We the undersigned do petition the Town of Ridgeland to deny the annexation and development agreement for Tickton Hall for the following reasons:

I. The scope of the project encompasses 3-tracts, totaling around 1500 acres, and impacting existing communities at Cherry Hill, Strawberry Hill, and Tickton Hall, whose residents derive many quality-of-life benefits from the rural setting. Residents are concerned about environmental impacts including:

• Damage to water quality in Euhaw Creek from increased stormwater run-off, which introduces bacteria and other contaminants into the salt marsh where they swim, boat, crab, and fish
• Loss of wetlands, which provide ecosystem services, including the gradual infiltration of the groundwater that supplies the resident’s water wells
• Habitat destruction and fragmentation for rare and threatened species including the Bald Eagle, Flatwoods Salamander, Florida Manatee, MacGilvray’s Seaside Sparrow, and Red-cockaded woodpecker
• Adjacent properties protected with conservation easements frequently use prescribed fire to manage the land, and a new neighborhood could lead to fire suppression

II. A development at Tickton Hall may cost taxpayers money in the long run. It is a fiscally irresponsible choice for the Town of the Ridgeland because:

• The annexation opens the door for additional line-of-sight annexations, leading suburban sprawl that is costly to service
• At around 10.5 miles to Ridgeland, the site is far away from essential public health services
• The Town of Ridgeland should focus development in areas that are easier to service and closer to its municipal center
• The forestry, agriculture, and seafood industries are the backbone of the regional economy and are also put at risk by this proposed development

III. Jasper County’s roads and infrastructure require investment, maintenance, and improvements to accommodate this scale of growth.

• Coosaw Scenic Hwy. is not built to sustain heavy traffic, day in and day out, and residents feel it is already over capacity
• Many vehicles exit off I-95 at Coosawhatchie on their way to Hilton Head Island, and new residential units will only conflate this influx of traffic
• With increased demand from both tourists and new residents, the road may be widened, resulting in property loss, and tainting the highway’s “Scenic” qualities.

Sign now and tell the Town of Ridgeland that the 1500-acres along Euhaw Creek, including 200 acres of freshwater wetlands and Euhaw Island, are too precious to be converted to rooftops and pavement.