[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6096317,"mediaKeyId","2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63","parentId",2833340,"title","Resident raises racial-bias concerns about police during public comment; council accepts camera easements amid DOT/SLED limits","audioSeconds",9128,"startMs",980040,"endMs",10108880,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63&start=980&end=10108","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63/thumbnail_980040.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6096317/Bluffton/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Resident-raises-racial-bias-concerns-about-police-during-public-comment-council-accepts-camera-easements-amid-DOTSLED-limits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096317-4d5f3e88feb81ac89fb49a04230e38b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176119&Signature=fOE09WC-5QrTER-Uw5ATdKe8U~WQo2RGBfFB0h4OMJXxEHO58O5SlFKlD4VYwLlry4TeYxW60nXnngGyyKeQm7I5C9X~cyez~A3JFsXjQJEByVAeZYClcBfcsocA~JlbIhjqfqpuAJzd1tUXX8diZwDgbgLmu~RWcx9nXRqeJijNa6Tcf7fhdd7iBBbYcPnb21nxpHv933-6vgiPCaSEomiJTOl49cRwxVa2aAE4WGvC1fBX~REmL4JpsID19hV5e7MRRuztA9In-OyZcXUlJ-EgQK24w5YzihYY2xYZi73FePNJoKHfD2ypRFLGJAoWv5QZUvX8glXCEj1VtLpE2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bluffton, SC","date","2025-02-11T00:00:00Z","article","At the start of public comment on Feb. 11, resident Sharon Brown told the Bluffton Town Council she and others in Black and brown neighborhoods have experienced different treatment by police and requested a meeting with the police department to discuss impartiality and safety.

Brown, who gave her address as 163 Buck Island Road, said a resident earlier asked an officer to leave private property and the officer would not initially provide a name and said he had no reason to be on the property; Brown said that person later gave a card with a name. “There has to be the community has to be feeling safe. No one should roll up on anybody's property and not state why they're there,” Brown said, adding she felt Black residents are being targeted and cited officers “hidden in bushes with their cruisers.” She asked council for a meeting with the police department to address community concerns.

Councilmembers thanked Brown and acknowledged public-safety sensitivity in the community. Councilwoman Burton clarified a separate earlier remark about development agreements and noted she had not posted certain social media text that Brown referenced.

Later in the meeting the council approved, as part of the consent agenda, a resolution authorizing acceptance of donated easements from private property owners necessary to complete a portion of the phase 6 public-safety camera project. The motion passed unanimously. The council also heard from the police chief, who explained a state-level issue affecting camera placement: South Carolina statute and SLED policy on data retention require that license-plate/video records be retained for a short period (the department and vendor policy limit retention to 30 days), and SCDOT has declined placement of certain third-party cameras on its poles while SLED-related concerns are under review. The chief said Bluffton’s vendor (Flock) has agreed to relocate cameras to DOT poles at no cost if and when DOT allows it. “Right now, the DOT will not let Flock cameras go on to their live posts…so for those reasons, we have to go through this process, and put them on the side of the roadways for now,” the chief said.

The council’s approval accepted three private easements required to locate the cameras on privately owned parcels or rights-of-way where DOT placement is not currently permitted. Staff said that if and when SCDOT changes its position the vendor will assist at no additional cost.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Feb 11, 2025 Bluffton Town Council","oneSentenceSummary","Resident Sharon Brown urged Bluffton Town Council on Feb. 11 to meet with the police department about alleged unequal treatment of Black residents; later the council unanimously accepted private easements for a public-safety camera project while staff explained DOT and SLED constraints on pole placement.","taxTitle","Bluffton, Beaufort County, South Carolina","taxId",71072,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096322,"Council approves fiscal year 2025 budget amendments on second and final reading",92,3759140,3851890,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63&start=3759&end=3851","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63/thumbnail_3759140.jpg","/articles/6096322/Bluffton/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Council-approves-fiscal-year-2025-budget-amendments-on-second-and-final-reading","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096322-ea5d38259914c675e4d30871c2119874/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176119&Signature=VljDURS3~PfXp52o2BdrgHwtHgJ73JUHRmpeqHJ~6ltlXbN8nhPLgQoyhvgATqh0tvNMKB1MktoJDv~259o0Zphcg0JfVteby5SFxvmtj5Uh1dV7yq9SxPM8duxHBjlyH2hsFov-w64dXmGL8pxT47~8vsDAJGvEFnzv4C3d-vt8XvBDQVBZVTLmMeVJZTtMZt77sLA7BsS9MmZdlI8kN07AHXTyA8QYwTnEu68NYQCSfq-99gOuzIT1hovyONBWW~Gu4vA3x3T~NmixqxMlhTAejpGUPip1Hz1zsKwwRgmraUMLpcOuzA9tZga5YHPgfPFCHGQRgOEpPcSUtgCvRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bluffton Town Council approved on second and final reading an ordinance amending the Town of Bluffton fiscal year 2025 budget at its Feb. 11 meeting.

