[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6068515,"mediaKeyId","3092994-2297276cfc3a1cb9dac6f7d8d9f9b635","parentId",3092994,"title","Applicant defers 86-acre Ramsey Farms rezoning after commission raises density, thoroughfare and affordable housing questions","audioSeconds",3132,"startMs",2438000,"endMs",5570000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3092994-2297276cfc3a1cb9dac6f7d8d9f9b635&start=2438&end=5570","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3092994-2297276cfc3a1cb9dac6f7d8d9f9b635/thumbnail_2438000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6068515/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Applicant-defers-86-acre-Ramsey-Farms-rezoning-after-commission-raises-density-thoroughfare-and-affordable-housing-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6068515-191e4035f5e41a3b96dd4ab1659fe959/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167477&Signature=NrNIx86w5TSQWpKKamMcT4~S9ftJMO3-JaNaqB4Mgout2S-8UfmsCc6xdXete~zfY11u3mTVWxrrOzHKuW2WdA9e4x0nnIg-3XLJUVow8qlUo3mZtatbpp0KgAgwIUD5RpWQ88xJXTg8uyClvG0eWMVAlNN9SvXu972aUlGb20yBgffc7qVT8bBWRTghuVPUuVstJAHpuPJ-ALEo-UFpNGpfQ8s20Hx7Y5PNq3SaSZA~eZ7Ymbg107ZHlnKPXi5FL91f6-paeDhAyJBVWWnQqF1d98i3Kgrbp01Tx7YfbIcD5OsEzD~reBQ-4PxTCii08tyrmdqQRIoVr8I-IOPo7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","BCTV","date","2025-04-07T00:00:00Z","article","Representatives for a proposed 86.16-acre development at 98 Jennings Road asked the Beaufort County Planning Commission to defer action to the commission's May 5 meeting after staff, commissioners, and public commenters raised unresolved questions about density, transect/building placement, thoroughfare standards and how workforce housing commitments would be enforced.

Rob Merchant of the county planning staff reviewed the application for a Hamlet Place Type Overlay (PTO) and described the applicant's accompanying draft development agreement. Merchant said the applicant's submittal proposes up to 244 dwelling units—including single-family homes and townhouses—organized under T3 Hamlet Neighborhood and T4 Hamlet Center districts, and that applicants had proposed workforce housing and housing-rehab commitments through a development agreement.

Merchant told the commission staff recommended approval contingent on a development agreement that secures workforce-housing commitments, and staff insisted development agreements not be used to relax the zoning standards in the adopted transect districts. \"We believe that this should not move forward or be approved without a development agreement to lock in those things,\" Merchant said.

Traffic reviewer Kevin (county staff) said the applicant's traffic impact analysis estimated roughly 50 trips generated by the site during peak periods and found most nearby intersections would continue to perform acceptably; the report recommended a developer-funded right-turn lane improvement at the WK Austin/Broad River intersection because that location already experiences long waits at stop signs.

Commissioners probed several technical issues. They said the T4 Hamlet Center designation appeared to wrap awkwardly around the site's open space and that placement should be consolidated into a coherent center; they asked whether Jennings Road would be rebuilt to appropriate thoroughfare cross-sections (sidewalks, street trees) where townhouses front the road; and they pressed the applicant for a clearer enforceable commitment on workforce housing beyond the draft proposal of ten deed-restricted units targeted at 80–120% area median income and modest down-payment assistance.

Public commenters and local organizations urged caution. The Coastal Conservation League noted the jump from the parcel's T2 Rural yield (about 28 units under one-per-3-acres rules) to 244 units constitutes an eightfold increase in potential density and warned of infrastructure and public-service strain. Neighbors raised concerns about traffic at County Shed Road and Jennings Road, possible displacement of rental tenants, and water-supply stress.

Pulte Homes representatives (Rob Mayer and Adam Tennant) said they had listened to feedback since the project's earlier iteration and had increased deed-restricted units compared with a nearby precedent, proposed down-payment assistance and proposed a partnership with Jasper Housing Trust to administer rehabilitation assistance. \"We can meet these conditions,\" said project consultant Josh Teller, noting the applicant could move the T4 area and revise the regulating plan to address staff concerns.

