Mattress storein Seabrook Island, SC

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Seabrook Island neighbors are petitioning their leaders to cap the number of short-term rentals, stating there is overcrowding due to what they called over-tourism, but the mayor said the town has no plans to do so.

Seabrook Island homeowner Ted Flerlage says over 700 of his neighbors want to cap the number of short-term rentals on the island.

“What we’re trying to do is cap, not end the process of short-term rentals, cap at roughly the present numbers, evaluate what happens after that,” Flerlage said, “and then, determine whether or not we should lower the number of short-term rentals.”

As of June 19, there are 484 of these properties on the island, which residents said has led to overcrowding on the island’s streets and amenities.

Mayor John Gregg said for this year, data gathered over the past few months suggest otherwise.

“We’re not going to be looking at imposing limitations on the number of short-term rental units,” Gregg said.

Coastal Getaways owner Nancy Buck said more people are starting to call the island home, and good rentals are full for around 40% of the year.

She says all of her clients are property owners who rent to help offset the costs of the amenities, taxes and insurance.

“We’ve also gone from 35% permanent residents to 60% residents in the last two years,” Buck said. “Twenty-five percent of the properties have turned over since 2019.”

Buck also adds the majority of the amenities are mostly used by members and not rental guests.

However, the homeowners want the town’s government to hear them out.

“I’d like him to reconsider,” Flerlage said. “I’d like him to look at the reality and listen to the people who are property owners here, the residents on the island. You know, 700 people is a big number.”

“Let’s wait and see how this year goes,” Buck said. “They instituted the short-term rental ordinance couple of years ago, or actually, last year, so let’s give it a full year to see how it goes.”

Both Buck and the homeowners said they want to work out their differences over the next several months to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

We’ve long advocated for local governments to take a regional approach to planning. Cities and counties shouldn’t operate in a vacuum because their actions can impact their neighbors and result in incompatible plans.

That idea came to mind as we read an Aug. 27 commentary about Johns, Kiawah and Seabrook islands. Seabrook Island resident Richard Wildermann wrote about the fresh series of new developments emerging near Freshfields Village, the unique shopping and dining complex that has long anchored the area where the three islands converge and where the four-lane Betsy Kerrison Parkway ends in a roundabout.

“A new proposal seems to pop up every few weeks. There is increasing concern on all three islands about the pace, scope and effects of these developments, and whether anyone is minding the store,” Mr. Wildermann wrote. “Who is looking out for what is in the best interests of the affected communities?”

If that question even has to be asked publicly, then the answer is probably no one. That should change.

Elected officials, neighborhood leaders and planners with Charleston County and the two beach towns should come up with a mutually agreed upon overlay for the area, one that would guide future development toward the kinds of uses — and the kinds of sizes and scale — residents of all three jurisdictions would most like to see. Such a joint planning effort would be a logical recognition of the islands’ growing popularity and their growing real estate pressures.

Ideally, this regional planning effort would have already happened, because the horse is at least partly out of the barn. There is a senior living facility under construction and a planned emergency medical facility nearby. There also are proposals for a self-storage building, a private club and more.

The original scope of Freshfields Village was ambitious and created all sorts of space for a grocery store as well as dozens of restaurants and shops and offices, but it seems increasingly clear that this complex is filling up. And the area’s continued growth and popularity are creating a demand for new, larger development next door, or not far away. As Mr. Wildermann noted, “More proposals will follow,” and “When evaluated together, the cumulative impacts could overwhelm our infrastructure, significantly harm the environment and be detrimental to our quality of life.”

The only way to address that concern is to plan more regionally and comprehensively.

A joint planning effort could consider whether commercial development in the greater Freshfields area should be concentrated at the commercial node on Seabrook Island around Freshfields or inch its way north on Betsy Kerrison; whether the towns should annex any of Johns Island; whether any of these local jurisdictions should consider future upzoning to allow for new, possibly more intense uses, and how new building there would affect the net traffic to and from Kiawah and Seabrook islands. Some new development there could reduce trips across Johns Island, as could more workforce housing in the area.

