The owners of the Bright property are proposing a rezoning of their property to a Planned Development. It is currently zoned single family residential. The parcel has ten acres of highland, so given the Town's zoning density of three units per acre, they could put 30 houses on the property. Each lot would be approximately 1/3 acre. However, they would prefer to have most of the lots smaller, and instead have parts of the land preserved as open space. The key reason is that there are some magnificent oak trees that they want to keep in common areas to benefit all of the residents of the new neighborhood.
The Bright property is next to First Baptist Church on Dills Bluff. Part of the Planned Development is a sidewalk on Dills Bluff along the length of the property and on to the intersection at Dills Bluff and Camp. This will complete one segment of the Town's planned sidewalk on Dills Bluff. The residents of the neighborhood will have access to the shopping center, and from there to the new sidewalk slated for Fort Johnson.
There will be a public hearing at the Town Council meeting next Thursday, August 21. It is also on the agenda for a first reading. If it passes first reading and then second reading at the September meeting of Town Council, then the project will move forward. The developers do not intend to clear the lots As lots are sold and houses are built, the portions of the lots necessary to build the house will be cleared.
If approved by Town Council, this Planned Development will be limited to residential uses and a density consistent with the Town's 3 units per acre limit. Adding any additional single family homes, much less commercial or multi-family, would require an additional rezoning.
This will be the first major residential development in the Town of James Island since I became Mayor in 2010. It looks to me to be a development which will make all of us proud.
The James Island Planning Commission has recommended that Town Council approve the proposal.
If you have any concerns or questions please email me at mayorwoolsey@gmail.com or call me at 697-7020,
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Public Hearing on Dills Bluff Rezoning at the August 21 Meeting of Town Council
The Town of James Island Town Council will hold a Public Hearing on a zoning map amendment (re-zoning) request on Thursday, August 21, 2014 at 7:00pm in the Council Chambers. The applicant is proposing to rezone property located at 1054 & 0 Dills Bluff Road from the Low-Density Suburban Residential (RSL) District to the Planned Development (PD-101) Zoning District for a single family development consisting of 30 homes and 4 community open space areas. Copies of the proposed Preserve at Dills Bluff Planning Development Guidelines are available for the public to review Monday-Friday during normal business hours. Please call Town Hall at 795-4141 with any questions.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
14 Candidates File for JIPSD Commission
The election for James Island PSD Commissioner will be on Tuesday, November 4.
There are 14 candidates that have filed for 4 seats.
Mary Beth Berry
Inez Brown-Crouch
Marilyn Clifford
Ernie Duncan
Sandi Engelman
Hal Hanvey
Donald Hollingsworth
Kay Kernodle
Coleen Littlejohn
Tom Meteraud
Lyndy Palmer
Robert Schurmeier
David Whitley
Bill Cubby Wilder
The vast majority of these candidates are ready and willing to cooperate with the Town. I appreciate that so many James Islanders have been willing to step forward in support of a James Island Public Service District that works with the Town and not against it. Thank you to you all
Commissioner Inez Brown-Crouch has always been willing to work with the Town. She has especially been a strong voice in favor of communication between the Town and District. I strongly support her reelection.
Sadly, there are a few candidates who will continue to fight against working with the Town, Senator Thurmond and Representative McCoy on legislation to reunite the Town, our ability to provide property tax relief by reducing the amount we pay on our tax bills, and building a joint Town/JIPSD facility for offices and a meeting room on Dills Bluff Road.
Unless I am persuaded differently, I count three on the list above that I cannot support. More importantly, there are three Commissioners who are not up for reelection. If the three candidates opposing cooperation with the Town win, they can count on one or two of the Commissioners who are not up for reelection to continue to block the Town's proposals.
Commissioner Carter McMillan is not up for reelection and he has a strong record of support for working with the Town. Assuming Commissioner Brown-Crouch is reelected, if two of the three seats up for reelection go to candidates who will work with the Town, then there will be a majority of four out of seven for cooperation.
