Nondenominational Church in Isle of Palms, SC

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - As erosion continues to eat away at the Isle of Palms beachfront, homeowners are clashing with state agencies and environmental advocates about how to protect their property and the beach.

Rom Reddy and his wife have had their beachfront house on Ocean Boulevard for years. After storms left their property exposed to the ocean, Reddy says he asked about the city and state plan to rebuild the dune.

“The primary protection for a beach is the dune system. It protects the coastline. It protects the ecosystem for turtles, birds, vegetation, and so on and so forth. There hasn’t been a dune here for a year and a half. So there was no protection, so homeowners have to protect their property,” Reddy says.

When he says he didn’t get a good enough answer about when and how restoration would take place, he took matters into his own hands. Reddy says he looked carefully at his property lines and began building a seawall on the landward side of his property.

But soon after, the Department of Health and Environmental Control and state Ocean and Resource Coastal Management issued him a warning to stop building.

The agencies say his structure is in what’s called the critical area of the beach. The critical area is a part of someone’s beachfront property that is also active beach, so the agencies have some control.

Environmental groups like the Coastal Conservation League agree with Reddy about the importance of the dune system. But Emily Cedzo, CCL’s director of conservation programs and policy, says they are asking to become a part of the lawsuit and work on behalf of DHEC and OCRM to get the seawall removed.

“That is the whole point of our beach is to have these nice healthy dunes that will take the hit when a storm comes that will do their job to protect what is behind them. And then we go to work and we build it back up,” Cedzo says. “The reality is it’s a very costly solution, but it is something that is moving forward in the next few months on Isle of Palms and we are hopeful that a lot of those homes will now have that protection.”

Cedzo does note how important she thinks it is for local government to have a plan in place for when expected situations like the erosion happen. She says right now CCL takes issue with the seawall on the beach.

“The whole point of the DHEC having jurisdiction over this area is to protect a public trust resource,” Cedzo says. “It’s a public trust resource that in South Carolina belongs to you and I and everyone else who lives here and gets to enjoy the use of these places. So in particular, when we think about these kinds of materials being put within critical area, it can be a public access and safety issue. It can be a problem for nesting wildlife, any kind of foraging wildlife in that area.”

Reddy argues that he would not have had to go to the lengths of a seawall if there was a timely plan to replace the dune that worked. He also says DHEC doesn’t have control of the land he built on. He is standing by the fact that property lines clearly mark a seaward side of his property, where agencies can intervene, and a landward side where he can build.

DHEC’s Petition for Injunctive Relief, asking the wall be removed states:

Although the hard erosion control structure depicted in the above picture was installed landward of the beach/dune critical area defined by the jurisdictional lines, it was nonetheless in the beaches critical area.

The statement creates a murky definition of “critical area.” The current lawsuits might set a precedent for future property rights situations. The question at large is: what happens when erosion moves up the beach, taking the critical area into the property owner’s original landward pieces of property.

“This is not a me issue. This is happening all across the state. And it’s got to stop. People have got to stand up and say they have a constitutional right to protect their property,” Reddy says. “And these agencies and these radical environmental groups cannot take it away from them. I’m hoping I can be the voice for so many people in the state that are being overrun.”

Reddy says people along Isle of Palms beach have already reached out to him echoing his property concerns. Walking along the beach at Ocean Avenue shows that the tides often reach right up nearly to the homes themselves.

“If you live on a beach, you expect erosion to come and go, however, every American has a constitutional right to be able to protect their property and that can’t be taken away. That’s the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” Reddy says.

He’s referring to a portion of the Fifth Amendment that protects people from government seizure of their property without compensation. While the question of the future of the properly line issue looms, DHEC, OCRM and now CCL take issue with a seawall structure to begin with.

“The other piece I think to keep in mind here that is really important is since 1988, South Carolina established the South Carolina Beachfront Management Act, and that act has, since 1988, prohibited new sea walls are being constructed on our beaches,” Cedzo says.

She says there’s a bigger picture to look on the other side of the seawall.

“Seawalls might protect what is behind or landward of them, but when it comes to the seaward side of that wall or the adjacent properties, anytime a hard structure like a short parallel seawall comes into contact with that wind and wave energy, it has the ability to further erode the beach. So while it might help you know, the yard behind it, or the structure behind it, it really does no good for our public beaches if we want folks to be able to use them and wildlife to be able to use them,” Cedzo says.

