Managed IT Servicesin Johns Island, SC

Nearly 200 historic trees on Johns Island were on the chopping block at a Charleston Board of Zoning Appeals meeting Dec. 7, and the debate surrounding their removal is stirring up questions about preserving the island’s natural habitat while planning for booming population growth at the city’s outer edges.

Developers requested permission to cut down 193 “grand” trees across two developments in cases heard before the board, which reviews projects that need special exceptions to city ordinances.

The grand classification means the trees are more than 24 inches in diameter, likely indicating that they are well over 100 years old. As a result, they are protected by city ordinance. Not only are the trees considered an aesthetic trademark of the once entirely rural island but they are also a key component of the area’s ecosystem and a natural flood prevention tool.

“The trees help us for resilience, absorbing water, supplying shade and wildlife habitat,” John Zlogar, chair of the community group Johns Island Task Force, told The Post and Courier. He is one of nearly 30 residents who submitted comments to the zoning board in favor of saving as many trees as possible amid development.

Final decisions

The board ultimately approved both tree removal plans with some caveats.

Developers of the first project, a 71-home planned community near Fenwick Hall Plantation, requested permission to cut down 21 trees. The zoning appeals board reduced that to 15. They also stipulated that the developers of the property must hire an arborist to create a protection plan for the remaining trees and plant 151 new native trees with at least a 2½-inch diameter.

The developers argued that after having an arborist evaluate the trees on the property, the ones slated for removal were already in poor health.

“We designed the proposed concept plan which ultimately preserves 36 grand trees and impacts grand trees only with a health grade ‘D’ or lower,” wrote Jenna Nelson in a letter to the zoning board. Nelson leads the development’s engineering team, Bowman Consulting Group.

If those trees fell naturally, however, they would have returned organic matter to the ecosystem, promoting other forms of plant life that provide food for animals and insects, said Philip Dustan, an ecology professor at the College of Charleston.

“When (the tree) falls down. it slowly rots and releases its nutrients,” he said.

Tree removals at the second project on Johns Island, called Wooddale, were also approved by the board. Instead of removing 172 trees as originally requested, the developers revised the plan to remove 124. They must also develop a protection plan for the remaining trees and plant about 500 native 2½-inch or wider trees. They also have plans to establish a conservation easement along the southern portion of the property, meaning it will be protected from development moving forward.

“Multiple layout alternatives have been explored by following the natural contours of the site by placing most of the density in the highest area to minimize the cut and fill needed as well as minimize the tree and environmental impacts,” wrote Jason Hutchinson, an engineer for the development with firm Thomas & Hutton.

The Wooddale project has been in the works since 2013 because of a lawsuit that hinged on disagreements between the city and the developer about how to zone the development. As proposed, it includes single-family homes, offices, an assisted-living facility and other amenities, according to site plans. Because it is south of the island’s urban growth boundary, it is subject to stricter limitations than the northern tip of the island. The boundary was established decades ago as a way to preserve the island’s rural origins.

The Woodale tract sits not too far away from Charleston Executive Airport where conservationists secured a win earlier this year. The Charleston County Aviation Authority signed off on a deal to place just under 100 acres in a legally binding conservation easement. An agreement with Lowcountry Land Trust will keep 94 acres from ever being developed there.

As growth continues within the boundary’s limits, some residents are trying to advocate for developments with as little ecological impact as possible on the southern side of the boundary line.

Dustan, who lives near Wooddale, is not pleased with the upcoming development. The most ecologically sensitive solution, he said, would be to build elevated homes on pilings and keep all the existing trees intact.

By removing the native trees, the surrounding area is robbed of parts of a centuries-old root network, which can affect the health of surrounding trees.

“A lot of the trees that you see are actually related to each other,” he said.

Although the development follows the city’s storm water standards, Dustan is concerned that runoff created by the new development will overflow nearby Burden Creek during major ran events.

After hurricane Ian came through in September, water was about a foot below breaching the banks of the creek, he said.

“The curious thing is ... if we keep building like this, we might start flooding the new communities, too,” he said.

Procedural changes

Johns Island is seeing a massive influx of growth in ways that is not possible in more developed areas of the city. As a result, the island is seeing a patchwork of new developments separated by stretches of farmland and forests. Longtime residents want to see the city use modern planning tools to lessen the impact of new development on the environment and flooding.

“The area inside the urban growth boundary is only 20 percent of the island, let’s contain the growth in that 20 percent to make sure it’s smart,” Zlogar said.

A citywide water plan, which is currently in the works, will look at the city as a whole to see what types of flood mitigation are needed most and where they would have the most impact. Instead of tackling flood concerns on a project-by-project basis, the city is looking at ways to stop development that increases flooding and identify which flood projects need to be prioritized first.

