Civic masterplan sector1-volume1

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20 Civic Master Plan | Sector 1

SECTOR 1

CHAPTER 1 Executive Summary 23
CHAPTER 2 Sector Conditions 29
CHAPTER 3 Master Plan 35

21

SECTOR 1
CHAPTER 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

23

Chapter 1

E XECU T I VE SUMM ARY
INTRODUCTION daily needs within walking or biking distance
• Positions the community for an era beyond
The Sector 1 study area represents the heart of our current pattern of dependence on the personal
Beaufort, SC. It includes many of its major cultural automobile
institutions and significant civic assets, as well as its • Provides attractive parks and greenways on a local
historic neighborhoods and its greatest concentration and regional scale
of commercial activity. As such, Sector 1 was an ideal • Envisions regional connections that will strengthen
point of departure to begin an extensive master planning and invigorate Beaufort’s economy and cultural
process that resulted in the development of the Civic institutions
Master Plan for the City of Beaufort. • Engages a wide variety of people and lifestyles
across a broad socio-economic spectrum
The civic master planning process, led by Beaufort’s • Preserves Beaufort’s historical legacy without
Office of Civic Investment, was an intensely compromising opportunities for new development
collaborative effort between elected officials, city staff,
local residents, and community stakeholders. Marked
by a weeklong planning and design charrette, the Sector PLANNNING & DESIGN CHARRETTE
1 planning process led to specific interventions and
recommendations for the entirety of the sector at a level The Planning and Design Charrette for Sector 1 was held
of detail that engages each individual parcel. The pages from March 22 to March 28, 2011. During these seven
that follow contain the results of this effort for Sector days, over 20 urban designers, planners, architects, and
1 and amount to a collective vision that will carry the engineers gathered in a Bay Street storefront to develop
heart of Beaufort into the next 50 years of its growth and land use plans, renderings, street sections, and specific
development. recommendations for nearly every block and parcel in
the Sector 1 planning area.
In general the plans and recommendations on these
pages describe a future for Sector 1 that: Public meetings and open design sessions were held
• Celebrates the waterfront and the natural context throughout the week to allow members of the public
which the city occupies to interact with the designers, identify concerns, share
• Is mixed use and walkable in character ideas for specific projects, and vet the work of the design
• Enables people to live locally and accomplish their team. This comprehensive input allowed the charrette

MAR 23 MAR 24 M F R 2 5 R U M AR Y2 6
A E B A R MAR 27 MAR 28
USCB Meeting Developer Meeting Redevelopment Mid-Charrette Design Studio Final Presentation
Commission Meeting Presentation
Neighborhood Retail & Merchants
Associations Meeting Meeting Boards & Commis-
sions Meeting

TIMELINE of CHARRETTE EVENTS


25

process to work in short feedback loops where ideas topics to be addressed in this first charrette. The five
are continually refined and presented to the public. public workshops, each with a unique discussion topic,
This inclusive process enriched the final plans and were very successful and provided invaluable comments
recommendations. Specific input was sought from the and feedback, detailed in the following section. The
University of South Carolina at Beaufort (USCB), the workshops included the following:
various neighborhood associations that represent Sector
1 residents, local developers and property owners, • Neighborhood Associations Workshop
local retailers and merchants, the Redevelopment February 17 Approximately 60 participants
Commission, and Beaufort’s various other municipal • Development Community Workshop
boards and commissions. These multiple layers of input February 24 Approximately 50 participants
helped to create plans and recommendations that are • Neighborhood Walking Tour
vibrant, real, nuanced, and appropriate for all members February 26 Approximately 40 participants
of the community. • Redevelopment Commission Workshop
March 3 Approximately 30 participants
• Retail & Merchandising Workshop
SLOW CHARRETTE PROCESS March 8 Approximately 50 participants

In order to maximize the design efforts during the These workshops, combined with the vision for the
charrette week, the Office of Civic Investment took the community described in the Comprehensive Plan and
“slow charrette” approach. Rather than trying to squeeze the data collected through the Sector 1 Synoptic Survey,
all the public workshops into one week, they were spread gave the charrette design team an incredible wealth
out over a month-and-a-half to maximize participation. of information to help guide their efforts during the
The OCI team has hosted a series of public workshops to weeklong charrette process from March 22nd to March
engage the community and solicit feedback on the many 28th, 2011.

JAN 1 FEB 17 FEB 26 MAR 8
Office of Civic Neighborhood Neighborhood Retail &
Investment begins Associations Walking Merchandising
planning work Workshop Tour Workshop

J A N U A R Y F E B R U A R Y M A R C H

JAN 24 - FEB 4 FEB 24 MAR 3 MAR 22 - MAR 28
Synoptic survey Development Redevelopment Sector 1
conducted Community Commission Planning
Workshop Workshop Charrette

TIMELINE of EVENTS

Civic Master Plan
City of Beaufort, SC | www.beaufortcivicinvestment.org

Chapter 1 | Executive Summary

PRE-CHARRETTE PROJECT MAP
(See Appendix A for larger map)


27

IDENTIFIED PROJECTS

Relating specific projects (identified on the “Project
Map”) to the regional systems and connections described
on the previous page help to support their individual
and collective success and contribute to a richer built
environment on a local and regional scale. The projects
identified for closer examination during the Sector 1
Planning and Design Charrette were selected by the
Office of Civic Investment, in concert with the Beaufort
Redevelopment Commission and local citizens, in order
to create a coherent vision for the future of the Sector 1
planning area and to best utilize potential catalyst sites
and city-owned properties.

Some major projects include:
• Old City Hall Redevelopment
• Eastern Boundary Street Road Diet
• Bladen Street Streetscape Improvements
• Duke Street Streetscape Improvements
• Basil Green Park
• USCB Expansion & Student Housing
• Bellamy Curve Infrastructure Improvements
• Ribaut Road Streetscape Improvements
• Post Office Block Redevelopment
• Former Jail Site Redevelopment
• Extension of Waterfront Park
• Washington Square Park
• Marina Redevelopment & Parking Garage
• Piggly Wiggly Redevelopment
• Whitehall Plantation Property Redevelopment

Civic Master Plan

SECTOR 1
CHAPTER 2
SECTOR CONDITIONS

29

Chapter 2

SECTOR CONDITIONS
ANALYSIS of EXISTING CONDITIONS Northwest Quadrant and Higginsonville
neighborhoods.
Prior to the Sector 1 Planning and Design Charrette, • Some of Beaufort’s historic residential
data from the Synoptic Survey was combined with neighborhoods, particularly the Northwest Quadrant,
geographic data from the City and County to create a are hampered by inadequate property maintenance
series of maps that amount to an analysis of the existing and are in need of reinvestment/redevelopment.
conditions in the Sector 1 planning area. In general, the • Neighborhood commercial uses are generally
analysis established the following conclusions: lacking. The Bay Street commercial district serves a
very limited, tourist-driven, retail niche that does not
• There are plenty of infill opportunities on vacant provide for the day-to-day necessities of its
land in the Sector 1 planning area, especially in the residents.

WHITEHALL

E XISTING BUILDING FOOTPRINTS


31

• Beaufort’s existing regulatory structure does not
adequately promote the development of mixed-use
walkable neighborhoods throughout the Sector 1
planning area.

The analysis and corresponding maps were discussed
and distributed to all the of charrette participants at the
outset of the Sector 1 Planning and Design Charrette in
order to familiarize all charrette participants with the
issues presented by the Sector 1 planning area.

EXISTING LAND USE

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 2 | Sector Conditions

O W N E R v s . R E N TA L / S E A S O N A L BUILDING HEIGHT

EXISTING DEVELOPMENT CLASSIFIED VA C A N C T o r A B A N D O N E D P R O P E R T I E S
by TRANSECT ZONES


33

CONDITION OF GROUNDS and EXISTING ZONING
STRUCTURE

SOURCE: Google Earth, March 2011

E X I S T I N G D OWN TOWN B E AU F O RT
Note: Please see the Appendix A for larger versions of the maps shown on this and the facing pages.

Civic Master Plan

SECTOR 1
CHAPTER 3
MASTER PLAN

SECTION 1 Sector 1 Vision & Overview 36
SECTION 2 Transportation & Streets 46
SECTION 3 Natural Infrastructure & Parks 58
SECTION 4 Plan for Downtown 66
SECTION 5 Corridor Plans 76
SECTION 6 Neighborhoods 94
SECTION 7 Specific Interventions 104
SECTION 8 Implementation Elements 112
SECTION 9 Code Recommendations 114

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Chapter 3 | Section 1

S E C TO R 1 V I S I O N & O V E RV I EW
VISIONARY PLANNING AND GREAT to something you would have seen in continental Europe
COMMUNITIES at the time: grand park systems and iconic civic building
architecture. This is a time when much of Chicago’s
The point we have arrived at today is the culmination industry was on Lake Michigan and along the Illinois
of planning and analysis that began on January 2nd, River – rail yards, slag heaps, factories. It was not a
2011 collecting information through meetings with pretty place. Commerce was the law of the land, so
individuals, groups, and organizations, and by collecting imagine the disbelief when he proposed to reclaim the
data, physically through on-the-ground surveys of every entire Lake Michigan waterfront for a park. People
lot, as well as digitally through all the various plans, looked at him as if he were crazy. This is the man for
reports, and studies completed in the past. The results whom the now famous quote has been attributed, “make
from this three-month effort culminate in this Civic no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.”
Master Plan. Like many plans for great communities One hundred years later, Chicago has one of the most
this plan is expected to generate discussion points, amazing park systems in the world and is also one of a
establish budget priorities, and create implementation handful of communities in the rust belt of the Midwest
objectives for the City of Beaufort over, at least, the that is truly growing and prospering. And, it’s a result
next twenty years. In a sense we believe that this plan of a process similar to what we’re embarking on here in
coherently and properly lays the groundwork for the Beaufort.
city’s next three hundred years.
Another example is Boston’s “Emerald Necklace”
What Beaufort and its leaders have had the foresight to designed by another visionary planner and contemporary
do follows in the tradition of some really great places. of Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted, known
The great communities of today are great because they today as the nation’s first landscape architect, is also
spent the bad times thinking about what they wanted to credited with the design of Central Park, among many
be when times got good again. In the United States, other wonderful places. He envisioned a future Boston
the era of grand planning during the late 1910’s, 1920’s ringed by parks. For those who have visited Boston it is
and the Great Depression, occurred in many of the easy to see how the City and its residents have benefitted
places that are admired in the country today for their from his vision. Boston has some of the most loved civic
resilient economies and excellent quality of life. The spaces and urban structures in the United States and
one thing these places have in common is that they had easily ranks amongst the greatest cities in the world.
the vision to think outside the box and a desire to take
control of their destinies. Some of the greatest plans We can also look to The Presidio in San Francisco
and architecture that the United States has today - places where Daniel Burnham again inspired its citizens to
and buildings that are admired around the world - can be aspire to greatness. At that time in the late 1910’s, The
dated to this period. Most of the grand civic buildings, Presidio was on the outskirts of town. It was a hilltop
schools and town halls; almost all the impressive upon which he designed a park connected to the rest
museums; and many of the beautiful park systems that of the city with grand civic monuments. Today it’s a
are today the treasures of their respective communities magnificent urban park surrounded by some of the most
had their initial plans prepared during this time period. valuable real estate in the United States. So compelling
was the plan and the illustrations that accompanied
One such example is in the City of Chicago. Chicago it that a few of the monuments were actually built as
hired Daniel Burnham, one of our century’s most drawn.
visionary planners, to prepare its master plan. He laid
out a vision that is extraordinary today for its beauty
and, in his day, for its boldness. It was a vision similar


37

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS have no money.” This is a false excuse – a straw man
argument. No place that has ever accomplished long-
With all great plans, like the Burnham and Olmsted term greatness has had money at the start. In fact, it’s
plans, they aim to improve the fortunes of a place almost a prerequisite that a place be poor in order to be
and they foster change. Just as people questioned able to achieve greatness. All great work starts off with
the drawings Burnham prepared showing parks and an idea. Wealth follows ideas. You make people excited
buildings on private land, we are sure that people will about what it is you’re doing, and clever people rally
examine the drawings in this master plan and have around the vision, and the money follows.
many concerns: “I see you’ve knocked down my
building to construct a park,” or “you have removed my Locally, the Open Land Trust (OLT) is generating the
neighborhood park to construct a building,” or “you’ve excitement and getting the money, and as a result,
put a road through my yard.” Keep in mind the most they have become the de facto regional planners for
powerful tool planning possesses: time. Planning is an the entire County. Through donations and successful
effort that lasts generations, but you’ve got to start at tax referendums, they have made saving the natural
some point, or you will never achieve anything. It is habitat and scenic views of the local area exciting and
almost always the case that what is needed to be done important. Much time and effort by the citizens of this
is impossible to do today. If you were told to learn a community goes into the work of the Open Land Trust
second language and you said I can’t do that today, including the preservation of places here in Beaufort like
does that mean you can never do it? Just because you the Bluff and Bellamy Curve. These purchases have
can’t master Spanish or French by the weekend, do you shaped the image of Beaufort as well as its developable
throw in the towel? Of course not. It took hundreds of footprint. To properly leverage this fine work, it is
years to arrive where Beaufort is today. Nearly all of critical to ensure that as much effort and care are paid to
that time passed without access to an endless pot of gold the Human Habitat, (the neighborhoods and communities
at its disposal. Very little is possible today yet nearly we live in) through excellent planning and urban design.
everything is possible in the long term. The natural habitat has the OLT. The Human Habitat
now has the Office of Civic Investment (OCI). We have
Another important ingredient is “the champion.” You an opportunity to weave the communities we live in with
can have a collection of plans and ideas, but unless they the natural setting they exist in. To succeed, the visions
find a champion that makes it his or her business to will we have and the plans developed to execute them need
them into reality on a daily basis, they never materialize. to be as compelling as the nature that is saved.
The final need is for compelling visions, such as
what Burnham provided the residents of Chicago. It
galvanized the thoughts of the citizens and business THE PURPOSE OF THE CIVIC MASTER PLAN
community to nominate champions, who, over the years
shaped policy that allowed the vision to be realized. This plan is intended to complete the work of the 2009
Comprehensive Plan. That plan did two important
Beside the beauty and technical expertise of the planning things. First it established that the primary means by
and urban design achieved by these masters, there is one which the city could achieve truly sustainable and
additional take away from these examples. They were resilient growth was not through annexation and sprawl
envisioned and executed in a time when these places but rather through infill and redevelopment. And second,
were not wealthy. We accomplished the best community and perhaps most importantly, it tore through decade’s
design and building in this country when it was poor worth of unfulfilled planning efforts to prioritize and
in relation to today. Imagine that. All you hear about consolidate plans that were both unrealistic and lacked
today, if you try to get anything done, from placing champions. The number one priority recommendation
a cross walk on a street to paving a sidewalk, is, “we was for the city to stop focusing on large scale policy

