By Lolita Huckaby
BEAUFORT
Beaufort County’s Transportation Advisory Committee is narrowing in on their recommendations for a penny sales tax referendum to be presented to the voters in November.
The committee, which began work Feb. 4, has now met with each of the municipalities to hear their councils’ priorities.
Two public meetings have been scheduled – the first, this week on April 1 and the second, April 22.
The committee’s goal is to present final recommendations to the County Council on May 11 with a first reading of an ordinance to put the referendum question on the November ballot, scheduled for June 8.
Curious residents can read more about the county’s history with a penny sales tax, including the 2018 referendum at beaufortcountypenny.com.
Dominion tree session draws handful of people
The Dominion Energy folks were in town last week, not to cut trees, but to talk about it.
Representatives of the utility company hosted an information session at Beaufort City Hall on Tuesday to outline plans for their next round of tree cutting expected to begin in the next few weeks.
The next round of cutting, according to maps presented at the session will include Ribaut Road and its neighborhoods – Spanish Point and parts of Royal Oaks, for example. The work is scheduled along the Bluff area, downtown and into the Point.
Unfortunately, the audience for this information update was small – fewer than a half-dozen citizens – but rest assured, when the contract cutters show up and that cutting begins, there will be some weeping and wailing. It’s part of the process.
Jasper’s growth to fastest county in US supports need for road projects
HARDEEVILLE — Those of us who have been here for a while didn’t need the most recent reports from the U.S. Census to prove the Lowcountry is growing.
So it was no real surprise to learn recently that our neighboring Jasper County is THE fastest growing county in the United States.
According to recent data releases by the Census Bureau, Jasper has experienced a 6 percent population growth rate between July 1,2024 and July 1, 2025. That population growth percentage put Jasper ahead of Dawson County, Ga., which includes Lake Lanier and is a magnet for those leaving Atlanta, and Kaufman County, Texas, outside of Dallas.
And Jasper County’s numbers are before construction even begins on Carolina Station, the 2,600-acre D.H. Horton development at I-95 and U.S. 278 which includes construction of 3,800 homes and a Buc-ee’s.
Jasper’s current population at 38,533 compares to Beaufort County’s 201,775 as of the 2024 Census Bureau data.
While motorists continue to complain about the traffic, particularly along S.C. 170, which divides Beaufort and Jasper, county transportation planners are trying to develop improvement plans.
Two public meetings were held last month, March 11 and 12, to showcase the S.C. 170 Corridor Study, which covers the 14-mile stretch between S.C. 46 (May River Road) to U.S. 21 Business (Boundary Street).
Planners are accepting comments through April 17. For more information, see: www.lowcountrycog.org
Lolita Huckaby Watson is a community volunteer and newspaper columnist. In her former role as a reporter with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, Bluffton Today and Beaufort Today, she prided herself in trying to stay neutral and unbiased. As a columnist, these are her opinions. The Rowland, N.C. native’s goal is to be factual but opinionated, based on her own observations. Feel free to contact her at bftbay@gmail.com.