ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - The Isle of Palms City Council is looking for the right person to fill its newly created short-term rental coordinator position.

By the end of Tuesday’s council agenda meeting, they had unanimously voted to create a short-term rental coordinator position and advanced a proposal on first reading 6-3 to increase the rental application.

Councilman Scott Pierce says he has been supporting an STR coordinator for years.

“We needed more staff to help manage the whole short term rental license process,” Pierce says. “We have a fairly significant revenue stream being generated off the island probably in excess of $100 million from the short term rental community.”

He referenced peer communities like Mount Pleasant, that have a full-time position for 400 licenses and Folly Beach that is creating an STR department to manage their licenses.

“We’re approaching 1800, I think the last count was 1700, representing 39% of our dwelling units,” Pierce says. “We do not have not any dedicated staff to manage that whole process. So we’ve got it now, it’s being done.”

As for the proposed increase to the STR application, Pierce says that vote was only a first reading. The topic will come back to council for more discussion.

“We’ve proposed a $200 increase on the application fee for short term rental licenses,” he says. “And so that would fund the position as well as some of the software that we’re looking to implement and also some surrounding administrative functions that go along with it.”

Isle of Palms does not have any laws limiting STR numbers, which has been a topic of conversation across Lowcountry towns and on Isle of Palms at past meetings.

The town, like most others, does have regulations on the properties.

Pierce acknowledges there are differences of opinion on council about how to best interact with STRs.

“I think this function that we’re talking about here today on the short-term rental coordinator and having us get some resources finally around that should be done regardless of what happens eventually with the number of short term rentals allowed,” Pierce says.

Pierce says he is looking forward to working with the STR coordinator to track trends and organize the way the city interacts with the business.

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCIV) — *Story posted March 1, 2023* Beach goers at the Isle of Palms will be happy to hear that the Isle of Palms County Park opens back up today, March1, after being closed for the past two months,.

The park has been closed since Jan. 1 for major renovations to the facilities like the boardwalk and beach access points, all in an effort to make the island more accessible to all.

According to Charleston County Parks and Recreation, some of the biggest changes to the park include railings near the boardwalk and around the park center, as well as completely re doing the ramp for beach access from the park.

Read More: Isle of Palms County Park temporarily closing for renovations

These changes were made so that all facilities are up to American Disabilities Act standard.

The plan to improve the accessibility of the park has been in the works for over a year now and officials say they are excited for people to see the revamped facilities.

“We have been planning this work specifically here at Isle of palms for over a year and getting everything ready so that we could be closed for a very short time and get all the work done that we wanted to make happen. So that we could open back up and have all of our [facilities] be able to meet all of those ADA standards and be ready to welcome the public back in,” Park Manager Cynthia Wilson said.

While the county park officially opens back up today, portions such as the main beach/boardwalk access point will still be closed as they finish up renovations. Beach goers will be directed to the new ramp access.

Read More: New beach boardwalk ramp completed at Isle of Palms County Park

Some of the minor improvements county officials say they will continue to work on at the park include installing even more handrails by the boardwalk and replacing the current shower system.

This park has not been the only one to get an improvement in Charleston County recently.

These changes have been by the help of state officials who, like Charleston County, have been making a commitment to accessibility and quite literally put their money where their mouth is to help places across the lowcountry.

In total the state department of parks and recreation gave just under half a million dollars to Lowcountry parks for improvements.

Read More: CARTA launches seasonal Beach Reach program; hopes to expand

In Charleston, Fort Pemberton received $261,000 for public access improvements- just around half of what the Isle of Palms County Park got to make their boardwalk more accessible.

In addition to these projects, the town of Edisto received $125,000 to resurface it's bike paths around public parks.

Charleston County officials say this commitment by the state helps city open their arms to people of all accessibilities.

“We're doing all of this work to make sure, yes, that we meet our ADA standards. But in doing that, what our hope is, is that we do become more inviting for the public to come in. We want folks with every type of ability to be able to access and enjoy our parks. That was the driving force behind the renovations that we have done,” Wilson said.

Officials said the federal land and water conservation fund, which has been the main funding to a lot of these projects, will support 13 recreation projects across South Carolina, as the state department of parks and recreation has announced $4.2 million in grants in total.

