Making An Impact In The Lowcountry By
Addressing Ongoing and Emerging Issues

The GIC Action Committees are the principal vehicles through which the GIC identifies key issues, focuses on potential improvements, and encourages constructive changes. These committees explore issues of importance to the community, take steps to encourage sound policies, and constructive actions and deliver tangible outcomes.

Parks and Recreation Master Plan

We have advocated for Master Plan for Parks & Recreation. The Town of Hilton Head Island now has a consultant working with Town staff and citizens to develop this Master Plan.

Bicycle Friendly Community

We supported action seeking recognition as a “Bicycle Friendly Community”. In May, 2019, Hilton Head Island was named a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists for the second time.

Visioning and Our Plan

We supported the Mayor’s Task Force for the Vision of Hilton Head. Many of our members participated in the recent “Our Plan” follow-on project to create a new Comprehensive Plan.

Absentee Voting

Absentee voting was added back to Hilton Head Island. This will reduce the need for Island voters to drive to Bluffton, providing convenience and better access.

Other Accomplishments

  • Supported several education referendums.  We believe that the passage of the recent referendum is an important win for Beaufort County families.    
  • Advocated for ordinances and laws to outlaw “texting while driving”.
  • Promoted the plan to beautify the corridor of Hwy 278 leading to Hilton Head Island.
  • The creation of the Residential and Community Marketing Campaign
  • Successfully working with the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections and the county delegation on obtaining new voting machines, improved training, and recognition for Poll workers and host locations
  • “Collaboration” with the TOHHI and other governmental bodies to review ways to improve primary health care access
  • As a result of work by the Military Committee, the South of the Broad area now has participation in the effort to support the three military installations in Beaufort County and researching the Veterans Administration programs
  • The creation of the Silicon Garden concept for HHI/Lowcountry to promote the combination of Human Capital and technology skills
  • Focus, review and collaborative support of the Project SAFE sewer effort
  • Coordination of delivery of enriching programs into the broader community such as a series of High School classes that has been packaged for delivery into the broader community,
  • Sustainability members in their personal capacity lobbying in Washington, DC for better disaster management

Projects strengthening the GIC organization:

  • Two retreats, one each for ExCom and Members, where better awareness of fellow members has been gained
  • Creation, distribution, and review of a member’s survey
  • Publication of The Advocate, a new bi-monthly e-newsletter for GIC members.
  • Launch of an improved GIC website to communicate with our members and the general public