Beaufort County Council, November 9, 2026

Beaufort County Council regular meeting, November 9, 2026: Council unanimously approved the consent agenda, including a $1,982,400 contract to Nick’s Construction for Bailey Memorial Park, a design-build contract for a pedestrian walkway and bridge at Hilton Head Island Airport, change orders for Beaufort Executive Airport hangar site development, and a $946,962.50 task order to McSweeney Design for Melrose Ferry dock replacement design. The agenda also included the Landing floating-dock replacement and another change order whose details are unclear in the transcript. Council approved a $15 million appropriation from hospitality and accommodations-tax fund balance for the regional tournament complex. Staff reported an $8 million federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant for safety improvements on the SC 170 corridor and discussed implementation of the voter-approved $780 million transportation sales-tax program, including an oversight committee, staffing, possible consulting support, and bond financing; no final decisions on those implementation details were reported.

Council discussed a proposed Port Royal multi-county industrial park agreement with a stated $10 million cap on redirected revenues and heard school-district concerns about millage, caps, and reporting; the transcript indicates further council action would be needed, but the vote is unclear. After executive session, council voted 7–3 not to accept Pine Island’s proposed settlement, leaving the litigation unresolved; the offer described publicly included reimbursement of county legal expenses and funding for affordable housing. Council also amended a proposed data-center moratorium from 12 to 24 months, with the amendment passing 7–3; the final ordinance vote is not clear in the transcript.