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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
[Items 1 - 3]
CAN YOU STAND AND JOIN ME THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLAYED[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – July 8, 2021]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF JULY 8TH.ANY COMMENTS? CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS.
IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES THAT WILL IMPROVE SECONDS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THE AGENDA? YEAH.AT THIS TIME, UM, ELLEN JANE, ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS? NOT PERTAINING, NOT PERTAINING TO ISSUES ON THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO THE ITEMS IN THE AGENDA? YEAH.
UM, DO YOU HAVE AN ITEM THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT? THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[7. TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE (CDC): SECTION 3.1.60 (CONSOLIDATED USE TABLE) AND SECTION 4.1.190 (RECREATION FACILITY: CAMPGROUNDS) TO REVISE THE CAMPGROUND STANDARDS]
TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE, SECTION THREE, DOT ONE SIX.OH, CONSOLIDATE YOU STABLE IN SECTION 4, 1 1 9 OH, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, CAMPGROUND FOODS.
UM, THAT'S THE FIRST ITEM UP, ROB.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER, THIS WAS AN ITEM ON OUR JULY MEET, UH, JULY 8TH AGENDA THAT WE TOOK UP, AND THESE ARE A LIST OF, UH, AMENDMENTS TO OUR CAMPGROUND STANDARDS.
AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD PREPARED A LIST OF AMENDMENTS.
AND THE QUESTION WAS RAISED BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE OPTION OF, YOU KNOW, COULD THERE BE A SMALLER RURAL CAMPGROUND THAT ALLOWS RVS, BUT IS LIMITED EITHER THROUGH DENSITY OR SOMETHING SO THAT, YOU KNOW, ALLOW IT TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING RURAL AREAS.
AND THAT VERY QUESTION THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DIRECTED STAFF TO KIND OF LOOK INTO THAT WHOLE ISSUE.
UM, PRIMARILY IT HAD TO DO WITH, UM, THE AVAILABLE AVAILABILITY OF SEWER WATER, BECAUSE THE WAY OUR CAMPGROUND STANDARDS ARE CURRENTLY WRITTEN, THE ONLY CAMPGROUNDS THAT THE ONLY CAMPGROUND THAT COULD BE OFF OF SEWER AND WATER, UM, ON, ON LOT SEPTIC SYSTEM IS THE PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND, WHICH RESTRICTS, YOU KNOW, THE LENGTH OF RVS.
AND SO THE QUESTION WAS RAISED, COULD THERE BE AN OPTION FOR AN RV PARK? UH, OKAY.
CAN WE HAVE THAT DOOR CLOSED, PLEASE? WE'RE HEARING COMMENTARY AND FROM THE HALLWAY AND IT'S KIND OF INTERRUPTING.
SO THAT VERY QUESTION, I THINK REALLY CAUSED US TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THESE, UH, AT THE CAMPGROUND STANDARDS.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY HAD BEEN BOTHERING ME SINCE WE ENACTED THEM, IS THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRIMITIVE AND THE SEMI DEVELOPED.
AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HAS TO DO WITH THE LENGTH OF THE RVS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF A PARTICULAR CAMPGROUND ON A SURROUNDING RURAL AREA OR A DEVELOPED AREA, UM, THE LENGTH OF THE CAMPER UNITS IS, IS ONLY ONE ASPECT.
TH THE MUCH GREATER ASPECTS WOULD HAVE TO DO WITH THINGS LIKE BUFFERS OR LIMITATIONS IN SIZE.
AND SO WE TOOK ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS, AND BASICALLY, UM, WE ALSO SPOKE WITH, UM,
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UM, S C DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, UH, D HECK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SEEING TYPICALLY IN RURAL AREAS FOR CAMPGROUNDS.AND THEY SAID THAT, UM, TYPICALLY AN ON LOT SMALL ONSITE WASTEWATER SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE TYPICAL KIND OF WAY OF DISPOSING OF, OF, OF SEWAGE ON A RURAL CAMPGROUND THAT HAS NO ACCESS TO PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER.
THOSE HAVE A CAPACITY OF ABOUT 1500 GALLONS PER DAY.
AND IN REALITY, THAT TRANSLATES TO ABOUT A MAXIMUM OF 15 CAMPSITES.
THEY SAID BASICALLY BETWEEN 12 AND 16.
AND SO IN OUR RURAL AREAS THAT WE'RE ALLOWING CAMPGROUNDS REALLY, WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THAT NATURAL BARRIER TO HOW LARGE THESE DEVELOPMENT, THESE CAMPGROUND DEVELOPMENTS COULD BE.
UM, AND SO WE REWROTE THE PRIMITIVE STANDARDS TO BE LIMITED TO THOSE 15 SITES.
WE INCREASED THE BUFFER BACK TO A HUNDRED FEET.
WHY, BECAUSE IT DID NOT MAKE SENSE FOR IN A RURAL AREA WHERE YOU HAVE A CAMPGROUND, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT BUFFER AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING ADVERSE IMPACT ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
UM, WE ADDED A MINIMUM SITE AREA FOR CAMPGROUNDS, THREE ACRES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IN ITSELF IS MOST LIKELY DICTATED BY THAT BUFFER REQUIREMENT, BUT THIS WOULD ALSO, I, YOU KNOW, LIMITATE PROLIFERATION OF THESE CAMPGROUNDS, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE YOU WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH LAND TO, TO, TO SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF USE.
SO IN A SENSE THAT THE PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND, AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE DID, BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT THE GREATEST IMPACT IS THE NUMBER OF UNITS.
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO BE REGULATING THE SIZE OF INDIVIDUAL CAMPERS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY HARD.
IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO ENFORCE AND USE THE MINIMUM.
THE MAXIMUM OF 15 SITES HAS BE THAT, YOU KNOW, TO DEFINE WHAT A PRIMITIVE CAMP CROWN IS, THE INCREASED BUFFER IN MINIMUM SITE AREA GO A LONG WAY TO MAKE THAT COMPATIBLE WITH THE RURAL AREAS OR COUNTY WOULD WE MOVE OUT TO SEMI DEVELOPED CAMPGROUNDS? THOSE ARE ALLOWED IN RURAL, BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO WATER AND SEWER.
AND THOSE AREAS ARE LIMITED IN OUR RURAL AREAS, YOU KNOW, TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IN ST HELENA ISLAND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UM, CL AND PARKWAY BETWEEN, UM, PALAWAN AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PLACES IN OUR COUNTY THAT ARE ZONED RURAL THAT HAVE PUBLIC SEWER AND WATER.
THAT THEY'RE LIMITED THAT, THAT, THAT THOSE TYPES OF CAMPGROUNDS ARE ALSO PERMITTED.
OTHER DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, WERE WE'RE SEWER, WATER IS MORE READILY AVAILABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A LARGER CAMPGROUND IN RURAL AREA, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT ACCESS TO PUBLIC, WATER AND SEWER.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE DEVELOPED CAMPGROUNDS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS MORE COMPATIBLE WITH OUR REGIONAL COMMERCIAL AREAS, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY, THE, THE ROAD NETWORK TO, TO SHOULDER THAT SIZE OF CAMPGROUND AND THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'VE REARRANGED THOSE THREE FOR THE MOST PART, THE SEMI DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPED IT FOR MAIDEN.
THE STAIN, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS REALLY RETHINK THE PERIMETER AND MAKE IT SOMETHING TO JUST COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT CAN BE SUPPORTED BY AN ONLINE SEPTIC SYSTEM.
NOW, THERE ARE SEPTIC SYSTEMS THAT COULD SHOULDER GREATER CAPACITY IN 1500 GALLONS.
OUR SOILS MAKE THAT VERY DIFFICULT IN BUFORD COUNTY.
AND THEN ALSO YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING IN A LARGER SCALE THAT IF THERE'S A PROLIFERATION OF THOSE IN THE FUTURE, WE COULD HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH, WITH HAVING THESE LARGER PACKAGE ON ON-SITE SYSTEMS. UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THE CHANGES ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE PRESENTED AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, WE, IN THE USE TABLE, WE MADE SURE THAT THAT USE TABLE AND ARTICLE FOUR WERE CONSISTENT WITH EACH OTHER.
