Beaufort Plans for Pine Island Development Take Center Stage
BEAUFORT — The buzz around development on the Pine Island property is heating up! With a recent approval from Beaufort County staff, plans for a 20-home residential development on a sprawling 65-acre piece of this 502-acre property are moving forward. This has become quite the topic of conversation among locals, as it follows a long history of controversies over the future of Pine Island.
The Approval Process
On December 11, the county’s Staff Review Team gave a thumbs-up for the conceptual phase of this project during a meeting. What does that mean? Well, it’s an important first step in getting the green light, but the development team will still need to roll up their sleeves and address more issues before officially getting the go-ahead to break ground.
Those issues range from open space requirements to managing stormwater, and even tree removal. But there’s one thing the team still hasn’t nailed down—the potential for docks at the creek-side homes. Project representative Elvio Tropeano expressed uncertainty when asked about including docks, which, according to county zoning requirements, could be a challenge due to specific lot width regulations. It turns out, if these lots aren’t at least 250 feet wide, there won’t be any docks. Currently, each lot is set to be 100 feet wide, highlighting the complexities involved.
Past Controversies
The Pine Island property hasn’t exactly been a peaceful affair in recent years. Residents have been vocal about their worries following earlier plans to develop a golf resort on the island—a suggestion that didn’t sit well with many. The fears stem from potential violations of the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay, established in 1999, which aims to protect the island’s unique character. Residents argued the planned resort contradicted these protections.
The development saga has seen its fair share of turmoil, including heated community meetings and attempts to adjust the zoning overlay boundaries to exclude Pine Island. However, county planners recommended that these boundary changes be denied, arguing it would undermine the cultural protection efforts that have kept the island’s integrity intact.
What’s Next?
As it stands, the property owners are locked in a legal battle to challenge the county’s decision, raising questions about the future of the land. Can a charming residential neighborhood truly help maintain the island’s character, or are these just stepping stones toward the long-desired golf resort? Tropeano has stated that if the golf course doesn’t get the go-ahead, he’ll pivot to residential development instead.
Complicating matters, environmental advocate Jessie White from the Coastal Conservation League has raised alarms over the current plans, suggesting that just like previous proposals, this development could simply be a cover-up for pushing through the desired golf resort. “Until we see final approvals in hand, every indication we have is that the golf resort is the end goal,” she remarked, showing that not everyone is convinced this is the end of the road for the golf course hopes.
Moving Forward
While the development team is engaged in navigating through this maze of approvals and regulations, it remains to be seen what will ultimately unfold for Pine Island. Will the current development plans stick, or will the allure of a golf course rise again? Like many tales of transformation in Beaufort, this story is likely far from over!
As we continue to follow the developments, local residents can rest assured that the discussions about Pine Island and its future won’t be fading from view anytime soon. It’s a lively conversation that intertwines community identity with land use—a topic all Beaufort locals care deeply about.
