Hit The Trails!

Have you been on any of the Florence trails? If not, you don't know what you're missing. They are REALLY NICE!

In 2004, a consultant was brought in by the FLATS committee to develop a Florence Area Bikeway Master Plan. Thanks to the City of Florence's efforts and the grants through FLATS, we now have many trails to enjoy and more in the works.

I'll let you know when we get this Master Plan and the current Trails information in online to view. Look for it in January!

Local hotels and other community organizations have brochures on the Trails system. There has been so much interest from both residents and tourists that we are in the process of having more brochures printed for display.

Anyone out there interested in promoting new bicycle/pedestrian trails or lanes?

Well then you need to join our growing group of volunteers on the Florence Trails Committee. We meet quarterly on the 3rd Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. at the Florence County Planning Department located at 518 S. Irby Street. Call the County Planning Department at 843-676-8600 to have your name added to the e-mail notification list.

We had a great trails meeting last week. The City of Florence updated the committee on the newest trail on Jefferies Creek off National Cemetery Road. It's called the "SWIM" project (Storm Water Improvement - which is important stuff!) This trail should be ready in the spring of 2009.

Happy Trails!

Ride for 25

25 cents!

PDRTA is providing "Reindeer Routes" to ease the shopping/parking conundrum.


Find a parking spot at the new Florence Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Magnolia Mall or Florence Mall - then ride, ride, ride to the next shopping destination.

And it only costs a quarter - that beats parking on the grass at the old Wal-Mart, running across David McLeod Blvd to the Best Buy!

The New Florence Map

Faster, smarter and good looks too...

I am describing the new mapping webpage set up by Florence County GIS department.

After accepting a standard notification, you are granted access to 2008 aerial photography, updated parcel information, updated roads, zoning information and much more.

Searching for something specific? A new search tool towards the top left of the page "Search Parcels, Roads, Locations:" will make quick work of getting you to your destination.

For example, I wanted to search for the parcel number and acreage for Clemson University. I simply entered "Clemson" into the search and was returned with a list of potential candidates. Details of that list can be expanded by clicking the plus (+) to the left of each entry.

You can also zoom to any of the entries by right-mouse clicking the entry to see that option.

We have big plans for this map - imagine if you will... providing the future land use map so everyone can see what may be around the County in the future... or maybe show places where road construction will be occurring.

Other information all ready to view is zoning (the regulatory end of things that limit such uses like industry from locating next to single family residential), flood zones, Census tracts, voting precincts and much more.

Look yourself up! Find what flood prone areas are near where you live. Find out who your local representatives are. What zoning is near you (do you have zoning?), what rivers, streams and soil types are close to you.

So many things possible. What do you want to see on the map?

The Week Unfolds

It's only Tuesday, but the Planning team has worked hard enough to believe it's Friday.

The FLATS (Florence Area Transportation Study) Policy committee met yesterday morning to discuss penny sales tax projects, regional road improvements and the long-range transportation plan for the urban Florence area. The Policy Committee gave the go ahead to negotiate with the point-leading consultant, Kimley-Horn, to help with the plan.

Also, the Committee requested more information to make their decision on adding new members to their Committee and the FLATS Study Team (technical team). For the next meeting, we will provide maps of the areas that currently may be better represented with these additional stakeholders.

Last night, the Planning Section visited a full house (about 30 people) Town Hall meeting in Scranton. [I still think it's one of nicest little towns in Florence.] We described the comprehensive plan update and presented their Future Land Use map. Some people were at the Schoolhouse BBQ Town Supper meeting when the townspeople first saw the map.

Interestingly, the one similar comment was made last night: we need a place for kids to hang out after school. One suggestion that was brought up was to utilize school facilities for after-school activities. Try to drum up some volunteers to monitor the schools library and/or gym for community usage. In Scranton, their school is within walking distance from most neighborhoods and is an existing facility!

Sounds good to me.

What else...

...more Comprehensive Plan (scroll down the linked page to see all elements)...

