Keep Chelsea Rural is NOT the author of RP-10 zoning (see background info
below). In addition, Keep Chelsea Rural does NOT support the current version of
Rural Preservation 10 (RP-10) zoning regulations for the Euhaw Overlay District.
We are advocating that RP-10 zoning be applied to parcels of 70 acres or more in
the Euhaw Overlay District. In other words, parcels in the Euhaw Overlay District
under 70 acres would not be subject to RP-10. This zoning structure would
defend the natural and historical assets, as well as the rural nature of the Euhaw
Overlay District against large, dense development by limiting housing units for
larger parcels to one per ten acres.
Further, we feel strongly that small to medium sized parcel owners, as well as
longtime owners of larger parcels, are the primary reason the Euhaw Overlay
District has remained distinctly rural.
We are also in favor of the elimination of the Planned Development District (PDD)
application process for large developers in the Euhaw District.
The goal of Keep Chelsea Rural is to stop large developments which do not
belong in a sensitive area like the Euhaw Overlay District.
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Background Information:
● The development of the RP-10/VC zoning ordinance (pending) has taken place over
roughly the last two years.
● The call to action for our group of local citizens was initially in the form of an organized
movement in opposition to an annexation/development petition by Robert Graves
(Pepper Hall LLC) for roughly 1,500 acres at Tickton Hall and Strawberry Hill (historically
Chelsea) in August of 2022, which was accepted by the Town of Ridgeland.
● Concerned and frustrated with the negative impacts of overdevelopment all around us,
community meetings were organized by local citizens and hundreds of people
responded.
● Earlier in 2022, some of us were already working in opposition to a very dense
commercial and residential development proposal for Chelsea South (Whig Swamp), a
291 acre parcel at the end of Snake Road and Highway 170. The proposal had been
made to the Jasper County Council by a Missouri development company operating
under the name Chelsea, LLC. Fortunately, and to their credit, the County Council did
not approve the application.
● In May of 2023, after consulting with County staff, Council members, and other County
governments and groups, many of these same local citizens put forth a formal request to
Council to instruct staff to work on ways to protect the Euhaw Overlay District’s critical

environmental and historic assets. We also asked Council to consider a moratorium to
slow down the onslaught of development applications while these protective measures
were worked on by staff. This request was put in the form of a motion and Council
unanimously passed the motion.
● At their next meeting two weeks later, Council unanimously passed an ordinance which
initiated the moratorium period, this authorized the hiring of a consultant, Denise
Grabowski of Symbioscity, to develop a plan of action for the protection of the Euhaw
Overlay District which included assisting staff with ideas, conducting stakeholder
meetings, public surveys, hearings, and workshops. The consultant and staff would also
provide a proposed update to the County’s Comprehensive Plan.
● From August 2023 to May 2024, during the moratorium, numerous stakeholder
meetings, public hearings, public surveys, and workshops were conducted. The
moratorium was extended by Council to give the public more opportunity for input. With
that input, the consultant and staff put forth the initial version of the RP-10 and Village
Commercial zoning text and map for the Euhaw Overlay District to the County Council
and the public.
● In July of 2024, the Council passed the first reading of the RP-10/VC zoning ordinance.
● The moratorium ended in July of 2024 as well.
● In January of 2025, after further revisions, the County consultant and planning staff
presented a tweaked version of RP-10 and VC zoning text and map to the County
Planning Commission who, in turn, unanimously recommended this revised version of
RP-10/VC to Council.
● Since then, RP-10/VC zoning regulations continue to be in the form of a pending
ordinance and additional workshops and public hearings have been held.
● At the most recent workshop on the subject, Council indicated that they wanted
alternatives for consideration where RP-10 was concerned.
● At the next council meeting, a member of Keep Chelsea Rural presented to them a
significant alternative for consideration. We just hope that they will take the time to learn
the issue better and have the courage to stand up against this overdevelopment
onslaught we face.
● The next official consideration for the RP-10 pending ordinance will not likely occur until
after the special election in July. Ironically, this special election is for the Coosawhatchie
Township council seat which contains the Euhaw Overlay District.
All current information can ALWAYS be found on the County Website under the
planning department’s Euhaw Overlay District tab.