Paul R. Vannatta and Jennifer S. Vannatta, Appellants, v. Town of Sullivan‘s Island Board of Zoning Appeals, Respondent.
Appellate Case No. 2025-001337
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA In The Supreme Court
Filed July 1, 2026
Memorandum Opinion No. 2026-MO-014
Thomas J. Rode, Circuit Court Judge
Heard May 19, 2026
Appeal From Charleston County
AFFIRMED
James Bernard Hood, of Charleston and Deborah Harrison Sheffield, of Columbia, both of Hood Law Firm, LLC, for Appellants.
George Trenholm Walker, James Whittington Clement, and John Phillips Linton, Jr., all of Walker Gressette Linton, LLC, of Charleston, for Respondent.
PER CURIAM: This appeal involves Paul R. Vannatta and Jennifer S. Vannatta‘s (the Vannattas‘) challenge to section 21-75(B)(2) of the Town of Sullivan‘s Island
I. Constitutional Challenges
“A municipal ordinance is a legislative enactment and is presumed to be constitutional.” Ani Creation, Inc. v. City of Myrtle Beach Bd. of Zoning Appeals, 440 S.C. 266, 278, 890 S.E.2d 748, 754 (2023) (quoting Town of Scranton v. Willoughby, 306 S.C. 421, 422, 412 S.E.2d 424, 425 (1991)). “Thus, courts may only declare a municipal ordinance unconstitutional ‘when its invalidity appears so clearly as to leave no room for reasonable doubt that it violates some provision of the Constitution.‘” Id. (quoting McMaster v. Columbia Bd. of Zoning Appeals, 395 S.C. 499, 504, 719 S.E.2d 660, 663 (2011)). “The burden of establishing the invalidity of a zoning ordinance is on the party attacking it to establish by clear and convincing evidence that the acts of the city council were arbitrary, unreasonable, and unjust.” Id. at 279, 890 S.E.2d at 754-55.
A. Reverse Spot Zoning
The Vannattas assert that the Town‘s prohibition of their dock constitutes improper reverse spot zoning because it imposes a significant land-use restriction not imposed on all neighboring properties.3 We disagree. “Legal challenges to [spot
Furthermore, the Town did not single out the Property. The Geographic Restriction applies to a mile of marshland, which includes approximately thirty-nine adjoining lots. While there may be several co-existent laws and regulations from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services’ Bureau of Coastal Management (BCM)4 and the Army Corps of Engineers restricting docks that apply to some of these properties, the result is the same.5 Like the Vannattas’ Property, these properties cannot—and do not—have docks. Moreover, the Vannattas provide no authority to support their conclusory argument that the application of other laws restricting the same property negates the application of a zoning ordinance restriction. See First Sav. Bank v. McLean, 314 S.C. 361, 363, 444 S.E.2d 513, 514 (1994) (noting when a party fails to cite authority, the party is deemed to have abandoned the issue on appeal). In addition, the Vannattas acknowledge that at least four other properties are in the exact situation as their Property, with section 21-75(B)(2)‘s restrictions as the only legal barriers to having a dock. Thus, we hold the Vannattas fail to meet their burden of proving section 21-75(B)(2) created spot zoning.
The Sullivan‘s Island Comprehensive Plan for recreation and conservation “[r]ecognizes limited use of land for recreational purposes (i.e., docks where otherwise permitted by applicable laws and regulations), but otherwise envisions long-term preservation of the land without commercial activity or subdivision, with minimal impact on the view corridor.”6 This provision in the Town‘s Comprehensive Plan demonstrates the Town‘s priority of keeping the RC-1 and RC-2 Areas in their natural state, while also allowing for recreation. The provision in no way guarantees adjoining property owners the right to a dock; it acknowledges that docks must be permitted by “applicable laws and regulations,” which include the Town‘s own ordinances as well as the requirements from BCM
The Zoning Ordinance mandates the RC Areas “be preserved in their natural state . . . for the purpose of protecting the ecology, the adjoining property, and enhancing and protecting the safety and welfare of the Town and its residents.”
The Vannattas also contend that section 21-75(B)(2) is unnecessary to protect the common good because BCM and the Army Corps of Engineers are responsible for protecting the coastal region. They assert that these agencies’ approval of their proposed dock establishes the dock would not be a detriment to the common interest in the navigable waters on the creek. However, the Vannattas provide no authority holding that a municipality‘s ordinances cannot be stricter than state and federal rules and regulations. See First Sav. Bank, 314 S.C. at 363, 444 S.E.2d at 514 (noting when a party fails to cite authority, the party is deemed to have abandoned the issue on appeal). In fact, BCM and the Army Corps of Engineers advised that the permits they issued did not relieve the Vannattas from complying with all local laws, ordinances, and zoning regulations. In addition, BCM and the Army Corps of Engineers could change their policies, and, as the Town‘s findings note, the island‘s geography could also change so that the agencies would not protect it. Finally, the Town has different interests that section 21-75(B)(2) addresses than what the state and federal regulations address, including recreation for all residents and visitors to the island and aesthetics. See Bibco Corp. v. City of Sumter, 332 S.C. 45, 53, 504 S.E.2d 112, 116-17 (1998) (upholding the city‘s exclusion of mobile homes in certain residential districts when maintaining aesthetics was among the city‘s justifications for the exclusion).
