Sidewalk Repairs on Fort Johnson

Town contractors are out today repairing sidewalks on Fort Johnson Road today.  Technically, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is responsible for keeping the sidewalks on SCDOT roads in repair.   That includes Fort Johnson Road.   However, SCDOT puts maintenance of sidewalks low on its list of priorities.   In fact, when the Town has constructed new sidewalks on SCDOT roads, we have been required to sign an agreement promising to maintain them.   Plainly, SCDOT has neglected its sidewalks on Fort Johnson Road for decades and the Town has requested repairs for several years now.   We finally bit the bullet and are using Town funds to make some needed repairs. 

Rethink Folly News

The first major improvement coming out of the Rethink Folly Road plan is a sidewalk in the Commercial Core of Folly Road--between Ellis Creek and Prescott Street.   The Town of James Island, the City of Charleston, and Charleston County  have all committed to making significant financial contributions and we obtained a complete streets grant of federal money from the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments.   Charleston County Transportation took over management of the project from the Town and hired the Reveer Group as engineering consultants.

The Steering Committee had approved a proposal for an eight foot sidewalk on the west side of Folly road running from Ellis Creek to Pittsford Street.   Because of difficulties in relocated the power poles in the segment between Camp Road an Pittsford Street, Charleston County Transportation recommended putting the sidewalk on the east side of Folly Road between Camp Road and George Griffith.  The Steering Committee recommended that the sidewalk be 7 feet wide in this segment, which will be entirely on existing SCDOT right-of-way.  The proposal includes a crosswalk at George Griffith, but the steering committee made it clear that it needs to be a robust and safe crossing.  The project also includes a widening and painting of the bike lanes in this area of Folly Road.   By keeping the entire sidewalk on SCDOT right-of-way in this segment, more funding will be available to improve the bike lanes and the crosswalk.   

The Steering Committee also recommended that the City of Charleston and Charleston County adopt the Town's revision of the Folly Road overlay to include a multi-use path on any new development or redevelopment on Folly Road.   The long term goal is to have multi-use paths on both sides of Folly Road from Wappoo Cut to the City of Folly Beach.   

Finally, the Steering Committee recommended that the Town of James Island, the City of Charleston, Charleston County, and the City of Folly Beach hire the Toole Design Group as a consultant to manage the Rethink Folly Road Plan.   The intention is not to replace Charleston County Transportation's role in the current or future infrastructure projects, but instead to work on other elements of the plan especially marketing and business outreach.   The Town of James Island is managing the consultant contract, with finance being shared by the four constituent governments.   Town Council has approved the MOU with Charleston County, the City of Charleston, and Folly Beach and also approved the contract with the Toole Design Group.

Brantley Park Progress

The Charleston County Greenbelt Advisory Board voted unanimously to recommend that County Council approve the Town of James Island and City of Charleston's application to use Greenbelt funds to purchase the property at the corner of Folly Road and Brantley Drive for "Brantley Park."   They did make the recommendation conditional on the municipalities providing public access to the dock on the property. 

This is a complication because the dock straddles the line between the proposed park and the neighboring property.   Further, the current dock is permitted as a residential dock and to make it public it must be permitted as a community dock. 

Everyone on James Island owes our Councilwoman Jenny Honeycutt thanks for her efforts to move this project forward.   It will go to County Council's Finance Committee next week and then the Council Council.

The City and Town still have work to do.   Negotiations with the property owner continue.   Still, approval by the Greenbelt Board was an important step forward in this joint effort by the Town of James Island and the City of Charleston to improve Folly Road.

Progress in Reuniting the Town--SC House Passes Contiguity Bill

The South Carolina House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 3661 today.   This bill will provide an opportunity for residents of the unincorporated area of James Island to rejoin the Town.   This is an important step forward, and we should all give a big thank you to Representative Peter McCoy for shepherding this bill though the House. 

However, the companion bill in the South Carolina Senate, S. 669, must also pass.  Unfortunately, the Senate (and House) finished up their business today and cannot consider the bill until next year.   We will need a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, get a favorable recommendation from there, and then get a vote by the full Senate.   Governor McMaster must then sign the bill for it to become law.

The bill clarifies the legal definition of contiguity so that if a property is in the same special purpose district as a municipality and the property would be contiguous with the municipality but for a break in the contiguity of the special purpose district, then the property is contiguous with the municipality.   This clarification only applies if the special purpose district has an elected governing body and and the municipality is entirely within the special purpose district.    Contiguity is important because it is a requirement for annexation.

Annexation on James Island by the City of Charleston has created breaks in the contiguity of the James Island Public Service District (JIPSD.)    The Town is entirely included within part of the JIPSD.   The unincorporated areas of James Island that were in the Town in 2011 are separated from the Town by these breaks in the contiguity of the JIPSD.   The bill would allow the Town to annex properties directly across these breaks either by petition of the individual property owner or else by annexation election.