Instead of trying to drain water as quickly as possible, the city’s main strategy is shifting toward effectively storing floodwater, such as in detention basins, and letting it slowly disperse. One advantage of this approach is that it helps prevent a sinking effect called subsidence. Shifting ground levels due to the movement of groundwater threaten buildings’ foundations and worsen flood risk. Forrest are a natural asset in this type of flood prevention, Dustan said.

“The best way to solve a problem is preventing it from happening in the first place,” he said.

The water plan will be worked into a new citywide zoning ordinance that Charleston officials are also currently drafting.

In the new version, officials want the zoning maps — the guide for what can get built where — to be based on elevation. High ground near major roadways will be fair game for high-density development, in most cases. Low-lying areas and wetlands will be restricted to little or no use at all. The ground rules for development will vary in each area of town. It’s an opportunity to set the framework for how Johns Island can grow in a sustainable way.

As these changes come down the pipeline, Johns Island residents will also have a new advocate in City Hall.

From 2010 to 2020, census data shows the island’s population within Charleston city limits doubled from nearly 5,300 residents to almost 12,000. As a result, in recently approved City Council redistricting maps, Johns Island will get its own council member for the first time in 2024.

How the city approaches tree preservation will need to be tailored to Johns Island, too, Zlogar said. The existing tree ordinance was designed with more developed areas of the city, such as the peninsula, in mind. There, developers are typically requesting to remove one or two trees in an already built-out neighborhood. But on Johns Island, developers are purchasing lots with upwards of 100 acres of land.

“We have a tree ordinance but to my knowledge there is no forest ordinance and that is the problem,” Zlogar said.

Every tree removed affects the overall ecosystem of a forest. And replanting smaller trees, even of the same variety, doesn’t have the same ecological benefit.

“It’s the equivalent of tearing down an apartment building and putting up a woodshed,” he said.

The other concern from Dustan and other community members is that the tree ordinance does not take a holistic view of the island. Saving contiguous swaths of forest is more effective strategy than saving groups of trees on a lot-by-lot basis. Having interrupted clusters of forest reduces storm water absorption and splits up wildlife habitats as well.

“We’re not seeing the forest for the trees,” Dustan said.

Reach Emma Whalen at 843-708-5837. Follow her on Twitter @_emma_whalen.

A Johns Island family who lost everything in a house fire wants to thank their community for the love and support shown to them during the hardship.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A Johns Island family who lost everything in a house fire wants to thank their community for the love and support shown to them during the hardship.

The fire happened on Dunwick Drive on Johns Island just before 5 a.m. Sunday.

The Barnett family says they are the “luckiest unlucky people.”

Homeowner David Barnett said he’s just glad his family is alive. The family was celebrating their children’s birthdays over the weekend and had family and friends visiting. Seven people staying at the home the night of the fire escaped, and no one was injured.

Looking at the exposed structure of the house covered in black ash, son Parker Barnett said that’s not what’s important.

“I mean the house doesn’t matter. Everyone is alive, that’s the biggest part. I could care less about the house,” Parker said.

The family was able to rescue one of their dogs, Ellie. Daughter Laurel Barnett held the small dog while she talked about the night. She said their Doberman Lilly didn’t come out with them, but a few hours after the blaze was put out, firefighters found Lilly alive among the rubble.

“It took a lot of pressure off of me for sure because she just used to follow me everywhere and it did not feel right without her but it’s much better now,” Laurel said.

The family said the past few days have been difficult and a whirlwind as they assess the damage and try to understand what their future holds.

It didn’t take long for the community to jump into action, ready to help the Barnetts with whatever they need. A neighbor started a fundraiser that earned more than $30,000 in a few days. People are also collecting clothes in the family’s sizes.

“We’re grateful that we live in such a community that in time of need comes together and lifts everyone up, we’re just so thankful,” David said.

David is a chef at Stono Market and Tomato Shed Café. Restaurant owner Barbara Ambrose said she knows the family well.

“Dave’s been with us for 15 years almost. So, we’ve watched his children be born, grow up... We learned to love his wife, Jen, they’re really wonderful people,” Ambrose said.

Ambrose shared the ways to support the family on the restaurant Facebook page and said she shared a message for them from the team and their friends.

“We love you. We are so glad that y’all are OK. And that’s the most important thing, but everybody wants to know what they can do to support you and to help your family get back on their feet again. So let us know,” Ambrose said.

The Barnett family wished to thank everyone who has donated money or clothes to their cause. They say it’s amazing to see family and friends care about them and it puts things into perspective for them.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

The $75 million in funding that Charleston County Council approved for the Mark Clark extension project last week has the potential to be transformative for Charleston County and Johns Island in three ways, but not in ways council members or residents may think.

