PLANNING COMMISSIONERS MEETING

JUNE 8, 2006

7:00PM

MEGGETT TOWN HALL

Chairman Bill Krucke called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 7:00PM.  Andy Anderson led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.  Commissioners who were in attendance were the following:  Chairman Bill Krucke, Andy Anderson, Ed Amerman, John Boineau, and Eric Meyer.  Also present representing Charleston County was Andrea Pietras and Mr. Frank Towland.

Minutes from the last meeting were approved.

Case 3380-M

Mr. Earl Barteet, Jr. of 4715 Highway 165, Meggett, SC has requested to rezone a portion of parcel 193-00-00-038 from OCM (Office/Commercial) to AR (Agricultural).  The purpose of the rezoning is to combine the portion of the parcel 193-00-00-038 with the adjacent property (TMS 162-00-00-239).   Charleston County Rep Andrea Pietras presented the request to the Planning Commissioners.  Mr. Barteet was present and was asked to speak regarding the zoning change.  Mr. Barteet expressed his interest in purchasing the small portion of property that the Church was selling which bordered his property.  Because his property is zoned AR he would need to have the portion he was buying rezoned to AR also in order to incorporate the acquired property into his parcel of land.  Presently the Church property is zoned OCM.  Chairman Krucke asked for any comments.  Commissioner Eric Meyer made a motion to have the zoning changed on the portion of the parcel in question.  Commissioner John Boineau seconded the motion.  The request for the rezoning was passed by all Commissioners.  (See attached copy of rezoning request submitted to the Town of Meggett by Charleston County Planning attached to the minutes regarding Mr. Earl Barteet’s zoning request.)

Case 20205 – Lands of Barbara S. Lewis

Kennerty Surveying, Inc. submitted a plat for  approval of  Lot 14 consisting of a 1.01 acre tract in Waters Edge Subdivision located in the Town of Meggett, lands of Barbara Lewis.   Mrs. Barbara Lewis was present and explained to Council that her original plans were to develop the entire tract of land into a subdivision but due to lack of funds to do the infra-structure she had to alter her plans for development of the subdivision.  However a contract was placed on lot 14 a year ago by Mr. Hass and Mrs. Lewis has agreed to honor the contract for the purchase of lot 14.  She is asking the Planning Commissioners to approve the division of the 1.01 acre tract and has indicated she has met the requirements of zoning regulations set by the Town of Meggett.

Discussion:  Commissioner Eric Meyer asked if the road that would be used to access the property is an approved road.  

Response:  Mrs. Lewis replied that the ingress-egress easement access road did not meet standards for an approved road and she was not aware that an approved road would be required.   Commissioner Meyer indicated concerns that the width of the ingress-egress road could prove to be insufficient for emergency vehicles to access.  Mr. Frank Towland with Charleston County Planning asked to be recognized and addressed the Commissioners indicating that an ingress-egress easement is allowed when developing a subdivision of ten lots or less.  He also emphasized that the established zoning requirements of the Town of Meggett have been met by Mrs. Lewis. Mr. Towland also stated that he had informed Mrs. Lewis should she proceed with the development of additional lots she should review and comply with the requirements of Charleston County Road Standards Section 6.2.

Commissioner Eric Meyer being aware that trees and debris were left on the property by Mrs. Lewis when she had originally cleared the land inquired as to where the location of the material was stored.  Mrs. Lewis indicated on the plat the location of where trees and debris had been placed.  She also stated that additional trees had been placed on this site by Mr. Ernest Rentz when he did the clearing of Lot 14.  Mrs. Lewis indicated that the placement of the debris would not present a problem with accessing the property.

Commissioner Andy Anderson made a motion that the division of Lot 14 of the lands of Barbara S. Lewis be approved as shown on the plat done by Kennerty Surveying, Inc.  Commissioner Ed Amerman seconded the motion.  The Planning Commissioners voted to approve the subdivision of Lot 14 of the Lands of Barbara Lewis.   (Attached to the minutes is a copy of the Subdivision Request dated June 8, 2006 submitted to the Town of Meggett by Charleston County Planning regarding comments and stipulations recommended by Charleston County Planning.)

Case 20439-P Lands of Toogoodoo Plantation LLC

A preliminary plat was submitted to the Planning Commissioners by Lowcountry Land Development Consultants requesting approval for the proposed subdivision of 71 lots of lands of Toogoodoo Plantation.  Roads will be private right-of-ways.  Fifty-five sewer taps have been purchased from the Town of Meggett to serve part of the development.  The remainder of the lots will need approval for septic systems or an engineered type system.   Gravity sewers will run from lots to pump station and then be pumped into force main.    

Discussion:

Plat indicates sewer and water for the development to be accessed on Wilson Road.  It was brought to the attention of Commissioners that The Town of Meggett owns the lines along Ethel P.O. Road rather than the sewer along Wilson Road. 

Response:  The possibility of the tie in along Wilson Road is being considered and will be agreed upon by Mayor Coffin and Mayor Schuster.  This would possibly be the shortest distance for the sewer to tie in.  Presently the capacity of flow in the force main along Wilson Road is not enough for the force main to work efficiently.  By providing the tie in along the force main on Wilson Road it would increase the flow and help the force main to become more efficient. Once determination is made as to which lots will have septic systems, the drawings for water and sewer will be finalized and the most efficient location for the tie in will be determined.  Mayor Coffin and Mayor Schuster will review the final drawings and confer with the engineers in making the decision of which sewer line location will work better for the development.  The site for the location of the pump station has not been determined at this time. 

Margaret Blackmer, resident of Meggett asked which side of Wilson Road did the sewer and water run. 

Response:  The water main that runs along Wilson Road is located on the south side and the sewer is on the opposite side.  Ms Blackmer asked if the pump station would be placed on Wilson Road.  Again it was stressed that the site for the pump station had not been determined at this time and would depend on the variables of which lots would be served with sewer taps and which would be with septic systems.  Ms Blackmer asked if the sewer was tied to the line along Wilson road would the connection line be bored under Wilson Road.

Response:  If sewer is connected to the force main along Wilson Road the connection pipe will either be bored under Wilson Road or placed with open cut.

Ms Blackmer also inquired about the status of the air strip on Toogoodoo Farms site.  She was once again assured that the air strip is not being used.

Commissioner Andy Anderson inquired as to how 55 sewer taps were obtained to sell to Toogoodoo Farms for development.  It was explained that Hollywood approached DHEC asking that the usage of the recommended GPD be reduced from 400 to 300.  This reduction provided additional taps and with what the town had, it allowed fifty-five taps to be allocated to Toogoodoo Farms for development.  Commissioner Anderson asked if the lots would have city water or would they be served by wells as indicated on the drawings that were submitted.  It was implied that because city water is available they would be served by public water system rather than by wells.

Commissioner Ed Amerman stated that he felt the development of Toogoodoo Farms would end the rural ways of Meggett but because the development had met all of the requirements for zoning issues required by the Town of Meggett, he moved that the proposed subdivision of 71 lots be accepted.  The motion was seconded by Andy Anderson and all voted in favor of the development.  (See a copy of Subdivision request dated June 8, submitted to the Town of Meggett by Charleston County Planning for comments and stipulations. )

With no further business the meeting was adjourned.

(Respectfully submitted by Gail Seabrook, Town Clerk)