1300 Hospital Dr #220
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
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Struggling with Knee or Shoulder Pain that won't improve?
From serious sports injuries causing tissue damage to bone issues and stiffness that comes with age, living with pain is, well, a pain. But it's more than that - it's a stressful, often upsetting way to get through your day, month, and year. Have you ever tried to get out of bed with sore, stiff knees? Most folks would rather just get back in bed. Think you might try exercising with plantar fasciitis? Don't plan on running far or doing cardio for very long. Torn rotator cuff? Without proper treatment, your life might not ever be the same.
Living with pain and the inevitable issues that come with age can seriously affect your wellbeing and happiness. Sure, you could wake up every morning and rely on addicting medications to help you move. Or, you could risk further injury and damage with invasive surgeries that require long periods of recovery and downtime. But those can't be the only two options for treatment, can they?
Fortunately, a new, natural, non-invasive treatment for pain is revolutionizing the medical industry and transforming people's lives. It's giving athletes, average folks, and people of a certain age a reason to be hopeful. It's called Softwave therapy, and unlike many fly-by-night medications and sketchy treatments, it's backed by science and provided by Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine.
If you're barely making it through the day suffering from chronic pain, this FDA-approved drug-free treatment may be for you. Softwave therapy has already been used by thousands of people around the country living with issues like shoulder pain, knee pain, and plantar fasciitis. You could be next.
Though its popularity has only grown in recent years, Softwave therapy - also known as shockwave therapy - has been around for years. In fact, the first systematic study into the benefits of shockwave therapy took place way back in 1950. So, what is Softwave therapy?
Softwave therapy is a method of treatment that works incredibly well for mobility rehab, pain relief, and full-body recovery, usually from chronic pain or injuries. Softwave therapy uses a device emitting low-energy soundwaves that target a patient's injured area. These low-intensity waves boost blood flow and kickstart your body's natural healing processes, relieving long-term pain and helping your body to heal a wide range of injuries and conditions.
The main targets in the body include bones, tendons, and other soft tissues, which are encouraged to regenerate and repair via the shockwaves. Often, shockwave therapy is used in conjunction with other non-invasive treatments like chiropractic care, which we offer at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. The results are often incredible, leaving patients wondering why they never tried Softwave therapy before.
Softwave therapy works especially well for:
Better Blood Flow
Collagen Stimulation
Reducing Inflammation
Kickstarting cell growth and healing factors
Breaking down build-ups of calcium
With FDA clearance, little-to-no side effects, and quick application time, Softwave therapy is a welcome alternative for people suffering from pain. Who wants to spend weeks or months recovering from a surgery that might not even work? Likewise, who would want to become dependent on over-the-counter or, even worse, prescription pain meds? Living a life of addiction is a road nobody wants to go down.
Softwave therapy represents a revolution in non-invasive pain treatment; best of all, it's highly effective. Independent studies prove that shockwave therapy helps with pain. 65-91% of patients using shockwave therapy experienced real-deal improvements in damaged muscle and bone tissue, solving their mobility problems and drastically reducing pain. It almost sounds too good to be true, but as many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine will tell you - it isn't.
Book AppointmentSome of the most common conditions that Softwave therapy treats include:
When you get up in the morning and go to the bathroom to brush your teeth, do you notice a stabbing, sharp pain near your heel? Does the pain go away once you have a chance to walk around? If so, you could have plantar fasciitis. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, this painful condition is quite common. About two million people suffer from plantar fasciitis every year, and almost 10% of all people will experience the condition at least once in their life.
This common foot issue happens when the plantar fascia - a fan-shaped tissue near your heel - gets inflamed. The plantar fascia is a thick strip of connective tissue that links your toes to your heel bone, helping to preserve the arch of your foot. When this band is strained, it causes intensely sharp pain, usually in the morning when you wake up and plant your feet on the floor.
Most folks ignore plantar fasciitis because the pain eventually goes away throughout the day. However, if left untreated, plantar fasciitis can lead to weakness and chronic pain, which may affect daily walking.
