Kiawah Island
Chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC
843-258-5401Back pain is no laughing matter, especially when it affects every aspect of your daily life. For many Americans, that's reality - estimates show that almost 16 million people in the US have chronic back pain problems. These are people who have trouble with everyday chores and activities, like driving to work, cooking dinner, and playing with their children. For some, chronic back pain affects their ability to put food on the table and support their families.
And while back problems manifest in physical pain, there's the mental side of the issue too. When you can't live a normal life, anxiety and depression can set in, creating a problem that leads to life-changing medical treatment through addictive medicines and invasive back surgeries. Fortunately, a more reliable, less invasive solution exists for people suffering from issues like pinched nerves, sciatica, lower back pain, and bulging discs.
Seeing a chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC, from Back 2 Health Physical Medicine may be the long-term answer to your back pain problems. To understand the benefits of seeing a chiropractor, it's important to first understand what chiropractic care can do for your body.
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What is Chiropractic Care?
The foundation of chiropractic care comes from the idea that a healthy spine leads to a healthy body. The nerves near the vertebrae that make up the spine can quickly become squeezed when they are out of alignment, leading to a lot of discomfort. The pain and other problems caused by this misalignment can be reduced by restoring natural alignment.
To do so, a chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC, uses time-tested techniques and a small amount of concentrated pressure to relax joints that have become frozen in troublesome positions, encouraging the natural movement of each vertebra. When the spine is properly aligned, the spinal nerves can transfer signals to and from the brain normally, resulting in a healthy spine and a healthier individual.
The Importance of Maintaining Your Spine Health
Spine health is critically important for every person on earth, as it protects your nervous system and ensures it functions normally. When your spine is degraded, dysfunction often follows, leaving your nervous system lacking and unable to perform at the highest level. On the opposite side of the coin, a flexible, strong, healthy spine with fluid joint motion and proper curvature better protects your nervous system.
Think of it like this: when your spine is misaligned or unhealthy, information from your brain to your nervous system can flow without interruption. But when there's a "kink" in the spine, those communications slow down, almost like when a video is buffering online, and you have to wait for playback. That's where a chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC, can be incredibly helpful because they can help correct spinal issues and, by proxy, maintain your nervous system.
When your spine is strong and healthy, it provides numerous benefits, including:
- Better Shoulder Support
- Greater Range of Mobility
- Enhanced Quick Movement Control
- Body Frame Support
- Easier to Run, Walk, Bend, and Rotate
- Optimal Nervous System Functionality
What are the Benefits of Getting Adjusted by a Chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC?
At Back 2 Health Physical Medicine, our chiropractors use a variety of adjustment techniques to provide relief from back pain. Some adjustments use a manual approach that involves a "popping" sound, while others do not. No two patients are exactly the same, so we use the techniques that we believe are best for each patient. Some people worry that popping noises during adjustments can damage their spines. However, this noise, known as cavitation, is simply gas released from a joint and is perfectly normal.
In fact, stretching can cause your skeleton to "pop" without you even hearing or feeling it. There are other adjustment techniques that use instruments, specific movements, or a chiropractic table to align the spine. The risk of injury from chiropractic adjustments is negligible when seen by a trained and licensed professional. Chiropractic adjustments are far less risky than many other basic medical procedures. The truth is that the chiropractic profession has an excellent safety record and very high patient satisfaction and is one of the few choices that patients have for non-invasive treatment.
Benefits of chiropractic adjustments can include:
- Pain Relief
- Stress Relief
- Better Food Digestion
- Help with Pregnancy Symptoms and Birthing
- Reclaim Athletic Ability
- Recover from Sports and Car Injuries
- Alternative to Surgeries and Prescription Painkillers
The Most Effective Chiropractic Adjustments Explained
Chiropractic adjustments are drug-free, all-natural, non-invasive techniques that grant patients more mobility and less back pain. These adjustments also help maintain your spine health. As we mentioned above, when your spine is aligned correctly, your nervous system works as it should, and back strain can be reduced and even eliminated. If you're interested in restoring your mobility and joint function and eventually enjoying a healthier range of motion and less back pain, it's time to see a chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC.
The Chiropractic Doctors of Back 2 Health Physical Medicine are experts at locating and analyzing the improper placement of the vertebrae and correcting back issues, enabling the body to return to its proper alignment. This is key in correcting the "vertebral subluxation complex," which can interfere with your body's normal functioning and long-term health.
The Diversified Adjustment
Used by almost every chiropractor, this technique is very common and used for three primary reasons:
- Restoring Spinal Alignment
- Ensuring Healthy Mobility and Movement
- Repair Dysfunctional Joints
Using extreme precision and targeted thrusts, chiropractors use this adjustment when a patient's range of motion is affected by misaligned bones and joints. It is also helpful for spinal realignment.
Spine Mobilization
Also called manual therapy or spinal manipulation, this adjustment is utilized by chiropractors and physical therapists alike. Though this technique is considered a manual therapy like the Diversified adjustment, more stretching and less rigorous thrusting motions are involved. This chiropractic technique helps relieve joint pressure, improves nerve functionality, and reduces inflammation.
The Activator Adjustment
In this method, your chiropractor uses a spring-loaded handheld device to apply gentle impulses to affected areas and vertebral segments of your spine. By applying this technique to targeted areas across your body, you can benefit from less back pain, fewer headaches, and a range of other conditions. The Activator is also great for patients who want to avoid large, forceful adjustments or movements.
Flexion Distraction Adjustment
Using a specialized table that flexes and distracts your spine in a rhythmic motion, this technique works best for disc injuries that cause uncomfortable symptoms like leg and back pain. Patients often love this style of adjustment when they are recovering from a recent injury or are extra sensitive to other chiropractic techniques.
Cervical Spine Decompression Technique
The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae and discs, several muscles, and eight pairs of spinal nerves. When poor posture or injury compress your cervical discs, the pressure can herniate your discs, which is an excruciating condition. When you have a herniated disc, pain radiates down the backs of your arms and can even cause numbness. While some patients opt for surgical spinal decompression, it should only be used as a last option, as it doesn't always help with pain relief and can cause other areas of your spine to degenerate.
At Back 2 Health Physical Medicine, our highly-trained chiropractors can perform non-surgical spinal decompression, using gentle stretching and traction to decompress your spine. This non-invasive option releases disc pressure and has been shown to reverse disc herniations when applied soon after an injury.
Is Cervical Spine Decompression Painful?
While some patients may experience slight discomfort as their spine stretches, it's much less painful than surgical options. When finished, many patients notice immediate results, while others need a few sessions to experience relief. When combined with ongoing chiropractic care and a customized exercise program from Back 2 Health practitioners, spinal decompression can be very effective.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, it's important you make an appointment with a chiropractor soon, as you may qualify for spinal decompression:
- Frequent Headaches
- Nerve Root Impingement
- Herniated or Bulging Discs Discovered in Imaging Tests
- Chronic Pain, Numbness, Fatigue, or Tingling
- Neck Stiffness
- Lack of Flexibility
Consider These Surprising Chiropractic Facts
Information from the American Chiropractic Association tells us that three in four people that visit a chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC describe their experience as "very effective." That's not a bad batting average. Whether you're suffering from chronic back pain that has plagued you for years or have recently been in an auto accident, your chiropractor can help you get back to living a normal life with little downtime and recovery.
Surprisingly, though, many people don't know that great chiropractic care goes beyond your spine and neck. Here are a few interesting facts to consider when seeing your chiropractor, which may end up benefitting your overall health.
Pregnancy Benefits
There's a misconception that chiropractic care isn't meant for pregnant women. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, chiropractic adjustments can benefit pregnant women. With the proper techniques, a woman's pelvis and uterus can be rebalanced, creating more room for baby and mom. This can help facilitate a healthier birth and can reduce lower back pain in pregnant women.
More Than Back Pain Relief
Yes, your chiropractor is probably your go-to source for back pain relief. But did you know that chiropractors can help with insomnia, digestive problems, headaches, anxiety, and more? During your appointment at Back 2 Health Physical Medicine, talk to your chiropractor about your wellness and health goals. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Illness Prevention
Yes, you read that right. Professional chiropractic care can help you fight off illnesses because adjustments often decrease inflammation and boost brain activity. When that happens, your immune system benefits. A more robust immune system means fewer sore throats, colds, and stuffy noses.
Those Aren't Back Cracks
If there's one thing chiropractors are "known" for, it's cracking backs. But when a chiropractor makes adjustments, and you hear a popping noise, it's not because your back is cracking. It's because built-up gas in your joints is being released, almost like gas from a soda bottle. This gas release actually alleviates uncomfortable pressure and can help move your skeletal structure into optimal alignment.
