Public shares priorities at Port Master Plan listening session

By Karen Owens
Publisher

About 75 people attended an Oct. 22 listening session at the Howard Center Auditorium to hear from Georgetown County officials and representatives of Seamon Whiteside, the firm selected to develop a master plan for the 46-acre port site.

Kelly Robertson-Slagle, the county’s economic development director, and Lee Gastley, managing principal of Seamon Whiteside, opened the session by discussing the project’s potential to shape Georgetown’s future. Robertson-Slagle said the county is advancing its development plans while maintaining regular conversations with the City of Georgetown and the owners and developers of adjacent waterfront properties, including the shuttered Liberty Steel and International Paper mills. 

“We’ve had ownership of the property since 2023, and we are ready to collaborate, share information and talk with these other property owners to create connectivity and continuity along the waterfront,” she explained.

Presenters and audience members described the waterfront as a valuable resource. Planners agreed that both commercial and recreational uses of the water merited consideration. Several attendees cited a 2016 Urban Land Institute study, which Gastley said the team was using in its research.

Planners are considering workforce development, equitable economic growth, environmental remediation, waterfront access, flood resilience, preservation of cultural heritage, and affordable housing and livability.

Participants used an app to vote on priorities for the waterfront redevelopment, including public open space, utility infrastructure and transportation systems, land use and commercial character, and job creation.

After the presentation, attendees moved to an adjacent space to view examples of mixed-use developments. Each received five yellow dot stickers to mark preferred concepts. Options included recreation fields, a marina, multistory apartments or condominiums, a covered farmers market space and amphitheater, waterfront boardwalks, shops and event spaces.

Project timeline

Organizers hope to present two schematic site development concepts by mid-January, drawing on public feedback, property assessments and the county’s economic development priorities. The concepts would outline roadways, land-use areas and how those areas relate to one another. Community feedback on the two concepts will help the design team refine the overall site development plan.

By mid-April, Seamon Whiteside plans to present its final conceptual master plan to Georgetown County leaders. The plan will incorporate refinements based on feedback on schematic concepts and reflect project goals and community input.