Here’s a news blip that got cut from print this week . . .
Land in Transition
In the last three centuries, the 72,000 acres that make up MeadWestvaco’s East Edisto development between Summerville and the Edisto River have morphed from forested woodlands to rice fields, from farms to phosphate mines, and from logging camps to tree farms. The tree and tree product company is taking their entry into the development field seriously, hosting extensive input gathering meetings with the public over the last few months. At the most recent, on Tuesday, Oct. 9, they revealed their partners who are working on public transport, green space conservation, traffic and road management, and housing. They’ve pledged to “maintain the rural character” of the area, clustering “live-work-play” towns (think I’On) to allow for open space.
The meetings and presentations are a significant effort, indicating the company’s serious about developing the land responsibly, and conservation organizations are giving them the benefit of the doubt. Regardless, it’s a project that may soon significantly burgeon the waistline of the greater Charleston area.
—Stratton Lawrence
