Following approval of the land laws by Beaufort County and its two northern municipalities, leaders in Washington pledged to fight for money so the air station can buy land and development rights around the base, including possibly regaining $7.3 million that the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee didn't authorize this year for such purchases.
The money was withheld because the land-use restrictions weren't yet passed.
"Adopting these regulations was an important step to avoid encroachment on the air station," said Adam Temple, spokesman for U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. "Senator DeMint will continue to work with the Armed Services committees and Beaufort officials to ensure the air station is protected."
The laws passed last week by the Beaufort County Council, Beaufort City Council and Port Royal Town Council were a result of a more than two-year effort by local and military leaders to limit the number of homes and increase construction standards on properties that fall in certain noise and accident potential zones near the base.
At other military air stations, such as Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., too much development around a base has caused noise complaints and lawsuits that threaten future operations.
"The passing of the Airport Overlay District Ordinance sends a clear message to Congress and the leadership of the Department of the Navy that the citizens of Beaufort are serious about preserving Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort," Col. Robert Lanham, the Beaufort air station's commanding officer, stated in a release this week.
Besides the federal committee possibly reviewing this year's decision to defer the $7.3 million, local leaders have said having the ordinances in place also protects another proposed $18.2 million for a second phase of land acquisitions near the base in the Department of Defense's budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., "looks forward to continuing his work with the Department of Defense and local officials to ensure the Air Station has the resources it needs to carry out its mission," spokesman Kevin Bishopsaid in an e-mail.
Securing money to protect the air station will also be a "top priority" for U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., who last month called for more jets to be stationed at the base, said Wilson's spokeswoman, Kim Olive.
The county and air station have partnered within the past few years to spend about $2 million each in buying the development rights to 250 acres near the air station, according to Russ Marane, local coordinator for the Trust for Public Land, the county's nonprofit land-buying partner.
Marane said the base and county have set aside an additional $2 million for land acquisitions in the near future, including completing negotiations to buy development rights to about 200 acres in Burton and on Lady's Island by early spring.
Though the new land-use regulations don't have much impact on these purchases, Marane said the passing of the restrictions "absolutely" will affect the amount of money the air station will have to continue the joint acquisitions.
Also riding on the recently passed land-use regulations is a federal grant to study the formation of a transfer of development rights district to compensate landowners whose properties are affected by the new restrictions.
The Lowcountry Council of Governments applied for a $130,000 federal grant through the Department of Defense, more than $90,000 of which would establish the program, council Planning Director Ginnie Kozak said. The federal government would pay 90 percent, and local governments would have to match 10 percent.
Though she's not sure exactly how the district would work, Kozak said the program would set up a market where landowners within the restricted zones could sell the development rights they have lost with the new ordinances to landowners who can use them to expand their development plans in areas outside of the zones.
If Beaufort begins a transfer of development rights program, it would be the second community in the country to do so to protect a military base. A district has been set up in Nevada for Naval Air Station Fallon.
Kozak said she hopes to know whether the grant is approved by Christmas.