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 1 | Sector 1 Vision & Overview

planning and instead turn its sights on the needs of its some pretty amazing things. It allows us to quickly see
neighborhoods and corridor, the living tissue of the patterns through the creation of thematic maps. This
city, with a block by block physical plan to encourage information allows us to study the City’s DNA - how it
investment and redevelopment. In essence, it was a works on the ground. This is an important step because
roadmap for reversing the slow downward spiral of it allows you to understand how to help it grow while
decline that had become the norm in the city. retaining the charm and character that made it special.
This “urban DNA” was combined with information
The Comprehensive Plan therefore serves as the gathered from several dozen meetings over the previous
framework and undergirding for the Civic Master Plan in months with nearly every key stakeholder in the area
the grand tradition of cities like Chicago, San Francisco who wanted to participate, and even some who didn’t.
and Boston. This is no small feat for a community the
size of Beaufort. But, as we all know Beaufort may be
small in terms of its resident population but it lives large THE SOLUTION TO THE DILEMMA OF
in the historical and cultural memory of the Lowcountry GROWTH
and of this county.
In addition to understanding thoroughly what exists
In order to achieve the necessary level of detailed now, we also took a careful look at what existed before.
planning, we divided the city up into four sectors. In many communities around the country, growth has
We’ve started with Sector 1, the downtown area. When meant the destruction of history, historic buildings, and
we first started this process, someone asked, “you’re places. Beaufort hasn’t suffered that as much. Everyone
going to do a master plan for downtown, so what are you wants growth and prosperity, but with it, post-World
going to do with Bay Street?” Our response was, “well, War II, that growth and prosperity has come with a lot of
Bay Street is not all of downtown: There’s Boundary really bland and uninspiring things that some might label
Street, there’s Bladen Street, there’s Carteret Street and as simply “ugly.”
Pigeon Point Road, the Old Point, and Higginsonville,
and on and on. There’s also the Bluff and the Northwest It’s quite a dilemma for most communities: If we grow,
Quadrant.” Downtown is in fact a series – a collection we lose what we are through the haphazard consumption
of neighborhoods – the core of the larger area that is of a community’s past. However, if we don’t grow,
Beaufort, so you have to study it comprehensively, not we stagnate and lose what we are by neglect. The
just Bay Street. We believe that downtown is not simply reason for the dilemma is because we stopped building
Bay Street and the Waterfront Park. Rather downtown real communities after World War II. This is not to
is a complex web of interdependent neighborhoods and say we stopped building. In fact, we have built more
corridors that geographically is bordered to the west by things in the sixty-five plus years since World War
Ribaut Road and by the Beaufort River on its other three II – houses, shopping centers, offices, factories – than
sides. The three blocks that constitute the historic “Main nearly all of human history prior to that period. But
Street” cannot be the vessel in which every aspiration, rather than building authentic and lovable places like
idea, and need for Beaufort is forced. It is simply too neighborhoods, villages, towns and cities, we simply
small. aggregated real estate product. We have built only a
handful of new “places” since World War II yet we’ve
We started on several fronts simultaneously. For built endless miles of suburban product.
four weeks, students walk every foot of every street
in downtown and collected an extensive amount of Suburban development became an industry unto itself,
information about every house, curb, and sidewalk. The and as you may have heard, it was one of the major
result is a robust database comprised of more than thirty reasons for the financial collapse and the subsequent
unique attributes, the analysis of which allows us to do


39

Great Recession. When you introduce car-oriented TIME TO OUT-MAIN STREET THE MALL
suburban development into traditional urban fabric,
like downtown Beaufort, that development destroys What is available once you arrive downtown cannot
the surrounding traditional development. It might be just “one thing.” A common mistake is to think
not do it initially, but the accumulation of this type of a community as needing only one amenity – be it
of development ends up eradicating what is the most a convention center, a ball park, or a museum. That’s
special part about place-based traditional communities, a suburban mentality. Real places are complex. The
which is their mixed-use, walkable quality of life. fabric of real places must be complex and varied to
meet the needs of a broad range of people and, just
It is important to keep in mind that the suburban as important, the broad range of moods each of these
development model is the default setting for all zoning, people experience over the course of a day, a week, and
financing, and health and safety matters in the United a lifetime. Sometimes you want to sit alone in a park,
States today. Whether you plan or not, whether you have sometimes you want to be in the center of all the action.
zoning or not, the suburban model is so entrenched in Sometimes you want to view a scenic vista, sometimes
every aspect of American development and marketing you want to be walking the crowded sidewalks shopping
that it is what growth delivers. Ironically, not much and socializing. If you are a cyclist, sometimes you
growth has happened post-World War II in Beaufort. The might want to ride fast through the countryside, whereas
side benefit of this lack of growth is that not as much has at other times you might want to be on the street riding
been lost. through town. Every pastime, every facility, and every
motivation takes a different tone depending on mood.
One piece of the community that was lost was the This gets to the point about the need to develop some
buildings along the waterfront. They were unique and of our waterfront. Sometimes you might want to sit on
interesting in a scruffy yet unassuming way. However, it a swing or in the grass and watch people or the water
was largely replaced by something worthy – Waterfront and sometimes you might want to sit on a dock or at a
Park. In city building this is called a fair trade. This is restaurant on the water and eat, dance, work, live, or
an important concept, a litmus test for anyone passionate buy things. The Water Festival need not be limited to the
about community. Development decisions should highly programmed week of activities each July. It can
always be evaluated with this simple question – “Was it last all year long.
a fair trade?” If you lose a piece of marsh land and gain a
village, or a meadow and gain a proper neighborhood the Unfortunately, Americans have been trained to
trade is fair. When either of these is lost to a shopping experience places as a consumer…..to live and shop
center that spends most of life in decline or subdivision as if we’re in a mall. The American retail industry
that condemns it occupants to the use of the automobile has created shopping snobs out of us and we’re very
for every daily interaction, it is not. Yet, even with easily bored, very quick to lose our patience if things
the achievement of the Waterfront Park, Beaufort’s aren’t perfect, and particularly fickle with our attention
waterfront redevelopment has not always been a fair and money. The mall environment and the shopping
trade. Case in point is the present Marina parking lot center environment in the United States is perfection at
with the single largest parcel along the waterfront every level designed by mall planners who subtly and
dedicated exclusively to the suburban pattern of parking not so subtly influence – almost brainwash – you to do
cars to the exclusion of great urbanism. In many ways, it everything that they want you to do when you enter their
is these negative impacts of the suburban development realm. In a sense we are a bunch of snobby zombies.
model are what we are trying to remedy through this
master plan. When you’re someplace where things don’t happen to
click just right – a store might be closed too early, or the

Civic Master Plan


merchandising in the window isn’t quite up to snuff, or predominately purchase whatever high-end wares are
you didn’t get asked if you needed help right away, or sold downtown. The tourists – well, you’ve seen them
it doesn’t smell as you think it should – this is the bar – they buy what’s left and don’t spend much time at the
that’s been set by the retail industry in this country, and park either. Why is this important? Because if we are
most of the older retailers on traditional main streets are only a trinket tourist-stop and our local population is not
the ones who can’t compete. I like to tell people that sufficient enough to support other pastimes that include
it wasn’t Wal-Mart that killed Main Street America, it cultural offerings now unavailable, then our residents are
was the Mall. It replicated the idealized Main Street left with jobs that are not sufficient to build a resilient
experience, air conditioned it, and then did everything community. Places like that are exporters of talent, and
better – Cleaner walkways, consistent hours, superior that is what Beaufort is now.
merchandising, and even pleasant landscaping (inside no
less). Wal-Mart, and what it represents, is only a factor What if the offerings were much more varied and robust
when you have two goals in mind: cheap prices and free – offerings that embed you in the place and its history?
parking. If that’s your town’s goal, you’re probably Imagine getting off the boat and browsing local arts
already standing in the ruins of your Main Street. and crafts markets, visiting a museum or two, staying
at a spa/hotel or inn grounded in wellness and health
and dining at fabulous restaurants that offer indigenous
LET’S BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING -- IT’S ALL local cuisines that only places like the Louisiana gulf
ABOUT THE WATER coast can boast. There’s a lot of history in the area - all
of it scattered about. If properly coordinated it could
The Master Plan for the downtown is not so much be centered here in Beaufort as the hub for those also
about what can be achieved tomorrow or next year looking to do day trips out into the historically rich
by a few individuals. Rather, it is about a collective countryside especially if it is supported by a local
investment by the community through a coordinate university that provides quality environmental and fine
series of incremental yet strategic investments by many arts programming. Because Beaufort is also less busy
hands. This is a plan whose vision was constructed for and hectic than our neighbors to the north and south
the different yet equally important experiences by the we can take the lead in the environmental, wellness,
resident and the tourist in twenty-five years and it all and tourist industry if we so desired. To distinguish
begins at the water’s edge. ourselves, Beaufort needs to provide a compelling reason
for more than a simple afternoon stop on a bus tour of
Wouldn’t it be fabulous if there were a reliable system the region. We must provide a palette of amenities that
of water taxis and ferries that allowed you to travel will make us a multiday or weeklong attraction or most
up and down the Intracoastal Waterway between from importantly a hometown in which to raise a family and
Savannah, Charleston, Hilton Head, and Beaufort? In retire.
such a world, what do we need to do here in Beaufort
to make ourselves a destination that would require a So, if you were to come by boat, what you would come
day, or maybe two, to fully appreciate? After all, if you to, in our vision of this future, would be a new marina-
really look at the region correctly, Beaufort is the belt side development, basically an extension of Bay Street.
buckle of the lowcountry, the mid-way point between Right now, it’s a parking lot. While that’s an important
Georgetown, SC and New Brunswick, GA. What would asset to have at the moment because it provides people
be compelling enough to entice someone who landed with convenient parking, it does happen to be located
here, at a new day dock for example, to walk into town on some genuinely prime real estate – real estate that
and do something besides turn to the right and buy a would be much better used by people, rather than cars.
t-shirt, eat a hamburger or have a drink and then stroll We believe that it’s time to trade up. You can always
the park? Keep in mind that it is in fact the locals who put the cars someplace else, like a parking garage. They


41

normally don’t care about the view as much, don’t like day, and it’s got Bull and Abercorn Streets, which offer
sitting in the sun, and they don’t shop. neighborhood scaled boutique shops and cafes. These
represent three distinct markets, all of which a single
In order to reclaim our waterfront parking lot for human person who wants to spend a day or two in Savannah can
habitation we must relocate the cars to a deck on Port experience as their mood strikes them. The important
Republic Street. They must be in a location that requires fact is that these distinct attractions and shopping
that they experience the full breadth of the Bay Street experiences do not happen on the same street. In spite
area on their short walk from their car to the Waterfront of how long Broughton, Abercorn, and Bull Streets are,
Park to create a more robust and diverse shopping and no one complains and gripes about walking the distances
dining district. Mind you, this distance is shorter and required to reach them or walking along them. They’re
far more interesting than the trip from the edge of the compelling, inviting, and people are drawn to explore
parking lot at the Wal-Mart to it front door (much less them, just like a person is drawn by a mall layout to
from the front door to the electronics section in the back walk from one end to the other and back – the distance
of the store). This same walk through the often hostile of one-half a mile or more. Beaufort doesn’t have the
Wal-Mart parking lot is equivalent to the distance along population or the tourist draw that Savannah does, but
Bay Street from its intersection with Charles Street to the we can do a smaller version of that very easily.
west and Carteret Street to the east, yet with an infinitely
more engaging and satisfying journey. In terms of the commercial improvement downtown, the
four streets that are Carteret, Boundary, Bay and Bladen
And once this impediment is removed, we can continue are the commercial corridors. Three of these corridors
our journey along the waterfront to the west. Connecting allow Beaufort to be able to expand its retail and
the visitor to the beauty of Beaufort beyond Bay Street commercial menu, without destroying the existing fabric
is an important objective. The vision here is to tie the or character of Bay Street. Because, as we said from the
Waterfront Park, the formal front door of the community, beginning, Bay Street is just three blocks. It can’t be the
and its new active dock and marina development, to active main street for all the citizens of Beaufort, while
the more passive open space of the marsh front along also being the historic Main Street for all the tourists.
the Beaufort River. At Waterfront Park the walking It can’t be the place where you go to get whatever you
experience is along an esplanade, which continues as need from a Walgreens or a FedEx/Kinko’s and still
a plaza and pier condition at the Marina. As the walk be the place that has unique furniture shops and art
continues to the Bluff, a boardwalk would be built along galleries. The residents and the city have decided that
the waterline at the foot of the Bluff following the curve the historic structures along Bay Street are important
of the river all the way to Ribaut. There was once a low enough to keep and this plan clearly support that priority.
road in addition to the existing high road (Bay Street). In order to keep it like it is, you have to provide other
The low road is what was used to carry the freight from places for certain things to go that don’t fit into the
the port down to the depot. Within the next 20 years, buildings there. That is the role of Boundary Street. It
this boardwalk could stretch all the way to the Hospital. is the location where residents of the neighborhoods can
That requires some giving. Kind of harkens back to shop for daily conveniences from a broader mix of local,
Chicago’s once industrial lake front, and Burnham’s regional, and national shops and business that require
vision of turning it over to the public. larger lots and more convenient accessibility.

