You In?

Well, Whiney Coyote is back again! Whining my way into your hearts and minds. As you know, we coyotes have a remarkable sense of smell--and something around this island just doesn’t smell right to me.  Maybe I am just howling up the wrong tree, but me thinks I smell a rat! Or two. Or seven.  Follow along, and let me know what you think…

                                   

I recently took the time to look up the word “progress” in the dictionary. No small task for a coyote with paws. Progress is defined as “the process of developing something over a period of time”.  Back in 1994 our state legislature required every town and city to develop a Comprehensive Plan. A Comprehensive Plan is a guide for elected officials to use as they administer goals and regulations. The law requires that Comp Plans be re-evaluated every 5 years and updated every 10 years. Sullivan’s Island’s Comprehensive Plan beautifully defines our town. It places special emphasis on the its unique character, charm, history, and land. It affirms our desire and our duty to maintain the standard of living we have come to expect.

As required, the Planning Commission completed its re-evaluation of our Comp Plan in May of 2013. On May 8, 2013--almost a year ago--the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the 2013 Comp Plan and then recommended that Town Council adopt the Plan as presented. Now, here’s the part that starts getting a little smelly. As you may recall, we had an important election the next week. New mayor, new mayor pro tem, new council member. But curiously, this Council has ignored the responsibility of adopting our Comprehensive Plan as state law requires. Why would they do that? Now almost a whole year has gone by, and still no action has been taken on its adoption. What is going on?

The fox is not the only furry, four legged, canine-looking animal considered to be cunning and sly. We coyotes have a few sly genes in our DNA, and I think there may be a great, great great uncle on my mother’s side of the family who saw a cute little fox one day and ….But, I digress.  

I think the 7 members of this Town Council are intentionally choosing to be non-compliant in the adoption of our Plan. Crouched and curious, I am beginning to think they have their very own Behind-The-Scenes- Comprehensive Plan. Yikes! I also think that their Plan shares no relationship with its state-required counterpart. That is a pretty strong accusation, right? My nostrils are flared. My fur is going up on my back. This tells me I am on the right trail. I think I’m gonna call this investigation The Trail to the Truth.  All right, let’s get started...

Please read this paragraph  describing the main vision  of the 2013 Comp Plan (found on page 93 of our Comprehensive Plan):

“Changes in the community should be given careful attention in order to assure that there is not a loss in the character and charm of Sullivan’s Island. It is this ambiance that has drawn people to live here since the 18^th century. The main vision of the Comprehensive Plan is to preserve the residential character of the Island and the commercial area in a condition very similar to how they currently appear, working to preserve the memory of Sullivan’s Island from the past two centuries.”

The Comprehensive Plan has 4 goals. Here are those goals and the evidence that this Council has chosen to reject them.

Goal 1: To protect the Town’s special sense of place.

     Fact:  This Council has endorsed an excessive, hedonistic commercial district that caters to off-island, young adults and tourists. They have caused unwanted problems due to out-of-control drinking and partying. St.  Patrick’s Day lasts for days and is no longer a family-friendly event. It has become a dangerous, criminal exhibition of indecency and reckless behavior.

     Fact: This Council chose to ignore a state-certified petition entitling Islanders to right to vote via a referendum.

     Fact: This Council is currently selling off our greatest assets - town property.

     Fact: Current police reports show that 98% of all crime and police involvements deal with non-residents. Trespassing, home break-ins, automobile break-ins, alcohol and drug arrests are on the rise.

Goal 2: To protect single family, residential character.

     Fact:  This Council initiated and supported one islander’s attempt to radically change an historic neighborhood from single family to multi-family use.

Goal 3: To value and preserve the integrity of the Island way of life.

     Fact: This Council gives more attention to the needs of visitors and tourists rather than focusing on the needs of residents.  

     Fact: This Town Council wants to expand the Commercial District on Middle Street. This would result in more eating establishments, storefronts, and a huge increase in congestion and traffic issues.

     Fact: This Council has not addressed the lack of parking all over the island. The Commercial District cannot accommodate non-residents now.

