Ballentine Trying To Become A Town

[vicupstate]

The Feb 1 issue of The Irmo News has a Page 1 article on Ballentine. A revised map has been completed, which proponents feel will past muster with Irmo. The proposed town would have 3,274 residents and 5.6 square miles. The northern border is basically along the RR tracks to the north of Hwy. 76. The southern border would be Lake Murray. Dutch Fork Road runs through the middle of the proposed town. The Richland/Lexington line and Dutch Fork Road is the western-most point. The only area that borders Irmo is the Milford Park subdivision, otherwise there is a buffer between the new proposed town and Irmo. Incorporation proponent Les Tweed said the new map should satisfy Irmo's concerns. "We backed off everywhere they wanted us to" he says. Irmo Town Council will review the map on Feb.5 and the Ballentine Dutch Fork Civic Association on Feb 6. I guess we will know soon whether the refurendum will make it to the voters.

There is a map included with the article.

[erm1981]

I think its dumb they let these small places incorporate. I think it hurts the bigger cities in the long run.

[krazeeboi]

Here's something pretty interesting, although not directly related to Ballentine incorporation efforts (but somewhat related).

The site of the proposed Wal-Mart that Irmo annexed that spurred the Ballentine area to pursue incorporation has been discovered to have a previously undisvered species of weevil living near it. It's possible that that area may be the only place in the world where they live.

[emerging.me]

Here's something pretty interesting, although not directly related to Ballentine incorporation efforts (but somewhat related).

The site of the proposed Wal-Mart that Irmo annexed that spurred the Ballentine area to pursue incorporation has been discovered to have a previously undisvered species of weevil living near it. It's possible that that area may be the only place in the world where they live.

[krazeeboi]

It appears as though those leading the Ballentine incorporation effort are unfamiliar with the incorporation process and all that it entails. The proposed borders may have to be redrawn so as to be farther away from Irmo.

[Spartan]

Hah! I can't believe that none of us realized that.

[Charleston native]

It seems as if this "secessionist fever" is sweeping across this state with an incorporation effort by this community. Why do these people feel that they're not in the Columbia area? Many of you guys have pointed out the same arguments made against incorporation that people have used against the incorporation of James Island in my hometown. The only difference is that Ballentine's boundaries do not surround previously annexed areas from Irmo or Cola.

However, I agree with the article sonofaque gave. Incorporating this area further divides Richland County and siphens tax revenue that ordinarily the existing cities would receive. It just doesn't make sense to have a redundant, additional bureaucracy dictating building codes and providing zoning which would already be done by the city of Irmo. What is this potential town going to do for fire and police protection? Model the James Island credo of making county residents pay for these things?

[Spartan]

I think the reason you are seeing these attempts at incorporation becauseof the relaxed laws that Senator McConnell passed.

[sonofaque86]

Why don't they just annex into Irmo or Columbia?

[waccamatt]

Why don't they just annex into Irmo or Columbia?

[Spartan]

People want to be able to control their own future. I think its understandable to a point, but you have to draw the line somewhere. To me it would make more sense to annex into an existing town, which provides all of the same things that your new town would.

[vicupstate]

Ballentine is trying to prevent development and remain residential. Annexing to Irmo or Columbia would not do that. I'm not saying it is a good idea, but that is there rationale.

[Spartan]

What I find amusing is that people say they don't want development, yet when attempts are made to control growth, people fight it because it will hurt their property values (which are based in some part on growth pressures.

[Captain Worley]

^Even funnier is when the folks that say that intend to stay there for the rest of their lives. What difference would property values mean to them if they aren't going to resell?

[Spartan]

Very true. If you aren't planning on moving you'd probably want them to stay the same so you dont ahve to may more taxes...

[Spartan]

The old argument of local government has resurfaced with this incorporation. Do you incorporate and have more local control, or annex into the adjacent town to work towards better controls and still have local representation?

Creating a new town here is a mistake, IMO. If they want better controls they can get it, they just need to go through the system that exists. Look at Charleston or larger cities like Pittsburgh, PA, or the New Jersey portion of New York. Its disconnected sprawl, all in the name of local control.

Article

[CorgiMatt]

They sure don't have much of a central business district. I think it should be law that to become a town a place has to have a defined downtown, not just a crossroads and a few shopping centers with pavement in front.

[Doug L]

I totally agree with Spartan! The last thing this area needs is more little fiefdoms to wage war on each other. We are already holding ourselves back because of all of the division and bickering among the various levels of government. The comparison to the New Jersey suburbs of New York is right on. You have a similar situation with the burbs around Philadelphia. And, poor Boston is probably in the worst condition of them all.

We could all learn a valuable lesson from New York city itself where multiple counties (boroughs) joined together to form one city. That model sure worked for them. Look how they grew. (Although,I know that many folks here are fighting growth.) Go figure.

[Spartan]

Its ridiculous to try to fight growth. You may as well embrace it and find ways to manage it so that a community can make it look the way they want. Ballentine essentially becomes a paper town.

[Chtimi]

Everything is possible.

Census-designated places:

Casas Adobes, Pima County, Arizona: 54,011 inh. (2000)

Lehigh Acres, Lee County, Florida: 67,867 (2006)

Villages:

Baker, Stoddard County, Missouri: 5 (2000) third richest place in the United States.

Dededo, Guam: 46,000 (2004)

Towns:

Westcliffe, Custer County, Colorado: 417 (2000)

Apple Valley, San Bernardino County, California: 67 507 (2006)

Cities:

Weeki Wachee, Hernando County, Florida: 12 (2004)

Islandia, Miami-Dade County, Florida: 6 (2004)

[Spartan]

I don't understand what the relevance is?

[Chtimi]

I found the discussion very interesting. I meant, with the examples, that Ballentine could remain unincorporated even with 50,000 people or become a city.

I don't know how the city limits are drawn, some of them are crazy with caruncles and enclaves ! I agree with Doug L, post #43. Changing the counties of a metro area in boroughs is a good idea. Is that possible in South Carolina ? Canada seems to be in the same case, Quebec has recently taken "punchy" decisions, a bit relaxed later, but cities are coherents now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_reo...ation_in_Quebec

[Spartan]

Well, its possible to consolidate multiple towns (eg: Batesburg-Leesville) but I don't think we're set up for boroughs here in SC.

[Doug L]

Well, its possible to consolidate multiple towns (eg: Batesburg-Leesville) but I don't think we're set up for boroughs here in SC.

[waccamatt]

I'd be happy if Columbia simply consolidated with Richland County. Those of you who live in unincorporated sections of Richland; do you think people in those areas would support consolidation? It is so absurd to duplicate services in so many ways.