Roofer in Hanahan, SC

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Hanahan sued its planning commission and a developer over the approval of a proposed development they claim violated the city’s zoning ordinance.

The legal action concerns the Greenway at Foster Creek, which would include nine residential family lots and an alley inside the Bowen Waterfront Village.

Originally filed on April 18, the lawsuit came after actions of the city’s planning commission at an April 2 meeting.

According to the lawsuit, before the meeting where the commission was set to vote on approving the development, Hanahan staff presented a detailed report and expressed two major concerns.

First, the Greenway at Foster Creek proposal included lot sizes that were significantly smaller than five acres. City zoning requires single-family residences to have a minimum lot size of five acres.

The staff report stated in legal documents, “if the developer desired a smaller lot size, they should have applied for a zoning text amendment to request a change in the regulation.”

Second, the proposed alley did not meet the standard with it not allowing the correct radius for fire trucks and meeting the city’s standards.

After receiving the staff report, the planning commission voted 4-3 on April 2 to approve the development’s application, despite the city sharing these concerns.

That’s when the city filed the lawsuit, stating it had no choice but to appeal the decision made by the commission due to inconsistency and incompliance with zoning ordinances and land development regulations.

Legal documents also state the city has an interest in ensuring that its quasi-judicial boards, such as the planning commission, do not exceed their legal authority.

On July 1, the city amended the decision and facilitated the minimum lot size proposed by the developer.

City officials said in a statement that the proposed subdivision must still go through final technical review prior to final subdivision approval.

That includes a licensed civil engineer, who must design and certify that the alley allows a curb-to-curb turning radius for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

The lawsuit also states that the city will review this, as well as all other required future submissions, to ensure compliance with all applicable local regulations.

Developers for the project and Wrenn Group Founder, Ray Wrenn, said the following statement in response to the lawsuit:

The Hanahan Planning Commission operated and voted appropriately. The suit never had any merit and we are pleased it was dismissed.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Former Hanahan Hawks standout Trey Pooser is in the conversation to become a College World Series champion this month.

Pooser is in the pitching rotation for the University of Kentucky baseball team, a legitimate contender to win it all as the No. 2 national seed for the NCAA Tournament. Pooser is a graduate student for the Wildcats after spending three successful seasons on the diamond for the College of Charleston.

“It’s always exciting to see your former players go on and play at that level,” said Brian Mitchell, who coached Pooser at Hanahan. “I remember when Seth (Lancaster) played for Coastal Carolina, and they won the College World Series (in 2016). I followed that run quite heavily. It shows kids in your program what can be accomplished.”

Pooser (6-4, 200) last threw in the Lexington NCAA Regional against Illinois and earned the win from the bump with seven strong innings. He struck out seven batters and scattered five hits as the Wildcats won, 6-1.

Pooser previously hurled five scoreless innings against Arkansas during the Southeastern Conference tournament.

On the season, Pooser is 6-1 with a 3.77 earned-run average over 17 appearances, including 11 starts. Pooser has recorded 71 strikeouts in 76.1 innings for the Wildcats (43-14), who reached 40 wins for just the fourth time in school history.

Mitchell isn’t surprised to see Pooser setting people down at the highest level of college baseball. It’s a continuation of his time on Murray Drive and at Patriots Point.

“He’s always been able to get guys out,” Mitchell said. “His ERA was something like 0.27 with us. He just gets it done. He’s got great stuff, and he competes. He’s throwing in the 90s now, and he’s got three pitches he can get across the plate.”

Mitchell has the Wildcats marked as must-see TV on his calendar during the NCAA Tournament, as they have been for Kentucky fans this spring. Kentucky won a share of the SEC regular season title for just the second time, and the No. 2 seed is the highest in school history. The Wildcats are hosting a NCAA regional for the fourth time (2006, 2017, 2023, 2024).

The Wildcats won the Lexington Regional and advanced to the Super Regional round June 8-10 against No. 15 seed Oregon State. If they handled Oregon State (after press time), the Wildcats would make an appearance in the College World Series, which cranks up Friday, June 14.

At College of Charleston from 2021-23, Pooser made 36 starts and crafted a 17-7 career record with a 3.93 ERA. He fanned 179 batters in 220 innings and earned multiple postseason honors for the Cougars.

At Hanahan, Pooser was a two-time all-state selection for the Hawks, going 12-3 with a 0.27 ERA as a junior and senior.

“He developed a lot going into his senior year with us and kept growing in college,” Mitchell said. “I almost didn’t recognize him when I went to see him at the College of Charleston. In high school, he wasn’t a guy who was going to overpower you, but he never walked anybody and controlled the running game. He was just very consistent. You knew he would be successful wherever he went.”

Pooser is the son of Bryan and Jany Pooser, an employee with the Berkeley County School District at Hanahan High School.

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCSC) - Hanahan planning leaders will consider proposals for building three more parcels in the Bowen Village planned development.

Bowen Village has been in the works since the early 2000s by the locally-owned Wrenn Group. The land currently features apartment buildings, single-family homes, parks and some businesses. The three newest parcels propose 185 housing units and about 12,700 square feet of commercial space.

Developers say the two market parcels and one waterfront parcel are the next step in building out a complete and walkable community at Bowen Market with businesses, restaurants, and more housing.

“So, it’ll provide lots of jobs, restaurants, businesses, we’re hoping to have the barber shop, the ice cream shop, the hardware store and restaurants, and in the middle of it will be what we’re calling the life square, which will be an about a 4000 square foot astroturf Plaza. And we’ll use that for everything from goat yoga to live concerts. And it’ll make the market come alive,” Wrenn Group Founder and CEO Ray Wrenn says.