THAT WAS SOME OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAD WITH THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THIS TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, THAT PROBLEM IS CORRECTED IN THE USE TABLE.
THE OTHER THING IS THIS MADE IT CONDITIONAL USE BECAUSE BY ADDITIONAL USE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY MUST MEET THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THIS SECTION.
UM, WE HAD IS PERMITTED THAT IT'S REALLY A CONDITIONAL USE, AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M CERTAINLY WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, BUT, WELL, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU OFF.
I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.
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THIS DOWN CAUSE I DIDN'T BRING MY COPY WITH ME, UH, WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT BUFFERS, CONTINUOUS BUFFER, WHAT IF THERE'S A POND IN THE WAY? UM, WELL, WE'RE DEFINING IT AS A VEGETATIVE BUFFER, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA WORK AROUND THE POND.UM, HERE'S A QUESTION FOR HILLARY, THEN WE'LL TRY TO BEEF UP WHATEVER BUFFER IT IS TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT'S A HUNDRED FEET, THERE'S AN EXISTING FINE.
SO FEEL SOME OF THAT POND TO CREATE THE BUFFER.
TH THERE'S ALSO A, UM, THIS, THE SECOND QUESTION OR COMMENT, UH, THERE'S ALSO, UM, A STATEMENT IN THERE ABOUT MAXIMUM EXTENT, PRACTICAL FOOD DEFINES PRACTICAL AND, UH, WHICH ITEM DOES THAT YOU'LL SEE MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICAL.
KEEP GOING TO ACHIEVE REQUIREMENT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A FAVORITE AMONG PLANNERS BASICALLY.
OH, YOU HAVE NUMBER SEVEN, RIGHT? WHEN A CAMPGROUND WOULD COME IN TO BE REVIEWED BY OUR STAFF REVIEW TEAM, WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THEM.
WE HAVE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST ON STAFF TO LOOK AT THEIR TREE SURVEY, DO SITE VISITS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKING THE GREATEST STEPS POSSIBLE TO PRESERVE EXISTING TREES IN THE SITE.
WE DO HAVE TREE PLANTING REQUIREMENTS.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN FIELD, EACH SITE STILL HAS TO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO PLANT TREES FOR EACH OF THE SITES.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING YOU MIGHT CONSIDER PUTTING WHO DETERMINES THE PRACTICAL.
IF THE APPLICANT SAYS, WELL, THIS IS PRACTICAL AND YOU SAY, IT'S NOT PRACTICAL, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO MISS IT.
WELL, I BELIEVE THAT OUR, WE DO HAVE TREE STANDARDS AND IN OUR ORDINANCE AND WE WOULD REFER TO THAT AND THAT OUTLINES HOW WE, HOW WOULD WE DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S ALWAYS, THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE WITH EVERY DEVELOPMENT.
IS THAT BALANCE BETWEEN HOW FAR CAN WE PUSH TO SAVE TREES ON SITE AND DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS? YEAH.
THERE WAS ANOTHER, UM, LET ME SEE, UM, 3000 SQUARE FOOT MINIMUM.
IS THAT, WHAT IS THAT A MAXIMUM OR MINIMUM? LET'S GO BACK TO THAT.
IS THIS MAXIMUM, MAXIMUM 3000 SQUARE FOOT? I DIDN'T WRITE THE LAST ONE.
NOT TO EXCEED, DO BUFFER OR BUFFERS INCLUDED IN THAT NO, THAT, THAT REFERS TO ACCESSORY USES.
SO, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY IN A LARGER CAMPGROUND, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CAMP STORE OR A, UM, OH, SO THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A BASEBALL FIELD OR A SOCCER FIELD, OR WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT
NOW THAT MAKES IT CLEAR IF IT, IF, IF, IF THAT'S CORRECT.
IF SOMEBODY HAS AN OPEN FIELD, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR FOOTBALL OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, OR THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE COUNTING TOWARDS THAT 3000 SQUARE FEET, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
OTHER COMMENTS, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
SO ROB, UNDER PRIMITIVE, IT MEANS THAT, UM, AN RV OF INDETERMINATE LENGTH WITH A HUNDRED FOOT BUFFERS ON EITHER SIDE COULD BE NEXT TO A TENT, BUT THAT'S NOW THE DIFFERENCE.
OH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, BECAUSE WE REQUIRE SCREENING BETWEEN THE RV AREA AND THE, AND THE TECH CAMPING, JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE ALLOW PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUNDS AND OUR T1 NATURAL PRESERVE DISTRICT, BUT THAT DOES NOT PERMIT OUR FEES.
SO I FORGOT TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION, BUT THOSE ARE THOSE AREAS PRIMARILY CONSIST OF RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS.
UM, MARSH ISLANDS THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE BY BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, SO THOSE ARE THEIR LIMITED AREAS WHERE SOMEBODY MAY WANT TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, A CAMPGROUND THAT IS TRULY PRIMITIVE OR ECO-TOURISM OR SOMETHING TO THAT NATURE.
IT SEEMS TO ME, YOU'RE GIVING THE DEVELOPER OF CAMPER AT SOME LATITUDES THERE.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE IN HIS OR HER BEST INTEREST TO DECIDE ON THE KIND OF MARKET THEY ARE SERVING, YOU KNOW, AND IF IT'S RVS AND TENTS, MAYBE THE RV GOES TO ONE SIDE AND THE TENTS GO TO THE OTHER.
I MEAN, THAT'S NOT, YOU'RE NOT DICTATING THAT, BUT WE ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE IMPACT 15 RVS OR 15 TENTS WITH THE BUFFERS, THE EXTERNAL IMPACTS ARE NOT AS THAT.
GREAT TO BE REGULATING THE SITE.
SO WHAT I REALLY LIKED THAT I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON JASON, THANKS FOR KIND OF PEGGING IT TO THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DID YOU WANT A CLARIFICATION ON THAT? UH, 3000 SQUARE FEET WOULD HAVE CONTAINED.
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YOU SHOULD GET, OKAY.THERE'S NO WAY HE'S GOING TO LOOK AT IT, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO YOU WANT HIM TO GET BACK TO US BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS? NO.
I TRUST HIM WELL THAT AMONG OUR STAFF, IF WE NEED TO ADD A FEW MORE WORDS, JUST TO SIMPLY SAY THAT THE BUILDINGS SHALL NOT EXCEED 3000 SQUARE FEET BECAUSE I AGREE.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO, SOMEBODY WANTS TO BUILD A LARGE PLAYGROUND.
WOULDN'T WANT TO LIMIT THAT ACTIVITY.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S AN ACCESSORY USE, BUT IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF THING WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THE SIZE OF.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE SEMI DEVELOPED AREN'T BECOMING KIND OF RV RESORTS, WHICH IS, THERE'S A BIG DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY HAVE A FEW RESTAURANTS COMPENSATED.
UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE CAMP COUN, UH, STANDARDS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TONIGHT? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ONLINE? WHO'S VIEWING THIS AS ANY COMMENTS? NOPE.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS, THEN I WOULD ASK FOR A VOTE FOR APPROVING THE TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE, SECTION THREE, DOT ONE DOT SIX.
OH, CONSOLIDATE USE TABLE AND SECTION FOUR.ONE.ONE NINE OH, RECREATIONAL PHILIP FACILITIES, CAMPGROUNDS.
[8. 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (Envision Beaufort County) REVIEW OF COLLECTED PUBLIC COMMENTS]
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.THE 140 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO REVIEW OF COLLECTED COMMON PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH THIS ROB WITH US? WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL JUST GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND.
I THINK MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, BASICALLY WE BEGAN IN EARNEST THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A REVISION OR REVISE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 2020, WE HIRED A CONSULTANT DESIGN WORKSHOP, SET A, A SCHEDULE, UH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, REALLY BEGAN THE PROCESS WITH THE KICKOFF IN, IN MARCH, 2020, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN AROUND US.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, IT BECAME A CHALLENGE.
HOW DO YOU CONTINUE WITH THE CONFERENCE PLAN, WHICH RELIES VERY HEAVILY ON PUBLIC INPUT AND WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC, ENGAGING THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE COUNTY, UM, WE PROCEEDED THAT SUMMER AND INTO THE FALL WITH, WITH A FEW PUBLIC WORKSHOPS THAT WERE VIRTUAL ONLINE.
