[00:00:03]
[1. Call to Order]
YOU GETTING UP IN THE DARK.UH, CAN YOU MAKE THE ROLL FLOW PLEASE? MR. LENNOX, MS. BECKER HERE, MR. AMES HERE, MR. BROWN HERE, MR. STANFORD HERE, MAYOR AND MR. HARKINS IS EXPECTED EXPECTED.
UH, WE IN COMPLIANCE THE FREEDOM INFORMATION ACT.
COULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? THANK YOU.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, FIVE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC, OR WHICH STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY JUSTICE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[3. Discussion of the Workforce and Affordable Housing Strategies]
THE FIRST ONE ON HOUSING WILL BE US TALKING ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK FOR HOUSING WILL BE LIMITED TO A HALF AN HOUR BECAUSE THE MAIN PART OF TODAY'S MEETING HAD STARTED TO BE AND WILL END UP BEING, UM, ABOUT THE PARK.NOW, DAVID LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAYS, IT'S NOT GONNA BE HALF HOUR.
IT'LL BE A LITTLE MORE THAN A HALF AN HOUR.
UM, WE HAD OUR RETREAT LAST WEEK AND WITH GREAT CONSENSUS, EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL AGREED THAT ONE OF OUR TOP ITEMS WAS HOUSING, WAS HOUSING EXPANDED TO BE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS, AND A WHOLE LOAD OF OTHER STUFF.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW THE TOWN MANAGER ORDER, WE BUILDING A FRAMEWORK FOR US.
SO WE COULD TALK ABOUT HOUSING AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN AND HAVE A PLAN READY FOR NOVEMBER ONE, UH, ON, ON THE HOUSING PART OF IT, HAVE A GREAT DEAL.
TALK WITH SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN AND THE TOWN MANAGER.
IT'S NOT THE TOWN MANAGER'S JOB FOR LATEST PLAN OUT IS THE JOB OF THE COUNCIL PLAN OUT FRAMEWORK FOR THIS PLAN IS A JOB OF THE TOWN MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT WHAT THE COUNCIL LAYS OUT AS THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PLAN.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE MAIN ITEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS WITH THE PLAN.
YOU CAN EXPAND THIS PLAN AS FAR AS YOU WANT YOUR MIND TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING AND TO TALK ABOUT, UM, HOMELESSNESS AND EVERYTHING, BUT LET'S STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE CAN DO BY THAT NOVEMBER ONE DATE.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS PROGRAM.
ONE IS THAT WE DO, WE BELIEVE IN IT.
AND I THINK THE COUNCIL IS UNANIMOUS THAT WE BELIEVE IN HOUSING.
WE SET UP TO IMPLEMENT THE HOUSING, WHETHER IT BE A HOUSING AUTHORITY OR WHATEVER.
AND THE THIRD IS THE, THE FINANCING PART OF IT, BECAUSE THE GREATEST PLAN IN THE WORLD, WE HAVE NO MONEY.
WE HAVE NO MEANS OF GETTING MONEY.
AND THE FOURTH, AND PROBABLY JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE TOP TWO IS THAT WE NEED PUBLIC BUY-IN.
WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION, NOT HANDFUL OF GROUPS LIKE WE DID BEFORE, BUT THE WHOLE ISLAND, WE NEED TO WORK OUT A PROGRAM WHERE THE WHOLE ISLAND IS TOUCHED BY THIS PLAN, MOVING FORWARD.
WE NEED TO CONSIDER HAVING A REFERENDUM AS PART OF THE FINANCING SO THE ISLAND CAN VOTE.
SO THE RESIDENCY CAN VOTE IT, WHAT WE ALL SPEND IN THEIR MONEY, IF ALMOST 40,000 PEOPLE LIVE HERE SHOULD VOTE ON HOW WE'RE GONNA SPEND THAT MONEY.
WE DECIDE THE FINANCING OF IT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN ITSELF, UH, IN THE NEXT SIX, SEVEN WEEKS BY NOVEMBER ONE, WE ARE LOOKING TO PRESENT THE PUBLIC AND THE TOWN MANAGER WITH A PLAN THAT WE WOULD LIKE HIM TO IMPLEMENT ALONG THE WAY.
REALLY NOW I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH THE, UM, WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PLAN.
UM, WE CAN HAVE THE GREATEST PLAN IN THE WORLD, BUT WE NEED SOMEONE TO MANAGE IT.
AND THERE'S NO ONE IN THIS ROOM THAT'S GONNA MANAGE THE PLAN.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR OUR CONSULTANTS TO MANAGE A PLAN.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THEIR ADVICE AND SUGGESTIONS.
WE ARE PROBABLY LOOKING AT GOING OUT AND HIRING SOMEBODY TO MANAGE THE PLAN.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF GROUNDWORK TO BE DONE IN THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX WEEKS.
UM, SO THE OPTIONS ON AND MANAGEMENT OF IT IS DAVID.
WHY DON'T YOU TOUCH ON SOME OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PLAN? UM, I, I THINK THAT THERE'RE PROBABLY THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS TO HEAD.
ONE IS WHERE THE TOWN SPONSORS A HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, THERE ARE, THERE IS THE BEAUFORD COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY AT THIS TIME, WHICH ALSO IS AN OPTION.
UH, THE SECOND IS, UM, TO HIRE,
[00:05:01]
UH, AN OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY MANAGEMENT FIRM THAT DOES THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.AND THE, THE FOURTH WOULD BE TO TRY TO DO IT IN HOUSE OR THE THIRD WOULD BE IN HOUSE.
I THINK FROM MY STANDPOINT, UM, IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT THE PLAN, THE FRAMEWORK ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SURVIVABILITY, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF A COMMUNITY HOUSING PROGRAM DEPENDS ON THE, UH, ABILITY OF THE TOWN SLASH ORGANIZATION TO MAINTAIN THE AFFORDABILITY WITHIN PROJECTS THAT ARE DEVELOPED.
SO IT DOESN'T SERVE OUR PURPOSES TO HAVE A WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM THAT IN A NUMBER OF YEARS EXPIRES, WE'RE FACING THAT TODAY, COMPLICATED BY SHORT TERM RENTALS.
BUT, BUT WE'RE FACING THAT TODAY AS DEVELOPERS RECOGNIZE AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AN EXISTING HOUSING, UH, PROJECT AND CHANGE IT INTO SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO I THINK WHATEVER WE COME UP WITH, WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SUSTAINABILITY, THE RETENTION OF AFFORDABILITY IS KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.
THOMAS, YOUR THOUGHTS, UM, I'LL RESERVE THEM FOR A WHILE, RESERVE THEM FOR A WHILE.
WELL, TAMMY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA RESERVE ANYTHING RIGHT.
I'M GONNA DO SOME LISTENING FIRST.
WELL, FOR OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT BILL, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WELL, UH, THREE THINGS FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IN A VERY RESPECTFUL WAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE, UH, WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE COMMON HALL.
UH, SECOND, UH, THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE THREE THINGS.
IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE EXPERIENCE, UH, EXPERTISE AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL WON'T WON'T BE AVAILABLE WITHOUT THE FIRST TWO.
SO I WOULD, UH, RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT WE GO OUT TO SOME PROVEN PLAYERS, SEE IF WE LIKE THEM, IF THERE'S GOOD CHEMISTRY, GOOD CONFIDENCE, UH, AND PICK SOMEBODY TO RUN WITH, UH, OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO BE DILLY BATTLING ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR.
WE FREQUENTLY HEAR CRITICISM OF THE TOWN HIRING TOO MANY OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS.
UM, I DON'T LIKE TO HEAR THOSE COMMENTS BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE NOT EXPERTS IN ALL THINGS.
UH, AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE WHO HAVE SAID THAT WE DO NOT HAVE EXPERTISE IN MANAGEMENT OF A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.
AND SO I THINK THE IDEA OF FINDING AN EXPERT, UH, TO MANAGE THIS FOR US IS GOING TO BE VITAL TO ITS SUCCESS.
UM, AND I FOR ONE ARE WILLING TO FACE WHATEVER HEAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR, UH, CITIZENRY ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IT IS VITAL TO THE CONTINUED HEALTH OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE DEAL WITH THIS HOUSING ISSUE.
I HAVE COMMENTS ON, UM, THE FUNDING AND HOUSING TRUST.
AND, UH, DO YOU WANNA WAIT ON THOSE? GO BACK.
SLIDE DOWN ONE THING AT A TIME, RIGHT, RIGHT.
ALEX, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ME TO LOOKING FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON A EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR WHATEVER IT IS TO MANAGE THE PLAN? OKAY, PERFECT.
UM, I AGREE THAT WE, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THE STAFF CAPACITY TO MANAGE SUCH A PLAN.
UM, SO I, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF US HIRING SOMEONE.
UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT WE WANT IT TO BE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY BECAUSE I SEE THIS OPPORTUNITY FLOWING FROM THE FRAMEWORK TO NOVEMBER 1ST, FROM THERE TO BUDGET.
AND FROM THERE WE CONTINUE IT, UM, BECAUSE THIS, THIS HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE ARE IN IS NOT GONNA GO AWAY WITHIN A YEAR'S TIME, EVEN TWO YEARS TIME, IT'S GONNA BE A CONTINUUM.
UH, SO IN MY MIND, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT CONTINUE TO MANAGE THIS PROGRAM.
