Civic masterplan sector1-preface

CITY OF BEAUFORT
CI V I C M A ST ER PL A N

Volume I
Sector 1: Downtown
September 2011

This Civic Master Plan was prepared for:

The City of Beaufort, South Carolina

City Officials:
Billy Keyserling, Mayor
Donnie Beer, City Council
Mike Sutton, City Council
Mike McFee, City Council
George O’Kelley Jr., City Council
Jonathan Verity, Redevelopment Commission
Michael McNally, Redevelopment Commission
Ed Barnhart, Redevelopment Commission
Martin Goodman, Redevelopment Commission
Henrietta Goode, Redevelopment Commission
Pat Kase, Redevelopment Commission
Keith Waldrop, Redevelopment Commission
Wendy Zara, Redevelopment Commission

© 2011 by the City of Beaufort, South Carolina. All Photos, Images, and Text by the City of Beaufort
Office of Civic Investment unless otherwise noted. Reproduction Permitted with Credit in Print.

i Civic Master Plan | Sector 1

CONTENTS
ii

PREFACE 1
Acknowledgements 3
Introduction 4
The Planning Process 12
Existing Conditions (City & Region) 16

SECTOR 1 21
Executive Summary 23
Sector Conditions 29
Sector 1 Master Plan 35
Sector 1 Vision & Overview 36
Transportation 46
Natural Infrastructure & Parks 58
Bay Street & the Waterfront 66
Corridor Plans 76
Neighborhoods 94
Specific Interventions 104
Implementation Elements 112
Form-Based Code Calibration 114

APPENDICES
Appendix A: Sector 1 Maps
Appendix B: Retail Report
Appendix C: Redevelopment Commission Project Book (Sector 1)
Appendix D: Sector 1 Charrette Closing Presentation Transcript

Sector 1 Civic Master Plan
City of Beaufort, SC | www.beaufortcivicinvestment.org

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P R E FA C E

Acknowledgements 3
Introduction 4
The Planning Process 10
Existing Conditions 14

1


2 Civic Master Plan | Preface

Preface | Section 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
3

The Beaufort Civic Master Plan-Sector 1 team represents
the joint efforts of the Beaufort Redevelopment
Commission and the Office of Civic Investment. The
Plan’s background reports and technical information
pertaining to site context, constraints and analysis were
gathered over a three month process of public and
private workshops as well as from previous studies
and existing data provided by the City of Beaufort,
Beaufort County, The Beaufort County Open Land Trust,
Beaufort Main Street, The Historic Beaufort Foundation,
USCB, The Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and The
Low Country Economic Development Network. The
information forms the foundation for the planning and
design efforts presented herein. The Civic Master Plan
was prepared in draft form during an eight-day charrette
held in downtown Beaufort and refined and vetted over a
three-month process.

Under the primary direction of the Redevelopment
Commission, the Office of Civic Investment is a unique
public/private consortium led by The Lawrence Group
and Metrocology in partnership with city staff and
other affiliated companies. Their primary focus is to
manage a transparent and aggressive work program that
coordinates the activities of other staff members, boards,
and related partner organizations in achieving the goals
of the Comprehensive Plan, this Civic Master Plan, and
other key priorities of the Redevelopment Commission.

The many participants on the Beaufort Civic Master Plan
for Sector 1 represent a team of progressive thinkers
and practitioners in the design of human settlements and
natural conservation. Working in collaboration with local
government representatives and civic organizations,
stakeholders, technical specialists, and citizens, the
Sector 1 opportunities and constraints were assessed and
creative approaches tested for development.

