By Cameron Easley - email

Posted: Jun 13, 2012 8:04 AM EDT; updated: Jun 13, 2012 8:04 AM EDT

MT. PLEASANT, SC -

It appears “big box” stores are a step closer to becoming a reality off Highway 17 in Mt. Pleasant after town council members voted to repeal the “50 acre” rule on Tuesday.

The rule has kept developers from putting 70,000-square-foot buildings in fewer than 50 acres of land, but the council voted five to four to repeal the rule, opening the door for big box stores.

Developers in Mount Pleasant wanted to build on a piece of land called the Gregg Tract right beside Snee Farms causing neighbors to band together and prevent big box stores from being built on the 40 acre property.

However, Councilman Elton Carrier said Tuesday developers still face challenges in their efforts to develop the Gregg Tract, as the property must first be rezoned and the Mt. Pleasant Planning Board must sign off on any proposed project.

Copyright 2012 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Posted: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 12:14 a.m.

MOUNT PLEASANT — Town Council gave final approval Tuesday night to a change that could allow big-box stores on tracts smaller than 50 acres.

The 5-4 vote was the same as last month’s vote. No council member changed his or her vote.

The topic is a hot-button issue for residents surrounding the “Gregg Tract” across from Towne Centre who are concerned about a developer’s plan to locate three big-box stores on the 40-acre piece of land. They have expressed concerns about traffic and noise, among other issues.

The Gregg Tract project will require rezoning from residential to commercial. And the project will require council approval.

Copyright, 2012, The Post and Courier. All Rights Reserved.

Posted: Jun 12, 2012 5:57 PM EDT; updated: Jun 12, 2012 10:48 PM EDT

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — Mount Pleasant homeowners feared that amending an ordinance that’s been on the books for years would generate more traffic congestion and crush small businesses. Now their fear is a reality.

“We don’t want to look like Rivers Avenue in North Charleston,” said Pam Sullivan, a homeowner in Snee Farm.  “We don’t want to look like every other town across the county that has all of the franchise stores.”

In a 5 to 4 final vote, Mount Pleasant Town Council amended an ordinance that would now make it easier for big box stores to come to Mount Pleasant.

“We’re not injuring the world by changing this,” said Mayor Billy Swails who supported the ordinance change.  “We’re not going to put anything on a three acre spot.”

Despite concerns, last month, town council voted to get rid of a portion of the ordinance that would have denied big box retailers from moving in.  Not every home owner in Mount Pleasant opposed the amendment.

“You can’t just freeze a town.  You can’t just stop it in its track and let it stay the way it needs to be for years.  It’s not going to happen,” said Paul Moore who called the current ordinance outdated.

As it stood, commercial structures had to be limited to 70,000 square feet of space unless the store sat on more than 50 acres of land.

Developer Ben Henrich, who put in the initial application, said he wants to work with the community. But in time, wants to build several big-name retailers near Towne Center.

This is the third and final reading on the measure.

By: Count On 2 Staff | WCBD News 2
Published: June 12, 2012

BY Prentiss Findlay
pfindlay@postandcourier.com

Published June 4, 2012

MOUNT PLEASANT — Lush, green yards slope to a pastoral view of water and woods behind houses on Babington Way in Wando Lakes.

“We have bald eagles back here,” said resident Amy Hardee. “This is one of the last green spaces that we have in this part of Mount Pleasant. It’s a shame to develop it in such a vast way,” she said.

The developer, Ben Henrich, came to the Babington Way home of Damon and Jamie Meek recently to discuss his plans for a nearby shopping center. Jamie Meek said it would be only 273 feet from her house to a discount shopping club that would be part of a “big box” store center Henrich envisions on 40 acres.

“I think he (Henrich) has done a lot of work. It’s a great plan. I’m just not sure it’s a great spot,” she said.

Henrich told the residents that the location, known as the Gregg Tract, is one of the most desirable places in the region for developers. It is across from Towne Centre, the shopping heart of Mount Pleasant.

