Bluffton Character in the New Parts of Town

Written by Charlie Wetmore

ave you been out to my part of town lately? If you don’t already know, I live in the Buckwalter area along with thousands of others. In 1999 this area was largely pine forest grown to be harvested to make paper. Now it is a master-planned part of town that, when finished, is supposed to be self-contained. This means, for those who live there, they can shop, play, go to school and more without leaving their neighborhood. It doesn’t mean others can’t come and enjoy the same amenities; it just means those who live there don’t have to leave. Why is this a good thing for our town?

First: Self-contained neighborhoods cut down on traffic; not as many people leave the area when they need something. When I first moved to Bluffton in the early 1990’s we didn’t have many of these things in the same town, let alone the same neighborhood. For those of you who have lived here for awhile, do you remember when you had to travel to Hilton Head if you wanted groceries after 9pm? That changed in 1997 with the addition of the Food Lion. That’s right – there was only one grocery store in town until 1997. The high school for Bluffton was Hilton Head High until the fall of 2004. Now we are seeing more of the things we would like in our own neighborhoods. In late August, Publix opened in the new Buckwalter Place development. Now, those of us who live in Buckwalter can take a short trip up the road to get our groceries. We already had some restaurants, a movie theater and more. Soon we will be able to buy gas as well.

Second: It leads to a greater sense of community for those who live there. One of the things many people love about Old Town is the sense of community living there brings. I remember fondly when my wife, kids and I would walk from our home to the old library on Boundary Street. There is nothing like a leisurely stroll through our town. In the Buckwalter area I now see many parents getting to know each other as they stroll to meet their children when they come home from school in the afternoon. I see many people from all over town enjoying a High School football game together. I see people gather at Sea Turtle Cinemas on a Tuesday night to enjoy music and good times in the courtyard.

In Town Council, we often talk about how we want Bluffton character in our neighborhoods as they are developed. For the people who have lived here for a while, they know exactly what it means. But, it is a very, very hard thing to explain to someone else. Bluffton is a place of beauty. Bluffton is a place where people can stop and enjoy each other’s company. Bluffton is a place where we can relax and drink it all in.

I see the Buckwalter area developing that Bluffton character as it grows. A lot of people moved to this area because of its beauty. They love the weather and the live oaks. They love the water and the beaches. They love the friendly people. If we see the new areas of town develop properly we can see the Bluffton character develop fully in them as well. And when that character develops in the new communities, then they truly become a part of the town of Bluffton as a whole and the character that we have all come to love.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at:
cwetmore@Townofbluffton.com
Charlie Wetmore
Council Member, Town of Bluffton