OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 1, 2017
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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Clear cutting paves way for development By Amy Rigard
As development throughout Northern Beaufort County continues to increase, the number of large, mature trees decreases. The city and local municipalities have tree ordinances in place to help preserve the natural landscape, but developers sometimes choose to clear cut trees and incur fines in the near-term for the sake of longer-term potential profit. Some residents, including Gordon Fritz, argue that county leadership isn’t doing enough to protect the natural environment. That is why the Lady’s Island resident, together with other citizens, formed the Sea Island Corridor Coalition about a year ago to provide those who live and work along the Sea Island Parkway a voice in its future, especially for community planning and land
This is a clear-cut lot in Port Royal off Paris Avenue. There is nothing left but a few bulldozer tracks. Photo by Bob Sofaly.
use issues. “If something is not done to curtail the uncontrolled and environmentally blind actions of those developers coming to our area to exploit and profit from the destruction of our
environments, we will lose the very values that have attracted thousands of our fellow residents to our communities,” said Fritz. Fritz’s latest concern is over the clear cutting of trees in the town of Port Royal. “There are now three areas where the land has been stripped of 95 percent of the green cover to make room for apartment complexes,” according to Fritz. He said he finds it appalling that “developers are not held to any good development practices by the Port Royal authorities, but are allowed to clear cut.” One specific example Fritz noted was the clear cutting of an area where the 48-unit Marsh Point apartment complex will be built. The contractor for this development was within the law since a tree audit was com-
pleted, and a tree mitigation fee of $4,000 was paid. According to the tree mitigation section of the Port Royal code, “The clear cutting of trees by any developer for the sole purpose of clearing land or offering land for sale shall be prohibited.” The code also states, “No developer shall cut, destroy, cause to be destroyed, move or remove any disease-free trunk with a diameter of 8 inches or more (25-inch circumference), measured three feet up from the base, in conjunction with or preparation for any development activity until such removal has been approved in accordance with the provisions of this article.” The code also includes a condition that See CUTTING, page A5
celebrating the season
Disaster relief funds are made available Staff reports
Members of the Marine Corps Band entertained the crowd at the 9th Annual Habersham Harvest Festival. Photos by SK Signs & Designs.
he Habersham Marketplace presented the 9th Annual Habersham Harvest Festival on Oct. 21-22. The festival “represents family values while striving to support our local economy and give the Beaufort region a special event to look forward to each year,” according to organizers. “This classic fair highlights all that this time of year has to offer while capturing the essence of the fall, community, localism
and farming – with lots of fun and games for the kids to enjoy. This homegrown family festival is an entertaining and educational street festival." There were artisan vendors, food, live music on the main stage, plus plenty of activities for kids of all ages including a 47-foot ferris wheel, vintage rides, contests, face painters, hayrides, the Beaufort County Library bookmobile, a petting zoo and more. For more photos, see page A5.
Above left: Festival-goers browse the booths of the many arts and crafts vendors at the 9th Annual Habersham Harvest Festival. Above right: A little boy checks out one of the animals in the petting zoo at the 9th Annual Habersham Harvest Festival.
A TEAM EFFORT A local woman fights breast cancer with the help of loved ones. PAGE B1
CYAN-AOOO
MAGENTA-OAOO
YELLOW-OOAO
HALLOWEEN FUN There are lots of spooky goings-on going on in Northern Beaufort County. Check out the rundown. PAGE B4
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Sixteen South Carolina counties were recently declared major disaster areas, including Beaufort County. That means more federal aid to supplement Tropical Storm Irma recovery efforts is being made available. For individuals, the Small Business Administration has assigned a disaster declaration to Beaufort and Jasper counties following Irma. Businesses and residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties, as well as Colleton and Hampton counties, are eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration in the form of low-interest disaster loans. These loans are available through Dec. 4. To learn more and apply, visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov/ disaster-assistance/hurricane-irma. Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance Program is being made available to local governments, state agencies, eligible private nonprofit organizations and electric cooperatives that submit Requests for Public Assistance. This program is not available to individuals. SC Gov. Henry McMaster submitted a formal disaster declaration request on Sept. 28 following damage assessments from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, affected electric co-operatives and local governments. State and affected local governments are now eligible to apply for federal funding to pay 75 percent of the approved costs under certain categories such as debris removal and road repair related to the storm.