Berkeley County is planning for the future through its comprehensive plan

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Berkeley County is in the process of updating its comprehensive plan.

Growth has been a major problem across the Lowcountry, and the county is seeking massive growth in many areas.

Jeanne Pederson, who lives in Sangaree, originally moved to the area with her family because of the Navy in 1990. Plenty of things has changed in that time.

“I’m retired,” she said. “We have three grandchildren and 14 grandchildren – 2 to 22.”

New people and traffic congestion have become a way of life in their community, Sangaree, where Nexton is open just across the street.

“It’s up and growing, especially since Nexton and Cane Bay… the schools have just doubled and tripled,” said Pederson.

“Traffic is a little crazy at times,” said Robert Pederson. “You’ve got to know what time to go, which roads to go down, which way is easiest.”

These are just some of the issues Berkeley County is considering with their comprehensive plan, One Berkeley. There are four different options for how the county could grow in the future.

“First is the committed growth scenario. This considers what we have already entitled and the full build-out of those communities that we’ve already entitled,” said Alison Simmons, Berkeley County Planning Director.

“The next scenario is the trend scenario and it considers what the future land-use map would look like if we continue to grow the way we have over the last 15 years,” explained Simmons.

She went on to say, “the third scenario is the accelerated trend scenario. And it considers what the county would look like if we will exceed the projections we currently contemplate for 2040, and the last scenario is the compact, or manage, the growth scenario. It assumes the build-out contemplated in the accelerated trend but with a tighter, denser more compact footprint.”

The more compact footprint might mean more multifamily projects in some areas, which may leave other areas less built out over time. Each scenario will include its benefits and costs.

“There’s just so much growing. They’re still shooting out there wherever they can in Cane Bay. It’s scary, but, you know, we moved down here because it was kind of scattered, but in here, it’s good.”

Those who live in Berkeley County have two weeks to submit input on the program. You can do that online by clicking here.