Following tense meetings, public opposition, an initial denial from Irmo and an unsuccessful legal challenge to the town’s approval process, a proposed development that could bring as many as 550 residential units to the shores of Lake Murray is moving forward.
On Monday, the Irmo Planning Commission unanimously recommended that developers’ application to rezone 65 acres for the Water Walk development be approved. The project at 2947 Dreher Shoals Road/S.C. 6 will now land in front of the Town Council, which will take up the zoning issue for the first time next week.
Plans for the residential development call for roughly 280 single-family homes and townhomes and 220 senior-living units. Developers also aim to have commercial space with dining and retail options along with a small boutique hotel with a maximum of 75 rooms.
The development, which comes via Charleston’s Material Capital Partners, has been a point of controversy since it was revealed this summer, with community members packing the August meeting where the Planning Commission first denied its proposed rezoning, voicing concerns such as traffic and the buffers between the new construction and surrounding neighborhoods.
After the Planning Commission’s initial ruling, an Irmo resident took the town to court in an attempt to keep the body from again considering the project. The judge presiding over that suit ruled that the resident didn’t justify the court intervening in the town’s approval process.
The crowd was thinner Monday than in August as developers brought back their amended plan, which town staff recommended that the Planning Commission approve for rezoning. Several people spoke during public comment, reiterating many of the same concerns and complaining that the project was back up for consideration less than a month later.
But Assistant Town Administrator Doug Polen was firm that the timing lined up with the requirements of town ordinances and state law. He explained that staff shifting off its previous recommendation that the project be denied hinged on the developers tweaking their proposal to justify bonuses to attain a proposed minimum lot size of 3,500 square feet.
Irmo uses a system for such developments through which a project can shave the standard 12,500-square-foot lot requirement by doing things such as making a $1,000 contribution per unit to the town to help pay for expanding services and including certain amenities.
In their updated plan, the developers clarified that there would be a sufficient variety of floor plans to justify receiving a bonus, Polen explained.
Additionally, the developers agreed to start on the commercial components of the project within two years once work on the residential portions begins and to make annual presentations to the town reporting on their progress, both of which would be contractual requirements.
Strong buffers along the road and neighboring parcels are also being guaranteed, Polen said, as are walking trails, a clubhouse, a swimming pool and street trees.
“You can build over 700 apartments on this property right now, today, and we feel that what the applicant is bringing us with closer to 500 units is much preferable,” the assistant town administrator added. “Yes, many of them will be rentals, but also many of them will be for sale. And rental. houses versus an apartment complex, it’s a big difference.”
As they did at the previous meeting, the developers said they’re invested in bringing quality homes, responding to concerns from the public and the Planning Commission about potential flatting the rolling terrain by offering assurances that the sloping topography would be integrated into the development and that the two ponds within it would be maintained.
The developers also said that they are seeking fine establishments to fill the commercial district, reporting that they have already been in talks with Blue Marlin, Heartland Veterinary, Hawthorne Pharmacy, Strictly Running, Motor Supply Company Bistro, Saluda’s, Pasta Fresca, Brixx Wood Fire Pizza and RH Rooftop Restaurant, along with a day spa and a coffee shop.
“It’s important for the town to grow the right way, for this property to be developed responsibly,” said David Craig, director of development at Material Capital Partners.
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