We, therefore, conclude section 21-75(B)(2) does not constitute illegal spot zoning because it applies to a large area with multiple owners, it adheres to the Town‘s Comprehensive Plan, and it promotes the good of the common welfare.
B. Substantive Due Process
The Vannattas argue section 21-75(B)(2) violates substantive due process because the Geographic Restriction and Dock Length Restriction are arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable. We disagree.
“In reviewing substantive due process challenges to municipal ordinances, a court must consider whether the ordinance bears a reasonable relationship to any legitimate interest of government.” Dunes W. Golf Club, LLC v. Town of Mount Pleasant, 401 S.C. 280, 296, 737 S.E.2d 601, 609 (2013) (quoting McMaster, 395 S.C. at 505, 719 S.E.2d at 663). “In order to prove a denial of substantive due process, a party must show that he was arbitrarily and capriciously deprived of a cognizable property interest rooted in state law.” Id. (quoting Harbit v. City of Charleston, 382 S.C. 383, 394, 675 S.E.2d 776, 782 (Ct. App. 2009)). “A legislative body does not deny due process simply because it does not permit a landowner to make the most beneficial use of its property.” Id. at 296, 737 S.E.2d at 609-10 (quoting Harbit, 382 S.C. at 394, 675 S.E.2d at 782). “Courts cannot become city planners but can only correct injustices when they are clearly shown to result from municipal action.” Id. at 296, 737 S.E.2d at 610 (quoting Knowles, 305 S.C. at 222, 407 S.E.2d at 642).
The Vannattas assert section 21-75(B)(2) violates substantive due process for “virtually the same reasons as discussed above regarding the illegal spot zoning issues.” Correspondingly, for the same reasons we stated above, we hold the Vannattas fail to establish section 21-75(B)(2) was arbitrary and capricious. The Vannattas offer no authority to support their arguments that the Geographic Restriction only applies to lots upon which no other law prohibits a dock and that a
C. Equal Protection
The Vannattas argue that section 21-75(B)(2) violates the Equal Protection Clause. We disagree.
The Equal Protection Clause proclaims, “No State shall . . . deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
(1) there is a plausible policy reason for the classification; (2) the facts on which the classification is based rationally may have been considered to be true by the decision maker; and (3) the relationship of the classification to the goal is not so attenuated as to render the distinction arbitrary or irrational.
Ani Creation, 440 S.C. at 285, 890 S.E.2d at 758.
Once more, the Vannattas refer to their previous arguments in support of their Equal Protection issue. We hold they again fail to meet their burden of establishing section 21-75(B)(2) is invalid. See id. at 279, 890 S.E.2d at 754-55 (“The burden of establishing the invalidity of a zoning ordinance is on the party attacking it to establish by clear and convincing evidence that the acts of the city council were arbitrary, unreasonable, and unjust.“). As stated, the Zoning Ordinance provides numerous legitimate governmental interests section 21-75(B)(2) serves by keeping part of the RC-2 Area in its natural state and prohibiting docks longer than 300 feet to access narrow creeks, including recreation, environmental/ecological concerns, and aesthetics, especially the view from the Ben Sawyer Bridge, which differentiates the area within the Geographic Restriction from other parts of the RC-2 Area. The area is free of docks, except for the public dock that predated section 21-75(B)(2) and, thus, was grandfathered. The Vannattas are simply unable to climb the steep hill necessary to establish section 21-75(B)(2)‘s invalidity. See Ani Creation, 440 S.C. at 285, 890 S.E.2d at 758 (stating the party challenging the validity of a law under rational basis review “has a ‘steep hill to climb‘” (quoting Bodman, 403 S.C. at 69-70, 742 S.E.2d at 367-68)).
II. Variance
The Vannattas argue the BZA unjustifiably denied their variance request. We disagree.
