Summerville DRB re-elects chair, administers oaths and approves clubhouse redesign and park shade canopies

At a virtual meeting, the Summerville Design Review Board re-elected its leadership, administered oaths to newly seated members and approved two design items: a revised clubhouse architecture for a Droz Road residential project and two shade canopies at Doty Park.

Board business began with nominations and a roll-call election that returned the existing chair and appointed a vice chair. Peter nominated Chris to retain the chairman position; Justin seconded the nomination and the motion passed on a roll-call vote of members present. The board then administered oaths of office for Design Review Board members; Becca, the clerk of council, led members in the oath, saying, “I do solemnly swear…to the best of my ability, discharge the duties thereof.”

The board took up a revised architecture package for the clubhouse at the Droz Road development. The applicant said the clubhouse plan was changed from an enclosed building to a covered pavilion to encourage more outdoor circulation and use. Jeff Roberts, identified as principal of JJ R, summarized the design intent: “Functioning now as a pavilion, we feel that we’ll get a great many of the owners in here circulating together instead of the few that want to cloister inside.” Patrick, the applicant’s development lead, described the design changes: a larger covered front gathering area with a central hearth and chimney, reduced pool‑mechanical building size, and retained tree protection. Board members praised the aesthetic and compatibility with Lowcountry character but asked that lighting be handled to avoid intrusive nighttime glare. A motion to approve the revised clubhouse design carried; the approval included a condition that the applicant finalize a lighting plan to limit brightness and intrusion into adjacent residences.

The board then reviewed a request from the town’s Parks and Recreation Department to install two shade structures behind the concrete seating wall at the Doty Park splash pad. Amy Evans of Parks and Recreation described the proposal and the appearance, noting the posts will be white and the canopies blue. “Post will be white, and then the canopy itself will be blue,” she said. Board members discussed wind resistance and were told the structures were engineered for 40 mph conditions and that the fabric would be removed if higher winds occur. A motion to approve the shade structures as presented passed on roll call.

What the approvals mean: the clubhouse approval is a design review sign-off on the architectural revisions; the conditional lighting requirement must be satisfied in the applicant’s next submittal. The shade‑structure approval clears Parks and Recreation to move forward with installation as presented, subject to construction permits.

The meeting concluded after the DRB reviewed conceptual items later on the agenda (discussed in separate reports).