Charleston County Council to consider proposed Johns Island medical park
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County Council members are set to discuss a rezoning request for a Johns Island medical park.
The current property on Betsy Kerrison Parkway is a low residential density area, but the developer intends to turn it into a planned development or commercial zone. The Island Park Place LLC plans to include a medical park, restaurant, parking, and new homes. However, Mar. 6 is the deadline set by county members for the developer to bring back his proposal.
“This is a planned development that the developer has brought back to council several times and up to this point, has not gotten a majority vote to move forward. I believe he’s bringing it again tomorrow night,” Jenny Honeycutt, council member for district nine, said.
News 2 reached out to the developer for comment about changes he has since made to the original proposal.
“The first iteration of this project included developing 200,000sf, which was reduced to 159,000sf at the original submittal, and then most recently was further reduced to 129,846sf. The wetland impacts have been reduced from 2.5 acres to 2.0 acres. The owner has agreed to place 2 acres into conservation,” John O. Williams II, the proposal applicant, said.
The developer said that the parking and wastewater system has been reduced, and added a community health care clinic.
“This is a way over scale, doesn’t belong here type of project. We’re talking about a building on the scale of our Lonnie Hamilton public service building, with a parking lot and everything. I mean that’s a huge building, a lot of impervious surface,” Joe Boykin, council member for district eight, said.
There hasn’t been any forward movement since 2023, when it was originally introduced. However, county officials said a majority of constituents disapprove of this project.
“The only feedback I have gotten from constituents is opposition. They don’t want to see a project of that size and scale in this location,” Honeycutt said.
“This whole proposal has been soundly opposed by not only the folks that live on Kiawah and Seabrook Island proper, but also the Betsy Kerrison corridor. Since I’ve been on council for two years, I’ve not seen many projects that have brought about this much opposition,” said Boykin.
The district eight council member added that there are other opportunities for the developer on already commercially zoned spaces. Residents also have concerns about the environmental, traffic, and infrastructure impacts in this zone.
“I’ve spoken to the developer and said there are other places that are much better suited that already commercially zoned with access to sewer and makes sense. Plus the need is questionable in the sense that it is a medical park,” Boykin said. “We already have a MUSC facility going in right down there in Freshfields, and we have Trident who’s putting in a community hospital on Johns Island. And Roper also has a presence. So, we doing just fine on the availability of medical services.”
The meeting is expected to begin at 5 p.m. Thursday in the county council chambers.
