Beaufort County Council voted to provide $1.3M in funding to construct Graves Road to augment Park Road, the secondary pedestrian access to the planned Okatie River Park in Bluffton. 

“Okatie River Park will be another great addition to our Passive Parks,” said Stefanie Nagid, Beaufort County Passive Parks Manager. “Preserving and enjoying the Okatie River headwaters and environment around us is in the fabric of our community.”

The 17.80 acres were purchased in December 2013 for $4M. The public can access Okatie River Park by vehicle from the primary park access road at the traffic light on Highway 278, and additionally by on street parking with pedestrian access from the secondary road off Graves Road.

The Park will consist of a covered pier, a floating dock with kayak launch, 10 foot wide multi-use trails, parking, and restrooms. 

The Okatie River Park is estimated to cost $1.5M to construct. County Council allocated $1M from the passive park bond for planning and construction in October 2020, but an increase in labor and supply shortages have raised the overall cost.  The County is currently weighing options to address the funding gap.  Robert Graves provided $50,000 to cover the cost of the conceptual master plan.

On October 6, 2020, Beaufort County amended the Pepper Hall and Okatie River Park Joint Development Agreement to clarify and implement specific provisions about the construction and funding for Graves Road improvements.

The ordinance passed by Council on February 28 will reimburse the Owner, Robert L. Graves, $1.3 million to construct Graves Road from the general fund.