October LIBPA Newsletter
Reminder: PLEASE VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4TH
Island Notes:
Not so fast! Last month it was noted that the County Development Review Board had approved the construction of 6 garages adjacent to the Tidewatch commercial complex on Sea Island Parkway with the provision that they could only be utilized by tenants of Tidewatch. The President of the Tidewatch Property Owners Association has indicated that the association has declined to support the project. The combination of that decision and the restriction as to use of garages placed on the project by the DRB would indicate further action is unlikely.

Mark your calendar for breakfast (7:30 – 8:30 AM) with the students and teachers at Lady’s Island Middle School on Wednesday, November 19. The purpose of the breakfast meeting is to help members of the community to have a better understanding of the great things that are happening at LIMS. More details will be available later.

Good News/Bad News. The project to resurface the primary runway at the Marine Corps Air Station is nearing completion ahead of its mid-October schedule. Upon completion of the project, aircraft will return to the normal flight pattern versus the one being used while the primary runway is being resurfaced. This is good news for those portions of Lady’s Island which have experienced an increase in military aircraft traffic over the last few months. It is not good news for the residents of the northern end of the island in that with return to use of the primary runway the flight pattern will return to its regular pattern over the northern part of Lady’s Island.

One person who makes a difference. Periodically, a lady drives her car up to the intersection of Brickyard Point Road and Middle Road, parks and picks up trash until both sides of the road are clean. She uses the Keep America Clean yellow bags, leaves them beside the road and later another good Samaritan stops by and takes them to the Convenience Center. To this specific good neighbor and all of the similar neighbors who quietly contribute to making Lady’s Island such a great place to live – thank you.
Libraries - A Good Investment
In 2005 the University of South Carolina conducted a study entitled “The Economic Impact of Public Libraries on South Carolina”. The results of the study included the fact that in South Carolina for ever $1 of state or local funds spent on public libraries there is a $1.62 indirect economic benefit to the community and a $2.86 direct return for a total return of $4.48 –almost $350%.
A Look At Lady's Island Voters:
As we review the qualifications of the candidates seeking your vote in the November general election it would appear only fair that we take a look at the voters of District 7 which includes Lady’s Island, St. Helena, Dataw Island and Pigeon Point in the City of Beaufort. The following information is provided to present a picture of the District 7 voting population.

Number of registered voters – District 7 had 7,565 registered voters at the time of the 2004 General Election and 9003 registered voters as of August 20, 2008 (19% increase). Beaufort County had 83,335 registered voters at the time of the 2004 General Election.

Voter turnout in last presidential election (2004) – 77.5%

Political affiliation (based on 2004 Presidential Election) - 61% Republican, 39% Democrat

Ethnicity of 2004 registered voters – 82.4% white, 15.7% black, 0.7% Hispanic and 1.2% other.

Up until the final day (October 4) which you could register to vote in Beaufort County residents were registering to vote in the 2008 general election at the rate of 100/day. It is projected that on the day of the 2008 general election there will be 94,000 registered voters in Beaufort County or a 13% increase from the last general election in 2004.

Under no circumstances is there any intention of indicating the 2004 election results are a prediction of the voting trends which can be expected in the November General Election. One thing does stand out loud and clear from the data in this article. Regardless, of
whether the individual resident of District 7 is black, white or Hispanic, Republican or Democrat, young or old they all take their right to vote very seriously and on Election Day you will find them at the polls. It makes you proud to be a part of such a community.

Editor’s Note: The data from the 2004 election is derived from the South Carolina Election Commission. A special thanks to Ms. Agnes Garvin, Executive Director of the Beaufort County Board of Elections and Voter Registration for providing the data regarding the current and projected voter county registration data..
A New Subdivision On Springfield Road?:
In July 2006 a proposed development was submitted to the Beaufort County Development Review Team (DRT) for consideration. The new development (Springfield Subdivision Phase 1) would be located on 23 acres on the south side of Springfield Road across from the entrance to the Marsh Hawk community and is adjacent to the James Byrnes Estates and Eagle Trace communities. Upon completion it would consist of 40 single family homes. At that time (July 2006) the Board gave approval for the basic concept and directed that the developer return with a detailed plan prior to any further action. The property in question belongs to Mr. Ben Gecy.

