Application window opens for Berkeley County’s Greenbelt Preservation projects

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Berkeley County is now accepting applications for projects related to Greenbelt Preservation projects.

Eligible projects would need to support initiatives like purchasing property for conservation and conservation easements, creating passive and active greenspace, protecting natural resources, agriculture, or heritage landscapes, and protecting scenic corridors.

“Over the past few years, growth and development has really hit the county hard. That’s a good thing- but also people start feeling that pressure. They’ll go outside, they’ll see a forest that they used to drive by, or a park, see some trees that have been cut down or something like that,” said Nick Yoder, Berkeley County Greenbelt Program Manager.

The sales tax referendum passed by about 74% of the vote in 2022. Ten percent of the revenue from the sales tax, or an estimated $58.7 million over seven years, will be used to finance Greenbelt initiatives.

“The referendum of 2022 is estimated to bring in about $587 million and the Greenbelt program gets 10% of that funding; so over seven years or estimated to get about $58.7 million to spend on conserving green spaces, scenic corridors, conservation easements, working lands and cultural heritage spaces,” he explained.

The Greenbelt Advisory Commission will work with Berkeley County Council to decide which projects get funded.

“The master plan came out sometime in August and was approved a few weeks later. And so, in the master plan, it outlines a lot of these priorities. They will include three to five regional parks, which are parks over 100 acres. It will include six to eight community parks- so we’re looking more out in the rural areas. Parks that can be tailored to what those communities out in those rural areas really need as far as recreation. We’re looking for water access so kayak launches, inshore fishing, and things like that are really important. We’re looking mainly for places that the public has access to.”

County officials say the application deadline is 5 p.m. on April 30 and must be submitted online.