27 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com our town be an ongoing challenge.“All three incumbents that ran for re-election finished in the top three spots in the voting,” Rambo said. “To me, that is validation from residents that council has been on the right track doing what we were originally elected to do: manage growth.” Such growth has been more than three decades in the making. For example, in the not-so-distant past of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, Mount Pleasant was simply another Lowcountry area — attractive for its mild weather, marsh fishing, kayaking, summer beaches, history and food. Residents numbered around 30,000. Since then, the population has more than tripled to around 95,000 and counting—with annual 2022 overnight visitors topping 1.42 million — both of which Chapman said could threaten the area’s basic quality of life if left unchecked. “So if we manage our growth by selecting areas in our hubs to place attainable housing, we will reduce our traffic congestion, which our residents have stated is our number one issue,” Chapman said. Of course, the growth issue in Mount Pleasant involves many other facets, such as affordable housing, different types of commercial and residential construction, adequate emergency protection personnel such as police and firefighters and enough infrastructure such as water, sewer and roads, to handle the numbers. Brownstein said that over the past two decades, too many developments were approved “without improving our infrastructure.” “Our rapid growth has led to a loss of greenspace,” he said, “and has placed stress on our parks and recreational amenities.” To help hold the growth in check to some degree, as well as avoid the possibility of either raising taxes or reducing services, the 2016 Mount Pleasant Council adopted an ordinance to limit the height of new buildings in all applicable areas to 45 feet — 10-30 feet lower than previously allowed. In 2017, another action allowed for an increase in the area’s Development Impact Fees, which affected new development and redevelopment for both residential and commercial projects. Rents for Class C properties (older properties relied on for affordable housing) now cost almost $6,000 more per year than in 2010. “We have taken other measures as well — such as an apartment moratorium, permit allocation system and reducing residential units in commercial corridors,” Hyatt said. “And I hope that going into 2024, the public will voice opinions to council so that we might be encouraged to continue these programs.” It is all related to the town’s comprehensive plan, which originated in 2009, in part to address economic development, transportation, schools and land use — especially since more people are expected to keep coming to Mount Pleasant. And as they do, an additional growth concern will soon take center stage: water. Jake Rambo. Daniel Brownstein.
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