Recently, a request was submitted to the DRT for approval of Phase II of the Springfield Subdivision which would consist of an additional 13 single family homes on 8 acres of property which adjoins the Phase I property and is also owned by Mr. Ben Gecy. Approval was not granted because:
- The original 2006 conceptual approval for the Phase 1 portion of the Springfield project had expired.
- Approval of a Phase II portion of the project cannot be granted without a current approval on the first phase of the proposed development.

In view of the disapproval of the Phase II portion of the project and expiration of conceptual approval of Phase I, resubmission of the entire project to the DRT will be necessary.
The Rest Of The Story:
Recently an article in the Beaufort Gazette mentioned that the agenda for the Beaufort County Development Review Team (DRT) included review of applications for a convenience (drop off) center and a Citgo gas station, both located on Lady’s Island.

Follow up with the Planning Department revealed that the convenience center request consisted of a county plan to improve/reconfigure the existing center near the Lady’s Island Airport.

The Citgo request was from the station/convenience store, located at the intersection of Sea Island Parkway and Chowan Creek Bluff, to modify its septic system.
Beaufort County Traffic:
One of the contributing factors to our crowded roads is the fact that each day approximately 9000 individuals commute from outside Beaufort County to service type jobs inside the county. The majority of this traffic is south of the Broad River.

Source: Lowcountry Economic Network
Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Report:
Beaufort County involved in foreclosure proceedings remain stable but the number of homes involved in bankruptcy proceedings
almost doubled from the preceding month. 79% of the Beaufort County homes in foreclosure proceedings are south of the Broad River while 58% of the bankruptcy cases are north of the Broad River. Following is a review of the homes in Beaufort County presently involved in active foreclosure and bankruptcy proceedings.
 
Month  Bankruptcy Foreclosure
March 37 89
April 32 86
June 24 85
July 39 106
August 35 121
September 62 128

The number of homes shown above is a fluid number in that each month some of these homes are being sold at auction only to be replaced by other homes in similar circumstances. All data contained in this article is derived from www.foreclosure.com.
Lady's Island Schools At First Glance For 2008/9 School Year:
In an effort to provide a first look at how the capacity of our public schools on Lady’s Island compares to the number of students which showed up for this school year the following information is provided.
                       
Note: All enrollment data are based on the 45th day of school except for school year 2008/9 which is day 15 enrollment.

Coosa Elementary School is operating with approximately 110 students over the capacity for which it was originally designed. This is possible only due to the use of 10 mobile classrooms. Present plans are to move the 5th grade to Lady’s Island Middle School in school year 2009/10 which will reduce the total Coosa Elementary School population to an estimated 550 students or within 10 students of the maximum capacity of the school. In the 2007 school referendum funds were approved to purchase property for construction of a third elementary school. The tough question is predicting when the new school will be needed. There is no simplistic answer. Experience tells us it has to do with the price of homes on the island, growth and the quality of education.

Lady’s Island Elementary School student population is at its maximum capacity but as a “School of Choice” it can control the total number of students. About 40% of its students “choose” to attend LIES rather than the school located in the attendance zone in which they reside. It is a compliment to LIES and its art infused curriculum that it is attracting sufficient students to allow operation at its maximum capacity.

Lady’s Island Middle School continues a trend of declining enrollment. In an effort to address this problem the school is being redesigned both in regard to curriculum and facilities. Efforts are presently underway to allow it to open its doors in school year 2009/10 as a Science, Technology/Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) infused school. Students from the new gifted and talented magnet program (Advanced Math Engineering Science Academy) at Beaufort Elementary School will attend fifth grade at Lady’s Island Middle School. Plans are for LIMS next year to be divided into an intermediate school housing grades five and six and a middle school for grades 7 and 8. This separation of the students into two distinct schools within a school will also entail creating separate entrances to each.

Beaufort High School, although about 300 students over its capacity, appears to have stabilized its enrollment in the past few years in the 1600 range. The discontinuance of the International Baccalaureate Program combined with increased emphasis on the Advanced Placement Scholar’s Program will allow more balanced pupil-teacher ratios and more efficient use of the classroom space that is available. Although the scheduled construction of a performing arts center at the Beaufort High School will certainly increase the overall quality of the education which the school can offer, it will not increase the student capacity.

We, on Lady’s Island in spite of being the fastest growing area in northern Beaufort County, have managed to avoid becoming another Bluffton where growth has literally overwhelmed the public schools and roads. That Lady’s Island has avoided overwhelming the island with growth was not an accident but rather the result of a great deal of work by many people in our community. It is true that our high school and one elementary school are over capacity. This is partially due to the success of the leadership in these schools in establishing a reputation for excellence in education. The challenges to our public school system are not being ignored and are being addressed by the School District, County Council and the community. When new arrivals to our area ask the question “Where are the best schools (public or private) in northern Beaufort County?” – let’s try hard to keep the reply, “Lady’s Island”.