As with other instances where jurisdictions meet, things can get tricky. Freshfields Village is actually on Seabrook Island geographically, but it has been annexed by the town of Kiawah Island; the Bohicket Marina is on Johns Island, but it’s in the town of Seabrook Island.

Some might think of regional planning and conjure up major efforts such as the new “One Region Roadmap: Opportunities for All” plan that mapped out economic and governmental goals for the Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester metro region. Or perhaps the regional transportation planning effort done by Charleston Area Transportation Study Policy Committee. But regional planning also can entail smaller, more surgical cooperation between jurisdictions, such as the James Island Creek Task Force that formed to improve water quality.

In a sense, the regional planning we’re calling for is not unlike what unfolded years ago on the other end of Johns Island. Both the county and the city of Charleston have jurisdiction over the northern parts of the island that have seen more rapid suburban development. And they have worked jointly on an overlay for Maybank Highway as well as an urban growth boundary beyond which their zoning calls for more rural uses and larger lots sizes.

These planning efforts aren’t perfect. Despite the cooperation and coordination between the city and county of Charleston, many feel the island is building out too rapidly, particularly before its road networks and drainage systems are ready to handle the added growth. Certainly, the slow progress on improving Main Road from U.S. Highway 17 onto the island, as well as realizing the planned pitchfork improvements where Maybank enters the island, are frustrating points. And there is still very difficult work to be done to reconsider zoning there in light of rising seas and heavier rainfalls.

But just because such regional joint planning efforts alone are no silver bullet, that’s no excuse not to try. Indeed, the only other coherent response simply would be to throw up one’s hands in frustration. And that’s not an option.

Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings.

A swath of land near Charleston Executive Airport on Johns Island is now protected from development.

Charleston County Aviation Authority recently signed off on a deal to place just under 100 acres in a legally binding conservation easement after securing funding through the S.C. Conservation Bank and Charleston County greenbelt money to offset part of the $4 million land purchase.

The agreement with Lowcountry Land Trust will keep 94 acres from ever being developed. Officials put the value of the easement at $2,615,000.

The S.C. Conservation Bank gave $500,000 to Lowcountry Land Trust in 2021 to preserve the site, and the county awarded a grant of $514,870 in greenbelt funds in October to the land preservation group for the Oakville-Burden Creek tract on Oakville Plantation Road off River Road.

The Aviation Authority donated the remainder of the easement’s value to the land trust.

“The protection of Oakville-Burden Creek reinforces the integrity of Johns Island’s historical, natural and rural heritage resources and guarantees that development will never threaten one of the most treasured sites in the Lowcountry again,” said Ashley Demosthenes, president and CEO of Lowcountry Land Trust.

Conservation and airport officials are expected to make a joint announcement on the deal in December.

Airport officials bought 137 acres next to the airstrip in August 2021 from nearby property owners to prevent a planned development of 242 homes off Burden Creek and River roads. The acquired property is on the northern edge of the 1,333-acre airport next to the Stono River.

The land not included in the conservation easement, about 43 acres, is immediately beside the airstrip.

That property will allow the Aviation Authority to consider revamping a taxiway that runs north-south through the center of the airport by returning it to its original use as a runway when the military built the airfield at the end of World War II, said Elliott Summey, the agency’s CEO.

That will require widening it and extending it on the north side where the purchased parcels are since the south side is hemmed in by the river. The newly purchased parcels will serve as an undeveloped clear zone for the future runway.

“The land gives us a chance to extend the runway and protect the wetlands and the clear zone,” Summey said. “We don’t need to put any buildings there ... and putting houses there was the wrong idea.”

The airfield has two runways: one is 5,350 feet long and is laid out east-west while the other is about 1,000 feet shorter and runs next to the river.

The length of the new runway would be between 6,700 and 7,000 feet if built, Summey said.

Development of the new landing strip is at least four years away, he said.

