Despite neighbors' pleas, town approves new resort zoning in Folly Field area
After months of heated public battles, Folly Field area property owners lost their fight Tuesday against new resort development zoning in their neighborhood.
The new zoning paves the way for the 8.4-acre Port Royal Racquet Club tennis facilities along Wimbledon Court and Folly Field Road to become a new resort property with up to 134 multi-family units, timeshares or hotel rooms.
The property's owner, Heritage Golf Group, plans to sell it to a developer to fund renovations to its clubhouse on Coggins Point Road and allow for an office expansion and the construction of a new fitness center and nine tennis courts.
However, the controversial plan has drawn the ire of hundreds of area property owners and has divided town leaders at a series of votes and public hearings over the past two months.
Despite those disagreements, though, Town Council supported the plans at a final vote Tuesday. Only Mayor David Bennett and Councilman Marc Grant opposed the plan.
The proposal has gone back and forth between the council and the town's Planning Commission since it was first proposed in March, and the two bodies initially disagreed about whether to support the rezoning.
The Planning Commission originally recommended the town deny the request because some members shared the fears of area owners, who worry new resort development there would overburden an already strained network of neighborhood roads, parks and beach access.
Some Town Council members have agreed, but over several meetings, the council and commission have ultimately -- and sometimes narrowly -- supported the project.
"It's the issue of quality of life versus development," Councilman Tom Lennox said. "I want to keep the lights on, but at the same time, I'm not willing to compromise the quality of life. And traffic is a quality-of-life issue. ... I will support the application, but I do so with reservations."
Throughout the previous months' meetings and again Tuesday, Folly Field area property owners passionately opposed the plan and stacked public hearings with arguments against it -- especially disputing a traffic study that projects new development would not overburden the Folly Field Road and William Hilton Parkway intersection.
Since March, town planning officials also have received 268 letters and emails from all over the United States and Canada opposing the idea. On Tuesday, Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort director Kate Clewell presented another 300 letters of opposition from owners in her development.
Bennett and Grant agree with the Folly Field owners and contend that a covenant that would restrict access to the new resort development to Folly Field Road would be unfair to the neighborhood.
"We're talking about the sanctity of zoning," Folly Field owner Charlie Lovely said. "This is a legal right you're playing with here. We were left with assurances that we would be protected from future developments by a zero impact zoning classifications. How can you even consider stripping our legal rights solely to accommodate a no-cost financing scheme and force upon us the very type of development we thought we were protected from?"
Ultimately, though, the majority of council members agreed the redevelopment plan is in line with the town's new land management rules. Those in support included Councilman John McCann, who lives in Port Royal Plantation and represents the area on council, who endured a raucous round of boos after speaking in favor of the proposal.
The vote finalizes only the zoning, not a new development itself, according to Hilton Head attorney Chester Williams, who represents Heritage Golf Group. There are not yet any potential buyers working on a contract to purchase the property, Heritage Golf executive Gary Dee said Tuesday.
Follow reporter Zach Murdock on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Zach and on Facebook at facebook.com/IPBGZach.
Related content:
- Concerns about traffic not enough to stop controversial rezoning near Folly Field, April 22, 2015
- Update: Hilton Head leaders give green light to rezoning in Folly Field area, April 7, 2015
- First steps to redevelop Port Royal Plantation tennis courts as new resort property back on track, March 5, 2014
- Stomping mad Folly Field residents shoot down new plans to sell, redevelop Port Royal Plantation tennis facilities, Feb. 18, 2015
- Hilton Head golf-course purchase angers some POA members, March 8, 2013
- Hilton Head to buy 102 acres in Port Royal Plantation for $5 million, March 5, 2013
This story was originally published May 5, 2015 at 10:26 AM with the headline "Despite neighbors' pleas, town approves new resort zoning in Folly Field area."