YOUR OCONEE Planning for the Future
April 2019: Natural Resources & Community Facilities THE OCONEE COUNTY 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2 | The Journal YOUR OCONEE: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE April 2019
THE OCONEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ... is a state-required document that provides guidance for the county — the administration, council UPCOMING and private citizens — for the coming decade. To get input from the community for the goals and strategies in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the MEETINGS county is producing a series of special sections to break down the data and offer you a chance to District Drop-Ins provide feedback. Wednesday, April 24 This is the second of five monthly sections that will cover the 10 elements of the plan. District 3: Seneca Library • 4 p.m. Thursday, May 2 Natural Resources Community Facilities District 1: Keowee Elementary • 6 p.m. Thursday, May 14 Nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge This element focuses on the activities and entities District 4: Long Creek Fire Dept. • 4 p.m. Mountains and featuring lakes Jocassee, Keowee that are essential to maintaining Oconee County’s Wednesday, May 22 health, safety, growth and quality lifestyle. These and Hartwell, Oconee County has abundant District 5: Ravenel Elementary • 6 p.m. natural resources. Even a quick trip to the include government facilities and infrastructure, fire protection, health and emergency medical grocery store can showcase the county’s multiple services, education, libraries and cultural facilities. Tuesday, April 23 lakes, parks and trails, rivers, streams, waterfalls Continued growth has resulted in increased and forests. Budget, Finance and Administration demands on community facilities throughout Committee • 4:30 p.m. These natural resources provide land for the county. Governmental facilities, like the development with scenic and environmental Department on Health and Social Services, County Council • 6 p.m. amenities, while offering an have been expanded to provide opportunity for sustainable much-needed space to better serve Thursday, May 2 development. The appeal of citizens. Continued renovations and Parks, Recreation and Tourism • 12 p.m. natural resources — for aesthetic Let our advance maintenance of existing facilities has and recreational use — can worrying continued to be a part of the ongoing Monday, May 6 also increase land development work of the county. Planning Commission • 6 p.m. pressures to accommodate both become advance Several changes have occurred in new residents and tourists. the area of Emergency Management Tuesday, May 7 thinking and and Fire Service throughout the The resulting challenge is to Budget, Finance and Administration planning. county, which should continue to Committee • 4:30 p.m. achieve a balance in natural serve the county well in the years to resources planning that promotes – Winston Churchill come. Transportation Committee • 4:30 p.m. productive use of land and On the whole, Oconee County is County Council • 6 p.m. resources, maintenance of critical served by modern, relatively efficient ecological functions, and protection of residents community facilities. In fact, compared to those Monday, May 13 and property from natural hazards. living in other areas of similar size and population, Agricultural Advisory Board • 6:30 p.m. The natural resources element includes Oconee’s residents are fortunate in many ways. information on local geographic and geologic The challenge facing the county, however, is Monday, May 20 conditions, climate, agricultural and forest not to simply maintain what exists now, but to Planning Commission • 6 p.m. lands, plant and animal habitats, scenic provide for the expansions and upgrades that will areas, water resources and other factors that be necessary in the coming years. Most sources Tuesday, May 21 significantly impact the natural environment indicate that the population of Oconee County Budget, Finance and Administration will continue to grow rapidly in the foreseeable and shape the future development of Oconee Committee • 4:30 p.m. future. Therefore, for citizens to maintain control County. A thorough look at the county’s natural of how their community develops, it will require County Council • 6 p.m. resources inventory must be taken into account planning years in advance. If the county is not All meetings take place in during planning efforts to avoid depletion or adequately prepared to manage future challenges, destruction of sensitive, and often irreplaceable, it will be run over by them. The area’s community council chambers at assets. Valuing and investing in efforts to protect facilities, which play a major role in establishing 415 S. Pine Street, Walhalla. and improve our natural resources supports the and maintaining the county’s lifestyle, are quality of life for all county residents. accordingly of vital interest. êCan’t make the meeting but still want to keep up? Questions or comments? Oconee County meetings are recorded You can reach Oconee County Planning Director Adam Chapman live and available to watch at YouTube. at [email protected] or (864) 364-5103. com/YourOconee April 2019 YOUR OCONEE: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE The Journal | 3
OCONEE COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural Resources Element takes a look at the opportunities and assets Oconee County has by simply existing. This chapter showcases the things we don’t have much control over — from the air we breathe to the water we drink — and the ways we spend our time outdoors and utilize the land.
