Kiawah Development Partners
Development Overview of Kiawah Island
Kiawah Island is a 10,000-acre barrier island with an exceptional residential-resort community on the Atlantic coast 21 miles south of historic Charleston, South Carolina. The name Kiawah (pronounced Key-a-wah) comes from the Native American tribe that hunted and fished on these lands during the 1600s. Today Kiawah Island is home to some 2,700 villas, cottages, and single-family residences plus a world-class resort, accommodating more than 400,000 visitors annually.
Preserving Natural Beauty
Development began on Kiawah in the mid-1970s when a multi-disciplined planning team was assembled and charged with a single overriding premise – protect the Island's spectacular natural beauty. This team of scientists, historians, and environmentalists conducted a $1.3 million study over the course of 16 months. From the study's findings, a plan was crafted to balance the social, recreational, and commercial needs of Kiawah's future residents with nature.
Kiawah Development Partners purchased the Island in 1988 and incorporated the environmental plan into a master plan for development. Deciding to focus on the master plan rather than the day-to-day operation of a resort, KDP sold the resort accommodation and public golf amenities the following year.
Kiawah's development plan remains the model for conservation, enhancement of open space, and preservation of the Island's environmental integrity. It incorporates substantial ocean setbacks to protect the dunes, plus a comprehensive greenbelt system that includes 305 acres of lakes and ponds, 123 acres of parks and common land, and nearly 5,000 acres of marshland.
