East Edisto Development Update

They asked and area residents answered loud and clear –
"They want their river to remain clean and their wildlife to remain abundant. They don’t want traffic congestion, light pollution, trailer parks or golf courses. Some of them said, “We don’t want to be another Mount Pleasant.”

Residents of Ravenel, Adams Run, Hollywood and other nearby communities made their opinions known Wednesday night as they filled Ravenel Community Hall at the invitation of MeadWestvaco, the paper giant that intends to master-plan 72,000 acres of former forest land it owns along the eastern edge of the Edisto River in Charleston and Dorchester counties.

They said they wanted better schools, and community-serving retail, but not a Wal-Mart.

MeadWestvaco officials said their goal was to contain the rural character of the area but also contribute to the community by creating jobs, small towns and villages that are sustainable.

One participant wanted to know if MeadWestvaco was using the term “village” because it sounds better than subdivision.

Ken Seeger, Senior Vice President of MeadWestvaco, said the company does not plan subdivisions, but rather self-sustaining communities where people can walk to work, school, shopping or recreation.

'We are not strictly looking at this as a financial transaction,' he said. 'This comes from the heart. The company really cares about the land. I know people are skeptical about that.'"

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article:
http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/current/13_12/news/9670-1.html

For the MeadWestvaco East Edisto development plan, including future meeting information:
http://www.eastedisto.com/