First, the project could be financially transformative in the short-term because it could be the largest county financial debacle since the millions “invested” in the former Naval Hospital.

Why? Because council is betting taxpayer money that a slew of low-probability events take place that make this $75 million bet a sure winner.

These events include betting that:

These bets don’t even include the bet that the state Joint Bond Review Committee will shirk its fiduciary responsibility and approve the infrastructure bank’s request for matching funds. This despite Charleston County having no real plan to raise the additional funds needed for the project.

If this low-probability bet is lost, county taxpayers will not only be out $75 million, but they also would have to reimburse the infrastructure bank for 50% of all funds it provided. And we would have lost $75 million that could have been spent on making much-needed improvements to our roads now.

Second, the project could be financially transformative for Charleston County in the long-term since the true cost of the project will likely be much greater than $2.2 billion.

Why? Because of the intergovernmental agreement Charleston County signed with the infrastructure bank and the state Department of Transportation, the county is solely responsible for all additional costs. These costs include any cost overruns and lawsuits; funds for bond servicing; and the cost to upgrade River Road to accommodate the traffic from this project.

These costs could easily add up to an additional several hundred million more dollars. Just imagine how the bond rating agencies will assess the county’s creditworthiness with this unbounded financial obligation.

Third, the project could be transformative to Johns Island because the Lowcountry character of the island would be lost forever.

Why? Because large road projects like these attract large “Anywhere USA” residential developments with their multitude of cars, big box stores and national franchises that push out local businesses. They also dislocate long-time residents. All of this would greatly and adversely impact our quality of life and worsen traffic congestion.

If you need some examples of this, just look to Mount Pleasant and the Cainhoy Peninsula.

Once the Ravenel Bridge was completed, growth in Mount Pleasant exploded. The town is now grappling with its growth and congestion at nearly every Town Council meeting. For example, the town recently announced it will perform an in-depth study to see what can be done to reduce the number of vehicles traveling on roads throughout the town. The study is not about building new roads but managing traffic on existing ones.

Without Interstate 526, the Cainhoy Peninsula was not attractive to developers. Now, there are plans to build 9,000 homes there and to fill vast stretches of wetlands — not to mention the eventual dislocation of long-time residents.

Even without the 9,000 Cainhoy houses, I-526 is currently so congested that the state and federal governments (not Charleston County) are looking to spend billions of dollars to try to relieve this congestion.

This is not the future Johns Islanders want.

There will be those who say that this is a much-needed project. This despite effective lower-cost alternatives that do not alter our island forever.

There will be those who say that residents are overwhelmingly in support of this project. This despite the latest DOT survey showing that fewer than half of them support the project.

There will be those who say that we need a third way on and off the island. This despite, in comparison, that we have only 10% more daily traffic than Hilton Head on our bridges. Yet we have two bridges with eight available lanes, while Hilton Head is about to spend millions to expand its single bridge from four to only six lanes.

Do we need to improve safety and reduce congestion on our roads to improve our quality of life? Yes.

Is betting the county’s short-term and long-term financial future, losing the soul of what makes Johns Island who we are, ignoring effective lower-cost alternatives and ignoring the desires of the majority of the residents the way to do it? No.

So what will happen?

The county could be saved from itself if the Joint Bond Review Committee votes against authorizing the matching funds. Then we can get back to the business of improving safety and reducing congestion on our roads.

John Zlogar is a cofounder of Rational Roads for Johns Island.

Golfstat Leaderboard

HOUSTON – The Illinois women's golf team recorded a 10th-place finish at the ICON Invitational after carding a final round 293 (+5). The Fighting Illini ended the tournament as a team at nine-under, tied for the sixth-lowest 54-hole tournament total in program history.

Isabel Sy shot a final round 74 (+2) to finish fifth, a career best. It was Sy's second Top 5 finish, and third Top 10 finish, of the season. Her tournament total of nine-under was also a career-low mark for a 54-hole event. The junior's 17 total birdies were tied for third-most in the tournament.

Crystal Wang finished tied for 30th at one-under after her even-par final round of 72. Wang collected 40 total pars during the tournament, tied for fourth most among the field. The Diamond Bar, Calif., native has placed in the Top 30 in 10-straight events.

Siyan Chen fired a final round 74 (+2) to finish tied for 48th, Mattie Frick posted a third round 73 (+1) to place tied for 51st and Anna Ritter shot a 75 (+3) to end tied for 55th.

Texas A&M took home the team title with a 54-hole total of 830 (-34). The Aggies' Zoe Slaughter captured the individual crown with a tournament total of 198 (-18).

The Illini will be back in action on Monday, March 13, where they begin play at the Briar's Creek Invitational in Johns Island, S.C., hosted by the College of Charleston.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, free dental clinics in the tri-county area were scarce. And clinics performing more extensive dental care, such as root canals, were even more rare.

