Beach Management

The Town of Seabrook Island's Comprehensive Beach Management Plan was first adopted in November 1992, and was most recently updated in December 2014. The preparation and updating of the town's plan was a joint effort between the Town of Seabrook Island, the Seabrook Island Property Owners Association, the Seabrook Island Club and the St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center.

​The town's current Comprehensive Beach Management Plan was adopted by ordinance of Seabrook Island Town Council on December 16, 2014. The plan was subsequently submitted to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) for review and approval. Upon approval by SCDHEC, the town's plan become a part of the State Beachfront Management Plan.

State law requires that the town's plan be updated no less than every five years in coordination with SCDHEC. Accordingly, the Town of Seabrook Island is scheduled to complete an update to its plan no later than the fourth quarter of 2019.

About Beach Management Plans

Pursuant to Section 48-39-350 of the S.C. Code of Laws (the "Coastal Tidelands and Wetlands Act"), the Town of Seabrook Island must prepare, in coordination with SCDHEC, a local comprehensive beach management plan which must be submitted to SCDHEC for review and approval. By law, the town's plan must contain, at a minimum, the following components:

• an inventory of beach profile data and historic erosion rate data provided by SCDHEC for each standard erosion zone and inlet erosion zone under the town's jurisdiction;
• an inventory of public beach access and attendant parking along with a plan for enhancing public access and parking;
• an inventory of all structures located in the area seaward of the setback line;
• an inventory of turtle nesting and important habitats of the beach/dune system and a protection and restoration plan if necessary;
• a conventional zoning and land use plan consistent with the purposes of the Act for the area seaward of the setback line;
• an analysis of beach erosion control alternatives, including renourishment for the beach under the town's jurisdiction;
• a drainage plan for the area seaward of the setback zone;
• a post disaster plan including plans for cleanup, maintaining essential services, protecting public health, emergency building ordinances, and the establishment of priorities, all of which must be consistent with the Act;
• a detailed strategy for achieving the goals of the Act; and
• a detailed strategy for achieving the goals of preservation of existing public access and the enhancement of public access to assure full enjoyment of the beach by all residents of the state. 

By law, the town's comprehensive beach management plan must be updated no less than every five years in coordination with SCDHEC.

More Information

Seabrook Island Beach Mgt. Plan
​SC Beachfront Management Act
​SC Beachfront Jurisdictional Lines
​​SC Local Beach Management Plans
SCDHEC Beachfront Management

Contact

Joe Cronin
​Town Administrator
(843) 768-9121​
jcronin@townofseabrookisland.org

Click to view the town's plan