SCPA Transfers Daniel Island Property

The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), Representative Jim Merrill and Senator Larry Grooms yesterday announced the completion of a lease agreement granting oversight of a 50-acre land parcel on Daniel Island to the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT) for public benefit.

The 99-year lease fulfills a state budget proviso requiring the SCPA to transfer 50 acres of its property on Daniel Island to the agency that oversees the state’s parks and recreation facilities, providing residents of the City of Charleston visitors from across the TriCounty region access to additional passive and active recreational space.

“My goal all along has been to assure the residents of the Island that property previously proposed for a container terminal would no longer be on the table, and that the new port permitted and under construction on the former navy base would be the SCPA’s future capacity in the Charleston area,” Merrill said.

In addition to the recreational space to be managed by SCPRT, approximately 900 of the 1300 acres of SCPA-owned property on Daniel Island will be utilized for dredge disposal needs.

Potential plans for the remaining acreage include the opportunity for The Daniel Island Company to acquire a small parcel proximate to its development. In addition, Representative Merrill and Senator Grooms are working with SCPA to secure the regulatory permissions required to utilize a portion of the property for a saltwater mitigation bank for South Carolina.

“While it is critical for the Port to maintain necessary dredge disposal capacity in preparation for our harbor deepening project, we are pleased that our surplus property can be utilized by local residents for recreational use,” said SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome.

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