[00:02:21]
AND WE PROBABLY NEED TO SAY THE PLEDGE, TOIL AGENTS AND HOPE NOBODY CHARGES COUNTY HALL THERE.
SO IF WE'LL DO THAT AFTER THIS WEEKEND, JUST SAY, UH, START THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES.
DID I MISS THE MINUTES FOR THE MINUTES? I DIDN'T SAY AMOUNT OF, ARE WE GETTING ANY MINUTES? ROBERT? PROBABLY JUST GET THE AGENDAS, UM, WHO WE DO NOT HAVE MINUTES FOR THE LAST MEETING.
UM, BUT THEY ARE ON THE COUNTIES, UH, ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL SITE.
WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THAT AND GETTING THEM OUT TO YOU GUYS.
DO WE HAVE AN APPROVAL OF THIS AGENDA? SO MOVED, SO MOVED.
ANY CITIZEN CON COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? OR ARE THERE ANY CITIZENS HERE? I DON'T SEE ANY.
ALRIGHT, I'LL MOVE ON TO WITH MY REPORT.
UM, I'D SAY WE'VE INCLUDED A SCHEDULE IN THIS PACKET.
DID YOU ALL RECEIVE THE MINT MEETING SCHEDULED FOR 2021? EVERYBODY DID.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
UNLESS SOMETHING COMES UP AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE IT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO STICK TO IT SO EVERYBODY CAN PLAN.
I'M JUST GUESSING THAT WOULD BE EVERY FIRST THURSDAY.
UH, WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM EXCEPT FOR TWO DAYS.
UM, HOWEVER, WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING VIRTUALLY UNTIL,
[00:05:02]
UNTIL WE OPEN UP.SO YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE BEGIN TO HAVE IN-PERSON MEETINGS, WE'LL HAVE THE EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM EXCEPT FOR THE TWO DAYS AND SAY, TBD, WE WE'VE GOT A CONFLICT THOSE DAYS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IS THERE, IT STAYS DRAW CLOSER AND WE'RE MEETING IN PERSON, YOU KNOW, THEY, WE COULD TALK WITH THE CITY.
MAYBE THERE'S NOT TWO TO MEET OVER AT CITY HALL AT THAT TIME, OR, YEAH, THAT'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT ROUTE IF WE NEED NEED SPACE AT THE CITY.
UM, LOOK, I'M GOING TO GIVE IT I'M TO MY COMMENTS.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE TALK.
I WANT TO THANK JASON AND PAUL, BUT TARA FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS.
UM, FROM MY STANDPOINT, IT WAS A GREAT WIN-WIN.
WE HAD 200 APARTMENTS PLAN BEFORE THEY STARTED NEGOTIATIONS AND, AND BEHIND THE SCENES, UH, STOPPED.
AND IT, IT ACTUALLY TURNED OUT VERY WELL.
WE WENT FROM 200 APARTMENTS, THE 31 RESIDENCES, EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTED COASTAL CONSERVATION COALITION AND EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED.
I THINK IT'S A WIN-WIN AND IT WILL BE A BIG PLUS TO A LADY'S ISLAND.
AND THE ENTRANCE THERE, UM, OR SUBDIVISION IN ROADS LAY OUT WERE APPROVED BY MPC.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT MAY NOT BE OFFICIAL TILL JANUARY, BUT THE COUNTIES APPROVED, UH, DROP THEIR SALAD, UH, REACHED A SETTLEMENT WITH STORM WATER AND DROP THEIR, THEIR LAWSUIT AND GOTTEN IN TOUCH WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD AND THEY PLAN TO HAVE THE STRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING.
AND BY MAY, AND THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE OPTIMISTIC, BUT CERTAINLY GOOD.
AND THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH MARKETING THEIR PROJECT FROM A, FROM A BUILDER STANDPOINT AND SOMEONE THAT DOES THIS A LOT, IT'S GOING TO BE, I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS AND, AND A GOOD THREAT TO THE LADY SOLID.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET THE PARCO.
AND SO WE'LL BE PUSHING ON THAT.
THERE'S A LOT NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE COME UP.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE LOGAN HOMES HAS BEEN A PURCHASE.
THE MILLER EAST MILLER ROAD PROJECTS, 55 UNITS.
UM, THEY HAVE COME OFF A DARK TALL AND THEY ARE TRACK BUILDER OUT OF HILTON HEAD.
I, MY, I HATE TO SEE THEM HIT IT, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
BUT THEY WILL WANT TO CUT EVERY TREE DOWN AND WE'LL HAVE TO WATCH WHAT THEY DO.
THEY WILL WANT TO CUT EVERY TREE THAT I'VE BEEN ON A OR B AT DR.
WILLIAM BOTTOM COUNT EVERY LOSS.
SO I EXPECT THAT WE WILL WE'LL SEE, SEE SOME ISSUES THERE.
DAVID, DAVID, YOU HEARD THAT, RIGHT? YOU HEARD THAT, RIGHT? YEAH.
LET ME WARN YOU THAT THAT'S THEIR TREE KELLER'S ALL RIGHT.
IF YOU NEED EXAMPLES, I HAVE THEM, BUT THE OTHER, BUT I LIKE THE GUYS, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, GREEN HATE THAT'LL BE THE DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE.
I THINK MONGO OR, WELL NOT MONGO IS ONE OF THE TRACK BUILDERS.
IS IT MUNGO? THEY GOT ANOTHER NAME THOUGH.
DENSITY'S ONE 87 AND I'M PROBABLY DOWN FOR WHAT IT WAS WHEN TRASK HAD IT.
THEY CHANGED THE NAME OF IT TOO.
IT'S NOT CALLED GREEN HEAT, BUT IT'S OPEN.
I SAW IT COME THROUGH SRT AND I HAD TO LOOK IT UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BYRON, IT'S A, IT WAS AN OLD POD IT'S RIGHT BY THE BUSAN ELEMENTARY.
UM, I THINK A NEED TO LOOK AT THE TREES REAL CLOSE ON THAT TOO, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WORN AND I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE UP FRONT.
UM, SO, AND THEN I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT ON UPPER CANE AND, UH, I MEAN, CHUCK AND CHUCK HAD SENT ME SOME INFORMATION ON IT
[00:10:01]
AND I'VE GOTTEN SOME STUFF FROM THE CITY ON IT, JOHNSON DEVELOPMENT, KIND OF A REPUTABLE DEVELOPMENT OUT OF, UH, GREENVILLE, SPARTANBURG AREA.UH, AND SINCE WE SENT SO MUCH CONCERN ABOUT TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING ON LADY'S ISLAND, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT 500, I GUESS IT'LL BE A THOUSAND CARS A DAY.
IS IT TWO HOUSES FOR TWO TRIPS PER DAY OR SOMETHING AT LEAST A THOUSAND PER DAY COMING OUT OF THAT, THAT TURN OFF THE CANE ALLEN AT THE FOOT OF THE BRIDGE.
THAT IS JUST GOING TO BE UNBELIEVABLE.
AND, UH, SO WE'LL HAVE TO KIND OF ANTICIPATE, UH, WHAT THE BEST WAY IS TO SOLVE THAT.
UM, FRED TRASH GO DO A LITTLE 15 HOUSE DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND SOME LAND HE'S GOT LEFT.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AS YOU GO TO CAT ALLEN ON THE LEFT.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT COMING DOWN THE PIKE AND YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S SLOW, BUT IT'S, IT'S GOING TO MOUND GET GOING PRETTY QUICK.
THE BUILDING INDUSTRY IS THERE'S NO INVENTORIES ON THE GROUND AND EVERYBODY'S WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN TO GET THE PRODUCTS DOWN SO WE CAN SELL THEM IN THE SPRING.
UM, I THINK ONE THING I'M KIND OF AWARE OF IT MAY NOT BE LADY'S ISLANDS FINE, BUT THERE'S 600 APARTMENTS OR INPUT ROLL OR ON THE BROAD RIVERSIDE THERE.
