Faithful readers of our newsletter and this site know that we are obsessed with traffic. It is one big reason we haven't rushed to review golf course communities on the coasts of Florida or in Orlando, and why a number of Floridians are packing it in and bouncing back to the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia. We loathe the idea of spending our retirement years or vacation weeks at a stop and go pace.
And it isn't just Florida, either. We've seen problems brewing in places like Charlottesville, VA, and Wilmington, NC; these issues are partially the result of geography, since many of the most desirable areas are almost surrounded by water, as is Wilmington, and partially the result of bad planning. Mark Twain might have put it this way: "Everyone talks about the traffic, but no one does anything about it."
Apparently officials in Jasper County, South Carolina are doing something about it before it is an issue. Jasper, the county immediately to the west of Hilton Head and Beaufort, SC, is one of the few remaining "low country" areas of the east coast that hasn't been overrun with development. County officials are not anti-development, but they seem intent on making sure growth is reasonable and that the inherent nature of the area is preserved. According to a story in today's New York Times (Real Estate section, page 7), developers in the county have to meet certain restrictions, and make certain investments, that ensure high-quality communities that respect the land.
Jasper County is bisected by I-95 and is a convenient drive to Savannah. Although the county doesn't run to the coast, it is within easy reach of the beaches and the buffet of golf courses on and around Hilton Head. Toll Brothers is developing a community called Hampton Pointe , about seven miles from the interstate, that will feature a Nicklaus Design course as well as a fitness center and spa and all other amenities typical of communities that encompass more than 1,000 homes. Prices start in the mid-$300s.
The New York Times article can be found currently by clicking here.