Editor’s Note: For additional details regarding the changes in progress at Lady’s Island Middle School please read Principal Terry Bennett’s article in this month’s newsletter.
A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL: By Terry Bennett, Principal of Lady’s Island Middle School
Dear Friends,
In our attempt to transform Lady’s Island Middle School into a world class educational institution, we will change many things. Along the way, we will probably step on a few toes and bruise a few egos. However, change is often difficult and can easily upset the apple cart. Like a recent political candidate stated, “this isn’t baby fat; it is thick skin.” We are more than ready to make positive things happen at LIMS!

In my 25 year career in education I have been involved in numerous school wide transformations on various levels: 1) The transition from a Junior High to a Middle School, 2) the implementation of Standards, 3) The implementation of the Accelerated School process, 4) The great calendar debates, 5) the resurrection of arts integration, 6) Investigation of International Curriculums, and 7) numerous other movements along the way.

If you are looking for a fancy title or a “canned” program at Lady’s Island Middle School – the search is over. Even though it may sound like the back to basic movement –it isn’t! We are getting back to some very basic ideas and mainly employing some good old common sense – which isn’t as common as I would hope! We did not put the following list together, but we could have easily done so. Robert J. Marzano has proven through his research that the following five factors significantly affect student achievement.

A. We are going to offer a guaranteed and viable curriculum. We are going to make sure no matter who your teacher is or no matter
what pod your child is calling home, he/she will get the same curriculum. This curriculum will be based on the South Carolina Standards. Since our children are tested on the PASS (it is replacing the PACT for the first time this school year), our students will receive the instruction they need based on the diagnostic information we receive from our in-district testing. The teachers will create curriculum maps to insure that students are getting the correct information and the importance of timing will be stressed.

B. We will have challenging goals and effective feedback. The teachers of LIMS are writing three goals this school year. One of those goals will be weighted the most and will deal simply with student achievement. The other goals will deal with technology and the previously mentioned curriculum mapping. Students will receive challenging goals as well dealing with their MAP and PASS testing. Our teachers are being assisted by three academic coaches: A state supported Math Coach, a district sponsored English Language Arts Coach, and a district sponsored Technology Coach. These coaches are doing just that-coaching and assisting teachers in numerous ways with continuous feedback. Teachers will be evaluated in abundant ways throughout the school year including formal observations, walk-throughs, checklists, and the previously mentioned goals.

C. We will increase parent and school involvement. The PT0 and School Improvement Council (SIC) have already established their
goals for the year. Their goals are in support of our plans here at LIMS. The PTO and SIC support the teachers in their mission as well. The SIC has outlined three major goals: 1) Adding a 5th grade in the 2009/10 school year. – We have already isolated the 6th grade and will do the same for the 5th grade. Building entrances will change as well. 2) Improving parent participation at all levels including classroom visits, volunteers, and in after school functions, and 3) Improving past perceptions. Major steps for each of these goals have already taken place. LIMS is not your “older siblings” middle school. We have changed and positive things are happening each day – mainly the next item…

D. We will have a safe and orderly environment. The halls of LIMS are different. It isn’t just our new approach, it isn’t just the two hall monitors, it isn’t just improvements to doors, cameras, and the grounds, and it isn’t just the enforcement of the dress code, but it is simple, a man with a plan. Mr. Calvin White is key. He is our dean of students. He has a basic belief – from order comes learning. We have order at LIMS. Students, teachers, and visitors feel welcomed, and they are extremely safe.

E. We will promote collegiality and professionalism. We will return your phone call and we will do what is best for your students. We will communicate in all methods: email, web pages, newsletters, via the newspaper, marquees, etc. If you point out our short fallings, we will address the issue –we will not hide them.

