A Rising Tide Raises All Ships
"Downzoning Plan" proposed for Pine Island to benefit the community of St. Helena Island, SC.
“The owner’s plan is to uncover, preserve, and enhance the remarkable history of Pine Island.” Larry Rowland, Ph.D., University of South Carolina - Beaufort
Pine Island’s extensive story contains thousands of years of Sea Island History. Since the 1800s, the land has been privately owned and used as a recreation destination by different property owners. This important history has been unavailable to the community for over 150 years. The current owner plans to protect, preserve, and honor its historical significance by providing a foundation for long-term stewardship of its heritage and its environmental resources.
In Beaufort County, nearly every rezoning request asks for more through upzoning. More homes, more density, more infrastructure, more pressure on the land and public systems. All driven by a desire to maximize buildout, often at the expense of open space, traffic flow, community character, and environmental health.
The Pine Island Downzoning Plan is the exact opposite.
It’s not a request for more. It is a commitment for less….forever. Instead of maximizing, they minimize, protecting shared resources and creating long-term economic opportunity.
There will be no increases in Property taxes for Rural Residents.
The plan’s purpose is for maximum transparency in order for you to form an informed opinion and help shape the future of our community.
Please download the Application here and form your opinion.
Protection of the County’s Seafood Industry
Craig Reaves, the largest employer of native St. Helena Islanders, Supports Downzoning
Family-owned shrimp businesses operating in Beaufort County are struggling to survive largely due to the glut of farm-raised shrimp, plummeting the prices. Our county’s cultural identity is deeply tied to its coastal waters, and the seafood industry has played a foundational role in shaping the county’s e economy and way of life.
Half of all commercial shrimp trawlers remaining in Beaufort County are on Village Creek, the location of Pine Island. This industry not only supports local jobs but also sustains the broader economy by supplying fresh seafood to restaurants, markets, and distributors across the region.
Guaranteed Initial Community Investment
Once the plan is approved, the Owner will provide a community investment of $2,500,000. These funds can be administered through a designated third-party nonprofit organization to support a broad range of initiatives, including the Community and Recreation Center project, community and cultural programming and events, support for local farmers and fishermen, economic development, incubation and ongoing support for minority-owned businesses, home repair/renovation grants for local seniors and families in need, youth summer camps afterschool programs, recreational opportunities, and others.
The Community Center is a vital need as locals have never had a central place to gather.
Pine Island Foundation - An Ongoing Community Investment
The Owner’s plans create an economic engine that allows the Pine Island Foundation to invest in the future of St. Helena. Once the Downzoning Plan is adopted, the Owner will provide additional community investment earmarked for Saint Helena Island above the initial contributions in two forms.
The Foundation will utilize committed resources to support community initiatives and programs that protect, uphold, and promote the traditions and heritage of the island.
There will be an Annual Charity Golf Tournament Event intended to support additional initiatives on Saint Helena Island, modeled after the highly successful Penn Center Golf Classic.
Providing an Empowerment Engine on St. Helena
The Downzoning Plan will result in a capital investment of more than $100,000,000 into Saint Helena and Beaufort County. The development will create 35-70 full-time jobs with average salaries exceeding $80,000, making it the single largest employer on Saint Helena Island. This will create the environment to support local businesses on St. Helena.
Creation of the Sea Islands Sweetgrass Farm.
A true Lowcountry treasure: Sweetgrass Baskets. It’s one of our nation’s oldest and most beautiful handicrafts of African origin.
Following the County’s adoption of the Downzoning Plan and a Development Agreement and the initiation of construction on the Property, the Owner will plan, fund, construct, and manage a five (5) acre sweetgrass farm that will be known as the Sea Islands Sweetgrass Farm. This initiative will provide a one-of-a-kind ongoing contribution to the Gullah/Geechee community that will serve as a model for community engagement and cultural preservation.
The Owner will donate and distribute 100% of the annual crop to Gullah/Geechee artisans and businesses locally and regionally. This initiative will restore native sweetgrass plants to the area and preserve and promote a centuries-old cultural tradition for which the Gullah/Geechee community is globally recognized.
Sweetgrass baskets have been an art form of the Gullah/Geechee people since the 1600s, including within areas of Beaufort County. The tradition of sweetgrass basket weaving has been in decline for decades, largely due to the shortage of sweetgrass. The Downzoning Plan creates an innovative and local solution to that shortage and will directly assist in the continuation of this culturally significant tradition by donating and distributing this scarce resource for free. Through partnerships that have already been established, the distribution and resulting benefits will occur in St. Helena, the County, and throughout the entire Gullah/Geechee Corridor.
Let us hear from you. This is a platform where you may freely voice your opinion.
