State panel approves funds for $121.5M Arcadia East deal – Coastal Observer

Arcadia East Conservation Deal Advances in Georgetown County, SC

A state panel approved funding to help conserve Arcadia East, 3,492 acres near DeBordieu once zoned for thousands of homes.

State panel approves funds for $121.5M Arcadia East deal – Coastal Observer

State lawmakers this week approved funds for the $121.5 million purchase of the oceanfront Arcadia East tract after ensuring that the public will have access to the property and its half mile of beach. “Public access will be required,” Ben Duncan, head of the state Office of Resilience, told members of the Joint Bond Review Committee. The panel of Senate and House members approved the transfer of $118 million from the Resilience Acquisition Fund to the state Conservation Bank, which will provide an additional $3.5 million. Additional approvals by the state will be required before the deal is completed. An appraisal for the Office of Resilience put the value of the property at $130 million. The 3,492 acres between Highway 17 and the ocean are owned by the heirs of the late Lucille V. Pate, who own Arcadia Plantation on the west side of the highway. The property was zoned by Georgetown County in 2002 for over 2,400 residential units and a 500-room resort hotel along with retail and office space. The development never began, but the plan remained in place. The state plans to buy the property for conservation, with the Department of Natural Resources ultimately managing it as a heritage preserve. The plan is “to be as open to the public as we can possibly make it,” said Luke Allen, assistant general counsel at DNR. “This wouldn’t be like where the beachfront would be closed off to the public.” He said the access plan is still being worked out, adding that the entrance from the highway will be located so it doesn’t impact the DeBordieu or Prince George developments on either side. “We want to be careful we’re not burdening other access points,” Allen said. Duncan told the committee that there has been discussion with Clemson University about doing research on the site. He compared the future uses to Hobcaw Barony, where Clemson and the University of South Carolina have research facilities. Public access to that property, owned by the Belle W. Baruch Foundation, is only through public programs. “There’s nothing in this deed or deal that we’re talking about that would restrict public access?” Rep. Bruce Bannister asked. Duncan said there is not. Sen. Harvey Peeler asked about the development plan. “The family decided to sell the property to the state through this process. There will not be anything developed on that property,” Duncan said. Sen. Darryl Jackson asked if the community supports the conservation rather than the development of the property. “Overwhelmingly so,” Duncan said. Georgetown County Council and the Board of Education endorsed the sale, acknowledging the loss of some tax revenue. The tract currently receives agriculture property tax credits. The $121.5 million purchase price will be loaned by the Conservation Bank to two nonprofits, the Open Space Institute and Ducks Unlimited, who will close the sale by the end of the year. They will manage the property while DNR seeks federal grants to help fund the state’s purchase. Those grants would not be available if the state already owned the property, Duncan explained. DNR has already applied for $16 million in grants, Allen said, adding that “there may be some other federal grant money involved as well.” Legislators questioned what will happen if the grants aren’t approved. “We’ve been successful in the past,” Duncan said, but the purchase by DNR can go forward without them. The purchase will be done in phases to maximize the grant opportunities. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter questioned how the purchase fits with the mission of the Office of Resilience. “Connect the dots for me,” she asked Duncan. Three-quarters of the property is wetlands, he said. Preserving those will help reduced flooding. “Flood modeling has been a big issue there,” Duncan said. “We’re coming to a way of having a better model.” The half mile of beach and its established dune system will also provide storm protection. “It’s a big protector of the inland in this community,” he said. Cobb-Hunter said she wants to make sure there is a benefit beyond Georgetown County.  “When we’re talking about beachfront property, it’s important to me,” Rep. Leon Stavrinakis said. “It belongs to everybody in the state.” He wanted to make sure that aside from being state-owned the beach is “functionally available.” Bannister said he doesn’t want to find out “only a select few can use that beach.” DNR will have to come back to the board for approval as it begins to acquire property at Arcadia East. Allen, the agency attorney, said there will be more details about public access available when that happens. Sen. Ronnie Cromer said he was confident that Tom Mullikin, the DNR director, “will ensure that it will be open to the public.” “We will want to know more about it when the time comes,” Peeler said.