Spat over Kiawah spit
Development opponent ordered to take down signs
By Tony Bartelme
For years, Sidi Limehouse put up hand-painted signs near Rosebank Farms on Johns Island touting everything from tomatoes to Easter egg hunts. When the area's real estate sales wilted, he had one made saying: "Wanted: real estate agents to pick beans! See Sidi."
The Post and Courier
Sidi Limehouse stands near a sign Monday at his Johns Island Rosebank Farms roadside stand.
Then last month, he put up another: "Develop Cap'n Sam's Spit? No way." The sign included a phone number for Friends of the Kiawah River, a group he founded to oppose the development of Kiawah's southern tip.
After Limehouse put up that sign, the county received several e-mails from what one official described as "real estate agents and developers who work at that end of the county." The county declined a request under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act to provide copies of the e-mails.
A few weeks later, the county sent notices to Limehouse's landlord: Take down the signs by April 6 or face fines.
Limehouse said the county's actions are a form of selective prosecution. "I had those signs up for years, but they didn't have any problem until I put up the Captain Sam's Spit sign."
Limehouse contends the zoning ordinance allows him to have at least one per parcel. "So I left the Captain Sam's Spit one up," he said with a laugh. The rest are strewn in the brush, as if knocked down by a heavy wind.
National Geographic Video
Bottlenose Hunt on Sandy Shore, National Geographic showing bottlenose dolphins leaping onto the beach near Kiawah to get fish.
The sign fracas represents the latest wrinkle in the high-stakes debate over the future of Kiawah Island's undeveloped southern tip, a line of dunes that may be the most beautiful development battleground in the Lowcountry.
Set next to the county's Beachwalker Park, the spit curls south, growing wider as it nears the inlet and Seabrook Island. Bottlenose dolphins sometimes drive fish ashore here, temporarily beaching themselves while they feed, something known to happen in only one other place in the world.
Kiawah Development Partners, the island's master developer, owns the 150-acre sand spit and wants to build up to 50 homes there. The company's plans came to light last summer after a Post and Courier Watchdog report showed how U.S. Rep. Henry Brown wanted to change a federal law so future homeowners on the spit could get an insurance break.
VIDEO
11 min documentary video on Capt. Sam's Spit debate called "50 Homes on Kiawah Sand" by Mary Edna Fraser and Celie Dailey
Brown withdrew his bill after a storm of criticism, but Kiawah Development Partners said they would develop the dunes anyway.
Late last year, the project hit another hurdle. Kiawah Development Partners wanted a state permit to build a half-mile concrete revetment on the back side of the spit along the Kiawah River. But the state instead granted the company a permit to build a 270-foot revetment next to the Beachwalker Park parking lot, one-tenth the size the developers requested.
Kiawah Development Partners then hired two prominent lawyers, Trenholm Walker and Gedney Howe, to take the state to court.
More info
Court documents filed by Kiawah developers explaining their stance on the revetment. (5 page PDF)
Walker and Howe argue in court papers and other documents that the Department of Health and Environmental Control should have granted the permit because the erosion represents an emergency. The river is eating into the bank, particularly around the county park. They said the bulkhead their clients hope to build would be an environmentally sensitive structure that would slope into the water and have holes that would allow plant growth.
The Coastal Conservation League also went to court, challenging DHEC's decision to grant the smaller revetment. A trial date has yet to be set, and it could be months or years before the issue is settled.
Outside the courtroom, the debate has only gotten more vigorous.
The Post and Courier's on-line center for investigative reporting.Want to know how your favorite restaurant was rated by DHEC? Wonder about state employees' salaries?
Check out what our Watchdog reporters found.
Local environmentalists recently produced a video, "50 Houses on Kiawah Sand," featuring geologists who question the wisdom of building on barrier island spits. The case is drawing national interested from scientists who study diamondback terrapins, which make their homes along the bank where the developers want to put the revetment.
And then there's Limehouse, a scrappy Johns Island character with a thick gray beard. He said his Friends of Kiawah River group is adding new members every week.
