28 Mar Beaufort Code process extended
City extends public comment on ‘Beaufort Code’ to allow additional review of development code
City of Beaufort leaders are pushing back the ‘Beaufort Code’ schedule by 30 days to allow additional time for community review of the proposed development code standards.
After four weeks and 15 public meetings on the draft development code this month, the Beaufort City Council and planning department received several comments from the public asking for more time to go through the updated 282-page document.
The Metropolitan Planning Commission now is scheduled to review the Beaufort Code changes at a workshop May 9.
The Beaufort Code is an update of the Unified Development Ordinance. Once adopted by the Beaufort City Council, it will put more emphasis on how buildings relate to the street and each other, rather than guiding development by a building’s interior use as has been the case with traditional zoning.
A primary goal: Create a user-friendly document that clearly explains and illustrates what types of construction, development and buildings are appropriate in different areas of the city.
“We have spent a lot of time creating these new standards to both protect the city’s historic heritage but also to encourage and promote infill development. Delaying the process by 30 days will allow citizens more time to study the revisions and to share their concerns with us,” Beaufort City Manager Bill Prokop said.
An updated version of the Beaufort Code is expected around March 30 and will be posted to the city’s website – www.cityofbeaufort.org – under Projects/Beaufort Code. The website features drafts of the full document and zoning map; a list of committee comments as well as those by community members; a public comment form and lists of meetings.
“It is encouraging that the people who are interested in this subject are truly dedicated to studying the draft documents and they have been very helpful with their comments and participation,” Prokop said. “This is an important project and it deserves attention.”
The city already held 10 neighborhood meetings to explain the Beaufort Code. The updated schedule features the following meetings for additional information and public comment:
Over the past few weeks, I have received emails of alarm that the City Council is secretly moving forward on the Beaufort Code. This is not the case.
The fact of the matter is the process will be extended for another month. Because citizens have asked for more time to learn and weigh in, the process will be extended to ensure ample time for review and input. The Code has not even been submitted to the Beaufort Port Royal Metropolitan Planning Commission or the City Council. Note the revised schedule below and go to city website for more detail on the code, changes, recommendations and future actions.
City of Beaufort: The Beaufort Code Schedule
Beaufort Code Public Review Schedule
Beaufort Code Technical Review Committee:
This committee met nine times between November 23, 2021 – February 24, 2016. The results of those meetings are posted on the website.
Public Overview Presentations:
- Thursday, March 3 at 2pm – City Hall Council Chambers
- Monday, March 7 at 5:30pm – City Hall Council Chambers Professionals Overview Presentations:
Monday, March 7 at 1:30pm – Planning Conference Room
Neighborhood Meetings: All meetings will take place at City Hall, 1911 Boundary Street. Specific rooms are listed below:
- Wednesday, March 9 at 4:00pm, Council Chambers – Depot Area
- Wednesday, March 9 at 6:00 pm, Council Chambers – West End, Hermitage, Dixon Village –Residential Neighborhoods
- Monday, March 14 at 2pm and 5:30pm, Council Chambers – Historic District
- Tuesday, March 15 at 5:30pm, Council Chambers – Mossy Oaks & Neighborhoods South (Sectors 2-3)
- Monday, March 21 at 2pm, Planning Conference Room – Neighborhoods West (Battery Point,Islands of Beaufort, etc.) & Neighborhoods East (Lady’s Island)
- Tuesday, March 22 at 10am, Planning Conference Room – Commercial Corridors (Boundary Street,Ribaut Road, Robert Smalls Pkwy, Lady’s Island Drive, Sea Island Parkway, Parris Island Gateway)
- Tuesday, March 22 at 11am, Planning Conference Room – Developers and Builders
- Wednesday, March 23 at 2:00pm, Council Chambers – Code Overview and Discussions on Specific Neighborhoods
- Wednesday, March 23 at 5:30pm, Planning Conference Room – Pigeon Point, Higginsonville
- Thursday, March 24 at 5:00pm, Council Chambers – Code Overview and Discussions on Specific Neighborhoods*A new draft of the Code considering public comment heard through March 24 will be published on or about March 30*Extended Public Review Period: March 30 – April 25. Open public comment and info sessions:
- Monday, April 4 at 2pm, Planning Conference Room – review of code changes & public comment session
- Wednesday, April 13 at 10am, Planning Conference Room – public comment session
- Wednesday, April 13 at 5:30pm, Planning Conference Room – public comment session
- Wednesday, April 20 at 5:30pm, Planning Conference Room - public comment session*A new draft of the Code considering public comment heard through April 25 will be published on or about April 29 *
Beaufort Code Public Review Schedule - Extended
Tentative Approval Process:
- April 18 – MPC Overview Presentation
- Date TBD between April 29-May 9 – Council Overview Presentation
- May 9 – MPC Workshop #1
- May31–MPCWorkshop#2ifneeded
- Special meeting week of June 13, TBD– MPC Recommendation
- June 14 – City Council Work Session
- June 21 – City Council Public Hearing
- June 28 – City Council Work Session
- July 12– City Council, 1st reading
- July 26– City Council, 2nd reading