A developer is seeking to rezone land along Mill Pond Road to a Planned Development district, clearing the way for a shopping center that would fill nearly 5 acres of wetlands tied to Crabtree Swamp and Crabtree Canal. The plan, as submitted to the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and SC Department of Environmental Services (DES), also includes a gas station with underground fuel tanks in a wetland. The City of Conway's Planning Commission will take up the rezoning request on September 3, before the separate state and federal wetland permits are decided.
Take Action
We encourage you to attend and speak at the Planning Commission public hearing on Thursday, September 3 at 5:30pm in the Planning & Development Dept. Conference Room at 196 Laurel Street, Conway. You can also submit comments in advance to the Planning Staff by emailing planning@ConwaySC.gov.
A map of the proposed project footprint.
Proposed Plan per Joint Public Notice from the US Army Corps of Engineers and the SC Department of Environmental Services.
The planning document presented to City Council.
Why This Matters
Crabtree Swamp was channelized in the 1960s after a devastating flood, which has inadvertently led to increased erosion and flooding ever since. The city, county and federal agencies have spent years and significant public funds trying to undo the damage. This project threatens to undermine that work.
Based on the permit application submitted to the Corps and DES, the proposed development would:
Fill nearly 5 acres of wetlands connected to Crabtree Swamp and Crabtree Canal, removing natural flood storage and filtration in a flood-prone area;
Place a gas station, and its underground fuel tanks, directly in a wetland, raising the risk of a fuel release during flooding or storm events;
Undercut decades of public investment in restoring Crabtree Swamp, including floodplain benching, native plantings and stormwater infrastructure; and
Increase impervious surface and stormwater runoff near homes, roads and Conway High School, in a watershed already listed as impaired.
Talking Points
The Planning Commission especially needs to hear from:
People who live, work or drive near Mill Pond Road or the Crabtree Swamp corridor;
Parents, students and staff connected to Conway High School;
Anyone who has experienced flooding in the area, or whose property has been affected by Crabtree Canal; and
Community members concerned about wetland loss, water quality, stormwater management and/or traffic safety.
In your comment, you may wish to:
Explain how flooding has affected you, your family or your neighborhood. Impervious surfaces like parking lots and rooftops send far more rain into nearby waterways than natural land. On average, 90% of rain that falls on pavement becomes runoff, compared to just 15% on undeveloped, pervious land;
Raise concerns about polluted runoff. The wetlands on this site drain to Crabtree Swamp and Crabtree Canal, which discharge into the Waccamaw River. Increased runoff and pollutants threaten water quality and the fish and wildlife that depend on it;
Demand more information on the project and note that this rezoning would open the door to a project the applicant has not yet justified. DES and the Army Corps have both requested more information before this application can move forward;
Point out that the possible siting of a gas station and its underground fuel tanks in a wetland poses a foreseeable and avoidable risk – especially since a gas station already exists adjacent to the proposed development, undercutting any claim that this location is necessary; and/or
Urge the Planning Commission to consider the cumulative public investment already made in restoring this watershed, and to deny or delay the rezoning until the Corps and DES wetland permitting questions are resolved.
Public input at this stage shapes what's possible later. Please join us at the hearing and/or submit a written comment if you're able.
