September 22, 2025: Beaufort County Council meeting regarding development agreement and zoning map amendment for Pine Island. Beaufort County Council votes 10-1 to deny the development agreement for Pine Island. Zoning map amendment pulled at the developer’s request.
September 2, 2025: Beaufort County Natural Resources Committee meeting, Pine Island zoning map amendment and development agreement listed for discussion only. Large turnout from the St. Helena community. State Sen. Chip Campsen speaks in support of maintaining the CPO.
August 20, 2025: Special Beaufort County Council meeting, legal briefing with Dubose in executive session for four hours, a motion was made by Councilman Bartholomew, seconded by Councilman Reitz, to authorize the county attorney to engage in negotiations with the Pine Island developer over the proposed golf resort plans.
The motion passed 5-4 with Council members Bartholomew, Reitz, Brown, Cunningham and Tabernik voting “yes” to negotiate and Council members Glover, Dawson, Howard, and McElynn voting “no” in opposition to negotiations. Council members Passiment and Lawson were not present.
July 25, 2025: Special Beaufort County Council meeting, voted to hire hire outside legal counsel John Dubose with law firm Smith and Robsinson based in Columbia, SC to represent council in reviewing and negotiating proposed development agreements for Pine Island and Ramsey Farms
May 5, 2025: Beaufort County Planning Commission meeting, unanimously recommend denial of Pine Island zoning map amendment for carve-out from CPO zoning district.
April 7, 2025: Pine Island developer submits another application for zoning map amendment to remove the Pine Island property from St. Helena’s CPO zoning district and enter into a development agreement with Beaufort County to build a gated golf resort with limited houses and docks.
January 5, 2025: South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (DES) public notice posted for Pine Island developer’s application to construct 4,307 linear foot bulkhead along both sides of causeway connecting the mainland to island proper, later withdrawn.
December 11, 2024: Beaufort County Staff Review Team (SRT) meeting, agenda item 5 “Pine Island Parcel D Subdivision (Conceptual/St. Helena)” obtaining conceptual approval for 20-unit residential development on southernmost 64.58-acre portion of Pine Island property where no known archeological resources.
October 23, 2024: Beaufort County Staff Review Team (SRT) meeting, agenda item 5 “Pine Island Subdivision Parcel D (Pre-Application/St. Helena)” involving application for 22-unit residential development on southernmost 64.58-acre portion of Pine Island property where no known archeological resources.
September 30, 2024: District Court Judge Gergel grants intervention to the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition in the federal case challenging the validity of the CPO and other claims against Beaufort County related to the denial of golf resort at Pine Island.
September 17, 2024: Filing with South Carolina circuit court declaring parties at impasse and concluding mediation, which means the case will move forward to a court hearing.
September 16, 2024: Special Beaufort County Council meeting to discuss Pine Island litigation in executive session, rejection of settlement proposal for golf resort and development agreement by 8-3 vote (Brown, Cunningham, Reitz opposed).
September 5, 2024: Pine Island mediation commences with all parties to litigation, no resolution achieved.
September 4, 2024: Beaufort County Staff Review Team (SRT) meeting, agenda item 2 “Pine Island Emergency Bridge (Final/St. Helena)” obtaining approval to replace/reconstruct bridge that crosses navigable creek from mainland to island proper.
January 5, 2024: South Carolina circuit court grants intervention to Pine Island golf resort supporters Roy Brown, Tade ‘Oyeilumi, Theresa White, Willie Turral, Pat Harvey-Palmer, Larry Rowland, Wayne Rushton, and Rick Pollitzer in appeal of Beaufort County’s denial of plans for (3) 6-hole golf courses.
November 10, 2023: Individuals aligned with Pine Island developer — Roy Brown, Tade ‘Oyeilumi, Theresa White, Willie Turral, Pat Harvey-Palmer, Larry Rowland, Wayne Rushton, and Rick Pollitzer — file motion to intervene in support of golf resort development.
October 18, 2023: Beaufort County Staff Review Team (SRT) meeting, agenda item 1 “Pine Island (Conceptual/St. Helena) involving application for 144-unit residential development on Pine Island property, staff outlined significant concerns and hurdles that must be addressed prior to conceptual approval, including 38 lots impacting archeological resources and need for more extensive archeological study, no approval or further action.