In response to resident concerns, Henrich said three “big box” stores have been pulled back from the property line as far as possible and extra buffering has been added in the form of mature trees and an 8-foot-tall fence. Lighting will be “straight down” at a 90-degree angle and trucks will not unload merchandise late at night, he said.

“We’ve really tried to consider what you are seeing out your back window. It’s important to us to do the best that we can with buffering,” he said.

Henrich, an I’On Village resident, pointed to City Center in White Plains, N.Y., as an example of the sort of work he has done with his father-in-law, Connecticut-based developer Lou Ceruzzi.

“That is a project that we look to that we are very proud of,” he said.

About 10 residents who met with Henrich expressed worries about noise, traffic and stormwater drainage problems they feared would come from his development. A home improvement store, sporting goods outlet and discount club are envisioned on the property.

“I moved here to raise a family. That is what I think is going to suffer if this goes through,” said Dan Bell, a Wando Lakes resident.

Henrich described steps he would take to improve drainage in Snee Farm as part of his development. He discussed measures that could improve traffic flow and emphasized that he would ensure that delivery trucks are not at the site at all hours of the night.

After withdrawing his town application for the development because of public opposition, Henrich has been reaching out to surrounding neighborhoods such as Snee Farm, Wando Lakes, Wando East, The Reserve and Montclair.

“Some of you just aren’t going to like what I do and I accept that,” he said. Henrich said his goal is to keep residents well-informed of his plans so there are no surprises down the road. He apologized that some residents found out about the project in the newspaper.

The Gregg Tract property is zoned residential, which means Henrich would have to obtain town approval for commercial zoning. If that is not forthcoming, Henrich said his “Plan B” is multi-family housing on the site.

Some residents expressed concern because their research showed that “big box” stores were not flourishing as they had in the past. They worried about an empty shopping center next door.

“That’s my biggest nightmare,” Henrich said. For that reason, he said he would not enter a lease with a “big box” retailer unless they are strong and successful. Henrich would not reveal the potential tenants other than to describe them as a discount club, a sporting goods outlet and a home improvement store.

Wal-mart and Kmart are already in town. Lowe’s is located in Towne Centre across U.S. 17 from the Gregg Tract.

“What you see across the street is what you can expect on this side of the street,” he said.

Copyright, 2012, The Post and Courier. All Rights Reserved.

BY Prentiss Findlay
pfindlay@postandcourier.com

Published May 24,  2012

MOUNT PLEASANT – The developer of a large retail complex planned on about 40 acres across from Towne Centre plans to meet this morning with opponents of the project at a Wando Lakes home. The opponents said they appreciate the gesture but doubt that it will change their minds about the “big box” retail development.

Wando Lakes resident Leah Cloyd said she helped to arrange the meeting with developer and I’On Village resident Ben Henrich at the home of Jamie and Damon Meek on Babington Way.

Cloyd said she knows that Henrich is earnestly trying to address the homeowners’ concerns but she was skeptical that more meetings would change homeowner opposition.

Noise, traffic and lighting are “huge concerns,” she said. “I don’t really think that he can mitigate all our concerns,” she said.

Last month, Henrich withdrew the project application at Town Hall because of public opposition.

He has announced changes to the project, such as reducing the square-footage by 10 percent and increasing noise-dampening vegetation between the three proposed retailers and adjoining residents. If the project is built, a home improvement store, a sporting goods retailer and a discount wholesale retail outlet would be there.

“We appreciate that he’s taking a better approach this time,” said Damon Meek. However, Meek said that even after the meeting he expected he would still be against commercial development of the piece of property known as the Gregg Tract.

Wando Lakes homeowners found out about the project in the newspaper, Cloyd said.

Surrounding neighborhoods, such as Wando Lakes, Wando East, Snee Farm and Montclair, have expressed concern about the development.