The future addition of a third runway is not the only development planned at the airport on Johns Island.

Qatari defense firm Barzan Aeronautical plans to build a new light industrial development code-named “Project Rose.”

Barzan, which has an office in Charleston, will construct three structures and a 200-space parking area on about 10 acres near an abandoned taxiway beside the airfield to develop spy drones.

Site plans show a 54,000-square-foot aircraft manufacturing plant, an 18,400-square-foot office building and another structure near the parking area with offices, conference room and classroom.

The assembly plant design shows spaces for five small aircraft inside the building next to several smaller production spaces.

Construction has not begun. The project is awaiting final permits from the city, according to Charleston airport spokesman Spencer Pryor.

...PRECIPITATION REPORTS...Location                     Amount                          Wadmalaw Island 4.1 NE       9.84 in                         Kiawah Island 1.0 SW         9.17 in                         Johns Island 3.3 WNW         8.78 in                         Isle Of Palms 0.1 E          8.72 in                         Hollywood 4.3 SE             8.51 in                         Mount Pleasant 7.5 NE        8.18 in                         Summerville                  7.88 in                         Mount Pleasant 8.2 NE        7.79 in                         Wadmalaw Island 2.3 SSW      7.63 in                         Mount Pleasant 0.4 E         7.49 in                         1 SE Edisto Island           7.34 in                         WADMALAW ISLAND              6.98 in                         Charleston 4.1 NW            6.98 in                         Charleston                   6.93 in                         Edisto Island 3.6 E          6.79 in                         Charleston 5.0 WNW           6.77 in                         Charleston 2.5 NNW           6.68 in                         Charleston 1.6 SSW           6.53 in                         Charleston 4.0 NW            6.44 in                         North Charleston 4.0 SSE     6.39 in                         Mount Pleasant 7.0 NE        6.22 in                         Charleston 6.1 WNW           6.20 in                         Charleston 4.0 NW            6.14 in                         Mount Pleasant               6.12 in                         Edisto Island 3.6 E          6.12 in                         Mount Pleasant 2.7 S         6.08 in                         1 E Johns Island             6.08 in                         Coffee Bluff                 6.04 in                         Johns Island 1.8 NE          5.97 in                         Savannah 5.9 SSW             5.95 in                         Charleston 3.8 NW            5.94 in                         Mount Pleasant               5.88 in                         Mount Pleasant 1.4 ENE       5.73 in                         Charleston 0.3 ESE           5.71 in                         Charleston 6.4 WNW           5.64 in                         Mount Pleasant 4.1 NE        5.60 in                         Kiawah Island 3.5 W          5.54 in                         Summerville 5.5 NNW          5.50 in                         Charleston                   5.49 in                         Mount Pleasant               5.44 in                         Mount Pleasant 6.4 NE        5.38 in                         Charleston 2.9 W             5.37 in                         Kiawah Island 1.5 NE         5.32 in                         Charleston 4.6 SSE           5.30 in                         Charleston 2.9 NNE           5.07 in                         Mount Pleasant 1.0 WSW       5.03 in                         Grover 4.4 SE                5.02 in                         Charleston                   4.99 in                         Meggett 1.8 W                4.96 in                         NWS Charleston SC            4.84 in                         Edisto Beach 5.4 NNW         4.79 in                         Mount Pleasant 8.1 NE        4.79 in                         Ridgeville 1.3 SSW           4.77 in                         Savannah 1.7 W               4.74 in                         Savannah 3.9 SSW             4.64 in                         Charleston 3.0 N             4.64 in                         Hollywood 2.3 W              4.61 in                         Charleston 5.4 SSE           4.59 in                         Daniel Island 1.0 SE         4.57 in                         Summerville                  4.56 in                         Mount Pleasant 1.7 N         4.44 in                         Mount Pleasant 1.7 NNW       4.35 in                         Snowden                      4.16 in                         Mount Pleasant               4.14 in                         Savannah 3.1 ENE             4.14 in                         Bennetts Point               4.12 in                         Charleston 6.8 NE            4.11 in                         Edisto Island 4.5 NNW        4.09 in                         North Charleston 3.1 ESE     4.09 in                         Beaufort 4.5 NE              4.03 in                         Ravenel                      4.02 in                         Hollywood 5.8 WSW            4.02 in                         Summerville 1.7 SSE          3.99 in                         Ridgeville 3.2 WSW           3.97 in                         North Charleston 3.1 E       3.88 in                         North Charleston 2.6 NW      3.82 in                         