City of Beaufort moves forward on development projects

Beaufort City Council took two steps toward accomplishing development projects and partnering with private businesses during its work session Tuesday night.
Council unanimously approved ordinances that would give city land to developers. The first, on Lovejoy Street, paves the way for a connector road to Boundary Street. The second, on Lafayette Street, is for a housing project. Second votes are needed for both.
• The Lovejoy project has been in the works for at least seven years, according to city manager Scott Dadson, a time period that matches his own on the job. The Lovejoy Street right-of-way is bordered by Boundary and Sycamore streets and Marsh Drive.
According to the ordinance, the land would be given to Town Center Inn, LLC, owned by developer Dick Stewart, in exchange for Town Center paying for construction of a 22-foot-wide, two-lane road between Sycamore and Marsh. The reconfigured land will then have room for Stewart to build commercial space, Dadson said. The cost of the road and the value of the property were not detailed in the ordinance.
The road will be given to the city upon completion and is part of the greater Boundary Street plan, which calls for parallel road access along Boundary.
Mayor Billy Keyserling said the move effectively makes “what we all do legal,” referring to how many drivers cut through parking lots in the area, treating them as through roads.
• The Lafayette Street affordable housing project has been discussed by city officials for more than a year. The plan is to use almost an acre of city-owned land at 1403 Lafayette for a private-public project to build affordable homes for residents.
A proposal by developer Eric Brown has been selected to be consdered for approval. According to the ordinance, the land will be given to Brown and partners Brad Bowden and Lance Gooding in exchange for developing it and installing necessary infrastructure.
The agreement requires developers purchase a bond for $152,000 to pay for streetscape improvements, which must be done within a year.
The first building permit must be applied for within six months of the agreement, and the first building complete within six months of that permit being issued. A new building is expected about every six months, depending on the market and sales.
Council also:
• Recognized the earning of the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This is the fifth year in a row the city has earned the certificate. Only about 10 percent of South Carolina cities participate annually, according to finance director Kathy Todd.
• Discussed the progress of the Transitional Workforce Education Assistance Collaborative — a program in cooperation with the Lowcountry Economic Alliance — with alliance executive director Kim Statler and TWEAC’s first employee, military workforce liaison Dwight Hora. Statler and Hora said they are meeting with representatives from the three military bases in Beaufort and with regional businesses.
• Continued discussions about re-establishing a “tree fund,” which would be used to cover the cost of planting about 25 trees annually on city property. Also being considered is an increase in tree removal fees, which would go into the fund.
* Gave initial approval to the annexation and rezoning of 0.49 acres at 13 Inlet Road on Lady’s Island. The property is one of several being tied together for the proposed construction of a new Publix grocery store.
• Received the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year 2012. As of June 30, the city had a fund balance of $9.6 million, which was up from $8.9 million on June 30, 2011. The report will be posted to the city website, www.cityofbeaufort.org, Todd said. It also can be downloaded below.