THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOWCOUNTRY MAKING NEWS. BIG NIGHT TONIGHT AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING AT THE BURTON WELLS REC CENTER AT 6 AS THE DEVELOPERS OF THE PINE ISLAND PROJECT ON ST. HELENA ISLAND TAKE A SECOND SWING AT TRYING TO CHANGE ZONING SO THEY CAN BUILD A GATED HOUSING PROJECT INCLUDING A GOLF COURSE. THOSE DEVELOPERS ARE TRYING TO GET THE CULTURAL PROTECTION OVERLAY REMOVED FROM THE AREA, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR A GOLF COURSE TO BE BUILT ON THE PROPERTY. THAT OVERLAY WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 1999 TO PROTECT GULLAH/GEECHEE CULTURE IN THE AREA. THIS TIME AROUND, THE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL HEAR ABOUT THE OVERLAY AND THE PROJECT ITSELF AT THE SAME TIME. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THE ZONING MAP APPLICATION ALONE WAS DEFEATED BY A 9-1 VOTE.
AFTER NEARLY THREE YEARS OF DEBATE OVER THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF THE TICKTON HALL PROPERTY INTO RIDGELAND, THE TOWN COUNCIL THERE HAS FINALLY VOTED NOT TO TAKE IN THE 14-HUNDRED ACRES AND ALLOW DEVELOPER ROBERT GRAVES TO BUILD NEARLY 2-THOUSAND HOMES AND 250-THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL SPACE BETWEEN HIGHWAY 462 AND EUHAW CREEK NEAR THE NEW CHELSEA PLANTATION STATE FOREST THAT WAS JUST BOUGHT BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY. COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE CONCERNED WITH BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE AREA AND RESIDENT SENTIMENT WAS STRONG ABOUT THE ISSUE. GRAVES MUST NOW WAIT A YEAR TO POTENTIALLY RE-SUBMIT A PROPOSAL.
ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS DIED FROM EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS, TRIPLE-E, THE FIRST KNOWN DEATH FROM THAT VIRUS IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS, THE FIRST CASE REPORTED SINCE 2020. THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS NOT RELEASING ANY DETAILS, NO NAME, NOT EVEN WHERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THE MOSQUITO-PASSED VIRUS WAS REPORTED, BUT COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THAT MOSQUITO SPRAYING WILL BE INCREASED IN THE AREA. TRIPLE-E IS NOT USUALLY FATAL, IDENTIFIED BY FEVER, CHILLS, BODY ACHES AND JOINT PAIN. AS FOR THINGS WE CAN DO- EXPERTS ADVISE TO WEAR LIGHT-FITTING LONG SLEEVES AND PANTS, APPLY REPELLENTS USING DEET, AND ELIMINATING MOSQUITO BREEDING GROUNDS LIKE STANDING WATER.
WE TOLD YOU LAST WEEK THAT BLUFFTON’S TOWN COUNCIL ELECTION WILL INVOLVE ONLY INCUMBENTS RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION. THAT’S ALMOST THE CASE IN PORT ROYAL, WHERE TWO INCUMBENTS SEE ONLY ONE OTHER OPPONENT ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. MARY BETH GRAY HEYWARD AND DARRYL OWENS ARE RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION WITH ANGIE TILLMAN THE ONLY CHALLENGER. THE TOP TWO VOTE-GETTERS WILL BE ELECTED.