We invite the public to visit Lady’s Island Middle School. We ask you to witness first hand the school and all of the improvements. We are extremely excited about the future at LIMS. With your support Lady’s Island Middle School will be the best school it can be! Please visit our very informative website at www.ladysislandmiddle.com today!
One Day Snapshot Of Lady's Island Public Schools:
The Beaufort County School District takes two quick snapshots of the student enrollment at the beginning of each school year. The first is taken on the 15th day of the school year and a second is taken on the 45th day. The following is designed to present a picture of the ethnicity and gender of students attending each of the public schools on Lady’s Island on the 15th school day of this year.
                                                         

The above data graphically shows what a diverse community in which we are privileged to live. It also points out that the trend toward a rapidly increasing number of Hispanic students, being experienced by the schools south of the Broad River, has not
occurred to the same degree in our area.
Lady's island Roadwork Update: By Rick Butler, LIBPA Transportation Representative
What’s going on with the several roadwork projects scheduled for Lady’s Island? Why don’t I see anything happening with the diggers, fillers and pavers? These are questions frequently being asked by residents of Lady’s Island. Following is a short report
on the status of each of the three major transportation projects on Lady’s Island right now.

• Second McTeer Bridge and Lady’s Island Drive (SC 802) widening to four lanes. According to Dan Dennis, President of The
Dennis Corporation, which oversees the execution of the County’s one cent sales tax road projects, this project is ahead of schedule and in the final design phase, with plans ready for S. C. Department of Transportation approval. He told County Council recently, “I’ve never worked on any project of this size that has gone this fast.” As soon as SCDOT approval of the proposed plan
is obtained, bids will be solicited. Mr. Dennis expects bids to be solicited before the end of this year. Construction could begin in
the first half of next year, assuming an acceptable bid is received. The new bridge will include both a protected pedestrian walkway
and a dedicated bike lane. Plans for the four-laning of Lady’s Island Drive , which include two four foot wide paved bike lanes and a 5 foot wide multi-use path, should be ready for separate bids at the same time.

• Highway 802-21 Bypass around the traffic light at Publix. The County Engineer’s office is working on securing right-of-way from local property owners, which is a slow process that well could take most of 2009 to complete. Engineering design will not start until all right-of-way issues are resolved. Do not expect to avoid the traffic light until 2010 or later.

• Sam’s Point/Brickyard Point/Holly Hall Roads intersection roundabout. Design work has just begun, so bids are not likely to be let until well into of 2009. Construction is not likely before mid-2009.

Along with these bigger jobs, Beaufort County has been actively involved in repaving work this year. The majority of the Lady’s Island paving has been in the Royal Pines subdivision. That work is now completed. Other Lady’s Island dirt roads paved this year
included three roads between Fairfield Drive and Little Capers Road -- Alumni Road, Varsity Street and Faculty Drive. Off of Middle Road, Woods Lane has been paved. Another planned paving project, Mayfair Court off Sam’s Point Road behind the Professional
Circle area, has not been started due to right-of-way and storm water issues.

For Lady’s Islanders interested in how dirt roads are selected (or not selected) for paving the Beaufort County Transportation Committee will meet November 5 to review and consider adoption of a new formula for prioritizing these projects. If the new formula is adopted, a new prioritized list of road paving projects throughout the county will be prepared based on the new system. After that, there is still the issue of funding such paving. The next four year funding cycle from the State’s Title C funds is not expected
to provide adequate funds for very much new paving, and none is likely until 2010.

Finally, the long-discussed ” Northern Beaufort Bypass” environmental studies may begin in October, along with developing
route alignments.
Debt And The Average American:
With all of the recent questions regarding our national economy you might question whether you and your family are financially better or worse off than the “average” American. Today the average American family:
- Has $84,911 remaining to pay off on the home mortgage.
- Owes $14,414 on car and tuition loans.
- Took out a home equity loan and owes $10,062 on it.
- Owes $8,565 on credit card debt.
- Has $392 in a savings account.
In summary the average American household is making payments on $117,952 of debt with only $392 in savings for a rainy day.

(Source: The article (The $65 Miracle) by Jim Toedtman, September 2008 issue of the AARP Bulletin the average American household)
The Question Of Rural Zoning And Density: By Jim Hicks, Lady’s Island Representative, Beaufort County Planning Commission
A part of the review and updating of the Beaufort County Comprehensive plan is a detailed evaluation of rural zoning. A consultant was hired by the County to develop options to the current simplistic concept of rural zoning that states only 1 residential unit may be authorized for every 3 acres of land. Certainly, there are exceptions (rural residential, family compounds) to the 1 house/3 acres rule but that is the basis of the present rural zoning.

