Bluffton staff seek clearer wetland protections, mapping tool and limited new setbacks in UDO amendments

Town of Bluffton planning staff presented proposed amendments to the town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) on Jan. 27 that would clarify wetland protections, add resilience language, and launch a town wetland mapping tool intended to give developers and staff advance notice of likely wetland locations.

Andrea, a planning staff presenter, said the amendments are designed to clarify an interim wetland ordinance adopted in June and to implement consultant recommendations from McCormick Taylor. “The ordinance was always meant to act as an interim wetland ordinance to be later superseded by a comprehensive wetland ordinance that incorporated the consultants’ recommendations,” Andrea said. The interim ordinance currently implements a 50-foot undisturbed buffer around wetlands.

Staff described a set of specific changes: clarifying that Army Corps permits control jurisdictional wetlands but that any remaining wetland boundary would still be followed by a 50-foot town buffer; adding resilience-related language under the stormwater section; and introducing a 10-foot minimum land-disturbance setback measured from the actual wetland edge for certain utilities and stormwater features (different from the 50-foot buffer). Staff said the 10-foot clause could be waived by the UDO administrator when a project serves a public purpose.

On equipment and maintenance, staff proposed a clarified definition of “heavy machinery” to distinguish routine maintenance done with small equipment (chainsaws, side-by-sides, trailers) from large construction equipment (excavators, loaders, dump trucks). Staff said the goal is to allow reasonable maintenance without permitting heavy construction that would damage buffers.

The amendments would also create permitted exemptions that allow defined public amenities and water-dependent features—elevated boardwalks, multi-use paths, docks and boat ramps—so long as they comply with permit conditions and do not alter stormwater flow. Andrea said the list of allowed activities was developed to align with the state Coastal Zone Management Plan.

To guarantee future protections, staff proposed a range of assurances applicants could provide: deed restrictions, conservation easements or a town “permit restriction” form. The permit-restriction form would remain in town records and, if used, would bar additional wetland impacts shown on the recorded survey for five years, staff said.

Staff also described a town wetland mapping tool developed from overlay analysis combined with field-verified wetland locations. “The overlay analysis… identified roughly 3,000 more wetlands than NWI across the town and 500 more acres of wetlands on undeveloped parcels,” Andrea said; staff emphasized the mapping tool is a screening resource and that field delineation remains the controlling determination where surveys conflict with the map.

Civil engineer Drew Lunker, who identified himself as working with Thomas and Hutton and living in Savannah, urged council to consider non-ordinance measures in addition to code changes to reduce flooding, saying, “there are additional avenues… for alleviating flooding in Bluffton” such as ditch maintenance and improving conveyance.

Staff opened a 30-day public-comment period beginning next week, said they will solicit feedback from environmental consultants who perform delineations, and outlined outreach plans. The timeline given to council included planning commission review and a tentative first reading in June and second reading in July.

No formal vote or motion was taken during the workshop; staff said the item will return for planning commission review and public hearings before any ordinance change is adopted.