Sunday, Jun. 08, 2008

Communities: Chapin/Dutch Fork

This area — known for its proximity to Lake Murray, good schools and semi-rural lifestyle — is a half-hour drive from downtown’s amenities.

With its population expected to grow 12 percent by 2010 and some of its woods being transformed into neighborhoods, the biggest challenge is to keep its pastoral setting amid growth.

Slice of history: Chapin, incorporated in 1889, is named after a prominent 19th-century businessman and civic leader. Dutch Fork gets its name from early settlers primarily of German descent.

What to watch for in the future: Steady residential growth, with a bit of retail mixed in.

Homes and neighborhoods

Hot ZIP code: 29036

Who’s moving here: Retirees drawn by the lake’s resort lifestyle and families attracted by good schools, a semi-rural setting and an easy drive to downtown

Among hot neighborhoods: Timberlake, Night Harbor, Firebridge

Dollars and sense

Tax rate: $48 per year for $100,000 house in Chapin

Sewer rate: $28 a month outside Chapin; $15 a month inside Chapin

Water rate: For those supplied by Chapin, $20.86 a month for the first 2,000 gallons, with anything more based on consumption

Note: Sewer and water amountsare based on charges by Chapin Town Hall, the main supplier in the area. Other sources provide that service in some neighborhoods at different costs. Some homes, particularly those near the lake and Dutch Fork, rely on wells and septic tanks.

Drive times

From Chapin Town Hall:

State House: 23 miles

Columbiana Centre mall: 14 miles

Lexington Medical Center: 20 miles

Williams-Brice Stadium: 25 miles

Columbia Metropolitan Airport: 25 miles

Lexington County Administration Building: 28 miles

School district

Lexington-Richland 5: 1020 Dutch Fork Road, Ballentine; (803) 732-8000 or www.lex5.k12.sc.us

5 things to know:

1. Most shops are locally owned. It’s a 10-mile drive to national retailers in the Harbison area.

2. Timberlake homeowners want to buy their neighborhood golf course — the only one in the area — and turn it into a private country club by mid-2010.

3. A library just opened in Ballentine while the library in Chapin expanded.

4. Traffic is congested during prime commuting times.

5. Crooked Creek park is a hub for recreation and informal education. Dreher Island State Recreation Area offers a lakeside setting for picnicking, fishing, boating and other recreation.

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