Some causes of plantar fasciitis include:
The short answer to this question is not really. Patients with plantar fasciitis will ice the affected area with little-to-no relief since they spend so much time on their feet. It's hard to rest an achy heel if you've got a job that requires you to be on your feet. Anti-inflammatory meds like Advil don't work all that well, either. They may provide temporary pain relief, but in terms of a long-term solution, taking these drugs will cause major side effects.
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When more conservative treatment options like ice and over-the-counter meds don't work, most doctors turn to ultra-expensive orthotics, steroid injections, or invasive surgery. For the average person, those options fail on all fronts, as they carry risks for side effects and may even cause the issue to worsen.
Instead of going under the knife or changing their daily routines, many people suffering from plantar fasciitis are turning to Softwave therapy for relief.
During a shockwave therapy session, our expert providers use a special probe to deliver pressure waves to inflamed tissue. These waves trigger natural healing processes causing new blood vessels to form. In turn, oxygen is supplied to the affected area, reducing inflammation and causing healthy cells to regenerate. Shockwave therapy also produces collagen, which is crucial for connective tissue health.
With just a few visits, many patients find long-term relief from plantar fasciitis without relying on strange drugs or harmful surgeries.
Living with knee pain is just miserable. From knee tendonitis to osteoarthritis, knee pain can prevent you from enjoying activities and affect your day-to-day life. Your knee is a joint comprised of cartilage, bone, ligaments, and fluids. Tendons and muscles within the knee help the joint move. When one of these crucial knee structures is hurt or compromised, it results in knee pain and long-lasting knee problems. This, in turn, leads to difficulty walking at best and debilitating knee issues at worse.
If you're an active person or somebody who plays sports often, you're probably all too familiar with knee pain - especially common conditions like patellar tendinopathy. Also called "jumpers knee," this issue happens at the patellar tendon, which is found on the front of the knee just under the knee cap. When living with this condition, most patients experience pain around the kneecap or lower down on the leg around the tibia.
In addition to injuries and issues like jumper's knee, everyday wear and tear will cause knee pain over time. With time, this knee pain can develop into arthritis. If your knees are swollen, painful, or stiff, you may have arthritis in your knees. Regardless of the kind of knee pain you're experiencing, treatment options have been limited to agonizing surgeries and addicting pain medications. But that all changes with shockwave therapy for knee pain in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Though no two knee pain problems are exactly the same, shockwave therapy has been shown to be highly effective for knee pain. In fact, many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine find relief after just one session. Many times, sessions can be completed in as little as 30 minutes. So if you want to find relief for knee pain on your lunch break, that's definitely possible.
As is the case with plantar fasciitis, Softwave therapy works by sending sound wave and low-energy impulses to the affected area of your knee. These pulses stimulate your body's healing factors, which can help regenerate and repair damaged tendons and tissues. Softwave therapy for knee pain is especially promising for people who have tried other treatments - like surgery and pain meds - with disappointing results.
Benefits include:
Several studies and reviews prove that Softwave therapy can be very beneficial for people suffering from knee pain problems like jumper's knee. A study involving 66 patients with knee pain found that they enjoyed a significant improvement in their reported pain levels with Softwave therapy. In fact, knee pain was reduced by nearly 50% after a single month. When combined with other regenerative and physical therapy treatments at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, your days of living with knee pain are numbered.
Book AppointmentHere's a fact for you to consider: Every joint that you have in your body plays a part in your day-to-day life. But when we think of joint issues, we typically jump to knee issues. However, your knees aren't the only joints in your body to go through wear and tear. Your shoulders experience just as much, if not more, wear and tear than your knees. We put a strain on our shoulders just about every time we use or move our arms. Our shoulders play a pivotal part in living a normal life. When they begin to deteriorate over time due to age or overuse, it creates a litany of painful problems.
There are many causes of shoulder pain, like deterioration, inflammation, and trauma. Of the many painful shoulder conditions affecting Americans yearly, rotator cuff tendonitis and arthritis are very common. Also called calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff pain is caused by built-up calcium deposits on the shoulder's tendons, which connect your rotator cuff to nearby muscles and bones. This painful condition is usually linked to sports, like basketball and volleyball, or in professions requiring repetitive movements, like in the plumbing industry.