Oconee County AIR QUALITY ▶ As of February, all 46 South Carolina counties are within the threshold for ambient air quality. >626 However, increased urbanization in the nearby SQUARE MILES Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin area may impact Nearly 50 Are Water, the air quality in Oconee County. Primarily Lakes 2016 ESTIMATION ▶ Local leaders should monitor the factors that Lake Jocassee contribute to higher ozone levels to maintain acceptable levels and ensure the health of the county. parks and facilities are owned and maintained County has been rated as “very by Oconee County, eight by the city of Seneca, limited” for septic tank soil absorption. seven by the city of Walhalla, five by the city of The soils in much of the Sumter National LAND RESOURCES Westminster and one by the town of West Union. ▶ With more than 626 square miles, Oconee is Forest are included in this soil rating, in large part the 26th largest county in the state. Nearly 50 due to the steeper sloping topography. of those are water — primarily lakes Jocassee, ▶ An additional 30.2 percent of county soils are SURFACE WATER Keowee and Hartwell. rated as “somewhat limited,” indicating that the ▶ Oconee County has an abundance of surface ▶ Soil erosion is a concern for more than 60 soils have features that are moderately favorable water generally sustained by rainfall, including percent of the county. Less than half of the for use as a septic system absorption field. several major water bodies as well as numerous county’s land is considered to be at moderate risk rivers, creeks, ponds and streams. Surface water of erosion, and 15.4 percent of the county has a accounts for more than 99 percent of the public “severe” or “very severe” rating. OUTDOOR RECREATION water supply in Oconee County. ▶ There are 32 county and municipal outdoor ▶ The soils at the most severe risk are in the park and recreation facilities encompassing nearly Sumter National Forest. Loss of soil productivity 553 acres in Oconee County. Eleven of the THE LAKES and off-site damage is more likely ▶ At 56,000 acres, Lake Hartwell is the largest on these lands where erosion control water body that extends into Oconee County. Full measures are typically costly and pool elevation for Lake Hartwell is 660 feet above impractical to employ. mean sea level, with a maximum depth of 185 feet ▶ Elevation in Oconee County and an average depth of 45 feet. ranges from 638-3,180 feet above ▶ Lake Keowee was formed in 1970 and has two sea level. distinct halves. Much of the 18,372-acre lake is 800 feet above mean sea level, with a maximum depth of 297 feet and average depth of 53 feet. DEVELOPMENT LIMITATIONS ▶ Lake Jocassee was created in 1973 with the ▶ According to the USDA, more South Cove Park construction of the Jocassee Dam. The 7,565-acre than two-thirds of land in Oconee has a full pool elevation of 1,110 feet above mean 4 | The Journal YOUR OCONEE: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE April 2019
sea level. It has an average depth of 157 feet, though its deepest point is Foothills Trail 351 feet.
