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Beaufort County council approves due diligence on John Farm conservation easements and a Port Royal parcel
Summary
Council authorized due diligence on a 148-acre John Farm farmland-preservation proposal (three separate easements) and on a fee-simple Port Royal parcel that staff said could become a passive park; the council split votes to consider properties separately and approved the due-diligence requests, including up to $25,000 for the Port Royal review.
Beaufort County council voted July 13 to move forward with due diligence on two green-space applications: a farmland-conservation proposal for approximately 148 acres (to be recorded as three separate easements) and a fee-simple Port Royal parcel staff said could become a passive county park.
Staff told council the John Farm proposal is a farmland-preservation conservation-easement application that would keep the owner in possession while placing easements on the land; the application was recommended by the Green Space Advisory Committee. "This is only for due diligence approval," the presenter told council, stressing the item was not a funding or purchase approval.
Council members asked whether the land was already under a cultural protection overlay (CPO) and raised questions about the difference between existing overlays and additional conservation easements. One council member referenced prior cases where lands placed under conservation restrictions later were developed, noting that the county needs clarity on how easements will be structured and enforced.
Because two green-space applications were on the same agenda line, a council member moved to split the vote so each property could be considered separately; that procedural motion passed by roll call 9–1. The first property (the John Farm easements) then moved forward through a unanimous due-diligence authorization.
The second application is a fee-simple parcel in the Port Royal area, north of the Broad River and near the Broad River Boat Landing fishing pier and a traffic light. Staff said the county would be the purchaser on a fee-simple acquisition and that public access and passive-park uses would be weighed during due diligence. Council asked about zoning, the property's proximity to an active development, and whether there was a ballpark estimate of price; staff said the due-diligence request for that property is up to $25,000.
Several council members said they were comfortable approving due diligence but insisted that any eventual purchase must make fiscal sense and be transparent because public tax dollars would be used. "If we're about to spend those public tax dollars...I think it should be public knowledge," one council member said.
What happens next: staff will perform due diligence on each property and return to council with findings, estimated costs, recommended terms, and any proposed purchase or easement language. Council emphasized members will expect cost estimates and clearer funding recommendations when the items return for formal approval.
