Port Royal's Redevelopment Commission voted unanimously Thursday to hold off on its recommendation to the Town Council for a new look Port of Port Royal because the group is concerned about the distribution of open space.

Commission members didn't approve of the 6.2 acres of open space near London Avenue as part of the redevelopment of the 57 acre property because they believe it would be too much for the town to maintain.

Last month the S.C. State Ports Authority decided 22 acres of park space should be included in the redevelopment plan, a proposal that stalled when it reached the commission later that week. The group tabled its recommendation Thursday because members wanted more information from Maryland-based consultant Design Collective about the appropriate amount of open space.

Commission Chairman Phil Fairbanks scheduled a special meeting for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall where a subcommittee made up of commission members Ann Marie Adams, Bill Scheper and Susan Graber will give a presentation and give the group's recommendation.

"The commission will have a recommendation at the end of Tuesday night," he said. "Although we are rushing, this is a critical point, and we don't want to hurry too much."

Fairbanks said the commission tabled its decision again because this was first time the commission has met with Matt D'Amico, a partner with Design Collective, which created the town's master plan for the port, since last year.

The Town Council, which doesn't have to follow the commission's recommendation, wants the group's input and was expecting a decision. Mayor Sam Murray noted at the meeting that the Dec. 31 deadline to close the port and sell the property to a private developer is approaching and said he is willing to hold a special meeting if the commission doesn't have a recommendation for Wednesday's council meeting.

"We can always have a special council meeting, and I know time is of the essence, so I don't want to hold over until next month," he said.

Whenever the amount of park space has been settled, officials can begin to focus on creating a development agreement with the

Ports Authority. A development agreement, which essentially will guide the future of the port land for years to come, will be subject to two votes and two public hearings before the council.