Proposed 5-star Sea Pines resort receives another key vote; more concerns raised

Residents again raised concerns Monday about plans for a five-star resort in Sea Pines, though the project received another key approval.

The Community Services Associates board unanimously approved setting a community-wide referendum vote, scheduled for early fall, on a proposed major expansion of The Inn & Club at Harbour Town. The board also voted 15-0, with two members abstaining, to approve the referendum term sheet outlining benefits that residents would receive if the referendum is approved.

The 17-member board is comprised of homeowners as well as representatives of commercial entities and Sea Pines Resort.

If approved, the referendum would more than double the current size of The Inn & Club by adding 90 rooms. Sea Pines Resort officials have said they want to turn the hotel into a five-star resort by investing $70 million to $100 million over the next five to 10 years.

The resort is offering a set of benefits to residents contingent on the referendum passing. The incentives include an increase in the annual assessment the resort pays to the plantation, a $1 million grant to the community, and the transfer of about 300 acres of Wildlife Habitat Zone land to the Forest Preserve Foundation.

After Monday’s vote by the CSA board, several residents expressed concerns about the referendum during a question-and-answer session. Issues raised included the fate of Lawton Stables and a lack of details presented about the referendum.

Residents raised similar concerns at a meeting last week of the Association of Sea Pines Plantation Property Owners board, which, like the CSA board, approved the proposed referendum.

Cheryl Clements, a trail guide at Lawton Stables, said Monday a sprinkler system recently went off at the wrong time, startling a horse and causing a rider to fall off. She said horses could be startled by the sounds and sights of tennis being played, if the referendum passes and tennis courts were relocated to Lawton, as proposed.

“It’s premature to be going to a vote. There’s insufficient information on the table, and there’s still an opportunity to improve the terms sheet,” said Christopher Cliffe, a resident. “We mustn’t misunderstand some of the opposition that’s coming out as people saying, ‘We’re resentful of what they’ve done, and we want to stop them from doing more.’ That is not the situation.”

Scott Vincini, another resident, said Sea Pines Resort’s offer to pay $1 million to the community if the referendum passes did not seem sufficient for a $70 million to $100 million project.

But several residents stated their support for the referendum.

“In any community, if an institution comes in and says they’ll invest $70 (million) to $100 million, (residents) are going to throw a parade for them,” said resident Bill Johnson. “In the betterment of the community, we don’t want to poke them in the eye. We want to embrace them.”

Steve Birdwell, president of Sea Pines Resort, said more public forums about the referendum are planned, and the resort is looking forward to the future now that both the ASPPPO and CSA boards have approved the proposed referendum.

Last Thursday, the ASPPPO board voted 7-1 to approve the proposed referendum. More than a dozen residents then raised questions and concerns to the board following the vote.

Passage of the referendum will require approval of more than 75 percent of property owners in Sea Pines.

This story was originally published June 26, 2017 at 9:16 PM with the headline "Proposed 5-star Sea Pines resort receives another key vote; more concerns raised."