AND AT SOME POINT IT CAN BE HANDED OFF TO HOUSING AUTHORITY OR SUCH.
UM, BUT AT THE MOMENT, THE, THE NEED IS SO GRAVE THAT, UM, I'M INCLINED THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE
[00:10:01]
ALL THE TIME WORKING ON IT.THE CONSENSUS TIME YOU FINISH YOUR RESERVE.
WELL, I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MANAGEMENT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE OVERALL TOWN SPONSORED PLANT.
UH, I THINK THAT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED, UH, INTERNALLY AND MADE A PART OF A STRATEGY AND SUPPORT OF THE, THE TOWN STRATEGIC PLAN THAT ASIDE THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE OF MANAGEMENT AND THAT WOULD BE PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
UH, AND WE'VE GOT ONE COMING OFF THE DRAWING BOARD, UH, TO REALLY TEST IN THE FORM OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK WE ALL AGREED AS WE STARTED THE REVIEW OF THE RESPONSES TO THE RFQ.
AND WE WILL PROBABLY TALK ABOUT MORE WHEN WE SEE THE RESPONSES TO THE RFP.
ONE OF THE ELEMENTS IN DETERMINING AT A PARTNER, UH, WAS THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE PROJECT DURING CONSTRUCTION AND POST CONSTRUCTION.
SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TWO DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE IDEA OF MANAGEMENT ONE AS IT PERTAINS TO, UH, A TOWN SPONSORED PLAN ABOUT HOUSING AND SECONDLY, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRE-CONSTRUCTION AND POST-CONSTRUCTION OF INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS LIKE NORTHPOINT, DO A FAVOR OF A HOUSING AUTHORITY AND WHY OR WHY NOT? I DON'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.
WHY TOM TO NAVIGATE ONE WAY THE OTHER, I, I, I THINK TOM BRINGS UP A VERY IMPORTANT FORM IF I MAY, BEFORE YOU START THERE THOUGH, I GET MY, MY, MY CHANCE.
UM, FIRST I'M NOT SURE WHAT TYPE OF PROJECT OR PROGRAM WE ARE LOOKING TO FIND A MANAGEMENT SCHEME TO WORK WITH.
SO TO ME, UM, I THINK SOME OF THAT PLAYS INTO WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE PLANNING ON THINKING THIS THROUGH HERE.
SECONDLY, THE IDEA OF HAVING SOMEONE IN HOUSE TO MANAGE A PROGRAM HOUSING PROGRAM TO ME SEEMS TO BE DRIFTING AWAY FROM OUR LIMITED GOVERNMENT, THAT HILTON HEAD ENJOYS.
AND SO EACH STEP THAT WE TAKE AWAY FROM THAT LIMITED GOVERNMENT PHILOSOPHY IN MY MIND WILL BE THE WRONG DIRECTION.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT FOLKS ARE THINKING OF.
AS I WAS LISTENING TO YOU, MAYOR WHO HAD A NUMBER OF, UM, COMMENTS THAT WE ALSO HAVEN'T CONSIDERED FOR, AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN US AS A BODY FROM THE BEGINNING, WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, I STILL THINK, AND I'M SURE THAT OTHERS MIGHT AS WELL THINK THAT TRANSPORTATION IS A CRITICAL ELEMENT, THAT WE'VE YET TO EXPLORE, FIND WAYS TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE MEANINGFUL.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF A TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAM WE'RE MANAGING IS THIS ALL BY LAND, BUILD A HOUSE, OR BUILD A, A BUILDING AND SLOT PEOPLE INTO THEM.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THOSE FOLKS? WHEN THEY NO LONGER FIT INTO THE AFFORDABILITY OF THOSE PUBLIC HOUSING SITUATION WILL THEIR DOLLARS.
THEN PUT THEM IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN BUY AND ON HILTON HOOD LIKELY NOT.
SO WHERE DO THEY GO? I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OWNERSHIP THROUGH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
YOU MENTIONED WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF DEVELOPING IDEAS AND CONCEPTS FOR WHERE WE GO WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS.
NEXT I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT IDEAS.
SOME OF THEM ARE WORTH EXPLORING.
THEY MAY HAVE IMPACTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THERE'S THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE, AND WE DO, UM, WITH RE RESPECT TO THOSE WHO, UM, ARE ON OUR ISLAND THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, PROVIDE A STIPEND.
IS THAT SOMETHING YET TO EXPAND AND DISCUSS? SO WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WE NEED, I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING AND WHAT ELEMENTS ARE WE OVERLOOKING BEFORE WE JUMP INTO ONE SINGULAR IDEA.
[00:15:01]
THANK YOU.YOU SHOULD TALK TODAY AS HOW YOU THINK WE SHOULD RESOLVE THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.
ASK THE POINT OF HAVING QUESTIONS.
WE'RE AT THE POINT OF WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS.
I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO DISCUSS.
I AGREE WITH YOU FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, BUT IT DOESN'T FIT INTO WHAT'S BEING DONE BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER ONE.
WELL THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, UM, THE NUMBER THE NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE COMING OUT OF A STRATEGIC PLAN ONLY A WEEK AGO, YOU NEVER MAKE A MISTAKE BY TAKING A LONGER TIME TO COME TO A DECISION.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVERY TIME YOU DON'T DO THAT, YOU ARE INHERENTLY LINING YOUR STEP HEALTH FOR CONSEQUENCE AFTER CONSEQUENCE OF THE CONSEQUENCE THAT WASN'T CONTEMPLATED, WASN'T RESEARCH THOUGHT THROUGH AND THEN DECIDED ON.
SO THE NOVEMBER 1ST DATE IS ARTIFICIAL.
AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE CONS RECONSIDERED.
WELL, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS TRUE BECAUSE FOUR YEARS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT HOUSING FOUR YEARS AGO.
WE TALKED ABOUT HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION, AND IT'S FOUR YEARS LATER AND WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING KIND OF A DATE AND WORK TOWARDS THOSE DATES.
EVEN IF YOU GOTTA MOVE THEM, IT'S A DATE THAT YOU CAN SEE IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WILL BE DONE LATER ON.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND WHILE WE MAY HAVE A SMALL GROUP HERE, THAT APPEALS TO A CERTAIN IDEA, THERE'S A LARGER, ALMOST 40,000 MEMBER, UM, UH, RESIDENT BASE IN HILTON HEAD.
AND WE HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM THEM.
AND SO WITH REGARD TO THAT, I THINK THAT YOUR IDEA OF A REFERENDUM IS APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY.
DAVID YOU, YEAH, I THINK TOM BROUGHT UP A VERY IMPORTANT POINT AND THAT IS, UH, THE DIFFERENCES OF MANAGEMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE ONE I WAS REFERRING TO WAS THE STRATEGIC OR OVERARCHING MANAGEMENT OF A PROGRAM THAT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING HOUSING ON THIS ISLAND, NOT THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT THAT TOM ALSO REFERRED TO.
AND SO I THINK THAT THE, THE OVERARCHING RESPONSIBILITY ON A LONG TERM BASIS FOR THE RETENTION OF HOUSING HAS TO BE MORE THAN STAFF DRIVEN IT.
I THINK IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT CAN ON A, A DAILY BASIS, UH, UH, PERCEIVE OPPORTUNITY IN THE COMMUNITY BEFORE IT HAS ALREADY PASSED.
AND THEN SECONDLY, RECEIVE FUNDS FROM ANY NUMBER OF SOURCES AND DIRECT THEM TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT IT HAS DETERMINED HAVE THE GREATEST VIABILITY TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND THE, THE IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
IT, ISN'T JUST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT ISN'T JUST WORKFORCE HOUSING.
IT'S CREATING A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE AND GROW WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TODAY WHO CAME UP THROUGH WORKFORCE HOUSING AND PROGRESSED THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF COMMUNITY BUILDING THAT THIS PROGRAM OUGHT TO HAVE AS A BASIS.
IT'S NOT JUST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE HOUSING IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, BUT THE, THE, THE TRUE BENEFIT IS THAT YOU CREATE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE AND GROW WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I, I AM LEAPING AHEAD WITHOUT ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SAY THAT A STRONG ORGANIZATION HAS TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE MONEY, THE PLANNING, THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION.
I WILL REACT TO THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE, THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING IN FOUR YEARS.
ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE HIRED A HOUSING CONSULTANT WHO HAD NATIONAL EXPERTISE IN WORKFORCE HOUSING.
WE LISTENED TO THAT CONSULTANT, CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE.
WE ADOPTED THOSE, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO LAW AND THEY DIDN'T WORK.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO TRY TO FIND THE RIGHT FORMULA, AND THAT WAS NOT THE RIGHT FORMULA.
UM, OUR TOWN MANAGER TOLD ME EARLY ON IN HIS CAREER WITH US THAT, UH, BONUS DENSITY DOESN'T WORK WELL.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THEORETICALLY IT WOULD WORK, BUT IT DIDN'T.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE HIT ON THIS CONCEPT OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH I'M VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT.
AND I THINK WE MAY BE ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS WITH THAT ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SUBJECT.
I HAVE A, I SEE NEGATIVE BAGGAGE WITH THE CONCEPT OF HOUSING AUTHORITY.
