Foe says development endangers Angel Oak tree

A Johns Island woman has launched a petition drive opposing plans for businesses and 600 homes on land next to Charleston's Angel Oak Park, saying it could imperil the famous Angel Oak tree. The Angel Oak, a live oak on Johns Island, is 65 feet high and 25.5 feet around. "I'm at Angel Oak just about every day, and I wrote my first book there, under the tree," Samantha Siegel said. "There are plenty of spaces (to develop) on Johns Island that aren't next to a cultural and historic landmark." Plans to develop the land have been under discussion for at least eight years, and the current plan received city approval last month. "It's good that people are concerned about it, but it's a shame they're coming in so late," said Nancy Vinson of the Coastal Conservation League. The Coastal Conservation League does not oppose the plan, which includes many concessions aimed at protecting the park and the tree, such as a 7-acre conservation zone, a 150-foot buffer around the park, and studies by an arborist and a hydrologist. "I think these are pretty thoughtful developers," Vinson said. "It's a very much improved plan, and we don't oppose it." Previous story - Angel Oak plan gets final approval, published July 17, 2008 The Coastal Conservation League opposed an earlier plan that called for a big-box grocery store. The approved plan eliminated the large store and added more housing. Despite coming to the issue belatedly, Siegel has been able to quickly gather more than 1,400 signatures on her online petition, which is primarily aimed at defeating a request for permission to cut down 34 grand trees on the property. "I think this is a huge wakeup call that people need to pay attention more," Siegel said. In response, the developer postponed a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on the tree-cutting request and set up a meeting with Siegel. "In an effort to educate them about the plans over the past three years, we're going to defer the issue," said Robert DeMoura of Clement, Crawford & Thornhill, a managing partner in Angel Oak Village Development LLC. "In many people's eyes — the city of Charleston, the Coastal Conservation League — this is a great plan." Siegel was able to quickly rally support by using internet resources such as thepetition site.com and a "save the Angel Oak" page on the social networking site Facebook. Among her petition signatories are many from out of state, and more than a few from other countries, some of whom left comments indicating they believe the Angel Oak itself is in danger of being cut down. The city of Charleston and the developer say a great deal of care has been taken to protect the Angel Oak and its surroundings. Plans for Angel Oak Village approved by City Council call for a densely built collection of shops, offices and multi- family homes at Maybank Highway and Bohicket Road. "In all the work on this plan, the first consideration was the protection of the Angel Oak," Mayor Joe Riley said. "You won't be able to see the Angel Oak from Angel Oak Village, and you won't be able to see Angel Oak Village from the Angel Oak." In 2005, the city pressed hard to protect the tree, threatening to buy the development property if the developers did not agree to the city's conditions. After the conditions were agreed upon, the development plans moved ahead with little opposition, until now. DeMoura said proposed tree-cutting would remove trees identified as weak or diseased by the project's arborist. He said the development was planned around healthy trees. "They protected 94 or 95 grand oaks," said Vinson of the Coastal Conservation League. "There were 34 that weren't in good shape, and those are the ones they want to take out." ANGEL OAK/ANGEL OAK VILLAGE TIMELINE 1991: The city of Charleston buys what is now Angel Oak Park, roughly 2 acres on a dirt road surrounding what's billed as the oldest living tree east of the Mississippi River. 2000: Sea Island Comprehensive Health Care, a nonprofit provider of services to low-income Sea Islands residents, proposes selling 42 undeveloped acres around Angel Oak Park because of financial problems. 2001: The state names Angel Oak South Carolina's Millennium Tree. Charleston's Planning Commission approves rezoning the Sea Island property to allow a grocery story, office buildings and apartments. 2004: Sea Island seeks bankruptcy protection. In September, the city announces a plan to acquire 16 acres around Angel Oak Park for $1 million as part of a $3.5 million purchase of the entire property by Greenville developer Robert S. Small Jr. That deal falls through, and the land is bought by a different developer. 2005: With the sale of the land pending and Sea Island's bankruptcy reorganization hanging in the balance, Charleston insists on greater protection for Angel Oak than proposed by the buyers. The city threatens to buy all the land if the potential developers don't agree to concessions. After days of contentious public hearings, a deal is reached calling for a 150-foot buffer around Angel Oak Park, a 75-foot natural buffer along unpaved Angel Oak Road, an extra level of city review as the development proceeds, a 7-acre conservation zone around the park, and the hiring of a hydrologist and a tree expert. The development would include a large grocery store, shops and 285 housing units. 2008: Developers of what's become known as Angel Oak Village return to the city with revised plans that eliminate the big-box grocery store and increase the number of housing units to 600. The Planning Commission endorses the new plan and City Council approves it, over the course of three public meetings in May and July. In late July, Samantha Siegel launches an online petition drive opposing the development.

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