The CCL is hoping to get legal permission to advocate against the seawall and have it removed in this case. Reddy says while his name is attached to this case, he is not alone in the property issue and has heard from many people across the lowcountry experiencing similar situations. He says he’s not backing down.

Isle of Palms did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - The Isle of Palms City Council in 2020 voted to make additions to the marina area of the island and that project is officially slated to be completed this year.

The project included the addition of a public dock, a boardwalk and a waterfront park and greenspace. The boardwalk and public dock have been completed, and, as of Jan. 11, the construction contract for the waterfront park and greenspace was officially confirmed.

The waterfront park will cover the 300 by 25 foot wide area along the marina facing the Intracoastal Waterway. There will be a 6-foot wide concrete walkway. The park will include a large lawn area with lush planting.

They plan to include a series of benches along the waterfront walkway so residents can enjoy views of the water and boating activities. There are plans for a circular seat wall near the public dock that would create an entrance to the dock area.

They plan to include a kayak storage area and a kayak launch area. There will be golf cart parking available as well as bicycle parking areas.

All of these plans did require collaboration and participation from the marina manager and restaurant tenants. Scott Toole, the general manager of the Outpost, a nearby restaurant, says he is very excited for this addition to the area.

“I think that it’s an added benefit to the island, to the residents, everybody, to have a space and to use the dock. Kayak launching is a big thing that I think people will take advantage of.” he says. “It’s really going to help make this area kind of a place of interest for people, sort of a destination so to speak, for people to be able to get some food, get some drink, watch the water and use the dock that’s right there.”

Toole says they very recently renovated the Outpost and he’s excited to see this new project bring more people to the area. He says he feels like this area of Isle of Palms is often overlooked as it is a little ways away from the main beach.

“We’ve kind of joked that it’s a small corner of the island and so, anything that’s bringing people down this direction is good for everybody. We’re excited to see this project take place,” he says.

The project is currently slated to be completed by May of this year. To provide City Council your input on this project you can click here.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - Big changes could be coming to the noise ordinance on Isle of Palms as city leaders hope to make the rules more clear.

The city’s noise ordinance currently doesn’t list specific limits. A proposal would establish set decibel levels based on the time and day of the week as well as the area:

Isle of Palms business owners got the chance to see the numbers and ask questions on Friday.

“We want them to understand that they have a voice, we want to hear from them,” Police Chief Kevin Cornett said. “Anything that is going to impact businesses we want them to be able to come to us and say what they think about it.”

One area resident, who only identified himself as Paul, says the noise ordinance needs to have a balance.

“Obviously, late at night you don’t want people making a lot of noise walking up and down the streets while residents are trying to go to bed, but at the same time this is a vacation spot, so you have to have a little bit on leeway for people to enjoy themselves but also be respectful,” he said.

Cornett says they’re working to find a solution that will work for businesses and residents and increase livability for everyone.

Cornette says noise is a hot topic on the island and he values feedback on this from both residents and business owners.

“Everybody is very much invested in this conversation,” Cornett said. “The city council is taking it very seriously and they are going around and talking to people to get their input. So, I think they are doing a great job on making sure voices are heard so that when we get the final project it’s fair and something that will work for everybody.”

Officers use a calibrated decibel reader when called out to a noise complaint.

“That’s how we determine if it’s a violation and then we would take other factors into account like background noise to keep the realistic approach to is as well,” Cornett said.

The public safety committee has to create a final draft before it will head to the city council for two separate readings.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include additional information from the city, including the fact that IOP city does not set prices for the new park area.

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD) – Construction is underway on a new Isle of Palms waterfront space that will include a pier and other amenities.

Chaundra Yudchenko, who serves as the city’s public relations and tourism coordinator, said the Isle of Palms Public Dock Renovation Project will include a new 16-foot-wide pier with swings and benches.

The project also includes a floating dock with American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant kayak and stand-up paddleboard launching.

Yudchenko said the public dock is not intended to be used for boat mooring; it will be available to the public for recreational use and passive water activities.

Construction of the public dock is set to begin in March with completion in May.

It’s all part of a 2020 vote by Isle of Palms City Council to improve the island’s marina area.

