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GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 9TH, 2022 PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING, LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER KRISTA.
ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FOIL? YES, SIR.
WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? CERTAINLY MRS. BECKER, MR. BROWN, MR. STANFORD AND MR. AMES, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO ON THE SECOND, SECOND, ALTHOUGH SIGNIFY IS IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES, JANUARY 27TH.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ANY NEW ADOPTION AS WRITTEN? OKAY.
IS THERE A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, WE HAVE APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS AT THIS TIME, BUT I'M AWARE THAT THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE DISCUSSION.
YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO EITHER SPEAK NOW OR TO HEAR THE, THE, UH, UH, STAFF'S PRESENTATION AND THEN MAKE YOUR COMMENTS.
SO WHICHEVER YOU PREFER IS FINE WITH THE COMMITTEE.
KRISTA, WOULD YOU, UH, AND, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD TO REMIND OUR CITIZENS OF THE TOWN'S RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND ONCE YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
EACH CITIZEN HAS THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE.
AT THE END OF THE THREE MINUTES, YOU ARE ASKED TO CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS.
CITIZENS ARE ASKED TO MAINTAIN DECORUM SUITABLE FOR THE MEETING AND REFRAIN FROM USING ANY PROFANE ABUSIVE OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE.
UH, THE FIRST PERSON WE HAVE SIGNED UP IS KAITLIN COWARD IS COWARD.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. DREW BROWN, MR. BROWN, HYDRO AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
HOW ARE YOU? UH, MY NAME IS DREW BROWN.
I'M THE MANAGING PARTNER AT ISLAND TIME HILTON HEAD.
WE'RE A VACATION RENTAL AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT OPERATES 110 PROPERTIES AND ALL AREAS OF THE ISLAND.
THEY'RE ALSO LOCAL RESIDENTS, UH, ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND IN BLUFFTON, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS WORKING ALL OF THAT TIME, THE VACATION RENTAL INDUSTRY, MY FAMILY STARTED VISITING HILTON HEAD IN 1967.
SO I PERSONALLY SEEN THE EVOLUTION OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY ON OUR ISLAND.
MY CHILDREN ARE THE FOURTH GENERATION OF BROWNS TO BE ON HILTON HEAD.
I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY TO REQUEST MORE TIME TO VIEW THE SHORT-TERM ORDINANCE BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THERE'S A TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT AND ASK THE PRUDENCE, BE TAKEN AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL ASPECTS OF IMPOSING REGULATIONS ON THIS VITAL PART OF OUR ECONOMY ARE TAKEN IN THE PRESENTATION.
WE PROVIDE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT AND HOUSING STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED AT THE REQUEST OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA V VACATION RENTAL ALLIANCE, A STATEWIDE GROUP OF A MADE UP OF INDUSTRY LEADERS, POLICY MAKERS, AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES THAT FOUNDED IT WAS FOUNDED IN 2020.
IT OUTLINES THE $4 BILLION INDUSTRY ANNUALLY THAT IS VACATION RENTALS TO OUR STATE.
IT ALSO OUTLINES THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES, OCCUPATIONS, AND INDUSTRIES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH VACATION RENTALS AND ALSO IMPACTED BY VACATION RENTALS WHILE THERE'S MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS TO BE SOLVED BY REGULATING VACATION RENTALS WITH A SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, THE UNDERLYING THEME OF COOPERATION AND PARTICIPATION NEEDS TO BE PARAMOUNT.
HILTON HAD JUST YESTERDAY RECEIVED MORE ACCOLADES OF BEING A WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION.
I URGE YOU TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE LOOK AT CHANGING HOW VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE THAT IN PHASE TWO OF THIS PROJECT, AS A RENTAL COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO ASSIST AND ADVISE IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE FOR YOU IN BOTH TOWN COUNCIL, FOR THE GOAL OF COMPLIANCE BY VISITORS AND OWNERS.
PLEASE REMEMBER WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED, THERE WAS A SWIFT REACTION TO SHUT DOWN SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND WAS QUICKLY REPEALED.
THE REAL STORY WAS THAT THE, AS A COMMUNITY BUSINESS LEADERS FROM ALL INDUSTRIES CAME TOGETHER TO CREATE THE PATH FORWARD THROUGH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WITH MY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE VR MAY THE VACATION RENTAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, THAT PLAN WAS ADOPTED AS SAFE COMMUNITY, THE INTERNATIONAL OPENING STANDARDS FOR DESTINATIONS.
NOW, MY POINT IS AS A WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION TO TAKE THE TIME AND MAKE THIS PROCESS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE USED ALL AROUND THE WORLD TO CREATE FAIR AND REASONABLE REGULATIONS FOR OUR ENTIRE ISLAND COMMUNITY AND OUR VISITORS.
SO AGAIN, I ASK THAT MORE TIME IS TAKEN TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW AND MAKE THIS MOST
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RECENT CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE, BE EVALUATED QUICKLY SO THAT WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO REVIEW AND MAKE SURE IT'S THE BEST PATH FORWARD.UH, RICHARD ROSS AND MICHELLE ROSS.
THAT CONCLUDES APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS, SIR.
APPRECIATE THAT NEW BUSINESSES SUMMARY OF THE 2021 TROLLEY SERVICE AND REQUESTS FOR INPUT ON THE PROPOSED 2022 TROLLEY SERVICE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DID UPDATE THE PRESENTATION.
THE ONE YOU HAD IN YOUR PACKET WAS DATED IN, SO THIS WHAT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU MIGHT BE JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR, UH, TROLLEY FOUR SEASONS OF OPERATION, AND JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HOW FAR WE'VE COME IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT WE'D BEEN RUNNING THE TROLLEY, UM, AND, AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THOSE FOUR YEARS.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THIS IS, UH, A MARKETING SHEET THAT PRETTY MUCH SHOWS A LOT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, 52,000 PASSENGERS WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE OUR HIGHEST YEAR BEFORE THAT WAS 18,000.
SO FOR US TO GO TO 52,000, IT WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
I KNOW I GOT OUT ON THE STREET AND, UH, OBSERVED A LOT OF THE TROLLEY OPERATION AND THERE WERE PEOPLE IN THE TROLLEYS.
UM, THEY WERE, UH, PACKING THEM UP AND GETTING ON AT SHELTER COVE AND, UH, COLIGNY.
I WAS OUR TWO HIGHEST SPOTS I DID, UM, PUT IN, UH, IF YOU, UH, AVERAGED ABOUT THREE PEOPLE PER VEHICLE, ROUGHLY 15,000 VEHICLE TRIPS, IF YOU TOOK EACH TRIP AND SAID, OH, WELL, MAYBE THREE PEOPLE WOULD BE IN A VEHICLE.
SO WE WANTED TO BE CONSERVATIVE AND NOT SAY THAT THAT WAS 52,000 VEHICLE TRIPS, BUT WE SAY 15, THE, A RETURN ON INVESTMENT WE USE AS THE APTA MODEL THAT SAYS FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED, THERE'S $5 OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
AND I INCLUDED THAT STUDY IN THE PACKET THAT YOU GOT.
AND, UH, LAST YEAR WE DID, UH, IMPLEMENT THE MID ISLANDS, UH, ROUTE.
AND, UM, WE ASKED SOME MODIFICATIONS WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THIS YEAR WITH 18,000.
SO HERE'S OUR RIDERSHIP, UH, HISTORY.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT 52,000, I THINK, HAD A LOT TO DO WITH, UH, HAVING THAT MID ISLAND ROUTE AND THE CONNECTION AND THE THREE PREVIOUS YEARS OF MARKETING AND OUTREACH.
UM, SO HERE IS THE, THE ROUTE MAP AS IT EXISTED LAST YEAR.
AND OUR TOP STOPS, I BELIEVE Y'ALL HAVE LOOKED AT THAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT NUMBER ONE, SHELTER COVE AND NUMBER EIGHT COLIGNY CIRCLE ARE THE TWO HIGHEST FOLLOWED BY, UM, THE WESTERN AND, UM, OTHER ONE, UH, THE HARBOR HARBOR.
I DON'T EVEN SEE IT UP THERE, BUT YEAH, SHELTER, COVE HARBOR.
