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Council presses staff for sequencing and protections as Land Management Ordinance rewrite advances
Summary
Council emphasized fixing fragmentation in the town's land management code, sequencing district plans and the future land-use map, and protecting island character while avoiding unintended consequences of code changes.
Members of the Hilton Head Island Town Council used a strategic-plan workshop to press staff for a focused, phased rewrite of the town's Land Management Ordinance (LMO) and companion district plans.
Several council members said the existing LMO is "fragmented" and hard for staff and residents to navigate; one councillor characterized earlier code work as creating unintended outcomes and urged targeted fixes rather than wholesale reinvention.
Staff described a three-airplane workflow: the future land-use map, district plans and the LMO itself. The manager said staff expect a next draft of the ordinance this month, but will not place it on a public agenda until they are confident the product is ready.
Council debate highlighted tradeoffs: tightening rules to protect "island character" will affect property owners, while lighter-touch changes risk leaving harmful precedents in place. Several members asked that the LMO task force, planning commission and the Gullah Geechee preservation groups be integrated into the review process to surface cultural and neighborhood impacts.
Why it matters: The LMO will determine how density, setbacks, impervious coverage and mixed-use are implemented on the island; changes will influence future development, housing options and infrastructure demands.
What's next: Staff will circulate a draft LMO to the task force and council when ready and plan public workshops. Council members urged them to flag high-risk chapters and create a shorter list of high-priority code fixes that can be advanced quickly.
