Opinion: Anderson Needs Housing, But Rushing Developments Not the Answer

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer 

I have been an observer of politics in Anderson since right after the South Carolina Home Rule Act gave some independent authority to locally elected governments.

The move was long overdue. Previously the only local power was relegated to road commissioners, which is why Anderson County has 1,534 miles of paved roads, many of which would still be goat paths.

It has not always been pretty. Ugly examples include one person serving jail time for allegedly erasing and changing county votes on election night back in the 1980s; the ousting of school superintendents and county administrators; and any number of local town administrators abusing their position and paying for it later at the ballot box.

But the good has shined so brightly such examples do little to diminish the progress of the county and its cities and towns under Home Rule. 

From where I sit, the county and town leaders boast the most impressive roster Anderson County has witnessed. The dazzling economic development success of the county under the direction of Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns, Economic Development Director Burriss Nelson and a council committed to good jobs and higher wages is remarkable. Anderson County today has the most international investment of any county in the state, with 51 companies representing 18 countries. The county’s priority on recreation has also helped make Hartwell Lake an international destination and kicked off a major effort to revitalize the Saluda River. 

Progressive and cooperative mayors and councils in our cities and towns are manifest across the county, with leaders open to public input and feedback. 

It is easy to see substantial recent progress in Belton, Honea Path, Iva, Pendleton, Pelzer and West Pelzer thanks to such leadership.

The same is true of the City of Anderson. The vision and leadership of Mayor Terence Roberts and city council has helped bring downtown back to life with such improvements as Carolina Wren Park while greatly improved recreation opportunities for citizens. 

Perhaps the greatest challenge of such success is how to manage growth. From the earliest days of Home Rule, countywide zoning has been the most widely opposed issue from both leaders and citizens. Not surprisingly, since in the South a family’s wealth legacy is often in the land they leave their children. 

Today there are houses in the fields that not so long ago were growing corn or raising dairy cattle. Those farms that have survived are now largely bordered by subdivisions or at least rows of houses. It’s a trend that can be expected to continue as early Census figures show Anderson County’s population to top 205,000 when the county is done. This growth is also reflected in the towns and cities of Anderson County.

Monday night’s city council meeting reflected the varied interests and opinions on how such growth might be managed. Similar scenes are common in local city, town and county council meetings. 

Concerning a new subdivision that would include 159 houses on 50 acres at the corner of Midway Road and Crestview Road, the sides were clearly divided. (Adding to the frustration of county citizens is they are not residents of the city and thus not really represented by an elected official who gets to vote on this project).

Residents of the area, who are accustomed to the large, open Kay farm land, love their views and do not wish to see the character of their neighborhood change. Many of these who live in houses with large, wooded lots, expressed worries about property values and other issues which would result from the new proposed housing. 

Meanwhile, city council is charged with identifying potential sites for annexation, one of only ways the city can expand its tax base. The city of Anderson has expanded quickly into the area over the past 15 years, annexing new developments of homes and duplexes in the area, since it is a much-desired location for those looking for homes. 

The updated plan was unavailable to both council members and the public for review Monday night (always a red flag), but the alleged revisions made since the subdivision was first proposed included reducing the number of houses proposed from 200 to 159, the promise of sidewalks, deceleration lanes into the properties, a mixture of large and small lots, retention of some old-growth trees, and green spaces. 

The local residents traffic concerns are legitimate and two council members, Don Chapman and John Roberts, voted against moving forward until those concerns could be addressed.

Traffic at the intersection of Midway Road and Crestview Road has long ago outpaced what the roads can handle during rush hours and especially during the school year when parents dropping off kids at both Midway Elementary School and Glenview Middle School see traffic jams sometimes more than 30-cars deep at the four-way stop. 

According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, a long-planned roundabout is not scheduled to be completed until early 2025, meaning adding another 300-plus vehicles to the mix could prove problematic. 

City Councilman Tony Stewart suggested that the SCDOT timetables was often not reliable, although my discussions with area planners and developers disagree with his assessment. 

There is little argument that more housing is needed. Those who wish to close the door to all future development after they are settled into their own homes and subdivisions cannot ignore others wish to relocate to the area.

But the city needs to approach annexation and growth with prudence. Assurances that approving the project on first reading Monday was simply a signal to the developer of the city’s continued interest in proceeding make little sense when voting on such an issue, especially when updates to the proposal have not been reviewed by council members. 

The local developer is an experienced businessman, and should be no stranger to the hurdles of rezoning and annexation. The fact the many council members expressed friendship and respect for the developer should be enough to confirm city’s interest in some version of the project.

This sense of urgency does not seem a path to finding the best long-term solution. The revised plans, again plans not yet made available to the public, should face serious scrutiny and perhaps additional refinement. The current mix of high-density housing (generally defined by the neighborhood) mixed with some larger homes on larger lots could perhaps be reevaluated to a more modest 120 homes on lots of around four-tenths of an acre, something that would make for a potential model new neighborhood and still allow for substantial profits for the developer and decent additional taxes for the city.

My understanding of housing and development is not uniformed. My father was a builder, and I have two friends who are widely regarded for their expertise in city/county planning and development. I have interviewed architects and property developers who are finding solutions for better-designed houses and neighborhoods which will maintain their character for decades to come. Such experts are now leaning toward quality of life issues that do not support even mixed-development housing that includes high-density housing. 

City Councilman Jeff Roberts said last night that the city’s approach to expansion and development is still evolving. This is a good approach, and one that should be applied by refining the current proposed projects.  

There is certainly a need, and room for, additional housing in Anderson. The Midway/Crestview site is a beautiful property for such housing. Local residents cannot realistically hope to put the breaks on progress at that site. Meanwhile the city, in a rush to annex, should tap the brakes long enough evaluate traffic issues and to recognize too many houses on too few acres poses a threat to what could both provide additional housing in a neighborhood they would be proud to call home.