Town Administrator
Town of James Island, SC
The Town of James Island invites qualified and experienced candidates to submit resumes for the Town Administrator position. James Island is a predominately residential community with a population of 11,500 in the Charleston, SC area. Our budget is approximately $2 million and we have 8 full time employees. Town services include Public Works, Planning, Code Enforcement, Building Inspection, Finance and Administration. Other services are provided by Charleston County and the James Island Public Service District.
Please submit your resume to: Frances Simmons, Town Clerk at townclerk@jamesislandsc.us. We prefer that all resume materials be submitted via email. Current salary for this position is $65,000 a year; however, salary offered will depend on qualifications and experience. Position will remain open until filled.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Town Council Report
Town Council Meeting
The James Island Town Council met on Thursday, September 19.
The Mayor reported that the petition drive to annex the West Fort Johnon Road area and the East Lighthouse Point area has begun, with the goal being 100 signatures of registered voters in the areas. The petititon drive is more than 25% complete.
The Mayor also reported on the meeting held for the Folly Road business community regarding the Folly Road Overlay District on August 29. A public hearing and first reading on the overlay district is scheduled for October 17.
A public hearing was held on Chapters 8 and 9 of the Zoning and Subdivision Regulation Ordinance. Council voted 3-2 to pass the proposed amendments on first reading. Councilman Blank and Mayor Woolsey voted against the amendments, speaking against imposing stricter tree regulations on Town homeowners.
Town Council passed a resolution 4 to 1 asking SCDOT and the City of Charleston to put turn signals on the traffic light at Maybank and Wappoo Creek Drive. Mayor Woolsey voted no, pointing out that the resolution was premature, and that this issue will be discussed by representatives of the Town, City, and County at the James Island Intergovernmental Council on Sept. 25.
Town Council passed a resolution 3 to 2 asking the City of Charleston and Charleston County to pass ordinances prohibiting the use of hand held devices while driving. Mayor Woolsey argued that it was inappropriate for the Town to advocate that other jurisdictions pass ordinances that the Town is not proposing to pass. He also noted that this will be discussed at the James Island Intergovernmental Council and that a resolution calling for all James Island jurisdictions to pass an ordinance on this matter would be more appropriate there.
Council briefly discussed providing a contribution to support the Angel Oak preservation effort. Since no resolution had been provided to the Clerk by the deadline, no vote was taken.
James Island Intergovernmental Council Meeting
James Island Intergovernmental Council
Meeting
September 25, 2013
7:00 P.M.
AGENDA
James Island Town Hall
Notice of this meeting was published and posted in
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act
- Call to Order
- Prayer and Pledge
- Public Comment
- Camp Road Sidewalk Project Mayor Woolsey
- Folly Road Overlay District Mayor Woolsey
- Public Transportation on James Island JI Town Councilwoman Berry
- Traffic Signalization @ Maybank/Wappoo Creek City Councilwoman Wilson PSD Commissioner Waring
- Restrictions on Texting While Driving on James Island Mayor Woolsey
- Adjourn
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Public Hearing on Tree Regulations on Thursday, September 19 at 7:00
The Town of James Island is holding a public hearing on Chapters 8 and 9 of the Zoning and Subdivision Regulation Ordinance on Thursday, September 19 at 7:00. After the public hearing, there will be a first reading of ordinances making changes in those two chapters. To see drafts of the two chapters go here.
If the chapters pass without amendment, then homeowners in the Town of James Island will be forced to submit to more Town regulation of the trees in their yard. The Town requires homeowners get permission to remove or heavily prune any "grand tree." Currently, "grand tree" is defined as any oak tree with diameter greater than 24 inches (a trunk 2 feet wide.). The new, more restrictive regulation, is to require permission for any tree other than pine, sweet gum, or Chinese Tallow with diameter greater than 18 inches.
I don't think the Town should reduce the minimum diameter to 18 inches. In my view, "grand" should mean something, and calling average trees "grand" to impose more regulations and fines on homeowners is wrong. The James Island Way isn't about over-regulation and big government. What is a grand tree? To see my view, go here.
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Removing or heavily pruning a grand tree in your yard requires permission from the Town's Board of Zoning Appeals. They don't have to give permission. They can just say no. Keep the tree in your yard. If they do give permission, they must require inch-for-inch mitigation. They can make the homeowner plant the trees they choose in the homeowner's own yard. But the Board can also make the homeowner plant the trees wherever they want. The expense for mitigating an 18 inch tree will be at least $2,000, but it could be more like $5,000. Just this spring, the Town's BZA required that 11 six inch trees be planted to replace two water oaks on Camp Road. The cost of that is estimated to be nearly $20,000.