AND THEN I KNOW THERE'S SOME MORE SCHEDULED IN OTHER AREAS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING AN AWFUL LOT OF THAT TYPE OF GROWTH THAT YOU SEE ALL OF THESE CITIES AND HILTON HEAD AND OUT BY THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT, WHEREVER WE'RE SEEING THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND LOTS OF, UH, OF TRAFFIC AND THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH MANY WAREHOUSES, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THOSE.
SO, UM, UH, I THINK NOW THAT WE'RE THE NEW YEARS HERE, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND, UH, TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE THE, THE MAIN FOCUS OF THAT.
AND, UH, UH, I KNOW ROBERT ROB, ROBERT'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC A LITTLE BIT.
LIKE TOMMY'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC LOW BED AND I'LL COMMENT SOME MORE ON IT.
BUT, UH, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF UP ON MY RADAR.
I HADN'T FOCUSED A WHOLE LOT ON EVERYTHING, BUT STARTING TO LOOK AT IT A LOT HARDER NOW THAT WE'RE STARTING A NEW YEAR AND THE TEAM IS TOGETHER.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, CAUSE I DON'T KNOW AT ALL, UM, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO IT, BUT THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF GROWTH ISSUES THAT WE'RE, WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN THE LADY'S ISLAND PLAN AND GET AHEAD OF THE TRAFFIC ZONING, YOU KNOW, JUST BETTER PLANNING.
AND I THINK, I THINK IF WE LOOK AT WHITE HALL AND WHERE WE STARTED AND WHERE WE ARE, THAT WAS A GREAT WIN, THAT IS PERFECT AND IMAD PAY.
IT MAY NOT BE A DONE DEAL, BUT IT CERTAINLY CERTAINLY IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO WHAT WE WANT LADY'S ISLAND TO LOOK LIKE AND THEN MEET THE, WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THERE.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY TOMI, THE VICE CHAIRMAN.
AND LET HIM TALK ABOUT THE VILLAGE CENTER PLAN.
YOU ASKED IF THERE WERE, IF THERE WERE, UM, WHEN I SEEN, UH, UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS OR THE CONCERNS WERE SORT OF LIKE WERE SORT OF LIKE THE ENGINES ON A SEVEN 47 WHILE IT'S STILL IN THE AIR.
A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PLAYING WITH, UM, ARE WE'RE GETTING ARE CHANGING AS WE, AS WE SPEAK BECAUSE OF NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES IN AND CHANGES THE LANDSCAPE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD PUT A, PUT THE PEDAL TO THE METAL, SO TO SPEAK AND REALLY GET FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC GOALS THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ASAP SO THAT WE DON'T GET RUN BY, BY THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, WOULD IT BE BETTER TO PUT THAT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE PLANS THAT WE'RE DOING THEN TRY AND RETROFIT IT LATER? SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A CONCERN THAT I'LL THROW UP.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME DOING MEETINGS AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT ACCOMPLISHED.
SO, UM, THAT'S MY, MY CITIZEN COMMENT.
AND IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMITTEE HAVE SOME MORE TANGIBLE, UM, GOALS AND TAKEAWAYS AT THE END OF OUR MEETINGS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS REALIZING JUST IN AHEAD OF THE MEETING, I WAS REFRESHING
[00:15:01]
MYSELF WITH THE, UM, IMPLEMENTATION ACTION, UM, MATRIX THAT'S IN THE LADY'S ISLAND PLAN.AND JUST KIND OF LOOKING, ESPECIALLY AT THE ONES THAT WERE SHORT-TERM GOALS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, STRUCK ME THAT I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL AND SOMETHING THAT HASN'T, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN VERY FAR ON IS THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THAT CORRELATES WITH WHAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING ALAN WITH THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE AND PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET, UM, ALARMED AND WE NEED TO HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE AND THERE BE MEANINGFUL NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMENT.
AND TO THAT END, WE ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CPC.
UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY UPDATES ABOUT THAT IN A WHILE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY, I THINK JASON, YOU WERE, YOU WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES AND THE MAKEUP OF WHO'S ON IT, BUT I THINK IN, IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT FALLING UNDER THAT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE UNDER THE LADY'S ISLAND PLAN, UM, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S OUTSTANDING THAT WE NEED TO, I THINK THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS TO FOCUS SOME ATTENTION ON, WELL, JANE MALINOWSKI IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CPC AND HE'S BEEN VERY QUIET AND TIED UP WITH HIS BANKING AND, AND THE, AND THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO, UM, TYPICALLY THAT COMMITTEE HAS ANY TIME WITH SOMETHING THAT'S MAPPED BY WRIGHT COMES ALONG AND IT'S ROBIN AND, UH, OTHERS, CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS RUN IT BY HIM.
BUT SO FAR THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH THAT'S COME UP THAT WAY, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY WORTH GETTING INVOLVED WITH THAT.
UH, THEY USED TO BE, THAT WAS A LOT OF CIVIL ENGAGEMENT WHERE IF YOU HAD A PROJECT, THEY COME BEFORE YOU AND WE, WE CHIME IN AND GIVE THEM THEIR, WHERE WE THOUGHT THEY SHOULD BE HEADING AND WHAT THEY COULD EXPECT TO GET.
BUT, UM, VERY LITTLE ACTION THERE SINCE WE STARTED ALL OF THIS WITH THE LADIES, I'LL GO AHEAD, JUMP IN OUT, AGREE WITH CHUCK AND JESSE.
ALTHOUGH I GAVE US A LITTLE BIT OF A PAST DUE TO COVID, I THINK MOST OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS KIND OF CAME OFF THE RAILS AND LATE MARCH WE HAD, WE HAD PRETTY GOOD MOMENTUM UNTIL EVERYBODY GOT DISTRACTED WITH A, WITH A PANDEMIC.
UM, LIKE JESSE, I DUSTED OFF THE LADY'S ON PLAN, WAS LOOKING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I, IN THE NEW YEAR, IT'S JANUARY, I ALWAYS FIND IT A GOOD TIME TO SORT OF DUST OFF OUR GOALS, DUST OFF OUR STRATEGIC PLANS, UM, AND JUST SORT OF REINFORCE WHERE, WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO MAYBE OUR NEXT MEETING, WE COULD HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT, THAT TAKES A LOOK AT THE IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE IN THE BACK OF THE BACK OF THE BOOK.
UM, KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT PRIORITIZE CHECK IN ON WHERE WE ARE.
I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT TODAY ON SOME OF THE ITEMS. UM, BUT I ALSO AGREE ON THE CPC, UH, BECAUSE TH TH TO JESSE'S POINT THE AWARENESS AND THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE, I THINK IT, I THINK OUR VISION WAS THAT THE CPC WOULD REALLY BE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE TO HELP CULTIVATE THAT, THAT COMMUNITY AND THAT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND AWARENESS UH LONG-TERM AND THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE WAS TO HELP CULTIVATE THE CPC, GET IT WITH A STRONGER FOUNDATION AND, UH, A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE MORE DISCIPLINED IN HOW THEY COMMUNICATE.
AND AGAIN, BEFORE MARCH, WE WERE, WE WERE HEADED DOWN THAT PATH, THANKS TO PAUL BUTERA AND CAROLINE, AND A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO MAYBE AREN'T AREN'T WITH US NOW.
UM, SO ANYWAYS, I JUST, I GUESS MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE, UH, FOCUS ON CPC AND SEE HOW WE CAN HAVE SOME INFLUENCE ON GETTING IT BACK ON TRACK, BUT THEN CHECK IN WITH THAT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE AT THE NEXT MEETING TO SET SOME CONCRETE GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMITTEE OVER THE COMING YEAR.
I WOULD SAY I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY, BUT I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH EVERYBODY.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE GET CPC ON BOARD.
AND THEN THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE TASK FORCE FOR, UH, THE LADY'S ISLAND, UM, WE, UH, ARE QUICKLY GETTING TO A POINT WHERE, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AND THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE VETTED, UH, NOT ONLY, UH, WITH, UH, POTENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS, BUT ALSO, UH, THEY, UH, WERE WAY BEHIND IN, UH, COORDINATING WITH THE COUNTY ENGINEERING, UH, ON THIS.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP, UH, REINFORCE GETTING THAT COMMITTEE STARTED.
