Quartz Countertops in James Island, SC

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) — Over 100 parents and community members have signed a petition to rebuild the old James Island Middle School as a school for sixth-graders and a performing arts center.

Jamie Meissner, a parent of three Charleston County School District students, says she started the petition to make more room for the growing adolescent population, emphasize sixth-grade education and create a premier performing arts space. Meissner says the petition idea also comes from last year’s survey results showing support for a new middle school and for renovating or repurposing the old James Island Middle School.

“We have this brand new middle school that I have been a parent at for five years and it’s amazing, we have the best staff, the best principal,” Meissner says. “But it’s very obvious that 10 years from now, that might not be big enough considering we’re just about to build two early childhood centers on James Island.”

She says it’s vital to think far out when it comes to public education and advocating for families on James Island.

Jeff Borowy, Charleston County School District chief operating officer, says they are aware of the petition and are currently in the process of planning for the future. However, he says the need currently isn’t there and there are a number of obstacles with adding new campuses to the school district.

“One is the daily and yearly operational cost that goes with a new campus,” Borowy says. “This would be a new stand-up location and that would require a yearly operational budget which doesn’t exist right now. That would have to be worked in the equation.”

Meissner says many of the classes at Camp Road Middle School have between 30 and 35 students, which she and other parents believe is too high.

“Parents are always going to be concerned about class size,” Meissner says. “It matters to us because it’s our one child and we want them to be seen and helped for their ability. When you’re looking at a lot of students, rising sixth-grade students, pursuing private school, or pursuing a magnet school, it’s because they want that more intimate, smaller class size.”

Even though class size is a bit higher than average, Borowy says available capacity can also prevent a new campus from being added.

“Certainly, we have to compare the needs to the rest of the district,” Borowy says. “There are schools that we have that still have trailers on them. Those are clearly over capacity.”

He says the needs at Camp Road Middle School are not there. Camp Road Middle School’s capacity is 1,091 students, and he says there are just under 900 students, with projections not to reach 1,091 anytime soon.

“From a pure capacity perspective, Camp Road itself is adequate for the foreseeable future unless there is a desire to set up a separate campus and then that would compete with other needs across the district,” Borowy says.

“We are in the middle of the process at this point. We took that community input from last year and are combining it with the other information across the district, which includes a facility condition assessment of all of our schools,” Borowy says.

School district officials say they also look at enrollment projections and projects they’ve completed. After all of the current information is compiled, they will send the latest data to the Board of Trustees in the spring.

“That’ll be essentially the menu of opportunities that could be put forward in the future,” Borowy says. “That future is coming up pretty quick. In July, we’ll come to the board with a list of proposed projects that will ask them to approve to put on the referendum this fall for the next sales tax extension program.”

Another component of the petition is using the building as a performing arts space, which Meissner believes all the elementary and middle schools could use.

“We have a lot of families that go to North Charleston to have the bells and whistles that we just don’t have here,” Meissner says. “And I owe it to the music teachers at Camp Road Middle School to reach for the stars because they do that for our kids every day.”

Meissner hopes the idea of rebuilding the old James Island Middle School is seriously considered as a future project down the line.

“The reality is that we kind of have to ask for things sometimes too and this is my way of saying, ‘Hey, James Island, I need you guys to take a look at this and think ahead into the future because I promise I’m looking out for your kids because my kids will be long graduated,” Meissner says.

To learn more about the petition, click here.

Drivers along Maybank Highway on Johns Island have been passing a bright green, retro-style sign promising miniature golf is “coming soon.”

The wait is almost over.

Sea Island Mini Golf & Arcade is slated to open in late February, bringing two full 18-hole micro-layouts and a large indoor arcade with several dozen games.

The family-friendly entertainment hub at 3414 Maybank Highway features two separate courses — Alligator Alley and Swampville — complete with fountains, sand traps and mini bridges behind a warehouse-style building and parking area.

