Mattress storein Awendaw, SC

AWENDAW — One of two controversial housing developments is moving forward after a public meeting in which several residents of this rural town made clear the construction is not welcome.

Awendaw’s Planning Commission on April 18 approved the plats for a development by national homebuilder PulteGroup on a piece of land known as the White Tract. The development includes 204 homes at build-out on 148 acres near the intersection of Seewee and Bulls Island roads.

All of the homes would use septic tanks to handle sewage.

The tanks are a major component to environmentalists’ objections of the project, contending the tanks could fail and send untreated sewage leaching into the pristine waters of nearby Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge. Neighbors are concerned by the construction for additional reasons, including added traffic and already minimal fire services for the area being stretched further.

The panel approved the development with several conditions attached. The vote was 5-1, with only Commissioner James Gardner voting against. Lewis White Jr., chair of the planning commission, was not present at the meeting and has not weighed in on the project because he owns the land where it will be built.

Will Waterhouse, a representative of Pulte, said during the meeting that developers had worked to meet with the community and address concerns first raised in a raucous March meeting where angry members of the public argued they had not been properly briefed on the plans.

“What was evident was that folks in this room had something to say about it, and in the time between the meetings we’ve been listening,” Waterhouse said to the commission.

Residents of the town argued the project should be thrown out entirely because of several changes in the proposal from the conceptual development plan, which was approved in 2006.

“This is dramatically different from what Pulte has proposed to you (16 years ago),” resident Susan Cox said.

She pointed out the original plan called for a new road that will no longer be built, more space between house lots and the edge of the development area, and more distance between homes and a saltwater impoundment that drains directly into the Intracoastal Waterway.

Some concerns that were first raised in the March meeting were addressed in the list of 17 conditions that commissioners added to the project. Among them is that covenants future homebuyers will agree to will include an easement for smoke. Smoke often drifts over the area from nearby prescribed burns by the U.S. Forest Service in Francis Marion National Forest, which are necessary to maintain the ecosystems there.

Waterhouse acknowledged that for some things, like an annual septic tank inspection Pulte will require, may not last.

Asked by Gardner how builders could ensure their conditions will hold after the project is done, Waterhouse said Pulte will retain control of the future homeowners association board only until all the houses are built.

Whether there is a way to ensure septic inspections stayed mandatory after that point, Waterhouse said, “I just don’t know (how) off the top of my head.”

After the meeting, Grace Gasper of conservation group Friends of Coastal SC, said she was “disappointed but not surprised” by the commission’s decision.

She said Pulte had made strides in talking to interest groups and neighbors about their plans, but there are still concerns about the effect on the Francis Marion forest and the nearby Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.

Developers will still have to get approval from several other public agencies before they start construction, including the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, which will review plans for septic tanks.

The town will have another meeting next month on the second development proposal that stirred up animosity in March. That plan will eventually put 249 houses on 184 acres near the intersection of Doar Road and U.S. Highway 17.

Taken together, the two projects could eventually increase the population of the town, now at about 1,400, by 50 percent.

AWENDAW, S.C. (WCIV) — For the past three years, two months, and 17 days, Middleton & Maker Village Barbeque has been providing good food for a good cause, and has provided a safe space for customers.

“It’s a backyard family reunion type of effect," said Eliot Middleton, one of the co-owners of the popular business.

This family reunion started back in 2016 as a mobile business bringing barbeque to different areas throughout the Lowcountry, but once those wheels parked, the business began to grow.

"From that opportunity coming into this opportunity with this restaurant being available and getting this literally two days before Covid start, so it’s just been a very strong strong battle for the last four years," Middleton said.

Middleton's passion didn't stop there. After realizing transportation was hard to come by for some people, his love to help the community kicked in.

“On the Middleton side, whatever profits I get from the restaurant, it all went back into the cars and making sure I could fix and develop cars that needed," Middleton said.

Unfortunately, the popular BBQ spot, located on 5105 N HWY 17 in Awendaw, will be closing due to new development plans moving into the area. But the business is now going back to its roots.

“We’re going back mobile. It’s going to be Middleton’s Village Mobile Barbeque LLC, and we’re going to be in all of the other areas and counties, and we’re going to do more community-oriented events," Middleton said.