Hanahan 1.7 SE               3.81 in                         Daniel Island                3.75 in                         Seabrook Island 0.2 S        3.75 in                         Charleston Intl Airport      3.74 in                         Edisto Island 3.2 NNE        3.68 in                         Charleston 1.7 SE            3.65 in                         Mcclellanville 0.2 ESE       3.64 in                         Summerville 2.6 E            3.62 in                         North Charleston 3.5 ESE     3.56 in                         North Charleston 2.9 WNW     3.52 in                         Beaufort 3.5 N               3.50 in                         McClellanville 0.5 ESE       3.48 in                         SANTEE COAST MCCLELLANVILLE  3.48 in                         Seabrook Island              3.47 in                         Summerville 2.8 W            3.47 in                         Ravenel 2.0 WNW              3.44 in                         Beaufort 5.7 NE              3.40 in                         Summerville 5.0 NNE          3.39 in                         North Charleston 4.4 W       3.38 in                         Montgomery                   3.33 in                         Hanahan 1.1 N                3.32 in                         Edisto Beach 5.1 NNW         3.30 in                         Charleston                   3.29 in                         Charleston 5.2 ESE           3.26 in                         Burnside                     3.25 in                         Summerville                  3.21 in                         Summerville 5.3 SE           3.21 in                         Huger 7.7 S                  3.16 in                         Smoaks 0.1 ESE               3.12 in                         2 NNE Daniel Island          3.11 in                         Summerville 2.1 WSW          3.10 in                         Savannah 2.3 SSW             3.09 in                         Huger 3 ENE                  3.09 in                         St Helena Island 2.8 NE      3.09 in                         Riceboro 11.8 SE             3.08 in                         Blitchton 4 WSW              3.05 in                         Mount Pleasant 2.6 SW        3.05 in                         Mount Pleasant 2.1 SSE       3.04 in                         Huger 7.7S - Bridges at Seve 3.03 in                         Edisto Beach 2.7 N           2.99 in                         Savannah 7.9 SSE             2.98 in                         Summerville 5.7 SSE          2.97 in                         Beaufort MCAS                2.97 in                         Charleston 2.9 W             2.96 in                         Savannah 4.5 SSW             2.95 in                         Rincon 5.3 NNE               2.94 in                         Summerville 1.9 N            2.92 in                         Summerville 3.4 S            2.90 in                         Summerville 0.4 SE           2.90 in                         North Charleston 3.5 N       2.88 in                         Savannah 6.3 WNW             2.85 in                         Edisto Island 1.6 N          2.83 in                         Savannah 9.6 E               2.80 in                         Mount Pleasant 1.3 WSW       2.79 in                         Walterboro 1 SW              2.76 in                         Garden City 1.2 NNE          2.72 in                         Blitchton 4 WSW              2.70 in                         Summerville 4.8 WSW          2.69 in                         Charleston                   2.66 in                         Mount Pleasant 6.1 NNE       2.64 in                         Valona                       2.58 in                         Townsend 5.5 SE              2.56 in                         Summerville 5.8 NE           2.52 in                         Charleston 9.1 NE            2.49 in                         Wadmalaw Island 3.6 ENE      2.48 in                         Charleston                   2.47 in                         Savannah 10.4 E              2.44 in                         Hilton Head Island           2.42 in                         Savannah                     2.42 in                         Fripp Island 0.5 WSW         2.40 in                         Goose Creek 4.6 WNW          2.38 in                         Goose Creek 3.5 NW           2.37 in                         Hunter Army Air Field        2.35 in                         Midville 6.6 ESE             2.30 in                         1 NE Lawton                  2.30 in                         Moncks Corner 4 N            2.30 in                         Summerville 3.3 NE           2.30 in                         Walterboro 7.4 NNE           2.26 in                         Okatie 7.6 NE                2.25 in                         Beaufort 4.2 WSW             2.25 in                         Summerville 1.9 SSW          2.24 in                         Walterboro 3.0 NNW           2.21 in                         Summerville 3.2 WNW          2.18 in                         Hilton Head Island 4.7 NW    2.17 in                         Beaufort 3.6 SW              2.16 in                         Charleston                   2.12 in                         Bluffton 7.0 W               2.11 in                         Glennville 3 NW              2.10 in                         Green Pond 4.6 W             2.07 in                         Mount Pleasant 2.7 S         2.06 in                         Charleston 5.0 WNW           2.06 in                         Cottageville 5.8 WSW         