Swaths of uninterrupted white-sand beach, the smell of salty spray, warm sun on your skin, and the rustle of palm fronds gently blowing in the wind—these are the sights, sounds, and scents of Isle of Palms. The South Carolina barrier island packs a lot of relaxation and big fun into a vacation destination that's just seven miles long and one mile wide. The island's proximity to Charleston (just 18 miles by car), make it a preferred summer hideout for locals. An abundance of vacation rentals and the iconic Wild Dunes resort have been drawing visitors from across the country since the early 1970s.

With the deep blue Atlantic on one side and marshy creeks of the Intracoastal Waterway on the other, Isle of Palms offers the best of the Lowcountry and the beach in one stunning setting that's begging to be added to your vacation calendar.

Six of Isle of Palms' seven total miles are occupied by public beaches, which means you'll have your pick of the litter when looking for a sandy spot where you can post up for the day—or the week. Once you've staked your claim, all the normal beach activities are yours for the choosing, from splashing around in the surprisingly calm seas to building the ultimate sandcastle or playing a game of beach volleyball. For families, the Isle of Palms County Park, located in the middle of the island's coastline, is ideal. The public beach has lifeguards, outdoor showers, chair and umbrella rentals, restrooms, and even a playground for little ones retreat to once they tire of the sun and surf.

Make the most of a visit to Isle of Palms by scheduling a charter to take you offshore. Get your sea legs at the Isle of Palms Marina, where you can easily rent a boat and spend a day exploring the island's bays and waterways. Fishing charters are plentiful and offer both reef fishing and Gulf Stream fishing. For adventure enthusiasts or wildlife lovers, Barrier Island Eco Tours hosts a range of naturalist-guided tours that take visitors through winding salt marshes, tidal creeks, and the Intracoastal Waterway on the way to uninhabited Capers Island. Animals you might see along the way include loggerhead turtles, bottlenose dolphins, and every shape and size of coastal birds.

Breakfast is noteworthy at Sea Biscuit Café. The tiny beachside shack has been dishing out delicious morning meals since 1968. While they offer all the classics, the daily specials are where the magic happens. Past offerings have included chocolate banana challah French toast, lemon lavender pancakes, and tomato pie.

When you need a mid-day refuel for the whole family, Coconut Joe's is the obvious choice. Located on Isle of Palms' main drag, you won't have to venture far to get fresh seafood and impeccable vibes. The open-air covered deck is the ideal spot for munching on the restaurant's namesake shrimp, while rocking sandy toes and sun-bleached hair. When happy hour hits, venture to the rooftop bar for a frozen cocktail or painkiller. Nothing will put you on island time faster.

By the time you're finally ready to come in from the sun and go out to dinner, Isle of Palms will be waiting with plenty of options. The Boathouse and Acme Lowcountry Kitchen are island staples that have stood the test of time thanks to excellent quality food and good old-fashioned Southern hospitality. For a special night out, try Coda del Pesce, a fine dining restaurant that specializes in Italian with lots of influence (and fresh catch) from the nearby seas.

All trips to Isle of Palms must include at least one visit to The Windjammer at Front Beach. The legendary local music venue is known for its incredible live shows, stellar views of the water, cold drinks, and unbeatable fried pickles.

The obvious choice for places to stay in Isle of Palms is Wild Dunes Resort, a 1,600-acre family-friendly resort that offers everything from rooms and suites at two inns, to private beach condos and home rentals. In addition to a more-than-comfortable stay, the resort also features several resort-style pools, a spa, and two championship golf courses.

If you're hoping for a cozier stay, the newly renovated Palms Oceanfront Hotel consists of 68 modern rooms with gorgeous views of the sparkling Atlantic. There are also plenty of rentals through Airbnb and VRBO for everything from multifamily waterfront homes to one-bedroom condos.

Whether you book for a long weekend or stay for an entire week, the memories and magic of Isle of Palms will stay with you for months and years to come—maybe even until you have a chance to make another trip back!

Ever since the Isle of Palms incorporated in the 1950s, voters have elected eight at-large council members and a mayor. In the coming month, these city voters will decide if that’s two council members too many.

