News Release

Hilton Head Island Town Council Actions - March 4, 2025

Members act on William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Project joint resolution, construction noise ordinance changes, and amend long-term lease for local food pantry

March 6, 2025

Hilton Head Island Town Council held their regularly scheduled meeting on March 4, 2025. The following offers a summary of discussion and actions taken by the Council.

After a discussion introduced by Shawn Colin, Assistant Town Manager, and including input from S.C. Senator Tom Davis, the Town Council approved a joint resolution with Beaufort County regarding the William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Project with several revisions. These modifications to the version previously approved by Beaufort County Council on February 24, aim to address safety concerns, improve project design, and ensure alignment with available funding.

Revisions include the addition of a clause that incorporates a letter from South Carolina’s Secretary of Transportation, Justin Powell, which expressed support for the assessment of options to provide two-way access to and from Pinckney Island via the new bridge. This will be considered in the procurement process as the preferred way to Pinckney Island rather than to repurpose an existing Skull Creek Bridge for access to Pinckney Island.

The Town Council also requested that the speed limit on the William Hilton Parkway Corridor be reduced to 40 mph for safety reasons.

Finally, the resolution included a provision to set aside $5 million in local funds to address immediate safety concerns in the Stoney Historic Community, which will be allocated for a local road project once federal approval is received.

These revisions ensure that the project proceeds with improved access, safety considerations, and financial accountability.

Assistant Town Manager Shawn Leininger presented the second reading of an ordinance to amend the municipal code in relation to noise control and construction. Town Council voted to approve the amendment which includes the following:

• Commercial construction, repair work and landscaping activities are now limited to 7 am to 7 pm and those activities are prohibited on Sundays, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day;
• An intent to align with the planned urban developments (PUD) and property owners’ associations (POA) on the island for a more standardized schedule of noise limits across the Town, and;
• An intent to minimize nighttime and early morning disturbances, thus preserving the general welfare of the overall island community.

Non-commercial yard work is unchanged by these amendments and remains allowed daily, including Sundays and observed holidays, from 7 am to 10 pm. The amendment is not intended to repeal or interfere with any private restrictions; if a private PUD or POA has stricter requirements, those will supersede any Town requirements.

Town Council also voted to amend a lease agreement with Sandalwood Community Food Pantry approved in June 2024. The lease term will now be for 40 years with two five-year renewals, amending the previous lease term of 15 years with two five-year renewals, to further support the food pantry’s ability to pursue funding to invest in a new facility and continue to provide the benefits of their program to the community.