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Planning commission annexes 2.8-acre Trask Parkway tract for preservation as T1 parkland
Summary
The Beaufort Planning Commission voted unanimously to annex a 2.8-acre wooded parcel at 3492 Trask Parkway into the city and assign T1 Natural Preserve zoning so the parcel can be held and maintained by the Beautiful Beaufort Open Land Trust as a passive park.
The Beaufort Planning Commission unanimously approved annexation of a 2.8-acre tract at 3492 Trask Parkway into the city and changed its zoning to the city’s T1 Natural Preserve classification, the commission said during its meeting. Staff presented the parcel as a wooded, undeveloped site bordering Albergotti Creek and adjacent to the Spanish Moss Trail.
Staff member Kurt, who led the presentation, said staff recommended annexation under a T1 Natural Preserve zoning district and tied the recommendation to city planning documents. "Staff would recommend approval for the annexation request, to bring it into the City under a T1 Natural Preserve Zoning District," Kurt said during the presentation, citing the city’s 2021 Comprehensive Plan, the Civic Master Plan and the 2010 Open Space Master Plan.
The application was filed by Graham Trask, who identified himself in the meeting as the owner and as a representative of the Beautiful Beaufort Open Land Trust. Trask told the commission the parcel “has been deeded to Beautiful Beaufort Open Land Trust” and said the trust plans to hold and maintain the land in perpetuity. "The land will not go to the city. The land will be held in perpetuity by the open land trust. It will be maintained by the open land trust. All costs associated with that maintenance, insurance, property taxes, maintenance will be borne by the Open Land Trust," Trask said.
During discussion the commission asked about an existing state-licensed billboard on or adjacent to the property. Kurt said the sign is licensed under SCDOT and would remain as a legal nonconforming sign if annexed, but could not be improved under T1 rules. Trask confirmed the billboard “has been there since 1968” and that it generates income that would help the trust maintain the parcel.
Commissioners also discussed whether the parcel could become a trailhead for the Spanish Moss Trail and whether the city would assume maintenance if the trust later donated the land to the city. Kurt and the applicant said the current plan is for the trust to retain ownership and responsibility for upkeep; any donation to the city would require a separate council action and would transfer maintenance responsibility at that time.
Formal motions: a commissioner moved to grant the petition for annexation and the commission voted unanimously to approve. The commission then moved to change the zoning to T1; that motion also carried unanimously.
The annexation and zoning change were approved without conditions recorded in the meeting minutes. The commission noted staff would bring remaining minutes and related procedural items to a future session.
The parcel lies adjacent to the Spanish Moss Trail and Albergotti Creek. The applicant and staff emphasized the site’s value as an open-space buffer and viewshed protection for the approach to the city.
Documents cited to justify the decision include the city’s 2021 Comprehensive Plan, the Civic Master Plan and the 2010 Open Space Master Plan. No transfer of maintenance responsibilities to the city was proposed in the meeting; the applicant confirmed the trust will cover maintenance costs.