WATER USE ▶ Water suppliers withdraw more than 10.8 million gallons of water daily in Oconee County for domestic, commercial, industrial and public use. Of the water withdrawn, 0.24 million gallons are drawn from surface water sources Brasstown Falls such as lakes, rivers, and streams and 10.58 million gallons from county’s groundwater were withdrawn for groundwater sources beneath the earth’s irrigation use and 30.49 million gallons for surface. golf course use. FROM DISMAL ▶ There are nine watersheds SURFACE WATER — five in the TO DREAMY Seneca River sub- basin and four t was a miserable, rainy day the first time I laid eyes in the Tugaloo on Oconee County. River sub-basin My sister, who lived in Marietta, Ga., when I was — that impact interviewing for my first real “big girl” job, told Oconee County. me I just had to apply to The Journal. She’d been The Chauga, camping with some friends who lived in Anderson and Coneross and Ithought the area would be right up my alley. Little River- I did some research and found I agreed, Lake Keowee applied and made the trip up for a January watersheds cover interview. the largest areas. I hated it. The weather was dismal, I couldn’t find ▶ An additional the waterfall I wanted to visit and — even 45.9 million though I clearly rocked my interview — I gallons of the just didn’t have a great feeling about Oconee CAT’S County. Water MEOW | I’ll say it was the free ice cream that tricked me into saying, suppliers CAITLIN withdraw HERRINGTON “Yes,” when the offer came in, but >10.8 it’s the mountains and MILLION rivers that are keeping GALLONS me here. I’d be lying if of water I said I wasn’t excited daily in about The Journal’s ice cream freezer being Oconee County re-stocked for summer, though. SOURCE: USGS NATIONAL HYDROGRAPHY DATASET, DECEMBER 2018 I have friends who have lived April 2019 YOUR OCONEE: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE The Journal | 5 here their whole lives and not taken advantage of the parks, trails, scenic HIKING TRAILS LENGTH (MILES) views and waterfalls we have here. It Miuka Falls 1.2 boggles my mind. Moss Mill Creek 0.4 Have you looked in our backyard Mountain Rest Community 0.4 lately? Oconee State Park 2.3 Notice I say “look” — I understand Oconee Bells Nature 1.5 not everyone can or is willing to hike Oconee Station 1.5 up their socks for a camping trip Old Waterwheel 1.4 on the Chattooga or a trek on the FIND THE Sandy Ford 0.3 Foothills Trail. But goodness, just look Secret Falls 3.5 up on a clear day coming down Wells PERFECT Stumphouse Passage of the Palmetto Trail 4.0 Highway from Seneca High School SPOT Tamassee Knob 2.2 and tell me this place isn’t special. Thrift’s Ferry 0.4 Take a slow, winding drive up to Westminster Elementary 0.6 Issaqueena Falls and walk down to Woodall Shoals 0.2 the observation deck. If you don’t Big Bend Falls 3.4 have a vehicle that can handle Chattooga River Trail 15.5 the gravel roads and potholes of Earls Ford 0.3 East Fork 2.5 Horsepasture Road to access Jumping Fall Creek Falls 2.0 Off Rock, the roads are paved all the Foothills Trail 76.0 way to the Oscar Wigington overlook Fork Mountain 6.4 up in Salem. Either spot produces a King Creek Falls 0.5 dreamy view of Lake Jocassee without Oconee Passage of the Palmetto Trail 3.2 much physical effort. Opossum Creek Falls 2.0 Riley Moore Falls 0.7 Rocky Gap/Willis Knob 12.4 HAVE YOU Spoonauger Falls 0.5 Station Cove Falls 0.5 LOOKED Winding Stairs 3.5 IN OUR Yellow Branch Falls 1.3 Yellow Branch Nature 0.4 BACKYARD Chau Ram Park 3.0 Bee Cove Falls 2.1 LATELY? Blue Hole Falls 1.0 Brasstown Falls 0.3 For those who can, take a hike. Bull Sluice 0.25 I highly recommend trips to Chauga Narrows 0.6 waterfalls that eventually flow into Hidden Falls 2.1 the Chattooga River as the best — Issaqueena 0.4 and sometimes only — way to cool Lee Falls 1.5 off during the summer. It’s nearly Pig Pen and Lick Log Falls 0.9 impossible not to feel a chill the first Long Creek Falls 3.3 time you dip your toes in the water. Riley Moore Falls 1.0 As much as I clearly love ice cream, Ramsey Creek Falls 0* it doesn’t quite do the trick after a 3-mile hike in 85-degree weather.
