Junk Removal in Hilton Head Island, SC

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - The Town of Hilton Head Island issued a statement regarding the property dispute between the developer of Bailey’s Cove and Josephine Wright.

Wright is a 93-year-old Hilton Head Island resident who is fighting to keep her property that has been in her family for generations.

The Town of Hilton Head said in a statement that it will not issue a Certificate of Compliance or building permits until the dispute is resolved.

You can read the full statement below:

The Town of Hilton Head Island has received a number of questions from media outlets regarding action taken by the Town related to the property dispute between the developer of Bailey’s Cove and Josephine Wright.

We have notified the parties that, consistent with our code, the Town will not issue a Certificate of Compliance or building permits until this matter has been resolved.

The Town is following its standard process for approval of the various phases of a development such as Bailey’s Cove. This process involves multiple steps that must be completed in succession to move through the development process. According to Shawn Colin, Assistant Town Manager for Community Development, who serves as the Town’s Land Management Ordinance (LMO) Official, a Certificate of Compliance, is required for the developer to obtain building permits and cannot be issued until the property dispute has been resolved. Resolution of this issue is necessary for the subdivision plat to be approved and stamped.

A letter from Mr. Colin outlining the above was provided to the applicant’s agent on July 31 as confirmation of the Town’s position.

“As Town Manager, I would like to publicly address the recent private land dispute that has captured community attention. Our Town’s strength is in our shared values and our commitment to each other,” said Marc Orlando. “I understand the emotions and concerns surrounding this issue and I encourage the developer to work with Mrs. Wright to resolve it. I know that Town staff is working with the developer to bring this to timely resolution.”

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Whether you’re a longtime local or a tourist passing through, Hilton Head Island is always filled with new things to explore.

With summer’s end just around the corner, it’s important to fill the remainder of your time with lasting memories and ways to make the most of the warm, sunny weather.

In order to make sure you’ve at least experienced the best things to do on the island, Tripadvisor released its list of the 2023 top attractions to do in Hilton Head.

Here are 10 of the top attractions on the list.

First on the list was Coligny Beach. Accompanied by Coligny Plaza, this area on the island’s south end is a great place to spend the day with free parking, a shopping center, restaurants and miles of white sand beaches. Coligny Beach Park on its own has a splash pad, restrooms, outdoor showers, seating, free parking and more.

Coligny Beach received Tripadvisor’s “2023 Best of the Best” award and has over 4,000 reviews on the popular travel site.

The beach is located at 1 Coligny Circle.

Are you over the age of 21? Head on over to Hilton Head Distillery, which landed second on the list, and is the island’s only distillery and craft spirits locale. The distillery offers a unique experience for guests with a wide variety of activities such as the opportunity to engage in a hands-on mixology experience, daily behind-the-scenes tours, tastings, signature cocktail classes and a bottle shop.

Such options are a much-talked-about affair among adults and ranked as a ‘must-do’ for many adult parties or gatherings. The distillery can be found at 14 Cardinal Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926.

Hilton Head Distillery also won Tripadvisor’s “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award.”

Hilton Head Island’s bike trails, although ranked third, may arguably be one of the most popular but unnoticed attractions the island has.

The Town of Hilton Head Island ‘s website shows several different interactive or printable map options for the many bike trails that the island has to offer.

Hilton Head’s bike trails received Tripadvisor’s “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award.”

The Coastal Discovery Museum is a “must-do” on the island for family and friends of all ages.

The Hilton Head attraction can be found on the island’s north end at 70 Honey Horn Drive and encompasses a 70-acre property, exhibits, Lowcountry history, live animals, free grounds admission, tours, museum and more.

The family-friendly museum is open daily throughout the week and received the “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award” from Tripadvisor this year.

The Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge is located between Hilton Head Island and Bluffton off the U.S. 278 bridge connecting the island to the mainland. The area is an island dedicated to hosting an abundance of local wildlife and acts as a space for individuals to explore and observe the local flora and fauna.

