Town of Hilton Head Island
Stoney Initiative Area Plan

click here to go to Stoney/Skull Creek Area Redevelopment Strategies

Purpose of Plan

In 1999, the Town of Hilton Head Island adopted the Ward One Master Land Use Plan as part of the Comprehensive Plan. This Plan identified the Stoney neighborhood as an area needing further attention due to several unique factors such as unusual parcel configuration, its gateway location and special development opportunities. The Stoney Initiative Area Plan was created to fill the gap in the Ward One Master Land Use Plan. It focuses on land use, density, and infrastructure needs for the Stoney neighborhood and recommends strategies to guide future development and redevelopment opportunities.

To assist in kicking off the Stoney Initiative Area Plan, a charette was held over a two and one-half day period in June 2000 to gather information and ideas from the residents and land owners in the Stoney Initiative Area. A six member team of design professionals from the South Carolina Downtown Development Association led the event assisted by Town Planning staff. A total of fifty-three people from the community participated in the charette, providing ideas and input that led to the development of this Stoney Initiative Area Plan. Many of the ideas presented in this Stoney Initiative Area Plan result from the charette report (published by SCDDA in July 2000) and several follow-up neighborhood meetings led by a subcommittee of the Squire Pope/Stoney Property Owners Association (POA).

The Stoney Initiative Area

The Stoney Initiative Area is the gateway to the Island, located just east of Jenkins Island and extending to the tidal creek just east of the Spanish Wells Road intersection. William Hilton Parkway traverses the neighborhood, carrying every vehicle entering or exiting the Town. Nearly surrounded by tidal marshes, it is one of the most beautiful areas on the Island, yet is very difficult to develop due to the traffic and other unique conditions in the neighborhood.

Today's land uses are primarily residential mixed with some commercial businesses. During the charette discussions, it became apparent that one of the most important aspects in Stoney is a strong sense of community, and the understanding that the residents want to remain on their land and utilize it themselves as opposed to selling to other people to develop. This is their family land, it provides ties to their culture, and plays an important role in their lives.

Recommendations and Implementation Strategies

Needs and Goals of the Initiative Area are identified in the Plan that focus on land use, density and infrastructure. The Plan further recommends strategies to guide future development and redevelopment opportunities in these three areas. These strategies fall into three major categories:

Land Management Ordinance Amendments:

1. Rezoning to allow a better mix of commercial and residential.
2. Revise the Use table for more appropriate land uses.
3. Determine whether revisions to the design standards would encourage orientation toward the marsh, if so, make those revisions.

Public Infrastructure:

1. Traffic-related: improvements to William Hilton Parkway, new roads, and intersection improvements.
2. Pedestrian-related: pedestrian overpass, improvements to on-grade crosswalks, median landscaping.
3. Infrastructure-related: sewer installation, multi-purpose pathways, pathway and crosswalk lighting, installation of distinctive entry sign, bury power lines, improvements to Old Schoolhouse Park.

Assistance to Land Owners:

1. Encourage aggregation of properties for more efficient development.
2. Encourage local land and business ownership
3. POA establish voluntary design guidelines.
4. There are several recommendations dealing with the Town, the Stoney community, and local businesses and organizations working together to help the local land owners redevelop their properties themselves rather than sell to others.