WE HAD A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WE STARTED TO LOOK AT, HOW PEOPLE FILLED OUT THE SURVEYS, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GETTING A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF THE COUNTY'S POPULATION.
SO WE ALSO, IN OCTOBER OF 2020 HELD THREE IN-PERSON SOCIALLY DISTANCE WORKSHOPS, ONE IN, UM, AT BIRDWELLS PARK AT THE SENIOR CENTER, ONE AT BUCHWALD OR RECREATION CENTER, AND THEN ONE, UM, AT, UH, FOR ZELLE HALL AT PENN CENTER ON ST.
UM, OKAY, WELL, UH, I BELIEVE THAT 27, 20 EIGHTH, 29TH OF OCTOBER, UM, FROM ALL THAT INPUTS AND FROM WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT, WE DEVELOPED A DRAFT, WHICH WAS UNVEILED IN AUGUST, OR I, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, APRIL.
IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD DESIGN WORKSHOP, GIVE A PRESENTATION, IT BECAME AVAILABLE ONLINE.
AND WE GAVE OUR, EACH OF OUR COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS A COPY OF THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC, UH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT REALLY BEGAN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING PUBLIC INPUT ON THE DRAFT PLAN.
IT BECAME APPARENT TO US THAT WE JUST WERE NOT HAPPY, HAPPY WITH THE AMOUNT OF INPUTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE SPOKE TO THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, UM, MAKING THAT VERY CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS, DID NOT GET, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH INPUTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND CERTAINLY FROM, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO RATHER THAN SIMPLY OPEN UP THE PERIOD OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND RECEIVE COMMENTS, MAKE THEM REVISIONS, AND THEN ASK THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO TAKE ACTION.
WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, WE HELD SEVERAL MORE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS IN THE COMMUNITY
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THAT WERE VERY WELL ATTENDED.WE HAD ONE AT, UM, BURTON WELLS PARK.
WE HAD FOLLOWED UP TWO DAYS LATER, IT'S AT THE LIBRARY ON ST.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, COUNCILMAN GLOVER AND COUNCILMAN SOMERVILLE HELD A PUBLIC HEARING OR PUBLIC MEETING ON, UH, JUNE 24TH, WHICH THE MAIN FOCUS WAS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, THROUGH ALL THAT.
AND JUST KIND OF GIVING YOU THE BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT, WE GOT OVER 250 COMMENTS.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO GAUGE BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY LONG LETTERS THAT BROUGHT UP MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES.
AND I RECEIVED EMAILS THAT HAD ONE SPECIFIC CONCERN THAT SOMEBODY HAD, BUT, UM, WHAT WE DID AND I PUT ALL THE CREDIT TO, UM, LIBBY ANDERSON AND, AND JULIANA SMITH IS THAT WE TOOK EACH ONE DOCUMENTED AND THEN CAME UP WITH A DECISION OF HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WE REALLY WANT TO DEFER TO EACH OF THE COMMENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ADDRESSED PROPERLY IN THE PLAN.
SOME OF THESE COMMENTS LED TO MAJOR CHANGES WHERE WE ADDED A RECOMMENDATION OR, YOU KNOW, MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
SOME OF THE COMMENTS LED TO, I WOULD SAY, MINOR REVISIONS, YOU KNOW, UH, WORDSMITHING, IF YOU WERE CHANGES HERE AND THERE TO PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION, SOME OF THEM WERE MORE, YOU KNOW, TYPOS, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAD A FEW OF THOSE.
UM, AND THEN GENERAL COMMENTS, SOME TIMES PEOPLE WOULD SAY, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT WASN'T NECESSARILY ONE LEADING TO A SPECIFIC CHANGE AND TO DOCUMENT, BUT WE CERTAINLY WANTED TO DOCUMENT THAT COMMENT.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THEY ARE ARRANGED IN THE SPREADSHEET THAT YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED IN YOUR PACKET.
AND THAT IS ALSO PART OF THE PUBLIC AGENDA WITH THESE COMMENTS.
WE HAVE, UM, I WOULD SAY SOME MAJOR THEMES AROSE.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE THAT CAN'T BE CATEGORIZED, BUT SOME OF THE PREVAILING THEMES THAT WE RECEIVED, ONE HAD TO DO WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN REALLY GRAPPLING WITH.
I WOULD SAY THE LAST 25 YEARS AS WE'VE BECOME, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE GROWN EXPONENTIALLY, UH, HAVE GROWN FROM A KIND OF A RURAL COUNTY TO AN URBANIZED COUNTY.
UM, AND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY HAS BEEN A CONCERN ALL ALONG AND THERE'VE BEEN MANY ACTIONS TAKEN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND SHE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIONS.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS DOING ATTENTIVE TO, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING IN THE PLAN.
SO WE'VE MADE SOME ADDITIONS, YOU KNOW, REVISIONS TO THE PLAN, ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
UM, ONE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT CAME UP DURING THIS PERIOD WAS THE PROTECTION OF HISTORIC CEMETERIES.
UH, WE HAVE MANY, UM, HISTORIC CEMETERIES IN OUR RURAL AREAS.
MANY OF THEM ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS CEMETERIES.
UM, A LOT OF THESE ARE EITHER ON PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF LANDS THAT ARE OWNED BY SOMEONE ELSE, BUT THEY'RE REQUIRED IN STATE LAW REQUIRES ACCESS TO THOSE CEMETERIES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THE CEMETERIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY, UM, IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THEM TO BE TRANSFERRED TO, YOU KNOW, A GROUP THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THE CEMETERIES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE STEPS ARE TAKEN.
UM, WE THINK THAT THERE ARE THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODES, UM, TO PROTECT OR PROVIDE BUFFERS, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU HAVE A CEMETERY ON, ON A PRIVATE LOT, UM, AND MAKING THAT WE'RE EMPHASIZING PUBLIC ACCESS.
UM, ARABS PROPERTY BECAME A BIG ISSUE AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE IN BEAVER COUNTY.
UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN OWNED BY GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES, BUT THE TITLE IS NOT CLEAR AND IT BECOMES AN ISSUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH WORK CONCERNS ABOUT TAXES, CONCERNS ABOUT ONE FAMILY MEMBER CASHING OUT AND SELLING THE PROPERTY.
AND SO WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROMOTE THE PROTECTION OF HEIRS PROPERTY AND KEEP FAMILY PROPERTIES WITH FAMILIES.
THIS IS ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN, ESPECIALLY IN OUR RURAL AREAS, BECAUSE WE ALL NEED PHIL, YOU KNOW, OR DEVELOPERS HOME BUILDERS NEED PHIL TO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEY GO FOR WHERE LAND IS LEAST EXPENSIVE.
A LOT OF TIMES THAT IS IN OUR RURAL AREAS IN PLACES LIKE ST HELENA ISLAND, THIS IS CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, ANCILLARY IMPACTS OF SAND MINES, EVERYTHING FROM THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, TRUCKS WHO ARE NERDS TO THE CREATION OF ALL THESE NEW PONDS THAT DIDN'T EXIST TO THE LOSS OF DRY
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GROUND.I MEAN, SO IT'S A REAL ALTERATION OF LANDSCAPE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE STANDARDS NOW, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THEY ALWAYS NEED TO BE RE-EVALUATED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRESERVING COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS, THE ENVIRONMENTS, UM, WATER SERVICE, UM, THIS IS AN ISSUE AND YOU DO HAVE MORE EXTENSIVE PUBLIC WATER GOING INTO OUR RURAL AREAS THAT WE DO HAVE UNDERSERVED PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
UM, AND SO SOME AREAS SPECIFICALLY CAME UP SUCH AS WARSAW ISLAND, UM, SEABROOK STEWART POINT AREA.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING EVERY STEP NECESSARY IN THE PLAN TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S FOR FIRE PROTECTION OR FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER, THAT WE'RE TAKING ALL THE NECESSARY STEPS TO THE DRESS, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WATER, WHERE IT'S NEEDED AND THE CAMP.