HOUSING AUTHORITY TENDS TO CARRY WITH IT, THE CONCEPT OF SECTION EIGHT, HOUSING, UH, AND WAREHOUSING PEOPLE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT HERE.
AND SO I HOPE WE CAN FIND SOME TERMINOLOGY THAT IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH HOUSING AUTHORITIES.
[00:20:01]
THIS.I APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGE YOU'VE PUT BEFORE US, JOHN AND I WILL WORK TO TRY TO GET IT DONE AS YOU HAVE ASKED US TO DO BY NOVEMBER THE FIRST.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO, IF YOU COULD SAY, I WANT TO DO THIS FIRST ONE SECOND.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO WITH REGARD TO MANAGEMENT? NO, THE WHOLE PROCESS HERE, THE MANAGEMENT, THE EDUCATION.
I THINK WE NEED TO DECIDE THE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THIS FIRST.
UM, I, I THINK THAT THERE IS APPEAL TO A REFERENDUM, UM, AND WE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THAT.
UM, I MENTIONED AT OUR PREVIOUS MEETING THAT I SEE AN OPPORTUNITY IN SOME FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US, UH, THROUGH ARPA AND THE COUNTY WHERE WE COULD SEED A, UH, OUR OWN LOCAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
UH, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE IDEA OF A REGIONAL TRUST FUND BECAUSE I DON'T SEE HILTON HEAD ISLAND EVER QUALIFYING FOR THOSE FUNDS.
AT ONE POINT, I SUGGESTED THAT NO COMMUNITY SHOULD GET A SECOND PROJECT THROUGH THE REGIONAL TRUST FUND UNTIL ALL COMMUNITIES HAD BENEFITED FROM THE TRUST FUND.
AND THAT WAS REJECTED BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES SAY HILTON HEAD IS RICH.
LET THEM TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES, OR AT LEAST THAT'S MY PERCEPTION OF IT IN ANY EVENT.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT WE NEED WE'RE ON THE RIGHT ROAD RIGHT NOW, UH, AND THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT CONSULTANTS TO HELP US WITH A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
UM, WE NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT TO HAVE A REFERENDUM OR NOT.
UH, AND IF NOT, HOW WE, WE WOULD SECURE THE FUNDING.
UH, BUT TO ME, STARTING WITH A LOCAL TRUST FUND, UM, WHICH COULD BE FUNDED WITH HALF A MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE TOWN IS DUE FROM THE COUNTY.
UM, I, I WANNA REACT TO THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING AT THE MOMENT, UM, AND START WITH, UM, WITH YOUR COMMENT, MR. MAYOR, AS TO WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, UM, COUNCILMAN STANFORD'S RIGHT.
WE, WE, WE HIRED AN EXPERT TO COME IN AND GIVE US SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
ONE OF WHICH WAS THAT WE START A FUNDING SOURCE.
LET'S JUST DO A LITTLE MATH HERE.
UM, WE CAN, AS A MUNICIPALITY IMPLEMENT A ONE MILL ON OUR PROPERTY TAX.
IF WE HAD DONE THAT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE WOULD'VE HAD $4 MILLION IN THE BANK TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND THAT ONE MILL, JUST SO IT IS RELATIVE TO US WITH THE POPULATION ABOUT 40,000.
I DUNNO, WHAT'S THAT LIKE $25 FOR THE YEAR ON OUR PROPERTY TAX BILL.
WE PROBABLY SPENT THAT THIS MORNING AT STARBUCKS, TRYING TO WAKE UP, THE ONLY WAY WE ARE GONNA MOVE FORWARD IS IF WE HAVE FUNDING TO ASSIST WITH THE PROGRAM.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT FUNDING LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF HOW WE SPEND IT AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE GOTTA HAVE MONEY IN ORDER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BUT AT THIS POINT I WOULD ASK THAT WE EMPLOY THE TOWN MANAGER TO AT LEAST WITHIN HIS FRAMEWORK, GIVE US SOME IDEAS OF WHAT THIS MAY COST.
I MEAN, THE CERTIFI REPORT SAID THAT WE NEEDED 2000 UNITS.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GOING RATE PER UNIT IS TODAY, BUT LET'S PUT THAT IN THE FRAMEWORK.
HOW MANY ACRES IS GONNA TAKE US TO GET TO THAT UNIT COUNT? THAT COULD BE IN THE FRAMEWORK, SOME IDEAS AS TO HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST US TO HAVE A HOUSING AUTHORITY ON THE SIDE COULD BE IN THE FRAMEWORK, BUT GIVE US SOME NUMBERS TO REACT TO VERSUS US REACTING TO IT EMOTIONALLY.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT THE MOMENT.
SO I, I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT AS PART OF THE FRAMEWORK DISCUSSION.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BURDEN OF THIS DOESN'T REST A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THE LOCAL POPULATION, RIGHT? UM, YES.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE TO SOLVE AS A COMMUNITY.
SO YES, I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS TO STEP UP AND PAY, BUT THERE'S O THERE ARE OTHER SO SOURCES OF LOCAL COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT CAN BE PUT INTO THE PIE.
[00:25:01]
UM, THERE ARE FOUNDATIONS, THERE ARE CORPORATIONS.UM, THERE IS THE CONTRIBUTION OF TOURISTS THROUGH HOSPITALITY TAX THAT, THAT OPENS UP OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I THINK THAT SOLVING THE PROBLEM FROM A FUNDING SOURCE, WE FIRST HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LAYERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US, BUT WHO'S GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT ON A DAILY BASIS.
THAT'S WHY I GO TOWARDS SOME KIND OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS ITS ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO FER FERT OUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND TO GO FOR THEM.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF HOUSING AUTHOR IS THE WRONG TERM OR NOT CLAIM, BUT IT'S, IT IS A MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT IS COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM.
MAYOR, IF I COULD PICK UP ON A COUPLE OF THINGS, PLEASE.
THANK YOU TO, UM, THE COMMENT OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND WHAT, UM, GLEN, I WANNA ADD TO WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY, THAT WE HAVE CURRENT EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSES THAT WERE ABLE TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE, UM, PIECES THAT THE TOWN HELPED PUT TOGETHER AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, COUNCIL MEETING JUST MONDAY NIGHT, THERE WAS, UM, UH, PROCLAMATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED JR RICHARDSON AND HIS WHAT LOVELY WIFE RECEIVED ONE, UM, ED FLYNN DID NOT RECEIVE ONE, BUT ED FLYNN HAS DONE THE SAME SORT OF DEVELOPMENT OVER OFF OF MARSHLAND ROAD.
C PINES HAS DONE A SIMILAR TYPE OF PROGRAM.
WE HAVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER DOING SPENDING 3 MILLION OF THEIR MONEY TO PROVIDE WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR EMPLOYEES.
THEY, AND IF, AND IF I RETURN BACK TO THE FIRST, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT EVENING, THAT PROPERTIES THAT ARE BEING UTILIZED ON THE ISLAND AND REDEVELOPED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING THROUGH THAT PRIVATE SECTOR, IT INDEED IS WORKING.
IT MAY HAVE TAKEN A WHILE, BUT IT INDEED IS WORKING.
AND I THINK ENCOURAGING ADDITIONAL ONE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT TO GRAB, HOLD BE DEVELOPED IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY SHOULD NOT SHORT SELL, THAT WE OUGHT TO PRAISE THEM, ENCOURAGE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS LIKE THAT TO TAKE PLACE AND TO, UM, SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANOTHER COMMENT THAT WAS MADE $25 MAY NOT SEEM A LOT TO THOSE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM, BUT $25 ON EVERYONE'S TAX BILL, NOT JUST THE RICH AND FAMOUS DOES MEAN SOMETHING.
NOT EVERYBODY GOES TO STARBUCKS IN THE MORNING AND DROPS 25 BUCKS WITHOUT THINKING OF IT.
EVERY DOLLAR THAT EVERY PERSON HAS IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE MAY NOT TAKE FOR, UH, FOR GRANTED.
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE LAST THING, UM, THAT I WANTED TO PICK UP ON WITH REGARD TO COMMUNITY, THOSE WHO HAVE LISTENED TO ME TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
AND JUST LAST WEEK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN KNOWS ONE OF MY BIGGEST ISSUES WITH HOUSING, UM, AS WE'RE BARRELING DOWN THE ROAD ON, IS THAT WE'RE NOT PLANNING FOR COMMUNITY AND THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE PEOPLE WHO WI AND I THOUGHT I REFERENCED THIS AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THEN WHAT, WHEN YOU'VE GOTTEN TO A PLACE WHERE THOSE AFFORDABLE HOMES YOU'VE EXCEEDED THAT, AND YOU'VE GROWN AND YOU'VE BUILT A DEPTH OF WEALTH, AND YOU WANT YOUR FAMILY TO HAVE THE NEXT STEP IN LIFE HERE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM, THEN WHAT, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED AT.
THAT'S WHERE I'M FOCUSED AT IS THAT TYPE OF COMMUNITY THAT BUILDS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROVIDE THAT WITH A LOT OF APARTMENT STYLE RENTALS, WHERE PEOPLE GO, THEY DROP THEIR HEADS AT NIGHT, THEY WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND THEY COME OUT OUT AND THEY SERVE US AND THEY CLEAN OUR HOMES AND THEY CUT OUR GRASS AND THEY TEACH OUR CHILDREN.
WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING.
UM, AND I'LL, THEN I'LL MENTION BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PROGRAMS, UM, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT WE DO? WHAT WOULD I SUGGEST THAT WE DO? YES.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD, THAT WE HAVE FIND DIFFERENT WAYS TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL, UM, PRIVATE, UM, RESOURCES TO BUILD AND TO PROVIDE THAT WE LOOK WHERE WE CAN TO HELP SUPPORT, UM, HOME OWNERSHIP AND THAT WE LOOK SERIOUSLY
[00:30:01]
AT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION, UM, MAY SOLVE A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS FOR US, RIGHT? IT MAY SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF A PARK AND RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE SOMEWHERE AND REDUCE THE TRAFFIC ON OUR 2 78 CORRIDOR.WOULDN'T THAT BE A BLESSING AND NOT VERY EXPENSIVE EITHER.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE IT ALL HERE IN THIS MEETING.
BUT EVERY TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF MY WORKING WITH ALL EVERYONE I'VE ASKED FOR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS, WHERE WE COULD DROP IDEAS IN THE CENTER OF THE TABLE AND BRAINSTORM, AND THEN SORT IT OUT AND THINK IT THROUGH AND MAYBE COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT IDEA BECAUSE WITHIN THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND A GOOD ANSWER.
I DON'T HAVE IT FOR YOU THIS SECOND, BUT I HAVE LOTS OF IDEAS, THOMAS, JOHN, I THINK, UH, I THINK THE WAY DAVID DESCRIBED THE DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT OF A, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, PROGRAM LAST WEEK MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
I, I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE WAY HE DESCRIBED THAT.
I THINK WE CAN BUILD IT INTO THE TOWN PLAN AND FIND AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO MANAGEMENT THE NOVEMBER 1ST DATE, HOWEVER, BOTHERS ME.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY, IF YOU RECALL, UH, REVIEWING THE RESPONSES TO THE R FQS, THERE WAS A LOT IN THOSE RESPONSES THAT I HAD NEVER HEARD ABOUT AS IT PERTAINS TO DEVELOPING AND MANAGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THAT'S REAL GOOD INFORMATION.
AND I THINK THE WAY THE RFP WAS WRITTEN AND ISSUED, IT'S GOING TO REFINE THAT EVEN MORE.
AND I ANTICIPATE WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION AS IT PERTAINS TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT SOME OF THOSE IDEAS CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO WHAT DAVID DESCRIBED LAST WEEK.
SO I THINK, UH, WE'RE GETTING OUT OVER OUR SKIS A LITTLE BIT, UH, IN, IN CLEARLY THE DEFINING THAT NOVEMBER 1ST DATE, UH, I PERSONALLY WOULD RATHER WAIT UNTIL WE GET WHATEVER RESPONSES WE GET FROM THE RFP AND, AND GLEAN THE IDEAS OUT OF THERE AND SEE HOW THEY FIT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND OUR NEEDS AND SEE HOW THEY FIT THE NEEDS OF US AS THE PUBLIC, UH, PARTNER AND THE DEVELOPER THAT WE ULTIMATELY CHOOSE AS THE PRIVATE PARTNER, UH, TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, UH, MIGHT BE A SHORTCUT TO WHAT WE MIGHT SEE IN THE RESPONSES AND THE INTERVIEWS WITH POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS.
LET ME APPROACH IT A DIFFERENT WAY.
IT SEEMS THAT ONE OF THE MOST EQUALLY IMPORTANT ITEMS ON THE LIST IS EDUCATION.
IF ANYTHING, WE COULD START NOW IN PUTTING TOGETHER AN EDUCATIONAL VEHICLE AS TO WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO DO, BE ABLE TO GET THE EDUCATION OUT THERE.
JOHN, WE SAT IN HERE IN MARCH IN THIS SAME CONFIGURATION AND MARK DESCRIBED, UH, WHAT WAS A BRAND NEW CONCEPT IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN.
AND THAT IS DOING A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE HAVE, UH, LAND ASSETS AND WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET ALLOCATED IN SOME WAY, UH, FOR THE HOUSING EFFORT.
UH, AND EVER SINCE THAT THERE HAS BEEN CONTINUING COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION, I THINK, AND THERE HAS BEEN ACCEPTANCE ALL THE WAY.
UH, SO I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS READY AND I THINK THE MOVEMENT AND THE MOMENTUM WE HAVE WITH THIS PROJECT, UH, WHEN DO WE GET THE RESPONSES BY THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER? YES, SIR.
AND THAT INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE ENORMOUSLY VALUABLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DAVID'S PLANT BILL.
I THINK FIRST, I THINK WE HAVE TO STAND TALL AS A COUNCIL AND HAVE A, A VOTE THAT WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM.
NUMBER ONE, I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU A T YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING TANGIBLE.
UH, SECOND IS, UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO PUT SOME METRICS OUT THERE.
WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM.
AND THEN REALISTICALLY, WHAT PERCENT OF THE PROBLEM ARE WE GOING TO TARGET? SO WE START CREATING A GOAL WITH SOME ACCOUNTABILITY,
[00:35:01]
UH, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, I THINK IS CRITICAL.I MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING AND I THINK IT'S STILL TRUE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE, PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT THERE'S COULD BE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE, NOT IN THE ROOM THAT ARE SAYING NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
AND I THINK THE, THE KEY MESSAGE IN EDUCATION IS THAT YES, THERE IS A ECONOMIC BENEFIT FOR TAKING ACTION, BUT THERE'S ALSO AN ECONOMIC PENALTY FOR NOT TAKING ACTION.
SO THAT SHOULD BE THE ESSENCE OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
UH, I, I THINK, UH, I SAID EARLIER, UH, WORK FOR THE PUBLIC PRIVATE, UM, UH, MODEL AND BRING IN PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE.
UH, THAT'S SAID, I THINK IT'S SOME IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME BOOTS ON THE GROUND WITH ONE PERSON HERE THAT CAN KEEP MANAGING.
SO, UH, I THINK TOM ARTICULATED THAT, THAT, WELL, UH, I, I THINK WE SHOULD, UM, NOW, UH, WITH LESSONS LEARNED, UH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GLEAN, I THINK THE SALIENT POINTS THAT ARE, UH, THAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM, UH, THIS POST OFFICE PROJECT I CALL, UH, AND THEN, UH, WITH THAT INFORMATION, GO OUT INTO THE MARKETPLACE AND ASK FOR PEOPLE AGAIN THAT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, THE EXPERTISE IN THE ACCESS.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF SOURCES, THERE'S OPERATING, YOU NEED, YOU NEED MONEY FOR OPERATIONS, FOR AN ONGOING CONCERN AND YOU NEED MONEY FOR CATTLE.
SO WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO THERE? UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE LAND, UH, NOT, NOT, NOT A HUGE AMOUNT, BUT WE DO HAVE LAND AVAILABLE.
WE CAN MONETIZE THAT AND BECOME A PARTNER IN A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
AND WHEN I SAY MONETIZE THAT WE MAY NOT GO TO MARKET RATE BECAUSE THAT MAY, UH, COME UP WITH, UM, ACCOUNTING, UH, CONSEQUENCES THAT MAKE THIS A NOVO SITUATION.
SO WE, IF WE START USING SOME OF OUR LAND BELOW MARKET VALUE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO DO AN ACCOUNTING ANALYSIS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DO AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND, UH, THAT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS CLEAR THAT, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING, UH, CAN DO TWO THINGS.
IT CAN, UH, HELP PEOPLE, UH, MAINTAIN THEIR JOB.
UH, AND IT ALSO MAY CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A JOB TO GET A JOB VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, THE, UH, I THINK IN TERMS OF, UH, SOURCES OF FUNDS, CAPITAL AND OPERATING AGAIN, I THINK LAND IS THE FIRST BUCKET.
WE MONETIZE THAT, UH, SECOND, UH, A, A 1% TAX, UH, AS, UH, WE WERE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, IF WE, IF WE DID THAT, UH, THE COMMENT WAS, UH, MADE THAT WE COULD HAVE 4 MILLION IN, IN THE PIGGY BANK, ONE MILL PER ONE MILL, RIGHT? ONE MILL FOR ONE MILL EQUALS 1 MILLION.
IF WE DID IT FOR FOUR YEARS, IT'D BE 4 MILLION, BUT IT GOES WELL BEYOND THAT.
AND I'M LOOKING AT TOM AS THE BANKER, BUT IF YOU HAVE A PREDICTABLE REVENUE STREAM, UH, YOU CAN DO A MULTIPLE ON THAT.
AND TOM, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THE MULTIPLE WOULD BE ON THAT? IT DEPENDS ON HOW LONG THE TAX OR THE MILL IS ON.
IF ONE MILL WAS ON 25 YEARS AS JOHN TROYER IN THE ROOM,
AND YOU, YOU COULD DO THAT AGAIN, TANGIBLE THINGS TO DO NOW, UH, THAT THAT'S THAT'S THERE.
UH, THEN, UH, THE OTHER COMMENT, THE OTHER BUCKET WOULD BE, UH, HUM OF SORT OF A PRY PUBLIC, UH, FOUNDATIONS, OTHER GOVERNMENTAL, UH, OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND IN THE LAST, IN THE BIGGEST IS GOING TO BE PRIVATE CAPITAL AND PRIVATE CAPITAL.
UNLESS WE HAVE A CIRCLE AROUND ALL OF THESE SOURCES OF FUNDS, UH, THEN PRIVATE CAPITAL IS GONNA PUSH BACK AND SAY, THIS IS TOO RISKY.
BUT IF WE GET THIS ORGANIZED, LIKE I'M SAYING, PRIVATE CAPITAL IS NOT GONNA, AND THAT'S WHY NORTH POINT IS SO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
IF THAT IS A SUCCESS, THAT WORD WILL SPREAD NATIONWIDE.
[00:40:01]
ALEX.UM, I WANT TO RUN THROUGH MY LIST BECAUSE YOU ASKED THE QUESTIONS AS TO DIRECTION.
UM, BUT BEFORE I DO SO I'M, I'M, I'M STILL IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, 1ST OF NOVEMBER DEADLINE SIMPLY BECAUSE, UM, S IS RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEAL ON THE TABLE, BUT THINGS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, CHIMNEY COVE WAS THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY.
SO THERE'RE GONNA BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THREATS WITHIN OUR REALM THAT WE ARE NOT PREPARED FOR AT THE MOMENT.
AND UNLESS WE PUT SOME STUFF IN OUR TOOLBOX WILL BE CAUGHT WITH OUR PANTS DOWN AGAIN.
SO FUNDING, UM, THE WHOLE IDEA OF MANAGEMENT VERSUS, UM, THE TOWN INTERNALLY AND OUTSIDE WITH, WITH PROJECTS, UH, YOU KNOW, US FIGURING IF A HOUSING AUTHORITY MAKES SENSE.
UM, I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. MAY, AS FAR AS THE COMMUNICATION IS CONCERNED.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, NOT JUST EMOTIONAL COMMUNICATION, BUT TO COUNCILMAN HAWKINS POINT METRICS THAT WE CAN GET OUR ARMS AND HEADS WRAPPED AROUND.
AS FAR AS THE THREAT THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, OUR LEVEL OF SERVICE HERE ON HILTON HEAD AFFECTS OUR BRAND AND IT STARTS TO DETERIORATE DAILY BECAUSE OF OUR LACK OF A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THE, THE LAST IS, UH, YOU KNOW, STAFF CAPACITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, MR. ORLANDO HAS DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH, UH, PUTTING US IN A POSITION WHERE WE ARE REFERRING TO OUR STRAP PLAN ALL THE TIME.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN WE, UH, WHEN WE VOTE ON ORDINANCES, UH, THAT ARE COMING OUTTA THAT STRAP PLAN, WE DON'T HAVE THIS TYPE OF CROWD.
WHY, BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO THOSE THINGS, AND WE'VE GOT A PLAN TO DO 'EM.
AND I WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE FOLKS IN THE CROWD, ING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HOUSING.
WE DO THAT IS WE PUT A STAKE IN THE GROUND AND SAY, HEY, LET'S PUT A FRAMEWORK TOGETHER SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, UM, I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED WITH COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN REBECCA'S, UM, REFERENCE TO BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH HOUSING BECAUSE THE, THE ONE DEVELOPER THAT SHE LEFT OUT WAS MR. BARNWELL THAT GOT A PROCLAMATION ON MONDAY.
BUT, BUT THE POINT IS SORRY, MR. BARNWELLS DEVELOPMENT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT GOES IN THE DIRECTION THAT SHE DESCRIBES AS FAR AS BUILDING COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT A J ONE VISA DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO COME IN, START UP AND MOVE ON.
AND I'D ALSO ADD THAT IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT THE OWNER VISITS EVERY MORNING.
CAUSE HE'S INTERESTED IN BUILDING COMMUNITY BEFORE HE GO.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO A REFEREND.
THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GET THE BIG BUCKS TO TRY TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY, TO ANALYZE AND COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SAID, WE CAN'T BE DISMISSIVE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND HAVE A REAL SOUND, UH, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SO THAT, UH, EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN COME UP TO OUR LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GO BEYOND THAT.
UH, BUT I VIEW A REFERENDUM AS A, A SLOW DOWN, UM, UNWITTINGLY.
AND I THINK EXACTLY DIFFERENT THAN BILL.
I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS AN, SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE THEIR MONEY.
THEY SHOULD HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY UP OR DOWN, IT SHOULDN'T BE THE SEVEN PEOPLE AT THIS TABLE.
AND SOME INFLUENCES TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL GO ON FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND WE UNDER UNDERESTIMATE THE COMMUNITY WE HAVE HERE, AND A REFERENDUM BRINGS MORE PEOPLE TO THE TABLE THAN ALL THE MEETINGS WE COULD HAVE OTHERWISE.
AND REFERENDUM DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ON AN ELECTION DATE.
IT COULD BE JANUARY 15TH OF NEXT YEAR.
THERE'S NO WALK UNTIL NOVEMBER DAVID.
YEAH, MAYOR, UH, I, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT.
I THINK, UM, ALTHOUGH I MAY SIDE WITH MR. HARKIN'S, UH, UH, DIRECTION, UH, I, I THINK IT'S PREMATURE FOR US TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY.
UH, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO HAVE BOTH, WE DON'T KNOW TODAY, BUT I WILL SAY FROM MY OWN PERSONAL STANDPOINT, THAT HOUSING IS SO CRITICAL TO THIS ISLAND THAT THE SEVEN OF US HAVE TO COME TO GRIPS WITH HOW WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
AND IF THAT SAYS THAT WE NEED ONE MILL
[00:45:01]
TO BE DEDICATED TO HOUSING, THEN I THINK WE TAKE THAT STEP AND LEAD MAYOR, IF TWO THINGS JUST REALLY QUICKLY WE'RE WELL OVER OUR 30 MINUTES.BUT, UM, SO I'M GONNA TAKE MY TWO MINUTES.
FIRST OF ALL, MR. BARNWELL, MY DEEPEST APOLOGY.
I KNOW THAT YOUR FAMILY WAS THERE AND I JUST DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAR ON MY NOTES.
THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS I JUST SCRIBBLED DOWN AND I LOST TRACK.
MR. BARNWELL IS ALSO, AS ALEX MENTIONED, BEEN IN THE HOUSING MARKET, UM, DOING GOOD WORK ON THE ISLAND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO I WANTED TO APPRECIATE, UM, HIM AND HIS EFFORTS, BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, THE REFERENDUM, NON REFERENDUM, JOHN YOU'RE RIGHT.
UM, EVERYWHERE ON THIS ISLAND SHOULD HAVE A VOICE.
AND IF WE HAVE A TABLE OF SINGULAR THOUGHT, THEN NOT EVERYONE HAS A VOICE.
AND SO A REFERENDUM OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO GET THERE.
UH, WELL, I'M, I'M TAKING IT ALL IN.
UM, LO IS IT LAST THURSDAY? TODAY'S WEDNESDAY, UH, YOU, YOU ALL ASKED AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN WORKSHOP FOR A FRAMEWORK.
AND SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT.
AND I THINK THAT THIS DISCUSSION HELP HELPS A LOT.
SO HOW DO I TAKE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AND BRING YOU BACK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME TO DO? AND, AND SO FAR, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN ANY ANYONE'S, YOU KNOW, PLACE, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE A FRAMEWORK BY NOVEMBER ONE CLARITY, WHEN I LEAVE TODAY IS ESSENTIAL.
I HEARD A WORD AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, WHAT'S MISSING.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US.
IT, IT STOPS EVERYBODY WONDERING WHAT BUSINESS WE'RE IN, RIGHT? I ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU WANT TO BE IN THE BUSINESS, GET IN THE BUSINESS, YOU WANT TO BE IN HOUSING, HIRE SOMEONE THAT KNOWS HOUSING.
YOU WANT SOMEONE YOU WANNA BE IN PLANNING, ENGINEERING, CAPITAL PROJECTS, HIRE SOMEONE THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND THAT WHEN I'M BACK AT MY DESK, TRYING TO DO MY BEST TO BE A TOWN MANAGER THAT WORKS BEING DONE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT, WHAT MIGHT BE MISSING IS GETTING ORGANIZED.
RIGHT? I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING ONE THING IN THE NORTH POINT HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE DOING IT WELL.
IS IT FAST ENOUGH? NEVER BECAUSE I, I, I KNOW THIS AND I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE.
WE CAN'T BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.
AND IF WE NEED 2000 UNITS START TODAY, BY THE TIME WE GET THERE, WE'LL NEVER BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF IT.
SO WHAT I REALLY FOCUS ON IS THAT HOUSING CONTINUUM I HEARD TODAY TO GO FROM HERE TO THERE, RIGHT? TO GO FROM ONE UNIT, MR. BARNWELLS STABILIZE YOUR LIFE, STABILIZE YOUR FAMILY, LIVE WITH A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE, WAVE TO MR. BARNWELL EVERY MORNING, MAKE SURE YOUR SITE'S IN GREAT SHAPE AND THEN MOVE ON.
AND SO I THINK THE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I ALWAYS GET BACK TO THAT.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR LOCAL EMPLOYEES, WHETHER IT'S ON THIS SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, WHATNOT, BUT OPTIONS FOR LOCAL EMPLOYEES IS VITAL TO OUR ECONOMY AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO GET THERE.