Bay Street has its place and Carteret/Boundary Street The transition then occurs at Bellamy’s Curve where
does to Savannah has its waterfront, where all the the long view of the Beaufort River beyond has for
tourists shop and dine at the touristy establishments. It most of its history greeted travelers and begun their
has Broughton Street, which is the shopping street where decompression from the region at large to the intimacy
you can get just about everything one would need day to of the historic waterfront. It is anchored around the bend

Civic Master Plan


by the campus of USC-Beaufort which serves as an would argue that those against it were short-sighted
important institution embedded directly into the fabric of and selfish because a neighborhood, a proper human
the historic neighborhoods. The University provides an habitat, is a fair trade. Of the few places capable
influx of students and the vitality that age group brings of handling development at high density within the
to the businesses and the shops that they frequent. The sensitive ecosystem in which Beaufort sits, this is one.
integration of higher education into a community is a The volume of water that flows along the Beaufort River
key element for all vibrant places. at this point provides for the greatest amount of natural
flushing. It’s at the foot of the bridge that connects to
The master plan envisions the redevelopment of downtown Beaufort a quarter mile away and it has
the current campus as a more traditional southern been developed on in the past. Instead of sprawling
quadrangle with some current non-historic, under- on Lady’s Island in the form of shopping centers and
utilizes structures giving way to more formally designed car-dependent commercial uses, a town center located at
campus buildings more appropriate to the setting. Also, Whitehall would serve the community more efficiently
the provision of full-time student housing both on and provide more opportunities for residents seeking
campus as well as around the corner on Boundary Street lifestyle opportunities not dependent on car use and long
provides an important symbiotic relationship that can fill commutes.
in certain gaps in the urban fabric with students, giving
both life and character to the corridor simultaneously. Our plan saves a tremendous amount of trees and still
provides a marketable and successful building program
We would be remiss to discuss encouraging pedestrian that leaves about 25 percent of the property open. The
activity and business vitality along Boundary Street main street of Whitehall and the buildings that front
if we did not also address the current geometrics of Sea Island Parkway will have riverfront and park
the four-lane thoroughfare. Very simply, the current views. Through proper design, the new village center
configuration encourages speeding, is hostile to would allow the waterfront walk to continue forming an
pedestrians and cyclists alike, and does not provide any important anchor for pedestrians and cyclists enjoying
convenient, shared on-street parking forcing each site to the now extensive and unique waterfront experience
create their own parking lot. It’s time to put this section we have begun to envision, stretching from maybe the
of Boundary Street on a road diet – shrinking it from Hospital all the way to Whitehall. Imagine landing
four lanes to three with on-street parking – and this can in a boat at the marina and being able to walk three
be done by restriping, not rebuilding, with cans of paint miles, a little over a mile and a half in either direction,
and thermoplastic stencils to be specific. through plazas with cafes and shops, into parks, along
boardwalks that lead to points where you can access the
water by Marina or boat launch, by kayak and boat, and
WHITEHALL AS A COMPLIMENT TO BAY cross the river by foot on the bridge.
STREET

There are those that would scream that the Whitehall AND FINALLY, A STRONG DOWNTOW
property be left undeveloped – and we would join IS SURROUNDED BY STRONG
them, tied to a tree – if a shopping center or a big box NEIGHBORHOODS
store, or a series of gas stations and fast food outparcels
were being proposed. That would not be a fair trade, For too long, the neighborhoods surrounding the
would it? You can’t remove nature and replace it downtown have either been in a state of stasis or
with development that not only degrades the natural deterioration. With the exception of The Point and
environment, but also negatively impacts the human perhaps parts of the Old Commons, investment and
environment. But if you propose a neighborhood, we population have been in decline. This slow decline


43

has left entire blocks in nearly every neighborhood a once dying part of town into some of the highest
vacant, blighted, or otherwise destabilized. For the housing values in the area. Streets in the Point will
entire downtown area to succeed, it must be bolstered benefit from a systematic burying and relocation of the
by continual investment and re-investment in the aerial utility lines that obscure the beautiful mansions
neighborhoods. The pedestrian traffic of the resident and cottages than sit cheek to jowel. Lastly, new housing
population is the constant to the ebbs and flows of has sprung forth from the largely abandoned Post Office
the tourist market. To increase the population is to and around the old Jail. These entire blocks along
improve the market conditions for every business and with the hundreds of vacant sites scattered around the
restaurant in the downtown area. Once we move from downtown will provide a living framework on which
the waterfront area, the Beaufort of 2051 must consist of new homes will rise.
a series of closely connected, highly walkable, diverse,
neighborhoods and mixed-use corridors that maintain
the charm and character of their historic roots amidst A CHARGE TO OUR FUTURE
new construction that has sensitively infilled all of the
missing gaps. As you will see by this Master Plan, we have created a
vision for a community that is walkable and mixed use;
We have identified opportunities for more than 2500 that reinforces its urban character, but also celebrates the
people to move in tomorrow without a new street, sewer natural context in which it sits. We leverage nature to
line, or using any more gas to collect garbage. We will raise awareness of its importance in order to celebrate
simply build on our existing network of well-connected the history and aspirations of the people of Beaufort and
streets and do so at a density that would be generally Beaufort County.
unnoticed by the average citizen.
All in all, we hope that present and future generations
Along Bladen Street in the Northwest Quadrant, new share our vision. Most importantly, for this plan to
mixed-development along an improved streetscape succeed, it will need leadership and determination of
will usher in a wave of housing in the form of few champions and it will need to be powerful and
cottages, duplexes, bungalows, and perhaps even some compelling enough to make visitors think that Beaufort
townhomes and apartments. Up in Higgonsonville, has its act together – and would be a good place to move
many individuals, many of them artists, will reclaim a to and invest in.
number of the homes in the area lost to neglect to create
a thriving community. In Pigeon Point, the former base For this plan, the fabric of each new building in the
housing from Parris Island that were moved to scattered downtown was intentionally set to the same scale as
lots throughout the neighborhood will be expanded, such historic precedents as the Elliott House as well as
renovated, and redeveloped with homes that are more buildings that are now only remembered in photographs.
suitable for the gracious lots that exist there. And in Gone are the days of the mega-project on the superblock.
the Old Commons, particularly along the periphery by If progress is to be made, it will be slow, calculated and
Boundary Street and Carteret Street, large old homes in in small increments. The work will be done by many
decrepit conditions and new homes on empty lots will hands and over a long period of time. But, if we have
be reclaimed by the University and others to provide done our jobs like Burnham did in Chicago, we will have
much-needed housing for faculty, staff, and student for created a legacy that will ably secure our rights as a great
a thriving University that is a regional leader in the arts American city for centuries to come.
and environmental studies. - The Office for Civic Investment, 2010

The Point will continue to be a beacon of the success of
the national preservation movement that has resurrected

Civic Master Plan


SECTOR 1 STUDY AREA EXISTING
BUILDINGS
The study area covered in the Sector 1 Planning and
Design Charrette includes the Beaufort peninsula to
the east of Ribaut Road. Sector 1 also includes the
Whitehall Plantation property on Lady’s Island (just
across the Beaufort River) as a logical extension of
downtown Beaufort.

In addition to Beaufort’s entire 304-acre National
Historic Landmark district, the following neighborhoods
are included in Sector 1:
• Downtown/Bay Street
• Northwest Quadrant
• The Point
• Old Commons PROPOSED
DEVELOPMENT
• The Bluff PHASE 1
• Dixon Village
• Pigeon Point
• Uptown Beaufort
• Higginsonville
• Whitehall
Each of these neighborhoods has a unique character,
form, and personality that were recognized during the
charrette process.

For the Sector 1 Planning and Design Charrette the
Sector 1 study area was split among five design teams
each with a specific focus area for design. The sequence
of images at right illustrates the summation of that work,
across the entirety of Sector 1, in phases. The existing PROPOSED
DEVELOPMENT
building footprints are shown at the top. Below that is PHASE 2
the proposed Phase 1, which illustrates development
potential within 10 to 20 years. Finally, Phase 2 is shown
as a long-term build-out of the Sector 1 planning area.

The image on the facing page (Sector 1 Proposed
Development Plan) is the aggregate of all the proposed
interventions for Sector 1, including short- and long-
term development strategies and key open space
improvements. In total, the plan accommodates about
2,500 new people living in Sector 1, as well as about
180,000 square feet of new commercial (non-residential)
space and 126,000 square feet of new civic space.
PHASES OF PROPOSED
DEVELOPMENT
(See Appendix A for larger maps)


45

SECTOR 1 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Civic Master Plan


T R A N S P O R TAT I O N
WALKABILITY key corridors such as Boundary Street, Bladen Street,
Ribaut Road, and Carteret Street will foster walkability
The average distance that a typical pedestrian is willing throughout the Sector 1 study area over the long term.
to walk is one-fourth to one-half miles, which equates
to a five to ten minute journey. This distance is often Currently, the historic district, and Bay Street in
referred to as the “pedestrian shed.” The downtown particular, is the most walkable area in town. It includes
Beaufort peninsula is about 1.5 miles across at its the greatest variety of uses at a potentially walkable
widest point (from Waterfront Park up to Pinckney scale. Part of the intent behind the Open Space Plan
Park). Because this distance is greater than a typical is to create attractive walkable corridors throughout
pedestrian shed, it is important to provide employment Sector 1. While the establishment of mixed-use nodes
opportunities, services, neighborhood retail, and spaces along key corridors occurs in the long term, streetscape
for recreation throughout the downtown Beaufort improvements and the development of an open space
peninsula. Encouraging an appropriate mix of uses along network help to extend the walkability of the Bay Street
area in the short term.

10
M
IN

WALK (1/
TE
UT

4
NU
EW
M
I

IL
5M

A L K (1/ 2 M I L E
E)

)

WA L K A B I L I T Y


47

ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION MAP dedicated bike lanes that connect to the regional parks
and greenways system. Finally, the existing marina
Sidewalk improvements throughout Sector 1 are another serves as a terminal for regional water taxis and boat
method of extending the walkability of downtown tourism.
Beaufort. The Alternative Transportation Map below
illustrates blocks where sidewalks are recommended to These improvements all support a more sustainable
be installed, if they are not so already. The introduction built environment for Beaufort residents and strengthen/
of a downtown circulator bus that shares stops with broaden the tourism industry by allowing people to reach
regional routes also improves local and regional downtown Beaufort in new ways, move around more
mobility. easily once they are there, and explore parts of town
that were not previously within a reasonable walking
Bike infrastructure improvements range from “can-of- distance.
paint” solutions that create shared bike travel lanes, to

A L T E R N AT I V E T R A N S P O R TAT I O N M A P

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 2 | Transportation

STREET HIERARCHY Combined with a future development strategy that
promotes a greater variety and mix of uses in Sector 1,
The predominant gridiron pattern of the Sector 1 study Beaufort’s gridded street hierarchy will enable people
area is a tremendous asset for developing a more to live locally and accomplish their daily needs in a
walkable urban environment in downtown Beaufort. short walking, biking, or driving distance. The pages
While the grid network increases the overall efficiency that follow illustrate some transportation strategies
and capacity of the system to convey traffic to and from that will support these street classifications, as well as
destinations within the Sector 1 study area, there are development concepts that will make the most effective
only 3 routes that allow access beyond the downtown use of the street hierarchy as illustrated.
peninsula: Boundary Street to the west, Ribaut Road
to the South toward Port Royal, and Carteret Street to
the South across the US 21 bridge. Because of these
geographic constraints, establishing a coherent street
hierarchy within the downtown environment will be
a key consideration for enabling local mobility in the
future.

The map on the facing page illustrates how mobility
in the Sector 1 Study Area will be enhanced by the
improvement of Beaufort’s existing street network.
• Primary thoroughfares like Ribaut Road, Carteret
Street, and Boundary Street will continue to serve
a regional purpose and convey the highest volume
of traffic to destinations within the downtown
peninsula and beyond. These streets will also
be enhanced to more effectively accommodate
non-motorized (pedestrian and bicycle) modes of
transportation.
• Bay Street, Bladen Street, and Newcastle Street will
serve as local thoroughfares and support
neighborhood commercial development in close
proximity to downtown neighborhoods.
• Port Republic Street is noted as a festival street and
retail counterpart to Bay Street (see page 67).
• South of Boundary Street, the remaining streets
are local roads and alleys that follow a regular grid
and efficiently serve individual lots.
• North of Boundary Street, the local grid is a little
slightly less regular and frequent. As a result, each
neighborhood street plays a slightly more prominent
role in conveying traffic to the major thoroughfare
of Boundary Street.


49

Boundary Street Bay Street
Ribaut Road Port Republic Street
Carteret Street G-5 Street
Charles Street G-3 Street
Bladen Street Rear Lanes

STREET HIERARCHY MAP
NOT TO SCALE

Civic Master Plan


BOUNDARY STREET ROAD DIET

This plan for Boundary Street utilizes the existing
44’-0” of pavement, curb to curb, and reconfigures the
lane striping. It reduces the number of travel lanes
from four to two, adds parallel parking on both sides,
as well as a turning lane in the center. In the future,
when rear access is incorporated into the lots fronting
Boundary Street, the turn lane can be converted into a
planted median. This “road diet”, or reconfiguration of
the street, will slow traffic making the Boundary Street
Corridor more pedestrian-friendly.