AND THEN FINALLY EQUITY BECAME A BERRY WAS A VERY COMMON CONCERN.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THREE MAJOR PILLARS OF THE PLAN, KIND OF RECOGNIZING THAT BEAVER COUNTY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RECOGNIZED AS THOUGH A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE, NATURAL BEAUTY, BUT IF IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE, THEN YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S VERY MUCH A CONCERN OF US IN, IN THIS PLAN THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THROUGH OUR, OUR ACTIONS WERE PROMOTING EQUITY AND PROMOTING THE ENJOYMENT OF, OF THIS COUNTY, THE ABILITY TO THRIVE HERE FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND NOT JUST FOR THOSE WHO CAN, WHO CAN AFFORD, YOU KNOW, PROPERTIES IN THOSE AREAS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A LEAD UP TO, UH, KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMENTS, UM, HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED TONIGHT, UM, IN THE PACKET, THERE ARE COUNTLESS PAGES OF COMMENTS IN THE SPREADSHEET, AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU'VE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM.
THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANYONE WHO LINKS TO THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO, SO THE COMMENTS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ARE DIVIDED UP BY COMMENTS THAT LEAD TO NEW CHANGES TO THE PLAN, WHETHER THEY'RE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS, NEW, UH, PARTS OF RECOMMENDATIONS, MINOR REVISIONS, GENERAL COMMENTS, AND THEN CORRECTIONS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOUR SORT OF THE TYPOS AND WORDSMITHING.
OUR GOAL IS TO DO IS TO GO THROUGH THE NEW COMMENTS WITH THE TRUST THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE IF YOU WANTED TO DELVE INTO THE OTHER ONES, MOST OF THEM ARE WORDSMITHING.
THEY'RE NOT SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES.
UM, AND SO WE WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH THOSE TONIGHT.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO GET SOME DIRECTION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS TO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING AS STAFF, AS WAYS TO ADDRESS THESE COMMENTS, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT US TO THEN PRESENT TO OUR CONSULTANTS SO THEY CAN MAKE THE REVISIONS TO THE PLAN.
AND THEN THE PLAN WOULD THEN COME BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO TAKE ACTION AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE NOT TAKING A FINAL BOAT, WE'RE JUST TAKING HER MAKING RECOMMENDATION TO FORWARD DESIGN THE CONSULTANT TO INCLUDE THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AND THE COMMENTS AND THE SUGGESTIONS.
AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, WE WILL SEE THIS AGAIN FOR A FINAL VOTE VIA PUBLIC MEETING.
AND THEN IT GOES THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS ULTIMATELY TO NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO, I MEAN, AND THEN IT WOULD GO FROM PLANNING COMMISSION AND I BELIEVE THAT IT IS SEPTEMBER 9TH.
IT'S, UH, IT'S THE THURSDAY AFTER LABOR DAY, WHICH, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A HOLIDAY ON MONDAY, UH, THEN IT WOULD GO TO THE OCTOBER NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE AND THEN THREE READINGS OF COUNCIL.
SO THERE'S EACH ONE OF THOSE IS A PUBLIC MEETING.
I, I WANNA, I WANNA GET THIS DOCUMENTED AND UNDERSTOOD.
SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHERE THE ACCESS POINTS ARE CONSISTENT AND CLOSE OFF PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WHAT IT DOES IS FORWARD THE PROCESS ULTIMATELY TO A VOTE BY COUNTY COUNCIL HAS MS. AS IS MANDATED BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THERE IS ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY EVEN BEYOND THAT CLOSURE TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS.
AND WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS MUCH LIKE WE'RE GOING TO TONIGHT.
SO THERE, IT DOESN'T CLOSE OFF THE DISCUSSION.
IT ALLOWS THE DISCUSSION TO TAKE ON MORE GRAIN DETAIL AS IT GOES FORWARD.
[00:30:01]
RECOGNIZING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A HIGH-LEVEL STRATEGIC DOCUMENT THAT HAS CRITICAL PARTS BEYOND.UM, THERE IS AN EXPECTATION FOR AN ACTION PLAN THAT IDENTIFIES THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE THINGS AND SETS A PRIORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS.
CAUSE THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH HERE.
UM, WITH THAT SAID YOU, DID YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH MORE AT THIS POINT ON, ON YOUR COMMENTS OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO THE COMMISSION MEMBERS TO COMMENT? I GUESS THAT'S UP, I MEAN, I GUESS IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
UM, I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT ON, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS IN PRIORITY ORDER OR, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS LIST WAS COMPILED, BUT YOU KNOW, MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS I, I THINK THE COUNTY'S GOT TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WANTS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHATEVER IT WANTS, IT'S, HASN'T BEEN IN ANY WAY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING ANYWHERE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK AND EFFORT HAS GONE INTO IT.
SO I REALLY THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT A CROSSROADS NOW WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, I THINK YOU HAVE TO REALLY STOP AND GO BACK AND RE LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, DEFINE IT.
AND WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF IT? IS IT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR IS IT WORKFORCE HOUSING? WE HEAR DIFFERENT TERMS EITHER WAY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER FOR 20 YEARS.
SO MORE INTO THIS, AND GOD KNOWS HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT.
AND, UM, CAN WE POINT TO A UNIT OF, UM, HOUSING THAT SOMEBODY WOULD DEFINE AS AFFORDABLE? YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM AT ALL.
I, I JUST A LOT OF EFFORT AND A LOT OF TIME WENT INTO THIS AND I THINK YOU GOT TO RETHINK THE WHOLE APPROACH.
THERE'S A LOT OF GRANT MONEY OUT THERE AT ALL.
AND I THINK HE GOT IT WITH GATES, THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
UM, I, I, UH, HAVE A MEMBER OF MARRIOTT AND, UM, I WAS AT A MARRIOTT MEETING FOR, UM, OWNERS.
AND, UH, THE GUY WAS COMPLAINING THAT HE, HE COULDN'T HIRE PEOPLE BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S NO HOUSING.
I SAID TO THE GUY, HE SAYS, REALLY, I SAID, YOU GOT NINE MARRIOTTS ON HILTON, EDDIE EAR.
DID YOU EVER THINK OF OPENING UP, UH, A DORMITORY STYLE HOUSING OR, OR DOING SOMETHING ON YOUR OWN THAT HOTELS BUILT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND YOU'RE STANDING HERE BLAME IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE.
YOU CAN'T HIRE WORKERS BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THEM TO LIVE, BUT IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT.
YOU KEEP BUILDING HOTELS HERE, YOU KEEP EXPANDING YOUR SERVICES AND EVERYTHING.
AND YOU THINK THAT IT'S THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO COME IN AND SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST ONE ASPECT OF IT.
SO I, I THINK I KNOW A LOT OF WORK'S GOING INTO IT NORMAL, AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK YOU GOTTA RETHINK, HOW WOULD YOU ADVISE US TO DO THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
SO YOU'RE JUST MAKING A COMMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S RIGHT.
I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION AND I DON'T THINK THERE IS ONE RIGHT NOW.
WHY ARE YOU SHOOTING? WHAT BE, IF I MIGHT TELL YOU, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMP PLAN, UM, SPEAKS TO THIS OR NOT.
CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT A VERY SMALL EXTROVERT THERE, BUT YOU ALL KNOW THAT MANY MONTHS AGO WE HIRED A CONSULTANT TO SET UP A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AND THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR WORK AND WE ARE GETTING READY TO UNDERTAKE PRESENTING THAT WORK TO, UH, THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY, REGIONAL BOARD, UH, THAT IS GOING TO OFFER SEVERAL COMPREHENSIVE OPTIONS FOR DEALING WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I HOPE THE COMP PLAN TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THESE ONES ARE AND THAT WORK IS NEARING COMPLETION RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE THE, UH, PROCESS THAT TAKES US FROM DOING DOZENS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS PER YEAR, ACROSS THE COUNTY, TO DOING HUNDREDS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS PER YEAR.
IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN BUFORD COUNTY AS WELL.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON THAT.
THAT IS THE, THAT IS GOING TO BE THE SOLUTION FOR OUR REGION.
