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On Dec. 1, the Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce held its annual State of the Region Luncheon on Hilton Head Island. The keynote speaker was U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, and he gave the sold-out crowd of 500 his perspective on national issues. Graham is an engaging speaker, and I could never give an appropriate summary of his talk, but his ending was noteworthy. “The state of the region is good, the state of the country not so good.”

I am very proud to say that Hardeeville has been invited to be part of this event for the past several years. Each year. I join the mayors of Hilton Head and Bluffton, and the chairman of Beaufort County Council, to give a brief overview of our jurisdictions at this luncheon. I believe this is vitally important because we need regional strategies to meet the challenges of growth in our area. Our roadways and waterways, the environment, housing shortages, workforce shortages, crime, homelessness, and education are not confined to jurisdictional boundaries. All these things, and more, are common to the entire Lowcountry, and it will take us all working together to make a bright future for the next generations.

One goal of my speech was to emphasize the growth of Hardeeville and its effects on the area. As I often say, “What happens in Hardeeville does not stay in Hardeeville.”

Hardeeville has grown more than 300% since the 2010 Census and is expected to have 30,000 residents by 2030. That’s tenfold higher in just 20 years! Additionally, 15 million square feet of warehouses are in various stages of construction in the southern part of the city along U.S.17. Along the U.S. 278 corridor, commercial development is expected to accelerate this decade at exit 8, at Margaritaville and at Okatie Crossing, as the rooftops keep multiplying.

And multiply they will. The city is on pace to issue 1,200 new single-family permits in 2023 and approved master plans in these same districts call for another 15,000.

Besides Graham, State Sen. Tom Davis and State Rep. Weston Newton were in attendance. A specific goal I had was to emphasize the high cost of expanding our once-rural roadways to accommodate the growing, and anticipated future growth, of traffic. The 11.8 miles of the “Triangle” (S.C. 170-U.S. 278-Argent Boulevard) will cost $200 million to widen, and that is in today’s dollars. To widen the five miles of U.S. 278 between exit 8 and the Triangle could easily reach $100 million. That’s $300 million for only 17 miles of the two vast counties! Yes, we need to help ourselves and pass a sales tax, but we also need help from our state and federal partners.

Regional cooperation has been a persistent message in my speeches over my years as mayor, and it was again a central theme in this speech. Groups like SoLoCo, the Lowcountry Area Transportation Study (aka LATS), and the new regional housing trust are testaments to the wonderful cooperation across jurisdictions, and I am proud to be part of that movement. Our state senators and representatives have done a great job the past several years; helping our area get funds for Exit 3, the Hilton Head bridges and the widening of I-95, to name a few projects.

Davis has obtained funds for the housing trust and Habitat for Humanity and many more efforts. Our S.C. House representatives Bill Herbkersman, Newton, and Jeff Bradley have helped with many community projects. But we need so much more and we must remain united if we are to provide for the enormous needs of the future.

Everyone paid tribute to outgoing Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka, who has been a huge supporter of Hardeeville, and it was her initiative that led to Hardeeville’s inclusion in this event. She was the driving force behind the formation of SoLoCo, and LATS has gelled as a team during her many years as chair. She has been a stalwart captain of the ship known as Bluffton and has guided its amazing growth. Most remarkable is the pride that she has fostered in her community, which has made Bluffton not just a fast-growing municipality, but a wonderful and desirable family community. I will miss her constant presence, but she will remain on my speed dial.

I ended my speech as follows ("Star Trek" fans will understand): “At my first State of the City address in January 2017, I coined the term Starship Hardeeville. Since that time our crew, led by Admiral Michael J. Czymbor, has built a whole new world. Now let us all fly together as the United Federation of the Lowcountry. Live long and prosper.”

Happy holidays, everyone. Be safe as you celebrate, and may we all enjoy good health and prosperity in 2024!

Harry Williams is the mayor of Hardeeville.

Charleston-based Hoyer Investment Company Land, LLC paid $36 million for the property known as the Morgan Tract, which was described as the last large developable tract in the region.

Prior to its sale, it had been owned by the Morgan family for more than 100 years.

“Local and national developers have attempted to purchase this land for over 25 years with no success," said HIC Land founder and CEO Stefan Hoyer in a press release. "HIC took on the challenge, and our team overcame the many obstacles to close on the property. Because we are a privately funded company with no outside investors, we were able to buy the land directly from the Morgan family without red tape or bureaucratic decision-making.”

The parcel is located between U.S. Route 278 and Interstate 95 and is adjacent to Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head.

Hardeeville Mayor Harry Williams said the property is a planned development district, and the city has anticipated its eventual development for years.

The property is slated to include a diverse selection of homes, commercial spaces, amenities, parks, nature trails and sidewalks.

The planned development district dates to 2006 and allows for the construction of 6,700 residential dwelling units. Up to 1,000 multifamily units are allowed. The conceptual master plan for the tract sets aside 1,467 acres for residential use, 969 acres for commercial use and 116 acres for light industry.

