Folly Beach Property

John Knott, president and co-founder Noisette Co. of North Charleston does thorough inventory of the site’s geology, natural resources and environmental context before a property is purchased for development. He developed Charleston’s 1,200-acre Dewees Island, winner of the 2001 Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence. Currently the Noisette Co. is leading a 3,000-acre urban-redevelopment project in the city, incorporating restored marshes and waterways among its 4,000 new houses and 5,000 rehabbed housing units.
Knott uses landscape architects in the planning process to help him develop the sites to aid him in his attempts to protect the surrounding environments.

The architects main goal is to document the direction of prevailing winds along with existing vegetation and tree cover and the overall topography of the area.
“Once you understand all that, the site will tell you where the house should be.”

Another way in which Knott prepares for development of these sites is by studying historic erosion rates, storm-surge levels and wind speeds, among other data points, paint a picture of what could happen in the future, not just what a site looks like now. Related maps and other information that help describe such patterns can be found through state natural-resource and coastal-resource agencies, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Those that regulate these projects are mostly concerned that new construction doesn’t create any more stress on the environment than it already may be facing. Today builders, like Knott, are invested in the protection of these areas by doing all they can to ensure that they are prepared and aware of the environment that surrounds their construction.