Work Begins…
Phase 7 Highlighted on 2009 Conceptual Master Plan (for visual study only) to show context
We received our development permit for Phase 7 from Beaufort County on July 9 after 3 years of permitting. Much of the time was waiting on required state permits, which are more rigorous since we are in a coastal area. Stormwater permitting is also very time consuming, as Beaufort County has some of the most stringent stormwater requirements in the country. Phase 7’s stormwater report is over 500 pages long! But, alas, all permits were received and work began on July 12 after a successful pre-construction meeting on July 11 that also involved our first inspection. This first inspection is to make sure all of your silt fencing and tree protection is correct and you have proper construction entrances in place, and proper documents on site.
The first phase of construction is everyone’s least favorite. Clearing trees. It is always hard to see trees come down. Especially if you’ve only known the site as a tree filled property. But, some of our older Habersham residents may remember when this property was farmed for cucumbers not that long ago. Here is an aerial from just 20 years ago and you’ll see the only trees in this phase of development were in ditches!
Then, here is an aerial from just over 10 years ago. A pine forest had grown up on the western side, but the fields still mainly were kept cut.
Then, below is an aerial from last year and you can see how much growth can occur in just 10 years.
A lot of those trees that grew up in the fields are being saved and will either be on lots or in open spaces. Much of the pine forest will be maintained as an 100’ buffer on those edges of the property. Unfortunately, the trees in the ditches (all the straight lines in the aerials) cannot be saved. Ditches have to be filled in and the trees down in the ditches cannot survive with that fill on top of them. Some of those ditches are over 5’ deep! So, many of the trees that we see coming out are those trees that have grown up in the numerous farm ditches that criss-cross the property.
The contractor had a timber company come in to do the cutting and there is a good chance most of the trees will become pulp wood. Although it is hard to see trees come down, we have to admit that this machine is pretty impressive! Yikes!
About 93% of the caliper inches that were removed were non-specimen trees. Specimen trees that were removed will be mitigated inch for inch with new tree plants and non-specimen trees that were preserved. The county does not count preserved specimen trees towards mitigation, but there are some great specimen trees that are part of the trees being saved.
It took about a week and a half to remove the trees and now they are in the process of hauling them out. Behind them come the stump snatchers. You can’t leave those stumps in the ground! Every single one has to come out and that process will take much longer than the trees. We expect them to spend about 4 weeks removing stumps and finish grubbing the site.
More to come neighbors….
