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[1. Call to Order]
WELCOME TO THE JUNE 29TH.THE SPECIAL MEETING, CHRISTIAN, WILL YOU CALL? YES, SIR.
MR. BROWN, MR. HARKINS, MR. STANFORD, MAYOR MCCANN AND TAMRA TAMMY SHE'S HERE NOW.
FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE WE STARTED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, ALRIGHT, LET'S STOP.
WE'LL PUT IN THE OLD PHONES OFF.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THIS MORNING IS TODAY IS GLENN SANFORD'S BIRTHDAY.
SO WE WANT TO WISH YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
READING WHERE WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE AND FREE INFORMATION.
[3. Review and Discussion of the William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Project Local Planning and Design Concepts.]
TALK ABOUT THE WILLIAM HILTON WALKWAY.YOU'LL HAVE LIKE A FEW WORDS FIRST, MR. ORLANDO.
I HAVE A FEW, UH, POINTS AND I I'VE TYPED THEM UP, SO I DON'T FORGET ANY OF THEM.
SO FORGIVE ME IF I'M READING SOME OF THEM.
UM, GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU MAYOR COUNCIL.
GREAT TO BE HERE AND THANKS FOR, UM, SPENDING TIME WORKING ON THIS ROADWAY PROJECT WITH US.
UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE STUDYING THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY AND ALL OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES FROM THE BRIDGE THROUGH SPANISH WELLS ROAD.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SAY BEYOND GUMTREE AND THREE WENT ONTO THE CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY.
AND SO TODAY YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT SCOPE.
AND IN SOME OF OUR STUDIES, AS A STAFF, WE'RE SEEKING TO ENSURE A PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN LAND USE AND MOBILITY CENTERED AROUND ROADWAY FUNCTION.
AND SO HOW DO WE IMPROVE ACCESS TO AND FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND? UM, HOW DO WE MAINTAIN AND TRANSFORM ROADSIDE ENVIRONMENTS INTO SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND VIABLE AREAS IN THE YEARS AHEAD? RIGHT? AND SO TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO THINK THROUGH.
SO IN THIS REGARD, OUR, OUR ASSIGNMENT IS TO PROVIDE A FUNDAMENTAL TECHNICAL AND CIVIC BASED REVIEW OF A ROADWAY NETWORK AND COMMUNITY CORRIDOR TO EVENTUALLY ESTABLISH A COLLECTIVE TOWN POSITION.
AND SO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL, WE WE'VE HAD SEVERAL WORKSHOPS.
WE NOW HAVE A FORMAL MEETING WE'RE ALL LEADING INTO AS WE KNOW THAT THAT, THAT TRUE PUBLIC PROCESS, THAT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS PUT TOGETHER IN INCLUDING A JULY 22ND PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT.
AND WE'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL, LISTEN, LEARN, OFFER ADVICE, AND EVENTUALLY PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTIVE POSITION.
AND WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS ACHIEVING THIS, RIGHT.
AND SO WHAT YOU MAY SEE ON JULY 22ND IS THE DOTC PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR TOWN COUNCIL, FOR STAFF, FOR COMMUNITY TO WEIGH IN AND ALSO TO PROVIDE A FORMAL POSITION.
SO BASED UPON WHAT THE DOTC PRESENTED PUBLICLY TO DATE TODAY, WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME VARIOUS ACCESS MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECT ELEMENTS, RIGHT? WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, ROADWAY CAPACITY, TURN LANES, MEDIAN TREATMENTS, INTERSECTIONS, LOCATIONS OF PATHWAYS, ADJACENT TO THE PARKWAY PARK, OPEN SPACE, PROPERTY, INGRESS, EGRESS, LAND, USE, NEIGHBORHOOD, DESIGN, ROADWAY, CHARACTER.
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH SEAN, OF COURSE, AND, AND MKS K AND HDR AND DDOT AS WE TRY TO POSITION, UM, OUR OPINION.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, TODAY'S IN TENNIS TO REVIEW OUR PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT LEADING INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TO HAVE A DIALOGUE ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS AND THE QUESTIONS AND THE SEVERAL NEXT STEPS.
SO, AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, I GUESS I COULD HAVE STARTED OFF WITH THIS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT DEITY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB EVALUATING THEIR PROJECT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES AND IMPACTS WITHIN THE STATE AND FEDERAL PARAMETERS.
AND SO THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO AND THAT THEY OPERATE WITHIN IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE PREFERRED ALIGNMENT.
UM, WE'RE DAYS AWAY FROM REALIZING THE DOD PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
AND I WANT CRAIG TO KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE, UM, AND GRATEFUL FOR HIS TEAM AND ALL OF HIS TIRELESS WORK.
I KNOW HE'S WORKING TO TRY TO GET THIS RIGHT IN MY TIME.
OVER THE PAST MONTHS, I'VE HEARD FROM MARIN COUNCIL, I'VE HEARD FROM STAFF, I'VE HEARD FROM CORRIDOR PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT THERE ARE LOCAL CONCERNS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT DOD SHOULD CONSIDER AND THAT THE, AND, AND PREFERABLY INCLUDE IN THEIR OPTIMAL POSITION.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I'M HEARING.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO SIMPLY ADDRESS THAT, KNOWING THIS AS PART OF THE DLT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU TO OFFER CONSTRUCTIVE REFINEMENTS, TO DOTC PREFERRED, ALTERNATIVE AND PREFERRED DESIGN.
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BE PRESENTED IN A WAY, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE NORTH ARROW, THAT, THAT WE MAINTAIN THE PROJECT INTEGRITY AND OPERATIONAL GOALS.AND AT THE SAME TIME EFFECTIVELY SATISFY THE LOCAL PROJECT GOALS.
YOU'LL NOW HEAR FROM SEAN, SEAN, I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'RE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB FOR THE COMMUNITY AND DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB LEADING THIS PROJECT.
SEAN IS OUR STAFF LEADER IN POINT ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.
UM, SHAWN'S WORKING CLOSELY WITH ME AND DARREN SHOEMAKER THERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR INPUT.
MKS K BRIAN KONZELMAN IS HERE TODAY.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM HIM, UM, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS, RESIDENTS, DDOT, BUFORD COUNTY, AND VARIOUS PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE WAY, THE, THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY.
AND SO THAT IS JUST IMPORTANT THAT I EXPLAIN WHERE I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FOUR, FOUR MONTHS.
AND, AND, AND AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN OVER TO SEAN AND WHO CAN START, UM, THE CONVERSATION.
IT'S A LITTLE SURREAL TO BE BACK IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE'RE SUCH A BIG CROWD, BUT IT'S, IT'S ALSO VERY REFRESHING.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
GOOD MORNING, UH, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE ON THIS GATEWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT.
UM, I'M SEAN COLON, I'M SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE TOWN MANAGER, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE SERVING YOU AS, AND THIS COMMUNITY IS PROJECT LEAD.
UM, PART OF THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.
UM, THERE'S THREE KEY THINGS I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
THE FIRST IS TO GIVE YOU, UM, A O T STATUS WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR PROCESS, THEIR UPCOMING PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT PERIOD, AND THEIR SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THAT'S COMING UP HERE AND, UM, IN JULY, I ALSO WANT TO PROVIDE YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON A TOWN STATUS, UH, THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING TO COORDINATE, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, YOU'LL SEE SOME PRELIMINARY, UM, UH, AND, AND SLIGHTLY REFINED CONCEPTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY.
UH, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ACTION TODAY.
WE, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO BRING BACK TO YOU REFINE CONCEPTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, HOPEFULLY FOR A POSITION, UH, LATER DURING THE, BEFORE THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WHICH IS LATE AUGUST, AND THEN BRIAN COUNCILMAN, UH, OUR TEAM PARTNER WITH MKS, KAY, IS GOING TO SHARE LOCAL PLANNING AND DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY GATEWAY CORRIDOR.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT, UH, BRIAN WILL TEE UP WITH THIS PRESENTATION HERE SHORTLY.
SO FIRST SED OT STATUS, AND, UH, MARK MENTIONED, THEY'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB GOING THROUGH WORKING WITH ALL THEIR PARTNERING AGENCIES, UH, TO DEVELOP AND REFINE A LIST OF ALTERNATIVES, UM, THAT MEET THE NEEDS THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED.
THEY'RE WORKING TO FINALIZE THEIR DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROJECT AND RELEASE IT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND JUST A MATTER OF DAYS, JULY 7TH IS WHEN THAT INFORMATION, THAT FULL BREADTH OF INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR REVIEW.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD STARTS THAT DAY AND WILL RUN FOR 45 DAYS.
UM, DOD IS REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T RESPOND TO VERBAL COMMENTS.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE SED, OT, THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WILL DO THE FOLLOWING.
IT'LL DEFINE THE PURPOSE AND NEED.
NOW, D WE'VE HEARD FROM DLT THROUGH SEVERAL MEETINGS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE NEED THAT THEY'VE INCLUDED IN THIS PROJECT IS TO ADDRESS THE DEFICIENT MACKIE CREEK BRIDGE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1956 AND TO REDUCE CONGESTION WITHIN THE CORRIDOR.
THE EA WILL ALSO DESCRIBE HOW THE ALTERNATIVES WERE DEVELOPED.
AND I KNOW GOING BACK TO SEPTEMBER OF 2019, THERE WAS MEETING AT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WHERE THEY HAD THE, THE VERY INITIAL LIST OF A UNIVERSE, UNIVERSAL ALTERNATIVES, THAT, THAT THEY WHITTLED THAT DOWN TO SIX REASONABLE.
AND THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERING AGENCIES, ADDED THREE ADDITIONAL ALTERNATIVES BACK IN TO CONSIDERATION, BUT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE ALTERNATIVES WERE DEVELOPED AND BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AS WELL, THEY'LL PRESENT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ON HOW EACH ALTERNATIVE COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT OR AFFECT THE NATURAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO YOU UNDERSTAND THEIR PROCESS.
THEY WENT THROUGH DEVELOPING IMPACTS TO REFINE THEIR LIST OF ALTERNATIVES THAT ALSO OUTLINED THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES THAT INFLUENCED, UM, THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
UM, AS MARK MENTIONED, UH, CRAIG AND HIS TEAM ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS TO GAIN PUBLIC INPUT, TO HELP, UM, SHAPE THE PROJECT THAT THEY ARE MOVING AND READY TO SHARE DURING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
AND THEN FINALLY THEY WILL RECOMMEND
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THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.AND IT'S IMPORTANT, THIS ISN'T FINAL, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR AGENCY AND PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND WE'VE HEARD MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THAT THEY CAN TAKE INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, ALSO FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND USE THAT TO HELP ENHANCE THE PROJECT BEFORE, UH, THEY SEND IT TO FEDERAL HIGHWAYS FOR A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IS WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
SO JULY 7TH KICKS OFF THE SED, OT, OFFICIAL PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT EA AND IT RUNS THROUGH AUGUST 22ND.
