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Since May 2005 • Volume 19 • Issue 18 • IslandEyeNews.com
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December 15, 2023
IOP faces another erosion issue
Photo by Rob Byko.
Photo by Brian Sherman.
By Brian Sherman For The Island Eye News The city of Isle of Palms has been doing its best to deal with severe erosion issues at Breach Inlet in recent months, scraping and trucking in sand and installing sandbags in an effort to protect properties threatened by the Atlantic Ocean until the Army Corps of Engineers launches a $10-million project that will benefit both IOP and Sullivan’s Island. Now erosion has reared its fickle head in another part of IOP’s 7-mile-long shoreline, along Beachwood East in Wild Dunes. The problem is “what we dealt with in 2016 and 2017,” according to Steven Traynum of Coastal Science & Engineering, a company that has provided consulting services to the city since 2007. At the IOP City Council’s
Nov. 28 meeting, he recommended limited scraping and possibly trucking in sand and using sandbags until nature fixes the problem “or we can implement a larger project.” Traynum explained that every five to seven years, sand moves through the Dewees delta, which shifts, allowing a large quantity of sand to migrate to the IOP beach. He said the process, which can take a couple of years, could add up to 500,000 cubic yards of sand to the beach. “The shoal is currently 400 to 500 feet offshore. Until that shoal attaches, that area is going to continue to erode,” he said. “This is not going to be a very quick fix.” IOP City Administrator Desiree Fragoso said work started between 13 and 17 Beachwood East the week of (Continued on page 4)
Council split over giving ATAX funds to Isle of Palms Chamber
Kicking off the holiday season
The holiday season moved into full swing early this month. On Sullivan’s Island on Dec. 1, top, Dorn and Helena Kubinski threw the switch to turn on the Christmas lights during a celebration at Town Hall and Stith Park. A visit from Santa, bottom, was among the many activities available during the Isle of Palms Holiday Street Festival Dec. 2. More photos on page 6.
Nominations for IOP committees, boards and commissions approved By Brian Sherman For The Island Eye News The Isle of Palms City Council finalized a list of candidates for its standing committees and for various boards and commissions at its Dec. 5 meeting. The list, a collaborative effort of Mayor Phillip Pounds, six current Council members and two newcomers who will be seated early next year, will be officially voted on after Elizabeth Campsen and Ashley Carroll are sworn in Jan. 2. (Continued on page 13)
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By Brian Sherman For The Island Eye News Did the Isle of Palms Chamber of Commerce support specific office seekers in the Nov. 7 election and play a role in defeating a referendum that would have limited the number of investor-owned short-term rentals on the island? The Chamber’s president claimed that the organization can legally endorse candidates and platforms but didn’t, while a City Council member disagreed, pointing out that “they clearly took sides.” The discussion over the Chamber’s even-handed approach to the recent election or lack thereof arose Nov. 28, while the Council was deciding whether to follow the recommendations of the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee and award $10,000 in ATAX funds to the Chamber to complete a project that includes hanging café lighting on the land side of Ocean Boulevard in the Front Beach commercial district. The Chamber already installed lights on the ocean side of the street. Council Member Katie Miars voiced her displeasure with the plan.
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“It’s my understanding that when the Chamber of Commerce was started, the Municipal Association explained to them that it’s best that they stay out of politics and don’t take sides in elections,” Miars said. “In the past election, they specifically supported four candidates. They had an issue that they were very vocal on. I just don’t feel comfortable giving them money to spend, and I don’t necessarily feel that the candidates they supported should be voting to give them money. That seems awkward to me.” The candidates Miars referred to were Jimmy Ward and Ashley Carroll, who won seats on the Council Nov. 7, and incumbents Kevin Popson and Rusty Streetman, who were defeated. Chamber President Ryan Buckhannon, a former Council member, later responded to Miars’comments. “She showed up to a meeting without having documented proof. Clearly she was lying,” Buckhannon said. “The Chamber did not endorse any candidates and did not host any meet and greets for any candidates. We had monthly (Continued on page 4)
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