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Town Council & Planning Comm - Apr 16, 2007 |
Minutes Meeting of McClellanville Town Council and McClellanville Planning Commission April 16, 2007 - 6:30 PM Town Council and the Planning Commission for the Town of McClellanville met on the above-noted date. Notice of the meeting had been published in the Charleston Post and Courier. Those present included Mayor Rutledge Leland; Council Members Bob Gannon, Jim Scott, and Gussie Humes; Planning Commission Members Priscilla Baldwin, Ginny Prevost, and Ted Dawson; Zoning Administrator Kathryn Basha; and Town Clerk/Administrator Mary Duke. Mary told the Planning and Council members that, due to a negative response to the original Greenbelt Bank application from property owners in the vicinity of the proposed project, she had contacted the County Greenbelt representative with regard to changing the proposed project. She said that she had been told that a new project could not be submitted for this funding cycle, but that the present project application could be amended as long as the proposed amendments were submitted by April 30, 2007. Mary said that she and Zoning Administrator Kathryn Basha would like Council and the Planning Commission's input on a proposal to amend the current application to make the proposed use of the property less intense, possibly conserving the property as passive open space only. Rutledge said that he felt that the neighboring property owners would not support any plan that would result in increased traffic in the area. Ginny Prevost said that she thought there were more attractive pieces of property in Town that could be sought. Jim Scott said that the property on Lofton Court was not his first choice for acquisition by the Town, but that he was concerned that withdrawing the current application could result in the loss of an opportunity to receive funding at the level now available from the Greenbelt Bank. Jim said that he agreed that it could be beneficial to the Town to preserve the lots just as open space. Rutledge said that he would only support the application if the adjacent property owners approved of it. Ginny said that she would prefer to withdraw the current application and try submitting another project in a later funding cycle, and Rutledge said that he tended to agree with her. The consensus of Council and the Planning Commission Members was that they would support retaining an amended application to acquire the land as open space only if the neighboring property owners would support it. Mary was directed to contact the property owners within 300 feet of the property to determine their opinion on the proposed amendment to the application. If the property owners continue to be opposed, those present agreed that the current application should be withdrawn and the Town's support given to the Village Museum's application for acquisition of land across from "Brick Church" on the Old Georgetown Highway. Those present also agreed that the funding process should be investigated to determine if and when another funding cycle would occur. Planning and Council also discussed the idea of acquiring land that could be sold or exchanged for other property in the future, and agreed that the Greenbelt Bank should be consulted about this possibility. Having concluded discussion of the Greenbelt application, Planning and Town Council then adjourned to separate meetings at 7:20 PM. Mary S. Duke Town Clerk |