Please reach out to Senator Campsen who represents the southern portion of the Town and unincorporated area of James Island and Senator Senn who represents the northern portion of the Town and unincorporated area of James Island.   Thank Senator Campsen for filing a companion bill and ask both of them to work to give the former residents of the Town the opportunity to vote to return to the Town. 

The JIPSD Commissioners who voted for a resolution in support of HB 3661 also deserve thanks.   The previous Commissioners refusal to support this effort (and behind the scenes opposition) made things much more difficult in Columbia. 

Camp Road Library Building

Charleston County Council has offered to lease the Camp Road Library building to the Town for $1 per year.   I think all of us in the Town should be very grateful to Charleston County Council for making this kind offer.   Also, please thank our Councilwoman Jenny Honeycutt for her success in persuading the majority of County Council to approve this offer.

However, it is important to understand that the lease agreement does not allow the Town to provide library services.   This agreement will go to Town Council at our May 16 meeting.   I plan to vote in favor.

After County Council selected the Grimball Road site for the new library branch on James Island, Town Council has consistently advocated keeping the existing branch open as well.    Former County Councilman Joe Qualey worked to keep the Camp Road branch open.   Our new County Councilwoman, Jenny Honeycutt did the same.   Unfortunately, she could not find a majority of County Council that was willing to provide the funding necessary to keep the Camp Road branch open as well as fund the new and larger James Island branch opening on Grimball Road.   She was able to find a majority willing to lease the building to the Town at a nominal cost--$1 per year.

While it was apparent that County Council was not willing to fund two libraries on James Island, and that only the new, larger, Grimball Road facility would be funded, we had hoped that the County Library would be willing to contract with the Town and continue to provide at least some library services at the Camp Road site at Town expense.   Our preliminary contact with the acting Director of the Library was very positive.

The Town received a lease agreement last month that included as a possible use, "library services funded by the Town."   That agreement was included in the agenda packet for our April meeting.  However, at the very last minute, the Charleston County Library Board contacted Charleston County and insisted that the lease agreement be changed to remove library services as a possible use, prevent the use of the name "library" in the name of the Town facility, and to prevent any County funds or County staff be used at the facility.   While we understood that no County funds would be used, we had hoped that we could pay to have County (library) staff provide services.   

Town Council went ahead and approved the original lease agreement, rather than the last minute modification.   We hoped that County Council would agree with our position.   I believe that Councilwoman Honeycutt supported our position but the majority sided with the Library Board.   Therefore, the Town has a great opportunity to have a building at nominal cost that we can use for any educational purpose.  Unfortunately, library services are not included.   I believe that the Library Board wants to make sure that James Islanders will use the new branch at Grimball Road.  I certainly plan to do so.

This summer, the Town will hold a charrette to obtain public input about uses of the building.   Please be on the lookout for your chance to share your opinion.    

Town and JIPSD Sign MOU for Tax Credits

At the end of January, the JIPSD Commission voted 7 to 1 to approve a Memorandum of Understanding  (MOU) with the Town to work towards having the Town pay the JIPSD for a portion of the cost of providing fire protection and solid waste collection services to the residents of the Town in exchange for the JIPSD allowing the Town to provide a credit against the property taxes levied by the JIPSD in the Town's area of jurisdiction.   Town Council also voted 4 to 1 to authorize the agreement.

Representatives of the Town and the JIPSD met in late February.   The JIPSD Commission had approved joint representation of  both the Town and the JIPSD by the Pope-Flynn law firm.   The Commission Chair and Secretary and I signed a joint representation agreement.  Also at that meeting he JIPSD's acting general attorney recommended that the MOU be shortened.   That task was completed and the shortened document approved.  Commission Chair Alan Laughlin and I signed the MOU this week.

Our joint attorney approached the Charleston County Auditor in early March.   The Auditor will be responsible for modifying the tax bills going out in jurisdiction of the Town so that the credit will reduce the amount paid by Town taxpayers to the County Treasurer and so the amount paid over to the JIPSD.   The Auditor's office is working on the necessary modifications in its computer software and the County legal staff is reviewing the proposal. 

Town Council held its public hearing for the 2019-2020 budget   I asked for  $1 million for fire protection and solid waste collection services.   It passed first reading on a 4 to 1 vote.   Second and final reading will be at the Town's May meeting.   The tax credits will result in a 30% reduction in what Town homeowners pay in JIPSD property tax and an overall 15% property tax cut.

Our attorney from Pope-Flynn is developing the Cost-Sharing agreement.   Two important items to be setting is when and how the payments will be made by the Town to the JIPSD and also the amount of an "administration fee" to be paid by the Town to the JIPSD for the cost of administering the agreement.   The Cost Sharing Agreement will return to the JIPSD Commission and Town Council for approval.  We are still on schedule for tax credits to appear on the property tax bills going out in October.

