Hilton Head community shares concerns over growing number of short-term vacation rentals - WTOC

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) – Short-term vacation rentals are hot topic across our area as many local cities rely heavily on tourism.

Tourism is a billion dollar a year business here on the island, with many of those tourists staying in short-term vacation rentals. However, some locals feel STVR’s may be growing too popular and that’s led the town to react.

“Hilton Head has had short terms rentals since its development as a modern resort, and they’re a very important part of our economy. The recent concern is the rise in the number of short term rentals and some of those effects on neighboring properties,” said Anne Cyran, Interim Comprehensive Planning Manager, HHI.

The island’s Town Council asked Anne and her team to look at the data. What she found is that in some areas, STVRs now outnumber locals 2-1 and the pandemic has only widened that gap… but that’s only the initial step of the plan to look at this ongoing situation.

”We just finished our first phase of the project which was public outreach and research.”

She says they held 13 public meetings and over 3,800 people responded to an online survey. Through all that data collection, the focus was surface level problems like how STVRs affect privacy, trash, noise, and parking… but the next step is to go deeper.

”There’s another component of the program that would address some of the deeper issues related to short term rentals; such as, the total number of short term rentals overall, where they’re located, and again some of those larger units… we’re taking a look at that in a later phase of the program.

She says the town will get into those issues after she presents a draft ordinance about the more surface complaints to the public planning committee on February 24.

You may remember that leaders in the town of Hilton Head debated short-term rentals back in 2020.

The council did pass a ordinance banning short-term rentals, largely in part to limit travel during the pandemic. However, it only lasted three days before it was appealed.