Henrich indicated this week that it would be at least July before he returns to Town Council seeking approval of the project.

“It definitely will not be next month. We’re going to be refocusing our efforts and slowing down a bit. This allows us more time to communicate. We’re willing to take as much time as needed to meet with everybody,” Henrich said.

“We certainly are not backing off. We have to hear what the ongoing issues are and make the adjustments and improvements to the plan,” he said.

Henrich said earlier meetings with neighboring residents were with groups such as homeowners association boards. Now, he wants to have meetings with residents themselves.

“It’s really not combative. It’s information,” he said.

Henrich must wait a year to reapply with the same project or seek a Town Council waiver of the 12-month wait time. However, because he has redesigned the project, the year-long wait may be inapplicable, said Town Councilman Elton Carrier.

To build the project, the Gregg Tract must first be rezoned from residential to commercial.

“His real battle is going to be the rezoning. That has to preclude anything, I think. To me, that’s the real issue,” Carrier said.

Before his first application to the town to build the project, Henrich discussed his development plans with the Snee Farm homeowners association, said board President Ted Summerford.

“He’s been pretty faithful with us as a board. It’s been full disclosure. That doesn’t mean necessarily that we agree with the project,” Summerford said.

The Snee Farm board polled homeowners and found that more than 90 percent of them opposed the project and the zoning change it would require, he said.

“I think that a straightforward civil discourse is what we need. I just believe with all my heart that it is in the wrong place,” Summerford said.

Copyright, 2012, The Post and Courier. All Rights Reserved.

By Lauren Ratcliffe
lratcliffe@scbiznews.com

Published May 24, 2012

When Mount Pleasant voted earlier this month to remove an ordinance banning big-box development, many feared the decision would pave an easy path for the Gregg Tract to be developed.

But Ben Henrich, president of Henrich Properties, withdrew his application to develop the lot in February and must wait a full year to resubmit an application with the town — unless he seeks and is granted a waiver from the Town Council.

On Wednesday, Henrich said he would not immediately seek a waiver to reapply with the town.

“We are slowing down the planning process at this point,” he said. “We need more time to communicate with neighborhoods and businesses and the Town of Mount Pleasant.”

Residents expressed anger at the Council’s decision to remove the ordinance on first reading, because they say big-box development would hurt the town. Many associate the ordinance with the Gregg Tract proposal. Henrich’s original application detailed 400,000 square feet of commercial retail space with restaurants.

Henrich said his new plans include meetings with individual citizens, groups of citizens, homeowners associations and town officials.

“We have to make sure we are getting through to everybody and not just relying on homeowners associations to relay information,” Henrich said.

He said he wants to stress to residents that their concerns are being heard and addressed in the planning phase of the Gregg Tract process.

Henrich said even with the town voting to remove the ordinance, he will not immediately pursue the resubmission of his application, but does hope to receive a waiver at some point.

“We’re still going to work to get an exception to the one-year rule, but at this point our main focus is having meetings and getting feedback,” Henrich said. “And doing everything to mitigate the impact and give the town the best project we can.”

By Jennifer Wilson

Published May 8, 2012 

By PRENTISS FINDLAY
pfindlay@postandcourier.com

May 8, 2012

MOUNT PLEASANT — In a 5-4 vote before a packed house, Town Council voted to change the zoning code in a way that opponents feared will pave the way for “big-box” retailers across from Towne Centre in the heart of an area surrounded by residential neighborhoods.

Council member Chris Nickels, who cast a “no” vote, said he struggled with the decision.

“I have gone back and forth,” he said. “It truly is that close of a call to me.”

Mayor Billy Swails cast the deciding vote to correct an “antiquated ordinance.”

At issue was a provision in the zoning code that the ground floor of a building, the “footprint,” is limited to 70,000 square feet if it is part of a project on less than 50 acres. In recent votes, that limit was upheld by the Planning Commission and the Council Planning Committee.

