Island Planning Commission recommends approval of King and Prince Hotel boardwalk with length limit

The Glynn County Island Planning Commission on April 29 recommended approval of CUP-26-1, a conditional use permit for a private beach crossover at the King and Prince Hotel, with a unanimous vote to limit the structure to “as short as just past the wetland growth” and no longer than 110 ft. The recommendation moves the project to the Board of Commissioners and then to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for state permitting.

Planning and Zoning Director Stephanie Lee told the commission the proposal is for a 220-ft crossover totaling 1,283 square feet, designed to run from the hotel’s pool/revetment area seaward across a tidal pool/slew. Staff provided a DNR jurisdictional determination for the Shore Protection Act boundary that is valid for one year, and explained county approval is required before the applicant may apply to DNR for state permits.

Commissioners and staff discussed why the crossover reaches seaward: marsh grass and a tidal pool in front of the revetment mean the structure must clear vegetated wetland areas. Architect Robert Ursrey, representing the King and Prince owners, said the project team consulted environmental consultant Dan Bucci, who recommended reaching the seaward toe of the most seaward dune to avoid crossing marsh vegetation. Ursrey said the owners would prefer a shorter ramp but will take the commission’s recommendation to DNR.

On technical design, the applicant said DNR typically requires boardwalks to be about 3 ft above sand at some points; the design submitted shows variable elevations with some sections less than 2 ft and others meeting 3 ft where required. The applicant also said maintenance and liability would remain the hotel’s responsibility and that gates would likely be at the pool end, not the seaward end.

Commissioners raised precedent and cumulative-impact concerns, noting that allowing long private crossovers on an eroding public beach could lead to many similar structures along the coastline. The commission debated performance-based language versus a fixed maximum length and settled on recommending the shortest feasible structure that clears wetland vegetation, with an upper limit of 110 ft; staff noted that if DNR requires a longer structure, the applicant would need to return to county review.

The commission’s recommendation is advisory; final county action will be taken by the Board of Commissioners, followed by DNR’s permitting decision. The commission recorded its recommendation as unanimous.

Next steps: the applicant will take the commission’s recommendation to the Board of Commissioners and then seek DNR permitting. If DNR requires a longer structure, the applicant would return to county review for further action.