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Council approves easement for South Island PSD water main; 23 trees to be removed, 14 live oaks proposed for mitigation
Summary
Hilton Head Island council gave final approval to an ordinance granting easements to the South Island Public Service District to install infrastructure. The project will remove 23 trees on town property; staff and PSD proposed a mitigation plan to replant 14 live oaks plus buffer plantings and larger caliper trees than standard code requirements.
The Hilton Head Island Town Council on Feb. 4 approved second and final reading of an ordinance granting easements to the South Island Public Service District (PSD) to allow installation of water infrastructure across town property.
Town staff told council the ordinance had been approved on first reading on Jan. 14 with additional information requested about tree removal and mitigation. The project area is adjacent to Wexford Drive where an existing drainage ditch and water line alignment are located. Staff said PSD’s construction approach would use open trenching rather than extensive boring because PSD judged trenching to have less overall impact on trees for the work zone.
Staff presented a tree removal list and a mitigation plan. The plan identifies 23 trees to be removed; four are oak species, one of which was listed as diseased, and a single significant live oak near William Hilton Parkway — a roughly 20‑inch diameter tree — was noted as likely to be removed. The mitigation proposal conditions the permit on replanting 14 live oaks (4‑inch caliper, 10 feet tall at planting) and additional understory/buffer plantings along Dunnigan’s Allen and William Hilton Parkway to screen the work area as trees establish. Planning staff said the town’s current land‑management replacement standard is 2‑inch caliper replacement trees and the PSD plan would double that minimum and require larger (4‑inch) caliper and taller plantings.
Public comment included a speaker who expressed concern about the live oak removals and asked about the construction and replanting timeline. A PSD representative said mobilization to the site would likely occur in about six months, with two months of on‑site work and replanting expected to follow; PSD and staff committed to a planting window aimed at fall planting.
Councilmember Tammy Becker said the larger caliper replacement and buffers were important; several council members thanked staff and PSD for the mitigation plan. The council voted 7–0 to adopt the ordinance on second and final reading.
Why it matters: the easement enables a water infrastructure project for the island’s south end but requires removal of town trees; the permit conditions increase the size of replacement specimens beyond the normal minimum and add buffer plantings intended to restore screening and canopy over time.
