Angel Oak project stalls

The idea of using Charleston County's half-cent sales tax to preserve rural space and build parks might not seem controversial, but County Council is finding much intrigue in the details.

In separate votes Thursday, council members decided to:

"It appears only rich people are getting dollars," he said. "That's sad."

The Finance Committee, made up of all County Council members, took the votes Thursday, and the full council will make a final decision next week.

Angel Oak deal

Charleston City Councilman Mike Seekings urged the committee to reject the Angel Oak deal, which he said wouldn't offer any advantage.

County Councilman Dickie

Schweers said he was inclined to support the city's request "unless we have a very good reason not to. I don't think this rises to that standard."

Schweers and Councilwoman Colleen Condon were outvoted 7-2.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, who wasn't at the meeting, said he was shocked.

"That money is allocated to the city of Charleston," he said. "It is a vitally important land-preservation opportunity. The 7 acres would make the Angel Oak not a 2-acre park but a 9-acre park, and it would remove parking from the roots of this tree."

Riley said the deal also would protect the wooded views from the park. "I'm amazed that nobody from County Council called me or the city about this," he said.

IOP project

The debate over the Isle of Palms park was more low-key. Summey recommended that the application be deferred 30 days so the county's transportation staff could meet with that city's officials about transportation improvements.

The Isle of Palms City Council unanimously agreed in April to seek $474,305 in greenbelt money as seed money for a $1.3 million, 1.2-acre undeveloped site at 3206 Palm Blvd.

City Councilman Sandy Stone, who attended the meeting Thursday, said the rest of the money would come from donations, not city dollars.

The project became controversial when it was reviewed by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, which voted not to recommend it.

Schweers said he has received many emails opposing it, but was not quite sure why. No one spoke for or against the project Thursday, and some said the controversy may stem from the city's four upcoming City Council races this fall.

"Every time the citizens complain to me, they were complaining about parking on Ocean Boulevard," Schweers said. "This project is on Palm Boulevard."

Ravenel center

A final controversial project was a $574,500 request for a planned Cultural and Life Enrichment Center in Ravenel. The money would go toward buying 11 acres off U.S. Highway 17, but the nonprofit would be responsible for raising the rest of the money to build the complex.

If it did not do so in three years, the land would be transferred to the Park and Recreation Commission.

County Council members Darby, Summey, Teddie Pryor and Anna Johnson voted for the deal, while members Schweers, Condon, Vic Rawl and Joe Qualey voted no.

Councilman Herb Sass abstained because his firm appraised the property before he joined council, an appraisal that lowered the owner's asking price by almost 50 percent.

The Greenbelt Bank Board unanimously recommended against the deal, but the county staff recommended for it. When it failed on a split vote, Darby said poorer residents aren't getting their fair share.

Schweers objected to Darby's characterization, noting that County Council had just approved more than $1 million for a 6.8-acre project in East Cooper's Ten Mile community, a park that will include nature trails, recreation space and an agricultural area.

"If I go through every poor community in East Cooper, virtually every one has received funds for a park," he said.

Other projects

County Council also rejected $405,000 for a Sycamore Urban Horticulture Center on Sycamore Drive in West Ashley, saying the project was less about land preservation than creating a new office for the Charleston Parks Conservancy.

There were a few projects that breezed through without any controversy, including $1.6 million for 1,529 acres in Awendaw, $205,000 for a quarter-acre-sized Folly Beach parcel to be used as a dog park, and $197,774 to develop trails on about 190 acres of new beach that has formed on Sullivan's Island.

The county has about $6.9 million left in its urban greenbelt program and about $17.4 million left in its rural program.