Women's Clothing Boutique Near Me Ridgeland, SC

Two new restaurants are giving Okatie residents some new dining out options along S.C. 170.

The restaurants, both with Ridgeland mailing addresses but just over the Beaufort County line, are not connected and offer widely varied menus. One is open in the mornings and one in the evenings.

What they do have in common is that they are signs of escalating retail and residential development along the heavily traveled corridor.

Brothers Te Riley and Trent Riley opened Half Day Cafe in mid-December at 2633 North Okatie Highway, as S.C. 170 is known. Te said he and Trent both felt there was a need for this type of establishment.

“There’s nothing else along this corridor that serves a homemade breakfast,” he said.

Trent owns Sunset Pizza and Full Moon Saloon located next door to Half Day Cafe. Te said diners can expect the same quality of food at Half Day Cafe.

“We do not duplicate anything from next door, and we put a fresh twist on everything,” he said.

Five different types of flapjacks, breakfast burritos, chicken and waffles, breakfast bowls, fresh fruit and sandwiches named, “The Killer,” “The Low-Bottom,” and “Cherry Point,” are on the breakfast line up.

Half Day Cafe offers a brunch menu on the weekends that runs all day, featuring shrimp and grits or biscuits and gravy. Te said both the spicy syrup and biscuits are homemade.

A few of the lunch items are chopped chicken salad, blueberry chicken salad, pattie melt, “The Wedge,” a hummus Feta plate and soup.

Te said that there will always be a soup of the day for lunch, which is decided that day. “We never know what soup we are going to do.”

Ralphie’s Pizza and Eatery opened in the Riverwalk Business Park within the last week.

“I’m from New York, and I’ve always wanted to have a pizza place down here,” said owner Joel Mathis, who has lived in Bluffton for seven years.

“We are excited to serve everybody, offer a great product with fresh ingredients, and be a part of the community,” he said.

And he looks forward to expanding to Ralphie’s to lunch hours, with a special lunch menu of two slices and a drink.

House, veggie, white and meat pies are just a portion of the pizza options offered in personal, large or extra large sizes.

In addition to the cauliflower crust option, there is a pie called “The Endicott,” which is topped with marinated grilled chicken breast and described as an “Upstate favorite.”

The appetizer offerings include mozzarella sticks, garlic knots and bruschetta.

Other menu choices are baked haddock, calzone, hippie rolls and eggplant parmigiana.

Along with adding lunch hours soon, Ralphie’s will serve alcohol as soon as its liquor license is approved.

Half Day Cafe

Ralphie’s Pizza and Eatery

Motorists have seen the rallying cry in large lettering, posted on homemade signs along Jasper County roads: “Keep Chelsea Rural.” Under the same name as its three-word mantra, a grassroots group of concerned residents is kicking their preservation efforts into high gear as their fight against a “tsunami of development” on a large swath of rural land comes to a head.

Ridgeland is nearing the end of its campaign to acquire about 3,000 acres of the Chelsea Plantation, a roughly 5,200-acre tract near the center of Jasper County that was purchased for $32 million in 2019 by the Missouri-based investment company Legacy Land Holdings. Officials are working with developer Michael Quinley on a plan that would use the annexed land for approximately 2,000 new residential units.

The proposed annexation goes against the wishes of county officials and has sparked criticism from area natives, who cite preservationist concerns and potential traffic woes, particularly on the winding Snake Road and nearby S.C. 462. Organizers with Keep Chelsea Rural argue the tract is an “unwise” annexation choice because of its distance from Ridgeland’s other suburban areas, claiming that construction on the remote land will be inefficient and expensive due to a lack of existing infrastructure.

Following the first public hearing on the controversial plan set for Thursday at 6 p.m., the Ridgeland Town Council will cast a final vote on the annexation at its April 4 meeting. The annexation would incorporate the land into Ridgeland town limits, a move some officials deem necessary to accommodate rapid growth across Jasper County. Ridgeland alone will welcome an estimated 40,000 new residents by 2044, a 1000% increase from its current population, according to town-contracted consulting firm Four Waters Engineering.

