My wife and I have been living on Sullivan’s Island since 2012. In my four years on the Sullivan’s Island Zoning Board, I learned about our zoning laws and how we protect them. In our time here, Sullivan’s residents have addressed the rebuilding of the school and the protection of the coastal forest. As a community, we resolved both these cases with the best interests of the island in mind. The future of the Sand Dunes Club is the next hot topic.
Sullivan’s Island has greater economic diversity than current house prices would indicate. Many families who have had homes here for a long time would be unable to leave a $60,000 deposit and pay additional annual dues of $6,000 or more. If we are not careful, this club could create a divide in our community.
This club is going to hold the most promise for the people of downtown Charleston, Daniel Island or the Old Village. A parking spot on the beach with showers and dressing rooms and a restaurant for a nice dinner afterward is a great proposition. This club will eventually have at least 50% of its membership populated with off-islanders.
We have no problem with parking at the beach, we have a great selection of restaurants in our community and many of us have pools or aren’t interested in using one. We are, however, going to be confronted with extra traffic from employees and guests, daily garbage collection and food and drink – and possibly a necessary increase in our police force. This club could eventually have as many as 1,000 members. A further concern is the evolution of this club and the town’s potential lack of control over it, and it would open a Pandora’s box of lawsuits by everyone who felt wronged by zoning board decisions of the past.
Sullivan’s Island should not vacate its zoning laws to create a second business district with the biggest business this town has ever seen unless this business is of great benefit to all members of our community. We should not change our laws for a commercial business for only the wealthiest residents of Sullivan’s Island and their equals from the surrounding communities.
We would like to encourage everyone to write to the mayor and the members of the Sullivan’s Island Town Council with their views on the proposed club. Their email addresses are on the Sullivan’s Island town website.
Peter and Nicky Koepke
Sullivan’s Island
