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Are gated communities environmentally friendly?

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Living in gated communities in Beaufort County often comes with the security of knowing that changes won't appear that could hurt property values. But it also means abiding by strict rules, some of which could prevent residents from becoming more energy efficient.

Covenants in some area communities prevent solar panels and other energy-saving devices because they alter a home's appearance.

But as energy prices rise and the "green" construction trend becomes more popular, alternative energy devices are getting a second look -- and that could lead some communities to rethink their policies.

Beaufort County planners already are creating proposals to require developers to include energy-saving features and extra environmental protections in future projects.

Last month, the county held a workshop to brainstorm ways to conserve energy and tap alternative power sources.

Some residents who attended said they would like to install solar panels or windmills on their roofs to conserve energy and save money on utility bills, but their neighborhood covenants prevent them from doing so.

Planning director Tony Criscitello said that in existing communities, the county's hands are tied.

"There is a complication associated with covenants and restrictions," he said. "Those take precedence."

In Sun City Hilton Head, for example, covenants restrict "window, wall-mounted and roof-mounted equipment (including mechanical, air conditioning and solar heating equipment)," according to design guidelines.

Jon Cherry, a Sun City spokesman, said the modifications committee would handle any requests to change the covenants, but members have not brought up the topic.

Mike Biehayn of Mikey B's Home Improvement in Beaufort was an investor in Ecosolar, a now-closed Lady's Island-based company that sold rooftop-mounted solar hot-water heaters. Biehayn said many people were interested in the solar heating systems, but either couldn't buy one because of neighborhood covenants or didn't want to pay the $4,000 price.

However, tax credits reimburse about half the cost, he said, and it saves people at least $50 a month in utilities.

"It's not like they are these big ugly things," Biehayn said. "Why get rid of a good idea in the name of 'Oh, I don't want to see that on my roof?' "

Some communities accommodate residents' requests for energy-efficient home additions.

In Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, solar panels are on a few homes and are considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure their color and placement are appropriate for the neighborhood, said Cary Kelley, executive vice president of Sea Pines' Community Service Associates, which oversees the community's roads and open spaces.

In other gated communities, such as Belfair in Bluffton, current policies don't address solar panels or other energy-saving features that would require a rooftop device.

But that soon could change.

"We believe there is going to be a need for us to address it," said Ken Louis, a spokesman for Belfair's architectural review board. "We think with the greening of America, it is going to become more popular for people to have opportunities to use solar panels, and we need to be ready for it."

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