Yes, They're Doctors
One of the biggest myths about chiropractors is that they're less trained and less qualified than MDs. The truth is that chiropractors spend as much time studying and refining their skills in school as medical doctors. The difference is that medical doctors focus on surgery and pharmaceuticals, while chiropractors focus more on neurology and nutrition.
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FREE CONSULTATIONThe Back 2 Health Chiropractic Difference
Are you suffering from headaches and sleepless nights because your muscles are strained? Are you unable to work or put food on the table because of a pinched nerve? Do you have trouble completing everyday tasks because you lack mobility? No amount of over-the-counter or even prescription pain pills can provide a long-term solution for such issues. Fortunately, seeing a Back 2 Health chiropractor in Kiawah Island, SC, can provide the long-lasting relief you need.
At our chiropractic office, doctors and practitioners take an integrated approach to chiropractic care and back pain relief. Our goal is to restore proper alignment to your spine to accelerate your recovery time and prevent further injury. If chronic back pain has taken over your life, it's time to visit our chiropractic office in South Carolina.
It all starts with a comprehensive exam performed by one of our chiropractic doctors. Once your evaluation is complete, our team creates a personalized treatment plan created for your body, not someone who matches your age and weight. That way, our chiropractors can address the underlying causes of your symptoms instead of masking your pain.
From simple chiropractic adjustments to more involved spinal decompression solutions, your chiropractor will work tirelessly to heal your back and body so you can live a normal life free of pain and mobility problems. If you're ready to give your back the attention it needs, your recovery starts at Back 2 Health Physical Medicine. Contact our office today to schedule your initial appointment.
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Latest News in Kiawah Island, SC
Big names from sports, tech and finance return to Kiawah to talk and play
John McDermotthttps://www.postandcourier.com/business/kiawah-charleston-sports-mets-golf-steve-cohen-ted-leonsis/article_d28cfe9e-f1cb-11ee-88ae-9375f5cbfd35.html
The action in the sporting world along the South Carolina coast this week extends beyond center court at the Credit One Charleston Open.Over on Kiawah Island, a low-key, high-level get-together that will likely include a casual but potentially competitive tennis showdown or two has returned for at least the third time to the luxury seaside resort.The corporate global leadership summit, organized by Bruin Capital and the online news outlet Sportico, aims to bring together power brokers from the sports, media, technology and fina...
The action in the sporting world along the South Carolina coast this week extends beyond center court at the Credit One Charleston Open.
Over on Kiawah Island, a low-key, high-level get-together that will likely include a casual but potentially competitive tennis showdown or two has returned for at least the third time to the luxury seaside resort.
The corporate global leadership summit, organized by Bruin Capital and the online news outlet Sportico, aims to bring together power brokers from the sports, media, technology and finance industries.
The attendees this year include ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, innovation investor Cathie Woods and team owners from the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball.
Other details were not available. Representatives for Bruin Capital and Sportico, which is owned by Penske Media, did not respond to requests for comment this week.
As in previous years, CNBC was granted access to the mostly off-the-record conference. The cable business news network’s interviews early Wednesday included a rare sitdown with New York Mets owner and hedge fund mogul Steve Cohen.
The billionaire financier was in an appropriate setting to ponder his decision to invest in a startup golf league and join a group of sports-team owners who are looking to pump $3 billion into the PGA Tour. Kiawah’s five 18-hole resort layouts include the storied Ocean Course, which has been the site of three major championships and one of the most memorable Ryder Cup competitions in history, among other big-time events.
“I love golf. I brought my clubs. I’m going to be on the range later today,” Cohen said while also acknowledging the uncooperative weather forecast Wednesday.
He also said his interest in the business side of the game was partly influenced by his belief that productivity gains driven by artificial intelligence will make the four-day workweek more commonplace.
“I just think it’s an eventuality,” Cohen said.
The corresponding shift to a three-day weekend will create “more leisure” time and more golf rounds.
“I guess courses will be crowded,” he said.
Another billionaire attendee was Ted Leonsis, whose Monumental Sports & Entertainment owns the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Wizards and the WNBA’s Washington Mystics
He marveled about the 12.3 million viewers the Iowa-LSU “Elite Eight” matchup pulled in Monday night, a record audience for a women’s college basketball game.