September 1, 2023: South Carolina circuit court grants intervention to the Penn Center, Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition, Coastal Conservation League and St. Helena landowners in appeal of Beaufort County’s denial of plans for (3) 6-hole golf courses on the Pine Island property.
August 3, 2023: The Penn Center, Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition, Coastal Conservation League & St. Helena landowners file independent motions to intervene to defend Beaufort County’s denial of plans for (3) 6-hole golf courses on St. Helena Island in the appeal initiated by Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC.
July 28, 2023: Eric Greenway fired from position as Beaufort County Administrator, state ethics investigation to follow.
July 7, 2023: Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC files a second lawsuit against Beaufort County challenging the validity of the CPO and raising allegations of due process, takings, and more. Case is transferred to South Carolina federal district court and assigned to Judge Richard Gergel.
July 5, 2023: Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC files an appeal to South Carolina circuit court to challenging Beaufort County’s denial of plans for (3) 6-hole golf courses on Pine Island property.
June 26, 2023: Beaufort County Council meeting, denial of zoning map amendment to remove the 502-acre Pine Island property from CPO by 8-2 vote (Brown, Cunningham opposed), meaning that the map amendment/rezoning request to carve out Pine Island from the CPO failed, significant public comment in opposition to Pine Island rezoning.
June 24, 2023: Pine Island developer and then-County administrator Eric Greenway documented playing golf together on Fripp Island.
June 12, 2023: Beaufort County Community Services & Land Use Committee meeting, recommended deinal of rezoning request to remove the 502-acre Pine Island/St. Helenaville property from the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) by 6-1 vote (Brown opposed), significant public comment in opposition to Pine Island rezoning.
June 5, 2023: Beaufort County Planning Commission meeting, unanimously upheld staff’s denial of plan for three (3) 6-hole golf courses on the Pine Island property as prohibited by the CPO. The Planning Commission also unanimously recommended denial of the rezoning request to remove Pine Island from the CPO district boundaries, significant public comment in opposition to Pine Island rezoning.
May 17, 2023: Letter from Beaufort County Planning Staff announces a public hearing to be held at the June 5th Planning Commission meeting regarding the developer’s request to remove Pine Island from the CPO and appeal of staff’s denial of plan for (3) 6-hole golf courses.
May 8, 2023: Beaufort County Council meeting, approved 3rd and final reading of clarified and strengthened CPO by 9-2 vote (Brown, Cunningham opposed), significant public comment in support of CPO.
May 1, 2023: Beaufort County Planning Commission meeting, unanimous vote to approve recommendations to clarify and strengthen the CPO, significant public comment in support of CPO.
April 26, 2023: Beaufort County Staff Review Team (SRT) meeting, agenda item 1 “Pine Island (Pre-Application/St. Helena)” involving application for 144-unit residential development on Pine Island property.
April 24, 2023: Beaufort County Council meeting, approved on 2nd reading CPO Committee’s recommendations to clarify and strengthen the CPO by 8-2 vote (Brown, Cunningham opposed, Reitz absent), significant public comment in support of CPO.
April 10, 2023: Beaufort County Community Services and Land Use Committee meeting, unanimous recommendation to accept clarified CPO language, followed by Beaufort County Council meeting where approved 1st reading CPO Committee’s recommendations to clarify and strengthen the CPO by 10-1 vote (Cunningham opposed), significant public comment in support of CPO.
March 30, 2023: Hundreds turn out for St. Helena Community Rally in support of CPO at St. Helena Elementary School.
March 21, 2023: CPO Committee meeting, unanimous vote to reject then-County administrator Greenway’s text amendment and recommend language clarifying and strengthening CPO purpose statement and prohibitions to reinforce original intent of prohibiting gated communities, golf courses and resort development on St. Helena Island.
March 8, 2023: Beaufort County Staff Review Team (SRT) meeting, agenda item 4 “Pine Island Plan (Pre-Application)” involving applications for three (3) 6-hole golf courses on newly subdivided parcels of Pine Island property.
March 1, 2023: Pine Island Land Holdings, LLC deed of sale recorded for Pine Island/St. Helenaville property for $18 million.
February 28, 2023: Subdivision plat recorded for Pine Island/St. Helenaville dividing property into four new parcels.
February 21, 2023: CPO Committee meeting, discussion about clarifying and strengthening CPO purpose and prohibitions based on original intent to prohibit gated communities, golf courses and resort developments on St. Helena Island; Pine Island developer in attendance.
January 31, 2023: CPO Committee meeting, review original 1999 CPO language and discussion about clarifying and strengthening CPO based on original intent to prohibit gated communities, golf courses and resort developments on St. Helena Island; Pine Island developer in attendance.
January 17, 2023: CPO Committee meeting, elected Queen Quet at chair and Daryl Orage as vice chair, discussion about clarifying and strengthening CPO purpose statement and prohibitions based on original intent to prohibit gated communities, golf courses and resort developments on St. Helena Island; Pine Island developer in attendance.
January 9, 2023: Beaufort County Community Services & Land Use Committee meeting, discussed then-County administrator Eric Greenway’s proposed text amendment to CPO, significant public comment in opposition to proposed rollback of CPO rules, committee voted to postpone until April 10 meeting and refer the matter to the CPO Committee for recommendations; Pine Island developer in attendance.
January 5, 2023: Beaufort County Planning Commission meeting, proposed text amendment to St. Helena’s Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) initiated by then-County administrator Eric Greenway which would have allowed prohibited uses like golf courses on 50+ acre parcels with a development agreement, significant public comment in opposition to proposed rollback of CPO rules, unanimous vote by commission to recommend denial of text amendment; Pine Island developer in attendance.
December 15, 2022: Community Meeting at Frissell Hall where Penn Center and Coastal Conservation League shared information about developer’s plans to amend St. Helena Island’s CPO zoning to build luxury golf resort on 500-acre Pine Island/St. Helenaville property despite zoning overlay’s prohibition of golf courses, resorts, and gated communities.
December 13, 2022: Meeting of citizen Cultural Protection Overaly (CPO) Committee, overview of purview to review St. Helena’s CPO zoning and make recommendations to strengthen its purpose and protections; Pine Island developer in attendance.
November 30, 2022: Letter from then-County administrator Eric Greenway to Pine Island developer stating application shall be held active/pending and all action deferred until Beaufort County Council can review and consider proposed text amendment to CPO.
November 29, 2022: Pine Island developer submits application for zoning map amendment to remove the Pine Island/St. Helenaville property from St. Helena’s CPO zoning district and enter into a development agreement with Beaufort County to build a gated golf resort with limited houses and docks.
November 16, 2022: Beaufort County Staff Review Team (SRT) meeting with agenda item 9 “Pine Island—Zoning/Text Amendment (Pre-Application),” then-County administrator Eric Greenway would not permit public to remain in the room and only the Pine Island developer and representatives were allowed during discussion item.
November 14, 2022: Beaufort County Council meeting, approved the formation of the citizen-appointed St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) Committee in accordance with Comprehensive Plan.
February 14, 2022: Pine Island developer enters amendment to option contract for Pine Island/St. Helenaville property on St. Helena Island extending option to purchase period.
November 8, 2021: “Envision Beaufort County” 2040 Comprehensive Plan adopted, including “Spotlight: St. Helena” section and recommendation to continue and strengthen St. Helena’s Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) zoning prohibiting gated communities, golf courses, and resort developments.
October 18, 2021: Pine Island developer enters $21 million option contract to purchase approximately 500-acre Pine Island/St. Helenaville property on St. Helena Island for “construction of golf course and related lodging.”
2010: Beaufort County Comprehensive Plan updated, recommends continuation of St. Helena’s Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) zoning prohibiting gated communities, golf courses, and resort developments.
1999: St. Helena’s Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) zoning district adopted, prohibits gated communities, golf courses, and resort development on the entirety of St. Helena Island with the exception of the already approved/developed gated communities of Fripp, Harbor, and Dataw Islands, along with Hunting Island State Park and the unbridged barrier islands including Pritchard, Capers, St. Phillips and Bay Point Islands.
1997: Beaufort County’s first Comprehensive Plan, recommends concept of St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) zoning district.