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Medical Weight Loss in Folly Beach, SC

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A New Solution to a Serious Problem

Obesity is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the United States. Recent statistics show that more than 78 million people are affected by obesity, whether that's through diabetes, heart disease, cardiovascular issues, or even death. Millions try to lose weight every year to combat the negative effects that obesity brings about, but a large number of those people are unsuccessful. It can be easy for those without weight problems to say, "just lose the weight!" but unfortunately, weight loss isn't something that happens overnight. When done properly, it involves careful planning and professional help. When done incorrectly, it involves yo-yo dieting, fad diet solutions, and other unsafe methods.

Fad diets seen on TV can be encouraging, but the truth is most of these "programs" are less about healthy weight loss and more about losing weight fast. These unhealthy, unbalanced diets often foster weight gain, not weight loss over time.

Fortunately, more and more overweight adults and even children are turning to professionals for help, who not only help them achieve their weight loss goals but keep them on track and healthy for the long term. If you're looking for the highest quality medical weight loss in Folly Beach, SC, look no further than Back 2 Health Physical Medicine.

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Medical Weight Loss Folly Beach, SC
What Our Clients Say

What Our Clients Say

Losing Weight and Getting Back 2 Health the Right Way

If you were to ask one of our experienced clinicians their tips for a healthy life, maintaining a healthy weight would be at the very top of the list. This is especially true given the prevalence of certain viruses like COVID-19, which can wreak havoc on the body of an unhealthy, overweight individual. Unfortunately, given the sheer number of diet plans and "miracle" weight loss supplements, dieting can be a confusing, counterproductive journey. To make matters worse, many of these weight loss programs are not medically tested or supervised, which is dangerous.

At Back 2 Health, our team is committed to helping our clients lose weight and maintain that weight loss, so they can live a healthy, fulfilling life. Unlike some weight loss companies that tout "quick weight loss solutions," Back 2 Health Physical Medicine focuses on real results through time-tested techniques, strong support, and sustainable habits. There are no starvation diets or extreme exercise plans at our weight loss clinic in Folly Beach - only medically-backed programs customized to your lifestyle.

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Our medical weight loss programs include:

  • Nutritional Counseling
  • Medical Counseling
  • Health Metrics
  • Access to Our Knowledgeable Weight Loss Team
  • Medication Management
  • Customized Weight Loss Program
  • Blood Work
  • Available Health Supplements Such as B-12 Injections

Why Choose Back 2 Health for Medical Weight Loss in Folly Beach, SC?

If you have tried to lose weight in the past but have failed, don't sweat it - there are millions of other men and women in your shoes as well. Your weight loss challenges are less about you failing and more about the diets or regimens you used. When it comes to healthy weight loss, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. That's why, when you walk into our medical weight loss clinic, we will conduct a thorough assessment and develop a custom weight loss strategy that you feel good about.

Our clients choose Back 2 Health Physical Medicine because we truly care about our customers' health. Our goal is to be as flexible and open about your weight loss journey as possible. Our customized plans fit not only your health needs but also your fitness goals and budget requirements.

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Our comprehensive medical weight loss plans include:

  • Regular follow-ups to ensure that you are staying healthy as you slim down
  • Cutting-edge treatments that reduce food cravings and speed up your metabolism
  • Ongoing support from our highly trained weight loss team
  • Personalized diet and exercise plans created with your lifestyle and medical history in mind
  • Education about exercise and how you can start a regular exercise routine
  • Prescription medications when needed
  • Enthusiastic tips and recommendations if you hit a weight loss plateau or don't achieve your goals
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Choosing a medically supervised weight loss treatment plan from Back 2 Health Physical Medicine ensures that you lose weight safely and effectively, even after you achieve your weight loss goals. As you shed excess weight, we can also provide training and recommendations that keep the pounds off for good. If you're ready to give up on crash dieting and unsafe fads, it's time to call Back 2 Health in Folly Beach, SC. Your body, your friends, and your family will thank you!

A Safe Solution to Long-TermWeight Loss

If you were to ask someone on the street to name a popular fad diet, they probably wouldn't have much trouble. From Atkins to South Beach and Keto to Paleo, we've all heard of at least one popular weight-loss trend. The problem with these diets is that they only work for some people. Even then, the results are often short-lived.

