Commission recommends rezoning 1.4 acres on St. Helena Island to T2 rural center for local contractor

The Beaufort County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that county council rezone 1.4 acres on St. Helena Island to a T2 rural center (T2RC), on the condition that the applicant amend the rezoning application from C4 (community center mixed use) to T2RC.

Rob (planning staff) said the parcels sit at an historic rural crossroads and that C4 zoning would be inconsistent with the comprehensive‑plan future land‑use designation and could imply higher‑intensity uses that would typically require public sewer service, which is not available at this location. He recommended the three parcels be rezoned to T2 rural center as a better match for the surrounding rural scale.

Kevin Dukes, attorney for the applicant, described his client as a longstanding local roofing contractor with multiple Beaufort County and school district contracts and said the business already owns the parcels. Dukes said the proposal would put modest job opportunities closer to residents and described modest tax‑revenue benefits: he told the commission the property currently generates about $572 a year in property tax receipts and offered a rough estimate that a hypothetical $400,000 building could yield roughly $11,113 in annual tax revenue under local business tax assumptions.

Commissioner John moved to recommend approval of rezoning case CDPA 58‑2025 to T2 rural center, conditioned on the applicant amending the application; the motion cited consistency with the comprehensive plan and development code, compatibility with surrounding uses, and adequate public facilities. Commissioner Gene seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Staff said they would proceed along the normal trajectory (natural resources review and council readings) and would also explore, on staff initiative or at the commission’s request, whether the remaining nearby C4 parcels should be reexamined at a later date to avoid spot‑zoning concerns.