Georgetown County School Board members voted to support state plans to buy two large pieces of land.
asserted
members → vote → land
The move could lead to a new 4,148-acre state forest in western Georgetown County and protect a former resort development site.
uncertain
move → lead → site
The South Carolina Forestry Commission plans to buy the 4,148-acre property on Eaddy Road near Dunbar Landing.
asserted
Commission → plan → Landing
The land would become part of the planned Carvers Bay State Forest, the Coastal Observer reported.
asserted
Observer → become → Forest
The larger conservation effort also includes plans for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to take over the 3,492-acre Arcadia East property on the Waccamaw Neck.
asserted
Department → include → Neck
Board Member Eileen Johnson supported the expansion during the meeting.
asserted
Johnson → support → meeting
She said continued residential growth in the area is leaving less space for nature.
asserted
growth → say → nature
“We've got to preserve everything we can,” she said.
asserted
she → get → everything
Johnson added that the only thing protecting the south side of the county from development is the Francis Marion National Forest.
asserted
thing → add → development
The 4,148-acre property planned for the state forest is part of a larger 8,000-acre tract.
asserted
property → plan → tract
The Virginia-based Conservation Fund and the Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation bought the larger property last July for $34.2 million (£25.6 million).
asserted
Fund → base → million
Once the South Carolina Forestry Commission completes the purchase, the property will become part of the state Department of Natural Resources wildlife management area program.
asserted
property → complete → program
This would allow the public to use the land for outdoor recreation.
asserted
public → allow → recreation
Under South Carolina law, state forests bring in money through local forestry work.
asserted
forests → bring → work
The Forestry Commission gives 25 per cent of the gross revenue from those operations directly to the county.
asserted
Commission → give → county
The money helps fund school district operations.
asserted
money → fund → operations
“We can have public access,” Johnson said.
asserted
Johnson → have → access
The school board also approved a letter supporting the purchase of the 3,492-acre Arcadia East property.
asserted
board → approve → property
Giving the coastal property to the state would stop a large commercial development that Georgetown County originally approved in 2002.
asserted
County → give → 2002
The original development plan called for 2,451 homes, a 500-room resort hotel, and commercial and office space.
asserted
plan → call → homes
A county study from 2002 estimated that a fully developed Arcadia East project could have produced as much as $153.8 million each year.
uncertain
project → estimate → million
Its residents would have become the largest taxpayers in the county.
asserted
residents → become → county
By moving the land into public conservation, local governments would give up those possible commercial revenues.
asserted
governments → move → revenues
They would also lose direct property tax payments from the undeveloped land.
asserted
They → lose → land
Last year, county and school district taxes on the Arcadia East property totaled about $5,200.
asserted
taxes → total → 5,200
DNR plans to complete the purchase with help from the Office of Resilience and two conservation nonprofits, the Open Space Institute and Ducks Unlimited.
asserted
DNR → plan → Resilience
The nonprofits will hold the property title until state funding is finalized.
asserted
funding → hold → title
Local backing for conservation
The Georgetown County Council also officially supported the land purchase during its meeting.
asserted
Council → support → meeting
The council joined the school board in backing the move toward conservation.
asserted
council → join → conservation
Emily Purcell, director of conservation programs for Ducks Unlimited, said the organization was pleased to have local support for the purchase.
asserted
organization → say → purchase
“We're thrilled to have support from both the county and the school board,” Purcell told the Coastal Observer.
asserted
Purcell → thrill → Observer
“We're excited to hopefully work towards a great conservation outcome in Georgetown County.”
asserted
We → work → County
The Arcadia East property adds to other protected land nearby.
asserted
property → add → land
In 2007, a conservation easement was placed on 3,612 acres of Arcadia west of Highway 17.
asserted
easement → place → Highway
Ducks Unlimited currently holds and manages that land.
asserted
Unlimited → hold → land
Johnson also addressed concerns about losing future tax revenue from the resort property.
asserted
Johnson → address → property
She said protecting natural land was more important than collecting short-term tax revenue.
asserted
protecting → say → revenue
“We've got plenty of land.
asserted
We → get → land
I'm not worried about taxes right now,” Johnson said.
asserted
Johnson → say → taxes
Board Chairman Keith Moore and Superintendent Bethany Giles declined to comment on the vote.
asserted
Moore → decline → vote
The Aporia
