Eco Responsible Tree Removal in Isle of Palms, SC

Charleston is a peninsula surrounded by water, but it isn’t necessarily a beach town, per se. If you’re after the best Charleston beaches, you’ll need to plan ahead to drive to visit one of the sea islands that flank the city. The decision will pay dividends, however, as each beach offers wide views to the horizon, the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and plenty of space to enjoy both. Most on this list come with a “beach town,” to boot, from Edisto’s sleepy seafood shacks to live bands at the Windjammer as the sun sets on Isle of Palms.

Whatever you’re after, pack some sunscreen and keep these tips in your back pocket for assured fun in the sun: The later in the day you arrive, the more crowded it will be. If you are picky about your place on the sand, then go to Charleston beaches early. The combo of tourists who generally have later starts to the day plus locals who like to knock off work early to get a few hours of beach time equals an increase in traffic and a decrease in towel real estate nearest peak sunshine. Note that each beach has its own rules for parking, from Folly’s “wheels off the road” rule to Isle of Palms’ city operated lots. It’s a delicate dance between livable beach communities and visitor pressure, so respect and patience keep public access palatable for all.

Heads-up: drinking and smoking on most Charleston beaches is a big no no, and can cost you big time. It’s a rule that is consistently enforced, and most locals know someone (or have been someone) who came with beer or other alcoholic beverages in a beach tote and left with a tan and a fine of up to $1000. Also, note that vibes vary from beach to beach. Each one of Charleston’s beach towns has its own culture. While Folly Beach is a free-stylin’ hippie, Edisto is a genteel country cousin, and Isle of Palms a fun-loving student on spring break. This is, of course, a simplification, but can help with deciding which to-the-water trek most fits your interests.

Read on for our complete Charleston city guide, which includes:

COLUMBIA —The first day of testimony in the trial involving a retaining wall constructed on the Isle of Palms showcased the staunch determination with which Rom Reddy is prepared to fight the state's environmental agency to protect what he argues are his property rights.

The May 6 hearing before Administrative Law Chief Justice Ralph Anderson revealed a battle that started as a property owner seeking protections against rising tides, but has quickly turned into a self-described battle against the "police powers of the state," as Reddy said in his opening statement.

Wearing a black suit with a red tie, Reddy represented himself against the state Department of Environmental Services' counsel after firing his team of lawyers a week before the hearings were to begin. During the first day of the trial, he often took aim at the agency by referring to its representatives as "unelected bureaucrats."

"This is a hoax," Reddy said to a small courtroom in the Edgar A. Brown Building on Pendleton Street in Columbia.

Sallie Phelan, an attorney for DES, argued that the homeowners continued work on the structure, made mostly of concrete and reinforced with metal brackets, despite three cease-and-desist directives sent by the agency.

"We're here today about a total disregard of the law and a total disregard of the department's authority to regulate the coast and the beaches critical area," Phelan said.

DES attorneys are asking Anderson to uphold the validity of the penalties levied against the couple last July, reaffirm their jurisdiction over South Carolina beaches, and order the removal of the wall.

Reddy and his wife Renee, who appeared next to him in court, are defending the 150-foot wall they constructed between their home on Ocean Boulevard and the ocean in 2023.

Witness describes erosion, damaged wall

The hearings will include testimony over three days from a slate of witnesses, including current and former DES employees, a coastal engineering expert and an Isle of Palms resident.

Matt Slagel, a former beachfront management section manager for DES who responsible for reviewing applications within the state's beachfront jurisdiction was the first witness called to the stand.

In his testimony, he described a tenuous line of communication with the Reddys. The couple requested an emergency permit for sand scraping to repair dunes eroded in May 2023. Slagel said he denied the request, but told the Reddys they could stabilize the eroded area with sand fencing or vegetation.

Later, the agency learned of plans to place clay in the critical area of the beach. Slagel said he met with the Reddys and their contractor in June 2023 to discuss other ways to stabilize the area that avoided placing non-compatible materials in the beach.

At that time, Slagel said the clay had already been buried, which the agency did not learn until the discovery process for the trial began.

