Rural and Critical Lands

BEAUFORT COUNTY

RURAL AND CRITICAL LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM

The Beaufort County Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program is the means by which Beaufort County Council acquires property for conservation, parks, buffers, scenic vistas and for preservation of valuable economic and natural resources. The program is especially important during this time of rapid growth as land preservation eliminates the possibility of development in sensitive areas and reduces the burdens placed upon highway systems and public services.

Land acquisitions may be made by an ordinary fee simple purchase or by a purchase or donation of development rights, which often allows the property owner and his family to remain on the land and use it for farming, hunting, fishing or other historic purposes agreed upon at the time of sale. A conservation easement, which forever protects the land from development, may also be negotiated.

Sometimes a landowner will offer a cash gift to the county to help pay for shaping the land into a park. The gift will not only benefit members of the public who get to enjoy use of the park, it may also provide a tax benefit to the seller.

Rural and Critical Land Board

Beaufort County is making great progress in the acquisition of valuable properties. We continually update this web page with new photos and descriptions. You may CLICK HERE if you would like to see a detailed spreadsheet of all projects.

Beaufort County Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program Overview

A new $50 million bond passed in November 2006 and will provide continued funding for the highly successful conservation program. In 2006 TPL updated the 2003 Greenprint, a map that guides the program, through a generous grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.

Acquisitions to date have prevented hundreds of acres from being developed in dense urban uses. This represents thousands of dwelling units and hundreds of acres of commercial development along the US 278 corridor alone. County-wide, this has reduced potential traffic impacts by an estimated 26,000 vehicle trips per day!

The Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) was engaged by Beaufort County in 2003 to help identify and negotiate purchases of valuable parcels of land throughout the county. Through TPL’s expertise, the county has accelerated its conservation projects and has achieved greater success in acquiring land. TPL is often able to leverage the county’s funding with outside funding and gifts of land value and cash donations for planning and development. Every 70 cents spent on land acquisitions has resulted in $1 of property value due to bargain purchases, donations and cash gifts for preservation and the creation of parks.

TPL was formed in 1972 and is based in San Francisco, CA. TPL is a 501-C (3) non-profit organization. By 2005, it had helped preserve 1.9 million acres and nearly $4-billion in land value across the nation. www.tpl.org

Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program Advisory Board

The Beaufort County Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program is administered by Beaufort County Council with the help of a volunteer advisory board composed of 11 citizens - one from each council district – and appointed by council. The board meets on a monthly basis and makes recommendations to council’s Land Management Committee regarding land purchases. The committee then forwards its recommendations to the full council.

The Beaufort County Greenprint

The Beaufort County Greenprint was prepared by TPL following many community meetings seeking input from residents on lands that should be preserved through the Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program. The plan was adopted by Beaufort County Council in April, 2004. It helps guide spending of current and future Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program funds and is a living, breathing document that will change through time. Click Here to view the Greenprint Map

The Beaufort County Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program To Date

Beaufort County has acquired many valuable properties. Click here for a complete list. .

Lady’s Island

Crystal Lake

Three adjoining parcels on Lady’s Island will create a new passive and educational park designed to offer environmental learning opportunities for school children and adults. The park is in the early planning stages and will provide protection of Crystal Lake and its surrounding wetlands. It will also offer a scenic vista from Hwy 802. The park property includes three acquisitions:

A 6.1 acre freshwater lake known as Crystal Lake and 1.9 acres of adjoining high ground donated by the Stewart Family Foundation.
The Flint North tract - 3.9 acres of high ground adjacent to the lake off Hwy 802. This was a fee simple purchase for $300,000 from a seller in Savannah.
4.3 acres of marsh and high ground that front hwy 802. The former Butler Marine site, the parcel was purchased for $1,250,000.

Bluffton

1. Okatie River Headwaters Regional Park Preserve

Three adjoining acquisitions together total 148 acres with 2,500 linear feet along the Okatie River. These properties protect the river’s fragile headwaters. They were purchased for a total of $9.9 million. A cash gift from a landowner will fund initial development of the passive park preserve with hiking trails and recreational areas.

The park site includes the following 3 purchases:

a. Okatie Headwaters West

81-acres on the west side of the Okatie River, south of US 278 within the Buckwalter Planned Unit Development (PUD).
Protects approximately 1800 linear feet of shoreline.
Removes 15 acres of potential commercial development and 500 dwelling units.

b. Okatie Headwaters South

35 acres along the south end of the headwaters of the Okatie River in Bluffton within the Buckwalter PUD.
Includes marsh, maritime forest and high ground.
Removes 150 multi family residential units from development.

c. Barrel Landing

30.7 acres near McGarvey’s Corner zoned for light industrial use.
Approximately 1,400 linear feet of frontage along the western shoreline of the Okatie River north of US 278.

