Commercial real estate brokers in Ravenel, SC

This story was originally published in the Oct. 4, 2021 edition of the Charleston Regional Business Journal.

A second planned unit development has been pitched for Ravenel, the rural town of 2,700 residents, showing signs that progress is now pushing outward from West Ashley.

Residents are concerned the movement could fundamentally change the rural nature of the area they call home.

Plans for the Tea Farm Tract, a proposed 400-unit planned development in Ravenel, and the related annexation of over 3,100 acres of land in Ravenel, were blessed Sept. 16 by the town’s planning and zoning commission, with a recommendation to limit density on over 2,000 acres of land outside the development.

The Tea Farm Tract would sit on 395 acres of land.

Rebecca Baird, who lives adjacent to the property and whose husband runs a grass-fed beef farm on their property, also opposed the annexation and development.

“I’m begging you to not annex this property; it will be devastating for this community, it will change the traffic flow, it will change how we have grown to live in this rural area,” she said.

A public hearing was scheduled be held by the full council and possible vote on Sept. 28.

Earlier this summer, the council approved and filed annexation plans for the Golden Grove Planned Development District, with 381 single-family homes and a commercial area to be built on 597 acres between Highway 17 and Old Jacksonboro Highway.

Similarly, the Tea Farm proposed development would sit along Old Jacksonboro Road and Highway 17, next to E.B. Ellington Elementary School, about 11 minutes from the intersection of Bees Ferry Road and Glenn McConnell in West Ashley.

The site is currently owned by the McLeod Lumber Company.

“We have owned this property for nearly a century…times change, things move on,” said William McLeod Rhodes, president of McLeod Lumber, at the commission meeting. “We would look for a developer who would do it well, and of course all regulations would be done well.”

Representatives from Thomas & Hutton, the land planning firm for the site, said they have been working on the land use plan for the site for a year-and-a-half.

Land planners stated at the meeting that the development may impact wetlands, including a half-acre of “isolated wetlands” on Landover Road.

Nearly two dozen neighbors and community stakeholders — including the Preservation Society of Charleston and The Coastal Conservation League — spoke out against the development at the Sept. 16 commission meeting, which lasted two-and-a-half-hours.

One resident said he would move away from Ravenel if the Tea Farm development was approved.

Others questions why 3,000 acres needed to be annexed for a project a fraction of that size and expressed concern that the town was setting itself up for a larger buildout on the site.

Opponents cited disruption to the site’s wildlife and wetlands, potentially impacting the nearby Charleston County Parks’ Caw Caw Interpretive Center, as well as increased traffic and strains on the area’s sewer system, which could potentially lead to future flooding issues.

“That’s just an incredible amount of land that can be developed like this,” said Tim Blackwell, who spoke at the meeting. “This could start a program where it will cascade (with) partnerships and LLCs adding another 1,000 acres. Once you start this, you’re going to ruin what you’ve got and what Mount Pleasant wishes what they had. We’re going to have Highway 17 South look like Highway 17 North.”

Thomas & Hutton presented a complete plan with renderings of sidewalks, streets and bike lanes. Plans include single-family homes and townhomes, parks and open space, a community center and 16 acre-commercial area that could support a grocery store.

The Tea Farm plan calls for slightly more than two single family homes per acre, and, when combined with townhomes, comes out to six units per acre overall. The density of Golden Grove is three homes per acre.

The board’s conditional recommendation was to limit density to one home per 25 acres in the 2,700 or so acres not expressly in the Tea Farm development, as outlined in the Charleston County’s comprehensive plan for Ravenel,

Rhodes did not return an email from CRBJ, asking if he was agreeable to the density amendment by the commission.

At the meeting, however, he shared that the McLeod family has additional tracts totaling 1,350 acres, but they are not seeking that to be annexed at this time.

In his opening statement, town administrator Mike Hemmer tried to quell some concerns about the development, including that the town does have the capacity to run sewer to the planned development and that existing sewer line limits mean the remaining 2,000 acres could not be built out in full.

During public comments, only one citizen spoke in favor of the Tea Farm development at the meeting: resident Todd Johnson, who said he’s lived in the area for 20 years. He said the development will bring younger people to the area.

