Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Repair in Isle of Palms, SC

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - Isle of Palms city crews are working diligently to restore the beach after it experienced heavy erosion during Tropical Storm Idalia.

The loss of tons of sand to erosion means the drop off between the access points and the beaches can reach several feet, making it dangerous for people to reach the beach from these points.

Until the restoration of the beach is completed, Public Beach Access 1B, 2A, and 3A will be closed until further notice.

“The cleanup will happen over the next couple of days and then next week we’ll start doing scrapping at low tide to bring some of the sand back up,” Isle of Palms Mayor Phillip Pounds said. “And build a dune in front of these people’s houses to protect them for the rest of the hurricane season.”

Not only is it hurricane season, but it’s also sea turtle nesting season. Inclement weather can leave turtles exposed, but Pounds said the city is doing all it can to keep the turtles protected.

“You’re not in the dunes and hopefully not disturbing the nest,” Pounds said. “Our turtle team does a great as far as marking the nest or moving them when they feel like they’re in harm’s way. So, it’s very coordinated with our local turtle team as well as the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to make sure they’re aware of what’s going, you know?”

Despite the city not receiving federal funding, city leaders have managed to receive an emergency permit from the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management to begin restoration work Tuesday.

Pounds stresses the importance of maintaining safety before heading into Labor Day weekend.

“So, we just ask folks to be respectful of the workers that’ll be coming in and out of here. There’s going to be trucks and bulldozers and all kind of stuff going on. So just watch out and be careful,” Pounds says. “Our guys will be out here next week with the bulldozers when most of our summer crowd is gone. So, the timing is decent from that standpoint, we just need to get protection on the beach for these folk’s home as soon as we can.”

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD)- Erosion on the Isle of Palms continues to be a big concern for IOP city leaders and property owners.

Council members, the mayor and coastal engineering experts met Tuesday afternoon to discuss short term solutions.

The issue is so urgent that city leaders took action, approving more than a million dollars to fund short-term solutions for the erosion.

Beach erosion has long been a problem on the Isle of Palms

“There’s a lot of concern,” City councilmember Rusty Streetman said.

However, the city says it’s starting to get worse.

“Some of our residents down there have hit the critical line of 20 feet, water within 20 feet of their structure,” Mayor Phillip Pounds said.

The city has no control over one of the major causes of the erosion, king tides.

“Tides were supposed to be 6 and a half feet and with the winds and waves, it was about 8 and half, so pretty significant difference than what we were expecting,” Pounds said.

However, what leaders say they can control, is their response to the issue.

Pounds said, “We need some immediate relief and some immediate guidance to our residents down there on what they can and can’t do.”

“Beach erosion will always be here, it’s a fact of life. We live with it so we just have to try and plan as well as we can to handle that,” Streetman said.

The city approved about one and a half million dollars to continue digging sand from the shoreline for dune renourishment.

It’s a project that has been ongoing since tropical storm Idalia hit in August.

They also say they’ll use that money to bring in more sand if needed and provide sandbags for residents who need them.

Streetman said, “We also have a beach renourishment fund that is taxed onto the accommodations tax, that is targeted just for beach renourishment.”

In January, a long-term renourishment project in partnership with the Army Corp of Engineers will begin.

They’re going to rebuild some of the beach in hopes of mitigating erosion for years to come.

The East Cooper barrier islands of Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island both sport beautiful beaches, popular restaurants, vacation rentals and some of the most expensive real estate in the Charleston area, but they are different in some important ways.

Sullivan’s used to be the only island with a direct connection to mainland Mount Pleasant, and has a long military history that can be seen in the 20th Century structures that remain, and at historic Fort Moultrie. A trolley once ran to the island, explaining why the streets leading to the 2.5 miles of beach there are still called “stations.”

It’s a mostly residential island with a small-but-vibrant commercial strip, no resorts, no beach facilities (such as bathrooms) and no lifeguards. As a result, the beaches there tend to be less crowded, but not the restaurants.

Isle of Palms, larger with 7 miles of beach, was directly connected to the mainland after Hurricane Hugo, making it the closest beach for most residents of Mount Pleasant. The island is full of vacation rental homes, there’s a county park with a lifeguarded beach, showers and bathrooms are just steps from the sand, as are restaurants, and the Wild Dunes Resort has two public golf courses.

Separating the two islands is Breach Inlet, a scenic spot to walk or fish on the Isle of Palms side, but stay out of the ocean near the inlet due to powerful tidal currents. There are small, free parking lots on both sides of the bridge there.

Both islands prohibit smoking and vaping, alcohol, single-use plastic bags, plastic straws, and foam containers on the beach.

Explore

A day at the beach can mean different things for different people; a history tour of Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s, a round of golf at Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms, relaxing on the sand, playing tennis, a casual lunch or a fancy dinner, and maybe some live music.

For families with children, the availability of a lifeguard (daily from May 27 to mid-August), and places to change clothes and use a bathroom, tip the scales in favor of Isle of Palms at or near the county park (14th Avenue, with entrance fee). Both islands have playgrounds and free first-come tennis courts. Isle of Palms also has a dog park (29th Avenue).

During beach season, expect heavy traffic to and from the islands and pay attention to parking rules, which tend to be strictly enforced. The parking rules are:

On the ocean side of Palm Boulevard up to 40th Avenue, and on both sides from 40th to 57th, vehicles must be at least four feet from the pavement. Right-of-way parking is less available on the west end of the island, but there is a small (and often full) parking lot at Breach Inlet off Palm Boulevard.

Those planning to take a canine companion to the beach should be aware that the islands have different rules. They are:

May 1 to Sept. 30, dogs can be off leash on the beach from 5 to 10 a.m., and on leash from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. (No dogs on the beach between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m). From Oct. 1 to April 30 dogs can be off leash from 5 a.m. to noon and on leash all other times.

