In late 2022, Isle of Palms residents mobilized to protect livability and rein in future build-out. On Sept. 27, City Council voted 7–2 to draft ordinances capping density in Wild Dunes and protecting conservation and recreation areas. Mayor Phillip Pounds was one of two “no” votes.
Two weeks later, with momentum building, he endorsed moving the ordinances to a public hearing: “I was hopeful we would have a nice collaborative, strategic negotiation to get to a new development agreement with our resort owners… We voted, and that didn’t happen last month. So here we are, and I am going to support this because I think we need to take it to the next step to have a public hearing and then see where it goes from there.”
Residents then did their part — twice. The city held a public hearing at City Hall on Oct. 18, and a second at the Recreation Center on Nov. 1. That Rec Center hearing became the breaking point: Residents packed the room and spoke consistently in favor of limiting growth and passing the ordinances. After those hearings, Council advanced to second reading…