AND, UH, SO THAT DOES SHOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WESTERN WAS A GREAT ADDITION, UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER RIDERSHIP IS SPREAD OUT BETWEEN THE STOPS.
UH, IF HE WANTS TO, YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
BRIAN IS OUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND HE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB FOR THE RECORD.
BRIAN SULLIVAN, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE LOW COUNTRY, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, UM, VIA YEAR SAW A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN OUR PRESENCE ONLINE AT WHICH INCLUDES A LOT OF OBVIOUSLY SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT ALSO WEBSITE AND EVEN GOOGLE.
UM, THE INCREASE IN FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS I THOUGHT WAS PRETTY, UH, COMPELLING.
UH, WE STARTED, I USED A COMPARISON ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, BASICALLY KIND OF GET YOU A FEEL FOR HOW THINGS PLAYED OUT OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS.
AND, UH, WE WERE ROUGHLY AROUND 600 FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK AND, UH, AS OF TODAY, SOMEWHERE IN THE 1600 RANGE.
SO WE'VE NEARLY TRIPLED OUR FOLLOWING ON FACEBOOK AND A COUPLE THAT MOST IMPORTANTLY, SOMETHING, UH, AN ANALYTIC THAT I WATCH A LOT IS, UH, WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE, UH, IN OUR FIRST YEAR OR TWO, THEY WERE MOSTLY LOCAL, UH, RIGHT NOW THOUGH WE'RE A TWO TO TWO TO ONE SPLIT, UH, 65% BASICALLY FOLLOWING US FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE KEY MARKETS IT'S REALLY HARD TO, TO, UM, TO ADDRESS.
SO, UM, INSTAGRAM IS VERY SIMILAR AND THEN, UH, JUST KIND OF A RECENT STATISTIC.
UM, THE GOOGLE PROFILE, UH, FOR THE TROLLEY, UM, IN THE LAST MONTH HAS SEEN A 300% INCREASE
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IN PHONE CALLS THAT FOLKS HAVE PLACED DIRECTLY FROM THE GOOGLE SEARCH.IT'S NOT A HUGE IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, BUT IT'S A BIG PERCENTAGE JUMP IN ONE MONTH'S TIME AND SPEAKS TO THE ANTICIPATION OF THE TROLLEY SEASON IN 2022 AND A 41%, UH, SIMILARLY IN THE PROFILE VIEWS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOOGLE PROFILE.
SO A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS THEN GO ONTO THE WEBSITE OR THEY GO TO SEEK SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION.
UM, KIND OF COUPLED WITH THAT IS, IS HOW WE ENHANCE, UM, THE BRAND THAT IS HILTON HEAD, RIGHT? UH, HOW DO WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXPERIENCE? UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE JUST RECEIVED RECEIVE THIS QUOTE THE OTHER DAY, I GET AN UNSOLICITED COMMENT, UM, VIA SOCIAL MEDIA FROM A RESIDENT.
UM, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PLAY IT OUT HERE BECAUSE WE HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME.
I HEAR, I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME FROM BOTH VISITORS, BUT ALSO RESIDENTS.
UH, THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL HAVE BEEN HERE 41 YEARS AND IT'S REALLY OBVIOUSLY COMPLIMENTARY THE SERVICE.
UH, I KNOW, UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE DO SOME OTHER THINGS TOO WA UH, THAT I THINK ARE EVEN MORE, OR MAYBE EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT AS THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT.
AND THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS BE SAFE AND COURTEOUS.
UM, TRANSPORTATION PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR SAFETY RECORD, CAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO JINX IT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE HAD ZERO INJURY INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS SINCE WE STARTED SERVICE, WHICH IS A LOT OF MILES, UH, TO, TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT AND VERY, VERY FEW ACTUALLY ANY KIND OF, UH, UH, PREVENTABLE, UH, INCIDENTS AS WELL.
BUT, UH, IN ADDITION TO ALL THAT, THAT'S SORT OF THE BASELINE, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO DO THAT OR NO ONE'S GOING TO RIDE, UM, WE'VE ADDED IN 2021, THE VIDEO MONITORS ON EACH OF THE TROLLEY VEHICLES.
UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S USED FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES.
I'LL TO PROMOTE THINGS THAT WE THINK REALLY TELL THE STORY OF HILTON HEAD AND COULD REALLY EDUCATE THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE ON OUR TROLLEYS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
UH, WE ARE DEFINITELY A PART OF THE ISLAND COMMUNITY.
I IT'S THE THREE-PIECE PARADES PROMOTIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
SO WE ARE OUT THERE, UM, AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BE AS A PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, LASTLY, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF A MOVING TARGET RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT, UM, WAYS THAT WE CAN ENHANCE THE GREEN VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES AND MAKE OUR OPERATION AS GREEN AS POSSIBLE, UM, SUPPLY CHAINS AND DOING A PLAY IN A NUMBER ON THAT TYPE OF, UH, STUFF RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO STAY AHEAD OF THE LATEST AND GREATEST SO THAT WE CAN PRESENT THE MOST, UM, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PERSPECTIVE.
SO OUR SEASON FOR 2022, UH, WOULD START APRIL 9TH.
IT'S A SATURDAY OF HERITAGE WEEK PRIOR TO THE HERITAGE.
UH, THAT WAS OUR, WHEN WE STARTED EARLIER THAN THAT, WE FOUND THAT THAT WEEK, THE HERITAGE WEEK WAS OUR BIGGEST WEEK FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.
AND SO WE TARGETED THAT AS OUR START DATE, W IT'LL BE THE SAME SCHEDULE AS LAST YEAR.
WE CONTINUED THE FREE, UM, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ROUTE ADJUSTMENTS WE WANTED TO GO OVER AS WELL.
THE, UH, LOOKING AT THE ROUTES, WE, WE EVALUATE THE ROUTES EVERY YEAR AND WE TALKED TO STAFF AS WELL, AS FAR AS WHAT ENHANCEMENTS.
AND I HAVE TO SAY I'VE HAD MANY REQUESTS FOR SERVICE ALONG POPE AVENUE PRIOR TO THIS YEAR IN, UH, ONE OF THE INDICATORS IN TRANSIT IS IF YOU'RE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF A BUS STOP, YOU'RE SERVED BY THAT STOP.
AND SO THAT KIND OF SHOWED THAT AREA OF, OF POPE AVENUE THAT THEY WERE WALKABLE TO THE STOPS WELL WITH THE OPENING OF THE LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK AND THE SANDBOX MUSEUM, WE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A VERY DESIRABLE LOCATION ON OUR MAPS AND SCHEDULES AND TO PROMOTE TO, TO THE FOLKS RIDING THE BUS.
AND SO ON THE LEFT SIDE IS THE CURRENT ROUTE ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS, UM, OUR PROPOSED CHANGE.
AND, UH, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS INSTEAD OF WE WOULD MOVE STOP SEVEN TO RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SANDBOX MUSEUM, BUT ON NASSAU ROAD, BECAUSE WE CAN GET IN AND OUT OF THERE FAIRLY QUICKLY, WE WOULD NOT GO INTO THE CELEBRATION PARK.
IF ANYBODY WANTED TO GO TO THE PARK, THEY WOULD GET OFF AT THE SANDBOX, WE'D COME AROUND THE FRONT.
THE NEXT STOP WOULD BE BACK TO COLIGNY CIRCLE WHERE WE WE'VE ALREADY SERVED AND THEN STOPPED NINE, UH, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO.
AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE DETAILS, BUT GET OFF OF POPE AVENUE AND GO INTO THE ROAD RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE COURTYARD HOTEL THERE, AND HAVE A STOP THERE FOR THAT WHOLE SOUTH END, UM, THAT, THAT AREN'T WALKING OVER TO COLIGNY, UH, TO WHERE THE BEACH IS.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE STOP FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE'D MOVE ON AND STOP 10 WOULD BE JUST OPPOSITE.
UM, CORDELA PARKWAY WHERE WORK COMES OUT.
UM, WE'D HAVE ANOTHER STOP THERE AGAIN WITH THE SAME THING IN MIND THAT FOLKS IN THAT GENERAL AREA COULD, COULD GET TO THAT STOP.
