Port Royal to preserve property it receives in waterfront land swap with Safe Harbor
The town of Port Royal and a developer are close to closing on a land swap that would put untouched land with views of the marsh — where houses had been planned — into the public’s hands.
If the deal is finalized, Port Royal plans to preserve the property, probably as a park, and eventually connect it to the popular Sands Beach.
Under the proposal, Port Royal would take ownership of 4.8 acres from Safe Harbor Marinas. The land, which has expansive views of marshland abutting Battery Creek, begins at London Avenue and follows the north side of Sands Beach Road east and then south, toward the beach.
Safe Harbor, which is redeveloping long-vacant Port of Port Royal waterfront, had been planning to build homes on the land.
“We’ve talked about it for years,” said Mary Beth Heyward, a member of the Town Council, “because the people did not want the homes on that side of the road.”
Safe Harbor Marinas would get 2.3 acres from the town located on 6th street that’s closer to its development plans. One corner is next to the large dry stack boat storage building. Another abuts Sands Beach Road.
The swap will open up opportunities to link the preserved land with Sands Beach with a boardwalk, Mayor Joe DeVito and Councilman Darryl Owens said.
“You’ll have the upper wetlands, the grass, the trees wrapping all the way down into Sands Beach Park,” DeVito said
Linking a new boardwalk with an existing boardwalk along Battery Creek that leads to a lookout tower also is possible, the mayor said.
Councilman Kevin Phillips noted that the town would receive a larger piece of land than it would be giving up in the exchange.
“It saves the view,” Phillips said of the land swap, “and creates more green space.”
Safe Harbor Marinas is redeveloping 50 acres of high ground that’s part of 317 acres it owns on the waterfront with a marina, residential housing, and restaurants. It purchased the property from Grey Ghost Properties, LLC in December 2021 for $20.5 million. The land includes a dry stack boat storage business and the former state of South Carolina State Ports Authority terminal.
Public green space requirements are a key part of the redevelopment agreement the town has with Safe Harbor.
The Town Council gave preliminary approval to the land exchange Dec. 14. A final vote is expected in January.
This story was originally published December 26, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