He testified that he didn't realize that a retaining wall was buried under the sand until December 2023. The wall was exposed following an unexpected nor'easter that month.

Photos presented in court showed the exposed wall reinforced with wood and metal brackets, and cracks filled with yellow foam.

"Following the nor'easter, (the wall) had started to tilt towards the beach. It was becoming undermined. It was starting to break apart at the seams," Slagel said.

Dark, wet sand in front of the wall meant it had been exposed to waves and water, Slagel said.

He said this meant the wall was situated in a critical area of the beach where wave action prevents plants from growing, or periodic inundation. Building and construction in this area is limited and often requires a permit from DES.

Reddy argued that the agency used deficient data to justify what is considered "periodic," referring to a storm damage survey Slagel conducted in December 2023 to document erosion from the nor'easter.

Reddy to attempt 'takings' claim

Reddy and counsel for DES spent much of the the first day of hearings questioning Slagel. Around 5:30 p.m., Jacques Prevost, a compliance manager for the agency who attended site visits and conducted inspections at the Reddys' property since 2023, was called to testify.

Reddy is also arguing that the agency's actions—penalizing the homeowners $289,000 and attempting to stop the construction of the wall—amounts to a taking of private property.

He referenced David Lucas, an Isle of Palms property owner, who in the 1990s, challenged the state's beachfront management laws.

Lucas purchased two properties on the island in 1986 with plans to build homes on the lots. The South Carolina Beachfront Management Act was enacted two years later and the state's Coastal Council, a predecessor to DES, told him he was not allowed to build.

He was successful in his challenge that ultimately reached the Supreme Court in 1992. Lucas has since become a vocal supporter of the Reddys in this case.

However, the takings claim is not one that can be tried in the state's administrative law court, Judge Anderson told Reddy when the hearing began. The ALC hears cases that are statutory in nature, and can review and enforce administrative orders issued by regulatory agencies.

Day two of hearings will begin at 10 a.m. on May 7 and are expected to conclude on May 8.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of names for DES counsel and witnesses.

Reach Anna Sharpe at 843-806-6790.

A judge has ruled against two Isle of Palms property owners who challenged the state’s authority to stop construction of seawalls that worsen erosion of the public beach.

In an unexpectedly strong opinion that supports the state’s 37-year-old beach protection law, Judge Ralph King Anderson III said South Carolina has authority over all areas of the sandy beach, despite arguments by the property owners that it does not.

The preliminary ruling is not the final word on the issue, but it gives an idea of how he interprets the coastal law as his court prepares to hear the property owners’ full legal challenge over seawall construction next week.

Landowners Rom and Renee Reddy, who live on the beach at the lower end of the Isle of Palms, have challenged a $289,000 state fine over construction of a seawall they built along the shore in 2023.

The Reddys contend that it was their right to build the structure, which protected their home from the ocean, because the part of the beach where the wall was constructed is not within state jurisdiction. They also claim the state’s action against them amounts to taking their private property.

But Anderson’s ruling said the state has jurisdiction over that part of the beach, noting that the Department of Environmental Services “had the authority to impose the administrative order against’’ the Reddys. His ruling denied the Reddy’s request to overturn the fine before the full trial was held.

Leslie Lenhardt, a lawyer involved in the case on behalf of environmentalists, cheered Anderson’s April 24 ruling.

“It’s an extremely positive ruling in that Judge Anderson made a legal conclusion that DES has jurisdiction,’’ she said. “That’s a real affirmation – and that’s great news.’’

The Reddy’s trial is scheduled to start Tuesday, May 6 at the Administrative Law Court in Columbia. Lenhardt pointed out that the case still must go to trial and the outcome of the DES enforcement case is not settled.

Rom Reddy, a wealthy owner of small newspapers and outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, said he doesn’t think he’ll win his case when the trial is concluded in the administrative law court. But Reddy said he’s prepared to appeal any unfavorable decision to the state Supreme Court. He said he is planning a federal lawsuit and expects his legal case will eventually be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Reddys have the support of David Lucas, a coastal property owner who won a similar legal case more than 30 years ago.

