TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 2016 annual report Welcome Letter From the Director To our Town of Mount Pleasant Residents and Businesses, The Town of Mount Pleasant Department of Planning and Development is pleased to present our 2016 Annual Report. Different than the Demographics Report, the Annual Report is intended to provide a comprehensive review of planning and building statistics and provides an opportunity to highlight other Departmental activities and special projects that occurred during 2016. Construction and development activity continued to be strong this past year with an increase in residential permitting and inspections for new construction as well as renovations and additions. Submittals to Boards and Commissions remained steady for Planning Commission while increasing for the Design Review Board, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Old Village Commission. The Town also saw an increase in our corporate limits adding approximately 800 acres. The Department Outreach effort was particularly strong in 2016 as the department hosted the Planning College for citizens as well as the Meet+Greet and several Code for Lunch events. We are especially proud to have received two major awards this past year recognizing our Outreach efforts. The awards are featured in the Special Projects section of this report. Other major projects featured in this report include the completion of the second phase of the Shem Creek Park and a successful Black History Month with events hosted by the Historical Commission. Finally, the Department was excited to work again with the award-winning students from Wando High School in the creation of the 2016 Annual Report. This year the students were provided with the theme of Lowcountry waters. Images featured throughout the document were provided by the students and show a true representation of our local waters through the eyes of these talented young people. We hope that the information in this report will be useful and informative as it provides an overview of activity from this past year. Sincerely, Christiane Farrell Director of Planning and Development Photo by Sophie Winnick 3 Contents Data 7 Public Outreach 21 Special Projects 29 Photo by Sophie Winnick Data To describe our growing up in the lowcountry of South Carolina, I would have to take you to the marsh on a spring day, From The Prince of Tides Pat Conroy Photo by Sophie Winnick Photo by Sophie Winnick Photo by Sophie Winnick Excerpt from THE PRINCE OF TIDES by Pat Conroy. Copyright © 1986 by Pat Conroy. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Data 9,559 873 Residential Commercial Permits 27,361 3,302 Residential Commercial Inspections Photo by Sophie Winnick Data 9 Data 677 667 Single Family Multi-Family 212 Townhouse 24 42 Big House Accessory Dwelling Dwelling Units Permitted Photo by Sophie Winnick Data 11 Data 626 144 Tree Permits Sign Permits 78 Zoning Letters 1709 Plans and Other 158 297 Elevation Certificates Document Requests Final Plats Photo by Sophie Winnick Data 13 Data Planning Commission Board of Zoning Appeals 133 Total 56 Total 43 Zoning Requests 45 Variances 37 Sketch Plan 9 Special Exceptions 28 Preliminary Plats 2 Administrative Appeals 11 Text Amendments 9 Other 4 Impact Assessment 1 Comp Plan Amendment Photo by Sophie Winnick Data 15 Data Design Review Board Old Village Historic District Commission 183 Total Submittals 135 Total Submittals 103 Staff 118 Board 80 Board 17 Staff 101 Total Projects 56 Staff 45 Board Photo by Sophie Winnick Data 17 Data Mount Pleasant Regional Airport U S 4 1 Wando Palmetto Islands High School County Park I 5 2 6 17 S U P o Wando L rc o h ng e Welch Po t r in s Terminal B 7 l 1 u S f U f d a o R e l p p i h W oad eck rry R yn s Fe r ge athi g an M n e R u l Rif Arthur H Ravenel Johnnie Dodds Blvd Bridge I s l e o Co f lem a P n B a o l w m m s a Patriots y n C le o Point aw n D n k e c c u t h o C r N B e n S a w y e r B l v d 93 Parcels Annexed in 2016 (815.679 Acres) Mount Pleasant Town Limits 2015 Data 19 Annexations Photo by Sophie Winnick Public Outreach ...flush the great blue heron from its silent occupation, scatter marsh hens as we sink to our knees in mud, From The Prince of Tides Pat Conroy Photo by Sophie Winnick Excerpt from THE PRINCE OF TIDES by Pat Conroy. Copyright © 1986 by Pat Conroy. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Public Outreach Meet+Greet ach year, the Department of Planning and Development hosts an annual open house called EMeet+Greet. The event allows citizens the opportunity to meet and ask questions directly to staff including planners, engineers, and building plan reviewers in order to learn about functions, programs, and available resources. Held at different locations throughout the Town, Meet+Greet provides transparency to the planning process and informs community members of opportunities for greater involvement. he 2016 Meet+Greet was held in the Cooper River Room at Memorial Waterfront Park. Topic Ttables included tree protection ordinances, flood zone regulations, permitting, zoning, mapping, stormwater management, the Comprehensive Plan, demographics, and special projects. The popular Planning Calendar, which features board and commission submittal and meeting dates along with Town events, and the Annual Report debut at Meet+Greet each year. The event includes light refreshments, door prizes, and “goody bags” filled with additional resources for all guests. Photo by Sophie Winnick Public Outreach 23 Public Outreach Planning College he Planning and Development Department held its second Planning College in 2016. The Tprogram is limited to 25 participants allowing for in-depth discussion. Citizens attend a two semester program consisting of nine evening classes. The classes consists of a one hour presentation by Planning and Building staff followed by a thirty minute question and answer session. The spring semester provides a broad overview of basic planning processes and functions while the fall semester details the integrated and inter-related components that result in a well- planned community. The popular program enjoyed its second year of full enrollment. Code for Lunch ode for Lunch is a quarterly program for design professionals which includes architects, Cengineers, landscape architects, and builders. Planning staff presents topics while participants are provided lunch. The topics for 2016 included a review of regulations pertaining to density and mixed use developments; a review of submittal and process changes; and a FAQ and Hot Topics. Informal discussion allows participants the opportunity to create relationships with staff, delve into details of the regulatory process, and identify issues that may need resolution prior to implementation. The result is greater understanding of ordinance requirements, efficiency for both staff and the development community, and improved professional relationships. Photo by Sophie Winnick Public Outreach 25 Public Outreach Public Presentations and Partnerships Cario Middle School, Mount Pleasant History Presentation Wando High School Legends Staff, Annual Report College of Charleston Urban Planning Class, Presentation Clemson Minority Student Success, Special Presenter TreesSC, Presentation East Cooper Meals on Wheels, Presentation Top Producers’ Club Luncheon, Presentation Agent Owned Realty, Presentation Floodplain Outreach: 1st Capital Mortgage Insurance Atlantic Development Carolina One, Coleman Blvd. office Carolina One, Insurance Division Carolina One, Isle of Palms office Carolina One, Longpoint Rd. office Charleston Trident Association of Realtors Harbour Watch Homeowners Association Keller Williams Realty Seaside Farm Homeowners, Cathedral Oaks SC Department of Insurance Information Session & Public Hearing SC Society of Professional Land Surveyors, Coastal Chapter Stubbs, Muldrow, Herin Architects Photo by Sophie Winnick Public Outreach 27 Special Projects ...open you an oyster with a pocketknife and feed it to you from the shell and say, ‘There. That taste. That’s the taste of my childhood.’ From The Prince of Tides Pat Conroy Photo by Mary Wallace Clement Data Excerpt from THE PRINCE OF TIDES by Pat Conroy. Copyright © 1986 by Pat Conroy. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Special Projects SCAPA Outstanding Planning Project Award 2016 Public Outreach and Engagement he Town of Mount Pleasant Department of TPlanning and Development was recognized by the South Carolina American Planning Association (SCAPA) with the Outstanding Planning Project Award for Public Outreach and Engagement. The award recognizes the Planning and Development Department for its innovative use of public outreach and engagement in planning practice to improve the effectiveness and accuracy of planning efforts. he Town of Mount Pleasant Public Outreach Program is a three-part strategy designed to interest, Tengage, and empower citizens, local businesses, and the design professional community through direct access to planners and the planning process. The outreach opportunities include Meet+Greet, Planning College, and Code for Lunch. Each event is featured in the Public Outreach section of the Annual Report. CAPA awards offer one of the few opportunities that South Carolina planners and communities Shave to highlight the virtues of planning and recognize those who contribute to the profession. Awards are a valuable public awareness tool for local governments, agencies, and community organizations. Photo by Sophie Winnick Special Projects 31 Special Projects Hermes Creative Award 2016 Platinum Winner he Town of Mount Pleasant Department of Planning and Development, in partnership with the TWando High School Legends yearbook staff, was awarded the 2016 Hermes Creative Platinum Award for the 2015 Annual Report. s part of our innovative outreach efforts, the Department of Planning and Development partners Awith local schools and arts organizations to provide design and artwork for the Annual Report.