Sep 06, 2022 Natural Resources Committee

[00:00:02]

GOOD AFTERNOON.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

IF WE COULD PLEASE RISE FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

OKAY.

SO, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERY, WE DID THE PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING WAS PUBLISHED, POSTED AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

CORRECT.

ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

WE HAVE TWO, TWO MEMBERS ONLINE, SOMEONE LIKED A SECOND.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MACALLAN FOR A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE.

OKAY.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- AUGUST 15, 2022]

SO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THOSE MINUTES.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES I HAVE.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MATT GALLON.

WE HAD THE SECOND WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

[6. CITIZEN COMMENTS]

I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME, WE HAVE THREE MINUTES EACH PER PERSON FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES.

AND, UM, WE CAN ADDRESS THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER APPROPRIATE TO THE DECORUM OF THE MEETING, REFRAINING FROM THE USE OF PROFANE ABUSIVE OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE.

DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? YES MA'AM.

IF YOU'LL SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, KATE SCHAFFER, UM, WITH THE OPEN LAND TRUST AND COMMENTING ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE GREENSPACE PENNY LANGUAGE, UM, I ASSUME THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

I APOLOGIZE.

I'M GOING TO READ FROM MY PHONE BECAUSE I LEFT THEM ON MY DESK.

UM, BUT THE GOOD NEWS AND THE TAKEAWAY.

OH, THANK YOU.

SAVE THE DAY.

UM, THE, UM, HATS OFF TO YOUR TEAM FOR PREPARING THIS PROCESS DOCUMENT.

UM, I THINK AT RECORD SPEED AND RELYING ON A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION, UH, WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS, AS YOU ALL KNOW WITH THE RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM LOCALLY, UM, REGIONALLY WITH THE CHARLESTON GREENBELT PROGRAM AND STATEWIDE WITH THE CONSERVATION BANK.

AND I THINK THE ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE BEAVER COUNTY GREENSPACE PROGRAM BEFORE YOU SHOULD GIVE TAXPAYERS A LOT OF COMFORT AND ENTHUSIASM THAT THEIR DOLLARS WILL BE WELL-SPENT.

UM, SHOULD THEY BE EMPLOYED, UM, ARE SUPPORTED AND EMPLOYED.

UM, SO PROVIDING, UM, SOME COMMENTS TO YOU, ALL YOU ALL INCLUDING STRENGTHS AND IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE PURPOSE LANGUAGE, UM, I THINK REALLY ZEROES IN WELL ON THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT NEED FOR THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE, WHICH I KNOW HAS BEEN PART OF THE URGENCY FOR THIS PENNY.

UM, BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT LAND PROTECTED WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR FREE SIMPLE PURCHASED, UM, PURCHASES WHEN THREATENED BY THE DEVELOPMENT WITH DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS ON TRAFFIC, PUBLIC SAFETY, STORM, WATER, WATER QUALITY.

THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT.

UM, THE BALANCE BETWEEN LAND PROTECTION PLANNING AND ZONING AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ON THE LAND PROTECTION IS REALLY A TOOL TO MITIGATE SOME OF THESE GROWTH MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES.

UM, AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE AN IMPORTANT TOOL, UM, BECAUSE THEY DO INHERENTLY REDUCE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

UM, SO RECENT EASEMENTS, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN A PART OF IN COLLAGEN AND HAMPTON AND BEAVER COUNTIES, UM, HAVE REDUCED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, UH, BY EXPONENTIAL AMOUNTS, 150 UNIT POTENTIAL TO TWO UNITS EVER WITH THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY BOARD.

I KNOW THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE ENABLING LEGISLATION, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND CIVIC EXPERTISE.

UM, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD WITH THE RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM TO ASK THOSE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, UM, IN A STATE LAW FINANCE, RURAL LAND OWNERSHIP, AGRICULTURE, UM, BELIEVE THAT SHOULD CARRY FORWARD TO THIS ADVISORY BOARD AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN, UM, A COUPLE OF JUST COMMENTS ON TIMING, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS, UM, TIMED WITH THE EXISTING, RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM AND WITH THE STATE PROGRAM, UM, THAT'S PROBABLY A DISCUSSION FOR A LATER DATE, BUT JUST TO SAY THAT ALL OF THESE FUNDING SOURCES AND INCENTIVES CAN BE COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO WHEN SETTING AN APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE, KEEPING INTO ACCOUNT THAT RURAL AND CRITICAL HAS A QUARTERLY DEADLINE, THE STATE CONSERVATION BANK HAS A JULY AND JANUARY AND FINDING A BALANCE IN BETWEEN THE TWO WOULD ALLOW EVERYTHING TO

[00:05:01]

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, THE SECTION ON CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, I'M REALLY SORRY, UM, THAT, UM, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS REALLY ARE THE PREFERRED FORM OF LAND PROTECTION.

AND THIS WAS NOTED REPEATEDLY DURING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PUBLIC MEETINGS AND THE GREEN PRINT SURVEYS.

UM, THEY DO AGAIN REDUCE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO I THINK WHEN YOU'LL TALK ABOUT PURCHASING DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, AS YOU HAVE IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE A REALLY POWERFUL TOOL TO DO THAT.

UM, BUT I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT THEY, UM, REALLY NEED TO BE NEGOTIATED BY THE GRANTEE AND THE GRAND TOUR, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC TO THE PROTECTED PROPERTY.

UM, AND, UH, I THINK, UM, THE CURRENT, UH, STRUCTURE, UH, ALLOWS OR DESCRIBES A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROCESS, BUT I THINK THERE'S A THOUGHTFUL OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THESE MIDTERMS RECOMMEND THESE MIDTERMS, BUT MAYBE NOT NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY EASEMENT TERMS. UM, THAT IS SOMETHING WE DO ON THE LAND TRUST SIDE.

AND I WILL SAY PRIOR TO COMING TO THE LAND TRUST, I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE AN EASY LET'S JUST GO NEGOTIATE, A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.