Civic Master Plan

Preface | Section 2

INTRODUCTION
THE HUMAN HABITAT establishes a community with the power to affect a civic-
minded resolution of the issues. This plan encourages
Human communities share similarities with natural complex relationships that leverage cultural, economic,
habitats. Both require diverse and complex environments and social forces to provide a resilient alternative to the
to sustain their inhabitants. When properly provided, conventional suburban model of planning and design.
these environments form the ecotones of the natural Laying the foundations for and creating community is
habitat and the various community settlement patterns of one of the most important of human endeavors. Because
the human habitat. When either habitat is denied inherent it is apparent that the existing model of development has
complexities, or addressed in isolation of the other, its not resulted in a better community, the Beaufort Civic
environment suffers and becomes non-sustaining. Master Plan becomes the tool for creating a community
that properly balances the natural and human habitats.
Having been subjected to modelling and specialist
professions over the previous half-century, the human
environment has been severely eroded. Whereas in THE REALITY
the past a natural area was lost, in its place a hamlet,
village, town, or city was gained which was as equally If nothing were done to describe a vision for the
complex and diverse as the nature it replaced. The City of Beaufort, existing property rights and ad hoc
process represented a “fair trade” between the natural development and land use regulations would dictate
and human environments because it can be argued a very different outcome than that proposed by this
that culture, economy, and the growth of society are Civic Master Plan. The regulatory environment for
as critical to humans as biodiversity and vibrant, the City is based on the application of conventional
sucessional ecosystems are to nature. But today when a planning and zoning with an overlay of historic
piece of nature is lost, a housing estate, shopping center, preservation guidelines that have been inconsistent
or business park replaces it. These “products” represent in their enforcement. The results to date have been a
a net loss to each system. The natural habitat destroyed homogenization of what little new development has
is replaced by a substandard human habitat. Heavily occurred both in terms of site layouts and building
reliant on modelling and simple statistics to facilitate design with an overall character that does not reflect
its delivery, such development ignores the underlying the immediate history of the City. The inconsistent
complexity of people’s actions and needs. vision has also lead to a “freeze” in the redevelopment
of significant portions of the building stock which over
This master plan provides a significant opportunity to the years has nurtured a condition of “demolition by
correctly reconcile these needs, and show how they can neglect.”
coexist. With a favorable climate, a sizable historic
core, and breathtaking natural scenery, growth must be
encouraged in already developed areas and properly THE VISION
provided for in undeveloped areas so as to avoid undue
expansion into our precious natural areas. A full range The Beaufort Civic Master Plan proposes a fully
of human habitats must be part of the regional solution developed vision of a sustainable future for downtown
and these habitats must engage the natural environment Beaufort. Taking into account the environment,
in order to preserve it. Downtown Beaufort has been land ownership, existing zoning and use rights, the
heavily modified by human occupation since it was first Plan incorporates design elements with technical
settled. It is logical and fair to impose upon the land the documentation to facilitate regulatory implementation.
needs of a proper human habitat. The addition of the technical documentation and support
material is an important distinction between Beaufort’s
Planned according to the principles and techniques of Civic Master Plan and conventional strategic plans and
transect-based design, the Beaufort Civic Master Plan zoning initiatives.


5

Key
Sector Map Sector 1
January 2011 Key
Sector 2
Sector Map Sector 3 Sector 1
N January 2011
Sector 4 Sector 2
Sector 3
N Sector 5
Sector 4
0’ 400’ 800’ 1,600’
Scale 1”=800’ Sector 5

B E AU F O RT S E C TO R M A P
0’ 400’ 800’ 1,600’
Scale 1”=800’

BEAUFORT CIVIC MASTER PLAN – SECTOR 1 its expertise in planning, marketing and re-developing
compact, walkable, mixed-use communities, using
On March 28, 2011, the Beaufort Civic Master Plan locally relevant architecture as a guide for future
for Sector 1 was presented to a gathering of citizens buildings within landscapes of high amenity.
and stakeholders. The presentation represented the The Civic Master Plan illustrates ideal build-out
culmination of an eight-day Charrette held by the scenarios for areas identified during the charrette and in
Office of Civic Investment for the City of Beaufort. the previous three months of workshops and technical
The charrette design team was selected specifically for meetings. The scenarios incorporate a comprehensive

Civic Master Plan

Preface | Section 2 | Introduction

evaluation of environmental issues, existing regional
growth trends, local concerns and balances their impact
on the delivery of “community based” design. The Civic
Master Plan is a vision document prepared as a technical
manual through the incorporation of diagrams, sections,
site-specific plans, a regulating plan and renderings.

