CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - The Town of Mount Pleasant is considering a study for one its top destinations, Shem Creek.
The Shem Creek Task Force is asking for a $175,000 study that will outline how to preserve, improve and protect the character of the area.
The study will serve as a road map for future planning of the area.
The study is one step closer to becoming a reality after getting through one level of approval at the Finance Committee meeting on Monday. The Shem Creek Task Force chair and the former mayor of Mount Pleasant Cheryll Woods-Flowers spoke at the meeting.
“I hear it from people all over the world. They talk about, ‘Wow what an incredible place this is and how lucky we are to have that,’” Woods-Flowers said.
Shem Creek is known for its waterfront restaurants, seafood and recreational activities.
If approved some of the priorities for the study include addressing parking and safety issues, taking a look at recreational boating access, ways to preserve the area, creating building requirements, protection from flooding events and more.
Woods-Flowers says it will also come up with ways to manage the mix-uses of Shem Creek.
Some fear that the character of what’s there will be lost without future guidelines or that it won’t be maintained. However, not all finance committee members from town council believe the study is the best route to take.
“I don’t think a consultant’s plan now is going to deal with the reality because six months from now when more is built when things are moved that report is out of date,” Councilman Joe Bustos said.
On the other hand, some do support it.
“The key is it’s an investment in our future. It’s an investment in our children’s future,” Councilman Gary Santos said.
Town Council will vote on the funding at its next council meeting in October.
"There are a lot of really important issues that need to be addressed for the long-term health of Shem Creek and the welfare of the people who live around it as well," Wood-Flowers said.
The Shem Creek Task Force currently has $50,000 from the town. The task force is asking for an additional $125,000 to be able to pay a firm to complete the study.
Once the study is completed it will be up to the town to consider any of the suggested improvements and how to pay for it.
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