Goal 4: To protect sights significant to the Town’s history and natural beauty including beaches, marshes, and other natural areas.

     Fact: This Council applied for and received grant money that could significantly change the (protected) Accreted Land. Boardwalks, decks, and benches could be constructed from Station 16 to 26.

     Fact: Opening this pristine, natural green space to non-residents would result in more parking horrors for residents.

     Fact: This Council gave away a $30 million of prime, front beach real estate that could have paid for all infrastructure needs, town improvements, a new town hall, and established a healthy, rainy day fund. The size of the school is considered a blight by many residents, all of whom now must also endure an increase in taxes and fees while trying to cope with unwanted traffic, and an infrastructure that is already maximized.

So there it is. It is as plain as day. The actions of this Town Council do not complement our stated goals.  And to further flare the nostrils, and fuzz the fur, just last week Mayor Perkis sent a directive to all council members asking them to review the Comprehensive Plan and to present proposed amendments by April 2014. How can this be? It is already a year late. It has already been updated by the Planning Commission, presented to the public, and forwarded to Council for adoption…not amendment.

I know this Trail to the Truth has been long, and I apologize, but here is the importance of my Whiney Coyote rant today: We are at a tipping point on our Island. We are either going to maintain our "Mayberry by the Sea" quality of life, or we will start looking more like Daniel Island or Myrtle Beach.  I know that you take enormous pride in our culture, out traditions, our history, our old homes, and our natural resources. I think you want to maintain our "simple" way of life.

“Backwards” is my favorite speed on our island.  I see this kind of progress not only as unnecessary but UNWANTED. This Whiney Coyote will put every paw on the line to prevent this island from further harm in the name of “progress." In fact, my paws and your feet could march together - a grand army of islanders indeed - who want this island to be preserved and protected. So….

                                             YOU IN?

The Road to Unity on Sullivan’s Island 

Where to start in responding to Wayne Stelljes, who insists that certain people should not be allowed to speak at Town Council meetings and workshops? Does Wayne think that a rule like that should ever be applied to him? Who exactly would decide who gets to speak and who doesn’t--and when “enough is enough?”

But there is no doubt that Sullivan’s island residents want more information than they are getting from this Town Council! The response to Sullivan’s Island Community Impact (sicommunityimpact.com) has been overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic. We have heard from so, so many islanders who are relieved beyond measure to have a source of timely information about changes impacting their neighborhood and the entire SI community. And the most enthusiastic response is to Whiney Coyote!

 So why not stream SI Town Council meetings, as is done on the Isle of Palms and by the Berkeley and Charleston County Councils and the Charleston City Council? And why not post the minutes of all of the various committee meetings (Water & Sewer, Public Safety, Public Facilities, Park Foundation, etc.)? Surrounding municipalities do that as well.

 Why does SI remove meeting agendas and attachments from the Town website almost immediately after a Town Council meeting, thereby denying residents access to the information until the meeting minutes are posted—usually a month later? Why not keep all of the agendas and the accompanying background information posted on the Town website for residents to easily access throughout the month? All of these things are routinely done in surrounding municipalities. Why not on Sullivan’s Island?

As residents have sadly learned over the past few years, no SI neighborhood seems to be safe from the destructive reach of this Town Council. Apparently Wayne Stelljes is content to sit back and watch—and often cheerlead-- as our community and quality of life are degraded by the actions of this Town Council. But rest assured--Wayne represents an extremely small minority of island residents!

The road to unity is truly paved with transparency.

Barbara Spell

Bike Route Through SI Neighborhoods Very Much Alive!

While Town Council says it has shelved the idea of building a boardwalk over the marsh from the Ben Sawyer to Patriot Street,  Town Council has not shelved the plan create a bike route through SI neighborhoods. The project is known as B2B. 

As the Planning Commission discussed at its March 13 meeting, the B2B path recommended by the Planning Commission would direct cyclists and pedestrians coming onto SI to take a right on Jasper from Ben Sawyer and head up to Middle Street, crossing at Station 22 to get to Atlantic Avenue, and heading down Atlantic to get Breach Inlet via Marshall and Station 28. The report states that the issue will be on the agenda for theApril 9 Planning Commission meeting.

