CHAPIN, S.C. — The Chapin Planning Commission met to discuss a new development around the Brighton Boulevard area, but some community members are concerned.
“Nothing has been done for many years and so finally there's a proposal for at least part of that project,” Sandy Wade said.
Wade has lived in the Chapin area since 2008, she says it’ll be good to see development in the Brighton area, but she has some concerns.
“I don't necessarily agree with the density of the project. I've understood for many years that it was going to be residential, that was toward the front of that project and so I accept that because I know that's what was in the plans, but the density is a concern. One of the concerns that I have is that some of these homes will only have one a one car garage, most people end up using their garages for storage these days and then where's the car park and if these roads are not wide enough, then how will the emergency equipment get through? If the cars are parked on the road?, ” said Wade.
The project would bring around 400 new homes to the area.
Along with the homes the development would also include a playground and park, a residential pool, walking trails and sidewalks and a pedestrian connection to Columbia Avenue. Office and commercial space will also be included in the plan.
“Looking to try to develop something that really has different insight than we've ever seen in our community and serves our community, you know, in a broad sense, in terms of housing, prices of housing, that fits different levels of people in their lives with employment, so forth,”
Chapin Mayor Albert Koon says this project has been developing for almost ten years and it’s one he says will benefit a wide range of Chapin residents.
“If we can have a variety of housing, in our community where we can have people that are fresh out of college or whatever it nearly married couples that can stay in Chapin and live in Chapin and because I think that's vital in our communities, and we do have to keep the younger folks here," said the mayor.
The mayor went on to say the project will also be beneficial for the elderly community.
“Looking to include maybe assisted living and currently right now, me and my wife live in an independent living community, but it's the only one around here and I think for older people to have an option for housing, where they have smaller yards and where it's easy accessibility to commercial things like drugstores, hair salons, those types of things,"
Some Chapin residents worry about the size of the project and what it’ll do to their town.
"I've never spoken to an individual who wants to see denser growth in the community. That is a concern even though it has been something that has been planned for many years. So density is a concern, traffic is a concern. There's a concern that Chapin is going to lose its small town feel," Wade said.