Dorchester County's Transitional Overlay District (TOD)
February 2001

North Charleston
The Dorchester Corridor Transitional Overlay District Ordinance passed last June has been amended to require wrap around 40' buffers on Dorchester Rd at intersecting roads and to require 50' buffers between single family residential and any other zoning. The 2/5 Planning Commission meeting introduced a bill to change Gas Stations from B-3 to B-2. We spoke against this bill because it allows gas stations at several Dorchester Rd locations in front of our neighborhoods. With this opposition, the bill was held up for further study. We expect to see changes to the bill but will reserve final judgement until those changes are defined. We will need residents to voice their opposition to this proposal to the city council persons and to attend the next public hearing to protect your property value. Watch for an announcement.

A buffer variance was approved at the 2/5 Zoning Board of Appeals for the new Wendy's restaurant site at Ashley Phosphate and Patriots Blvd. We spoke to deny the variance or as a minimum require extra planting in the 10' buffer on both road sides of the lot. The variance was approved with added condition that the 15' buffer required plantings would all be planted in the 10' buffer on both road sides of the property, and a 6' high opaque evergreen buffer at the rear would be implemented. It was reported that the Walgreen's site developer would be fined for cutting protected trees. It is reported that they will be required to replant trees removed in error on an inch for inch of diameter basis.

Dorchester County
The Dorchester County's Transitional Overlay District (TOD) ordinance amendment is held up in County committees. This amendment increases the vegetative buffer width on Dorchester, Ashley Phosphate, Ladson and 13 other roads to 50' for unincorporated county area. We need residents to voice their approval for this TOD amendment to county councilmen and to attend the next public hearing. Watch for a public hearing announcement in March.

Town of Summerville
Town Council's planning Committee met on 2/6 and approved a B-2 rezoning request for a strip mall of 5 stores on a 1/2 acre property across from Wal-Mart's Parler Rd entrance. We spoke against this added commercial development because of the traffic problems at this intersection. It next goes to 2 readings at the Town Council (2nd Wednesday of the month meetings).