The Planning Commission's focus during the B2B discussions has been how best to accommodate the needs and interests of the cyclists and pedestrians entering and leaving Sullivan's Island. There was no discussion about how the proposed bike path would impact SI residents and neighborhoods. 

 But do SI residents really want Town Council to create even more traffic through the neighborhoods, and even more activity at Station 22 and Middle Street? Getting off of the island through the commercial district is already a nightmare in the summer! And surrounding neighborhoods already must deal with significantly increased traffic as drivers  try to avoid hour-long traffic tie-ups on Middle Street. 

And getting back to the boardwalk over the marsh...Copied below* is the section from the March 13 Planning Commission report detailing the now-shelved plan for the boardwalk over the marsh to Patriot Street. Very interesting....Lots of time and effort were put into the plan! And note this:  In addition to the B2B bike path crossing Middle Street at Station 22, the Planning Commission also discussed  creating another bike path starting from the termination of the proposed boardwalk on Patriot Street. As detailed in the report, that path would route cyclists and pedestrians through the back of Stith Park and around the Mound. Possible connections would be established with Gull Drive and Central Avenue via Station 20.5. 

The concepts of the bike paths and the boardwalk over the marsh were first introduced at the November meeting of the Planning Commission.  But it is not apparent that any residents in the Patriot Street neighborhood were contacted by Town Council or the Planning Commission about the plans under discussion. 

So what can SI residents do? Contact Town Council members! During the boardwalk discussion, a resident of the Patriot Street neighborhood spoke very forcefully and eloquently on behalf of her neighbors, asking if for once, the commercial district and the tourists could NOT be given priority over residents and neighborhoods. 

Maybe residents should ask the same question about Town Council's plan to route a bike path through fragile neighborhoods and the already-congested commercial district.

*Below is the section from the March 13 Planning Commission report discussing the boardwalk over the marsh and  a bicycle path beginning at Patriot Street.  The B2B bike route is discussed in a separate section of the report.

2)  Bike Path and Marshwalk at Patriot Street: Commission discussion regarding feasibility of constructing a bike path or marshwalk to provide pedestrian access from Ben Sawyer Boulevard to the Patriot Street termination. 

• Initiated at November meeting and continued in December 2013 and January 2014 – path would initiate at entrance to Sullivan’s Island on Ben Sawyer Boulevard, traverse by boardwalk over small marsh area linking to one of two options:  

1. Option 1: Marshwalk would lead to the Patriot Street right-of-way to Myrtle Avenue to Station 22 to Middle Street (travel along road right of ways); 
2.  Option 2: Marshwalk would lead to Station 22 termination and continue to the Town owned parcel TMS# 529-05-00-080. The path would traverse the vacant parcel and route bikes and pedestrians through the park property and around the Mound. Possible connections would be established with Gull Drive and Central Avenue via Station 20.5. 

 Zoning Administrator reviewed current regulations and issues for consideration: 

• All public infrastructure projects require Town Council approval; 
• Public input would be needed from area residents along proposed route; 
• TOSI Comprehensive Plan: Transportation Element encourages pedestrian and bicycle transport along low-speed residential streets and sidewalks (Continuation of East Coast Greenway). 
• Z.O. Section 21-75: Ordinance prohibits construction of any dock across marshland in the RC-2 Zoning District from Station 18 to Station 27 (See enclosed map of prohibited area); 
• Would require approval of encroachment permits from U.S. Corps of Engineers, the Department of Health and Environmental Control/Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (DHEC/OCRM). 
• Commission discussion and public input given on the concept. Commission tasked Staff with additional research for report at April meeting: 
•  Coordinate with SCDHEC/OCRM on design requirements for the boardwalk and what would comply with their regulations for a water-dependent public interest (as implied in Regulation 30-12(F)(2)(f)). 
•  Confer with Town Attorney for legal opinion on whether an amendment to ZO Section 21-7 will be needed. 

ACTION: Further study and discussion; Commission retains on April agenda.

Link to Planning Commission's Report to Council: http://bit.ly/1h3twzJ