[00:20:01]
IF, IF JAN DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT, MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT SOMEBODY THAT DOES HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT.AND, UH, UH, GET IT STARTED UP, UH, AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING GOING ON.
I THINK THEY COULD'VE BEEN, HAS HAD A PRETTY BIG IMPACT ON, WE HAVE A DUTY SORT OF PUBLIC FORMAT MEETINGS.
SO, ALAN, DO YOU WANT ME TO START OFF WITH THE TASK GROUP INFORMATION THEN WE'VE LOST ALAN, I GUESS HE'S ON MUTE THERE.
WELL, I'LL REACH OUT TO JAN, AND IF WE GOT SOME, SOME NEW SUGGESTIONS, THE CC B COMMITTEE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO IT, AND YOU CAN GET STARTED WITH YOUR, YOUR, UH, REPORT ON THE VILLAGE.
SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, I THINK THE YEAR, I THINK I'M GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK FOR SOME REASON.
UM, SINCE IT'S THE FIRST OF THE YEAR LET'S, LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE STARTED THIS, UH, IN AROUND OCTOBER, WE'VE, UH, HAD TASK FORCE MEETINGS EVERY TWO TO THREE WEEKS, UH, THROUGH SINCE OCTOBER.
UM, I THINK WE'VE COVERED A LOT OF THINGS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE PUT INTO THE BASKET, BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO SORT THROUGH IT AND TRY AND FIGURE OUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
THERE, THERE ARE DEFINITELY A LOT OF MISSING PIECES IS, IS THAT THERE YOU GO.
UH, BUT, UH, UM, WHERE WE'VE COME TO IS, UH, WE, UM, HAVE PUT TOGETHER SOME SUGGESTED, UH, APP WAYS, UH, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, ROADWAYS AND ROADWAY, EXPANSIONS.
AND, UH, WE STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET TOGETHER, UH, WITH THE COUNTY ENGINEER, UH, SINCE OCTOBER.
AND WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO, UH, START, START TO STALL OUT, UH, BECAUSE EITHER WE'RE GOING TO GO PAST WHERE THEY ARE, OR THEY'RE GOING TO GO PAST WHERE WE ARE, BUT WITHOUT ANY COMMUNICATION OR COORDINATION, UM, IT'S, IT, IT'S NOT GOOD.
IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE GET TOGETHER AND I'VE KNOW, I'VE RE REITERATED THAT AT EACH ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, BUT, UH, UH, WE'VE JUST GOT TO, GOT TO DO THAT OUR NEXT, UH, OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT THURSDAY, UH, AT 10 O'CLOCK, UH, THAT'S THE 14TH.
AND I JUST GOT CONFIRMATION THAT, UH, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, DO THAT AGAIN AT CITY HALL.
UM, I WANT TO REALLY LIKE TO HAVE FOCUS ON TWO PRIMARY AREAS.
UM, AND ONE OF THOSE AREAS IS, UH, THE, UH, UH, HIS TRUCKS COMMITTEE AND WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UH, AND I'VE ASKED HIM TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THAT MEETING WITH THE REPORT AND MAYBE SOME GRAPHICS THAT SHOW, UH, WHAT THEY'VE SEEN, WHAT THEY, UH, WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND HOW THAT WORKS.
AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT HOW THAT WORKS WITH, UH, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE ALREADY COVERED.
A NUMBER OF TIMES ON THE, UH, THE PATHWAYS AND THE, THE POTENTIAL ROADWAY AREAS.
UM, I'LL, UH, I SENT, UH, OUT TO EVERYBODY ON THE COMMITTEE, UH, THAT, UH, SUGGESTED PATHWAYS AND OUR LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD, UH, ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, WE ACTUALLY WALKED THE PATH POTENTIAL PATHWAYS, UH, AT, AROUND THE HIGH SCHOOL AND BEHIND THE, UM, UH, THE SHOPPING CENTER DEVELOPMENTS.
AND THEN WE CARAVAN AROUND AND TOOK A LOOK AT, UH, THE ROADWAYS THAT WE, UH, HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND SHOWING, UH, WE GOT
[00:25:01]
TOGETHER AFTER THAT, BUT EVERYBODY, MOST OF THEM, EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THIS COMMITTEE WAS W WAS ALREADY WAS THERE.AND, UM, I THINK THAT WAS EYEOPENING FOR EVERYBODY TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY SEE, UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING AT A PIECE OF PAPER, UM, WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER AFTERWARDS WITH, UH, WITH PROBABLY AT LEAST HALF THE PEOPLE HERE, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE SAW AND WHAT THESE PATHWAYS, WHERE EVERYBODY FELT COMFORTABLE, THAT WE WERE HEADING, HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT AGAIN, REEMPHASIZING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO GET WITH ENGINEERING AND TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHERE, WHERE THEY ARE.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR, BUT I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE FINE TUNED NOW, UH, AS WE GET INTO, UM, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE SOME GOOD SENSE OF DIRECTION WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER AND WITH CHUCK'S GROUP.
UH, ONCE WE GET THAT PUT TOGETHER, I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE CAN LOGICALLY TALK MORE CIVICALLY, BUT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN, UH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
UH, SO, UM, UH, I SENT OUT AGAIN, UH, A SKETCH THAT SHOWED ALL THE PATHWAYS TO EVERYBODY.
I DIDN'T GET INTO COMMENTS BACK, BUT WE'LL, UH, WE'LL COVER THAT AGAIN.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THE OTHER BIG AGENDA PIECE, UH, IS GOING TO BE, UM, TRAFFIC WITH A TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND ROB, IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN GET HIM KEYED IN TO, UH, TO THAT MAIN MEETING, IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE DO THAT.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.
AND I GUESS, ROB, YOU CAN COMMENT TO THAT LATER ON IF YOU WANT, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR STUFF, BUT, UH, UH, I THINK, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, CHUCK IS GOING TO BE WORKING ON PULLING ALL OF THE INFORMATION TOGETHER THAT HE NEEDS FOR THIS MEETING NEXT THURSDAY.
UH, CHUCK, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, ABOUT THE HARMONIZATION AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH YOUR TEAM? YES.
I'VE CHANGED FROM VIDEO TO MOBILE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A BIT OF A SETBACK BECAUSE SUSAN KOSNER, UM, WHOSE HUSBAND APPARENTLY HAS HAD SOME SEVERE HEALTH ISSUES.
SO SHE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REALLY COMPLETE PART OF THE WORK.
SO WE'VE HAD THE BIT OF A DELAY, BUT, UM, WE ARE MEETING BY MEETING AGAIN TOMORROW, UM, KATE SHAFFER, LAUREN KELLY, AND MYSELF TO GO OVER THIS, UH, THE DATA WE'VE PULLED TOGETHER AND, UM, UH, DEVELOP SOME PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, WHICH I WILL BE IN A POSITION TO DETAILS EVERYBODY AT OUR MEETING ON THE 14TH.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THE, UM, EXISTING ZONING SITUATION, UM, OUT THERE ALONG THE PARKWAY IN PARTICULAR, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 15 DIFFERENT IN A STRETCH OF TWO MILES ABOUT 15 DIFFERENT, UM, UH, ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS TO DEAL WITH.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THOSE AND SEE IF, UM, UH, SEE WHAT, UH, WHAT THE BEST PATH FORWARD MIGHT BE, UM, COULD BE, IT COULD BE AN OVERLAY.
UM, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE YET, SO I'LL HAVE MORE TO SAY PROBABLY ON THAT NEXT THURSDAY.
I GUESS ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WANT TO MENTION IS, UH, THE COMMITTEE MADE A DECISION THAT WE WERE GOING TO, UH, DESCRIBE THE LADY'S ISLAND, UM, UH, TASK FORCE AREA, UH, THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IN, UH, FOUR DIFFERENT PODS.
AND, UH, THE PRIMARY PROP, UH, THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON NOW IS POD ONE, WHICH IS THE EXTENSION OF PLIGHT HALL.
UH, AND THAT AREA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE PUBLIX IN THAT QUADRANT, UM, THERE'S, THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MORE COMPLICATED, UH, PODS THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF, BUT I THINK IT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST POTENTIAL TO REALLY, UH, REALLY DO SOMETHING WITH THAT.
