Just what we need!

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a 1.5 million sq. ft. mega shopping mall in the headwaters of the Okatie!

I retired here to Sun City Hilton Head, SC to enjoy the natural beauty. Riverbend pier (on the Okatie) is one of the most beautiful spots that I've ever seen. I go there often. When my grandson visits, we go shrimping and crabbing off Riverbend pier. We've enjoyed some WONDERFUL times there!

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Along comes Sembler Company out of Atlanta, GA proposing a 1.5 million sq. ft. mega shopping mall in the headwaters of the Okatie, a mile or so from Riverbend pier.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources tells us that stormwater dilutes saltwater in saltwater estuaries like the Okatie, and drives the oysters, shrimp, and crabs away. (http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/pub/seascience/bluecrab.html).

Developers like to argue that stormwater from their development will be no greater post-development than predevelopment. However, this claim refers to RATE, not VOLUME. For example, the stormwater from an undeveloped site discharges at 10 cubic feet per second for 30 minutes. The discharge from the developed site is 10 cubic feet per second for 5 hours. The RATE of runoff is the same, but the VOLUME of runoff post-development is 10 times the VOLUME of the predevelopment runoff. ANY increase in stormwater VOLUME threatens the oysters, shrimp, and crabs in the Okatie estuary.

Sembler is asking for anywhere between $40 and $130 million in sales tax incentives to build their mega mall in the headwaters of the Okatie. And, politicians and people here are going for it! BRILLIANT!
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