Good Day at the Polls for Smart-Growth Candidates

[lsgchas]

Across the Tri-County Area, nearly every race was won by the candidate who took the strongest stand against over-development. The winners were Democrats and Republicans, challengers and incumbents. The only thing they had in common is that they faced opponents who were more friendly toward developers than they were...

Some of the more significant victories were Stavrinakis and Platt for S.C. House, Davis for Berkeley County Supervisor, and Waggoner and Feltner for Dorchester County Council. The Dorchester Co. election may be the most important in the near future. The council is about to decide water and sewer issues that will have a long-term impact on development in the upper part of the county. The races there were largely seen as a referendum on the county's growth policies.

Anyway, it's good to see that the political balance is starting to shift. That and the general slowdown in the housing market may give the Charleston area its last best chance to get its growth under control.

[Spartan]

That is good news indeed.

[Charleston native]

Dorchester and Berkeley counties will indeed have to elect officials that are considered smart growth. For some time, these other 2 counties in the metro area have been neglected in proper regional planning as the suburbs of Chas continue to expand. Maybe now, these newly elected officials can work with leaders in Chas to coordinate and manage urban growth...and add some better ideas to the mix.