Public meetings have been conducted to determine how well (or poorly) the present rural zoning has worked from the property owners perspective. After evaluating the comments presented at these meetings an alternative to the present rural zoning was developed. The recommended alternative to the present rural zoning consists of a sliding density scale which would allow different densities depending on the amount of land in question. Presently under consideration are two versions of a sliding density scale with one allowing a little higher allowable density then the other. The basic concepts of the new rural zoning are (1) Rural Residential Zoning is eliminated as a zoning category and (2) owners of smaller parcels have a higher authorized density than authorized by the present zoning while larger parcels of land would remain at 1 house/3acres. The following information is provided to show the potential effect (number of additional homes) on Lady’s Island and Coosaw Island of retaining the present rural zoning or adopting one of the new sliding density scales.
             
Note: Rural Lady’s Island as shown in the above chart does not include Coosaw Island which is shown separately. It does include those existing planned unit developments located in the rural area such as Pleasant Point, Coosaw Point, Walling Grove and Coosaw River Estates (estimated at 1,229 units when built to full capacity).

As can be seen, adoption of the maximum growth sliding density scale would increase the potential number of authorized houses on Coosaw Island by 225 more homes than allowed by the present zoning. Lady’s Island could see an increase of 525 homes from that allowed by present zoning. The combined increase would, compared to the present zoning, be a potential total of 750 additional new homes. On the other hand, if the minimum growth density scale is adopted the increase would be 448 additional homes.

The question regarding the proposed new rural zoning, as it pertains to Coosaw Island and Lady’s Island, cannot be answered by simply asking – Do you want to allow more houses to be built on these islands and if so – how many? There are valid environmental and safety concerns regarding the wisdom of allowing any increase in the number of homes on low lying islands such as Coosaw. Another question which deserves serious consideration prior to approving any increase in density is our ability to provide the necessary infrastructure, especially adequate roads. The question of authorizing a new rural zoning for Beaufort County is complicated, complex and deserves a very close look prior to approval to insure there are not unanticipated consequences.
Lady's Island Numbers:
Following is a glance at Lady's Island as projected by statistics:
                                                   
Local Real Estate Inventory And Sales By Price Range: By Everett Ballenger, President, Beaufort County Association of Realtors, Keller Williams Realty/Ballenger Associates.
 When the individual home owner, in northern Beaufort County, meets with a Realtor to discuss placing his or her home on today’s
real estate market the following questions become very important. How many homes, in a similar price range, are in the
inventory of homes already on the market and how have homes in that price range sold? The following data is presented to give
a general answer to those questions as they apply to northern Beaufort County.
                                         
Fully accepting the saying that “liars figure and figures lie” the following numbers would appear to stand out from the data presented
above.
Inventory
- At the present rate of sales it would require 16 months to sell or absorb the present inventory.
- 48% of all homes in the present inventory in northern Beaufort County are in the $100,000 to $300,000 price range.
Sales
- The fastest moving price range are those homes in the $100,000 to $200,000 range followed by the $200,000 to $300,000 range.
- 74% of all the homes sold in Northern Beaufort County in 2008 were in the $100,000 to $300,000 price range.
- More homes in the $1,000,000 + range have sold this year than have sold in the next 3 lower price ranges combined ($700,000
to $999,000).

The data contained in this article is intended to provide the individual home owner an idea of the size and make up of the present
inventory and the sales rate, by price range for single family homes in the Beaufort market. Under no circumstances should the data presented in this article be mistaken as an attempt to predict how long it will take for an individual house to sell in today’s market. When attempting to make a decision as to placing your home on the market and at what price, there are too many factors (location, condition of home, price) to be considered. In today’s tough market only a professional realtor can provide a home owner with a recommendation which takes all of the factors into consideration.
Ten Years Of Municipal Growth:
A favorite argument of those in favor of annexation is that municipalities must grow in size or die. Whether one accepts that philosophy or not the fact is that most of the municipalities in Beaufort County have grown in size over the last decade. Just how much they have grown (land wise) is evident from the following chart.
                                    
Note: Acreage does not include water and salt marshes. Data source is Beaufort County Comprehensive plan except for the Town of Port Royal which was derived from current GIS data.

In the case of the Town of Port Royal and the City of Beaufort the numbers are somewhat misleading in that the 2007 acreage includes annexed military property. The Marine Corps Air Station with its 4,532 acres was annexed by the City of Beaufort and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island with its 7,236 acres was annexed by the Town of Port Royal. Even with the military property discounted it is obvious that significant municipal growth through annexation has occurred in every municipality except the Town of Hilton Head.

