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Plans for Port of Port Royal expected soon

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Port Royal and S.C. State Ports Authority officials met in Charleston on Monday to work on a compromise for the redevelopment of the Port of Port Royal.

Monday's meeting was the first formal discussion between the groups since Gov. Mark Sanford's visit to Port Royal in February to outline the state's vision for the 40-acre site.

"I thought the meeting was excellent," said Colden Battey, who represents Beaufort on the Ports Authority's board of directors, adding that both sides agreed that a park at the end of Paris Avenue should serve as the focal point of the development. "We are hoping to have a development agreement in 45 to 60 days."

Officials said the agreement could take the form of a planned unit development, a zoning tool that gives builders and planners more flexibility in establishing construction guidelines and leaves items such as density and open space up for negotiation.

The Ports Authority owns the port, but Sanford signed legislation in September 2004 calling for the site's closure and sale by the end of this year. The state's replacement plan includes a 400-slip marina, almost 400 homes and a 64-room hotel at the end of Paris Avenue.

State and local officials hope to combine the Ports Authority's plan with one developed by Port Royal and sell the property with an attached development agreement acceptable to both parties.

Port Royal Mayor Sam Murray agreed Monday's meeting went well, though he estimated it would take closer to 135 days to complete a development agreement.

"We went through points of how the land should look," he said. "Hopefully, we can start working on a development agreement soon."

Immediately after the legislation closing the port was signed, the town drafted its vision for the property. In February, the Ports Authority hired Wood and Partners of Hilton Head Island to do the same for about $200,000.

The town's plan includes 400 to 500 new homes, apartments and condominiums; up to 150,000 square feet of commercial space; a 250-room hotel; a marina; a restaurant; and public boat slips.

Ports Authority spokesman Byron Miller said the main goal for the state group is to work with the town to sell the property by the end of the year. He said the town and the Ports Authority's plans are close but would not put a timeline on a development agreement.

"We will continue to work toward the sale of the property before the end of the year," he said. "That is the important deadline."

Local officials have said issues topping their list of concerns on the port project include the amount of open space, the size of the marina and providing access from the town's main streets -- London, Madrid and Paris -- to the water.

Over the years, many residents and business owners have complained about noise from trucks coming and leaving the port and the lack of access to the waterfront.