“This is not justice but tyranny,’’ Reddy said in a text to The State newspaper. “Ultimately, this is a question of whether a government can confiscate a citizen’s land in the name of environmental protection with no compensation.’’

Reddy expressed his displeasure with the administrative law court system, in which judges rule on disputed environmental cases. He said he deserves a jury trial, not “a trial by a judge who is part of the unelected agency state that accused and convicted me of wrongdoing with no due process.’’

Anderson has a reputation as a judge sympathetic to property rights who often rules against conservation and citizens’ groups seeking to stop state approval of environmental permits. That’s why the strong wording in his decision surprised conservationists and others who are following the case.

Department of Environmental Services officials have said little publicly about the case, but maintain in court documents their actions were legal under South Carolina law.

Reddy is so upset about the state’s dealings with him that he started a political action committee that favors cutting regulations and slashing the government workforce, as the Trump administration is doing at the federal level. He also has spoken against the confirmation of Myra Reece, the DES interim director whose agency fined him $289,000.

According to court documents, the Reddys hired a contractor about two years ago to fill in 1,255 square feet of beach and build a hard erosion control structure, a government term referring to a seawall or bulkhead.

The structure was built after state officials learned of the Reddys’ plans and warned them not to move forward, a state enforcement document shows.

New seawalls on jurisdictional areas of the beach have been illegal since 1988. Reddy told South Carolina regulators he was trying to repair his yard from damage that occurred from a lack of protective dunes near the ocean.

The issue, which has sparked debate in the state Legislature, centers on sections of the seashore that fall outside of building restriction lines established decades ago to keep construction back from the oceanfront.

Enacted through a landmark 1988 law, the lines are intended to make sure new buildings and seawalls are not constructed so close to the ocean that they are hit by waves that worsen erosion of the public beach and damage seaside properties.

Now, parts of the state’s beaches have shifted inland of the building restriction lines, exposing sandy areas of seashore. The Reddys and their supporters say the state doesn’t have authority in the areas outside the restrictive lines. They note that the Legislature has made changes to the law in recent years.

The state’s argument boils down to this: Regardless of the location of the building restriction lines – known as setbacks and baselines – any area that becomes part of the sandy beach falls within state oversight as a result of South Carolina’s 1988 law.

Anderson’s ruling backed that argument. He said beaches include all seaside lands where the ocean regularly washes. Those are sandy areas where most vegetation cannot survive because salt water is toxic to many plants.

Anderson wrote that DES “undeniably has jurisdiction ... even if such lands fall landward of the setback line.’’

Lenhardt said the ruling is encouraging because Reddy’s legal case threatened the state’s long-standing beach protection law. The law allows for state jurisdiction of all sandy beach areas, not just those on the oceanside of building restriction lines, she said.

That’s important because beaches are eroding as sea level rise continues. The emergence of sandy beach areas landward of the building restriction lines demonstrates that shorelines are subject to change and property owners need to be aware of that, she said.

“With all this erosion from climate change and sea level rise, there is more and more often critical area (in state jurisdiction) landward of the setback line,’’ Lenhardt said.

This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 8:20 AM.

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The State

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Sammy Fretwell has covered the environment beat for The State since 1995. He writes about an array of issues, including wildlife, climate change, energy, state environmental policy, nuclear waste and coastal development. He has won numerous awards, including Journalist of the Year by the S.C. Press Association in 2017. Fretwell is a University of South Carolina graduate who grew up in Anderson County. Reach him at 803 771 8537. Support my work with a digital subscription

Isle of Palms looks to reinstate a seasonal parking pass following a rise in prices for off-island residents. April 11, 2025. (WCIV)

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCIV) — A change in parking prices on Isle of Palms has upset many locals.

Now, city leaders are considering bringing back a popular seasonal pass that was cut earlier this year.

“Isle of Palms is definitely the beach that I prefer,” said Dillon Clyburn with his family.

But going to the beach is getting more expensive for them.

READ MORE | "Isle of Palms approves parking fee hike, expects $400K in additional revenue."

Ahead of this beach season, Isle of Palms (IOP) got rid of its $60 summer parking pass for non-island residents.