What is the best strategy to defeat the candidates who will fight the Town at every opportunity? What is the best approach to electing at least two candidates (along with reelecting Commissioner Brown-Crouch) who are willing to work with the Town?
I believe that at least some of the 10 or more candidates who support cooperation with the Town will withdraw to keep us from diluting our votes No one wants to help to elect any of the three who will work against cooperation with the Town.
Please let me know what you think. Email me at mayorwoolsey@gmail.com or call 697-7020.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
JIPSD Election News--7 Filed for 4 Seats, Deadline is Friday at Noon
There are currently seven candidates filed for the four seats up for election on the James Island Public Service District Commission on November 4. The deadline to file is Friday at noon.
Incumbents who have filed:
Donald Hollingsworth
Inez Brown-Crouch
The other filed candidates:
Kay Kernodle
Sandi Engelman
Cubby Wilder
Robert Schurmieir
David Whitley
Incumbents who have filed:
Donald Hollingsworth
Inez Brown-Crouch
The other filed candidates:
Kay Kernodle
Sandi Engelman
Cubby Wilder
Robert Schurmieir
David Whitley
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
JIPSD Commission Election and Filing Deadline
Four JIPSD Commission seats are up for election in November. The deadline to file to run for the office is noon, August 15. That is less than ten days from now!
The four Commissioners up for reelection are David Engelman, Rod Welch, Donald Hollingsworth, and Inez Brown-Crouch. David Engelman has stated that he doesn't plan to run for reelection, but his wife, Sandi Engelman, has already filed to run to take his place.
Inez Brown-Couch has said she is running for reelection. I have greatly appreciated her willingness to work with the Town.
In my view, James Island is in desperate need of JIPSD Commissioners who are willing to work with the Town.
Who do you know that would make a good JIPSD Commissioner?
Would you be willing to serve?
The four Commissioners up for reelection are David Engelman, Rod Welch, Donald Hollingsworth, and Inez Brown-Crouch. David Engelman has stated that he doesn't plan to run for reelection, but his wife, Sandi Engelman, has already filed to run to take his place.
Inez Brown-Couch has said she is running for reelection. I have greatly appreciated her willingness to work with the Town.
In my view, James Island is in desperate need of JIPSD Commissioners who are willing to work with the Town.
Who do you know that would make a good JIPSD Commissioner?
Would you be willing to serve?
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Harborview Road News
The Harborview Road Improvement project has been bid out, and the contracts should go before County Council on July 29. Silt fencing should start to appear in late August or early September.
Since I was elected Mayor in 2012, I have cooperated with Charleston County and Councilman Joe Qualey to avoid delays and get the project started. It has been delayed too long. The road is falling apart.
The Town provided input on the more than 60 large trees and 150 smaller trees that will be planted to beautify the road. I think that with the sidewalks and improved bike lanes, and the repaving, we will have a project of which all of us can be proud.
When I was first elected Mayor in 2010, the Town was suing Charleston County to block the Harborview Road Improvement Project. I immediately began seeking a reasonable compromise with the County and settle the suit. The County argued that due to SCDOT regulations, little change was possible. The Town paid for a second opinion from an engineering firm, but they mostly agreed with Charleston County. Then, the Supreme Court came out with its order that the Town was improperly formed. We asked for a reconsideration from the Supreme Court, and during that period withdrew our suit against the County. The Town got nothing from suing the County.
I asked County Councilman Joe Qualey to work to for a compromise and agreed to give him my support. The project is in his district. Where we had the County and SCDOT insisting that no modification was possible when the Town was suing to force change, compromise became possible when it was requested by our representative on County Council.
I learned a lesson. Fighting in court wastes time and money. Working with our elected representatives gets results.
Since I was elected Mayor in 2012, I have cooperated with Charleston County and Councilman Joe Qualey to avoid delays and get the project started. It has been delayed too long. The road is falling apart.