On Thursday, the Planning Commission will be at a working lunch presentation at the Founder's Room of the Library to solicit feedback and affirmation of our direction on the drafted Community Facilities element. We hope to post this element to our website within a couple of weeks, send it to the County Planning Commission agenda in December, and present it to County Council for public hearings starting in early 2009.

...and I would be remiss if I failed to mention air quality opportunities!

DHEC has recently released a request for proposals for a nearly $250K grant to reduce diesel emissions. It just so happens that we presented the County Council with a list of air quality increasing options on October 16th. Two qualifying projects were included in that list: diesel engine upgrades to the County fleet and a truck stop electrification system at Exit 169. This technology allows the truck engines to stop (as opposed to idling all day and night) and hook up to a power outlet and A/C vent, decreasing diesel emissions. Another point: this truck stop is within two miles from the ozone monitor!

Are we busy? Yes.

Want to help review a Comprehensive Plan element, write a grant, gather community support, or share an air quality idea?

Leave us a comment, and we'll be right with you.

Comprehensive Plan Elements

What in the world is a 'Comprehensive Plan Element'?


As required by State Law, the local planning commission must develop and maintain a planning process to guide the development and redevelopment of its area of jurisdiction. This planning process is the 'Comprehensive Plan'.


Exciting stuff!


Nine elements are included in this plan. They are reviewed every five years and updated every ten years. The 1997 elements are currently being updated. These (**) elements have been adopted by County Council and are available on our website for viewing.

• ** Population
• ** Cultural Resources
• ** Natural Resources
• ** Housing
• ** Economic
• Community Facilities
• Land Use
• Transportation
• Priority Investment

The Administrative Procedures outlines the adoption process for each element. A 'DRAFT' of this document in addition to the next element, Community Facilities, will be posted on our website soon. They have been written and we are proceeding with the adoption process on them.

Each element entails the following information in regards to Florence County:

1. inventory of existing condition;
2. future projections;
3. a statement of needs and goals; and
4. implementation strategies with time frames.

The County Services Department spends many months searching for and preparing this information for you. So, take a look at them on the website. It's quite amazing to see how our county has grown and is still growing!

Sam Palmisano addresses traffic efficiency capabilities

Who is Sam Palmisano, you ask?

He is the Chairman and CEO of IBM, and the following are excerpt from his speech at today's Council on Foreign Relations in NY City:

...
How gridlocked our cities are: Congested roadways in the U.S. cost $78 billion annually, in the form of 4.2 billion lost hours and 2.9 billion gallons of wasted gas—and that's not even counting the impact on our air quality.
...
Stockholm's smart traffic system has resulted in 20 percent less traffic, a 12 percent drop in emissions and a reported 40,000 additional daily users of public transport. Smart traffic systems are strengthening the competitive positions of cities from London to Brisbane to Singapore—with many more being planned.
...

He bottom-lines his remarks with this...

"The importance of this moment, I believe, is that the key precondition for real change now exists: People want it. But this moment will not last forever."

See the complete text of this 'efficiency speech here. I hope that we will be thinking about these cutting-edge ways of thinking as we focus on our long-range plans. Transportation, land use, park land and natural resource protection all deserve a state-of-the-art approach towards protection, maintenance and increased levels of service.

Are you on board?

Viva el Voto

What an exhilarating voting experience!

I got up at 6:30, donned the jeans, sweater and jacket - biked to the polls and arrived at 6:50AM...

and a glorious site appeared - more than a couple hundred people waiting in two lines: A-K & L-Z.

then I waited...

...saw some neighbors...

...

...met some new ones...

...

...then in a matter of minutes, I was out the door and into the light mist of voting-day rain feeling refreshed and ready to get to work!

It was a low scoring day (maybe a two-point-five) on the commuter continuum, but it was worth the bike ride! I agree with the 66% of those who took the poll to the right - I would have taken the car if I was dressed for work.

What's your voting day experience?