Club 29-F Restaurant & Lounge

The Charleston County Board of Zoning Appeals heard the request
for two variances by Sylvester Collins on December 7th, s009. In brief the first
special exception request would have permitted the sale of alcoholic beverages
in a neighborhood commercial district (CN). The second would have allowed a reduction of the required 75' right of way landscape buffer to 55' allowing the existing concrete to remain and a small fence to be erected.

Opposition included the Presbyterian Church on Edisto Island (historically white) , the Edisto Island Presbyterian Church (historically African-American), the Edisto Island Community Association, the Edisto Fire Ants, the Edisto Island National Scenic Byway Committee, and the Edisto Island Preservation Alliance. All stated that they would welcome a small restaurant but objected to a club or lounge particularly with the proposed operating hours (M-F 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturdays 12 noon to 2 a.m.; Sundays 1 p.m. to 2 a.m.) and located so close to Jane Edwards School.

Additionally many individuals objected including the immediate neighbors.

The Board agreed and refused to grant the first variance allowing the applicant to withdraw the second without prejudice in the event he would choose to modify his plans to meet the current zoning for the first request.

It should be noted that the history of this location where an illegal private club had operated previously resulting in gun fire, traffic problems, and two people killed made the community particularly sensitive to any form of club operating in this area. Additionally it was noted there are two other clubs along Scenic 174 which have had a history of incidents.

 

Rezoning Request

2398 Highway 174 Edisto Island
(parcel behind the Horizon Convenience Store & Po Pigs BoBQ)

Parcel identification: 028-00-00-059
Acres: 4.76
Request to change from Agricultural/Residential (AGR) District
to Rural Commercial (CR) District

Oct. 21, 2009

County Council members in attendance voted unanimously ( Councilman Vic Rawls
was absent and therefore not voting) to deny the request. The Edisto community turned out in excess of 75 concerned citizens and had bombarded council with letters, e mails and calls. We worked in cooperation with the Edisto Island Community Association (one of our founding members), the Middleton's Property Owners Assn., and the Fireants (also one of our founding members). Local residents directly impacted were a key
group communicating with Council.

We would like to thank Charleston County Council for their support - listening to the local citizens - and keeping Edisto rural and scenic. It was a difficult vote for them
but they did the right thing.

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Up and Down the Coast

People are organizing to protect our fragile coastal environment. The Conservation Voters of South Carolina are helping with one such organization... check it out.

http://www.coastmatters.org/

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OCRM grants Bailey Creek Dock Permit

Ignoring the input of Edisto Island's residents DHEC's Office of Coastal Resource Management granted the request for a ten slip community
dock on Bailey's Creek. DHEC's Board added insult to injury by then refusing
to review its staff's decision.

Edisto's residents continue to protest and look for ways to overturn this injustice. Local residents who oppose this permit have appealed to the administrative law court and a hearing was recently held. They await the court's decision. We urge everyone to support DHEC restructuring currently being proposed in the legislature. More is needed but that would be a start!

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