That is the controversial question that has been buzzing around the rural community.

East of Mount Pleasant, the Town of Awendaw was incorporated in 1992.

Town officials in Awendaw recently voted against annexing the land of two Romain Retreat residents, Bob and Susan Raynor and John and Cindy Allred.

For the Allred’s request, three council members voted against the annexation. Councilman Sam Robinson was absent. Councilman Bryan McNeal, Councilwoman Miriam Green and Mayor William Alston voted against it while Councilwoman Nell Daniels motioned for a first reading that died because of no other votes.

Cindy Allred said that they never have heard why they weren’t allowed to join the town.

“We are pretty involved in  the Awendaw community. The town is all around us. Why not be a part of it?” she said.

“We would like to have a voice at what is happening around us,” she said.

Allred’s husband built the home in 1995 and she has lived with him in that home since 2000. Her in-laws built their home in Romain Retreat in 1981.

The Allreds tried to get council to put their annexation request back on the meeting agenda in May because their neighbors, the Raynors, were asking for the same annexation request.

With all councilmembers present, the motion for the Raynors to annex their property to the Town of Awendaw failed 3-2.

Bob Raynor, who has lived in Romain Retreat since 1982, said that he built a house in the area, as well as raised his two children in the area.

“I love this area,” Raynor said.

According to Raynor, years ago when the town was formed, there were questions whether those in his community would ne interested in becoming part of the Town.

Raynor said that he could not get the majority of the community to go forward with it.

Over the years, Raynor said that he has been voicing his opinions about various topics and he wanted to be more of a participant for the town.

The Raynors’ Romain Retreat home touches King Tract, a 1,300-acre parcel where developers could now build 965 homes.

“I was disappointed [at the outcome of the meeting]. I want to be able to voice my opinions,” he said.

Both the Allreds and the Raynors receive their water from wells and would not benefit from receiving water from the Town.

According to a letter from Mayor William H. Alston, Councilwoman Miriam C. Green and Councilman Bryan McNeal dated July 13, 2009,  the homeowners of Romain Retreat (which they refer to as “King Beach”) presented a petition to the Awendaw Town Council to be annexed into the Town of Awendaw about 14 years ago.

The letter says that the petition was forwarded to the proper authorities. The leadership of RR made it clear that RR did not want to be a part of the Town of Awendaw and challenged Town Council to a court battle.

“The reason Romaine Retreat residents did not want to be a part of the Town then was a mystery to us.”

Now, Councilmembers Green and McNeal and Mayor Alston said that it is not a mystery to them and “in due time, information will reveal the real reason why this sub-division now known as Romain Retreat wants to be annexed into the Town of Awendaw. It would appear to the average third party why should the method of ‘piece meal’ be used to annex the entire sub-division.”

The letter says that some other small towns do not have the record of cohesiveness and togetherness as the Town of Awendaw has, although could see through what a few persons are trying to do to cause dissension and havoc among us.”

Although the issue of this being a race issue, or “reverse discrimination” has been presented (the people who want to be annexed into the Town are white), councilmembers Green and McNeal and Mayor Alston state in the letter that during the past 16 years the Town of Awendaw Government has been made up of its white and black citizens on council, boards and commissions, its staff and volunteers.

Despite the fact that  Romaine Retreat residents have been denied annexation,  a public workshop was held to see how residents would like to see a 340-acre parcel surrounded by national forest on Highway 17, called The Nebo Tract, developed.

Surveys were collected to see how the master plan of Nebo Tract will work out.

Molly Ball, who lives outside of town in Romain Retreat, said, “it’s just plain wrong to annex this large tract for development and yet to leave Romain Retreat out.”

Ball, who has been involved in development issues since 2004 and a resident since 2001, said, “this tract is likely going to be used as a gateway to Fairlawn Plantation (7700 acres – the size of Daniel Island) whose owners also want to annex into the town and develop at higher densities than allowed in Charleston County.”

Ball said that allowing these larger parcels to annex for development would require a huge infrastructure at the town to support them and provide services.

“They have right here, in Romain Retreat, a large number of families who wish to annex who do not require any services from the town. They should be challenged on annexing these new, larger tracts when they deny us the right to annex,” she continued.

Awendaw resident Kathie Livingston said, “it is with great hope and prayers that there is something that the town residents can do to stop these high density developments from destroying the last little area surrounded by national forest and refuge and its residents and wildlife.”

According to Livingston, the recent influx of annexations happening in Awendaw are due to a direct response of a ‘change in council’ that could come about in the Town’s November elections.  

She said that the majority of residents voted in two new  councilmembers, Nell Daniels and Sam Robinson, who stand for restructuring the town’s comprehensive plan.

“Therefore, these out of town property owners know a change is coming and are rushing through to annex in at the current ‘high density’ planning density parameters on the books.”

“Ironically, the mayor himself stated a few years ago when residents started complaining about large tracts of land taking advantage of this, that this high density was intended for low income residents who needed to make ‘room’ on their properties for aging parents and relatives,” Livingston continued.  

“It’s incredibly sad to see what is happening to the town.   If we could just wait until a new comprehensive plan was adopted, which the two new council members have requested over and over again that reflects what the majority of town residents want, we could save Awendaw,” she said.

 “Awendaw is not the last hope for preservation of our natural and cultural resources. Awendaw citizens are her only hope for preserving Awendaw as their home and that Awendaw will ever be able to offer now and in the future,” said Mayor Alston and Councilmembers Green and McNeal, who are all seeking reelection in November’s election.

(Helen Ravenel can be reached at helen@moultrienews.com.)