Noting that the county only leases the land for Beachwalker Park, he worries that the developers will try to move the park to another place on Kiawah. The parking lot now blocks access to Captain Sam's Spit.
"There's a lot of money at stake, and I think my next sign will be something that says, 'Save Beachwalker Park,' " he said, adding that "I don't mind a good fair fight, but I think getting the county to go after my signs was going below the belt, but that's all right."
Walker said he was unaware of the Limehouse sign issue, and Leonard Long, Kiawah Development Partners' executive vice president, declined to comment.
In declining to release the identities of those who complained about the signs, Charleston County issued a statement saying it's allowed to release this information under the Freedom of Information Act, but that it also has the authority to keep such information secret.
Bill Rogers, executive director of the S.C. Press Association, said he knew of no exemption in the law that allows the county to withhold the e-mailed complaint to the county.
He compared the e-mail complaint to an incident report made to police, which is public information. "They should release that information immediately," Rogers said.
County officials said they were just doing their jobs when they told Limehouse to get rid of his signs and that they recently identified other sign violations in the area.
Reach Tony Bartelme at 937-5554 or tbartelme@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Sign violations are violations none the less.
April 21, 2009 at 6:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
iluvscarolina (anonymous) says...
Good for Sidi! Not many have the .... well not many are willing to stand up to KDP and others wanting to build on land that should be left along like Sidi Limehouse. I think Buddy Darby, Leonard Long, and the rest of the bunch have enough money to just sit back and relax. Well maybe when Buddy's other activities come to light he might not be sitting so pretty but for now LET THE LAND BE!
April 21, 2009 at 6:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
Now, unless you were born yesterday, thanks partially to dredging and damming the rivers, our coast is washing away. Hello, anyone home. For the well-being of the general public and future home owners who have more money than sense, I think that the government should prohibit building there. However, I do not think that the government has the stomach for the fight and may owe the other side for their power. Anyway, also as a strong proponent of private property rights, maybe we ought to let them build but decline any other improvements (paved roads, wall, etc.) whatsoever and prohibit insurance of the property. How's that for a compromise. Oh, as for the sign, I agree that they have been a little selective, and the government needs to fess up and show the complaints and who they are beholden to. Sidi has become quite the activist since prison I see. Good for him.
April 21, 2009 at 7:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clemsurf (anonymous) says...
Let them build there and let the houses wash away. It's like the lady who built her house on Folly Beach as close to the ocean as she could. Now she wants the state to protect her house. Screw that. You're the idiot who built it so deal with it.
April 21, 2009 at 7:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MP (anonymous) says...
Only problem Clemsurf, is that it is you and I who are going to end up paying for these people to rebuild- and rebuild- and rebuild and also to pay for mitigation of the long range erosion and environmental damage that this project will cause. Brown, the council, and, especially, Kiawah Partners will get their cut and run as fast as they can. Down the road, they will say "not my responsibility, everything was approved."
And you think the park land is not in their sights?
April 21, 2009 at 8:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
june (anonymous) says...
Lets keep Beachwalker park the way it is,now that the bottlenose dophins
beach themself while fishing for fish,it is more important to wildlife.
Charleston county should fight nail and tooth to keep it this way.
Let them build more homes elsewhere down the river. More power to captain
Sidi.
April 21, 2009 at 8:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
desspec (anonymous) says...
People say Sidi is a nut; we could use a few more nuts like him.
April 21, 2009 at 8:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mb300sl (anonymous) says...
The money will win in the end, it always does...
April 21, 2009 at 9:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gingerlatte (anonymous) says...
I'm glad that a man like Sidi is taking a stand because he's not the type to back down or be bought off. More people should be concerned about the environmental impact development will have on the surrounding areas rather than finding more ways to pad their wallets at the tax payers expense!
April 21, 2009 at 9:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
Paul THURMOND.... nuff' said.