UH, DURING THIS COMMENT PERIOD, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT AND HAVE COMMENTS ADDRESSED BY SCD T O S C D O D.
OT IS ALSO SCHEDULING, UH, TO CONDUCT A STONY COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE MEETING ON JULY 7TH FROM ONE TO FOUR AT THE ROWING AND SAILING CENTER LOCATED AT 1 33 SQUARE POPE ROAD TO SHARE PROJECT DETAILS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM ATTENDEES.
AGAIN, THAT'S SATURDAY, JULY 17TH, ONE TO FOUR.
IT WILL BE AN OPEN HOUSE, UH, UH, TO SHARE INFORMATION AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
THE OFFICIAL SED DOD PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE AN IN-PERSON MEETING, UH, SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, JULY 22ND, FROM TWO TO 7:00 PM AT THE ISLAND REC CENTER LOCATED AT 20 WILBURN ROAD.
THEY WILL, THEY WILL HAVE, UM, FROM TWO TO SIX AND, UH, BASICALLY AN OPEN HOUSE WHERE YOU CAN GO, UH, REVIEW INFORMATION, ASK QUESTIONS, AND THEN FROM SIX TO SEVEN, THEY WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS DURING THAT PERIOD.
SO THAT'S THURSDAY, JULY 22ND, TWO TO SEVEN PUBLIC HEARING AT THE ISLAND REC CENTER.
SO THAT'S THE OT WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE THEY ARE AT, IN THEIR PROCESS LEADING UP THROUGH THEIR PUBLIC HEARING AND CONCLUSION OF THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A STATUS WHERE WE ARE.
UM, FROM THE TOWN'S PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE ENGAGED EXPERTS WHO ARE CONDUCTING A FUNDAMENTAL REVIEW.
AS MARK MENTIONED, TO UNDERSTAND THE SCD VOT ASSESSMENT CHALLENGED SOME DIRECTION AND TO WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH PROJECT PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE COUNTY S C D O T, AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO ALIGN PROJECT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT MEANS WE ARE LOOKING AT ASSUMPTIONS, DATA ROADWAY, PLANNING, AND LAND DISRUPTION PROPOSED BY SED O D O T TO ALIGN LOCAL NEEDS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING NETWORK IMPACTS BEYOND THE INTERSECTION OF WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY AND SPANISH WELLS ROAD, AND THE CORRIDOR PROJECT LIMITS AS PROPOSED BY STD GOT ONE POINT I LIKE TO MAKE REGARDING ASSUMPTIONS AT THIS TIME.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I MAKE THE STATEMENT HERE, UH, WITH YOU TODAY, THERE HAS BEEN SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION CONFIRMED ALSO BY OUR LOCAL TEAM OF TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS THAT SIX LANES ARE NEEDED TO ADDRESS CONGESTION CONCERNS WITHIN THIS CORRIDOR.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO EVALUATE AND RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTIVE REFINEMENTS TO ELEMENTS OF SED, T S C D OTS ANTICIPATED PREFERRED DESIGN.
EACH CURRENT INTERSECTION WITHIN THE CORRIDOR HAS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCING OPPORTUNITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE INTERSECTION OF SPANISH WELLS ROAD AND WILD HORSE ROAD CURRENTLY INCLUDES A NINE LANE PROFILE IT'S ALREADY TODAY, NINE LANES WIDE AT THAT INTERSECTION.
AND, UH, AND WHILE THE SQUIRE PULPIT OR SECTION HAS A SIX LANE PROFILE, EACH ONE OF THESE INTERSECTIONS WILL BE LOOKED AT IN MORE DETAIL TO DETERMINE IF THE SED OTS PROPOSE ALTERNATIVES CAN BE REFINED IN A MANNER, MORE CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LOCAL COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THESE REFINEMENTS ARE BEING DEVELOPED AND OFFERED IN A MANNER THAT MAINTAINS THE PROJECTS, INTEGRITY AND OPERATIONAL GOALS, AND MORE EFFECTIVELY SATISFIES THESE GOALS WITH THE NEEDS, INTERESTS, AND CONCERNS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
TODAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE WITH TOWN COUNCIL AND SHARE INPUT WITH YOU FROM OUR TEAM IN A PUBLIC SETTING BEFORE S C D O T HOLDS THEIR PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 22ND.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRIAN KINSMAN, WHO WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, UH, TO SHARE, UH, LOCAL PLANNING AND DESIGN CONCEPTS.
BRIAN, MR. MAYOR COUNCIL AND MOISTER MANAGER, STAFF, AND, UH, TOWN MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS BRIAN KENSAL, MON I'M SENIOR PRINCIPAL WITH MKS.
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TWO, THREE MONTHS.UM, UH, EVERY EVERYTHING THAT, UH, SEAN SUMMARIZED I THINK IS, IS ACCURATE AND DESCRIPTIVE.
WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT THIS PARKWAY THROUGH THE LENS OF, UH, HILTON HEAD COMMUNITY, AND NOT NECESSARILY THROUGH THAT HAVE GOT THE ANSWERS TYPICALLY SOMEPLACE IN BETWEEN.
I, MY, MY SENSE OF THINGS YOU'LL NOTICE RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
I APOLOGIZE FOR TURNING MY BACK TO YOU.
MY MOTHER WOULDN'T APPRECIATE THAT, BUT, UM, I'M SORRY FOR HAVING MY BACK TO YOU.
UM, THE, THE, SOME OF BRIAN'S FRIENDS ARE HERE FOR THE STONY AREA.
IN FACT, I SEE A NUMBER OF THEM WITH WE'VE SPENT SOME TIME IN THEIR, UH, FRONT YARDS TALKING ABOUT THE PARKWAY AND IMPACT IT HAS ON THEIR PARTICULAR PROPERTIES.
AND I'LL DESCRIBE THOSE A LITTLE BIT HERE.
AND, UM, WE'LL CHAT ABOUT SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE MAY HAVE.
ONE THING THAT IS KEY TO THIS IS THE TERM PARKWAY.
UH, THIS BY DOD STANDARDS IS A HIGHWAY, AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT AS IT HITS OUR COMMUNITY, IT NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A PARKWAY, MORE OF A COMMUNITY STREET THAT MOVES AUTOMOBILES AND TRAFFIC AS EFFICIENTLY AS IS REASONABLE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY THROUGH WHICH THIS SYSTEM RUNS AND, AND HOW IT EXPRESSES ITSELF TO THE REST OF THE ISLAND COMMUNITY.
SO THE PURPOSE OF, OF THIS LOCAL STUDY, AND AGAIN, TOWN STAFF AND MKS K ON OUR ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, HDR HAVE BEEN, UM, UH, JOINED AT THE HIP AS IT WERE.
AND THANKS VERY MUCH TO TOWN STAFF WHO HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB OF MAKING US SMART IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
ALSO THE LOCAL RESIDENTS THAT HAVE GIVEN THEIR TIME TO MAKE US AWARE OF THEIR CONCERNS AND SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO BRING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMMUNITIES OF THE, OF THE ISLAND COMMUNITY, TO THE DEITY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, THE OD THE, WHAT APPEARS TO BE THEIR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, AND EXPLORE CONCEPTS THAT DEAL WITH, UM, UH, LOCALLY CRAFTED, UH, CONSIDERATIONS.
I'LL SAY THROUGH THIS BODY, THROUGH, UM, UH, TOWN LEADERSHIP'S, UH, GREAT, UM, FOREFRONT OF THIS TO BUILD CONSENSUS LOCALLY.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO DICTATE, UM, SOLUTIONS.
WE'RE HERE TO FIND THE BEST FOR ALL CONSTITUENCIES INVOLVED.
UH, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, DOTD HAS BEEN TO FIXED TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS DRIVE TO SEVEN EIGHT, UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS OVERTAXED FROM TIME TO TIME, HOWEVER, ITEMS TWO AND THREE, MY ESTIMATION ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT IF NOT MORE.
SO THAT IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, NOT JUST MITIGATE THE IMPACT ON SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE DIRECTLY PHYSICALLY IMPACTED BY THIS EXPANDED ROAD, BUT TO LEAVE THAT CONDITION BETTER THAN WHAT WE FOUNDED THIRD IS TO CREATE A GATEWAY ONTO THE ISLAND COMMUNITY FOR EVERYBODY, THOSE THAT LIVE AT THE SOUTH END OF THE ISLAND, AS MUCH AS THOSE THAT LIVE AT THE NORTH END OF THE ISLAND, WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN WHAT THIS PARKWAY, UH, CONFIGURATION IS.
ULTIMATELY AGAIN, THE BIG PHILOSOPHICAL CHANGE SHIFT FOR ME, NO PUN INTENDED TALKING ABOUT A ROADWAY IS THE CREATION OF A PARKWAY, NOT A HIGHWAY MOVING AUTOMOBILES VEHICLES, REASONABLY, UH, AT REASONABLE SPEEDS AND TRAVEL TIMES IS CERTAINLY A GOAL.
WE HAVE OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER BICYCLES, PEDESTRIANS CONNECTION TO THE MAINLAND, UH, AND, AND ALSO, UH, BEING SENSITIVE TO THE COMMUNITIES THROUGH WHICH WE PASS.
HE IS A, AS THE TOWN MANAGER HAD SUGGESTED IT STARTS AT MOSS CREEK ON THE WEST END, GOES TO, UH, SPANISH WELLS AND THE CROSS ISLAND, UH, RAMPS ON THE, UH, ON THE EAST.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A BIG STRETCH OF, OF BRIDGE INVOLVED, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF SURFACE ROADS, UH, ROADWAY ON TERRA FIRMA.
AS I CONTINUED TO SAY, THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN CONCENTRATING ON WHEN THIS HITS, UH, JENKINS ISLAND AND HITS THE STONEY COMMUNITY, HOW DO WE BEST ACCOMMODATE TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THOSE SENSITIVE NEIGHBORHOODS? SO WE'VE EXPANDED OUR STUDY AREA THAT THAT'S THE ROYAL WE THAT'S THAT'S TOWN LEADERSHIP AND THE CONSULTANT TEAM.
AND THAT IS TO LOOK AT THE INTERSECTIONS AND THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE BACK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE DON'T WANT TO JUST KICK THE, CAN HAVE A CONGESTION PROBLEM FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN GET FROM THE CORRIDOR, UH, INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, INTO OUR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS AND HOW WE CAN LIVE ON THAT CORRIDOR AND ADJACENT TO IT.
SO WE'VE EXPANDED THAT LOOK INTO, UH, THE, TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH ROADWAY SYSTEMS,
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UH, SPECIFICALLY JENKINS ISLAND.WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE IN GREEN ON THIS DIAGRAM IS LARGELY TOWN OWNED GROUND.
WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT IMPACT A PRIVATELY HELD GROUND, BUT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT WE AS A TOWN OWN.
