The Port Royal Redevelopment Commission punted last week (to use a football term) when it should have steeled its resolve and handed the people it represents a solid recommendation. The people it represents aren't the members of Town Council, which appoints them, but the residents of Port Royal who opined to the panel their vision for the community.

With a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform what residents have called a noisy eyesore into a town center that could be a model for redevelopment across the state, the panel pulled up short of making a recommendation for 8-plus acres of land in two separate parcels.

Maybe the problem is that the commission understands all too well that the Town Council doesn't have to follow its recommendations. The council can do as it pleases. But deferring to the council and town staff leaves much constructive commentary unsaid.

But making a decision on the property is a complex issue, and according to Councilman Joe Lee, the S.C. State Ports Authority doesn't know the exact acreage. "The unsettled factor is whether it is 42 acres or 57 acres," Lee said last week. This week surveyors will remark the land, including that nebulous area at the water's edge.

The 22 acres of open space that the Ports Authority agreed to last month are even more than Gov. Mark Sanford asked for, but his vision of a large open park with ample access to the water may be altered through development agreements.

Lee points out that the amount of open space (22 of 57 acres) proposed by the Ports Authority is essentially the same amount of space the town arrived at in its 2004 plan utilizing 15 of 42 acres for open space.

How the land will be used will depend on the development agreement to be designed in the next few weeks or months. Lee said the town has a 3-acre park at the end of Paris Avenue in both plans.

As for the 8-plus acres discussed last week, the town will own the property, but it has an opportunity after 10 years or so to develop a small portion of it.

Councilman Vernon DeLoach and other community residents think an aquarium or "esturarium" would be a good use of the land. That is not a bad idea, but before a decision is made on a use for the land, the town's Development Commission and residents should have a say. This time the commission should use its authority to make a sound recommendation, including a unified voice that a sitting member who has a conflict should abstain from not only voting but also discussion as long as he is a member of the panel. Don't jeopardize a good project.

What Port Royal residents need is clear and decisive action regarding the port property. Ports Authority officials hold most of the cards when it comes to the port, and any opportunity the town is given to offer its input should be taken advantage of in a swift and confident fashion.

Moving forward, the Town Council has other important decisions to make about this once-in-a-lifetime redevelopment that will transform the town. The town controls the zoning that will make or break the development.