Charleston City Council voted Tuesday to block North Charleston's expansion plans west of the Ashley River.
Shortly thereafter, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley headed for Columbia to lobby against a bill that could give James Islanders another chance to form a town. Both issues revolve around municipal annexation efforts.
The council vote was taken in response to plans by North Charleston to annex about 7,000 acres in Dorchester County where thousands of homes are planned on a tract called Watson Hill. But Charleston and Summerville leaders say the development would spoil the Ashley River Historic Plantation District. The city and town plan to block North Charleston by annexing properties along S.C. Highway 61 until the municipal boundaries meet, forming a virtual wall to keep North Charleston out.
Some James Islanders would like to have a similar wall — to keep Charleston out.
Charleston has been steadily annexing properties on James Island into the city. Residents have tried to keep the city at a distance by forming a town, but the courts have twice ruled the incorporations invalid.
Former Town of James Island Councilman Joe Qualey on Tuesday said James Islanders would like to find an annexation barrier against Charleston, much like the one Charleston is seeking to form a barrier against North Charleston's annexation plans. "It's the same thing," Qualey said.
James Island could get a third chance at incorporation under a bill that was voted out of the House Judiciary Committee late Tuesday afternoon. The legislation will go on to the full House next week.
The bill would greatly reduce the number of residents needed to form a town, from 15,000 to 7,000, and would allow public lands and waters to be used to connect otherwise unconnected properties that would be part of the town.
But, under an amendment approved Tuesday, the legislation also would require all new towns of 7,000 or more to provide a full range of municipal services, from stormwater management to police protection.
Riley and the Municipal Association of South Carolina had pressed for the change.
"The new town would have to be a full-service municipality, and tax its citizens accordingly," Riley said. "It makes it less likely that this bill would be frequently used."
Riley and the Municipal Association oppose the bill even with the amendment. "I think the legislation, respectfully, is not good or needed in South Carolina," Riley said. "We believe it's unconstitutional, and it will be challenged if it gets that far."
Qualey said he was glad to hear the committee approved the bill, even with the new requirements for public services. "If that's what we have to do to incorporate, then we'll do it," he said. "The essence of the bill is intact."
All Charleston-area members of the committee voted for the bill, said Rep. Ben A. Hagood Jr., R-Charleston. Hagood said he supported the amendment because it eased fears that "paper towns" with few municipal services would form.
"I think this bill will make it easier for citizens to get together and form local governments, but real governments," Hagood said. "I favor genuine incorporations, in order to keep land-use decisions as close to the people as possible."
Land-use decisions are at the heart of the dispute west of the Ashley. Foes of the project say if North Charleston were to cross the river and annex the Watson Hill tract, cars from the resulting thousands of homes would clog the two-lane scenic highway between Summerville and Charleston. The property sits in unincorporated Dorchester County, outside the "urban growth boundary" designated by Charleston and Charleston County five years ago.
"I never thought I would see a sister community so disregard our planning efforts," Riley said. "This is the diametric opposite of regional planning."
North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey says the issue is about his city's desire to grow and Charleston's desire to control the region.
At their meeting Tuesday, Charleston City Council members bemoaned the acrimony between the neighboring cities, and then gave preliminary approval to Charleston's annexation plan along S.C. Highway 61. "We take a lot of hits on annexation (issues), but this is about protecting the whole area," said Councilman Larry Shirley of West Ashley. "It's not about power, and it's not about money."
Councilman Robert George said he didn't feel good about the annexation maneuver but said Charleston was forced to act. He said there will be fences to mend with North Charleston.
Copyright © 2005, The Post and Courier, All Rights Reserved