UH, AND IN BRINGING A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORT TO THAT CORRIDOR, STARTING AT THE WEST, MOVING TO THE EAST
NOW THAT IS THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION, WIDE 12 FOOT LANES WITH BREAKDOWN LANES IN BOARD AND OUTBOARD AND A 10 FOOT, UM, UH, MULTI-USE TRAIL WITH A JERSEY BARRIER OR A CRASH RESTRAINT ON BOTH SIDES.
THAT IS OUR, THAT IS THE CONNECTION FROM, UH, ISLAND TO MAINLAND.
ONE OF THE LOCAL CONCEPTS SUGGESTS THAT WE NEED TO WIDEN THAT MULTI-USE TRAIL IT'S BROADENING THE DECK.
UH, IT MAY BE SIMPLY THAT MORE DECK, IT MAY BE A LESSER LANE WITH WE'LL COME TO THAT IN A SECOND, BUT FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS GOING HITHERTO YON OVER A MILE AND A HALF OF STRUCTURE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORT, A LITTLE BIT MORE SEPARATION FROM AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC, AND MAYBE A MORE TRANSPARENT GUARDRAIL ON THE OUTBOARD SIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO STOP AND TAKE IN THE SKULL CREEK VISTA TO THE SOUTH, WHICH IS MAGNIFICENT.
SO WE SHOULD, UH, UTILIZE THAT AS THE ISLAND ASSET THAT IT IS.
AND THEN AS THAT BRIDGE GETS INTO FINAL DESIGN, WHICH IS SOMEPLACE DOWN THE LINE IN THIS PROCESS TO LOOK AT THE BRIDGE ARCHITECTURE, AND WE SEE THE BRIDGE FROM MILES AWAY, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH, AS IT IS VIEWED ACROSS THE WATER.
AND IT IS A PIECE OF CIVIC ARCHITECTURE THAT SPEAKS TO SPEAKS TO THE ISLAND ONCE ON A JENKINS ISLAND, BY THE WAY, THIS NEW BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION WILL FLY OVER IF YOU WILL, UM, PINCKNEY AND ALSO HOG ISLAND AND TOUCHES GROUND AT THE, UM, AT THE, UH, WEST END OF JENKINS ISLANDS.
SO THIS IS ALL STRUCTURE, NEW BRIDGE STRUCTURE.
THE YELLOW LINE IS, UH, IS OUR CONCEPT OF HOW THE TRAIL SYSTEM CAN WORK.
UH, WE'RE SUGGESTING THROUGH HOGS ISLAND THAT THROUGH JENKINS ISLAND, I APOLOGIZE THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE TOWN OWNED GRAN GROUND TO THE NORTH AND EXPAND THE, UH, MEDIAN.
SO THAT SIX LANES BECOMES TWO SETS OF THREE LANES, A MUCH, UH, MORE ATTRACTIVE, UH, LANE CONFIGURATION.
WE UNDULATE HORIZONTALLY THE ROADWAY.
AND GOING BACK TO SOME OF THOSE EARLIER IMAGES, AS OPPOSED TO A RACEWAY IT'S, IT'S, UH, NATURAL TRAFFIC CALMING, IT MOVES JUST AS MUCH TRAFFIC THROUGH.
WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE 12 FOOT LANES AND POSSIBLY GO TO 11 FOOT LANES.
THERE IS NO SAFETY COMPROMISE IN THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME THROUGHPUT AND THEN HAVE A, A MULTI-USE TRAIL THAT FINDS ITS CONNECTION OVER THAT ENHANCED, UH, PROPOSAL.
IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE TO THE MAINLAND, THERE IS ALSO THE JENKINS ROAD INTERSECTION THAT LEADS BACK TO THE RV RESORT.
WE THINK THERE'S A BETTER SOLUTION OF BRINGING THE RV, UM, ACCESS JENKINS ROAD OUT TO THE, UM, I'M GOING TO DO THIS WAY AS WELL OUT TO THE INTERSECTION AT, UM, AT WINDMILL HARBOR, DOD SUGGESTS THAT THAT INTERSECTION IS TO BE SIGNALIZED SO THAT THERE'S A FREER MOVEMENT, BUT THAT CREATES A LEGITIMATE CROSS INTERSECTION AND ELIMINATES THE JENKINS ISLAND CURB CUT.
AND IF YOU HAVE TRIED TO NAVIGATE TO THAT DRIVEWAY OUT, MOVING EITHER DIRECTION EAST OR WEST, UH, IT IS, UM, IT CAN BE CRAZY BUSY.
SO THE EXISTING SECTION THROUGH JENKINS LOOKING TO THE, TO THE NORTHEAST WINDMILL HARBOR IN THIS DIAGRAM IS ON THE FAR RIGHT.
THE UTILITY CORRIDOR IS ON THE FAR LEFT.
THAT'S THE EXISTING RIGHT AWAY WITH TWO, UH, TWO LANE, UH, UH, TWO LANE ROADWAY CONFIGURATION.
SO DOD IS SUGGESTING THAT WE HAVE THREE LANES, 12 FOOT LANES WITH A 22 FOOT PLANTED MEDIAN, UM, AND IN A STRAIGHT CONFIGURATION, WE'RE SUGGESTING BASED ON THAT PREVIOUS PLAN, THAT WE CAN MOVE THE ENTIRE PARKWAY SLIGHTLY TO THE NORTH TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TOWN OWNED GROUND, CONTINUING TO LEAVE THAT TREE COVER SO THAT WE DON'T SEE THAT UTILITY CORRIDOR FOR 2 78.
THIS WOODLOT DOES A GREAT JOB OF DISGUISING THAT FOR US, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A MULTI-USE TRAIL THROUGH AN ADJACENT
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TO THE NEW CONNECTING ROADWAY, BUT WE HAVE MORE OF A PARKWAY CONFIGURATION FOR THE, UH, FOR THE TUESDAY 78 ITSELF.AND ALSO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE BREATHING SPACE IF YOU WILL, WITH WINDMILL HARBOR, WHICH ALLOWS, UH, ADDITIONAL GREEN SPACE US TO ROUTE A MULTI-USE TRAIL.
SO, SO AGAIN, SAME THROUGHPUT, UH, SAME POINT A TO POINT B, BUT IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION, UH, DEITY SUGGESTS THAT THAT THE, UH, THE CROSS TREE INTERSECTION IS SIGNALIZED.
THERE'S NO MEDIAN TREATMENT IN THEIR, UH, PROPOSAL AT THIS JUNCTURE.
AND, UH, THERE'S LIMITED QUEUE LENGTH AT THE ENTRY GATE TO, UM, TO WINDMILL THE CONFIGURATION OF THE BRIDGE COMING OVER THE WATER DOWN ONTO JENKINS IS IN THE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LONGER RADIUS AS WE, UH, MOVE IN THAT EASTBOUND DIRECTION TOWARDS THE, TOWARDS THE WINDMILL INTERSECTION.
AS I CONTINUED TO CALL IT, WE THINK THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND THE, UH, THE MEDIAN.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, AGAIN, MOVING THE ENTIRE ROADWAY A LITTLE BIT TO THE NORTH.
WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND A STACKING FOR, UH, THE WINDMILL INTERSECTION SIGNALIZE THAT INTERSECTION AND, AND HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR SAFE TRAIL CROSSING THAT IS BACK AWAY FROM, UH, THE ROADWAY DOD SUGGESTS A FIVE FOOT SIDEWALK AND A 10 FOOT MULTI-USE TRAIL RIGHT BEHIND THE CURB.
WE THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORT AND SAFETY IF THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THE ROADWAY THROUGH THE STONY NEIGHBORHOOD, MOVING FURTHER TO THE EAST.
ONCE YOU GET ONTO THE, UH, ONTO HILTON HEAD ITSELF, THIS IS THE CURRENT CONDITION.
SOME OF THE STEWARD FOLKS, UH, WHO ARE IN THESE HOMES ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
AGAIN, WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THEM A FEW TIMES AND HAVE ENJOYED THEIR COMPANY.
AND THEY'RE VERY KEEN INSIGHTS INTO THEIR PARTICULAR ISSUES.
DOTC SUGGESTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER, ROUGHLY 40 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY TO THE NORTH, INTO FRONT YARDS, STILL HAVING 12 FOOT LANES, A SIDEWALK ON THE BACK OF THE CURB, A MULTI-USE TRAIL, UH, ON THE NORTH SIDE AND AN EXPANDED ACCELERATION LANE COMING, UH, WESTBOUND OFF OF SQUIRE POPE.
SO THAT GREATLY REDUCES THE FRONT YARDS OF THOSE HOME SITES.
WE THINK MAYBE A SOLUTION WORTH PURSUING IS TO MINIMIZE THOSE 12 FOOT LANES DOWN TO 11 FOOT LANES, BRING IN THAT NATURAL TRAFFIC CALMING, MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF RIGHT OF WAY TAKES THAT HAVE TO, UH, HAVE TO BE TAKEN, UH, AND HAVE MORE CIVILIZED ACCESS INTO THOSE DRIVEWAYS FOR THE, FOR THE STEWARDS AND THE STONY FOLKS.
IT ALSO INCREASES THE BUFFER SPACE BETWEEN THE WALKWAY GETS IT OFF THE BACK OF CURB.
I DON'T THINK EMOTIONALLY THERE'S MUCH ATTRACTION TO A CURB, A WALKWAY BEHIND A CURB WITH 45 MILE AN HOUR, TRAFFIC SQUIRE, POPE INTERSECTIONS.
THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE ARE AT THIS JUNCTURE.
NOW GETTING DOWN TO THE DETAIL OF UNDERSTANDING AND STUDYING THESE INTERSECTIONS, UH, THE EXISTING CONDITION MOVING EASTBOUND AT SQUIRE POPE IS LEFT.
DOD IS SUGGESTING THERE WILL BE NO LEFT TURNS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO UP TO OLD WILD HORSE AND MAKE WHAT I CALL A, A MICHIGAN LEFT IN THAT IS TO U-TURN AND COME BACK EASTBOUND, AND THEN ENTER SQUIRE POPE.
AT, AT WILD HORSE PRESENTLY THERE'S, UM, THEY'RE SUGGESTING THAT, UH, THERE WILL BE RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO LEFT TURN.
THERE WILL BE LEFT TURN ON A ONE-WAY OLD WILD HORSE PUTTING IN NEW SIGNAL, BOTH, BOTH EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND.
THERE ARE THOSE, UH, THOSE U-TURN CONFIGURATIONS TO GET BACK TO SQUIRE POPE, AND TO GET BACK TO SPANISH WELLS IN, UH, IN THIS CONFIGURATION, WE THINK THERE'S, UH, MAYBE BETTER WAYS OF DEALING WITH THOSE INTERSECTIONS AS WELL AT SPANISH WELLS.
