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Gateway Community Livability Assessment & Recommendations

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Gateway Community Livability Assessment & Recommendations 2014 Gateway Community Livability Assessment & Recommendations Report Calhoun Falls, South Carolina This report prepared by The Conservation Fund in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration. Federal Lands Livability Initiative REPORT PREPARED BY: CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP NETWORK The Conservation Fund (TCF) is a national non-profit environmental organization that has protected over 7 million acres of land and water in all 50 states. Working with community, government, and business partners, TCF strives to balance economic and environmental goals. TCF’s Conservation Leadership Network is a team of experts that brings diverse professionals together to forge conservation solutions. The Conservation Leadership Network assists communities plan for the future, connect regions, develop leaders, and balance nature and commerce. IN COLLABORATION WITH BY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides stewardship over the construction, maintenance and preservation of the Nation’s highways, bridges and tunnels. FHWA also conducts research and provides technical assistance to state and local agencies in an effort to improve safety, mobility, and livability and encourage innovation. Cover photos courtesy of South Carolina Department of Resources (left), The Conservation Fund (center, right). Copyright provided for photos throughout document, those not attributed are courtesy of The Conservation Fund (Kendra Briechle and Katie Allen). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development created the Partnership for Sustainable Communities “to help improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide” (http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov). Through the goals of this partnership, the federal government has committed significant resources and attention to implementing livability in state and local governments. This Federal Lands Livability Initiative, a research project led by the Federal Highway Administration’s Federal Lands Highway Program, is an extension of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and provides an opportunity to direct attention to livability beyond urban areas and focus on America’s gateway communities—communities that exist in close proximity to public land. Gateway communities are often affected by decisions made by managers of the surrounding public lands. The decisions of leaders of gateway communities similarly may affect the management of resources on adjacent public lands. Gateway communities also often support public lands by offering unique recreational and cultural heritage experiences and providing for food, lodging, and other essential services for visitors. Transportation access between gateway communities and their neighboring public lands is integral to health and viability of each. Hence, special emphasis is made on transportation for the Federal Lands Livability Initiative. Livability in gateway communities relies heavily on the coordinated decision-making and partnership between community leaders and public land managers. This Livability Assessment and Recommendations report is the result of an evaluation of natural, cultural, physical (infrastructure), commercial, and economic health of the gateway community and surrounding landscape, and their relationship to the six principles of livability: 1. Provide more transportation choices for residents, workers, and visitors. 2. Promote equitable, affordable housing and lodging choices that meet the needs of residents, workers, and visitors. 3. Enhance economic competitiveness by valuing the public lands and natural, cultural, recreational, and environmental assets associated with the gateway community. 4. Support existing gateway communities and sustain their unique character. 5. Coordinate policies and leverage investments within the community and between the gateway community and public lands. 6. Value communities, neighborhoods and landscapes, and the area’s natural, cultural heritage, and recreational assets that foster social, economic, and public health. i A Livability Assessment Team, comprised of representatives of The Conservation Fund and the Federal Highway Administration gathered information from background materials, community leaders, stakeholders, and site visits to provide this assessment as a tool to help Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, and its public land partners support and enhance livability in their area. CALHOUN FALLS, SOUTH CAROLINA— GATEWAY TO THE RICHARD B. RUSSELL LAKE DAM AND LAKE PROJECT The gateway community of Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, and its partner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake Project (Russell Lake), were selected from the pool of applicants due to their demonstrated commitment to partnership and readiness to implement livability measures to strengthen connections to surrounding natural resources. Calhoun Falls is located in rural Abbeville County, roughly an hour’s drive from Greenville, South Carolina, and two hours from Atlanta, Georgia. The town is located at the junction of two major state highways, SC Highway 72 and SC Highway 81. Highway 72 has been re-routed around downtown Calhoun Falls as a four-lane bypass. Textiles historically have been important to Abbeville County and the surrounding region. In recent decades, however the textile industry has declined steadily. Community leaders and civic groups in Calhoun Falls have recently begun to reach out to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a partner for community economic development, seeking to capitalize on the proximity to Russell Lake. This 26,650-acre lake is one of the most popular fishing spots in South Carolina and attracts more than one million visitors a year. Calhoun Falls is the only town along Russell Lake that has direct lakeshore access within the town limits. Local leaders recognize this as an asset that sets Calhoun Falls apart from other communities that lie along other lakes in the region making up what is known as the “Freshwater Coast”. To advance and support economic resiliency, community leaders are pursuing joint investments with managers of nearby public lands. The town has put significant effort into developing and implementing a 2013 Strategic Economic Development Plan that can serve as a road map for a sustainable outdoor-recreation-focused market, creating jobs and attracting new and diverse businesses. As part of this plan, the town of Calhoun Falls has worked with USACE to take over management duties for a 123-acre lakeside site located less than a mile from downtown. This site, known as Blue Hole, is a major component of developing outdoor recreation opportunities on Russell Lake and in and around Calhoun Falls. Additionally, Calhoun Falls has secured a technical assistance award through USDA that will be administered by the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor (SCNHC). Abbeville County is one of seventeen counties that make up the SCNHC. This award will provide the town with an ii asset inventory, recommendations, hospitality training, and assistance with marketing and branding to better capitalize on their position within the SCNHC. This exciting opportunity aligns well with the Livability Assessment and the momentum that it has already generated by the many projects implemented to date. KEY OBSERVATIONS Over the course of the four-day assessment in Calhoun Falls, review of area plans and materials, and other interviews and research, the Livability Assessment Team made the following observations regarding key opportunities and challenges associated with livability: Russell Lake is an untapped amenity for Calhoun Falls. The beauty of its untouched natural landscape is an asset that should be a defining characteristic of Calhoun Falls. The lake attracts more than one million annual visitors, and Calhoun Falls is poised to take advantage of its proximity to the lake as a driver for economic development. Calhoun Falls’ downtown along Cox Avenue has “good bones.” It is compact and walkable, and has the potential as a great destination. Residential neighborhoods, town hall, and public services are near the downtown, and recent upgrades to sidewalks and street crossings along Cox Avenue increase its potential as an area for the community and visitors to congregate. As in many rural American towns, Calhoun Falls is experiencing a decline in traditional industries, such as textile mills and manufacturing. This is increasing the local unemployment rate and increases the need for the town to find economic diversity. The town’s 2013 Strategic Economic Development Plan includes a focus on capitalizing on the area’s natural resources by building a sustainable tourism market in Calhoun Falls. This visionary plan hopes to take advantage of what Calhoun Falls has to offer to attract visitors and new residents in search of a high-amenity lifestyle and good quality of life. The reduced job opportunities in Calhoun Falls have left many people of working age with little choice but to leave the area. As a result, Calhoun Falls has an aging population and an increasing demand for social and medical services. PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS Based on our findings, the Livability Team offers the following priority recommendations. These recommendations and others are expanded upon further in the body of this report. Gain support and investment for the implementation of
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