Chris Blankenship

This document outlines the Fiscal Year 2027 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Town of Hilton Head Island, serving as a workshop discussion to establish planning baselines and review a preliminary project list. The CIP functions as a multi-year guiding document for major capital expenditures, asset management, and funding strategies. It details priorities and projects across various programs including Beach, Pathway, Roadway, Park, Facility & Equipment, Stormwater, Fleet, and Land Acquisition, covering the period from Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2030.

This strategic planning update for Hilton Head Island Town Council provides an overview of progress on a three-year strategic action plan, six months after its adoption. Key areas of focus include the ongoing land management ordinance rewrite, development of a future land use map, land acquisition, and the review of the town's comprehensive plan. The update emphasizes the prioritization and sequencing of strategic initiatives, managing organizational capacity, and aligning public policy and capital investments with the plan's goals to manage growth, enhance infrastructure, ensure public safety, support economic development, preserve Gullah-Geechee culture, address workforce housing, and promote environmental sustainability.

The meeting primarily focused on discussing the proposed text amendment to the Land Management Ordinance (LMO) aimed at protecting the character of the Holiday Homes neighborhood, which addresses the construction of detrimentally oversized houses. Residents expressed concern that current safeguards were ineffective, citing issues at 35, 37, and 39 Oander Street, and noted that private covenants from 1957 were not being enforced by the town. The discussion covered next steps for initiating the text amendment, which includes moving through the Planning Commission, a board of appeal (CDPS), and finally, Town Council readings. Key changes proposed include a net reduction in the maximum floor area ratio (from 4,000 to 3,200 square feet) and a height restriction of 30 feet, while grandfathering provisions for existing non-conforming structures were clarified. Additionally, information was provided regarding a new public-facing website dedicated to the LMO task force.

The strategic action plan, detailed within the 2024 Annual Report, aims to promote the health and vitality of the Hilton Head Island community through ethical and inclusive programs and policies. Its vision is to reinvent sustainability by focusing on revitalization, modernization, and building an inclusive and diverse community. Key strategic areas include the pursuit of excellence, economic revitalization, right-sized infrastructure, environmental sustainability, parks and recreation, regional focus, and fostering an inclusive and connected community.

The 2026 Annual Action Plan for the Town of Hilton Head Island outlines proposed projects to be funded during the 2026 program year, with a focus on preserving and revitalizing low and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods and enhancing residents' quality of life. Key strategic priorities include public facilities and improvements, public services, housing activities, and economic development to benefit LMI persons. The plan details ongoing initiatives for affordable housing, including the development of the Northpoint workforce housing community, and addresses homeless and special needs populations while working to overcome barriers to affordable housing.