AND MY, UM, FEELING SUCH AS MY, MY PEN IS, IS, IS TOUGH EASEMENT NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE OFTENTIMES HIGHLY PERSONAL TO THE LANDOWNER.

UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU NEED TO BE SPECIFIC TO THE CONSERVATION VALUES OF THE PROPERTY.

UM, SO, UM, PROPOSED A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT, UM, THERE, AND AGAIN, JUST REALLY HATS OFF TO YOUR STAFF BECAUSE THESE ARE COMPREHENSIVE, IT WAS DONE QUICKLY.

AND I THINK, UM, SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED, UM, AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON A TRACK RECORD WITH THE SUCCESS WE'VE HAD AS A COMMUNITY, AND REALLY CREATE SOME TRUST BETWEEN THE TAXPAYER AND THE COUNTY WITH THIS NEW FUNDING SOURCE.

SO I WILL.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.

NO.

ALRIGHT.

[7. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE PROGRAM ORDINANCE SUBJECT TO A REFERENDUM WITHIN BEAUFORT COUNTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 4-10-1010 ET SEQ. OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976 AS AMENDED]

AND, UM, MR. KEVIN, GONNA DO THIS.

OKAY.

I HOPE EVERYONE THAT'S, UM, ON THE COMMITTEE HAS LOOKED AT THIS DRAFT AND DIGESTED IT.

I THINK THEY DID A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JOB TAKING A HARD SUBJECT AND MAKING IT UNDERSTANDABLE.

I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THE CONTEXT OF WHY WE'RE HERE.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REQUIREMENT COUNCIL DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REFERENDUM.

AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS THAT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO HOLDING THE REFERENDUM, THAT COUNCIL ADOPTS AN ORDINANCE THAT OUTLINES THE METHODS OF HOW THE PROGRAM WOULD OPERATE.

UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS DOCUMENT IS.

UM, I WANTED TO START OUT JUST WITH KIND OF A, MAYBE A 20,000 FOOT VIEW KIND OF IN THE FORM OF A TIMELINE TO KIND OF HELP UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THIS I'M ASSUMING, OR, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HEAR NEWS OF A SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM, UM, THE VERY FIRST THING WE WOULD DO IS TO APPOINT A GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REQUIRED IN THE STATE LEGISLATION AND VERY SPECIFICALLY LAID OUT AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS ORDINANCE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN THAT TIMEFRAME EARLY ON, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME HEAVY LIFTING AND THAT'S KIND OF, UH, OUTLINED IN SECTION FIVE AND THIS ORDINANCE WHERE THEY ARE FIRST THING THEY WOULD DO IS PUT TOGETHER A GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS, UM, TO ASSIST IN DOING SEVERAL THINGS, UM, TRYING TO IDENTIFY KIND OF GEOGRAPHICALLY, UM, AREAS TO TARGET, UH, PRESERVATION, UM, OR USE OF THIS PROGRAM.

THE SECOND WOULD BE TO DEVELOP CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAM.

UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD OUTLINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE ELIGIBLE, UM, OR WHETHER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM, WHAT ARE ELIGIBLE PURCHASES.

AND THEN THE THIRD WOULD BE A APPLICATION AND SCORING CRITERIA, YOU KNOW, TO ASSIST STAFF WITH EVALUATING APPLICATIONS.

SO ALL OF THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIMEFRAME.

UH, YOU KNOW, THE SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM, THE ASSUMPTION IS IN MAY OF 2020, WE'LL START COLLECTING THE SALES TAX.

UM, YOU KNOW, SO GETTING A PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING, UH, SHORTLY AFTER THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'LL NEED TO DO.

AND ALL OF THOSE STEPS ARE CRUCIAL TO THAT, THE CRITERIA AND THE,

[00:10:01]

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF DEFINING WHAT THAT MEANS AND HOPING THAT WE GET THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S BLESSING AND FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND WITH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS IS A BRAND NEW PROGRAM THAT IS THE LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WANTS TO HAVE WITH THE PROGRAM.

THEY, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY INVOLVED DAY TO DAY.

SO, UM, SO I CAN, UM, REAL QUICKLY HAD TO DO A RUN THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT STARTS OUT WITH RECITALS.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GO OVER THAT, UH, SECTION TWO PURPOSE.

THIS REQUIRES KIND OF THE GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE PROGRAM AND THIS LANGUAGE WILL ASSIST WHENEVER THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE STARTS TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM CRITERIA.

THEY'LL DRAW FROM THIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE, THIS PURPOSE STATEMENT, SECTION THREE ARE THE TYPES OF ACQUISITIONS.

THIS LANGUAGE IS DIRECTLY OUT OF THE STATE LEGISLATION.

YOU KNOW, THEY LISTED A THROUGH F UM, AND SO WE CAN COPY THAT OR THE LEGISLATION, UM, IT'S, IT HAD SECTION FOUR TALKS ABOUT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE STILL WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRES.

UM, WE ADDED SOME LANGUAGE TALKING ABOUT TERMS OF MEMBERS, UM, GENERAL LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE FOR DIFFERENT BOARDS.

IT'S A PUBLIC BODY.

THEY WILL CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SOUTH CAROLINA ETHICS APP.

UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR BUSINESSES WILL BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

SO SECTIONS REALLY UP TO FOUR.

UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S LANGUAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU SHOULD ALL BE COMFORTABLE WITH.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH MIRRORING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IN THE LEGISLATION IT'S, UM, IN SECTION FIVE IS REALLY, UM, THIS TALKS ABOUT THAT HEAVY LIFTING THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER THAT WILL NEED TO OCCUR BETWEEN THE ADOPTED APPROVAL, THE REFERENDUM, AND GETTING THE PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, UNDER A, IT TALKS ABOUT IDENTIFYING A STAKEHOLDER OR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS WITH EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN LAND PRESERVATION TO ASSIST WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WHICH AREAS AND TYPES OF PROPERTIES TO TARGET FOR ACQUISITION.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS GROUP WILL, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST DUTIES OF THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE TO APPOINT THIS GROUP OF, UM, STAKEHOLDERS AND IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS.

