Land Management Ordinance (LMO) Amendments Plan

The Land Management Ordinance (LMO) is a planning document that helps guide development on Hilton Head Island. A plan is in place to update and improve the LMO to better reflect community needs related to:

• Administrative processes
• Residential and commercial development
• Design standards
• Natural resource regulations

The changes will also align the LMO with the goals of the comprehensive plan, Our Plan, while incorporating community feedback received during the District Planning process.

In January 2023, the LMO underwent a SWOT assessment to evaluate its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This review revealed code deficiencies, prompting a plan to update the LMO. It is comprised of several phases. While a complete review of the LMO is the goal, certain high-priority items were identified that required immediate attention.

Priority Amendments

Town staff are in the process of addressing priority amendments, with a goal of completing them by summer 2025. These amendments will address:

• Short Term Rental Enforcement and Fines
• Adaptive Reuse of Hotels and Motels
• Regulations on the mass and scale of buildings
• Public review of Major Subdivisions and Major Developments
• Open space standards for communities
• Requirements related to Transportation Impact Analysis
• Tree Protection Standards
• Sign Standards
• Workforce Housing Incentives in RM-12 zoning
• Construction Standards

LMO Overhaul

The Town is currently overhauling the Land Management Ordinance (LMO) through the following tasks:

• Reviewing all chapters of the Land Management Ordinance.
• Reorganizing the content for easier access and use.
• Simplifying and clarifying the language.
• Creating improved forms and applications.
• Adding more pictures and diagrams for better explanation.
• Ensuring that the Land Management Ordinance aligns with the goals of the Town's Comprehensive Plan as outlined in "Our Plan.""
• Incorporating feedback from the District Planning community meetings.

Your Voice Matters!

The Town wants to hear from residents throughout this process. There will be public meetings and hearings where you can share your thoughts and ask questions about these rule changes.

Presentations

Resources

Community Connections

Planning for Our Future