UM, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE, UH, GOING TO OUR RIDERSHIP WITHOUT REALLY LOSING ANY OF THE CURRENT RIDERS AS THE NEW ROUTE IS ONLY A SLIGHT MODIFICATION.
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AND MORE DESTINATIONS.WE ALSO HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE MID ISLAND DROUGHT.
UM, WE'VE BEEN, UH, UH, TALKING TO PEOPLE AND SEEING WHAT, UH, PEOPLE WANT FOR TRANSPORTATION AND THE IN PORT ROYAL, THE MANAGER, THERE IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, US HAVING THE ABILITY TO COME IN THROUGH, UM, FROM THE WESTERN AND THEN OUT PORT ROYAL.
AND, UH, HE WOULD LIKE US TO SERVE THE, UH, CLUBHOUSE THERE AND AGAIN, THE ISLAND LINKS COMPLEX.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
WE WANT TO BRING THE TROLLEY BACK INSTEAD OF THE SMALL CUTAWAY, HAVING ONLY GO ONE TIME, AN HOUR ON A FOLLY FIELD ROAD, AND THEN GO OUT, UM, ONE, UM, THROUGH A PORT ROYAL.
AND HERE'S THE TWO MAPS THAT YOU CAN SEE THE LEFT MAP IS THE CURRENT MAP.
AND THEN THE RIGHT MAP IS THE, UM, THE ONE GOING THROUGH PORT ROYAL.
WE SUPPOSED TO BE ASKING QUESTIONS AS WE GO, OR WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AIRPORT FEASIBILITY STUDY.
WE'RE, WE'RE JUST DOING A STUDY RIGHT NOW AT THE POINT.
AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE CONSULTANTS OUT OF SAVANNAH THAT HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND HAVE HAD MANY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE, UM, THE NEED FOR TRANSPORTATION AT THE AIRPORT.
WE HAVE A LOT MORE PASSENGERS THAN WE HAVE VEHICLES TO GET THEM AROUND.
AND SO THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STUDY.
UH, THEY'D PUT A SURVEY OUT, THEY'VE GOT OVER 200 RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY.
UH, THE STUDY SHOULD BE COMPLETE, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 45 DAYS.
AND THEN, UH, WE'LL HAVE THE RESULTS OF WHAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE, UH, AIRPORT STUDY.
UM, WE'VE HAD, UH, SEVERAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.
UM, THEY'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF DATA COLLECTED.
THEY'D BEEN ON THE GROUND, THE CONSULTING FIRM, ACTUALLY GOING TO HOTELS AND GOING TO RUNAWAY AGENCIES AND TALKING TO PEOPLE AND, UM, JUST, UH, INITIATING THAT CONVERSATION OF WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT TO SEE.
SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH.
CAUSE THEY'VE, THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND HOURS, YOU KNOW, ASKING PEOPLE THAT'S THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, LET'S BECKER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SURE.
UM, I'D BE INTERESTED IN IT WHEN I SAW THE 300% PHONE CALLS COMING INTO Y'ALL.
I WAS CURIOUS AS TO ANECDOTALLY, WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS THEY HAVE FOR YOU? THEY'RE MOSTLY, UM, WHEN'S THIS, WHEN DOES THE SERVICE STARTING? IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE OCTOBER.
I MEAN, HOW SOON CAN WE TAKE A TRIP, I GUESS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
IS THERE A TRACKING OF WHETHER THOSE ARE VISITORS, TOURISTS, OR RESIDENTS ON THE ISLAND? IT'S ALMOST ALL VISITORS, VISITORS.
UM, I'D BE INTERESTED IN, I GUESS WE'LL GET TO THIS AT SOME POINT, UM, WITH REGARD TO FUNDING, SEEING THAT, UM, THE REPORT SHOWED THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE FAIR, FREE.
SO THAT WAS CERTAINLY, UM, SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE THE, UM, REROUTING, UM, THROUGH FOLLY FIELD AND PORT ROYAL.
CURRENTLY WE HAD THAT SMALLER BUS, WHICH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE RESIDENT JOEL NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE REQUESTED.
AND SO I'M ASSUMING THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT SMALLER QUIETER CAN, UM, BEST THROUGH THAT ROUTE.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING GOING BACK TO THE TROLLEY AND, UH, MITIGATING THAT PERSON'S COMPLAINT WITH NOT GOING TWICE AN HOUR, BUT ONLY GOING ONCE AN HOUR THROUGH THAT FOLLY FIELD ROAD CORRIDOR, THEY WOULD GO TO THE WESTERN AND THEN THEY WOULDN'T COME BACK.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I REMEMBER LAST YEAR IN THAT, UH, COMPLAINT, UM, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE TROLLEY REALLY IS THE TROLLEY ITSELF, UH, RIDING IN THE TROLLEY AND HOW, WHAT A SCENIC VIEW YOU GET OF HILTON HEAD, THE MONITORS WE HAVE UP WITH THE, UH, INFORMATION PLAN ON WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ISLAND.
AND, UH, WE FELT LIKE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE TO THE VISITORS AND TO THE RESIDENTS HERE, UH, IS BEST GIVEN WITH THE ACTUAL TROLLEY VEHICLE.
SO WE RECOMMEND PUTTING IT BACK.
THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE COMPLAINT, IT WAS COMPLAINTS.
BUT, UM, FOLLOWING UP ON THAT AND ADDING TO THE INFORMATION THAT THE LARGE MAJORITY OF PHONE CALLS THAT YOU ALL RECEIVE OR FROM VISITORS, UM, I THINK THAT I HAVE TO STAY VERY CONSISTENT AND RESPONSIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS ISLET AND, AND THEY'RE MY FIRST PRIORITY.
SO I AM GOING TO ASK STRONGLY THAT OUR COUNCIL, UM, CONTINUE TO PUT THAT SMALLER VEHICLE GOING THROUGH THAT
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RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, WHETHER IT'S ONCE OR TWICE THE IMPACT OF THOSE RESIDENTS IS SUBSTANTIAL DAY AFTER DAY.SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT WITH THAT CAVEAT TO THAT.
WE KEEP THAT SMALLER, UM, BUS.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UM, MY FIRST INTEREST IS IN, UH, IN MARKETING AND BRIAN UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GO INTO THE SOCIAL WORLD HERE IN, UH, GAIN SOME INTEREST.
UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, THAT'S FINE.
JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW MUCH DOLLARS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS A MARKETING BUDGET IS CONCERNED WITH THE PROGRAM.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A FIGURE OR KIND OF LOOKING AT THE BUDGET? UM, IT'S MOSTLY LABOR.
UH, THERE IS SOME COSTS WE DO NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR, WE'RE DOING A MORE ROBUST, UM, WRITER'S GUIDE AND THAT'S GOING TO BE PAID FOR THROUGH, UH, ADVERTISING.
SO ADVERTISING BUSINESSES ALONG THE ROUTE, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU GOT BUSINESSES THAT PERTAIN TO THE VISITORS FOR THOSE PART, BUT ALSO RESIDENTS, UM, UM, ADDITIONAL BUDGET.
I MEAN, WE HAVE CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR THINGS THAT CAN ASSIST WITH CAPITAL ITEMS. UM, IN FACT, WE WERE HAVING A MEETING OR EARLY THIS MORNING TALKING ABOUT SORT OF A WISHLIST OF THINGS TO, TO HELP TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE CAPITAL FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US.
W WELL, AND I COULD ADDRESS THE BUDGET AND SAY, WE OP WE OPERATE ON A VERY SHOESTRING BUDGET FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
AND SO, UH, BRIAN'S SALARY IS THE MAJORITY OF OUR MARKETING MONEY.
AND, UH, WE DID PAY, IF YOU LOOK ON THE WEBSITE THERE'S VIDEOS, WE PAID FOR SOME OF THE VIDEO PRODUCTION AND DRONE SHOTS.
THAT WAS A ONE-TIME COST, BUT THE, UH, THE COST OF MARKETING FROM, UH, FOR THE CURRENT YEAR IS WE DON'T SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON MARKETING PROBABLY LESS THAN $10,000 WHEN THE THINGS THAT WE PURCHASED.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, UH, I GUESS LOOKING FOR CONSIDERATION FROM, FROM COUNSEL, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, I THINK THE CHARLIE SERVICE, UM, HAS BECOME A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT ONE ITEM PARKING IN PARTICULAR ON HILTON HEAD IS A, IS A PREMIUM.