April 21, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
A Charleston County Council committee Thursday shot down a controversial proposal to build a toll road across Johns Island. Councilman Paul Thurmond, whose district includes Kiawah and Seabrook islands, proposed the resolution, which asked the state Department of Transportation to seek proposals from private companies to build the toll road.
After the committee's decision, Buddy Darby, chief executive officer of Kiawah Development Partners, who supports the parkway, said the county doesn't need another study on the road. It has already had two studies done and both indicate that the parkway is the best solution for traffic problems on Johns Island. And, he added, he previously tried to bring together people and groups who have a stake in the parkway, but those who are opposed never could commit to a meeting.
My friends John Dewberry and Buddy Darby will be here for the gig tonight. They have both hunted with us at Charlane. Both are very big developers. John owns some prime property in downtown Atlanta and in Charleston and other areas:. Buddy and his wife Tammy live on Sullivan's Island in South Carolina and among his many projects; he was the main developer of Kiawah Island in SC. One of his recent projects is an amazing "golf destination" in the west coast of Ireland called "Doonbeg". John bought one of the suites there and of course Buddy has one as well. The last multifamily project that was built on Kiawah Island was finished in 1987. Since then, the number of condos on the island has remained steady at about 1,500 while developers concentrated on building more profitable single-family homes, said Charles P. "Buddy" Darby, chief operating officer of Kiawah Development Partners."The market has driven our decisions, and we've been able to get higher values for single-family homes," Darby said.
KRA's Delaware partnership filing lists D&W Investment, Inc. and TWD, LLC as the general partners of KRA ,with Buddy Darby as President of D&W and Manager of the LLC. These same two entities are the signatories to Exh. 18.1 of the '05 DA (KRA's waiver of its right to appoint majority of KICA Board), but neither is mentioned in '05 DA as an entity related to KRA. It also has not been explained why these two entities should not be included in '05 DA. It is unclear what legal impact such an omission may have on the waiver Darby will be executing on their behalf.
April 21, 2009 at 9:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
desspec (anonymous) says...
dat you, cretin?
April 21, 2009 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
I remember Kiawah when it was like Gilligan's Island.
Maybe 20 houses on the whole Island. All dirt roads. Everyone knew everyone. Did not lock doors even at night.
As a 15 yr old girl I could walk the beach by myself if I felt like it, looking for sea turtles at midnight & not only feel safe, but BE SAFE.
Sigh. Big Sigh.
Sidi is doing the right thing.
Also, he has a right to see the complaint.
April 21, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Numba10 (anonymous) says...
there is no reason to build 50 homes in a wildlife feeding area that is one of two known in the world. Any politician who does not oppse this outright should be removed by the people from office-----All ocean front property does not need to be developed.
April 21, 2009 at 10:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
redreader (anonymous) says...
Regarding the earlier comment about the Folly Beach property built too close to the shore: The woman referenced did not build the house and did not want to have anything to do with beachfront property. The house in question was an asset in an investment trust she had purchased for her retirement and when the trust went bust many years ago, she found through the document search that the beach house on Folly was the lone remaining asset. She had been hoodwinked and I believe, but could be wrong, that she has recouped SOME of her nest egg by selling the property finally.
April 21, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
We were more than a little suspicious after reading Tony Bartelme's story in the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier the other day about U.S. Rep. Henry Brown. Aside from the fact that Brown thinks we should subsidize flood insurance for rich people who want to build homes on pristine barrier islands, something about the Congressman's professed ignorance of Leonard Long - a developer pushing to build those very homes on our own Kiawah Island - struck us as disingenuous :
Asked whether Long had approached him about the bill, Brown replied, "Who's Leonard Long?"
NEED PROOF? Look at the political payoffs
Long, Leonard
CHARLESTON, SC
29401 $-1,000 08/17/2008 G HENRY E. BROWN JR. FOR CONGRESS - Republican
Long, Leonard
CHARLESTON, SC
29401 Kiawah Resort Associates/Realtor $1,000 06/02/2008 P HENRY E. BROWN JR. FOR CONGRESS - Republican
LONG, LEONARD L JR
SULLIVANS ISLAND, SC
29482 KIAWAH RESORT ASSOC. L.P./PARTNER $-216 07/16/2007 P LINDSEY GRAHAM FOR SENATE - Republican
LONG, LEONARD L JR
SULLIVANS ISLAND, SC
29482 KIAWAH RESORT ASSOC. L.P./PARTNER $216 07/16/2007 G LINDSEY GRAHAM FOR SENATE - Republican
LONG, LEONARD L JR
SULLIVANS ISLAND, SC
29482 KIAWAH RESORT ASSOC. L.P./PARTNER $416 07/16/2007 P LINDSEY GRAHAM FOR SENATE - Republican
LONG, LEONARD L JR
SULLIVANS ISLAND, SC
29482 KIAWAH RESORT ASSOC. LP/PARTNER $2,500 01/05/2007 P LINDSEY GRAHAM FOR SENATE - Republican
LONG, LEONARD L JR
SULLIVANS ISLAND, SC
29482 KIAWAH RESORT ASSOC. LP/PARTNER $-808 01/05/2007 P LINDSEY GRAHAM FOR SENATE - Republican
LONG, LEONARD L JR
SULLIVANS ISLAND, SC
29482 KIAWAH RESORT ASSOC. LP/PARTNER $808 01/05/2007 G LINDSEY GRAHA
April 21, 2009 at 10:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
US HOUSE: Brown slammed over developer contribution
"Aside from the fact that Brown thinks we should subsidize flood insurance for rich people who want to build homes on pristine barrier islands, something about the Congressman's professed ignorance of Leonard Long - a developer pushing to build those very homes on our own Kiawah Island - struck us as disingenuous."
Real estate holding company Kiawah Development Partners, is setting out on a new venture funding small businesses throughout the Southeast.
The Charleston-based firm, through a newly created investment subsidiary, has partnered with Miami-based small-business investor Banyan Mezzanine Fund, an 18-month-old company that specializes in alternative financing for small companies. Together, the firms have so far raised about $60 million in capital, including $40 million in matching funds from the Federal Small Business Administration. Kiawah Development Partners, lead by Charles P. Darby III, Leonard Long and Pat McKinney, say they have already identified six to eight candidates in the Carolinas that meet their investment criteria: at least $5 million in annual revenue.
Leonard Long runs the legal and marketing departments for Kiawah Development Partners. A lawyer for about three decades, he served as Charleston County attorney when Kiawah's rezoning application was negotiated in 1975.
ANY QUESTION WHY THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST WAS REJECTED?
April 21, 2009 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
The cash for the Greg Norman-designed course and the luxury suites surrounding it is in Doonbeg Investment Holding Company Ltd (DIH), where Charles 'Buddy' Darby, Leonard Long Jr, Patrick McKinney and Townsend P Clarkson are directors, each with South Carolina addresses. The four are well-known in US golfing circles for their development of the plush Kiawah Island course in their home state, which will play host to the US PGA Tour in 2012.
KEA Doonbeg LLC - DIH's US-based parent company - has been piling more and more cash into the golf club, contributing â 5m in 2003 and over â lOm in 2004, before lashing in a whopping â 13m in 2005, making a total investment of no less than â 48m by the end of 2005.
DIH became the Irish holding company in 2005 and the various Doonbeg businesses no longer file their own accounts, although Doonbeg Golf Club Ltd lost â 3.2m during the year to the end of March 2004 and was carrying a deficit of â 16m before it became consolidated.
April 21, 2009 at 11:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KiawahIslandGirl (anonymous) says...
I really hope they do not develop. Whatever they do effects all of us and all of the environment. It would be nice if instead developers bought up the run down homes. If politicians are so helpful to their donors then they could instead put money into the clean up and removal of some of the rotting mess that is on Bohicket Road. There is some beautiful deep water land with uninhabitable homes.
This area, with the way the roads are, Bohicket and River Roads make it impossible for anymore growth. In fact we all know those roads are about as safe as the Old Cooper River Bridge was.