Some of the reasons the Town of Port Royal and the City of Beaufort annexed the military bases within their municipal limits is to obtain a “free” increase in population. A municipality that annexes a federal property such as a military base may count the military personnel residing on the bases within their population count. Although the municipality does not receive property taxes, business license or impact fees from the military bases there are no services which must be provided.

Recently the US Census Bureau published their estimate of the 2007 population for each of the municipalities in Beaufort County as compared to the 2000 census count. As can be seen from the following chart, simply annexing additional property does not necessarily equate to an increase in population. A good example of this is the City of Beaufort which, according to the Census Bureau, increased in population until 2005 at which time the population began to decrease and continued the decrease through 2007.

                                  
* The majority of the population of the Town of Yemassee is located in Hampton County.

The Census Bureau does not make projections for areas such as Lady’s Island but LIBPA records indicate that Lady’s Island has experienced a 37.7% increase in population growth since the 2000 census.

It should be noted that the Census Bureau’s projected populations frequently are a source of disagreement in that municipalities feel the numbers are lower than their actual population. At first glance, it would appear highly unlikely that the City of Beaufort has actually lost population over the last 7 years. If the population projected by the Census Bureau for the City of Beaufort turns out to be accurate, then Lady’s Island would have a population larger than Beaufort.
Pine Tree Facts And Fallacies: By Michael murphy, President, Preservation Tree Care
In the past few months there have been some controversial articles and discussions about our native Loblolly pine tree. Here are some interesting facts about this sometimes maligned tree.

Loblolly pine trees are one of the more prevalent trees in the Lowcountry. They are common in both woodlots and on residential sites. They usually grow in groups or dense stands with lone trees being scattered. The strength and integrity of their growing capabilities is determined by the sites that they are growing on. If the trees have been growing under fairly open spacing conditions where each tree has an opportunity to sway in the wind by being exposed to all weather conditions, then those respective tree trunks are the most solid in nature and the root systems will be deep and sturdy. If, on the other hand, the trees are growing very close together in dense stands in an unmanaged woodlot and are protected from the wind, then these trees will be very shallow rooted and weak-trunked. Pines growing under normal spacing conditions have incredibly strong trunks. Their weakest point is sometimes 60’ – 70’ up their trunks. This was obvious 19 years ago when Hurricane Hugo destroyed entire pine forest. On the other hand, in storms of less than hurricane intensity these types of pines rarely blow over or break, while their woodland partners,
the Laurel oaks and Water oaks, can be blown over at ground level. During the recent storm that hit Beaufort County on the
afternoon of August 7, out of 38 separate incidences of tree related storm damage that I was involved with, only three were the
result of pine tree failure and all three pines were growing under suppressed, dense conditions.

Pine limbs are susceptible to storm damage, but at a much lower frequency than other similarly sized deciduous trees. All trees, both pine & deciduous, form what is called reaction wood as a response to movement in the trunk and limbs. In pines and other conifers it is called compression wood. The tree will actually produce more holding wood on the side that it is needed most. The compression wood in conifers is rich in lignin. Lignin confers strength to the cell wall and, by extension, to the tree as a whole. Pine trees that have a gradual lean with no root heave are sometimes as strong or stronger then fully perpendicular trees because of this formation of compression wood.

Pine trees respond well to pruning and hold their prune much longer than most deciduous trees. Most seemingly adverse conditions stemming from having a number of pine trees on any one property can be remedied by crown cleaning and pruning, and culling of some of the less structurally desirable trees.

We should strive to preserve as much as is practical while at the same time making sure that our surroundings, as a whole, are safe. Clear cutting should only be considered as a last resort after all other arboricultural resources have been considered. Culling of weaker and suppressed trees, judicious pruning and replanting of better quality and more desirable species are some of the best management tools that we can use to keep our suburban forests healthy and sustainable.

A combination of misinformation, unprofessional recommendations and misguided fear can often generate decisions resulting in unnecessary removal of pine trees. When attempting to make a decision regarding the removal of a tree (or trees), regardless of type, from their property residents need to be able to weed out the bad information from the good. Obviously one alternative is to consult a professional arborist or if you prefer to do your own research Clemson University Extension and the South Carolina Urban & Community Forestry are both excellent sources for educational material.
Addressing South Carolina's Energy Challenge: By Representative Shannon Erickson, Candidate for District 124 S. C. House of Representatives Seat
 In 2007, recognizing the implications that global climate change may have on our economy, environment and quality of life in South Carolina, Governor Sanford established the South Carolina Climate, Energy & Commerce Advisory Committee. This broad-based group of citizens and leaders was charged with developing a comprehensive set of state-level policy recommendations to address green house gas emissions through a consensus building process. The committee was chaired by Representative Ben Hagood of Mt. Pleasant, with whom I shared an office suite during my first year in the Legislature. I learned a great deal from Ben as he took on this difficult task.

