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Volume 20 • Issue 20
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March 7, 2025
City of IOP Provides Infrastructure Updates
BY JOSHUA UYS
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t the Feb. 25 Isle of Palms City Council meeting, Interim City Administrator Douglas Kerr provided an update on ongoing beach preservation efforts. In response to continued erosion along the Beachwood East block, the city has purchased 50 additional sandbags as part of an emergency effort to protect the area since the last allocation. Kerr also announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun delivering sand to the Breach Inlet end of the island. Once enough sand accumulates, the city will relocate sandbags previously placed along this stretch to Beachwood East. Moving
and reusing existing sandbags will cost less than a quarter of purchasing new ones. This process is expected to begin in March, followed by berm restoration efforts in April. The city has also requested additional engineering services from Thomas & Hutton as part of the larger Waterway Boulevard Pathway Widening and Tidal Inundation Mitigation Project. The initiative aims to widen the pathway between 21st and 41st avenues from five to eight feet, allowing it to serve as a multi-use path while also raising it to function as a tidal barrier capable of withstanding sea level rise and extreme tides of up to seven feet.
The additional services include new drainage infrastructure at Hole 8 of the Wild Dunes Golf Course. This requires a third easement plat, adding $25,000 to the project’s most recent $238,200 budget. Addressing concerns over the expenditure, Mayor Philip Pounds clarified, “We’re not paying for golf course improvements; we’re paying for flood mitigation along the Waterway Boulevard path, which is a much bigger project.” Councilmember Katie Miars echoed his statement, adding, “Once we get this done, it’s hugely beneficial to us. It’s very well spent.”
LENS Approves Funding for Sullivan’s Develops Historic IOP Fire Department’s District Design Guidelines
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BY LAURA STRECKER
he Isle of Palms Law Enforcement Neighborhood Support (LENS) Foundation has once again stepped up to support community safety, this time approving a funding request from the Isle of Palms Fire Department (IOPFD) to help establish its newly formed Aquatic Rescue Response Team. With the increasing threat of severe storms, flooding and storm surges, the IOPFD identified a critical need to enhance its water rescue capabilities beyond traditional firefighter training. The Aquatic
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Rescue Response Team was developed to meet this challenge head-on, equipping firefighters with the specialized skills necessary for complex water rescues, including advanced swimming techniques, rope system rigging, flooded vehicle victim rescue and mass evacuations in inundated environments. The team is composed of six water rescue technicians and one team leader, all of whom have undergone a rigorous selection process, including a 300-yard (continued on page 3)
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he town of Sullivan’s Island is developing Historic District Design Guidelines to help preserve the architectural, archaeological, cultural, and historical significance of properties within its local and National Register Historic Districts. The manual highlights the benefits of historic preservation, including enhanced quality of life, increased property values, job support through rehabilitation, and boosted tourism. Since 2003, Sullivan’s Island
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BY JOSHUA UYS has maintained a Design Review Board, which oversees the construction, demolition, and modification of historic buildings. Property owners, developers, contractors, and architects are encouraged to consult the new guidelines early in the planning process to avoid rejection. The guidelines emphasize maintaining the island’s historic character through careful restoration and thoughtful new construction. When repairing historic buildings, property owners are encouraged to use materials (continued on page 3)
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