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AWENDAW, S.C. (WCSC) - A planning commission in Awendaw unanimously denied a 72-unit housing development that could’ve impacted intercoastal waterways Monday evening.
At Monday’s planning commission meeting, the board voted to deny a change in zoning.
Lowcountry Land Development Consultants, the developers of this project, proposed for 72 houses to go on almost 50 acres of land right down the road from the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. This would have put one to two homes on each acre.
“They can leak, they can malfunction and leak, they can be inundated by hard rains, storms that cause them to leak,” Susan Cox, who doesn’t live far from this area, said. “And all of that goes into the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.”
The water-testing company, Charleston Waterkeeper, says if this was passed, too many septic tanks close together would have prevented wastewater from the homes from breaking down properly.
“And that could wreak havoc on local shellfish beds, water quality and for anybody that relies on livelihood or recreational activity,” Executive Director of Charleston Waterkeeper Andrew Wunderley said.
There’s no information at this time if the developer will propose this on any other area of nearby land.
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