N. Charleston plan raises concerns

Affordable housing advocates and proponents of so-called smart growth likely would look at local architect Neil Stevenson's housing development proposal in North Charleston with nodding approval. Wade SpeesThe Post and Courier Developers Neil Stevenson (from left), Chic Linberry and Guido Evangelista discuss a neighborhood of affordable homes they are planning off Remount Road near Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. The plans call for about 135 homes to be built on 24 acres near existing businesses, waterlines and roads — just two blocks from the Remount Road exit on U.S. Interstate 26. The homes would be built using modular construction techniques, and the high density being requested would enable the developer to price most of the units in the mid-$100,000 range. But as residents of the neighboring Singing Pines community see it, the proposed project would create more traffic, noise and other issues. They are fighting the developer's request to build more homes than the current zoning allows in a dispute that underscores one of the difficulties of building affordable housing in an area where land prices have risen rapidly. Greg Spencer, 43, who grew up in Singing Pines, said Stevenson's proposal calls for lots that are half the size of the typical home site in his neighborhood. "They want to jam twice as many houses in the same amount of space, and it's going to create much more traffic going through that little neighborhood," he said. "It's such a small area, and you're going to double the people without making any improvements at all." If you go WHAT: North Charleston planning commission members will consider rezoning a 24-acre parcel of land to allow more homes to be built. WHEN: Tonight, 6 p.m. WHERE: North Charleston City Hall, 4900 Lacross Road. Singing Pines is an older community of single-story brick houses. The neighborhood, which has about 185 home sites, is tucked behind a heavily commercial section of Remount Road near Rivers Avenue. Stevenson's proposal, which was put together by Development Group Inc. of Mount Pleasant, would add 135 homes at the entrance of Singing Pines. The developers are seeking permission to build 45 more homes than they could under the existing zoning. By spreading the costs of the project over more houses on smaller lots, prices can be kept low, Stevenson said. "He's right in that if you can't maximize the value of the land with getting a higher density, the values are going to go up," said Tammie Hoy, an affordable housing advocate and executive director of the Lowcountry Housing Trust. Hoy applauded the developers for thinking "strategically about where development should happen." Stevenson said he approached the development as an experiment; the slumping housing market didn't matter. "Originally, the whole idea behind this was wanting to design cool houses that were affordable," he said. But developers also need to make a profit, a fact that has exacerbated a sense of distrust among some Singing Pines residents. At a heated neighborhood meeting Oct. 2, residents repeatedly brought up how drivers already cut through their neighborhood during rush hour. When it was suggested by the developers that speed bumps be added, the audience erupted in protest, saying they don't want them. North Charleston City Councilman Bob King, whose district includes the neighborhood, said he opposed the development because the residents don't like it. Planning commission member Suzanne Thigpen said she understands the need for open space. But she also acknowledged that the commission needs to weigh housing affordability concerns and the rights of developers. "We have all these little pockets in the city that can be developed. ... They have to blend in with what's already there, so that's a very important aspect at this point," said Thigpen, who is undecided on the proposal. The planning commission is scheduled to hear from the developer and Singing Pines residents at a meeting today. Stevenson said he wishes opponents would understand the importance of creating affordable housing closer to where the majority of the region's jobs are. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look around and see that traffic is ridiculous. People have to commute from 50 miles away to work," he said. Meanwhile, Spencer wonders how his neighbors will adjust to the new homes if the proposal passes. "Older people aren't as accepting to change. They're used to it being that way," Spencer said. "And they feel that this is going to be forced down their throats — which isn't always bad, progress has to happen — and that (it's going to happen) whether or not they voice their concerns."