The Beaufort County Planning Commission unanimously recommended denying the latest attempt to remove approximately 502 acres of the Pine Island property from St. Helena Island’s Cultural Protection Overlay following a lengthy public hearing Monday night.

The vote came nearly three hours into the Oct. 5 meeting, after county staff recommended denial, representatives for Pine Island Property Holdings argued that the request should be evaluated as a straightforward zoning map amendment and resident after resident urged commissioners to preserve the CPO.