Hilton Head council narrows strategic priorities; staff to return with draft plan and budget alignment

Town Council of Hilton Head Island spent two days in a facilitated strategic planning workshop that produced a narrowed set of priorities and a staff directive to produce a draft strategic plan tied to the FY2026 budget and the town’s capital improvement program.

Council members agreed to focus staff work on nine priority areas, with the highest immediate emphasis on infrastructure and stormwater, enhanced corridors and major streets, growth management (including an LMO rewrite and short‑term rental rules), and public safety. Council also highlighted economic development, resilience, workforce housing, and protection of Gullah Geechee cultural assets as important priorities to be further scoped and scheduled.

The council and consultants emphasized that the next steps are practical: staff should translate the prioritized strategies into a time‑phased framework with funding sources and measurable milestones. Town Manager Mark Orlando said staff will align the strategic plan work with the FY2026 budget and a one‑year funded CIP and return to council for a workshop review in the spring. “We will take this, plus the survey information, plus the interviews we had, plus the dialogue we had today and yesterday,” consultant Matt Horn told council, “and craft a strategic framework.”

Why it matters: council and staff repeatedly framed the exercise as a move from broad aspirations to actions the town can resource and measure. Several members and members of the public told council the island’s economy and quality of life depend on addressing infrastructure and resilience, while protecting the island’s environment and culture.

What council agreed and what remains to be decided - Agreed priorities: council clustered interest around nine headline strategies (in rough order of council support): infrastructure and stormwater; enhanced corridors and major streets; growth management/LMO work (including short‑term rentals); public safety (including assessment of policing and court needs); economic development; resilience planning; workforce housing; reinforcing and protecting Gullah Geechee cultural assets; and continued pursuit of funding options and revenue tools. Council asked staff to develop measurable milestones, staffing needs and funding estimates for each strategy. - Process and timing: council directed town staff to prepare a draft strategic plan tied to the FY2026 budget and CIP and to return to council for a workshop — staff indicated they expect to bring a draft forward in April and to use the budget process (May/June cycles) to align funding. - No formal votes or ordinances were adopted at the workshop; the session was a policy‑setting and prioritization exercise rather than a legislative meeting.

Notable projects discussed during the workshop - Modern Classic Motors site: Town staff reported they received a single bid for the town‑owned Modern Classic Motors tract intended to advance health‑care uses. Orlando said staff has reviewed the proposal and is coordinating with the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation and expects to bring more details to council in a future agenda item (one bid received; staff and EDC exploring grant support and capital structure).

- Jonesville equestrian stables (town‑owned property): Council heard that staff is preparing an RFQ/lease to bring a professional equestrian operator to the town‑owned barn and paddocks; discussion included whether to offer an adjacent house as an add‑alternate lease or to sell it, and what repairs would be required before leasing.

- Bryant Road and Northpointe housing initiatives: staff described an RFQ framed toward homeownership (not just rental) with a likely yield in the range of about 40 homes and associated neighborhood infrastructure priorities tied to the Money Creek Neighborhood Stabilization Plan; council asked staff to return with expectations and options for public/nonprofit/private roles and potential capital funding.

- Rotary community center: council heard that Rotary groups have indicated interest in fundraising for a community center at the Mid‑Island Track and that staff will return with specific investment requests and a recommended approach informed by similar Bluffton agreements.

- University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) campus: council members and the town manager expressed concern that the USCB building on the island (a roughly $25 million public investment, reported in the workshop) is underused, and discussed the campus’ ownership, the transfer/reverter clauses in the original agreement and options for a stronger partnership. Staff and the mayor said conversations with USCB leadership and trustees are ongoing.

- Sea Pines Circle and corridors: the mayor said Sea Pines Circle remains a major transportation priority; the town and Sea Pines Association are engaging engineers and state officials about short‑ and long‑term improvements. Council noted the corridor work ties to the “enhance major streets” strategy and asked staff to coordinate state, county and private partners.

Public comments and specific concerns Members of the public urged stronger emphasis on environmental protections and on integrated pest management. Pamela Martin Evans told council: “My biggest concern is keeping the environment clean on the island.” Environmental advocates urged clearer pesticide‑use reporting, third‑party oversight and faster completion of the town’s IPM work. Sea turtle patrol and cultural‑heritage speakers also urged stronger town support for conservation and educational use of university facilities.

Workforce housing: discussion but no single definition Council spent substantial time debating what “workforce housing” should mean on Hilton Head Island and what role the town can play. Staff and council noted that median household income on the island differs sharply from typical worker wages in tourism and service sectors, and that short‑term rental growth has reduced year‑round housing supply. Members asked staff to return with options that define target households, potential program types (rental, homeownership, conversions), realistic cost estimates and funding approaches before the council commits to specific projects or incentives.

Resilience and stormwater Council members put infrastructure and stormwater at the top of the list of priorities and asked that resilience work be integrated across plans (LMO changes, CIP, parks, public safety). Several members said resilience should not be a siloed program but an evaluation lens for all capital and regulatory decisions; the mayor and staff noted existing resilience actions (pump stations, beaches, emergency management) and asked for a consolidated resilience plan and prioritized maintenance program (ditches, pipe maintenance) with funding paths.

Next steps Staff was directed to: (a) produce a draft strategic plan that translates the nine priorities into a time‑phased framework with measurable outcomes and cost estimates; (b) align the draft plan with the FY2026 budget and a one‑year funded CIP; (c) return to council for a workshop review (target: April); and (d) bring specific project and funding options, plus a clearer scope for workforce‑housing choices and resilience investments.

“We will take this… and craft a strategic framework,” consultant Matt Horn told council; Mark Orlando confirmed staff will use the budget and CIP to resource the recommended priorities and return with more details to guide council decisions.

Ending Council members said the two‑day retreat improved mutual understanding of priorities and the council’s ability to work together on contentious items; members and the public asked for continued transparency, concrete timelines and a printable draft so residents can see how projects will be funded and scheduled.