With the latest plans for the WestEdge project proposing to reengineer parts of Gadsden Creek, there are two opportunities for you to weigh in on the future of one of the largest tracts of undeveloped land downtown.
One DHEC public comment period ends this Saturday (July 27) and a public meeting was recently announced for early August. (See below for more info.)
The WestEdge project is a large, mixed-use, multi-phase development hemmed in on the west side of the peninsula by Lockwood Boulevard and Fishburne Street. Initial projects in the area include the Caroline apartment building and 10 WestEdge, which includes Publix.
[content-1] The newest frontier in the project is the plot across from the Caroline which includes a gravel lot and the remnants of Gadsden Creek, a tidal area that at one time encompassed a vital functional waterfront before the city filled the marsh with garbage in the mid-20th century. Today, a public housing complex remains on the site. A group of community members and activists are working to preserve the creek, pushing regulators to recommend against developing the area.
At a community meeting on Wednesday called by state Rep. Wendell Gilliard, developers, regulators, and a few members of the community had a chance to interface with the Charleston-area legislator. Earlier this month, Gilliard sent a letter to the director of DHEC to pump the brakes on the project. “We do not want to sacrifice any more land which is integral to an ever dwindling ecosystem so that developers can further their profits all while reducing space for wildlife,” Gilliard wrote. Speaking at the meeting on Wednesday, Michael Maher, CEO of the WestEdge Foundation, made the case for the development in terms of economic growth, hazards posed by the underground landfill, and improvements to existing tidal drainage and stormwater runoff.
[content-2] “What we’re proposing in our permit application is to make investments to improve the situation which is far too challenged,” Maher said. “To make drainage improvements that not only address the tidal flooding that’s happening more and more, and more regularly, and more seriously, but also the stormwater problems that are exacerbated by the tidal condition.”
Maurice Washington, a former member of Charleston City Council and candidate for mayor, grew up in the Gadsden Green area, and called statements made by WestEdge officials “disingenuous.”
“If we believe that their best interests are the best interests of the people at Gadsden Green public housing, and Gadsden Creek, our heads need to be examined,” Washington said. “That’s a billion-dollar development overlooking a public housing complex.”
How to submit your comment:
Public comment with DHEC online through July 27
Formal public comment for WestEdge’s proposal before DHEC to alter the flow of tidal waters from Gadsden Creek ends on Saturday. In the proposal, much of the creek as it exists now would be filled and diverted into existing natural or city drainage systems in the area. A new surface water runoff drainage line would also be built to empty into the marsh behind Stoney Field. Renderings before DHEC also include a small water retention area near the corner of Fishburne Street and Hagood Avenue.
You can find that rendering, plans to reengineer the tidal flow, general WestEdge development plans, and submit public comment with DHEC through Sat. July 27.
Public meeting with DHEC on Aug. 7 at Burke High School
With increased public interest in WestEdge’s permit application, DHEC and its office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) will hold a public hearing on Aug. 7, 6-8 p.m. at Burke High School (244 President St.) downtown, a block from the proposed WestEdge site.
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