What makes the Beaufort Civic Master Plan different
from other planning documents and processes is its
adherence to a specific set of principles and techniques
called transect-based planning, and a thorough
integration of the transect into the City’s administrative
structure. Transect principles center on providing
community design that is pedestrian-based. This simple
statement requires an entirely different approach to the
planning and building of the places in which we live and
a much different method of introducing it to those who
participate in building these places. The reason for this
is that a majority of development today is based on the
principles and techniques of “Conventional Suburban
Development”, or CSD. In essence, the differences
between CSD and transect-based planning relate to
how each accommodates the car, for it is the car that
determines most of the physical attributes of community
design.

LEARNING FROM THE PAST AND
INCORPORATING THE PRESENT TO PLAN A
BETTER FUTURE

Downtown Beaufort is a community that recently
celebrated it’s 300 year anniversary. It and thousands
F I N A L P R E S E N TAT I O N
of other similar communities around the world were
developed using transect based design techniques.
Narrow streets are laid out in an interconnected pattern. designing towns has been replaced with the practice
Blocks are typically short. Parks are interspersed and of developing single use “pods.” Pods are building
accessible, and civic sites with important community clusters compromised solely of residences, or offices,
buildings are placed in prominent locations. Uses are or shopping. These are further segregated by “product
mixed and the housing stock varies from detached single type.” For example, residential uses are separated into
family homes, to attached houses, and apartments. single family detached, townhomes, and apartments.
The mixing of uses and of sub categories of the same
The methods used to develop these communities use was not only discouraged, it was made illegal once
have been absent in the planning and development municipalities adopted segregated zoning ordinances.
industry and in the curriculum of planning and design The possibility of assembling the various components
schools since the late 1950’s. Since World War II into a coherent urbanism is no longer possible.


7

SECTOR 1 MASTER PLAN

Because “precedent” no longer matters, the resulting refinements and adaptations within the knowledge base
“Conventional Suburban Development” (CSD) is often shaped the different regional vernaculars which exist
described as formless, or sprawl. today.

Today, as planners, architects and developers seek to The shift from place-based designs to placelessness was
combat the negative impacts of CSD, good precedent encouraged by, and helped usher in with, wide spread
from the past has once again begun to inform reliance on the car. Car ownership is now the rule not
contemporary urban development practice. Among the exception and the problem of getting motorists to
these has been the reintroduction of building typology and from their daily needs dispersed among the different
and coding to shape the civic realm. In the past great “pods” that make up their suburban settings, has become
urban design occurred through the actions of many the biggest challenge to continued growth and prosperity
working within a knowledge base which respected for communities around the world. The answer, until
precedent. With minimal guidance, many of the greatest very recently, was to build more roads.
examples of urbanism were constructed by individuals
working across disciplines and time. Over generations,

Civic Master Plan

Preface | Section 2 | Introduction

In countries where CSD became the predominant model • Unique community design and historic atmosphere
for new development, a wave of road building ensued • Access to local goods, services, and cultural
which often changes the character of communities amenities
completely. Road widening and new bypasses built • The military presence, hospital, and higher
to help alleviate traffic have actually increased traffic, education institutions
because they mandate car use. Under this system • Community interaction and small community feel
traffic is funnelled from a large system of low capacity
roads into a small system of high capacity roads. As To achieve this vision, the following directives have
a result, even nominal growth ends up generating a been established to guide the decision making process
disproportionately high level of traffic congestion. both for this plan and future implementing elements.

