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Board allows wider trail and split-rail fence for Pine View Preserve after revisions
Summary
Beaufort County approved widening a river-buffer walkway from 5 to 8 feet at Pine View Preserve and later approved allowing a split-rail fence with a maintenance road set 10 feet from a neighboring property line.
The Beaufort County Zoning Board of Appeals approved two related variances for Pine View Preserve: an initial variance to widen a river-buffer walkway from 5 to 8 feet to improve accessibility, and later a modified approval to permit a split-rail fence provided the park’s maintenance road is set at least 10 feet from a neighboring property line.
Kimley-Horn landscape architect Laura Balick presented the project on behalf of the county, describing Pine View Preserve as a public passive park with earthen trails and an observation platform. Balick said the 8-foot width will allow two-way pedestrian traffic and side-by-side wheelchair access on a short river-buffer boardwalk, improving public accessibility without significantly altering the natural character.
Neighbors raised questions about wildfire prevention, trespass and emergency access. Tom Miller, an adjacent landowner who has placed his property in a conservation easement, asked about fire-prevention measures and how responders would access the quarter-mile trail system. County staff said rural-and-critical-lands staff operate wildland firefighting ATVs with water tanks, have contacted South Carolina Forestry and coordinated with the Ladies Island Fire Department for response planning.
The board first approved the 8-foot walkway variance with staff recommendations. Later in the meeting, the board discussed a nearby maintenance-road alignment that would encroach on a required buffer. The applicant proposed a compromise: shift the maintenance road so it is 10 feet off the property line and allow a split-rail (open) fence rather than an opaque privacy fence. The board voted to approve that modified request.
County staff and the applicant said the proposed layout preserves existing tree canopy and minimizes tree removal compared with alternatives that would reconfigure the entire parking and drive alignment. A written letter from an adjacent homeowner supporting the split-rail fence was submitted to the board.
The two approvals clear the way for the county to finalize park plans; staff will document the maintenance-road setback and fence design as conditions of the variance.
