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SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The Sullivan’s Island Town Council has voted to weigh its legal options in the plan to cut the maritime forest. The town agreed to cut 150 acres of the maritime forest in a legal settlement last year.

The issues with the maritime forest have been ongoing for years, but stem from a conflict with homeowners arguing the forest hurts property values by blocking the view of the beach. They also allege the forest is overgrown and creates homes for pests.

However, local groups like “Sullivan’s Island for All” say the forest is a storm break, helps address flooding and provides a unique island habitat.

“The wildlife and the environmental ecosystem that’s out there is one of a kind, not only for Sullivan’s Island but probably for the entire country,” said Dan Krosse with Sullivan’s Island for All. “This is a national gem.”

Krosse says the settlement was reached with a previous iteration of the town council. Earlier this year, the island held a municipal election in which four of the seven council members were replaced. Krosse says that election was a referendum on the maritime forest settlement.

“Even though four new council members were elected here, the people who wrote the settlement said there’s nothing anyone can ever do, you can’t touch this settlement and we find that hard to believe,” Krosse said. “It just seems crazy to a lot of people.”

Krosse says there was very little public input on the settlement because meetings were shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions last year.

Sullivan’s Island for All sought outside legal advice from Land-Use and Environmental Lawyer Ross Appel. They say there are two legal mechanisms the town council take advantage of in an attempt void the settlement. Those mechanisms are a Declaratory Judgement Act and Rule 60 of the South Carolina Civil Procedure.

The town council chose to seek its own, outside legal counsel to get an idea of what options are available. Council members did not discuss the decision but did make it clear that this is just legal advice at this point and not necessarily an attempted to void the settlement.

Cyndy Ewing has been a Sullivan’s Island resident for 20 years. She says this decision is a win for the forest but adds it’s just one step in the movement to save it.

“This has obviously been a good thing,” Ewing said. “We are going to give full support to the town council members that voted for this and also try and woo the two council members who voted against it and let them understand what the science is.”

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SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – The Town of Sullivan’s Island is seeking another legal opinion on the town’s Maritime Forest settlement that would allow more cutting operations of the forest. The settlement was part of a more than a decade-long legal battle.

Town leaders are looking for a second opinion of the settlement approved by the last town council. The group is challenging the legality and obligations required of the town. Some are optimistic it means the forest can be saved while others say it’s time to move forward.

The debate between a special town council meeting Tuesday morning became heated at times.

“Exercising every effort we can to be transparent,” says Town Councilman Scott Millimet.

“It’s just, it’s ludicrous,” says Kay Smith, Sullivan’s Island Town Councilwoman. “I think it’s a shameful way to use our town’s resources.”

The decision to hire legal counsel came down to a controversial vote before hiring Greenville-based William Wilkins and Nexsen Pruet Law Firm to conduct a second opinion of the settlement.

“It’s a good next step in the process of trying to undo the mediation settlement,” says Karen Byko, a Sullivan’s Island resident and President of Sullivan’s Island For All.

“This settlement was really crafted behind closed doors,” says Susan Middaugh, a Sullivan’s Island resident who raised concerns over the way the settlement was approved following the special council meeting.

The law firm will examine the legality, and the town’s required obligations laid out in the settlement. Those opposed to the settlement say it prevents future management of the town’s natural forest.

“The problem with the settlement and why we really need an external review is that it has language in it that binds future town councils,” says Middaugh.

The settlement was reached in October of 2020 after a decade-long legal battle between the Town of Sullivan’s Island V. Bluestein.

Despite the approved settlement, some residents are still fighting for the future of the forest while other residents felt the settlement was the best outcome to be reached.

“A couple of judges, several courts, our own town attorneys and that’s still not good enough,” says Kimberly Brown, a Sullivan’s Island resident who believes the mediation was the best outcome. “I think it seems more like awaiting to find somebody who’ll say what they want to say.”

Some residents remain determined to stop the chop of the Maritime Forest while others say it’s time to put the settlement in the past.

“There comes a time when you say enough you know like we’ve met in the middle, we’ve mediated let’s abide by that,” says Brown. “Let’s honor that, let’s honor what we did.”

Wilkins and the Nexsen Pruet Law Firm are expected to take a closer look at the settlement in the coming weeks ahead of the judicial review deadline. Officials say cutting could start as early as December if approved by the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

We rounded up 14 dogfluencers in the Lowcountry + tracked down the pupperazzi for snapshots of these Instagram-famous pups. What’s a dogfluencer? These local pups have over 1,000 followers on Instagram.

Owner Danielle M. said: Charlie is 4 and Mango is 2. We live in Mount Pleasant!

Charlie’s favorite things are rolling in the sand at the beach, watching dogs on Animal Planet, people (she cries whenever she meets someone new), the farmers market because she likes to get all the scraps that people drop, and walks along Riverfront Park downtown.

Mango’s favorite things are chasing balls in the ocean at Sullivan’s island, going to the “buffet” section at Wolfgang Bakery and getting 1 of every different treat, and fresh watermelon from the farmers market.

Owner Nic P. said: Max is a 7 year-old yellow lab. We live on Johns Island but you can routinely find us at the beach on Kiawah, hitting balls on the driving range at the Muni ( he’s still waiting for the Augusta National invite), paddle boarding the Kiawah River or on the boat in the Charleston harbor.

Most people know Max from our almost daily walks around Charleston stopping at restaurants for chips and queso, bacon or grilled chicken. People ask all the time why Max wears sunglasses and the answer is very simple. It makes people smile.

I think Max knows that he is making people’s days better and loves it. As for #Charlestonmascot, who better to represent our beautiful city than Max walking around making people feel good?

Owner Katie P. said: Teddy is 8 years young. We live on James Island. He landed the cover of Charleston magazine due to his good looks of course.

A writer for “Charleston Magazine” reached out as she was writing a guide for the October issue of all things dogs for the Lowcountry. They wanted to feature dogs who were Instagram famous and Teddy was on the top of their list.

The cover photo was taken in our neighborhood along the Stono River. I took the photo during a sunset stroll with our dogs and they liked it so much they asked for permission to use it on the cover.

Owner Cathy J. said: Frederick is 2 1/2 years old & born in TN 4-8-19. He’s an English Springer Spaniel. His favorite toy is a recycled milk jug from Costco. (Frederick made Milk Jug Monday famous, sort of) He likes to eat weeds in his neighbor’s front yard, play with his bestie Bentley, a 2 1/2 year old cavachon. Lives West Ashley. Loves to browse shops in South Windermere Center, especially Dolittles, but also Phillips Shoes & Half Moon Outfitters.

He likes to go to the beach by boat & stroll around Rockville. He’s a playful pup. Oh, and he loves to strike a pose for the camera. All day. Every day. And his nub of a tail is called his wagglestick (hence Wagglestick Wednesdays). His IG friends named him the King of Floof.

Owner Sam T. said: Hudson is 3. We live in North Charleston. He loves to play fetch, go swimming at the beach, walks around downtown, and get all the attention from strangers.

Owner Vivian H. said: Percy is a 5-year-old Yorkie who is loving his life here in Charleston! He just recently got his own backyard in a neighborhood in West Ashley perfect for sunbathing and barking at the UPS man.

When he’s not hanging out with his friends from the Charleston Puppy Playtime group, he loves biking around downtown, spending time on the boat at the CHS Harbor Marina, or shopping on King. Some of his favorite shops are Woof Gang, Sephora, and Clerk’s Coffee Co (ps: it’s dog friendly!).

Owner Karen S. said: Brooks is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. She will be turning 2 at the end of January! We currently live in West Ashley. She enjoys going to Folly beach, the Wannamaker dog park (really any park that she can play fetch in!), and hanging out at local restaurants! She loves being in Charleston because we can take her to so many places!

