While it may seem strange to see the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors and the Coastal Conservation League on the same side of an issue, we're actually in agreement on as many issues as we are in opposition. A recent issue we strongly agree on is the alternative "pitchfork" plan to Maybank Highway to be presented to Charleston County Council tonight. The alternative pitchfork and street grid for Johns Island will not have any affect on plans for the Cross Island Expressway to Kiawah and Seabrook islands or the extension of Interstate 526. Those two roads are separate issues from the Maybank project and should be explored as parts of the overall solution for gridlock in the Lowcountry. The entire street plan for Johns Island will take two or three decades to complete, but the pitchfork will provide immediate congestion relief and would be built as soon as (or possibly sooner) than a widening of Maybank Highway. The critical challenge facing our elected leaders has been to address the traffic issues and future growth of Johns Island while preserving its character. We support the pitchfork alternative because it meets three major priorities: 1) linking with the land use the city of Charleston already has planned for Johns Island, 2) remaining a financially viable alternative using the funding available, 3) and having minimal infringement on the rights of personal property owners. The city of Charleston controls zoning for most of Maybank Highway and will have a major say over how and in what fashion development occurs on the island. The city passed the Johns Island Plan last year, outlining its plans for "gathering places" along Maybank Highway, using an adjacent street grid and a traditional neighborhood design. Since the land use has already been determined, it's time to link transportation to the use on the ground. Sound planning principles are being implemented to make sure Johns Island retains its rural character while growing in a responsible fashion. Linking transportation and land use is more than just a good plan on paper, it's a way to implement the plan immediately to provide traffic relief. Other jurisdictions in the state, such as Dorchester County and Beaufort, are undertaking studies in an effort to link land use to transportation, so this is not merely an "experiment" on Johns Island cooked up by planners and conservation groups, rather it's a plan to allow Johns Island to get ahead of the planning curve. Nobody has more of a first-hand view of rising property taxes than Realtors. We see the impact of property taxes on the Charleston market every day — when a young couple looks to buy their first home or an industry scouts a new location to bring jobs to the Lowcountry. We would not support this project if the costs associated with it were not achievable through money already set aside. Cost estimates have shown the first and immediate relief — being the pitchfork, a widening of Maybank from the pitchfork to the Stono River bridge, and new intersections on River Road — would be comparable to that of widening Maybank. Given our current economic situation and the already-onerous tax burden homeowners face, the pitchfork is an ideal solution as long as it can be implemented without an additional unbudgeted expense. The final and most critical advantage the pitchfork plan provides is protection of private property rights. This alternative pitchfork plan impacts only two property owners — both of whom have already agreed to the project, instead of more than 100 who would be impacted if Maybank Highway was widened. The right-of-way acquisition process of two willing property owners will take far less time and be less costly than a lengthy right-of-way acquisition process with more than 100 property owners. We urge city and county leaders and community members to get behind this plan. It's simply a matter of common sense and commitment to preserving our quality of life that has led our organization to support a road that links land use to transportation and infringes less on the rights of personal property owners without placing a greater burden on taxpayers. This plan shows there is hope for other municipalities and counties to exercise prudent foresight in regional planning and promote the building of better communities.

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