“That’s an amazing fact. I think they overdelivered by like 50 percent,” Leonsis told CNBC.
He’s also bullish about the future of women’s professional sports and their franchise values.
“It’s certainly the growth stock right now,” he said.
It’s a fair bet that other bold-faced movers and shakers are commiserating on Kiawah based on past attendees. Boris Johnson, Britain’s former prime minister, was among the keynote speakers last year. Former President George W. Bush delivered remarks in 2022.
In a profile of Bruin Capital founder George Pyne, The Boston Globe described the South Carolina gathering as a “super-sized” version of an annual luncheon he held for 13 years in New York City.
Another media report from a 2022 invitee said Pyne and Sportico are looking to build at Kiawah a sports industry version of the perennial Sun Valley media and finance conference in Idaho or the Davos Economic Forum in Switzerland.
Resident concerns push beach boardwalk changes on Kiawah Island
Meredith Blairhttps://www.live5news.com/2024/01/19/resident-concerns-push-beach-boardwalk-changes-kiawah-island/
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A new concern surrounding development being built on Kiawah Island has recently come to light by residents and change is now in the works.The questions revolve around two boardwalks that were built for “The Cape,” beachfront condominium complexes, to give the people that will be staying there beach access.The boardwalks stick out too far onto the beach, and it raised a red flag for Jim Gidcumb, who bikes on the beach daily.“At high tide, all of a sudden there’s this bo...
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A new concern surrounding development being built on Kiawah Island has recently come to light by residents and change is now in the works.
The questions revolve around two boardwalks that were built for “The Cape,” beachfront condominium complexes, to give the people that will be staying there beach access.
The boardwalks stick out too far onto the beach, and it raised a red flag for Jim Gidcumb, who bikes on the beach daily.
“At high tide, all of a sudden there’s this boardwalk that runs right into the ocean,” Gidcumb said. “I could not pass it and neither could pedestrians or emergency vehicles, and so I said something isn’t right here.”
After he and others expressed concerns, staff with DHEC’s Ocean and Coastal Resource Management came on-site to assess if the builds were compliant. They determined that recent beach erosion caused the boardwalks to be on the active beach, and the developer is working to shorten the structures.
“It’s a real safety hazard if you can’t traverse this beach at all hours,” Gidcumb said.
The Town of Kiawah said they are assessing to ensure that the boardwalks are compliant and respond to needs of accessibility for emergency and code enforcement vehicles.
“The next step will be to figure out how far back these boardwalks need to be to be in compliance,” Gidcumb said.
DHEC said as long as the boardwalks are shortened properly, they will meet the requirements of the applicable state regulation.
“It would be better to be proactive than reactive, as we’re kind of in a reactive mode now, but that’s fine,” Gidcumb said. “Catching it before it was completed means it can now be addressed and remediated.”
Gidcumb said at the end of the day he just wants to ride his bike on the beach safely and he appreciates the town and developer’s response on this issue.
For more information about this from the Town of Kiawah, click here.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort Earns Triple Five-Star Rating
CRBJ Biz Wirehttps://charlestonbusiness.com/the-sanctuary-at-kiawah-island-golf-resort-earns-triple-five-star-rating/
Kiawah Island, SC – For the second consecutive year, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort has earned a Triple Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide. The Sanctuary hotel, The Spa at The Sanctuary, and The Ocean Room, the resort’s flagship restaurant, were awarded Five Stars by the international authority on assessing service and facility standards. The Sanctuary becomes one of only fifteen properties worldwide to hold a Triple Five-Star rating.“Everyone at The Sanctuary...
Kiawah Island, SC – For the second consecutive year, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort has earned a Triple Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide. The Sanctuary hotel, The Spa at The Sanctuary, and The Ocean Room, the resort’s flagship restaurant, were awarded Five Stars by the international authority on assessing service and facility standards. The Sanctuary becomes one of only fifteen properties worldwide to hold a Triple Five-Star rating.
“Everyone at The Sanctuary and throughout Kiawah Island Golf Resort is deeply honored to once again be recognized by Forbes Travel Guide as one of the world’s premier destinations,” says The Sanctuary General Manager, Bill Lacey. “The Five-Star rating recognizes properties that consistently provide the very highest level of anticipatory service, genuine hospitality, and unsurpassed amenities. To be listed as one of the handful of hotels across the globe that have earned the Triple Five-Star rating is a testament to the unwavering passion and dedication our entire team has for providing incomparable service to our valued guests.”
