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Just four days after hearing your passionate testimony in front of a packed house, the Town of Ridgeland announced the cancellation of the public hearing scheduled for the evening of April 4. A regular Town Council meeting will now take place at Town Hall (check agendas here).
While this news signals a trend in the right direction and buys more time before a final decision is made regarding Chelsea, the annexation and development threat is not yet resolved. We must stay vigilant. |
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Updates from Public Hearing on March 21 On March 21, a sea of hundreds of light blue “Keep Chelsea Rural” t-shirts flooded the Lakeside Center in Ridgeland in what was a powerful showing of solidarity to protect Jasper County’s rural land and open spaces. We heard from a diverse range of speakers including Town residents, local business owners, environmental professionals, and more. Folks raised valid concerns about how Chelsea’s annexation and development could impact their quality of life, the environment, and the character of the Town. Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting and participated in the public hearing on March 21. It truly was inspiring to visualize the outpouring of support for safeguarding sensitive tracts of land like Chelsea along the Port Royal Sound. |
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Next Steps: Comprehensive Plan & Feasibility Study The Town of Ridgeland is set to update its comprehensive plan and it is critical that all stakeholders and community members participate in this process so that the Town can chart a path toward a sustainable, prosperous, and vibrant future. Stay tuned for announcements regarding the planning process and ways to get involved. The Town also plans to hire a consultant to undertake a feasibility study to analyze the potential costs and benefits for the Town regarding the proposed Chelsea annexation and development. The Conservation League will continue to advocate that both the comprehensive plan updates and the feasibility study should be completed before any final vote on Chelsea takes place. Throughout this process, we will remind the Town to honor the spirit and intent of Jasper County’s moratorium. |
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There is More for the Community to Say More time, information, and input from the community is necessary to ensure the Town Council arrives at an informed decision regarding Chelsea and Tickton Hall. The postponement of the public hearing on April 4 buys time to allow the Town Council to consider all perspectives and cumulative impacts before any new annexations take place. Your advocacy on March 21 helped to press pause on the risky Chelsea annexation and development, ensuring that the project was not fast-tracked by Ridgeland officials. However, we are not out of the woods yet. The Conservation League will remain active within this process and keep you abreast with the latest news and updates as this critical issue evolves. |