths: promote lifestyle, opportunities for heritage tourism and lifestyle, opportunities for heritage tourism and eco eco-

• tourism to attract entrepreneurs.

tourism to attract entrepreneurs.

7 Foundations 7 Foundations

• Foundation 3: Transportation

Foundation 3: Transportation

• Improve commutes into North Charleston (includes

Improve commutes into North Charleston (includes Glenn McConnell and commuter rail). Glenn McConnell and commuter rail).

• Improve circulation within the County: map new

Improve circulation within the County: map new collector streets, new development to expand the collector streets, new development to expand the road network. road network.

• Ensure return on investment of taxpayer dollars:

Ensure return on investment of taxpayer dollars: promote economic development and boost real promote economic development and boost real estate values to generate revenue. estate values to generate revenue.

7 Foundations 7 Foundations

• Foundation 4: Workforce Housing

Foundation 4: Workforce Housing

• Keep Dorchester County affordable for everyone!

Keep Dorchester County affordable for everyone!

• Establish “central neighborhoods” around planned

Establish “central neighborhoods” around planned commercial areas and institutions. commercial areas and institutions.

• Streamline permitting process for projects that

Streamline permitting process for projects that implement this Plan (by implement this Plan (by-

• right zoning).

right zoning).

7 Foundations 7 Foundations

• Foundation 5: Infrastructure

Foundation 5: Infrastructure Concurrency Concurrency

• “Concurrent” means operating or occurring at the

“Concurrent” means operating or occurring at the same time and place. same time and place.

• County public facilities

County public facilities – – sewer, roads, schools sewer, roads, schools -

• will be expanded concurrently with each other.

will be expanded concurrently with each other.

• Public facilities will keep pace with growth

Public facilities will keep pace with growth (requires local government commitment). (requires local government commitment).

• Growth will pay for itself.

Growth will pay for itself.

7 Foundations 7 Foundations

• Foundation 6: Future Land Use

Foundation 6: Future Land Use

• The majority of growth will be focused in and

The majority of growth will be focused in and around existing towns. around existing towns.

• New communities will be towns and villages, not

New communities will be towns and villages, not large, single large, single-

• entrance subdivisions.

entrance subdivisions.

• New town centers will be established to provide

New town centers will be established to provide services closer to residents and host white services closer to residents and host white-

• collar

collar employers. employers.

7 Foundations 7 Foundations

• Foundation 7: Community Design

Foundation 7: Community Design

• Each new or improved road will be planned and

Each new or improved road will be planned and designed to serve users and help the County designed to serve users and help the County manage growth through better land use and manage growth through better land use and development patterns. development patterns.

• Central neighborhoods and commercial activity

Central neighborhoods and commercial activity centers will fit better into their communities. centers will fit better into their communities.

7 Foundations 7 Foundations

• First draft of Plan was submitted to

First draft of Plan was submitted to Planning Commission in December. Planning Commission in December.

• The Plan is available for download

The Plan is available for download at at www.bcdcog.com www.bcdcog.com (15 files). (15 files).

• County staff will spend several

County staff will spend several weeks reviewing the plan. weeks reviewing the plan.

• County Council will consider the

County Council will consider the plan in early 2008. plan in early 2008. What’s Next? What’s Next?

Alec Brebner, AICP Alec Brebner, AICP Assistant Planning Director, BCDCOG Assistant Planning Director, BCDCOG 843.529.0400 or 843.529.0400 or alecb alecb@bcdcog.com @bcdcog.com

Questions? Questions?

To keep up with the Plan’s progress, click on To keep up with the Plan’s progress, click on the “Dorchester County Comprehensive Plan” the “Dorchester County Comprehensive Plan” link on our home page, link on our home page, WWW.BCDCOG.COM WWW.BCDCOG.COM