If you're wondering whether you have been on or are currently using a fad diet, ask yourself these questions:

  • Is there a "magic" food source that will melt the pounds off your body?
  • Is the speed of weight loss unnatural or unrealistic?
  • Can you achieve "weight loss" without proper diet and exercise?
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If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, chances are it's a fad diet, and it most likely won't be very effective over the long run. With fad diets, balanced nutrition often takes the back seat to sketchy weight loss pills or extreme life choices - all of which are counterproductive to a healthy life.

If you have struggled with your weight for any length of time, there's no doubt you're stressed out trying to find an effective solution. You probably have many stories about following fad diets, taking unhealthy diet pills, or even dropping big bucks on expensive exercise equipment. If you're like most of our clients, you're still struggling with your weight, despite your best efforts. The common theme here is that all of your self-made attempts happened without the medical guidance of a true medical weight loss clinic in Folly Beach, SC.

If this sounds like you, we've got great news. The safest, most effective solution to losing weight starts with the help of Back 2 Health's medical weight loss plans. Instead of choosing a fad diet, speak to one of our weight loss healthcare professionals. We can help you lose weight in a way that you find enjoyable, so you actually like

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Factors That Contribute to Obesity

Obesity is a nuanced disease that involves excessive amounts of body fat. It's not just a cosmetic concern. It's a medical issue that raises a person's chance of severe diseases and health problems. Often, obese people have problems losing weight because of physiological, genetic, and environmental factors. There are many other contributing factors to weight gain, including:

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Inactivity

People who live sedentary lifestyles will take in more calories than they burn off through exercise or day-to-day activities. Inactivity is a huge problem in today's society, especially with the constant presence of computers, smartphones, and tablets that encourage the user to stay glued to their screen.

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Unhealthy Diet

If your daily food intake consists of high-caloric fast-food meals full of oversized portions, expect to gain weight quickly.

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Liquid Calories

Alcoholic and other high-calorie drinks like sodas cause people to intake large amounts of calories without ever feeling full. When combined with a poor diet and lack of water intake, consuming liquid calories can be a significant contributor to weight gain.

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Pregnancy

Weight gain is very common during pregnancy, but some women find it hard to lose the added pounds once they have given birth. With time, this weight gain will contribute to obesity.

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Lack of Sleep

When you don't get enough sleep, your whole body suffers. If you're only getting a few hours of sleep a night, you may notice increased appetite and even hormone changes. Both factors can contribute to obesity.

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Smoking Cessation

Quitting smoking is one of the healthiest choices you can make as an adult. However, sometimes smoking cessation causes weight gain. For some, this weight gain gets out of control and leads to obesity. Often times this happens as former smokers use food to cope with their withdrawals.

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Stress

When you're stressed out, you may turn to a chocolate bar or cheeseburger as "comfort food" to deal with whatever problem you're facing. Turning to fast food and sweets is not a healthy way to deal with stress and can lead to obesity.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER WHICH INCLUDES:

  • Medical Consultation
  • Nutritional Conselling
  • Medical weight loss program
  • Weekly lipo B-12 injections
  • Blood work

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$99

Consequences of Obesity

Although being obese is considered a physical condition, obesity's effects stretch far beyond a person's body composition and weight. Being overweight is associated with several long-term health problems. Many of these problems rank among the nation's leading reasons for premature death. Generally, the more excess weight you carry around, the more likely you are to develop negative complications with your health.

Individuals who are clinically obese have a heightened risk of the following ailments:

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  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol)
  • Cardiovascular Issues (stroke, heart attack, and more)
  • Acid Reflux and Heartburn
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Joint Pain, Back Pain, and Orthopedic Issues
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Blood Clots
  • Fatty Liver Disease
  • Skin Infections
  • Incontinence from Stress
  • Breathing Problems
  • Cancer (colon, uterus, esophagus, cervix, pancreas, prostate, and more)
  • Severe Symptoms Resulting from COVID-19

The good news? Substantial weight loss is possible with diet, physical activity, and the help of a medical weight loss team. You do not have to be destined to live with obesity and a shorter life expectancy. Back 2 Health Physical Medicine is here to steer you down the path to a positive, healthy life for years to come.

Benefits of Using a Medical Weight Loss Clinic in Folly Beach, SC

Controlling your weight is a healthy habit that allows you to maintain proper health. However, losing weight isn't just about looking better. It's about feeling better too and is a very important part of being healthy and well. Before you throw caution out the window and try a "miraculous" weight loss solution, contact Back 2 Health Physical Medicine. Our medical weight loss clinicians don't just focus on making you slimmer. Instead, we oversee improvements relating to hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure, cholesterol, digestive problems, and diet. We are devoted to changing the lives of our clients, one weight loss plan at a time.

Here are just a few benefits of using a medical weight loss clinic:

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Inactivity
Inactivity

People who live sedentary lifestyles will take in more calories than they burn off through exercise or day-to-day activities. Inactivity is a huge problem in today's society, especially with the constant presence of computers, smartphones, and tablets that encourage the user to stay glued to their screen.

Unhealthy Diet
Unhealthy Diet

If your daily food intake consists of high-caloric fast-food meals full of oversized portions, expect to gain weight quickly.

Liquid Calories
Liquid Calories

Alcoholic and other high-calorie drinks like sodas cause people to intake large amounts of calories without ever feeling full. When combined with a poor diet and lack of water intake, consuming liquid calories can be a significant contributor to weight gain.

It's Time to Make a Change

When you sign up with Back 2 Health, know that you are taking a hugely important step to living a healthier life. If you're ready to feel better, look better, and live longer, call our medical weight loss clinic in Folly Beach today. Before you know it, you will look and feel better than you ever have before.

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Latest News in Folly Beach, SC

13 Things To Do In Folly Beach, South Carolina

The spirited island hamlet south of Charleston shakes off mainland sophistication in favor of flip-flops and cash-only dive bars. In This Article It's only twelve miles south of Charleston's historic homes and manicured window boxes, but the salty little town of Folly Beach ditches the Holy City's refinement in favor of an easygo...

The spirited island hamlet south of Charleston shakes off mainland sophistication in favor of flip-flops and cash-only dive bars.

In This Article

It's only twelve miles south of Charleston's historic homes and manicured window boxes, but the salty little town of Folly Beach ditches the Holy City's refinement in favor of an easygoing, barefoot sensibility that feels a bit more California than Carolina. Known to locals as the Edge of America, Folly is everything a beach town should be. Surf shops line the main drag; cover-ups count as appropriate lunch attire; and nobody takes themselves too seriously (they drop a pair of LED-lit flip-flops to celebrate New Year's Eve). Here's where to stay, eat, relax, and play in South Carolina's super chill surf town.

Where to Stay

Every single room at The Tides Hotel comes with an ocean view. Perched at the end of Center Street, the town's main thoroughfare, the hotel is steps from both the beach and an array of local shops and eateries. For families looking to stretch out a bit more, there are a boatload of rentals to choose from: Opt for ocean-front properties that will sleep a crowd or cozy cottages with marsh and Folly River views. And for people who wouldn't dream of traveling without their four-legged companions, there are plenty of pet-friendly rentals too.

Where to Eat

You won't go hungry on this island. Lost Dog Café is a local staple, serving coffee and all-day breakfast; don't miss the eggs Benedict, which they top with fried green tomatoes. Fish tacos, Vietnamese-inspired lettuce wraps, and Cuban sandwiches all have a place on the colorful menu at Chico Feo, where the vibe is equally colorful. Don't let the easygoing atmosphere fool you: Rita's Seaside Grille is serious about its food...and its cocktails. Try one of the Signature Crushes, fruity sippers with flavored liquors that pack a punch. End the night at Sand Dollar Social Club, a dive bar where you're invited to come as you are, so long as you're a member; membership costs $1, so bring your cash (you won't find a credit card machine here).

Where to Relax

The island's six miles of beachfront are its main attraction, and it'd be easy to while away a week with no plans beyond putting your toes in the sand. Spend a day shelling, sunning, surfing, or searching for shark teeth. Enjoy oceanfront views while lunching at BLU Beach Bar and Grill. At the northern end of Folly Beach, the Morris Island Lighthouse provides a stunning backdrop from the shore. Get a closer look from the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve or via kayak. Several guided tours leave from Folly Beach to visit Morris Island for shelling, photography, and lighthouse history. The historic lighthouse is not open for viewing. How close you can get to the lighthouse depends on the tides.