B O U N DA RY S T R E ET ROA D D I ET C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
SCALE: 1”= 300’


51

KEY
A - Public Frontage
B - Parallel Parking
C - Travel Lane
D - Turning Lane

SCALE: 1” = 30’

N

Civic Master Plan


C O N C E P T U A L I L L U S T R AT I O N o f B E L L A M Y C U R V E
(Looking west along Boundary Street)

BELLAMY CURVE

Bellamy Curve is a unique gateway to the USCB campus
and downtown Beaufort, and can be an inspiring public
space on the banks of the Beaufort River. The Bellamy
Curve proposal transforms the corner into a pie-shaped
public plaza that transitions from a hardscape treatment
to a natural environment as it fans out to the river. The
inside of the curve is a hardscape plaza with public
art, seating, and planters. In the roadway, the visual
cue and texture change of a plaza paving treatment
slows drivers down and creates a broad crosswalk for
pedestrians. Finally, a terraced lawn on the outside of
the curve creates a connection to the river and to the
USCB campus. The plaza and terraced lawn are heavily
used by USCB students as it marks the transition from
the student housing on Boundary Street to the academic
quads on Carteret Street.

The portion of the plan north of Boundary Street is a
long-term plan for the area. The plan depicts a large
structure that could house a conference center or large
hotel fronting the marsh. The waterfront park is extended
from Bellamy Curve north into Pigeon Point. In addition,
smaller, more dense infill development such as town
houses is possible to the north of the hotel/conference
structure.

B E L L A M Y C U RV E C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
SCALE: 1”=200’


53

RIBAUT ROAD CORRIDOR
BO NEW
UN CITY
DA HALL
The Ribaut Road Corridor begins at the new City Hall RY
ST
building to the north and connects to the Town of Port RE
ET
Royal in the south. It is one of the most heavily traveled
corridors in Beaufort and supports major institutions like
Beaufort Memorial Hospital and the Technical College
of the Lowcountry. For most of its length, the corridor
contains four travel lanes, two in each direction, and
a center turn lane. Reconfiguring Ribaut Road north
of Duke Street allows on-street parking to support
denser town center development as well as continued
redevelopment of the County Government Campus.

R I BAU T ROA D
South of Duke Street, residential-scaled infill will
incrementally add home offices, neighborhood services,
and a greater density of dwelling units.

The corner of Ribaut and Bay Street will be redeveloped
as a major gateway into downtown Beaufort, marked COUNTY
GOVERNMENT
by planted medians, crosswalks in an alternative paving COMPLEX
treatment, wayfinding signage, and a banner stand that
will advertise community events (see plan on following
page).

R I BAU T ROA D C O R R I D O R C O N C E P T UA L
PLAN
NOT TO SCALE

Civic Master Plan


R I BAU T ROA D S T R E ET S E C T I O N S


55

Marsh Road Improvements
B OU
A road diet along Ribaut Road north of Duke NDA
Street is needed to encourage pedestrian activity RY S
T REE
to support the planned town center development T
and continuted redevelopment of the County

ROAD
Government Campus. This road diet would
include closing two travel lanes of Ribaut Road
in order to provide parking. In order to close the

MAR SH
travel lanes, alternative access must be provided
between Duke Street and Boundary Street. To
provide this access, Marsh Road will be improved
and extended to connect to Ribaut Road at Prince
Street. This will allow adequate access and traffic
flow from Ribaut Road to Boundary Street.

RIBAU T ROAD

DUKE ST.

PRINCE ST.

Civic Master Plan


G5 RESIDENTIAL STREET SECTION (PIGEON P OINT AREA)


57

G3 RESIDENTIAL STREET SECTION (DUKE STREET )

Civic Master Plan


N AT U R A L I N F R A S T R U C T U R E & PA R K S
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE these streetscape improvements will also provide
stormwater filtration on site and more effectively direct
The City of Beaufort is rich with natural beauty. the overflow water into the downtown system.
Places including Waterfront Park and the many pocket
parks connect residents and visitors to nature as they Improvements to Existing Open Space
experience the downtown and Bay Street. It is common The Civic Master Plan also upgrades several areas of
to see visitors strolling along Bay Street, enjoying existing open space. Basil Green Park north of Boundary
the view of the marsh and the enormous live oak Street and Washington Street Square Park south of
trees. These natural features are just one component Boundary Street include enhancements that will benefit
of a critical linked network of open space and natural the surrounding neighborhoods, while also connecting
infrastructure in Downtown Beaufort. Through the into the greater system of open space and infrastructure.
Civic Master Plan the City of Beaufort will build on Both parks are ideal locations for new intermediary
the existing natural infrastructure by enhancing and stormwater runoff measures including rain gardens, bio-
connecting the open space to not only aesthetically retention swales and retention hollows.
improve the area, but to also improve drainage and
stormwater management in downtown. Natural Infrastructure System
Creating opportunities for open space and natural The Civic Master Plan connects the existing natural
infrastructure is a multi-pronged approach with a infrastructure in downtown Beaufort through streetscape
variety of techniques. Each technique used in the natural improvements, stormwater management enhancements,
infrastructure plan is outlined below and highlighted on and new investment in existing open space. Each part
the plan at right. of the plan represents an integral stage in improving the
quality of the built and natural environment.

Streetscape Improvements
Ribaut Road, Bladen Street and Charles Street are
the north-south connections south of Boundary Street
to the river. Each of these streets will have enhanced
streetscapes with street trees, sidewalks, and on-street
parking. The improvements help to mitigate runoff
issues by incorporating tree planting wells that collect,
filter and drain water to the greater stormwater system.
East-west connections north of Boundary Street on Park
Avenue also integrate streetscape enhancements with
stormwater management improvements in Pigeon Point.
For example, a planting strip and pervious parking areas
will filter water before it enters the piping system and
then efficiently channel overflow water into the greater
stormwater management system.

Other street improvements north of Boundary Street on
Pigeon Point Road, Sycamore Street, Lafayette Street,
and Rodgers Street include the addition of street trees,
pervious opportunistic parking and a sidewalk on one
side of the street. To improve stormwater management


59

PROP OSED GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 3 | Natural Infrastructure & Parks

EXTENSION of WATERFRONT PARK Waterfront Park provides a pedestrian amenity that
recognizes and celebrates the significance of the
Waterfront Park is a spectacular public amenity that Beaufort River to the city, in an appropriately low-
draws locals and tourists alike to downtown Beaufort. impact fashion. This boardwalk preserves the natural
However, to the west along the Bluff is an underutilized setting of the Bluff and is also is a key component in the
asset that has the unrealized potential to be a truly great development of a regional parks and greenway system.
public space.

Beaufort’s waterfront is a tangible part of the city’s
history and identity. With a waterfront park extension,
there will is a logical connection from the existing
Waterfront Park to The Bluff. A simple boardwalk EXISTING
extending along the river’s edge to the west of

C O N C E P T U A L I L L U S T R AT I O N o f B O A R D WA L K a l o n g t h e M A R S H
(Looking east toward downtown)


61

BLADEN
N O RT H S T R E ET

C A RT E R ET S T R E ET
CHARLES STREET
BA
Y S
TR
EE
T
D
T ROA
R I BAU

E X T E N S I O N o f WAT E R F R O N T P A R K C O N C E P T U A L P L A N
NOT TO SCALE

Courthouse Sidewalk Travel Travel Parallel
Lane Lane Parking

Naturalized
Bluff

Low Impact
Gravel Trail
with Retaining
Wetland
Wall

B O A R D WA L K A L O N G T H E M A R S H

Civic Master Plan


All Baseball Fields at
Standard Pony Sizes

New Soccer Field
(180’x300’)

New Pavilions

New Park Entrance &
Dropoff

Playground

Reconfigured
Godfrey Street

Existing Stormwater
Retention Parcel

Pervious Parking
Summary
Layfayette St. (34 spots)
14 parallel
20 head-in
Rodgers Ave. (48 spots)
22 parallel
26 angled
Nairne St. (62 spots)
All head-in
Godfrey St. (79 spots
N All head-in
Entrance (108 spots)
All angled

TOTAL: 331 spots

B A S I L G R E E N PA R K C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
NOT TO SCALE


63

BASIL GREEN PARK COMMUNITY GARDENS

Basil Green Park, located in the Pigeon Point At the scale of the block, the natural infrastructure
neighborhood, is one of the most popular and frequently plan includes incremental agriculture opportunities.
used parks in Beaufort. Many sports teams play in the These community gardens provide open space for the
park on the weekends and several nights a week during neighborhood, as well as opportunities for residents to
spring, summer, and fall. In recent years, parking has grow their own food. The gardens can also be integrated
become a problem. The proposed plan (see previous into the stormwater management system to fill cisterns
page) shows how the parking can be reorganized to for watering the growing plants.
handle large crowds. It is also recommended that the
fields be reoriented to create new pavilions and an entry
drop-off point.

P O T E N T I A L L O C AT I O N S f o r C O M M U N I T Y G A R D E N S

Civic Master Plan


WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK support both active and passive recreational uses with
a basketball court, a tennis court, an amphitheater, and
Washington Square Park is an important neighborhood an open lawn for common activities. The basketball and
gathering place for local residents in the Northwest tennis courts will be located so as not to disrupt adjacent
Quadrant. The park’s facilities are dated and in need homes. The plan described and shown here carefully
of improvement. New picnic shelters and restrooms considers the requests made by neighborhood residents.
mark the corners of the park. Play equipment is located
near the structures for easy child supervision. Some of
the play equipment is preserved as it dates back to the
original construction of the park and holds historical
significance to local community members. The park will

GREENE STREET

New Equipment
Shed

New Basketball
NEWCA ST LE ST REET

CHARLES STREET Court

Mixed-use Infill

New Volleyball Area

New Amphitheater

New Pavilion

Historic Swing Set

New Restroom

WA S H I N G T O N S T R E E T

N

WA S H I N G T O N S Q U A R E P A R K C O N C E P T U A L R E D E V E L O P M E N T P L A N
NOT TO SCALE


65

RIBAU T ROAD
Planted Median

Open Air
Pavillion
Grass Swales

Rain Garden
Fitness Loop
Underneath Community Banners
Mature Trees

lk
s wa
ros
dC
nce ET
ha E
En S TR
Y
BA

C O N C E P T U A L L A N D S C A P E P L A N f o r C O R N E R O F R I B A U T R O A D a n d B AY S T R E E T
NOT TO SCALE

BANNER AREA ture trees will be preserved and a pervious fitness loop
will provide recreation opportunities to residents. Both
The intersection of Ribaut Road and Bay Street is corners employ strategic stormwater management tools
the gateway to downtown Beaufort for the majority such as grass swales and rain gardens to treat and filter
of residents and tourists. The northeast corner of the the runoff from Ribaut Road and the areas north of Bay
intersection owned by the Beaufort Open Land Trust is Street.
currently the location used to hang banners announcing
upcoming festivals and events in the town. The gateway The improved gateway and banner location to Beaufort
is now only marked with these informal banners, miss- is further complimented by the streetscape improve-
ing an opportunity to welcome visitors and residents to ments on Ribaut Road that include traffic calming the
the historic waterfront in Beaufort. The Civic Master street from four lanes to two lanes, adding a bike lane
Plan will reinstate this corner as a prominent entrance in each direction, enhanced crosswalks, and new street
to downtown Beaufort. The plan includes a designated trees. The result of these upgrades is a sense of arrival to
location for community banners and a pocket park on downtown Beaufort and a unique opportunity for both
the northeast corner. On the northwest corner the ma- active and passive users.

Civic Master Plan


B A Y S T R E E T a n d t h e WAT E R F R O N T
BAY STREET

The Bay Street and Waterfront Park are the city’s
most recognizable assets. The unique identity and
public amenities combine to create a special sense of
place that permeates the entire city. Unfortunately, the
activity in this area is currently limited in terms of both
geography and diversity. With the changes proposed in
this plan, downtown can be transformed into an even
more memorable and appealing district with resourceful
planning and implementation.

In terms of geography, what most people consider to
be downtown Beaufort is limited to the three blocks of
Bay Street from Charles to Carteret Streets. To become
a unified district, the perception of downtown Beaufort
needs to expand beyond its Bay Street core and develop
a vibrancy of activity that connects to other parts of the
B AY S T R E E T S T U D Y A R E A
city.

C R AV E N S T R E E T
WEST STREET

PARKING
CHARLES STREET

GARAGE

P O RT R E P U B L I C S T R E ET
SCOTT STREET

B AY
STR
EET
MARINA

N

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT for DOWNTOWN
NOT TO SCALE


67

B AY S T R E E T

PROPOSED MARINA REDEVELOPMENT

BA
In terms of diversity, Downtown Beaufort is an almost Y
exclusively tourist-driven market, with little commercial ST
R
provision for the everyday needs of residents. To become EE
T
an authentic place, Downtown Beaufort needs to foster
and develop an identity and diversity of function beyond
tourist shops and carriage tours.

Four major projects are identified in Downtown Beaufort
to help the area overcome its narrow geography and lack
of diversity: the Marina redevelopment, a Port Republic
Street parking garage and commercial infill strategy, an
extension of Waterfront Park along the Bluff, and the
Whitehall Plantation property development.