Some common symptoms of shoulder pain and rotator cuff tendinitis include:
Though strengthening exercises and some medications provide temporary relief for shoulder pain, they're not meant as long-term solutions. Luckily, Softwave therapy for rotator cuff pain in Mount Pleasant, SC, can help.
Shockwave therapy has been shown to work wonders for shoulder pain. Low-intensity shockwaves break up calcium deposits and jumpstart your body's healing processes, stimulating blood flow and healthy cell growth. Shockwave treatment is especially effective for long-term shoulder pain since it releases stem cells, sends growth factors to the affected area, and boosts capillary production. Shockwave therapy has also been shown to break down scar tissue and eliminate trigger points, all of which decrease shoulder pain. This relief is most often long-lasting, unlike other treatments like medications and injections.
Many studies support the efficacy of Softwave therapy for shoulder conditions like rotator cuff pain and calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. In a study of 84 patients living with long-term rotator cuff tendonitis, participants in the treatment group saw a significant decrease in the intensity of their shoulder pain. Another study related to shockwave therapy for calcific tendonitis found that 86.6% of patients experienced fewer calcifications.
If you're having to live with rotator cuff pain or another type of shoulder issue, choosing Softwave therapy may be your best course of action.
Book AppointmentWhether you're sick of living with intense heel pain from plantar fasciitis, the mobility issues associated with knee pain, or the day-to-day struggles of rotator cuff degeneration, you'll find hope at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. Unlike some medical clinics, our team of doctors and specialists focus on an integrative, multidisciplinary approach to healing. Instead of relying on addictive medications and invasive surgeries, we prefer to address the underlying causes that our patients face.
We combine several all-natural pain relief therapies so that your shoulder pain, knee pain, joint pain, and foot pain go away for good. We resolve pain by using healing treatments that restore function and improve mobility for the long term. Our state-of-the-art regenerative medicine treatments, used hand-in-hand with proven chiropractic techniques, will stimulate your body's healing power from within. If your pain is related to muscles, nerves, and bones, our doctors can help you overcome discomfort, injury, or medical conditions affecting these systems.
If you've been unable to resolve your pain or have become dependent on painkillers to cope, Softwave therapy may be the natural solution you need. It all starts with a quick call to our office, so we can begin to understand your needs. When you come for your first visit, our doctors will find the personalized treatment you need so that you can manage your pain in a non-invasive and drug-free environment manner.
Book AppointmentOne mother is demanding better for her children after what she said were questionable experiences at a Mount Pleasant daycare.CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - One mother is demanding better for her children after what she said were questionable experiences at a Mount Pleasant daycare.April Gilliard said her children attended Sunshine House for two years before she ultimately pulled them from the center after hearing a toddler was found wandering near Long Point Road.Witness reports from Sunshine House staff that were rec...
One mother is demanding better for her children after what she said were questionable experiences at a Mount Pleasant daycare.
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - One mother is demanding better for her children after what she said were questionable experiences at a Mount Pleasant daycare.
April Gilliard said her children attended Sunshine House for two years before she ultimately pulled them from the center after hearing a toddler was found wandering near Long Point Road.
Witness reports from Sunshine House staff that were received from the Department of Social Services show a toddler escaped out of a gate while on the playground and was found by staff in the arms of a truck driver.
Gilliard said the daycare never addressed what happened to the other parents, she was made aware of the situation through a post on social media.
“I asked about it and was told that wasn’t true,” Gilliard said. “I was told it was the previous director who was trying to sabotage the reputation or the name of the center.”
Gilliard said she had her own questionable experiences at the daycare as well. Some days she had trouble getting in contact with the daycare to check on her kids. On other days, when she received pictures from staff, it looked like too many children were in one classroom.
“When I got to the center I asked, ‘How was your day, what’s going on, did you guys have to combine classrooms,’” Gilliard said. “None of that was really communicated.”
She said the social media post about the escaped toddler was her final straw.
