MeadWestvaco in Talks with County

Dorchester County Council met Thursday in a special session at its Summerville chambers to discuss development agreement for Phase I of MeadWestvaco's 50-year planned community East Edisto in executive session.

The council adjourned into the session for nearly three hours, and no action was taken during the session, according to council. 

In 2008, MeadWestvaco created the master plan for East Edisto, which rests on thousands of acres near the Edisto River, its namesake. The large tract covers Dorchester and Charleston counties, residing in the districts of three councilmen: George Bailey, Willie Davis and Jay Byars.

Click here to learn more about the planning process for the development.

At this time, East Edisto has only a few roads and a business park, which will house MeadWestvaco's partly owned company ArborGen, according to the company's Corporate Communications Director Tucker McNeil.  

No infrastructure, such as water, from Dorchester County serves the tract, according to Robby Robins, an attorney for the development. The development includes plans for schools and more, Robins added.

The development agreement is to move forward on Phase I, which includes a mixed-use residential community called Summer Place, near Summers Drive off Highway 61, Robins said.

A development agreement will also be made with Charleston County, McNeil said.

Updated to correct "industrial park" to "business park."