<b>By Jim Hicks</b>

<b>New housing development</b>

In 2009, the property owner of a 27.12 acre section of land located on the east side of Little Capers Road, between Holly Hall and Fairfield Road, applied to develop the land as the Crossroad Subdivision under “by right” authority. The term “by right” simply means that since the property in question is zoned Lady’s Island Community Preservation, which allows construction of two homes per acre, the property owner “by right” of this zoning can divide his property into a maximum of 54 lots.

The Beaufort County Development Review Team approved the subdivision in June 2010 with the requirement that it include commercial water and sewer. But the new home market crashed in 2010 and no development occurred at the property until recently. The site is now being cleared in preparation for development.

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<b>Buses, safety and Sams Point Road</b>

School is back in session and approximately 4,000 students are traveling Lady’s Island roads each week day. Many of those students will travel by school buses.  Please remember that in South Carolina, if you are traveling behind a school bus with a flashing red or amber light the law requires you stop if the bus stops.  If you are traveling on a two lane road and meet a stopped school bus with its flashing red lights, you must come to full stop and remain stopped until the bus begins forward motion again.

If you are on a four-lane road, such as Sams Point Road, and you meet a stopped school bus, you do not have to stop.  Regardless of the fact that the law no longer requires stopping on four-lane roads, drivers should slow down and proceed with caution.

<b>New state charter Lowcountry Montessori School opens</b>

Once again there is a Montessori school on Lady’s Island. E. C. Montessori operated in the Celadon complex for many years and closed its doors at the end of last school year. Lowcountry Montessori is a new free state chartered, nonprofit school offering an authentic Montessori based program for Kindergarten through 9th grade.

At the start of this school year, they had 250 students which for this year is their maximum capacity.  By 2017 they hope to have a new facility opened in the Town of Port Royal and be able to offer grades Kindergarten through 12. An interesting aspect of state chartered schools such as Lowcountry Montessori is that since they are chartered by the state, any child in the state of South Carolina may attend the school.

<em>Jim Hicks is with the Lady's Island Business Professionals Association (LIBPA).</em>