Today, municipalities and government agencies around order to ensure the long term success and viability of the
the world employ the techniques and principles of City of Beaufort. We must support the continuation and
transect design in their planning and zoning ordinances. expansion of our primary economic engines - tourism,
The codes control the visual outcomes and shape the the military, healthcare, and education - while also
experiences for residents and visitors. They introduce a seeking to expand opportunities for the arts and the
design discipline that enables compatibility at all scales,
from different types of uses within a development to
Sustainability
various types of developments within a region. They are
the learning mechanism by which community building 1 The activities of the City of Beaufort will consider
the balance of social, environmental, and economic
can once again rest on a knowledge base that adheres to
sustainability principles for both the community
precedent.
and the private property owner with all of our
decisions.
ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES & GOALS
Regionalism
As stated in the 2009 Comprehensive Plan, the City of 2 We are committed to the implementation of the
Northern Beaufort County Regional Plan as a
Beaufort and its citizens envision a City with:
• Beautiful, stable neighborhoods guideline for our regional decisions and future
• A common community vision urban form and we will continue to engage and
• A sustainable economic base coordinate in regional planning activities. Our
• Transportation options and convenient access planning will extend to the established urban
to services & destinations growth boundary and will tie together all areas of
• Attractive and vital community gateways and the community in a cohesive manner.
corridors
• Natural resources that balance protection with Natural Infrastructure
public access and enjoyment
• A balance between preservation and sensitive infill
3 We must protect our environmental resources
as fundamental to the natural ecosystem and
and redevelopment of our historic core our quality of life. We will utilize innovative and
• A predictable development process for citizens and context-sensitive solutions to conserve and protect
developers alike our natural resources including our salt marshes,
• A welcoming atmosphere to all people. marsh islands, coastal waters, and marine resources;
trees, forests, and wildlife habitats; beaches and
To help achieve this vision, we will build upon and dunes; and open space preservation.
protect our assets and strengths:
• Natural beauty and open spaces


9

4 Growth
We must encourage growth within our urban service 10 Historic and Cultural Resources
Beaufort is a living, dynamic community and must
balance the protection of its abundant
area by primarily focusing on the regeneration of
our current assets through infill and redevelopment. natural, cultural, institutional and historic
Development in our urban growth boundary shall resources with managed growth that adds
be sensitively focused on a conservation ethic with to the community’s character for future
a compact and efficient built form that could be generations without degrading those
serviced with municipal services in the future. resources which we value.

5 Economic Development
A strong, vibrant, and healthy economy will be
11 Social Diversity
We will maintain and celebrate the integrated ethnic
and socioeconomic diversity of the
achieved through a successful economic development community. To this end, we are committed
program in order to ensure the long term success and to the provision of affordable and workforce
viability of the City of Beaufort. We must support housing throughout the city.
the continuation and expansion of our primary

12 Hazard Mitigation
economic engines - tourism, the military, healthcare,
and education - while also seeking to expand As a coastal community, we will feel the direct
opportunities for the arts and the recruitment of impacts of tropical storm activity and
creative/knowledge-based industries. flooding. We must be prudent in our
preparation for these expected hazards and
6 Access and Mobility
Our citizens and visitors need a transportation
system that integrates regional solutions with a fine-
mitigate against the loss of property to the
greatest extent practical.

13 Climate Change
grained local network of choices that accommodate
the automobile, pedestrians, bicyclists, and water- We must participate in solutions that reduce or avoid
based travel. potential impacts to our regional and global
climate and in turn we must adapt to those
7 Urban Form
The City will maintain its distinct urban form by
encouraging growth and development using the
conditions which are likely to be inevitable,
most specifically sea level rise.

14 Resource Efficiency
model of walkable, urban, mixed-use neighborhoods
established by the historic core of the City. We will manage our consumption of renewable and
non-renewable resources including energy
Neighborhoods
8
and water and will continue to reduce our
We believe that all our neighborhoods, including total waste stream. In addition we will be
the downtown, must be vibrant and diverse and thus supportive of community activities that
require consistent and continual public and private promote resource efficiency and the
attention, maintenance and re-investment. Our production of alternative energy and
neighborhoods should be reinforced in all planning innovative water use and protection practices.
and infrastructure projects.

9 Parks & Public Open Spaces
The City will permanently preserve and expand
15 Fiscal Sustainability
The city, as a provider of urban services, must focus
on long-term solvency with each incremental
a community-wide parks, recreation and open decision. Capital investments should leverage
space network that serves the entire city from the future benefits and must consider the
neighborhood playground to the regional reserve.

Civic Master Plan

impact on long term operational costs prior to their
implementation. Perhaps most importantly, we will
constantly seek efficient and innovative ways in
which to deliver services and maintain our assets.

16 Facilities of Infrastructure and
Adequacy

The contiguous extension of our corporate
boundaries will be considered to the extent that
the provision of city services can be economically
and efficiently provided and will be subject to the
adequate availability and timely construction of
community infrastructure and public facilities.