SO I THINK, UM, THE DOCUMENT DOES GO INTO QUITE A FEW FACTORS TO PROPOSE STRENGTHENING
[00:35:01]
AND MOVING FORWARD ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INCLUDING RE UH, UH, REESTABLISHING THE AFFORDABLE TASKFORCE, WHICH WAS MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL MET WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY, AND CAME UP WITH WAYS INCENTIVES THAT WERE PASSED LAST YEAR ON I THINK, ZONE C5 AND THE, HOPEFULLY THOSE INCENTIVES WILL BE EXPANDED TO MORE ZONES.I THINK THE SITUATION HAS BECOME OVERLY CRITICAL WHERE IT'S BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC WHERE PRICES HAVE SKYROCKETED AND HOMES, AND THAT'S PUSHED RENTS UP AND IT'S PUSHED PEOPLE AWAY FROM HER AFFORDABLE.
I WAS, I WAS DOWN ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND ALL WEEKEND WITH THE ASSOCIATION COUNTY CONFERENCE.
AND THERE WAS, WERE HIRING SIGNS EVERYWHERE WHENEVER YOU WENT OUT TO EAT AND ALL OVER THE ISLAND.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE, THERE'S A STRUGGLE, UH, BUT THERE'S A PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THAT.
AND, UH, THE, THERE WILL NOT BE NECESSARILY AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE.
THERE WILL BE A BOARD THAT WILL BE APPOINTED FROM THE VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS, UH, AS A PART OF THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND THAT WILL CONVENED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HEAR THE NEEDS AND REVIEW PROJECTS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO, UH, WHICH PROJECTS GET FUNDED, HOW THEY GET FUNDED AND WHAT THINGS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FUNDING.
SO THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER CITIES.
SO GREENVILLE DID ONE, UH, THEY TOOK ABOUT $3 MILLION INVESTMENT, UH, IN THE FIRST YEAR OR TWO AND TURNED IT INTO A $43 MILLION FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FROM THEM.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE REAL, I'M REAL EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I SPEND A LOT OF MY TIME WORKING ON THAT EVEN AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I'M STILL THE ONE THAT'S LEADING THAT CHARGE, BUT BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, SOMETHING I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT AND IT'S SOMETHING I THINK NEEDS TO BE SOLVED, UH, FOR THE FUTURE BALANCE OF GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COUNTY, UH, FOR EVERYONE.
SO I THINK WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THERE.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MR. GREENWAY, OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS FROM, UM, ON THE SAME TIME, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THERE ARE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT RELY ON DISNEY BONUSES, AND THERE WAS A TIME HERE WHEN WE HAD SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT, AND THEN IT WAS TAKEN AWAY.
WHAT IS THE NEW COMP PLANS STAND ON? DENSITY BONUSES? WELL, THE COMP PLAN RECOMMENDS READDRESSING DENSITY BONUSES.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AS IS ERIC SAID WE HAVE ONE THAT ONLY APPLIES TO C5.
AND SO THE IDEA IS TO LOOK AT THE OTHER DISTRICTS AND LOOK AT WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNTY AND IT DOESN'T TAKE GOVERNMENT MONEY.
IT'S A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS THE BEST KIND OF MY OPINION.
MORE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING IT.
OR CAN I GO INTO ANOTHER TOPIC? UH, ANY QUESTION YOU MIGHT.
SO, SO I'M READING OFF OF THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS DOCUMENT NOW, NOT THE STUFF I READ BEFORE I WAS AT A MEETING, UM, AT PENN IN WHICH THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY PRESERVATION, UH, PRESENTED, UM, ABOUT PROJECT, UM, WITH THE OPEN LAND TRUST, UH, UH, ON TOP, I GUESS IT'S A TON FOR PRO IN THAT AREA.
AND, UM, I JUST THINK THAT THE, ON THE PAGE, ONE OF OUR HANDOUTS, THE ITEMS SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A LOCAL OFFICE FOR THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY PRESERVATION.
I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE TOO PRESCRIPTIVE.
I MEAN, I, THE MEETING ENDED POORLY TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF TRUST IN THAT GROUP, BY SOME PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE ROOM.
UM, I MEAN, I JUST THINK IT'S TOO PRESCRIPTIVE TO SAY, THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE SHOULD, UM, RELY ON TO HELP US SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
I THINK AN ORGANIZATION IS GOOD, BUT, BUT I'M A LITTLE, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF CHOOSING WINNERS AND LOSERS FOR THAT JOB.
LIKE IN OTHER AREAS YOU SAID, GET GRANTS, UM, YOU KNOW, HERE'S SOME PLACES WHERE YOU CAN GET THE GRANTS, WHICH I THINK IS COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE.
UM, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S TOO DIRECTED, UM, ON THE SAME TOPIC, I THINK IT SHOULD BE MADE MORE CLEAR AS A MATTER OF POLICY THAT THERE IS MAYBE A, AN A DEDICATED PUBLIC MEETING ONCE A YEAR.
AND IT'S THE TOP OF THE, THE BACK OF PAGE ONE ON OUR MATERIAL.
IT MORE, AND I'VE SAID THIS ALL ALONG MORE THAN DEVELOPING A BROCHURE, LIKE HALF ABOUT HEIRS PROPERTY AND HOW TO SUBDIVIDE PROPERTY.
AND THAT WOULD GO INTO COTTAGE
[00:40:01]
INDUSTRY TOO.I MEAN, LITERALLY HAVE LIKE, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S LIKE A DEDICATED PERSON ON THE PLANNING STAFF OR IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WHOSE HALF-TIME JOB IT IS TO DO X OR HAVE A CONSULTANT WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT SPECIFIC QUERY CAN COME ASK.
I THINK MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT SOMETIMES THE, THE, WHEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD CHALLENGES ABOUT FIGURING OUT HEIRS PROPERTY, OF COURSE, IN THEIR OWN FAMILY, BUT GETTING ADVICE FROM THE COUNTY WHEN YOU GUYS WOULD KNOW IT BETTER THAN I DO.
AND I'M SURE IT'S COME TO HILARY TO, UM, JUST TO MAKE THE PROCESS CLEAR WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
SO THAT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK IS, COULD BE MADE MORE CLEAR.
THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT CAN REALLY LEVEL AND A LOT OF ISSUES SURROUNDING HEIRS PROPERTY OR NOT COUNTY ATTORNEYS, TITLE ISSUES, FAMILY ISSUES.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES A MULTIFACETED APPROACH.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RURAL LAND USE POLICIES, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEM.
AND THAT THERE'S ENOUGH OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS.
THAT THAT'S JUST ONE PART OF THE EQUATION WITH HEIRS PROPERTY, RIGHT? I MEAN, I GUESS IN THIS, AND OUR ROLE IS TO SAY, UM, TO LAY OUT HERE ARE THE OPTIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY OR EXPANDING COTTAGE INDUSTRY, OR, YOU KNOW, CENTER FOR HEIRS PRESERVATION, THE TURNIPS, AN OUTFIT, ONE OF THEIR OPTIONS WAS TO LIKE HAVE A MODEL FARM AND TREE FARMING.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY PUT OUT AND MANY IN THE AUDIENCE SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO FARM IN THAT MANNER.
LIKE IF THERE WAS A, I DON'T KNOW, UH, ORGANIC STATION OR A FARMER'S MARKET ASSOCIATED WITH IT, OR WHY AREN'T THERE TENNIS COURTS ON THAT LAND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S SUCH, IT GETS SO, UM, THESE ISSUES ALL GET CONFLATED IT'S SORT OF RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER.
SO I WOULD LOVE IT TO BE JUST CLEAR FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFUSED HERE'S WHAT THE COUNTY CAN OFFER YOU HERE'S ADVICE.
UM, BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WHAT WE COULD GIVE ADVICE ON IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE EQUATION, VERY SMALL PART.
THAT'S WHY WE RECOMMEND AN ORGANIZATION THAT SPECIALIZES IN.
THEN I GUESS MY RECOMMENDATION FOR CHANGE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE RECOMMEND AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S ORGANIZATION SLASH EXPERTS, CONSULTANTS TO BE HIRED BY THE COUNTY WHO, YOU KNOW, OR ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS, WHATEVER THAT WE, UM, THAT THE COUNTY MAKE THAT A PRIORITY.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR BEEF AGAINST THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU ABOUT A MEETING THAT ENDED VERY POORLY WHEN THEY WERE RUNNING IT CHOCOLATE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S WELL SAID, UH, AND IN MY DISTRICT, I SEE A LOT OF GENTRIFICATION WITH HEIR HEIRS PROPERTY, AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE DOLLAR.