AND THE MORE TIMES THAT WE CAN OFFER FOLKS NOT TO GET IN THE VEHICLE TO GO SOMEWHERE, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.
UH, SO AS WE PRIDE OURSELVES AS BEING SOMEWHERE THAT YOU CAN COME AND VISIT A NICE WIDE BEACH, I THINK WE NEED TO ALSO PRIDE OURSELVES IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT CAN MOVE PEOPLE AROUND.
UH, SO IF WE CAN BE CREATIVE WITH SOME OF OUR TAX DOLLARS, OKAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION WITH, UH, GOOD FRIENDS OVER AT THE CHAMBER, AS FAR AS MARKETING IS CONCERNED, I THINK THAT WILL SERVE US WELL IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THE, YOU MENTIONED, UH, CAPITAL NEEDS.
UM, I REMEMBER HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR STOPS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY ADD A FEW MORE STOPS CURRENTLY.
THEY ARE, UH, AGAINST JUST A POLL WITH SOME INFORMATION.
UM, BUT, UM, ENHANCING THOSE TO A DEGREE, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEM BEING MORE OF A COMFORT STATION THAN JUST A STOP, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A BENCH OR SOMETHING.
UH, THERE'S A HIGH EXPECTATION WHEN YOU COME TO THE HILTON HEAD.
UH, SO I THINK WE WANT TO, UH, OFFER THAT ALONG ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND THE LAST THING THAT, UM, I'LL MENTION, I APPRECIATE US HAVING TO STUDY, UM, WITH THE AIRPORT, UH, AND WE ALL KNOW THE TROUBLES WE HAD LAST YEAR.
UM, BUT I WOULD ALSO, UM, WANT US TO CONSIDER HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH, UH, PAMELA BREEZE WHEN IT COMES TO EMERGENCIES.
I'M NOT SURE WE CURRENTLY HAVE A MOU WITH THEM.
AS FAR AS TRANSPORTING FOLKS OFF OF THE ALLAN IN THE OCCURRENCE OF HURRICANE EVACUATION.
WE HAVE AN, WE HAVE AN MOU WITH, UM, BUFORD COUNTY WHERE WE ARE THE TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS DURING EMERGENCIES.
AND WE DO PROVIDE A BUS ON HILTON HEAD THAT WE'D LOAD TO TAKE TO THE SHELTER, BUT WE ALSO GIVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONE OF OUR VEHICLES TO USE, AND THEY USE OUR VEHICLE TO GO AROUND THE ISLAND EITHER TO TAKE PEOPLE TO A SHELTER OR TO TAKE THEM TO THE BUS THAT WE HAVE STAGED, BUT WE'RE WILLING TO DO, YOU KNOW, THE PLANTS NEED TO MODIFY WE'RE WE'RE THERE FOR YOU.
UM, MY OBSERVATION IS THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR YOUR SUCCESS.
UM, NUMBER ONE IS FREE FARES, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS, I THINK THE THING THAT STIMULATED THIS ALL
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GOING NUMBER TWO WOULD BE THE TROLLEYS THEMSELVES, WHICH ARE ATTRACTIVE AND CLEAN AND MODERN WITHOUT BEING TOO BUS.UH, AND, UH, PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THE FRIENDLY DRIVERS THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THINGS, THEY'LL TALK TO YOU.
IF YOU WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE, THEY LEAVE YOU ALONE, BUT THEY ALWAYS DO THAT WITH A SMILE.
AND SO I, FOR ONE APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I'M SURE THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THE SERVICE, UH, APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR INITIAL COMMENTS ABOUT MOVING THE BUSES BACK THROUGH FOLLY FIELD AT THIS TIME VALLEY FIELD IS IN MY WARD.
UM, I'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF CITIZENS WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT NOISE AND SMELLS AND SO FORTH.
AND, UM, YOU TRIED TO DEAL WITH THAT BY GETTING THE SMALLER VEHICLE.
PEOPLE WERE PLEASED WITH THAT.
UM, AND SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT UNLESS THE DEMAND FOR SERVICE IS GREATER THAN THE SIZE OF A VAN THAT YOU CONSIDER STAYING WITH THE VANS FOR THE TIME BEING, UM, CERTAINLY NOT AN ORDER ON MY PART THAT I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, BUT IT IS A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION BASED UPON WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS THERE.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THE SAME THING AND YOU'VE TRIED TO RESPOND TO THAT.
UM, I THINK THE CHANGES IN THE ROUTING THAT YOU'VE SUGGESTED SOUND VERY GOOD.
I'M SURE THE PEOPLE IN FARLEY FIELD WILL APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THEY WON'T BE A TWO-WAY PASS GOING THROUGH THERE WITH WHICHEVER VEHICLE YOU USING.
AND SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS HERE.
UH, I WANT TO SEE THE USE OF THE TROLLEY CONTINUE TO GROW, AND I KNOW YOU DO TOO.
UM, WE HAVE, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD MAJOR PARKING ISSUES HERE AND USING A MASS VEHICLE, IF YOU WILL SOLVES AN AWFUL LOT OF THOSE PROBLEMS AND MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO MANAGE AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO OUR TOURIST FRIENDS.
UM, MY OBSERVATION ABOUT THE USE OF THE TROLLEY, UH, IS I'M NOT SURE WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.
THAT IS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE FAMILY GROUPS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE DRIVEN IN AND HAVE PARKED THE CAR AND WANT TO RIDE THE SHUTTLE TO COLLECT MONEY, UM, UH, OR TO SHELTER COVE OR WHATEVER.
IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE SOME OF THAT DATA SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER HOW TO ALTER THE ROUTE IN CREW INCREASE THE ROUTES AND SO FORTH.
SO, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, INFORMATION LIKE THAT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL TO US IN WORKING WITH YOU ON A PARTNERSHIP BASIS, UH, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT REPORT AND A GREAT PROGRAM.
BRIAN AND MARY LOU, AND IT'S LIKE OLD TIMES SAKE HERE.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE UPDATE IN, IN YOUR IDEAS, BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE FOLLOWING MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE BECAUSE I THINK THEY MADE A NUMBER OF REALLY GOOD POINTS.
UM, I WOULD AGREE WITH GLEN THAT THE, UM, DRIVERS OF YOUR VEHICLES REALLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
AND, UM, AND I'VE BEEN PLEASED WHEN I'VE WRITTEN THE, UH, THE TROLLEYS IN THAT REGARD, UH, AS I RIDE THE TROLLEY, BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS, I SORT OF SEE THE INFORMATION GO BY ME AND I KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET IT, BUT FOR GUESTS WHO ARE ON THE ISLAND, IT'S, IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, IN A SENSE, ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHAT AM I LOOKING AT? AND, AND THAT GETS ME TO THE VIDEOS AND OTHER WAYS OF, UM, DESCRIBING WHAT THE BUSES, WHAT THE TROLLEYS PASSING.
AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CONCEIVABLE WAY A DRIVER COULD BECOME MORE OF A TOUR GUIDE OR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ONLY EDUCATIONAL FROM THE VIDEO STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO AUDIBLE.
I MENTIONED VIDEO, UM, AND YOU DO HAVE VIDEOS AVAILABLE.
HOW DO WE EXPAND THE NUMBER OF VIDEOS THAT WE CAN AIR ON THE TROLLEYS? IS THAT THE POINT, IS THAT GOING TO, UH, NONPROFITS ON THE ISLAND? IS IT CURRENTLY, IT'S ALL CULTURAL AND ARTS.
UM, WE HAVE A PROMOTIONAL VIDEO FOR THE TROLLEY.
UM, WE DO, UH, WE HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF PALMETTO BREEZE FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH ABOUT TWO MINUTES, LESS
[00:30:01]
THAN TWO MINUTES, BUT THE REST OF IT IS ALL, UH, CULTURE HHI, THE GOLD MUSEUM, MITCHELLVILLE, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.SO EXPANDING IT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THE MOST, UM, UH, THE, THE QUICKEST WAY TO DO THAT IS IF FOLKS HAVE READILY AVAILABLE SHORT, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE SHORT VEHICLES WITH AS LITTLE AUTO AUDIO AS POSSIBLE.