Natalie (staff member) told council there had been no changes since first reading and offered to answer questions; she said the total impact included transfers and amounted to “well, over a million dollars” in aggregate adjustments. After brief discussion a council member moved approval and another seconded; the council then voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance on second and final reading.

Staff did not present line-item changes during the meeting beyond noting the aggregate impact; staff said full detail was available in the packet and that no substantive changes were made after the first reading. The council did not record roll-call votes by name in the public transcript; staff will proceed with budget implementation per the amended ordinance.","On Feb. 11 the Bluffton Town Council approved on second and final reading an ordinance amending the town's fiscal year 2025 budget to provide for certain expenditures and allocate revenue sources; staff said there were no changes since first reading and the vote was unanimous.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096326,"Council conditionally approves Austin Park Phase 3 master plan; 4-1 vote",3380,3817610,7198520,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63&start=3817&end=7198","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63/thumbnail_3817610.jpg","/articles/6096326/Bluffton/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Council-conditionally-approves-Austin-Park-Phase-3-master-plan-4-1-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096326-c17caae3e661d5506256cb2bcf6ab6f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176119&Signature=eLPuWxmPOYqPiMKXey21at4UeJUgHuz5nDtuVqOym70k7NG9s8Ns8X4BDIAySNynKrKnsHG9cpQ0XaNZgUpS3zMyD2eOxGanUO5Van4uC7XAS8eFAjYfJiWJ20wfw9xJqMA1LTVuQ8JeZrg2YN6FvPHvPshJ6Exi6vvXuFcUdoI-yVpBV4RUu-zk1WNQ6oqCL3qABqk4hDGB6Z72P89bxtPm6llHSyyXPStTuTCyf6tnergcfYuUQa590~WrGT2dJJ7Q48T6qMIoRvXUlsPfZWsuNxh1RHK4PQ9VX~80u8GFCRYpv1qKW89NbdreJRzzMFaYfURar7A4sta1JcFCew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bluffton Town Council on Feb. 11 conditionally approved the initial master plan for Austin Park Phase 3 — 76 single-family lots on about 63 acres in the New Riverside plan unit development — by a 4–1 vote.

Kevin (staff member) and applicant representatives described the plan as part of the New Riverside PUD and said the town and the developer worked to resolve utility easements and to provide additional access and pedestrian connectivity. Kevin said, “this would fall under the ZDSO that’s been in place since 02/2004, for New Riverside Village,” and described an agreement to pave and provide an asphalt pedestrian path along a portion of Holly Hill Lane between New Riverside Road and Benton Circle.

Planning-commission recommendations that the council adopted as conditions include: constructing Holly Hill Lane from New Riverside Road to the project’s Benton Circle entrance (initially as sub-base/binder with a final top coat before final certificate of compliance); showing an 8-foot asphalt pedestrian path on the south side of Holly Hill Lane; and working with staff to save trees and add selective buffering where practical. Council members asked that staff and the applicant provide additional on-street pervious parking where feasible and to install striped crosswalks at the Benton Circle/Holly Hill Lane intersection.

Council members and applicant representatives also debated how the road’s farther extension — a right-of-way that will eventually connect to county-owned passive-park property — should be timed and buffered. Lauren Nemec, representing the applicant and Riverside LLC, said the Holly Hill right-of-way will remain privately held and that multiple parcel owners have easements allowing access; she confirmed the county had responsibility to continue gravel work beyond Benton Circle to the county parcel. “So in the sense that the town and the county both have property at the end of this road, it is open to the public. But it will be a privately held road,” Nemec said.

