BIPA Hot Topics
Check out the hot topics BIPA addresses to
preserve our beautiful barrier island community.
Our Frontline Focus
Special Election Runoff: Isle of Palms City Council
A Special Election Runoff will be held on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, given that no candidate in the Special Election on November 5th received more than 50% of the votes. Two candidates will be on the ballot. While BIPA cannot endorse any candidates, we encourage residents to exercise their right to vote and be informed.
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Our On-Going Focus
Between 2023 and 2024, the Isle of Palms (IOP) has faced substantial sand loss at the southern end of the island and at Beachwood East in Wild Dunes. Each major storm poses a threat to our barrier island beach, and the erosion was significantly worsened by a Nor’easter storm in December 2023. Over the past year, we have seen considerable erosion, in some cases coming within 20 feet of property structures. Dunes have been wiped out, wildlife habitats have been endangered, and sea turtle nests would have been destroyed had they not been relocated by the Turtle Team.
With state funds depleted, the cost of restoration is daunting. An interim solution involves the Army Corps of Engineers, who will add sand at the waterline (note this is not considered a beach renourishment). Subsequently, the city of IOP plans to move this sand to recreate the dunes. However, there is a possibility that the Corps may not arrive until the fall, coinciding with the peak of hurricane season.