17 Planning & Implementation
We will continue our history of thoughtful, detailed
planning and will include practical implementing
elements to leverage our ideas with actions. Success
is bred not from what we say but what we
accomplish.


11


Civic Master Plan

Preface | Section 3

THE PLANNING PROCESS
The Civic Master Plan for Beaufort is being developed VISION BEAUFORT: 2009 COMPREHENSIVE
by the City’s Office of Civic Investment through a PLAN
carefully designed, transparent planning process that
is intended to be inclusive of input from a wide variety In 2009, the City of Beaufort adopted “Vision
of community stakeholders, elected officials, the Beaufort,” a comprehensive plan that articulates a
development community, and the general public. The vision for the growth and development of the City
plans and recommendations presented in this booklet and establishes a guide for the implementation of that
represent the culmination of that process through a vision. In completing the plan, a broadly inclusive public
weeklong design charrette, held from March 22nd participation process was used to ensure that the vision
through March 28th, 2011. The detailed plans completed established in the plan is shared by a wide variety of
at that charrette were preceded by two other recent Beaufort citizens and is truly reflective of the aspirations
planning efforts in Beaufort, the 2009 Comprehensive of the general public, elected officials, city staff, the
Plan and the Sector 1 Synoptic Survey. These significant development community, business owners, property
efforts have informed and enabled the parcel-level detail owners, and visitors alike. The plan was completed by
considered in the Sector 1 Charrette planning and design the Carolinas Office of The Lawrence Group, a town
recommendations. planning and architecture firm that is also leading the

five: a framework for growth

ComPlete framework iNCorPoratiNg tHe
eNtire urBaN growtH BouNdary

VISION
BEAUFORT
2009 Comprehensive Plan

Adopted by City Council
12.08.2009
vision Beaufort | 2020 Comprehensive plan 56

2009 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN


13

current Civic Master Planning process through the Office SYNOPTIC SURVEY
of Civic Investment.
One important way that the Office of Civic Investment
The Comprehensive Plan includes a wealth of has sought to translate the community-wide vision
information about targeting public investment, into detailed plans and recommendations is through
establishing community design objectives, pursuing the Synoptic Survey process. The Synoptic Survey
potential catalyst projects, and most, importantly, process involved collecting data for every parcel of
implementing the vision that will guide Beaufort land in the Sector 1 planning area, in order to help
into its next decade of growth and development. The calibrate the community-wide vision established in the
task of the Office of Civic Investment is to translate Comprehensive Plan to the specific conditions of each
this shared vision into specific parcel-level plans and parcel of land.
recommendations for the entire city and manage the day-
to-day tasks involved in their implementation.

two: the path forward two: the path forward

2.1 Our VisiOn, EssEntial PrinCiPlEs and gOals

The City of Beaufort and its citizens envision a City with:
5 Economic Development
A strong, vibrant, and healthy economy will be
achieved through a successful economic development
12 Hazard Mitigation
As a coastal community, we will feel the direct
impacts of tropical storm activity and flooding.
• Beautiful, stable neighborhoods program in order to ensure the long term success and We must be prudent in our preparation for these
• A common community vision viability of the City of Beaufort. We must support expected hazards and mitigate against the loss of
• A sustainable economic base the continuation and expansion of our primary property to the greatest extent practical.
• Transportation options and convenient access to services & destinations economic engines - tourism, the military, healthcare,
• Attractive and vital community gateways and corridors
• Natural resources that balance protection with public access and enjoyment
• A balance between preservation and sensitive infill and redevelopment of our
and education - while also seeking to expand
opportunities for the arts and the recruitment of
creative/knowledge-based industries.
13 Climate Change
We must participate in solutions that reduce or avoid
potential impacts to our regional and global climate
historic core and in turn we must adapt to those conditions which
• A predictable development process for citizens and developers alike
• A welcoming atmosphere to all people 6 Access and Mobility
Our citizens and visitors need a transportation
system that integrates regional solutions with a fine-
are likely to be inevitable, most specifically sea level
rise.

