Dear Palmetto Bluff Neighborhood Association Members,

In the spirit of transparency we wanted to share with you some important information.

On November 11th we sent you a communication concerning the results of the November 9th Bluffton Town Council meeting focusing on South Street Partner’s request to our government officials to expand and change key components of the plan for the marina at Anson. In that note, we pointed out an inconsistency in South Street Partner’s narrative with the Town Council during the November 9th public meeting. 

Below for your information is a note that we sent to both the Town Council and the Planning Commissioners correcting the record on behalf of the PBNA Membership. As you will see, we also offered the PBNA’s collaboration with the developer and city officials on any issues where our voice would be helpful. 

Subsequent to sending the note to our government officials, we sat down with two of the Town Council members. They told us that it is their understanding that South Street Partners will conduct  a town hall meeting with the residents of Palmetto Bluff to discuss the changes that SS Partners are requesting to the marina at Anson. Further, once the Town’s Negotiating Committee addresses this topic, it is their understanding that this committee will seek public comments.  Further, once the Negotiating Committee makes a recommendation to the Town Council, the Council will once again conduct a public hearing on the issue. This is all good news. We urge you and your neighbors who may or may not be members of the PBNA to attend both the South Street Town hall meeting when it is announced and the Town Council meeting which will be announced after the first of the year. We will communicate dates, times and locations as soon as they are scheduled.

The PBNA continues to be committed to having another meeting of residents in the January timeframe.  We hope to focus on improving the understanding of the purpose of restarting the PBNA and improve the resident’s (PBNA Members and non-members)  understanding of the governing documents of Palmetto Bluff. In the meantime, we are working hard to attract interested residents to join the Board…especially women so that we can better align the composition of the Board with the resident population.   If you are interested, please let us know.   As always, thank you to the growing PBNA membership for your keen interest in this beautiful place where we live.  Please feel free to share this note with your neighbors.

Click here for a copy of the letter...

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

 Sincerely,

 Bob Morette, Harry Haslam, Ford Bartholow, Eric Sutherland, Graz Graziano, Richard Cedrone

Dear Members of the Town of Bluffton Town Council and Planning Commission, 

We are writing you as the Directors of the Palmetto Bluff Neighborhood Association (PBNA).  The PBNA is a South Carolina Non-Profit Corporation made up of property owners of Palmetto Bluff. The PBNA is an independent voice for the Palmetto Bluff resident members. 

The purpose of our communication is four-fold in addressing the outstanding requests by South Street Partners to make amendments to the area of Anson on Palmetto Bluff. 

 First, we want to thank all of you for the thoughtful approach you have taken to this point in determining what is best for Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, and the larger community.  Some of our members have spoken at your various meetings where you generously requested public comment.  Moreover, many of our members have followed the deliberations with keen interest and admiration for your work.

 Second, we wish to correct the record on a specific claim made by South Street Partners during the November 9th Town Council meeting on this subject.  During the questioning of South Street Partner, Mr. Will Culp, Councilman  Fred Hamilton asked Mr. Culp if South Street Partners had discussed their specific requested changes at a town hall meeting with residents of Palmetto Bluff.   At first Mr. Culp opined that he could not recall if the specific requests had been discussed with the residents. Shortly after that, with some prompting, Mr. Culp reversed himself by saying that, ‘these changes had been explicitly discussed with PB residents during town hall meetings’.   We wish to respectfully communicate to you that at no time did South Street Partners discuss these requested changes at any town hall with the residents of Palmetto Bluff.  Moreover, the first time that residents heard of these specific requests was when South Street Partners petitioned you our elected officials for these amendments.  We applaud Councilman Hamilton’s intent to have Palmetto Bluff residents involved in these drastic changes to the 2005 2nd Amendment to the PB Development Agreement and stand ready to provide South Street Partners feedback if they truly wish to work in an open and collaborative manner.  It is worth mentioning that taken together, the residents of Palmetto Bluff are the largest investor in the community.  

 Third, we believe that there is an immediate need for South Street Partners to provide high level engineering and concept plans for the Anson Marina before better informed comments and decisions can be articulated. Frankly, we have closely followed the public discourse and cannot adequately describe what the resulting marina will look like, or more importantly, what effects their proposals will have on our fragile environment in and around Palmetto Bluff.  

 Lastly, we wish to offer ourselves as resources on any and all issues related to the Town of Bluffton and Palmetto Bluff. We and our members stand ready to partner in an environment of trust and transparency with you on the myriad issues that you adjudicate. 

 Kind Regards,

 Bob Morette, Harry Haslam, Graz Graziano, Eric Sutherland, Richard Cedrone, Ford Bartholow