2022 Disaster Awareness Day
Recap
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This past Friday, June 17, 2022, The Town of Kiawah Island hosted this year's Joint Disaster Awareness Day event with the Town of Seabrook Island.
With many residents in attendance, both communities (Kiawah and Seabrook Island) gathered to discuss everything related to storm preparation, emergency communications, and evacuation; each topic had a dedicated panel of experts to help guide the conversations and answer questions from the community.
Additionally, The Town was pleased to have Trooper Bob (Bob Beres) serving as the event's moderator and mc.
Kiawah and Seabrook would like to thank all who were in attendance and are looking forward to the 2023's event.
For individuals unable to attend, click here to watch the 2022 Disaster Awareness Day Event recap.
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TOKI Employee Spotlight: Meet Accountant and Clerk of Court, Sherry Fortson |
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What brought you to the Town?
In 2016, I was living in the upstate of South Carolina and the Town of Kiawah had called me about an accountant position that I had applied for. My daughter was already living in Charleston for a year and after spending most of my life vacationing in Edisto, I decided that it would be a great fit and ended up moving to Edisto. My son soon followed us down here.
What do you enjoy most about working for the Town?
The employees get along well, and the atmosphere is pretty laid back. I don’t mind the commute due to the beautiful scenery that I witness along the way. Plus, I end up on the beautiful island of Kiawah.
What are a few of your favorite foods?
I love crab legs, ice cream, and Mexican food.
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
I am an avid fossil hunter, which initially came from hunting sharks’ teeth in Florida and Edisto all my life.
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Current nest count: 290
Help us protect our turtles by keeping in mind:
- Never harass, touch or disturb hatchlings or eggs.
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Take all items with you when you leave the beach (chairs, coolers, trash) and fill in your holes, as these can be significant hurdles for turtles.
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Lights out for Turtles! May - October, all outdoor lighting facing the beachfront should be turned off from 9 p.m. to dawn. Artificial light (flashlights, cell phone lights, etc.) on our beach can cause nesting females to abandon nesting attempts and disorient hatchlings as they make their way to the ocean. Red lighting is much more sea-turtle friendly, but even red lights should never be shined directly at a nesting female or a hatchling. Free red flashlight filters are available at the Municipal Center.
Each year, nesting efforts are monitored by the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol, a group of dedicated volunteers. Unfortunately, there are no volunteer openings for Turtle Patrol this year. For the 2023 season, a call for volunteers will begin in January 2023. Follow us on social media for season highlights.
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As we head into the July 4th weekend, be mindful of the public safety guidelines and ordinances that are in place for your safety. Town ordinance prohibits the discharging of fireworks on the island, except for sparklers. This ordinance applies to property owners and visitors, and anyone found in violation could be ticketed. Rental property owners and managers should remind their guests of this restriction. |
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Island Reminders:
- No open fires or fireworks.
- Never feed, harass, or approach alligators. Never swim or allow pets to swim in any of the island ponds and stay away from pond edges. Alligators may be present.
- No clothing or towels are allowed to be draped over deck railings.
- Bicycles must be stored overnight in an appropriate location that is not visible from the street.
- Parking on the grass or landscaped areas is prohibited. Overnight parking must be off street.
Beach Rules:
- Stay off the dunes and use boardwalks.
- No glass, metal shovels, plastic carryout bags, plastic straws, Styrofoam, balloons, or drones allowed.
- No overnight storage of beach equipment.
- Fill in your holes before you leave the beach.
- May through October - all outdoor beachfront lighting must be turned off from 9 p.m. to dawn to protect nesting sea turtles.
- No artificial light of any kind on the beach at night, including flashlights (handheld or cellular).
- Never approach sea turtles, hatchlings, or nests.
- Seasonal leash ordinances are in effect (detailed below).
Leash Ordinance:
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March 16 through October 31, dogs must be on a leash at all times, even in the water, from the western boundary of the Critical Habitat Area (near Beachwalker County Park) to the eastern boundary of the Beach Club. Electronic leashes are prohibited, and owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets.
Violations in progress should be reported immediately so corrective action can be taken. Ordinances are enforced by Beach Patrol (call or text 843-518-2880) and Code Enforcement officers (24-hour hotline 843-259-2137).
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Salute from the Shore will hold its 13th annual tribute to the United States Armed Forces on July 4, 2022. Planes—both current military planes and privately-owned vintage planes—will take off from the northern end of our coastline outside Myrtle Beach at 1 p.m. and fly along the coastline to Hilton Head. The approximate Kiawah flyover time is 1:20 p.m.
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Solid waste bills will be mailed out Friday, July 1. Residents can submit their payments via online or by phone.
To pay online:
Click here to access the online portal or copy and paste the link below in your web browser:
https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/kiawahislandsc
To pay by phone:
Call 833-212-7808 to make your solid waste bill payment over the phone. You will need your account number and the street number of the account to complete the transaction. Credit and debit cards are accepted.
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Short-Term Rental Violations |
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Complaints regarding short-term rentals should be brought to the attention of Town Code Enforcement Offices for follow up. To report addresses that are potentially in violation, please use one of the following reporting methods:
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Upcoming Committee Meetings |
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Ways and Means Committee - July 5 | 12:45 p.m.
Special Call Town Council - July 5 | 1 p.m.
Town Council - July 5 | 2 p.m.
Planning Commission - July 6 | 3 p.m.
Arts Council Board - July 11 | 10 a.m.
Procedures
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Town Council meetings are always live-streamed on the Town's YouTube channel. Other committees that conduct their meetings in person where the public can attend are not live-streamed.
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Agendas are available here and will reference the meeting's location. Dates, times, and locations sometimes change. Before planning to attend a meeting, check our website.
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