What should Beaufort look like in 2030? Here’s how the city is planning for the future

Should Beaufort have more affordable housing? More entertainment options for families and young people? How should it prepare for the prospect of rising sea levels and continued storms?

After a year in which Beaufort said goodbye to a visionary in Henry Chambers, the city is inviting dozens of people to decide the area’s direction for the next decade.

A group of all ages and disciplines will meet in two sessions early next year to lay the groundwork for city policymaking for the next decade. Students, educators, artists, business owners and local officials will be among the voices weighing in on how they want the city to look in 2030.

“In many cases, people we don’t normally hear from,” City Manager Bill Prokop said. “... The kids today that are 18 or 19 will be 30 years old, and what do they want the city to be when they’re 30 years old?”

City officials will hear about the project during a workshop at City Hall on Tuesday. More than 100 invitations started going out last week and will be trimmed to 80 people to sit in on meetings Jan. 17 and Feb. 13 in Beaufort.

The public will be invited to attend the sessions, which will be held at Tabby Place on Port Republic Street, but not to participate.

Rebecca Ryan, a consultant hired by the city to facilitate the discussion, will later provide a detailed report city officials will use to help guide decision-making. Ryan is a Wisconsin-based futurist and economist who has consulted for local governments and other organizations, including chambers of commerce in Charleston and Columbia, according to her website.

City officials decided during an annual retreat early this year to extend planning efforts beyond their usual two-year window, Prokop said.

In the short term, the city is working toward overhauling its drainage system in more vulnerable areas and smaller road projects following the completion of the $33 million Boundary Street work.

More long-term subjects could include the city’s continued growth on Lady’s Island and in the Burton area, the expected increasing threat from climate change and sea level rise, and a desire for higher-paying jobs, a variety of businesses and affordable living options.

This story was originally published December 10, 2018 at 3:35 PM.