Beaufort council retreats on mission, development code and capital priorities; waterfront study, stormwater projects advance

Beaufort — City leaders and staff spent a retreat session reviewing draft mission and vision language, moving forward code revisions the Planning Commission has worked on for over a year, and mapping a new, citywide capital improvement planning process.

Council members agreed to keep the retreat-produced updates to the city’s mission and vision under consideration while they complete a longer public review. Staff also described a near-term implementation plan for the planning-code rewrite, reported progress on engineering work for Waterfront Park and marina, and urged council to let staff continue design work on several downtown stormwater and streetscape projects while exploring additional grant funding.

Why it matters: councilors framed the meeting as a chance to set priorities for the next budget cycle and the comprehensive-plan update. The code and capital projects discussed at the retreat are likely to shape where and how development happens in Beaufort and will determine what projects the city can take to state and federal grant programs this year.

What the council covered

Mission and vision. Councilors reviewed suggested wording changes that emphasize responsive government, customer service and “affordable livability.” Staff recommended, and council accepted for further review, a modest rewrite rather than an immediate, on-the-spot overhaul; they asked that any final wording be tested in the upcoming public engagement for the comprehensive-plan update.

Development-code rewrite. Planning staff and Planning Commission members briefed council on major edits to the city’s form-based development code, focusing on Chapters 7 and 9, which cover streets, infrastructure standards and the approvals process. Planning commissioners told council the rewrite is intended to close gaps, require fuller application materials so decisions are evidence-based, and fix a process that previously allowed long-term approvals from sketch plans with limited technical data. Commissioners also recommended moving more projects into formal public-hearing processes so the record and findings are clearer for future appeals.

Waterfront Park and marina. The council heard that McSweeney (prime), with subcontractors Davis & Floyd, JMT and others, is under contract to produce a phase‑1 assessment and design-level underwater inspection for the Waterfront Park and marina. Staff said surveys, a bathymetric study and geotechnical borings are scheduled and that a phase‑1 report is expected in late summer 2025. The council has begun appointing a Waterfront Park Advisory Committee (council to finalize appointments in coming weeks) to review options and public input once the technical study is complete.

Capital projects and CIP process. Staff proposed a new citywide capital‑planning process that will run through the year and feed into the comprehensive-plan update. The process will map neighborhood priorities against engineering and asset needs, create a project initiation form for all candidate projects, and produce a prioritized list that staff can use when applying for grants. Council agreed to hold most existing CIP priorities in place while the planning process runs, but asked staff to keep pursuing grant funding for several contested projects.

Key project updates flagged by staff

- Downtown streetscape and stormwater (referred to in the meeting as the Calg/Calgary Street project): staff said construction cost estimates have increased from initial budgets (originally under $2 million) to current estimates in the $4–5 million range and that the city has spent roughly $307,000 on design and related work so far. A CDBG grant was used for design; staff warned that if the city abandons the project it may have to return grant funds. Council asked staff to continue seeking additional grants and report back to the quarterly capital workshop.

- Duke Street: design and permitting are underway; staff said the project is awaiting final DOT coordination on site triangles and on-street parking standards. Staff expect to move to construction procurement after permitting is resolved.

- Battery Shores and other stormwater projects: staff reported permit delays at state and regional agencies caused by the large number of ARPA and federal grants being processed statewide. Several permits have begun to move; staff urged patience and noted the city remains within ARPA grant timelines but may need extensions if permitting stalls further.

- Parks and facilities: Southside Park Phase 2 design will go forward; Washington Street Park construction is underway. The Carnegie Library roof replacement is under contract for specialized roof tiles (manufactured overseas) with a partial replacement scheduled if tiles arrive on the vendor timeline.

- Marina fuel tanks: staff said the marina fuel infrastructure is inspected; DHEC inspection and quarterly checks continue. Replacement has been listed as a capital need but is on a watch/maintenance cycle pending regulatory direction and funding.

Parallel‑road / TIF‑2 debate. Council discussed a long‑running ‘‘parallel road’’ concept that has been on master plans for years. The proposal drew divided views: some councilors and staff urged continued exploration because the road would relieve neighborhood-level congestion and tie back to earlier planning investments; others said the project is costly, legally and practically difficult (property acquisitions, wetland impacts), and not feasible in the near term. Councilors asked staff to seek updated engineering cost estimates from the design firm and to return with options. TIF‑2 funds are currently obligated to the parallel‑road effort; some councilors expressed support for reconsidering that obligation to fund more immediate municipal needs such as municipal complex maintenance or public‑works facilities, while leaving the parallel‑road idea on the books for future study.

Housing, short‑term rentals and regional coordination. Councilors discussed housing affordability and short‑term rental policy. Staff confirmed the city already operates a short‑term rental ordinance; council directed staff to schedule a workshop to review whether caps, exemptions and owner‑occupancy rules should be revised and whether ADUs (accessory dwelling units) should be explicitly limited to long‑term rentals in residential neighborhoods. Separately, council members requested staff pursue a regional approach to housing and homelessness—coordinating with Beaufort County and neighboring jurisdictions to develop a “regional response plan” and to identify funding and program partners.

What council directed staff to do (next steps)

- Continue design and permitting work already under way for downtown stormwater and streetscape projects, while aggressively pursuing additional grant funding and reporting cost and timeline updates to the capital workshop. - Complete the citywide capital improvement planning process (public neighborhood meetings, project initiation forms, Planning Commission review), with the goal of producing an adopted CIP appendix to the comprehensive plan this calendar year. - Proceed with technical investigations at Waterfront Park and marina (surveys, bathymetry, geotechnical), and convene the Waterfront Park Advisory Committee to coordinate public input and review the phase‑1 report when available. - Provide council with updated engineering cost estimates for the parallel‑road options and a staff recommendation on whether to re-obligate TIF‑2 funds to nearer‑term city priorities. - Schedule a council workshop on short‑term rental caps and ADU policy and develop a plan to approach regional partners about housing and homelessness planning.

Ending: timing and what to expect next

Staff said many of the technical studies and permit processes will extend through the summer; council will revisit priorities at quarterly capital workshops and in the comprehensive-plan update process. Council members repeatedly asked staff to focus on grant opportunities to avoid additional property‑tax increases. The Waterfront Park phase‑1 report and the capital planning deliverables were the next deliverables council asked staff to bring back for detailed review.

(Reporting note: this summary is based on the city’s retreat transcript and staff presentations. Paraphrases were used; no material facts are inferred beyond the meeting text.)