“Granting a variance is an exceptional power[,] which should be sparingly exercised and can be validly used only where a situation falls fully within the specified conditions.” Rest. Row Assocs. v. Horry County, 335 S.C. 209, 215, 516 S.E.2d 442, 445-46 (1999). “A strong presumption exists in favor of the validity and application of zoning ordinances.” Id. at 215, 516 S.E.2d at 446. The courts may only overturn the decision of a municipal zoning board “if it is arbitrary, capricious, has no reasonable relation to a lawful purpose, or if the board has
A zoning board of appeals may grant a variance due to unnecessary hardship upon finding:
(a) there are extraordinary and exceptional conditions pertaining to the particular piece of property;
(b) these conditions do not generally apply to other property in the vicinity;
(c) because of these conditions, the application of the ordinance to the particular piece of property would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict the utilization of the property; and
(d) the authorization of a variance will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property or to the public good, and the character of the district will not be harmed by the granting of the variance.
This Court set forth guidelines for determining unnecessary hardship: (1) “a claim of unnecessary hardship cannot be based upon conditions created by the owner,” and “one who purchase[d] the property after the enactment of a zoning regulation [cannot] complain that a nonconforming use would work an unnecessary hardship upon him“; (2) “there must at least be proof that a particular property suffer[ed] a singular disadvantage through the operation of a zoning regulation“; and (3) “financial hardship does not automatically constitute unnecessary hardship.” Rest. Row Assocs., 335 S.C. at 217-18, 516 S.E.2d at 447.
The Vannattas next assert they satisfied all four statutory factors, using many of the same assertions from their constitutional arguments. These assertions are as unavailing here as they were to the constitutional arguments. The Vannattas contend there are exceptional circumstances regarding the Property because their dock would be at the edge of the Geographic Restriction, and the remaining area would still fulfill the restriction‘s purpose. This argument is untenable because “[z]ones must have beginning and terminating points.” Ani Creation, 440 S.C. at 287, 890 S.E.2d at 759. If the Vannattas received a variance, the BZA may be compelled to grant the Vannattas’ neighbors variances and section 21-75(B)(2)‘s restrictions “might well crumble by chain reaction.” Id.
The Vannattas assert the Dock Length Restriction serves no purpose at the proposed location because section 21-75(B)(2) does not affect most of the nearby properties, and BCM had determined their dock would not interfere with navigation. As stated above, navigation is not the Town‘s only interest; section 21-75(B)(2)‘s restricting docks to 300 feet to access narrow creeks serves numerous legitimate governmental interests, including recreation, environmental/ecological concerns, and aesthetics; thus, the restriction is a valid exercise of the Town‘s power. See Bob Jones Univ. v. City of Greenville, 243 S.C. 351, 362, 133 S.E.2d 843, 848 (1963) (“[T]he Court has no power to zone property, and the right to zone is normally reserved under the police power to the legislative branches of government.“); Ani Creation, 440 S.C. at 278-79, 890 S.E.2d at 754 (stating the Court will uphold the municipality‘s decision if it is fairly debatable because the
Next, the Vannattas correctly contend that they are not required to prove that the Property has been deprived of all its enjoyment or economic use. See Rest. Row Assocs., 335 S.C. at 217, 516 S.E.2d at 446 (“Variance applicants are not required to prove that without the variance there exists no feasible conforming use for the property in question in order to show unnecessary hardship.“). However, their claim that section 21-75(B)(2) acts as an absolute barrier to the rest, relaxation, and recreation meant to be afforded by preserving the RC-2 Area District lacks merit. The Vannattas are still able to use the Property as their home, they benefit from the open vista of the RC-2 Area, and they can access the marsh and creek from the public dock, just like the others who own property adjoining the RC-2 Area between Station 18 and Station 22.
The Vannattas assert their variance would not cause substantial detriment to adjacent property or the public good. We disagree. As stated in addressing the Vannattas’ constitutional issues, section 21-75(B)(2) serves legitimate governmental interests and the public good by keeping the area within the Geographic Restriction dock-free. If the Vannattas receive a variance, others may as well, and it would negatively affect the view corridor.
Finally, the Vannattas contend that neighboring properties to the west, outside the area covered by the Geographic Restriction, have docks extending over 300 feet to access the creek at the same width as the proposed dock. However, in the staff report, Charles Dayton, the Director of Planning and Zoning, asserted that since the 2004 amendment, the Town has not granted any variances from the Geographic Restriction or the Dock Length Restriction. Drayton also explained that the dock the Vannattas described as longer than 300 feet was approved in 2021 because it accessed a 207-foot-wide creek and thus met the exception‘s requirements.
III. Conclusion
For the above reasons, we hold the Vannattas fail to meet their burden of proving section 21-75(B)(2) is unconstitutional or that they were entitled to a variance. Accordingly, the circuit court‘s order affirming the BZA‘s denial of the Vannattas’ request for a dock permit is
AFFIRMED.
KITTREDGE, C.J., FEW, JAMES, HILL and VERDIN, JJ., concur.
