Town of Summerville Planning Area - BCD Council of Governments

Priority Investment Areas ElementOverviewThis chapter addresses recent amendments to the SouthCarolina Local Government Planning Enabling Act – SouthCarolina Priority Investment Act.The purpose of this chapter is to enhance coordination oflocal governments and public service agencies in the Townof Summerville Planning Area; to synchronize public andprivate investment in land and infrastructure and toconserve cultural, environmental and fiscal resources.The Priority Investment Act legislation requires a ninthcomprehensive planning element. This element instructslocal government entities to analyze the likely federal,state, and local funds available for public infrastructureand facilities during the next ten years and encourages theprioritization of funds for public infrastructure and facilitiessuch as water, sewer, roads, and schools. Coordination isrecommended between local governments and agencies,in addition to relevant jurisdictions such as public andprivate utilities, school districts, transportation agenciesand other public entities affected by or that have planningauthority over the public projects.SC Priority Investment Act“South Carolina Priority Investment Act byamending section 6-29-510, relating tocomprehensive plans of local planningcommissions, so as to amend the housingelement and to provide for transportation andpriority investment elements of comprehensiveplans; to amend section 6-29-720, relating toregulation of zoning districts, so as to allow localgovernments to develop market-based incentivesand elimination of nonessential housingregulatory requirements to encourage privatedevelopment, traditional neighborhood design,and affordable housing in priority investmentareas; to amend section 6-29-1110, relating todefinitions, so as to defined “affordablehousing”, “market based incentives”,“traditional neighborhood design”, and“nonessential housing regulatory requirements”;to amend section 6-29-1130, relating toregulations of a local governing body governingthe development of land upon therecommendation of the local planningcommission, so as to further provide for thecontent of these regulations relating to landdevelopment; and to provide that localgovernments amend their comprehensive plansto comply with these provisions.”Capital Improvements Program and Transportation ProjectsThe Town of Summerville is a member of the Charleston Area Transportation Study (CHATS) and participated inthe composition of the CHATS Long Range Transportation Plan for the Berkeley‐Charleston‐Dorchester Region.The CHATS LRTP schedules road construction and enhancement projects with subsequent funding sources.Funding sources for these transportation projects include Guide‐Share Funds, Sales Tax Funds, and Non‐Guide‐Share funds drawing upon public and private funding sources and other innovative financing methods.Scheduled transportation projects with corresponding funding sources are identified on the region’sTransportation Improvement Program (TIP). Funding timelines are scheduled and arranged accordingly with setproject completion dates.The Town of Summerville’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP) provides a funding timeline for public facilityimprovements including Public Safety, Culture/Recreation, General Government and Public Service projects tobe undertaken from 2008‐2012. These projects include the construction and additions for fire and policestations, town parks and other supporting facilities. Summerville’s Capital Improvements Program alsoidentifies programmed intersection improvements, but does not identify scheduled transportation roadimprovements.The Town of Summerville and Dorchester County have projects scheduled in the CHATS LRTP. These projectsinclude the completion of Phase III of the Berlin G. Myers Parkway, widening of Dorchester Road, widening of USHighway 78 (Fifth Street North) and completion of the Glenn McConell Parkway. These transportationinfrastructure projects are also identified under the Dorchester County Penny Sales Tax Transportation Authority(DCTA).p Priority Investment Areas Element Page 1