SO, UH, THAT IS, UH, THE FOCUS THAT WE HAVE NOT, NOT FORGETTING ABOUT THE OTHER, UH, THREE PODS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS WITH TASKFORCE, BUT, UM, UH, WE CAN GET SOME GOOD COMMUNICATION GOING.
WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, STOPPED PRETTY SOON.
AND WE NEED TO, UH, THE VET, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, I WOULD SAY THAT THE NEXT, UH, MEETING, UH, THAT THIS GROUP HAS, UH, WE SHOULD HAVE A MORE FORMAL PRESENTATION TO YOU EXACTLY WHAT
[00:30:01]
WE SEE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THIS WHOLE COMMITTEE GETS, UH, UH, MAKES AN APPROVAL ON THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.UH, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I'VE GOT NEXT THURSDAY AT 10.
AND I, AND WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL TRY AND PUT A CALENDAR NOW FOR, UH, THE REST OF THE YEAR FOR A SCHEDULE OF, UH, THE REST OF THE TASK FORCE MEETINGS, UH, THAT, UH, THE TASK FORCE, UH, CAN APPROVE.
AND, UM, UM, AT THIS POINT I JUST SUGGESTED LOOKING AT EVERY TWO TO THREE WEEKS IT'S THE MIKE IS THE PLAN TO APPROACH CITY COUNCIL AND COUNTY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE, UH, THE HIRING OF A CONSULTANT TO DO THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN, SORT OF HAVING A HIGH LEVEL IN THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT AS THE PLAN THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS TRUMP TASK FORCE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, OR THIS COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DONE, BUT, UH, NOT SITTING AROUND AND JUST WAITING UNTIL THAT HAPPENS.
AND THE POLITICS OF WHATEVER HAS TO HAPPEN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
UH, THIS TASK FORCE WAS TASKED WITH, UH, THE ISSUE OF TRYING TO MOVE IT FORWARD AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY COULD, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE, UH, CONSULTANT THAT EVENTUALLY HOPEFULLY DOES GET HIRED TO, UM, UH, TAKE OUR INFORMATION AND, UH, UH, PUT THAT INTO AT LEAST THE, UH, BEGINNING OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT FROM A, FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT, IF I THINK ABOUT OUR BUDGET SETTING AND THE CALENDAR, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY CITY COUNCIL APPROVES OUR ANNUAL BUDGET, SOMETIME IN MAY AT THE LATEST EARLY, EARLY JUNE FOR A JULY ONE START DATE.
BUT OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS OFTEN START IN MARCH WITH DEPARTMENT HEAD PRESENTATIONS AND DAVID CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT DEPARTMENT HEAD, UH, PROJECTED BUDGETS I THINK ARE DUE SOMETIME WHAT, LATE JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY, UH, TO CITY MANAGEMENT.
SO I JUST ASKED THE QUESTION AND HOW HAS THE TASK FORCE INTERFACING WITH CITY STAFF AND COUNTY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE DEADLINES SO THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED.
SO AT LEAST STAFFS AND COUNCILS CAN, IT CAN FLOW THROUGH THE PROCESS APPROPRIATELY, AND WHETHER IT GETS VOTED UP OR DOWN, THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE CONVERSATION, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HIT THE TIMING BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY THE SEVENTH DAY OF JANUARY, IT'S GOING TO COME UP A LOT FASTER THAN WE THINK IT WILL.
WELL, CITY AND COUNTY STAFF WERE BOTH PART OF THE TASK FORCE COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, WE REVIEW, I THINK THAT DISCUSSION ALMOST AT EVERY MEETING AND HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT.
I KNOW THAT, UH, THERE HAS BEEN EFFORTS MADE TOWARDS ALREADY RECEIVING SOME BIDS FROM CONSULTANTS.
AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY WAS LOOKING AT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANY OF THAT STANDS, UH, W WE'LL GET ANOTHER UPDATE, UH, AT OUR NEST NEXT WEEK'S TASK FORCE MEETING, UH, HOPEFULLY FROM ROB AS TO, UH, WHERE THINGS STAND FROM THE COUNTY SIDE.
AND, UM, I GUESS IF DAVID KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT WHERE THE CITY STANDS ON THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW THAT, UH, IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A 50 50 SHARING ON THIS, BUT, UH, PAST THAT, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE, UH, UH, MOVING FORWARD OF THIS, UH, UH, OF THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING IT FUNDED, COUNTING.
YOU'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO, UM, REQUEST THAT COUNCIL FUND THE FIDGET PERCENT OF THE ESTIMATE, UH, AS A PART OF OUR BUDGET CYCLE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL AGREE TO DO THAT AGAIN, W WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO OVERCOME OVER THERE ON THAT PART OF THE ISLAND, THOSE, YOU KNOW, THE PERCEPTION THAT WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY FOR PLANNING, BUT THERE'S REALLY NOTHING IN PLACE TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT.
SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOUND ANSWERS FOR THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, WHEN THE ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN HEAR A LITTLE BIT, ERIC, UM, I MEAN, THE PERCEPTION WILL BE, UH, MY OPINION FROM COUNCIL IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PROPORTIONALLY WE'RE, WE'RE INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY INTO A VERY SMALL SEGMENT OF GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, UH, FOR PLANS AND ALL.
AND, UM, AGAIN, I'M SU I'M IN SUPPORT OF DOING THE DESIGN,
[00:35:01]
UH, DRAWING FOR THE VILLAGE, UH, PLAN.AND I THINK WE'VE GOTTA BE VERY CREATIVE ABOUT HOW WE, UM, DEAL WITH THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, WITH, WITH, WITH GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
BUT, UM, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL IS, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THIS PLANNING.
SO WHAT'S THE REGULATORY TOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DESIGN PARAMETER SET UP IN THE PLANNING IS GOING TO ACTUALLY BE CARRIED OUT BY EACH JURISDICTION.
SO, WELL, I THINK, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS TO GRAPPLE WITH AS WELL AS A TASK FORCE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION THE ONLY IN BRIEF AT OTHER TASK FORCE MEETINGS, BUT WHETHER WE CREATE AN OVERLAY, UM, THAT WOULD BE THE REGULATORY, UH, UH, PLANNING PROCESS, UH, THAT BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, UH, ARE GONNA, WOULD BE INVOLVED WITH OR HOW WE GO ABOUT THAT.
IF WE DON'T DO THAT IS A, IS A BIG QUESTION.
AND, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S ONE THAT THE TASK FORCE HAS, IS GRAPPLING WITH.
AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ABOUT, ABOUT THAT.
I'VE PUT TOGETHER A DRAFT, A PROPOSAL FOR AN OVERLAY, UH, BUT IT'S NOT YET PRESENTABLE TO EITHER THE COUNTY OR THE CITY, UH, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER, UM, ADOPTING THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK IT'S GONNA GET, I'M SORRY.
UM, MAYOR, UH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO GET DOWN TO THE POINT OF ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE GOING TO BE ENOUGH POLITICAL INERTIA FROM THAT SIDE OF THE WOODS MEMORIAL BRIDGE TO MAKE THE, UM, ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING GREAT ON LADY'S ISLAND? THAT'S OUT OF THE BOX FROM A TRANSPORTATION DESIGN, UH, PROPERTY LAYOUT AND STANDPOINT, OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO TRY TO MANAGE EVERYTHING IN THE EXISTING CORRIDORS WITH THE ROADWAYS AND, UH, SECTIONS AND ALL OF THAT, AND JUST MAKE STUFF WORK.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THE LADDER, THEN I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT, UM, PUTTING MONEY IN A BUDGET TO DO A DESIGN FOR JUST ANOTHER FOUR LANE ROAD WAS SIDEWALKS RIGHT OFF THE TRAVEL LANES.
IF WE WANT TO GET CREATIVE AND LOOK AT DOING A DIFFERENT, UH, DESIGN COMPONENT TO THE ROADS OVER THERE, WHICH I THINK WE'RE, AND AGAIN, I'VE TOLD YOU ALL ALONG THAT I DON'T, AND I STILL BELIEVE THIS.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE INTERSECTION AT SEATTLE AND PARKWAY AT PUBLIX IS NOT A WALKABLE INTERSECTION.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY JURISDICTION IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THAT TYPE OF INTERSECTION IN IT.
