Berkeley County begins planning North Island waterfront park

It's 115 acres of land on Daniel Island where the future hasn't been written yet. 

The North Island Tract sits on a stretch of Cooper River shoreline that has remained untouched since Berkeley County purchased the property in 2024. Now, with funding approved to begin planning and design, county leaders are preparing to decide what this future waterfront park will one day become. 

As part of its fiscal year 2027 budget, Berkeley County has allocated funding to begin the park's conceptual design process, marking the first major step from preserving the land to planning how the public will eventually use it. County staff are preparing a request for proposals to hire a design consultant who will develop a master plan for the North Island Tract and three other greenbelt park properties. 

Once a consultant is selected, the county will begin evaluating the site, gathering public input and presenting a conceptual plan to Berkeley County Council for approval. 

"The request for proposals requires the county to seek public input, which will include public meetings," the county's public information officer Jenna-Ley Walls said. 

A timeline for selecting a consultant has not yet been announced. 

Berkeley County purchased the property from the South Carolina Ports Authority in June 2024 for about $4 million using funding from the Berkeley County Greenbelt Program and state grants. The acquisition secured one of Daniel Island's last major undeveloped waterfront tracts for permanent public use. Located behind Talison Row Apartments at the end of Seven Farms Road, the property is planned as a future waterfront park. 

For Greenbelt Commission member Tory Sullivan, the planning phase is an opportunity to understand the land before deciding what belongs on it. 

"I'd very much like to see a comprehensive assessment of what's there, what's natural and invasive – a detailed survey," he said. "This will give the planners a baseline for what exists today." 

He also hopes the property's history receives as much attention as its scenery, noting that the tract contains archaeological sites believed to be tied to the Revolutionary War and was once home to an important ferry crossing. 

Sullivan envisions the park serving several roles at once – a neighborhood gathering place, a Daniel Island destination, and a regional attraction – while connecting with the island's existing trail system and surrounding protected lands. 

"It's also going to be important to all of Daniel Island, a symbol of local pride and destination for local use and recreation," he said. "It's also a park for the entire county – the region, actually – so being sure that it's a destination that excites all of the region to visit and enjoy it will be an important perspective." 

Exactly what amenities the park will include – whether trails, boardwalks, a fishing pier, or other low-impact – won't be decided until the planning process unfolds. Sullivan hopes whatever emerges preserves the site's defining features. 

"The site has many mature trees, so we'd want to see those preserved," he said. "The views of downtown Charleston and the Ravenel (Bridge), Leatherman Terminal, and access to the Cooper is definitely something that should be front and center and celebrated." 

Residents will have an opportunity to help shape that vision through public meetings once a design consultant is selected. The county has not yet announced when those meetings will take place.