But on Tuesday, a majority of council voted to scrap the limit in a first-reading ballot. A second, final reading vote will be required at another council meeting before the change becomes official.

Voting “no” on Tuesday night were council members Thomasena Stokes-Marshall, Linda Page, Elton Carrier and Nickels.

Residents of Snee Farm and other neighborhoods next to the Gregg Tract, where the big box development would be located for the most part, spoke out against changing the zoning code to allow the development. In all, more than 20 people addressed council on the issue.

“Our community is being watched tonight. This evening, a message will be sent. Either Mount Pleasant is closed, or it is a great place to do business,” said Ben Henrich, president of Henrich Properties, developer of the Gregg Tract.

Many saw the vote as a ballot on the future of the Gregg Tract and the Henrich Properties development planned there called Towne Square. It is on less than 50 acres of land and includes two buildings of more than 100,000 square feet. If all goes as planned, one will be a home-improvement store and the other will be a wholesale retailer. The third 50,000-square-foot building would be a sporting goods store.

Supporters of keeping the restriction on building-footprint size in the zoning code said it was good for local business. Figures were cited that showed millions of dollars flow out of a community when a big-box retailer moves into a community.

John Royall, owner of Royall Hardware, expressed concerns that a new big-box development will crush small retail businesses selling the same sort of products.

Council member Chris O’Neal noted that Henrich Properties will be required to receive approval from council for its project. Before that happens, the developer will be required to work with town staff and the Planning Commission.

“It’s not the job of council to tell business where it should or should not locate,” O’Neal said.

Henrich has said the project will improve drainage, create hundreds of jobs and fill town coffers with millions of dollars in new revenue.

The Planning Commission and Town Council last July deleted the provision from the zoning code that would prohibit the two biggest buildings because it was deemed antiquated, but it was discovered recently to also exist in another part of the code. For that reason, the commission and council were asked by town staff to delete the newly discovered provision to make the zoning code consistent.

The Planning Commission and Council Planning Committee refused to make the change during meetings in the past two weeks.

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors supported removing the provision in the town zoning code regarding limits on big-box development.

“If you continue with the current burdensome regulation, the town will be promoting urban sprawl, creating unnecessary barriers to new development and promoting a standard that has no rational basis within the real estate industry,” the organization’s president, Herbert Koger Jr., said in a letter to Mayor Billy Swails.

The town now has two Walmarts, a Kmart and a Lowe’s.

By Lauren Ratcliffe
lratcliffe@scbiznews.com

Published May 8, 2012 

Mount Pleasant Town Council narrowly voted tonight to remove an ordinance in the Town Code limiting large format development on plots smaller than 50 acres.

Mount Pleasant residents listen to the discussion over a zoning ordinance that opponents argue would usher in a big box development. (Photo/Leslie Burden)

Council chambers were filled to the brim with residents vocalizing both their support for and opposition to big box stores, notably the proposed Gregg Tract development.

Current code limits the footprint of buildings on plots smaller than 50 acres to 70,000 square feet.

Councilman Craig Rhyne said he chose to move his family to the town after having grown up in Mount Pleasant because of the character of the town.

“This is not about the Gregg Tract,” Rhyne said. “It really isn’t.”

Rhyne moved that the council eliminate the ordinance from the books. Mayor Billy Swails seconded the motion.

The motion passed 5-4 with Thomasena Stokes-Marshall, Linda Page, Elton Carrier and Chris Nickels in opposition. This is the first reading on the measure.

The Gregg Tract became the public face of this ordinance when Henrich Properties submitted plans to place three buildings, including two with footprints larger than 100,000 square feet on the 40-acre plot. In February, Henrich withdrew its application for further study.

Henrich, or any other developer wishing to build big box stores, would still have to go through town council procedures to have their projects approved.

“There are enough filters in our system right now (to prevent development),” Councilman Kenneth Glasson Jr., reminded the crowd.