14 Resource Efficiency
To help achieve this vision, we will build upon and protect our assets and strengths: grained local network of choices that accommodate
• Natural beauty and open spaces the automobile, pedestrians, bicyclists, and water- We will manage our consumption of renewable and
Success is bred not from • Unique community design and historic atmosphere based travel. non-renewable resources including energy and water
what we say but in • Access to local goods, services, and cultural amenities and will continue to reduce our total waste stream.
• The military presence, hospital, and higher education institutions
what we accomplish. • Community interaction and small community feel
7 Urban Form
The City will maintain its distinct urban form by
encouraging growth and development using the
In addition we will be supportive of community
activities that promote resource efficiency and the
production of alternative energy and innovative
To achieve this vision, the following directives have been established to guide the decision model of walkable, urban, mixed-use neighborhoods water use and protection practices.
making process both for this plan and future implementing elements. established by the historic core of the City.

1 Sustainability
Neighborhoods 15 Fiscal Sustainability
The city, as a provider of urban services, must

8
The activities of the City of Beaufort will consider the balance of social, focus on long-term solvency with each incremental
environmental, and economic sustainability principles for both the community We believe that all our neighborhoods, including
decision. Capital investments should leverage future
and the private property owner with all of our decisions. the downtown, must be vibrant and diverse and thus
benefits and must consider the impact on long term
require consistent and continual public and private
operational costs prior to their implementation.

2 Regionalism attention, maintenance and re-investment. Our
Perhaps most importantly, we will constantly seek
We are committed to the implementation of the Northern Beaufort County neighborhoods should be reinforced in all planning
efficient and innovative ways in which to deliver
Regional Plan as a guideline for our regional decisions and future urban form and infrastructure projects.
services and maintain our assets.
and we will continue to engage and coordinate in regional planning activities.
Our planning will extend to the established urban growth boundary and will tie
together all areas of the community in a cohesive manner. 9 Parks & Public Open Spaces
The City will permanently preserve and expand
a community-wide parks, recreation and open 16 Adequacy of Infrastructure and Facilities
The contiguous extension of our corporate
boundaries will be considered to the extent that

3 Natural Infrastructure space network that serves the entire city from the
the provision of city services can be economically
We must protect our environmental resources as fundamental to the natural neighborhood playground to the regional reserve.
and efficiently provided and will be subject to the
ecosystem and our quality of life. We will utilize innovative and context-sensitive adequate availability and timely construction of
solutions to conserve and protect our natural resources including our salt
marshes, marsh islands, coastal waters, and marine resources; trees, forests, and 10 Historic and Cultural Resources
Beaufort is a living, dynamic community and must
balance the protection of its abundant natural,
community infrastructure and public facilities.

17 Planning & Implementation
wildlife habitats; beaches and dunes; and open space preservation.
cultural, institutional and historic resources with
We will continue our history of thoughtful, detailed

4 Growth managed growth that adds to the community’s
planning and will include practical implementing
We must encourage growth within our urban service area by primarily focusing character for future generations without degrading
elements to leverage our ideas with actions. Success is
on the regeneration of our current assets through infill and redevelopment. those resources which we value.
bred not from what we say but what we accomplish.
Development in our urban growth boundary shall be sensitively focused on a
conservation ethic with a compact and efficient built form that could be serviced
with municipal services in the future. 11 Social Diversity
We will maintain and celebrate the integrated ethnic
and socioeconomic diversity of the community.
To this end, we are committed to the provision of
affordable and workforce housing throughout the
city.

11 City of Beaufort, SC Vision Beaufort | 2020 Comprehensive plan 12

Civic Master Plan

Preface | Section 3 | The Planning Process

The Synoptic Survey process was developed as a means
to identify the unique attributes of specific places and
calibrate development regulations accordingly. The
Synoptic Survey in Beaufort captured information
such as building material and use, lot condition, street
frontage, and neighborhood condition, among many
others. In total, 51 unique data attributes were collected
and assembled from January 24 to February 4, 2011
for every property in the Sector 1 planning area. (See
Synoptic Survey Example.)

Collecting this data has done three essential things for
the Civic Master Planning process.