“I think it’s a great idea for the young people coming up; they need a place to live and work,” he said. “Everything is growing out this way anyway. I think it’s a wonderful idea and I’m glad for the town to continue to grow. We need to grow.”

Starting a new chapter! Cameran Eubanks and Thomas Ravenel are among the Southern Charm stars who have stepped away from the Bravo hit over the years.

Viewers were introduced to Eubanks when Southern Charm premiered in 2014. The reality series focuses on the personal and professional lives of several socialites in Charleston, South Carolina. After participating as a main cast member in six seasons, Eubanks shocked fans when she announced her departure in May 2020.

That same month, Eubanks shut down claims that she left due to her husband, Jason Wimberly, being unfaithful. “It has come to my attention that insidious rumors are now spreading and fake articles are being written … some of which pertain to my marriage,” she wrote via Instagram at the time.

While referring to the claims to the rumors as “upsetting,” Eubanks noted that she’s not surprised by them as “this is what reality television has come to nowadays and a large reason why I kept my marriage off air.”

At the time, the South Carolina native stood by her decision not to return to Southern Charm. “You must protect what is sacred to you. Some things aren’t worth a big paycheck,” she continued. “What upsets me the most is that my husband, who is the most sincere and faithful human I know is being falsely dragged into this. It disgusts me. He always supported me filming the show even though he wanted no part of the spotlight.”

Eubanks added: “I can’t get too upset though because this is what you sign up for when you put your life on reality TV … and why I’m getting out of it now. Drama is needed to stay relevant on reality television and sadly false rumors about other are sometimes created. Make of that what you will and consider the source.”

Ahead of the show’s eight season, Eubanks explained that she has no plans to come back. “If I was to ever go back on television, it would have to be something boring that didn’t involve fighting or having to talk about people,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in April 2022. “It would have to be a whole different — no, I couldn’t do it.”

The former reality star also confirmed she wasn’t approached to make a cameo in season 8. “I would go back and do it all over again,” she admitted. “I closed that door and there’s really no need for me to go back. I don’t think it would necessarily serve a purpose. But the show’s doing great.”

Scroll through for an update on the former Southern Charm stars:

RAVENEL, S.C. (WCSC) - A 350-unit housing development in the Town of Ravenel is one step closer to being built.

For some background, the proposed 350-unit development sits on 755 acres of land on Davidson Road, right across the street from Poplar Grove Equestrian Center.

According to the developer’s plans, 131 acres will be preserved as wetlands, 145 acres will be dedicated to green space and park and 25 acres will be for commercial use.

On Tuesday night, the town’s council unanimously approved the development during its first reading with contingencies, including adding a 100-foot buffer for residential areas and restricting gasoline sales, big box stores and boat stacking in the development’s commercial portion.

Some residents who attended Tuesday’s meeting said they are concerned about the impacts the development will have on the town’s infrastructure.

Angela Brown said she has lived in Ravenel her entire life. Brown said she’s not entirely against development in the town, but thinks 350 units will disturb the community.

“I’ve always known it as a rural area-- country. Walking bare feet on a dirt road, watching the birds in the trees, we used to play in the woods,” Brown said. “You’re coming through our village, this is our village, and you’re wanting to force something down our throats”

David Baird lives on Davidson Street-- the same street where the 350-unit development is proposed. He said people live and move to Ravenel for a reason, because it is rural.

“We’re not ready for that. It’s a rural area. It’s meant to be that way,” Baird said. “The road is small, there’s not really a way to expand the road without covering up current sewer lines.”

Mayor Stephen Tumbleston said the development will benefit the community financially and believes it will be noninvasive to the surrounding community.

“The entire Tri-County area is changing, and I don’t particularly like it. I grew up right down the road. I’ve seen the changes; we’re trying to manage that with the developments that we have approved,” Tumbleston said. “All the traffic that you see on Savannah Highway and all of our secondary roads, aren’t from anything that we’ve done in the last couple of years. It’s just the natural progression of the traffic that’s flowing through our town.”

The Costal Conservation League provided one of the comment letters that they sent to Mayor Tumbleston regarding the proposed development.