Before the Town was formed, we were subject to the County's grand tree regulation. I don't think the reason we formed the Town was to impose stricter regulations on our homeowners. Yes, there are some advocates of big government who live on James Island. If you follow the debate, this is just a first step. They want to reduce the size to 12 inches for most trees, and even smaller because some trees don't grow don't grow very big. To hear them tell it, they plan to manage the Town's landscape. What is that? They want the government to control the landscape in your yard!
Please come out to the public hearing next Thursday, September 19 at 7:00. Tell Town Council to show some respect for homeowner's rights and stop trying to micromanage everyone's yard. If you can't make it, send them an email or call Town Hall at 795-4141. We will make sure that Council gets your message.
Councilman Blank, Chairman of our Land Use Committee and former Chair of the James Island Planning Commission, opposes reducing the size of "grand trees" to 18 inches.
Please let the other three know where you stand.
Mayor Bill Woolsey
DarrenTroyMullinax@jamesislandsc.us
If the chapters pass without amendment, then homeowners in the Town of James Island will be forced to submit to more Town regulation of the trees in their yard. The Town requires homeowners get permission to remove or heavily prune any "grand tree." Currently, "grand tree" is defined as any oak tree with diameter greater than 24 inches (a trunk 2 feet wide.). The new, more restrictive regulation, is to require permission for any tree other than pine, sweet gum, or Chinese Tallow with diameter greater than 18 inches.
I don't think the Town should reduce the minimum diameter to 18 inches. In my view, "grand" should mean something, and calling average trees "grand" to impose more regulations and fines on homeowners is wrong. The James Island Way isn't about over-regulation and big government. What is a grand tree? To see my view, go here.
\
Removing or heavily pruning a grand tree in your yard requires permission from the Town's Board of Zoning Appeals. They don't have to give permission. They can just say no. Keep the tree in your yard. If they do give permission, they must require inch-for-inch mitigation. They can make the homeowner plant the trees they choose in the homeowner's own yard. But the Board can also make the homeowner plant the trees wherever they want. The expense for mitigating an 18 inch tree will be at least $2,000, but it could be more like $5,000. Just this spring, the Town's BZA required that 11 six inch trees be planted to replace two water oaks on Camp Road. The cost of that is estimated to be nearly $20,000.
Before the Town was formed, we were subject to the County's grand tree regulation. I don't think the reason we formed the Town was to impose stricter regulations on our homeowners. Yes, there are some advocates of big government who live on James Island. If you follow the debate, this is just a first step. They want to reduce the size to 12 inches for most trees, and even smaller because some trees don't grow don't grow very big. To hear them tell it, they plan to manage the Town's landscape. What is that? They want the government to control the landscape in your yard!
Please come out to the public hearing next Thursday, September 19 at 7:00. Tell Town Council to show some respect for homeowner's rights and stop trying to micromanage everyone's yard. If you can't make it, send them an email or call Town Hall at 795-4141. We will make sure that Council gets your message.
Councilman Blank, Chairman of our Land Use Committee and former Chair of the James Island Planning Commission, opposes reducing the size of "grand trees" to 18 inches.
Please let the other three know where you stand.
Mayor Bill Woolsey
DarrenTroyMullinax@jamesislandsc.us
Thursday, September 12, 2013
James Island Planning Commission Votes to Ban Gun Shops on Folly Rd
The James Island Planning Commission voted 3 to 2 to recommend banning gun shops on Folly Rd. The proposed ban was included in the draft of the Folly Road Overlay District. Commissioner Ed Lohr made a motion remove the prohibition. Commissioner Margarite Neal seconded the motion.
Commissioner Milliken argued forcefully against allowing gun shops on Folly Road. He explained that there were already enough places for people to buy guns. He argued that guns kill people, and while it isn't the gun's fault, it is better not to have any more places for people to buy guns. Commissioner Hardin argued that there was a problem with gun violence on Folly Rd. She also strongly supported the ban on gun shops.
Chairman Bevon supported Milliken's and Hardin's effort to ban gun shops from Folly Rd. He argued that those opposing the ban should have spoke up earlier. He said that it was now up to James Island Town Council.
Where did the prohibition come from? The Draft of the Folly Road Overlay District was developed by a committee that included representatives from the Charleston County planning staff, the City of Charleston Planning staff, and two members of the James Island Planning Commission. Who were those representatives from the Planning Commission? Commissioners Milliken and Hardin. The Town's Planning Director, Hal Mason also participated in the meetings as did the Chairman of the Town's Land Use Committee, Councilman Leonard Blank.
I had insisted that the plan be presented to the business community on Folly Road before we went any further. The meeting was held on August 29th. Before the meeting, I reviewed the plan and noticed that the draft included a ban on gun shops. I immediately asked the the Town Administrator about the ban. Why were gun shops singled out? Hal Mason didn't know and had no idea where it came from. I then asked Leonard Blank. Why do you want to ban gun shops? He didn't want to ban gun shops and had no idea where this came from. Joel Evans, from the Charleston County Planning Department arrived for the meeting. I asked, "who proposed banning gun shops?" He had no idea. Charleston County's Zoning Ordinance doesn't specify gun shops at all. The County staff wasn't promoting this idea.