• First, it has allowed the Office of Civic Investment
team to build a geographic information system
(GIS) database that accurately describes
the conditions of every lot in the Sector 1 planning
area. This data was then used to more broadly
analyze the existing conditions in Sector 1 and
inform the detailed plans and recommendations
developed during the Sector 1 Planning and Design
Charrette.
• Second, the Synoptic Survey data allows the
Office of Civic Investment, in partnership with the
Beaufort Redevelopment Commission and other S Y N O P T I C S U RV EY E X A M P L E
organizations, to identify specific sites as candidates
for pilot projects and redevelopment efforts.
• Third, it establishes a set of benchmark design
feedback on the many topics to be addressed in each
elements for every neighborhood in Beaufort that
planning sector. The public workshops each focus
will be used to calibrate development regulations for
on a unique discussion topic and provide invaluable
the City, specifically the Form-Based Code that is
comments and feedback.
being developed in cooperation with Beaufort
County.
These workshops, combined with the vision for the
community described in the Comprehensive Plan and
the data collected through the Sector 1 Synoptic Survey,
SLOW CHARRETTE PROCESS gave the charrette design team an incredible wealth
of information to help guide their efforts during the
In order to maximize the design efforts during the weeklong charrette process for each sector.
charrette week for each Sector, the Office of Civic
Investment is taking the “slow charrette” approach.
Rather than trying to squeeze all the public workshops
into one week, they are spread out over a month-
and-a-half prior to the charrette in order to maximize
participation. The OCI team has hosted a series of
public workshops to engage the community and solicit


15


Civic Master Plan

Preface | Section 4

EXISTING CONDITIONS
Beaufort is a city in, and the county seat of, Beaufort at colonization before the British successfully founded
County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in the city in 1711. The city initially grew slowly, subject
1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, to numerous attacks from Native American tribes and
behind Charleston. In 2010, the city’s population was threats of Spanish invasion before flourishing as a center
estimated to be approximately 12,361. It is located in the for shipbuilding. In the antebellum period before the
Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area. Civil War, the city thrived as the aristocratic center for
the Lowcountry plantation economy.
Beaufort (pronounced /ˈbjuːfərt/ BEW-fərt, unlike its
counterpart in North Carolina) is located on Port Royal Several months after hostilities began between the states,
Island, in the heart of the Sea Islands and Lowcoun- Beaufort was occupied by Union forces following the
try. The city is renowned for its scenic location on the Battle of Port Royal. Due in part to its early occupa-
Beaufort River and for maintaining a historic character tion, the city became a center of emancipation efforts for
through its impressive antebellum architecture. The city newly freed slaves during the war and into Reconstruc-
is also known for its proximity to major military estab- tion. After the war, the city relied on phosphate mining
lishments. Beaufort is home to the Marine Corps Air Sta- before a devastating hurricane in 1893 and a fire in 1907
tion Beaufort and Naval Hospital Beaufort. The Marine brought economic turmoil and stagnant growth to the
Corps Recruiting Depot Parris Island is also a major city for nearly half a century. The community rebounded
military installation located about 11 miles to the south. in the later half of the 20th century due to the growth of
the military presence and the development of tourism. In
spite of new development, Beaufort has retained much
HISTORY of its historic character through its renowned architecture
and historic preservation efforts.
The Lowcountry region had been a subject of numer-
ous European explorations and several aborted attempts Source: Vision Beaufort: 2009 Comprehensive Plan. City of Beaufort, SC

D OWN TOWN B E AU F O RT ( 2 0 1 0 )


17

Image Source:: www.polawanaisland.com

Image Source:: www.polawanaisland.com
B E AU F O RT D O C K c . 1 9 3 9 D OWN TOWN B E AU F O RT (d at e un kn own)

