Did everyone see the Post & Courier’s article regarding Mt Pleasant’s ranking as the 10th fasted growing city (at least 50,000 residents) in the country? Wow! And no city east of the Mississippi grew as quickly as Mount Pleasant did in 2015. So, this news comes with mixed reaction……..as growth and development always does! The big surge of residential development and rapid population growth in Mount Pleasant started in the 1980s….it had a few derailments but kept on growing. Once a small ocean side community, the town’s population hit 81,317 in July, the Census Bureau estimated Thursday. That’s 22,213 more residents than the town claimed in 2005, and 13,330 more than in 2010. Some say that we have to slow down……too much growth…too much traffic…..has many in an uproar. Mt Pleasant has recently approved a growth-management plan, put a moratorium on new apartment building proposals, and started discussions about raising impact fees and putting new limits on building height and accessory dwellings. Others maintain that we have to keep up with at least a 2.9% growth rate which is a healthy rate. But the naysayers put a 2.9% growth rate at possibly doubling the population in 2o years time.
Economically, this is great news for the Charleston area….in my opinion! People are worrying about recession, unemployment and a slow market in many areas of the country. Not so here! Again the naysayers will say that the traffic and infrastructure as it stands now will deter people from moving here. I don’t see that as the case at all. Quite the contrary, with 50+ people moving here daily. People want to work and will come where there are jobs and the economy is strong. If the “quality of life” is being compromised as the naysayers proclaim, then I would say that “quality of life” is different for everyone and people should seek the places where their quality of life is most abundant. My quality of life is pretty amazing in this sparkling gem that I call home!