2.04 in                         Summerville 2.0 SW           2.04 in                         Edisto Beach 5.4 NNW         2.03 in                         Burnside                     2.02 in                         Bonneau                      2.01 in                         Bluffton 2.9 ENE             2.01 in                         Newington 0.5 SSE            1.99 in                         Mount Pleasant 8.5 NE        1.97 in                         Rincon 4 SE                  1.96 in                         Summerville 0.2 N            1.96 in                         Parris Island 1.7 N          1.92 in                         Beaufort 1.6 SSW             1.92 in                         Cottageville 3.1 NNW         1.89 in                         Springfield 2.4 E            1.82 in                         Hilton Head Island 5.1 NW    1.80 in                         Moncks Corner 5.1 SSW        1.79 in                         Ravenel 2.0 WNW              1.79 in                         Lepageville                  1.79 in                         Mount Pleasant 1.9 ESE       1.77 in                         Hilton Head                  1.76 in                         Port Wentworth 6 N           1.76 in                         Hilton Head Island 4.7 ENE   1.76 in                         Ellabell 5.0 NNW             1.74 in                         Beaufort 6.5 NNW             1.74 in                         Saint Helena 7.0 E           1.73 in                         Walterboro 3.0 NNW           1.73 in                         Moncks Corner 8.9 S          1.72 in                         Parris Island 1.7 N          1.71 in                         Hilton Head Island 4.0 N     1.70 in                         Summerville 0.1 W            1.70 in                         Oliver 1 SW                  1.69 in                         Midway 12.7 ESE              1.66 in                         Beaufort 3.0 E               1.66 in                         Savannah 8.2 SSE             1.64 in                         Allendale 1.7 SE             1.62 in                         Allendale 1.7 SE             1.62 in                         Marlow 0.0 S                 1.60 in                         Hampton 0.8 SW               1.54 in                         Goose Creek 3.5 NW           1.53 in                         Summerville 4 W              1.51 in                         Kiawah Island 3.1 WSW        1.50 in                         Newington 0.5 SSE            1.49 in                         Charleston 6.6 NW            1.48 in                         Ridgeville 5.7 SSW           1.47 in                         SANTEE COAST MCCLELLANVILLE  1.46 in                         1 E Hilton Head Island       1.45 in                         Pineville 0.3 SSE            1.44 in                         Bluffton 0.7 NNW             1.43 in                         11 SE Raccoon Bluff          1.42 in                         Charleston 5.6 SE            1.42 in                         Folly Beach 4.5 N            1.41 in                         1 ESE Canaan                 1.41 in                         Port Wentworth 1 NE          1.40 in                         Summerville 1.4 SSW          1.40 in                         Millen Airport               1.39 in                         Charleston 5.4 SSE           1.39 in                         Richmond Hill 7.0 ESE        1.38 in                         Mount Pleasant 1.9 N         1.38 in                         Eden                         1.33 in                         Okatie 7.2 ENE               1.33 in                         Burtons Ferry                1.31 in                         Reidsville                   1.31 in                         Hampton 0.3 WSW              1.30 in                         Moncks Corner 0.9 WSW        1.28 in                         Goose Creek                  1.26 in                         Moncks Corner 1.2 NW         1.26 in                         Savannah Intl Airport        1.26 in                         Hampton                      1.25 in                         Summerville                  1.24 in                         Charleston                   1.24 in                         Summerville                  1.22 in                         Kiawah Island 3.1 WSW        1.22 in                         Bluffton                     1.21 in                         Charleston 5.6 SE            1.15 in                         Limehouse                    1.13 in                         Moncks Corner 0.8 ESE        1.13 in                         Midway 3.8 NE                1.12 in                         Guyton 11.1 SE               1.09 in                         Sylvania 0.8 W               1.09 in                         Ludowici                     1.08 in                         Limehouse 4 SW               1.08 in                         MONCKS CORNER                1.08 in                         Hampton 0.2 SW               1.07 in                         Hilton Head Island           1.06 in                         Claxton 0.5 WSW              1.06 in                         Richmond Hill 9 WNW          1.05 in                         Fort Stewart                 1.04 in                         Elba Island                  1.03 in                         Bluffton 1.7 S               1.01 in                         Moncks Corner 1.2 NW         1.00 in                         &&Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varyingequipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.$$