ARE YOU CRYING? ARE YOU DEALING WITH JEN MACEWAN OR CAROLYN GRANT? OH, YES.
SO I'D RECONNECT WITH THAT WITH A REQUEST, UH, ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
HOW CAN WE EXPAND THE CHOICES OF VIDEOS? SURE.
UM, MR. AMES, I DO KNOW LAST YEAR THAT BRIAN, WE HAD A PAUSE BECAUSE I'M NOT ALL THAT VIDEO IS CLOSED CAPTIONED AND WE MADE THE DECISION.
WE DIDN'T WANT AUDIO, BUT WE WANTED THE CLOSED CAPTION.
AND SO HE HAD TO GET, NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, MR. BROWN MENTIONED, UH, THE MARKETING ASPECT AND IT REALLY, WHAT THAT BOILS DOWN IN MY HEAD IS HOW DO WE LEVERAGE YOUR ONE PERSON TO THE CHAMBER, TO THE TOWN WEBSITE, TO P D TO C PINES AND SO ON.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A WAY THAT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT, THAT INFORMATION CAN GO TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
I THINK THE, YEAH, I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS, AND THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST WELCOMING COMMUNITY I'VE EVER BEEN IN FROM A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION STANDPOINT.
AND THAT, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO COMPLIMENT US OR THE COMMUNITY, IT'S JUST TRUE.
AND SO IT'S SO EASY TO GO IN AND, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN, THE CHAMBER, UM, THE LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE AMAZINGLY RECEPTIVE.
AND SO WE CAN DO A LOT WITH JUST ONE STAFF PERSON, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE THAT COMMUNICATION AND THAT PARTNERSHIP WORKS.
UM, THERE'S DEFINITELY, PROBABLY SOME THINGS WE COULD DO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, THERE ARE ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE IT BACK.
BRIAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO THE DETAILS TODAY.
I'M JUST CHALLENGING YOU TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
UM, EVERY YEAR I THINK THE COMMITTEE ASKS THE QUESTION, WHAT'S THE CONNECTION TO PD AND TO SEE PIES, SHUTTLES AND TROLLEYS, HAS THAT BEEN INTEGRATED IN ANY, LET'S SEE PINES, UH, IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND WE LOOKED AT IT AND, UM, I ACTUALLY REDESIGNED THE ROUTE AND THE TIMETABLES AND EVERYTHING, AND IT TURNED OUT THE TROLLEY STOPPED.
ONE THAT I WAS DESIGNING FOR IS THE OVERFLOW LOT.
SO UPON A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY A GOOD CONNECTION THAT WE HAVE TO COME ALL THE WAY IN TO THE SHOPPING CENTER AREA THERE.
AND THAT'S ABOUT 15 MINUTES IN AND 15 MINUTES OUT.
AND IN MY OPINION, THAT WOULD BE ITS OWN ROUTE BECAUSE IF YOU TOOK EVERYBODY ON THE TROLLEY TO SEE PINES AND BACK, EVERY TIME THEY WENT DOWN, THAT CORRIDOR, IT'D BE A VERY LONG RIDE.
AND SO I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER WITHOUT EITHER SEE PINES, DRIVING PEOPLE OUT OR US HAVING AN ADDITIONAL ROUTE GOING IN AND OUT.
SO IS THAT A TOWN RESPONSIBILITY TO PURSUE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REQUEST PALMETTO BREEZED IT FOR? SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT PARK PLAZA AND THEN SHELTER COVE AS TWO OBVIOUS PLACES FOR A CONNECTION TO BE MADE.
AND I'M NOT, I HAVEN'T TRIED TO ANSWER.
I REACHED BACK OUT AND, UH, AND, UH, AND SEE IF THE TEMPERATURES CHANGE ANY AS FAR AS WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO.
UM, YOU HAVE RECOMMENDED A COUPLE OF CHANGES IN THE ROUTING, UH, HAS THAT LENGTHENED THE TRIP FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER? THERE IT'S ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK FOR, CAUSE THE CHARLIE'S ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE AND WE CAN'T REALLY ADD A LOT OF TIME WITHOUT CHANGING ALL OF IT.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UM, 30 MINUTES SERVICE, UH, ON ANYWHERE YOU ARE ON THE TROLLEY.
UM, MR. BROWN ALSO MENTIONED, UH, UPGRADING THE SIGNAGE OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE STANDING.
I THINK THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN WOULD WANT TO LOOK INTO BECAUSE IT COMBINATION OF A PLACE TO SIT AND THEN SOME AND SOME SHADE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT TO ME THAT'S A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPORTATION AND HOSPITALITY THAT WE OUGHT TO BE LOOKING INTO.
UM, TYPICALLY THOSE ARE DONE IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TRANSIT AGENCY AND WHATEVER THE LOCALE IS, AND WE'RE MORE THAN WILLING PARTNER IN THAT.
UH, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE MARY LOU, THE WORK THAT YOU AND BRIAN ARE DOING AND ALSO A WELCOME THE ROUTE CHANGES.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR US.
YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR US HEARING NONE.
[00:35:01]
THANKS VERY MUCH.THE SECOND ITEM ON NEW BUSINESSES ARE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CONCERNING SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND WELCOME.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS INTRACTABLE CHALLENGE.
MY NAME IS ANN SIREN AND I'M THE INTERIM COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING MANAGER FOR THE TOWN.
I'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH MY PRESENTATION, WHICH IS LARGELY WHAT IS PUBLISHED IN THE PACKET AND MAKE IN PAUSE TO MAKE SOME NOTES.
UM, AS THE COMMITTEE IS AWARE, STAFF IS PROPOSING SOME REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, AS IT APPEARS IN YOUR PACKETS AND YOUR PACK OF MATERIALS.
AND I'D LIKE TO AGAIN, GIVE THE MAJORITY OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL PAUSE TO NOTE WHERE THE CHANGES ARE.
THESE ARE IN RESPONSE TO INPUT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC WITH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
UM, THEY WERE ALSO, THEY WERE, UH, ALSO INFORMED BY THE FACT THAT THE TOWN IS PURSUING A CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY THAT WILL PROVIDE, UH, SEVERAL SERVICES RELATED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, INCLUDING PERMITTING, MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT.
UM, THE PRIMARY CHANGE RELATED TO THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT TO POST A SIGN WITH A PHONE NUMBER OUTSIDE OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES.
UM, AND I'LL MENTION THAT IN A MINUTE, UM, AND WHY THAT NEED WOULD GO AWAY.
UM, THE OTHER TWO CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING ARE A SMALL CHANGE, UH, REGARDING POOL SAFETY AND PARKING, A COUPLE OF CHANGES THERE.
AND I'LL NOTE THOSE IN THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK THAT WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ENTIRE TIME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
WE ARE CLOSER TO WHAT THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC.
UM, IT, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS IF WE CAN GET, UH, AGREEMENT AND APPROVAL FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT WE WOULD BRING FORWARD, UH, A POLISHED ORDINANCE FOR FIRST READING TO TOWN COUNCIL ON TUESDAY, MARCH 15TH.
SO WE'LL REVIEW THE PROJECT PURPOSE STATEMENT BRIEFLY IN THE REVISED TIMELINE.
UM, WE'LL REVIEW SHORT TERM, UH, RENTAL LISTINGS AND TRENDS, UH, BRIEF SUMMARY OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND THEN SPEND SOME TIME ON THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, UM, DISCUSS THE EFFECTIVE DATE AND NEXT STEPS AND, UH, DISCUSS ISSUES FOR FURTHER REVIEW, UM, THE PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE ISSUES AND THE NEXT STEPS REGARDING THOSE ISSUES.
SO AGAIN, YOUR PROJECT PURPOSE STATEMENT IS THAT THE ISLAND HAS A NUMBER OF SHORT TERM RENTAL UNITS.