Although Tuesday’s approval was unanimous, it was just the first reading. The second reading will be held at next week’s town council meeting.

We’ve reached out to the developer for comment and have not heard back at this time.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Former reality TV star Thomas Ravenel has placed his South Carolina plantation on the market for $3.95 million.

Ravenel is known for five seasons’ worth of deep-fried drama on the Bravo reality show “Southern Charm,” which focuses on Charleston’s upper crust. But the ex-politician left the series in August 2018 after a series of allegations of assault against women.

Fans of the show will be familiar with the place where he hosted dinners, parties, and polo matches.

Located on South Carolina’s Edisto Island, the 60-acre estate, Brookland Plantation, once prospered as an indigo farm and transitioned to Sea Island cotton until the Civil War. Slave cabins once stood where grand old oak trees now grow.

“Thoughtfully restored” in 2004, the four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom, 4,284-square-foot Greek Revival home dates back to 1803 and has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2006, Ravenel purchased the property when he thought the land might be subdivided by a developer. A new buyer won’t have the same concern—the land is now protected by a conservation easement.

Along with formal living and dining rooms, the layout includes a large, updated kitchen. In addition, the main house offers front and back porches with views of Shingle Creek. A basement apartment includes a full kitchen, open living space, laundry room, and storage.

The home was repainted in 2013, and most of the windows have been remilled or replaced. Original elements include Corinthian columns, wide-plank pine floors, and large pane windows.

The sprawling grounds feature an 8-acre polo field as well as a 10-stall, two-story barn with a two-bed apartment, viewing decks, and a balcony.

The acreage is dotted with moss-draped oaks, a formal garden, and a half-acre saltwater pond. Shingle Creek, which leads to the South Edisto River, can be accessed by a tidal dock near the main house, or a deepwater dock on the southern end of the property.

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Watch: Carrie Underwood Lists the Tennessee Mansion She Left Behind

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Two years ago, fans of the show could experience the plantation life on Ravenel’s property as a short-term vacation rental—the property was being offered on Airbnb for over $800 a night.

“Southern Charm” isn’t the property’s only claim to fame. In addition to being showcased on the Bravo show, the estate can also be seen in the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance.”

Ravenel placed the home on the market amidst a custody dispute over his two children with his ex-girlfriend Kathryn Dennis. He’s awaiting trial after being charged with assault and battery by a former nanny. Ravenel denies the charges.

RAVENEL, S.C. (WCBD) – Traffic patterns, potholes, speeding, and more – our team is working to find solutions to problems that are driving you crazy on the roads.

Over the past few weeks, News 2 has heard from many of you about problems on the roadways – but one issue had stood out more than the others: the intersection of SC-165 and Highway 17.

Nearly a dozen people who reached out about the intersection in Ravenel called it extremely dangerous. We met with many of those viewers to learn more.

Jack Scarborough said large vehicles, like tractor-trailers, approach the intersection at a high rate of speed, often running the red light and causing accidents that are sometimes deadly.

“When you hear that fire engine, with the siren going, and you can tell that it’s stopping at that intersection, you’re like ‘oh geez, there’s another accident,’ and ‘God, I just hope no one is seriously injured or dead,’” said Scarborough.

Another Ravenel resident, Joan Van Scyoc, said this intersection has worried her family for over a decade.

She said it’s hard to see oncoming traffic when you’re turning north and that the speed limit should be reduced ahead of the signal.

“It’s death-defying, sometimes, to make this turn. Especially now that traffic is increasing quite a bit in the area, and they’re going at a high rate of speed,” said Scyoc.

Both Jack and Joan say having a left turn arrow – turning north onto 165 from 17 – would solve most of the problems.

We took their concerns to the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), and now we’re letting you know that a solution may soon become a reality.

Kelly Moore, Director of Public Engagement for SCDOT said a project is underway that will add a left turn arrow to the northbound 17 left turn at the intersection.

The project is expected to go out for bid this month, and once a contract is awarded, SCDOT will have more information regarding the timeline and cost.

Count on News 2 to keep you updated on the project.

If you have something that drives you crazy on the roads, we want to know about it. Simply email mfee@wcbd.com or fill out the online form by clicking here.