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Residents, tribal representative and developers debate Pine Island plan and CPO protections
Summary
Dozens of public commenters and a tribal representative urged Beaufort County Council to uphold the Conservation Protection Overlay and consult tribes, while developers and supporters argued a downzoning with a golf-course parcel would reduce overall density and environmental impact.
Dozens of residents, community leaders and a tribal representative urged Beaufort County Council on April 14 to reject any carve-outs to the Conservation Protection Overlay on Pine Island and to preserve protections for Saint Helena Island.
Speakers described the CPO as essential to protecting Gullah Geechee culture and local livelihoods, and the Yemassee tribal representative said the tribe has statutory claims that require formal consultation. Supporters of a developer-backed downzoning told the council the plan would reduce housing density and impervious surface compared with what current zoning would allow.
Why it matters: Speakers said the dispute will affect the cultural survival of Saint Helena and the livelihoods of fishers and crabbers, and could set a precedent for future…
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