Letter: Developers not engaged in community

Last Tuesday evening, citizens from along the Sea Island Parkway corridor filled Beaufort County Council chambers to hear real estate developers respond to proposed changes in the county tree ordinance.

A single developer showed up, Merritt Patterson of Beaufort Construction. We applaud his interest in being part of the solution here.

But where were the other builders so anxious to develop vacant property and sell more homes in Beaufort County? No one from D.R. Horton showed up, and Horton has several developments underway in the county. No one from K. Houvanian showed up, despite significant new construction on Lady’s Island, in Bluffton and on Hilton Head. There are others — but none of them bothered to attend Tuesday night, either.

Far too many developers, it seems, are perfectly happy to operate under the radar, feeling the slightest obligation to justify their actions or involve themselves in the betterment of the communities they build in, which stronger tree regulations would surely accomplish.

The next time you hear a real estate developer complaining about how difficult it is to operate in Beaufort County, remind them that they brought it on themselves. Our County Council, our Planning Commission and our planning staff are right to be asking the hard questions, and requiring strict adherence to regulations thoughtfully crafted. And the community is right to show up and speak out when developers attempt only to take, and to give back little or nothing.

Because only one developer showed up Tuesday night.

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Letter: Developers not engaged in community."