Marina Redevelopment

The most underutilized space in downtown is the Marina
N
parking lot. This approximately three-acre asphalt lot
is an unfitting use of a prime location in the middle of
C O N C E P T UA L P L A N f or tha M A R I NA
SCALE: 1”= 200’

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 4 | Bay Street and the Waterfront

downtown and an inappropriate complement to both
the built environment of downtown and the natural
environment of the river. The Marina redevelopment
scheme inspires a more active and valuable space to
anchor this site at the western end of Waterfront Park.
B AY S T R
ET Buildings derived from Beaufort traditions are
RE
ST reintroduced to portions of this prime development
ES
EET

A RL land. A new wharf building, located at the site of the old
CH Charles Street Wharf, serves as a commercial anchor,
servicing tourists, locals, and fishermen. This signature
building serves as a landmark, as the only proposed
M A R I N A a n d PA R K I N G G A R A G E extension of the built environment into the Beaufort
C O N C E P T UA L R E N D E R I N G River. Market-style buildings define new public spaces
that extend the pedestrian environment of Waterfront
Park. These buildings accommodate a variety of uses
from retail, to boat maintenance, to apartments and
condos. Following the precedent of downtown Beaufort,
EXISTING
these buildings stand three to four stories in height and
utilize a style appropriate to the traditional vernacular of
the Lowcountry.

P R O P O S E D V I E W o f B AY S T R E E T l o o k i n g W E S T t o w a r d s C H A R L E S S T R E E T


69

A new civic building and public plaza is located in the This mix of development provides parking without
northeast corner of the Marina redevelopment site and the typical visual impact of a parking garage, it
terminates the view from Bay Street toward the Marina, accommodates residents and tourists alike, and it extends
with an expression of civic pride that is currently absent the Bay Street commercial core to the north.
from downtown (see images on facing page). The
Marina will be a point of origin, as well as a destination,
for water taxis and tours to Charleston, Savannah, and
Hilton Head Island.

Proposed Parking Garage at Port Republic

A parking garage is located in the middle of the block C R AV E N S T R E E T
bound by Port Republic Street, Craven Street, Charles
Street, and West Street to replace the parking spaces

WEST STREET
displaced by the Marina redevelopment and to provide

CHARLES STREET
easier access to downtown Beaufort from regional
destinations. The parking garage accommodates
roughly 280 vehicles and it has minimal impact on
the streetscape as it is wrapped with mixed-use liner
buildings.
On Port Republic Street and West Street, commercial
space and a new Visitors Welcome Center activates the
streetscape for pedestrians and provide information to
people arriving downtown by car (see image below).
N
On Craven Street, apartment units line the garage B AY
STR
and create an appropriate transition to the residential EET
neighborhoods north of the downtown area (see images
on following page). P R O P O S E D PA R K I N G G A R A G E
SCALE: 1”=200’

P R O P O S E D PA R K I N G G A R A G E FA C A D E a l o n g P O RT R E P U B L I C S T R E E T

Civic Master Plan


EXISTING

PA R K I N G G A R A G E FA C A D E ( V i e w f r o m C r a v e n S t r e e t l o o k i n g E a s t )


71

Port Republic Infill vehicular circulation with intermittent bollards. This
mix of pedestrian and vehicular environments at an
In conjunction with the parking garage, commercial intimate scale encourages slow traffic speeds and fosters
infill development along Port Republic Street extends a pedestrian environment that better serves the retail
the commercial environment of Bay Street throughout character of the area. It also allows the street to be easily
downtown. This infill development embraces traditional closed off to vehicular traffic and serves as a new festival
Lowcountry vernacular in its architectural style. In space for downtown.
addition, Port Republic Street will be reoriented as a
plaza street terminating to the west in a prominent infill
commercial building along Charles Street. This street
does not have a raised curb treatment. Instead it utilizes
a consistent decorative paving treatment from building EXISTING
face to building face, and separates pedestrians from

C O N C E P T U A L I L L U S T R AT I O N o f I N F I L L D E V E L O P M E N T a l o n g P O R T R E P U B L I C
( L o o k i n g We s t a l o n g P o r t R e p u b l i c S t r e e t )

Civic Master Plan


Retail & Merchandising Plan to downtown, the retail environment should naturally
move to serve these markets within a walkable distance.
The retail and merchandising strategy for downtown Increasing oil demand and gas prices make this kind
Beaufort is twofold: First, use simple pedestrian of neighborhood-serving retail even more viable
amenities to improve the character of the streetscape; downtown. The ultimate goal is a diversity of retail,
Second, expand the mix of commercial uses in professional offices, restaurants, and neighborhood
downtown to serve local residents more effectively. services that attract regional tourism but also serve the
local population in Beaufort as effectively.
Regarding streetscape character, there are several simple
and inexpensive improvements that can be made to
improve the public realm of the downtown retail area.
Replanting street trees, adding light fixtures with banners EXISTING
and flowering baskets, marking building entryways with
benches and other amenities, and adding awnings over
blank windows (see images below) help to invigorate the
public spaces of downtown that are currently lacking.
Downtown Beaufort already boasts phenomenal historic
buildings and streets, so these small touches will only
further enliven the public realm.

Over the long term, Beaufort needs to broaden the
mix of commercial uses in downtown to better serve
local residents. Downtown is an almost exclusively
tourist-driven, niche market. At one time, downtown
included neighborhood-serving retail uses like hardware
stores, pharmacies, grocers, produce markets, and
more. As more people move into infill housing closer
V O N H A RT E N B U I L D I N G FA C A D E

EXISTING EXISTING

FA C A D E I M P R O V E M E N T S


73

Image Source: Scott Sonoc

C O N C E P T U A L E N T R Y S T R U C T U R E t o WAT E R F R O N T P A R K

Civic Master Plan


Wayfinding

Among the pedestrian amenities that can be offered
in downtown Beaufort is a more effective system of
wayfinding. Beaufort has a wealth of parks, retail
areas, and other attractions beyond Bay Street and
Waterfront Park that many casual visitors do not realize.
An effective system of signage, one that reflects the
local vernacular and is appropriately scaled to serve
pedestrians, unifies the different areas of downtown and
encourages visitors to wander beyond the three blocks of
Bay Street.

DOWNTOWN

VISITOR’S CENTER
DOWNTOWN
CITY HALL
VISITOR’S CENTER

CITY HALL

WATERFRONT

POPULATION 12,361 FARMER’S MARKET

Project: Stewart Park Project No. 09136.GP6 Sketch/Page No.

G1
Title: Signage Design By AD

C O N C E P T UA L S I G NAG E f o r D OWN TOWN B E AU F O RT
Phase Programming Schematic Design Design Development Final Art Date 12.08.10

Issue Scale Quarter Scale

The images presented are all
conceptual only and are intended
to illustrate the types and range of
signage, not the final design.


75


Civic Master Plan


CORRIDOR PLANS
Five key corridors in the Sector 1 study area were the Beaufort County Library. The corridor contains two
identified for closer examination during the planning and travel lanes for a majority of its length with on-street
design charrette. These key commercial corridors are parking on either side. Carteret Street supports a fairly
important as Beaufort continues to grow and develop. wide variety of service businesses, including real estate
They promote efficient vehicular circulation, while also offices, insurance and financial planning firms, and
supporting pedestrian-friendly mixed-use centers. attorney’s offices. It also supports several restaurants, a
hotel, and religious uses such as Carteret Street United
Methodist and Beth Israel Synagogue.
CARTERET STREET CORRIDOR
As the city grows, Carteret Street continues to support
The Carteret Street corridor begins in the north, where a variety of commercial uses. It also supports a
Boundary Street meets Bellamy Curve, and connects greater density of residential development and an
to Lady’s Island via the US 21 (Business)/Sea Island expanded institutional presence. With growth comes
Parkway Bridge. It is the most significant north-south improvements, including wider sidewalks, more plentiful
corridor in downtown Beaufort and connects key project plantings, and generous crosswalks that are clearly
sites, like Old City Hall, and institutions, like USCB and marked with alternative paving treatments.

BOUNDARY STREET
CARTERET STREET
BLADEN STREET
RIBAU T ROAD

CHARLES STREET

CORRIDORS
NOT TO SCALE


77

CA
RT
ER
T

ET
STREE
KING

ST
RE
ET
NEW ST
REET

P R O P O S E D E X PA N S I O N O F B U S I N E S S C O M P O U N D

Business Compound Expansion

Part of the commercial growth along the Carteret
NEW STREET
Street corridor is organized as a neighborhood-scaled,

EAST STREET
integrated business compound. Located on the two
blocks bounded by Carteret Street, New Street, Prince

Street, and North Street, this compound is comprised
of several independent, residentially-scaled buildings
that house business and neighborhood service uses. A
series of interior courts and inviting midblock spaces KING STREET

are created through the thoughtful infill of the block
perimeters. A variety of business support functions
are envisioned to occupy the compound, from graphic
design and production, to research and development
entities associated with the primary business (and
possibly USCB), to administrative functions. The
compound also includes a limited amount of residential
N O RT H S T R E ET
uses associated with visiting clients and consultants,
interns, etc.

BUSINESS COMPOUND PLAN
SCALE: 1”=200’

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 5 | Corridor Plans

University of South Carolina - Beaufort Expansion In the short term, the Sector 1 plan provides for 200
to 400 students on-campus and adds 30,000 to 50,000
Located at Bellamy Curve, where Boundary Street turns square feet of classroom, faculty office, and recreational
to meet Carteret, the University of South Carolina at space. As a vital component of the plan, the campus
Beaufort (USCB) occupies one of the most prominent should partner with the city to utilize adjacent property
corners in Beaufort. USCB is the primary institutional along the Beaufort River to create a civic, public
stakeholder in Sector 1 as it anchors the eastern portion amenity. In the long term, the continuous growth of the
of the downtown peninsula. Due to its unique location, campus population will support mixed-use infill and
there is potential for the university to grow along two redevelopment along Boundary and Carteret Streets
of Beaufort’s most prominent corridors, Boundary and prompting positive reinvestment in the surrounding
Street to the west and Carteret Street to the south. residential neighborhoods.
This development facilitates additional growth along
these corridors, contributing a valuable consistency of
streetscape and quality of the public realm to the city.

The Sector 1 plan accomodates campus growth in a
historic academic quad style organized around the
existing buildings on campus and the Carteret Street
corridor. Parking is accommodated on-street in the
blocks surrounding USCB to alleviate the need for paved
lots that damage the local ecology and are detrimental to
the campus and streetscape environments. Many students
are also accommodated in on-campus housing to lessen
the need for commuter lots and parking areas.

C A RT
ERET
STREE
T

C O N C E P T UA L P L A N o f U S C B C A M P U S E X PA N S I O N


79

Student Housing

Bellamy Curve
Streetscape Enhancements

On-campus Housing

Diagonal Parking on
Washington Street

Academic Quad

C O N C E P T UA L P L A N o f U S C B C A M P U S E X PA N S I O N
NOT TO SCALE

Civic Master Plan


Proposed Student Housing

USCB student housing is developed as mix of traditional
dorm-style units and urban mansion-style units (see
below) that emulate a traditional Lowcountry vernacular.
The plan calls for most on-campus housing to be located
along Boundary Street, with additional housing provided
by a selective conversion of historic mansion-style
residences located in the nearby neighborhoods. This
mixture of housing allows USCB to offer a student
living arrangement and educational experience that
is appropriately unique to Beaufort. To manage these
residents, USCB carefully maintains and monitors these
properties to mitigate their impacts on surrounding
neighborhoods. The impact of the student population
is unmistakably positive and helps to spur further
commercial investment and residential reinvestment
in the area. The student housing along Boundary
in particular helps to spur commercial growth and
redevelopment in that corridor.

URBAN MANSION-ST YLE STUDENT HOUSING


81

TRE ET
D ARY S
BOUN

C O N C E P T U A L I L L U S T R AT I O N o f B E L L A M Y C U R V E
(Looking west along Boundary Street)

Bellamy Curve

Bellamy Curve is a unique gateway to the USCB campus
and downtown Beaufort, and can be an inspiring public
space on the banks of the Beaufort River. The Bellamy
Curve proposal transforms the corner into a pie-shaped
public plaza that transitions from a hardscape treatment
to a natural environment as it fans out to the river. The
inside of the curve is a hardscape plaza with public
art, seating, and planters. In the roadway, the visual
cue and texture change of a plaza paving treatment
slows drivers down and creates a broad crosswalk for
pedestrians. Finally, a terraced lawn on the outside of
the curve creates a connection to the river and to the
USCB campus. The plaza and terraced lawn are heavily
used by USCB students as it marks the transition from
B OUNDARY ST REET
the student housing on Boundary Street to the academic
quads on Carteret Street.

The portion of the plan north of Boundary Street is a
long-term plan for the area. The plan depicts a large
structure that could house a conference center or large
hotel fronting the marsh. The waterfront park is extended N
from Bellamy Curve north into Pigeon Point. In addition,
smaller, more dense infill development such as town
houses is possible to the north of the hotel/conference
structure. B E L L A M Y C U RV E C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
SCALE: 1”=200’

Civic Master Plan


BOUNDARY STREET CORRIDOR Neighborhood Commercial

The Boundary Street corridor in Sector 1 is bounded by In addition to a center for student housing, the Boundary
Bellamy Curve to the east and Ribaut Road to the west. Street corridor is an essential center for neighborhood
It is the most significant east-west corridor in Sector 1, commercial activity for Sector 1. Currently, the
connecting sites like City Hall, the Boys & Girls Club corridor is marked by scattered gaps, surface parking
of Beaufort, and USCB. Boundary Street is currently lots, and vacant buildings. As Beaufort grows, more
a vehicular thoroughfare. For most of its length, the neighborhood serving commercial uses are necessary.
corridor contains four travel lanes, two in each direction, These proposed uses are directed to strategically to fill
and an overall lack of adequate accommodation for the gaps along Boundary Street with quality buildings
pedestrians. that are close to the street. This creates a consistency
within the streetscape environment, produces a higher
The strategy for redeveloping the Boundary Street quality public realm, and activates the space by
corridor includes reducing the number of travel lanes encouraging pedestrian traffic along the corridor. The
to two: one in each direction, with a lane of on-street neighborhood commercial infill strategy is imperative in
parking on either side. The intention is to encourage a terms of providing essential services and everyday needs
more pedestrian-friendly atmosphere with convenient for residents of the Pigeon Point and Higginsonville
parking to serve new buildings that are built to the neighborhoods to the north of Boundary Street. These
sidewalk. The city and SCDOT work in conjunction neighborhoods are currently not within walking distance
to implement this technique called a “road diet.” The to essential commercial uses.
road diet converts the primarily vehicular function of
Boundary Street into a complete street that promotes
pedestrian activity and bicycling.