Where to Play

For those looking to build an action-packed itinerary, there are plenty of activities that highlight the destination's natural beauty: Book a guided kayak tour or rent a stand-up paddleboard to explore the tidal creeks; stop by McKevlin's Surf Shop, South Carolina's oldest surfing outfitter, before catching some of the area's best waves at The Washout; and plan to make a trip with your fishing poles to check out the beloved Folly Beach Pier that has reopened after extensive renovations.

Destinations: Summertime is easy at one-of-a-kind Folly Beach

For TALK GreenvilleJust 11 miles from downtown Charleston, Folly Beach is known as one of America’s last authentic beach towns. At times, this seaside town on a barrier island feels like a discovery – a slice of a simpler time when going to the beach meant lazy, flip-flop days filled with salty breezes and fresh-caught seafood. It’s this lifestyle that distinguishes Folly Beach from other beaches.Head to the Beach at Folly Beach County Park The Folly Beach County Park...

For TALK Greenville

Just 11 miles from downtown Charleston, Folly Beach is known as one of America’s last authentic beach towns. At times, this seaside town on a barrier island feels like a discoverya slice of a simpler time when going to the beach meant lazy, flip-flop days filled with salty breezes and fresh-caught seafood. It’s this lifestyle that distinguishes Folly Beach from other beaches.

Head to the Beach at Folly Beach County Park

The Folly Beach County Park features six miles of wide, sandy beach on the island's west end. Take a stroll and search for beach treasures like shark teeth, shells and sand dollars or just watch the lapping waves. The park is open from 8 a.m. until sunset. Lifeguards are on duty and beach chairs and umbrellas are available to rent. There’s also easy access to restrooms and outdoor showers.

Catch the Sunset at Folly Beach Pier

A landmark, Folly Beach Pier once attracted shaggers along with famous bands, such as The Drifters and The Coasters. After a two-year renovation, the pier reopened last year with many upgrades. The new pier now stretches 1,049 feet into the Atlantic and is one of the longest fishing piers on the East Coast. It’s worth a stroll down to the platform at the end to catch a sunset. Grab a seat under an umbrella at Pier 101, the pier's new restaurant and bar, and enjoy a cold brew or a casual meal with ocean views.

Catch a Wave

Folly is recognized as one of the best surfing spots on the East Coast. Surf by the pier or test your skills at The Washout, a popular surfing spot with a reputation for the area’s best waves. You can rent a board or sign-up for a lesson at one of the many surf shops, like local favorite McKevlin’s, one of the oldest surf shops in the country.

Explore Center Street

Just steps from the beach is Center Street, the hub of downtown Folly, where you’ll find come-as-you-are dining spots, rooftop bars, indie stores and local surf shops. Be sure to check out Folly Beach Adventures, a popular place for all types of rentals, like paddleboards, e-bikes, and more.

Beach Eats and Cold Sips

While local seafood is the star, there are many restaurant options to satisfy every taste. Here are a few local favorites. A beach staple, Bert’s Market is a 24-hour go-to for sandwiches, snacks and beach gear. Popular Taco Boy features a lineup of inventive tacos with fresh ingredients. Dig into local seafood, burgers, and fresh cocktails on the deck at Loggerhead’s Beach Grill. For more than 20 years, The Crab Shack has been an island go-to for fried seafood baskets and steamed buckets. Get to Rita’s Seaside Grille for frozen black cherry crushes, fresh oysters, shrimp, and live music. Snapper Jack’s Seafood and Raw Bar offers three levels of patio dining with an ocean view at the top and a menu packed with everything from oysters to sushi. The Washout Out has affordable beach eats, like crab cakes and burgers, and summer cocktails like the Midsummer Mojito. Lowlife Bar serves brunch options daily and great local shrimp rolls at lunch. Chico Feo has a small but tasty menu; try the goat curry and cucumber-lemonade sake.

