SIX MILE – A new group in Six Mile aims to give business owners a voice in town planning and help town leaders plan for the growth that will hit the area in the next 20 years.

Six Mile Vision, a grassroots group started by some local business owners, held an informational meeting Monday night at Six Mile Town Hall.

Growth is coming to Six Mile, whose population is predicted to equal the current population of Pickens by 2030, said Six Mile Vision President Phillip Bowers.

Rippy Realty owner Brenda Rippy and Bowers asked attendees to list what they would like to see the new group accomplish.

Preserving the town’s unique, small-town charm, is important, attendees agreed.

“We’ve got a nice quiet little town, it’s small,” said Six Mile Planning Commissioner Stan Kelley said. “It’s going to grow whether we like it or not.”

Planning for that growth beforehand, and controlling it once it arrives, is essential, Kelley said.

“If we don’t plan for it, it’s going to grow of out control, it’s going to be chaos, and I’m going to move somewhere else,” he said.

Such a group will help the Planning Commission plan for the future, by helping it gather input on ordinances and zoning, Kelley said.

Bringing a library and a Chamber of Commerce to the town of Six Mile were among the priorities of town business leaders.

“We’d like to have a library here in town,” Bowers said.

Bowers said county council members told him that Dacusville was next in line to receive a library branch.

“But if you look at the growth patterns, Six Mile is growing to grow a whole lot more than Dacusville in the next few years,” Bowers said.

A Six Mile Chamber of Commerce wouldn’t be limited to the town limits, but would serve the entire Six Mile area, Rippy said.

Creating a Chamber of Commerce would give business owners a way to get their names – and their businesses – out to the general public, said Renee Watson, former Pickens Chamber of Commerce president.

Rippy agreed.

“When someone comes into the community and they’re new, they don’t know anything about the area, they want to go to a Chamber of Commerce,” she said. “That’s important for us to have in Six Mile.”

Chambers of Commerce bring business owners together to speak with one voice regarding political and regulatory advocacy, said Bill Carruthers, former Greater Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce

Vision officials see the Chamber of Commerce, once enough money is raised for it, as being volunteer-driven for at least the first year of operation.

Other goals of the group include maintaining the town’s family-friendly atmosphere by adding more sidewalks to town, and adding more recreational facilities, Bowers said.

Creating “a thriving commercial district” can be helped by creating on-street parking in town, he said.

“Right now it’s kind of hard to get a car to stop in town,” Bowers said.

Adding a sewage system to the town is another of the group’s goals, he said.

“We’re already paying for sewer on our tax bills, but we don’t have it here,” Bowers said. “Sewer lines are expensive to put in, but I think we deserve a sewer system in Six Mile. The business community would love to see that.”

Rippy agreed. “If we had the sewer here, it would help businesses and bring bigger

growth,” she said.

Walker Miller, who owns the Happy Berry Farm, said he envisions Six Mile becoming a pedestrian-friendly, artisan town that keeps its small-town feel.

“With tree-lined streets and lots of seats,” he said. “With a Web site that has the history of Six Mile on it, the Keowee Trail, with all the businesses listed with little descriptions. We ought to be a selling our town. We have a great opportunity here.”

Local realtor Jay Scott called Monday’s meeting “a good start.”

“It’s great to have a plan, something to aim for,” he said.

Six Mile Mayor John Wade agreed.

“I think it’s a plus for us,” he said. “I hope we all work positively together.”

Attendees agreed to meet again next month.