Years of unbridled development collided with fed-up voters in Tuesday's Democratic and Republican party primaries. The voters won and sent a message that they want development to pay for infrastructure and services they demand.

Beaufort County will have six new members on the County Council in January, and at least half of them may be the result of the perceived out-of-control growth. In the only northern Beaufort County race Tuesday, a deciding vote by County Councilman Mark Generales on the rezoning of an island in the Whale Branch may have been the deciding factor. Generales lost decisively to fellow Republican Paul Sommerville, 60 percent to 40 percent, in a low-turnout primary.

The Whale Branch island development idea was first opposed by county planners and the volunteer Planning Commission in January over soil and access concerns. Opponents saw the rezoning of the 54-acre island as an endorsement for growth in the rural area without an agreed-upon development plan.

But the message from residents for months has been that they are fed up with the more than $500 million bill they will be saddled with to provide infrastructure in the southern part of the county. Voters also may be anticipating the potential report on infrastructure needs that will be delivered in the Northern Regional Plan when it is complete in 2007.

Adding fuel to the fire of discontent also has been the need for a half-billion dollars in new school construction. The school district didn't create the need for schools; growth promulgated by decisions of the County Council and municipalities have created this nightmare.

Unless petition candidates emerge for the November general election, two school board members -- Rick Caporale and Stu Rodman -- are the heirs apparent for two Hilton Head Island seats on the County Council. It will be interesting to see their take on growth issues since they dealt with the aftermath as school board members.

The two women on the County Council also will be replaced by Republican men, who were among three candidates supported by the newly activated Conservation Voters of South Carolina, a bipartisan political arm of the state's conservation community. The group mission is to educate voters and hold elected officials accountable for their conservation records. Besides Sommerville, the group supported Jerry Stewart and Steven Baer, who defeated Margaret Griffin and Starletta Hairston, respectively.

A new day is dawning in Beaufort County, and the first shots should have been heard loud and clear in Tuesday's primaries.