There were 51 recommendations in the committee’s final report and they vary from being as simple as consumer outreach and education to promoting alternative fuels such as bio-diesel. If all 51 were implemented (the panel’s recommendations are voluntary), estimates are that we could cut green house emissions roughly in half by 2020. While these recommendations will certainly be well-received by the General Assembly, they are the results of but one of a number of important initiatives underway as we seek to address our growing energy challenges.

When I met with my fellow members of the House Republican Caucus earlier this summer, we committed to making alternative energy and a statewide comprehensive energy plan two of our top priorities in the next legislative session. If we are to be successful, we must begin this debate with a full slate of options to incorporate conservation, generation, innovation, and increasing our supply of domestic energy resources. As part of this broad-based discussion, I hope that we will address ways to reward more of the great strides like those already underway among creative South Carolinians working toward innovative energy solutions.

For example, I was excited to find out that there are a number of companies, large and small, across the state that are producing alternative low emission fuels such as ethanol and bio-diesel from kitchen grease, wood chips, soybeans and poultry fat. Within our state, additional research is underway to produce bio-fuels from switch-grass and even pond algae. On the manufacturing front, companies like BMW are meeting more than 60% of their energy needs with the methane gas from a nearby landfill and our own Beaufort Jasper Water & Sewer Authority utilizes “reclaimed” effluent (treated water) on golf courses and has arranged for all landscape irrigation to do the same at “Tradition” in Jasper County.

In Beaufort County, given our limited public transportation, we have the opportunity to greatly reduce the emissions from our cars and trucks. Hybrid vehicles are in great demand now and as battery technology continues to improve, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells will go a long way in addressing this problem, as well. Another proposal that would have a significant impact as we seek to clean our environment and break the cycle of imported oil would be to switch some of our vehicles to compressed natural gas. Although still a fossil fuel, it is plentiful and domestic, burns cleaner (90% less emissions) and costs 40% less than gasoline. One recent study stated that if 10% of our vehicles ran on natural gas we would cut our oil imports by 50%. To this end, I am pleased to have worked with Rep. Bill Herbkersman of Bluffton to have one of Beaufort County’s own, Jon Rembold, appointed to a Natural Gas Study Committee commissioned by the legislature. The Committee is due to give us their report and recommendations in the coming months.

Like so many of you, I feel strongly about protecting the air, water and quality of life we enjoy here and throughout our state. I am also dedicated to strong economic development and quality jobs for our citizens. So is my friend, Senator Danny Verdin, who is holding town hall meetings across the state –including a stop at USC-Beaufort- to hear directly from South Carolina citizens about energy and water quality issues.

The committees’ reports and the feedback that Senator Verdin receives from his statewide trek will all be valuable tools for the General Assembly as we seek a bi-partisan solution that will ensure a comprehensive plan to address South Carolina’s energy needs now and in the future. I take seriously our need to have an adequate supply of reliable and affordable energy and recognize that we must balance that with our responsibility to protect our environment and the natural beauty that makes our area so special. It will be several months before our state finalizes an energy plan, but in the meantime, let me challenge you today, as I am challenging my own family, to make the simple changes that are easy and affordable and will make a big difference both in conservation and in energy cost saving. By taking simple steps like caulking windows, switching to more energy efficient light bulbs, adding weather stripping and insulating water heaters, in our own homes and in those of our neighbors who most need help, we can make great strides toward conserving both energy and dollars in these tough economic times.

The balance between growth and our environment is vital to Beaufort County’s continued success. The potential economic opportunities that will be created when we combine good stewardship and smart growth are exciting. I look forward to utilizing a variety of information, including the Governor’s Climate Change Report, the Natural Gas Study Committee findings, and the views of citizens across our state, to strike the right balance as we seek to re-fuel South Carolina’s future.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the citizens of District 124 for your past support of my efforts, as you Representative, in behalf of our community and request your continued support in the November general election. If you would like additional information regarding my qualifications or past experience please visit www.electshannon.com.

