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Commission backs moving Bluffton Village standards into UDO, would bar drive‑thru restaurants
Summary
The commission recommended transitioning Bluffton Village development‑agreement standards into the UDO and adding Appendix A with village master‑plan building and sign standards; staff proposed no new uses but would prohibit drive‑through restaurants while allowing walk‑up windows.
The Bluffton Planning Commission voted to recommend a text amendment to incorporate Bluffton Village development‑agreement provisions into the Town of Bluffton Unified Development Ordinance and to add an Appendix A containing master‑plan building and sign standards.
Staff explained the action is a transition from a development agreement that expires in October and would establish a Bluffton Village PUD column in the town's use table, carrying forward existing permitted uses and design standards. The proposal would not create new uses but would add a condition prohibiting drive‑in/drive‑thru restaurants; staff clarified that walk‑up service windows for restaurants would be allowed. Legal counsel noted that moving the standards into the UDO creates a stable regulatory basis if the underlying development agreement expires.
Commissioners asked about the practical effects for property owners and the potential for a "wild west" outcome if controls were not retained in the UDO; staff said the transition is intended to provide clarity and retain the development character without requiring a new development agreement. The commission recommended approval of the UDO amendments as submitted by staff.