IN ADDITION, THEY WILL, UM, DEVELOP THE CRITERIA.

AND IF YOU NOTICE THERE, UM, WE LIST A FEW THINGS.

WE KIND OF REFER TO THIS AS STAFF, AS GUARD RAILS.

IT'S KIND OF JUST TODAY, IT HAS IGNORED IN SAYING THAT WHEN WE DO DEVELOP THIS CRITERIA, WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THESE FACTORS NEED TO BE, UM, PART OF THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, FIRST ONE IS TRANSPARENT AND EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT'S LANGUAGE, STRAIGHT OUT THE ORDINANCE.

UH, THE SECOND ONE IS THAT FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE COUNTY, THAT WE MAY REQUIRE MATCHING FUNDS.

UM, THE THIRD ONE IS LOOKING AT ANY NEW ENTITLEMENTS TO LANDS DUE TO ANNEXATION UP, SENDING THAT OCCUR AFTER THE ADOPTION AND THIS ORDINANCE, WE WERE GETTING VERY CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZED AND IT MAY BE RESTRICTED OR PROHIBITED.

SO, AND PART OF THAT IS A CONCERN THAT, YOU KNOW, LAND MIGHT BECOME ARTIFICIALLY INFLATED OR, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY OWNERS MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR THE BEST DEAL ON THEIR PROPERTY AND THEN GOING INTO THE PROGRAM.

AND OBVIOUSLY IF WE'RE IN THE LONGTERM VIABILITY OF THE PROGRAM, WE'LL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S NO ABUSE OCCURRING IN THAT WAY.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF A PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN A MUNICIPALITY OR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTION, THAT WE HAVE THEIR LETTER OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION AS PART OF THE APPLICATION, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEIR INTERESTS AS WELL.

UM, THE SECOND PART TALKS ABOUT A, UM, APPLICATION PROCESS AND SCORING CRITERIA.

AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS ONCE WE HAVE THE PROGRAM SET UP AND WHAT

[00:15:01]

SO, YOU KNOW, IN RELYING ON DIFFERENT CRITERIA AND WHETHER IT'S MEETING THAT CRITERIA OR NOT.

SO IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING FORWARD ONCE THIS GETS TO THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THAT THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN VETTED AND EVALUATED PER THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES.

UM, AND SO WE ONCE AGAIN, HAVE SOME WHAT WE CALL THE GUARD RAILS, JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA OF THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT WHEN WE DEVELOP THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONE, OF COURSE, THIS IS KIND OF ALL ENCOMPASSING TO THE, UM, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE ACQUISITION WILL PROTECT VALUABLE NATURAL RESOURCES, HABITAT, OR WATER QUALITY.

THE SECOND IS CONSISTENCY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN GREEN PRINT PLAN.

SO WE'RE TYING IT TO THE EXISTING DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT EVALUATE WHERE THE SENSITIVE AREAS OF THE COUNTY ARE AREAS THAT YOU WOULD BE WHERE, YOU KNOW, PRESERVATION WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

THE THIRD ONE IS, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, IS THAT THE PROJECTS THAT ARE CLAIMING RE YOU KNOW, REDUCTION OF VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, IF IT, IF THAT IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR OF THIS IS THAT IT WILL TAKE CAR TRIPS, FUTURE CAR TRIPS OFF THE ROAD THAT WILL REDUCE THE NEED FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

WE WANT TO HAVE THAT DOCUMENTED.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING THESE, WE'LL LOOK AT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A, A LOT OF TRIPS WILL BE REDUCED, BUT THAT'S NOT AN AREA OF THE COUNTY WHERE THAT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAS BEEN VETTED BEFORE THE PROJECT MOVES FORWARD.

THE EXTENT OF WHICH MATCHING FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR APPLICATIONS, AND ALSO LOOKING AT HOW RECENTLY THE PROPERTY WAS, UH, ENTITLED FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE SIMILAR WAY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS NOT PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE BEING VERY CAREFUL IN WHERE WE'RE CHOOSING TO PURCHASE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

UM, AND THEN ONCE THESE ARE ADOPTED, PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AND ADOPTED, THEN THEY GO TO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR THEIR APPROVAL.

AND THEN THAT PRETTY MUCH ONCE THOSE ARE IN PLACE AND THE PROGRAM IS UP AND RUNNING, THEN WE GO TO SECTION SIX, WHICH TALKS ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM IS FROM THIS AREA.

THIS PART SHOULD LOOK VERY FAMILIAR, UH, TO COUNCIL THAT BASICALLY STAFF REVIEWS, UM, AND EVALUATES APPLICATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE ALL THAT HEAVY LIFTING AT THE CRITERIA, HAVE THE SCORING SYSTEM THAT GOES TO THE GREEN SPACE, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEY, ONCE AGAIN, LOOK AT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, DO THEIR OWN SCORING AND BRING THAT FORWARD TO, UH, THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE WHO MAKES A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT FOR DUE DILIGENCE.

UM, ONCE THAT DECISION IS MADE, THEY DECIDED TO GO TO THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT OCCURS IN THEM.

THE PROJECT, ONCE AGAIN, GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE VALUATION TO THE COMMITTEE, TO NATURAL RESOURCES.

AND THEN FINALLY, AND IT ALSO HELPED DUE DILIGENCE OR SALSA CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS OR ACQUISITION NEGOTIATIONS THAT MOVES AHEAD TO COUNCIL, UM, WHO HAS A FINAL THAT EITHER THEY WOULD ADOPT BY RESOLUTION.

UM, SO THAT'S REALLY THE NEED OF THIS DOCUMENT.

WE DO HAVE LANGUAGE THAT DEALS WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE THINGS WE LOOK FOR IN DUE DILIGENCE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.