B OUNDARY ST REET
R I BAU T ROA D

B OUNDARY ST REET CORRID OR (Ribaut R oad to R og ers Stre et)
NOT TO SCALE


83

C O N C E P T U A L I L L U S T R AT I O N o f M I X E D - U S E I N F I L L o f B O U N D A R Y S T R E E T
(Looking East towards Bellamy Cur ve)

N

B OUNDARY ST REET

B OUNDARY ST REET CORRID OR (R og ers Stre et to Bellamy Cur ve)

Civic Master Plan


Western Boundary Street Redevelopment

In addition the road diet along Boundary Street east of
Ribaut Road, a portion of western Boundary Street from
Union Street to Hamar Street offers the opportunity to
provide a slip lane on the south side of the corridor. This
creates an urban boulevard configuration, allowing for
easier access to off-street parking, encouraging slower
traffic speeds, and enhancing the pedestrian realm for P R O P O S E D S L I P L A N E o n B O U N D A RY S T.
existing buildings that are currently set back from the
street.

PROPOSED SLIP LANE from UNION to HAMAR STREETS

B OUNDARY ST REET
R I BAU T ROA D

BAGGETT STREET
HAMAR STREET

GREENE STREET

WE S T E R N B O U N DA RY S T R E ET C O N C E P T UA L R E D EV E L O M E N T P L A N
SCALE: 1”=200’


85

EXISTING

P I G G LY W I G G LY C O N C E P T UA L R E D E V E L O P M E N T L O O K I N G S O U T H

Piggly Wiggly Redevelopment

The construction of the new City Hall complex at the
intersection of Boundary Street and Ribaut Road brings
a new civic prominence to the area that is reflected in the
surrounding pattern of development. The existing Piggly
Wiggly grocery store provides an essential service to the
surrounding neighborhoods, but meets the street at this
important intersection with a dull and uninspiringparking
lot on both Ribaut Road and Boundary Street. Through
a strategic redevelopment of this parcel, the Piggly
Wiggly accommodates growth and provides commercial
infill buildings close to the street. This provides
spatial definition at the intersection and creates a better
streetscape. A roundabout also recognizes the civic
significance of the site and moves traffic through the
busy intersection at slower, consistent speeds.

Civic Master Plan


ET
RE
ST
Y
AR
D
N
U
BO

C O N C E P T UA L R E D EV E L O P M E N T o f R I BAU T ROA D an d B O U N DA RY S T R E ET
LOOKING EAST


87

B OUNDARY ST REET SECT IONS

Civic Master Plan

RIBAUT ROAD CORRIDOR BO NEW
UN CITY
DA HALL
RY
The Ribaut Road Corridor begins at the new City Hall ST
RE
building to the north and connects to the Town of Port ET
Royal in the south. It is one of the most heavily traveled
corridors in Beaufort and supports major institutions like
Beaufort Memorial Hospital and the Technical College
of the Lowcountry. For most of its length, the corridor
contains four travel lanes, two in each direction, and
a center turn lane. Reconfiguring Ribaut Road north
of Duke Street allows on-street parking to support
denser town center development as well as continued

R I BAU T ROA D
redevelopment of the County Government Campus.
South of Duke Street, residential-scaled infill will
incrementally add home offices, neighborhood services,
and a greater density of dwelling units.

The corner of Ribaut and Bay Street will be redeveloped
as a major gateway into downtown Beaufort, marked
COUNTY
by planted medians, crosswalks in an alternative paving GOVERNMENT
COMPLEX
treatment, wayfinding signage, and a banner stand that
will advertise community events (see plan on following
page).

R I BAU T ROA D C O R R I D O R
C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
NOT TO SCALE


89

R I BAU T ROA D S T R E ET S E C T I O N S

Civic Master Plan


BLADEN STREET CORRIDOR

The Bladen Street corridor runs north-south
between Boundary Street and Bay Street. It
is a connecting corridor within the downtown
peninsula of Beaufort. The city recently
completed streetscape redevelopment work
along Bladen Street north of Duke Street,
adding sidewalk bulb-outs at intersections,
planting street trees, and defining a street
section with two travel lanes and two lanes DUKE STREET
of on-street parking. Over time, the corridor
strategically infills using building types that
are representative of the neighborhood. The
proposed infill contains a mix of neighborhood
commercial uses, senior housing, and residential
units. These are comprised of a gradient of

BLADEN STREET
intensity and a mix of uses that are the greatest
along Bladen Street, and more residential in
character on adjacent blocks. PRINCE STREET

KING STREET
MidTown Residential Development

Retail Infill/Expansion to Existing Building

Retail Infill

Senior Housing Infill Development
N O RT H S T R E ET
Reorientation of North Street &
Extension of Waterfront Park
B AY
STR
EET

N

B L A D E N S T R E ET C O R R I D O R C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
SCALE: 1”=200’


91

BLADEN STREET SECTION

BL
AD
EET
EN
H STR
N O RT
ST
RE
ET

B AY S T R E E T

P R O P O S E D S E N I O R H O U S I N G a n d I N F I L L D EV E L O P M E N T L O O K I N G N O RT H a l o n g
BLADEN STREET

Civic Master Plan


CHARLES STREET CORRIDOR
PRINCE STREET
Similar to Bladen Street, the Charles
Street corridor runs north-south between
Boundary Street and Bay Street. It is
a major connection to Bay Street. The
Sector 1 plan also incorporates strategic
infill along Charles Street. Including
neighborhood-serving commercial
corridor uses. The development of a KING STREET
civic node at the intersection of Charles
Street and King Street is anchored by
a redeveloped Post Office site to the
southeast, an extension of the Parish
Church of St. Helena Education Center to
the southwest, and the Baptist Church of
Beaufort to the northwest and northeast.
N O RT H S T R E ET
Larger, mixed-use anchor buildings are
intended along Charles Street south of
Craven as a transition to the higher density

CHARLES STREET

WEST STREET
of development on Bay Street.

Baptist Church of Beaufort
Expansion & Parking
C R AV E N S T R E E T
Baptist Church School Expansion

Mixed Use Infill
(Post Office, Commercial, Apartments/Condos)

Single Family Infill

Multi-family/Commercial Infill


B AY
N
STR
EET

C H A R L E S S T R E ET C O R R I D O R C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
SCALE: 1”=200’


93

CHARLES STREET SECTIONS

Civic Master Plan


NEIGHBORHOODS
The neighborhoods between the significant Sector and strengthen the public realm, while also maintaining
1 corridors also require coherent plans to guide and the character of the existing neighborhoods. The Bluff,
manage future growth. Several neighborhoods were the Northwest Quadrant, and Higginsonville are distinct
examined in close detail during the charrette because neighborhoods with unique identities that are supported
of their great potential to improve the Sector 1 study by the following plans.
area. These neighborhood plans suggest careful infill
strategies that accommodate growth, increase density,

PIGEON
HIGGINSONVILLE
POINT

NORTHwEST THE
QuADRANT OLD
DIXON COMMONS
VILLAGE
THE
POINT
THE BLuFF

DOwNTOwN

NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS


95

NORTHwEST QuADRANT neighborhood commercial development on Charles
and Bladen Streets. The second phase infills residential
The Northwest Quadrant is a historically African- on the perimeter of adjacent blocks before interior
American community with rich history and and midblock spaces are developed throughout the
architecturally unique housing stock. Scattered neighborhood. The block structure of the Northwest
among the housing, vacant and poorly-maintained Quadrant creates ample backyard areas that are
properties have become a blight on the community. underutilized as valuable space. In fact, many of the
The Northwest Quadrant plan calls for these properties blocks were originally built with service alleys that have
to be redeveloped through selective demolition become overgrown and impassable. The neighborhood
(avoiding as many historically contributing structures plan utilizes these midblock spaces more effectively as
as possible) and careful infill. The plan phases infill space for accessory dwelling units, community gardens,
development using building types that are representative and passive stormwater management facilities. Midblock
of Beaufort as well as incorporating some modern alleys are also reintroduced as a means of access to these
building types (townhomes, mansion homes) with uses.
appropriate architectural styling. The first phase includes

PHASE 1 PHASE 2

GREENE STREET GREENE STREET
WILMINGTON STREET

HARRINGTON STREET

WILMINGTON STREET

HARRINGTON STREET
WA S H I N G T O N S T R E E T WA S H I N G T O N S T R E E T

DUKE STREET DUKE STREET

N N

C O N C E P T UA L R E S I D E N T I A L I N F I L L i n th e N O RT H WE S T Q UA D R A N T
NOT TO SCALE

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 6 | Neighborhoods

T .
O N S
GT
IN
RR
HA DU
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ST
G
R

EXISTING
EE
N
E
ST

ST
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IN
I LM
W

.
ST
T ON
I NG
RR
HA DU
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ST
G
R

PHASE 1
EE
N
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ST

ST
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IN
M
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P H A S I N G o f C O N C E P T UA L R E S I D E N T I A L I N F I L L i n th e N O RT H WE S T Q UA D R A N T


97

T .
O N S
GT
IN
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HA DU
KE
ST
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R

PHASE 2
EE
N
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ST

ST
N
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IN
M
IL
W

Civic Master Plan


HIGGINSONVILLE density without changing the character of the street or
neighborhood. Several of the blocks include bungalow
Much of the Higginsonville neighborhood is occupied courts, in which small homes are arranged around
by the expansive Beaufort National Cemetery. The interior public open spaces. This traditional arrangement
rest of Higginsonville is comprised of residential allows for a more efficient use of Higginsonville’s block
neighborhoods that wrap between the cemetery and structure, creates more affordable housing units, and
the Beaufort River. The neighborhood plan calls provides for a greater density and variety of housing
for Higginsonville’s relationship to the river to be within Beaufort. Given the lower cost of housing in
strengthened through the completion of improvements the neighborhood, yet with a strong proximity to the
to two small waterfront parks, Sycamore Park and Horse river and the downtown, this is an excellent location to
Hole Park. encourage artist’s to reclaim the housing and invest in its
civic infrastructure.
The neighborhood plan also incrementally infills
Higginsonville’s residential blocks. Accessory dwelling
units at the rear of residential lots allow for a greater

PA R K AV E N U E

L A F AY E T T E S T R E E T
SYCAMORE STREET

PA L M E T T O S T R E E T

O’CONNELL STREET

N AT I O N A L S T R E E T

N AT I O N A L S T R E E T R E S I D E N T I A L I N F I L L C O N C E P T U A L P L A N
SCALE: 1”=200’


99

E X A M P L E o f B U N G A L OW C O U RT I N F I L L

Civic Master Plan


B U N G A L O W C O U RT S a n d P O C K E T PA R K
NOT TO SCALE

A B U N G A L O W C O U RT w i t h a P O C K E T PA R K


101

Proposed Bunglow Court & Pocket Park

The proposed bungalow court and pocket park
between Lafayette Street and Park Avenue in
Higginsonville provides homes facing interior public
open spaces to promote increased civic engagement.
A Community Artist Studio and Meeting Hall is
located on the north-south Cuthbert Street axis that
terminates at Horse Hole Park on the Beaufort River.
The studio provides an open-air workspace for artists
as well as public display and gathering space in close
proximity to neighboring residents.

C O M MU N I T Y A RT I S T S T U D I O / M E ET I N G H A L L

Civic Master Plan


Affordable Housing Relocation in Higginsonville THE POINT

This diagram below illustrates the how small, The Point offers the greatest collection of historic
incremental affordable housing can, over time, homes and antebellum architecture in Beaufort. Many
replace the existing large-scale affordable housing properties in the Point have been owned by families
project located adjacent to the natural cemetery. The for multiple generations and the neighborhood pride
replacement of these units over time would disperse fostered by this ownership pattern is evident in the area’s
the existing 40 units throughout the Higginsonville well-maintained historic homes and gardens.
neighborhood and will utilize a variety of housing types.
These types include large house-form multi-family units, The primary recommendation for this neighborhood is to
as well as smaller single-family cottages. This approach preserve its historic character and continue to encourage
integrates affordable housing seamlessly into the the amount of continual reinvestment necessary to
neighborhood, which offers two distinct benefits: maintain its many historic properties. Although the
focus here is preservation, the western edge of the
1. In the future, the units can be sold at market-rate neighborhood along Carteret St. will be reinvigorated in
for a profit. the future with new commercial and mixed-use buildings
2. Affordable housing is not stigmatized by the that will serve neighborhood residents (see page 72),
aesthetics of the units. as well as some academic development associated with

Privately-Owned City-Owned Lots
Lots (29 units) (12 units)

Privately-OwnedLots

RODGER S STREET
(12 units)

PA R K AV E N U E

Privately-Owned Lots
PA L M E T T O S T R E E T

(5 units)

Existing Affordable
Housing Complex
N AT I O N A L S T R E E T
to be phased out
(40 units)

A F F O R DA B L E H O US I N G R E P L AC E M E N T C O N C E P T UA L P L A N
NOT TO SCALE


103

USCB (see page 74). In each case, infill development neighborhood has the greatest variety of recreational
will be regulated so as to be contextually appropriate to opportunities in the Sector 1 study area. Connecting
the neighborhood and enhance its overall character. these amenities to each other and the rest of Sector 1
with greenways and bike lanes will allow the Pigeon
Point neighborhood to more firmly establish its identity
THE BLuFF as the city’s recreational hub.