Despite the change in locations, the passion remains, and the village will only grow.

"And they say if you build it they will come, and that’s what we did here—we built it, and people are coming," said Charles Maker, co-owner of Middleton & Maker Village BBQ.

Middleton and Maker will also start having village field days throughout the community for people of all ages to come out, play games and get some good food.

Middleton's service to his community dates back years. In October 2020, he was recognized with the Jefferson Award after he started fixing up old cars and giving them out to people in need of reliable transportation.

AWENDAW, S.C. (WCIV) — Social media forums are buzzing in the Awendaw-McClellanville area.

Mosquitos have people swatting from the second they step outside.

Large populations of mosquitos buzz up problems in Charleston County (WCIV)

It’s a problem that has crept into the freshly painted walls of Howard AME Church off of Rutledge Road.

“Every day it’s getting worse and worse and worse right now,” said Vince Green, who has been remodeling the church for more than two months.

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Renovations are nearing completion, but an unwanted pest is now itching to cause trouble.

“I’ve used up two cans of spray, Cutter, already,” Green said Monday afternoon. “So, it’s really, really bad.”

Green said the situation is bad on the outside, but worse on the inside. Mosquitos have planted themselves along windows and walls of the church. Green, like many others in the area, have noticed this problem grow substantially over the last week.

“We kind of figured it was coming,” said Brian Hayes, manager of Charleston County Mosquito Control.

Between Hurricane Ian and the Lowcountry’s recent temperatures, Hayes said it’s a timeline that makes sense.

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“The cooler weather kind of prolongs how long the mosquitos are in the lava stage,” Hayes said. “But now that we’ve passed that 14-day period, all these mosquitos have hatched off.”

Despite the county’s varied attack from the air and ground, Hayes admitted there are certain challenges McClellanville presents.

“There are certain places that we’re restricted from spraying,” he said. “We’re restricted to only spraying on one product, which we’ve been using a long time. So, you know, we use the same product for a while, it’s not as effective.”

Despite limitations, Hayes insists the county is doing all it can, as quickly as possible.

“[We’ve received] well over 200 to 300 requests probably since Friday, so we’re well aware of the situation out there,” he said. “[We] completely understand things are really, really bad, and we’re doing all we can to assist the people up there.”

There is some good news, according to Hayes. Charleston County said it is unlikely this species of mosquito carries any diseases, and is hoping this week’s cooler temperatures will kill off large populations.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A recent land purchase by the Charleston County School District (CCSD) could be the home of a joint middle and high school that would cater to students in Awendaw, McClellanville, and, possibly, Mt. Pleasant.

The $3.5 million, 107-acre property is located about 17 miles north of Wando High School off Highway 17 near Jenkins Hill Road.

It was purchased with the idea of building a school, but that process is just beginning.

“We’re investing in the future and also creating a situation where we hope to have a community school for that area,” said Jeff Borowy, the Chief Operating Officer for CCSD.

On Wednesday, District 2 Constituent Board members, parents, and community members will learn more details about what programs the school could provide, attendance numbers needed to make it come to life, and more.

“We’re going to get a little more definition about some of the programs that it potentially could offer. What we do know, at least what we’ve been told before, is that the school will probably have a population of 1,000 children and it will be a middle school/high school,” said Pamela Jouan-Goldman, the chair of the District 2 Constituent Board.

Many parents in the area say this school is a long time coming.

In 2016, CCSD permanently closed Lincoln Middle-High School due to low attendance numbers. Since then, elementary and middle school students attend St. James-Santee Elementary-Middle School, and high school students attend Mt. Pleasant high schools including Wando High and Oceanside Collegiate Academy (OCA).

“I’d say its about 25 to 30 miles each way,” said Nida Singleton.

Singleton lives in McClellanville and takes care of her nephew who attends OCA. Fortunately, his schedule is adjusted to begin the school day at 11:30 a.m., but when he attended Laing Middle School last year, the early mornings and long drives took their toll.

Singleton still drives to drop him off and pick him up each day.

“Getting up early, getting home late, still having activities and homework and all that, and it’s just a lot coming from McClellanville.”

