Petition to Beaufort County and South Carolina Department of Transportation

The Windmill Harbour Owner’s Association Traffic Committee through the years has expressed the concern of its property owners of the impact of vehicular noise on the residents’ quiet enjoyment of their residential properties. Trees and other types of vegetation have aided in the reduction of the noise by acting as a sound buffer. The properties located along or close to the Highway 278 corridor are most impacted; however, as traffic volumes have increased over time the level of vehicular noise has become more widespread throughout Windmill Harbour.

Hurricane Matthew damaged and destroyed much of the natural barrier of trees and other vegetation along the Highway 278 corridor and as a result vehicular noise has increased significantly and visual intrusion of property has occurred. Not only are the properties close to the corridor affected, properties throughout Windmill Harbour are impacted. When Highway 278 is expanded to six lanes the noise issue and the visibility of vehicles will become more acute.

The undersigned Windmill Harbour property owners urgently request that Beaufort County and the South Carolina Department of Transportation undertake the steps necessary to mitigate the noise problem in Windmill Harbour as a part of the improvements contemplated for Highway 278. This should include, among other things, construction of sound barrier walls, planting vegetation and the use of alternative types of pavement materials to address the problem. The increased noise level issue now impacts all properties in Windmill Harbour.