UM, BUT IN A FRAMEWORK, IF IT'S BY NOVEMBER 1ST, I THINK THAT IT'S JUST GETTING ORGANIZED AND, AND MAYBE GIVING SOME OPTIONS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE MENU, UH, WHAT'S THE MENU, UH, TO DECIDE UPON IN THE FUTURE, KNOWING THAT WE NEED TO PICK SOONER THAN LATER, SOME OF THOSE EARLY PRIORITIES AND THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR WILL, RIGHT.
I, I WANT TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS AND HAVE SOLUTIONS, BUT I KNOW THAT A FRAMEWORK WOULD PROVIDE INCENTIVES, RIGHT? WHAT ARE THEY, ARE THEY BUY DOWNS? ARE THEY LAND BANKS? ARE THEY ZONING DENSITY? I, I SAID, DENSITY, BONUSES DON'T WORK THE WAY OUR DENSITY BONUS IS IT'S, IT'S LIMITED.
IT'S ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF DENSITY.
AND WHEN YOU SAY LET'S, LET'S GIVE THAT INCENTIVE AND LET'S GIVE THAT DENSITY, BUT WE'RE GONNA PUT A COVENANT ON YOUR PROPERTY AND LOCK YOU IN AGAINST THE FREE WORLD MARKET.
I, I DON'T KNOW MANY THAT WOULD BE FINANCED EASILY TO DO THAT.
UM, POLICIES, DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY IF, NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE THINKING OF WILL HAVE A COVENANT, A DEED RESTRICTIONS.
SO THAT AFFORDABILITY INDEX GROWS OVER TIME.
BUT THAT IT'S ALWAYS IN THAT, THAT STOCK.
UM, I THINK IF NOTHING ELSE, WE HAVE A DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY COMING OUT OF THIS SO THAT IF CHIMNEY COVE CALLS PASTOR JUNE, THANK YOU.
UM, BUT IF, IF CHIMNEY COVE CALLS AND SAYS, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN A, A NOTICE WHETHER IT'S 30 DAYS OR 120 DAYS, WHAT'S OUR ROLE, RIGHT? WHAT'S OUR ROLE AS THE BIGGER QUESTION HERE, WHAT'S
[00:50:01]
OUR ROLE IN THE DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY? IS IT PASTOR JUNE AND NONPROFITS, OR IS IT OUR INVOLVEMENT IN, ARE WE LEADING OR ARE WE ASSISTING? CAUSE AT SOME POINT I THINK HOUSING GETS SOLVED WITH OUR INVOLVEMENT, WHETHER WE'RE COLLABORATING ON A GREAT NEW SUBDIVISION THAT WE WANT SOME OF IT TO BE BELOW MARKET RATE BELOW 120% AMI.SO ARE WE FACILITATING AND COLLABORATING ON THAT? AND HOW DO WE DO THAT THROUGH INCENTIVES, MAYBE CONTRIBUTION OF LAND, WHATEVER.
AND THEN I THINK SOMETIMES LIKE NORTHPOINT WE'RE POINT ON THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE P THREE, WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THAT.
WE DIDN'T CONCEDE BY JUST PUTTING SOME DOLLARS OR POLICY OR LAND FORWARD.
UM, I'VE SEEN HOUSING AUTHORITIES WORK WELL AND WE'VE SEEN HOUSING AUTHORITIES NOT WORK WELL.
I THINK A LOT OF IT IS ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF IT, THE BYLAWS OF IT AND THE EXPECTATIONS OUT OF THE GATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO JUST GOOGLE SOME RESORT, GREAT COMMUNITIES IN OUR COUNTRY, BRECKENRIDGE AS AN EXAMPLE, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, AS AN EXAMPLE, I THINK THAT YOU'LL FIND THAT THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T SOLVE IT BY THEMSELVES.
THE COUNTY'S VERY INVOLVED HOUSING AUTHORITIES ARE INVOLVED, REGIONAL SOLUTIONS ARE INVOLVED.
AND I, I KIND OF THINK THAT IF I BRING A FRAMEWORK FORWARD, IT, IT NEEDS TO BE ALL ENCOMPASSING AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, GET US ORGANIZED.
AND I, AND I STILL, DON'T NOT SURE WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BE MY NOVEMBER 1ST AS IN, AS IT A COLLECTIVE BODY.
BUT I SEE YOU MOVING UP THERE.
UM, TOM REFERENCED SOMETHING I SAID LAST WEEK AND THERE ARE FOUR PARTS TO THIS THAT I SEE AND, AND A FRAMEWORK IS HIGH LEVEL, BUT IT IDENTIFIES THE, THE KEY, UH, INGREDIENTS, UH, AN IMPLEMENTABLE PROGRAM AND, AND THE FOUR ELEMENTS IN MY MIND ARE THE, THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S AT RISK AND THE PUBLIC SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD IN THE PROGRAM.
THE SECOND IS THE FINANCIAL COMPONENT.
HOW ARE YOU GONNA GET THE MONEY? AND HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED? THE THIRD IS THE MANAGEMENT.
AND HERE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE LONG TERM COMMITMENT, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ORGANIZATION.
HOW DOES, HOW DOES A COMMUNITY PUT LAND IN A POSITION OR EXISTING BUILDINGS IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO BE UTILIZED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT? AND SO IT'S A PLANNING SLASH LMO COMPONENT.
I THINK THOSE FOUR ELEMENTS OF THE FRAMEWORK HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH NEXT STEPS.
THOMAS, SEE WHAT, UH, MARK COMES UP WITH, UH, BY NOVEMBER 1ST, GIVEN THOSE FOUR ELEMENTS, UH, KEEPING IT AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, SUCH THAT THE TOWN HAS SOME LATITUDE IN WHICH WAY WE GO GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, UM, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH, AND MOST URGENT IS NORTH POINT.
UH, AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE GONNA LEARN SOME THINGS FROM THE RESPONSES WE GET TO THE RFPS AND THEN BUILD, UM, THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS BEHIND THE, THE FOUR GOALS THAT, UH, DAVID MENTIONED.
ANY NEXT STEPS? WELL, THE NEXT STEPS, UM, NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD, ALL IDEAS ARE CONSIDERED AND THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A ONE SOLUTION PLAN, MAYBE.
WELL, I, I, I SAID WHAT I WAS, UH, ON MY MIND, BUT THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY THE NOVEMBER 1ST DATE MAY BE ARTIFICIAL, BUT IT IS FORCING US TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN WILLING TO MAKE PREVIOUSLY.
AND IF IT REQUIRES US TO WORK HARDER IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT DEADLINE, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD BE WORKING HARDER.
SO I WE'RE, WE'RE PRESSING, UH, THE TIMEFRAME AND FORCING US TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN WILLING TO MAKE PREVIOUSLY.
BILL, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH DAVID.
[00:55:01]
NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T CREATE, UH, THE OVERALL ARCHITECTURE OF, OF THE SITUATION AND IN DOING THAT, THEN, UH, WE WON'T BE HERE, BUT OTHERS CAN START FOLLOWING.UM, BUT, UH, UNLESS, UNLESS WE, I THINK DEADLINES ARE GREAT.
YOU HAVE TO GET OFF YOUR DUCK AND GET SOMETHING DONE.
AND, UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO WHAT GLEN SAID EARLIER, WE'VE DONE A LOT.
UH, WE HAVEN'T DEALT WITH THE TWO IMPORTANT ONES, FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? THOSE ARE THE, WE HAVE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVEN'T DONE WELL WITH COMMUNITY EITHER.
SO YOUR FOUR POINTS I THINK ARE PILLARS TO BUILD ON HERE.
AND, UH, IF WE CAN COMMIT TO THAT AND AS A GROUP, AGAIN, I'M REPEATING, BUT RECOGNIZE AS A GROUP, WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO AT LEAST GUESSTIMATE THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM.
LET'S PUT THAT OUT THERE IN ADDITION TO DAVID'S FOUR, AND LET'S SAY HOUSING IS GOING TO HOPEFULLY ADDRESS WHAT PERCENT AND TO TAMMY'S POINT, IT'S NOT THE ONLY THING.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE KEEP THROWING TRANSPORTATION AS THE AUDIENCE.
UH, BUT, UH, MARK GOT MORE INTO THE WEEDS ZONE DENSITY, L O AND ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF, AND THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT.
BUT SO I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A, UH, DAVID THINK ABOUT CRAFTING A, A MOTION TO HIS POINT, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T VOTE HERE, BUT, UH, AT LEAST GET A CONSENSUS.
AND WE MAY NOT GET EVERYBODY HERE AT THIS TABLE TO AGREE, BUT AT LEAST HAVE THE PUBLIC HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHERE THERE'S ENOUGH CONSENSUS TO DO SOMETHING.
I'M LEARNING A LOT HERE, LISTENING, UH, TO THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, CLEARLY FROM THE PUBLIC, THERE IS A PROBLEM.
MY COMMENTS EARLIER ABOUT THE FACT WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING IS NOT CORRECT.
WE HAVE TRIED SOME THINGS THAT JUST HAVEN'T WORKED THE WAY WE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE WITH REGARD TO THE NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE.
WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THAT BY THE END OF OCTOBER, I'LL HAVE THEM, I'LL HAVE THE RESPONSES EARLY OCTOBER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, EARLY OCTOBER IS TERRIBLE.
