A Berkeley County property owner can peek through a stand of trees across the road and see part of Cane Bay Plantation. The other side of his land overlooks 1,700 acres of undeveloped land where Seattle-based Weyerhaeuser, the nation’s largest timber tract owner, wants to build another large-scale residential project.
Mr. Burbage Smoak’s property along the heavily traveled, two-lane Black Tom Road stands in the way of any plans Weyerhaeuser might have and Berkeley County Council appears determined to keep it that way.
Smoak’s vacant property includes 421 acres southwest of Moncks Corner, most of it is wetlands. However, He wants to build a strip of commercial buildings on 80 acres that front Black Tom Road — maybe some medical offices or retail space, something that will “support the residents of that area,” according to Kevin Berry, president of Earthsource Engineering, who is representing the landowner.
“We’re not just trying to put more residential rooftops in the area,” he said, adding he’s keenly aware of county council’s desire to slow residential growth so new roads and other critical infrastructure can catch up.
“The public sentiment, and they’ve articulated it well, is there’s frustration when development comes before infrastructure,” said county supervisor Johnny Cribb.
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