SC might make beaches provide free parking. Isle of Palms begs McMaster to veto bill

In a move that puts a South Carolina beach community at odds with both its neighbors and the legislature, Isle of Palms voted Friday to oppose a bill requiring free and unrestricted beach parking along state highways.

The resolution, which passed 7-0 during a special city council meeting, carries no weight of law but it does express the city’s disapproval of a bill introduced by Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau.

The meeting Friday morning took all of 3 minutes and 12 seconds. Two council members, Ryan Buchannon and Phillip Pounds, did not attend.

Mayor Jimmy Carroll, reading from the resolution, said it was to express their opposition to the implementation of the legislation “by all lawful means necessary.”

It also urges Gov. Henry McMaster to veto the bill when it gets to his desk.

The resolution also claims the legislation “clearly discloses that barrier island communities, including the Isle of Palms, are being singled out and treated differently from other municipal entities in this state in a politically motivated, unconstitutional response to the City’s actions taken in the interest of public health and safety.”

It continues, alleging, the bill “violates The Home Rule Act, which explicitly gives municipalities the sole power to control roads and streets within the municipality for the public health.”

“Home rule has always been a fundamental part of why South Carolina is so wonderful,” Councilman John Moye said in an emailed statement following the vote. “When home rule is threatened at this scale, issues that local leaders and communities know how to best address are suddenly being managed by politicians in Columbia.”

Isle of Palms, which is located across the Intracoastal Waterway from Mount Pleasant, has become the nexus of South Carolina’s beach parking drama that has sparked debates over who deserves access to state’s public sands.

The city is also facing a lawsuit over its 2020 decision to temporarily block nonresidents from using more than 750 parking spots near the beach, leaving just 10 free spaces for visitors.

Recently, ahead of the busy summer tourist season, the S.C. Department of Transportation installed approximately 240 angled spaces on the land side of Palm Boulevard, stretching from 22nd to 40th Ave.

The resolution that passed Friday now puts Isle of Palms at odds with Mount Pleasant, a neighboring town that in January passed a resolution to show public support for Grooms’ bill.

The bill, S. 40, passed its final reading May 13 in a 102-10 vote in the state House. It now heads to Gov. Henry McMaster’s desk.

It is still unclear whether McMaster will sign the bill into law.

“Governor McMaster is still in the process of reviewing the bill and greatly appreciates all input,” said Brandon Charochak, a spokesman for the governor. “He will make a final decision in the coming days.”

Memorial Day weekend, considered the unofficial start of the summer tourist season, starts next week.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.