Roof Repair in Bluffton, SC

BLUFFTON — In an interesting twist in the battle between Novant Health and Beaufort Memorial to establish a hospital in this fast-growing area, the state has apparently cleared both to move forward with their plans.

The S.C. Department of Public Health approved Novant's application for a certificate of need (CON), a document that's required before a hospital can be built.

This week, the state agency also approved Beaufort Memorial's application to build a 28-bed acute care Bluffton Community Hospital. Total cost for the project is expected to be less than $10 million.

Novant's plans call for a new 50-bed, 196,500-square-foot facility that is expected to cost $320 million to construct. Novant Health Bluffton Medical Center, as it will be called, could be expanded to 100 beds should demand grow. The Post and Courier previously reported that the facility will be located at the intersection of Buckwalter Parkway and Lake Point Drive.

“The approval of our CON application reaffirms Novant Health’s commitment to bring world-class medical care closer to home,” said Jason Bernd, Novant Health's president of the South Carolina Region in a prepared statement. “This hospital is a long-term investment in Bluffton and the surrounding communities to ensure families have access to high-quality care without having to travel great distances.”

Efforts to bring a hospital to Bluffton go back to at least 2018. At that time, Beaufort Memorial announced a joint venture with the Medical University of South Carolina for a 20-bed acute-care hospital. State officials approved the plan.

Progress ground to a halt, however, when two local hospitals owned by Tenet Health appealed the approval. Those two hospitals were later acquired by Novant Health, which continued the challenge. The appellants questioned the project's financial feasibility and the need for a hospital in the area.

Beaufort Memorial spent the next six years tied up in court before finally withdrawing it's application in September. Two weeks later, Novant Health applied to advance its hospital plans, a move that Beaufort Memorial CEO Russel Baxley called "very frustrating."

A public hearing regarding Novant's application was held in January in a packed conference room in the Bluffton library. During public comments, Baxley spoke about the legal battle between Beaufort Memorial and Novant Health and accused Novant of "weaponizing" the certificate of need process.

After that meeting, Baxley told The Post and Courier that, should Novant's CON application be approved, Beaufort Memorial would challenge it.

In the intervening months, the Beaufort-based hospital system has announced plans for a medical office building on the corner of Bluffton and Buckwalter parkways. The project drew attention from area residents when trees covering the site were removed and the project broke ground earlier this year. The project will include medical offices, an ambulatory surgery center and a freestanding emergency department. It can also accommodate 28 hospital beds, though how the approval of the Novant project will impact those plans is not yet clear.

Additionally, Beaufort Memorial is building a freestanding emergency department on Hilton Head Island, within walking distance of Coligny Beach. It is expected to open in the winter of 2026.

In a press release, Novant touted its investment in workforce housing close to Hilton Head Medical Center, which it owns.

“This hospital will be a game-changer for the Lowcountry, bringing much-needed specialty care to one of South Carolina’s fastest-growing areas,” said Joel Taylor, president of Hilton Head Medical Center. “Not only will Novant Health Bluffton Medical Center transform healthcare access, but it will also drive significant economic growth in the region, creating as many as 1,000 jobs in the Bluffton area over the next five years.”

BLUFFTON — Almost two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court stripped federal safeguards from many of the nation’s wetlands, leaving some South Carolina bogs, ponds and swamps vulnerable to development.

In the regulation vacuum, some states have moved to protect their newly susceptible environments. But patchwork protection from state lawmakers in Columbia have left counties, cities and towns on the frontline in South Carolina to preserve much of the 7.5 million acres of wetlands.

Bluffton is the first local government in the Palmetto State to pass a wetlands protection ordinance in response to the high court decision. Developers will now need to receive a permit from town staff to carry out projects that disturb wetlands, and local officials will have new ability to penalize scofflaws.

“We care about the environment and we have to protect the very things that are so instrumental in the natural protection process,” Mayor Larry Toomer said. Later adding, “You have to have these protections in place before somebody puts in for a building permit or a development permit.”

Many geographical features classify as wetlands, among them tidal marshes, oxbow lakes and vernal pools. These areas become habitats for wildlife, fish, plants and trees, which can help absorb pollution. During storms, they can take in rising waters to prevent flooding that damages homes and risks lives.

Development over wetlands is charted by the Clean Water Act, the 1972 federal landmark legislation that created the framework for regulating pollution in American waterways. A 2023 Supreme Court decision narrowed the definition of a wetland receiving federal protection.

In 2007, Idaho couple Michael and Chantell Sackett began to backfill their wetland property so they could build a home. Their property was near a ditch, which connected to a creek that fed a lake, causing the EPA to demand the couple reverse course or pay fines exceeding $40,000 per day. Their lawsuit would span 16 years.

On one issue, all justices sided with the couple and reversed an appellate court ruling against them. On another, writing for a 5-4 majority, Justice Samuel A. Alito changed the definition of federally regulated wetlands.