Caitlin Herrington is the Lifestyle Editor at The Journal. You can find her chasing waterfalls or at [email protected]. SOURCES: OCONEE COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION, SCTRAILS.NET, USDA FOREST SERVICE, FEBRUARY 2019 *ADA ACCESSIBLE WATERFALL 6 | The Journal YOUR OCONEE: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE April 2019
OCONEE COUNTY COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Community Facilities provide many tangible benefits for the county, ranging from health and public safety to education and preserving history. As the county continues to grow, so should these facilities — in a responsible manner that matches the needs of the people they serve. Most government offices are GOVERNMENTAL FACILITIES ▶ Most of Oconee County’s government offices COUNTY are county owned. While the majority of the offices were scattered throughout Walhalla, most OWNED were relocated to the Pine Street Administrative and located on Pine Complex in 1999. As a result, the citizens Street in Walhalla of Oconee County are able to conduct most governmental business in one location. ▶ The county’s road and bridges department, solid waste, and the vehicle maintenance facilities are now all located on Wells Highway in the Seneca measure of the success of the fire ▶ As urbanization increases, the county should area. The present county courthouse, completed in protection system is shown in the look at optimal ratios of officers to population, 2003, is located in downtown Walhalla. ISO ratings — used to determine fire additional funding to maintain and improve insurance costs — which vary from 4 to 10, services, potential additional command centers with the lowest found in Seneca and the highest and tools like intergovernmental agreements. LIBRARIES found in the rural areas. ▶ Oconee County boasts a library system that ▶ The county’s ISO ratings will be reassessed in EMERGENCY MEDICAL has, since 1948, grown to include the main library summer 2019. in Walhalla and branches in Seneca, Westminster ▶ Emergency medical service in Oconee County and Salem. A bookmobile services the rural areas is provided by Prisma Health’s ambulance fleet with paramedics available 24 hours per day. of the county. LAW ENFORCEMENT ▶ Oconee’s libraries utilize an internet-based ▶ Unincorporated areas of the county are ▶ Additionally, all fire departments within catalog system, enabling users to take advantage of protected by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. Oconee County have CPR/AED equipment and the latest information technology. Although the majority of deputies are focused trained personnel to assist with medical response on patrol duties, a number of different specialties when needed. Two special forces — Oconee exist within the department. Special Rescue Team and Oconee County Dive FIRE PROTECTION Team — conduct unique rescue operations. ▶ There are currently 17 fire districts in These teams are equipped to handle calls Oconee County, with the county providing such as wilderness searches and swift-water equipment for fire protection in the rescues. unincorporated areas of the districts. ▶ There are five full-time fire departments in HEALTH SERVICES Oconee County with the personnel paid by the municipalities or, in the case of Keowee ▶ The cornerstone of Oconee County’s Key, by fees collected from property owners. healthcare system is Prisma Health Oconee Medical Campus, which includes a 169- ▶ Oconee established countywide Emergency bed hospital and a 120-bed nursing and Service Response in June 2007. A relative rehabilitation center in Seneca. April 2019 YOUR OCONEE: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE The Journal | 7
anticipated to dramatically expand the area’s ability to attract new businesses. ▶ As well as the public sewer system, several private providers offer service to some of the larger residential developments in the county. SOLID WASTE ▶ The Oconee County SPECIAL Solid Waste Department FORCES provides residents with conduct unique 11 manned and two ▶ Numerous physician offices are located SEWAGE TREATMENT unmanned convenience throughout the county. Mergers in recent rescue operations for OC ▶ Public sewage treatment is centers located across the county. Currently, all years have given citizens access to a larger provided by the Oconee Joint of the county’s solid waste is hauled to landfill network of specialists located in and outside the Regional Sewer Authority, which facilities in Homer, Ga. The county does, however, county. operates a treatment facility that primarily maintain a Construction and Demolition Landfill serves the municipal wastewater collection systems near Seneca. of Seneca, Walhalla and Westminster. WATER TREATMENT EDUCATION ▶ There are five major public water providers ▶ Plans are also underway to establish sewer ▶ Oconee County is home to 16 public located in Oconee County with an overall service to Oconee County’s I-85 corridor, an effort educational facilities. The majority are owned and capacity exceeding 14 million gallons. Recent operated by the School District of upgrades in some systems have greatly increased Oconee County, though there are a the volume. few private and faith-based schools. SDOC also operates an adult ▶ In addition, a number of private suppliers offer education program, an alternative service to residents living in developments across school program and the Hamilton Oconee County. Career Center. ▶ Though neighboring counties provide many post-secondary education options, the Oconee County campus of Tri-County Tech opened in the fall of 2018.
