Charleston County News Release

MEDIA CONTACT

Name:   Jennie Davis, Charleston County Public Information Officer

Phone: (843) 958-4012

Email:   jdavis@charlestoncounty.org

Release Number: 3035

Date: July 30, 2009

SEE MORE ON THE CHARLESTON COUNTY GREENBELT PROGRAM: http://www.smallchangeforbigchange.org/greenbelt.html

SEE APPLICATION APPROVAL FLOWCHART:

http://www.smallchangeforbigchange.org/pdfs/ApplicationProcessFlowchartJun2007.pdf

County Council Approves Greenbelt Applications

Funds from the Transportation Half-Cent Sales Tax support greenbelt projects

Charleston County Council recently approved $529,000 for six greenbelt projects that were submitted for funding under the County’s Greenbelt Urban Grant Program and $9,299,392 for six greenbelt projects that were submitted for funding under the County’s Rural Grant Program.

The projects will be funded by the greenbelt portion of the Transportation Half-Cent Sales Tax revenues.

The six urban projects were approved by the Urban Grant Review Committee and the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission before they were brought to Charleston County Council for final approval.

The six rural projects were reviewed by the Greenbelt Bank Board before they were brought to Charleston County Council for final approval. Applications for this round of considerations were due March 31, 2009.

Now that Charleston County Council has approved funding, grant agreements will be executed between the County and the greenbelt grant recipients. Once all necessary documents (appraisals, plats, environmental assessments, title insurance, etc.) are submitted and approved, closings will be conducted and greenbelt funds will be disbursed.

Greenbelt funds are awarded to eligible entities so they may acquire land and/or purchase development rights through a conservation easement. The County does not purchase the land. Funds may also be used to support the following minor improvements that provide public access and use of conservation lands purchased with Greenbelt funds:

-     Boardwalks

-     Unpaved roadways

-     Foot bridges

-     Unpaved small parking areas

-     Unpaved trails

The urban municipal projects that were awarded funding are as follows:

Town of James Island: $163,000 for .30 acre

-     $163,000 awarded for the town to purchase a .30-acre parcel located in the Clearview subdivision.

-     The property will be used as a passive public park.

City of North Charleston: $366,000 for 27.915 acres

-     Five properties to be purchased by the city of North Charleston.

-     One property is located in Park Circle and the other in the Chicora/Cherokee neighborhood; both will be used as community parks. 

-     The other three properties are located in the Filbin Creek and Noisette Creek areas and will be linked with other parcels for a passive park.

The rural projects that were awarded funding are as follows:

Ten Mile Community Association: $220,142

-     $220,142 for the fee-simple purchase of 1.08 acres located in the Ten Mile Community. 

-     The Community Association will use the parcel to extend its current park, which provides a place for outdoor activities.

Edisto Island Open Land Trust: $224,000

-     $224,000 to place a conservation easement on 62.48 acres located on Edisto Island.

-     Property is the center point of Sunnyside Plantation and has 2,000 feet of water and marsh frontage along Store Creek.

Lowcountry Open Land Trust: $2,505,250

-     Two projects to place conservation easements on properties located on Slann Island and Johns Island. 

-     The projects will preserve lands used for farming, protect Lowcountry natural resources and preserve scenic landscapes and views.

Nature Conservancy: $1,180,000

-     $1,180,000 for the fee-simple purchase of 374 acres

-     The property is near Awendaw and adjacent to the Francis Marion National Forest.

Town of Awendaw: $5,170,000

-     $5,170,000 for the fee-simple purchase of 292 acres in Awendaw. 

-     The project will provide outdoor access and recreation.

SIDEBAR – Background Information on the Charleston County Greenbelt Program

• The Charleston County Transportation Sales Tax referendum was approved by voters in November of 2004. Collection of the Transportation Sales Tax began in May 2005 and will continue for 25 years or until $1.303 billion is generated for transportation and greenspace related projects and improvements.

• Funds from the Transportation Sales Tax are distributed as follows:

-     $1,081,788,800 for highways, bridges, roads, streets and mass transit systems (such as CARTA - Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority, and RTMA - Rural Transportation Management Authority)

-     $221,571,200 for the Charleston County Greenbelt Program through an Urban and Rural Grants Program. The purpose of the grants program is to implement the County’s Greenbelt Plan for the conservation of greenspace in Charleston County.

For more information on the Charleston County Greenbelt Program, contact Cathy Ruff by phone at (843) 202-7204 or by e-mail at cruff@charlestoncounty.org.