POSTAL PATRON LOCAL
APRIL 13–19, 2023
WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
PRESORTED PERMIT NO. 97 BEAUFORT, SC 29902
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
LOWCOUNTRY LOWDOWN
LOLITA HUCKABY
To be, or not to be Hilton Head Island — That is the question
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BEAUFORT hether you like it or not, without the development of Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County would not be what it is today. Hmmmm. Interesting argument laid out by County Councilman Logan Cunningham, R-District 7 Bluffton, in his lone vote against making any changes to the St. Helena Cultural Protection Overlay District which might, or might not lead the way to the development of Pine Island. As much as County Administrator Eric Greenway tried to distance the two issues at Monday’s meeting — changes to the overlay district and Pine Island development — it was pretty obvious from the get-go that the crowd of residents who oppose plans for an exclusive gated golf resort weren’t buying it. First there was Community Services and Land Use committee’s
St. Helena Island resident Carolyn Jebaily, left, chats with Grant McClure of the Coastal Conservation League and his fiancé, Emma Barnes, prior the start of Monday night’s Beaufort County Council meeting regarding the proposed development of Pine Island. Bob Sofaly/The Island News
St. Helena defenders claim early win
SEE LOWDOWN PAGE A3
Revised amendment to strengthen CPO passes committee, 1st Council reading By Mike McCombs The Island News For those in opposition to a planned gated community and golf course (or three six-hole golf courses) on Pine Island and St. Helenaville on St. Helena Island, Monday was a good day.
In front of a packed County Council Chambers, a full hallway, dozens of people in the courtyard and two overflow viewing rooms, the Beaufort County Community Services and Land-Use Committee, with a 10-1 vote, approved a recommendation for changes in the language that would
strengthen the Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO), which is meant to guard against over-development on St. Helena Island and protect a way of life for what remain of the Gullah/ Geechee people.
SEE WIN PAGE A5
‘Keep Chelsea rural’
Hilton Head developer proposes 4,800 new homes in this ‘secret place’ By Kelly Jean Kelly and Tony Kukulich The Post And Courier
A handmade sign that appears along Euhaw Creek is part of a grassroots effort to stop an initiative that could bring nearly 5,000 new homes and commercial development to rural Jasper County. Tony Kukulich/The Post And Courier
H
RIDGELAND
WANT MORE? From Beaufort to Bluffton
and Hilton Head, The Post and omemade signs along the Courier covers news impacting shaded, two-lane highway your community. Subscribe for more local coverage at connecting Hilton Head to postandcourier.com/IslandNews. I-95 plead “Keep Chelsea Rural.” It is the cry of hundreds of residents who are trying to block a 1,500 acres of currently unincorpoproposal to build 4,800 homes on rated land in Jasper County.
The project would require the town of Ridgeland, population 3,700, to annex the land and rezone the area to allow more density. It would also potentially add 580,000-square-feet of commercial space along the highway and up to 75 new docks on Euhaw Creek, a tributary of
SEE RURAL PAGE A4
EDUCATION
VOICES
SPORTS
INSIDE
Youth In Aviation Program expanded to Bridges Preparatory.
Terry Manning: Poor character puts spotlight on weak laws.
Beaufort High boys surging in region race.
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