The Town's Planner, Kristen Crane called the City of Charleston Planning Director. Was the City of Charleston pushing the ban on gun shops? No. The City of Charleston had no interest in prohibiting gun shops.
Who could it have been? Well, it became obvious tonight. The Town's representatives on the committee, Garret Milliken and Robin Hardin both strongly supported a ban on gun shops. And the Chairman, David Bevon went along.
Is that a surprise? Garret Milliken and Robin Hardin both want to micromanage every homeowner's landscaping decisions too. And Chairman Bevon followed along.
The public hearing on Chapters 8 and 9 is coming up next week, September 19. Will Town Council impose stricter tree regulations on the homeowners of the Town of James Island? Will the Town regulate more than the City of Charleston and Charleston County?
The public hearing on the Folly Road Overlay District will be on October 17. Will the Town ban gun shops on Folly Road?
Please contact your Town Councilman. Please tell them to stop this excessive regulation of the people of James Island. Tell them to support the James Island way.
Here is the contact information for Town Council:
Commissioner Milliken argued forcefully against allowing gun shops on Folly Road. He explained that there were already enough places for people to buy guns. He argued that guns kill people, and while it isn't the gun's fault, it is better not to have any more places for people to buy guns. Commissioner Hardin argued that there was a problem with gun violence on Folly Rd. She also strongly supported the ban on gun shops.
Chairman Bevon supported Milliken's and Hardin's effort to ban gun shops from Folly Rd. He argued that those opposing the ban should have spoke up earlier. He said that it was now up to James Island Town Council.
Where did the prohibition come from? The Draft of the Folly Road Overlay District was developed by a committee that included representatives from the Charleston County planning staff, the City of Charleston Planning staff, and two members of the James Island Planning Commission. Who were those representatives from the Planning Commission? Commissioners Milliken and Hardin. The Town's Planning Director, Hal Mason also participated in the meetings as did the Chairman of the Town's Land Use Committee, Councilman Leonard Blank.
I had insisted that the plan be presented to the business community on Folly Road before we went any further. The meeting was held on August 29th. Before the meeting, I reviewed the plan and noticed that the draft included a ban on gun shops. I immediately asked the the Town Administrator about the ban. Why were gun shops singled out? Hal Mason didn't know and had no idea where it came from. I then asked Leonard Blank. Why do you want to ban gun shops? He didn't want to ban gun shops and had no idea where this came from. Joel Evans, from the Charleston County Planning Department arrived for the meeting. I asked, "who proposed banning gun shops?" He had no idea. Charleston County's Zoning Ordinance doesn't specify gun shops at all. The County staff wasn't promoting this idea.
The Town's Planner, Kristen Crane called the City of Charleston Planning Director. Was the City of Charleston pushing the ban on gun shops? No. The City of Charleston had no interest in prohibiting gun shops.
Who could it have been? Well, it became obvious tonight. The Town's representatives on the committee, Garret Milliken and Robin Hardin both strongly supported a ban on gun shops. And the Chairman, David Bevon went along.
Is that a surprise? Garret Milliken and Robin Hardin both want to micromanage every homeowner's landscaping decisions too. And Chairman Bevon followed along.
The public hearing on Chapters 8 and 9 is coming up next week, September 19. Will Town Council impose stricter tree regulations on the homeowners of the Town of James Island? Will the Town regulate more than the City of Charleston and Charleston County?
The public hearing on the Folly Road Overlay District will be on October 17. Will the Town ban gun shops on Folly Road?
Please contact your Town Councilman. Please tell them to stop this excessive regulation of the people of James Island. Tell them to support the James Island way.
Here is the contact information for Town Council:
Councilwoman Mary Beth BerryMBBerry@jamesislandsc.us
Councilman Leonard Blank lblank@jamesislandsc.us
Councilman Sam Kernodlecouncilmankernodle@jamesislandsc.us
Councilman Troy MullinaxDarrenTroyMullinax@jamesislandsc.us
Friday, September 6, 2013
Request of Proposals: Landscape Services
James Island Public Works Department
Request for Proposals: Landscape Services
The contract will run for 12 months with the option of the Town to extend for another 12 months at the sole discretion of the Town of James Island. The nature of the work is on-call at present and is anticipated to increase to maintenance of properties and Right-of-Way.
Contact: Mark Johnson, Public Works Director, Town of James Island,1238-B Camp Road, James Island, SC 29412. 843- 795-4141 publicworks@jamesislandsc.us. Call or come by the Town Hall for a Bid Package.
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