Locals use this prime Hilton Head beach parking spot. But soon they won't be able to

Finding a parking spot on Hilton Head Island during the summer months can be a challenge, and now there’s one less option for residents and visitors.

At its Tuesday Dec. 19 meeting, the Hilton Head Town Council unanimously approved adding “no parking” signs along Bradley Circle, near Burkes Beach and Driessen Beach, on the north end of the island.

In the summer, vehicles line streets in the area — despite some having no parking signs — because of limited beach parking.

Although Bradley Circle will no longer have parking, there are about a dozen metered parking spots on Burkes Beach Road, a free lot at Chaplin Community Park on Cast Net Drive, and a metered lot at Driessen Beach Park on Bradley Beach Road. According to the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Driessen Beach Park has 207 parking spots.

Residents of Bradley Circle requested the change in October because of concerns about the ability of emergency response vehicles to access Bradley Circle when cars are parked on the street.

The request came amid a fight to rezone their neighborhood after three resort-style homes were built at one end of the horseshoe-shaped road. Concerns about parking were raised at the time because of construction vehicles in the road and the apparent lack of available parking for the three 75-foot houses.

In October, during the second reading of an ordinance to rezone Bradley Circle, council member Kim Likins described visiting the neighborhood and witnessing a house hosting a party, which left cars parked on both sides of the street. She said she did not think an emergency vehicle could access the neighborhood if needed.

Darrin Shoemaker, traffic and transportation engineer for the town, previously told the Public Planning Committee that installing no parking signs because residents asked for them could set a precedent, noting he had not found a justification for their request.

Several Bradley Circle residents did not wish to speak to a reporter for this story.

Bradley Circle is a county-owned road, but enforcement of parking restrictions will be left to the town. The sign installation will be left up to the county.

According to town documents, the next step is for town staff to coordinate with the county and residents of Bradley Circle to determine the number and location of the signs.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Locals use this prime Hilton Head beach parking spot. But soon they won't be able to."