Why Not Wait a Little--Riverland Terrace May Soon Have a Choice

Should Riverland Terrace join the City of Charleston? Some may think that it is the answer to the periodic tree trimming that the neighborhood has suffered through the years.   As part of its franchise agreement with the City of Charleston, Dominion (formerly SCE&G) keeps funds available for nonstandard power service, including burying power lines. 

The Town also has a franchise agreement with Dominion and is looking into burying some power lines on James Island--on Folly Road between Ellis Creek and Eugene Gibbs Drive (near Chick-Fil-A.) It is part of the ReThink Folly Road project which will require moving some power lines to construct the planned sidewalk.  The estimated cost was $60,000 per pole, with half of the cost coming from the Town's nonstandard service fund with Dominion, requiring that the Town come up with an additional $30,000 per pole.  (Because the cost of moving the poles, which is $10,000, will be covered as part of the overall project expense, the Town needs approximately $20,000 extra per pole.)  We also discovered that not only must the property owners provide an easement to place boxes, there will also be a cost to connecting to the service--from $10,000 to $15,000 depending on the age of the building.   Mount Pleasant took years to finally get underground service along Coleman Boulevard.    The total cost for this one segment on the west side of Folly Road was more than $1 million with likely delays of several years if all of the lines must be buried.   At best we can afford to do part.  I think it is likely that most of the poles will be moved rather than buried though we hope that some portion of the lines in the area will be placed underground soon. We will be reviewing our Town's development standards so that as Folly Road businesses are redeveloped over the years,  putting the power lines under ground will be required as part of redevelopment.

Will the City of Charleston consider newly annexed houses in Riverland Terrace the priority over the entire City of Charleston for using monies from their  nonstandard service fund with Dominion?   And that is just 50% of the cost.   Will City Council expend money from its general fund for the match?   Maybe, but there are plenty of neighborhoods in the City that are likely to feel that their power lines should go underground first, if that is the new policy.

This year the JIPSD increased its property tax in the the Town and unincorporated area by 13%.   While the total millage in the unincorporated area is still lower than in the City of Charleston, the City's LOST property tax credit brings down the tax bill for a homeowner so that it is 3% less than what is paid by those in the JIPSD.  But that is just this year.  Charleston City Council has increased its property tax millage so that next year, homeowners in the City will be back to paying more property tax than those in the unincorporated area and in the Town. 

Further, just last November, the voters of the Town and unincorporated area, including Riverland Terrace, voted in three new JIPSD Commissioners.   I think it is very likely that there will be some roll back of the JIPSD millage increase.  Further, the new majority on the Commission is working on an agreement with the Town to provide a credit against JIPSD property tax.   I am confident that this will be complete by the time next year's tax bills come out in October.   As a result, while the total millage in the Town will only be slightly lower than in the City of Charleston, after the Town credits are applied, a homeowner will pay 31% less in the Town than in the City of Charleston! (The Town provides a 100% credit against its own property tax millage.)

What good does that do for those in Riverland Terrance?   Everyone in the unincorporated area of Riverland Terrace was in the Town in 2011.   We want you back.   And the Town has been pursuing legislation in Columbia that will make that possible.   HB 3661 passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously.   It is now going to the Senate Judiciary Committee.   Representative McCoy is confident it will pass the full House.   To become law, it must also pass the South Carolina Senate and be signed by the Governor.   After that, the process to return the unincorporated area of James Island, including Riverland Terrace, to the Town of James Island can begin.

If Riverland Terrace rejoins the Town, homeowners will be able to receive Town tax credits and so have substantially lower property taxes.   More importantly, you only have to look across Maybank Highway to see how the City has seen development on James Island.   The only City Councilwoman who lives on James Island tried to get a moratorium in areas on James Island prone to flooding.  Lost at City Council.  In my opinion, the City has improved on development issues recently.  Will that last?  The Town has never allowed that kind of density.    The Town will protect your neighborhood.

The Town has been very successful in leveraging our limited funds to promote projects that improve our quality of life on James Island.  Look at where the new sidewalks have come in over the last five years.   It is important to have a local government focused on our Island.

Riverland Terrace will play a much more important role as part of our small James Island community than as just one of the  hundreds of neighborhoods in the City of Charleston.   The City of Charleston has huge sources of revenue, but they also have massive expenses.   Just last year, the Town approached the City of Charleston about improved crosswalks on Folly at Camp and also at Eugene Gibbs.   They agreed.   We paid our $60,000.   The City couldn't follow through and come up with their smaller share of  the money. 

My advice to those in Riverland Terrace and in the rest of the unincorporated area is to be patient.  If you annex to the City, then you won't be able to change your mind.   Wait a bit, see what develops, and make a decision when you may well have a choice.