More than 40 arcade games will be installed indoors, along with multiple televisions for watching sports, including golf and a concessions counter inside will serve up soft pretzels, ice cream, slushies, nachos and pretzels.

Pending a permit, the food truck will offer pizza, fries and chicken fingers. The owners have also applied for a beer and wine license.

Each hole on the courses is sponsored by a local business, and the first nine holes on each course are wheelchair accessible. The design allows players to complete a full 18-hole round by combining accessible holes across both courses. A practice putting green is included on site.

Co-owners Sandie and Michael Albenesius, who also own and operate St. John’s Kayaks and Boat Tours, said the idea grew out of a desire to offer more activities for teens and families on the island and nearby James Island. They own the Sea Island Mini Golf with two additional co-owners.

Transforming the former storage warehouse took several years.

Players on the mini golf course will receive putters, golf balls, a scorecard and a tiny pencil upon signing up to play the courses.

Outdoor seating, picnic tables and televisions — including coverage from the Golf Channel — are also part of the setup.

Initially, Sea Island Mini Golf & Arcade plans to operate Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. but will fluctuate based on weather or demand. The owners said hours will likely expand as demand grows, particularly heading into the summer season.

Beyond casual play, the venue plans to host birthday parties, corporate events, themed nights and group outings for kids and adults alike.

Rural retail

A national retailer of farm and rural lifestyle supplies is eyeing a new stire at Foxbank Plantation in Moncks Corner, near a community slated for nearly 3,000 homes.

Tractor Supply and PetSense by Tractor Supply have submitted plans to the S.C. Department of Environmental Services for a 21,930-square-foot retail outpost at 219 Foxbank Town Center. The project’s owner and developer is Twin Rivers Capital.

Tractor Supply carries farm supplies, pet and animal feed, clothing, tools, fencing and other rural essentials. PetSense offers grooming services and pet prescriptions.

Brentwood, Tenn.-based Tractor Supply is described as the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S. The chain operates 2,364 namesake stores in 49 states, along with 206 PetSense locations in 23 states.

The company has opened seven stores in the Charleston area since expanding to South Carolina in 2007.

Gold rush

Gold Digger, an antique jewelry store, repair shop and jewelry design studio, will open Feb. 7 in North Charleston's Park Circle area.

The address is 1080 E. Montague Ave.

Gold Digger is owned by Lisa Thomas and daughter Emma, who source pieces during their travels. Each item is inspected and prepared by a master jeweler.

Thomas also owns DIGS Charleston and DIGS Imports, a curated furniture shop located at the same address, as well as Out of Hand in the Old Village in Mount Pleasant.

In addition to antique and vintage jewelry, the shop will offer repair services and custom, one-of-a-kind jewelry design.

Get crackin’

A Cajun-style seafood boil restaurant has opened near Tanger Outlets in North Charleston. Happy Crab Seafood is now serving at 4950 Centre Pointe Drive.

Restore more

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore on the peninsula is now open on Mondays.

The home goods-focused shop at 731 Meeting St., accepts donations and sells discounted building materials, furniture and home products, with proceeds supporting affordable housing efforts in the Charleston area.

Updated store hours are Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunrise arrives

The wait is over for diners in Goose Creek to get their own outpost of a Johns Island-based diner.

Sunrise Bistro officially opened Feb. 3 at 216 St. James Ave., in the former Ti-Ney Bangkok II Restaurant.

Co-owner Brian Appelt launched the eatery in 2009 with business partner Jessica Welenteichick after the pair spent years working together at Hege’s Restaurant on Johns Island. Other Sunrise Bistro locations are in Mount Pleasant, Johns Island, Aiken and Summerville.

JAMES ISLAND — Town Council has taken a stance against proposed raised medians along Folly Road due to concerns about traffic flow and access to local businesses.

The state Department of Transportation is planning road safety improvements along a five-mile section of Folly Road from Maybank Highway to Old Folly Road. As part of the years-long initiative Rethink Folly Road, most of the project involves adding sidewalks and upgrading equipment at crosswalks to improve pedestrian visibility.

