Facing cries of government overreach, a veiled legal threat and gripes about decimated property values, town leaders solidified an ordinance to protect its wetlands.

During a June 10 meeting, the Bluffton Town Council unanimously finalized a provision that allows staff the power to enforce restrictions against those building too close to wetlands. The move came months after the town preliminarily voted for the ordinance, using a special procedure that implemented the policy before the second reading.

In the interim, town leaders received pushback from developers and property owners who tried to change their mind. It was a confrontation over Bluffton's prized low-lying land, which became more vulnerable in 2023 when a U.S. Supreme Court decision narrowed the definition of federally protected waterways.