IT'S, IT'S GOOD NEWS TO ME BECAUSE THOSE PROPOSALS ARE GOING TO TEACH US A LOT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE, THE FIRMS THAT WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO HAVE EXPERIENCED AN EXPERTISE IN DOING EXACTLY THIS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A GREAT DEAL.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE PROPOSALS TO SOME HOPEFULLY CREATIVE IDEAS THAT HAVEN'T REALLY OCCURRED TO US YET.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE THOSE BY EARLY OCTOBER, THAT WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THOSE AFTER WE RECEIVE THEM AND TO COME FORWARD AND RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE YOU'VE PUT BEFORE US JOHN.
AND SO, UH, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT WORK, UH, IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
UH, YEAH, SO I, UH, I SECOND, UH, COUNCILMAN AMES, INFORMAL, UH, MOTION OF THE FOUR POINTS THAT HE MADE FUNDING,
UM, AND THE ONLY THING THAT I'D ADD IS AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THIS NOVEMBER ONE DATE, AND I'M STILL ABSOLUTELY IN FAVOR, THAT IS, UH, IS THAT WE JUST SUPPORT MR. ORLANDO, IF HE COMES BACK TO US AND SAYS, HEY, MY STAFF CAPACITY IS NOT THERE.
I NEED TO INCREASE, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A CRITICAL, UM, PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT IS JUST NOT BEING SPENT ENOUGH TIME ON THAT'S IT.
BEFORE I GET A FEW PUBLIC COMMENT HERE, MY IDEA, AND WE'LL DO THIS FOR THE TIME BEING, I WOULD LIKE TOM AND DAVID TO WORK WITH MARK TO PUT DRAFT OF THE FIRST FRAMEWORK I'D LIKE TO DRAFT, TO COME OUT OF THE COUNCIL, RATHER THAN THAT OF THE TOWN MANAGER'S OFFICE, MARK WILL ASSIST YOU TO IN WRITING THE FIRST FRAMEWORK.
I SEE YOUR LIP MOVING HIS FRAMEWORKS SYNONYMOUS WITH, UH, A, A HIGH LEVEL MOTION.
PUBLIC, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? COME ON, DON'T DISAPPOINT ME, ANYBODY, TERRY,
[01:00:02]
YOU STAND UP AND TELL ANYBODY WHO YOU ARE.SOMETHING, NO, EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS ENCOURAGING.
AND, AND IT'S, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF SPIRIT IN THE ROOM.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTENT AND, AND THAT'S REALLY APPRECIATED.
I THINK EVERYBODY HERE SEES THAT AND FEELS THAT, UH, THERE'S STILL AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
UM, AND IT'S CALLED GENTRIFICATION AND IT'S GOING AT MORE SPEED IS NOT TO THROW A WRENCH IN EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID, BUT IT, IT IS A HORRIBLE, VERY REAL THING.
THAT'S HAPPENING DUE TO A CONFLUENCE OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN'T STOP IT, BUT AT LEAST MAYBE YOU CAN, AS A GROUP, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER SOME CREATIVE THINKING AND SOME ENERGY TO HOW YOU SLOW IT DOWN.
HOW DO YOU MAYBE REVERSE IT IN SOME SITUATIONS AND SO FORTH? SO I HOPE YOU GIVE A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THAT.
I'M PASTOR JUNE FROM CHRIST LUTHER IN CHURCH.
AND I'M, I, I DIDN'T HEAR SPECIFICALLY MARK ORLANDO ALLUDED TO IT.
IS THERE GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF, UM, ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING ABOUT THE DAYS THAT WE GIVE PEOPLE IF THEY ARE EVICTED FROM, FROM APARTMENTS, JUST LIKE JIM, CAN YOU REPHRASE THAT AGAIN? UH, PROBABLY NOT ASKING IT REALLY GOOD.
UM, THE, IS THERE, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, PEOPLE AREN'T GIVEN 30 DAYS TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES? THERE'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO VIA AN ORDINANCE.
THERE'D BE A DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY IN PLACE.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF NOTHING ELSE, I THINK THAT IT WAS HEARD THAT WE EXPECT MORE THAN A 30 DAY NOTICE AS A COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST IS STRONGER THAN ANY ORDINANCE THAT WE ARE PAID TURNING TO ON PAGE 902.
UM, THERE, THERE IS NOT A LEGAL WAY TO MANDATE LENGTH OF TIME.
THAT'S THROUGH THE COURTS, THAT'S THROUGH, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTS, IT'S THROUGH LEASES AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE THAT HELP US MOBILIZE A LOT FASTER.
UM, WELL, I WON'T SAY THAT WORD, BUT LET'S JUST SAY AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SITUATION, RIGHT? WE KNOW WHAT SEASON WE'RE IN.
I DON'T SAY THAT WORD OUT LOUD UNLESS I HAVE TO, BUT WE'RE AN EMERGENCY SEASON.
WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN THAT IF X THEN Y AND I THINK THAT WE COULD PUT SOMETHING, WE WILL PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE FOR THAT, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHAT OUR ROLE IS, WHAT THEIR ROLE IS AND HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.
AND IT HAS TO GO BEFORE A JUDGE CASE BY CASE, NOT THE WHOLE PLACE TOGETHER.
I TOOK A COUPLE JUDGES OVER THE WEEKEND.
IT COULDN'T TAKE A LONG TIME GO CASE BY CASE BEFORE THE JUDGE INTERVIEW.
WILL ROBINSON PASTOR FIRST HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ADDRESS THIS.
THANK YOU FOR RUBBING YOUR BRAIN CALL, RUBBING BRAINS, GOOD TO CREEP AND DISAGREE AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
I KNOW I'VE PREPARED TO LIVE THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK, TO TRY TO ADDRESS THIS.
MY NAME IS JULIE RENO AND I AM A MEMBER OF
AND I WOULD LIKE US TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT 30 DAY EVICTION LAWS, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE WON'T CREATE TRAUMA FOR THOSE CHILDREN WHO ARE DISPLACED IN 30 DAYS, THERE'S SCHOOLING THEIR FRIENDS.
THE WAY THAT FAMILIES ARE ORGANIZED WILL BE TOTALLY DISRUPTIVE.
SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN, I WIND SUGGEST THAT WE REALLY PUSH AND THOSE COURTS THAT WE ARE THE VOICE FOR THOSE CHILDREN, WE HAVE WILL BE TRAUMATIZED BY THIS.
YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
SIRON STEVENS, THE, UH, GULF CASH FORCE PUBLICATION.
I JUST MADE A FEW THAT WERE TALKING.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT I THINK IS RELEVANT IS CERTAINLY TO WORK DOING WITH OUR TAX FORCE PERTAINS TO CULTURAL PRESERVATION.
UM, AGAIN, UH, ONE OF THE ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, LAND, AND MOST OF THE LAND, AS WE KNOW, EXCEPT MID ISLAND,
[01:05:01]
WHICH WHERE A LOT OF DATA BALANCE AND PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH ISSUES NOW SOUTH'S BEEN SATURATED AND PRETTY MUCH DEVELOPED.UM, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO BE LOOKING FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
THERE IS CERTAINLY A WAY TO CREATE CULTURAL PRESERVATION, STOP PURSUING NATIVE ISLAND'S PROPERTY PARTNER WITH THEM TO CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'RE LOSING LAND AS IT IS IN OUR NATIVE ISLAND COMMUNITIES AND BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE HAVING A VERY HARD TIME LIVING HERE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CREATE COMMUNITIES THAT DISCOUNT PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOME.
AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE YOUR DISCUSSION, WE WANT EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE EQUALLY AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE.
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE LIVES ON THE ITEM.
UH, THIS BECOMES A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE HAVE FAILED IN THE PAST TO DO A GREAT MASTER PLAN.
SO HERE WE ARE, WE DON'T HAVE DIVERSITY IN OUR PROPERTIES.
WE DON'T HAVE DIVERSITY IN OUR LIVING.
WE HAVE A HUGE GAP IN THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
SO, UH, THERE ARE WAYS TO MAYBE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM THROUGH CULTURAL PRESERVATION, EQUITY AND DIVERSITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON SEAN?
[Items 4 & 5]
UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.I KNOW WE'RE A LITTLE OVER OUR, UH, UH, TIME AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET, GET THROUGH THESE NEXT ITEMS. UM, I JUST WANNA INTRODUCE, UM, MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN OUR CONSULTANTS FROM MK SK HERE AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR ALMOST A YEAR.
UM, THEY'VE DONE A DEEP DIVE IN THE MID ISLAND DISTRICT, UH, WHICH IS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN ITEM.
THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, DISTRICT THAT WE'RE ASSESSING FROM A REDEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
UM, IT'S FOCUSED AROUND THE MID ISLAND TRACK, WHICH WAS THE FORMER PORT ROYAL GOLF COURSE PROPERTY.