I enjoy Sidi's signs. I'm glad he is getting the word out and he obviously has the traffic volume and free exposure and it sure has gotten on the word out and gotten to the nerves of all the blood sucking developers.
I moved here to get away from all the traffic. I grew up in a quieter time and I love the fresh air, clean water and sounds of nature.
I don't want it to become The mosquito island delusion, under a bridge as the noisy, stinky rotten smell of Daniel Island is. Its fake and people are buying into it. With the yuppie moms and dads jogging, text messaging, rolling the baby strollers, walking the dogs (all at the same time mind you) and looking like a three ring circus.
Now maybe that is for some people, but I stand with Sidi.
There is only 2 places in the world where such an exquisite site occurs with these Dolphins, one being on Kiawah Island and by God, I want it to remain one of natures wonders. The heck with those Developers and Realtors. Let them all pick beans! Try building a decent passing school first on Johns Island with biology, music, arts, sports and things that matter for what dreams are made of so the kids that 10 years from now will be running things will be able to make educated, well informed and beautiful decisions. This is one of the last places that is so beautiful. Its just a small space on planet Earth. Be kind. With every inch of developed land on the Barriers it effects conditions for even when Hurricanes hit. Katrina was a perfect example of How the Corp of Engineers didn't do their homework and it became an extraordinary catastrophe.
that was on the News late night in fact.
So, Sidi, you keep on trucking! Keep on Signing and keep getting the word out. It took a man, who wears overalls and is always a mess (never in a suit and tie, thank God) with a wise eye and a keen smile to wake the lion up. You go man! Tell it like it is!!
PS To: Brown and Sen. Graham if i donate Like Mr.Long did, do you think I can get some benefits too? whose your daddy?
April 21, 2009 at 11:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UrGatorbait (anonymous) says...
Good for Sidi. I agree with the poster who said we should have more nuts like him.
Developers are the scourge of nature. They have ruined Florida because of the money. I hope they are foiled here and that end of Kiawah stays as pristine and natural as possible.
FWIW I wrote "The work horse" ,that should be out to pasture, and told him I opposed the measure to provide taxpayer subsidies to those that could afford it.
April 21, 2009 at 1:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wjhamilton3 (anonymous) says...
The day all those houses on the spit end up in Captain Sam's creek after a Hurricane, some pissed of retired person with more money than sense will probably put up a sign saying "My Real Estate Agent Lied to me about Hurricanes." Then they'll make them take that down. They'll drag the houses out of the creek with Government money and someone will buy the empty lots on wherever the sand is and start the whole thing over again.
When we surrendered in the fights over developing our coast in the 1970s, we were told taxes on this property would assure the improvement of our schools, better roads and more economic opportunity for our region.
The beach is where promises go to die.
April 21, 2009 at 1:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Eastercat (anonymous) says...
Build it up and ruin it...go ahead...destroy every piece of beautiful land...sounds like a great idea...
April 21, 2009 at 1:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
k5hart (anonymous) says...
Charleston beaches don't need anymore development. Who's going to buy them anyway. I thought the housing market has dried up!
April 21, 2009 at 2 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
LOL......LOL .....LOL
TOny, TONY....TONY !!!!
Citizens....another example of "Peek-a-Boo" ...NEWS??
COME..ON. ??
Tony....we know what this is...its a "SHOT over the BOW"!! That's right.....We wonder just how much the POST will see in ADVERTISING Revenue from this upcoming Golf event...!?!?! Tony, you mean your trying to get your own TENT on top of Press Passes...!?!?! LOL..!?! Will the press room boyz and girlz get some extra LOOT..????
Let's see....WHO would be your guests...!?!?!
Workers of the POST.....yes, all of you! Are you all going to get passes to this Golf event to RESALE..??? Well, if history of REPORTING is any indicator ...you would be WISE to walk out side of the North Charleston Office and take a PICTURE of the C&W Flag to remind all of the BRASS that most DAYS ....WE have WIND...and NO WIND Turbines...!!! At least you would know that you were reporting the TRUTH to your BRASS....!!!??