THIS LANGUAGE HAS BEEN BORROWED FROM THE RURAL AND CRITICAL HANDS ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMED TO BE A VERY GOOD MODEL AND THAT HAS BEEN REFINED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW WE ENTRUST THOSE CONCERNS THAT, UM, THAT IS IN A NUTSHELL, KIND OF WALKED THROUGH THE ORDINANCE.

AND I GUESS WITH THAT YESTERDAY QUESTION, I ENDED UP FOR QUESTIONS.

I HAVE SOME AFTER EVERYONE ELSE HAS A CHANCE.

YES, SIR.

UM, HERE'S MY TAKE ON THIS.

YOU HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB PRESENTING IT TO US.

NOW IT'S THE EDUCATION PART FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, TO DETERMINE IF THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD.

THERE'S A VERY FINE LINE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY.

WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT.

WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT APPROPRIATELY.

UM, I KNOW THAT KATE, JESSE, THEIR GROUPS THAT THEY REPRESENT

[00:20:01]

WE NEED TO, TO CONTACT VARIOUS OTHER GROUPS.

I HAVE DONE THAT.

AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE ON BOARD BECAUSE I QUOTE UNQUOTE, EDUCATED THEM.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE ADVOCATES FOR IT.

I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE DO A COUPLE TRAININGS.

WE NEED A SUMMARIZATION.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT AN EXTENSIVE DOCUMENT, BUT THE IDEA IS LESS, IS MORE.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THIS IN A SHORT SYNOPSIS.

UM, I LIKEN IT TO CLIFF NOTES.

SECOND, WE NEED TO CLEARLY TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS, THE DIFFERENCES AND THE SIMILARITIES WITH OUR EXISTING, RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM, BECAUSE THERE ARE, I'M SO SORRY.

UM, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT HAVE ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MIND WITHOUT KNOWING THE FACTS.

AND WE HAVE TO TELL THEM THE FACTS.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO GET INFORMATION, PROBABLY OUR WEBSITE, WHERE IF THERE WAS A VIDEO, IF THERE WAS AN AUDIO, IF THERE WAS BULLET POINTS, I THINK THAT'S THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE.

AND THE SOONER WE START THIS PROCESS, THE BETTER WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SUCCESS.

SO THAT'S MY INPUT CHAIRMAN.

OKAY.

ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, COUNSELING WITH SOMERVILLE.

SARAH, COULD YOU PUT BACK UP THE PORTION OF THE RULES THAT TALKS ABOUT EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION WITHIN THE COUNTY, THE ORDINANCE, PLEASE? OH, THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU MEAN IN THIS ORDINANCE IT WOULD BE SECTION FIVE.

UH, BEFORE FOUR, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT IT WAS, OH, THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE UNDER FIVE.

I THINK THAT THE PROGRAM IS TRANSPARENT AND EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE COUNTY, UH, IN THE INTEREST OF I'VE GOT THIS APPEARED IN THE INTEREST OF DUE FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS.

THERE YOU GO KNOW WHEN, UH, WHEN TOM DAVIS WAS WITH US, I ASKED HIM AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HE WAS, HE DIDN'T REALLY GIVE ME MUCH OF A NAME.

I MEAN, TO BE CREDIBLE.

HE DIDN'T SAY SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT MEANS, BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT MEANS, BUT MY CONCERN, AND I SAID IT AT THE TIME, I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.

THAT IS, UH, THAT IS GOING TO BE FODDER FOR THE PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEYS.

I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY, AND WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE MUNICIPALITY OF SIX MUNICIPALITIES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE ENTITIES.

WE HAVE, WE HAVE PRIVATE COMMUNITIES.

WE HAVE HAVING ONLY KNOWS HOW MANY DIFFERENT ENTITIES OR, OR GROUPS OR, OR, OR WE HAVE EAST, SOUTH, NORTH AND WEST.

I MENTIONED THAT.

I MEAN, IT'S SO AMBIGUOUS THAT I JUST THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS BECOMES A LITIGATION HOTBED.

I KNOW IN THE STATUTE.

UH, BUT I THINK BRINGING IT FORWARD IS THE ORDERS HE JUST ASKING FOR IT.

SO MY SUGGESTION IS TAKE IT OUT.

UM, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC WAYLAND MIRRORS STATUTE.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN, SCOTT ONLY KNOWS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP SPENDING THE MONEY.

I MEAN, WHAT DOES IT SAY WITHIN THE, DOES IT SAY WITHIN THE COUNTY COUNTY RESIDENT? I MEAN, ESPECIALLY IF SOMEBODY STARTED TALKING ABOUT SPENDING IT OUTSIDE, THOUGH, WHAT HE DID IS REALLY GOING TO GET INTERESTING.

UM, EVEN THOUGH THE STATUTE ALLOWS THAT, I MEAN, IT ALMOST CONTRADICTS ITSELF.

I WENT IN AND SAYS, THESE SPENT OUTSIDE THE COUNTY ON HERE AND SAYING IT HAS TO BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES.

SO, I MEAN, I JUST THAT SKIERS LEGAL APARTMENT AND THE CONSENSUS TO LEAVE IT IN, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT IN GIVING CAUTIONARY COMMENT HERE THAT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.

UM, I'D LIKE FOR MR. KEVIN, NEED TO SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE.

UM, LET ME SEE IF THIS IS ON, IS THIS ON, SO MR. SOMERVILLE, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS, BUT,

[00:25:01]

UM, THE COMMITTEE CAN DECIDE HOW IT WANTS TO AFFECT THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN, BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK WE CAN RUN FROM IT.

UM, I REALLY THINK THAT IN ORDER FOR THE METHODS TO BE, UM, PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER AS THE, AS THE ACT REQUIRES THAT WE NEED TO DEFINE THE GUARD RAILS, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE GUARD RAILS FOR BETTER OR WORSE, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT PERRY.

WELL, YEAH, I MIGHT ADD THAT.

UH, ONE OF THE WAYS, SORRY, I JUST SAID, THANK YOU.

OH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE DETERMINING THE COMMITTEE WILL BE DETERMINING EARLY ON WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN THEY DEVELOP THE CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAM.

AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE STAKEHOLDERS AND, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS WILL BE EXPLORED A LOT FURTHER WHEN THEY START DEVELOPING THE CRITERIA.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, IT GOES TO COUNCIL AND THEN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE WOULD SAY WE HAVE SOME COVER IF THE STATE APPROVES OUR METHODOLOGY, YOU KNOW, OUR METHODS OR THE PROGRAM CRITERIA, RIGHT? YEAH.

OKAY.

COUNCILMAN MCKELLEN, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU.

MADAM CHAIRMAN.

I DON'T REPEAT THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT I AGREE WITH BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL IT'S NECESSARY AND THE THINGS YOU'RE WELL-STATED, UH, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THE EDUCATION PROGRAM TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT AN EITHER OR PROPOSITION THAT IT WASN'T A SPACE INSTEAD OF THE TRANSMISSION.

I THINK IT HAS TO BE MADE CLEAR THAT WE INTEND TO PROCEED WITH THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT BY OBTAINING FUNDS THAT ARE COMING TO US THROUGH ANOTHER SPORTS RATHER THAN TO TAX REVENUE.

AND THAT WE INTEND TO START THE PLANNING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WHILE THE GREEN SPACE IS IN EFFECT FOR TWO YEARS, THAT IT'S OPERATING.

SO I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY BE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'VE ABANDONED THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, AND THAT WE'RE ONLY PROCEEDING THAT WE PRESENT THIS IN A WAY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING WITH THE INITIAL STAGES OF PLANNING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE INSTALLATIONS.

WHILE WE ARE THE ATTACKS WHERE THE TWO YEARS, THIS ORDINANCE WILL BE ACTIVE.

SO THAT WHEN WE FINISHED WITH THIS, WE WILL START THE OTHER, BECAUSE I THINK WE MAY LOSE SOME VOTERS HERE.

THEY THINK WE HAVE SUBSTITUTED THIS FOR THE OTHER.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE, UH, HAVE THAT IMPRESSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EDUCATION.

SO YOUR SUGGESTION, IF I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY IS TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE SYNOPSIS OF WHATEVER'S PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

WELL.

YEAH.

YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN THE OTHER, WELL, THE OTHER IS PROCEEDING ON A, IN A, IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE AND WE ARE ALREADY GOING TO BE STARTING, MOVING IN THE DIRECTION.

WE NEED TO INITIATE ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED, UH, WITH A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ONCE WE GET THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO IN OUR EDUCATION OR OUR EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS.

SO IT DOESN'T BECOME A CHOICE FOR THE VOTERS TO SAY EITHER, OR BOTH SHOULD BE MOVING IN SEPARATE PLANES.

THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.

OTHER PEOPLE MAY SAY, FORGET IT.

NOT NECESSARILY, WE DON'T HAVE TO MENTION, BUT I'M AFRAID SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY I'M NOT SUPPORTING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.

WELL ONLY ONE WILL BE ON THE BALLOT.

UM, IT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

THEY MAY SAY I'M NOT VOTING FOR IT BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THE, OKAY.

ANY COMMENTS FROM, UM, REST, A GOOD COMMENT DONE.

OKAY.

MR. MCKELLEN, ALL I WOULD SAY WITH REGARD TO THAT IS, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THEY'RE RUNNING IN PARALLEL AND THIS ONE IS MUCH BROADER IN SCOPE THEN RULE AND CRITICAL.

UM, AND THAT'S A POINT THAT CAN BE MADE.

SURE.

COUNCILMAN GLOVER HAD A QUESTION COMMENT.

UM, PROBABLY BOTH.

UM, AND, UM, TOLD THEM, JUST TALKED ABOUT THE, IS IT, I'M

[00:30:01]

IS IT IS GREEN RIGHT HERE.

OKAY.

I'M ON.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, IN, AND THE, THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS, UM, THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LAND PROGRAM AND THIS PROGRAM RIGHT HERE, UM, THEY'RE BOTH CONSERVATION PROGRAM THAT COULD BE, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE AS, AS CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN BUFORD COUNTY.

UH, IF THIS PASSES, UM, THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LAND FOR ME IS A COUNTY PROGRAM.

UM, THIS WILL BE A COUNTY PROGRAM WITH THE STATE TIED TO IT.

UM, AND AYE, AYE, AYE, AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

I LIKE THE COUNTY YOUTH PROGRAM BECAUSE WE CONTROL THAT A LOT.

THE LANGUAGE IN THIS, UM, PUTS A PLACE IT MORE AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT COULD BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME, UH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE IN HERE IN SECTION SECTION FIVE, UM, UM, C TWO AND YOUR REFERENCE PLANS, UH, INCLUDING OUR COMP PLAN, AS WELL AS OUR GREEN PRINT.

UM, TO ME, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN HERE, UM, THE ADVISORY GROUP CAN INCLUDE OUR GREENPRINT OR THEY DON'T HAVE TO, I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE LONG STRONG A LANGUAGE BECAUSE, UH, A GREEN PRINT CAN BE DONE BY THIS ADVISORY GROUP.

AND IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN WE'LL HAVE TWO GREEN PRINTS OUT THERE.

UM, BUT I THINK THE RULING CRITICAL LAND HAS PUT TOGETHER A GOOD GREEN INCLUSIVE PRINT.

AND I THINK THE LANGUAGE SHOULD BE A LITTLE STRONGER THAT, THAT, UH, SORT OF CURSORY KIND OF, UM, USE OF IT, BUT THAT THEY BASICALLY FOLLOW AS BEST THEY CAN.

UM, OUR GREEN PRINT, WHICH ALL WILL MEAN THAT IF WE, IF THERE'S SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE GREEN PRINT, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY WOULD BRING IT TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE WE HAVE TO APPROVE ANYWAY.

BUT AS A GUIDE, UM, I THINK THEY SHOULD, THE LANGUAGE SHOULD BE A LITTLE STRONGER THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE GREEN PRINT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE GONE OVER AND THAT WE HAVE APPROVED AND IT'S THERE.