AND THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE REDESIGNED SUCH THINGS TO MAKE THOSE INTERSECTIONS, UH, KEEP TRAFFIC MOVING, BE WALKABLE AND BE A LOT SAFER THAN THEY CURRENTLY ARE.
BUT, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DECIDE AS AN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE IS, YOU KNOW, HOW, WHAT KIND OF GREATNESS ARE WE GOING TO GO FOR OVER THERE, ON THE ISLAND? SO HERE, OKAY.
I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THAT ON THE TABLE.
CAUSE I CERTAINLY MY VISION IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR A REMARKABLE PLACE AND I THINK WE'D ALL PROBABLY AGREE THAT THE ZONING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE AND MAYBE SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, OR JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK, WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
UM, BUT I THINK THE VISION FROM THE LADY'S ISLAND PLAN IS THAT IT WOULD BECOME SOMETHING GREATER, UH, AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF LONGTERM.
AND I, I SHARE YOUR POLITICAL CONCERNS.
UNDERSTANDING THE COUNTY HAS A MUCH LARGER GEOGRAPHIC AREA TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAN JUST A COUPLE OF THE SEA ISLANDS.
UM, BUT I WOULD HOPE POLITICALLY I'M WILLING TO PUT A LITTLE TIME AND ENERGY IN WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THE FACT THAT THE CITY IS WILLING TO COME IN AND HELP SHARE SOME OF THAT COST BURDEN IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.
I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, HOW LONG AGO DID WE PASS THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND THE LADY'S ISLAND PLAN? AND HERE WE ARE, UH, SHARING CONCERNS ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT.
SO, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE BOUNDARY STREET PLAN, UH, THAT WE CREATED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE A VERY ROBUST IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE IN TERMS OF ZONING AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL THE PIECES THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN ON THE REGULATORY SIDE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BRING THINGS OUT OF THE GROUND, AS WE EXPECT, THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN THESE VISIONING DOCUMENTS.
AND I THINK THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB EXECUTING,
[00:40:03]
UH, BUT I WOULD HOPE IN THE SCOPE OF WORK WITH THE CONSULTANT, UH, WE WOULD ASK FOR AN IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE THAT WOULD AT LEAST GIVE US A GOOD FRAMEWORK TO BEGIN, YOU KNOW, JURISDICTIONALLY WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THAT STUFF MOVING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.I THINK I DO THINK THIS FIRST QUARTER, UM, HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL, UM, TO DO SOMETHING IN SOMETHING REALLY NEEDED.
WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF IN THE FUTURE.
I MEAN, A LOT OF THE WHEELS ARE ALREADY IN MOTION WITH THE TRANSPORTATION TRAILS.
YOU JUST NEED SOME COORDINATION.
I THINK IT COULD, COULD BE A REALLY POSITIVE THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, I THINK IT'S, UH, IT WOULD BE A POSITIVE THING, NOT JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THE COUNTY AS WELL.
I, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID FOR A LONG TIME THAT I THINK THAT THE, UH, ECONOMIC, UH, UH, SITUATION IN BUFORD COUNTY IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, UH, UM, WAS FIRMLY BELIEVED THIS, UH, SIX AND EIGHT MONTHS AGO.
AND I THINK MORE AND MORE SO WE'RE SEEING THAT AS ALLAN ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THE MODEL HOME BUILDS THAT WE HAVE THE, UH, UH, INCREASE IN SALES AND, UM, UH, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, UH, DEVELOPERS THAT ARE COMING INTO THIS AREA.
I THINK THAT IS A POTENTIAL THAT IF WE DON'T ACT ON IT FOR THIS AREA, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE IT.
AND IT HAS ALL THE MOST POSITIVE ASPECTS THAT ANY DEVELOPER WOULD LOOK TO TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL COMPONENT, UH, ON, UH, ON ANYWHERE AND IN LADY'S ISLAND REALLY HAS ALL OF THOSE, UH, COMPONENTS THAT WOULD MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M INTERESTED IN IT, BUT THE OTHER REASON THAT I STAY INTERESTED IN IT IS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A VERY, UH, POSITIVE THING FOR, UM, THE CITY OF BUFORD, UH, AS WELL.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A TRAFFIC STUDY GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND I EXPECT A PLAN OUT OF IT.
I MEAN, MY FRUSTRATION IS A BED THAT WE HAVEN'T EVER GOTTEN MUCH AFTER MAKE ME LAUGH.
WE'VE HEARD VERY LITTLE, I KNOW THE COUNTY SPENDING MONEY AND MAKING PLANS.
AND I KNOW ROB IS WORKING ON TRAILS AND I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THE MODIFICATIONS THEY WANTED TO MAKE TO THE SIMILAR TRAFFIC STUDY, BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF ROADBLOCKS IN THERE.
I MEAN, I THINK RABO, LET US KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME ANSWERS FOR US TRANSPORTATION WISE, BUT IT IS, THAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST ROADBLOCK TO MOVING FORWARD IS WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH TRAFFIC? WE KNOW THE MONEY'S THERE.
WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A TURN LANE IN AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE KNOW.
UM, SINCE MCPHEE LAUGH, WHEN WE KNOW THAT ERIC AND YOU AND MCPHEE CAME IN AND CAME UP WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A GREAT IDEA FOR ELIMINATING THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ON THE SUNSET AND THE CIRCLE.
BUT RIGHT NOW I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE REEVALUATING THE NEEDS AND, AND, AND WORKING ON IT.
AND, AND, UM, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THEN WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THOSE CROSSROADS AND, AND WHAT, THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
SO Y'ALL ARE PAYING FOR THESE PROFESSIONALS.
WE ARE, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM.
OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING ON? WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I WASN'T THERE FOR THE ROADWAYS.
UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER, AND THAT IS RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO LOOK THAT UP AND GET THAT.
DO YOU KNOW, RON, DO YOU WANT ME TO MOVE INTO THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA? UH, NO, I'M JUST, I'M JUST SETTING YOU UP SO WE CAN GET, GET YOU WITH YOU GET GOING.
I THINK, I THINK SEVERAL ENGAGEMENT ON TRAFFIC, WOULD IT JESSIE, AND TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED, IT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST ISSUE.
THE HUGEST TURNOUT HAS BEEN TRAFFIC HERE WHEN WE HAD THE BIG MEETINGS.
WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON THE VILLAGE CENTER AND TRAFFIC HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THAT, BUT I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO GET MOVING THOUGH.
WELL, LET ME GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK UPDATE OF WHERE THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, OR WHEN, UM, JARED HAD, UH, SPOKEN TO THIS GROUP THAT
[00:45:01]
THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE STANTEC STUDY.SO THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE THREE YEARS AGO, THEY'RE UPDATING THE INFORMATION TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY GROWTH THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND THAT'S KIND OF A BROAD BASED ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, UH, VOLUMES AND DEMAND.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING THAT.
AND THEN THE COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING TWO, UH, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING OR, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING FIRMS. UM, AND IT'S KIND OF DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS.
AND I THINK THE REASON IT IS, HAS TO DO WITH LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY IN, IN GETTING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
UM, BUT THEY'VE HIRED A F UH, DAVIS AND FLOYD'S, UH, THEY'VE GONE TO THE PUBLIC, THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE PRO THE PROCESS OF AWARDING THE CONTRACT, UH, TO DO ALL OF THE, UM, SECONDARY ROADS, SUCH AS MILLER ROAD AND SUNSET AND, UH, GAY DRIVE AND INSOLE FARM AND ALL THOSE.
UM, SO ONE FIRM WILL BE, WE'LL BE DOING THOSE PROJECTS AND THEN THEY'RE HIRING A SECOND FIRM.
UM, THEY'RE COMING BEFORE OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES MEETING IN JANUARY 19TH TO LOOK AT SEA ISLAND PARKWAY AND THEN THE DIFFERENT HIGH REALIGNMENTS.
