Mid-Island Initiative Area Project

The Mid-Island Initiative area is comprised of a mix of old and new commercial developments, industrial uses, residential neighborhoods, the Hilton Head Island airport, significant cultural resources including Union Cemetery and St. James Baptist Church, as well as Town-owned parklands and conservation areas that include the site for the future 103 acre park on the Town-owned Mid-Island Tract.

In 2022, Town Council adopted the Mid-Island District Plan which authorized Staff to utilize the Plan as the basis for redevelopment efforts that will be implemented within the Mid-Island District area. The Mid-Island District Plan includes three key focus areas:

• Mid-Island Tract A new public park to include park program improvements to restore natural areas and provide needed community and cultural gathering space.
• District Center - Across the parkway from the Mid-Island Tract, the District Center focus area consists of mixed-use redevelopment that reimagines the existing retail shopping centers as dynamic, sustainable, vibrant commercial and residential centers.
• Historic Neighborhoods - To implement the recommendations in the Gullah Geechee Culture Preservation Project Report, the Plan proposes enabling a more consistent development pattern with density proposed at 6-8 dwelling units per acre and neighborhood commercial uses in the historic neighborhoods.

Implementation of the Mid-Island District Plan will be guided by a set of six strategic actions that will enable the Town to take a methodical approach to transform the district. These six strategic actions include:

• Adopting a future land use map that will set the stage for updating the zoning code and creating standards.
• Implementing plans and designs for park development on the Mid-Island Tract.
• Adopting of a policy framework to support ongoing Island-wide planning efforts and initiatives to address infill development, mixed-income housing, housing types, energy efficiency, transit and mobility, and sustainability within the district.
• Updating the zoning code and map and creating standards that will result in a compact, walkable, and vibrant district. The zoning code update and creation of standards will be instrumental in guiding infill development in historic neighborhoods and the redevelopment of the commercial shopping centers in the Mid-Island District to create a dynamic, mixed-use district center.
• Leveraging planned public investments in public space, corridors, alternative transportation, and infrastructure to facilitate the development of the district and the reinvestment in historic neighborhoods.
• Establishing organizational and financial tools to acquire needed funding, create public-private partnerships, and streamline the regulatory process.

Mid-Island Initiative Area

Resources

District Planning

Strategic Plan

Our Plan