Working with builder D.R. Horton, HIC Land expects to break ground on the project next year. They forecast it will take 20 years to complete the full build out. When complete, the project could dwarf neighboring Latitude Margaritaville, which, according to a December 2022 press release, will consist of 3,000 homes.

"We are very pleased that it has been purchased by HIC and will be built by D.R. Horton for several reasons. They have several projects in Hardeeville, and they have proven to be reliable partners. They deliver what they promise," Williams said.

Hardeeville City Manager Michael Czymbor acknowledged that much has changed in the Highway 278 corridor since the current development agreement was inked 17 years ago. Hoyer concurred, saying that it was too early in the process to know how closely the planned development district will be followed.

"I would say this is yet another example of how development agreements can tie the hands of future councils," said Grant McClure project manager for the Coastal Conservation League. "The reality is that whole area lacks the infrastructure needed to handle all the development that has been entitled."

Any proposed changes to the Morgan Tract development agreement or master plan will need to be approved by the city. Some of those requests have already been files and are in various stages of review, said Czymbor.

Several other large development efforts are currently in various stages of development in the immediate vicinity of the Morgan Tract. The city's challenges, said Czymbor, are to coordinate those efforts efficiently and to balance economic development with quality of life concerns and environmental impact.

"There's going to be a lot of activity in that area," he said.

Real estate experts often advise that buying property requires time and patience. The sale of this 2,600-acre Hardeeville property required over two decades of it. But not anymore.

Hoyer Investment Company Land purchased the Morgan Tract along U.S. Route 278 for $36 million after local and national developers attempted to purchase it unsuccessfully for more than 25 years, according to a press release Monday. It was purchased directly from the Morgan family, who have had the tract for over 100 years.

The land neighbors Latitude Margaritaville and is between U.S. Route 278 and Interstate 95. HIC Land plans to build homes, commercial spaces, amenities, parks, nature trails and sidewalks, according to the press release. It expects to break ground in 2024 and complete the project in 2044.

The tract’s development follows recent growth and development in Hardeeville, showing that homeowners aren’t just purchasing near the beach as developments pop up and pending sales stay high in areas farther from Hilton Head and the coast, like Okatie and Hardeeville. Housing and traffic impacts are unclear as the city and last owner created the most recent Planned Development District and Master Plan for the tract in 2006.

Those plans allow for 6,700 residential units and 969 acres of commercial and industrial use. In comparison, Latitude Margaritaville is able to develop up to 3,888 units. At that time, the city and developer also did environmental and cultural impact studies. The new owner is legally bound to the plan according to Hardeeville City Manager Michael Czymbor, but is in the process of proposing plan amendments to the city.

“Things have changed (since 2006),” he said. “The economy has changed, the development environment has changed.”

The city’s population increased 248% from 2,952 in 2020 to 10,283 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Developments such as West Argent and Lattitude Margaritaville continue to add homes to the area. In 2022, Hardeeville had a record year for building and planning permits with 1,800 permits, according to their website.

Czymbor said the proposed amendments span from zoning, which shows where each of the uses is going to go, to the development agreement, which decides whether the city or the owner is responsible for public improvements and infrastructure. Czymbor predicts they’ll be submitted to the planning commission and then City Council for approval during the first quarter of next year.

He said traffic improvements will be an especially important piece of the amendments. The 2006 agreement contains millions of dollars in road improvements the developer would be responsible for.

“Two or three of the major tracks surrounding them are in various phases of development, which is going to necessitate significant improvements to the roads,” he said. “They’re going to have some obligations paying for traffic improvements as well.”

Czymbor declined to say what the actual proposed amendments were. He said there will be new environmental and cultural studies as part of the amendments.

HIC Land is a Charleston-based real estate investment company and land developer that focuses on land throughout the Southeastern U.S. This will be its first project in Jasper County, though many of its current projects are in South Carolina including Myrtle Beach and Berkeley County. It is are partnering with Texas-based builder D.R. Horton to develop the land.

HIC Land representatives weren’t immediately available for comment.

This story was originally published December 13, 2023, 11:47 AM.

Welcome to 2024! The start of a new year is a time to reflect on the previous 12 months and to eagerly anticipate the year ahead. I’ll try to do a little of both.

In 2023, we greeted two new City Council members, Valerie Guzman and Steve Meersman. Their first year was filled with new Master Plans for the Council to approve. And none was easy.

Because of the sheer number of developments that were approved in '23, I’ll just summarize. Most required workshops for the Council to listen and ask questions. No votes are taken at these workshops, giving each Council member additional time to consider all points before votes are cast. This extra step helps the Council to get it right.

January started with the Residences at Okatie Crossing. This 3- and 4-story apartment building will have 518 units and back up to Sun City. It will require a new road that will loop from S.C. Highway 170 to Palmer Grace Road. Another apartment complex, named North Okatie Apartments, was approved. It will feature 300 units fronting S.C. 170 adjacent to Riverwalk.

