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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — Saving Hamlin.

That's the message from people living in the Hamlin Beach Community who showed up at Mount Pleasant Town Hall Wednesday night. The town’s planning commission voted to recommend the town council deny a rezoning request that would allow for new development.

Hamlin settlement community asks Mount Pleasant officials to stop new development (WCIV)

Multiple people dressed in red brought up their concerns with this possible rezoning to the planning commission.

“We are wearing this red because this is the blood, sweat, and tears that our ancestors have shed to get this land, keep this land,” said Myra Richardson. “And we are also still shedding blood, sweat, and tears to preserve, protect, and keep it for our children, and our great-grandchildren and everybody to come.”

Richardson told News 4 that a move like this would devastate Hamlin.

Read more: "Mount Pleasant native transfers to Tigertown, Graduates from Titletown."

Hamlin Beach is one of Charleston County’s many settlement communities seeking protection for its land, but people say it’s more than just that. They say it’s preserving the roots of the Gullah Geechee culture spanning for decades.

“I’m 51 years old, and I still live on the land, and I can trace my history back to my great-great-grandfather who was a slave living on that land,” said Cassandra Davis.

Land that could be rezoned, giving developers the green light to build new homes.

Read more: "Bailem family protests against alleged unauthorized conversion of John Ballam Road."

Mount Pleasant’s planning commission unanimously decided to recommend denying the zoning request. That recommendation will go to the town council and a final vote will be in its members’ hands.

People living in Hamlin hope the council will also choose to protect their homes.

“Once they come in, one little project at a time, it'll be something that overflows, and it'll be uncontrollable. If you allow one person to do it, then you're not going to be able to deny the next applicant that comes through,” Richardson said.

Richardson said she also worries about development causing traffic and flooding issues. She thinks the rezoning request was extremely vague and fears it would give developers too much power.

Read more: "Mount Pleasant family responds to Charleston County's attempt to dismiss their lawsuit against them."

“You don't know what they want, you don't know what they were planning.”

The planning commission said it’s learning it must shift its focus to protecting the area’s neighborhoods; something the people of Hamlin are grateful for.

“They have just really come together with one sound, one voice to make sure that communities like the Hamlin Beach Community is protected,” Davis said.

The planning commission also mentioned Hamlin Beach is working to get its historic designation, and they wouldn’t want something like a new development to hinder that process.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C., April 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pickleball Kingdom, the nation's premier indoor pickleball franchise, is excited to announce the opening of its newest location in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, situated at 680 Long Point Rd Mt Pleasant, SC 29464. This location underscores Pickleball Kingdom's commitment to providing an unparallel pickleball experience throughout the state of South Carolina.

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Ace Rodrigues, Founder, and CEO of Pickleball Kingdom, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We are thrilled to bring Pickleball Kingdom to Mount Pleasant, SC, and we couldn't be happier to have Chris and Kelly Ogden leading the charge. This expansion marks another milestone in our mission to bring a premier indoor pickleball experience all around the world."

Chris and Kelly Ogden, esteemed franchisees of Pickleball Kingdom, are spearheading this endeavor in Mount Pleasant. Their dedication to the sport and enthusiasm for community involvement position them to make the Mount Pleasant North location a hub for the pickleball.

A Hub for Pickleball Enthusiasts

The Mount Pleasant North location boasts state-of-the-art indoor courts designed to accommodate players of all ages and skill levels. With a focus on inclusivity and fostering a sense of community, the venue will offer leagues, open play sessions, tournaments, and professional instruction.

"Pickleball is more than just a sport; it's a community builder," remarked Chris Ogden. "Our aim is to create a welcoming environment where people of all backgrounds can come together to enjoy this exciting sport. Mount Pleasant is the perfect setting for Pickleball Kingdom."

Join the Pickleball Kingdom Family

As Pickleball Kingdom continues its expansion efforts, the company is actively seeking passionate individuals to join its franchise family. Prospective franchisees will benefit from comprehensive support from the Pickleball Kingdom team and the opportunity to be part of a rapidly growing industry.

