By Lolita Huckaby
Update on tree protections
PORT ROYAL
The Port Royal Town Council did a nice thing two weeks ago.
The council of four elected members and a mayor actually do a lot of nice things for their citizens, although some actions are more appreciated by the public than others.
Two weeks ago they unanimously agreed to table the first reading of proposed changes to the town’s tree ordinance, a document passed last year and touted as one of the strictest, in terms of tree protection, in the state.
When they passed the ordinance update, they promised they’d revisit the results of the new regulation. It was from that revisit that the proposals for change have come.
The proposed rewrite was presented to the Town Council at their June 5 workshop and, to the surprise of some, the first reading of the ordinance changes was on the June 12 agenda.
Thanks to an alert from the S.C. Coastal Conservation League, which tries to monitor all things environmental in a two-county range, a dozen dedicated tree huggers showed up for the council meeting and asked for a pause, to give time to review what’s being proposed.
And to the Council’s credit – maybe they were weary from budget work and ready for a little summer break – they responded, “we hear you.”
Now while the council doesn’t meet again until July 3, the public has time to review the changes which included, among other elements, decreasing the fines for removal. But, according to the town planner, the ordinance will still remain one of the strictest in the state.
The proposed ordinance reduces the mitigation fees from $750 per caliper inch to $250 for landmark trees and $500 to $100 for specimen trees. (“Landmark” and “specimen” refers to the tree’s size, not species.)
The draft also changes the review process for a removal request to give approval power to the staff Tree Review Committee instead of the citizen-appointed Design Review Board. The board, in the first year of the tree ordinance, reviewed fewer than a half-dozen requests for removal approval and have told the council they don’t mind the work.
The town’s Redevelopment Commission also asked that the town’s less restrictive original tree protection ordinance be used for future development projects within the Ribaut Road Overlay District, a zone which includes parcels like the still-wooded spot between Richland Avenue and Stuart Towne Apartments or the lovely, wooded spot formerly known as Kent’s Mobile Home Park. The undeveloped land wrapping around Alvin Ord’s, bordering on Johnny Morrall Circle is also within the zone.
Apparently, the prospective larger developers who have had their eye on Port Royal properties have been holding off with their plans while the town council reviews the ordinance. Hmmm. Kinda what the town council hoped would happen when, in April, they imposed a one-year moratorium on multi-family dwelling projects, which were popping up as fast as the town could annex the wooded tracts.
In the meantime, Beaufort City Council is continuing the rewrite of its development code which also includes revisions to their tree ordinance. They’re looking at changes which include increasing the fees for removal from $100 to $250 per caliper inch for landmark and $150 for specimen trees.
For anyone who would like more detail, or doesn’t have any good bedtime reading at hand, you can check out Port Royal’s s draft ordinance for yourself — 06122024-440 (portroyal.org) page 10-30.
Transportation sales tax proposal edging forward
BEAUFORT – Beaufort County Council members are making progress on the proposed transportation sales tax ordinance they plan to put before voters in November.
It’s taken a bit longer to draft the ordinance than they probably planned since the majority couldn’t agree, to begin with, how long the one percent sales tax would stay in place.
The citizens committee that worked for several months to come up with the proposal recommended 15 years and $1.625 billion. The County Council, once they got down to business after hiring a new administrator, said “nope,” too long.
They cut that time to 10 years which reduced the amount of money that could be raised to $950 million. Then they spent another three-hours hacking through the project wish list they would present the public.
Once they give this plan three votes of approval, the ordinance will be cleared for placement on the ballot and the elected officials will have to convince the public.
And if last week’s Beaufort City Council workshop was any indication, it’s going to be an uphill campaign. The City Council, which discussed the latest proposal without the benefit of any county traffic engineers present to answer questions, didn’t seem really keen on the project list.
They had a lot of questions and suggestions.
Public sentiment for the referendum, at this early point five months away from Election day, seems lacking. It’s going to be up to the municipal and county elected officials, who we turn to for solutions to our growing traffic issues, to show leadership. And if they know a better way to deal with the problems, other than raising money, they’ll need to speak up.
FYI: Jasper County Council is also considering a transportation sales tax question on its November ballot.
Their proposal is for a 15-year tax designed to raise $470 million. And their project wish list includes several U.S. 278 and U.S. 170 improvement projects which they hope to work with Beaufort County by combining dollars.
Harris Teeter: It’s open
LADY’S ISLAND – Yes, indeed. It’s open. And hopefully, traffic is still flowing and no one’s had to go to the hospital as a result of a car crash trying to get into their parking lot.
Be sure and enjoy the shaded parking lot!
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. Her goal is to be factual but opinionated, based on her own observations. Feel free to contact her at bftbay@gmail.com.
