There’s a new plan for 282 homes in Bluffton. Neighbors say ‘not here’
Developers describe their plan as a solution to Bluffton’s affordable housing problem. Neighbors counter that the development off New Riverside Road will hurt the environment, increase traffic, crowd schools and jeopardize safety.
The plan from Village Park Homes LLC, already approved for 76 units, suggests adding 206 more to the Alston Park development in Bluffton’s New Riverside area.
The shortage of affordable housing for the workforce — paired with the oft-reported building and population “boom” — is a well-known issue in Bluffton. Councilman Fred Hamilton said that although this plan would be a “drop in the bucket” compared to the 2,000 to 3,000 affordable homes he says Beaufort County needs, it’s the only project on the table that could bring new affordable housing to fruition.
A 67.64-acre portion of land near Alston Park is already authorized for 76 units. Village Park Homes is requesting to build 206 residential units that would be considered workforce homes. Village Parks is also asking for a reduction in development fees that would save the company thousands of dollars.
In June, Bluffton Town Council unanimously referred the plan to the town negotiating committee, where it is still in discussion. The next negotiating committee meeting will be Oct. 7. The committee will recommend whether to send the plan to the planning commission, which then would decide whether to recommend the plan to the town council for approval on first reading.
Bluffton residents Dallas Hutcheson and Michael Lucas are members of the newly created Committee for Responsible Growth in Bluffton, a group of residents from The Haven at New Riverside community that have spoken out against the plan. Hutcheson and Lucas said the units proposed for the plot are too dense and would encroach on wetlands that filter fresh water, cause traffic issues and contribute to an already crowded school system.
“We just don’t want to contribute more and more to degrading our coastal environment,” Hutcheson said. “We just don’t want to turn Bluffton into an asphalt jungle.”
Lucas said the land, which is situated between Alston Park and The Haven communities, is too far from where the workforce — teachers and firefighters, for example — would be working. He said he supports affordable housing, but it should be built elsewhere.
Councilman Hamilton, a member of both the Affordable Housing Committee and the Negotiating Committee, said he supports affordable housing and thinks this plan can be a “win-win for everybody.”
“Everyone says they need it, but ‘not here,’” Hamilton said. “They all agree that affordable housing is needed, but ‘not here.’”
Two phone calls to Village Park Homes and Mayor Lisa Sulka were not returned Wednesday.
In Village Park Homes’ June presentation to Bluffton Town Council, developers described the planned units as a “solution” to Bluffton’s affordable housing problems. The presentation said the units would be priced between $175,000 and $310,000. The housing units would be marketed to families whose total income is between 60 percent and 100 percent of the county’s median income of $83,000.
Lucas said residents who oppose the project will meet Friday to discuss plans for the next negotiating committee meeting on Oct. 7.