AND, UH, LIKE YOU SAY, SOME OF THE FAMILY OF THE HEIRS PROPERTY YOU'RE GETTING LEFT OUT OF THE DOLLAR, UH, AND DEVELOPERS ARE COMING IN AND THROUGH ATTORNEYS AND HEIRS PROPERTY EXPERTS ARE GRADUALLY TAKING OVER A GOOD MANY OF THE HEIRS PROPERTY FOR THE HIGHEST BIDDER AND WHO PROTECTS THAT, OR WHO LOOKS AT THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD EVEN CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH IT WITH THAT, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT SOMEONE HAS AN EAR AND AN EYE OUT FOR THAT TYPE OF GENTRIFICATION IN, UH, HEIRS PROPERTY, NO COMMENTS, ONE OF THE THINGS ROB ON THE GENERAL OR MOBILITY.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE MORE, UM, INTEREST IN AND ACCESS POINTS FOR EVERYTHING FROM KAYAKS TO PASSENGER FERRIES AND STUFF.
BUT REMEMBER YEARS AGO WHEN WE WORKED, UM, AND THERE'S AN IDEA ON WITH THE ST HELENA PLANNING COMMITTEE, AND THERE'S AN IDEA TO FLOAT UP A FERRY AT THE, YOU KNOW, UM, IN THE LAND SAND AREA, THAT THE WAY END OF LANDS END AND SORT OF RIVERSIDE ON THE WAY DOWN THERE.
UH, I, YOU KNOW, I'D BE CAREFUL ABOUT FLOATING THAT IDEA, JUST KIND OF IN GENERAL, BECAUSE I THINK THAT DID NOT GET A LOT OF BUY-IN BY, UM, NATIVE ISLANDERS.
WE WERE ASKED TO TAKE ON ACTUALLY BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF WATER TRANSPORTATION.
AND I AGREE THERE IS ATTRACTIVE AS IT IS YOU SORT OF WATERWAYS TO GET PEOPLE AROUND.
THERE ARE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS ABOUT A FERRY SYSTEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DOCS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THE COMMENT IS AS GENERAL AS POSSIBLE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SUPPORT, BUT WE'RE NOT IN THIS PLAN PRESCRIBING, WE NEED A DOC OVER IN LANDSET, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS RIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS GOING TO BE FEASIBLE INTO THE BACKGROUND.
I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, YOU, AND I KNOW CAUSE WE WORKED ON IT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT
[00:45:01]
THANKS.THAT'S REALLY, I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO CLARIFY THAT PLEASE, TO ME, WHAT WOULD BE THE KINDS OF THINGS WILL BE IRONED OUT IN AN ACTION PLAN WHEN YOU LOOK AT WATER USAGE, YOUR WATER ACCESS, CAUSE THERE'S MANY WAYS TO DO THAT.
AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, NEARLY 45% OF OUR COUNTIES, EITHER WATER OR MARSH, LOWLANDS, UM, TRIES OUT FOR WHAT ARE WE DOING TO EASE WATER, ACCESS, PROVIDE WATER ACCESS OR WHATEVER WE'RE USING FISHING, PIERS, KAYAK, LAUNCHES, DOCKAGE KNOW, BOAT RAMPS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND SO THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO CAREFULLY LOOK AT AND, AND EVALUATE SEE WHAT'S BEST FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S BEEN A THEME IN OUR, IN OUR PAST COMP PLAN AND IT'S CARRIED FORWARD IN THIS ONE IS INCREASING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE WATER.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO I, I AGREE THAT, UH, THAT IS A BIG CONCERN FOR THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING A STUDY FOR BOAT RAMPS, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW TO IMPROVE THEM AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE UNDERSERVED CREEKS, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS CURRENTLY.
SO YEAH, THAT IS IN THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, AS IT IS NOW, I THINK WHAT WE DO NOT DO IS TRY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WITH FERRY SERVICE, GET ANY FURTHER THAN SAYING, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, BUT WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE MECHANICS OF PROVIDING WATER TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF LOGISTICAL ISSUES ABOUT WHERE THE DOCKS ARE, HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE FROM THE DOCS WHERE THEY WORK OR WHERE THEY LIVE, YOU KNOW? AND SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY COMPLEX STUDY AND I I'LL JUST BE AT AN EDITORIALIZED.
I THINK THE REASON IT HASN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IS BECAUSE THE IDEA MOVE SO FAR AND THEN PEOPLE REALIZE, WAIT A SECOND, THIS IS EXPENSIVE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORK IN THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVENTUALLY WE MAY REACH A CRITICAL MASS WHERE WATER TRANSPORTATION WORKS FOR THE COUNTY, BUT, YOU KNOW, ON A, ON A LARGER SCALE THAN INDIVIDUAL BOATS.
UM, SO YEAH, THE INTENTION WAS TO GO THROUGH THIS, BUT, UH, I, I THINK A LOT OF THE COMMENTS ON THERE ARE ONES WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, OR ONCE WE'VE COMMENTED ON AGREEMENTS, IT'S JUST ABOUT THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME WE'VE SEEN THIS.
THAT'S A LOT, THERE'S A LOT OF NEW STUFF IN HERE THAT SINKS IT'S REALLY GOOD.
I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT SOME NEW AUDIENCES CAME TO THE FOREFRONT.
UM, THERE'S THE EMBASSY CAME VERY STRONGLY WITH INPUTS AND I APPLAUD THAT.
I THINK WE CAN DO A LOT WITH THE MEC AREA.
UM, THERE WERE COMMENTS FROM THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION REGARDING WATER AND WATER QUALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR WATERWAYS AND SAFE WATERWAYS AND HOW THEY PROTECT AND NURTURE OUR ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEIR HISTORIC, CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE.
IT'S OUR WATERWAYS THAT ATTRACT A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THIS AREA.
UM, AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF NEWNESS IN THERE THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY USEFUL AND I, I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT IT WAS A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THE STAFF REGARDING THAT INPUT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSION COMMISSIONER IN INPUTS BEFORE I OPENED UP THE PUBLIC.
PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF, DON.
I AM DAWN PAGE WITH LOW COUNTRY EQUITABLE LAND AND RESOURCE TRUST.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GO ON RECORD AND FORMALLY THANK CHAIRMAN PAPAS AND THE REST OF THE BOARD, UM, FOR YOUR RESPONSE, FOR THE AUTHENTIC RESPONSE TO THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE FACT THAT YOU CAME BACK AFTER, UM, OUR FIRST INTRODUCTION AND LOOKING AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THAT THE COUNTY AND THE STATE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE STAFF WENT BACK.
AND I WANT TO THANK ROB MERCHANT AND HIS TEAM FOR GOING BACK AND REALLY PUTTING TOGETHER A ROBUST RESPONSE AND COMING BACK WITH THREE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, YOU LISTENED TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REALLY MAKE THE BELOVED COMMUNITY A REALITY.
AND I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO TOGETHER.
BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU AT ALL ON RECORD TO SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE LISTENED AND RESPONDED.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES.
GOOD EVENING, JESSE WHITE WITH THE COASTAL
[00:50:01]
CONSERVATION LEAGUE.THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMENTS, UM, AS INDICATED THROUGH, UM, THE DOCUMENTS YOU ALL HAVE PERCEIVED AND REVIEWED ME TO HAVE EXTENSIVELY REVIEWED AND COMMENTED ON ALL OF THE DOC, ALL FOUR DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE.
AND, UM, TWO ARE, UM, PLEASED WITH THE ROBUST PRODUCT THAT HAD THE PLANNING STAFF AND CONSULTANTS, DESIGN WORKSHOP HAVE PRODUCED IN PARTICULAR.
WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THAT MANY OF OUR CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND INCORPORATE BRAIDED INTO THE REVISIONS, UM, PRODUCTIONS AGAINST SAND MINING AND EXPLICIT PROTECTIONS FOR GULLAH GEECHEE BURIAL SITES AMONG THEM, AS WELL AS A COMMITMENT TO INFILL AND REDEVELOPMENT OVER FERMENTING NEW DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THE INCORPORATION OF YEMENESE INTO THE REGIONAL GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLANNING EFFORTS AND ENCOURAGE THE COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TOWN AS IT PROCEEDS WITH UPDATING ITS PLANS AND POLICIES AND MOVES FORWARD WITH, UM, POTENTIALLY ADOPTING AN URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY.
AS THE NAME IMPLIES BRITAIN GROW GROWTH BOUNDARY HELPS COMMUNITIES DEFINE WHERE TO GUIDE AND FACILITATE GROWTH WHILE ALLOWING FAR REACHING AREAS TO REMAIN RURAL.
SO EXTENSIONS OF THOSE URBAN SERVICES LIKE WATER AND SEWER MAKES SENSE WITHIN THE GROWTH BOUNDARIES, EXTENSIONS BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES.
HOWEVER, IT CAN BE COSTLY ON THE COUNTY AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INDUCE.
SO WHILE THERE MAY BE INSTANCES WHERE EXTENSIONS BEYOND GROWTH BOUNDARIES ARE APPROPRIATE, WE WOULD JUST ADVISE THAT ANYTIME THOSE ARE OUTSIDE THE GROWTH BOUNDARIES, ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS ARE PUT IN PLACE, UM, INCLUDING ALLOWANCES FOR PUBLIC NOTICE AND, UM, EXTRA REVIEW PERHAPS BY COUNTY COUNCIL OR, AND THE UTILITIES, UM, REGARDING THOSE EXTENSIONS.
UM, IN ADDITION, JUST COMMENTING ON, UM, LAND CONSERVATION AND IT'S IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT BEAVER COUNTY AND HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS INITIATIVE HAS BEEN.
WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR IT, SUPPORT OF THE LAND PROTECTION THROUGH RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS AND OTHER INITIATIVES, UM, THE PUBLIC BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY OR BOTH ORANGE AND ARE BOTH TO THE LARGE AND SMALL SCALE, LARGE ATTRACTIVE LANDSCAPES PROVIDE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY HELPING STABILIZE WATER QUALITY AND KEEPING OUR LARGER FARMS AND OPERATION WHILE SMALLER SCALE CAN HELP FAMILIES PROTECT THEIR FAMILY OWNED, LANDS, IMPORTANT CREEKS AND ACCESS TO CULTURAL PLACES WE DO AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO DO MORE BE AND BE MORE PROACTIVE AND COORDINATED AND COLLABORATIVE IN PROVIDING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LAND CONSERVATION.
AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT LAND CONSERVATION AND WELCOMING DIALOGUE FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, UM, IN PARTICULAR IS THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS TO, TO WORK WITH THE CORNER'S COMMUNITY PRESERVATION DISTRICT IN ST.
HELENA, WHICH IS SERVED AS A MODEL OF THE COUNTY, WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PLAN AND COMING UP WITH CHANGES THAT BENEFIT BOTH THE RESIDENTS AND THE COUNTY ALIKE.
AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, THAT MODEL TO BE USED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UM, AND THROUGHOUT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN DEVELOPING A SMALL COMMERCIAL NODE OR INVESTING SPECIFIC LATE IN THEIR COMMUNITY WHILE RETAINING THEIR EXISTING CHARACTER.
UM, I HAVE A REQUEST HERE BY MR. JOE MAC.
YEAH, I GOT CALLED WHERE I THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
I FORGOT I CAN SPEAK ON A NON-AGENDA UP A NON-AGENDA.
I FORGOT YOU COULD SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM.
DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY, RIGHT? UM, UH, YEAH, MY NAME IS JOE MAC.
I'M A MEMBER OF SPEAKING ON AS A MEMBER OF THE BUFORD TRAILBLAZERS GROUP, TRYING TO GET SOME TRACTION, UM, UH, WHAT'S SOME MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS BEING BUILT, UM, AND ALMOST EVERY ONE IS, UM, MULTI-USE TRAIL.
UM, YOU CAN WALK ON IT, RUN ON IT AND RIDE YOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE.
UM, UH, IT'S A HUGE, HUGE IDEA ELSEWHERE.
[00:55:01]
REALLY BEEN DONE IN BUFORD, UM, TRY TO DO IT AS CLOSE TO THE RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW, UM, WITHIN, YOU KNOW, CLASS A MILES, UH, HERE, THIS IS QUITE A LOT OF LAND OUT THERE.UM, WE GAVE THE PROPOSAL 10 PAGES.
UM, ANY ASSISTANCE Y'ALL CAN PROVIDED, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE, BUT WE WOULD MOST APPRECIATED, UM, UM, DON'T HAVE A POT OF MONEY TO GIVE YOU, BUT WE, WE HAVE MONIES THAT WE HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP MAINTAIN THE TRAILS, EVEN BUILD ON THEM.
UM, MOUNT BIKE TRAILS ARE QUITE NARROW.
UM, THEY THEY'RE IN WHEN, UNDER THE PHRASE, UM, CONSERVATIVES OF THE LAND OF A SCENIC, IT KEEPS IT WITHIN IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A BIG SOCCER FIELD, IT'S A SKINNY TRAIL.
IT'S THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT IN A FEW, IN A FEW RECENT YEARS WHEN THOSE, WHEN THOSE YEARS ARE, I CAN'T THINK AT THE MOMENT, BECAUSE IT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT I LOOKED IT UP AND SOME OF THE YEARS THAT IT WASN'T THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT, UH, IT MOST LIKELY WAS NUMBER TWO.
UM, UM, THE CON THE, THE, WE CALL IT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, IT'S NEXT TO NOTHING ABOUT PARKS AND REC, WHETHER IT'S, I DIDN'T SEE MUCH IN THERE ABOUT ACTIVE.
IT MIGHT HAVE TOUCHED ON THE PAST OF A LITTLE BIT.
UM, UM, I SURE DON'T THINK IT MENTIONED THE GREEN STREET GYM, BUT, UM, UH, THE COUNTY OWNS IT SINCE 1995, I BELIEVE FOR 10 BUCKS FROM THE CITY.
SO, UM, IT WOULD REALLY BE NICE IF WE COULD GET THE HOURS ON THE FRONT DOOR, THAT BUILDING, UM, AND MAKE IT WELCOMING.
UM, I KIND OF SWITCHED TOPICS, BUT THE MOUNTAIN BIKING, UM, WE HAVE A HIGHER SIGNATURES, UM, THAT WON'T MOUNT LIKE A TRAILS AMBIENT FOR MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED IT.
I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME, BUT I HAVE THE MOST PEOPLE THAT SIGNED IT.
CAN YOU JUST, CAN YOU SUMMARIZE YOUR, YOUR FURTHER COMMENTS OR YOUR TIME IS ABOUT UP? OKAY.
UM, UH, UH, MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING CLEAR THAT LAND, THEY'D DONE IT ON LADIES OUT.
THEY CAN CLEAR CUT TREES FOR HOUSES LIKE THAT ON LADY'S ISLAND DOWN TO OT.
SO, UM, I JUST HOPE THAT, UM, JUST TO WORK ITSELF OUT, UM, THIS IS LET'S KEEP IT SIMPLE.
UM, UM, I'VE BEEN IN TALKS WITH MR. GREENWAY, UM, FINE, MAN.
UM, UM, UH, LAST POINT, I'M SO SORRY.
I, THE LONG DAY, UM, PERSON SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DRIVE TO CHARLESTON TO MOUNTAIN BIKE.
SO IT'S A 21ST CENTURY VERSION OF THE SOFTBALL FIELD WE'D GO ON, SHOULD HAVE THE JOB AT CHARLESTON, FIVE SOFTBALL FIELD AND EVEN FURTHER.
UM, CHARLESTON HAS ONE IN GOOSE CREEK.
I'VE UM, DONE A LOT OF BIKING, UM, AS A KID.
OKAY, MR. MACK, WE APPRECIATE IT.
UM, ROB, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE PATHWAYS INITIATIVE AND I KNOW THERE'S EXTENSIVE LEARNING.
UM, WELL IT ACTUALLY, THIS, THIS MAY BE COMING TO THE SEPTEMBER PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, SO IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP, BUT WE, WE ARE WORKING ON A, COUNTY-WIDE ACTUALLY MULTICHANNEL, STICTION ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTY ON A BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN.
