Most of the local residents who spoke during the citizens’ comments portion of the Oct. 11 meeting of the Isle of Palms City Council urged Council members to unanimously approve on first reading of five proposed ordinances that would, among other things, limit further development in Wild Dunes. Bev Miller, representing the Barrier Islands Preservation Alliance, went so far as to request unanimous approval of the proposed zoning changes. Though all five ordinances easily survived first reading, they passed by an 8-1 margin – unanimity was nowhere to be found.
Council Member Kevin Popson voted no on each of the five ordinances. “I’m about to be the most hated man in this room tonight,” Popson told a standing-room-only crowd in the Council chambers. “I’m a firm believer in property rights, whether it be anybody in this room or a corporation like Lowe or Dart. Property rights to me are the holy grail.” Popson added that he also was opposed to “the approach we have taken.” “I would hope we could have had some kind of conversation with the Lowe/Dart group by trying to work something out instead of dropping the bomb like we have,” Popson said. “Mount Pleasant did this to me and John Weiland Homes at Dunes West when they changed our zoning on our golf course, which took our land away from us. They did it without notice, without a phone call, without a hug and a kiss. We didn’t request it; they just changed our zoning.” At the Oct. 11 special Council meeting, Mayor Phillip Pounds explained that it was important to pass the ordinances on first reading quickly in order to put into effect the pending ordinance doctrine, which gives local governments the right to refuse a permit for a land use that is not permitted under a pending and later enacted zoning ordinance – “so essentially acting as if the ordinance were passed.” A public hearing on the five proposed zoning ordinances was scheduled for Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. at City Hall. The Planning Commission will discuss the zoning changes and make a recommendation before the Council votes on the second reading. The ordinances would establish a new conservation/ recreation district that could be used for outdoor recreation, public utility lines and city-sponsored activities and events; rezone some properties in Wild Dunes from single-family residential to conservation/recreation; and reduce the number of residential units permitted in Wild Dunes from 2,449 to 2,119 and the number of allowed hotel rooms from 350 to 297. The Wild Dunes planned residential development zoning ordinance, approved by the IOP Council in 1975, gave the developer the option to eventually build 350 hotel rooms and 2,500 residential units. At the Oct. 11 meeting, Council Member Blair Hahn pointed out that there would be some negotiation with the owners of Wild Dunes Resort and that the process could take a while. “This is the beginning of what can be a six-month process,” Hahn said. “Everybody needs to understand that. There’s going to be some give and take.” “I think we all wanted the same thing. I was hoping we’d have a nice, collaborative, strategic negotiation to get to a new development agreement with our resort owner,” Pounds added. “I’m going to support this because we need to take it to the next step and have a public hearing and see where it goes from there.” “We have a zoning document in Wild Dunes that was written in 1975. Although the Isle of Palms has changed radically since then, this document has not. Like the golf courses, it is full of holes, and it’s about time it’s amended,” Miller told the Council. “We want nine yes votes on these ordinances to finally show unity in taking these ordinances to the next step,” Miller added. Tony Santiago, a spokesman for a group of residents who oppose further development in Wild Dunes, reported during the citizens’ comments part of the meeting that he had met with representatives of Lowe and Dart and that “they believe they should have a chance to speak up before we take action.” “So, we’re going to give you a chance to slap in a permit… on the faith that you’re going to have a discussion with us about it?” Santiago said. “Do not backdown from these people. They will just keep coming and coming and coming.” Debbie Stanley, president of the Wild Dunes Community Association, provided the lone voice that was not opposed to further development in Wild Dunes. She said the board is concerned about “the limited review of these proposed changes to the zoning ordinance, given their significant impacts on the overall community.”
“The process, as it’s proceeding, has not given the board of directors of the association sufficient time for its due diligence on the proposed changes. WDCA respectfully requests that the IOP Planning Commission and the City Council provide the association with additional information that would support these proposed zoning changes,” Stanley added.