And while some are excited to have a new area to spend time with their family, others are concerned about potential costs.

“It’ll be nice to have something to bring the grandchildren over to and stuff like that- so, it’ll be nice,” said part-time resident, Dale Johns.

The project is an investment city council member Blair Hahn said was expensive but well worth it.

“The city has gone to great expense to redo the dock and we’re going to have a little green space,” Hahn said.

However, a visit to the park could cost more for non-residents. The plan is to charge visitors for parking and to launch a boat from the public dock. The cost to park is $3.50 per foot of the trailer plus a utility fee per day.

The private marina operators set fees for the new park area – they are not set by the city.

One non-resident who wanted to stay anonymous said many people are upset about this part of the plan. “The city is granting its residents special parking privileges and charging nonresidents exorbitant fees, all while calling this a “public dock.”

Hahn says fees for accessing public parks are nothing new in Charleston.

“It’s no different than Charleston County Park. They charge $20 a car to park on the island so unfortunately, that’s just a reality,” Hahn said.

The nonresident went on to say not everyone will be able to pay the fees.

“The city of Isle of Palms needs to treat residents and nonresidents the same at its “Public park” and charge everyone a fair amount, or allow free parking for everyone,” they said.

The city, according to Yudchenko, has not discussed implementing any feeds for the use of the public dock.

“Marina docks, boat launch fees, and The Outpost marina store are managed by Coastal Marinas, which is a tenant of the city. Fees for boat launching, dockage, and storage are determined by the marina tenant,” said Yudchenko.

Despite the concern, Hahn believes the park will still serve as a popular meeting spot for locals and visitors.

“We are doing everything we can to be resident-friendly and visitor-friendly and to bring people to Isle of Palms, but there’s always a cost to everything you do,” Hahn said.

Additionally, Yudchenko said the city is working with the marina restaurant, Islander 71, on a new parking layout to “increase the number and efficiency of parking spaces available to residents, visitors, and restaurant customers.”

The project is expected to be completed by May of this year.

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - The Charleston Beach Foundation is asking the city of Isle of Palms and South Carolina Department of Transportation to revoke current parking plans along beach access points.

The group disclosed its concerns in a letter on November 27, claiming the “general public is being denied their constitutional guaranty of equality and privilege.”

Isle of Palms City Council put the regulations into place in 2015 with the goal of making the beaches functional and safe.

The 2015 parking plan, amended in 2017, cost $250,000 in taxpayer dollars and is modeled off similar plans in both Charleston and Columbia.

The city claims the plan was made to manage “unbridled growth” in the region, both nearby in Charleston and further out in the Lowcountry.

Activists say it does not match up with the increase in commercial use of the island or overall population growth.

“Revoke the 2015 parking plan on Isle of Palms, return all residential-only parking spaces on both Sullivans Island and Isle of Palms back to the general public,” Michael Barnett says.

Barnett says the plan eliminated a number of free spots and instead gave them to short-term rentals in nearby neighborhoods.

The Charleston Beach Foundation also claims the area has since become a hot spot for commercial use, with the city voting in a referendum on Nov. 7 to not limit short-term rental licenses.

“They were really the first to do it. They started to do it piece by piece, which really got my attention because I was a surfer,” Barnett says. “Businesses are operating in these areas. Not basically, they are. They’re not residential neighborhoods anymore.”

City officials weighed in on the matter.

“We are very much a residential community. Certainly, in season, we have a lot more visitors than we do residents. But we provide eight times the among of parking required by the state,” Isle of Palms Mayor Phillip Pounds says.

Pounds says the island offers an abundance of free parking with the current plan, scattered around 56 beach access points.

“It’s not about increasing revenues, being punitive. It’s about making sure every spaces available can be used properly.”

The foundation mentioned encroachment and “excessive fines” as to why the plan should be reworked.

“Why would a parking ticket for parking in a residential area, or having your tires on the road, be 3x the state average on Isle of Palms?” Barnett says.

Pounds says the plan is set in place for now.

“We can’t do anything without approval and oversight, and we have a really good relationship with SCDOT. If there were any changes we were looking to make, we’d certainly have to work in conjunction with them,” Pounds says.

The SCDOT and Isle of Palms City Council both say they are starting the initial review process for the Charleston Beach Foundation’s request.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.