However, at least one clinic, Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Dental Clinic on Johns Island, was providing free endodontic services, or root canals, for patients who were either uninsured or underinsured, with the help of volunteer dental residents from the Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Dental Medicine.

The endodontic part of the clinic was sponsored by the College of Dental Medicine beginning in 2011. General dentistry and endodontic residents volunteered at the clinic once a week, performing routine care like fillings and sealants as well as root canals.

But when the pandemic swept through the Lowcountry, numerous in-person medical and dental services were forced to close out an abundance of caution, including Our Lady of Mercy. It stayed closed for nearly three years.

Recently, the nonprofit reopened its dental clinic and endodontic services to the public, bringing in more residents from MUSC.

“There is always a need,” Dr. Theodore Ravenel said, head of the endodontic residency graduate program at MUSC’s College of Dental Medicine.

Ravenel also oversees the endodontic arm at Our Lady of Mercy’s Dental Clinic.

“It’s a win-win for everybody,” Ravenel said. “Students are able to do more procedures and the community is able to get a service that a lot of people don’t provide.”

Dr. Ashlee Franklin, dental director for the outreach center, said more than half of the patients in the dental clinic have never been seen by a dentist.

“Many of them migrated from different countries where dental care wasn’t offered or wasn’t a necessity,” Franklin told The Post and Courier.

As a result, Franklin said, many of those who come to the clinic have done so as a last resort due to pain or swelling rather than for routine care.

Periodontal disease, a severe gum infection that damages tissue and bone supporting the teeth, along with broken teeth and abscess infections are common for patients in the clinic.

“When they come in, a lot of them are in need of a deep cleaning because they’ve never had attention to their teeth or to their gum tissue,” Franklin said. “Some come when they’ve avoided the problem, until they can’t anymore.”

A 2020 oral health report on South Carolina from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found more than 30 percent of adults 18 and older hadn’t visited a dental clinic in over a year.

And according to the Oral Health Surveillance Report from the CDC, 25 percent of adults ages 20 to 64 had untreated tooth decay. The rates of untreated tooth decay were also twice as high for Black, Hispanic, poor and near poor individuals.

Now that the outreach center has fully reopened its dental clinic, Franklin said the center is increasingly seeing more dental patients and scheduling more root canal procedures on the days endodontic residents visit the clinic.

In January, the endodontics team treated 23 patients during its monthly root canal clinic.

Before patients are seen by MUSC residents, they are screened for various teeth and gum issues and then referred to endodontic services when needed.

Ravenel said free dental clinics with endodontic services are rare occurrences because of the cost.

“The overhead costs for dentist offices are significant,” Ravenel said, referring to the more cost-efficient dental procedures free clinics perform like extractions, and simple cleanings. “It’s hard to exist out there if you’re running a free clinic. Our Lady of Mercy is very lucky because they they have a great setup.”

The clinic receives numerous monetary donations as well as donated dental equipment to use.

The clinic also partners with the dental hygienists program at Trident Technical College, which provides volunteers at the clinic on a weekly basis.

A new generation

MUSC’s partnership with Our Lady of Mercy began in 2011 in an effort to encourage dental residents to give back to the community once they’ve completed their residency and go into private practice.

Dr. Michelle Ziegler, director of the advanced education in general dentistry program at MUSC, which provides volunteer dentists for Our Lady of Mercy, said the clinic is not only a life changing experience for the patients but also the volunteers.

“The great value in this outreach is really to inspire our future dentists to see the importance of giving back to the community,” Ziegler said. “By seeing it firsthand, we hope it will inspire them to continue to provide these services once they leave here.”

Zeigler said many of the patients are new, but a good number of the patients use the clinic as their dental home, scheduling routine cleanings and dental work when needed.

Zeigler said people should see a dentist every six months after age 2. And for patients of the clinic, “who can’t afford care, keeping on top of things is really important.”

Risks associated with not having routine dental care include frequent cavities, periodontal disease and other oral infections that cause loose teeth or in severe cases, loss of teeth.

Ziegler also said oral health is a big part of the body’s overall health, citing links between periodontal disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

According to the American Academy of Periodontology, research suggests that periodontal disease may contribute to the progression of other diseases including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, pneumonia and Alzheimer’s.

Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach is a comprehensive care center, providing a number of different services for those in need including a women’s health clinic, educational opportunities, food assistance and other necessities.

Those without insurance or the means to pay can take advantage of their services. Dental services are offered at both the Johns Island and downtown Charleston locations.

To find out if you qualify, dial 843-559-4109 and visit olmoutreach.org to learn more about the different outreach programs in your area.