Charlestowne Estates I

Front Entrance Update

Maintenance

* Some backstory: Old Towne Rd is a State Rd. Unfortunately, the state does not maintain the landscaping along the road, so the City of Charleston does it for us. They contract with Southland Landscaping who “mows, blows, goes” which is why the trees along Ingram Rd are not maintained. Where they are maintained, and when the front entrance is maintained, it is because one of our neighbors has been doing it for us. A special shout out to Robert Holder who has been serving the community in this way for years, and to the residents on Ingram Road and beyond who diligently work on maintaining parts of the easement. 

* Before Thanksgiving, I hired a landscaping company to do a winter clean up of the front bed, trim the overhanging tree on Ingram Rd, and move debris and limbs to the other side of the street so that the City of Charleston would pick it up. Photos attached.

• I have attached the Southland quote. It is for servicing the front 21 times a year. I think this is overkill for us. I am getting a quote from the company I work with for 2024 maintenance. If you would like to get a quote from a company you work with, please send it to me.Front Entrance Sign 

Sign FAQ: “When they redesign the road entrance that whole front is going to be torn up.”

I have reviewed the plan in person with city and state officials, and our entrance is going to remain there. There will be changes around it that may potentially impact it, and there could be changes to the plan.  Also – as those of us who have been working on this for over a decade now know – this process may actually never happen. 

When this happened before when the City put in a sidewalk, we worked with them, and they covered the costs of fixing our entrance. They were extremely helpful and responsive. “I thought the people who cut the grass were city employees? “

See above under Maintenance. The City contracts Southland to do the work. “What does the maintenance include edging, trash pick up, hand pruning?”

The quote I am getting is to do quarterly clean up. Edging, trimming, pruning, clearing, blowing. Pinestraw. “What happens when/if we are thousands short?”
The money will remain in the Pinnacle Bank Charlestowne Estates I bank account for use on maintenance, and future projects that are agreed to by the community. 

Financial Report 

• We set a goal of $4500 for both sign and maintenance. Im adjusting those goals based on the landscape maintenance discussed above: 

$1000 for quarterly maintenance $250 

$2327 for the sign 

Goal = $3327 

• We have received $650 thus far from 11 households. 

• We will collect money for landscape maintenance for the year first, and will be having more fundraising for the sign in the new year 

• Suggested neighbor contributions are $50 per household.

Please make out checks to:  Charlestowne Estates 1 Neighborhood

Mail to:
CE1 Neighborhood
c/o Jennifer Buddin
1130 Culpepper Circle
Charleston SC 29407

You are welcome to Venmo me (see attached) and the last 4 digits of my phone number are 2638. 

Holiday Lights 

Our Garden Committee is making the rounds on Monday night to take photos of Christmas lights! We’ll be out and about at 6 pm, so light it up for us!!  We’ll share all photos on our neighborhood Facebook Page: