Officials reach quick agreement concerning the future of Sands boat ramp in Port Royal
The Town of Port Royal, Safe Harbor Marinas and Beaufort County have reached a deal that will keep the popular Sands Beach boat ramp open and maintained, Port Royal Mayor Joe DeVito said Monday.
Under an agreement, Safe Harbor Marinas will deed the floating boat dock to the Town, DeVito said. Then the County and Town will sign an agreement saying the County will maintain the landing. The Town, meanwhile, will continue to maintain the parking lot, which it already owns.
Officials with the Town, County and Safe Harbor Marinas met to discuss ownership and maintenance issues that had arisen recently, prompting concerns the popular landing could close just as the busy summer season begins and Port Royal begins repaving the parking lot abutting it.
“It was extremely productive, “ DeVito said of the meeting, adding a solid plan is now in place to keep it open and to maintain it.
Last year, the Beaufort County Public Works Department and Legal Department conducted an ownership and title research on several of the boat landings it maintains including The Sands. Based on that research, it was determined that The Sands is owned by Safe Harbor Marinas.
Then on April 26, the County, which currently maintains the boat ramp, notified the Town it was transferring maintenance responsibilities to Safe Harbor July 1.
County officials said they were concerned about spending money maintaining property the County did not own. The Town of Port Royal was worried about ensuring the landing remains open to the public, especially since the transfer would occur just before July 4.
Monday’s deal averting a closure or future maintenance issues will keep the boat landing open for summer season and beyond, DeVito said, and county plans to begin planning for immediate repairs needed on a portion of the floating dock.
“We all had to the same goal in mind to keep that boat landing open,” DeVito said. “We now feel there’s no longer a deadline looming over us. Now it’s just a matter of paperwork.”
The County had maintained the boat landing for decades but could not find any ownership records. It’s reviewing all of its boat landings and public accesses as it develops a master plan for those sites.
Beaufort County spokesperson Chris Ophardt thanked Port Royal and Safe Harbor for their support in clearing up the owner status and necessary legal requirements to keep the boat landing open to the public.
“Over the next few weeks,” Ophardt said, “we look forward to putting the verbal agreement on paper and including the landing in our boat landing master plan.”
Port Royal has authorized $80,000 for repairs, resurfacing and restriping of the parking lot. That work began Monday and will continued through Friday.
This story was originally published May 9, 2022 at 5:19 PM.
