Letter To The Editor: Burgess Deserves a Voice in Its Future
By: Tom Swatzel
Anyone who lives near the intracoastal waterway knows how important preservation and smart development are to the future of our entire community. And anyone who spends time in Burgess understands why people care so deeply about it. This community has a strong identity, deep roots, and a character that residents want to preserve for generations to come.
Burgess is defined not only by its landscape, but also by the people who have built their lives here. Families have raised children, operated businesses, formed lifelong friendships and created traditions that give this community its sense of place. That unique history deserves to remain an important part of every conversation about what comes next.
At the same time, this part of Horry County is changing. We can’t deny that new families are moving into the area, traffic patterns are shifting, and decisions made today will determine what Burgess looks like years from now.
Change brings questions. Residents want to understand what is happening around them, how their county council and zoning decisions are being made, and what those decisions could mean for their families and neighborhoods. They also want to know that their local voices will be heard along the way.
Those questions are not theoretical. Under the existing zoning, a significant portion of property in the area could be used for mining, raising legitimate concerns about noise and disruption. At the same time, limited roadway connections continue to affect access and traffic flow throughout the community. These are the kinds of practical issues that should be part of any thoughtful conversation about Burgess’s future.
That is why we formed Save Burgess.
Save Burgess was created to help residents stay informed, share their perspectives, and actively participate in the important conversations shaping our community’s future. We believe Burgess is best served when residents have access to reliable information and meaningful opportunities to make their views known.
There will be important questions to consider in the years ahead. How do you preserve the qualities that make Burgess special while recognizing the realities of a growing area? How do you ensure that these decisions actually reflect the needs of the people who already live here? How can residents become more involved before those decisions are made?
Community involvement is most valuable when it begins early. Residents should not feel as though their only opportunity to participate comes after positions have hardened and decisions are already close to being made. By staying informed and engaged from the beginning, people can ask better questions, offer constructive ideas, and help shape outcomes that reflect the community’s priorities.
These questions will not always have simple answers, and reasonable people will not always agree. That is part of any healthy community discussion. What matters is that residents have the opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and reach their own conclusions based on the facts.
Save Burgess wants to help create that opportunity.
We want to hear from families who have lived here for generations, as well as those who have more recently chosen to call Burgess home. Both perspectives matter. The people who live, work, and raise their families here understand what makes this community special, and their experiences should help guide its future.
In the weeks and months ahead, Save Burgess will share information about issues affecting the area, take a closer look at proposals involving our community, and provide residents with opportunities to join the conversation. We hope to approach those discussions thoughtfully and evaluate each issue based on what it could mean for Burgess.
Our goal is not to tell anyone what to think. It is to encourage everyone to remain engaged, consider all the facts, and participate constructively in decisions affecting a place we all care about.
Burgess will continue to change, but change does not have to mean losing the character and sense of community that make this area unique. If we all stay involved and work together, we can help ensure Burgess remains a place people are proud to call home.
That is the purpose of Save Burgess, and we invite everyone who cares about this community to join the conversation.
Tom Swatzel is the chairman of Save Burgess, a community organization dedicated to preserving the character of Burgess and promoting responsible, well-planned growth. Learn more at www.SaveBurgess.com.
Comments