The town’s decision to consider incorporating the three parcels is in defiance of Jasper County’s development moratorium, which asked Ridgeland and Hardeeville to forgo annexation efforts while the county revised its comprehensive plan to bolster rural zoning standards and prepare for imminent development efforts. The nine-month moratorium began in May 2023 and county council members voted March 4 to extend the pause through July 31.

But the moratorium was not legally binding for the county’s municipalities, giving Ridgeland the opportunity to introduce its ordinance to annex the land on Jan. 18. Despite a pair of measures passed at a town council meeting March 7 that would ostensibly slow down the process — a required feasibility study and update to the town’s comprehensive plan — Jasper County residents and officials alike have chided the town for fast-tracking the annexation process.

“We had hoped the town and city would allow us the time to complete our work we undertook as part of the moratorium to determine what is best for the county as a whole in this area,” County Council chairman Marty Sauls told The Post and Courier.

Now in partnership with the Coastal Conservation League, the Keep Chelsea Rural movement has seen large waves of support relative to the small community of Ridgeland. Dating back to the fall of 2022, when another annexation effort targeted the Chelsea-adjacent Tickton Hall, a number of resident-led petitions against development in the area have amassed upward of 1,500 signatures.

Grant McClure, the Coastal Conservation League’s south coast project manager, said development plans like this “threaten the health of the Port Royal Sound — a world-class estuary.”

“We understand Ridgeland’s desire to grow; however, sensitive large tracts that are far from the town’s core and which lack infrastructure are simply the wrong place to site thousands of new homes,” McClure said.

Organizers from the Coastal Conservation League are urging Ridgeland residents to “strike while the iron is hot” and attend the public hearing Thursday in opposition to the annexation plans.

This story was originally published March 21, 2024, 1:17 PM.

For the entirety of the 1990s, the population of the Jasper County town hovered within spitting distance of 1,100 residents. By the end of the year 2000, the population was more than 4,800. The town grew 343 percent in a single year.

The number of residents has slowly decreased over the intervening years. In 2023, estimates put the population at just under 3,800 people.

Looking forward 20 years, the growth curve is forecast to make another dramatic turn. Growth projections for Ridgeland, which refers to itself as the "high point of the Lowcountry," are staggering.

The town expects to add 40,000 residents in the next two decades, which would make the population more than 10 times larger than it is today. The Ridgeland of 2044 will, if the projections hold true, be larger than the current populations of Myrtle Beach, Sumter, Florence and nearby Bluffton.

Against this backdrop, Town Council this month considered a petition to annex nearly 3,000 acres of unincorporated county land, along with a large residential and commercial development plan.

Complicating the request is a moratorium on residential and commercial development the county enacted in June. It has a nine-month term and expires in March.

Hilton Head

After passage of the first reading of the moratorium ordinance, the county asked that Ridgeland and Hardeeville officials cooperate with the purpose of the moratorium by not entertaining annexation applications in the region impacted by the moratorium.

"Ridgeland has a lot to be proud of," said Grant McClure of the Coastal Conservation League. "We would love to see the town invest in those existing communities and not sprawl outward in a way that is unsustainable, and in way that would contradict the Jasper County comprehensive planning process."

Annexing Chelsea

The annexation petition presented to Ridgeland officials falls within the county's moratorium zone, referred to as the Euhaw Broad River Planning Area.

"The Euhaw district is making a statement to say we believe this area is special and sensitive," said Smittie Cooler, a Jasper County resident who was instrumental in the development of the moratorium. "We think it needs a little more protection. The moratorium isn't over the whole county, which is a common misconception. And right out of the blue comes Chelsea, which is right in the heart of the moratorium district."

The annexation request includes three parcels. Chelsea North is the largest at 2,442 acres. Chelsea South is 292 acres, and Chelsea West is 212.5 acres. The north and south parcels are owned by Chelsea Plantation LLC, while the west parcel is owned by Keeling Land and Cattle Comm LLC.

The west parcel is key to this petition. To qualify for annexation, a property must be adjacent to the municipality that is the target of the annexation. The north and south parcels do not abut Ridgeland's boundaries, but the west parcel does. It serves as a bridge connecting the two larger parcels to the town and qualifying them for annexation.

