Has Hilton Head Island been ruined? Five reasons the answer to that question is ‘no’

I was asked point blank on Facebook:

“David Lauderdale, do you not think in some aspects, HHI has lost its way as far as Charles saw it?”

It came as part of the discussion on this column: “Myrtle Beach shootings carry a warning for those of us on tony Hilton Head Island.”

By the way, it was suggested in this conversation that I get a Henna tattoo: “They are pretty ... they are temporary.”

So, we’re talking about the real Myrtle Beach.

But how about the real Hilton Head?

Start with “Charles.” That’s Charles E. Fraser, founder of the Sea Pines resort community (a phrase I’m told is an oxymoron). Sixty years ago this week, Sea Pines set up shop on the south end of a huge, empty sea island that was stupefying in its beauty — but who would come here to visit, much less to live?

Thus began the conundrum: Let’s bring them here, but let’s not ruin the place.

I thought the best answer to the Facebook question would be: “Yes and no.” Or, “It’s complicated.”

But I settled on this: “I believe Charles thought that. He fussed that later developers did not set aside enough open space, as in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.”

It takes constant cajoling like that to keep Hilton Head from losing its way. Charles was good at cajoling. And Charles is gone.

It’s easy to say Hilton Head has been ruined.

But I do not think so. Here are five reasons why:

▪  Darkness, buffers, tree protection and no ugly signs. All written into town code. The day we quit that is the day we lose our way. This is what sets Hilton Head apart.

▪  Secondary roads. Led by the mother of all secondary roads — the Cross Island Parkway — and fueled by computerized, synchronized traffic lights, Hilton Head has avoided the gridlock of its inevitable growth.

▪  Recreation. Hilton Head has invested heavily in beach preservation, bike paths, the Island Recreation Association, community parks, and public access to the waterways.

▪  Open space. Hilton Head’s land-buying program has amassed more than 1,000 acres. People who say Hilton Head has been ruined tend to forget that Americans have property rights, and no government or “benevolent dictator,” as the island’s early developers were called, can take away those rights. Influence development, yes, but stop it, no. The only way to truly control land is to own it, or own its development rights.

▪  Beautification. You don’t see ugly medians on Hilton Head.

This story was originally published June 22, 2017 at 12:33 PM with the headline "Has Hilton Head Island been ruined? Five reasons the answer to that question is ‘no’."