As development continues to encroach upon the Ten Mile Community, local residents are advocating for custom regulations to safeguard the area’s rich cultural heritage. The Ten Mile Community, which originated as an African American settlement nearly 200 years ago, has maintained much of its unique history and traditions, particularly those tied to the Gullah-Geechee culture.
Ed Pinckney, a board member of the Ten Mile Community, expressed the community’s desire to preserve this history while allowing for responsible growth. “We wanted to essentially preserve the traditions of the Gullah-Geechee and give the community a say in the local growth,” he said.
Support from Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant leaders have voiced their support for these preservation efforts. Mayor Will Haynie emphasized the historical importance of the community, stating, “They are living history. They are where our African American brothers and sisters first tasted freedom in America, and we have those communities right here.”
Proposed Regulations to Limit Development
To ensure the area’s growth doesn’t disrupt its culture, the community has proposed new regulations. These would allow for one home per acre in rural areas and three homes per acre in suburban zones. The goal is to limit the outside development that has been pushing out longtime residents, allowing more families to return.
“We want to go back to being rural, that designation, so families can come back to the community, build their homes, and reintegrate with the community itself,” Pinckney explained.
Building Moratorium to Prevent Large-Scale Development
The Ten Mile Community is also calling for a building moratorium, which would prevent developers from purchasing historic land to convert it into large residential developments. This moratorium would not prevent individual property owners from building but would halt large-scale projects, such as 30 or 40 homes at a time, that could overwhelm the area.
“It doesn’t stop individual residents from building on the property,” Pinckney clarified. “It prohibits large-scale development from happening in historic districts, which is very important because, if possible, we’d like to see that extended, not just for the benefit of Ten Mile but other Gullah-Geechee communities.”
Coordination with Mount Pleasant
The Ten Mile Community spans both unincorporated Charleston County and parts of Mount Pleasant, and local leaders are working together to regulate development. Mayor Haynie emphasized the importance of matching regulations between the county and the town to protect settlement communities and slow development.
“What we did not want is for people to not be able to build in the county and annex into the city so they could develop,” he said. “We’ve been working on slowing down development for 8 years, and this ordinance would help protect the settlement communities.”
Ongoing Public Input
The Charleston County Planning Commission is set to meet on Monday to discuss the proposed regulations, and public input is still being accepted. Community members are eager for a plan that allows them to protect their heritage while accommodating responsible growth.
As the Ten Mile Community continues to grow, it hopes these efforts will ensure the area’s history and culture remain intact for future generations.