Owner Hailey S. said: – His name is Winston (Winnie for short). He’s a year and a half old Cavalier King Charles spaniel. He lives in Mount Pleasant. His favorite things to do in Charleston are going to Hairy Winston, chasing birds at the beach, pup cups from Metto Coffee and catching the sunset at Pitt Street Bridge! He’s also a BIG nap guy.

Owner Mikayla M. said: Whiskey is a one-year-old red golden retriever! He lives in Moncks Corner, SC! He loves to go boating and spend his time swimming at the beaches! He loves exploring all of Charleston!

Owner said: Artemis will be 1 on Veterans Day, 11/11/2021. She is a female blue Merle Australian Shepherd. We live in Goose Creek, SC. Her name comes from the Greek goddess of the night and hunt. Artemis loves playing with her big brother, Atlas, doing agility, swimming, taking classes at the Charleston training dog club and doing tricks! Artemis has several trick titles, including her advanced trick dog title. We also have 100k followers on TikTok!

Owner Chynna M. said: We first lived on James island but have recently moved to our new home in Summerville. Samoa is a 3-year-old, adopted, Australian Shepherd/Australian Cattle Dog mix. He loves going to the beach, patio pupping, and meeting new friends. He loves all people – old and young and all animals from horses to ferrets. Samoa is in training to become a therapy dog, so starting next year he will be visiting local hospitals to bring smiles to everyone. He is gentle and loving and, all around, a very good boy.

Alaska is a 1-year-old Australian Shepherd who loves the beach and working hard for her next meal. Alaska loves dog sport training, ball, frisbee, swimming, and obedience training. She is very wary of strangers so no pets, please! But for those she’s welcomed into her pack, she’s a sweet snuggler who gives a ton of kisses.

Both dogs have their Novice Trick Dog titles from Do More With Your Dog and they are working towards earning all the trick titles that they can! Some of their favorite places to go are Kiawah beach, Hollywood Feed, Charleston Dog Training Club, Wag N Splash Swim, Downtown Charleston, Wannamaker Splash Pad, Lowe’s, and Viscious Biscuit.

Owner Julia T. said: Age: 1 (born May 29, 2020) Lives: James Island Favorite things to do: Visit Low Tide Brewing & Estuary Beans and Barley Walk the Battery and explore White Pointe Garden Watch football games at Home Team BBQ and steal scraps of chicken wings

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND — This barrier island community is adjusting a plan to cut trees and shrubs in its maritime forest after a survey found extensive wetlands on the accreted land.

The forest was at the center of a decade-long lawsuit brought by some homeowners on the edge of it who wanted to thin the thicket. They complained of vermin and wildfire risk, among other factors. The suit was settled by the town in October with a plan to cut many smaller trees, over the objections of other islanders who wanted the forest to stay largely wild instead.

That settlement, it turns out, is mostly unworkable because so much of the area slated for cutting is protected or contains wetlands. The exact boundaries of wetlands can only be determined in a survey, and the town conducted one in January and found 65 acres. Other parts of the land are “critical area,” or special coastal zones that the state of South Carolina protects.

Town Council voted 4-2 at its March 16 meeting for a new work plan and a court filing indicating the settlement was being adjusted. The same four council members who voted to settle the case last year approved the changes: Tim Reese, Chauncey Clark, Greg Hammond and Kaye Smith. Councilwoman Sarah Church was not present.

Now, the plan involves highly technical determinations of what can be cut and what cannot, as opposed to eliminating most smaller trees of certain species.

“I don’t know that this is any better, maybe in some ways it is, maybe in some ways it’s worse, but there’s no way I can support anything here,” said Mayor Pat O’Neil, who opposed settling the suit last fall as well as this week’s adjustments.

Work would begin in November, pending approval by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and Army Corps of Engineers.