The Forbes Travel Guide is the only independent global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruises. To learn more about The Sanctuary Hotel and Spa at Kiawah Island Golf resort, visit www.kiawahresort.com. To view the full Star Ratings for 2023 and learn more about how Forbes Travel Guide determines its Star Ratings, visit ForbesTravelGuide.com.
ABOUT KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT Located along 10 miles of pristine beach less than 30 miles south of Charleston, S.C., Kiawah Island Golf Resort consistently ranks as one of the country’s top resorts. It includes The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, the resort’s Forbes Five Star/AAA Five Diamond 255-room hotel and spa, nearly 500 private villas and luxury homes, and five championship golf courses, including The Ocean Course, host of the 1991 Ryder Cup, the 2012 PGA Championship and 2021 PGA Championship. For 13 of the past 15 years, the resort has ranked as the number-one tennis resort in the world by TennisResortsOnline.com, and features acclaimed recreation and nature programs. For more information, visit www.kiawahresort.com.
CONTACT Bryan Hunter, Director of Public Relations | 843-768-2749 | [email protected]
8 Things To Do In Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Betsy Cribb Watsonhttps://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-carolina/kiawah-island-south-carolina
Follow winding, oak-shaded roads 25 miles southwest of downtown Charleston's cobblestone streets and celebrated restaurant scene, and you'll find yourself on Kiawah Island. Carved by the Kiawah River on one side and fronting the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the barrier ...
Follow winding, oak-shaded roads 25 miles southwest of downtown Charleston's cobblestone streets and celebrated restaurant scene, and you'll find yourself on Kiawah Island. Carved by the Kiawah River on one side and fronting the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the barrier island is a true escape. Here, nature reigns supreme: 10 miles of beaches roll out along the Atlantic; cicadas form their own sort of soundtrack; and lights-out is often determined by the sea turtles' nesting season. Even so, there's plenty to do for travelers who like their time in nature punctuated with good food, luxurious creature comforts, and a frozen drink in hand. Here are eight things to do in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Stay Like A Local
For access to all of Kiawah's amenities, from bike rentals to pools, you'll have to stay on the island. For an experience that's luxurious but unpretentious, book a room at The Sanctuary, an oceanfront hotel known for its five-star service and elevated onsite dining. For families who want a little room to spread out (or a kitchen), villa and home rentals are a smart choice; reserve through the resort directly, or book through a site like VRBO or Airbnb.
kiawahresort.com; One Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island, SC 29455; 888-601-4904
Spend A Day On The Sand
On the west end of the island, Beachwalker Park, Kiawah's only public beach access, feels like a hidden gem thanks to its wide, unspoiled expanses of sand. It offers the best of both worlds: In addition to the ocean frontage, you can also score views of the Kiawah River here.
Hit The Links
Five state-of-the-art golf courses are open to the public. For avid fans of the sport, the Ocean Course alone makes Kiawah worth the trip. Host to two PGA Championships, the 18-hole course is not for the faint of heart. Raised above the dunes to capitalize on the expansive shore views, golfers are also subjected to ocean breezes (which don't make for an easy or predictable trip around the green). Try Cougar Point for marsh views and a slightly less technical experience.
Go For A Cruise
One of the best ways to explore the island is to leave the car in park and take a beach cruiser for a spin (you can reserve them through the resort or bring your own). Between 30 miles of paved trails and 10 miles of hard-packed beach, there's no shortage of routes to explore. Ask for directions to the Marsh View Tower, an observation deck primed for birdwatching and soaking in the marsh and river scenery.
Visit Heron Park Nature Center
The naturalists here will school you in many of the species who call the island home, from bobcats and white-tailed deer to loggerhead sea turtles and American alligators. Sign up for a guided tour, like "Back Island Birding", "Marsh Kayaking," or "Ocean Seining and Beach Combing," or ask for their recommendations for the best nature-spotting places in the area.