Michael Quinley, principal of the Quinley Group, discussed the plans for the land, which include approximately 2,000 residential units across the combined properties. Details provided in the petition show that about half of Chelsea North will be allocated for 1,000 homes, while the other half will be open space.

The west and south parcels will be a mix of single-family attached and detached housing, multifamily dwellings, mixed-use commercial space and open space.

Jasper County development moratorium

JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - A controversial proposed annexation of just under 3,000 acres by the town of Ridgeland will have its first hearing on Thursday.

In just a few days, Ridgeland town council and residents will meet at 6 p.m. at the Lakeside at Blue Heron Community Center to discuss the annexation.

The proposed annexation is for land near the Jasper/Beaufort County line, containing the Chelsea Plantation. The reason for the annexation is a proposed development with hundreds of homes and apartments, as well as commercial space.

Residents take issue with multiple aspects of the annexation, including a moratorium on developing the land from Jasper County. A group against the annexation, called Keep Chelsea Rural, is planning to attend Thursday’s hearing.

“We in the state of South Carolina are just watching our small towns just be taken away, every single day. And I think Ridgeland doesn’t actually realize just what they have,” said Ashley Rhodes, with Keep Chelsea Rural.

WTOC contacted the town’s administrator, and while he was not available in-person, he sent over a statement. In it he says, “In sum, it’s fair to say that what we’re currently seeing is more about a massive demographic population shift towards South Carolina, and the South as a whole.”

Regarding the conservation of Chelsea, he said, “Most importantly, over 2,000 acres could potentially be placed in conservation/green space, meaning over 71% of the property would be protected.”

He ends the statement by saying, “I am confident that whatever decision this council eventually makes with respect to Chelsea, will also take into consideration the situation we as South Carolinians face as our state faces unprecedented growth.”

You can read the town administrator’s full statement below:

“As mentioned in our earlier call, South Carolina is currently the most popular state in the U.S. to move to, which is based upon in-bound moves versus outbound moves—boasting a ratio of 2.1. That means twice as many moves are coming into the state than headed out. South Carolina also earns the highest net real estate property searches per capital of all the states. In short, people are moving to South Carolina---and in particular the Lowcountry----in record numbers. In turn this has created an urgent need for housing inventory—and in particular in northern Jasper County, where we have an acute housing shortage. At the same time, it also places a huge burden on our road infrastructure—there is no doubt the State has failed to keep up with the necessary road infrastructure required in our area. Our roads were designed for traffic counts dating from the 1990′s, not what we currently see. In sum, it’s fair to say that what we’re currently seeing is more about a massive demographic population shift towards South Carolina, and the South as a whole.

So, while I can’t speculate what the council’s ultimate decision will be with respect to Chelsea, there are things worth mentioning. Most importantly, over 2,000 acres could potentially be placed in conservation/green space, meaning over 71% of the property would be protected. Additionally, the total density of the project would be less than one dwelling unit per acre (0.4), making it one of the lowest-density projects in the Lowcountry.

But---given that Jasper County established a multi-county industrial park in a portion of the Chelsea property in 2020, this carries some considerations that require much deeper analysis. The council fully understands that smart and balanced growth is desirable and necessary in Ridgeland, but not at any cost. The issues this council is facing are a microcosm of the issues facing our state as a whole---massive numbers of workers leaving the workforce, an ever-increasing need for environmental protection, deteriorating road infrastructure, and skyrocketing demand for housing to accommodate an ever-increasing population. I am confident that whatever decision this council eventually makes with respect to Chelsea will also take into consideration the situation we as South Carolinians face as our state faces unprecedented growth.”

Copyright 2024 WTOC. All rights reserved.

Ridgeland council votes 4-1 to accept an annexation petition despite concerns the property is within the county's moratorium which is in effect until March

Bluffton Today

Ridgeland could see more growth in the near future after its Town Council voted 4-1 on Jan. 18 to accept a petition for an annexation that would include about 3,000 acres if it reached final approval.

The annexation request now goes to the town's planning commission for review, Ridgeland officials said.

