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Board lets county pursue roadway by declaring 1.202 acres of Ladies Island Middle School campus for sale
Summary
The board authorized a resolution to declare 1.202 acres of Ladies Island Middle School campus for sale to Beaufort County to build a new roadway and traffic signal; trustees debated appraisal processes, community concerns about green‑space impacts and a dissenting vote was recorded.
The Beaufort County Board of Education voted June 23 to authorize the board chair to sign a resolution declaring 1.202 acres of the Ladies Island Middle School campus for sale to Beaufort County for road construction, a step staff said is required to begin the county’s property‑acquisition process.
"If their appraisal comes back and we're satisfied with it, then we just move on," a district staff member explained during trustee questions; trustees were told the county will complete an appraisal to form an offer and the district may obtain its own appraisal in response if it disagrees. Staff said the sale would enable a new entrance with a traffic signal on Sea Island Parkway, improving access and removing long‑term maintenance responsibilities from the district.
Trustee Smith strongly objected to selling district land adjacent to a previously discussed green‑space project, saying constituents raised concerns and asking whether the board knew how much of the site would be needed for future school construction. "I'm very concerned that we are selling this — we just got the green space from the county," Smith said, asking the board to consider community views. County staff and district staff responded that the roadway and green‑space conversations are separate and the proposed sale only involves property already owned and used as an entrance roadway.
After extended questions and clarifications about traffic safety and prior discussions, the board voted on the motion; the transcript records at least one recorded 'no' vote from Trustee Smith. The motion passed and will move forward to the county and then to the state Department of Education for the approvals required under South Carolina law.
Next steps: staff said the county will complete its appraisal to form an offer, and the district can request its own appraisal if needed; if approved by the board and the state, the county will acquire the right of way and assume roadway ownership and maintenance.
