New Urbanist Development Succeeds

"It almost never got built, but now the I'On subdivision's mix of tightly packed houses, commercial development and sidewalks is catching the eyes of developers across the nation. Some citizens strongly opposed the development, voting out each Town Council member who passed it and unsuccessfully challenging the rezoning decision at the S.C. Supreme Court. Now, developer Vince Graham has won national awards and gained the admiration of those who support what are called "traditional neighborhood developments." "People were concerned about density, traffic, apartments - `You're going to bring in undesirables,'" Graham said. Much of what makes I'On unusual, such as putting businesses near houses, selling small lots and building smaller streets, has been illegal in zoning codes for the past 50 years. But city and county planners are now embracing the idea to combat sprawl that has spilled farther and farther away from city cores."