She works two jobs and had to adjust her schedule to accommodate for travel to and from school. She says she’s hopeful the proposed school will come to fruition.

“I wish my nephew of my future kids could go to something closer.”

One concern with the feasibility of the school is attendance. In order to make it happen, around 1,000 students would need to be enrolled. Borowy says the target is 500 each for both the middle and high schools.

As it stands now, the likelihood of just the Awendaw and McClellanville areas meeting those requirements is slim due to the population in those areas. However, there’s a possibility that some students could come from Mt. Pleasant.

“It will be extremely difficult to create a zoning situation where we’ll be able to capture 500 students in either of the school schools without progressing very far south into Mt. Pleasant,” said Borowy.

He says that possibility will be discussed over the coming months with District 1 and District 2 constituent boards.

Another option being looked at is offering a magnet program at the school. That would allow students from all over to attend the school to supplement attendance numbers.

For now, basic details are being presented and more information, as well as public feedback meetings, will be offered in the future.

AWENDAW — Town Council gave a green light to plans for an ambitious, 300-acre park that could feature overnight camping, space for RVs, disc golf and an amphitheater.

But it’s unclear how the town will pay for it.

When asked how much it will cost, Town Project Manager Bill Wallace said “nobody knows.” The town hasn’t designed the amphitheater and activity center, among other things, he said.

“We have no idea how much it’s going to cost. But it will be in the millions of dollars, that’s for sure.” He said the town likely will need grants or a loan to make it all happen.

Representatives with SGA|NW, JHLA Design and Brandstetter Carroll Inc. presented plans for the park at a public hearing May 5. Tom O’Rourke, a recreation consultant with Brandstetter Carroll, said the plans were designed in a way that could easily be changed.

O’Rourke, former executive director of Charleston County Parks and Recreation, said residents often mentioned not wanting a recreation space that resembled James Island County Park, but instead favored a “passive park” that was natural for Awendaw.

At the public hearing, some residents expressed concerns about noise from the amphitheater, traffic and overnight camping.

Resident Karen Claussen said there has to be rules for when the music can be played in the amphitheater. She also wondered about policing the site when camping is allowed.

Ronald Ravenel, another resident who spoke at the hearing, said the park would provide recreation and social activities for residents in Awendaw so they wouldn’t have to travel to North Charleston, Mount Pleasant or Georgetown.

“I think this would be a detriment to our community if we do not accept and embrace this park,” Ravenel said. “And if we do this strategically, if we do this together, it will equal a great opportunity for our community.”

Awendaw Mayor Miriam C. Green said the St. James-Santee Elementary School has asked the town to do more for local children. Groups like scouts can use the park for camping, she said, and other groups have expressed interest.

“We’ve got to accommodate our town’s people,” Green said. “Everybody is not going to say ‘yes.’ Everybody is not going to say ‘no.’ But let’s compromise together and make it work.”

Town Council did not respond to questions or concerns from residents at the public hearing. The design consultants weren’t allowed to respond to the concerns during the hearing, either.

The council passed a resolution to approve plans for the park at a meeting that followed the public hearing. Councilman Frank Frazier voted against approval of the resolution. Councilwoman Sheila Powell and Councilman Rodney Porcher were absent.

Awendaw’s move represents a new chapter in a saga that began in 2009. That’s when Awendaw used $5.17 million in county Greenbelt funds to buy 290 acres off Doar Road.

Awendaw is home to 1,400 people and didn’t have the money to build a park. But there was interest in the region, including from Elliott Summey, owner of a sand mining company and son of longtime North Charleston mayor Keith Summey.

As a council member in 2009, Elliott Summey had voted to use Greenbelt funds to buy the property. About five years later, Summey’s company, Jackson Development, struck a deal with the town to excavate sand from the property and create a lake.

The deal called for Summey to spend $500,000 on the park’s construction and send the town royalties based on the sand and dirt Summey’s company sold. Awendaw hoped that royalty money would fund the construction of the new park.

But the town received far less money than it expected, just $150,000. Today, millions of dollars in sand and dirt are gone, and the town still has no solid plan to pay for what comes next.

Tony Bartelme contributed to this report from Charleston.