UM, WHAT I'M NOT CERTAIN OF AT THIS POINT IS ALL OF THE INPUT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, UH, IN 2020, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO BE KIND OF BUILDING ON THAT INFORMATION.
UM, YOU ALL REMEMBER WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL ALTERNATIVES OVER, IT'D BE FOR HIGH LAST FEBRUARY.
UM, BUT SO BASICALLY THE COUNTY ANTICIPATES GETTING THESE TWO, UH, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING FIRMS ON BOARDS, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HIRED, I THINK THAT WILL BEGIN TO, YOU KNOW, HIT THE GROUND, RUN, HIT THE GROUND, RUNNING, DESIGNING THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THEY'LL DEFINITELY BE A ROLE OF THIS COMMITTEE, UH, IN INTERFACING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS, UM, IS ERIC HAD MENTIONED WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING COMING UP.
IT'S UNFORTUNATELY A VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING.
UM, THERE WILL BE AROUND IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF IN THE FALL, THEY DID IT FOR THE PATHWAYS PROJECT WHERE THEY HAD A WINDOW OF TIME WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW PROJECTS AND PROVIDE INPUT.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING, UH, STARTING JANUARY 18TH AND GOING THROUGH THERE FEBRUARY 14TH, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A, UM, SO THAT'LL BE AN ONGOING LOGGING ON THE PENNY, A DIFFERENT COUNTY PENNY WEBSITE TO, YOU KNOW, DO AN ONLINE SURVEY.
THERE IS GOING TO BE AN EVENT, A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL ON JANUARY 21ST AT 6:00 PM.
UM, AND THIS'LL BE, YOU KNOW, A PRESENTATION, BUT ALSO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY IF, IF, IF PEOPLE ARE WANTING TO SPEAK AT THE EVENT, THERE IS A PROCESS YOU CAN GO ON THE WEBSITE NOW AND SIGN UP FOR A SLOT TO SPEAK.
SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT OUR, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT IS, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO SHOULD SPEAK FROM THIS COMMITTEE.
AND MAYBE WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE WHAT THOSE COMMENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF GET FORWARD, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT KNOWN THE WORK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING AND, AND THE WORK WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH THE VILLAGE CENTER PLAN.
UM, SO I AM, THE OTHER THING IS I'VE SPOKEN WITH JARED ABOUT THESE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE LEGS ISLAND PLAN ON, I FORWARDED HIM THE DOCUMENTS.
HE'S VERY MUCH ON BOARD AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF COORDINATING THESE PROJECTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH THE VISION OF THE PLAN.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET THESE TWO DESIGN FIRMS ON BOARD, WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERFACE WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE PROJECTS ARE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
SO ALL OF THAT IS SCHEDULED TO START MOVING, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, WHICH MAY PRECEDES THE ACTUAL, UH, VILLAGE CENTER PLAN THAT WE DON'T WANT TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO REALLY FEED INTO THOSE PROCESSES.
SO WHAT ROBERT I'M NOT FOR RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THE COUNTY IS MOVING AHEAD WITH, WITH ENGINEERING, AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE, THE COUNTY'S POSITION AND THAT WE HAVE MONEY IN THE BANK.
I THINK RESIDENTS HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS WILL, WILL MOVE FORWARD.
UH, BUT MY CONCERN ALL ALONG HAS BEEN THAT THOSE THINGS WILL MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT DOING THE SORT OF HOLISTIC MASTER PLANNING EXERCISE, WHICH MAY CHANGE,
[00:50:01]
UH, MAY MAKE SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS TO THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN OF SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS.SO WE MAY MISS THE BOAT ON THE MASTER PLANNING EXERCISE, AND I JUST THINK THE COMMITTEE OUGHT TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
AND I GUESS THAT'S A LARGER QUESTION THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
UM, IS IT, IF WE, IF YOU DO HAVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THOSE PLANS TO DO WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO KIND OF PLAN A VILLAGE CENTER AND WE'RE GETTING NO INPUT FROM TRAFFIC AND Y'ALL ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH STUDIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE WAY WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED THE INPUT FROM THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS GROUP OVER HERE.
SO WE CAN, AND, AND FROM THE COMMUNITY AS JESSE REFERRED TO, WE WANT TO BE PART OF THAT AND NOT HAVE, WELL HERE IT IS TAKEN OR LEAVE IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ALL HAVE A LITTLE FEEDBACK ON US.
YOU KNOW, YOU MAY REMEMBER THE MEETINGS WITH THREE OR 400 PEOPLE OBJECTING TO THE, TO THE TRAFFIC PLAN.
AND WE WANT TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THEM.
NOT THAT THAT'S OUR, THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME, BUT WE'D, WE WOULD WALK THE INPUT AND BY, AND, AND OTHER PEOPLE WOULD LIKE SOME INPUT SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, I, OF COURSE, I KNOW THAT'S NOTHING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT.
AND, AND YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT GETTING TRAFFIC ENGINEERS HERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO BRITTANY PEELS AND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SOONER THAN LATER, AND WE'RE TRYING TO WORK IT OUT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I MIGHT BE THE FIRST STEP IS WE KIND OF WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR COLLECTIVE POSITION IS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT KNOWN THAT THE, UM, THE VIRTUAL TOWN HALL AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, W YOU KNOW, WITH ERIC AND CHERONE SETS, YOU KNOW, CAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ON BOARD AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF COORDINATING THESE PROJECTS.
I DUNNO, IT IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT THE ONLY INPUT WE HAVE IS THROUGH THE CIVIC PUBLIC, UH, UH, PROCESS, UH, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE SHORT MEETINGS, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FEEL AS IF THIS COMMITTEE AND THE TASK FORCE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND TRAFFIC, AS OPPOSED TO COUNTY AND TRAFFIC, JUST PUTTING EVERYTHING IN PLACE.
AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL WORK WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S, IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING FOR US TO SPEND THE TIME TRYING TO, UH, WORK TOWARDS, UH, OUR GOALS AND, UM, NOT BE ABLE TO INTERFACE AT ALL WITH, UH, THE, THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ERIC IS SAYING THAT Y'ALL ARE SPENDING A LOT OF ON PLANNING AND I GUESS IT'S THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UH, OUR, OUR PROCESS IS ALL VOLUNTEER, BUT IT'S STILL A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT FROM THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TRYING TO PUT THIS THING TOGETHER.
AND, UM, SO IT, IT GETS FRUSTRATING.
UM, YEAH, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND KIND OF BE A LIAISON BETWEEN, AND ONE THING WE SHOULDN'T FORGET, YOU KNOW, IS, IS, UH, FORT ROYAL TRAFFIC ISSUES, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THEY ADDRESS THOSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THEM COME TO SEVERAL MEETINGS AND WE'RE DUMPING ALL THIS TRAFFIC OFF THE LADY'S ALISON, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OVER THERE.
SO WE'LL TURN UP THE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS FOR THAT.
I'M THINKING LINDA'S HERE IN THIS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING THAT WE'VE ADDED, WE'VE ADDED THE PORT, THE PROJECT, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW BY THAT, I JUST KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN THEM FROM THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR OVER THERE HAS BEEN DOGGING ME ABOUT ADDING THAT PROJECT.
SO I JUST WENT AHEAD AND PUT IT ON THERE, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE HIM BE QUIET.
[00:55:02]
IT IS.WE NEED TO THINK OF IT AS A REGIONAL SOLUTION, NOT JUST FOR NOW.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO DESIGN THESE PROJECTS THUS FAR.
AND WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON IS GETTING THOSE TWO DESIGN FIRMS ON BOARD.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THAT PROCESS WILL BEGIN.
AND THAT'S WHERE I BELIEVE THAT THE INTERFACE IS IMPORTANT.
UM, ALL THE STANTEC STUDY IS DOING IS, IS PROVIDING UPDATED INFORMATION.
UM, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE DECISIONS WILL BEGIN TO BE MADE ON HOW THESE PROJECTS WILL LOOK, WILL HAPPEN.