A vocal group of islanders who don’t want the forest cut argue it provides protection from storm surge, wildlife habitat and a unique natural amenity. The forest is on land that slowly accreted on the south and central sections of Sullivan’s beach; sand collects there because of nearby jetties that keep the entrance to Charleston Harbor clear.

Some, like Larry Kobrovsky, hoped that leaving the original settlement in place would actually mean that cutting wouldn’t happen because state and federal regulators wouldn’t have approved of the original plan.

Councilman Bachman Smith also said he thought the regulatory issues might “shut the whole thing down” if the council hadn’t passed the changes.

But Town Attorney Derk Van Raalte said it was unlikely such a move would work.

“You’re in a relationship with (the plaintiffs) and in a relationship with that court order, and it’s difficult to walk away from,” Van Raalte said.

Below, you’ll find the first installment of The Post and Courier’s Pop-Up Picks series, in which our food editor previews an upcoming pop-up breakfast, lunch or dinner and highlights the chefs behind it.

Charleston’s pop-up restaurant culture is on the rise as chefs use local breweries, parking lots or area restaurants to introduce concepts at specialty dinners and events.

Several notable restaurants, including Xiao Bao Biscuit, Daps Breakfast & Imbibe and Lewis Barbecue, started as pop-ups.

This type of service only grew during the coronavirus pandemic, given the high startup costs associated with restaurant ownership, and more chefs are viewing pop-ups as viable long-term business ventures.

Unfortunately, a scroll through social media is quite often the best way to find these roving chefs.

The Post and Courier’s “Pop-Up Picks” series will give readers more access to the area’s top pop-ups, both new and established.

Charleston chef bringing vegan approach to familiar Filipino favorites Nov. 13

The Philippines is known for dishes like adobo, kare-kare, sisig and lumpia, just to name a few.

These and many other Filipino eats have one thing in common: meat. In fact, animal protein is often the base note driving layers of flavor.

That won’t be the case Nov. 13 on James Island.

Starting at 6 p.m., Nikko Cagalanan, chef and owner of Mansueta’s Filipino pop-up, will serve a five-course, all-vegan “Forage to Table” meal with April Punsalan of Yahola Herbal School.

In addition to her six-week class teaching the foundations of herbalism, Punsalan offers two foraging walks per month at Yahola. After attending three adventures, Cagalanan found himself drawn to the plants, herbs and vegetables he realized were right under his nose in Charleston.

“That was actually the first foraging adventure I did,” Cagalanan said. “I just loved everything about it, all the different plants that are edible that you don’t realize that it is.”

Punsalan says the Charleston area is filled with forageable plants and herbs like Florida betony (stachys floridana), wax myrtle (morella cerifera) and mulberry (morus alba), all of which will show up on the menu at the 20-seat collaborative dinner. Some of her excursions have taken place on Sullivan’s Island, but she prefers to forage close to home on James Island.

“When it comes to foraging, you should be foraging within one or two miles of your home,” Punsalan said. “It creates the stability and empowerment, and you want to know your environment in close proximity. Foraging is creating this sustainability for yourself. It’s really great to watch people to connect through the native flora.”

On Nov. 13, Cagalanan will incorporate at least one foraged ingredient into each of his five courses. There’s a persimmon and apple salad, sushi-style eggplant with eel sauce and pineapple with chimichurri on the menu, among other options.

“I’m trying not to be just a very meat heavy chef,” Cagalanan said. “My menu shouldn’t just be focused on meat, because I also want to challenge myself.”

Punsalan plans to learn from Cagalanan, whose pop-up once occupied a stall in the Workshop food court and now roams the area. In addition to the Forage to Table evening, Cagalanan is popping up at Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. Nov. 2, 9 and 16.

“The menu is where his expertise will come in because I’m going to learn new ways to cook with them,” she said.

While nothing is set in stone, Cagalanan does plan on doing more plant-based dinners in the future.

Tickets to his and Punsalan’s $65 meal are available online at yaholaherbalschool.com (location released after booking).