Our editorial view: Will you be there?

There's a movement in the air, a rustling in the community. Quiet voices, no longer silent, are slowly engaging in quality of life issues. But still some remain silent.

If ever Lake Wylie residents want to be heard, the time is now. County planners are reviewing all manners of issues regarding unbridled development and land use. Discussions of temporary housing moratoriums, zoning restrictions, incorporation, drinking water quality, protection of the Lake, traffic and road maintenance are among the many aspects that determine what we, as a community, will look like and live with in the years to come.

The chance is now. Public awareness is sharpening and soliciting responses from residents has never been more valuable. Discussions abound from neighbor to neighbor, business to business. The number of housing developments and those in the pike are causing many to wonder about the impact on future classrooms, service responders and traffic jams, and the future of our community.

Projects putting up hundreds of homes and dwellings at a time will surely affect traffic. Our fire department and law enforcement will certainly feel the strain. Response times to emergencies, auto wrecks and the like are of considerable importance.

Redundant businesses continue to populate the edge of our roads, taking advantage of lenient zoning compared to municipal rules.

Growth is exploding. Some say imploding. Alarming levels of trees going down to make room for housing developments continues. Density alone could reduce our natural environment and the desire to maintain the green space we cherish. Historically, the proverbial can has been kicked down the road because the rustling that we are witnessing now, was not sustained. Somehow, this time seems different, still.

Public meetings, like the Feb. 25 comprehensive plan, are being held more frequently. Comprehensive plans are still in the blueprint stage. Anyone interested in our community, as they are in their own special interests, will be there. Will you be there?

York County Council, our only form of local government, meets the first and third Monday of each month. Will you be there?

Without action, we may lament an opportunity lost. The health of a community should be planned by and is better driven by it’s citizens. The time to act is now.

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 9:26 AM with the headline "Our editorial view: Will you be there?."