GAB approves Lowcountry Land Trust’s Coakley Chapel Park purchase; board agrees to forward spending amid funding concerns

After extended discussion and public testimony, the Greenbelt Advisory Board approved Greenbelt funding for Lowcountry Land Trust’s proposed Coakley Chapel Park in the historic Hamlin Beach community.

Lowcountry Land Trust’s Sam Sewell presented the project, describing a 6.5-acre parcel that the trust would initially own and place under a conservation easement before transferring ownership to the Hamlin Beach Community Association to operate the site as a passive park and community center. Sam described existing features including a historic chapel at the front of the parcel, a pond that the community dug in the 1970s and drainage connections that flow to Hamlin Sound through a culvert under Hamlin Beach Road. Sam said the project includes boardwalks, nature trails, a gazebo, a community garden and cultural and historical signage.

Staff reported the amended application requested $1,500,000 for acquisition (down $100,000 from an earlier ask), $14,500 in administrative costs and $100,000 in minor improvements, and noted the applicant increased its match from $385,000 to $672,500 (raising its application score). The subcommittee had recommended deferral due to concerns about match amount, the urban unincorporated allocation's depleted balance and overall parcel suitability for a public park. Several board members said protecting the land carried independent value even if park development occurs later.

Several members asked about the Hamlin Beach Community Association's capacity to manage maintenance and fundraising; Sam Sewell and Lowcountry Land Trust said the land trust would retain ownership during initial development, would help secure grants and technical assistance, and cited precedent projects where community associations ultimately managed parks with outside fiscal-sponsorship and grant support. Sam said Lowcountry Land Trust would provide support and has done similar transfers before. The applicant reported ongoing conversations with the South Carolina Conservation Bank and other grant sources.

Public comment included statements from Myra Snipe Richardson, president of Hamlin Beach Community Association, about development pressure and the importance of protecting the parcel, and David Ray, chief conservation officer at Lowcountry Land Trust, who said the opportunity represented a "window of opportunity" and urged the board to preserve the land.

After discussion, the GAB voted to approve the project and to allow forward spending from the FY '26 allocation in this case. The board also asked staff to include the funding-allocation topic on a future agenda for further discussion and mapping work on allocations.