Carriage Tours Near Mount Pleasant, SC

Lined with beautiful trees and rich with history unique to the East Cooper area, Brickyard Plantation is one neighborhood that keeps homeowners happy for generations. Once considered on the “outskirts” of Mount Pleasant, this community of friendly residents is now perfectly placed in the center of town, with proximity to more restaurants, local businesses and paths to the shoreline than ever before.

Unlike the newer developments, Brickyard Plantation has an interesting back story – it actually was a brickyard, responsible for making many of the bricks that became structures around Mount Pleasant and greater Charleston, including Boone Hall Plantation. Legend even has it that a ghost haunts the very back of the community where the ruins of an old brick kiln is located. While not all Brickyard residents have seen the spirit, or believe in such things, they certainly share pride in a place that helped build the Lowcountry.

Modern families enjoy the variety of amenities that Brickyard has to offer, according to Brickyard Plantation Realtor and expert Amy Templeton. A resident of the community herself since 2002, Templeton emphasized how folks rarely leave for other neighborhoods. Even the tennis instructor has been helping locals perfect their serve since the 1990s.

“We have five lighted tennis courts and a swim team for the kids,” she commented. “Boaters love Brickyard because of the water access on Horlbeck Creek and the storage, which is secure and less expensive than many other neighborhoods that offer boat storage.”

Michael Clifton, another enthusiastic resident, bought a home in Brickyard back in 2000 and, aside from a brief two-year relocation to another North Mount Pleasant neighborhood, has enjoyed the atmosphere ever since.

“We missed the community and amenities during that two years away,” he said. “We love being in an established neighborhood in the center of Mount Pleasant; we just bought our third house here two years ago.”

Templeton and Clifton agreed that having their kids grow up together in an idyllic setting like Brickyard has been a big plus. Long bike rides and walks on the picturesque streets are perhaps the biggest draw to the area, as well as a “family atmosphere that is hard to find nowadays,” according to Clifton.

When it comes time to leave the neighborhood for dinner on the town or a day at the beach, everything is close by. For families with younger children, award-winning schools like Jennie Moore and Laing are a hop and a skip away.

“At the front of the community are great local businesses, everything from food to places to work out,” Templeton said. “My family does a lot of biking to these places, as well as to the beach, which is just 2-and-a-half miles away.”

“When we first moved to Brickyard Plantation, it was considered ‘way out there,’” Clifton added. “Now, with the growth of Mount Pleasant, we’re right in the heart of things.”

Want to learn more about Brickyard Plantation? Visit www.brickyardhomes.com, call Amy Templeton at 843- 425-4100 or email her at atempleton@carolinaone.com.

By Denise K. James

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If Mount Pleasant's proposed tourism development fee moves forward, it would push the town's sales tax rate to the highest in South Carolina.

Since the announcement of the 1 percent retail tax, residents have raised questions about what is and isn't included, along with lack of transparency and other concerns.

Town officials plan to use the estimated $17 million to be collected the first year for several big projects at Patriots Point, including funding the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, plus a convention center and more than $100 million in public infrastructure improvements also at Patriots Point.

Those additions will include a new town-owned, 1,000-space parking garage, an expansion of the waterfront boardwalk, new turf for the town's soccer fields and improvements to the College of Charleston's soccer stadium.

A 1 percent retail sales tax was originally established by state law in 2008 in order to fund out-of-market advertising to bring in more tourists. At the time, Myrtle Beach was the only municipality that passed such a tax. Mount Pleasant could be the second.

What exactly would the fee apply to?

It applies to most retail sales within the town, excluding groceries and other specified categories. Examples of taxable purchases include clothing and accessories, electronics and appliances, furniture and general retail items sold in stores.

It does extend to restaurant and dining purchases, including meals, beverages and other food and drink items.

What kind of purchase categories would be excluded?

Exclusions include essential categories like groceries, prescription medications, medical supplies, utilities and large-ticket items with capped tax rates, like vehicles.

What can the money be spent on?

The revenue is earmarked specifically for promoting tourism and hospitality, funding infrastructure improvements tied to tourism and offering property tax rebates to residents.

Unlike a general sales tax, the funds cannot be used for unrelated town expenses.

What is the backstory?

It's unclear exactly when discussions on the tax started.

The town states the idea was proposed as a tool to capitalize on Mount Pleasant’s growing tourism economy. Mayor Will Haynie said during the Dec. 2 special town council meeting where the idea was revealed that it was a sustainable way to fund critical infrastructure improvements at Patriots Point, support projects like the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, expand recreational facilities and improve waterfront access.

By law, the tax may only be imposed by a municipality located in a county where revenue from the state A​ccommodations Tax​ is at least $14 million in a fiscal year, according to state law.

Was there community input?

The Dec. 2 special meeting was the first public meeting where the fee had been discussed, followed by a press conference that detailed how the money could be spent.

It was somewhat of an unusual process for the town, with no advance public campaign on the matter, an unlinked ordinance on the agenda and a delay in a public news release.

Per state law, a second reading and vote are required to finalize the ordinance. The town expects it to be held in early January, at which time residents can speak during public comment.

To be adopted, the ordinance needs a supermajority of council or a referendum.

How does the tax work?

Estimations are based on the town's gross taxable sales in 2023, which amounted to $3.18 billion with net taxable sales totaling $1.808 billion, according to the South Carolina Department of Revenue. In the first year, more than $17 million is expected to be collected through the tax.

The 1 percent fee, if approved, would be added to consumer's retail bill. The retailer collects the tax and remits the total to the S.C. Department of Revenue. The state distributes the funds to Explore Charleston, which allocates funds to the town and designated organizations.

What kind of tax break do residents get?

A portion of what is collected would be set aside for property tax rebates for Mount Pleasant homeowners in the first year. A resident with a $500,000 home could expect a $38 rebate in the first year. In years 2-10, only owner-occupied homes will see an estimated $45 credit, for example.

While the property tax rebate is a direct way to target a portion of Mount Pleasant residents for relief to offset the burden of the additional tax, there is no framework in the state law to provide relief for other residents, like renters.