I have written in the past about our mobile town halls, but felt it necessary to include them in my column again today.
Our entire coastal region has seen significant changes since the pandemic hit our nation. Many of you have just moved here in the last few years, and had no idea that so much of our town is already planned or how it is governed.
We live in a beautiful place, and coupled with the reshuffling of America due to the cultural change of working from home, more people are choosing to live where they want.
Some of them naturally compare Bluffton’s governance to the frame of reference of where they came from. However, governments and their roles, services, legal parameters, and governing ordinances differ. Our Mobile Town Hall is Bluffton’s way of orienting residents to the town and how its local government serves them and operates.
During the Mobile Town Hall presentation, staff members discuss Bluffton’s history, culture, growth management ordinances and contracts, and gives a snapshot of where the town is today in terms of its expected growth.
One of the biggest points is that 92% of the town is bound by a development agreement. These agreements are legally binding and all of them were agreed to decades ago. Only 8% of Bluffton is in an area that does not have pre-planned infrastructure.
Whether a neighborhood is or is not in an area bound by an agreement guides the Town Council to what it is or is not able to do.
This is all very important for residents to understand, and while there are frustrations with how we are handling all of these items, please understand that council and staff work hard every day to find a way to continue to provide services for our residents while slowing development as best we can
If your civic group, organization or neighborhood would like a Mobile Town Hall presentation, please contact Debbie Szpanka, public information officer, at [email protected].
We also have a wonderful website full of information on all of our town meetings and events, as well as a site for commissions and committees. We are always in need of volunteers to help in planning, economic development, historic preservation and more.
If you ever have questions about our wonderful town, don’t hesitate to contact Town Hall at 706-4500 or email Lisa Sulka at [email protected].