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Another neighborhood is coming to New Riverside by the same developer behind Midpoint at New Riverside.

Bluffton Town Council approved a master plan for a 104-home neighborhood at a parcel on New Riverside Road in a May 12 meeting. The developer, Pulte Homes, will build the neighborhood on a 101-acre parcel across the road from May River High School.

The parcel, New Riverside Parcel 8A, is owned by Pioneer Land & Timber, which it plans to sell to Pulte Homes, according to the master plan. The plan calls for “horizontal development” to take place over the next two years, and home construction over a “longer period of time.”

What’s planned for the neighborhood?

The neighborhood will have a single, looped street with two gated entrances from New Riverside Road, according to the master plan. Pulte Homes plans two community parks within the neighborhood, alongside two lagoons for stormwater collection. One park will overlook the largest lagoon and have a community fire pit, pavilion and a scenic vista.

Homes will be detached, single-family units, on lots varying between 45 to 90-feet wide and 110 to 140 feet in depth, according to the master plan. The neighborhood will also have a sidewalk and parking areas.

How much for a home?

Pulte Homes also developed Midpoint at New Riverside only a short distance from the new neighborhood’s parcel. Homes in Midpoint start at $477,990, according to its website. It also developed the Salem Bay neighborhood, where homes start at $417,990. The master plan does not describe how much a home would cost in the new neighborhood.

The Island Packet contacted Pulte Homes for comment. Pulte Homes did not respond.

What schools would residents attend?

According to public documents, the Thomas & Hutton engineering firm shared plans with the Beaufort County School District (BCSD) on behalf of Pulte Homes. In its response, BCSD Chief Operations Officer Robert Oetting wrote the neighborhood would fall within the attendance zones of Pritchardville Elementary School, H.E. McCracken Middle School and May River High School.

The elementary school is operating at 111% of its building capacity, the middle school 98% and the High School 95%, Oetting wrote. BCSD is constructing May River Elementary on the campus of May River High to address enrollment growth. May River Elementary will have a capacity of 800 students.

BLUFFTON — Three abandoned and derelict boats on the May River near the Alljoy Public Boat Landing no longer clutter the waterway after a joint effort undertaken by Beaufort County Public Works and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

By the afternoon of Aug. 5, the boats still bobbed in the choppy river, but were tied securely to a floating dock at the landing. The were pulled from the river Aug. 6.

The work with heavy equipment triggered intermittent closures of the launch ramp and parking lot, though workers moved as quickly as possible to minimize disruptions for local boaters, said county spokesperson Hannah Nichols.

The joint operation targets a chronic problem along the South Carolina coast for DNR, which routinely fights the vessel dumping that threatens fragile marsh habitats and ruins safe recreational boating.

In May 2025, S. 367, a bill authored by state Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Isle of Palms, was signed into law by Gov. Henry McMaster. It created a more clearly defined framework for removing abandoned and derelict boats from South Carolina waterways and installed harsher penalties for those who leave their watercraft behind.

Under the guidelines, authorities can label any wrecked or junked boat without a visible identifier as abandoned if it sits on public waters or nearby property for 10 days after a notice is posted. Boats with proper identification numbers or names get 21 days before being classified as derelict.

Officers must tag problem boats and file digital reports within 24 hours. Owners can pause the removal process by submitting a cleanup plan within 14 days. Unclaimed or sunken vessels can be legally hauled away by anyone without liability, and those who clear the debris have three years to sue owners for all disposal and legal costs.

Acting under the new rules, the county and DNR removed nearly a dozen abandoned boats from Broad Creek on Hilton Head over several days last summer.

“This is an effort that will be undertaken to protect our waterways and our communities,” said County Council member Larry McElynn at the time.

Leaving a boat behind or letting it rot is a misdemeanor, and intentionally or recklessly sinking a watercraft is illegal unless it is part of the state artificial reef program. Owners caught breaking the law face fines up to 60 days in jail, a $1,000 fine and the full bill for removing the vessel.

"I wanted to send a message that we're serious about this," Campsen previously told The Post and Courier.

The program is part of a larger state initiative to become the first warm-weather state to clear its coastline of large marine debris by the end of 2026. Upcoming operations include an Aug. 16 multi-crew extraction in Colleton County, a targeted removal initiative along waterways in Berkeley and Charleston counties, and a coordinated harbor debris removal project in Georgetown County to expand on eight vessels pulled earlier this year.

For project updates, call 843-255-2800. Abandoned boats can be reported at des.sc.gov.

BLUFFTON, S.C. –Novant Health is expanding access to emergency care in the Lowcountry with the opening of the new freestanding Novant Health Bluffton Emergency Department.

The emergency department opening marks the completion of the first phase ofNovant Health Washington Square Medical Park, a new healthcare campus designed to meet the growing needs of the Bluffton community.

Conveniently located just off Buckwalter Parkway at 8 Parkside Drive, Novant Health Bluffton Emergency Department is now seeing patients. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the facility provides the same level of emergency evaluation and treatment as a hospital-based emergency department in a convenient location to serve the Bluffton community.

“When an emergency happens, every minute matters,” said Dr. Erica McEnery, medical director for emergency services for Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center. “This facility allows patients to receive expert emergency care where they live, with advanced diagnostics and experienced emergency medicine teams available around the clock.”

The 10,000-square-foot facility features 10 treatment rooms, including a dedicated trauma room, and offers a full range of advanced onsite diagnostic services. The emergency department is staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, experienced nurses and support staff. The facility is equipped to stabilize and treat a wide range of medical conditions as well as coordinate transport to a hospital when additional specialized care is needed.

A medical office building, currently under construction on the campus, will further expand access to outpatient and specialty care services in the future.

“This investment reflects our continued commitment to bringing remarkable care closer to where people live and work,” said Joel Taylor, president of the Hilton Head area for Novant Health. “Bluffton is one of the fastest-growing communities in South Carolina, and Novant Health is proud to make long-term investments that ensure families have access to convenient, high-quality healthcare for generations to come.”

The services offered at Novant Health Washington Square Medical Park are part of Novant Health’s broader commitment to expand care across the Lowcountry, complementing its existing network of hospitals, physician clinics and outpatient services. Nearby, Novant Health Buckwalter Place Medical Parkrecently opened and includes primary care, orthopedic services and an imaging center.

Novant Health continues to invest in South Carolina to meet rising demand and ensure patients have access to high-quality, convenient care options across the region.