The East Argent Planned Development District continues to build out. In 2023, several Master Plans were approved by Council. Jubilee Charter School purchased 159 acres, and has already started a preschool class. The YMCA submitted its plans, and its capital fundraising plans continue. Hoyer Investment Group purchased 574 acres and will partner with DR Horton to build 1,500 homes adjacent to the charter school.

Two additional projects have passed the Planning Commission and will come to Council for approval in January. The Farmhouse is 300 apartments adjacent to Riverton Point, and The Park at East Argent is 240 single-family homes, also adjacent to the charter school. With these projects under way, the East Argent District will have 6,700 units planned. Total density allowed in this 7,500-acre district is 9,500 units.

The West Argent Planned Development District also was active. This district extends beyond Hilton Head Lakes off U.S. Route 278. Lennar’s “Pod 1” consists of 389 acres and 450 single-family homes. The “Preserve” will have 350 homes, and “Horizons” will add another 350 units. Total approved in 2023 for West Argent is 1,150 single-family homes.

Across the highway, Minto submitted plans to purchase the 2,200-acre “Karrh Tract” and extend Margaritaville by another 2,600 homes. At the current rate of sale, Margaritaville will have 6,000 homes by 2032. Council passed the final vote on this project this month on Jan. 4.

Totally in 2023, Master Plans for 6,000 homes were approved by Council. Given the lengthy process of approvals by the city and state, construction on most will not begin before 2025 and, if current market conditions continue, it will likely take at least 10 years for them to be completed.

Of course, the first concern for all of us is how to prepare our roads to handle this growth. I’ve written about the future plans recently, and I will be coming back to this subject later this year.

Now let’s look at the crystal ball for 2024. Expect developments to continue to be planned for the remaining acreage in East Argent, West Argent and the recently purchased Morgan Tract. It would be a good guess that another 6,000 homes will be master-planned this year. At the current rate of 1,200 single-family home permits each year, another 7,200 homes could be built this decade. If so, Hardeeville would reach 30,000 residents in 2030.

This population surge will spur the growth of commerce. Expect 2024 announcements of commercial development near Exit 8, along U.S. 278 and Argent Boulevard. More residents also means more medical calls. The city is proud to announce the addition of a new ambulance that began service on Nov. 29. This ambulance will add to the current County Rescue Service and will be centrally located in Station 83 at Hilton Head Lakes.

In 2024, an election year, Hardeeville will have two Council seats and the Mayor’s seat on the ballot. On Jan. 4, I announced that I will not seek reelection to a third term. Hardeeville needs new leadership, and I announced early because I wanted to give potential candidates ample time to consider, research the city’s needs, and formulate their visions for the future.

I hope we will have multiple candidates and debates arranged so all voters can choose wisely and take part in shaping the future of our city. The mayor’s role is not easy, and it is not a part-time job. You will lose sleep at times. You will need thick skin and a stiff spine.

But, for me, serving the people of Hardeeville has been the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.

Happy New Year.

Harry Williams is the mayor of Hardeeville.

The UConn men’s golf team has had the ideal season up to this point, winning numerous competitions, including the UConn Invitational at GreatHorse, Big East Match Play and the Surf Club Invitational. The Huskies have also added numerous top five finishes to their resume and are looking for revenge in this year’s Big East Championship.

For Connecticut to win its first in-conference championship in three years, the program will need a short recap of how last season ended. In the Huskies’ previous campaign, the program performed well throughout the regular season, although they couldn’t put the pieces together at the Riverton Pointe Golf and Country Club, finishing ninth in a field of 10. However, this shouldn’t deter Connecticut fans from believing the team can flip the script.

UConn fans should look out for Jimmy Paradise to lead the program. The senior Florida native was a key player all last season, and that hasn’t changed just because the calendar has. Paradise has consistently finished atop the leaderboard for Connecticut this year. He is also coming off an excellent performance, finishing in the top 10 of the competitive Rutherford Invitational, where the rest of the program failed to get going as they had hoped.

Another player who could give the rest of the field trouble is Tommy Dallahan, who has been nothing short of excellent as well. The Simsbury native also put together a top-10 performance in the program’s last appearance. How the two seniors get out of the gates will play a significant role in whether the program leaves the Palmetto State victorious.

The other athletes’ performances will also play a deciding role. Luckily, for UConn fans, no golfer has had a true “poor outing” in recent memory, and all of them tend to finish within a couple of strokes of each other. If the program wishes to succeed in this outing, it will need that same consistency when it treks to South Carolina.

This year’s tournament will take place on the same course as last year’s, meaning that the coaches will be able to plan for anything abnormal that the golfers need to look out for, not to mention individual strategies to attack each hole. As good as UConn was last season, they have taken it to a different level this season, and fans should expect a strong performance from Connecticut. The action will commence from April 27 to April 29.