....unlike Tony...!!!!
April 21, 2009 at 2:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JohnsIslandRich (anonymous) says...
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
-- kiawahriver.org
I think I am going to make that sign and post it on the road.
April 21, 2009 at 2:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tsuane (anonymous) says...
There are some things which hold intrinsic worth higher than money or large houses such as a diverse and fragile ecosystems. That said, the selfish anthropocentric actions of the KDP will cost more than all the money they could ever imagine attaining.
LONG LIVE SIDI
April 21, 2009 at 3:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sinjin392 (anonymous) says...
Good reporting as usual on this issue. Keep the pressure on.
Sophia McAllister
21 Sunlet Bend
Johns Island, SC
April 21, 2009 at 3:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RightToKnow (anonymous) says...
The South Carolina press needs to get some teeth and sue Charleston County over these obvious Freedom of Information Act violations.
April 21, 2009 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eatmorecollards (anonymous) says...
Even the bible cautions against building ones house on sand. I can only think that after these houses are built and sold that the buyers, insurance companies and tax payers will suffer the consequences of the developers quest for profit.
April 21, 2009 at 5:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
newbattleaxe (anonymous) says...
Does anyone else remember Isle of Palms before Wild Dunes and the houses built in the dunes? That is, before the Darbys and the Longs so thoroughly trashed the island?
Does anyone else remember the "Defend the Dunes" campaign? We lost that one. We lost the unique character of Isle of Palms, too, just as we have lost the unique characters of Seabrook and Kiawah Islands. We are fast losing the character of Sullivans Island to developers, too.
Maybe, just maybe, if enough of us join with Sidi and protest the development of Cap'n Sam's Spit, we can stop it in its tracks.
Or, maybe a hurricane will wipe Cap'n Sam's Spit clean this year and stop KDP in their tracks.
April 21, 2009 at 5:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Numba10 (anonymous) says...
Newbattleaxe
yes I remember how the signs said stay off the dunes where now condos set with barely a space between them. We in the area respected this for years.
April 21, 2009 at 5:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GreenvilleGirl (anonymous) says...
Whatever happened to the old Beachfront Management Act which was passed post-Hugo?
I can probably derive the answer: A group of lawyers and developers who owned(or wanted to own) oceanfront property had the law repealed so they could build oceanfront homes in front of their neighbor's "formerly" oceanfront homes.
God might very well orchestrate a hurricane to retaliate against these lawyers & developers who want to mess with Mother Nature. By no means am I wishing a hurricane on the state and the people I love.....but if I was one of these greedy developers, I'd be reconciling my Karmic actions. You're dealing with AT LEAST one of the seven deadly sins, gentlemen.
Kudos to Mr. Limehouse for his actions, for knowing what his rights are, and responding appropriately, if not somewhat sarcastically. :-)There is something rotten in the County's office and it reeks of a payoff or favor of some sort. Such actions have had dire consequences for the people who have blocked valid FOI requests.
With all of the ugly, over sized, view-blocking advertisements in all areas of SC --- and put there mostly by Realtors and developers, Charleston County threatens an individual for exercising his right to freedom of speech? What a bunch of idiots our government employs!
April 21, 2009 at 6:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barkwrite (anonymous) says...
I'll take Mr. Sidi over King Riley any day! At least someone is looking out for the best interests of our beautiful John's Island. Fix the pot holes on Maybank and Bohicket before laying pavement for PGA Blvd!
April 21, 2009 at 7:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
FOLLOW THE MONEY -
PGA TOURNAMENT 2012
526 to Kiawah
Kiawah Development Partners and Cap't Sam's Spit development
Beachwalker park
Look at the players: Thrumond, Darby, Long, Graham, Brown...
anyone else see a pattern?
April 21, 2009 at 8:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wonderdog (anonymous) says...
