IF YOU’RE RENTING OUT A CONDO OR LOOKING FOR ONE FOR FRIENDS NEXT SUMMER, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD HAS FINALLY AGREED ON THE RULES OF SHORT-TERM RENTING GOING FORWARD. TWO TOWN COUNCILORS TRIED ONE LAST TIME TO GET RESTRICTIONS ON THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO COULD STAY IN ANY RENTAL BUT WERE VOTED DOWN BY THE MAYOR AND THE OTHER FOUR COUNCILORS. THE NEW RULES PRIMARILY ADDRESS PARKING AND FIRE SAFETY AND WILL GO INTO EFFECT MAY FIRST OF NEXT YEAR. FUNCTIONING SMOKE AND C-O-2 DETECTORS AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE NOW REQUIRED IN ALL RENTALS AND LARGER ONES WILL NEED A THIRD PARTY-MONITORED SYSTEM. PARKING AT ANY RENTAL PROPERTY IS CAPPED AT SIX VEHICLES OUTSIDE.
LOWCOUNTRY STATE SENATOR TOM DAVIS SAYS LAWMAKERS ARE BEING INFORMED BY SANTEE COOPER THAT ITS ABOUT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH A CONSORTIUM OF PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES TO COMPLETE THE TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS AT THE V-C SUMMER PLANT TO GET THEM UP AND RUNNING WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT COST TO RATEPAYERS. THE STATE IS GOING TO NEED MORE ELECTRICITY IN THE COMING YEARS, ESPECIALLY FOR LARGE ELECTRONIC-BASED INDUSTRIES IT IS TRYING TO ENTICE, AND THE NUCLEAR REACTORS COULD HELP, AND EVEN THOUGH CONSTRUCTION WAS HALTED YEARS AGO, THE REACTOR SITES STILL GIVE DEVELOPERS A HEAD-START ON RE-STARTING THE CONSTRUCTION. SANTEE COOPER SAYS RE-STARTING THE PROJECT WOULD ALSO ADD THOUSANDS OF SHORT-TERM CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND HUNDREDS OF LONG-TERM JOBS TO OPERATE THE REACTORS.
THE TOWNS OF HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON HAVE GOTTEN SERIOUS ABOUT TRYING TO ADDRESS WORKFORCE HOUSING SHORTAGES IN THEIR TOWNS. NOW BEAUFORT COUNTY IS TESTING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT WAERS, IDENTIFYING 12 PIECES OF LAND THAT IT ALREADY OWNS THAT COULD BE USED TO PARTNER WITH DEVELOPERS TO CREATE MORE HOUSING IN THE GROWING COUNTY. COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON ALICE HOWARD SAYS THE COUNTY’S DONE STUDIES THAT ARE NOW A DECADE-OLD IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM, ONE SHE TOLD THE ISLAND PACKET HIT CLOSE TO HOME WHEN HER DAUGHTER MOVED HERE TO TEACH AND COULDN’T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE. THE 12 SITES RANGE FROM 9-ACRES DOWN TO SINGLE LOTS. THE COUNTY IS NOW WORKING TOWARD EITHER SELLING THE PROPERTIES OR GIVING THEM TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND OTHER GROUPS.
AND AMONG THE MANY FESTIVALS THIS WEEKEND IS ONE WITH LIKELY LESS MUSIC AND FOOD, BUT A WHOLE LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND JUST AS MANY SMILES. THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY PAT CONROY LITERARY FESTIVAL RUNS THIS WEEKEND IN BEAUFORT, WITH A SPECIAL GUEST, ACTOR MICHAEL O’KEEFE, WHO APPEARED AS THE YOUNG BEN MEECHAM IN ‘THE GREAT SANTINI’, THE MOVIE BASED ON THE BOOK AUTHORED BY CONROY, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN 80 THIS WEEKEND. THE FOUR DAY FESTIVAL INCLUDES MORE THAN A DOZEN AUTHORS MAKING PRESENTATIONS AND DOING WORKSHOPS. AND YES, THERE WILL BE MUSIC AND FOOD, THE MUSIC FROM THE BEAUFORT MASS CHOIR. YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AT THE PAT CONROY LITERARY CENTER WEBSITE.