Under the previous definition, wetlands that affect the physical, chemical or biological integrity of navigable waterways (like rivers or lakes) would receive protection. After the narrow Supreme Court decision, the federal government would only have Clean Water Act jurisdiction over wetlands that have a "continuous surface connection" with other such water features. According to a rough estimate, 37 percent of South Carolina’s wetlands lost federal purview. Isolated wetlands were left vulnerable.

Shortly after the ruling, Bluffton municipal staff began hearing from developers who wanted to know how the town would address the regulatory deficit. They didn’t know, said Bill Baugher, director of the Watershed Management Division.

“We didn’t have a plan,” Baugher said, noting that Bluffton had relied on the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to regulate development over its wetlands. “But now that was no longer the case, we had a lot of vulnerable areas we wanted to make sure stayed in their current state.”

The town lost 513 acres of wetlands from 2001 to 2021, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. If all contained together, that would nearly cover Old Town Bluffton. Local officials wanted control over their slowly vanishing natural resource that is a large part of making the town what it is — a waterfront community along the May River just before the bridge to Hilton Head Island.

Until the 1990s, Bluffton had been a quaint town of about 750 people. Over the past quarter century, it has ballooned from its former one-square-mile footprint to more than 50-times that size and now with 35,000 residents — and more growth coming.

South Carolina protections over the newly vulnerable wetlands are limited. Developers or builders that may discharge into Clean Water Act-protected waters must first receive a permit from the state before requesting permission from the federal government. For South Carolina’s eight coastal counties, the Department of Environmental Services reviews state and federal permit applications for consistency with its coastal management program. Towns like Bluffton, which performs its own stormwater permitting, leave projects over isolated wetlands without a state or federal review.

“There is still a question about the extent of the state's authority because it is an indirect authority that is ultimately derived from the Clean Water Act,” said Jessie White, south coast office director of the Coastal Conservation League. “The town is trying to exercise more direct local control that goes above and beyond what the state may or may not do.”

After the Sackett decision, lawmakers in Colorado passed legislation to protect its wetlands and streams. Other states also responded by introducing laws, according to the Environmental Law Institute. The S.C. Office of Resilience recommended the state regulators protect their isolated wetlands. But without action in Columbia, such responsibility is left to local governments.

Soon, Bluffton staff began collaborating with the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, which had drafted a model for local governments seeking to protect their wetlands.

“You’re trying to make something that is least burdensome but also gives much-needed protection for wetlands that have been exposed under this federal court decision and others,” said Amy Armstrong, executive director of the legal organization.

The development ordinance Bluffton passed March 11 was an interim measure. The town is waiting for a report from a contractor that will inventory its wetlands, allowing for officials to pass a more precise measure.

SCELP is lobbying lawmakers to push for statewide protection, but they expect their effort will gain more traction once a long-anticipated report on the state’s watershed from the Office of Resilience becomes public.

The federal government, however, is plowing ahead.

A memo from the Environmental Protection Agency on March 12 rescinded guidance from the Biden Administration on how to interpret the “continuous surface connection” requirement and announced the agency will start collecting public comment on how to interpret the ambiguously worded Sackett decision, said Adam Gold, manager of climate resilient coasts and watersheds science at the Environmental Defense Fund. Uncertainty about what the Clean Water Act now protects is causing confusion among environmentalists, developers, and landowners.

“There's no clear, stable benchmark for what's protected, and that's hopefully something we can improve with stronger federal protections in the future,” Gold said. “But in the meantime, filling the gap at the state and local level is the best we can do.”

Other jurisdictions in South Carolina may follow Bluffton’s lead. Georgetown County’s comprehensive plan includes passing a wetland protection ordinance.

Until then, wetlands around the state will be left vulnerable to developers seeking to capitalize on the South Carolina boom — and lawmakers scrambling to keep up.

Toby Cox contributed to this report.

It has been one of the most talked about stories of the 2025 Winter Season. The announcement that long-time Bluffton restaurant fixture, Pour Richard’s, would be closing their doors, making way for a brand new Italian restaurant on Bluffton Parkway. The transition is nearly complete.

Radici Italian Chophouse will open their doors to the public on Thursday, March 27th. We got a first look inside at the newly renovated space.

For those who are familiar with Pour Richard’s, Richard Canestrari and Ally Rogers created a beautiful environment with their restaurant. The open kitchen remains, all operations on full display. The ‘colorful’ feel is largely gone. The look of the room is pretty much the same with something of a more sleek look.

I mean, lets be real. It’s the same restaurant. It was great to begin with, it just got a paint job and buff. It looks great.

Heading up the kitchen at Radici will be Mattia Bianchi, a native or Torino, Italy. We spoke briefly on Saturday. What I can tell you is that they are very excited to get the doors open on Thursday. We plan to have a proper chat about their vision for this restaurant-including some family style Sunday dinners-once they are up and rolling.

