Amid controversy, more ‘lock-outs’ could come to Hilton Head

A timeshare company seeking to buy property on Hilton Head Island wants the town’s zoning law changed to allow “lock-out” units in its proposed complex.

Town Council last month approved a first reading of the proposed ordinance change for the company, identified by council members as Florida-based BlueGreen Vacation Rentals. A second reading of the amended ordinance, which, if approved, could apply to any timeshare company operating in the town, is set to go before the council Tuesday.

One council member said Friday he opposes changing the zoning law for a single company. The property in question for development sits outside Port Royal Plantation on Folly Field Road on the island’s north side.

Lock-outs divide housing units into two or more by locking or sealing a door shut. BlueGreen Vacation Rentals officials have not publicly said why they want lock-outs in their proposed timeshares and didn’t return email messages Friday from The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette.

Teri Lewis, the town’s Land Management Ordinance official, couldn’t immediately provide the number of timeshare properties on the island when contacted Friday.

For landlords, the lock-out practice allows property owners to collect more rent on a space. Opponents contend it is a safety risk and increases crime. The issue has been controversial in recent years in the South Forest Beach Drive area on the island’s south end, where some condominium owners have subdivided their properties into longer-term, relatively cheaper-rent units.

Lewis said Friday she didn’t see a problem with lock-outs in timeshares.

“We looked at the LMO (Land Management Ordinance) and decided timeshares are a resort-type use, and this change fits with resort use,” she said.

Town Council member David Ames said Friday he doesn’t think it is good practice to change zoning laws for one developer.

“It should be a rare occurrence when there is a zoning change,” he said. “They should come in a regular periodic time frame so it coincides with a comprehensive plan. I think there is an inherent problem with doing isolated zoning changes.”

Ames also said extending lock-outs to timeshares could create more density on the island.

“I think there will be traffic ramifications,” he said. “If you are going to have two separate units, you are going to have a family coming in two cars and not one.”

Ames and Mayor David Bennett voted against the proposed ordinance change at the first reading on March 21. Council members Kim Likins, Marc Grant, John McCann, Bill Harkins and Tom Lennox voted in favor.

McCann said Friday the lock-outs would be handled differently in the proposed timeshare complex.

“I think there are two different types of lock-outs,” he said. “There are lock-outs where there are no managers, and ones where there is 24-hour staff.”

McCann said the developer of the proposed Folly Field Road site would provide 24-hour management and a central box for all utilities.

Town Council is scheduled to discuss the second reading of the proposed ordinance change at its regular meeting Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Town Hall, One Town Center Court.

This story was originally published April 14, 2017 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Amid controversy, more ‘lock-outs’ could come to Hilton Head."