Thanks to all of you who attended the 2019 Annual Meeting; it was great to see so many property owners who are interested in SIPOA’s work. Several questions were asked; here are the answers.
Golf carts, NEV’s and bicycles: Private Golf Carts are not allowed on SI roads and if a visitor suggests bringing their cart with them (it happens!), they won’t be able to use it. Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV’s) licensed in SC are allowed; they must be capable of more than 20 mph. Refer to the SIPOA website for the detailed Rules and Regulations. Bicycles and bicyclists are a challenge for SIPOA; they need regular reminders of safe cycling practices and rules. Drive slowly and look out for the riders, horses, turkeys, alligators, runners, walkers and everything else that likes to use our beautiful roads. Their activities are part of the reason why we keep our speed limits at 15/25 mph.
SJFD at the Lake House: past Boards have declined to allow SJFD to use the Fitness center; we’ll revisit that decision if justified.
Canoes and Kayaks: The Creek Watch boat and kayak launch is being rebuilt, since the creek has changed course over the past 10 years. Our thanks to the Creek Watch regime for their co-operation; they own the land it’s on. Launch sites on the Kiawah River, or the North Edisto River, are not available; SIPOA has had numerous attempts to find alternate facilities, without success.
Speeding tickets: The community has clearly expressed its preference for strict enforcement of traffic rules on SI, and our Security force is good at it. Observing the speed limits is not difficult, better safe than sorry. The Security force does not issue warnings for any moving violations; violators have the unrestricted right to appeal any tickets to the Safety and Security Committee, and Board if necessary.
Gatehouse area: both the striping and signage are being upgraded as I write; the Safety and Security Committee spent a lot of time last fall defining what’s needed and getting funding. Traffic flow continues to be something we work on; we rarely get significant backups now, but when we do, SIPOA’s phones light up.
Member Directory: SIPOA is looking at this question with care. It’s become more complicated because of current privacy concerns and the potential for hacking and misuse of the data. We are treading with due deliberation.
-Submitted by Guy Gimson, President, SIPOA Board of Directors