For more info, visitfolly.com

50 YEARS OF FOLLY

Folly Beach celebrates 50 years as a city with a fun-filled anniversary festival, September 22 through October 1, 2023. The celebration kicks off with a 1920s-themed gala at The Tides and continues with daily events such as street parties with food and live music, a classic car show, carnival rides and a shagging party on Folly Pier. For more info, visit visitfolly.com

Folly Beach charter group sued by feds over ‘unauthorized’ party island

The federal government says the party’s over for a floating island moored in a tidal creek near Folly Beach, and it wants a judge to order the charter boat business that rents the structure for festivities to permanently remove it and pay for any damages.The roughly 1,000-square-foot Hooley Island, operated by Hooley World Wide Inc., is an illegal obstruction in navigable waters and a violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a lawsuit filed July 14 in U.S. District Court in Charle...

The federal government says the party’s over for a floating island moored in a tidal creek near Folly Beach, and it wants a judge to order the charter boat business that rents the structure for festivities to permanently remove it and pay for any damages.

The roughly 1,000-square-foot Hooley Island, operated by Hooley World Wide Inc., is an illegal obstruction in navigable waters and a violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a lawsuit filed July 14 in U.S. District Court in Charleston.

The government alleged that Hooley, which does business as Huckfin Charters, did not have permission to install the manmade wooden deck, which sits in the middle of a creek that flows into the Folly River.

The company did not respond to a request for comment July 19. It had not filed a response to the lawsuit as of Wednesday.

Hooley rents the 32-foot by 32-foot floating island to partygoers for rates starting at $600 for two hours. Guests are shuttled by boat to and from the structure, which includes lounge chairs and a grill, according to the company’s website. Customers can also purchase shotgun shells, clay targets and biodegradable golf balls “to hit off Hooley Island,” the website states.

“Looking for an exclusive island experience to get away from the crowds and your busy lives, our one of a kind floating island located in the Folly River is for you,” according to the website, which urges potential customers to “experience what all the hype has been about.”

“To make your stay comfortable for hours on end the area is equipped with shade cloths and a grill for your summer cookout, lounge chairs and lots and lots of water floats to easily cool off,” the website states.

Christian Schlebach, Hooley’s owner, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Schlebach, a former Olympic sailor and South Africa native, owns a home in Charleston, according to the federal government and public property records, but his Hooley World Wide is based in Newport, R.I. Huckfin Charters operates at 9th Street West in Folly Beach, according to the lawsuit.

Schlebach did not respond to a request for comment.

Hooley installed the floating island in March 2019, court documents show.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control tried to have it removed it shortly after it was installed, but the company refused, saying it was not a permanent structure that can be regulated by the agency.

After a small fire broke out on the structure on New Year’s Day 2020, inspectors learned Hooley had affixed a motor to the party platform and registered it as a watercraft.

As part of its lawsuit, the federal government wants Hooley to account for the money that’s been made operating the structure as a commercial venture and turn those proceeds over for use in waterway remediation projects conducted by the Army Corps.

The complaint is the second in recent months targeting floating structures in Charleston-area waterways that operate as commercial businesses.

In May, the federal government asked a judge to force the removal of a tiki bar that’s been moored in the Ashley River for several years. Hydrofly LLC, the owner of the floating hut, has not yet filed a response to that complaint and the case is listed as pending.

Samuel George Pannier, the company’s owner, told The Post and Courier in May that he believed the issue has already been settled.

SC rentals could take a hit after beach town vote

FOLLY BEACH – Those looking to book their future vacations on Folly Beach may need to start planning ahead after a recent vote capping the number of short-term rental properties on the barrier island.Folly Beach residents voted “yes” on Tuesday to enact a cap on short-term rentals at 800 units.The results came in 656-579. The vote is expected to change the course of Folly rentals, similar to what’s happening statewide as cities and counties react to an increase in short-term rentals.Folly Beach re...

FOLLY BEACH – Those looking to book their future vacations on Folly Beach may need to start planning ahead after a recent vote capping the number of short-term rental properties on the barrier island.

Folly Beach residents voted “yes” on Tuesday to enact a cap on short-term rentals at 800 units.

The results came in 656-579. The vote is expected to change the course of Folly rentals, similar to what’s happening statewide as cities and counties react to an increase in short-term rentals.