After extended discussion the applicant requested a deferral; the commission voted unanimously to accept the applicant's request and deferred the item to the May 5 meeting. Planning staff and the applicant said they would work to revise the regulating plan, clarify thoroughfare and civic-space layouts, and crystallize enforceable terms in the development agreement prior to the next hearing.

Next steps: the applicant will work with planning staff to respond to conditions in the staff report and return to the Planning Commission on May 5 (the applicant may request additional continuances if needed).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Beaufort County Planning Commission Meeting Monday April 7, 2025, 6pm","oneSentenceSummary","Representatives for an 86.16-acre rezoning at 98 Jennings Road asked the Beaufort County Planning Commission to defer action to May 5 after commissioners and the public raised unresolved questions about density, transect placement, thoroughfare requirements and enforceable workforce-housing commitments.","taxTitle","Beaufort County, South Carolina","taxId",5067,"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},6068520,"Planning commission recommends rezoning of 11-acre Birch Church Road parcel to T3 Neighborhood",50,1235000,1285000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3092994-2297276cfc3a1cb9dac6f7d8d9f9b635&start=1235&end=1285","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3092994-2297276cfc3a1cb9dac6f7d8d9f9b635/thumbnail_1235000.jpg","/articles/6068520/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Planning-commission-recommends-rezoning-of-11-acre-Birch-Church-Road-parcel-to-T3-Neighborhood","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6068520-4d5568e8bb2909b4350e26f825aa91f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167477&Signature=n6xtI4lSCQ3wNEmpay54knEfPp1oQVWBpyQNMW0NK4Z0WkywGVktROzZb6FKM~fd8ov4onCPinHXjHM9wDSsTUQyxJvU65Ro6XmdvdQ5riS2o6s0dHooairyiopyDl8~Mai1kit5NrU8Q8e7wU3QkSMuXxMFmSFbM1frYbQ~U0fVaplP29-hQrS46DMsc7Gv9vcreljJKO0aQj1iGljjC7Cq-Vpe7QMne5p1B2h6-RC9-kAII8EFyKVpB1w6Fgha3JHR-mROTWA6uJ8F25Xb5f1L5CLQWDr28uTm3uU6~5ZtGF8bN9CC1NDDVcvzi7UXcB92AJ6vN0LLJE8DHFaaHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beaufort County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a zoning map amendment for an 11-acre parcel on Birch Church Road that would consolidate split zoning into T3 Neighborhood and clear the way for a proposed 50-lot single-family subdivision.

Staff planner Rob Merchant said the site, directly across Birch Church Road from M.C. Riley Elementary School, currently contains two mobile home parks with “approximately 35 to 40 units.” He told the commission the proposal would correct an outdated split zoning created by old property lines and would not increase total trip generation enough to require a traffic impact analysis. \"We believe that this . . . is consistent with the comprehensive plan,\" Merchant said.

The change would replace a mixed T4 Hamlet Center / T3 Hamlet Neighborhood split with a single T3 Neighborhood designation, Merchant said, and staff recommended approval. Andy Klauserman of Davidson Floyd Engineering, representing the applicant, said the owner intends to tie the site to public water and sewer and that older lot lines produced the irregular zoning boundary. \"We are going to try to put it on public water and sewer,\" Klauserman told the commission.

Commission discussion focused on occupancy, displacement and utilities. Commissioner John asked whether the existing mobile home parks are a nonconforming use; Merchant replied they are a continuing nonconforming use that can remain but generally cannot expand beyond 15 percent. Commissioners pressed for clarity about how many units are occupied and where current residents would go if redevelopment proceeds; Merchant and Klauserman said the exact occupancy and relocation arrangements were not known and would depend on negotiations among multiple lot owners.

Several commissioners and members of the public asked about sewer service. Merchant said Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) had indicated proximity to water and sewer and that the applicant had reached out to BJWSA; Klauserman said some existing systems are drain or spray fields and that the developer intends to connect to public sewer. William Smith, identifying himself as a school board member, said the district had not been contacted in a way he recognized and urged the county to coordinate with the school system on traffic and access issues.

