Crowfield Deed Restrictions Heading for a Vote

Emboldened by April's municipal elections, Mayor Michael Heitzler is heading for the city attorney's office. The mayor will request the lawyer draft deed restrictions for the . 

The mayor has been pressing for a 25-year ban on subdividing the city's lucrative golf course property, fearing a future council's decision to sell if the course can't turn a profit.

The proposed restrictions failed in front of a narrowly divided council in a test vote early this year, but that was a different council. In April, Councilman Sal Gandolfo 

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The mayor sat the issue aside when it fell in the 4-3 vote, but Moore's willingness to consider deed restrictions has led Heitzler to get something in writing from the lawyer.

"We don't need a resolution," Heitzler said about skipping a redo on the test vote. Instead, he's hopeful that he'll find more favor from council after bringing something back in writing. 

The council has already rezoned the property from planned development to conservation/open space, the city's most stringent zoning category.

"At the risk of sounding arrogant, I believe in my heart that we will have unanimous consent on deed restrictions," he said. "It took council one year to get conservation zoning. I'm optimistic the people of Goose Creek will get what they want."

Opponents were mainly concerned about the need to hand the deed over to a third party, likely a conservation group, to prevent the council from modifying the deed.

The skeptics on council are still skeptical. They argue taking the control out of the city's hands is a step too far. Councilman Jerry Tekac said restrictions are acceptable, as long as .

"If the proposal doesn't change, I don't see it getting 100 percent of the council," Tekac said.

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