The Town provided input on the more than 60 large trees and 150 smaller trees that will be planted to beautify the road. I think that with the sidewalks and improved bike lanes, and the repaving, we will have a project of which all of us can be proud.
When I was first elected Mayor in 2010, the Town was suing Charleston County to block the Harborview Road Improvement Project. I immediately began seeking a reasonable compromise with the County and settle the suit. The County argued that due to SCDOT regulations, little change was possible. The Town paid for a second opinion from an engineering firm, but they mostly agreed with Charleston County. Then, the Supreme Court came out with its order that the Town was improperly formed. We asked for a reconsideration from the Supreme Court, and during that period withdrew our suit against the County. The Town got nothing from suing the County.
I asked County Councilman Joe Qualey to work to for a compromise and agreed to give him my support. The project is in his district. Where we had the County and SCDOT insisting that no modification was possible when the Town was suing to force change, compromise became possible when it was requested by our representative on County Council.
I learned a lesson. Fighting in court wastes time and money. Working with our elected representatives gets results.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Gullah Cultural Center
The St. James Foundation is seeking to develop a Gullah Cultural Center on James Island. The proposed location is a nearly 10 acre parcel on Grimball Road. (TAX PARCEL ID: 3340700048.)
It is located between Septima P. Clark Corporate academy and James Island Elementary School.
The Foundation hopes to purchase the property using Charleston County Greenbelt funds. It has applied for a grant from the rural portion of the program. It has also approached the Town, asking for a $200,000 match from the Town's allocation of Greenbelt funds to help reach the total $900,000 purchase price.
The Foundation's application will be reviewed by the Greenbelt Board in early August and so if the Town is to the support the project, a decision must be made at the Town Council meeting on Thursday, July 17.
The Gullah Cultural building will take up two of the ten acres on the site. Most of the grounds will be landscaped and open to the general public. An interpretative walking trail tracing the history of the Gullah experience will be included on the grounds. Space will be available for large picnics, school groups and farmers markets. This open land and trail is very consistent with the Town's strategy for using its share of the Greenbelt funds.
The building will include an auditorium, conference center, a teaching kitchen and café. The Foundation plans for a variety of educational and cultural activities at the Center, including story telling, sale of sea island crafts by local entrepreneurs, and food.
The Gullah Cultural Center will be located in a portion of James Island that was in the Town in the past but is now unincorporated. We hope that this area can be returned to the Town soon.
I believe that that the Town should be proud to play a part in this exciting project, highlighting an essential part of the James Island experience.
Troy Strother, of the St. James Foundation, we be at the July Town Council meeting to make a presentation about the project.
If you have any concerns or questions about the Town's contribution to this project, please call me at 697-7020 or email mayorwoolsey@gmail.com.
It is located between Septima P. Clark Corporate academy and James Island Elementary School.
The Foundation's application will be reviewed by the Greenbelt Board in early August and so if the Town is to the support the project, a decision must be made at the Town Council meeting on Thursday, July 17.
The Gullah Cultural building will take up two of the ten acres on the site. Most of the grounds will be landscaped and open to the general public. An interpretative walking trail tracing the history of the Gullah experience will be included on the grounds. Space will be available for large picnics, school groups and farmers markets. This open land and trail is very consistent with the Town's strategy for using its share of the Greenbelt funds.
The building will include an auditorium, conference center, a teaching kitchen and café. The Foundation plans for a variety of educational and cultural activities at the Center, including story telling, sale of sea island crafts by local entrepreneurs, and food.
The Gullah Cultural Center will be located in a portion of James Island that was in the Town in the past but is now unincorporated. We hope that this area can be returned to the Town soon.
I believe that that the Town should be proud to play a part in this exciting project, highlighting an essential part of the James Island experience.
Troy Strother, of the St. James Foundation, we be at the July Town Council meeting to make a presentation about the project.
If you have any concerns or questions about the Town's contribution to this project, please call me at 697-7020 or email mayorwoolsey@gmail.com.
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