Okatie Village moves another step forward

A proposed 1,252-home development on what is now rural land is one vote away from moving forward.

The Beaufort County Council approved the development 9-2at a Monday meeting on the second of three required readings.

During negotiations with the county, the developers promised to pay about $10.4 million toward construction of new schools in addition to impact fees for schools and infrastructure that residents of the community would pay.

The developers also agreed to tighten environmental standards to protect the nearby Okatie River from pollution and to build more than 50 affordable housing units.

Those concessions were made in

exchange for the county relaxing its zoning rules, which currently allow one unit per three acres on the 284 acres off S.C. 170. The developers want to build 4.4 units per acre on the property.

Councilman Paul Sommerville said he reluctantly was voting to support the development.

"If I lived down there, I wouldn't want to see anything happen on that property," said Sommerville, who said he's been saddened by prior waves of development in the county.

"But it's not going to remain rural because no one can sit on such expensive land," he said.

He said he was elected to make sure development is well-planned and pays for itself, adding that he believes Okatie Village meets both marks.

But that didn't appease several neighbors of the proposed community, who said they were upset that the development would change their quiet way of life.

"It's been alluded to that we can't wait to be part of the modern world," said Joe Duggan. "But that couldn't be further from the truth."

Councilman Steve Baer said he moved to the area from New Jersey to get away from runaway development, and he's worried the county is repeating mistakes that have been made in that part of the country.

"We're going to Jersey-fy 170. ... (In New Jersey) we became a national joke."

Councilman Weston Newton said no matter how good the water quality protections are for the project, he's concerned a new development might still degrade the Okatie River.

"We only have one chance to make sure we're not ruining the very things that distinguish us from anywhere else in the world, and the bounty that comes out of our rivers is something we absolutely must do everything we can to protect," he said before the meeting.

Councilman Skeet Von Harten described the council's deliberations on Okatie Village as extensive and difficult.

"We listened to the people, we listened to the developers, we listened to our hearts," he said.

Ultimately, Von Harten said approving Okatie Village was the best way to manage growth in the county, which he said is inescapable.