“It makes me question what happened prior to this incident,” Gilliard said.
Documents obtained from the Freedom of Information Act show inadequate supervision at the daycare has been an ongoing problem since 2015.
According to Department of Social Services documents, eight separate visits to the center reported deficiencies in areas like improper child-to-caregiver ratio, unqualified caregivers, inadequate supervision or improper accounting for the presence of children.
Gillard said by sharing her experiences, she is advocating for her own children and other children in the community.
“These are issues that are going on and no one is being held accountable, no one is actually speaking on it, and some parents don’t have social media to find out or learn about these things,” Gilliard said.
Sunshine House provided the following comment:
This past May, at our school in Mount Pleasant on Long Point Road, a child on the playground opened an exterior gate and was able to leave the premises and walk through the parking lot.
The safety and well-being of the children in our care is our highest priority. While the child was, thankfully, returned unharmed to the school two minutes later, we are distraught that this occurred.
Following the incident, we contacted the child’s family and officially notified our state licensor and Child Protective Services, per state licensing regulations and company procedures. The teachers were placed on administrative leave pending the results of both internal and state licensing investigations. The teachers involved are no longer employed with the company.
The playground gate was functioning and closed at the time of the incident. After this incident, we worked with our state licensors to identify a South Carolina state-approved lock, which was subsequently installed.
Two teachers were supervising 12 children on the playground at the time of the incident. The state ratio for this age group is 1 teacher to 6 children or 2 teachers to 12 children.
The safety and well-being of the children in our care is our highest priority, and we cannot stress enough how seriously we take this incident. We have bolstered our operational procedures and retrained teachers and teammates on playground safety checks and other safety protocols.
The Department of Social Services provided the following comment:
The provider in question was terminated from the ABC Quality program in June 2023 due to documented serious safety violations and the provider has not appealed the decision. Providers must be enrolled in the ABC Quality program to accept childcare scholarship funds issued by the Department of Social Services per federal guidelines.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Plans to develop a small boutique hotel on a corner lot in Mount Pleasant’s historic Old Village neighborhood are being revived under a new majority owner.Jeremy Graves of Village Inn LLC has submitted plans to build the Seabird at Hibben and Whilden streets. The town’s Commercial Site Review Board is scheduled to vote July 26 for final approval of the site, landscape and architecture plans.Renderings show 23 guest rooms in one buil...
Plans to develop a small boutique hotel on a corner lot in Mount Pleasant’s historic Old Village neighborhood are being revived under a new majority owner.
Jeremy Graves of Village Inn LLC has submitted plans to build the Seabird at Hibben and Whilden streets. The town’s Commercial Site Review Board is scheduled to vote July 26 for final approval of the site, landscape and architecture plans.
Renderings show 23 guest rooms in one building with 1,185 square feet of restaurant space and a lounge.
I’On developer Vince Graham pursued a plan more than a decade ago for what then was called Earls Court Hotel that was to be an offshoot of the nearby Earls Court residential nook his company built.
The inn project faced early pushback from some Old Village residents and was stalled by years of legal squabbles with the town. A settlement was struck in 2019.
Village Inn LLC bought the property in 2021 for $925,000, and Graham remains a minority investor in the hotel project, according to a spokesperson. Graves did not respond to a request for comment.
Two notable downtown Charleston hotel projects are coming back before the city’s Board of Architectural Review on July 26.
The developer of South Carolina’s first Four Seasons property at 155 Meeting St. is requesting conceptual approval and the OK to add an eighth floor for a rooftop terrace, conservatory and pool.
Florida-based Strategic Property Partners plans to construct three buildings for the 1.9-acre corner site at Horlbeck Alley that will include a mix of hotel rooms and residential condominiums.
During the last review of the proposal in June, the BAR generally was in favor of what was presented, but members remained split over the request for the extra height.
The panel also is set to take up a boutique 18-room lodging for upper King Street.
Plans show a five-story building with parking, a rooftop area, meeting space and two ground-floor commercial spaces on a vacant lot between Line Street and the overpass where Interstate 26 merges into the Septima P. Clark Expressway.
