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Council creates 21-member task force to review land-management ordinance; residents criticize size and delay
Summary
The Hilton Head council voted unanimously to establish a 21-member Land Management Ordinance (LMO) task force to review draft zoning and development standards. Staff said the task force will vet the consultant-drafted ordinance text before planning commission and council review; members of the public criticized the size and called the move "kicking the can down the road."
The Town Council of Hilton Head Island on Sept. 16 adopted a resolution to form a 21-member Land Management Ordinance task force charged with reviewing draft LMO text and advising the planning commission and council.
Deputy Town Manager Sean Leininger outlined the proposed composition: three council members, the planning commission chair, the design-review board chair, leaders of local Gullah–Geechee organizations and representatives from the chamber, homebuilders, realtors, hospitality and short-term-rental industries, three general managers from the town’s 10 PUDs, and five citizen members appointed by council. The town manager and deputy manager will serve as nonvoting, ex-officio members.
"This will provide a task force to start the review process and help build consensus on a rewriting of the LMO," Leininger said, adding staff intends to have a draft publicly available by Dec. 31, 2025, to begin formal public review.
Supporters said a broad cross-section would bring diverse perspectives and help identify implementation issues before the text reaches planning commission. "It is a best practice," Town Manager Mark Orlando said, urging council to view the task force as a venue for constructive review rather than a delay tactic.
Several members of the public sharply disagreed with the approach and composition. "This is passing the buck," said Dave Ferguson, who reminded council that a 2023 commitment to finish the LMO in 60–90 days has not been met. "Two and a half years later, we're still waiting. It's a failure of leadership," Ferguson told the council. Other speakers called a 21-member panel unwieldy and warned it would slow action on growth-related problems.
Council members debated the size and membership but ultimately voted 7-0 to adopt the task force as presented, while several members expressed openness to later refining membership. Staff said they will begin the appointment process upon adoption and aim to have the task force in place by year end.
Leininger told council the task force's work will move chapter-by-chapter, with staff and the consultant delivering the draft LMO text for review and public vetting; once the task force and public input are incorporated, the draft will proceed to planning commission, committee and council for ordinance adoption. He said district-plan workshops are scheduled in October and staff anticipates the LMO and zoning map process to continue through 2026.
Council also discussed ensuring the five citizen seats represent residents outside gated PUDs and asked staff to provide a process for appointments.
Council's unanimous approval starts the formal selection process for the task force and commits staff to an engagement and review timeline tied to the LMO rewrite.
