Town Logo Hilton Head Island

Land Management Ordinance (LMO) Amendments Plan

The Town conducted a critical review of its Land Management Ordinance (LMO) and plans to amend the LMO to incorporate policy changes to the code to address:

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

The amendments will also bring the LMO into alignment with the comprehensive plan, Our Plan, while incorporating the growth framework and district planning recommendations.

LMO Amendments Project Plan

An assessment of the Land Management Ordinance's (LMO) strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) was initiated in January 2023. Town staff with the assistance of a code assessment consultant identified code deficiencies and strategized a plan to update the LMO.

The LMO Amendments Plan is comprised of five phases.

Phase 1. Phase 1

Phase 1 amendments were approved by Town Council on March 7, 2023.

  • Remove staff granted waivers and amend some standards
  • Allow variances from all sections of the LMO other than use, density or height
  • Allow outdoor screened bike storage in the Light Commercial and Community Commercial zoning districts and provide more specificity related to screening
  • Provide clarification in the Manufacturing use classification as it relates to the size of a brewery
  • Replace using June traffic counts with July traffic counts for Traffic Impact Analysis Plan Standards
  • Change when/how plantings are required on single family lots in buffers as part of a subdivision Certificate of Compliance
  • Amend the definition of changeable copy to allow signs to be changed electronically with limitations on frequency and timing
  • Amend the measurement for height calculation
  • Add that owners' consent is required for minor subdivisions as it is currently listed as being exempt
  • Require a public hearing for subdivision amendments.

View the Phase 1 Adopted LMO Amendments

Phase 2. Phase 2

Phase 2 amendments were approved by Town Council on March 7, 2023.

Section 16-2-103.F: Provide standards for deviations from previously platted subdivisions.

View the Phase 2 Adopted LMO Amendments

Phase 3. Phase 3

Phase 3 amendments were approved by Town Council on May 2, 2023.

Phase 3 is intended to address a few small changes to definitions needed for clarification.

  • Definition for single-family
  • Definition for multifamily
  • Eliminate divisible dwelling units

View the Phase 3 Adopted LMO Amendments

Phase 4a. Phase 4a

Phase 4a will address updated residential site design standards including:

  • Floor area ratio.
  • Parking.

Phase 4b. Phase 4b

Phase 4b amendments are intended to address single-family mass and scale in the Forest Beach Neighborhood character Overlay District.

  • Floor area ratio.

Phase 4. Phase 4 (Priority Set)

Phase 4 will address residential and commercial development, design standards, and natural resource regulations.

  • Single-family dwelling mass and scale
    • calibrate appropriate single-family dwelling development scale
  • Single-family parking
    • calibrate residential parking
  • Residential subdivision regulations
    • pedestrian connectivity
    • lot coverage
  • Public review of Major Subdivisions and Major Developments
    • require Planning Commission approval
  • Open space standards
    • clarifying definition
    • clarifying design standards
    • producing higher quality design and access to functional open space
  • Transportation Impact Analysis
    • changing "traffic" to "transportation" reflecting a multi-modal approach
    • more options for traffic mitigation
  • Tree Protection (strengthen protected tree requirements and tree mitigation)
  • Sign Standards
    • content neutral amendments for compliance with Reed vs. Gilbert
  • Short-term rentals
    • enforcement fines and penalties
  • Food Trucks
    • short-term permitting issues addressed proactively
    • further regulations to be explored in upcoming Code overhaul

Phase 5. Phase 5

Phase 5 will include a comprehensive review of all chapters, overall code organization, user-friendliness of the code, and will incorporate amendments to further align the LMO with Our Plan and integrate the district planning outcomes through the Town's Growth Framework and District.

  • Comprehensive review of all LMO chapters.
  • Review of overall organization.
  • Review of user-friendliness of the code.
  • Application Process evaluation and Applications Manual.
  • Sustainable Development incentives.
  • Addition of design guidance graphics,
  • Alignment with Our Plan.
  • Integration of outcomes from Growth Framework and District Plan initiative.

Phased Amendment Process

The amendment content presented in the first four phases correlates directly with input received from the Island community and neighborhoods. Phase 5 will build on the preceding community engagement activities from the Growth Framework and District Plan initiative process.

Feedback provided by the community will be incorporated in addition to public hearings and public meetings that are a part of the LMO amendment approval process.

The proposed LMO changes create efficiencies, practical expectations, and effective processes for staff and applicants. In addition to the comprehensive LMO amendments plan, staff is overhauling the development review process. The development plan review program is now a team approach. Plans will be reviewed by an internal plan review team, by the Planning Commission and by Town Council with the expectation that the team and public review process input will result in better site design.

Presentations
Community Connectcions Logo
Community Connections

Planning for Our Future


Resources

LMO Amendment Plan Details by Phase
Land Management Ordinance (LMO) Online
Development Service Center

Community Connections LMO Logo

Staff Contact


Community Connections


Resources