Shopping

Shopping is limited on both islands, and particularly on Sullivan’s. Both are a short drive from many shopping centers and shops in Mount Pleasant.

Of the two barrier islands, Isle of Palms has a larger commercial district, just off the Isle of Palms Connector and Palm Boulevard, including a grocery store and a pharmacy. Shops on Sullivan’s can be found along Middle Street.

There’s also a farmers market on Isle of Palms from 4 to 7 p.m. on June 15, July 20, Aug. 17, Sept. 21, and Oct. 21, at 24 28th Ave.

Eat and drink

On Sullivan’s, Dunleavy’s Pub has marked the entrance to the small business strip for more than 30 years (2213 Middle St.). The Irish bar has a small but reasonably-priced menu. Steps away are High Thyme Cuisine (dinner only), Poe’s Tavern (known for burgers), The Longboard (oysters, brunch), Home Team BBQ, Mex 1 Coastal Cantina (tequila!) and Republic Ice Cream.

For a reasonably-priced sandwich or Frosé any time of day, check out the Co-Op (2019 Middle St.), just west of the main business cluster. On the high end, locals like The Obstinate Daughter (2063 Middle St.) Reservations are recommended.

On IOP, there are beach-facing restaurants in the commercial area and more a short walk away, ranging from casual bar burger-and-wings offerings (The Windjammer) and brunch (Sea Biscuit Cafe, cash only) to high-end better-have-a-reservation Coda Del Pesce.

There’s also Papi’s Taqueria, Smuggler’s Island Eats and Rum Shack, Coconut Joe’s Beach Grill (beach views), The Dinghy, and Acme Lowcountry Kitchen. Across Palm Boulevard next to the Harris Teeter grocery store is The Refuge. On the marsh side of the island are two waterfront restaurants: Islander 71 at the marina (41st Avenue) and The Boathouse at Breach Inlet, which has a roof deck bar for sunset views.

Books can transport you to new worlds, and move you across time and reality. They also make great photography subjects.

This week’s winner is Paul Stone with a photo of a book sculpture in Bethany Cemetery. The honorable mentions are Patti Bagg with an image of Bart’s Books in Ojai, California, and Ken Schaub with a snapshot of a jazz café in Portugal.

Next week’s topic is bird life, which is abundant here in Charleston.

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On Fridays, we first announce the editors’ pick of the week at postandcourier.com/yourphotos and declare a topic for the next week. On Saturdays, we publish an online gallery.

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCIV) — Currently, Isle of Palms has no limits on the amount of short-term rental licenses on the Island, which is something neighbors have been concerned about for years.

“We’re the only community in South Carolina coastal communities without limitations, and that includes all of the surrounding communities," Randy Bell, a former IOP councilmember, said. "You have 40 short-term rentals on Sullivan's island, 400 in mount pleasant, and maybe 100 in Charleston, but you have 1,800 here."

Isle of Palms residents rally for cap on short-term rentals: Referendum to hit upcoming ballot (WCIV)

Earlier in the month, Isle of Palms neighbors formed a grassroots petition to cap the number of short rentals at 1,600. The petition was signed by more than 1,100 residents. This led to the county verifying the petition forcing the city council to put a referendum on the ballot.

Read more: Terrace Theater celebrates record-breaking weekend thanks to 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer'.

"The residents put forth a petition, and that’s how democracy works, and we'll put that on the ballot," Mayor Phillip Pounds of Isle of Palms said. "So it’s to cap what they call investment short-term rentals. So non-full-time rental properties to cap that at 1,600, and that will be the simple question on the ballot: a simple yes or no."

With the decision now up to voters, former Councilman Randy Bell hopes the council learns to listen to their constituents moving forward.

“We’re the dry sponge in the middle of a puddle, and we don’t want to be the dry sponge anymore. We would like to have reasonable limitations well thought out by council. It should have avoided a referendum, but here we are," Bell continued. “I was on council, and I don’t care what every councilperson’s opinion is, but you’re there to represent the people that put you in office."

For the next upcoming election, there are four council seats open.

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD) – The ribbon was cut early Tuesday morning on the newly renovated Isle of Palms Marina market, The Outpost.

Michael Shuler, whose company took over the lease for the Isle of Palms Marina store months ago, said the new shop will offer a “little bit of everything” whether you are a local or visitor.

“It’s got exactly what you need at a marina. It’s part convenience store, part boutique, part kitchen- and it’s convenient, it’s quick, it’s easy whether you come by boat or by vehicle, it’s a little something for everyone,” he said following Tuesday’s opening celebration.

Isle of Palms city leaders and residents gathered for the ribbon cutting. Shuler promised that although the business is open, it will remain a work in progress. “We’re not stopping now. We’re listening, we’re going to keep getting this right,” he said.

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Shuler said he’s been coming to the Isle of Palms Marina since he was a child and understands its significance to the community.

“This place is very important to me. I think what we’ve done here is going to give us another forty years of fun times at the Isle of Palms Marina and we welcome everyone to come enjoy it with us,” he added.

After obtaining the lease earlier this year, Shuler’s team went to work renovating the space and reconfiguring the parking lot to make it more efficient. Inside, you’ll find the ship store, a deli, and plenty of opportunities to pick up a souvenir.

“We dove right in,” said Shuler. “We knew that we had a renovation on our hands so we tried our best to get it done and make sure we could open and serve the public this summer.”

The Outpost is open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

“We’ve got to be here to meet the needs of people first thing in the morning when they are out fishing with the sunrise and we’ve got to meet the needs of people when they are coming back off the boat in the evenings,” said Shuler.