Port Royal now has Safe Harbor’s attention. ‘They didn’t just tell us to go pound sand’
Last year ended with Port Royal sending a stern six-page letter to Safe Harbor Marinas outlining the town’s disappointment with the lack of progress in its development of the port of Port Royal.
But, according to town manager Van Willis, the new year has brought a glimmer of good news.
The letter to Safe Harbor in late December demanded answers. On Wednesday, Safe Harbor responded, and Willis said, “I think we’re moving in the right direction.” Willis updated the members of the Town Council at a meeting Wednesday evening.
Mayor Kevin Phillips said Wednesday the response was a welcome and a positive development. “They didn’t tell us to just go pound sand.”
The full contents of the response have not yet been made public.
Safe Harbor is developing two miles of waterfront known as Port Royal’s “front porch” because of its sweeping views of Battery Creek and beyond. Safe Harbor is planning what it describes as world-class marina and ancillary businesses and hundreds of units of housing. The town also hopes to see restaurants and a public promenade. But residents and town leaders alike have been frustrated by delays and plan changes. The construction of rental townhomes — rather than owner occupied units — was soundly criticized by residents and political leaders. Further, town officials expressed in the December letter that the council does not condone Safe Harbor using the waterfront for industrial uses unrelated to the local marina development, particularly the placement of unsightly large cranes used for assembling docks for use at Safe Harbor properties elsewhere.
Included with the letter were details of the development including an easement needed to extend the popular Spanish Moss Trail across Safe Harbor land, and a land swap the town needs to build a sea food processing facility near a new shrimp dock planned between Fish Camp on 11th Street and the Shellring Ale Works.
Town officials, including its legal counsel, still were evaluating the information as of Wednesday, Willis added.
The letter, he noted, included dozens of pages along with deeds and easement information. “They are paying attention so hopefully we can get some progress on this port development,” Phillips said.
Last month, when the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet asked Safe Harbor for a response to the town’s concerns, Clark responded: “Safe Harbor and its partners are eager to continue development in Port Royal but require support from the town to advance the project.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2024 at 11:31 AM.
