Committee backs moving proposed $700,000 purchase of 1451 Rebo Road to county council

Beaufort County staff told the finance committee Tuesday that the county has an accepted offer of $700,000 to buy a parcel at 1451 Rebo Road from Drayton Parker Companies LLC for future road improvements, and the committee voted to forward the ordinance to county council.

Staff member Perez, who presented the item, said the old park at Ladies Island Drive and Rebo Road has been demolished and the county made an offer; a competing offer first emerged but later fell through. "We were able to come up with an accepted offer price of $700,000," Perez said.

Perez described the planned use as enabling short-, mid- and long-term intersection improvements, with the immediate priority to create a right-turn lane off Ladies Island Drive onto Rebo Road. Committee members including Tabernick and others expressed support, and finance staff said the capital projects fund had an $1.8 million balance before the purchase, leaving approximately $1.1 million after the acquisition.

The chair asked whether anyone objected to referring the ordinance to county council; seeing no objection, the committee sent the measure to council and staff asked that council consider it at the next meeting because the transaction is time-sensitive. Staff also noted that two prior resolutions named Cross Island and that, if acquisition proceeds for Jenkins Island instead, staff will bring repeal language forward.

Next steps: county staff will ask council to consider the ordinance at its next meeting and will return with any required amendments or repeal language tied to earlier resolutions.