Packaging
MeadWestvaco Unveils East Edisto Preliminary Master Plan
Thursday 27. March 2008 - Plan Reflects Extensive Public Input Gathered Over Past Several Months
MeadWestvaco Corporation (NYSE: MWV) today presented its preliminary master plan for East Edisto, the companys contiguous acreage along the eastern edge of the Edisto River in Charleston and Dorchester counties. MWV Chairman and CEO, John A. Luke, Jr. and Ken Seeger, president of MWVs Community Development and Land Management Group, presented the initial master plan to local media and community leaders. This conservation-inspired master plan is the culmination of extensive research and comprehensive public input, and is coordinated with growth planning efforts being led by the Council of Governments (COG) and Charleston and Dorchester Counties.
“The preliminary plan we are presenting today is consistent with the principles we established at the beginning of this process, and reflects the extensive public input we gathered at numerous public meetings throughout the community,” said John A. Luke, Jr. “The plan is designed to preserve the character of the land, keeping approximately three-quarters of East Edisto green in a combination of conserved lands, parks, lakes and rural areas. It also reflects a strong commitment to life-long learning, by offering quality education opportunities for all ages. The plan will provide sustainable towns and villages where people can live, work and enjoy activities within their own communities. And because the plan was designed with a market-driven approach, East Edisto will grow only as this region grows, absorbing around 10-15 percent of that growth over decades.”
The East Edisto master plan reflects the guiding principles MWV has continually stated throughout the planning process: to respect community heritage; to preserve and protect natural resources; to preserve rural character and avoid creating additional financial burden on taxpayers; to create affordable, diverse and balanced housing options; to enhance life-long learning opportunities; and to develop walkable communities and avoid congestion.
MWV was pleased to see these principles mirrored in the numerous comments received from almost 1,000 people who either attended the ten public meetings or submitted comments on the Web site, EastEdisto.com. Some of the publics key areas of focus include:
Preserving the rural character of the land
Protecting the Edisto River
Living in sustainable communities conducive to work and play without having to drive long distances
Offering educational opportunities for all ages
Creating new communities that are inclusive and available to people of all income levels
Creating new communities that neither overburden the regions traffic system nor impose any additional financial burden on taxpayers
Under the leadership of MWVs Ken Seeger, the preliminary plan was developed by a team of expert planners, guided by EDAW, a prominent global firm specializing in conservation land planning.
Retaining the Rural Character of the Land
At todays announcement, Seeger used a series of maps and other visuals to describe the preliminary plan. Points he reinforced included:
Approximately 75 percent of the land will remain green in a combination of conserved lands, parks, lakes and rural areas
Significant outdoor amenities will be present: parks, natural areas, recreational areas, interconnected greenways, trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, an Edisto River interpretive and education center, and buffers that protect the river and other precious natural resources
MWV has a long history of studying the wildlife, watershed configurations and habitats within East Edisto and leveraged this expertise in the master planning process.
Being Part of the Regions Growth Solution
Another central theme that paralleled MWVs desire to preserve the rural character of East Edisto, was to contribute to the regions growth solution.
“The Charleston region is enormously popular, and for good reason,” said Seeger. “Its not about if the region will grow, its about how. We believe we can be part of the growth solution, by providing people with towns and villages that are sustainable, thereby minimizing any negative impact on existing infrastructure.”
Some of the specific areas in which the preliminary plan meets the sustainable growth goal includes:
Size of villages – With the greatest growth pressure coming from the northern side of East Edisto, during the next 15-20 years, the plan calls for a business park near Highway 17A and three villages. The plan is for the villages to be similar in size or smaller than The Ponds development on the other side of Highway 17A from East Edistoa development approved last fall by Dorchester County and endorsed by the Coastal Conservation League.
Depth and breadth of villages – The plan envisions the villages being more than places to live; the intention is for them to be places to work, play, worship and learn. It calls for quality schools at all levelselementary through high school, as well as adult education opportunities and institutions of higher learning.
Character of villages – Each village and town in East Edisto will have its own distinctive character and style reflective of the Lowcountry way of life and influenced by the natural surroundings.
Business Park – During the next 15-20 years, a business park adjacent to Highway 17 is planned to provide jobs for local residents.
Rural residential district – A low-density, rural community, ideal for farms and country living is planned for west of Highway 165 near Hollywood and Ravenel.
Sustainable Growth Strategy
The next phase of growth, which will be during the second and third decades, would include a town slightly larger than the first three villages. This town would be located near the center of East Edisto and include more civic functions, such as land for a higher education institution. The plan calls for the creation of a town center in Charleston County, in the Hollywood/Ravenel area along Highway 17, but the extent to which they actually occur will be determined by the marketplace demand.
In the third and fourth decades, the plan anticipates the continued maturation of existing towns and villages and possibly a few additional rural villages in Dorchester County. Then, as now, the Edisto River will continue to be protected through MWVs conservation easements, and more than three-quarters of East Edisto will be green.
Public Input Precedes Final Plan
Following todays presentation of the East Edisto preliminary plan, MWV will hold a final series of public meetings to discuss the plan and gather additional feedback. The meetings will begin April 8 in Hollywood, culminating in a community-wide public meeting on April 21 at the North Charleston Convention Center.
Each meeting will begin with a presentation of the preliminary master plan, followed by open discussion stations where the public can meet the expert planning partners, ask questions, and share information. All meetings will offer the public the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of MWV leadership and expert partners before a final East Edisto master plan is completed. Regular updates on meetings and status of the planning process are available at EastEdisto.com.