Greenville-based Atlantic South Development is listed the developer.
An upcoming luxury waterfront hotel went before the Board of Architectural Review earlier this month requesting final approval of exterior changes that would improve the view.
The Cooper, which is under construction at 176 Concord St., is expected to open in 2025 with 225 guest rooms on six floors.
It will be part of the locally based Beemok Hospitality Collection, which also is embarking on an overhaul of The Charleston Place across from the City Market.
The developer requested to switch from two-pane to four-pane windows on the top and bottom floors facing Charleston Harbor to improve the waterfront views from the penthouse, restaurant and lobby. Also, it asked for architectural columns on the top floor to be removed from the design plans.
The BAR had mixed feelings about the latter request. The item was deferred.
MOUNT PLEASANT — A new 9,000-square-foot dining venue soon will replace a seafood ...
MOUNT PLEASANT — A new 9,000-square-foot dining venue soon will replace a seafood restaurant that started in 1979 in an old fish shed with 35 seats.
Sunsets plans to open in about three weeks at 97 Mill St. in the former R.B.’s on Shem Creek, which closed after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The seafood-centric offering between Red’s Ice House and Saltwater Cowboys comes from a partnership between Bottle Cap Group and Southern Entertainment, both based in Charlotte.
The two-story restaurant is designed “to focus on the views and accentuate waterfront dining,” according to Bob Durkin of Southern Entertainment. “Every seat will have an amazing view.”
The lower level features a larger deck that allows more outdoor seating while the second story includes garage door-like features to give it an open-air atmosphere.
“We really wanted to open it up outside,” Durkin said.
The project has been in the works for a couple of years since the business partners homed in on the site after longtime R.B.’s owner Ronnie Boals decided to retire and sell the property.
In 2020, an affiliate of Geyer Morris Co., a privately held Dallas-based commercial real estate development firm, bought the nearly 1-acre property from Boals for $7 million.
The existing two-story structure, built in 2003 after a fire destroyed the restaurant a year earlier, will feature seating for 284 diners on the first floor, according to site plans. Another 218 seats will be available on the second level.
“It’s the ideal location, but everything has taken longer than expected,” said Britton McCorkle with Bottle Cap Group. “We also had to install a sprinkler system, which held us up a bit.”
In addition to seafood, chef Kevin Spencer will offer entrees such as steaks, chicken and pork. Appetizers, sushi and veggie-centric dishes also will be on the menu. Brunch will include mainstays as well as some favorite items from lunch and dinner, Spencer said.
Lighter-fare salads, sandwiches and burgers also will be available.
“We will have something for everyone,” said Andrew Izrael, general manager.
A full bar with local beers, cocktails and wine also is part of the new dining spot.
“The bar includes a playful reimagining of classic items that work with the seafood-forward menu and being on the water,” Izrael said. “They will have touches of flair.”
The restaurant will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. weekdays, with later hours on weekends.
The restaurant’s partners also have other business interests in the Charleston area.
Bottle Cap Group includes Snapper Jack’s Seafood & Raw Bar on Folly Beach. Southern Entertainment is involved in developing Farm Haus Butcher & Beer Garden in Moultrie Plaza Shopping Center in Mount Pleasant. Durkin said Farm Haus is several weeks away from opening.
This streamlined Lowcountry home is set off Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant, SC. See how the family of 6 made it a perfect fit for them.Shrimp boats, kayaking outfitters, and lively bars and restaurants line the commercial side of Shem Creek, the gem of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina's Old Village Historic District. But north of the Shem Creek bridge, the waterway winds through quiet neighborhoods where children roam on bikes and go crabbing off backyard docks. "My husband dreamed of being on the water, and we fell in love with this...
This streamlined Lowcountry home is set off Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant, SC. See how the family of 6 made it a perfect fit for them.