AGAIN, THE CURRENT CONDITION IS THAT WE'RE, UH, WE'VE GOT THESE LEFT TURN MOTIONS.
DOD IS SUGGESTING THAT THERE ARE NO LEFTS WESTBOUND THAT YOU HAVE TO GO DOWN TO OLD WILD HORSE AND MAKE THE U-TURN.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE THINK THERE MAY BE A BETTER CONFIGURATION TO ALL THAT.
SO WE'RE AT THE JUNCTURE RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE'RE GETTING DOWN WITH TRAFFIC ENGINEERS IN HAND, LOOKING AT EACH OF THESE, NOT JUST HOW AUTOMOBILES MOVE, BUT HOW PEDESTRIANS AND TRAILS CROSS THESE ROADWAYS.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SAFE AND CONSISTENT, UH, CROSSWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATIONS.
ALSO, ONE THING THAT DARREN CAN
[00:30:01]
CAN SPEAK TO, UH, HAS SPOKEN TO, AND THAT IS SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SIGNAL SYSTEM.ALL OF OUR SIGNALS FROM HITHERTO YON DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE ON A SET INCREMENT.
THE TECHNOLOGY EXISTS TO MONITOR THE ROADWAY, THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES IN REAL TIME AND CHANGE THOSE SIGNALS TO INCREASE THE THROUGHPUT WITHOUT INCREASING THE TRAVEL SPEED WITHOUT INCREASING THE TRAVEL SPEED.
SO WE THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO MOVE AUTOMOBILES, HAVE SAFE CONSIDERATIONS, BE AS SENSITIVE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE'RE STILL NOT DONE WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THE STONEY COMMUNITY OF UNDERSTANDING FULLY EXACTLY HOW THEIR ACCESS IS GOING TO WORK, BUT WE'VE HAD GREAT INPUT FROM THEM AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
SO THESE INTERSECTIONS ROADWAY NETWORK, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE STUDYING MORE FULLY THE, UH, CONFIGURATIONS STUDYING THE DOWNSTREAM AS WE CALL IT IMPACTS ON THE SURFACE ROADS, MOVING, MOVING NORTH AND SOUTH, AND THEN DEAL WITH THAT, UH, UH, SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SIGNAL SYSTEM.
OUR NEXT STEPS CONTINUE TO REFINE THOSE.
UM, SEAN HAD POINTED OUT THE, UH, THE, THE
WE'RE NOT ALL DOING THIS IN A CLOSET.
WE ARE MEETING WITH DOD WITH REGULARITY AND UNDERSTANDING THEIR ISSUES AND CONCERNS, AND THEY'RE PARTNERING.
UH, WELL WITH US THAT HIGH LEVEL, UH, PREFERRED ALIGNMENT WILL BE RELEASED ON THE 7TH OF JULY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AS SEAN HAD SUGGESTED RUNS TILL AUGUST THE 22ND, THERE WILL BE A DLT PUBLIC MEETING.
THEN THERE WILL BE A TOWN OPEN HOUSE, AND THEN A MEETING WITH TOWN COUNCIL TO REVIEW THOSE CONCEPTS AT THAT JUNCTURE, WE, THE COLLECTIVE, WE, THE COMMUNITY, THE CONSULTANT TEAM TOWN LEADERSHIP, WE'LL BE REFINING OUR POSITION IF YOU WILL, FOR THEM, UH, TO, UH, TO DEAL WITH DOD MOVING FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, SORRY TO TAKE.
MOST OF BRIAN'S DIRECTION IS COMING FROM THE TWO FAMILIES, NOT US.
UM, CAN YOU LOOK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF PUTTING A ROAD WIRE INTO THE STOIC BY THE STREET? YES, I CAN.
UM, AS, AS SOME OF, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE, THE STEWARDS KNOW FULL WELL THAT THEY'VE GOT, THEY'VE GOT DRIVEWAYS DIRECTLY ON TO 2 78.
UH, RIGHT NOW THEY'VE GOT FOUR LANES IN THEIR FRONT YARD.
THEY'RE ABOUT HAVE SIX LANES IN THEIR FRONT YARD WITH A MEDIAN, AND HOW DO WE MOVE THEM AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND THEIR VISITORS SAFELY INTO AND OUT OF THEIR HOME SITES.
UH, RIGHT NOW THIS SUGGESTS THAT, UH, THOSE DRIVEWAYS CONTINUE TO COME OUT ONTO 2 78, BUT THERE'S A MEDIAN.
SO THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO GO.
SO THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US GOING BACK TO A PLAN VIEW THAT, OF COURSE I DON'T HAVE A, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BAGGAGE OF THOSE HOME SITES.
UH, AND THAT IS TO ACCESS THE STEWARD FOLKS OFF OF SQUIRE POPE, AND MAYBE EXTEND CHAMBERLAIN TO SPANISH WELLS THROUGH SOME, UH, TOWN OWNED GROUND, AND THEN HAVE, UH, DARE I SAY, A BACKAGE ROAD CONNECTION TO THOSE HOME SITES SO THEY CAN STAY THERE.
THEIR FRONT YARDS CAN BE LANDSCAPED TO GIVE SOME SEPARATION FROM THE, UH, FROM THE PARKWAY YET THEY DON'T HAVE TO NAVIGATE THOSE CURB CUTS DIRECTLY OUT TO 2 78.
THAT'S WHERE WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH, UH, WITH THE STUART FOLKS AND OTHERS IN STONEY.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR.
THAT'S OF CONCERN TO ALL OF US, FOR SURE, NOT JUST ACCOMMODATING THEIR HOMES, BUT HOW CAN WE LEAVE THEM BETTER THAN THEY WERE ALL OUR CONVERSATIONS IN WINE WITH PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND? THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE SPEED.
IF ANYTHING ELSE COMES SECOND, THE SPEED OF THE ROAD THERE AND THE SPEED OF THE ROAD ON THE ISLAND ITSELF, THE WHOLE 2 78 CORRIDOR, WHICH I BELIEVE COMES FROM MOORE'S CREEK TO THE CIRCLE AT SEA PINES.
WE HAVE A RACETRACK HERE AND WHAT A RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE ANYBODY IS CUT THAT SPEED DOWN.
THAT'S GOING TO KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL TURN OFF THE ACCOUNT AND MR. HAM, YOU CAN GO FIRST, SIR.
UM, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY I'M VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE TO SAY, BUT, UH, BRIAN, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING THE TOWN, WORDS AND GRAPHICS THAT SPEAK TO ISSUES THAT WE'VE
[00:35:01]
BEEN TALKING ABOUT.I AS WELL, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK AND YOUR ABILITY TO INSERT YOURSELF INTO THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, I THINK THE COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE THIS MORNING AND PREVIOUSLY IN MEETINGS WE'VE HAD, UH, ARE EVIDENCE OF THAT.
UH, I'M ALSO ANXIOUS TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I TOO, I'M GOING TO USE MY TIME TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'M ANXIOUS TO, UM, TO HEAR FROM THEM ANXIOUS TO HAVE YOU BRIAN HERE FROM THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE ALSO, UH, JUST WANT TO SAY, THANKS AGAIN ALSO, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, YOUR, YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND STAFF HAVE BEEN PLAYING CATCH UP TO A DEGREE.
THAT'S WHY YOU, YOUR LAST SLIDE, THERE SEEMS A LITTLE INCOMPLETE WITH THE INTERSECTION.
SO, UM, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HARD.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU ALONG THE WAY.
I SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR SERIOUS AND DETAILED APPROACH TO THIS.
THE THEME IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO US IS THAT WE ARE BUILDING A PARKWAY AND NOT A HIGHWAY.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY COMING THROUGH THE CENTER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M ALSO VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU ARE REACHING OUT BEYOND THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE HIGHWAY, IF YOU WILL, OR THE PARKWAY.
UH, AND YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
THIS IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON ALL OF US.
I'M GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW THIS PROJECT DEVELOPS FROM JENKINS ISLAND FORWARD, WHICH IS WHERE OUR PRIMARY INTEREST IS.
I'M PLEASED THAT YOU'VE HAD DETAILED, UH, INTERACTION AND DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, STONY COMMUNITY WITH THE STEWART FAMILIES.
AND I DON'T NEED TO GET INVOLVED INTO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.
THAT BEING SAID, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF A TRAFFIC LIFE AT WINDMILL HARBOR.
IT SEEMS TO ME COMING OFF OF THAT BRIDGE AND SUDDENLY HAVING TO STOP MAKES NO SENSE IN TERMS OF MOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC, BUT I'M NO TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND OUR LIE ON YOUR EXPERTISE AND THE GUIDANCE OF OTHERS DEALING WITH THAT AS A RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD PLANTATION, I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF NO LEFT TURNS, UH, EASTBOUND ON THE HIGHWAY.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO DEAL WITH THIS.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A CONCEPT PUT FORWARD OF CREATING SOME PARALLEL ACCESS ROADS.
I'LL BE INTERESTED IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND EXPERTISE ON THAT AS WELL.
YOU HAVE MOVED THE EXTENT OF THE PROJECT, FARTHER TO THE EAST, FROM WHERE DOD HAS DRAWN THE LINE.
IT IS VITAL THAT WE HAVE, UH, A PROPER ACCESS TO THE CROSS ISLAND.
UM, PARTICULARLY NOW THAT IT WILL BE TOLL FREE.
UM, THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT TO ALL OF US HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK FOR ALL OF US TO DO.
I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY, THIS IS THE BIGGEST DECISION THIS TOWN COUNCIL OR ANY TOWN COUNCIL WILL PROBABLY EVER HAVE TO MAKE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS ISLAND.
SO WE ARE RELYING ON YOUR EXPERTISE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SHARING THAT WITH US.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE, NOT ONLY TO US, BUT TO THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE OBVIOUSLY A KEEN INTEREST IN KNOWING THE DETAILS OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A LITTLE BIT BEHIND THE SCENES WITHOUT YOU.
THE COLLABORATION THAT'S BEGUN AND THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION THAT I ANTICIPATE STD OT PARTICIPATING IN IS THE KEY TO MAKING A YES VOTE COME FROM MY SEAT.
SO, UM, I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, BRIAN, UH, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
UH, I'M DELIGHTED TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE FORGED, UH, A DIALOGUE, A VERY POSITIVE DIALOGUE WITH THE STATE.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, AND I THINK THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE PLATFORM TO BE RECOGNIZED.
UH, I BELIEVE, UH, YOUR IDEAS IN THE DIRECTIONS THAT YOU'RE ALLUDING TO ARE ENHANCERS AND I HOPE, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO MEET WITH
[00:40:01]
THE OT TOWARD THAT FINAL SOLUTION, UH, THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN.AND, UM, MOVING IN A DIRECTION THAT I THINK IS AN IMPROVEMENT ON WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY DONE.
SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS TODAY.