ONCE THOSE TWO FIRMS ARE IN PLACE AND THEY START THEIR WORK.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE TO ASK ARE, YOU KNOW, IS, IS PROVIDING A WAY THAT OUR COMMITTEE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING REGULAR INPUTS AND INTERFACE WITH THOSE PROCESSES, YOU KNOW, IN A MINIMUM.
AND THEN I THINK THAT THE LARGER QUESTION IS, DO WE WAIT UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT HOLISTICALLY THE, THE DESIGN OF THE VILLAGE CENTER AND HOLD OFF THOSE PROCESSES, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO HOLD OFF ON IT, IN MY OPINION, I GUESS I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THAT COORDINATION.
SO THE INPUT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT JUST INPUT TO SOMEBODY THAT TAKES THAT INFORMATION, DECIDES WHAT TO DO WITH IT, BUT MORE OF A COORDINATION WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, A DISCUSSION, UH, SO THAT THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THEY'RE DOING ONE THING, UH, AND NOT ANOTHER, OR THE SAME THING FOR US, WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING ONE THING AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE IT'S, IT'S A DISCUSSION AND COORDINATION.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT HAS TO BE A BIG DEAL, ESPECIALLY TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN SIDE OF IT.
BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE PROJECT SUCCESSFUL.
WELL, AND I, UM, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME I'M ON THE PHONE NOW? YOU KNOW, I GUESS MY, MY THOUGHT IS THE OBJECTION EARLY ON BEFORE COVID WAS, UH, WAS A FINANCIAL OBJECTION THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS IN THE CURRENT BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND DO THIS STUDY WORK.
I HAVE A QUESTION MARK ABOUT THE UPDATED STANTEC STUDY, OBVIOUSLY COST SOMETHING, THE DESIGN WORK IS GOING TO COST SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, IS THERE DUPLICATION OR IS THERE THERE AN EFFICIENCY AND TRYING TO EXPEDITE THE NACA PLANNED EXERCISE, CAPTURE ALL OF THAT INTO ONE EXERCISE INSTEAD OF DOING THIS PIECEMEAL APPROACH, I UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO DROP OFF.
WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THAT IT'S THE SAME THING AS MIKE WAS SAYING JUST QUICKLY, ROB AND ERIC.
UM, WHAT DID Y'ALL THINK THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO GET JARED TO KIND OF PLAY THAT KIND OF LIAISON ROLE BETWEEN THE FIRMS THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO BRING ON AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH COUNTY STAFF AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE MEETINGS AND TRYING TO BE THAT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE.
AND I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK JARED HAS THE TIME RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, HE HAS PLATES, THIS PLATE IS MORE THAN FULL.
UM, WE'VE HIRED A TERM, WE'VE HIRED A TRANSPORTATION MANAGER, ARE THINGS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST HIM, BUT THAT PERSON IS NOT HERE YET.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE THAT PERSON IS ON BOARD AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ALL BIGGER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE, FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN MORE OF THESE DESIGN TYPE THINGS RIGHT NOW, BUT HE'S, HE'S HE'S UM, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY FROM A COUNTY TRANSPORTATION STANDPOINT, I DON'T MEAN THIS TO COME ACROSS THE WRONG WAY.
UH, BUT, UM, BUT WE ARE LITERALLY BEING, UH, BEAT TO DEATH ON TWO 78.
[01:00:01]
THERE'S MEETINGS ON TWO 78 ABOUT SOMETHING DOWN THERE ALMOST DAILY.SO THAT'S TAKEN A LOT OF HIS ATTENTION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL NATURE OF WHAT THAT IS TURNING INTO A WHILE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SIT HERE AND SAY THAT HE'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL TO DO WHATEVER YOU ALL NEED OR TO MANAGE.
AND, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO, UH, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT HE'S STACKED UP AGAINST.
AND I GUESS TO BE HONEST, YOU KNOW, I COULD PLAY THE ROLE OF, YOU KNOW, THE LIAISON, YOU KNOW, I COULD WORK WITH, WITH THEIR DEPARTMENT BEHIND THE SCENES.
I THINK THAT THE OTHER THING THAT IS, IF THEY DO GET THESE DESIGN, THESE ENGINEERING FIRMS WORKING ON DESIGNING THE PROJECTS, UM, WHAT WE COULD TRY TO DO IS SET UP, UH, A WAY THAT MYSELF AND MAYBE A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ARE REGULARLY, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THESE FIRMS, YOU KNOW, TH TH WE'RE INVOLVED IN THAT WE'RE KEPT IN THE LOOP, WE'RE PROVIDING THAT INPUT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE WAY THAT WE APPROACH IT, RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, HAVING, YOU KNOW, JARED BE INVOLVED IN THESE MEETINGS AND, OR SUBCOMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, ROB, AND I'M WILLING TO HELP, HELP, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED ME TO MEET WITH YOU OR HIM FOR 15 MINUTES, BUT WE CAN JUST KINDA HELP TOWARDS THAT COULD WORK AGAIN.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT TO ROB.
IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION STARTING, UH, PRETTY SOON HERE TO JUST PUT WHAT WE'RE DOING ON HOLD ALMOST UNTIL WE CAN GET TO, THEY CAN GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN DO THAT CROSS-COMMUNICATION AND, AND, AND INPUT.
BUT I THINK IT'D BE REAL THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT YOU ROB THE, UH, YOU KNOW, GIVE HELP, UH, WITH US WITH, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING IN AND THAT COORDINATION, UH, TO GET TO THE, OKAY.
AGAIN, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER TO DO THAT WORK WITH YOU TOO, ROB.
AND I, I STILL THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL, I'LL SPEAK WITH THEIR DEPARTMENT, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING INVOLVED IN THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HEAR WHAT THE COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE MADE.
IT MIGHT BE THE SAME CHARACTERS WE'VE HEARD A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN WE HAD IN-PERSON MEETINGS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AT THAT VIRTUAL TOWN HALL.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE TO BECOME ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS.
AND THEN ONCE FIRMS ARE HIRED, WE COULD SET UP A PROCESS TO PROVIDE COORDINATION WITH THEM, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, WHAT I, WHAT I THINK IT'S, WE JUST HEARD NOTHING FROM HIM.
AND I KNOW THEY'RE OVERWORKED, AND I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE SOME INPUT SO WE CAN PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S REALLY BEEN STYMIED A LITTLE BIT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS STEPPING UP TO DO THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT FROM AN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE STANDPOINT IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF SAM LEVANN GETS A PERMIT FROM THE CITY OF BUFORD TO BE OUT IN THE CORRIDOR OR THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN THERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK IN TWO YEARS AND BUY BUILDINGS BECAUSE HE WAS ALLOWED TO BUILD IN THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO THE IMPROVEMENTS TO SEE ALLEN PARKWAY, BUT WE NEED TO TALK TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY I'M WILLING TO TAKE AN ORDINANCE BEFORE COUNCIL IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT HER RIGHT AWAY PRESERVATION ORDINANCE.
THAT WILL BASICALLY SAY TO SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO BUILD ALONG THAT CORRIDOR BECAUSE WE HAVE PLANNED ROAD IMPROVEMENTS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NEW RIGHT AWAY, UH, AS, AS REASONABLY DETERMINED BY THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, OR THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE THE DESIGN DRAWINGS FOR THE CORRIDOR DONE BEFORE THEY BUILD ANYTHING.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT, ERIC.
[01:05:01]
THAT, UH, THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD DIRECTION FOR US TO START CONSIDERING OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO WIND UP WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN AFRAID OF EVER SINCE WE STARTED THIS COMMITTEE.AND THAT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DEVELOPMENT OVERTAKING A WAR WAR, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED AND THAT'S JUST A HAPHAZARD THAT'S RIGHT.
I MEAN, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO START BUYING NEW BUILDINGS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE AND NEED THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND ON THE ROAD.
AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE OUGHT TO GET STARTED ON THAT IMMEDIATELY, AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK ON THAT OR WITH ROB AND GET SOMETHING DRAFTED.
BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO ENDORSE THAT SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO GET THE CITY TO ADOPT IT AS WELL.
