A public hearing on proposed ordinances that would limit development in Wild Dunes and preserve public and private recreational facilities on the Isle of Palms has been scheduled for Oct. 18.
After emerging from executive session at its Sept. 27 meeting, the IOP Council voted by a 7-2 margin to approve John Bogosian’s motion to direct the city staff to prepare the ordinances. Joining Bogosian in supporting the measure were council members Blair Hahn, Jan Anderson, Jimmy Ward, Katie Miars, Scott Pierce and Rusty Streetman, while Kevin Popson and Mayor Phillip Pounds voted no. “I’m in favor of having a conversation to discuss future development in Wild Dunes, but I’m not in favor of what I considered to be a heavy-handed approach to a good partner of the city,” Pounds said later. According to Bogosian, there are two parts to his motion: creating a new conservation/recreation district and changing the conservation district section of the city’s zoning ordinance to preserve recreational facilities including golf courses and tennis courts, and limiting further development in Wild Dunes, except on lots where the city has already approved building. “It’s really been brought to our attention just recently. The Council felt we needed to react to some of the information we received on the current PRD,” Bogosian said. “I felt strongly about it, and we’ve been talking about it for a month. Through consultation with counsel, we finally arrived at a plan.” The Wild Dunes planned residential development zoning ordinance, approved by the IOP Council in 1975, gave the developer the option to eventually build 350 hotel rooms and 2,500 residential units. Without changes, it apparently would allow Wild Dunes Resort to add 53 new hotel rooms and an additional 330 condominium units.
According to Tony Santiago, spokesman for a group of residents who oppose further development in Wild Dunes, the resort’s owner plans to build at the site of the Links golf course clubhouse and the Harbor course check-in area.
Robb Walker, the resort’s managing director, said recently that there are no plans for development in the resort except for “updates and improvements to our golf courses and operations.”
The Oct. 18 public hearing will begin at 5 p.m. at City Hall.
