But USCB Chancellor Jane Upshaw said she has not been contacted about the apartments, which planners call a partnership with the university. And the plans have some nearby Sun City Hilton Head residents concerned about what will be built and who will supervise students.
Home builder D.R. Horton is asking Beaufort County to rezone from suburban to urban 47 acres next to the new USCB campus, now under construction, to accommodate the student housing.
Richard Schwartz, area vice president for D.R. Horton, said his company owns the land but does not intend to develop the apartments. Instead, he plans to sell the land to Campus Partners, a student housing developer.
Plans for student housing include an estimated 325 three- to four-bedroom apartments to be built as an extension of the campus itself, said John Thomas, senior associate at Edward Pinckney and Associates, land planners for the project.
Architectural designs, street lights, fences and other elements in the apartments would mirror the university buildings, which the firm also is designing.
"We think that's important, to have a homogenous-looking campus when we're done," Thomas said. "Student housing is essential to success of a four-year university."
Apartments would be within walking distance of the campus. Only about half of the 47 acres is buildable because the land fronting U.S. 278 is wetlands, Thomas said.
Housing would be built and managed privately because USCB, approved last year to grant four-year degrees, does not have permission from the state to maintain its own student housing.
"This is a private developer working with the university," Thomas said. "An overall goal for the campus was public-private partnerships that the university cannot afford."
But Upshaw, USCB's chancellor, said that while the university is interested in private student housing, no developer has a formal partnership with the school at this point.
"No one has come with a proposal that links their idea to the university's," Upshaw said. "It's very positive that developers are thinking about providing this kind of housing for our students. The reality is the university cannot partner with anyone unless we have a proposal in writing that we can react to."
Local officials with the housing developer could not be reached for comment Friday or Saturday.
ZONING REQUEST
The Southern Beaufort County Subcommittee of the Planning Commission considered the rezoning request this month, but not enough members were present for the subcommittee to make a formal recommendation. The full commission will consider the rezoning in January.
Urban zoning allows more housing units per acre than suburban and allows businesses to be integrated with homes. Suburban zoning is designed primarily for single-family homes.
Initial plans for the student housing include about 14,000 square feet of commercial space -- probably a bookstore, a cafeteria, a laundry facility and a coffee shop, Thomas said. Businesses would be built on the ground floor with student apartments above.
"The idea is to give the students everything they need while cutting down trips on U.S. 278," Thomas said.
Individual apartment buildings' facades would vary for a streetscape effect, similar to downtown areas in the city of Beaufort, Thomas said. Apartments would be built only for students, not the general public, he said.
Thomas said urban zoning makes sense in the area, where a Wal-Mart, several car dealerships and the university are located. Beaufort County planners agree and are recommending the rezoning.
The new campus is scheduled to be ready for fall classes in 2004. Thomas said the apartments are scheduled to be completed by fall 2005, if the rezoning is approved.
D.R. Horton owns a total of 204.5 acres next to the new USCB campus. The rest is planned as a neighborhood of single-family homes under the existing suburban zoning.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS
Alan Herd, a subcommittee member, said about 20 Sun City Hilton Head residents came to the subcommittee meeting with concerns about the campus. Sun City is next to the planned single-family neighborhood and undeveloped land owned by the university, but not directly next to the proposed student apartments.
Margaret Griffin, a Sun City resident and member of Beaufort County Council, said she has heard concerns from neighbors that because the apartments will be privately operated, the university will not have any control over student behavior.
Another worry, Griffin said, is that the rezoning to urban does not commit the developer to building only student apartments.
"It could be, 'Hey, student housing is not working, let's do something else,' " she said. "If the university were doing this, I think people would be more comfortable knowing it's student housing. This way, we have no idea what they're going to do."
Herd and Commissioner Joy Guyer said they have not yet taken positions on the rezoning and would listen to residents' concerns at the January meeting before making a decision.
"Certainly we always welcome people's input on how it might affect them and their lives," Guyer said.