Irmo council advances 'Water Walk East' annexation amid residents' traffic and environmental concerns
Loading...
Summary
Council approved first reading of an annexation for 'Water Walk East' — a mixed-use proposal of up to 80 townhouses and 20,000 sq. ft. of commercial space — while residents and council members pressed developers on traffic studies, DOT concurrence and impacts to Muskrat Run and nearby neighborhoods.
Council voted on the first reading of Ordinance 26-02 on Dec. 16 to annex roughly 21.8 acres on Dreyer Shoals Road into the Town of Irmo for a development the staff and applicant call 'Water Walk East.' The proposal includes up to 80 townhouse units and about 20,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial space, along with design and buffer conditions intended to match the existing Water Walk development.
The planning staff and developer said the project will be subject to conditions that mirror the original Water Walk plan: average townhouse widths of about 24 feet, exterior materials such as HardiePlank, brick or stone, street trees, landscape buffers and covenants restricting initial bulk purchases and short-term rentals. A developer representative said the residential product is intended to be sold to individual homebuyers, not an institutional buyer, and that an HOA will prohibit short-term rentals.
Residents attending the meeting urged the council to slow down until traffic and environmental impacts are clearer. Gerald Gallaher, whose neighborhood is adjacent to the project, criticized the traffic analysis posted on the town website and said the baseline counts underrepresent peak congestion on Muscrat Run. "From this projection, the study concludes that no road mitigations are needed for Muskrat Run," Gallaher said, urging more data collection for peak days. Dawn Holtwonger told the council that two proposed entrances on Muscrat Run are located at blind curves and called the layout "an accident waiting to happen." Joshua Taylor and other public commentators said infrastructure improvements must be in place before development proceeds.
Planner and project representative Steve told the council the team requested an updated traffic study and that the town typically orders and pays for such updates. "We do not have a concurrence letter from DOT, but we're certainly working in that direction now," he said, noting DOT concurrence remains outstanding. Steve also said the team is proposing intersection improvements, signalization and a center turn lane as part of mitigation if warranted.
Council members pressed staff on what the developer will be required to deliver for infrastructure. A staff planner and the applicant said a traffic study update will be completed and that intersection improvements and cost-sharing for signals would be negotiated with adjacent property owners and DOT before construction. One council member recorded a lone 'No' vote in the roll call during first reading; the ordinance otherwise passed first reading (Mister Ward — Yes; Mister Penfield — No; Miss Coleman — Yes; Doctor Waldman — Yes; Mayor Danielson — Yes).
The project will return for subsequent hearings and final actions as the town refines traffic mitigation measures, obtains DOT concurrence and completes site design. Planning staff noted the Planning Commission had recommended the map and conditions unanimously at its recent meeting.
What's next: the first reading passed; the council and staff said further traffic study work and a DOT concurrence letter are outstanding and will be addressed before final approvals.