Folly Beach residents have been divided for years on whether to cap short-term rentals.

The beaches of Charleston, including Folly, are largely responsible for the masses of tourists that visit the area each year.

Folly is a popular destination for Upstate, Midlands and Lowcountry folks looking for a weekend escape on the six-mile stretch of a barrier island.

“Tourism, in general, is crucial to Folly,” said Vince Perna, a sign-carrying Folly resident who encouraged people to vote “no” the morning of the vote.

Folly is not the first to see a change in rules and regulations.

The Town of Mount Pleasant capped short-term rental permits at 414 for 2023, half as many as Folly.

The City of North Charleston allows eight guests maximum at any rental, while the city of Charleston allows only four adults at a time in a short-term rental.

The South Carolina Policy Council, an unaffiliated think tank, studied short-term rentals across the state during the summer of 2022.

Folly Beach was included as a “positive example of short-term rental policy,” according to the study.

“The kind of general messaging that we’ve been trying to push to some municipalities is actually to look at the specific problem that your municipality has, and make regulations accordingly,” said Bryce Fielder, senior policy analyst for the Policy Council.

Some residents of Folly and surrounding areas had been campaigning on either side long before the Feb. 7 vote.

Yard signs were scattered across Folly and parts of James Island in support of either “Folly United” or “Save Folly’s Future.”

Before the vote, Folly real estate agent Carrie Rosen wanted the short-term rental cap to be greater than 800.

“If we start a cap north of the amount we have right now, I think we would be able to agree a lot more,” Rosen said. “We wouldn’t have such a divide.”

Rosen helped organize “Folly United,” which argued the cap on short-term rentals hadn’t been fully thought through and feared it would impact Folly’s businesses, taxes and property values.

The other side of the vote was “Save Folly’s Future.”

Its successful mission was to “save a disappearing community and way of life by reversing the island’s population decline,” as said on its website.

A group of residents about a year ago banded together to help create the Folly Beach Residents Association, which supported “Save Folly’s Future.”

The residents association was looking for a compromise, said Ann Peets, who helped the association with its marketing and communications.

“We’re not trying to push people off the island,” Peets said. “It’s a tourist island – everybody gets that. We’re really working together to strive for community balance and quality of life.”

Even though Folly residents have voted “yes” to limiting the number of short-term rentals, that doesn’t mean the issue is settled.

The 1,157 short-term rental licenses held can remain in use until there’s a change of ownership for those properties.

Charleston County, Folly Beach have among the best flood insurance discounts in the US

Charleston County and Folly Beach have scored the largest flood insurance discounts in South Carolina, and few local governments in the nation have had more success in the FEMA incentive program that provides the savings.The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community Rating System rewards property owners with lower flood insurance rates when their governments take steps to reduce potential damage and raise awaren...

Charleston County and Folly Beach have scored the largest flood insurance discounts in South Carolina, and few local governments in the nation have had more success in the FEMA incentive program that provides the savings.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community Rating System rewards property owners with lower flood insurance rates when their governments take steps to reduce potential damage and raise awareness.

More than 1,700 governments participate nationwide, but only two have a score better than Charleston County’s, and only nine have a score better than Folly Beach’s.

The reward is a 40 percent discount on flood insurance policies for property owners in unincorporated Charleston County — the areas that aren’t part of any town or city in the county — and a 35 percent discount for those on Folly Beach.

“It’s financially helpful, and also makes us a more resilient community,” Folly Beach Administrator Aaron Pope said.

Charleston County’s CRS score improved this year and the 40 percent insurance discount, increased from 35 percent, will be effective Oct. 1.

“I’m so proud of my team,” said Hakim Bayyoud, the county’s director of building inspection services. “A lot of other jurisdictions reach out to us for help.”

So, how did the county and Folly Beach score so highly, and why do most towns and cities in Charleston County have worse scores and lower insurance discounts?

In the county’s three largest municipalities, residents of the city of Charleston and Mount Pleasant get a 20 percent discount, and North Charleston residents get 15 percent off their flood insurance.

Part of the answer is that the best scores are usually related to more strict regulations dealing with flooding and building construction, and some governments aren’t willing to go that far.

