The Beaufort County Planning Commission is ready to present Envision Beaufort County – 2040 County Comprehensive Plan to County Council after 17 months of work.  The plan encompasses the thought that Beaufort County is a great place to live, work, play.

“The process started in March of 2020, with the community shaping the original draft.  Over the last 17 months, we received very detailed and thoughtful inputs from the community that help us ensure the 2040 County Comprehensive plan meets the needs, goals, and vision of our citizens,” said Ed Pappas, Chairman of the Planning Commission.

In conjunction with the County Planning Department, the Planning Commission had numerous surveys to capture public thoughts and several virtual and in-person meetings to discuss the draft document. 

“The County is incorporating the final edits to the Comprehensive Plan and will be ready to present it to County Council for consideration and debate this fall,” said Robert Merchant, Acting Director, Beaufort County Community Development Department.

The final version of the Comprehensive Plan will be available for review August 31. The revisions to the draft proposal do not change the fundamental concepts. The public feedback helped make a stronger document especially in the rural areas of the County by providing better details that addressed citizens' concerns. 

The final document will be presented for approval to the Planning Commission Thursday, September 9. If approved, the Natural Resource Committee will review it Monday, October 4. The First Reading of the plan will be at the County Council meeting October 11. The final vote on the plan will be November 8.

For more information, go to https://www.envisionbeaufortcounty.com/

What is the Comprehensive Plan?

This Comprehensive Plan is being created in a time of change that is challenging the status quo. Growth continues to provide opportunities as well as challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered how we live, shop, gather and conduct business. Storm events are getting stronger and more frequent, which is causing more people and expensive infrastructure to be impacted by higher levels of flooding. Development is pushing into our natural environment, and we are losing our tree canopy. Habitats and the quality of our waterways are being threatened.

More and more, our underserved populations cannot equitably share in the region’s opportunities and economy. Fortunately, the citizens and leadership of Beaufort County are determined to address these issues and create the tools needed to overcome current challenges.