Shrimp boats, kayaking outfitters, and lively bars and restaurants line the commercial side of Shem Creek, the gem of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina's Old Village Historic District. But north of the Shem Creek bridge, the waterway winds through quiet neighborhoods where children roam on bikes and go crabbing off backyard docks. "My husband dreamed of being on the water, and we fell in love with this lot. We're drawn to older areas where kids can run around," says owner Maggie Bullwinkel. She and husband George, a Charleston native, had two young children when they began renovating this 3,200-square-foot house that was built in the 1970s. Their third child was 9 months old when they moved in. Maggie refers to her then-infant sidekick as "my design assistant."
While the Bullwinkels had renovated and sold houses before, this one would be a keeper. "It had great bones. We loved the back porch and knew this could be our forever home," Maggie says. Working with architect Hunter Kennedy and designer Sidney Wagner, they spearheaded family-friendly changes to the four-bedroom abode that have definitely paid off. Today, the Bullwinkels have four kids under age 10 and plenty of yard, a great porch, and a frequently used outdoor kitchen to accommodate their active lifestyle.
"Overall, the footprint didn't change much," says Sidney, who squared off the kitchen to make it more functional. As the home's command center, it now opens up to a bright eating nook, which is one of Maggie's favorite spots. "Family dinners are a priority," she says. What was previously a formal dining room, adjacent to the kitchen, became the kids' playroom. They removed an attached garage to make way for a new mudroom/laundry area off the kitchen. "It's basically where I live," quips Maggie. They also elevated and enlarged the back porch to be a seamless open-air extension of the family room, ground zero for entertaining during Clemson University football season. "I love that we really do live in each space," Maggie says. "We use it all."
A monochrome kitchen keeps Maggie happy. "It helps to have a clean look in a busy room," she says. Streamlined light fixtures by Cedar & Moss and vintage Lucite barstools scooped up at a local antiques mall add to the airy feel in the room.
"With four kids, there is plenty of chaos," says Maggie. Namibia marble countertops and Benjamin Moore's Simply White (OC-117) paint make her kitchen a calming space. Plus, they allow the Hampton Faucet by Waterstone to shine as the statement piece.
Reorienting the kitchen to open into a family dining area was Maggie's top priority. Hunter bumped out the eating nook to add windows on all sides, inviting in sunlight and creek views. A mid-century modern table and slipcovered chairs keep lines simple, and Roost's whimsical light fixture "softens all the hard surfaces," says Sidney. The fabric used for the curtains (Katana by Kelly Wearstler) is also on the barstools, where it's laminated to be indestructible.
"We needed comfortable pieces that are easy to rearrange," says Sidney, who was mindful of not blocking the French doors that open to the porch. "I love how the vintage-reproduction chairs are movable and sculpturally interesting from whatever angle." A sofa slipcovered in Crypton fabric is ultrapractical, and bare windows keep things light and airy while connecting well with the porch, she says.
Sidney painted the porch floor in Benjamin Moore's Kennebunkport Green (HC-123), the same color that's used on the exterior trim, and added soothing blue accents to complement the surrounding outdoor hues. "We didn't want to distract from the view," she says. Wicker chairs from CB2 add natural texture, and a fun Annie Selke rug anchors the blue tones. Floor-to-ceiling screens and a vaulted ceiling help the porch feel cool in summer.
Two years after moving in, the Bullwinkels worked with architect Chris Heinlen of Heinlen Design to add a backyard shed with a full attic to supplement the home's limited storage. Adjacent to that, they created an outdoor kitchen and entertaining area. "This is our favorite spot for birthday parties, neighborhood suppers, or sometimes sunset sips after the kids have gone to bed," says Maggie. A metal roof, green trim, and white siding tie the shed to the main house.
"I love the playroom right off the kitchen. It's our cuddle area," says Maggie. A big barn door can be closed to contain toys and messes. Commissioned pieces by local artist Michelle Owenby add grown-up flair to the room, designed to one day transform into a family hangout space.
Maggie believes that tidiness is key, even in the playroom. Each child has (and uses!) a designated toy-and-book basket, and a rotating gallery helps solve the what-to-do-with-endless-kids'-art dilemma.