Representative Shannon S. Erickson owns and operates Lowcountry Building Blocks, Inc. dba Hobbit Hill Preschools. Endorsed by NFIB & the Conservation Voters of South Carolina, Rep. Erickson currently serves on the Military, Medical & Municipal Committee, on the Criminal Domestic Violence Study Committee and the Abstinence Education Task Force.
Annexation Reform Crucial For Small Business And Lowcountry Lifestyle Survival : By Jim Brown, Democratic Candidate for District 124, S. C. House of Representatives
 Beaufort area residents narrowly dodged a fatal shoestring annexation bullet, when we successfully fought together to derail plans to construct a Wal-Mart in an environmentally sensitive area near the Beaufort County Airport on Lady’s Island earlier this year. But Lady’s Island small business owners and nearby sea island residents fearful of competition from chain stores, or the unwanted annexation of their property into one of several local cities might not be so lucky the next time - unless South Carolina’s outdated patchwork quilt of annexation laws governing its 269 towns and cities are reformed.


In fact, reforming state annexation law to ban shoestring or corridor annexation is the only way to ensure that another big box retailer or developer won’t gerrymander its way up the side of a highway, marsh, or river to reach a municipality more favorable to its development plans than unincorporated Beaufort County offers under the Beaufort County Comprehensive Plan.

I came to that conclusion while representing several Eustis Community residents opposed to Wal-Mart’s attempted invasion of their
neighborhood--via a circuitous route from the Beaufort River across Distant Island to a 26-acre site abutting the marsh, and isolated wetlands approaching the Beaufort County Airport.

If such so-called shoestring annexations are allowed to continue, they’ll threaten the future survival of small business that’ll have to compete with big box retailers. They’ll also create an additional tax burden for the affected homeowners. Additionally, they’ll generate more traffic congestion and infrastructure needs including roads and schools, and increase requests for the expanding cities to increase water, sewer, fire protection, and law enforcement services.

The Beaufort County Comprehensive Plan is one of the few obstacles standing in the way of the unregulated development of the unincorporated communities in our scenic rural areas. We all owe a debt of gratitude to those with the vision to foresee the need to protect our beautiful waterways and vistas and to safeguard our cherished lowcountry quality of life through the Comprehensive Plan’s special environmental and cultural districts including the Alljoy Road Preservation District, the Shell Point Plan Template, the Dale Community Preservation Plan, and the St. Helena Corners Community Comprehensive Plan.

Despite the existence of the Comprehensive Plan, several well-publicized annexations have crept in. Examples of unpopular annexations that have caused public uproars include Port Royal’s leap across the Broad River, Yemassee’s annexation of the Binden Plantation, Beaufort’s annexation of the Clarendon Plantation, and its attempted annexation of the McLeod Plantation.

As cash-strapped cities fight to expand their tax revenue bases, the Comprehensive Plan won’t be enough to keep municipalities including Beaufort, Port Royal, Bluffton, Ridgeland, Hardeeville, and Yemassee from attempting to annex thousands of acres of unincorporated Beaufort County land into their city limits. Strong state laws that close loopholes are needed.

I’m not opposed to annexation across the board. But I believe that it should be conducted in a reasonable manner, protect the rights of property owners who don’t want to be included, fix the “doughnut holes” problem created after by-passing neighborhoods during annexations, and provide adequate police and fire protection to newly incorporated neighborhoods.

The lessons learned from previous annexations locally include that the rights of small business owners and Jane and John Q. Citizen will definitely be trampled without adequate safeguards against the shadowy influences of powerful politicians with not so secret financial interests and family ties to the property.

The fears of low-income and Gullah landowners that they’ll be sold out to greedy developers by corrupt politicians is understandable under such circumstances. And we can expect legal challenges to shoestring and other methods of annexation to grow without needed reforms.

I share the concerns expressed by the Coalition for Smart Growth, the Municipal Association of South Carolina, and various members of the S.C. General Assembly that statewide progressive annexation reform needs to be a legislative priority.

You can count on me to make it one of our state’s priorities as the elected representative of House District 124.

Jim Brown is the sole partner and owner of the Law Offices of Jim Brown, P.A., the Immediate Past President of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the 2008 Democratic nominee for the S.C. House District 124 seat. Brown was recently endorsed by Planned Parenthood. And he was elected to serve on the SCACDL Board of Directors as the 14th Judicial Circuit Representative for 2009-2010. A former Assistant Beaufort County Public Defender, Brown has served the SCACDL as an officer for the past seven years. Brown also makes time to co-coach the Beaufort Eagles 12 and Under Travel Baseball Team, whose members include his three sons Louis, Bradley, and Brooks.