News Release

Town Council Update

Short-term Rental, Major Subdivision and Timeshare Moratorium Workshop Discussion: Clarification

September 22, 2025

As a follow-up to last week's "Town Council Meeting Highlights" after action report, the Town of Hilton Head Island seeks to clarify information provided in that report.

The Town Council assessed a possible moratorium on short-term rentals, major subdivisions, and timeshares as a workshop discussion during its regular meeting on September 16, 2025. Because this discussion occurred in a workshop setting, no vote was taken.

Directives, or guidance, to Town staff from Town Council about how to move forward following a workshop discussion are a normal part of this process. This direction does not require a formal vote and is intended to help the Town staff proceed with a clear path forward.

A video recording of the meeting demonstrates that the Town Manager and staff received consensus direction from Town Council to proceed with a sense of urgency regarding identified short-term rental ordinance amendments and not to pursue moratorium options at this time.

The relevant time markers (hours:minutes) from the meeting video are:

• Total workshop discussion: 2:15 - 4:56
• Town Manager and staff receive direction: 4:27 - 4:56

These draft amendments were most recently discussed in a February 2025 Town Council Workshop and again at the Community Services and Public Safety Committee meeting held on September 15, 2025.

Town staff are preparing updated short-term rental regulation options for consideration at an upcoming Community Development and Public Services Committee meeting scheduled for October 6, 2025, at 10 am.