Advocates for maintaining quiet woodlands around the Angel Oak have been dealt a setback, but this isn't the time for them to sit back. Yes, the Commercial Corridor Design Review Board gave conceptual approval to the design and scale of the first phase of a housing development that will ultimately include some 600 multi-family housing units. But the first phase accounts for some 300 of those units, and there is hope that at least part of the land designated for the second phase could instead become public green space. The sooner those conversations get started, the better. The Coastal Conservation League has shown some interest, and Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. (who supported Phase One) said he is open to hearing what people have to say. One suggestion is that greenbelt money be used to purchase the remaining property. The process would be tricky for several reasons. The Johns Island Plan designates the acreage in question as a "meeting place" suitable for denser housing. The acreage also lies within the urban boundary, and that means that greenbelt money controlled by the county would not be an option unless the boundary is moved. Charleston's greenbelt money is an option, but there isn't enough. Those who have done battle against Phase One have been tenacious. And indeed, the developer, Robert DeMoura, says that he made a number of changes because of input from citizens as well as from the CCDRB. Those changes did not reduce the density, but they did make for more interesting architecture and a less predictable layout for the apartment buildings and commercial space. They also doubled the size of the wooded buffer that will separate Angel Oak Park from the development. Mr. DeMoura has also demonstrated a concern for and interest in the Angel Oak. He told us that he would like to help establish an Angel Oak Foundation to protect and enhance the city park surrounding the iconic landmark. At present, he says, barbed wire fencing and poorly placed parking detract from the tree's majesty. Beyond that, Mr. DeMoura is not talking about Phase Two. He says it might be several years away. If an appropriate offer to buy the remaining acreage for green space were to be made, Mr. DeMoura might even view it as an added amenity for the apartments being built in Phase One. There is clearly a need for work-force housing on Johns Island. The principal of Haut Gap Middle School, across Bohicket Road from Mr. DeMoura's property, said he has trouble recruiting teachers because there is a dearth of affordable housing for them nearby. In addition to working for an acceptable alternative to Phase Two, it would be helpful if Angel Oak activists offer some suggestions for such housing on Johns Island. Potential residents in such housing would likely appreciate, as much as anyone else, the opportunity to enjoy the Angel Oak in its proper context.

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