The breakthrough arrived after the Open Space Institute secured a funding source to acquire the entire 229-acre property from the developer. Conservation groups had long challenged permits for a 208-home subdivision over concerns that septic systems would degrade local groundwater and surrounding aquatic habitats. The deal safeguards vital territory next to the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, which hosts the highest concentration of sea turtle nests in the state. Under the settlement terms, all outstanding legal challenges against the development will be formally dismissed upon completion of the land transaction.
Key points
The 229-acre White Tract will be permanently conserved and potentially added to a neighbo…: The 229-acre White Tract will be permanently conserved and potentially added to a neighboring national wildlife refuge.
Pending legal challenges against the subdivision permits will be dismissed once the Open…: Pending legal challenges against the subdivision permits will be dismissed once the Open Space Institute finalizes the purchase.
The collaborative agreement eliminates severe ecological risks posed by installing dense…: The collaborative agreement eliminates severe ecological risks posed by installing dense septic infrastructure near sensitive coastal wetlands.
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A 229-acre stretch of land in South Carolina that was once intended for a large residential development is now set to be preserved for wildlife and future generations. The property, known as the White Tract, sits next to the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in Awendaw, Charleston County. A proposal to build approximately 208 single-family homes on part of the property triggered years of opposition from conservation groups concerned about the impact of construction on the surrounding wetlands, wildlife and water quality.
The South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP), which represented conservation organisations in legal challenges against the development, announced the agreement on November 6, 2026, in a joint press release with the Coastal Conservation League, Charleston Waterkeeper and Friends of Coastal South Carolina. Under the settlement, developer Pulte Home Company has agreed to sell the White Tract to the nonprofit Open Space Institute for permanent conservation. The agreement brings a long-running dispute closer to an end, although the transaction has yet to be completed.
How the White Tract became the centre of a development dispute
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