SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - The Town of Summerville is considering annexation and rezoning a section of land to support a potential townhome development.

The town’s planning commission is meeting on Monday for a public hearing and to vote on a request from the landowner and developer to annex and rezone a property, which is currently part of Dorchester County and zoned for single-family residential use.

This nearly five-acre property is located off Bacons Bridge Road at Crestwood Drive.

If the town moves forward with the request, the annexation would bring the property under the Town of Summerville’s jurisdiction and rezone it for multi-family residential use, allowing for more housing units to be built.

Town officials say that about an acre of the property is wetlands, so only about four acres of the property is developable land.

The Town of Summerville’s Director of Planning, Jessi Shuler, says that the development is still in its early stages, but current plans suggest it will include 20 to 30 townhomes.

“It can vary depending on meeting our other requirements because we do have obviously stormwater requirements and parks and open space requirements that they will have to meet. Then they will have to build a road and so it just kind of varies as to how many they will actually be able to fit, but right now it looks like it will be somewhere between 20 and 30 units,” Shuler says.

She says the development plans so far have gone to the town’s technical review committee, but they haven’t submitted their plans yet to the design review board which is the next step.

Shuler says that the landowner and applicant haven’t discussed their reasons as to why they are seeking annexation into the town rather than remaining in Dorchester County.

Summerville resident and Board Member of the Bike and Walk Summerville, a nonprofit 501(c)3, Chris McClure, says he sees this potential development as a positive opportunity for his community.

“The lack of housing is very apparent to anybody who pays rent within the local area. I recently was looking for an apartment and there was nothing that I could find that was under thirteen or fourteen hundred,” McClure says. “The fact of the matter is we do need to build more housing. People want to live here, they’re going to find a way to live here even if it’s like renting for a little bit then finding a unit.”

This property is located near the Sawmill Branch Trail and McClure says the development could help create a more connected community, providing more opportunities to bike and walk the trail.

“When we don’t allow townhouses and apartments to be in the walking, biking, downtown kind of connected areas what ends up happening is that we push them out and we push them farther. We push them in areas where there are two-lane roads and ditches on the sides and guess what happens? Well, they have to have jobs, they have to work, they have to live in Summerville still and now 100 percent of those people are now dependent on a vehicle for all of their trips,” McClure says.

Shuler says whether the planning commission denies or approves the annexation and zoning request at Monday’s meeting the proposal will still move forward to the planning and development committee of council in April. That committee will then make a recommendation to the town council who will have final approval.

The planning commission ended up recommending that this request be denied.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - A gas leak has caused some concern in a Dorchester County neighborhood after residents realized there was no way of getting in or out for several hours.

Although Dorchester County added temporary access roads during the process, neighbors like Jeff Palmie say they don’t want this to happen again.

“I smelled gas and saw gas leaking over the construction fence,” Palmie said.

Dorchester County Fire Chief Tres Atkinson says a contractor with an excavator hit a 6-inch gas line around 9:30 Monday morning while working on the neighborhood’s new amenity center.

This caused residents like Julie Wallace to be unable to enter or leave the neighborhood for several hours, as the entrance and exit where Clay Field Trail meets Summers Drive is the only one they have.

“We need another way in and out of our neighborhood,” Wallace said. “Especially when the weather is like it is right now with the wildfires and everything. If there was a wildfire or something else, or God forbid an explosion, how would we get in and out of our neighborhood?”

Other Heron’s Walk resident Patrick Manwiller says this was bound to happen.

“It’s been an ongoing issue,” Manwiller said. “It’s something my wife and I have talked about at nauseum where we kind of live on an island... Saying what happens if there’s a major event, whether it’s medical or fire or anything, and obviously today has kind of proved that.”

Dorchester County administrator Jason Ward says there’s been plans with the developer, Lennar Homes, and the South Carolina Department of Transportation to add another permanent access point. He adds they just had a pre-construction meeting this past Friday.

“The county entered into an agreement with Lennar and Lennar had 270 days to get Clay Field Trail connection made,” Ward said. “That connection has not been made. It has been more than 270 days.”

Palmie says neighbors have also been waiting for this amenity center to be finished. Manwiller says they don’t know that timeline either.

“This is definitely an amenity everyone wants to see,” Palmie said. “But we sure want it built safely and not to cause any harm to residents or workers.”

“Inconvenience people can deal with, but when it comes to the safety and security of your neighborhood, it’s kind of concerning,” Manwiller said.

Clay Field Trail at Summers Drive has now reopened and the gas line has been officially repaired, according to Dorchester County. The temporary access road from Delemar Highway will remain open until 7 p.m.

As far as the other permanent access point, Ward says they’re hoping to finish it by the end of the month.

