This Monday, May 2nd, Beaufort County Planning Commission will consider changes to its tree ordinance.
Tree ordinances are a county-wide tool used to protect trees as development and redevelopment occurs. These ordinances should be comprehensive in nature, as trees help keep air clean, reduce runoff to rivers and tidal creeks, and contribute to the Lowcountry views and way of life.
We believe the tree ordinance should be consistent, encourage wildlife corridors, and be appropriate for the scale of development.
The Beaufort County tree ordinance also needs to be consistent with neighboring rules in the Beaufort, Port Royal, Town of Bluffton and Hilton Head.
Trees should not be isolated, but, rather, large buffers and habitat corridors should be encouraged.
Finally, redevelopment on an individual property is different from large builders who can buy, bulldoze, and development many acres at a time, so the regulations should be different for individual lots and large development properties.
Help us protect Beaufort trees.