THE MOST IMPORTANT IS WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
ALL RIGHT, BRIAN, YOU'RE READY.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY'LL BE ALL THE THREE MINUTES OR LESS.
UM, I'D LIKE THE CONVERSATION TO REVOLVE AROUND BRIAN'S CONVERSATIONS MORNING AND BRIAN'S, UM, PRESENTATION TO US, NOT OUR OWN PLANS OR OUR OWN THINGS, OR OUR OWN FEELINGS WITH DLT.
THIS IS ABOUT BRIAN'S PRESENTATION TODAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO HEAR IN FURTHERING ON OUR DELIBERATION AS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL START WITH THEM, RIGHT? BAGEL.
YOU'RE NOT GOING THE WAY BRIAN.
WELL, THANK YOU, FRANK PAYABLE FOR THE RECORD.
UH, I THINK THESE FOLKS THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB, I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE PARKWAY.
I LOVE THE IDEA THAT THEY'VE TAKEN THE 10 FOOT SEPARATED FACILITY ON THE BRIDGE AND WIDENED IT SIGNIFICANTLY.
THEY PUT PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, PLACED PUBLIC, JUST SIT AND LOOK AT THE BEAUTY OF THAT VIEW BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE VERY POPULAR.
I REALLY LIKED WHAT THEY'D DONE WITH THE PARKWAY WHERE THEY'VE SEPARATED AND TAKEN A HIGHWAY.
AND INSTEAD OF STICKING TO, UH, SIDEWALKS OR MULTI-USE PATHWAYS RIGHT NEXT TO A HIGHWAY, UH, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO GO DOWN THERE SOMETIME AT ABOUT FIVE O'CLOCK AND STAND THERE AND SEE WHAT THE EXPERIENCE TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND WOULD BE LIKE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME FROM MAINE TO THAT EAST COAST, GREENWAY TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, A GOLD BIKE, FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, AND EXPERIENCED THAT NOISE AND THAT FEAR OF BEING SO CLOSE TO ALL THAT TRAFFIC.
SO MOVING THE ONE MULTI-USE PATHWAY BY THE EASEMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, THAT IS WHERE OUR TOURISTS WILL COME.
THAT'S WHERE THEY'LL GO TO PINCKNEY ISLAND.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'LL SEE THAT WONDERFUL CEMETERY AND EXPERIENCED SOME OF THOSE WONDERFUL VIEWS AND ACTUALLY THE OTHER PATHWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE, ISN'T NECESSARY IF THE OTHER ONE HAS DONE WELL, BECAUSE WE CAN ROUTE EVERYBODY TO ONE PATHWAY ON ONE SIDE, WHICH TYPICALLY IS WHAT HAPPENS IN PLACES.
SO LATER ON, I'LL BE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW IT CHOKES DOWN AT THE CAUSEWAY.
AND SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE MULTI-USE PATHWAY BEEF, AT LEAST 14 FEET, IT'S A TRAIL THAT IT GOES BY THE EASEMENT, AND THEN IT GOES OVER THE MARSH WITH A BOARDWALK AND THEN CUTS INTO THE STONY AREA.
I THINK THAT'D BE A WONDERFUL ENTRANCE TO HILTON THAT ISLAND, BUT I THINK THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY ALSO AT HOG ISLAND HAVE THE UNDERPASS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, THEY GO UNDERNEATH TO THAT TRAIL, WHICH IS WE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE, UH, OF THE PARKWAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EXPLAINED THAT CORRECTLY.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AT SPANISH WELLS.
THAT INTERSECTION IS, IS AN EXPERIENCED ACROSS, I THINK WE KNOW, AND THE IDEA OF HAVING CROSSWALKS ANYWHERE ALONG THERE, AND ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY A CROSSWALK IN FRONT OF WINDMILL HARBOR JUST BLOWS MY MIND.
I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE OUR FAMILY WHO'VE BEEN IN PINCKNEY ISLAND TRYING TO GET ACROSS THAT EXPRESSWAY.
SO THEY'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CALLING ON ME WITHOUT HAVING GIVEN IT MUCH THOUGHT.
I AM A FAMILIAR WITH THIS KIND OF A WORK IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.
DEFINITELY LIKE THE IDEA OF A PARKWAY PARKWAY TO ME ALSO HAS A TINGE OF LIMITED ACCESS.
UM, I THINK SAFETY, UH, NEEDS TO BE CONCERNED A LITTLE BIT MORE IN OUR, UH, OUR WORK HERE.
I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE COMPLEX INTERSECTIONS WINDMILL HARBOR IS, AS FRANK SAID, COMING
[00:45:01]
OFF A HIGHWAY, UM, OBVIOUSLY, AND I'VE EXPRESSED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.I THINK THE HIGHWAY DESIGN CATERS TO THE FIVE TO 10 OR FIVE TO 15% OF LOCAL TRAFFIC WHEN 85% OF THE TRAFFIC IS ACTUALLY NOT STOPPING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I ALWAYS QUESTIONED WHY WE'RE PUTTING THE COMPLEX INTERSECTIONS UNSAFE INTERSECTIONS IN PLACE WHEN THE MAIN TRAFFIC MOVEMENT, 85% OF THE PEOPLE MOVE FROM THE MOSS CREEK TO THE CROSS ISLAND.
BUT WE DO TO HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE THE 5% THAT IS ACTUALLY CROSSING THE HIGHWAY.
THE OTHER 10% IS LEAVING ON AND OFF THE HIGHWAY.
SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE THOUGHT THAT I'VE HAD THAT PERHAPS THIS PARKWAY AND I LIKE THAT TERM CORRIDOR PARKWAY GATEWAY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE FANTASTIC.
UM, PERHAPS THIS IS THE FINAL STAGE OF THE CROSS ISLAND BY FINAL STAGE.
I MEAN, IT CONNECTS THE CROSS ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND.
AND SO AS YOU LEAVE THE TOLL BOOTH AND YOU GO BY, UH, UP TO, UH, 2 78, YOU HAVE, UH, INDIGO RUN ON THE RIGHT BEHIND ALL THOSE TREES.
IF YOU CAN JUST ENVISION THAT FINAL STAGE, THE CROSS ISLAND TAKING YOU ALL THE WAY TO MOSS CREEK.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AND REALLY QUESTIONED THE NEED FOR INTERSECTIONS AND MAYBE AN OVERPASS, UH, WOULD BE A WAY TO GO FOR THEM, SMALL AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, THE 5% THAT NEEDS TO ACTUALLY CROSS, UH, THAT MAIN HIGHWAY.
THANK YOU, MR. BEAR COMMENTS, SIR.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK NEXT? YES, PLEASE.
AND I'M LOCAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
MOST OF YOU KNOW ME, UH, AND I'M, UH, I'M A FELLOW FELLOW.
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT CONNECTION THIS, THE FIRST TIME WE MET, UM, JUST COUPLE OF COMMENTS, ONE, UH, CONGRATULATE BRIAN AND HIS TEAM ON THIS EXCELLENT START TO A DIFFICULT PROJECT.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS LISTENING TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY STONEY COMMUNITY THAT'S DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THESE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS, BUT ALSO WE KNOW AS THE COMMUNITY, AS A WHOLE, THIS, UH, THIS IMPACTED, UM, THERE ARE, AND ALSO GLAD THAT HE'S LISTENING TO INPUT THAT LOCAL, UH, PLANNERS AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, GAPED THE TOWN AT THE TOWN'S BEHEST AND A SPECIAL WORKSHOP THAT SOME OF YOU MAY MIGHT BE AWARE OF.
AND THE REPORTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT, I THINK THOSE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU.
AND I CAN SEE THAT SOME OF THAT THOUGHT IS GOING INTO YOUR, INTO YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS, ESPECIALLY, UH, I NOTE SOME OF THE ERRORS ON TODAY'S, UH, PRESENTATION, AND, UH, I KNOW WHERE THOSE ARE AT THE LEAD TO, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE RE, SHOULD BE REVEALED LATER, UM, DEMONSTRATES THAT, UH, SOME OF THEM LISTENING TO THAT, I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT, UH, MKS KS SCOPE IS MORE THAN WHAT MOST PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRMS ARE GIVEN IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, WHICH IS REALLY TO, UH, ADD SOME PUBLIC ART, DO SOME PLANTING, TO PUT LIPSTICK ON PIG AND NOT SAY THIS AS A PIG, BUT I THINK THE SCOPE TAKES A MORE HOLISTIC VIEW OF THIS, UH, OF THIS PROJECT AND ALLOWS, UH, ALLOWS YOU TO BE MORE THAN JUST PLANTING PLANTS.
I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE YOU, EVERYONE SEEN ALREADY THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT SOMEWHAT HAND HAM-FISTED APPROACH TO THESE INTERSECTIONS.
I MEAN, UH, WE'VE GOT TO GET RID OF JUG HANDLES AND NEW TURNS AND REALLY THE CRUX OF THIS PROBLEM IS, IS TRAFFIC FLOW.
CERTAINLY WE CAN DO THINGS TO IMPROVE THE AESTHETIC SUB GOING TO AND APPROVE THE UTILITY OF IT'S MULTIMODAL IN TERMS OF THE, HOW WE HANDLE BIKEWAYS AND PATHWAYS.
BUT MAN, THERE'S SOME REAL CIRCULATION ISSUES OF THIS WITH THE PROPOSALS FROM THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET INTO THOSE AND PERHAPS HAVE SOME INFLUENCE OVER THERE.
I THINK I'VE GOT 13, 14 SECONDS.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK NEXT RECENT
[00:50:03]
I'M RISA PRINCE FOR THE RECORD? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR OPENING THIS UP TO THE PUBLIC AND, UM, PRESENTING THE STATUS AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW.UM, I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU CHARGING MKS K WITH DEVELOPING A SOLUTION BASED ON ALL THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
UH, YOU ADOPTED THOSE AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE, UH, ENSURE THAT WHATEVER SOLUTION WE COME UP WITH REALLY ADDRESSES ALL THREE OF THOSE, THOSE POINTS, NOT JUST THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION TRAFFIC MOVEMENT ISSUE.
UM, I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CREATE A DESIGN WITH A TIME CONSTRAINT.
UH, SO I, WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS AS MKS K CONTINUES AT WORK IT'S WORK, WE DON'T RESTRICT THEM ARTIFICIALLY WITH A, AN END DATE.
SO WHILE THE D O T PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDS BY THEIR LEGAL CONSTRAINTS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT MKS K BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE ITS WORK AND REALLY DRIVE TO THE RIGHT RIGHT SOLUTION OR THE BEST SOLUTION FOR US.
UM, THERE'S ONE POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO ADD IN THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED TODAY, AND THAT IS, UH, THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE ARE ASSUMING THAT THE TRAFFIC VOLUME FORECAST THAT D O T CREATED IS THE BASIS FOR THIS DESIGN WORK.
