In the end, it came down to two pages in a 296-page document.

Beaufort City Council approved 4 to 1 the first of two votes on the Civic Master Plan, which would guide the next century of growth. Councilman George O'Kelley Jr. voted against it the plan.

The plan outlines development of vacant and important properties; road and transportation changes; access to water; stormwater needs; parks; and areas targeted for economic development.

But before Tuesday night's council meeting vote, the audience, staff and city officials spent about two hours discussing the plan, with much of that focused on including changes recommended by preservationists.

Those changes, covered in two pages and referred to as the Seven Integrities for Historic Preservation, would be guidelines to help potential builders know if their projects fit in the historic district, said Maxine Lutz, executive director of the Historic Beaufort Foundation. Others supported the foundation's stance.

"All it takes is two pages and a vote yes, and you've taken it off your plate and you've made all preservationists and all future builders happy," resident Beth Grace said.

Not everyone agreed the integrities were necessary.

Councilman Mike McFee said he felt they were good, but generally already covered in the overall document.

Councilman Mike Sutton, a local contractor who does restoration work, said as long as current rules and procedures for building in the historic district remain in place, the integrities don't need to be included.

"I think, if we're going to keep the current process, I don't think we need another layer to tell us how to do it," he said.

Discussions also moved back and forth about the plan being conceptual versus regulatory.

The plan shows what is possible in areas, but does not force anyone to build what is shown, said Jon Verity, chairman of the Redevelopment Commission, which has recommended the plan's adoption.

"I've been listening to this for an hour, and, you know, none of this really matters," he said, adding that developers will build the projects they want.

But Historic Beaufort Foundation president Conway Ivy and O'Kelley were less convinced, and said that once a plan is on paper and has gone through the approval process, it could be pushed through.

"Whether it has a legal basis or not, it becomes part of the argument," Ivy said.

The plan is expected to be voted on a second and final time Jan. 28.

Mayor Billy Keyserling said he wants to try to find a compromise that could add some of the language preservationists want.

Follow reporter Erin Moody at twitter.com/IPBG_Erin.

Follow reporter Erin Moody at twitter.com/IPBG_Erin.

Related content:

• Civic Master Plan, last updated Nov. 4, 2013
• Edits/changes specific to Nov. 4, 2013, draft of Beaufort Civic Master Plan
• Public hearing, first vote on proposed Civic Master Plan set Jan. 14, Dec. 10, 2013
• Planning commission recommends adoption of Beaufort Civic Master Plan, Nov. 18, 2013
• Additional input sought on Beaufort's Civic Master Plan, Nov. 18, 2013
• Civic Master Plan vote tabled by Metropolitan Planning Commission, Oct. 21, 2013