Public Educational Facilities 16 in Oconee County TRI-COUNTY TECH Oconee County campus opened in 2018 8 | The Journal YOUR OCONEE: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE April 2019
you have a chance to Citizen Survey of Natural Resources & Community Facilities WIN $100 This survey was developed as a means of providing the county with some understanding of the things you like about Oconee County, as well as the issues that just for voicing concern you. The survey is also your chance to dream a little, to give us your vision of the county’s future and how you think we might arrive at that destination. your opinion! Submit your completed survey and be entered to Visit upstatetoday.com/survey to submit online or drop off completed survey at your local library, The Journal at 210 W. North 1st Street in Seneca, or the win one of two $100 Visa gift cards! Surveys must be Oconee County Planning Department at 415 S. Pine Street in Walhalla. submitted by May 8 to be eligible to win. Winners will be drawn and announced May 10. Very Somewhat Not No 1. How important are the following? important important important opinion *Name: ______▶ Expanding existing/developing new parks ▶ Improving the quality of existing parks/recreation *Ph. #: ______▶ Growing a network of greenways/bike trails Promoting development that is sensitive to air ▶ *E-mail: ______and water quality concerns ▶ Preserving or enhancing scenic views *Indicates required field so prize winners may be contacted. Personal information for contest will not be kept or sold. Must be age 18 or over to be eligible to win ▶ Preserving or enhancing access to parks prize. Employees of Oconee County or The Journal and their families are ineligible. and natural environments Limit of one prize per household. Please note that survey prizes are not being funded by Oconee County but have been generously donated by The Journal. Very Somewhat Not No 2. How important is preservation of: important important important opinion ▶ Farmland 10. What features would you like to see ▶ Soils ▶ Lakes/waterways added to the libraries? Public meeting space Offices ▶ Historic structures/places Creative studio space Scenic views ▶ Space for tutoring/small meetings Wildlife ▶ Other ______▶ Forests/wilderness areas Very Somewhat Not No 11. Addressing some of the issues identified 3. How important is mitigating the impact important important important opinion in this survey may require additional of drought, flooding, landslides and other revenue. Please rank your TOP 3 choices to environmental hazards? find this funding: ___User fees ___Property tax increase ___Issue bonds ___Capital projects tax 4. Have you visited any of the following? 7. Where would you like to see more household ___License, permit and utility fees South Cove County Park garbage/recycling centers located? (Note: These ___Establish a county sales tax Chau Ram County Park are general areas, not specific locations.) ___Hospitality and accommodations tax High Falls County Park Seneca Walhalla ___Other______ Lake Hartwell State Park Westminster West Union Stumphouse Tunnel Park Salem Mountain Rest 12. What is your age range? Sumter National Forest Long Creek Fair Play 12 or under 13-17 18-24 Devils Fork State Park Townville Around Lake Keowee 25-34 35-44 45-54 Oconee State Park Twin Lakes Oakway Around Lake Hartwell 55-64 65-84 85+ Chattooga River Coneross Point 13. What is you zip code? 8. Would you support additional protections ______5. When did you last visit a county or state park? for the land around bodies of water to help In the last week In the last month mitigate pollution, flooding and erosion? 14. What is your gender? In the last 6 months In the last year Yes No No opinion M F More than a year Never Additional comments/suggestions 6. Do you have convenient access to recreation 9. Do the county’s natural resources play a part in why you live, work or play in the area? may be attached or emailed facilities, including access to natural places? to [email protected] Yes No Yes No