YET THERE IS A MOVE WITHIN THE PUBLIC AND, UM, THAT YOU HAVE STARTED TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LONG RANGE PLANNING FOR THE ISLAND AND WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE HERE.
ARE WE GOING TO DEVELOP THIS PROJECT TO ACCOMMODATE FUTURE DAY TRIPPERS FOR WHOM WE HAVE NO PARKING ON THIS ISLAND? ARE WE BUILDING THIS TO ACCOMMODATE OUR WORKFORCE WHO HAVE HORRIFIC TRAFFIC, UM, COMMUTING ISSUES IN THE MORNING, OR ARE WE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE THIS AN ISLAND CENTERED PROJECT THAT DETERMINES OUR FUTURE, UM, I'M IN THE LATTER CAMP AND BELIEVE THAT WITHOUT GOING BACK AND REALLY LOOKING AT THE BASIC, WHAT DO WE WANT THE CAPACITY OF THIS ISLAND TO BE, UM, AND USING THAT AS A, AS A REFERENCE POINT, NOT ONLY FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, LAND DEVELOPMENT IDEAS, UH, WE WILL HAVE MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL OUR DESTINY.
SO I'D URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT AND ADDING THAT ELEMENT INTO THIS DESIGN WORK.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS ALICE STEWART AND I LIVE ON STONEY, UM, WITH MY MOTHER.
UM, I THINK THE PLAN THAT BRIAN PRESENTED IS A VERY GOOD ONE WITHOUT THE INCREASE OF THE LANES.
UM, I THINK TO THE AESTHETICS ARE AS THE GATEWAY TO HILTON HEAD.
AND SO, UM, IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT PART OF THE PLAN CONTINUES.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE'S ONE WAY ON, AND ONE WAY OFF OF THIS ISLAND, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTMENT.
UM, IN ANOTHER WAY, WHEN THERE ARE STORMS, WHEN THERE ARE EMERGENCIES, WHEN PEOPLE IN DROVES HAVE TO GET OFF OF THIS ISLAND, UM, THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON GETTING OFF QUICKLY, OR AT LEAST FASTER THAN IT HAPPENS NOW, BECAUSE IT'S AT A SNAIL PACE, A SNAIL'S PACE WHEN THEY'RE GETTING OFF THE ISLAND.
AND I REALLY FEEL THAT THE MONEY THAT'S BEING INVESTED IN GETTING, UH, MORE PEOPLE ON THIS ISLAND, THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE INVESTED IN FINDING A WAY FOR THE FLOW TO BE BETTER AND IN MORE THAN, UM, JUST ONE WAY ON, BECAUSE IT'S A DANGER.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT I WANT TO VOICE MY OPINION THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE STRONG CONSIDERATION AND NOT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF LANES, BUT FINDING AN ADDITIONAL WAY TO, UH, COMMUTE HERE OUTSIDE OF 2 78.
[00:55:01]
THANK YOU.UM, FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, BRIAN FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS, THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TOWN TO THE TOWNS, PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME UP HERE AND REMIND YOU OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I'VE LOST COUNT.
I STOOD HERE AND I SAID THAT, UM, THIS PROJECT WAS COMING, THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN NEEDED TO PAY ATTENTION TO, AND IT NEEDED TO FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR THAT THE PROJECT WAS GOING TO AFFECT.
UM, WHEN I CAME HERE THREE YEARS AGO, I POINTED TO ALL OF THE GALA PICTURES THAT ARE AROUND THE ROOM.
AND I ASKED YOU TO REMEMBER THE COMMUNITY AND I AM, I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE REMEMBERING THE COMMUNITY, THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING TO THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE HEARING THE COMMUNITY.
I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WHAT I ALSO WANT TO REMIND YOU IS THAT STONEY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD AND STONEY WAS A STRONG COMMERCIAL AREA.
AND SO DETAINED SUSTAINABILITY AND THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SHOULD ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON WITHIN THIS PROJECT.
SO THAT STONEY AS THE COMMUNITY, THAT IT IS, AND THAT IT WAS, IS STILL REPRESENTED, IS STILL REPRESENTED AND IS PROTECTED.
AND SO WITH THOSE REMINDERS, UM, AGAIN, I APPLAUD YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS GAIL QUIFF AND I WAS THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE TOWN COUNCILS PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO SERVED AS VICE CHAIR OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE COMMITTEE FOR FOUR YEARS.
MY CONCERN HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND THAT CONCERN IS THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS A BARRIER ISLAND.
IF IT DID NOT HAVE THE NAME OF HILTON HEAD ON IT, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A BARRIER ISLAND OFF THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND THIS REPORT AND THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HEARD SO FAR HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THAT IT NEEDS TO BE NUMBER ONE, A BARRIER ISLAND WHOSE ECOSYSTEM IS FRAGILE, WHOSE CURRENT STATUS AND HIGHWAYS AND WATERWAYS HAS NOT BEEN KEPT.
I'LL HAVE MORE TO SAY ON THAT LATER, BUT I THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO TALK, SPEAK OH, YES, SIR.
HI, MY NAME IS GRACE SMITH AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING ME ADDRESS YOU AND, UH, BRIAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I COULDN'T RESIST NOTICING THAT ON BRIAN'S INITIAL PARKWAY, PICTURES, ALL THE PARKWAYS SAID TWO LANES GOING IN EACH WAY.
UH, MY CONCERN HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS OF THE INITIAL IMPACT AND AESTHETICS OF THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF COMING ON TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND, UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL CONSIDERATION, BE GIVEN TO KEEPING THOSE, UH, TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION.
UM, AND I'VE GOT TWO THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, I BELIEVE THAT STD OT STARTED WITH THE CONCLUSION.
THEY WANT THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION, AND THEN THEY WORK THE PROJECT BACKWARDS FROM THAT CONCLUSION.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY THE CASE.
I TRAVERSE, UH, HILTON HEAD TO BLUFFTON FREQUENTLY.
I'VE DONE IT FREQUENTLY AT, UM, THE AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR AND, AND ALSO COMING ONTO THE ISLAND AND TOLD US AS SOON AS YOU HEADING WESTBOUND, AS SOON AS YOU GET PAST A SQUARE POPE ROAD, EVERYTHING OPENS UP AND IT DOESN'T, UM, CONGEST AGAIN UNTIL YOU REACH THE LIGHTS, UM, IN BLUFFTON.
SO, UH, MY, UH, MY, AND THAT'S BEEN CONSISTENT AND IT'S USUALLY LIKE 4 30, 7, 5 O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, PEAK, PEAK TRAFFIC TIMES.
SO I WOULD ASK, UH, BRIAN'S GROUP AND TOWN COUNCIL, UM, TOWN MANAGER, UM, JUST CONSIDER WHETHER THAT BEAUTIFUL TO MY TWO MILE STRETCH COMING ONTO OUR ISLAND OR LEAVING OUR ISLAND REALLY, REALLY NEEDS
[01:00:02]
TO BE, UH, TRANSFORMED INTO THREE LANES OF THE, AND THE OTHER, UM, THING THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS SAFETY.UM, WHEN I SAW THAT PLAN AT THE TOWN COUNCIL, A WORKSHOP FOR ALL OF THESE MULTIPLE, UH, YOU TURNS ACROSS THREE LANES, I'M THINKING ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE, TOURISTS TRYING TO GET TO A SKULL CREEK BOAT HOUSE AND NEEDING TO TRAVERSE THREE LANES.
AND I'M NOT SURE NECESSARILY THAT THERE'LL BE A LIGHT FOR THEM TO, TO MAKE THE U-TURN.
THEY COULD BE YOU TURNING IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
AND TO ME, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DO THAT AT TWILIGHT, GO INTO DINNER, UM, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK ON TO THE RESTAURANTS AS SQUARE POPE, IT JUST, IT'S VERY SCARY TO ME.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO BE VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE, UH, AND I AGREE WITH YOU AND, UH, WITH DARREN, UM, THAT THIS U-TURN THING COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY DISASTER, AND I'LL BE ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT YOUR, UH, COUNTER PROPOSALS ARE.
UH, MY NAME IS MAURICE CAMPBELL.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE TOWN MANAGER, THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO TRY AND INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY INPUT IN THIS PROJECT.
AND BRIAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR START AND YOUR CONCEPTUAL, UM, DRAWING OR YOUR CONCEPTUAL IDEAS AS TO WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HELP, UM, ALLEVIATE AND HELP MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON THE FAMILIES.
I KNOW THE STORE FAMILY HAS BEEN BASICALLY THE FOCUS OF A LOT OF, UH, UH, OF YOUR ATTENTION, BUT THERE ARE OTHER FAMILIES, UH, WHO ON PROPERTIES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED AND THEY'RE CONSIDERED AS WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE FAMILIES, UM, MAKE UP THAT MAKE UP THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND NOT ONLY THEY MAKE UP THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEY MAKE UP A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT HILTON HEAD IS ABOUT.
A CONCEPTUAL IDEA IS A GOOD ONE, BUT WE HAVE TO ALSO REALIZE THAT THEY FINGERS REACH MUCH FURTHER THAN JUST THAT LITTLE HAMLET, UM, OR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO KEEP THAT IN CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN OUR PLANNING, THE BUSINESSES, THEY'RE CRAZY CRAB, OF COURSE, IT'S THERE IN SOME OTHER, THERE ARE SOME OTHER BUSINESSES THERE THAT, UH, ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR ENVIRONMENT AND VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR LIVELIHOOD ON HILTON HEAD FOR MANY FAMILIES.
SO, UH, INCLUDE THOSE BUSINESSES.
BE IT BE THEM CRAZIEST CRAB, OR BE, UH, JUST A SMALLER LITTLE, UM, UM, BOUTIQUE SHOP THAT IS AT THE FRINGE OF BUILDING.
THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TO THOSE FAMILIES.
THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, WE LOOKED AT DOING THE PRESENTATION THAT I THOUGHT, UH, WE SORT OF GLOSSED OVER AND THAT'S THE USE OF THE POWER EASEMENT.
YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT SHY AWAY FROM THAT.
THAT POWER EASEMENT COVERS A LOT OF PROPERTY.
BRIAN ALLUDED TO SHIFTING, UH, MAYBE, UH, SOME OF THE BIKE PATHS OR ET CETERA OVER TO IT, BUT THAT PROG, I MEAN THAT, THAT POWER EASEMENT IS VERY VALUABLE PROPERTY AND IT CAN BE INCORPORATED TO, UM, HAVE, UM, ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE OF THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE IN THE MOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC.
SO S C DOT, UH, IS NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, BUT, UM, PLEASE ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, THAT AGAIN AND USING IT FOR MAYBE NOT THE MAN, UH, THOROUGHFARE, BUT FOR SOME ANCILLARY SUPPORT ROADS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR POINTS WITH YOU.
GOOD MORNING, PATSY BRYSON FOR THE RECORD, REPRESENTING MYSELF.
