SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Potential changes are underway for Sullivan's Island erosion control structure ordinance.
Erosion control structures are not allowed to be constructed in RC-1 and RC-2 Recreation and Conservation Area Districts without town and agency approvals, according to the town ordinance.
Town leaders say the ordinance that prohibits structures such as fill, bulkheads, seawalls targets areas along the back portions of the beach as well as marsh areas.
Town Planning and Zoning Director Charles Drayton says the idea to amend the ordinance was first brought up in May 2024.
"We've had some concerns brought to us from some of the residents back there who are experiencing tidal inundation in their properties currently, and we're looking for ways to address that in an environmentally friendly fashion," Drayton says.
The idea falls in line with the town's progress towards a Sea Level Adaptation and Resilience Plan. The plan is meant to create community-wide recommendations to protect the island from future flood events.
Some recommendations included creating natural buffer areas that will give rising tides space before any impacts to property.
Drayton says the plan also considers an amendment to the town ordinance that only allows one foot of fill to be added on properties. Drayton says seven feet and four inches is the height predicted to protect homes from sea-level impacts in about 50 years.
"Consideration for allowing greater fill on some of these low-lying lots that are more susceptible to tidal flooding so that they would be able to build their building pad at seven and a half feet."
Resident Eric Dodson says he appreciates the town's steps towards a protective plan. He shared concerns that the plan will only allow homeowners to adapt to sea-level rise.
"What we need to do is defend against it. That adaptation that's recommended takes years to basically start to take hold when we're under constant attack right now. And we need to do this today, and it needs to be effective today. Not 10 years from now or five years from now."
He hopes officials understand how storm events impact homeowners on a frequent basis.
"Inundates the downstairs, the garage level and creates thousands of dollars of damage. The storm we had in December, about a year and a half ago, was a significant budget impact. Because it basically took everything out and that wasn't even a named storm."
Dodson says he denied approval for a bulkhead to defend against sea-level rise impacts to his property over a year ago. He wishes to see a change that follows regulations under the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services instead of restrictive town regulations.
"We're trying to do is replace our revetment with a bulkhead because it's stronger, more resilient, and the revetment is currently not working in maintaining the ability for our property not to continue to wash into the marsh."
The resilience plan will go to town council leaders for preliminary review on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
If any changes are made to the plan, it will go to the council again for a final reading in September.