Similar to The Point, The Bluff offers a wealth of The redevelopment of Basil Green Park (see page 58-59)
historic architecture and beautiful homes. The success and nearby infill along Woodward Ave., Lafayette St.
of The Bluff will continue to be tied to the waterfront and Emmons St. will anchor the western portion of the
and downtown and private development is likely to go neighborhood, while the Boundary St. corridor plan will
hand-in-hand with the public expansion of the waterfront guide development along its southern boundary.
park (see page 56). Uses that accommodate tourists such
as bed and breakfasts and historic inns will be mixed
with a higher density of infill development along Bay DIXON VILLAGE
St. The future of the neighborhood will also become
slightly more commercial in nature with the growth of Dixon Village currently contains a mix of residential
the Bladen St. corridor. (see page 84) blocks, commercial strip, and some remnant industrial
parcels. It is anchored in the southeast corner by
Beaufort Elementary and in the northwest corner by the
OLD COMMONS Piggly Wiggle shopping complex.

The Old Commons exists as a narrow residential strip Future development along the perimeter of the
between Carteret St. and Charles St. As such, most of neighborhood will be guided by the corridor plans for
the Old Commons neighborhood will be guided by the Boundary St. (see page 78-80) and Ribaut Rd. (see page
plans for these two corridors (see pages 72 and 86) and 83), as well as the redevelopment plan for the Piggly
by the Boundary St. plan (see page 78). Other specific Wiggly shopping center (see page 81). The rest of the
interventions at the post office site (see page 99) and neighborhood will grow in the form of incremental
the nearby redevelopment of Port Republic St. (see infill development. The amenity of a nearby elementary
page 65-66) will provide development anchors for the school will be attractive to young families and thoughtful
neighborhood. infill development will seek to allow young families to
buy into the neighborhood at a fairly affordable price
The rest of the neighborhood will grow through steady point.
and responsive infill. Several neighborhood residents
also reported some stormwater problems on the interiors
of certain low-lying blocks, so the incorporation of Low-
Impact Development techniques in existing lots and new
infill development is recommended to manage this issue.

PIGEON POINT

With the Basil Green Complex, Pigeon Point Park,
and Pinckney Park/Boat Landing, the Pigeon Point

Civic Master Plan


S P E C I F I C I N T E RV E N T I O N S
In addition to the five corridor plans and three Commission, City Manager, and input from the general
neighborhood plans prepared at the Sector 1 Planning public and are as follows: the Post Office block in the
and Design Charrette, a series of specific interventions Old Commons, the old Beaufort County Jail site and
for proposed project sites were studied. These sites Washington Square Park in the Northwest Quadrant, and
were identified before the charrette by the Office of the Basil Green Park in Pigeon Point.
Civic Investment in concert with the Redevelopment

BASIL GREEN PARK
EXPANSION

wASHINGTON SQuARE PARK

FORMER JAIL SITE

POST OFFICE BLOCK

S P E C I F I C I N T E RV E N T I O N S
NOT TO SCALE


105

POST OFFICE BLOCK

The current design of the Post Office, with a low,
angular, awkward building set back from the street and KING STREET

CHARLES STREET
surrounded by a moat of parking, is emblematic of urban

WEST STREET
dysfunction and poor civic design in cities and towns all
over the country. Instead, the redeveloped Post Office
block is designed to reinforce the streetscape with a
perimeter of buildings while parking and a stormwater
bioswale (runoff drainage course) are provided on the
interior of the block. The retail functions of the Post
N O RT H S T R E ET
Office, including the front-of-house services such as
parcel shipping and postal purchases as well as post
office boxes, should be maintained on the site as a key
retail anchor for the site. This civic and religious node
is supported by three-story mixed-use buildings along
Charles Street and smaller residential units along West C O N C E P T UA L P L A N f or th e
Street. POST OFFICE BLOCK
SCALE: 1”=200’

EET
STR
LES
AR
CH

KI
NG
ST
RE
ET

C O N C E P T UA L R E D EV E L O P M E N T o f th e P O S T O F F I C E B L O C K

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 7 | Specific Interventions

REDEVELOPMENT of the FORMER JAIL SITE mansion-style units, both of which can be used as senior
housing. The existing mature trees and small park areas
The former Beaufort County Jail is a beautiful Art Deco along Wilmington Street are also preserved in the plan.
building that has been vacant and neglected for decades.
It shares a block with the Department of Health and
Environmental Control (DHEC) offices. The adjacent
blocks occupied by the old School Board building and
the County Health Center are also underused and are
included as part of this local redevelopment area.

The distinctiveness of the jail building makes it an
attractive candidate for reuse as a restaurant, a boutique
hotel, or condo units. Mixed-use buildings will phase
in to replace the DHEC offices and the County Health
Center. The County Health Center and old school board
building sites are developed with townhomes and urban

EXISTING JAIL BUILDING


107

PHASE 1

PRINCE STREET

Neighborhood Park

WILMINGTON STREET
Jail Reuse Possibility
(Condos or Hotel &
Restaurant)

KING STREET
Multi-family Infill
(extends existing King
Street townhomes)

Multi-family Infill/
N Senior Housing

Carriage House Infill

PHASE 2

PRINCE STREET
Neighborhood Park
WILMINGTON STREET

Jail Reuse Possibility
(Condos or Hotel &
Restaurant)

Multi-Family Infill
(extends existing King
KING STREET Street townhomes)

Mixed Use Infill
(replacement space for
DHEC and Health
Center)

N Multi-family Infill/
Senior Housing

Carriage House Infill

PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT of the FORMER JAIL SITE
SCALE: 1”=200’

Civic Master Plan


PRINCE
PHASE 1 STREET

ET
KING ST
REET

RE
ST
N
O
GT
IN
M
IL
W

PHASE 2

KING
ET

STRE
ET
RE
ST
N
O
GT
IN
M
IL
W

PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT of the FORMER JAIL SITE


109

VACANT BLOCKS NEAR BASIL GREEN PARK

Just to the northwest of Basil Green Park is a large
vacant lot currently owned by the City. The plan below
shows how this lot can be subdivided into multi-family
residential units to capitalize on the excellent location
for young families near the park.

New Rear Lane
(Positioned to
accommodate
existing trees)
New Parallel Parking

Duplex
4 units
Existing
4 units Oak

Existing Existing
Oak Oak
New Parallel Parking

Pervious Parking Unit Count Basil
(2 spaces/unit; Total of 20 spots) (1) Duplex Green
(2) Four-plex Park
10 Units (2 BR/2BTH)

1 4 0 3 L A F AY E T T E S T R E E T C O N C E P T U A L P L A N f o r M U LT I F A M I LY H O U S I N G
SCALE: 1” = 50’

Civic Master Plan


wHITEHALL structure and a public green defined by townhouses and
mixed-use buildings. The town center green includes a
The old Whitehall Plantation property sits directly diversity of uses, while land closer to the river is more
across the river from downtown Beaufort on the bridge residential, with apartment buildings, townhouses, and
from Carteret Street to Lady’s Island (US Business single family houses. A public dock provides another
Route 21). The property offers impressive views of the connection to downtown Beaufort or other destinations
Beaufort River, with downtown Beaufort just beyond. from the river. With this approach, the Whitehall
The currently vacant land is envisioned as a traditional property becomes a logical extension of downtown that
neighborhood development with the northwestern tip compliments, but does not compete with the historic
of the property preserved as public open space for the core.
regional parks and greenway system. There is one major
entrance to the property marked by a civic or religious

LA
DY
’S
IS
LA
ND
GA
TE
W
AY
/U
.S
. 2
1

C O N C E P T UA L P L A N f or WH I T E H A L L M I X E D US E D EV E L O P M E N T
NOT TO SCALE


111
L
A
D
Y
’S
IS
L
A
N
D
G
A
T
E
W
A
Y
/U
.S
.
21

C O N C E P T U A L I L L U S T R AT I O N O F W H I T E H A L L

Civic Master Plan


I M P L E M E N TAT I O N E L E M E N T S
THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION 3. Finance
PROJECTS BOOK 4. Communication/Public Relations

The City of Beaufort Redevelopment Commission has
been established to renovate, revitalize, and regenerate The table on the facing page illustrates the categorization
underutilized and distressed areas of Beaufort. of each project and serves as the Index for the Projects
Book.
The Redevelopment Commission’s mission is to lead a
coordinated strategy for redevelopment through targeted Please see Appendix C for the complete Redevelopment
investments and partnerships aimed at strengthening the Commission Projects Book.
City of Beaufort as:
1. The heart of economic development for
Northern Beaufort County.
2. A prosperous place for business and
institutions; and
3. An attractive urban environment for residents
and visitors.

In support of this mission, the Office of Civic Investment
(OCI) has prepared the a Projects Book (see Appendix)
detailing the list of initiatives documented in the Civic
Master Plan for The City of Beaufort: Sector 1. The
Civic Master Plan was generated through a vigorous six-
month process of data collection, community outreach,
and urban design. The Projects Book serves as the
“implementation” document of the Civic Master Plan
and is to be used by the Redevelopment Commission
(RDC) to prioritize projects and coordinate efforts
across the public and private sectors. It is formatted to
incorporate changing priorities and is expected to be a
living document that leads Civic policy and investment.

The Projects are categorized in two ways. The first is by
timeline. Each initiative has been prioritized according
to its anticipated delivery and placed within one of three
time periods:
1. Short Term: 1 to 18 months,
2. Mid-Term: within 5 years, and
3. Long Term: within 20 years.

The second is by RDC subcommittee representing the
four categories of:
1. Commercial Redevelopment
2. Residential Redevelopment


113

COMMITTEE TYPE
Commercial Residential Finance Communications Project Policy Infrastructure Form-based code
Short-term Projects (within next 18 months)
Policies & Initiatives
1 Incentives X X X X X
Code Enforcement X X
Enforcement of Tax Liens X X
Expedited Permitting X X X X X
RDC Marketing Campaign X X
2 Lowcountry Housing Trust Recommendations X X X
Residential Market Study X X X
3 Pre-approved House Plans X X
Pre-approved Small Area Plans X X X
Aerial Utility Lines Clean up X X X X
Projects
1 Pedestrian Crossings X X X X X
Old City Hall/Green Grocery X X
Midtown X X X
Community Garden X X X X
Bus Livability Grant X X
Eastern Boundary Street Road Diet X X
Bicycle Friendly Community X X X
Bladen Street Streetscape X X
Duke Street Streetscape X X
2 City-owned Properties Plan X X X
Banner Area at Bay & Ribaut X X X
Day Docks & Public Boat Ramp X X X
Basil Green Park X X X X
Residential Pilot Projects X X X
3 Sycamore Street Streetscape
Beaufort Museum X X X
Downtown Wayfinding Package X X X X
1409-1411 Duke Street X X

Mid-term Projects (within 5 years)
1 Extension of Waterfront Park (boardwalk) X X
Farmers Market Pavilion X X
Downtown façade improvements X X X X
Business campus expansion (Hoogenboom) X X X
USCB expansion & student housing X X X
2 Washington Square Park X X
Visitor Center X X X X
Artist Studio space X X X
NWQ residential infill X X X
Higginsonville residential infill X X X
3 Bellamy’s Curve infrastructure improvements X X
Ribaut Road streetscape improvements X X
Business Incubator X X X X
4 Bladen Street commercial infill X X X
Charles Street commercial infill X X X
Post Office block redevelopment X X X
Former Jail site redevelopment X X X

Long-term Projects (within 20 years)
1 Marina redevelopment & parking garage X X X
Boundary Street infill X X X X
Piggly Wiggly redevelopment X X
Port Republic infill development X X
2 Convention Center X X X
Performance Center X X X
3 Whitehall redevelopment X X X X X

Civic Master Plan


F O R M - B A S E D C O D E C A L I B R AT I O N
FORM-BASED CODE IN BEAuFORT For each parcel, neighborhood, and civic space,
characteristics such as average lot size, lot coverage,
In 2009, the City of Beaufort adopted “Vision Beaufort: building condition, building height, public frontage (curb
2009 Comprehensive Plan”, which included a number of type, posted speed, planter type, sidewalk), and private
elements ranging from natural infrastructure to economic frontage (building height, building disposition, setbacks,
prosperity. The 2009 Comprehensive Plan sets forth a lot size, and lot coverage) were documented accordingly.
vision for City of Beaufort to be implemented over the A sampling of the results of the synoptic survey are
next twenty (20) years. illustrated below:

One of the first priorities for implementation of the The data gathered during the synoptic survey process
Comprehensive Plan is to “Update the UDO as a becomes important as the DNA of the study area can be
complete form-based code. Form-based codes differ determined and reflected in the resultant development
from conventional zoning codes in terms of the process and building standards of the form-based code. These
by which they are prepared, the substance of the standards have the primary role in defining the physical
standards they contain, the mechanisms by which they form of the built environment. The building standards
are implemented, and the built form they produce. Form- establish specific physical and use parameters for each
based codes are vision-based and prescriptive, requiring
that all development work together to create the place
envisioned by the community. At last, form-based codes
regulate private development for the impact it has on the
public realm (Source: Parolek, Parolek, Crawford: Form-
Based Codes--A Guide for Planners, Urban Designers,
Municipalities, and Developers).

In 2010, the City of Beaufort entered into a contract with
Beaufort County as part of a countywide form-based
code effort. The aforementioned effort will provide the
overall framework of a form-based code for the City of
Beaufort based upon the countywide initiative. As the
City of Beaufort completes the Civic Master Plan, the
form-based code for the respective sector(s) of the Civic
Master Plan will be calibrated accordingly eventually
yielding a form-based code for the entire City.

