Mount Pleasant Town Council Meeting - October 13, 2026

The Mount Pleasant Town Council met on October 13, 2026, to address appointments, a lawsuit settlement, a proclamation, planning and zoning items, a data center moratorium, the future of the Faison Road property, and a proposed change to special meeting call rules. The public commented on housing, data centers, traffic, cultural initiatives, and governance.

Consent Calendar

• Reappointed Abigail Richardson and Lee Cave, and appointed Brian Maiden to the Commercial Design Review Board.
• Approved settlement of the lawsuit Deer Line et al. vs. Town of Mount Pleasant. Councilmember Brownstein noted the settlement preserves two-thirds of the site and reduces potential development by 94% compared to sewer-served development in the county.
• Approved minutes from the September 8, 2026 special council meeting, the regular council meeting, and the August 2026 financial statement.
• Approved consent agenda items A through C.
• Approved grant items D1–D3, including a highway safety grant of $124,645 with no local match.
• Approved a lease purchase agreement of $2,500,000.
• Approved first reading of an ordinance amending boat landing regulations to require business licenses for commercial use of town facilities.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ben Brown reported that the Gregory Ferry workforce housing amendment (120% AMI) has been recorded, leading to increased buyer interest. He proposed using the Faison Road property for workforce rental housing for single, young professionals and town employees.
• Taylor Alred (Coastal Conservation League) urged approval of the data center moratorium, citing high energy use, water consumption, and pollution. He noted 13 South Carolina county councils have passed similar moratoria and referenced a recent UMass Amherst poll showing only 11% of Americans support data centers in their communities.
• Joe Mulet (Turkey Day Run) thanked the council and announced this year’s expo will move to Omar Shrine Auditorium in Mount Pleasant.
• Ed Trebusani (Portraits Preserve HOA president) and another resident supported Middle Street Partners’ mixed-use plan at Porters Bluff Road (87 townhomes and retail), stating a traffic study shows 65–70% fewer peak-hour trips than commercial development. They said neighboring HOAs also support the project.
• Michael Boylock expressed chronic anxiety from traffic incidents and called for stronger road safety measures beyond punitive enforcement.
• Darrell Ward (Gullah Geechee Cultural Appreciation Coalition) requested creation of a permanent Gullah Geechee Botanical Garden and Cultural Heritage Commons, submitting a proposal for federal funding.
• Marcus McDonald (Charleston Black Lives Matter) supported the garden and the data center moratorium. He urged the council to write a letter of protest against the proposed Dominion/Xdare utility merger, calling monopolies harmful and asking for individual or collective action.
• One speaker asked that any RFP for Faison Road designate the YMCA as an anchor and keep the property under long-term leases.
• Dave Spedden proposed a residency district at-large voting model (four districts, two seats each), a full-time mayor, and a study of council compensation. He requested a public town hall to discuss these ideas.
• A final speaker supported the Porters Bluff development, noting community support for townhomes over a hotel or transit-oriented use, citing nearby schools.

Discussion Items

• Oakland Plantation PD Amendment (Item 8A1): Proposal to amend the Planned Development to allow 87 townhomes (16 units/acre) on a six-acre commercial parcel. Council debated density (townhouse zoning allows 9/acre) and loss of commercial land. A motion to deny failed. A subsequent motion to defer to Planning Committee passed. Multiple council members said density was too high but wanted to explore a reduced plan with neighborhood input.
• Annexations and Zonings (Items 8A2–8A5): Approved annexation of 663 Faulkner (default zoning), denied rural residential for another parcel (default RC2 applied), approved annexation off Porters Bluff Road (R1 default), and approved R1 zoning for an annexed parcel — all consistent with staff recommendations.
• Data Center Moratorium (Item B3): Final reading of a moratorium on large-scale data centers (primary use, >1 MW). Councilmember Rambo successfully amended the duration from 120 days to two years. The amended ordinance passed. Council noted the exemption for small, incidental data centers and that the town can lift the moratorium early if satisfied with zoning updates.
• Rezoning (Item B4): Final reading to rezone two properties from a PD with no standards to AB1, approved. Councilmember Rambo flipped his earlier vote after research showed the area is entirely AB1.
• ATAX Committee: Approved 13 funding recommendations totaling $142,500 for tourism events including the Cooper River Bridge Run, Charleston Wine + Food, and the Coastal Expeditions Foundation.
• 516 Coleman Boulevard Parking Lot: Awarded construction contract; bids were within budget. The town purchased the property to replace parking displaced by adjacent shopping center redevelopment and to support the Quality Market farmers market.
• Faison Road Property: The Economic Development Committee recommended issuing an RFP for development. After debate, Councilmember Ikefana moved to instead issue an RFP for an independent economic feasibility and land use study, including a town-wide public input process to identify the highest and best use for public benefits. The motion passed. Council members cited the need for community engagement before committing to any specific proposal.
• Tree Canopy Manager: The Flood Resilience Committee recommended creating a tree canopy manager position (salary ~$70,000, total ~$100,000) to implement the Tree Task Force report, which sets a goal of 1,500 new trees annually. The position was approved. Councilmember Ikefana withdrew a motion to sunset the position after five years, accepting a report-back mechanism tied to the comprehensive plan.
• Special Meeting Threshold (Item B1): Proposed amendment to increase the number of council members required to call a special meeting from three to a majority of five. After a roll call vote, the motion failed (4–3 or similar; the mayor announced the motion fails). Councilmembers who opposed cited home rule, minority voice, and the state code allowing councils to determine their own rules.

Key Outcomes

• Commercial Design Review Board appointments and lawsuit settlement approved.
• Oakland Plantation PD amendment deferred to Planning Committee for further density reduction and negotiations.
• Two-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers adopted.
• Independent study and public input process initiated for Faison Road property.
• Tree canopy manager position created.
• Amendment to raise special meeting threshold defeated.
• Numerous consent items, annexations, grants, and bids approved.