GENERAL STUFF: Islanders for Responsible Expansion

One Facebook, I was invited to join the group Islanders for Responsible Expansion (Facebook group here).

For the uninitiated (there's a lot of "i"s in that word), Charleston (SC) is facing a unique problem. Urban sprawl, like all southern cities, is explosive. We moved to Mt. Pleasant, a suburb just to the north across the harbor, in 1985-ish and Mt. P had just about 14,000 people. By the time I left in 2000 for college, it had grown to about 65,000 people. And, from what I understand, it may be pushing 80,000-100,000 people at this point. Unlike other southern cities -- Atlanta, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, Birmingham, anything in Texas, for example -- Charleston has a very special history, and one their rightly proud of, coupled with one of the most beautiful juxtaposition of natural and man-made landscapes. This is central to the idea of Charleston.

There are a lot of debates and political issues that have come about because of this. From my own 15 years that I can remember, our long-time mayor (of Mt.P), Cheryl Woods-Flowers, and many of our town council was once ousted completely because people felt they were just rubber-stamping development with no idea. Additionally, there was the "battle of the beaches:" Sullivan's Island had chosen to remain a locals beach whereas the Isle of Palms decided to be more tourist oriented. Thus, the "Visitor's Center" in Mt. P had no information about Sullivan's Island, and the major new highway connected only to IOP as opposed to any major road built over SI -- only the sad two lane draw-bridge, which makes it hard to get in and out (imagine hurricane evacuations). The last, of course, is the situation with Daniel Island which was barely accessible by road, but is now accessible by the by-way I-526. You could not stop it after that. There was a huge fight over whether or not the port should build a huge multi-million facility there, making Charleston the largest port on the eastern seaboard. I believe they fought against it and won.

It's a lot of fun to live in a city like that. Always something new, and very difficult to believe how much the world changes every time I go home.

The reason for this blog is the above image. Piggly Wiggly is a famous southern grocery store. I say they're famous, because I see their "I'm Big on the Pig!" T-shirts all the way up here. Wal-mart, meanwhile, is pushing their mega-stores, which include a grocery store. Wando Crossing, a strip mall in Mt. P, had both a Pig and and Wal-mart where the Pig had, written into their lease agreement, no other grocery store would move into the strip mall. Wal-mart, later, regretted signing on as they could not expand -- so they left and may or may not have doomed that little piece of the world.

The whole point of that set up is this: IRE is happy with Piggly Wiggly for helping protect the world against Wal-mart. When, in reality, the Pig is only doing that because Wal-mart harms their business. Give them suburban sprawl that benefits them, and IRE is S-O-L.

All that said (and knowing that speaking specifically about any group has, in the past, had that group leave a comment), and so that there's no confusion: I 100% support IRE. I think it's wonderful what their doing, as James Island has some amazing natural beauty to it and I think their mission is wonderful:

ISLANDERS FOR RESPONSIBLE EXPANSION (IRE) is a grassroots organization dedicated to raising awareness of the impact development has on the natural beauty and resources of James Island and Folly Beach.

Our goal is to provide Islanders with the tools we need to protect ourselves against irresponsbile development. Together we can take action and stand up for our way of life and the home we love.

Charleston has a charm as being a small town -- and it is, in many ways, though it's now pushing 500,000-600,000 people (I'm excited to see the 2010 census about it). It is constantly rated as one of the most polite cities in the country, and their respect for their city and for their own history is admirable, and one that should be copied by other cities. When Hurricane Hugo destroyed the city, followed soon by the closing of the naval base, the entire tri-county area got together and worked as one to rebuild and make sure the city didn't die (a model of urban planning that needs to be followed in Cincinnati). SuperWalmarts and suburban sprawl (outside of the two major sprawling areas -- Hwy 17 in Mt. P and North Charleston along Rivers Ave) should be contained as best as it can.

Hurrah, IRE, Hurrah!!!!

And if you're confused as to where any of these places are, here's a convenient map (because I don't support large "real" businesses, but monopolistic internet businesses are A-OK).


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