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Committee approves rezoning of county-held tracts to T1 natural preserve, adding protections to preserved lands
Summary
The Natural Resources Committee voted to amend the zoning map to T1 natural preserve for about 231.58 acres (roughly 16 parcels) acquired through the Rural and Critical Lands Preservation Program; the motion passed with two members recorded in opposition.
Beaufort County’s Natural Resources Committee voted Nov. 3 to rezone roughly 231.58 acres of county-owned, preserved tracts to a T1 natural preserve district intended to align zoning with long-term conservation goals.
Planning staff explained the proposal covers about 16 parcels that were purchased through the Rural and Critical Lands Preservation Program and are now county-owned. Staff said the T1 designation better matches the properties’ preservation status and provides an additional layer of protection; examples mentioned during the presentation included the Adams Tract, Okeechee River Park and several small parcels on St. Helena Island and in the Shell Point and Okatie areas.
A committee member who moved the motion summarized the rezoning justification as consistent with the comprehensive plan and the development code, not in conflict with county ordinances, addressing a demonstrated community need, required by changed conditions and compatible with surrounding uses. Another staff speaker described the measure as adding layers of protection against future development pressure: "We're adding layers of protection to protect ourselves against our future selves," the staff speaker said, noting that future councils retain the power to rezone but that additional procedural steps and public input would be required.
Members asked whether the change could be considered spot zoning given the scattered nature of the parcels; staff said the T1 district was designed for preserved properties and that precedent exists in the code for district definitions that apply to noncontiguous parcels. The staff also offered conservation easements as an additional, potentially cleaner legal approach to secure protection in perpetuity.
A motion to grant the rezoning request was moved and seconded and carried after a voice vote; the chair recorded that two members registered opposition while a majority supported the change. The measure was presented by staff and recommended for approval; no specific dollar transactions were authorized as part of the vote, which is a zoning map amendment rather than a purchase or expenditure.
