After signing legislation last year that would see the port close by the end of the year, Gov. Mark Sanford came to Port Royal this month to present the state's vision, a 400-slip marina, almost 400 homes and a 64-room hotel at the end of Paris Avenue on the 40-acre waterfront property.
"We want to create a development agreement based on potential development of property that includes open space, density, number of units and number of square feet," Port Royal Town Manager Van Willis said.
Willis said the town faxed its concerns to Ports Authority officials Wednesday, and the town expects a response in about two weeks. "There has been some informal discussions about the town's concerns," Willis said, but the two sides have not met.
Immediately after the governor signed legislation closing the port, the town drafted its vision for the property and hired Design Collective, a Baltimore-based firm, for $80,000. 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.
The Ports Authority commissioned its own plan, hiring Wood and Partners of Hilton Head Island for about $200,000. The firm crafted a proposal similar to the town's plan. Willis said he expects it will take about three to four months to work out the details of combining the dueling plans. Ports Authority Spokesman Byron Miller agreed with Willis last week, saying the sides are close to a compromise.
Residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions at the March 1 public hearing and the March 8 Town Council meeting. Willis said there also will be a second public hearing, probably in April, and a redevelopment commission meeting for the public's input.
Town and Ports Authority officials would not comment on specific issues that need to be worked out, but both parties said they were encouraged by how well negotiations have gone.
Glen Kilgore, a member of the Ports Authority' board of directors, said the ultimate goal is to benefit the developer and the town by having appropriate open space, public access to water, density, retail and homes.
The redevelopment presented by the state this month received a thumbs up from Tara McGrath, director of the Beaufort office of the Coastal Conservation League, an environmental watchdog.
McGrath said she was pleased with the governor's leadership and redevelopment plan for the port and praised Sanford for wanting open space and public access to the water.
But McGrath said she had concerns about the state's proposal for a 400-slip marina and questioned whether there's a demand for such a large facility.
During Sanford's visit this month, Port Royal Mayor Sam Murray said the marina was too large and also mentioned that he wants the town's main streets, London, Madrid and Paris, to open to the water.
Town Council member Vernon DeLoach said he agrees that the marina plan is too big and that a compromise plan might take a while. DeLoach said an agreement within three to four months would require a lot of work, but he expects progress to continue.
"That might be a little tight, but we have to try," he said. "We still have the rest of the year. I have not had any contact with the Ports Authority. Dealing with public property takes time."