Earlier this week, during multiple Beaufort County committee meetings, an attorney representing the Pine Island developers reintroduced plans for a golf resort on the Pine Island property on St. Helena Island.
Yet again, the representative of Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC is requesting permission to remove Pine Island from St. Helena’s long-standing Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) zoning. This latest proposal substantially mirrors the original proposal that was first introduced in 2022 and soundly rejected by the community and Beaufort County Council in 2023.
However it is packaged, a gated golf resort still conflicts with St. Helena’s CPO zoning that clearly prohibits this development to protect the rural sea island’s character and Gullah/Geechee culture, identity and land.
The proposal may go to the Beaufort County Planning Commission as early as next month, and then to Beaufort County Council in the following months. It’s possible this could come up during public comment at the coming County Council meeting this Monday, April 14 at 6:00 PM (Note location change: Beaufort County Council meeting at City Hall, 1911 Boundary Street). Join us on Monday to give public comment during this first opportunity to let Beaufort County know we still stand behind the CPO.
Meanwhile, the Pine Island developers continue to pursue litigation, with two ongoing lawsuits against Beaufort County and its Planning Commission challenging the CPO and denial of plans for a golf resort.
Don’t be fooled: This is the same plan, just repackaged.
Since 2022, the Pine Island developer has claimed the plan will reduce housing units and docks if they are allowed to build a golf resort. But golf courses, resorts and gated communities forever change rural Sea Island communities and displace longtime residents.
The Conservation League continues to advocate for the community-led CPO, which has safeguarded St. Helena from golf resort development since 1999.
Golf courses also already consume much of Beaufort County’s landscape. If it weren’t for the implementation of the Cultural Protection Overlay in 1999, St. Helena Island would look more like its neighbors to the South in Bluffton and Hilton Head. We need to protect this rural Sea Island and its Gullah/Geechee culture, not make deals with golf course developers!
We greatly appreciate your support and encourage you to visit ProtectStHelena.com for more ways to get involved.