“It has our full attention, their full attention to try and get the project done,” Ward said. “But at the end of the day, this is a project Lennar has to complete. Right now, they’re being cooperative with their contractor, Thee Oaks Construction, but we need the permanent fix to be done and they understand that. We’ve talked all the way to the top of their management about getting this done as soon as possible.”

The South Carolina Department of Transportation media relations manager Hannah Robinson says “the new entrance is being built under an encroachment permit through SCDOT. The work being performed is not being performed by SCDOT.” Therefore, she says any other information has to come from Lennar.

Lennar Homes has not responded to a request for comment on the timeline of the second permanent access road.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

A South Carolina man's lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter came true, kind of.

Doorbell camera footage captured the moment Chip Googe’s lawn quickly went up in flames on Saturday. Googe said on Facebook the fire sparked after his neighbor’s landscaper hit the concrete with a tool.

He said a spark landed in the dry grass in front of his Summerville, South Carolina home, causing the large flames.

The fire came after the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide red flag alert, saying wildfire conditions in the state were optimal.

“The combination of wind, low relative humidity and dry fuels is very favorable for wildfire ignitions, so we ask that people who don’t have to burn to hold off until these conditions subside,” Fire Chief Darryl Jones said in a press release.

Watch as flames ignite dry grass in home's front yard

In footage captured on Googe’s Ring camera, the flames grow in a blink of an eye.

“The wind was no joke and spread it fast!” Googe said.

He then grabs a hose to attack the fire, which he eventually puts out. He said there was no damage to the house. In the same post following the incident, Googe joked about finally becoming a firefighter.

“So glad my dreams of becoming a fireman came true!” he said.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

An economy hotel near the Azalea Square shopping corridor in Summerville has changed hands and is taking on a new name.

The Sleep Inn at 115 Holiday Drive was sold to Azzalea Hospitality LLC, which shares the same address as the Days Inn by Wyndham near College Park Road owned by Sweetgrass Hospitality LLC.

The closing price was $4.75 million, or roughly $72,00 per key. The sale closed on Feb. 14, according to Berkeley County real estate records. The seller was Sleep Summerville Inc., which included investors who had acquired it in 2004 under a different name.

The 66-room lodging was built 25 years ago and remains open. Its website and signage shows the property is transitioning into a Sure Stay by Best Western.

Jack Davis, senior vice president of hospitality investments at Marcus & Millichap's Charleston office, said sales activity within the local market is accelerating and he expects an uptick in sales throughout the year.

"There's a lot more people that will be willing to sell this year than before because their insurance and taxes have gone up and profit margins are down. Some are seeing interest rates may not be coming down, and a lot of debt is coming due," said Davis, who wasn't involved with the Summerville sale.

Top spot

Behind Charleston's $13 billion industry are movers and shakers like Helen Hill.

She helms the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, known as Explore Charleston. She has done so since 1989 — just two weeks before Hurricane Hugo barreled ashore just north of the Holy City.

She's also been chairwoman of the Charleston County Aviation Authority, and is involved with numerous other local organizations.

Now, she has another title to add to her resume — as a member of the U.S. Travel Association's executive board and chair of the nominating and membership committee.

The national trade group represents the $1.3 trillion travel industry and is chaired by MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle. The 30-member board hails from all corners of the business, including executives from multinational hotel chains, airlines, cruise operators and other hospitality businesses.

In a memo to members, U.S. Travel CEO Geoff Freeman said the board represents "powerhouse ... leaders" that guide the association's strategy.

The group recently published and presented a report on Capitol Hill with proposals on how to deal with entry delays and overwhelmed airport security checkpoints.

U.S. Travel is calling for the White House and Congress to ensure security reforms, urgent modernization of air traffic control technology and come up with solutions to the nation’s controller shortage.

“I'm encouraged by the impressive report released last week," Hill said. "We have important work ahead, and I can think of no more vital strategies than enhancing safety, efficiency and the overall travel experience for all who travel into and within the United States.”

Pat on the back

The annual Governor's Conference on Tourism & Travel held in Spartanburg last month included the announcement of two notable annual awards.

One of the highest honors — the 2025 Governor’s Cup —went to Experience Columbia SC Sports for marketing and staging the Rivals in Red Tour soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool Football Club at Williams-Brice Stadium in August.

Also, Paul McCormack, the outgoing director of S.C. State Parks, took home the SCPRT Director’s Award. The Citadel graduate has more than 30 years of experience with the state agency and has been in his current role since 2018. He has helped lead a period of historic growth, with the addition of new outdoor recreational destinations like May Forest on James Island.

McCormack will become CEO and president of National Association of State Park Directors and America’s State Parks starting in June.