A standing-room-only crowd showed up at the Sullivan’s Island’s Council workshop Aug. 7 to hear the developers of a proposed private club state their case for the town to rezone property that nearly a century ago was the Fort Moultrie officer’s club.
Representatives of Sullivan’s Island Bathing Company would like the town to remove the residential tag from the Sand Dunes Club, located at 1735 Atlantic Ave., so they can spend in excess of $30 million to completely renovate the property, turning it into a state-of-the-art facility offering its members a restaurant, a fitness center, cultural events and a space where they can interact with their neighbors.
Key players in the plan to bring The Ocean Club to Sullivan’s Island answered a list of 17 questions posed to them by the Town Council, but at least one Council member isn’t convinced yet that the club would be a good fit for the island.
“I was happy that they answered our questions, but I’m not sure there was any movement in terms of are we more receptive to the idea based on what came out today,” Councilman Scott Millimet commented after the meeting. “They did a good presentation and answered some questions, but a lot more questions need to be answered.”
“They want to go at a very quick pace. They want to start getting a return on their investment, and I totally get that,” he added. “But that doesn’t mean the Council is going to move at their pace.”
The Council discussed the issue again at its Aug. 15 meeting.
Members would be charged $60,000 to join the club and then pay $6,000 a year in dues. Sheppard Davis, manager of Sullivan’s Island Bathing Company, said the long-term plan would be for the club’s membership to made up exclusively of island residents. He said the initial goal would be to attract 400 members and that around 50 of them probably would live somewhere other than Sullivan’s Island. He explained, however, that as the club approached its maximum membership of somewhere between 800 and 1,000, the memberships of people who don’t live on the island would be purchased by the club for the original $60,000 joining fee.
“We want every property owner and long term renter on Sullivan’s Island to be a member,” Davis commented. “We don’t want to exclude anyone on the island.”
All immediate family members, including unmarried children under the age of 26, would have club privileges, and memberships could be transferred from the sellers to the buyers of homes on the island.
The $30 million price tag to renovate the Sand Dunes Club would include upgrading Jasper Hall, spending $500,000 or more to repair the current pool and build a new one, remodeling the kitchen, building a bathhouse and fitness center, upgrading the streetscape and removing the existing drainage pond. The number of parking spaces, currently 17, could increase to up to 100.
According to a proposed zoning ordinance presented to the town by Sullivan’s Island Bathing Company, the two-acre property would include more than 7,500 square feet of enclosed space, “5,000 of which must be within a designed historic property, building or structure and which has not been used as a residence for 10 years.” The club also would have more than 3,500 square feet of outdoor recreational and dining facilities and other outdoor uses and would comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, even though private clubs are generally not required to do so.
Brian Hellman, another Sullivan’s Island Bathing Company team member, said outdoor lighting would be directed away from the Maritime Forest, nearby properties and beach access paths.
The developers would like the Town Council to send the issue to the Planning Commission for its September meeting, but Millimet said the Council could direct it to another committee or even “make a decision to not make a decision.” He pointed out that he was concerned with what could happen if the property is sold after the town rezones it and with how much island residents would have to pay to become members of the club.
“The lot will appreciate significantly in value, which provides a lot of incentive for the investors to cash out and sell the property maybe two or three or four years down the road,” Millimet said.
“And I have a question about how many town residents would be able to afford it. They’re talking about a very exclusive club. I don’t know that the island needs a world-class club.”
