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Concerns for the Future

Urban Sprawl ... In the time from 1970 to 1997, less than 30 years, Pickens county has grown 78%, Oconee county by 56%. Greenville today is the size Atlanta was in 1950. Uncontrolled growth adds to pollution, and flooding. In Atlanta, from 1974 to 1997, areas with tree cover of 50% or more were decreased by half.

Sewer Plans vs Green Space ... Sewers are a two edged sword, they remove individual septic systems, but promote high density. Impervious surfaces reach cause problems of increased storm flow runoff, carrying sediment, excessive nutrients, pesticides, road oils, pathogens, and other contaminants, as well as flooding. Waters are impacted when impervious surfaces reach between 10% & 20% of a watershed area, and are degraded at 30%. We need to require green space in association with density. Trees are particularly important to pollution control.

Septic Regulations ... Current septic regulations do not consider slopes or soil types. It's OK as long as the field is 50' from the water, and 6" above the water table. There is no requirement for baffles in a SC septic tank. There is no agreement among experts about the viability of these systems in our soil type. Although DHEC turned down our request to fund a proposed study which would apply science to prove it one way or the other, FOLKS continues to seek alternative funding for this study.

Lack of land-use planning and control (county wide) ... People want to keep things "as they always were". Without some reasonable control over growth, we will lose our neighborhood and rural character to the highest bidder. We need county wide controls!