No more ‘mini-hotels’ on Hilton Head?

Hilton Head’s dubbed “mini-hotel” — two newly built homes on Heron Street connected with a common deck — could be the last of its kind on the island.

The town’s Land Management Ordinance Committee on Wednesday agreed to move forward with drafting an amendment to the LMO that would prohibit the waiver granted for the Heron Street development to be used in single-family residential communities, though it would be allowed in all other areas on the island.

The waiver allowed the two, identical 3,100-square-foot homes to be joined by a large, common wooden deck — labeled a “mini-hotel" by critics who contend the development would attract large, loud tourist parties to their quiet Forest Beach-area neighborhood. The buildings’ owner, Shane Gould, has denied the allegations, saying he intends to rent the homes to extended vacationing families.

“I appreciate that they’re listening to it and moving it along as fast as they can,” said Larry LaBanc, a Forest Beach resident after Wednesday’s meeting. “It sounds like they’re on our side and are receptive to the change.”

Teri Lewis, the town’s LMO official, determined setback and buffer requirements could be waived with the two Heron Street properties, contending they functioned as a single unit. She previously said it was the first time the waiver was granted in a single-family residential district, and that it is often used in commercial developments with common parking spaces or concrete.

Lewis said during Wednesday’s meeting there is no criteria for town staff to follow to determine whether the waiver should be granted going forward.

After the meeting, Lewis said town staff will begin drafting the approved amendment, adding she expects it to go before the town Planning Commission for a public hearing on Sept. 20. If approved at that time, it would go before the Town Council for two required readings.

At a Town Council meeting last month, mayor David Bennett asked staff to bring forward a proposal to modify the LMO to ban the waiver in residential areas.

The Forest Beach Owners Association and area residents have protested the Heron Street development. The FBOA contends the plans submitted to its Architectural Review Board did not include the common deck, and that the deck violates setback and buffer requirements set forth in their covenants and the LMO.

The FBOA filed an appeal to the town last month seeking to reverse the decision to waive the setback and buffer requirements. Teresa Haley, administrative assistant in the town’s Community Development Department, said Wednesday the appeal is scheduled to be heard at the Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on Aug. 28.

The association also filed a lawsuit against Gould last month. The suit alleges that the deck, along with other improvements, were not approved by the FBOA’s Architectural Review Board, as required by the association’s covenants.

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 7:07 PM with the headline "No more ‘mini-hotels’ on Hilton Head?."