Eye on Hilton Head

While much of the Mall at Shelter Cove lays in rubble, its replacement stood upright on a poster board Tuesday.

The Town of Hilton Head Island’s Design Review Board looked at drawings and color swatches of the upcoming 285,000 sq. ft. outdoor shopping center, but took no action on approving the plans.

The Design Review Board will see the second half of the plans — the landscaping and walkway materials — at a meeting next month before taking a final vote on the design.

After all the contentiousness and drama from the accommodation-tax grant awards two weeks ago, Town of Hilton Head Island meetings this week likely will be a little less popcorn-worthy.

The biggest news to note was the presentation of the Town of Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue Division’s 2013 strategic plan to the Public Safety Commission.

Though winter seems nearly past, this is no time to become lax on safely heating your home. So the Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue Division offers this advice on responsible use of heating devices:

For propane and kerosene heaters:

• Use in well-ventilated areas.

• Inspect exhaust parts for buildup.

• Store the fuel in metal containers outside the house.

• Make sure it has an emergency shut-off function in case it tips.

Electric space heaters:

• Use at least three feet from furniture, walls and bedding.

The Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue Division presented a new strategic plan to the town’s Public Safety Commission on Monday.

The document — which gives an overview of the department’s services, goals and assessments — also included a list of 54 items for the commission to consider adding to the plan.

The commission plans to discuss the topics during two meetings, the first of which will be later this month.

The recommendations are separated into 10 categories. Highlights include:

As far as town government meetings go, last week brought out lots of residents, some of whom didn’t get their way, as the town discussed funding and road changes. Most of the excitement happened Thursday evening at the three-hour Town Council meeting.

Mayor Drew Laughlin and council were given about $1 million in accommodations-tax grants to divvy up among 27 groups.

The big winners were the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce ($250,000), Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra ($175,000), The Coastal Discovery Museum ($168,000) and Hilton Head Concours d’ Elegance ($115,000).

Town officials will begin meeting again this week on Wednesday to discuss a number topics you’ll see outlined below.
Happy New Year to all you town government agenda readers out there.

WEDNESDAY
Town of Hilton Head Island
Planning Commission: 9 a.m., council chambers, Town Hall
Agenda: Application for review of new traffic signal at the intersection of William Hilton Parkway at Queens Way
On the Web: www.hiltonheadislandsc.gov

THURSDAY
Town of Hilton Head Island
Public Facilities Committee: 3 p.m., council chambers, Town Hall

On the day this story about the filling of potholes on Hilton Head Island’s Main Street was published, I got a call back from the president of the group that owns the roadway.

While browsing the Town of Hilton Head Island’s business license data sheet, I noticed an unusual, reoccurring business code, “00RN.”

Most business codes look something like this: “5813IT.” The four-digit number loosely correlates to the federal Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. The letters indicate if the business is on Hilton Head (IT), in Beaufort County (IC) or out of Beaufort County (OC).

I asked the town’s billing, cash and receipting manager Lori Schmidt, who gave me the spreadsheet, what the code meant. She said it stood for short-term rental properties.