AND THE LACK OF AN ORDINANCE HAS LED TO THAT IMBALANCE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND RESORT DISTRICTS AND THE ELIMINATION OF SOME LONG-TERM SINGLE-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THIS ORDINANCE AND THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
THIS IS OUR ORIGINAL PROJECT TIMELINE, AND WE WILL DEVELOP A TIMELINE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INITIATIVE, BASED ON THE COMMITTEE'S DIRECTION.
SOME SHORT-TERM RENTAL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE HERE FOR YOU.
THERE WAS, YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL LISTINGS, UH, PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PANDEMIC HERE, THIS RANGES FROM JULY, 2019 TO JANUARY, 2022.
NOW THIS IS NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS PREVIOUS ESTIMATES WERE GIVEN.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MOVING TARGET TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
DIFFERENT COMPANIES HAVE DIFFERENT BASED ON WHEN THEY GATHER THE INFORMATION.
UM, IF YOU'RE NOT ENGAGED WITH THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MONITORING COMPANY, THEY WILL GIVE YOU A MONTHLY ESTIMATE.
AND SOME OF THOSE ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON TWO OF THE MAJOR COMPANIES AND SOME ARE BASED ON MORE THAN THAT.
SO WE CAN SEE THOUGH THROUGHOUT THE COMPANIES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THERE, ISN'T A TREND IN THE INCREASE.
NOW IT'S DECREASED SLIGHTLY, AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE LEVELED OUT.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE CONCRETE NUMBERS.
BUT AT THIS POINT WE'VE KIND OF HELD STEADY AT SLIGHTLY OVER 9,500 SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND THAT DOES VARY SEASONALLY AS WELL.
AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE TAKING COMMENTS.
WE TOOK COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT AND ARE MAKING SOME PROPOSED CHANGES ON THAT.
UM, WE'RE THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF OUR FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND B METHODS OF ENGAGEMENT TODAY ARE LISTED THERE.
AND WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD AND OUR SURVEY AND THE RESPONSES THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO OUR DRAFT ORDINANCE INCLUDES DEFINITIONS AND THEN STANDARDS FOR PERMITS, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, SAFETY, NOISE CONTROL, TRASH STORED, TRASH STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL PARKING POSTING, THE REQUIRED MATERIALS AND ENFORCEMENT REGARDING ENFORCEMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF NOTES.
THE TOWN'S MUNICIPAL CODE DOES CURRENTLY INCLUDE REGULATIONS ON PARKING, A NOISE ON LITTERING, AND THOSE ARE BEING ENFORCED.
IN FACT, I WAS JUST SPEAKING WITH, UH, UH, JOSH GRUBER, WHO MENTIONED THAT CITATIONS WERE JUST ISSUED FOR A PARKING VIOLATION IN
[00:40:01]
THE MID ISLAND AREA THIS WEEK.SO WE ARE ENFORCING THOSE REGULATIONS JUST BECAUSE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE ORDINANCE IS JANUARY 1ST DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T BE ENFORCING VIOLATIONS THAT COME BEFORE US.
AND THAT INCLUDES NOT JUST FOLKS WHO ARE VIOLATING THE ORDINANCE, BUT IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH A SHORT TERM RENTAL BEING A PUBLIC NUISANCE THAT RISES TO THAT LEVEL BECAUSE SHORT-TERM RENTALS NEED BUSINESS LICENSES AS OF JANUARY 1ST, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PURSUE TO EITHER SUSPEND OR REVOKE A BUSINESS LICENSE.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON DEFINITIONS BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, A MOVING TARGET.
I THINK THERE'S SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO REFINE THESE SLIGHTLY BUT EFFECTIVELY.
WHAT IS A SHORT TERM RENTAL THAT'S BEING USED? UM, OUR DEFINITION, THE ONE THING TO NOTE HERE IS THAT THERE'LL BE LESS THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WOULD BE THE DEFINITION OF A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
AND WE MAY CHANGE, UH, FROM DOMICILED TO A DIFFERENT DEFINITION, UM, DEPENDING ON, UH, WHETHER THAT'S ADVISABLE, UH, FOR THE TOWN ATTORNEY, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERIOD MEANS THE TIME THAT YOU'RE RENTING AND THE AGENT IS A PERSON WHO IS AUTHORIZED ON THE OWNER'S BEHALF TO TAKE CARE OF VIOLATIONS OF MANAGE THE PROPERTY.
SO HOW WELL SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNERS COMPLY WITH THESE STANDARDS? UM, SO OUR, OUR METHOD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS THAT FOLKS WOULD APPLY FOR A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT.
THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD AFFIRM THE STATEMENTS IN A LIST.
I AFFIRMED THAT I MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.
I AFFIRMED THAT I MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.
I AFFIRMED THAT I HAD THIS MANY PARKING SPACES ONCE THE PERMIT IS OBTAINED, THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE FROM THE BUSINESS LICENSE APPLICATION, BUT YOU WOULD NEED A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT TO OPERATE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL USE.
THAT WOULD BE STARTING ON JANUARY 1ST.
AND YOU WOULD HAVE A SEPARATE BUSINESS LICENSE, OKAY.
FOR THE STANDARDS FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, THESE ARE LISTED THAT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNER OR THEIR AGENT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO RESPOND.
UM, THEY CAN BE AVAILABLE BY PHONE OR PHYSICALLY RESPOND.
AND I MENTIONED THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A COMPANY THAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME SOLUTIONS VIA SOFTWARE, AND ONE OF THOSE SOLUTIONS IS, AND WOULD ELIMINATE ACTUALLY MEAN ADVANCED IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE'RE PROPOSING STAFF IS PROPOSING TO ELIMINATE THIS REQUIREMENT FROM THE DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WE RECEIVED.
A LOT OF, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING A PHONE NUMBER.
FOLKS SAID, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SIGN OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE.
ADVERTISING IS A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
A LOT OF COMMUNITIES USE A COMPANY, UH, THAT WILL, UH, BASICALLY PROCESS COMPLAINTS.
AND SO THEY'RE KIND OF A MIDDLEMAN.
UM, THE TOWN IS PURSUING A CONTRACT WITH JUST SUCH A COMPANY.
AND WHAT WOULD THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS THERE WOULD BE A 24 HOUR A DAY AVAILABLE PHONE NUMBER WITH A PERSON ON THE OTHER END WHO WOULD TAKE PHONE CALLS AND COMPLAINTS.
THEY WOULD LOG THE COMPLAINT AND THEN THEY WOULD CONTACT THE OWNER OR PROPERTY MANAGER OF RECORD AS PROVIDED BY THE TOWN.
AND THAT PERSON WOULD RESPOND TO THE COMPLAINT.
UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN CONFIGURE THE SERVICE.
WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT AFTER AN HOUR, THE PERSON WHO WATCHED THE COMPLAINT, IF THEY AGREE TO IT IS CONTACTED BACK BY THAT COMPANY AND ASKED IS YOUR COMPLAINT, HAS YOUR COMPLAINT BEEN RESOLVED? THAT'S NOT NECESSARY, BUT IT'S A, UH, AVAILABLE SERVICE.
UM, THAT WOULD BE THAT INFORMATION AGAIN, WILL BE LOGGED BY THE COMPANY.
UM, IF IT IS NOT RESOLVED, THEN IN EACH MUNICIPALITY HAS THE OPTION OF WHAT TO DO THEN EITHER THAT INFORMATION IS SAVED AND FORWARDED AT THE TIME, GIVEN TO THE MUNICIPALITY, IT COULD BE FORWARDED ON TO A POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT CAN BE FORWARDED TO CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, HOWEVER, THE MUNICIPALITY WANTS TO HANDLE ENFORCEMENT AT THAT POINT, BUT THAT INFORMATION IS SAVED AND LOGGED.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO MAKE A COMPLAINT ON A WEBSITE, FILL OUT A WEB FORM WITH YOUR INFORMATION.
AND THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ALSO IS THAT YOU CAN ATTACH, UH, PHOTOS, VIDEO, UM, AND EVIDENCE OF WHAT THE COMPLAINT IS AND ALL OF THAT IS LOGGED AND RECORDED.
