Too close to the airport? Georgetown housing project stalls amid safety concerns
GEORGETOWN — Plans for a housing development near the Georgetown County Airport face turbulence after aviation officials raised concerns about planes flying too close to rooftops.
Known as South Island Landing, the project would turn nearly 29 acres of undeveloped woods along the city’s southern border into 274 homes at the intersection of Old Charleston Road and U.S. Highway 17.
But after state aviation officials objected to the project, city officials told the Georgetown Times they are holding the permits and forcing the developer to restart the planning process.
“I had us pump the brakes on everything,” said Peter Gaytan, director of the city’s planning department. “Right now, there’s just a lot of moving pieces. I’m not allowed to issue any permits or let them even get approval for any other phases or anything until they finish all their state and federal paperwork.”
Gaytan, who has run the city’s planning department for just over a year, said the homebuilder, D.R. Horton, and previous planning staff “did not go through the right steps when it comes to construction near an airport.”
A representative for D.R. Horton could not be reached for comment.