The planning staff report takes a few issues with the general plans, saying they don’t show required sidewalks, they get rid of all open space, and have commercial space overlap with residential zoning. But ultimately the staff recommends the committee approve the plans with some conditional changes.

“It’ll give people a reason to come to the Bowen Market which helps our business owners, and it also adds something that’s desperately needed to the City of Hanahan, which it doesn’t have - a gathering place like downtown Summerville does or like the Market at Ion does and even the North Charleston Park Circle venue,” Wrenn says.

Wrenn has run the company for years, and now his daughter Sarah Wrenn, who also grew up in the area, works as the executive director.

“I think a lot of people are interested in our growth right now. Because Hanahan is kind of a hidden gem in a lot of ways in the Charleston region. But we’re starting to get noticed and that’s a good thing and it’s good for us and people just want to kind of have an idea of what’s going on and we’re happy to answer those questions,” Sarah says.

She believes the variety of housing that they continue to develop will help people find options that fit their lifestyle and the Bowen Market style will provide

“The multifamily projects we submitted for, will help I think, a lot with the housing affordability issue we have in the nation, but locally at the Charleston level. So young families, young professionals, seniors all need housing and it’s not one-size-fits-all housing, right? The traditional models don’t work for everybody. So Bowen brings that with all the diverse types of housing we have, though it’s an answer to the housing,” Sarah says.

Overall, the family-owned development company says they are about halfway done with the potential of Bowen Village. They still have plans to develop the waterfront along the Cooper River that moves into the Goose Creek Reservoir.

“We plan to have restaurants and shops as well as very nice homes for sale. Whether they be villas, condos, single-family residential, so the waterfront is really kind of what I would call the undeveloped part of Bowen. We kind of started at the at the road, slightly backed off the boulevard and kind of built up the middle and having these new residents is going to be huge for businesses which means the businesses in the Bowen market as well as the businesses on the waterfront,” Ray says.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCIV) — As you're going through the neighborhoods in Hanahan you'll see several signs that read "Say yes to moratoriums" and "Say no to more apartments and rezoning."

Hanahan's mayor says she believes the signs came about after a proposal for a rezoning to build an apartment complex.

However, the city council voted that proposal down.

Proposal plans to build more housing in a newer Hanahan community are bringing up concerns for those living there.

READ MORE: "17 acres of land in Hanahan by Tanner Hall causes dispute between neighbors and developer."

It is a close-knit city many people enjoy calling home.

"I love this place," said Jeremy Watts, who lives in Bowen Neighborhood. "I mean, Hanahan is wonderful. It's a wonderful place to raise children. It's a wonderful place to live."

With proposals to develop, neighbors are making their voices heard by placing signs throughout the Bowen community against the possible additions.

"There's major concerns with putting more multifamily homes back here," Watts said. "You really increase the population, you really increase the traffic patterns, and you really put a strain on the schools."

READ MORE: "Proposed Hanahan development heads to planning commission."

Safety and infrastructure are some of the concerns. However, neighbors like Watts want to see responsible growth.

"I think that people are expecting development, but I think that they're looking for infrastructure to increase, different roads, avenues to come in and out of this area," Watts said.

As Mayor Christie Rainwater encourages this sort of growth for the city, she hopes neighbors keep an open mind too.

"I think some of them are hoping that the developer doesn't get to develop any further, and that's where the signs are popping up," said Rainwater. "I think what it needs to be is more of a conversation. How do we do this well? How do we honor the property rights of those who own the property while still working with those who now live there and wanna make sure that the quality of life in our city remains just as amazing as it is now? The good thing is our council has that same goal. We wanna maintain that amazing quality of life and hopefully, we will do that through responsible growth."

READ MORE: "Hanahan neighborhood residents demanding new rezoning plan be ditched."

The "say no to more apartments in Bowen" signs are found within and around the Waterfront Village.

The community is filled with single-family homes, apartments and even commercial development.

Responsible growth is the key factor Rainwater says will keep the city alive and thriving.

"There's some things that are still being planned out," Rainwater said. "There are people that live there that don't want that and it's understandable. We need to figure out what's gonna work well for those that are there while still honoring the property rights of the developer."

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCIV) — A Hanahan family is getting an outpouring of support after losing everything in a house fire.

A fire spread through the Stewarts' Rembert Drive home Sunday in the blink of an eye. Neighbor Mike Hinson said he dropped what he was doing to help because he knew it was right.

"Meghan was in a panic," Hinson said. "I brought the kids in, found them something to watch on TV, and made them a little snack just to kind of get their minds off stuff."

A fire gutting their home is just the latest obstacle for Meghan had Bobby Stewart.

Read more: "2 mobile homes destroyed in Colleton County fire, investigation ongoing."

Meghan fought breast cancer for five years.

Bobby is recovering from surgery.

Long-time neighbor Hinson said he had to help his fellow neighbors, remembering the support the family gave him when his wife had cancer.

"Two years ago, my wife passed away, and so many people come together for me," Hinson said. "You can't give that back. She helped my wife, Sheila, get through it the best that she could. And we did the same for her, just returning what it is that we had borrowed."

His front porch is now a sort of landing zone.

People are stopping by with bags filled with clothes and shoes for the kids, toiletries, and other items.

Read more: "Firefighter falls through floor during house fire response in downtown Charleston: CFD."

All to make life a little easier for the Stewarts.

Hinson said this is what the Hanahan community is all about.

"These people right here are the people who are doing it for the right reasons," Hinson said. "You know, it's coming from the heart. All in all, if nothing else, they feel a lot of love."

A GoFundMe for the Stewarts was created. It can be seen here.