During a conceptual plan workshop held immediately after the regular meeting on Dec. 17, the Charleston County School District and design team presented plans for a 23,000-square-foot early-learning addition to James Island Elementary School.

Chris Cook of ADC Engineering described site changes intended to improve circulation: a new roundabout to increase on-site stacking from roughly 1,900 linear feet to about 3,000 feet, a separate bus entrance and exit, an extended drop-off loop and new parking intended to reduce queuing onto public roads. "We're representing Charleston County School District for an addition to the James Island Elementary School campus," Cook said.

Laura Slagle, the architect, said the addition is one story, will mirror the existing school's height, mass and brick character, and will include a secured courtyard and covered parent drop-off adjacent to the new early-learning entrance.

Community members voiced concerns about traffic and safety, citing frequent backups and close calls at the existing entrance. Lou Sanders said he regularly observes risky driving behaviors and asked whether crossing guards or patrols would be provided during peak times. Jasmine Shaw, representing the school district’s capital department, said the existing building capacity is 660, the addition's capacity is 200 and two existing classrooms (about 40 students) would relocate into the new wing, and that staggered bell times are planned to reduce peak overlap. The project team said a traffic impact analysis had been completed and that on-site improvements were designed to avoid negative impacts at analyzed intersections.

Presenters emphasized that most of the adjacent wooded buffer would remain and that the nearest construction would not encroach on the woodlands near the NRHP-listed high school. Commissioners and staff thanked presenters and community members and noted a formal application will return to the commission for review.