" 'Are you sure about going this showy?' my husband asked about the paint color, and I was—including covering the ceiling," says Maggie of the vibrant Benjamin Moore Slate Teal (2088-20) she chose for the laundry room. "I love how the boldness brings you in." Custom cabinets add extra pantry space.
Next to the laundry room, the bold color continues in the mudroom with an added touch of graphic wallpaper. Each kid has their own space for coats and bags in the blue storage wall.
MOUNT PLEASANT — The town and Mount Pleasant Waterworks argue that a lawsuit challenging their longstanding annex-for-sewer rule, filed by the owners of a 185-acre property on the Wando River off S.C. Highway 41, should be dismissed.It’s the same property, the Republic Tract, that Mount Pleasant unsuccessfully sought to buy in 2022 for $20.8 million. The owners have claimed that a $41 million sale of the property fell through the same year because of a requirement that properties must ask to join the town in order to get s...
MOUNT PLEASANT — The town and Mount Pleasant Waterworks argue that a lawsuit challenging their longstanding annex-for-sewer rule, filed by the owners of a 185-acre property on the Wando River off S.C. Highway 41, should be dismissed.
It’s the same property, the Republic Tract, that Mount Pleasant unsuccessfully sought to buy in 2022 for $20.8 million. The owners have claimed that a $41 million sale of the property fell through the same year because of a requirement that properties must ask to join the town in order to get sewer service.
If the undeveloped property were annexed into Mount Pleasant it would be subject to “significant development restrictions,” the owners noted in a lawsuit filed earlier this year. That would include the town’s zoning regulations, an ongoing moratorium on multi-family developments, limits on annual building permits and hefty impact fees.
Control of access to the sewer infrastructure operated by Mount Pleasant Waterworks has been one way Mount Pleasant has long regulated development.
“Plaintiffs prefer to stay in unincorporated Charleston County and develop the property under Charleston County’s regulations,” states the lawsuit, which relies in part on a 1989 merger agreement between Mount Pleasant Waterworks and the Bulls Bay Rural Community Water District.
The town and Mount Pleasant Waterworks both seek to have the lawsuit dismissed. In separate responses to the suit, they say the property owners don’t have a claim and were not a party to the merger agreement.
Lawyer Gray Culbreath, who filed MPW’s response, wrote that the merger agreement is no longer in effect, and if it was, the Republic Tract owners were not intended beneficiaries.
The legal back-and-forth is still in early stages; the complaint was filed, and answered.
If the town and MPW are successful, that would preserve the status quo. If the Republic Tract owners succeed, they could potentially sell the land to an owner who could develop it regardless of Mount Pleasant’s rules because it could remain outside the town limits.
Town Manager Eric DeMoura has estimated that, under county zoning rules, 1,600 homes could be built on the property.
“A large-scale development would damage quality of life for nearby residents and would further overstress (S.C. Highway) 41,” he said when the lawsuit was initially filed.
The property sits on the south side of S.C. Highway 41 just before the Wando River bridge. It’s a road where Charleston County plans to spend $185 million to improve traffic, much of which comes from the large subdivisions built on both sides of the road in Mount Pleasant.
The property was once the site of a river barge terminal, and a large concrete dock still exists there. It’s known as the Republic Tract because it was owned by Republic Contracting, and it’s currently owned by five children of company President James Deierlein.
They are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed earlier this year in Charleston Circuit Court. Their lawyer, Ross Appel, said he was not authorized to comment.
The lawsuit claims the 1989 merger of MPW and the Bulls Bay Rural Community Water District prohibited the utility from requiring annexation in order to get service for properties that were in the Bulls Bay service area, as was the Republic tract. The town and MPW say the merger deal expired years ago.
The suit also cites a 2019 Charleston County ordinance prohibiting municipalities from requiring annexation in order to get sewer service that would otherwise be available — an ordinance aimed at helping residents of historic Black settlement communities who didn’t want to be annex into the town.
Mount Pleasant in 2022 changed its rules to allow sewer service without annexation, but only for existing residences.
Mount Pleasant Waterworks says the county ordinance can’t be enforced against the utility, and cites a state Attorney General’s Office opinion from 2020.
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