Council adopted a package of conditions (summarized in staff’s recommendation) including that the applicant pave the construction entrance segment of Holly Hill Lane to Benton Circle with final pavement to be placed before final certificate of compliance; provide the asphalt path; install buffering and landscape plantings to achieve an opaque boundary where homes back up to the road; work with staff to add on-street parking where appropriate (preferably pervious); and, where the road beyond Benton Circle is not yet constructed at the time of final compliance, escrow funds or a bond for landscaping so required buffering can be installed when construction proceeds. The council’s roll call produced four votes in favor, one opposed; no member names were recorded on the public roll call in the transcript.","The Bluffton Town Council voted 4–1 to conditionally approve the initial master plan for Austin Park Phase 3 (New Riverside Parcel 5A South), a 76-lot single-family development on about 63 acres. Conditions require paving a section of Holly Hill Lane, a vegetative buffer strategy and crosswalks at Benton Circle.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096331,"Bluffton council workshop examines caps, safety rules for tour companies and Segways",2263,1460870,3724000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63&start=1460&end=3724","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63/thumbnail_1460870.jpg","/articles/6096331/Bluffton/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Bluffton-council-workshop-examines-caps-safety-rules-for-tour-companies-and-Segways","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096331-d4ea1db70931a16c6a343048864b77aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176119&Signature=okIKqVr8i~MQZWMU3ZlEJmCbdA2WQQTev71KsEt95wjIuvMcq6B~3COVngukr8yqombpYL8yxPGhz~www5knGkck8zvH3JmrWP8vYnWiW92AHPq8TcvM4Hx2bcl2ll55-MRyM~VmBPxVZM6~VjuycscuWM6Ey6eUrV205o94-7mcN5jYJ9USW-NolXhkZOWyl75RhMR~cMJLiNquGPGtTGfer5tUp0W~RFISt8DL9RYwit~YGeQmyl7dWYoWe~nsrymPl8w8El7yN7WPKSellFN40LVAmbJzu9YTaSmCQHyLEKJELd2hIFY8d9axHoalCgdW9nQ4GMt7SFwfsLWWYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bluffton Town Council members and staff spent more than an hour Feb. 11 discussing proposed changes to Chapter 7 of the town code that would revise how tour companies operate in town, including vehicle classifications, caps on operators and new safety requirements.

Natalie (staff member) introduced the draft ordinance and said it divides tours into four types — animal-drawn carriages, motorized vehicles (buses, mopeds, golf carts, Segways), nonmotorized tours (walking, bicycles, pedicabs) and pedicabs limited to Old Town — and would require a business license and a Bluffton history class for operators. “All of the types of tour companies, or tour types do require business license,” Natalie said. “Some of them do have a cap. So animal drawn vehicles have a cap of two companies and only two carriages permitted at one time.”

Council members focused on three recurrent issues: whether to keep a numeric cap in the code, safety and placement of certain vehicles in narrow downtown sidewalks, and whether the town should require recurring certification or a permit that would be renewed annually. Councilwoman Frasier said she opposed adding more carriage permits because of downtown congestion. “I would be opposed currently to any permits even though we don't have any right now,” she said, citing downtown traffic and pedestrian safety.

Police safety concerns centered on Segways and similar electric personal-assistive devices. Bluffton’s police chief summarized relevant South Carolina law and safety expectations, noting state statute 56-5-3310 (adopted 2024) treats Segways as electric personal-assistive mobility devices: they must travel under 20 mph, use sidewalks when available and, if required by design, use roadway shoulders. The chief said units must have lights, rear reflectors and an audible signal; he warned narrow sidewalks and heavy pedestrian nighttime use in Old Town could make Segway tours unsafe. “If they are required to be on the sidewalk, I am a little concerned with them driving late at night with the heavy crowded amount of people and tourists that we have on the sidewalks,” the chief said.

Council debated whether the current “two companies / two vehicles” cap (present in the existing ordinance) should remain. Several council members said a hard cap can create an unwarranted monopoly and argued market forces will limit operators; others said a cap could be used to manage downtown congestion. Councilwoman Burton suggested using what is currently operating as a baseline if the council chooses to set limits. “If we, you know, say we have 4 operating right now, that may be a good basis to go if we want to have a number limited,” she said.

On certification and oversight, staff said the draft requires a Bluffton history class but does not currently require recertification at renewal of the business license. Natalie said the town does not monitor content of tours after certification; council members asked for a clearer process for verifying and re-checking the required class when licenses are renewed.

Council gave staff direction to return with an updated ordinance for formal consideration: refine the motorized definition, consider restricting animals and Segways in Old Town, examine whether to remove or adjust the numeric caps, add permit/recertification language tied to business-license renewal, and consider requiring liability insurance and route approval. Natalie said staff will bring a first reading in April and a second/final reading in May.","At a Feb. 11 workshop the Bluffton Town Council reviewed proposed amendments to Chapter 7 of the town code governing tour companies, discussing caps on operators, vehicle classes (animal-drawn, motorized, nonmotorized, pedicabs), hours of operation, safety standards and whether to require annual re-certification or permits.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096312,"Lowcountry COG outlines CDBG funding rounds, deadlines and eligible projects",941,8053930,8995180,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63&start=8053&end=8995","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833340-d0aeeb658cb1781a976cec58f96dce63/thumbnail_8053930.jpg","/articles/6096312/Bluffton/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Lowcountry-COG-outlines-CDBG-funding-rounds-deadlines-and-eligible-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096312-ac55e68b32000d10443465beaef46a27/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176119&Signature=Pd41kJ9mr8x-Zu7-urTNiQteU74jLnngoDvZIefDAehSWiVVHOwRKBz6bMax9KWUy2YPQouZS68gf0gINhnlud6ogi5M6J6q17msLfUGGoVdAU~q-4-n3VpHUXbrfa8Z~b-PJFtqiyBh~Lqj82qfjqv8TpsHhqAivjTohagkMXqvkZm~NqmHs2zA-DN-khldVjDyDrpSFdw3204uYNP2TJeaWmMrpz7MKfnFXMuQzKm~dLqjTXXDTpsAcpn7tWnK-Tsa4arNb2awsaEZMiPWahxq8LKk7JYLALbXppetpjyu6OHnnKJvbdj1z~D~v6bxsCNtfMA1ZJT8ZGTkutymuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michelle Knight of the Lowcountry Council of Governments gave an overview Feb. 11 of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and related HOME consortium activities and deadlines available to Bluffton and other local governments.

Knight summarized four community-development set-asides for the state competitive round: a spring community-infrastructure round (water, sewer, drainage, roads) with a March 21 request deadline and an April 21 full-application deadline (applicants may request up to $1 million, minimum $50,000); a community-enrichment set-aside (facilities, demolition, sidewalks, larger public projects) with a mid-August request deadline and mid-September full application deadline (max $750,000); a local-priorities set-aside for smaller projects (max $300,000); and a noncompetitive “ready-to-go” pool ($500,000 maximum) for shovel-ready projects. Knight also described a separate business-development set-aside (for infrastructure supporting private employers with job-creation requirements) and a $50,000-per-region regional-planning set-aside administered through councils of governments.

Knight noted national objectives (benefit to low- and moderate-income households, elimination of slum/blight, or urgent community need), a 10% minimum match requirement on projects and competitive bonus points for opportunity-zone projects. She encouraged municipalities to identify projects early and flagged the Lowcountry HOME consortium’s April action-plan schedule for single-family rehabilitation and new-construction priorities; she asked Bluffton staff and council to contact Lowcountry COG if the town wants the consortium to consider specific housing or infrastructure projects.","Lowcountry Council of Governments staffer Michelle Knight reviewed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program priorities, competitive set-asides, deadlines and eligibility at the Feb. 11 meeting, including infrastructure, community facilities, business development and regional planning funding and application timelines.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident raises racial-bias concerns about police during public comment; council accepts camera easements amid DOT/SLED limits

Council approves fiscal year 2025 budget amendments on second and final reading

Council conditionally approves Austin Park Phase 3 master plan; 4-1 vote

Bluffton council workshop examines caps, safety rules for tour companies and Segways

Lowcountry COG outlines CDBG funding rounds, deadlines and eligible projects