By AVERY B. WILKERSON JR. - Guest columnist
The State offered paternalistic advice to my colleagues and me on how to handle the proposed annexation of 3,000 acres of land off Bluff Road in Richland County (“Cayce mustn’t rush to annex, approve project along river,” Thursday).
Our side of the river is used to getting such advice from myriad interests on that side of the river, particularly when events happen that benefit us. Relocation of the State Farmers Market and SCANA to the Lexington County side come to mind.
Regarding our proposed annexation, the Richland County side of the river has been trying to make decisions for us on this property for years. The result: a judge’s order that opens up more of the land for development, and no end to the fighting.
My position is simple: As long as the land is not in Cayce, our citizens must live with decisions made by public officials who are not accountable to Cayce and who could not care less what Cayce citizens think.
Annexation gives Cayce residents the ability to determine our own destiny.
If and when we annex, landowners will not be able to do anything with the property without zoning approval from Cayce — nothing. Zoning is a public process in which every citizen can participate, and I am certain that most citizens will want to have their say.
If we annex, Cayce taxpayers will have input. If we don’t, they won’t.
The State has made much of the fact that the owners of the land have not presented a detailed plan for development.
That’s because they don’t have one, and they don’t have one because I am insisting that the plan be developed with input from elected officials, the business community and other citizens in Cayce. They agreed.
The Green Diamond plan has been scrapped. A new plan for Vista Farms will be built from the ground up, and it will be built based upon what is best for Cayce taxpayers.
Conservation is an important concept in this venture. Already 1,500 acres of land from the tract have become farmland. I’m also excited about the constructed wetlands concept to treat wastewater naturally while creating a preserve for animals and plant life.
Other communities using constructed wetlands have become a tourism destination to view wildlife. That would give lower Richland a much-needed economic boost. And, forward-thinking communities have saved their citizens millions of dollars in sewer treatment costs using these wetlands for next-stage treatment.
There is much misinformation being floated around our city in unsigned flyers. Here are the facts:
Annexation of the 3,000 acres of land — if done properly — will significantly expand Cayce’s tax base and create more taxpayers and jobs for our people. I’d rather create more taxpayers than ask the same taxpayers to pay higher taxes.
If and when zoning is approved, the developer will be responsible for water and sewer costs, not Cayce taxpayers.
Costs for schools and things such as emergency services will be financed by revenues generated from future development. If the development does not proceed, there will be no need for services.
Maintenance and repair of any levees will be the responsibility of the landowners protected by a levee. As in many parts of the country, a levee improvement district can be created, which is self-funded by taxing properties within the district and does not require taxation of the public.
Folks in Riverland Park are asking questions about the levee system along the river and whether this development will create greater potential for flooding.
City Council makes this pledge: We won’t approve any zoning unless we are convinced that the development will not increase flooding potential.
In fact, the developers are considering ways to lessen the potential by moving the levees along the river back to allow for more flow to pass downstream from Riverland Park.
So we are seeking ways to lessen the possibility of flooding, which would lower insurance costs and raise property values for residents of Riverland Park.
Annexation could give the city of Cayce a historic economic and environmental boost. But most importantly, it will give our citizens a chance to control their own destiny and influence the process.
Our destiny will continue to be in the hands of others unless we annex, and leaving our fate to others is not a comforting thought.
Mr. Wilkerson is mayor of Cayce.
10 comments:
Who owns "Vista Farms"?
I only see 4 comments that you received on this website. How many comments have you received that were not approved and therefore are not posted on this site?
Vista Farms is owned by a group of investors collectively call Columbia Venture, LLC. It is managed and run under a long term contract by Whitehouse Development, LLC, which is made up of Deas Manning, Charles McCallum, and Bob Hughes.
Welcome back, Pax. We have published every comment we have received.
How can I trust in Vista Farms when I got their notice for the public hearing the day after the meeting took place?
Although Vista Farms is not the party required to give notice of public meetings, we mailed a notice to every address we had in Cayce on Friday before the meeting. We apologize that you did not get yours before the meeting, but we saw some notices there. Did you make it to the meeting?
I missed the meeting. I live 1 mile from the Cayce Post Office and I received my meeting notice the day after the meeting. That is odd. I am also worried about enlarging the area that the Cayce Police Department would have to patrol when they cannot enforce the speed limit on the avenues. Cars and school busses were clocked by a speed detector going in excess of 50mph on a 30mph road. I was told that "people" complained about a speed trap being on Lafayette Avenue. So, what other things will "people" in Cayce allow to go on when huge sums of money are involved?
I am sorry you missed the meeting. From what I understand there will be public comment tonight on the Comprehensive Plan and a public hearing on the annexation next week. I am not totally certain of that, so you should check with Cayce.
As for the mail, I guess it is the holidays. As I said, there were folks at the meeting on both sides who had received our notice before the meeting.
I would hope that Vista Farms development, no matter how far it may be in the future, would include a comprehensive recreational facility that would include multiple soccer fields, baseball fields, softball fields, etc. This amenity enhances the overall quality of life for its' residents and attracts quality people to the adjacent neighborhoods. This aspect has long been overlooked in Cayce proper. No longer can "landlocked" be the excuse.
Thank you, Lifelong Cayce Resident. While we have a lot of community planning and meeting left to do before we know exactly what will happen, we hope you will make it a point to attend some of those meetings to make your voice heard.
We agree that recreational uses ought to be a part of every community and we want to contribute to that. There are some areas that we think are "naturals" for various recreational uses. And it would be a great place to bring the whole community together.
Thanks for the idea. This is the kind of input we will be seeking in our community planning meetings..
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