Zoning move would allow for hotels, timeshares in historic Hilton Head neighborhood
A proposal to expand a mixed-use zoning district in a historic Gullah neighborhood on Hilton Head Island has sparked debate.
Last Tuesday, members of the Town of Hilton Head Island Land Management Ordinance discussed a proposal to expand the Mitchelville District so that zoning rules applies “equitably” to properties on both sides of Mitchelville Road.
Structures up to 75 feet are allowed on the waterfront side of Mitchelville Road, which is part of the Mitchelville District. On the other side of the road, which is zoned as single-family residential, the max building height is capped at 35 feet.
Hotels, timeshares, bed & breakfasts, liquor stores, convenience stores, and bicycle shops are also allowed in the Mitchellville district, but not in the residential district.
The area is mostly residential on both sides of the road. It also has a strong historical significance; Mitchelville, known as the place “where freedom began,” was the site of the first self-governing town for formerly enslaved people in the United States.
Pushback from taskforce members, residents
The zoning suggestion sparked pushback from the majority of taskforce members, who raised concerns about how residents of the neighborhood would feel about potential changes.
Resident Bruce Chaplin spoke during public comment at the task force meeting last week, on behalf of his neighbors, to voice his opposition to the proposal.
“Mitchelville is not an opportunity for unchecked growth,” Chaplin said. “It is a responsibility. If we are not careful, we risk turning a place of deep historical significance into something unrecognizable where the story remains in brochures but disappears from the land itself.”
It’s not the first time members of the community have come forward to raise concerns against potential development in their community.
Late last year, a proposed wedding venue in the Mitchelville District sparked strong pushback from the surrounding community that wanted to preserve the residential nature of the area. The venue was constructed right next to a historic Gullah Geechee graveyard with graves that date back to the Civil War.
Residents are set to meet Wednesday 6 p.m. with Hilton Head councilwoman Melinda Tunner at Cherry Hill School to discuss their desires for the neighborhood.