After public comment and deliberation the commission made a motion to recommend approval based on the staff report and testimony. The commission recorded a voice vote and the chair said the motion passed and will be forwarded to county council through the Natural Resources Committee.

The commission recorded a majority vote in favor; the vote was taken by raised hands and recorded as passing (yes: 5; no: 2). The recommendation to council moves forward; final approval, if any, will be made by county council.

Notes and next steps: staff will continue technical review of utility connections and subdivision details; the zoning recommendation will be transmitted to county council via the Natural Resources Committee for consideration.","The Beaufort County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a zoning map amendment for an 11-acre parcel on Birch Church Road that would consolidate split zoning into T3 Neighborhood and enable a proposed 50-lot single-family subdivision.",{"_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},6068509,"Attorney says Pine Island downzoning would remove 100 homes and bring $3 million community investment",121,827000,948000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3092994-2297276cfc3a1cb9dac6f7d8d9f9b635&start=827&end=948","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3092994-2297276cfc3a1cb9dac6f7d8d9f9b635/thumbnail_827000.jpg","/articles/6068509/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Attorney-says-Pine-Island-downzoning-would-remove-100-homes-and-bring-3-million-community-investment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6068509-80a5356f43210bfcb1aad0fd473b2464/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167477&Signature=VUHkhkjx5K4-Emt~uLllmOgMpy7jIlzlcgQu9TnEgVbrznCalRTnyFlKNEkAjGzIajpE63rc5mUk~UdTe3ND8MuL8fIA1HnLQ223ooON101MXcAsg8OR79xfg899iF483QgEtCLZdr9vo5hHVuIQo81TIYsZIC0VhWGKjc991ubV9Hpwjq2Mem6bt1lILMK-pb5FxnoPxtOyZgX50YGoS1nAy~mAAH6yaPoF8XC-dp9xCZzO2M3o0vSWXcslGS8Uz-E7KjNd9cT73p5h-x8eG-i~TVTjrM05coI3Ge9WmCtn2qQJQQRWPJ2aactrZZ3EKMV0KMQfh~lTznSIGTg~mA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kevin Dukes, a real estate attorney with Harvey and Batty who said he represents interests in Beaufort County, addressed the commission during the non-agenda public-comment period to outline a submitted downzoning plan for a property commonly called Pine Island.

Dukes said the plan would permanently remove 100 residential units from the property, a reduction he described as 66 percent of the originally permitted units, and would preserve about 360 acres (roughly 82 percent) as permanent open space. He told commissioners the project would remove most remaining permitted docks along Village Creek, Eddings Creek and the Morgan River and eliminate more than one million square feet of impervious surface. Dukes said the project would include a $3,000,000 investment in a community and recreational facility on St. Helena Island, propose a continuing revenue stream to help fund that facility, and result in what he described as more than $100,000,000 in total investment and creation of 35 to 70 jobs on the island.

Dukes said the application and plan materials had been filed and distributed to the public and county council concurrently and that the proposal, in his view, aligned with the county's comprehensive-plan goals for rural, critical and green-space protection without requesting taxpayer dollars. He said the plan had been developed through multi-year community engagement on St. Helena and in the broader Beaufort community and that hard copies of the plan were available to planning staff and commissioners.

No formal agenda action occurred during Dukes's comment; he presented the plan summary and provided materials to staff for the record. The commission did not take action on the proposal during the meeting; Dukes indicated he had filed the application and would make materials available.","In a non-agenda public comment, real estate attorney Kevin Dukes told the Planning Commission a submitted plan would downzone Pine Island, permanently remove 100 residential units, preserve roughly 360 acres as open space and bring about $3 million in community facilities investment and an estimated $100 million in private investment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Applicant defers 86-acre Ramsey Farms rezoning after commission raises density, thoroughfare and affordable housing questions

Planning commission recommends rezoning of 11-acre Birch Church Road parcel to T3 Neighborhood

Attorney says Pine Island downzoning would remove 100 homes and bring $3 million community investment