I’ve enjoyed their food at Hilton Head Island’s Chez Georges Bistro and Bar. The talent is obvious. This should be a great addition to Bluffton’s bubbling food scene.

We went a little more in depth about the collaboration with Chez Georges and their involvement in this project with a write up last month. You can find that here. Make no mistake, this is a family affair. We are looking forward to seeing it thrive.

More soon.

Radici Italian Chophouse4376 Bluffton ParkwayBluffton, SC 29910Tuesday/Wednesday 4:30pm-9:00pmThursday/Friday/Saturday 4:30pm-10:00pm

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BLUFFTON, S.C. (Mar. 1, 2025) – After a 26-day break from competition, the ETSU men's golf team resumes its spring 2025 campaign with the first of four tournaments in five weeks at the Colleton River Collegiate at the Colleton River Club on Monday, hosted by Michigan State.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION Name: Colleton River Collegiate Dates: Sunday, March 2– Monday, March 3 Location: Bluffton, S.C. | Colleton River Club, Dye Course Course Info: Par 72 – 7,403 yards Format: 54 holes, play five, count four Tee Times: Shotgun start Sunday at 8 a.m., tee times start Monday at 7:50 a.m. Live Scoring: Scoreboard Live (Clippd) Weather: Sunday—55°, Mainly Sunny, Winds SSW @ 8mph; Monday – 59°, Partly Cloudy, Winds WSW @ 6mph

THE FIELD · In addition to the Bucs, the teams in this week's field include Michigan State, Cincinnati, Georgia Southern, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Memphis, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Chattanooga, and Wake Forest · Wake Forest is the only team in the field in the Clippd top 50, checking in at #41. Like ETSU, this is the first time the Demon Deacons have participated in the tournament. · Georgia Southern is the reigning champion of the event after shooting a 32-under-par 832 on the Colleton River Club's Nicklaus Course on March 4-5, 2024.

ETSU's LINEUP · The Bucs' lineup consists of one true freshman, one sophomore, one junior and two seniors · ETSU's lineup features #1 Kristian Bressum, #2 Joshua Pritchett, #3 Yannick Malik, #4 Ben Carberry and #5 Gavin Tiernan · ETSU will be grouped with Chattanooga, Missouri, and Indiana on Sunday. For more information on ETSU men's golf, go to ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's golf tab.

Once Upon A Child is set to open in Bluffton on Thursday, March 6, bringing affordable and sustainable shopping to the Lowcountry.

Kids are constantly growing, which often means items like shoes and clothing can be both challenging to find and costly.

Once Upon A Child offers a sustainable solution to this common problem for families by providing a place where people can buy and sell gently used children’s clothing, toys and other needed items, all while giving these items a second life and reducing waste.

The new location will be at 1202-A Fording Island Road, near God’s Goods Thrift Store, Hilton Head BMW and Whisper Creek Spa.

To mark the grand opening of the Bluffton location, local owner Leah Baker has planned a series of events throughout the weekend.

Here is what you can expect each day:

Additionally, all weekend long, customers who spend $50 or more will receive a $10 off coupon for future use, and the first 25 customers to check out will receive an exclusive tote bag.

Baker, the store’s owner and self-described lifelong thrifting enthusiast, said she was introduced to the Once Upon A Child concept 15 years ago and saw it as the perfect opportunity to open a family-focused resale store.

Two years ago, Baker and her late sister signed the lease to open the new store together. By opening the store, she is fulfilling a shared dream she once had with her late sister, who moved to the Bluffton area to help open it.

“Even though my sister isn’t here, I’m so excited to open the store and be a part of this community,” Baker said. “My team and I have worked so hard to get this together, and we’re ready.”

Unlike typical consignment stores, Once Upon A Child doesn’t require appointments and pays customers immediately for items they bring in.

Families can both buy and sell with ease, receiving cash on the spot for their items. The store also ensures that all products meet strict safety standards, pulling recalled items from shelves and conducting regular checks to ensure compliance.

With two children of her own, Baker’s goal is to create a welcoming space where local families can shop affordably and sustainably.

For more information on the buying process and event details, visit the Once Upon A Child webpage or call (843) 757-7523.

The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Once Upon A Child is a national leader in the resale of gently used kids’ merchandise, including clothing, toys, baby equipment, books and more.

With over 420 franchised stores in the U.S. and Canada, Once Upon A Child is part of Winmark, which also franchises other brands like Plato’s Closet, Play It Again Sports, Style Encore and Music Go Round. For more information, visit www.onceuponachild.com.

This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 6:00 AM.

The Island Packet

(843) 626-0211

Anna Claire Miller is the Service Journalism Reporter for The Island Packet. Originally from Georgia, she has experience in magazine writing, non-profit communications and city government. Anna Claire has a bachelor’s degree in journalism, legal studies and English from High Point University.