Committee hears lengthy presentation on Northpointe workforce housing; planning and zoning changes recommended to council

Town staff and the town’s preferred development partner presented a detailed plan to rezone and develop an 11.337‑acre town parcel at Northpointe Circle for workforce housing, and the committee recommended forwarding related text and zoning amendments to town council.

Ben Brown, director of strategic initiatives, described the public‑private partnership selected via RFQ/RFP and said the development agreement with the partner, One Street Residential, was executed on June 18, 2024. Brown said the proposed project is a mixed‑income workforce housing community that will be limited to people who work on Hilton Head Island; covenants and affordability controls were described in general terms. He said the project is planned for 157 units (including an on‑site manager unit), a mix of one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom apartments, community amenities and an on‑site management program.

Missy Lewick, director of planning, summarized the text amendment that would add RM‑12 as an eligible district for a workforce housing density bonus (up to 25% density bonus, up to 15 units per acre) when at least 50% of units are reserved as workforce housing; the amendment also would allow an increase in maximum impervious coverage from 35% to 45% for qualifying projects, and set qualifying conditions including a minimum lot size of 5 acres and location on a major arterial (Cross Island Parkway, Palmetto Bay Road, Pope Avenue, William Hilton Parkway). Lewick said the planning commission unanimously recommended approval.

Brown and staff showed a site plan they said maximizes open space (targeting about 56% functional open space), uses pervious materials for pathways and pavers for parking, minimizes paved drive aisles and includes stormwater bio‑retention areas. Brown said the team calibrated the design to preserve specimen trees, reduce impervious surfaces to about 45% and provide connectivity to the school and Island Rec. He acknowledged existing drainage issues on neighboring post office property and said the project would correct grading and install drainage infrastructure.

Public comments from nearby residents and property owners flagged traffic and pedestrian safety at Gumtree Road and at the post office/school crossing; commenters asked staff and council to study corridor improvements and safer pedestrian crossings before approving additional residential density. Committee members and staff discussed potential access configurations, a reconfigured post office parking layout and the need for a traffic‑impact analysis; Brown said the estimated peak‑hour generation would be about 70 trips based on ITE rates and said the town is performing a traffic study.

On the two formal items before the committee — the text amendment to add workforce housing incentives in RM‑12 and the zoning map amendment to rezone the Northpointe parcels from Parks & Recreation to RM‑12 — the committee voted to recommend both measures to town council for first reading. The committee also reviewed other RM‑12 parcels that could qualify under the text amendment (Palmetto Bay Villas, The Oaks) and noted that the workforce housing bonus would apply only if property owners opt in and meet the conditions.

Ending: The zoning and text amendments were recommended to full council; town council first reading is scheduled in May with a second reading and final vote scheduled for June 3. Committee members asked staff to continue coordination on traffic mitigation and pedestrian safety measures as the project advances.