Councilmen Tommy Rhodes and Bill Fishburne, Councilwoman Josephine Boyles and Mayor Joey Malphrus voted in favor of the petition. Councilwoman Libby Malphrus opposed it, stating her concern centered on Jasper County having a development moratorium in place that includes the area being considered for annexation.

"By even accepting a resolution, to spend town money to investigate this, it seems like we are not respecting the moratorium," Malphrus said during the meeting. "It feels like we are not being respectful in that and the way in which we work with our neighbors."

Town of Ridgeland Administrator Dennis Averkin said a development agreement is also being considered.

"It will also require public hearings and an ordinance. It should be noted that the two processes will run in unison," Averkin said. "There will be no annexation without a development agreement, nor a development agreement without an annexation."

Council was asked during the meeting to consider approving a resolution to accept the annexation petition of Chelsea Plantation, LLC and Keeling Cattle, LLC on three parcels.

"While this is still 'proposed,' and not yet approved, the applicant desires to annex three parcels, Chelsea North, Chelsea South and Chelsea West, totaling approximately 2,946.3 acres," Averkin said.

There is only one area proposed for development as of now, Averkin said, which is referred to as “Chelsea South” and is owned by Chelsea Plantation, LLC. He said it comprises 166.6 acres of upland and 125.1 acres of jurisdictional wetlands.

Michael Quinley, who represented the landowners at the meeting, informed the council that 3,000 acres would consist of residential, commercial, civic and recreational uses.

"Our overall gross density is less than one unit an acre," he said. "We plan to put over 45 percent of the development in our properties in a conservation and mitigation space."

Averkin added following the meeting that the proposed development includes single-family residential, multi-family residential, mixed-use commercial, and community recreation and amenities bordering SC Highway 170 North.

"Chelsea North is also owned by Chelsea Plantation, LLC, and consists of approximately 2,442.1 acres. Chelsea West is owned by Keeling Land and Cattle – COMM, LLC and consists of approximately 212.5 acres," Averkin said.

Chelsea West is contiguous to Ridgeland's corporate town limits, Averkin explained. That parcel touches the other two parcels requested for annexation, making the two eligible for inclusion in the petition request. Chelsea North and South are owned by Chelsea Plantation, LLC.

A large group of concerned citizens attended the meeting, with many asking the council to consider delaying the request until the county's development moratorium expires in March. The land that developers are seeking to have annexed is part of what is listed within the moratorium as the Euhaw Broad River Planning Area.

The Jasper County moratorium includes a temporary pause on new commercial and residential development in areas along the Broad River, S.C. Highways 170 and 462, Bees Creek Road, and the area known as the Okeetee Club, according to the county's ordinance. The county previously said the moratorium was enacted to allow time for a partial update of the future land-use map, which provides a roadmap for growth and development.

Within the moratorium, there has been a request that local municipalities honor the planning effort by not entertaining any annexations within the Euhaw Broad River Planning Area while the county moves forward.

"We were not consulted on a moratorium," Averkin said during the meeting.

Averkin said following the meeting that the annexation request from developers was submitted before the county passed its moratorium.

"To set the record straight, it should be noted that applicants contacted the town before the moratorium was passed by the county," he said. "The Town does not control if or when an applicant files an annexation petition. We don’t have the option to simply put an annexation petition back in the mail and 'return to sender' because the timing is inconvenient, we don’t like it or because someone at a neighboring jurisdiction doesn’t like it."

The newly approved petition will now go to the town's planning commission for review, Town of Ridgeland Planner Heather Spade said during the meeting. She said the earliest the final request for annexation could be considered would be at the April 4 council meeting, with that timeline subject to change.

Informational meeting to be held Feb. 8

There will be an informational meeting concerning the petition held in conjunction with the Keep Chelsea Rural Committee and the Broad River Task Force. Speakers will share details of the petition and possible annexation in the future of the three Chelsea properties at 6 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Port Royal Sound Maritime Center, 310 Okatie Highway in Okatie.

"It is important for citizens within this area and throughout the county to attend this meeting so that they understand what could possibly happen in the area into the future," Keep Chelsea Rural member Smittie Cooler said. "The speakers will be providing important information for those who attend on topics such as the environmental impact, the traffic impact, the stormwater impact and how water and emergency service would be affected by annexation."