FIRST OF ALL, AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THANKS TO M K S K FOR THEIR WORK AND MOST ESPECIALLY THANKS TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR HIRING A LAND USE PLANNER FOR THIS EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT PROJECT.
UM, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH, UH, I HARDLY ENDORSE THE PARKWAY CONCEPT, NO HIGHWAY, NO EXPRESSWAY.
AND I'M GOING TO SAY NO SIX LANES
[01:05:01]
BECAUSE THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE BY MS. M K S K.AND THEY'VE SPOKEN ABOUT ADDITIONAL DESIGN WORK TO DESIGN THIS PARKWAY, AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE INTERSECTIONS.
ALSO LOOKING AT THE IMPACT ON THE FEEDER ROADS AND THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ALSO MAYBE A BETTER BRIDGE DESIGN FROM JERSEY BARRIERS, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE COMPANY THAT CAME IN WITH STD OT AND PUT NICE FACADES ON IT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A BETTER STRUCTURAL DESIGN.
UM, THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO LOOK AT, UH, AN A PREVIOUS SIGNAL SYSTEM.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS THAT THERE IS SOME IMPACT OF THE SIGNAL AT MOSS CREEK AND MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM.
SO LET'S NOT JUST STOP THERE, BUT LOOK AT THE FULL SED CORRIDOR OF SIGNALIZATION.
WHEN WE DO THAT TO SEE IF THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC IS MADE SLOW DOWN AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE CAPACITY QUESTION AS MY COLLEAGUE RISA PRINCE HAS MENTIONED, AND, AND TOWN COUNCIL HAS MENTIONED, WHAT CAPACITY DO WE WANT IN THIS ISLAND? SO THERE IS MUCH MORE WORK TO BE DONE BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING OF SED OT.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK NOW M K S K URGE THAT THIS PUBLIC HEARING OF JULY 22ND BE PUT OFF UNTIL THEIR WORK CAN BE COMPLETED BECAUSE THE FUTURE OF THIS ISLAND IS AT STAKE AND WE DON'T NEED TO BE RUSHED.
WE CAN STOP THIS TRAIN AND WE CAN STOP IT NOW.
AND YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT.
LET THIS WORK CONTINUE, LET THE COMMUNITY INPUT CONTINUE SO THAT WE HAVE THE VERY BEST PROJECT FOR OUR FUTURE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, MA'AM.
MY NAME IS JESSE WHITE AND I'M WITH THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE.
I JUST WANTED TO OFFER, UM, MY SUPPORT TO ALL OF YOU.
IT'S SO REFRESHING TO HEAR, UM, M K S K TALK IN TERMS LOOKING HOLISTICALLY AT THE LARGER COMMUNITY AND REALLY TAKING WHAT'S CLEARLY A COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH, AND IT'S BEEN SO NECESSARY.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE THEY GO.
AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, UM, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED ALREADY TODAY TIME, UM, ALLOWING THEM TIME TO CONTINUE WHAT IS VERY CLEARLY GOOD AND NECESSARY WORK THAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN A REALLY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
UM, BUT THEY REALLY NEED THAT EXTRA TIME TO GET IT OVER THE EDGE.
AND, UM, I WAS ALSO VERY ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THEM TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE RESIDENTS ON THE ISLAND AND NOT ONLY MAINTAINING IT, BUT IMPROVING IT, THAT THAT KIND OF, UM, COMMUNITY DRIVEN APPROACH IS SUCH A WAVE OF FRESH AIR THAT IS NECESSARY IN THIS PROJECT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT IT IS IN FACT, LEAVING THE COMMUNITY BETTER OFF AND, AND NOT JUST, UM, RUBBER STAMPING, UM, DATA THAT'S PUSHED DOWN FROM OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO ENGAGE ON THIS PROJECT AND SEEING WHAT ELSE MKS K IS ABLE TO COME UP WITH.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HOLDING THIS MEETING AND TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY DIRECTLY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK GOOD? PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED OR BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL BEFORE WE START HERE IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE CAPACITY STUDY HAS TO BE DONE NOW, UH, MIGHT NOT BE FINISHED IN TIME, BUT THE CAPACITY NUMBERS ARE WRONG THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE RESIDENTS THAT STUDY HERE AND YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT JUST A TOURIST.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN WATERVILLE, BLUFFTON, YOU HAVE TO START ADDING THAT NUMBER TOGETHER BECAUSE FOR EVERY HOUSE YOU BUILD OUT THERE WITH NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE IN IT.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THEIR BEACHES, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THEY BELIEVE WHEN THEY GET THE BROCHURE FOR BUYING THAT PROPERTY THAT THEY DO HAVE TO BE.
I BELIEVE THAT'S 10 TO 12,000 MORE CALLS A DAY CROSSING THAT BRIDGE.
SO THE NUMBERS WE TALK ABOUT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE NUMBERS AT D O T AND THE TOWN HAS TALKED ABOUT BEFORE THE NUMBERS THERE, A 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING UNTIL FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.
THEY'RE NOT ON NINE TO SEVEN, SEVEN TO NINE IN THE MORNING.
PEOPLE LEAVE LATER TO GO TO THE BEACH.
THEY GO HOME EARLIER, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CALLS GOING ACROSS THAT BRIDGE.
AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT THEY COULD PASS THE VOLUME ON THAT.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE PARKING AND TRAFFIC ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE MAIN PART OF THE ISLAND.
IT'S, IT'S A VERY, VERY LARGE ISSUE.
AND I DON'T TAKE IT VERY LIGHTLY WITH THAT.
[01:10:01]
I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE WELL-THOUGHT, UH, COMMENTS, UH, FROM MY FRIENDS HERE IN, IN THE PUBLIC, UH, THAT IS, IS VITAL TO US TO HAVE THE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.UH, I, LISTEN, I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES LISTEN AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROJECT FROM THE BEGINNING IN TERMS OF THE GROWTH STUDY, THE GROWTH OF TRAFFIC ON THIS ISLAND IS NOT SO MUCH BASED UPON TRAFFIC ON THE ISLAND, BUT RATHER IN THE REGION, OF COURSE, THERE'S A MAJOR INCREASE IN TRAFFIC IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE OF AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC.
UH, WHEN HARTVILLE DEVELOPS MORE, I SEE THIS COMMUNITY AS VERY CLOSE TO BUILD OUT.
WE'LL BE DOING SOME REPLACEMENTS.
OF COURSE, WE'LL BE DOING UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS QUESTIONED THESE GROWTH PROJECTIONS THAT LED TO THIS PROJECT, BEING THE SCOPE THAT IT IS, ALL OF THAT IS BEING SAID BY SOMEONE WHO IS NOT AN EXPERT, I WILL RELY OUR EXPERTS AND TAKE THEIR ADVICE AND CONSIDER IT THOROUGHLY AND THOUGHTFULLY.
AND I INVITE CONTINUED COMMENT FROM YOU, MY FRIENDS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MS. BECKER.
UM, YOUR, THE INFORMATION ACTUALLY WAS SO BENEFICIAL TO PUTTING TOGETHER A BROAD PICTURE OF THE THOUGHTS AND THE DESIRES OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO HELP PROVIDE.
AND I THINK THAT CONVERSATION THAT HAS JUST BEGUN, UM, AS MAYOR HAS SAID, OUR CAPACITY STUDY NEEDS TO BEGIN.
NOW IT NEEDED TO BE MONTHS AGO, YEARS AGO, PROBABLY.
NOT ANOTHER DAY SHOULD PASS BEFORE WE BEGIN TO IDENTIFY WHO WE ARE.
MAYBE WE FIND OURSELVES WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHAT WE WANT TO BE WHEN WE GROW UP, WHERE I THINK WE HAVE NOW REACHED.
AND SO THAT CAPACITY STUDY WILL ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR A SAW.
AND AS WE SEE THEM, WE'LL IDENTIFY AS MS. QUICK MENTIONED ARE A NECESSITY FOR MAINTAINING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, SENSITIVITIES AND PROTECTION THAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR.
AND I THINK HAS BEEN PART OF OUR OWN HILTON HEAD DNA SINCE THE BEGINNING.
WE'LL HAVE THE IDEA THAT WHILE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF HOMES BEING BUILT OUT OFF OF FROM THE ISLAND PAST LEFT AND ET CETERA, AND THEY THINK OF US AS THEIR BEACH, UM, WE ARE THINKING OF OURSELVES AS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY THAT ALSO JUST HAPPENS TO BE A RESORT.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE PROVIDE OUR RESIDENTS WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S KEPT, UM, AS A PRIORITY.
I LOVE THE DIALOGUE COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
YOU KNOW, MY EMAIL ADDRESS OR WHERE TO FIND IT ON THE TOWN WEBSITE, PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIENDS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTINUED MEETINGS.
I AM ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT THE WORK THAT BRIAN AND HIS COMPANY HAS DONE.
M K S A WITH REGARDS TO PULLING THIS TOGETHER IN SUCH A PROFESSIONAL EXPERT, UM, MANNER WITH SUCH AMAZING IDEAS IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
I THINK THAT TIME, UM, AS THEY NEED IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PRESENT WHAT THEY CAN COLLABORATIVELY WORK WITH THE SED OT AND BRING THEM ON BOARD BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO COME ON BOARD WITH US.
AND SO MORE TIME IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT MESH HAPPEN.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S, UM, GOOD ADVICE.
THAT SHOULD BE WELL-CONSIDERED.
SO, ANYWAY, I'VE TALKED ENOUGH, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TRUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY, UH, WE HAVE TO ACT TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF DECISION-MAKING.
I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, AS YOU LOOK AT OUR KEY RESOURCE, UH, WE HAVE MANY ONE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST IS, IS OUR BEACH.
WHAT DOES OUR BEACH DO? IT ATTRACTS AND ATTRACTS AND ATTRACTS LOTS OF PEOPLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND THE 1 72 78 CORRIDOR, UH, WHAT DO YOU SEE? UH, THE, UM, SUN CITY IS EXPANDING
[01:15:01]
A DRIVE OVER THERE SOMEDAY BEHIND THE AUTO MALL AND JUST SEE WHAT'S GOING UP.THOUSANDS OF HOMES ARE GOING UP ACROSS THE STREET FROM ORIGIN.
THOUSANDS OF HOMES ARE GOING UP, UH, TOLL BROTHERS.
REMEMBER THEY PUT INTO MOTHBALLS A DEVELOPMENT, UH, SOME 10 YEARS AGO, UH, ANOTHER 800 HOMES ARE GOING UP AS YOU MOVE CLOSER TO, UM, 95, A LARGE TRACKS OF LAND ARE UNDER CONTRACT.
UH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT, WE'RE AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE, UH, FROM A, UH, A WEATHER STANDPOINT WE'RE ATTRACTIVE.