CODE CALIBRATION

Once the macro scale of the City’s Framework Plan
was established (Sector Plan), it became imperative
to survey the City Limits on a parcel-by-parcel basic
to record and map existing conditions that combine to
resemble analogous contexts and place types. Using the
“synoptic survey” process, the existing conditions of the
existing built environment in Sector One were recorded.

S Y N O P T I C S U RV EY E X A M P L E


five: a framework for growth
115

G ROW T H FR AMEWORK PL AN
ComPlete framework iNCorPoratiNg tHe
(FROM 2009 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN)
eNtire urBaN growtH BouNdary

Civic Master Plan

Chapter 3 | Section 9 | Form-based Code Calibration

transect zone, such as build-to lines and heights, in elements within a specific Transect Zone is assured.
addition to parameters that apply to all zones, such as Transect Zones are assigned to areas within a Master
frontage types and the size of parking spaces. (Source: Plan to establish the pattern of community development
Parolek, Parolek, Crawford: Form-Based Codes--A for planning and zoning purposes.
Guide for Planners, Urban Designers, Municipalities,
and Developers) The Regulating Plan is a visual representation of
the Transect Zones. Each Transect Zone establishes
Moreover, during the crafting of the final draft of the the specifications and regulations required to enable
form-based code, such historic district documents and development through planning and zoning processes at
standards as the Milner Report and Northwest Design the proper scale and intensity.
Principles that relate to matters such as scale, absolute
size, rhythm and variety of size, massing, proportions, Transect zones are administratively similar to the land
forms, siting, transitions, and signage will be addressed use zones in conventional codes, except that in addition
and integrated into the form-based code to ensure that to the usual building use, density, height, and setback
users of the code will be able to locate all applicable requirements, other elements of the intended habitat are
regulations within one single document. integrated, including those of private lot and building
and frontage types.

REGuLATING PLAN & TRANSECT ZONES As a result of the Sector One code calibration process,
the following transect zones represent the array of
The Regulating Plan for Sector One precisely locates the contexts within Sector One:
various Transect Zones within the overall Civic Master
Plan. The Regulating Plan is used in conjunction with  T3—Edge (T3-E)
the form-based code and shows the Transect Zones and  T3—Sub-Urban (T3-S)
Special Districts if any, and special requirements if any,  T3—Neighborhood (T3-N)
or areas subject to regulation by the form-based code.  T4—Urban Neighborhood (T4-UN)
 T4—Neighborhood Center (T4-NC)
For the purposes of regulatory planning, communities,  T5—Historic Core (T5-HC)
like natural systems, can be categorized into tiers. The  T5—Urban Corridor (T5-UC)
full range of tiers from most urban to most rural is called  Special District – Institutional (SD-INS)
a Transect. Each tier is structured by a series of mutually
reinforcing elements that together establish “immersive The following pages give detailed descriptions and
environments” called Transect Zones. Within the range imagery of each transect zone.
of natural and community systems, from wilderness
to downtown, there are dozens of elements that, when
taken together, establish the character of a particular
Transect Zone.

For example, it would be inconsistent to construct a
wood farmhouse and accompanying barns in an urban
setting. Similarly, a glass and steel office building, or a
parking garage would be incompatible in a rural setting.
Transect Zones assign the various elements of the built
environment so that compatibility between the many


117

T3-E T4-NC
T3-S T5-HC
T3-N T5-UC
T4-UN SD-INS

ALB

D
ER

R
T ST

T
IN
O
P
N
R

E O
D
N
O

IG
S

P
IL
W
DR
ON
ILS
W
C H A R L E S F O R T S T

Horse
Hole LA CHERE ST L A C H E R E S T
Park

S T
S T

S P E C T A B L E
A
S T
C U T H B E R T

LAUDONNIERE ST L A U D O N N IE R E S T U
D
U
A R T E N

S

ROPER ST
T
D /W A
P
L
H
V O N

L A F A Y E T T E S T
G R E E N L A W N

S T

D A R B Y D R

S T
DARBY DR
SYCAMORE ST

WOODWARD AVE
N A IR N E

W O O D W A R D A V E R O P E R

Basil Green
Ball Park
C IR

S T

RODGERS ST

PARK AVE P A R K A V E
E M M O N S S T EMMONS ST
GREENLAWN DR

ST
S Y C A M O R E

D R

NAIRNE
A L E X A N D E R

PHILLIPS ST P H IL L I P S S T G O D F R E Y S T GODFREY ST G O D F R E Y S T
HARRINGTON ST
S T

40 Units MF
E T T O

BU
CHURCH ST

RN D /W
SID
E ST
D R

D /W

OCONNELL ST
S T

B U O C O N N E L L S T
S T
P A L M

R
N
C H E R O K E E S T
N

S I
D E
H A R R IN G T O N
R O D G E R S
G R E E N L A W

S
T

D /W
T

D /W H A W T H O R N E S T
S
Q U E E N

N A T IO N A L S T NATIONAL ST
LAFAYETTE ST

PIGEON POINT RD
PALMETTO ST

Beaufort Mets
P E A R L S T PEARL ST Field
QUEEN ST

Annett
Bryant
/W
R D

MORRIS ST
D

M O R R IS S T
S T
S T

A R S H

D /W
W QUEEN ST

L N
C H U R C H

D /W D E L
Q U E E N

S A N
National
M

Cemetery

C A L H O U N S T CALHOUN ST
LOVEJOY ST
E

L O V E J O Y S T
RD

BLF
WELL
MARSH

BARN

BOUNDARY ST
D /W

/W

HARRINGTON ST
S T HAMAR ST
D

S T

WILMINGTON ST
/W

BAGGETT ST
U N IO N

S T

B
C O N G R E S S
CONGRESS ST
A R

A S T
G
C A S T L E

G
E
H A M

T
MONSON ST

T
UNION ST

S
T
N E W

GREENE ST
S T

G R E E N E S T
S T

W I L M IN G T O N

NEWCASTLE ST

S T
B L A D E N

S T

S C O T T
D /W

T O N
S T

WASHINGTON ST
W A S H IN G
M O N S O N

T O N S T
A R R IN G

W A S H IN G T O N S T
L N
ADVENTURE ST

M O N S
H

S T

D U K E S T
BAYARD ST B A Y A R D S T
DUKE ST
C O M
W E S T

DUKE ST
S T
/W

S T

B L A D E N L N
NEW ST
A D V E N T U R E
D

HANCOCK ST H A N C O C K S T
PINCKNEY ST
A M IL T O N

P R IN C E S T
CARTERET ST

EAST ST

PRINCE ST
HEYWARD ST

S T

P R IN C E S T
PILOT ST

/W

S T

S H O R T
EUHAW ST

LAURENS ST
D

L A U R E N S S T
/W

E L T O N L N
H
N E W

AKLAWN AVE
S T

BLADEN ST
D
MERITTA AVE

O A K L
A W N A V E
KING ST K IN G S T
T
W A T E R

D /W KING ST
GLEBE ST

P IL O

S T

K IN G S T K IN G S T
S T

S T

Har vey
Park
Cha rli e C.
Kno tt Park
P IN C K N E Y
HAMILTON ST
S T
A W

S T
C A R T E R E T
T

CHARLES ST
S T

T
S

G L E B E

T
E U H
A R D

NORTH ST
E A S
SCOTT ST

N O R T H NORTH ST
JONES AVE

S T
H E Y W
A V E

ST FEDERAL ST F E D E R A L S T
MS
SIM
ST

S T
M E R I T T A

T WAIGHT

J O N E
A R L E S

S A V E
S

T C R A V E N S T CRAVEN ST
BURROUGHS AVE

S
W A I G H T

Y Sece -
A ssio n
C H

Park
B Morra ll Pa rk
WEST ST

/W
D
A V E

T
P O R T R E P U B L I C
S
BA
S T
PORT REPUBLIC ST
R

S
M Fre ed om Pa rk YS
IM T
S

S
B U R R O U G H

B U L L S T BULL ST
X T
E
W
D /

S T
LYFO

S T

Can no n Pa rk
RD

W E
PL

L Wa te rfron t Pa rk
P
B R A Y S T D
R
O
F
Y
L
RD
JAMES ST

RIBAUT

S T U A R T S T
ST

PKY
RHET T ST
WILLIAM

FULLER

R E G U L AT I N G P L A N
S T
E S

W Y
S T

S T
J A M

P K
M

NOT TO SCALE
E T T
L IA

L E R
W IL

R H

SEA ISLA

F U L

ND PKY
JOHN MARK VERDIER ST

BARNWELL ST

Civic Master Plan
B A R N W E L L S T

R D

E
H E R M I T A G

JOYNER ST
S T
J O Y N E R
TT ST
FULLER ST

ELLIO

LDS ST
S T

REYNO
T T
S T

IO


T3—Edge (T3-E)
T3 Edge Zone is a special area that forms at the fringe
of the City Limits where lands meet adjacent waterways.
While almost exclusively residential, civic and park
functions are also complimentary to the character within
the T3 Edge Zone;

T3—Sub-urban (T3-S)
T3 Sub-Urban Zone has the least activity and is single-
family residential in character with less development
than other transect zones within the City. While almost
exclusively residential, civic and park functions are also
complementary to the character within the T3 Sub-Urban
Zone. Sub-Urban Zone serves to promote and protect
the sub-urban neighborhood character within the City;

T3—Neighborhood (T3-N)
T-3 Neighborhood Zone is residential in character.
It includes a mixture of residential and civic uses.
Residential units are an assortment of different sizes
including cottages, small houses, duplexes, and village
houses. Carriage houses located behind single-family
homes and on the interior of lots may contain studios or
other small businesses;

T4—urban Neighborhood (T3-uN)
T4 Urban Neighborhood Zone represents a low-intensity,
mixed-use zone primarily in the form of secessional
residential fabric. A wide range of building types exist
in the T4 Urban Neighborhood Zone including, but not
limited to, rowhouses, corner stores, and attached and
detached single-family housing;


119

Civic Master Plan


T4—Neighborhood Center (T4-NC)
T4 Neighborhood Center Zone represents a medium-
intensity, mixed-use zone primarily in the form of
attached, mixed-use fabric. A wide range of building
types exists in the T4 Neighborhood Center Zone
including, but not limited to, mansion apartments,
apartment buildings, mixed-use buildings, and
rowhouses;

T5—Historic Core (T5-HC)
T5 Historic Core Zone consists of higher density, mixed-
use buildings that accommodate retail, rowhouses,
offices, and apartments. A tight network of streets
defines this transect zone as a highly walkable area.
Buildings are set very close to the front property line in
order to define the public realm;

T5—urban Corridor (T5-uC)
T5 Urban Corridor Zone consists of higher density,
mixed-use buildings that accommodate main street
retail, rowhouses, offices, and apartments located along
primary thoroughfares. A tight network of streets defines
this transect zone as a highly walkable area. Buildings
are set very close to the front property line in order to
define the public realm.

Special District – Institutional (SD-INS)
Special District—Institutional consists of areas within
Sector One that, by their intrinsic size, function, or
configuration, cannot conform to the requirements of
any Transect Zone or combination of zones. The Special
District—Institutional Transect Zone accommodates
such functions and uses as colleges, trade schools, and
hospitals that are assimilated in a campus arrangement.


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Civic Master Plan


THOROuGHFARE STANDARDS thoroughfare standards that would be appropriate in the
Sector One Planning Area. Moreover, the Sector One
Good streets form the backbone of healthy portion of the Civic Master Plan outlines opportunities
neighborhoods. They perform dual roles as vehicular for thoroughfare improvements that include road diets
and pedestrian corridors, as well as the community’s and streetscape projects that are designed to promote and
primary public spaces, destinations in and of themselves. accommodate of safe pedestrian (crosswalks) and cyclist
The impact of their design on communities cannot be (sharrows) movement. The thoroughfare standards and
underestimated. thoroughfare infrastructure projects should be viewed
together in order to create a complete street system
Unfortunately, many of the existing thoroughfare within Sector One that to designs, operates, and maintain
standards that regulate the Sector One thoroughfares are Beaufort’s streets to promote safe and convenient access
comprised of rural thoroughfare standards that make and travel for all users - pedestrians, bicyclists, transit
the creation of walkable communities impossible. In riders, and people of all abilities.
addition, in the Sector One Planning Area, adaptations to
historic thoroughfares, including the removal of on-street
parking, the narrowing of sidewalks, the integration of
higher-speed one-way thoroughfares, and the insistence
of maintaining high levels of service for motor vehicles
have only prevented the revitalization and improved
walkability of these areas.

For communities to be walkable, thoroughfares must be
designed with pedestrian comfort and safety as critical
goals along with the safe and efficient flow of traffic
and other considerations, such as the accommodation
of emergency vehicles, parking, utilities, and storm
water. The focus for thoroughfare design should be
on design speed rather than the volume of traffic
and the level of service, especially in urban areas. In
addition, thoroughfares should be typically narrower
than conventional thoroughfares and arranged in an
interconnected, gridded network; intersections should be
carefully considered, and such design details as tighter
curb radii should be implemented.

It is important to keep in mind the notion “Know where
you are and behave that way,” not only within the realm
of thoroughfares but all part of the codes. During the
synoptic survey process, the defining characteristics of
the thoroughfares within each context. For example, it
would be quite inappropriate to construct a commercial
street in a very remote, rural area just as it would be
equally inappropriate to build a dirt road in a planned
main street area. The following represents a sample of


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Boundary Street Bay Street
Ribaut Road Port Republic Street
Carteret Street G-5 Street
Charles Street G-3 Street
Bladen Street Rear Lanes

S T R E E T R E G U L AT I N G P L A N
NOT TO SCALE

Civic Master Plan

Civic masterplan sector1-volume1

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