Workforce housing proposal gets 1st approval from Mount Pleasant council

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Mount Pleasant Town Council has approved first reading of an ordinance that would amend the Gregorie Ferry Landing planned development to permit construction of 42 workforce housing units.

The ordinance said the developer, TBC Development LLC, will adjust its project to cut 23,000 square feet of commercial space on the south side of Winnowing Way in Mount Pleasant and add 42 multifamily workforce housing units. The ordinance would increase the number of units allowed from 12 per acre to 12.18 per acre.

Councilwoman Kathy Landing said some people have said 42 units is not much compared with the amount of need in the area.

“But for those 42 families, it means the world,” Landing said. “And I think that’s the most important thing, is you take this step and then work on others and others and others and do it in the right way. A way that doesn’t risk taxpayer money and a way that actually helps the experts, the developers who know how to build things, create a legacy of something good that they’ve done.”

The mixed-use planned development and impact assessment said units in the development would be priced from $212,000 to $285,000, which it says would allow families with incomes between $40,000 and $62,000 to purchase them. According to Mount Pleasant Councilman Gary Santos, the development would remain as workforce housing for 80 years before it could go back on the market.

Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie said the proposed project is scalable and could be repeated in other parts of the town.