UH, AND IT ALSO MEANS THAT OUR KEY ASSET, THE BEACH IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER ATTRACTION.
I THINK IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO REALIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT IS A, UH, UH, A STATE-OWNED ASSET, UH, WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE A MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
WE ARE NOT MANAGING THAT ASSET.
IF YOU GO TO A FIVE-STAR RESTAURANT IT'S FREQUENTLY FILLED AND YOU'RE TOLD NICELY, NOPE, PLEASE RESCHEDULE.
WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT WELCOMING ATTITUDE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO MANAGE THE ASSET MUCH BETTER THAN WE ARE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S VERY RELATED TO CAPACITY.
WE CANNOT, WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR ALL OF THESE PEOPLE TO DECIDE TO GO TO THE BEACH ON A NICE SUNNY DAY.
UH, I DON'T HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR THAT.
UH, BUT BEACH MANAGEMENT HAS TO BE A GOAL AND HAS TO BE DONE CAREFULLY RESPECTFULLY, UH, AND IN THE INTEREST OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, TOM IS, IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT CONFLICTING FROM THE BEGINNING BECAUSE S C D L T SHOWED UP AND IN THEIR MISSION AND SPOKE VERY DEFINITIVELY TO INCREASE IN CAPACITY THROUGH THIS PROJECT.
AND HERE I'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND I AGREE THAT THAT IS NOT THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
UM, I DON'T LEAVE OUT ALL OF THE PARADISE THAT OFTEN, BUT I HAD THE PLEASURE TO GO TO ATLANTA THIS WEEKEND.
UH, WHEN MY BROTHER WAS HAVING HIS WEDDING CELEBRATION AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME THAT I'VE GONE TO ATLANTA AND HAD NOT BEEN CONSTRUCTION ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HEART OF THE CITY INCREASING THEIR CAPACITY.
IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE GROWTH OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, IN THE HEART OF IT, HAVING TO REACT TO THAT BY BUILDING MORE AND MORE AND MORE HIGHWAY.
I SHARED THIS WITH, WITH BRIAN AND, UH, COUNCILMAN STANFORD WAS THERE WHEN WE WERE HAVING OUR MEETINGS WITH MKS.
K, HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT THERE AREN'T ANY TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON HILTON HEAD BESIDES THE MAIN CORRIDOR? AND WE MAY HAVE TO PUT A TRAFFIC CIRCLE IN HERE, THERE TO CONTROL TRAFFIC, BUT THERE ARE NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
THERE'S NOT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF SQUIRE, POPE AND GUMTREE ROAD.
THERE'S NOT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THE END OF MARSHLAND ROAD.
I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS INDUCED DEMAND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OFF ISLAND AND HOW WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT ON THIS ISLAND.
WE MAY HAVE NO CHANCE AND STOP IN S C DLTS PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 22ND, BECAUSE THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF IMPROVING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE ON HILTON HEAD.
AND I'M USING THAT WORD IMPROVE LIGHTLY
[01:20:01]
AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT WAS IN OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT TO HEART.UH, SO, UM, I'M NOT ONLY HAPPY THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO HAPPY TO, TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING IN A DIRECTION OF A BETTER SOLUTION USING THE WORD IMPROVE AS A KEY WORD.
UH, SO I KNOW WE'RE NOT THERE YET, AND I REALLY THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR BEING PATIENT ALONG THE WAY, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UH, WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THE FINISH LINE AT ALL.
DESPITE WHAT SE DLT MAY BE COMMUNICATING OKAY.
AND, UM, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD FROM COLLEAGUES THUS FAR THAT WE'RE REALLY TO ROLL OUR SLEEVES UP AND BE DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'VE GOT THE BEST PRODUCT AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UH, SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MR. MAY I JUST ASK THAT WE ALL STAY STEADFAST AND GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE WE IMPROVING THE SITUATION, NOT JUST INCREASING CAPACITY AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THE, UH, THE INCREASING PRESSURE THAT WE HAVE AS AN ISLAND ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, ISN'T REALLY COMING FROM INCREASES IN TOURISM, NOR IS IT COMING FROM SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN POPULATION.
THE INCREASING PRESSURE ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS COMING FROM THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT ON THE MAINLAND.
AND I THINK YOU RECOGNIZE THAT AND YOU HEARD BILL HARKINS TALK ABOUT BEACH MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF BEACH MANAGEMENT.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE WRESTLED WITH, UH, AND ALLOWED TO GO ON ANSWER, IT HAS BEEN WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO WE AS A TOWN HAVE TO THOSE THAT COME IN AND USE OUR BEACH AS THEIR BEACH AND LEAVE THE ISLAND WITH NO ECONOMIC BENEFIT AT ALL, TO THE, UH, WHAT RESPONSIBILITY, IF ANY, DO WE HAVE TO THOSE? I DON'T KNOW, THE ANSWER MIGHT BE NONE, BUT CERTAINLY THEY ARE A SIGNIFICANT ELEMENT OF THE INCREASED TRAFFIC THAT WE HAVE PUTTING PRESSURE TO START WITH ON 2 78.
SO I THINK THE ISSUE OF BEACH MANAGEMENT WILL GO A LONG WAY IN TANDEM WITH WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO DO, UH, WITH THE 2 78 CORRIDOR.
AND LET ME SAY ONE MORE THING.
UH, AS I STARTED THIS PROCESS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, UH, I TRIED TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE FROM WHICH I CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE BASELINE REALLY WAS DRAWN.
AS I THOUGHT ABOUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PROJECTS.
HAVE THEY DONE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THINK BACK 22 OR 23 YEARS AGO INTO THE LATE NINETIES WHEN THE IDEA OF A CROSS ISLAND EXPRESS WAY FIRST CAME FORWARD, THINK ABOUT THE DISCUSSIONS AND THE DISCOURSE AND THE ARGUMENTS AND THE DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS THAT ENTERED INTO THAT FINAL DECISION TO BUILD AND CONSTRUCT THE CROSS ISLAND EXPRESSWAY.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE WOULD BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE ISLAND.
WITHOUT THAT, I THINK THAT WAS A SUCCESS.
THINK BACK TO SIMILAR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FLYOVER.
THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT FELT THE FLYOVER WILL DO NOTHING BUT INCREASE TRAFFIC.
IT DIDN'T THE TRAFFIC COUNTS BEFORE THE FLY OVER AND THE TRAFFIC COUNTS AFTER THE FLY OVER ARE VIRTUALLY THE SAME.
SO MY BASELINE WAS DRAWN WITH THE ASSUMPTION AND THE FACT THAT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS TWO FOR TWO IN SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS ON THE ISLAND ACROSS IRELAND WAS AN ENORMOUS SUCCESS.
AND THE FLYOVER LIKEWISE HAS BEEN A SUCCESS.
AND NOW I'M TO THE POINT AFTER SEEING THE WORK THAT HDR AND MKS K HAS DONE AND SEEING THE INTEREST AND THE COMMITMENT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO GETTING THE BEST POSSIBLE PROJECT BUILT.
I THINK THE COMBINATION OF THOSE ELEMENTS WILL LIKEWISE RESULT IN ANOTHER SUCCESS.
AND, UM, I, I THINK THE INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, IS REALLY, REALLY NECESSARY.
[01:25:02]
UH, ONCE THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE COMES FORWARD, WE HAVE AN ALL NEW OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT.AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL DO IT.
THANK YOU, MS. LEONARD, MR. JAMES, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I I'M ENCOURAGED BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS RECOGNIZING HOW IMPORTANT THE BIG PICTURE IS.
SO OFTEN ROAD DEMAND FOR ROAD CAPACITY IS ATTACHED TO A TEMPORAL ISSUE AND NOT A LAND USE DECISION AND NOT AN LMO ORDINANCE.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS DIOCESE IS TO MAKE CONSISTENT DECISIONS WITH THAT CAPACITY ISSUE IN MIND, NOT THE CAPACITY OF A ROAD, BUT THE CAPACITY OF THE ISLAND.
AND I'M ENCOURAGED THAT THIS TIME COUNCIL IS NOW TALKING ABOUT, UH, CAPACITIES OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE LOST CONTROL BECAUSE OF EXTERNALITIES.
OUR MARKETING IS NO LONGER DONE EXCLUSIVELY BY THE DMO, THE DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION AT THE CHAMBER IT'S BEING DONE BY BRBO.
IT'S BEING DONE BY INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA AND OTHER PLACES.
WE HAVE LOST CONTROL OF OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL OUR BRAND THROUGH THE MARKETING GROWTH OFF ISLAND IN A WAY MEANS THAT WE HAVE LOST CONTROL OF WHAT WE CAN DO ON THIS ISLAND BEACH.
WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF OUR NET OF NATURAL DISASTERS, AND WE HAVEN'T GIVEN ENOUGH THOUGHT TO RESILIENCY.
SO WE HAVE A WHOLE, IF WE ARE A SPHERE, WE HAVE EXTERNALITIES POACHING POKING AT THE SURFACE OF THAT SPEAR A SPHERE.
AND IT'S UP TO US AS A COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF THOSE EXTERNALITIES AND WHAT WE DO ABOUT IT.
NOW, ONE THING THAT IS TROUBLING ME, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE ON COUNCIL IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE DEFINITION OF WHAT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME IS.
WHEN I CAME TO THE ISLAND IN 73, THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE HOUSE PERHAPS WAS IN THE 2000 TO 3000 SQUARE FOOT RANGE WITH AN AVERAGE OF THREE PEOPLE LIVING IN TODAY.
WE HAVE HOUSES THAT ARE UPWARDS OF 8,000 SQUARE FEET WITH 10 BEDROOMS, 20 BEDS.
AND THAT IS NOT A SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL HOME.
THAT IS A COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE.
AND SO WE HAVE LOST CONTROL OF OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AGAIN, IT IS THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY BLEEDING OFF OR SUCKING THE JUICES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND BRAND FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
WE HAVE LOST OUR CONTROL IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS BEGGING FOR TODAY IS FOR THIS TOWN COUNCIL AND THIS STAFF UNDERSTAND THE EXTERNALITIES OF WHAT'S PRESSURING US FROM THE OUTSIDE AND RESPOND TO IT IN A WAY THAT WE FEEL AS WE ARE ACTUALLY IN CONTROL OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO? WE CAN PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WE MUST, WE CAN PLAN FOR OUR DESIRED FUTURE.
AND WE MUST, AND WE CAN INVEST IN QUALITY.
SO WE ARE ATTRACTING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMUNITY IN THE SAME WAY, BUT IT IS UP TO US ON THE DIOCESE TO ADD HERE TO OUR COMMUNITY VALUES IN THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.
I THANK THE COUNCIL FOR ITS PARTICIPATION.
WE HAVE A LOT MORE OF THESE MEETINGS TO GO AND KEEP YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERS COMING TO US.
AND I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN, SO MOVED ALL IN FAVOR.
[01:30:01]
YOU.