The preserve attracts thousands of migratory birds annually and provides a rookery, a nesting habitat for colonial wading birds such as ibis, egrets and herons. Other local species such as alligators, armadillos, various snakes, turtles, butterflies, bats and salamanders make their home at the wildlife preserve as well. Visitors may enjoy activities such as hiking, biking, walking and wildlife viewing during the park’s sunrise to sunset visiting hours.

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Preserve also received Tripadvisor’s “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award.”

The Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center is a main attraction for many active locals and tourists alike.

The center is ranked as the #1 tennis resort in the Carolinas by Tennis Magazine and is currently ranked in the top 25 in the world by Tennis Resorts Online, according to Tripadvisor. The attraction features 19 clay tennis courts and 24 pickleball courts and is open year-round.

The Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center, which received the “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award,” is open daily from 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., with select courts being lighted for night play through 10 p.m.

For more information or to book a court, call 888-926-8784.

The Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina is the site of Hilton Head’s popular Neptune Statue and is the island’s largest deep-water yacht basin.

The harbour and marina at Shelter Cove, which is located at 1 Shelter Cove Lane, offers visitors options for waterfront dining, shopping, strolling and sunset views over Broad Creek.

The “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award” winner is also near the Shelter Cove Towne Centre and many other Hilton Head attractions, such as Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf, Hilton Head Diner, Bullies BBQ and Stacks Pancakes & More of Hilton Head

The Sea Pines Forest Preserve can be found on the south end of Hilton Head Island in a 605-acre area of protected land in the Sea Pines resort community that is dedicated to wildlife habitat and outdoor exploration.

Following the construction of the preserve’s first trails in the early 1970s, the area has grown to include bridle paths, wetland boardwalks, bridges and fishing docks. Aside from exploring the preserve through the many leisurely walking trails, horseback rides, guided boat tours, fishing expeditions or wagon tours are available for guests’ enjoyment. Visiting hours for the forest preserve are sunrise to sunset, which allows for an optimal day of exploration.

Tripadvisor also awarded the preserve with the “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award.”

Folly Field Beach Park can be found off of Folly Field Road on Starfish Drive on the island. The area has a boardwalk leading to the beach that winds through Hilton Head’s flora and fauna until it meets incorporated beach matting once you reach the sandy terrain. The mat helps provide support and transportation ease for guests of all ages as well as wheelchair access.

The “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award” winner also has metered parking spaces, outdoor showers, restrooms, beach rentals and seasonal lifeguards.

The Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, which can be found on the north end of Hilton Head Island at 40 Harriet Tubman Way, is a place of historical significance to the area and is the location of the first freedmen community established during the Civil War.

The park features interpretive signs , beach access, walking trails, an observation gazebo, historic exhibits and a picnic pavilion. In addition, the destination is also one of 26 sites in the state of South Carolina that is recognized on the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.

Visitors may go on a self-guided tour of the land, which won the “2023 Travelers’ Choice Award,” or a private tour on select dates and several programs and events take place in the area.

This story was originally published August 5, 2023, 1:51 PM.

Travel + Leisure has released its World’s Best Awards 2023 for the 10 best resorts in South Carolina and several Lowcountry places made the list.

Although 40% of the resort destinations reside on Hilton Head Island and 50% of the list occupies Beaufort County, the winner of the “best of” list was, in fact, Mount Pleasant’s Post House with an overall reader score of 96.00.

Post House is a seven-bedroom inn in the Old Village area of Mount Pleasant and is no stranger to readers of Travel + Leisure as the resort was chosen by editors of the national travel magazine as being one of the best new hotels of 2022.

“Everything from the staff to the food is top notch. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Charleston,” one of the magazine’s readers commented.

The original 1896 building was fully redone in 2020 with design-oriented touches, such as William Morris wallpaper and accompanying botanical prints, detailed Travel + Leisure.

