<strong>From staff reports</strong>

Beaufort County’s Passive Parks Manager is seeking public input in developing the conceptual master plan for Okatie River Park.

A survey will be available to the public until Sunday, April 4, by visiting https://bit.ly/3tMubgk.

Okatie River Park is 18 linear acres of pasture under a grand live oak tree canopy along the headwaters of the Okatie River in the Bluffton area. The property was purchased by the County in 2013 under the Rural and Critical Lands Preservation Program to protect the Okatie River from development along its banks as well as allowing public access for passive recreation.

County code defines passive recreation as “recreation requiring little or no physical exertion focusing on the enjoyment of one’s natural surroundings. In determining appropriate recreational uses of passive parks, the promotion and development of resource-based activities such as fishing, camping, hunting, boating, gardening, bicycling, nature studies, horse-back riding, visiting historic sites, hiking, etc., shall be the predominate measure for passive park utilization.”

Currently, the property is not open to the public. However, the County and the adjacent Pepper Hall Plantation developer(s) are working together to provide future public access from Highway 278.

Public input will be directly used to create the conceptual master plan, which will be presented in an upcoming outdoor open house. For more information about the Passive Parks Program please visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/passiveparks or call 843-255-2152.