I recently received a question about the S. Baldwin entry/exit to Waterleaf.  The gentleman who called me specifically remembered when we had worked out with the developer that the entry and exit onto S. Baldwin will be gated and protected by a Knox Box. You can read that original post here, where I explained that this will prevent anyone other than emergency vehicles from entering.  Emergency vehicles must be able to enter because that’s required.  This resolved concerns citizens and we, as Council, had regarding the ability of S. Baldwin to handle the additional traffic.

His question now was whether or not we had changed the requirements, given it looks like the development is nearly complete (and people are moving in) but there’s no gate or box.

I checked in with our Planning and Economic Development Director, Jason Knudsen who told me that while the apartment complex looks complete, they are still finishing a few things.  The S. Baldwin entry/exit is for construction purposes until everything is complete.  It will be gated and have the Knox Box lock once construction is complete. Mr. Knudsen assures me that the City will require the gate before the final Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

The Knox Box/Gate requirement was one of only 5 important changes that led to our approval of the Waterleaf development.  Again, you can read about this example of our commitment to smart growth here.  Overall, I think Waterleaf at Neely Ferry, with its mixed use, walkability, green space, and the public road improvements, is a great addition to Simpsonville.