Stewart assisted the Town of Beaufort with a multi-year project to create a Comprehensive and CAMA Land Use Plan and Unified Development Ordinance. The existing Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the Town was developed in 2007, with few updates since. There had been significant changes to the Town and surrounding areas since the plan’s original inception. Their previous Land Development Ordinance was adopted in 2013, and though there had been amendments over the years, the Town desired to transition to a cleaner, consolidated Unified Development Ordinance. The Unified Development Ordinance consolidated the Land Development Ordinance standards, Subdivision Ordinance and Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance into one comprehensive document.
The Stewart Team approached the Beaufort Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) update with a community-driven and data-informed planning process that prioritized local issues and refined the Town’s vision while also meeting the requirements of a CAMA land use plan. The update was informed by past planning efforts and trends, but looks to current stakeholders and future trends for context and guidance. It includes policies and strategies to guide land use regulations, promote economic development, and direct public policy related to services and investments. The subsequent UDO reorganization and update are compliant with the state’s 160D regulations and implement the vision and goals established in the comprehensive plan.