After more than a year of trying to make their case for an ecotourism resort on a barrier island in Beaufort County, developers from Bay Point Island LLC were shut out by the county’s Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday, Sept. 24.

The 50-acre resort was to feature 50 cottages that developers said would blend in with the tree line and have little impact on the surrounding environment, but planning board members weren’t convinced Thursday night.

In a unanimous five-member vote, the project was denied for five reasons. Board members found it inconsistent with the county’s plan to protect rural resources, incompatible with land in the local vicinity, not designed to minimize the impacts on wildlife, not designed to minimize the impacts on local services, such as emergency or fire protection, and did not meet the definition of ecotourism.

<em>–Mindy Lucas</em>

<em>Look for the full story in the next edition of The Island News, Oct. 1.</em>

&nbsp;

<em>Above: Hilton Head Island attorney Tom Taylor attempts to make the case for an ecotourism resort on Bay Point, while developer Art Krebs (on the left) looks on. Photo by Mindy Lucas</em>