By Lolita Huckaby
BEAUFORT
Beaufort City Council’s meeting last week (Aug. 18) provided a perfect scenario of the complex dilemma elected officials have to tackle in terms of community growth versus preservation of a certain quality of life.
The issue was a rezoning request for 1556 Salem Road, the former Beaufort Gazette building which has sat empty since 2008 when the remaining Gazetteers high-tailed it over to the Island Packet offices in Bluffton.
(According to remarks during the meeting, the news folks have been replaced by homeless individuals and vandals targeting the former office building.)
Andy Martin, owner of Tidewater Windows and Doors, had been working with city planning staff for almost a year to restore the building for use as a storage warehouse.
During the process city planners realized the plans required a rezoning from T-4 Neighborhood use to Regional Mixed Use zone. The city planning commission was okay with the idea as was the City Council, which gave a first reading vote of approval for the change in June.
At this month’s meeting, where a final vote on the rezoning request was scheduled, neighbors primarily from the Live Oaks at Battery Creek neighborhood, spoke out against the request, arguing the new zone might allow for more intense development.
Opponents also argued new regulations might allow more development on Salem Road, already one of the city’s busiest neighborhood roads providing access to Garden Oaks apartments, Salem Bay and Battery Point neighborhoods.
Martin told council he’s already been approached by out-of-state developers interested in the property for future apartment complexes.
But his arguments failed to sway four of the City Council members – Mike McFee, Mitch Mitchell, Josh Scallate and Mayor Phil Cromer. Only Councilman Neil Lipsitz voted to support the rezoning.
Martin, obviously frustrated by the council’s reversal and what he called “underhanded dealings” did have an interesting observation.
Basically: People are concerned about what’s going to happen here in the future? Well, if you believe in global warming, Beaufort’s all going to eventually be underwater, and none of this will matter.
So much for planning, or zoning, for that matter.
Stage set for November elections – Farewell to those with experience
BEAUFORT — Following last week’s filing deadline for individuals wishing to run in the November general election, the local stage appears set for some interesting races.
The Aug. 17 deadline also signaled the beginning of the end for at least two veteran politicians – Beaufort City Councilman Mike McFee and Beaufort County Board of Education member Dick Geier.
While both had earlier announced their intentions not to seek re-election earlier in the summer, both have supporters who hoped they might change their minds.
Neither did, and McFee, after 18 years on the City Council, including service as Mayor pro tem, and Geier with eight years on the school board including service as Chairman, will be stepping out of the limelight after the November elections and their replacements are sworn in.
They will be joining Sheriff P.J. Tanner who, after 28 years, is not seeking re-election and five Beaufort County Council members – Chairwoman Alice Howard, Larry McElynn and Joe Passiment, who opted not to see re-election; and Tom Reitz and Paula Brown, who lost in this spring’s Republican primary – will bid adios.
The departure of these elected officials for sure, will be treated with retirement parties and proclamations.
That’s a lot of leadership experience walking out the door.
Bye, bye, Grace Cordial
BEAUFORT — On the subject of departures – and Lord knows, it seems to be happening a lot – Grace Cordial, director of Beaufort Library’s District Collection, made her exit last week after 27 years with the organization.
Anyone who’s done any historic research in the area has benefited from Cordial’s professionalism and the collection of materials she has compiled is significant.
But as Cordial told County Council and Beaufort City Council last week, “it’s been a good run but it’s done.”
We should all be so lucky.
Updates
During last week’s neighborhood meeting at city hall, Dominion Energy representatives confirmed they’re working on an inventory list of utility lines attached to their wooden poles around town.
The issue of surplus wires has been raised by some citizens especially after city officials confirmed they’re not sure whose lines are up there and even if those lines are still active.
The city has an ordinance that requires the various utilities to remove lines no longer in use so once Dominion gives them a list, perhaps action will be taken to remove all those dangling wires.
Fingers crossed.
Also, still in the works but behind closed doors, the Beaufort County Council is waiting for results of an outside review of county management.
The directive for the action was to determine if “relevant laws and county ordinances” were being followed.
The council two weeks ago got a briefing from their attorney, Robert Achurch, about the status of the review they requested in June.
Achurch, as managing partner of Howell, Gibson and Hughes, is now under contract with the county to serve as legal counsel for the County Council. This is a separate from the county’s own legal department, headed by Brian Hulbert.
Council members now expect to get at least an “interim report” from the consultants next month.
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.