A Johns Island brewery is planning to set up a new operation on a 10-acre parcel south of its current operation.

Low Tide Brewing is seeking approval from the city of Charleston to establish a beer-making operation along with a bar and restaurant next to Trophy Lake off Maybank Highway.

Brewery founder Mike Fielding bought the site on the west side of Maybank Highway through the affiliated Beer Baron LLC last January for $600,000, according to Charleston County land records.

Access to the property will be across from Meeks Farm Road, Fielding said.

He said it’s too early to pinpoint when the new operation will open since the city review process is just starting.

“It won’t be before 2025,” he said.

Low Tide Brewing currently operates in a 7,500-square-foot facility at 2863 Maybank Highway. It started serving beer in 2016.

The size of the new project has not been finalized, but Fielding said it will be much bigger than the current operation since the new site will be “a forever place for us.”

He also would like to see the city put in a public greenway path around the nearby water feature.

Fielding said the current operation on leased property is not affected by plans for the new facility.

What’s cooking?

A new dining and drinking venue is in the works for the former Caroline’s Aloha Bar in West Ashley.

Loving Cup Consulting LLC, an affiliate of downtown Charleston’s Proof bar operator Craig Nelson, recently applied for a license to sell beer, wine and liquor at 15 Magnolia Road in Avondale.

Get the best of the Post and Courier’s Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday.

Email

Nelson doesn’t have a name or menu for the new operation yet, but he is hoping to open by the end of February or by the spring, at the latest.

The windows are papered over in what was once Voodoo Tiki Bar & Lounge for nearly two decades until 2020 when Caroline’s opened. Some cosmetic work is underway inside the roughly 2,700-square-foot site, which sits between restaurants Verde and Mellow Mushroom.

Nelson’s partners in the new venue are Celeste James and Sam Pisasale.

Nelson launched craft cocktail bar Proof on King Street in 2012. He said the new bar will be more casual than the downtown site.

New perk

Bad Bunnies Coffee plans to open soon at 116 Spring St. in the space formerly occupied by Sunrise Bistro Xpress.

Stepping in

A new retail shop that incorporates a clothing item in all of its wares is coming to downtown Charleston.

Respoke plans to open by the spring at 377 King St. in the former location of Simply J Boutique.

The shop will offer shoes, clothing and other items that are made in part by using different sections of scarves.

On the way

An affiliate of Valvoline bought a 1-acre site on Faison Road in northern Mount Pleasant for $850,000 in December. The wooded parcel is across the street from Costco Wholesale and next to a planned Bubbie’s Cookies and Treats shop, previously known as King Street Cookies.