Beaufort County Council members narrowly decided on Monday to postpone a vote to grant $42 million to the Nature Conservancy for the acquisition of 4,950 acres of pristine forest in Bluffton, following concerns raised by residents of Palmetto Bluff.
The man who advises the county’s Green Space Committee, however, says the county has a window of opportunity in issuing the funds to permanently preserve the largest tract of forest still standing in southern Beaufort County.
The money, if awarded, would come from the county’s Green Space Program, which is funded by sales tax funds approved by voters in 2022. Through the program, land and development rights are acquired to preserve open space…