Beaufort’s comprehensive plan is ‘step backward,’ group says. What do you think?
The city is rewriting its comprehensive plan, which guides planning, zoning and development decisions, and it’s asking the public for input.
One group, the Coastal Conservation League, is criticizing the draft document, both the substance and the process used to create it. The city is defending the plan and the process.
“A comprehensive plan sets forth a community’s goals and vision for the future,” Jessie White, CCL’s South Coast office director, says in written comments to the city. “It provides a check on local government action, acting almost as a mission statement for the community. If adopted in its current state, the document could be a significant step backward.”
The document addresses land use, housing, community facilities, cultural and natural resources, and transportation, and it recommends initiatives in those areas.
The city has scheduled sessions for the public to review the draft from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and 2 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.
As for the process, White says the city should have gathered input from the public first, before releasing a draft, in order to get a better sense of what should be included.
She’s also urging city leaders to hire a planning consultant, go back to the drawing board for some sections and seek an extension from the state to finish the plan if need be.
“This is not the time to do the bare minimum,” said White, calling the draft disappointing. “If anything, we should invest more in the planning process.”
It’s the first time the Department of Community and Economic Development has updated the plan since 2009.
Responding to criticism
David Prichard, Community and Economic Development director, said his office is under a tight timeline to get the comprehensive plan done. Cities already received one extension because of COVID-19.
He defended the process.
Having public meetings before a draft plan is issued is conventional, he said. But it is not the only way.
In addition, over the past several years, the city has had ample public outreach as it completed different types of planning documents and strategic planning. One example Prichard gave was the “Futures Lab — Beaufort 2030” effort in 2019 when community members discussed projects, trends and the future.
“They just weren’t called comprehensive plan meetings,” Prichard said.
And sometimes the city gets better feedback when residents have something to respond to, such as the draft that’s out for comment now, he said.
White said she understands that most of the draft plan was pulled from other documents, all of which had considerable public input. She adds that there is a reason that state law requires that comprehensive plans be updated every five years and rewritten every 10 years. That’s because circumstances on the ground change.
“In the time since any of those documents were written, we’ve experienced a global pandemic, a real estate boom, a massive uptick in development, an affordable housing gap that only grows wider, rising seas, increased flooding during rain events, and a heightened focus on race relations,” White said.
CCL calls the lack of details on existing and future land uses “startling.”
“This section is particularly daunting for a planning staff that is already overworked and under water,” White wrote.
While noting its expertise is in land use and natural resources, CCL also points out what it calls deficiencies in other categories, including the economic development portion.
The plan contains few references to the military bases that provide an annual economic impact of around $2.2 billion in Beaufort County, CCL says. These installations’ futures are directly tied to the city and are, to some extent, “at risk,” said White, referring to Marine Air Corps Air Station Beaufort and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.
“Last year’s mandate to integrate male and female recruit training created a threat that MCRD might close,” White said. “The installations are also particularly vulnerable to sea level rise and the impacts of climate change.”
How to comment
The city’s planning staff is asking for feedback and comment as it continues to refine the plan. Input and feedback should be emailed to Senior Planner DanFrazier at dfrazier@cityofbeaufort.org. Public comment via electronic means will be closed on Aug. 20.
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 3:01 PM.