But one part of the SC 171 Safety Corridor Project has ruffled feathers among James Island residents and business owners: adding a raised median along part of the road.

The addition of raised medians would divert traffic into neighborhoods along the road and have the potential to deter people from visiting businesses on Folly Road, James Island Mayor Brook Lyon told The Post and Courier.

Town Council unanimously approved a resolution expressing opposition to the proposed raised medians at their Jan. 15 meeting. The resolution also requests the DOT to install a traffic light at the intersection of Santee Street and Folly Road as an alternative to help with traffic flow.

“Sometimes you have to be against stuff to make things safer, and stopping bad developmental decisions is one of them,” Town Councilman Lewis Dodson said at the meeting.

Lyon said council passed the resolution in a show of support for the businesses along Folly Road and residents who live in the Bayfront and Centerville neighborhoods.

Shawn Salley, DOT project manager, previously told The Post and Courier the project is part of the Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program due to the high volume of crashes along the road.

A DOT road safety audit from January 2018 to December 2022 showed there were more than 2,100 crashes on Folly Road. While 75 percent of those crashes resulted in property damage, six resulted in fatalities.

Salley said DOT found that more of the serious and fatal crashes come from left turns and sometimes, U-turns. Their solution is to install an intermittent raised concrete median, which is meant to encourage people to turn at traffic signals and reduce the number of crashes.

DOT found that roads can reduce crashes by as much as 57 percent after installing a raised median, Salley said.

But business owners, including Shawn Sherman, co-owner of Locals Sushi on Folly Road, shared concerns the medians with The Post and Courier. He worries his business will suffer because it won’t be as easily accessible with the addition of a median.

Charleston City Councilwoman Leslie Skardon, the newly elected representative for the city’s portion of James Island, said while she hadn’t heard from her constituents about raised medians, she heard countless complaints about Folly Road while campaigning for her council seat last year.

“When people think of Folly Road, the words that usually come to mind are unsafe, busy, ugly, bad traffic, car accidents,” Skardon said. “People do not like Folly Road. There’s not a lot to like about it right now.”

She believes raised medians are a “proven and effective” solution and can help make Folly Road safer. Skardon referenced data that Mount Pleasant staff gathered and presented in December based on their Safety Action Plan, which includes the installation of a raised landscaped median along Long Point Road.

The data showed a 33 percent average reduction in collision rates once the median was installed and replaced the two-way left turn lane in the center along Long Point.

“If we have the chance to eliminate one in three accidents, why wouldn’t we do that?” Skardon said.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) — James Island residents are coming together once again to save a 40-inch grand sand live oak tree on Richardson Road.

This comes after a previous request to remove the same tree to facilitate the subdivision of two residential lots on the land. That request led to 200 residents submitting comments against the removal. During the last Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on Dec. 1, BZA attorney Kelvin Huger advised the board to hold off on voting since the tree is owned by Charleston County, not the applicant.

Following the briefing, Huger met with the county officials and determined that the applicant does have standing to bring the variance request to the board. However, the request is now back on the agenda.

“Here we go again with this tree,” said Bill Cubby Wilder, a longtime James Island resident and member of the Concerned Citizens of Sol-Legare. “It has really become an issue. This tree for this community is valuable and as a historian for the community, I think that tree should be preserved and maintained.”

The applicant, Bryan Heatherly of HH Action LLC, said their reason for the new request is to provide the owner with access to the two properties behind the tree.

The tree is located at 2176 Richardson Road and is more than 200 years old, sitting within the settlement community of Sol-Legare. Many residents say the tree needs to be preserved for both historical and cultural reasons.

“We love this tree and it’s part of our community and our history,” said Geraldine Singleton, a member of the Concerned Citizens of Sol-Legare. “Why would you want to cut this tree down? You’re trying to kill my history. It’s like cutting down a family member and that’s how I feel about it.”

