More attainable housing could be coming to Mount Pleasant after council vote

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – More attainable housing options could soon be coming to Mount Pleasant.

On Tuesday, Mount Pleasant Town Council voted 6 to 3 on the first reading of an ordinance that would lower the residential density allowed in commercial districts.

The Town of Mount Pleasant currently allows for 12 market-rate residential units per acre in commercial districts. Council voted in favor of decreasing the density to four units, or eight if half of the units are dedicated to attainable housing.

“I voted for it because I wanted to lower that over all density to reduce the congestion on our roads and the overcrowding in our schools, but then at the same time allow that little bit of bonus density in case you are going to build affordable housing that is for the workforce of this town,” Town Councilman Jake Rambo said.

Shelmore village is an example of a commercial district that includes residences as well.

“It has to be business on the bottom, it has to be no residential on the ground floor and the residential has to have its own access,” Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie said as he explained the current requirements for this type of development.

The attainable housing aspect of this move has Mayor Haynie’s full support, saying people who work in Mount Pleasant should be able to afford to live there. However, he voted against decreasing the number of units allowed per acre.

“Going back to before I was mayor, when I was on council, this was the answer. Twelve units per acre was what’s going to be right about Mount Pleasant. I’m not sure when that became the problem,” Mayor Haynie said.

Josh Dix represented the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® when he spoke during the public comment section of Tuesday’s meeting. He hoped council would defer the vote. He told News 2 the region needs as many units as it can get to meet the demand.

“We continue every year to fall behind, regionally, in the number of units that are being permitted and we simply can’t build fast enough,” said Dix, who serves as the organization’s Government Affairs Director. “I certainly am sympathetic to the concern that we’re building too quickly but the reality is we have people moving here by the day.”

Town council will vote on this matter again during next month’s meeting.