State Port Pilot, 04.26.23
I am concerned regarding the aggressive development happening in Brunswick County. It seems that everywhere I drive, I see a new housing development or shopping center being constructed. While growth is a good thing for a community, I believe that we need to take a step back and evaluate the impact that this growth is having on our infrastructure.
We need to have a serious conversation about the capacity of our roads, bridges, and other infrastructure to handle the influx of new residents and businesses. We also need to consider the impact that this growth is having on our natural resources, such as water
and wildlife habitats. Living in the Low Country, we have a unique and fragile ecosystem that must be protected.
I am calling for a moratorium on all new building permits in Brunswick County until an infrastructure study is completed. This study should be conducted by an independent agency and examine the current state of our infrastructure, as well as the projected
impact of future growth. It should be funded by an increase in building permits, so this represents no burden to the taxpayer.
I understand that some may argue that a moratorium on new building permits could hurt the local economy, but we’re already one of the Top 10 growing counties in the nation and there are enough approved projects in the pipeline to last at least two years. I believe that hitting the pause button is necessary to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of our community. If we continue to allow unchecked growth without considering the impact on our infrastructure, we will only be setting ourselves up for very costly problems down the road.
The developers will have completed their projects, earned their profits, and moved on, leaving the taxpayers the burden of remediating these problems. Developing proactive solutions to these problems will not only soften the impact of development, but also reduce the cost of remediation and allow for cost-sharing between those who profit from development and those who enjoy it.
Michael Maisel
Sunset Beach