Explore Freshfields Village
Built around a lush lawn, Freshfields Village has plenty of restaurants and shops to explore, plus a boutique stay, the Andell Inn. Pick up a beach read at Indigo Books; snag treats for your four-legged friends at Dolittle's; and gear up for island adventures SeaCoast Sports and Outfitters. Start the morning with coffee and a breakfast sandwich from Java Java; settle in for grilled cheese and a milkshake at retro Vincent's Drugstore & Soda Fountain; or cap off the day with a glass of wine at FortyEight Wine Bar and Kitchen. Check their calendar for seasonal events, like summertime's "Music on the Green" concert series and farmer's market.
freshfieldsvillage.com; 165 Village Green Ln, Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Venture To Bohicket Marina & Market
Make the short drive to neighboring Seabrook Island for a taste of the area's salty maritime culture. Snag a umbrella-shaded table on the upper deck at Salty Dog Café for fresh catch, a cold beer, and riverfront views of the boats coming and going from the marina.
Attend An Oyster Roast
If the Palmetto State had to choose a favorite meal, it'd undoubtedly be oysters and barbecue. Experience the time-honored tradition of a proper oyster roast and pig pickin at Kiawah Resort's Mingo Point Oyster Roast and BBQ. The family-friendly event is held on major holidays and on Monday nights throughout the summer. Chow down on fresh oysters roasted over an open fire, a classic Lowcountry boil, and barbecue meats ranging from smoked chicken to ribs.
Editorial: Stop wasting money; start conserving Capt Sam's Spit
THE EDITORIAL STAFFhttps://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/editorials/capt-sams-spit-kiawah-sc-vulnerable/article_a99b6a36-afe8-11ee-9886-6fc6d68ba2ff.html
For years, we have called for the conservation of the fragile, ever-shifting southern tip of Kiawah Island, a slice of land many know as Capt. Sam’s Spit. We reiterate that call for a deal — and encourage leaders in our state government and conservation community to focus anew on it — particularly as the property remains in between controversial efforts to develop homes there.As The Post and Courier’s Toby Cox reported, the property is tied up in a complicated legal dispute over a 2013 Amended and Restated Deve...
For years, we have called for the conservation of the fragile, ever-shifting southern tip of Kiawah Island, a slice of land many know as Capt. Sam’s Spit. We reiterate that call for a deal — and encourage leaders in our state government and conservation community to focus anew on it — particularly as the property remains in between controversial efforts to develop homes there.
As The Post and Courier’s Toby Cox reported, the property is tied up in a complicated legal dispute over a 2013 Amended and Restated Development Agreement between the town of Kiawah Island and developer Kiawah Resort Associates that expired last month. At issue is whether the developer met contractual obligations to transfer ownership of some of the property’s highlands to the community association and to protect the remaining highlands with deed restrictions. These actions would protect the spit from development efforts, but the developer says these obligations were contingent on development, which did not occur.
Since 2008, developers have sought state permits to build 50 homes on the land, but the complexity of running a road and utility lines to the property has resulted in years-long court battles and appeals that stopped the plans. But those hoping for the property’s conservation should not count on permitting battles and environmental lawsuits alone; the land has some value, and its owners deserve to be compensated to some degree for a conservation agreement that would preclude development. Of course, there may be a wide disagreement over the dollars involved, given the property’s proximity to the high-valued real estate of Kiawah Island as well as the folly of building on land so subject to erosion and flooding.
Town officials sent the developer a letter this month asking it to fulfill the two obligations, and it’s certainly possible this could lead to yet another legal battle. That turn would be regrettable. It would be much better for both sides to focus on a conservation deal that would settle this matter once and for all.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a precedent-setting ruling in 1992 in a case only five islands north of Kiawah (Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council), saying if government restricts all potential use of a piece of private property, that is considered a "taking" — and the property owner is owed compensation. We agree with what Amy Armstrong, executive director and general counsel at the S.C. Environmental Law Project, told Ms. Cox: "As long as the developer owns the property, there’s a threat."
The property is valuable for conservation not only because it provides habitat for wildlife but also because it adjoins Charleston County's Kiawah Beachwalker Park, which is so popular most summer weekends that there is a waiting list for its limited parking spaces. And that's not surprising: Beachwalker offers access to more than a mile's worth of beach and creekfront, around which bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles and seabirds are common visitors. In short, it's one of South Carolina's most pristine sections of beach publicly accessible by car.
Both South Carolina and Charleston County leaders should engage on ways to strike a conservation deal here for many reasons, including the prevention of unwise attempts to harden the land for development and the preservation of wildlife habitat and high-quality public access. The time to strike that deal is now, before more dollars are wasted on legal battles or ill-considered development plans.
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