These developers will make sure that they are legally untouchable as far as taking responsibility for destroying wetlands and dunes and building homes on land that will be reclaimed by the sea some years from now.
Motto: take the money and run! To hell with the natural beauty of the land and sea around us. It only exists for financial gain, right?
Go, Sidi!
April 21, 2009 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
malthus (anonymous) says...
Yet another case of the rich sucking the life out of the average tax payer. The next time a storm blows through the rich will get their homes rebuilt and paid for by the tax payers. I cannot believe there has not been enough environmental uproar to get the area protected. Between the marine mammal feeding grounds and the sea bird nesting it should be enough. But, I forgot, real estate in this area can get away with it, just like leveling the habitat of an endangered rodent so that Mount Pleasant could get another housing development. Dolphins can go hungry for all they care, and the average tax payer will pay more while the developers wallow in money.
April 22, 2009 at 6:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ParkCircle4Ever (anonymous) says...
The flood insurance on my 1000 sq foot ranch a 1/2 mile from 526 just went up. I sure wish I could get some relief! I guess that's only for the million dollar beach front idiots.
April 22, 2009 at 10:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
Posted by KiawahIslandGirl (With the yuppie moms and dads jogging, text messaging, rolling the baby strollers, walking the dogs (all at the same time mind you) and looking like a three ring circus.)
I was in St.Croix in the eighties and the local pubs catered to the college kids sporting Banana Republic attire and docksiders.
Juke boxes playing Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville inspired these children as they competed with one another to be the most "islandy".
Those folks were laughable phonies back then, as are those today you described so aptly.
Greedy developers, real estate agents, and politicians form a triad all too willing (if the price is right) to support the elitist attitude of those who think living on the beach sets them apart from the great unwashed.
I have no problem with the silly people living in their little dream worlds by the sea as long as when a big old mean hurricane comes along tearing everything asunder, they don't expect the taxpayer to rebuild their homes or replace the washed out beaches.
My old house on Sullivan's Island was just that. An old beach house with a low profile, elevated just high enough to weather a considerable surge but not so high as to present a huge object for the wind to wrap it's arms around.
Large sums of money are made selling ridiculous monster houses built on sand bars that are nothing more than disasters waiting to happen.
Insurance companies make up for large claims from waterfront damage by raising rates on everybody else.
Tax dollars are wasted replenishing beaches so that idiots who built at the waters edge won't see their houses sailing away.
Maybe the best thing would be to not issue any more permits to build on islands or areas bordered by marsh.
As the houses are damaged by storms and age let the owners shoulder the total burden for repair. It won't be long before the appeal of living in the path of natures occasional wrath will fade.
Aside from their outmoded use for harbor defense the islands got little attention until recent times.
There's no doubt people in years past had more sense than most today.
April 22, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
taxedstupid (anonymous) says...
you can place your bets but the beach company always gets what they want...always
They have a long line of abuse in their wake
The city marina
wild dunes
freshfields
and so on and so on
April 23, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
patiofurniture (anonymous) says...
Trashing the development of Captain Sam's is one thing but trashing the development of Freshfields is another. Freshfields was a long needed asset to the area. Newton Farms is one of, if not THE nicest grocery store I have ever been in. There selections of meat are outstanding. Not everything that KDP develops is evil.
April 23, 2009 at 9:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tues_nite (anonymous) says...
Any development on that side of the island will be washed away in 25 years. promise.
April 27, 2009 at 6:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tallblonde (anonymous) says...
Sidi might be a "nut" - but he's my kinda' nut !!!!!!!
**APPLAUSE** to someone that looks out for more than just himself.
April 28, 2009 at 12:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lazy2009 (anonymous) says...
Why stop at 50 homes on the spit? I bet they can fit 150 houses out there no sweat! All the developers gotta do is chop all the trees down and build build build! Lets just cut to the chase and let these developers build as many lame, cookie cutter houses as they want. If nobody will buy those, then the developers can simply build lame, cookie cutter apartment buildings.
April 28, 2009 at 7:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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