CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Two new subdivisions could be coming to opposite ends of the Cainhoy Peninsula, with developers presenting preliminary plans to the City of Charleston.

Thomas Island and Tuxbury farms are separate neighborhoods with similar plans for detached and attached family homes on currently undeveloped lots in the Berkeley County part of the city.

The Thomas Island subdivision would sit at the end of Clements Ferry Road near Interstate 526 and proposes 42 lots on about 18 acres of land. The Tuxbury Farms development would sit off of S.C. Highway 41 and build 83 lots on about 15 acres of land.

Anna Kimelblatt is the Communities and Transportation Program Director of the Coastal Conservation League.

“Cainhoy right now is sort of one of the last undeveloped frontiers in the city of Charleston and Berkeley County,” Kimelblatt says.

She says the area is seeing extreme development pressure. Perhaps the most well-known and largest planned unit development is Point Hope.

The already approved project will build on about 9,000 to 12,000 planned units.

“So this is wholly separate from that. So I think a lot of times we think about the Cainhoy peninsula, and we’re thinking about that project, right? But there’s all this other growth and development that’s also occurring along Clements Ferry and 41 on the peninsula, which is going to exacerbate a lot of these flooding and traffic impacts that we’re already feeling in the city of Charleston,” Kimelblatt says.

She says the way the area operates now, the natural element of the peninsula is crucial to handling rain and flooding. That natural flood mitigation will change when major developments are introduced, and despite best efforts, manmade runoff does not work the same way.

“Mainly, it has a lot of wetlands that are providing natural flood mitigation for that community out there. So, you know, all of the naturally functioning floodplain on Cainhoy holds and stores all of that flood water and slowly releases it back into the natural environment, right, so that it’s not flooding roads, flooding homes, flooding yards, that kind of thing. And that’s sort of one of the main environmental services that Cainhoy provides in its current state,” Kimelblatt says.

She speaks to the potential traffic impacts of Tuxbeury Farms specifically, since it is off of Highway 41, which is expecting upgrades that are years in the making and likely years from being completed.

“Highway 41 is congested. It’s inundated when it rains and during a high tide, and we’ve not yet seen those improvements for Highway 41 come to pass. We struggle with the idea of putting another dense subdivision on 41 while we still do not have the necessary infrastructure upgrades to that road,” Kimelblatt says.

The Thomas Isand and Tuxbury Farms projects are in the early stages of the Technical Review Committee at City Hall. Kimelblatt and the Coastal Conservation team say they will be watching to participate in any future public comment if the project progresses.

“An assessment of available infrastructure, available road infrastructure, drainage infrastructure, emergency services, schools, all of that, think that would contribute to a more holistic planning process for these areas that are experiencing such intense growth pressures. You know, given that we have 18,000 units already approved for the Cainhoy Peninsula, it makes sense to take that into consideration when we’re thinking about these other projects,” Kimelblatt says.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A Technical Review Committee meeting could clear the way for two new neighborhoods totaling nearly 400 homes as Charleston’s Cainhoy Peninsula continues to grow.

Both projects are part of Point Hope, a 9,000-acre master-planned community along Clements Ferry Road. Nearly half the land will remain undeveloped to preserve the natural environment, with 1,000 acres are set aside for parks, trails and green space.

Once complete, Point Hope could include up to 12,000 housing units, developed by the same team behind Daniel Island. The goal is to create a live-work-play community like the one next door.

Cainhoy has seen rapid growth over the last decade; census data shows the population more than doubled from 7,500 in 2010 to over 15,000 in 2020.

As construction on the project has continued, it has faced not only logistical criticisms but environmental backlash.

Four South Carolina environmental groups filed a lawsuit in 2022, arguing the development threatens critical wetlands and endangered species. They also asserted that developers failed to consider less damaging alternatives or undergo a full environmental review.

A federal judge denied a motion to stop construction in 2024 and an appeals court upheld that decision earlier this year.

Despite this, environmental concerns persist as nearly 200 acres of freshwater wetlands are expected to be filled as part of the build.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service temporarily paused clearing on parts of the site last year to evaluate potential harm to endangered species, including the northern long-eared bat and red-cockaded woodpecker. Work has since resumed under updated federal permits that require habitat protections, seasonal work restrictions and wildlife monitoring.

The two projects specifically under review Thursday include Del Webb Point Hope, a nearly 300-home senior living community, and Point Hope North Residential, which would bring just under 100 single-family homes.

“Del Webb is a senior focused community that’s been incredibly popular. There’s one of those up in the next community right now. We have an aging population and so there’s going to be more of a need for additional senior housing in the area,” City Councilman Boyd Gregg, who represents both Cainhoy and Daniel Island, said.

Both neighborhoods have been reviewed by the Technical Review Committee before and could return again depending on the outcome of this meeting, which specifically focuses on roadway plans and broader construction details.

Gregg said the goal is to ease congestion by building a community where people can access housing, jobs and services without having to leave the area.

“One of the great things about Point Hope and the way that the plan unit development was put together is there’s a fair amount of commercial development that’s going up there,” Gregg said. “So, we’ve seen MUSC’s building facility up that way. And there is already a grocery store up there, restaurants and so the hope is that not everybody will be getting onto Clements Ferry Road and having to leave the area.”

He added that, when paired with the right investment, density brings opportunity.

“The City’s right now investing millions of dollars in the Cainhoy Peninsula area and property acquisitions for new fire stations, public works, police stations, recreation facilities,” he said.

Gregg said he’s aware of the many challenges this development will bring to residents but he hopes that the influx of resources will help alleviate that burden.

“We’re getting a new Publix out here on Daniel Island. There’s a new public at Point Hope. We have the Credit One Stadium right over there with really great concerts, a lot of restaurants that are moving into the area and so density does have some benefits. I know it’s a challenge with traffic,” he said. “I think that’s the thing that’s on everybody’s mind and trying to figure out solutions to that. But also we have really great schools and you look at Point Hope they have a new elementary, middle and high school up there that are performing really well. So you know the density does have some benefits.”

Point Hope is expected to take decades to complete in its entirety, following a phased model like Daniel Island’s. Long-term projections estimate the community could eventually bring up to 45,000 residents to the Cainhoy Peninsula.

The Technical Review Committee meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday.