[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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],{"_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",6096064,"mediaKeyId","2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c","parentId",2834025,"title","Council hears warning: multifamily building surge strains sewer, roads and services","audioSeconds",5692,"startMs",1009000,"endMs",6701000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c&start=1009&end=6701","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c/thumbnail_1009000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6096064/Beaufort/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Council-hears-warning-multifamily-building-surge-strains-sewer-roads-and-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096064-dcb414b7cb362ce73831ce7f1b6abc12/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195222&Signature=mLaG~JK7da7o1J43fFSKK7Rr54fVbR4oIv-ou35cbDkN2saLP-NXddaq8ORSojFWBv5bdf9vAs8vjDffxuyBK9zKzb-OM-QFcOgLpkhg5yubbRgscujlFmTjmWNDFCEdBKufFm63glfXPnw-AdMQx3vCSwA0MQTsakcJ2OgLTXzsZGcW4nQUZQcGnNf0cfkJU8MfwiHL05fWAZAl2JMCAJhxurjWF9vgICq05i~cXXSNS5ko7P~1BcQqQNIRxRMGQbzMntRhE2Mk-4R~qn4TKRskEsreX46a4n-KOd6NzuU8Jbf9rUJBAyPoTfHahZh2F0aJ~7MfF4jU6lNyuSiq7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Beaufort","date","2025-02-26T00:00:00Z","article","Note: This article focuses on council and staff discussion of development patterns and infrastructure capacity. It synthesizes planning director Kurt Fries’s remarks and staff exchanges with council members.
Kurt Fries, director of community development, and other staff presented a citywide snapshot showing an unusually large number of multifamily projects vested in the 2021–2022 period now moving toward construction and occupancy. Fries said the city had record new dwelling unit permits in 2024 (885 units) and that ‘‘about 81% of those were multifamily,’’ a pattern that increases demand for water, sewer, roads and public services.
Fries and city staff said the surge exposed limits in regional sewer capacity and arterial road capacity. Several projects either need new lift stations or rely on capacity upgrades by Beaufort‑Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA); staff noted the Watercrest developer agreed to fund a regional lift station that will add roughly 200–800 dwelling‑unit worth of regional capacity but warned additional capacity shortfalls remain.
Council and staff discussed traffic impacts, saying separate, uncoordinated traffic impact analyses (TIAs) for individual developments had failed to show combined effects on key corridors (Boundary Street, U.S. 21/170). Staff recommended participation in the Northern Beaufort Transit and Regional transportation planning effort and urged the council to consider requiring more comprehensive, corridor‑level traffic modeling as part of major project review.
Other discussion items included the Ladies Island master plan (county coordination and funding gaps), annexation strategy for growth boundaries and the need to inventory city‑owned parcels as potential sites for affordable housing or public uses. Fries recommended folding some development‑related initiatives into a comprehensive plan update and clarified that many zoning/code updates under review are intended to address vehicle‑miles‑traveled and form‑based design.
Ending: Staff will prepare more comprehensive traffic and sewer capacity analyses to present to council, and refine code updates and annexation strategy language in the retreat follow‑up materials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Day 1 2025 - Feb 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning staff told the retreat that a surge of multifamily projects vested in 2021–22 and coming on‑line now is straining sewer lift‑station capacity, stormwater systems and arterial roads and will require coordinated regional responses.","taxTitle","Beaufort, Beaufort County, South Carolina","taxId",71073,"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},6096069,"City expands public capital‑projects portal and seeks funding for waterfront and stormwater needs",653,4311000,4964000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c&start=4311&end=4964","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c/thumbnail_4311000.jpg","/articles/6096069/Beaufort/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/City-expands-public-capitalprojects-portal-and-seeks-funding-for-waterfront-and-stormwater-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096069-40a552cc3652872f41b9e7706a23dff4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195222&Signature=Q-Vzm8LhLemJuGb-1gPdhHkDJ4Zr7zpNdxLUGBF-LWjs-YY3Houn2hM6QpfLyPvoGj2OWwt3YJ-1sR8Br2guGb-0fYnv3zWhuEeZZsysuFTZCS1PMDmecT6O7oac03GPRQFOXO1yZIxqr68pJHtSfUOBF3032etI~X~IbVXx6~HAcdEuHGgDzCfedOA75MJZN7nMmV8hCGOctRb2Prul535nBV~FEJf6lyqA~ZG4hvU6LKaZQ149ycYfRPrhWnjThaqq2uO68odm5L8K3DrTFhoO0Np7BJ2Shx~oNY5AkKtRzRBaUIO7jRRoJk~cWJ0QKsEXtzJT00ARZzWFPrsl8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy City Manager JJ Sovay and Capital Program Coordinator Raul Dominguez described the city’s efforts to make capital projects more transparent and trackable through an online portal and Airtable project dashboard.
Sovay said the city posts the 2023–2025 strategic plan and an Airtable view on the city website so the public can see initiative status, anticipated completion and notes, and he said departmental monthly meetings will review initiative progress. ‘‘As we continue to work towards being more of a results‑oriented, performance‑oriented organization, we want to be able to keep track both internally and for the public and council to keep track of where we are on these initiatives,’’ Sovay said.
Raul Dominguez, capital program coordinator, summarized the CIP workload: 21 projects are in planning, design or engineering stages, three projects were completed in 2024 (including Southside Park phase I and the North Street trail extension), and major needs remain for waterfront and marina infrastructure and stormwater projects. Dominguez said the city has begun program management standards and monthly partner coordination meetings with county and utilities.
Council members and staff raised the Parallel Road TIF funds as an unresolved capital finance issue; City Manager Scott said roughly $4 million in TIF funds are currently tied to the project and recommended council consider whether to keep the funds reserved for a project that may not be constructed for a decade or more.
Sovay and Dominguez also said staff is compiling a full inventory of city real property and capital assets as a background for prioritizing maintenance and potential sales; staff flagged that most park and facility binders keep playground inspection notes but broader facility condition inventories and long‑term maintenance cost estimates remain incomplete.
Ending: Staff will continue upgrading the public CIP portal, develop a 10‑year capital plan linked to the comprehensive plan and bring options to council for waterfront park planning and stormwater capital priorities.","Deputy City Manager JJ Sovay and Capital Program Coordinator Raul Dominguez updated council on the city's capital projects portal, recent completions and outstanding capital needs including waterfront park rehabilitation, marina infrastructure and unresolved funds tied to Parallel Road.",{"_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},6096073,"Finance director: revenues uneven, storm costs and litigation tighten budget picture",337,1533000,1870000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c&start=1533&end=1870","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c/thumbnail_1533000.jpg","/articles/6096073/Beaufort/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Finance-director-revenues-uneven-storm-costs-and-litigation-tighten-budget-picture","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096073-a83415d974ea9cae8621cb9cdaf731ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195222&Signature=WB1~p1VPWvnQGTBB7Kvy9YJjvmdPV0~qsSf5PWrYNWVPAyhxhs0HX0Owy-99yTkkMiga~z7mheXbYezHAz8z6E-zaPiCkSJLpQwCi4Ue1WfdST4I3IAqmQDEBh3cA7FJyLSUB7f4OtZrvKlBRXIFmjUYqUPrvBhj6aeW2XTeRp2BMLEu2zHQyOfqH9G0dGmTASGoTI96mdP3SOf0UR8otsu0fxLWatYBmcOSQovCtqEQXkkwlfCZgO0bDh9URc25QAA981tkXhctp4pJXWzUZ2e8Z-6gXbarDWBbGSPUizWGo9BvdQgO7Cj66~mF~mqaqKyB19h~f0D~NAYCwcUO1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alan Nizman, the city’s finance director, told the council the city’s fiscal year‑to‑date revenues and expenditures reflect seasonal timing for property taxes, business licenses and franchise payments and remain below an even‑year baseline. ‘‘Revenues are not collected evenly over a fiscal year,’’ Nizman said, noting property taxes concentrate in December through February and franchise fees and business licenses fall later in the fiscal year.
Nizman reported the general fund was at about 47% of budget as of Jan. 31, 2025, and cited year‑to‑date variances: building permit receipts rose by $255,000 from the previous year (driven by multifamily construction) and interest revenue had exceeded budgeted amounts because of higher rates, although rates were expected to decline through 2025.
On expenditures, Nizman said recurring costs (payroll and debt service) drive a steadier pace while disaster‑related personnel calls and a January GO bond debt payment increased early‑year outlays; those GO bonds were paid in January and related storm expenses are expected to generate FEMA reimbursement. He also told council that the stormwater fund was at 41.7% of revenue with expenditures at 52.8% and cautioned the council that stormwater fees ‘‘may need to be increased over a period of time’’ because the operating side was roughly breaking even and bond debt needs coverage.
Council members pressed whether FEMA reimbursements and grant closeouts were expected this fiscal year; Nizman said he expected the fire grants and FEMA reimbursements to be recovered within the fiscal year, which would ease the short‑term pressures.
Separately, City Manager Scott and council members raised a related budget issue: nearly $4 million in TIF funds were tied to the long‑deferred Parallel Road project, which Scott said may not be built within 10–20 years at the previously estimated cost. ‘‘That project will be much, much more expensive than that,’’ Scott warned, and suggested council consider reallocating tied‑up TIF funds to nearer‑term capital needs.
Ending: Staff told council they will incorporate retreat priorities into the FY26 budget process, flagging stormwater fee structure, debt service payments and the TIF‑funded Parallel Road as items to weigh in the coming months.","Finance Director Alan Nizman briefed council on the city’s fiscal condition as of Jan. 31, 2025: general fund revenues were below the typical midpoint because property‑tax and franchise payments are seasonal; storm and bond payments affected expenditure timing; stormwater fees may need review to cover bond debt.",{"_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},6096079,"City retreat frames strategic planning as focused, operational effort",642,2065000,2707000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c&start=2065&end=2707","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2834025-8a136d13acac966ab49c5e0fd1e72d0c/thumbnail_2065000.jpg","/articles/6096079/Beaufort/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/City-retreat-frames-strategic-planning-as-focused-operational-effort","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096079-6ddf43b3745e11a1049ec4160402cbad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195222&Signature=lH~cHFd1yT6NmU~F~PGZ7jG151kHqBrzMjtT37A~PHBCQOMJYTuKHYojwQkBMxkITMatqMwCbE3EaQAHjgrdBmP5SbNbJGHHnBzA0DiLzWe-78naQyw-8anFd9JAixt-GHWMIbo~xrtKMqOlwQMjJAI11fItnnd63qIVHKVCKb4O2lHQ505dl-ue5oSYKpg38gDj3vujp8BUaCHg3aIwX324latXJLWmd36zGU~O9vQ6MNygrwJOFAZ~rgQGyuNHil0fsdySBpqRUsSgqbmyLH3uerQb4yA4ybtfroJVU3bzBt-4B5HJ89u6PR7f65nkVy7t~tqzK9TrJPRnnhxmkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bill Stipp, the consultant leading the retreat, told the Beaufort City Council that modern strategic planning must be more operational than ‘‘dreaming’’ sessions of the past and should create measurable, achievable work for staff.
Stipp, who helped facilitate similar efforts in other fast‑growing cities, said the goal of the three‑day retreat was to turn council priorities into a two‑year set of initiatives and an annual plan of work that departments can implement and track. He urged council and staff to resist treating every request as strategic and to use a ‘‘strategic focus’’ and guiding principles to prioritize projects.
City Manager Scott stated council would use the retreat to ‘‘review progress on our current initiatives, and to prioritize those goals objectives moving forward for the next couple of years’’ and that staff would bring departmental plans and an updated portal to show progress.
Stipp and staff described a three‑part test for initiatives: they must (1) tie to a guiding principle; (2) be realistic given staff capacity; and (3) be measurable so progress can be reported routinely. Stipp repeatedly emphasized that staff do not have infinite capacity: ‘‘It’s okay to say, we just don’t have the capacity right now,’’ he said, and urged council to make explicit trade‑off decisions.
The facilitator and manager said the city will operationalize priorities by asking departments to create SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time‑bound) objectives and to track them in the city’s Airtable/CIP portals so council and the public can see progress. The retreat schedule included financial and capital updates, code and planning review and a public comment period, with a goal of reading back confirmed priorities by the end of the sessions.
Stipp urged linking long‑range plans (comprehensive plan, civic master plan) to the strategic plan so council direction becomes actionable policy and projects for staff.
Ending: Council and staff agreed the retreat’s purpose is to narrow focus, convert a set of guiding principles into an actionable two‑year plan and make reporting transparent so the manager and department heads can implement and report back to the council.","Facilitator Bill Stipp and city staff told the Beaufort City Council that the three‑day retreat should convert high‑level goals into operational initiatives and an annual work plan, stressing measurable objectives, limits on staff capacity and integration with the comprehensive plan.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears warning: multifamily building surge strains sewer, roads and services

City expands public capital‑projects portal and seeks funding for waterfront and stormwater needs

Finance director: revenues uneven, storm costs and litigation tighten budget picture

City retreat frames strategic planning as focused, operational effort