Combining the looks of a coastal tavern and inn, the Post House also boasts an impressive menu of Southern classics for hungry guests at the downstairs bar and restaurant.

“We are honored to receive such an amazing accolade by Travel + Leisure — the largest travel media brand in the U.S.,” said Ben Towill, Co-Founder and CEO of Basic Projects, the hospitality and design firm behind Post House Inn. “The team at Post House Inn works hard daily to bring guests the best-in class service and experiences. I am very proud of the entire team for their hard work, dedication, and passion put forth to our guests, neighbors in Old Village, and the Charleston community.”

If you’re looking to experience the inn for yourself, room reservations may be made online through Post House or by calling the Inn directly at (843) 203-7678.

Post House Inn has also been featured in Vogue, Architectural Digest, Charleston Magazine and Dezeen.

The inn is open daily with lunch beginning at 11 a.m., weekend brunch at 10 a.m. and dinner at 5 p.m. Reservations for the restaurant can be made online at Resy.

As for the remainder of the list, eight of the 10 selections were repeat winners, despite the Post House claiming the number one spot as a newcomer to the list.

1. Post House: Mount Pleasant

Reader Score: 96.00

2. The Willcox: Aiken

Reader Score: 94.59

3. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort: Kiawah Island

Reader Score: 91.61

4. The Inn & Club at Harbour Town: Hilton Head Island

Reader Score: 91.53

5. Montage Palmetto Bluff: Bluffton

Reader Score: 89.33

6. The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina: Charleston

Reader Score: 87.00

7. Wild Dunes Resort: Isle of Palms

Reader Score: 84.98

8. Beach House Hilton Head Island: Hilton Head Island

Reader Score: 84.76

9. The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa: Hilton Head Island

Reader Score: 84.11

10. Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort: Hilton Head Island

Reader Score: 81.63

This story was originally published August 2, 2023, 6:30 AM.

Have you heard distant screams echoing throughout the night?

It might be a bobcat.

Bobcats, also known as the red lynx or the bay lynx, are part of the lynx family and can easily be distinguished by their short, bobbed tail.

Although the feline typically goes unseen in more populated areas due to its generally shy and solitary character, bobcats inhabit the stretch of South Carolina’s coastal plain and can be found in many different habitats such as swamps, mountainous regions and forests with thick brush.

The fur on a bobcat can range between appearing as grayish to reddish-brown, donning widespread black spots, dark ears with white, tufted tips and a tail tipped with black above and white fur.

This lynx species typically weighs between 15-40 pounds, with males generally being heavier than females.

Bobcats are opportunistic hunters that prey on a variety of animals such as mice, rats, squirrels, moles, fish, birds, rabbits, reptiles and occasionally white-tailed deer, which is South Carolina’s state animal.

Lynx rufus have been known to prey on nearby white-tailed deer during the fawning and hunting seasons, at which times they find young, wounded or crippled deer for easy prey, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources states.

Domestic animals such as dogs, goats and sometimes cats left in backyards or around your property can also fall prey to the hungry felines.

Bobcats prepare to stalk and ambush their prey, pouncing when an ideal animal comes near with their pursuit rarely extending more than 60 feet.

Bobcats are polygamous mammals that begin breeding after they have reached one year of age and will breed in the late winter and early spring, but mostly occurring between December through May.

Female bobcats will use an area of rocky ledges as a natural den. However, they may also be located in rock crevices, caves, brush piles or in hollow trees, stumps, or logs, according to Mass.gov. Females may even repeatedly use the same den sites for several years in a row.

They undergo a 62-day gestation period where afterward females will give birth to two to four kittens. These kittens will open their eyes after 10 days, and by four weeks, will begin exploring their surroundings and are weaned from nursing by seven to eight weeks, SCDNR states.

Male bobcats do not participate in raising the young, as that responsibility solely lies on the female.