I'M PRIMARILY LOOKING AT BIKING AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, BUT ALSO IT'S RECREATION BENEFITS AS WELL.
AND THAT'S A PLAN THAT WE WANT TO BRING FORWARD AS, AS AN APPENDIX OF THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN THAT WE'RE HOPING TO PRESENT AT THE SEPTEMBER PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, WHEN YOU CONSIDER A REVISED PLAN.
THE OTHER THING YOU MENTIONED IS THAT THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF A RECREATION STUDY, LOOKING AT ALL OUR RECREATION ACTIVE RECREATION NEEDS.
UM, SO THE, THE MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS IS MAYBE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THAT PLAN, BUT IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF BIKING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN OR BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN PLAN.
THAT'S MORE OF A MULTI-USE PATHWAYS GETTING YOU FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PRESENTATION? SURE.
IF YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES JUST TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF, YOU WOULD PLEASE.
MY NAME IS SALLY LOMBARD AND I'M FROM ST.
I GREW UP THERE AND HAVE RETIRED THERE.
[01:00:01]
I ENJOY GOING THROUGH ALL THE NOTES IN THAT I APPLAUD YOU FOR REALLY EXTENDING BEYOND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE NORMAL TITLE? CAN YOU HOLD ON JUST A SECOND, I'M HEARING SOME BACKGROUND NOISE.IS THAT SOMEBODY WHOSE MICROPHONE ON THE ONLINE? OKAY.
SO, UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT I'VE LEARNED AND LOOKING INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT IS INDEED THIS DOCUMENT THAT ALLOWS US TO, YOU KNOW, PUT SOME THINGS IN THAT ARE MEASURABLE.
UM, I SEE THE WORDS YOU USE DO, YOU KNOW, TO ENSURE OR TO ASSESS.
AND, UM, THERE'S NOT REALLY TIMEFRAMES ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THE MEASURABILITY ISN'T THERE AND THAT IS REALLY NOT AN ACCOUNTABLE DOCUMENT, HAS THE STATE HAS REALLY INTENDED FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO BE.
AND SO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, THAT, UM, THAT IT'S, THE WORDS ARE A LITTLE SOFT.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS ACTUALLY WRITTEN A HOPE THAT IT'S GOING TO BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE MEASURABLE SO THAT WE CAN SEE LIKE WHAT, EVEN IF IT'S PHASES.
SO I LOOKED AT LIKE, UH, SO I LIVE ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THINGS, UM, WE HAVE SEPTIC TANKS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVEN DEVELOPING SOMETHING ON OUR OWN LAND, LIKE IT MIGHT NOT JUST BE THE PREFERRED.
SO WHY ISN'T THERE MAYBE A 25 YEAR PHASE IN PLAN FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO GO IN PLACE? YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT DOES HAVE TO BE VERY LONG TERM FOR THESE PHASES TO HAPPEN WHERE MAYBE IT'S NOT, UH, ECONOMICAL FOR US TO DO IT ALL FELL SWOOP THEN, AND FOR THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPEN, BUT HOW ELSE IS IT GOING TO HAPPEN OTHER THAN MAYBE HAVING THESE THINGS HAPPEN IN PHASES? SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S APPLICABLE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I THINK IT'S APPLICABLE TO ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE HARDER, MEASURABLE LANGUAGE IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT AS WE'RE GROWING IT, WE CAN SEE CHECK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE MADE THE FIRST STEP, WE'VE MADE THE THIRD STEP THAT WHEREVER WE'RE AT.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT I'M REQUESTING.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, UM, SEE AND CONGRATULATE EACH OTHER ON, ON THESE STEPS ACCOMPLISHED.
THANK YOU, ROB, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS IN THIS PLAN, WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OUR PREVIOUS PLAN.
UM, AND I THINK ONE OF THE CRITICISMS MADE ABOUT OUR 2010 PLAN IS THAT THERE'S ALL OF THESE ACTION ITEMS AND VERY DIFFICULT TO TRACK BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MANY, AND THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS PLAN HAS DONE IS WE HAVE STRATEGIES AND THOSE ARE MEANT TO BE MORE POLICY STATEMENTS, KIND OF SAYING THE THINGS WE VALUE AND THAT, THAT THOSE TYPES OF STATEMENTS GUIDE HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS.
AND THEN THERE ARE ACTION ITEMS. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE ACTIONABLE.
YOU CAN CHECK A BOX AND SAY THAT YOU DID IT.
SOME OF THEM ARE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE ONGOING SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUALLY MONITOR OUR NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION STANDARDS, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS PLAN IS, IS TRYING TO FOCUS MORE ON WHAT ARE THE ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT WE COULD DO IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, UM, ACCOMPANYING THIS, WE'LL BE TAKING ALL THOSE ACTION ITEMS AND ARRANGING THEM BY THE DIFFICULTY TO ACHIEVE WHEN IT FALLS IN THE TIMEFRAME OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, UM, THE, THE COST.
SO WE'LL, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT, WE'LL HAVE A MUCH CLEARER PATH FORWARD AND DIRECTION FOR STAFF OR, OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE RE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THIS TIME.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IS DEVELOPING A TEN-YEAR CIP, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO ACCOMPANY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS PART OF THE PRIORITY INVESTMENT ACT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS THAT WE HAVE AN ACTION ITEMS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A FINANCIAL PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I AGREE THAT THERE'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT BALANCING ACT BETWEEN OVER PROMISING, YOU KNOW, AND, AND TRYING TO LOOK AT WHAT IS REASONABLE TO DO OR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS PLAN IS AIMING TO DO.
I, I COMMEND, UH, THE COUNTY FOR THAT.
I, AS I SAID, GETTING, UM, FOR ME, AN ACTION PLAN IS AN ESSENTIAL, CRITICAL INGREDIENT TO ANY STRATEGIC PLAN.
THAT'S SETS A SET OF POLICIES AND DIRECTIONS, THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, AND HAVING A MEASURABLE OUTCOME.
[01:05:02]
UM, I WOULD GO A STEP FURTHER AND ASK VERY STRONGLY THAT THOSE OUTCOMES WILL BE SHARED IN SOME SORT OF REPORT TO COUNTY COUNCIL ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR PURPOSES OF TRACKING LAURA, HOW WE'VE DONE AND THE STATUS OF WHERE WE'RE GOING AND THAT WE STAY ON TRACK.OR THAT PROBABLY MEANS THAT SOMEBODY, UM, ON THE COUNTY STAFF WILL HAVE TO BE THE COORDINATOR OF THIS ENTIRE ACTION PLAN.
THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A COORDINATION EFFORT BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE, I WOULD IMAGINE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT INPUTS, DIFFERENT PEOPLE ASSIGN, ET CETERA.
SOMEBODY HAS TO COORDINATE THAT TO ENSURE THAT IT STAYS ON TRACK WITH THE INTENDED ACTION PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT THAT IF WE DO THAT, AND THEN WE WILL TRULY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SET OF OUTCOMES.
IF WE DO NOT, THIS WILL SIT ON THE SHELF UNTIL WE GET AROUND TO MODIFYING IT ONE MORE TIME.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE APPROACH THAT YOU TOOK IN THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT.
I THINK THAT INCLUDES, THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE.
[9. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT]
LEFT HERE IS CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS.I'M MY ONLY COMMENT IS THAT I REALLY TRULY THINK, UH, THE COUNTY STAFF PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE SO LONG, I KNOW IT'S BEEN TEDIOUS AT TIMES, FRUSTRATING AT TIMES, BUT HOPEFULLY PERSONALLY, VERY REWARDING BECAUSE YOU CREATED A PRODUCT THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF AT THIS POINT.
AND I THINK THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE ARE THE CRUCIAL ONES TO TAKE IT FROM A POLICY PLANNING DOCUMENT, TO ONE OF AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WE CAN HAVE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES AND SUCCESS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THAT WE STAND FOR AND OUR VALUES.
SO I THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.
AND I KNOW ALL OF MY COMMISSIONERS FEEL THE SAME WAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AT THIS POINT? IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS BRIEFLY? IF NOT HEARING NONE, I WILL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.