Town of Mount Pleasant Council Meeting - November 12, 2025

The Mount Pleasant Town Council convened its regular November meeting with the swearing-in of Mayor-elect Howard Chapman and newly elected/re-elected council members. A significant portion of the evening was dedicated to a County of Charleston presentation regarding the future of the 20-year-old Transportation Sales Tax program, sparking debate on trust, project prioritization, and citizen engagement. The council also addressed multiple zoning and annexation items, alongside administrative appointments and the renewal of a lease for municipal equipment.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the October 6th, October 14th (special and regular), and the September 25th financial statement following a minor clerical correction.
• No items were listed on the consent agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Brian Stress: Announced his candidacy for a vacancy on the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA); cited 32 years of construction industry experience as relevant to the role.
• Councilmember Ikefano: Expressed strong opposition to a potential new sales tax referendum, arguing that citizens cannot be expected to trust the County with funds after the mismanagement of the Highway 41 project; noted that the specific Mt. Pleasant area previously voted down such a referendum by a large margin.
• Councilmember Crosby: Questioned the County's transparency and trustworthiness, referencing recent reports of County Council members making disparaging comments about Mount Pleasant citizens.
• Councilmember Rambo: Suggested a full-day workshop with County leadership to resolve tensions and humanize the negotiation process.
• Councilmember Wood: Requested clarification on the definition of "green space"; proposed allowing funds for undergrounding power lines within the greenbelt category as a resiliency measure; suggested a checklist process to bypass the Greenbelt Advisory Board for specific projects to reduce political friction.
• Councilmember Tinky: Echoed concerns regarding stormwater management; expressed willingness to cooperate with the County but emphasized the need for fair collaboration in decision-making.

Discussion Items

• Transportation Sales Tax (33% Population Growth): County staff presented a listening session on the potential extension of the half-cent sales tax, citing a projected 4.2% population increase and 41.5% rise in vehicle registrations since 2008. They proposed a new plan allocating roughly $4.25 billion over 25 years across categories: Greenbelt (aiming for 20-52% investment), Bike/Ped, Public Transit (including Low Country Rapid Transit), Roadways, and Rural Safety. Staff requested a list of town priorities by December 1st.
• Annexation of Chandler Road Parcels: Proposal to annex 6.5 acres (two parcels) to add two new units (1 unit per 3 acres) outside the urban growth boundary. Councilmember Tinky moved to defer due to concurrent county zoning votes (Nov 20) and historic district concerns. Councilmember Rambo opposed annexation "for annexation's sake," citing insufficient tax revenue to cover service costs. A letter from neighbors requesting to remain in the county was presented.
• Zoning Code Amendments (First Reading): Three-part ordinance presented:
  1. Adjusted setbacks and height restrictions for detached accessory structures town-wide (max height cannot exceed principal structure; increased setbacks for structures over 18 feet).
  2. Extended the Building Area Ratio (BAR) to the "Old Mount Pleasant" neighborhood to preserve neighborhood character in areas without HOAs, setting a 1,800 sq. ft. minimum for new construction.
  3. Adjusted setbacks for accessory structures specifically within the Old Village Historic District.
  • Councilmember Rambo expressed concern that the height restrictions on accessory structures might incentivize the demolition of existing homes solely to build larger additions; advocated for a 50-year protection layer for older structures. Councilmember Wood and others noted the lack of extensive public outreach to the 2,400 residents in the affected neighborhoods.

Key Outcomes

• Official Swearing-In: Howard Chapman was sworn in as Mayor. Tinky and Councilmember Ikefano were re-elected. Ms. Whittaker and Ms. Crosby were sworn in as new council members.
• Mayor Pro Tem: Howard Chapman was elected Mayor Pro Tem by voice vote.
• Annexation Vote (Item 8A1): Motion to approve annexation of Chandler Road parcels carried on a roll-call vote, 6-3.
  • Votes For: Brownstein, Chapman, Hyatt, Icofano, Rambo, Whitaker.
  • Votes Against: Crosby, Tinky, Mayor Haney.
• Zoning Amendment Vote (Item 8A3): Motion to approve the three-part zoning code amendment (First Reading) carried unanimously (Aye).
• Vested Rights Update (Item 8A4): Council approved a vested rights extension for a planned development; authorized the Planning Commission to study a future ordinance to move these approvals to staff level if state requirements are met.
• Financial Resolution: Adopted a resolution authorizing a lease purchase agreement with TD Equipment Finance for $5,075,000.
• Business License Ordinance: Approved First Reading of Ordinance 25-052 to update the business license class schedule; confirmed the changes are revenue neutral and do not affect churches operating daycares.
• Executive Session Actions:
  • Denied the contract extension for town-owned property on Phase Road.
  • Appointed Corey Barber to the Planning Commission.
  • Appointed Brian Stress to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).

Note: A discrepancy exists regarding the date of the County's request for input (December 1st) versus Councilmember Rambo's concern that this date is too soon for the newly constituted council; staff indicated the date was a request for a list of priorities, not a hard deadline for final consideration.