"This is a remarkable opportunity to be part of the fastest-growing sport in the country," noted Rob Streett, COO of Pickleball Kingdom. "We're eager to welcome entrepreneurs who share our vision for growing the pickleball community."

www.pickleballkingdom.com/franchise

For Franchise & Media Inquiries:

COO Rob StreettEmail: [email protected]Phone: 888-788-0999

About Pickleball Kingdom

Pickleball Kingdom is the premier indoor pickleball franchise, dedicated to promoting the sport through high-quality facilities, instruction, and community engagement. With a vision to create a worldwide network of pickleball venues, Pickleball Kingdom is reshaping the landscape of sports.

SOURCE Pickleball Kingdom Franchising

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Three area hospitals have been sold in a $2.4 billion deal to North Carolina-based Novant Health by the previous owner, Tenet Healthcare of Dallas, Texas.

The sale of East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant, Hilton Head Hospital in Hilton Head and Coastal Carolina Hospital in Hardeeville includes the associated physician clinics and other operations, according to a news release from Novant Health.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome our new team members and grow our presence in South Carolina,” said Carl S. Armato, president and CEO, Novant Health, which is headquartered in Winston-Salem. “Novant Health’s long-term vision is to transform the health and wellness of these communities through expanded specialty services and clinical expertise. We are energized and united behind our cause to create a healthier future together by building connections with patients and clinicians in coastal South Carolina.”

The East Cooper Medical Center includes 15 physician clinics. Hilton Head Hospital includes the Bluffton Okatie Outpatient Center and 12 physician clinics. Coastal Carolina Hospital in Jasper County includes the Tidewatch Free-Standing Emergency Department in Bluffton, according to the news release.

Novant Health said continuity of care is a priority and appointments and procedures will continue as scheduled during the transition period. “We are working closely with our new Novant Health team members to ensure a seamless transition for patients and team members,” Joel Taylor, market CEO of Hilton Head Regional Healthcare, said in the release. “We are eager to move forward together in support of our teams and know decisions will be made with our community’s needs at the forefront.”

“There’s a lot to be excited about when planning for our future,” Tyler Sherrill, CEO of East Cooper Medical Center, said in the release. “Novant Health is known for elevating clinician leadership to provide patients with a trusted health care experience through world-class technology, personal connections and convenient access to care.”

Tenet Health also owns a cluster of imaging centers and urgent care clinics in York, Rock Hill and Fort Mill, but those South Carolina properties were not part of the deal for the coastal hospitals.

“We understand that taking care of our patients starts with taking care of our people, so I’m delighted to join a leadership team that strives to not only be a healthc are provider of choice but also an employer of choice,” Ryan Lee, CEO of Coastal Carolina Hospital, said in the release. “I look forward to expanding the resources available to our team.”

Novant Health supports health and wellness programs in the community, including health education/screenings, community health workers and mobile cruisers. Each year, Novant Health provides hundreds of programs that serve patients, neighbors and some of their communities’ most vulnerable citizens, the company said in the release.

The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,900 physicians and more than 38,000 team members who provide care at more than 800 locations, the release said.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD)- If you drive through certain areas of Mount Pleasant, you’ll notice many trees have been cut down for development.

Now, the town’s conservation committee is discussing ways to protect the tree population before it’s too late.

The Mount Pleasant Planning Commission is rewriting the zoning code, and part of that conversation centers around how the town treats pine trees.

“One is do we protect pine trees. Right now, pine trees are not protected; they haven’t been protected in most towns,” the Mayor of Mount Pleasant, Will Haynie, said.

Mayor Haynie says part of what sparked this conversation is the development of Faison Road and the number of trees that have been cut down in that process.

“Citizens are very concerned about that,” Haynie said.

Haynie says pine trees are fast-growing, but cutting them down hurts the land’s resiliency to flooding, “Pine trees are like any other adult tree. They will take up 10,000 gallons of water a year. That’s money we don’t have to spend putting pipes in the ground, digging drainage ditches, clearing drainage pipes.”

If pines were protected in Mount Pleasant, anyone cutting a tree down would have to get permission and mitigate the loss through the town’s tree bank.

However, other council members say people should be able to freely cut pine trees down on their property if it threatens their home.

