Community members join conversation on Cainhoy Plantation development

When it comes to new developments and special projects impacting the Cainhoy Peninsula, residents of the Jack Primus, Cainhoy, Wando and Huger communities want a seat at the table well before the shovels go in the ground. Last Thursday, May 24, they had an opportunity to do just that.

About 30 area residents packed in to the Keith School Museum on Clements Ferry Road to hear from Army Corps of Engineers staff members about the current wetlands permitting process underway for the Cainhoy Plantation development. Also present for the gathering was DI Development Company President Matt Sloan, who attended and spoke as a representative of the Lawson-Johnston family, the landowners of the property. Peter Lawson-Johnston inherited the property from his cousin, Harry Frank Guggenheim, in 1971.

Before the session got underway, longtime Cainhoy area resident Fred Lincoln addressed the group, underscoring the importance of the community’s presence. In his opening remarks, Lincoln referenced the former plan to build a massive “Global Gateway” port on Daniel Island, which would have impacted multiple homes in his tight-knit community.

“At that time, in order to do something of that nature, you needed to have an environmental impact study,” said Lincoln. “…All the public hearings were in downtown Charleston…We didn’t even know about it, until by accident someone heard about a meeting down there and they came and told us.”

Under Lincoln’s leadership and guidance, the community was engaged in the project for two and a half years and ultimately plans to build the port were scrapped.

“That kept us on alert that we need to be diligent in protecting our community at all times,” he added.

And with that, Lincoln turned the meeting over to Travis Hughes, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Regulatory Division Chief for the Charleston District, who explained the corps’ role in the permitting process for Cainhoy Plantation, a development that is expected to bring some 9,000 new homes to the area over the next several decades.

“For a federal agency, we really are ‘boots on the ground’ all over the state,” said Hughes.

The ACOE evaluates permits for what are considered navigable waters in the U.S., as well as wetlands and marshlands.

“Ultimately by issuance of the permit, we are determining where those impacts can occur,” he said. “…It’s a process that’s been part of the Clean Water Act since 1972 and it’s integrated into our regulations and it’s a public involvement process.”

Earlier this year, Cainhoy Plantation developers submitted an application to the ACOE to obtain a permit for filling in approximately 187 acres of the total 4500 acres of wetlands on the property. According to Sloan, those 187 acres are mostly freshwater, with a very small amount of saltwater impact.

“The impacts are predominantly crossings to get from one bit of high land across a wetland to another bit of high land,” he said. “A lot of them are on existing causeways and roadways.”

But to impact any amount of wetlands, developers must present a plan to the ACOE for mitigation.

“We ask them about alternatives,” explained Hughes to the audience. “We ask them why they can’t avoid or minimize those impacts to the wetlands and ultimately after they have demonstrated why they have avoided or minimized impacted wetlands, we then get into mitigation.”

In the case of Cainhoy Plantation, developers are proposing a 500-acre nature sanctuary in the heart of the property’s northern half that will be kept in perpetuity and managed by the Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust. The eco-rich parcel, home to a number of important wildlife species and plants, would help offset the wetlands impacts on the overall property, noted Sloan.

“We’re going to put (land that is) the size of the Charleston Peninsula into perpetual conservation,” he said.

With other development projects, oftentimes the impact occurs in one area but the mitigation credit is purchased in another area, Sloan continued. In this case, the mitigation would occur on site.

“Our goal would be to more than offset (the impacts),” he said.

Residents in attendance listened attentively and asked several questions – including whether or not they would have any recourse if flooding occurs in their area as a result of filling in wetlands.

“What I would tell you is if you are concerned about that as a community, you need to voice those concerns now during the comment process,” responded Hughes. “…We stay involved with the community throughout…even afterwards and we still accept comments after the comment period.”

Hughes also explained that potential flooding issues are typically addressed in the stormwater management plan, which is regulated by other entities, such as city or state government.

“We can certainly raise those concerns and try to get as much information as we can,” added Hughes. “…At this point, I am not aware of those wetlands causing any problems.”

Sloan believes the development’s stormwater plan is strong.

“I don’t want to dismiss it,” he told the crowd. “But we’re confident about that. We’re surrounded by creeks and outfall points. We have five retention pond systems in place on the property right now to serve the schools and the surrounding areas that are being developed. And they all lead to outfalls and are designed for at a minimum 100-year storms…So it would surprise me if we were part of any type of flooding.”

If any flooding does occur as a result of the wetlands being filled in, Hughes said the ACOE would first determine if the developer is in compliance.

“If they are not in compliance and therefore are in violation…we would then enforce those conditions on the permittee,” he said. “…If they were in compliance and there is still a problem, litigation could result.”

According to Sloan, they have learned a lot in the process of developing the property, after first introducing plans to the public in 2014.

“We’ve incorporated as much feedback as we possibly could into our ultimate development plans,” he said. “We know a lot more about the property than we did four years ago.”

Now that the ACOE has the environmental permit application, all parties will begin to review public comments at a meeting scheduled for this week. But Hughes noted that there is still time for residents to submit feedback. Also this week, the developer is slated to begin site prep on the first residential neighborhoods on Cainhoy Plantation, which will be located on the south side of the parcel near the new schools. They expect to break ground on those homesites early next year, said Sloan.

Residents in attendance at the meeting also expressed an interest in seeing a public boat landing on the property and affordable housing options. Most seemed grateful for the opportunity to be heard.

“I think it went very well,” said Gloria Jenkins, after the session. “It was a lot of information…and there is more to come.”

“It was about what I expected,” added Butch Skinner, who stressed the need for additional infrastructure in the area as well as housing for those on fixed incomes. “Obviously they developed Daniel Island and they do a good job…And I think the community has begun to accept that it’s going to happen…We’ve got some challenges…If we hold their feet to the fire, they might do more.”

“I feel much more informed, in a good way,” said Yvonne Lincoln. “My questions were answered.”

“Anything that impacts our community positively or negatively, we should be at the table,” continued Fred Lincoln. “We should be sitting down and talking…There is a history here.”

Development activity cannot begin on the property until a permit is issued, stated Hughes. To view the complete ACOE public notice regarding the proposed Cainhoy Plantation development, visit http://www.sac.usace.army.mil/Portals/43/docs/regulatory/publicnotices/M.... To offer additional feedback, contact Elizabeth Williams, ACOE project manager, at 843-329-8099 or toll free at 1-866-329-8187.