Isle of Palms residents who attended an Oct. 18 public hearing on proposed zoning changes in Wild Dunes were rewarded when members of the IOP City Council closed the ensuing special meeting without taking any action.
The only item on the agenda, other than citizens’ comments and the opportunity for the Council to escape into executive session, was “discussion and consideration of creation of Council member-led task force to server as liaison related to Wild Dunes rezoning.”
The public hearing attracted an overflow crowd that filled the Council chambers to its capacity of 83 people and forced another 35 or so residents to watch the show on a television in a cramped room on the second floor of City Hall. About half the audience left before the start of the Council meeting, but those who stayed remained raucous, opinionated and apparently united in the belief that additional development in Wild Dunes would not be a good thing.
Everyone who spoke at both the public hearing and the meeting that followed encouraged Council members to scrap plans to appoint a task force to deal with proposed zoning changes in Wild Dunes. Council Member Katie Miars agreed, presenting a motion not to go forward with the idea.
“I can tell you I certainly didn’t know about it until last night,” she said. “I don’t see any reason why we would do it.”
“We just need to kill this thing right now. We’ve heard from the public. They don’t want it. I think it’s a really bad idea. We need to kill this tonight,” Council member Jimmy Ward added.
A dissenting voice came from Council Member Blair Hahn, who suggested that the Council talk with the city’s attorney before making a decision.
“This whole idea of a task force has been made up by somebody. That’s not what this is about,” he commented. “We have been asked by Wild Dunes to receive information. All I want todo is talk to our lawyer about how information can be received from Wild Dunes.”
With advice from City Administrator Desiree Fragoso, the Council finally decided to simply take no action. The motion to adjourn passed unanimously.
The Wild Dunes zoning ordinances were passed 8-1 on first reading at the Council’s Oct. 11 special meeting, with Kevin Popson opposing the measures. IOP Director of Building, Planning and Zoning Douglas Kerr explained at the public hearing that the ordinances would rezone 12 parcels that make up the Wild Dunes Harbor Golf Course, as well as the tennis facilities, as a conservation/recreation district. The measures would reduce the number of dwelling units permitted in Wild Dunes from 2,449 to 2,119 and the number of hotel rooms from 350 to 297.
A second public hearing was scheduled for Nov. 1. The IOP Planning Commission will meet Nov. 9 and makes its recommendations to the Council, which will then consider passing the ordinances on second reading.
“There was clear intent to have a vote on this,” former Council Member Randy Bell stated during the citizens’ comments portion of the Council meeting. “My personal belief is there was clear knowledge of at least five of you that you would vote to move forward. I find that reprehensible.”
“Please, somebody that understands process sitting up there make a motion to end this nonsense tonight and not move forward with a task force that is not by any means supported by anyone I’ve spoken to in this community,” he added.
“It’s wrong. You know it’s wrong,” said Tony Santiago, the spokesman for a group opposed to further development in Wild Dunes. “Idon’t think a smaller group behind closeddoors is the right answer. For God’s sake – just listen to us. Don’t think you’re smarter than us. You’re not.”
Brian Duffy said he was concerned that the meeting was scheduled the previous day and pointed out that the Council should let the Planning Commissiondo its job.
“I see no value in this at all, and it really makes me question what the heck is going on,” he remarked.
Terrence Smith said that “kicking the candown the road is always unproductive, a waste of time and shows lack of leadership,” while Patsy Hindman pointed out that passing the ordinances was “a no-brainer.”
“Use your brains and pass the ordinances,” she told the Council. “Youdon’t need a task force.”
Two days after the hearing and special meeting, Hahn said the Council is depending on the pending ordinancedoctrine, which will keep the developers of Wild Dunes from obtaining building permits on the property in question until the ordinances are read for a second time.
He added that the term task force should not have been used to describe the plan the Council considered briefly.
“The thought process was ‘let’s send three people to sitdown and listen to what they have to say.’ Information is always good. It spun out of control and became something it wasn’t intended to be,” he said. “It was just the Council trying to collect information.”
“We’re navigating land mines as wedo this,” he added. “We’re trying to protect the rights of the city. My expectation is that the Council will ultimately pass these ordinances on second reading. Once that happens, Wild Dunes will have to decide whether they want to challenge the ordinances. The city’s position is that we have every right todo this.”