“Pine trees are quite dangerous during storms. They will snap during a hurricane and cause property damage, so they are not protected trees,” Mount Pleasant Town Councilmember Guang Ming Whitley said.

Haynie says he understands that concern but thinks there’s a way to protect the trees and people’s homes.

“You do not want a pine tree falling through someone’s house in a hurricane, but also, if you have a commercial development and you have acres and acres of trees, there’s no reason to clear-cut it,” Haynie said.

Another part of the conversation is their mitigation plan for combatting environmental impacts when trees have to be cut down.

The town has a tree bank, meaning when it comes to certain tree types, for everyone that is cut down, a fee must be paid, or another tree must be planted.

Now, the town is considering only allowing native trees to be replanted.

Tell me about your professional background and how you feel it makes you a good fit to be a council member.

I've been teaching in Charleston County since 2016. This is my 24th year teaching. The local aspect of teaching, most of my career has been in teaching elementary school, but still the local aspect of working in the community where I live has always been something that I really like. Now I'm in North Charleston, so it's the greater community where I live. I think this is a theme of why I've chosen to run for Town Council because I would like to see Mount Pleasant make its own decisions on a local level and be responsible for them and with citizens participating in the process. I lived in France for seven years and I have a Bachelor of Science in French and psychology and a master's degree in educational technology. I've just always been part of the local community and have worked well with others.

What do you feel is the biggest issue facing the town today, and what plans do you have to address this?

I have a daughter, a six-year-old, and we went to James Island yesterday to go rock climbing in James Island County Park. I would like to see the green spaces improved in Mount Pleasant to make it something where travelers don't have to go across town to go to the (County) Park. I know that there’s a bike path in … Laurel Hill County Park and just a dirt road going in a half-mile circle and there are things that we can put back there that would be places you can take your kids and take your family.

The other thing is I think that health all across the United States is a problem. We pay more for healthcare. We have more healthcare issues related to obesity and diet. I would like to be somebody who spreads the message of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles lead to better lives. We have a great little local market there at Boone Hall...we have the Farmers Market on Tuesday and Boone Hall is open the rest of the week.

The results of the Public Input Matters survey found that throughout all seven districts in town, respondents feel that traffic in Mount Pleasant needs to be improved. What are some concrete solutions that you feel can address this?

The traffic in Mount Pleasant and housing in Mount Pleasant — I don’t know if ‘victims of our own success’ is the right word for it. We have a very unique geography here. We are a virtual island in that there's no shortcuts. There's one way in and one way out. You may come across I-526 or I-26 or you go north towards McClellanville and Georgetown up (Highway) 41. There just isn't room.

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I know that the Town Council has a plan and they've already hired a company to look into certain traffic solutions. As a new council member, I'm not sure if I would be able to offer anything different to what they have already decided on.

Another area Public Input Matters survey takers responded to was housing availability. Forty-one percent of respondents felt that affordable housing options should be increased. How do you feel this can be accomplished?

I think it speaks well to the people in Mount Pleasant that we want things for people like affordable housing, but whether or not there is a feasible solution to providing that affordable housing — where are we going to put affordable housing? It makes sense that people want affordable housing but do they want the affordable housing in their backyard?

I want to live locally, I want to buy locally, want to shop locally, but we can't escape the fact that a lot of our local decisions are made on a state and national and global level. How does Mount Pleasant make affordable housing when the interest rates are 7.75 percent? There are things happening on a national level that we just can't control that can make our job of creating affordable housing next to impossible.

Is there anyone who has served as a role model to you, either from politics, past experiences or family members, that you look to and consider while you run for office?

One thing my dad always taught us was sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest thing to do, but you can take solace in the fact that it's the right thing to do. I am a part owner of a restaurant in Washington, D.C. with my brother Eric and when Washington D.C. decided to impose the vaccine mandate on restaurants … we were the only restaurant in Washington, D.C. to actively say no, we're not going to check people's health papers. It was very hard on my brother to do that, and he's such a big part of the local community. What I just really admired was his courage and even though it financially wasn't the best decision. Financially, it wasn't a great decision, but it was the right decision to make and his principles are something that I truly admire and I try to follow that example in my own life.