Residents ask questions about Beaufort's 2009 Comprehensive Plan

More than 90 people packed Beaufort’s courtroom Tuesday and listened as Craig Lewis, a representative of the Lawrence Group, highlighted key parts of the city’s 2009 Comprehensive Plan.

Lewis took questions from the audience after the presentation. Below are some of those questions and his responses (which have been paraphrased).

• Question: Are there two or three core decisions the city can make to revitalize the Northwest Quadrant?
• Lewis: Development issues in the Northwest Quadrant are complex and often revolve around minority displacement, historic preservation and gentrification concerns. We looked very much on a block-by-block basis. ... I think any planning should be done that way.

• Question: How do we get developers interested in redeveloping Lafayette Street?
• Lewis: Banks tell officials that smaller projects have a better chance of success right now than bigger developments. More site-specific planning than what is included in the Comprehensive Plan is needed before the redevelopment could take place.

• Question: What is the rush to shift toward a form-based zoning code city-wide?
• Lewis: We all like clear expectations, and a form-based code would better outline what buildings should look like for developers and residents while focusing less on how the building is used. The city already uses form-based code in some areas, like in its Boundary Street design district. Other areas of the city still have the traditional zoning regulations that focus more on how a building is used rather than what it looks like.

• Question: How many more overhead power lines will be needed for the projects?
• Lewis: There wasn’t much discussion on the issue during the planning process, but officials believe Beaufort currently has more infrastructure in place than necessary that could handle some redevelopment.

• Question: Will a proposal to reroute truck traffic headed toward Lady’s Island away from downtown Beaufort and through Port Royal inadvertently steer traffic the city wants out of the area?
• Lewis: From a planning and design standpoint, we think you’ll have plenty (of traffic in downtown Beaufort). But the issue warrants a more detailed traffic study.

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