I get asked fairly often what may eventually happen with Arcadia East, the large undeveloped property along Highway 17 between DeBordieu Colony and Prince George. It looks like we may now have an answer.
The State of South Carolina is moving toward the purchase of 3,492 acres at Arcadia East, reportedly the largest remaining privately owned undeveloped tract on the Waccamaw Neck.
For those of us who have watched this area grow over the years, this is a significant development — not only because of the size of the property, but because of what could have been built there.
What Was Approved for Arcadia East
Georgetown County approved a development plan for Arcadia East in 2002 that included 2,451 homes, a 500-room resort hotel, commercial and office space, a golf course community, retirement village and village center. It was envisioned as a 30-year project, but development never began.
Instead, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is now proposing to acquire the property with assistance from the Office of Resilience, Open Space Institute and Ducks Unlimited. Georgetown County Council is expected to consider a resolution supporting the acquisition.
What This Could Mean for the Waccamaw Neck
Anyone who regularly drives Highway 17 between Pawleys Island and Georgetown understands how important these large undeveloped properties are to the character of our area.
If the purchase is completed, nearly 3,500 acres could be permanently removed from the future development pipeline, along with the potential for thousands of additional homes and substantial commercial development.
That could have meaningful long-term implications for traffic, infrastructure, future housing supply and development density throughout the southern Waccamaw Neck.
It would also add to an already significant conservation effort at historic Arcadia Plantation. More than 3,600 acres on the west side of Highway 17 were placed under a conservation easement in 2007.
Conservation Rather Than Development
There are still approvals and funding to work through, so the transaction is not yet complete. But after years of questions about what might eventually happen at Arcadia East, we now have a pretty good idea of its likely future: conservation rather than development.
For Pawleys Island, DeBordieu, Prince George and the greater Georgetown County coast, that would be a very significant outcome.
One source: Coastal Observer