Bluffton area golf course could be rezoned and developed. Neighbors are fighting back
When the residents of Island West bought their homes inside the gated golf club community near Bluffton, they were enticed by the trees, a large lagoon and wonderful views of an 18-hole golf course.
Now, however, the quiet life and open space they’ve grown so accustomed to may be replaced by apartment buildings, shops and a hotel — all inside their community.
The owner of the golf course has a contract with a Bluffton-based developer to sell the course. Reed Group, the developer, has plans to ask Beaufort County to rezone the property to allow a mix of commercial and residential development on 74 acres of the 210-acre golf course.
If the rezoning happens, the golf course — the reason most residents bought homes there in the first place — may be paved over.
Across the country, golf courses are struggling to stay profitable. Courses in Beaufort County are no exception. Just this past year, two golf courses in Bluffton were put up for auction due to financial problems. Island West Golf Course is losing money, according to notes of a meeting last month about the golf course’s future. Development could help the owners recoup their investment.
However, development — especially in an area where there’s so much of it — comes at the expense of residents who counted on the open green space and country club views when they bought their homes.
The rezoning plans are not final. They still must be submitted to Beaufort County for approval, but the Island West Homeowner’s Association says it wants to buy the course before that happens.
“The golf course and the community are mutually codependent on each other. We’re staying in front of this,” said Jim Cuff, Island West homeowner and chair of the community’s Committee to Stop Rezoning. “We don’t want to be behind.”
The HOA has retained S.C. Rep. Weston Newton, R-Bluffton, as attorney to fight the potential rezoning.
Pratt Reed, president of Reed Group, said he would like to work with the HOA but that he could not discuss the rezoning plans publicly until he met with Newton on Monday.
Todd Brown, executive vice president of Brown Golf, the company that operates the golf course at Island West and others such as Pinecrest in Bluffton and Palmetto Hall and Dolphin Head on Hilton Head Island, said he was “not at liberty to discuss” the sale of the course. He said he is focused on continuing to operate the course.
Plans
On Feb. 5, two Island West residents met with Reed and Brown to discuss the golf course’s future. In the meeting, Reed presented his plans to rezone the course. Included were residential apartments, commercial space and possibly a hotel.
Cuff, the chair of the group fighting rezoning, was at the meeting and said Reed’s plans included zoning for a Microtel and patio homes on portions of the golf course property.
He said Brown opened the meeting by saying the golf course is losing money.
On Feb. 11, John Brown, president of Brown Golf, emailed some Island West patrons to “address any rumored information that is in the community as it relates to the future of Island West Golf Club.”
In the email, Brown confirmed that “a recent sales agreement has been entered into by The Reed Group and the Ownership Group of Island West for the sale of the golf course property.”
The registered agent for the golf course is listed as Capitol Corporate Services Inc., a health care service company based in Texas, according to business filings.
Concerns
Residents in Island West vehemently oppose rezoning the golf course. Although they acknowledge they don’t own the land, they argue that the course is part of their community.
They worry that impervious surfaces will only increase the high amount of flooding they’ve already witnessed from nearby developments such as the Mystic Bluff apartments and the planned Washington Square development.
They say the values of their homes will plummet if the golf course is replaced by commercial development.
John Flynn, who’s lived at Island West since 2004 and serves as the HOA board treasurer, said that if the plans come to fruition, his home will no longer overlook an open golf course, but a hotel and commercial buildings. He worries about the negative effect of construction on his quality of life, and particularly on traffic.
Residents have written Beaufort County Council members such as Paul Sommerville, Larry McElynn and Mike Covert to oppose the plans.
“As of this time, no proposal has come forward to our development staff but if and when it does you can rest assured that I will take into account the quality of life for you and all other residents of our beautiful county when I cast my vote,” Sommerville responded to one email.
Failing courses?
Just a month ago, another popular Beaufort County golf course sold after experiencing business struggles.
The golf course and associated property at Sanctuary Club at Cat Island sold for $425,000 in a foreclosure sale in January. The course had been closed for over a year.
Cat Island was one of three golf courses in the county auctioned recently, including Crescent Pointe and Eagle’s Pointe in Bluffton.