BUT THE TWO JURISDICTIONS THAT I WORKED IN PREVIOUSLY WHERE WE HAD A ONE-SENTENCE SALES TYPE PROJECT, WE HAD THIS ORDINANCE IN PLACE, UH, SO THAT WE, AGAIN, DIDN'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND OVER SPEND MONEY ON RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE ALLOWED TO BE CONSTRUCTED WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WIDEN ROADS.
AND ERIC AND I CAN, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
I CAN, I CAN GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE TASK FORCE AND THIS COMMITTEE IS LOOKING AT IS, UH, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROADWAYS AND THOSE INTERSECTIONS, UH, WORK TO THE BEST, UH, POINT OF IMPLEMENTATION THAT WE CAN.
SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THE INTERSECTION OF, UM, HAZEL FARM ROAD AND HOW THAT MAY OR MAY NOT INTERSECT, UH, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF COMING ACROSS INTO CLUB DRIVE, IF THAT'S WHY I WAS, I'M THINKING THAT WE, IF WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ENGINEERS TO SAY, OKAY, WELL, THAT'S POSSIBLE WE CAN DO THAT.
THEN I THINK DOING THESE ROADWAY, UH, UH, SET IT, SETTING IT UP WITH WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WOULD WORK EXTREMELY WELL.
AND I DON'T MIND SENDING YOU ALL A DRAFT OF A, OF A, OF AN ORDINANCE THAT I HAVE FROM ANOTHER JURISDICTION SO THAT YOU ALL CAN KIND OF LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT IT WOULD COVER.
AND ROB AND I CAN, ROB, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE HELPING ME TO KIND OF PUT THAT TOGETHER? YOU HAD NOAH.
IF I GET Y'ALL SOMETHING TO BASE IT ON AND THEN Y'ALL CAN WORK WITH JARED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE TYPICAL RIGHT AWAY PROFILES ARE GOING TO BE, THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED OVER THERE.
AND WE CAN INSERT THAT INTO ALL OF OUR ROAD PRO AND WE COULD DO THIS ORDINANCE FROM ACCOUNTING STANDPOINT, COUNTY WIDE, THE CITY OF BUFORD COULD, YOU KNOW, DO IT, UM, BASED ON WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY DO.
BUT, UM, THIS IS PRETTY COMMON RIGHT NOW TO PRESERVE THESE RIGHT AWAY.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE FOCUS OF ALL COMMENTS EARLIER ON WAS THAT COORDINATION.
AND JUST A FEW AREAS THAT IF, IF WE COULD RESOLVE THOSE, UM, THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT KIND OF SOLVES THE DIRECTION OF WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO STOP RIGHT NOW.
OR AT LEAST OUR ABILITY TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW IS FIGURING OUT A WAY TO GET US SOME TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO FIGURE OUT HOW GRAND, UM, OF A CONCEPT WE CAN COME UP WITH OVERALL LADY'S ISLAND.
UM, AND ALONG THAT ALONG THE SAME LINES, ERIC, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, BEFORE TOO LONG, CONSIDER TRYING TO USE AS LEAST SOME OF THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS INTO THE PROCESS AND GET THEM ON BOARD ON THE FRONT END RATHER THAN AT THE BACK END.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT IDEA, JASON.
I THINK ONE OF, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS HAS BEEN THE CORRIDOR MEDIANS AND STUFF TOO.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS AND I DO THINK THAT THE RIGHT AWAY IMPROVEMENTS CORRIDOR ORDINANCE IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE'S STILL SOME PARKING AND STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED OVER THERE AT WHITE HALL, BUT THAT'S ALL A GOOD PLAN, VERY POSITIVE.
WE'LL GET STARTED ON THAT, ON OUR SIDE OF THE EQUATION.
AND THEN WE WILL, UH, PRESENT IT TO THE COMMITTEE AND WE'LL LAST FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE
[01:10:01]
TO BE THE KIND OF SHEPHERDS THROUGH THE PROCESS TO GET IT ADOPTED WITH BOTH JURISDICTIONS.AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT THROUGH THE COUNTY PROCESS, BUT WE'LL NEED, UM, WE'LL NEED THE CITY TO DO IT AS WELL, BECAUSE WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, IT WON'T WORK IF, IF IT'S ONLY IMPLEMENTED IN ONE JURISDICTION OR IT WON'T BE AS EFFECTIVE.
ANYTHING ELSE? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? I MEAN, NO, I, I THINK I'VE SAID BROUGHT YOU UP TO SPEED ON THE ROADS AS MUCH AS I CAN.
WELL, OUR NEXT STEPS, I GUESS, FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER IS WE'RE GOING TO WORK.
WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING MATRIX SO WE CAN GET SOME FOCUS AND THAT FLORIDA RIGHT AWAY IMPROVEMENT CORNER ORDINANCE, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MARSHAL THAT THROUGH THE CITY AND WORK WHERE THEY ALL IN THE COUNTY.
I THINK THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT.
AND THEN, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW WE'RE GOING TO INTERFACE ALL THIS TOGETHER.
BUT I THINK, I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME GOOD PROGRESS HERE.
UM, I HAVE ALL MY NOTES AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY MEETING WITH THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
NOW WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A TEAM THAT WILL WORK WITH YOU AND COORDINATE WITH THAT AND GET BACK TO US.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN KIND OF FRUSTRATED ABOUT.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS WE'LL ADDRESS THE PORT ROYAL ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC.
SO, UM, ANYBODY ELSE GOT ANY IDEAS ABOUT NEXT STEP? I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE LOSE CHUCK, CHUCK, YOU STILL THERE.
I MEAN, I I'M, I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'VE GONE A LONG TIME WITHOUT HEARING FROM YOU AND I'M NOT ACCUSTOMED TO THAT IN MEETINGS.
CAN YOU HAVE THE SWITCH TO PHONE AND, UH, MAYBE RAN OUT OF RANGE OR SOMETHING? I THINK HE'S, I THINK HE'S ON THERE SOMEWHERE.
I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT, BUT ANYWAY, SO, ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I THINK THAT I REALLY LIKED THE, UH, GORDER ORDINANCES AND LIKE WE'LL GET ON THE MATRIX SO WE CAN GET FOCUSED AGAIN AND YOU'VE ADDRESSED OUR TRAFFIC CONCERNS WITH MIKE AND EVERYBODY GETTING ON BOARD WITH THAT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT? JUST A REMINDER TO ADD TO YOUR LIST, ALAN, ABOUT TOUCHING BASE WITH JAN AND THE STATUS OF THE CPC? UM, WE, THAT LADY'S ISLAND CP COMMITTEE HAS BEEN MEETING FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, BUT THEY PRIMARILY MET WHEN THERE WAS AN ISSUE OF MUTUAL CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A REZONING OR ANNEXATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN SHORTLY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THEY, THEY STARTED MEETING REGULARLY, YOU KNOW, AND JUST MEETING MONTHLY, WHETHER THEY HAD A REZONING TO CONSIDER OR NOT.
AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO GET BACK TO WHAT ROLE DO WE WANT THEM TO PLAY? UM, YOU KNOW, CAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALONG WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT COMMITTEE BACK UP AND RUNNING.
WELL, I'VE BEEN ON THAT COMMITTEE 10 OR 12 YEARS.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY RE-EVALUATED, IT IS A GOOD PUBLIC FORUM FOR SOMEBODY INITIALLY COMING IN KIND OF LIKE HELLMAN FORTH AND BEFORE THEY SRT, SO WHATEVER, BUT WE NEVER MADE ANY DECISIONS UNLESS THERE WAS A VARIANCE YOU'RE RIGHT.
[01:15:04]
ANY OTHER COMMENTS THERE? OKAY.ANY OTHER COMMENTS THERE CAN, Y'ALL HEAR ME SO WE CAN HEAR YOU.
SO I GUESS THE MEETING I CALL HER OR ADJOURN THE MEETING, ANYBODY HAVE A SECOND ON THAT AND WE'LL ADJOURN.
I THINK WE MADE GREAT PROGRESS.
I DON'T FEEL THAT WAY WHEN I LEAVE MEETINGS, BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE SOME GOOD PROGRESS.
YOU BROUGHT A LOT OF ENERGY TO THE MEETING.