We don’t think it is. More specifically, we don’t see any big advantage that shrinking City Council would provide to residents, and we see a few disadvantages.

The idea of reducing council’s size has been batted around quietly for several years, Mayor Phillip Pounds tells us, partly because the city does seem to have a rather large council for its size, about 4,400 residents. Only about 4% of South Carolina municipalities have more than seven council seats, and most of them are much larger. For instance, Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant have 12, 10 and 8 council seats, respectively.

The debate has remained fairly quiet, even as the council added it to the Nov. 8 ballot, and with less than three weeks remaining before early voting starts, no one has offered a compelling reason to vote “yes.” The conservative approach to any referendum question is to maintain the status quo unless there’s a compelling reason to make a change.

The primary upside of shrinking the Isle of Palms council apparently is saving a little time for council members and staff. Not to knock efforts to improve efficiency, but that strikes us as pretty thin gruel. It’s true that voters still would have six council members representing them (all seats are at-large), but who’s to say that the seventh or eighth council member wouldn’t be the one who listens to particular voters’ concerns most closely — and does the best job representing them?

Because of the way the reduction is planned, if voters approve it in the referendum, the City Council would be a mess for two years. The slim-down would be phased in with voters electing just three rather than four seats in the 2023 city election and then doing the same thing in the 2025 election. That would leave the council with an even number of votes (including the mayor’s) for two years. That might make a big difference, delaying important action on an important issue. Or not. But why take the risk?

This issue seems to be important mainly inside City Hall. While Mayor Pounds tells us he supports the idea, he acknowledges that the average Isle of Palms resident seems to have little skin in this game: “I can’t imagine they would notice a blip if we have five council members or seven or nine.”

If City Council members believe the current city governance is inefficient, then perhaps they should come up with changes that don’t affect the voters’ ability to elect council members. And if council members believe the job requires too much work — about 10 hours of work a week, on average — for too little pay (council members make $1,500 a year, but do qualify for health insurance benefits), perhaps they should either reexamine their work schedule or step aside for someone else to serve.

The council’s relative size might make the job of its members more time-consuming, but that also might work to ensure that their consensus, once they arrive at one, will better stand the test of time.

The city is grappling with big decisions, from the future of its marina to possible adjustments in its short-term rental rules to the logistical headaches involved in managing summertime crowds. We’re unconvinced City Council would make better decisions with fewer council members.

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD) – Isle of Palms City Council heard from residents about Friday’s beach shooting and also discussed potential changes coming to the Isle of Palms (IOP) Connector.

The special meeting was scheduled prior to last Friday’s shooting that left five people wounded. Some neighbors attended to share their thoughts on the shooting.

“Awesome shoutout to our first responders who got in last Friday’s continuous,” Isle of Palms resident Al Klaus said, “contentious world of reality that we live in.”

For neighbors like Terry McGowan, who experienced the shooting first-hand while walking with his wife on the beach.

“This incident has left us both traumatized,” McGowan said.

He is asking for action to be taken to prevent something similar from happening in the future.

“We believe it’s imperative for council to address the root causes of these flash mobs and improve city services,” McGowan said.

After public comments, council began discussing results of a survey distributed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) regarding possible lane configuration changes for the IOP Connector.

“The report that’s in our packet summarizes about 3300 survey responses after scrubbing through duplicates,” Isle of Palms Mayor Phillip Pounds said.

Of those 3300 responses, 48 percent were IOP residents. Their top two concerns are traffic congestion and the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.

“Participants priority ranking item on the bridge primarily focused on reducing traffic congestion and improving safety,” Pounds said.

From the five potential changes SCDOT proposed last December, Concept Five was the most popular choice.

“Concept Five,” Pounds said, “which you may remember adds a lane capacity on the bridge by adding a second lane toward Mount Pleasant, received the highest rating with 50 percent of the respondents rating it four stars or higher.”

And many councilmembers appear to be in favor of that option as well.

“With the alternatives that have been proposed by DOT,” Isle of Palms Councilwoman Jan Anderson said, “there’s one that provides additional capacity on the road that will help relieve traffic congestion, and that’s option five.”

Mayor Pounds says any changes made to the IOP Connector will likely come after the summer.