SO THE TOWN WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THOSE COMPLAINTS, THE PERSON WHO COMPLAINED THE ADDRESS, THE TIME, WHAT THE NATURE OF THE VIOLATION IS, AND ALL THE ACCOMPANYING EVIDENCE OF THAT COMPLAINT.
SO THAT DOES AWAY WITH THE NEED TO HAVE THE PERSON WHO'S COMPLAINING, GO OUT, LOOK AT WHAT THE PHONE NUMBER IS, CALL THE PERSON DIRECTLY, EITHER THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY MANAGER AND MAKE THEIR COMPLAINT.
IT ALSO HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A LOG OF ALL THAT INFORMATION.
WE CAN SEE WHERE THE PROBLEM AREAS ARE.
ALSO, IF WE HAVE ISSUES WITH A CERTAIN ADDRESS, WE HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US.
IF WE NEED TO PURSUE FURTHER CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTION, OKAY.
FOR STANDARDS FOR SAFETY, THESE HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE YOU LAST LOOKED AT THEM, JUST SOME BASIC SAFETY STANDARDS TO HAVE A CARB SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR, A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ESCAPE ROUTES.
UM, THIS HAS CHANGED OUR RECOMMENDATION IS
[00:45:01]
THAT WE, INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE OF TWO REQUIRED SAFETY OPTIONS FOR A POOL OR A HOT TUB, UM, THAT WE INCLUDE IN THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT, A STATEMENT THAT THE OWNER AFFIRMS THAT THEY WILL NOTIFY ALL RENTERS PRIOR TO BOOKING THAT THERE, THE PROPERTY HAS A POOL OR HOT TUB, OR THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A POOL OR HOT TUB.AND WHAT THOSE SAFETY, UH, ELEMENTS ARE THAT ARE IN PLACE, BECAUSE IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF THINGS.
IT COULD BE THAT THEY HAVE A FENCE, IT COULD BE A SCREEN ENCLOSURE.
IT COULD BE A MAGNETIC LATCH WITH A DOOR THAT CLOSED AUTOMATICALLY OR A POOL ALARM.
SO THAT WAY THE CONSUMER IS NOTIFIED IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY, YOU WILL KNOW BEFORE YOU BOOK, BECAUSE THE OWNER WILL GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION, WHAT SAFETY OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE, FOR NOISE CONTROL.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS HAVEN'T CHANGED SINCE WE INCLUDED THIS IN THE PACKET.
UM, THIS IS A NOTIFICATION, UH, IN THE RENTAL UNIT THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTURB THE PEACE OF OTHERS, AND THAT THERE ARE QUIET HOURS BETWEEN 10:00 PM AND 7:00 AM.
AND THAT WILL BE COMMUNICATED IN WRITING TO, UM, THE PERSON RENTING THE UNIT PRIOR TO THE START OF THE RENTAL PERIOD REGARDING TRASH STORAGE AND DISPOSAL.
THIS ALSO HASN'T CHANGED FROM WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET MATERIALS.
UM, BASICALLY THE OWNER OR THE MANAGER WILL AFFIRM ON THEIR APPLICATION, THAT TRASH IS SCREENED THAT IT'S MANAGED, UM, THAT ANY SPILLS ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT THEY CANS ARE, UH, CONTAINERS AREN'T LEFT OUT, UH, UH, OUTSIDE OF PICKUP DAYS.
FOR PARKING, WE MADE A COUPLE OF CHAIN, OR WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES FROM WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN YOUR PACKET MATERIALS.
UM, SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS THAT ON THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL APPLICATION, THE OWNER OR THE PROPERTY MANAGER, OR WHOEVER MAKES THE APPLICATION WILL STATE THE NUMBER OF IMPROVED PARKING SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ONSITE.
UM, OUR PARKING STANDARDS, THE LMO FOR OUR STANDARD SPACE ARE NINE FEET BY 18 FEET.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IN SOME CASES YOU HAVE, UH, FOLKS WHO PARK IN A ROW INSTEAD OF NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
SO THEY NEED TO MEASURE OUT HOW MANY VEHICLES CAN FIT ON THE SITE IN AN IMPROVED SPACE AND AFFIRM THAT ON THEIR SHORT-TERM RENTAL APPLICATION, WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT THAT INFORMATION BE PROVIDED TO THE RENTER PRIOR TO BOOKING SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BOOKING A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT FAMILIES TRAVELING DOWN IN SEPARATE CARS, AND THAT THAT RENTAL COULD ONLY ACCOMMODATE FOUR PARKING SPACES THAT YOU NEED TO FIGURE SOME OTHER WAY TO GET TO THE RENTAL, OR YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THAT FIFTH CAR.
ANOTHER CHANGE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS THAT THE NUMBER THREE, THAT THE FIRST PORTION OF THAT SENTENCE MAINTAIN A SYSTEM TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PARAGRAPH IS MAINTAINED.
BUT THAT THE SECOND PORTION OF THAT SENTENCE IS DELETED INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO PARKING PASSES OR PLACARDS.
UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HEARD NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM A LOT OF FOLKS SAYING, I UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING A PASS DOES GIVE SOME WEIGHT TO THE IDEA OF, WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE YOU NEED TO ABIDE BY THE SYSTEM, BUT FOLKS FELT IT WAS OVERLY BUREAUCRATIC.
UM, SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING, UH, ELIMINATING THAT REQUIREMENT, UH, REGARDING POINT NUMBER FOUR.
UM, SO THE INTENT IS TO ENSURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY VEHICLES PARKED OFFSITE, AND THAT INCLUDES AN ADJACENT RIGHTS AWAY, UH, DURING THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERIOD.
WE KNOW SOME FOLKS WILL SAY, LOOK, IF YOU'RE HAVING A PARTY AT YOUR HOUSE, YOU CAN SAY, UH, TO YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A PARTY.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT OF THIS WEEKEND.
DO YOU MIND IF I PARK A FEW VEHICLES IN YOUR DRIVEWAY, THERE'S SOME FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE A FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR NEIGHBOR AND MAY WANT TO PARK EXTRA VEHICLES ON THE DRIVEWAY, AND THEY CAN ALLOW THAT, UM, WE'VE HEARD SOME FOLKS SAY THAT HAPPENS SO INFREQUENTLY.
WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THIS REQUIREMENT IN THERE AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMISSION OR THE COMMITTEE.
WE CAN TAKE OUT THAT SECOND SENTENCE BASED ON YOUR FEELING ON THAT.
UM, THE REQUIREMENT FOR POSTING REQUIRED MATERIALS, UH, HAS NOT CHANGED, UH, OR WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING CHANGES SINCE THAT WAS POSTED IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THERE BE EITHER TOWN PROVIDED MATERIALS SET UP TO THE OWNER.
IT WILL HAVE, UH, ATTRACTIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISLAND AND WELCOMING FOLKS AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, HERE ARE THE EXPECTATIONS THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT, UM, SOME FOLKS HAVE SAID I ALREADY PROVIDE MOST OF THAT INFORMATION.
I JUST WANT TO DO IT IN MY OWN AESTHETIC WAY.
AND IF THEY AFFIRMED THAT THEY'LL PROVIDE THAT AND POST THAT IN THE RENTAL UNIT, THEY'LL MEET THAT REQUIREMENT.
OTHERWISE YOU CAN USE SOME OF THE TIME PROVIDED MATERIALS.
UM, AGAIN, UH, OUR GOAL IS VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE THROUGH EDUCATION.
UM, AND THE TOWN ALLOWS ENFORCEMENT, BOTH FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FILING AN ORDINANCE
[00:50:01]
AND FOR THE OWNER OF A BUSINESS WHO IS NOT MEETING THE STANDARDS FOR THAT BUSINESS.UM, AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, UH, JUST, UH, THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME OF A BAR.
UH, MAYBE YOU HAVE A BUSY BAR WITH A NUMBER OF PATRONS WHO ARE A LITTLE ROWDY AND WE WILL ENFORCE, UH, IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS WHERE THE PATRONS ARE ROWDY, THOSE WILL BE ENFORCED.
IF YOU HAVE A REPEAT VIOLATION WHERE YOU ALWAYS HAVE FIGHTS EVERY WEEKEND AT THIS BAR, AT THAT POINT, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER SUSPEND OR REVOKE THAT BUSINESS LICENSE.