2. Bluffton Oyster Company

The site, home to one of the last oyster-shucking factories in South Carolina, is now a Beaufort County passive park.
5 acres fronting Wharf Street.
$2.5 million total purchase price, funded by the Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program in cooperation with the Beaufort County Open Land Trust and Town of Bluffton.

3. Pinckney Colony Preserve

38 acres at US 278 and Pinckney Colony Rd.
Includes 27 acres of pristine freshwater wetlands.
2 acres of commercial development removed from the US 278 corridor.
Purchase price of $3,150,000.

e. Calhoun Plantation

86 acres in Pinckney Colony community.
145 acres of Farmland, frontage on Colleton River protected by conservation easement.

$850,000 purchase of development rights and a conservation easement will prevent residential development of as many as 80 units on land valued at more than $2,300,000.

The conservation easement is held by the Beaufort County Open Land Trust.

f. The Alan Ulmer Property

An historic partnership between Beaufort County and the Town of Hilton Head Island in March of 2006 resulted in the preservation of this 450-acre tract on the May River belonging to Alan Ulmer, Jr. The parcel consists of 110 acres of uplands adjacent to the marshes of the river, 30 acres of marshlands and 9 islands. The acquisition is the first of 5 tracts totaling 1500 acres that Ulmer family members have agreed to place under a conservation easement. This means the elimination of as many as 5,000 dwellings and 100 acres of commercial space - a scale comparable to Hilton Head Plantation. It would have added more than 80,000 vehicle trips per day on an already over-burdened US 278 and other county roads.

110 acres of mainland, 9 islands and marshlands on the May River near Calibogue Sound
Purchase of a conservation easement for $3.1 million split equally between Beaufort County and Town of Hilton Head
Agreement allows for the Ulmer family to continue farming and build up to 4 homes
Will protect the waters of the May River and reduce the strain on services as well as US 278 - especially at the Moss Creek intersection.

Historic Sites

1. Altamaha Property - Heyward Point

100 acre site of former Native American settlement (Yamasse Tribe) and Heyward Plantation in Bluffton.

Partial funding from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources ($300,000).

Fee simple purchase of $3.1 million.

Will be preserved as an historic site with a portion used as a passive park to be opened this spring thanks to a gift from the seller.

	*2. Fort Fremont – St. Helena Island* More than 14-acres on southern St. Helena Island. Includes intact ruins of historic Spanish American War fort (Ft. Fremont), 900 ft. of beach frontage and maritime forest. Fee simple purchase $5,400,000 for two adjoining parcels. Will be preserved as an historic site and public park to be opened in late summer thanks to a gift from the seller.
History of Fort Fremont Fort Fremont, built in 1898, was one six fortifications built to protect the Southeastern Coast of the U.S. during the Spanish American War. It was actually completed after the War ended and never saw action. It is named after Major General John C. Fremont who was a Civil War General, an explorer, and the Republican Presidential candidate in 1856. In 1901 the fort was turned over to the 116th Coast Artillery and was garrisoned by the 116th until it was decommissioned in 1911. In 1930 the property was sold to private owners and remained in private hands until Beaufort County purchased the two batteries and adjacent land in 2005. The Fort Fremont complex covered 70 acres. It had a 10 inch gun battery and a rapid fire battery as well as a number of buildings including barracks, guard houses, stables, a hospital, commissary, post exchange, and numerous other support buildings. Approximately 100 officers and men were stationed there. Only the two batteries and the hospital building, which is now a private residence, remain.
3. Ft. Frederick –Port Royal Purchase price of $325,000 was significantly below appraised value 2.17 acres on the Beaufort River adjacent to a county boat landing near the Naval Hospital Offers opportunity for expansion of the boat landing and protection of historic Ft. Frederick. This site is one of 3 in the county where the first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation was said to have been read publicly.

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

Through the Rural and Critical Lands program, Beaufort County Council has acquired property to prevent the encroachment of future development upon Beaufort’s Marine Corps Air Station. In fact, Beaufort County was the first local government in the nation to partner with the US government by and through the Department of the Navy for protection of a Marine Corps facility under specific federal legislation. The S.C. General Assembly has commended county council for this achievement. The acquisition of development rights of these parcels will preserve wildlife habitat and natural resources, alleviate traffic congestion, support our national defense and demonstrate the county’s high regard for its military installations.

1. Winn Property – Grays Hill

69-acre rural site adjacent to Marine Corps Air Station
50% of $311,250 total purchase price of development rights funded by Department of Defense.
Protects the air station from the encroachment of future development of new homes or commercial development.
Site includes wetlands, ponds, maritime forest and farmland.

2. Battey/Wilson Property – Lady’s Island

65 rural acres off Brickyard Point Road within Jack’s Island Priority Area on county Greenprint
Borders on more than 3,200 ft. of Johnson Landing Creek.
Purchase price of $800,000 paid by county and Marine Corps (50/50)
Property will limit encroachment of MCAS, protect water, and reduce traffic flow on Sams Pt. Rd. through elimination of possible residential development on 3-acre lots.

3. Lucky Property – Gray’s Hill

71 acre farmland north of MCAS with one rental unit and a small fishing pond and13 acres of freshwater wetland
Purchase price of $750,000 of which MCAS paid $232,875 for development rights
Eliminates the future possibility of 25 homes.
Includes rental unit which generates $650 mo.
Potential for resale or lease with conservation easement limiting use to 1 residence or passive recreational use

4. Amgray Property – Beaufort (US 21)

21 acres fronting on US 21 across from MCAS
Property donated by owner
Will help provide a green corridor buffer for MCAS
Opportunity for stormwater management use of the property

Hilton Head Island

1. Aranda Property

3.5 acres on Hilton Head Island.
Frontage on deep water and marshes of Jarvis Creek, maritime forest.
Fee simple purchase $1,250,000 shared equally with Town of Hilton Head.
Will protect a favorite local fishing, shrimping and crabbing site.

2. Ford Shell Ring Property, Squire Pope Road

This 6.8 acre parcel contains Native American shell rings believed to have held ceremonial importance. The site is also home to the remains of a freedman’s cottage.
The $3.95 million total purchase price was paid with a $1.97 million contribution from the Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program and $1.97 million from the Town of Hilton Head Island.

3. Green Shell Ring Property, Squire Pope Road

Funded by $100,000 contribution from Rural and Critical Land preservation Program.
Site is now a passive park in the Stoney community.

St. Helena Island

1. Baringer Property

1.7 acres on northern St. Helena Island .
Frontage on the deep waters of Jenkins Creek adjacent to existing county boat landing.
Fee simple purchase of $375,000.
Will provide recreational opportunities for boating, fishing.

2. Penn Center Tree Farm

195 acres on Land’s End Rd.
Total purchase price of development rights was $838,000 was split equally between the Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program and the U.S.D.A. Farmland Protection Program.

3. Marsh and Water Vista

Three adjoining parcels of marshlands along US 21 totaling 8.5 acres preserve a breathtaking Lowcountry view.
Total purchase price of $327,000 – all but $110,000 donated by Beaufort County.
Property is owned by the Beaufort County Open Land Trust. These parcels were purchased in 1998 and were among the first purchased by the county for preservation purposes.

4. Johnson Ck. And Machete Flatts Islands

8 undeveloped islands comprising 11.7 acres between St. Helena and Hunting Islands
$600,000 fee acquisition funded with in part through $300,000 grant from SC Conservation Bank.
Acquisition removes possibility of docks and additional fish camps and protects the view shed in the Harbor River chain and Johnson Ck.
Conservation easements will be placed on the property and it will be turned over to the State of S.C. (Hunting Island State Park) for management

Ace Basin

1. Buzzard Island

120 acres now open for public use
$600,000 total purchase price.
$150,000 contribution from Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program with the remainder coming from the state and federal governments.

2. North Williman Island

8,000 acres now open for public use
$4 million total purchase price.
$1 million contribution from Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program with the remainder coming from the state and federal governments.

Islands

1. Palm, Murdaugh and Legare

Approximately 25 acres total in Eddings Creek now open for public use
Accessible only by water
$1.8 million purchase price, funded by Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program.

2. Charlotte Island

33.7 acres in Battery Creek now open land for public use
$980,000 purchase price, funded by Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program.

3. Lemon Island

411 acres in southern Beaufort County
The island is protected by a conservation easement, purchased for $2.75 million from a 1999 Beaufort County general obligation bond and was purchased in cooperation with the Beaufort County Open Land Trust.