Costs and benefits

“The more restrictions and requirements you put on development, and substantial damage and improvement (rules), the greater the discount you get,” said Matt Fountain, Charleston’s director of stormwater management. “There are other ways to get points but that’s one of the main ones.”

A good example is the “freeboard” rule that determines how high new buildings must be above base flood lines. Higher buildings mean less potential flood damage, but a sticking point comes when those rules apply to existing homes.

That’s the “substantial damage and improvement” rule Fountain referenced. If improvements or repairs to a building cost at least 50 percent of what a building is worth, it could be required to meet current building code rules, and that could mean having to elevate a home at great expense.

Charleston City Council in 2020 raised the city’s freeboard rule from 1 to 2 feet, but exempted existing homes that sustain damage equal to at least half their value. The council was responding to concerns about adding costs for homeowners who could have to rebuild after a flood or hurricane, but exempting those properties cost the city some potential CRS points.

“The potential for acute individual harm was not worth the widespread moderate benefit (of a higher insurance discount), for many council members,” Fountain said. “Once you’re down to a level six (CRS score) there’s no low-hanging fruit left.”

Charleston County adopted a 2-foot freeboard rule with no exception, and also reduced the damage threshold to 49 percent. Mount Pleasant also adopted a 2-foot freeboard rule, and on Folly Beach it’s 4 feet. All those measures help with CRS scores and flood resiliency.

Folly Beach calculates the value of building improvements over a rolling 10-year period, making the rule even stricter. And Folly Beach treats all property in the barrier island city as if it’s in a “V” flood zone, even where it’s not, which mean tougher building rules.

“The last 10 years or so, we’ve had councils that were willing, from the regulatory standpoint, to tighten up our flood-related rules,” said Pope. “It’s elevating buildings, decreasing damage from floods, and everyone on Folly Beach gets a 35 percent discount on their flood insurance.”

Fountain does not expect Charleston’s CRS score of 6 to change during an upcoming review, but said an ongoing rewrite of the city’s zoning code could help in the future.

“We just have not been as focused on points as we have been on flood reduction for our citizens,” he said, citing the city’s massive pump-and-tunnel drainage projects on the peninsula.

CRS scores range from 1, the highest, to 9, the lowest. Charleston County has a 2 and Folly Beach has a 3.

Seeking larger discounts

North Charleston and Mount Pleasant officials said they expect those municipality’s scores to improve after reviews in 2024.

“We’re hoping to go two or three stages better than we are now,” said Adam MacConnell, North Charleston’s senior projects manager. If that happens, the city’s CRS score could go from a 7 to a 5 or even a 4, which would be the third-best score in South Carolina, and flood insurance discounts could rise from 15 percent to as much as 30 percent.

“We understand that we have a lower rating than the county, and we are taking active steps to address that,” he said. “We recently set out a resilience working group in the city to address these issues, and have been doing some training with the CRS folks about improving our scores.”

MacConnell said Charleston County gets lots of its CRS points by restricting development in flood plains, and much of that comes from the county’s Greenbelt program. The Greenbelt program buys open space, but also purchases the development rights to large properties from willing owners.

Towns and cities in metropolitan areas tend to have less undeveloped land to potentially protect, but North Charleston has used county Greenbelt funds to buy or protect wetlands and watersheds.

High CRS scores also require enormous amounts of staff time and paperwork, to document all the things that can add points. The National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System manual is 641 pages long.

William Horne is Mount Pleasant’s deputy engineering and development services director, and before joining the town staff in the summer of 2021 he was Charleston County’s assistant director of building inspection services. Horne said his work for the county is one reason the county’s score is so good, and he’s confident Mount Pleasant’s score will improve when FEMA does a review in 2023.

Scores are only reviewed every three to five years. Each improvement in a score comes with an additional 5 percent discount on flood insurance. So, a community with a 9, such as Columbia, gets a 5 percent discount while a community with a 3 like Folly Beach gets 35 percent off.

“I don’t see a problem with (Mount Pleasant scoring) a five,” said Horne. “I hope to be a four.”

He said documenting the town’s efforts to control stormwater, such as tightening the rules for how much of a property can be covered by impervious surfaces that don’t absorb water, will help.

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