Luckily, bobcats tend to avoid humans, which makes them pretty harmless most of the time. However, attacks have occurred as a result of unhealthy or territorial bobcats.

“Perhaps you have seen a bobcat in your neighborhood. Rest assured, bobcats do not attack people. In fact, bobcat attacks are virtually unknown; however, no one should ever attempt to touch or handle a wild bobcat or her kittens,” Kathy Milacek said through the Texas city of The Colony Department of Animal Services’ website.

If a bobcat does try to attack you, do what you can to defend yourself and seek immediate medical treatment for rabies or other diseases if you receive any bites, scratches or other injuries.

This story was originally published August 3, 2023, 6:30 AM.

Post and Courier. July 29, 2023.

Editorial: South Carolina needs to get serious about new wetlands protection

Two significant recent events should work together to push the issue of protecting South Carolina’s isolated wetlands toward the top of lawmakers’ agendas for the coming year.

The first is the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency that held that only wetlands connected to other surface waters are regulated under the federal Clean Water Act. That limits federal jurisdiction to areas with, in the ruling’s words, a “continuous surface water connection with a larger body of water.” While many in the environmental community have expressed concerns that the ruling — and the diminution of federal protection — will endanger more wetlands with development, that does not have to be the case.

States are free to step in and enact their own regulations to protect isolated wetlands, and we would urge S.C. lawmakers to do just that. Our state’s coastal plain has several Carolina Bays, isolated wetland features now apparently unprotected by the Clean Water Act. These unique and somewhat mysterious areas offer important habitat to unique birds and plants, and they also act as filters, improving regional water quality. One has been made into Woods Bay State Park in southwestern Florence County.

But Carolina Bays are far from the only sort of isolated wetlands left unprotected by the high court’s May ruling, which arrived at a moment when we are appreciating wetlands even more, not only for their contribution to biodiversity and water quality but also for their ability to limit flooding.

That’s where the other major development comes in: the June 29 release of South Carolina’s Strategic Statewide Resilience and Risk Reduction Plan, which recognizes the new realities regarding both flood-prone landscapes and our shifting regulatory landscape.

“The (Sackett) decision puts some of South Carolina’s unique isolated wetlands features such as Carolina Bays at risk of unregulated development,” the plan says in one of its recommendations: “Isolated wetlands, such as Carolina Bays, offer habitat and flood mitigation in South Carolina. A majority are in the coastal zone where populations are increasing and therefore at an increased risk of loss to development. New state legislation should be enacted to regulate the alteration of these unique systems to reduce the potential loss of function.”

This might not be the most significant of the plan’s many recommendations, but it could represent some of the lower-hanging fruit. In a similar vein, the plan also recommends maintaining natural protection against flooding by prioritizing conservation work in areas known to help with absorbing heavy rainfalls and swollen rivers. The plan notes that the South Carolina Office of Resilience has public and private databases “identifying areas where floodwaters are expected, where wetlands can help absorb excess water, and those areas where water is most likely to infiltrate the ground as opposed to creating excess runoff. Protecting these areas may help attenuate the impact that future development has.”

While conservation work is vital for many reasons, an increased focus on protecting landscapes, particularly wetlands, will help lessen future flood risk.

Many environmentalists fear the new Supreme Court precedent will lead to further damaging decisions because many believe the notion of an isolated wetland is an oxymoron, since we know relatively little about how water is connected underground. Also, some lands are wet only certain times of the year, and it’s unclear which ones still will face review under the Clean Water Act, the goal of which is no net loss of our nation’s wetlands.

We share their concerns and urge state lawmakers to address them by acting next year to adopt new state-level protections. Many lawmakers bristle at federal intervention in areas where they believe state government could handle things better; this wetlands issue represents a chance for them to prove we can do better. But we’ll only succeed if they act.

END

This story was originally published August 3, 2023, 7:12 AM.