UH, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND REINVENT THE WHEEL.

IT'S THERE.

UM, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN HERE, IT GETS, IT'S SORT OF CURSORY, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S HOW I READ IT AND STUFF.

IT MAY NOT BE, BUT THAT'S HOW I READ IT AND STUFF.

UM, AND THE OTHER THING THAT I, I WANT TO COMMENT ON IS BECAUSE THIS IS A STATE INITIATIVE, THIS IS A STATE STATUTE.

UM, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE SHOULD HAVE AN END DATE FOR THIS THING SO THAT IF THE MONEY IS NOT THERE, THERE IS NO NEED FOR A COMMITTEE THAT MAKES SENSE.

IT BRINGS SOME CLOSURE TO IT, UH, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A COMMITTEE OUT THERE IN PERPETUITY WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN.

WE DO.

IT IS AN END DATE FOR THE COMMITTEE YES.

TO CAUSE THE, THE, UH, PROPOSAL IS FOR A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM TO, SO THAT'S THE F THAT'S THE FUNDING PART, RIGHT? BUT THIS, THIS HELPED ME UNDERSTAND TH THE, IF WE, WE, IF WE GET A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, SPEND A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN TWO YEARS IN TWO YEARS, UM, JUST BRING IT INTO THE COMMITTEE AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

SO THERE COULD BE SOME, UM, METHODOLOGY BY WHICH WHEN, WHEN THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IS ALLOCATED, THAT'S THE END OF THAT COMMITTEE, UNLESS THERE WAS MORE FUNDING COMING IN FROM ANOTHER PENNY SALES, WE USED TO PUT, PUT SOME KIND OF ENDING A CLOSURE TO IT.

AND, UM, UM, UH, HE, UH, I, UM, WHAT LOVES SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE TO KINDA HELP PUT THE TWO COMMITTEE TO TWO PROGRAMS IN, IN NET, IN SYNC, BUT AT LEAST COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER.

[00:35:01]

I AGREE, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO DO IT.

UH, WE ENVISION RURAL AND CRITICAL BEING STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL ADVISE THE COMMITTEE ON WHAT AREAS THEY NEED TO BE TARGETING, BUT THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE AND DISTINCT PROGRAMS. AND THERE'S REALLY NO WAY THAT ONE CAN BE INVOLVED WITH THE OTHER NOW RULE AND CRITICAL IF THEY CAN'T TAKE UP AN APPLICATION FOR SOME REASON, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIT WELL WITHIN THEIR PROGRAM, THEN THEY CAN REFER THAT APPLICANT TO, UH, THE, UH, GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE AND HAVE THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE EVALUATE THAT APPLICATION BASED ON ITS MERITS UNDERNEATH THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT ENDING HAVING TIMEFRAME IN THE LANGUAGE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO EN OR WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CASE OF REFERENDUM IS NOT SUCCESSFUL.

WE DECIDED TO STAY SOLID ON THAT BECAUSE SHE WOULD ADOPT THIS METHOD.

AND IF THE REFERENDUM IS NOT SUCCESSFUL THIS TIME, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DOING THIS.

IF YOU WANT TO DO THE GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM QUESTION, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, IT WILL BE AN ORDINANCE TO EXIST, BUT IF THERE'S NO FUNDING OR NO ACTIVITY NECESSARY, THEN IT'LL JUST SLIDE DORM UP.

SO THIS KIND OF LIKE A BOARD OR COMMISSION THAT HAS NO ACTIVITY TO TAKE TO TAKE FORWARD, BUT THEY STILL ARE, OH, THE ORDINANCE WILL EXIST.

BUT WITHOUT THE REFERENDUM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO APPOINT A COMMITTEE.

WHAT ABOUT, I'VE SEEN YOUR WORKS POINT ABOUT THE MONEY THOUGH, IF YOU KNOW, THE END OF THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, RIGHT.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS THEN THE ORDINANCE COULD BE, THEN YOU ALL COULD VOTE TO DISBAND THE COMMITTEE THROUGH AN APPROPRIATE PROCESS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, BASED ON THE MAKEUP OF THAT COUNCIL.

OKAY.

OKAY.

GOT IT.

WHAT YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? KIND OF LIKE, WE DEAL WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION BOY COUNSEL, WE'LL GO OVER.

YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, WELL YOU, YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTION THAT I'M NOT TO MY SATISFACTION.

SO I'VE BEEN IN THAT ASK ANY MORE QUESTIONS, BUT GO AHEAD TALKING ABOUT IT.

UM, I SEE YOUR POINT ABOUT STRONGER LANGUAGE ABOUT CONSISTENT.

SO YOU HAVE THE ADOPTED PLANS.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD ADD ANY LANG STRONGER LANGUAGE TO THAT.

YEAH.

I MEAN, JUST LOOKING AT THIS ONE THOUGHT WOULD BE IN SECTION FIVE WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDERS TARGETING LAND FOR ACQUISITION, WE COULD STAY IN IT CONSISTENT WITH THE GREENPRINT AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR SOMETHING, TYING THOSE TWO DOCUMENTS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS WITH, INSTEAD OF JUST NICE TO DO.

YEAH.

SO YOUR POINT.

YEAH.

THIS IS LIKE I HAD, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM OTHERS, I HAD A COUPLE OF, KIND OF DOWN IN THE WEEDS.

CAN I ASK, CAN I ELABORATE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THING? WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT LANGUAGE IN THIS CIC OR METHOD, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE TIMES WHEN COUNCIL MIGHT DETERMINE THAT IT'S IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC GOOD TO ACQUIRE A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT MAY NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

SAY WE'RE CALLING FOR INTENSE DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA THAT, UH, SOMEONE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS MAY NOT DESIRE TO HAVE THAT PROPERTY DEVELOPED AND MAY WANT APPLICATION CONSIDER.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT IS A MAJOR CONCERN BECAUSE THE COMP PLAN IS JUST A GUIDE, BUT YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO OPEN YOURSELF UP TO POTENTIAL LITIGATION BY WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

CAUSE THERE MIGHT BE TIMES DOWN THE ROAD WHERE WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMP PLAN BECAUSE THE COMP PLAN MAY NOT HAVE ENVISIONED SOMETHING OCCURRING, UH, THAT THE COUNSEL IN OFFICE AT THAT TIME, UH, DOES NOT WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.

OH, CONSISTENCY WITH IT.

WOULD THAT BE, WE'LL PLAY AROUND WITH LANGUAGE AND HOW SOMETHING FOR YOU BEFORE THE 12TH.

OKAY.

THE OTHER, UH, IN THAT SAME SECTION FIVE, UH, WHEN WE GOING BACK TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT REDUCTION OF VEHICLE MILES, WHICH WAS A HUGE, UM, POINT TO SOME MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, I'M GOING TO REQUIRE A TRAFFIC STUDY FOR EVERYBODY THAT MAKES AN APPLICATION OR NOT.

UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, I MEAN, WELL, WE'LL JUST FIGURE OUT ONCE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS UP AND RUNNING AND SET CRITERIA, BUT YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS, IF THEIR BIG SELLING POINT FOR A LAND PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IS THAT IT WILL RE REDUCE SOME OF YOUR TRAFFIC INDICATE THE NEED FOR AN IMPROVEMENT.

THEN, THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO WANT SOME DOCUMENTATIONS IN PARTICULAR, I'M THINKING OF SOME OF THESE LARGER PUD THAT THEY WANT TO REDUCE.

HOW MUCH DO THEY HAVE TO REDUCE TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE MILES THAT MAY BE THE ONLY ATTRACTION OF, OF BUYING THEIR DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS THAT SO,

[00:40:01]

AND THAT'LL BE IT THEN DECIDE THAT LATER THAT'S PART OF THE SCORING SYSTEMS. SO IT COULD BE THAT LAND HAS CONSERVATION VALUES, BUT THEY'RE THE REDUCTION OF THE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED IS NOT THAT GREAT.

YOU KNOW, IT MAY BALANCE OUT, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT SOMEBODY IS BANKING ON.

IS THERE, YOU KNOW, MEETING THE CRITERIA, THE PROGRAM, THEN WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO DELIVER, OKAY, I'M GOING TO SECTION SIX ON, UM, THE DUE DILIGENCE AND THE OTHER THINGS BRINGS UP A QUESTION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY, BUT I JUST WANT TO COME, GO ON RECORD.

CAN WE USE THIS MONEY FROM THE 1 CENT SALES TAX? I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER.

CAN WE USE THIS MONEY TO BE USED FOR STAFF SUPPORT AND DUE DILIGENCE IS MINE.

IT'S MY INTERPRETATION.

WE CAN, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO TAKE TIME AND EFFORT BY STAFF TO SCORE THESE PROJECTS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE DUE DILIGENCE.

WE KNOW THAT COSTS MONEY.

REFERENDUM IS SUCCESSFUL.

THIS WILL BE A FULL-TIME JOB.

OKAY.

AND WE CAN USE IT FOR ALL THESE EXTRA COSTS, LIKE DUE DILIGENCE AND CORRECT THINGS.

LIKE, WOULD IT BE INCUMBENT ON THE LANDOWNER TO DO LIKE THE TRAFFIC STUDY? SO IN REVIEW BY STAFF, THEY MAKE THAT DECISION ALL THE TIME.

OKAY.

THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAD.

SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER, ANYBODY ELSE THINK OF SOME OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN SOMERVILLE, COUNCILMAN.

I DO NO GO, GO, GO UP THERE FOR US EITHER ONE OF YOU, THEY'RE NOT RAISING THEIR HAND.

OH.

UM, LET ME SHOW THEM, MAKE A, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND, UH, SOMETHING MR. GREENWAY JUST SAID, UM, CAUSE YOU SIT IN THE REVERSE ORDER FOR ME.

UM, IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT THE RULING CRITICAL LAND THINK COULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM HERE, UH, THEY WILL FORWARD THAT OVER TO THIS COMMITTEE TO DO RIGHT.

UM, TO FUND, UH, AFTER THEY HAVE DONE THEIR INVESTIGATION OR WHATEVER AND STUFF.

UM, UM, SO THAT, UM, CAUSE, UM, UM, UM, UM, WE ARE NOT CREATING A PROGRAM HERE THAT WILL REPLACE RULING CRITICAL LAND PROGRAM.

IS IT NOT A NATIONALLY? NOT INITIALLY NOW, NOT A NATIONALLY, BUT ULTIMATELY, WELL, I THINK IF YOU READY TO, I THINK IF YOU ADOPT A ONE SENTENCE SALES TAX TO RAISE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR GREEN SPACE ACQUISITION, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE HARD PRESSED IN THE FUTURE.

ONCE YOU SPEND THE 25 TOTAL $25 MILLION IN THOSE BONDS TO CONVINCE THE VOTERS TO, UH, ADD AN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX ON TOP OF THEM TO, UH, FUND FUTURE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS ACQUISITIONS.

THE INTENT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS NOT TO HARM OR IN THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM.

I JUST THINK FROM A PROFESSIONAL STANDPOINT, THAT IS VERY, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY UNLIKELY.

IF YOU HAVE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONVINCE VOTERS IN THE FUTURE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL BOND REFERENDUM THROUGH PROPERTY TAX, TO BE PAID BACK TO PROPERTY TAXES, TO ACQUIRE OPEN SPACE THROUGH RURAL AND CRITICAL ALLIANCE.

SO I THINK THE EVENTUALITY WILL BE THAT THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM COULD VERY WELL GO AWAY ONCE THE EXISTING BOND MONEY IS SPENT, IF THIS IS, IF THIS REFERENDUM IS SUCCESSFUL, OKAY, LET ME MAKE SURE I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.

I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT AS A, AS A PROFESSIONAL PLANNER AND, AND THE ROLE THAT I PLAY NOW, I SEE THAT COULD VERY LIKELY BE THE RESPONSE OF THE TAX PAYERS.

IF YOU PUT A FUTURE BOND REFERENDUM IN FRONT OF THEM, THAT WOULD CONTINUE FUNDING THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LAMB PROGRAM.

SO THAT WOULD BE AN UNINTENDED.

THIS REFERENDUM COULD HAVE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF ULTIMATELY ENDING THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LAMB PROGRAM PROGRAM.

BUT AS IT IT'S JUST AT THE END OF TWO YEARS, THERE WON'T BE A DETERMINATION OF GOING FORWARD YET AGAIN, HOW WOULD THEY FOR RANDOM OR SOME OTHER MEANS AND METHODS? AND WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL THREE THINGS HAPPEN.

NUMBER ONE, OBVIOUSLY THE VOTERS WILL HAVE TO SAY YES, NUMBER TWO, WE WILL HAVE TO COLLECT $100 MILLION WITHIN A TWO-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME

[00:45:01]

AND NUMBER THREE, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE WAS DESIROUS OF DOING.

AND WERE THEY ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT? THAT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

I AGREE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND I WOULD ARGUE RIGHT NOW THAT IT IS SO CRUCIAL THAT WE TIE THE TWO TOGETHER.

SO THAT, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I REALLY, AS A COMMUNITY, I PUT MORE TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY THAN I DO AT THE STATE.

AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT MR. GREENWAY, WHAT YOU JUST SAID HAPPEN, UM, BECAUSE WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, UH, I THINK THE TWO PROGRAMS CAN WORK TOGETHER.

THEY HAVE DO TWO DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS, UH, SEPARATE FUNCTIONS, BUT, UM, THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER.

BUT WHEN THE DUST SETTLE AFTER ALL THE FUNDS, I THINK THIS COMMUNITY WILL STILL SUPPORT THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LAND PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S A LOCAL PROGRAM.

THAT'S MY COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

YEAH.

I WILL SAY IS THAT THE STATE'S INVOLVEMENT IS REALLY IN THAT FIRST STAGE OF SETTING UP THE PROGRAM CRITERIA, THE LANDS TO BE TARGETED FOR PRESERVATION AND THE SCORING AND ALL THAT, ONCE THAT IS APPROVED, THEN IT REALLY IS A LOCALLY RUN PROGRAM.

THE WAY THIS IS SET UP, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT THE STATE ALSO CONTROLS THIS, THE, THE STATUTE AND THE LAW ITSELF, THEY CAN ALWAYS CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

YEAH.

I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAY AND THAT'S ON THE SURFACE.

YES.

BUT IT IS STILL A STATE INITIATIVE AND THEY STILL CONTROL THE LAW AND THE LANGUAGE.

THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, YORK.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE THE PIONEERS.

YEAH, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A PROGRAM PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT NO OTHER COUNTY HATS, WHICH IS WHY THE STATE IS COMING TO US, PIONEERS OF SETTING UP WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SET UP WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT ONCE WE DO THAT, IT'S A ROADMAP.

IT'S A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER COUNTIES NOW TO COME IN AND SET UP A PROGRAM.

I AGREE.

BUT CHARLESTON HAS A PROGRAM.

YES THEY DO.

YEAH.

YEAH.

I AGREE.

AND YOU KNOW, IT OLD SAYING THE SOUTH CAROLINA IS, WELL, WE ONLY SAFE, UH, LONG AS THE LEGISLATIVE, NOT IN SESSION.

YEAH.

YEAH.

TODAY I WAS AT THE LAND USE COMMITTEE MEETING FOR SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES.

AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT IS FROM SUMPTER COUNTY.

HE IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF FARM LAND IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AS WE ALL ARE.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROBLEM WAS PART OF THIS TENANTS WAS TO, TO DO THAT.

UM, BUT SUMPTER COUNTY ONLY HAS HER LAND USE AND THEIR ZONING ORDINANCES TO PROTECT THEIR FARM LAND.

AND THERE, I THINK ALL THE COUNTIES ARE LOOKING AT.

I AGREE, GO AHEAD.

YES.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WOULD KNOW, BUT, UM, HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT IN THE BANK, YOU RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAMS. AND ARE THEY UNDER ANY KIND OF A MANDATE WITH REGARD TO HOW SOON THEY MUST 13? WE HAVE ABOUT, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $15 MILLION LEFT IN THAT ACCOUNT AND THEY ARE UNDER NO MANDATE AS TO HOW QUICKLY THEY HAVE TO SPEND.

SO IF THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO US TO POINT OUT OR TO IDENTIFY THINGS THAT WE CAN PURCHASE WITH THE MONEY THAT'S COLLECTED IN THIS REP, IN THIS REFERENDUM AND THIS WARDENS, THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS TO US.

AND WE CAN SPEND THAT MONEY, UM, WITH THEIR DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE, WHICH MEANS THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THEIR MONEY.

AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE THAT MONEY AVAILABLE TO THEM TO STAY IN BUSINESS, WHATEVER MONEY THEY HAVE LEFT.

WELL PAST THE TIME THAT WE SPEND OUR MONEY, BUT I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW MANY YEARS IT'S GOING TO TAKE US TO SPEND A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

IT'S TAKEN ALL THIS TIME IF WE SPEND $10 MILLION.

SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S AT ANY RISK GOING OUT OF BUSINESS, QUITE FRANKLY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, UH, UTILIZE THEIR EXPERTISE TO HELP US DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR US TO PURCHASE YOUR PROPERTIES AND ALLOW THEM, IF THEY FIND SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, THAT WE'RE NOT TO USE THEIR RESOURCES AS WELL, NOT TO THE POINT OF SPENDING THEM ALL, BUT HELPING US SPEND HOURS BEFORE THEY'RE THERE.

AND THAT WAY THEY'LL STAY IN BUSINESS AND WE'LL STAY IN

[00:50:01]

THANK YOU.