Despite Concerns About PRC, Meetings Mostly Have Been Open

By Tenisha Waldo

The Post and Courier

Saturday, May 12, 2007

The initial discussions on spending half-cent sales tax money for city parks were generally transparent and even included some public comment.

Despite some hesitation from the county's Parks and Recreation Commission to publicly talk about potential purchases, the Urban Grants Review Committee kept the majority of its deliberations open at its meeting this week but was careful not to reveal some specifics about appraisals or property values.

The committee met Tuesday to review the 18 requests submitted in March for greenbelt money, though only six of those applications will advance in the process, which starts with the urban review committee, then goes to the PRC and ends with Charleston County Council. The rest of the applications were withdrawn or incomplete.

More than 20 people, many of whom were applicants, came to listen to the discussion.

Committee members were reminded that they are allowed to go into executive session to discuss such matters in private and that they would not give the public pertinent documents until a contract is signed. But committee chairman James Duggan still often allowed public comment.

One particular application from the town of James Island stirred up some controversy. The town wants $600,000 to buy Medway Park in Riverland Terrace, which is 5.4 acres, from the Charleston County School District.

But the city of Charleston is already leasing the land until 2018 with plans to keep it as a park, although the school district could end that lease at any time. While a reverter clause guarantees the property will be used publicly, the school district could opt to use it some other way. The park could then be lost.

Also, some members of the Riverland Terrace Neighborhood Association — caught in the ongoing clash between the town and the city — told the committee Tuesday that they also have some ideas for the park that differ slightly from James Island's plans.

Duggan questioned whether James Island could better use the half-cent money on other projects since the park already is used by the public.

Two committee members wanted to defer the town's application until more clarity on the issue was available, but Duggan said he didn't think the committee should get involved in disputes between the different parties.

"I think our job is just to look at this and see if it meets the criteria," he said.

The committee recommended James Island's request and these other land purchases to the PRC:

--About 1.25 acres of land known as Ellis Oaks by the James Island Lowe's. The city of Charleston bought the area and hopes to be reimbursed with greenbelt money. It is asking for $430,000.

--Nine acres on Grey Marsh Road owned by Park West Development Inc. for $270,000 with an $8,200 match by the town of Mount Pleasant.

--About 1.08 acres for the neighborhood association in Awendaw's Ten Mile Community. The association applied for $275,000 to buy the land but was granted $200,000.

--About 120 acres, mostly wetlands, for the Hunt Club Trail system off Bees Ferry Road requested by the St. Andrew's Parish Parks and Playground. The original request was for $3,046,000 for 153.78 acres, but the urban review committee approved $276,000 for the first phase of the project.

--Five acres in the Phillips Community off S.C. Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant. The neighborhood association will have to update its appraisal and the award will be $550,000 or less, depending on the updated market value.