Ernest Parks, a fifth-generation resident of Sol-Legare, said the tree has also been a witness to hundreds of years of American history, including the Civil War, emancipation and the area’s evolution into a settlement community. Parks, along with many others in the community, personify the tree and refer to it as a family member.

“She [the tree] will allow us to see past us,” Parks said. “It tells the story of us. It tells a beautiful American story, and that’s what I like about living here in the Lowcountry.”

The applicant’s letter of intent says the tree significantly impedes the property owner’s right to access and develop their property. Additionally, the applicant is proposing the construction of a 10-foot-wide gravel travel way to access his property. However, the International Fire Code requires a minimum unobstructed 20-foot-wide access road for the lots directly behind the tree.

Before considering the removal of the tree, fire officials recommend widening the road, providing a turnaround area and ensuring access to the water supply. However, residents say the area doesn’t have the proper infrastructure to support those changes.

“At this point, it’s about more than a tree,” said Corie Hipp, a James Island resident and community advocate. “The tree kind of represents something much bigger. If you get rid of the tree, you pave the land. The infrastructure is still not here. It’s still not responsible development and it still can’t be sustainable for what is trying to be done, nature aside.”

The deadline to submit comments is Friday, Jan. 30. The Charleston County BZA meeting is on Monday, Feb. 2, at 4 p.m. at 4045 Bridge View Drive in North Charleston.

“I understand that we have to develop and we have to grow into the 21st century,” Parks said. “I understand that, but while it’s growing, maintain it by staying natural like she is and growing around it. Grow with it, don’t take away.”

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) — Some residents are concerned that a plan to add homes and commercial space on James Island will come with future consequences.

The plan called the Grimball Folly Assemblage is designed to add 67 townhomes along with commercial space on the 14 acres of land along Grimball Road Extension that sits off of Folly Road.

The City Planning Commission will consider the plan on Wednesday.

City Director of Planning and Preservation Robert Summerfield says the commission’s consideration of the plan is a requirement as part of the applicant’s technical review process. He says the concept map statute obligates the commission to approve ideas unless plans fail city codes.

“They have to meet zoning, they have to meet stormwater, and they have to show traffic analysis,” Summerfield says. “So, they have to meet all of those technical requirements, all of our subdivision requirements.”

Rhonda Walters lived in the area for the last 60 years. Her family owned property along the roadway for nearly a century. Walters says the development plans will not be fair to existing homeowners.

“If you’re looking at 167 homes or 67 townhomes plus commercial property, it’s going to impact this road. Development is okay, but it’s okay when it’s equitable and that’s the crunch that we’re feeling, that I’m feeling. It’s not going to be fair.”

She says the plan needs to ensure infrastructure, flooding, sidewalks and a turning lane for the Folly Road and Grimball Road Extension are coming to the community.

The sentiment is also shared by resident Matt Ruby, who has lived along the roadway for the last 12 years. He says existing drainage infrastructure needs attention before any new developments can come in.

“The water comes in and then runs across these yards and down this driveway to the lowest point in the back,” Ruby says. “I mean, just completely underwater on Grimball Road Extension at times.”

Plans also include adding a stormwater retention pond at 0 Folly Road. Commission leaders are also considering rezoning the property from a Special Management District to Conservation zoning.

The area is currently zoned as a Special Management district in Charleston County. The applicant, Levi Grantham LLC, initially requested to rezone the area as Rural Residential. City leaders approved the amendment to the request to Conservation in a first reading on Jan. 13.

Summerfield says the zoning request is the least intensive zoning allowed by the city. He says the stormwater aspects are significant for the development and needs of the area.

“Our City Council, again, acknowledging that this meant for stormwater, that there are some issues,” Summerfield says. “They took it from what would have been the comparable city zoning and downgrading it to conservation which would allow at most, if this project did not happen, allow at most three dwelling units at this site.”

City council will hold a public hearing for the plan’s zoning on Feb. 24.