WE WOULD USE THE SAME ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND ENFORCE THESE STANDARDS THE SAME WAY.
UH, WE RECOMMEND THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE ORDINANCE BE JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
UM, THIS WILL GIVE US SUFFICIENT TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE SOFTWARE SOLUTION, UH, GIVE US TIME TO DO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GIVE A LEAD TIME FOR FOLKS TO GET THEIR PERMITS IN PLACE BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
AND, UM, AGAIN, IF THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTS, UM, THE ORDINANCE, EITHER AS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED OR WITH THE REVISIONS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, WE CAN BRING FORWARD A FINAL ORDINANCE, UH, TO TOWN COUNCIL ON MARCH 15TH.
UM, AND I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING I CAN CLARIFY BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE ISSUES FOR FURTHER REVIEW AND THEIR PRIORITIZATION.
I'M JUST PICKING UP ON, I HAVE A BUNCH OF NOTES HERE.
SO IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION ON PAGE EIGHT, YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THE CHANGES HAD TO DO WITH, UM, DOMICILE AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE CHANGE WOULD BE.
WHAT YOU MEANT, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE TOWN ATTORNEY IS THAT DOMICILE IS PROBABLY, UM, UH, LESS ADVANTAGEOUS THAN USING SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY AND SLIGHTLY CHANGING THE DEFINITION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO BRING UP THE DEFINITIONS IS THAT HE RECOMMENDS ON THE SCREEN FOR YOUR REVIEW, UH, SUBSTANTIVELY.
IT'S JUST A BETTER WAY TO DEFINE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY IN STUBBIES AND DOMICILE.
SO THE DEFINITION IS THE SAME.
IT WOULD BE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DEFINITION, BUT IT WOULD BE AT THE ST.
THE EFFECT WOULD BE THE SAME THAT IT'S A PLACE THAT'S RENTED FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO BRING UP THE DEFINITION ON THE SCREEN? OKAY.
DO I HAVE TO CLOSE IT AND REOPEN IT? OKAY.
I HAVE TO CLOSE THIS AND REOPEN IT FOR YOU.
UH, SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING, SO SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY VERSUS DOMICILE WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE TOWN ATTORNEY, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TIME PERIOD.
THERE IS THE SAME SPECIFIES IT'S WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS IT'S OFFERED FOR HOLDING, UH, UNDER LEASE, UH, AN ERNIE KIND OF FORM OF AGREEMENT.
UM, SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS THAT QUESTION.
SO, IN, IN, I THINK THAT THE, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO TRY TO GO DOWN IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, JUST HOW I WRITE DOWN MY NOTES, UM, THE CHANGES TO THE SHORT TERM RENTAL SIGNS OR THE NOTIFICATION.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
I DO FIND IT INTERESTING THOUGH, THAT AS I TOOK A SURVEY INFORMAL OF MY OWN DRIVING AROUND, UM, MANY, MANY, MANY, UM, OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES ALREADY HAVE SIGNS IN FRONT OF THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY STATISTICS THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT IN FACT, THOSE HOUSES WITH THE SIGNS ARE REALLY MORE, UM, LIKELY TO BE BROKEN INTO, OR HAVE THOSE TYPES OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING A BIT ABOUT.
I DID REQUEST THAT INFORMATION FROM THE BEAVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A RESPONSE TO DATE, BUT YEAH.
UM, SO INSTEAD OF THOSE SIGNS, THERE WOULD BE A SIGN THAT INDICATED THE, UM, SERVICE PROVIDERS NUMBER.
I BELIEVE EMAIL ADDRESS WEBSITE, I BELIEVE THE INTENT IS TO NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF SIGN REQUIREMENT AT ALL.
UM, THE SIGN, THE SIGN CODE, AS YOU MENTIONED CURRENTLY, DOES ALLOW FOLKS IF THEY HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL AND YOU HAVE A COMPANY AND YOU WANT TO SAY THIS OFFER, AND THIS WAS, I THINK, ESPECIALLY HELPFUL PRE GOOGLE AND PRE BOOKING, UH, WEBSITES.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS OFFERED BY, YOU KNOW, VACATION,
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HILTON HEAD AND A PHONE NUMBER.AND SO, AS YOU MENTIONED, A LOT OF FOLKS DO HAVE THAT SIGN.
THE INTENT IS THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE NOT REQUIRE, BUT ENCOURAGE FOLKS WHO HAVE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL TO HAVE THAT COMPLAINT INFORMATION IN THE UNIT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST RESIDENTS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY NOISY NEIGHBORS, IT COULD ALSO BE RENTERS.
AND THEN THAT THE TOWN WOULD PROMOTE AND LET REP FULL-TIME RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN AREAS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS KNOW WE HAVE A PHONE NUMBER THERE'S 24 HOUR HOTLINE.
YOU CAN ALSO DO IT ON THE WEBSITE.
WE HAVE A LINK ON MY AIG APP WHERE YOU CAN LOG YOUR COMPLAINT.
SO THAT THROUGH EDUCATION, WE WOULD MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF HERE'S HOW YOU LOG YOUR COMPLAINT ABOUT SHORT TERM.
RIGHT? SO I THINK THE KEY THERE IS, UM, THAT EDUCATION PIECE IN THAT IT'D BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED.
UM, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS THAT WE HEAR OFTEN IS WE DON'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE CALL THE TOWN, THERE'S NO ONE THERE.
HE SITS IN AN ANSWERING MACHINE, NO ONE PICKS UP THEIR EMAIL.
WE CALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
THEY SAY, IT'S NOT OUR SOMETHING WE CAN NECESSARILY ATTEND TO AT THIS TIME, OUR CODING AND ON AND ON AND ON.
SO THE POINT BEING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE AN EASY ACCESS, WHETHER IT'S A VISITOR, WHO'S NOT HAPPY WITH, YOU KNOW, THE SURROUNDINGS OR IF IT'S OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED, UM, HAVING EASY ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, WITH THAT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS AND I'VE READ THROUGH ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY.
I SAT IN AND LISTENED TO, UM, 90%, IF NOT, ALMOST ALL, BUT ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS THAT YOU HELD IN, THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DID.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE A VISITOR AND YOU COME AND YOU'RE HAVING A REALLY GOOD TIME, EVERYONE WANTS THAT.
WE WANT TO WELCOME OUR VISITORS.
WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.
THE ISSUE COMES IN THAT OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BUILT THEIR LIVES AND HAVE AN ANTICIPATION OF THE QUALITY OF PEACE THAT THEY GET TO ENJOY.
IT'S NOT LIKE A NEIGHBOR WHO HAS A PARTY ONCE, TWICE, MAYBE A YEAR, WHO'S NOTIFIED JOIN SAID, HEY, I'M HAVING GUESTS OVER.
THERE MAY BE A LITTLE EXTRA NOISE.
COME JOIN US, HAVE A DRINK, WHATEVER.
UM, THERE MAY BE SOME EXTRA CARS AND IT'S OVER AND DONE.
THIS IS FROM LITERALLY MARCH BECAUSE THE COMPLAINTS HAVE ALREADY STARTED, UM, TO OCTOBER WOULD THAT DAY IN DAY OUT, WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH, THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE EXPERIENCING THOSE NOISY CONDITIONS, THE PARKING CONDITIONS, AND THAT DON'T JUST HAPPEN FOR A SET TIME OF A PARTY.
IT LITERALLY HAPPENS SOMETIMES ALMOST 24 HOURS A DAY IN SOME RESIDENTS.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE MAINTAIN OUR PROPERTY.
IT'S THE RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE EVERY DAY, LIVING HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO JUST SAY IN CONNECTION TO THAT, THAT I HAVE, I HAVE A CONCERN THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED AND THAT'S THAT WITHIN, UM, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE ARE HOMES THAT ARE EXCLUSIVELY USED AS A BUSINESS CENTRAL PRIZE, NOT JUST ONE, BUT OFTEN MANY.
AND THOSE OWNERS ARE INVESTORS IN THOSE THAT BUSINESS ENTERPRISE ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
AND SO I WONDER IN THE LONG RUN, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO OUR RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES?