Proposed Gullah historic district may bring more development to Hilton Head’s north end
In 30 years, the Gullah-Geechee population on Hilton Head was nearly cut in half — from 14.5 percent in 1980 to 7.5 percent in 2010.
The way to stop that number from creeping lower is to make land development and economic opportunities easier to come by for Gullah people, according to the first report on Monday from a consultant hired by the Gullah-Geechee cultural preservation task force.
The signature recommendation from consultant Phil Walker is to create an overlay district that would protect the native islanders’ historic neighborhoods and put building in those areas on the fast-track with the Town of Hilton Head Island.
An overlay district is a zoning district applied over previously-established zoning districts which creates different or stricter standards for that area often to protect special features, according to the American Planning Association.
But this district would actually loosen development restrictions in 14 Gullah neighborhoods “to provide more development opportunities for Gullah land owners,” according to Walker’s report.
“This is the first time I’ve seen an overlay (district) that would loosen things up for more development,” Walker said.
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How it would work
Suggestions for rules within the “historic Gullah neighborhood conservation overlay district” include:
- Waiving development fees and some impact fees
- Relaxing certain development standards such as color usage
- Expanding ways Gullah families can use their land
- Increasing the number of units they can build.
Other neighborhoods such as Folly Field and South Forest Beach have their own character overlay districts to direct development, according to Walker’s report.
Although existing zoning and buffer requirements would stay in place, task force member Palmer Simmons told The Island Packet the overlay district would help facilitate a mix of residential and commercial building.
“It would ease the known burdens of trying to utilize our property,” Simmons said. “... You have to pay high impact fees and follow setback guidelines. The overall overlay district would afford some permanent measures to ease that.”
On Hilton Head, transportation impact fees range from $635 to $816 per lot of residential construction, according to Walker’s report.
But the overlay district needs a serious look from the town’s finance department, according to John Troyer, the director of finance.
“Is there a way that we can encourage development and, at the same time, not burden the rest of the island from an equity standpoint?” Troyer said Tuesday. “It’s worth a serious look.”
He said an overlay district would have to take into account road fees and the amount of infrastructure needed to support development but would “not be impossible.”
Simmons said the district would give Gullah property owners the same advantages of others to build on family-owned land.
“We recognize that rules can’t be applied with favoritism, but I think rules have to apply to compensate and afford everyone the same opportunities,” Simmons said. “It will simply ease the right to use your property, and what’s wrong with that?”
Other recommendations
Here are some highlights of Walker’s 30 recommendations to improve Gullah-Geechee cultural preservation on the island:
- Establish a program to educate town officials and area school teachers on Gullah culture.
- Develop graphically consistent signage and markers throughout the island tied to Gullah history and culture.
- Establish a program in which local students conduct oral interviews with older Gullah people to document their lives.
- Promote Gullah cultural resources more prominently within the island’s overall tourism marketing through the Hilton Head Island- Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce.
- Encourage the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation to open a satellite office in Beaufort County.
- Fast-track the review process for development applications within the proposed overlay district.
This story was originally published March 5, 2019 at 3:36 PM.