Image Source: Historic Beaufort Foundation

H I S TO R I C V I EW o f D OWN TOWN B E AU F O RT

Civic Master Plan

Preface | Section 4 | Existing Conditions

THE REGION Charleston to Savannah or Hilton Head. Given that the
Sector 1 planning area in Beaufort offers the most in
The City of Beaufort, and more specifically, the Sector terms of local economic and cultural momentum and
1 planning area, occupies a unique position within the most opportunity for regional interconnectivity, it is
the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. The rich an ideal place to begin planning for Beaufort to assume
estuarial ecology and centuries old history of this area a more prominent role within the Lowcountry region.
contribute to a special sense of place in the Lowcountry Improved regional transportation connections, from
that is unique within the South and the United States. regional greenways and transit routes to expanded ferry/
Characterized by diverse trading ports, antebellum water-taxi opportunities, will be essential to assuming
architecture, and traditions that borrow from a wide and maintaining a more prominent role in the region.
variety of European, Caribbean, and African roots, the In order to support this goal, a specific strategy for
Lowcountry is a distinct cultural and geographic region. regional connectivity across a variety of transportation
modes was developed in this initial charrette of the Civic
In many respects, Beaufort is a secondary urban center Master Planning process and is illustrated in the diagram
in the Lowcountry region. Its institutions, businesses and at right.
industries are well-established, but exist in the shadow
of the larger Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA markets. In particular, a strategy for the creation of a regional
Nearby, Hilton Head Island is also a significant source parks system centered on the Beaufort River will
of economic activity as one of the largest vacation and allow Beaufort to offer something to residents and
resort centers in the country. visitors alike that is entirely unique to the region.
The “Beaufort River Regional Greenway and Parks
Although it is not as prominent as some its neighbors, System” is a parks and greenways network that offers
Beaufort plays a distinct and significant role in the over 10 miles of riverfront parks and trails, as well as
economy and identity of the Lowcountry. The large regional connections to a Rail-Trail system that extends
military presence is a tremendous economic engine for pedestrian and bike paths north into Beaufort County.
the region.
The parks system will begin by extending Beaufort’s
Given its proximity to Hilton Head Island, Charleston existing Waterfront Park through a boardwalk along the
and Savannah, Beaufort is certainly not the only Bluff to the west. (see page 56) It will continue along the
economic engine of the region. However, distinct Beaufort River, through a series of publicly accessible
from its neighbors, Beaufort County’s large military boardwalks and parks, to the Port Royal riverfront at
presence plays a significant role in the area’s economy. Battery Creek and also across the Beaufort River to
Also, the combination of Bay Street and Waterfront the Whitehall Plantation property. Along the way, piers
Park in downtown Beaufort continues to be a regional extending through the salt marshes along the river will
draw for tourists. Beaufort is more than a stop on the provide spots for picnicking, fishing, canoeing/kayaking,
road between Charleston and Savannah; it is a vibrant sailing, and docking other small boats. Key destinations
community with great amenities to offer. In short, on the greenway system include Beaufort Memorial
Beaufort has a history, cultural identity, and economic Hospital, the Technical College of the Lowcountry, the
vitality all to its own. Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club, the Naval Hospital
Beaufort, and a connection to the proposed Rail-Trail
The success of the Sector 1 planning area, and the City that terminates in Port Royal.
of Beaufort in general, is dependent upon how the city
positions itself in relationship to the Town of Port Royal, Other significant regional transportation investments will
Beaufort County, and the Lowcountry region beyond. include a regional bus system that connects Beaufort, to
Beaufort’s challenge will be to establish itself in the Port Royal, Parris Island, Laurel Bay, Habersham and
region as more than just a stopover on the journey from other significant destinations in the county. A water taxi


19

PROPOSED REGIONAL INTERCONNECTIVIT Y

system will also offer tourists and business travelers of mode options provided in the regional transportation
easy travel to destinations as far as Hilton Head Island, scheme, in addition to personal automobile travel, will
Charleston, and Savannah through the Beaufort River. position Beaufort for success in the coming global era
beyond cheap gas and universal automobile dependence.
In the short term, the transportation strategy described This combination of systems will allow Beaufort
above will broaden the opportunities for regional access residences to live locally without sacrificing regional
and help to position Beaufort as a primary economic mobility and create a sustainable platform for regional
and cultural urban center in the Lowcountry region. In development.
the long-term, the “Beaufort River Regional Greenway
and Parks System” will become an incredibly valuable
public asset shared between The City of Beaufort, the
Town of Port Royal and Beaufort County. It will be a
national draw for new residents and tourists, helping to
attract and retain educated and talent people. The variety

Civic Master Plan

Civic masterplan sector1-preface

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