“It just seems like they don't want the locals, the people that live in Mount Pleasant, Sullivans Island. surrounding Charleston areas to want to make it affordable for them to come over to their area and support their local businesses,” Clyburn, a Mount Pleasant resident, said.

Locals now have the option of buying a weekly pass for $100.

In January, IOP City Council raised parking rates for the first time in five years.

“The island is crowded during the summer months. It's very crowded. But we have to maintain the quality of our residential area on the island,” said Rusty Streetman, a city council member.

READ MORE | "Isle of Palms' new parking enforcement plan issues over 3K tickets in 4 months."

Still, Clyburn and other locals say these changes, on top of higher parking ticket fees, make them feel like the city is prioritizing tourists over neighbors.

“It's kind of pushing the residents of Charleston County and the greater Lowcountry out and making it more for the people that are coming in from out of state,” Clyburn explained.

Daily rates at the city’s parking lots also jumped to $15 during the week and $25 on the weekends.

Streetman said IOP leaders are now discussing bringing back a version of the seasonal passes.

“We think that we can take a few hundred, at least a few hundred parking passes, make that available for off-island residents who would like to purchase those,” he said.

Streetman hopes roughly 500 passes can be made but said they will be significantly more expensive than the old $60 option.

A reboot of the seasonal passes will go before the city council in May.

ISLE OF PALMS — City officials are rethinking some recent changes to parking rules as it heads into the first beach season with higher prices, namely the elimination of a seasonal parking pass that was popular with beachgoers of neighboring communities.

But the decision to ditch the seasonal permit has been largely unpopular with off-island residents, prompting the city's public safety committee to reconsider the change on April 9, so the pass may not be gone for good.

The Isle of Palms, up until this summer, set aside 500 seasonal beach parking passes that could be purchased for $60. Passholders had access to the two parking lots on Pavilion Drive, bypassing the $10-$15 a day charge in the summer months.

However, City Council voted earlier this year to change the city's parking rules and rates for the first time since 2020, which effectively eliminated the seasonal pass. Other notable changes included adding higher daily fees for the parking lot— up to $25 on weekends and holidays — and raising the hourly fee to $3 for on-street parking, a 50-cent bump.

Jean Legacki, who lives just over the Isle of Palms connector in Mount Pleasant, has purchased the seasonal parking pass for several years. She likes to get up early, head over the connector, and walk on the beach before both the heat and the crowds set in.

This summer will be different for Legacki.

Along with raising parking fees, the city opted to eliminate the seasonal $60 pass for non-residents based on a recommendation by PCI Municipal, the city's parking management vendor. The $60 passes were set aside for island employees to use.

In its place, a weekly pass for the same lots is available for $100.

The loss of seasonal passes and the increased price left some with sticker shock.

"I'm not going to pay $100 a week to park," Legacki said. "It's almost like they're trying to deter people from coming to the beach."

Also gone is the option to pay an hourly rate after 4 p.m. in the lots. Visitors coming to the island for a dinner reservation or an evening stroll on the beach could park at the lots on Pavilion Drive and pay $2.50 per hour after 4 p.m.

Parking is free between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. and in the offseason, November through February.

For now, visitors will pay the flat rate regardless of the time of day.

Daily rates are $10 for March and April. During peak season, Memorial Day through Labor Day, rates are $15 on weekdays and $25 on weekends and holidays. After Labor Day, rates drop back to $10 for the rest of September and October.

But that could be subject to change in the coming months.

The public safety committee on April 9 considered reviving both the seasonal parking permit and evening hourly parking rates, though both are still likely to be more expensive in their new iterations.

"We'd be looking at a significantly higher number, I would think, for the lots that we have here at Front Beach," Councilman Rusty Streetman said.

Committee members estimated that the updated seasonal pass would be between $200-$250 and $3 per hour for evening parking.

They also noted Charleston County offers a seasonal pass for parking in the Isle of Palms County Park on 14th Avenue.

"I think we're doing this to benefit our business people in the late afternoon and evening. We want to encourage people to come to Front Beach at that time," Councilwoman Jan Anderson said.

The full city council is expected to discuss bringing back the seasonal passes at next month's workshop in May.