FOLLY BEACH, SC (WCSC) - The city of Folly Beach is proposing new measures to protect the beach from structures and septic tanks some fear could ruin their dunes.
Some on Folly Beach are worried about the potential for new septic tanks. South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control granted a septic permit for the developer of a super-beachfront lot, which some say can’t be good for the beach.
DHEC has regulations in place for on-site septic, which has to be located more than 75 feet from main high water. But city officials say that measurement changes with factors like erosion and renourishment.
“People are concerned about the fact that it does appear that the regulations may not have protected the area as well as most of our citizens would like,“ City Administrator Spencer Wetmore said.
The city is proposing a 40-foot dune management area where they’ll focus on building and protecting the dunes from a fixed point and then removing any septic tanks from that area.
The city has also proposed a fixed line from renourishment efforts that structures and septic tanks have to be set forty feet back from. Officials say it would make sense to give enough space to build up a dune area and protect the existing dunes that are there now.
“We want to make sure that us the city are protected our beaches the best we can," Wetmore said. "Folly is a unique community, we’re very erosional and the one size fits all regulations from the state may not be the best protection from the city.”
The city is holding a meeting at city hall to discuss the proposals and the public can go and give their feedback.
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