Charleston County Greenbelt Advisory Board Meets May 2

            Adoption of Final Draft Comprehensive Greenbelt Plan Scheduled

 Charleston County’s Greenbelt Advisory Board (GAB) for the Transportation (“Half-Cent”) Sales Tax will meet at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2 in County Council’s Committee Room on the second floor of the Lonnie Hamilton III, Public Service Building (4045 Bridge View Drive off Leeds Avenue in North Charleston). The meeting is open to the public.

The May 2 meeting is for the GAB to adopt the Final Draft Comprehensive Greenbelt Plan. Once adopted, the draft plan will be forwarded for review and approval to the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission and to Charleston County Council.

Over the past 12 months, the GAB has worked to craft the vision, goals, objectives and recommendations within the Draft Comprehensive Greenbelt Plan. The process for preparing this draft plan has been open and inclusive.

The GAB acted decisively throughout this period of time to define the term “Greenbelt,” determine which Greenbelt resources should be protected, and determine how they will be protected.

A comprehensive system of greenspace that addresses the short-term and long-term needs of Charleston County has also been defined. The GAB has determined how Greenbelt funding should be allocated to protect and conserve greenspace in rural and urban areas of the county in a manner that will benefit all residents.

“The draft plan includes the GAB’s recommendation that County Council place a referendum on the November 6, 2006 ballot requesting voter approval to issue bonds that will allow early access to funds to protect as much greenspace as possible while land is more affordable and available,” said Louise Maybank, GAB Chairperson.

Additionally, the recommended program implementation strategy will enable landowners, organizations and municipalities to access Greenbelt funds, through rural and urban grants, to conserve and protect Greenbelt resources.

“During the GAB’s most recent meeting, members discussed the process of how County Council will adopt the Comprehensive Greenbelt Plan, as a resolution or an ordinance,” Maybank said. “Members concluded the best course of action would be to recommend that Council adopt the Comprehensive Greenbelt Plan as part of the update of the County Comprehensive Plan.”

The GAB was created by Charleston County Council to make recommendations on Transportation Sales Tax expenditures for greenbelt projects.

Call Cathy Ruff at 843-202-7204 for more information about the upcoming meeting. Visit Charleston County’s official Transportation Sales Tax Web site at www.smallchangeforbigchange.org for up-to-date news and information, meeting notices, and to view the draft Comprehensive Greenbelt Plan and minutes from advisory board meetings for both the transportation and greenbelt portions of the Transportation Sales Tax.