AND THEY'RE GONNA PRESENT TODAY, UH, ADDITIONAL FINDINGS AND THEN RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE DISTRICT CENTER, THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEN DISTRICTWIDE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT PROVIDE US A FRAMEWORK, UM, THAT WE WILL USE TO DEVELOP THE PLAN AND BRING BACK FOR NOVEMBER 1ST, I BELIEVE FOR COUNCIL.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER AT THIS POINT TO BRIAN AND ANDREW, AND IT CAN BEGIN WORKING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
THANKS FOR HAVING US ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA TURN THIS DIRECTLY OVER TO ANDREW OVER BACK, MY ABLE COLLEAGUE, WE'RE GONNA SPEAK FIRST TO THE DISTRICT PLANNING AND THEN TO THE, TO THE, UH, UH, MID ISLAND TRACK ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE TONY REL, ONE OF OUR ABLE COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL THIS MORNING.
UM, UH, REALLY HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU AND, AND TALK THROUGH, UH, BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE PARK.
I'LL START BY TALKING, UH, WITH YOU ALL ABOUT, UH, WHERE WE ARE WITH THE DISTRICT FOCUSING IN ON, UH, FUTURE LAND USE MAP, UH, AND THEN REALLY, UM, PROVIDING A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON, ON THE SORT OF DISTRICT CENTER, THE HEART OF, OF MID ISLAND.
UM, AND THEN ALSO TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
I THINK, AS YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING.
THERE'S SOME ELEMENTS HERE THAT THINK COULD, COULD BE IMPACTFUL THERE.
UH, AND CERTAINLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON OUR MINDS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN BRIAN WILL TALK THROUGH THE PARK ELEMENTS, PHASING, AND COST.
THEN WE'LL TALK TOGETHER ABOUT, UH, NEXT STEPS.
AND AGAIN, AIMING TOWARD NOVEMBER 1ST, UH, THERE AS WELL.
UM, NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE'VE SORT OF GONE BACK AND, AND LOOKED AT SORT OF TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AS WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL AND WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK TO, UH, YOU KNOW, CHARLES FRAZIER SEVEN BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ISLAND AND, AND THINKING THROUGH ISLAND CHARACTER AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THIS PLACE MEAN AND HOW IS IT SPECIAL AND DIFFERENT, UM, FROM ANYWHERE ELSE? UM, ALSO LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE PLANNING WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH OUR PLAN, UM, AGAIN, GAVE US SOME, SOME, SOME GUIDEPOSTS, UH, TO, TO AMA, CERTAINLY PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE ALL DOING RIGHT NOW, AND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TOPICS.
AND THEN ALSO LOOKED AT, UH, THE GUAG GEECHEE CULTURE PRESERVATION PROJECT REPORT.
UH, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE START TO THINK THROUGH, UM, UH, THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD PART OF, UH, OF THE DISTRICT, BUT AGAIN, UH, REALLY GOOD, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THERE.
A LOT OF THINGS YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING TO IMPLEMENT COUPLE OTHER THINGS LEFT TO BE DONE THERE, UH, THAT WE WANTED TO TALK WITH Y'ALL ABOUT TODAY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS A LITTLE MORE IN A YEAR AT THIS POINT.
UM, A LOT OF GREAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, THAT'S TAKEN PLACE, UH, EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE LAST YEAR.
ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR IN, UH, THE MID ISLAND TRACK ITSELF TO INVITE PEOPLE TO THAT SPACE, THEY'RE ALREADY USING IT.
UM, UH, I THINK ONE OF YOUR BETTER SURVEY RESPONSES IN TERMS OF VOLUME, UH, WHEN WE DID THAT WORK, UH, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND THEN WE'VE MET
[01:10:01]
WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS, UM, MORE THAN A HUNDRED FOLKS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.UM, THESE ARE JUST SORT OF THE GENERAL, UH, CATEGORIES OF, UH, OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE'VE MET WITH, UM, EVERYTHING FROM, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, REPRESENTATIVES, UH, TO THOSE THAT ARE, UH, OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THROUGH THE DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN, IN, UH, THE PARK AND OTHER USERS, UH, USER GROUPS THERE AS WELL.
AND, UH, WHILE THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO READ A PRETTY
UM, BUT IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO A FEW RESULTS THAT WANTED TO, UH, JUST REMIND YOU OF, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE'S A GOLF COURSE IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, A DISUSED GOLF COURSE IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF, UH, THE DISTRICT PARK, UM, WAS SORT OF TOP OF PEOPLE'S MINDS WHEN IT CAME TO IMPROVEMENTS AND THINGS THEY, THEY SAW THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN, UM, IN THE DISTRICT.
BUT I THINK THE OTHER CATEGORIES OF RESPONSES, WE GOT WALKABILITY, UM, THINGS TO DO FROM DINING, UH, EVENTS, SHOPPING, UH, WORK FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING IS PRETTY HIGH ON THAT LIST.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT SHOWS THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THIS A COMMUNITY NEED BECAUSE WE KEEP HEARING IT.
UM, SO AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE SORT OF LOOK AT ALL OF THESE, UH, NEEDS AND DESIRES AND, AND SORT OF BOIL THAT DOWN INTO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE AN ACTUAL PLAN OUT OF.
SO WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT SORT OF GOT BACK TO, OR ANSWERS THAT GOT BACK TO THE PARK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE, UH, SEEMED TO REALLY WANNA SEE THAT HAPPEN AND ALSO TO THE DISTRICT.
SO FROM A PARK PERSPECTIVE, UH, A RECOGNITION THAT MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO BE A LITTLE MORE NATURAL, A CHANCE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, UM, RETURN THAT NATURAL CHARACTER TO THIS SPACE, UH, ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, UH, THROUGHOUT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, UM, AND HAVING A COUPLE ACTIVE COMPONENTS TO IT.
SO BRIAN WILL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT GOOD DIRECTION FROM THE COMMUNITY.
FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WE TALKED ABOUT THE DISTRICT, UH, REALLY FOCUSING IN ON THAT BUILT ENVIRONMENT, UH, AND GOING BACK TO A LOT OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATION AROUND TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND WALKABILITY AND SAFETY, UH, BEING TOP OF PEOPLE'S MINDS.
UH, I THINK A RECOGNITION THAT THE COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE SORT OF THE, THE HEART OF THE DISTRICT, UH, ARE IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR AND NEED OF IMPROVEMENT, UM, THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO AGAIN, WE HAD A LOT OF, UH, SOME COMMON THEMES, UH, AND CONCERNS THAT WERE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT REALLY BOILED DOWN TO, UH, THESE THREE MAJOR POINTS.
WE NEED TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE OUR PEOPLE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE CULTURE, AND HISTORY, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, UH, THE PRESERVES AND PARKS AND THE PARKWAY CHARACTER.
WE WANT TO CONNECT PEOPLE, OPEN SPACES, NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, COMMUNITY HUBS OF ACTIVITY TOGETHER.
UH, THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO WORK ON, AND THEN WE RECOGNIZE THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EVOLUTION.
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHERE WE, IN TERMS OF LAND USE TODAY, WHAT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT TO, IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT, THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE ON THE ISLAND, UH, IN THIS DISTRICT.
SO THAT IS EVERYTHING FROM TALKING ABOUT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT TO THE POTENTIAL FOR INFILL, UH, ON SOME OF OUR RESIDENTIAL, UH, UH, ZONE, UH, PIECES OF GROUND, UH, AND PEOPLE'S PROPERTY.
AND THEN WHAT ARE THOSE STANDARDS? HOW DO WE DO IT? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SORT OF WORKING TOWARD, UH, IN THIS WORK AND THIS STRATEGIC DIRECTION.
THEN AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT THIS HOLISTICALLY AS AN ENTIRE DISTRICT WITH A PARK AT THE CENTER, UM, HOW DO WE PRESERVE AND PROTECT, UH, THAT, THAT PARK AND THAT NATURAL, UH, ENVIRONMENT, THE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL ASSETS THAT ARE HERE, HOW DO WE CONNECT EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS, OPEN SPACES, COMMUNITY DESTINATIONS TOGETHER SAFELY? UM, HOW DO WE CREATE MIXED USE CENTER AT THE CORE OF THE DISTRICT TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS AND MARKET DEMANDS? UM, WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT ENABLING THE EVOLUTION OF LAND USE PATTERNS TO ALLOW FOR THAT TO HAPPEN BOTH IN TERMS OF, UH, AT THE SORT OF DISTRICT CENTER AND THESE RETAIL, UH, USES.
UM, BUT ALSO IN THE, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE SOME NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AND, AND OTHER INFILL, UH, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET THE NEED FOR HOUSING AND THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT, UH, SOME HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, JUST NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, AND THEN WHAT'S THE SUCCESSFUL FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED, UH, WITH THIS WORK AND, UH, WANTED TO START, UH, REALLY BY LOOKING AT THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DRILL DOWN INTO THE CENTER A LITTLE BIT HERE TO START.
UM, BUT IT'S A BIG, IT'S A BIG AREA, RIGHT? UH, THERE'S SOME AREAS OF CHANGE, AND THOSE ARE THE ITEMS OUTLINED HERE, OR THE, UH, SORT OF PLACES OUTLINED IN, IN THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, BLACK OUTLINE.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO FOCUS IN ON A COUPLE PLACES WHERE DO WE HAVE TOWN OWNED PROPERTY, UM, THE AREA AROUND THE AIRPORT, OUR COMMERCIAL CORE, AND THEN, UH, IN THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THOSE ARE THE PLACES WHERE WE, WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO SOME, SPEND SOME SPECIAL ATTENTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE FULLY RECOGNIZED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY AND CULTURE IN THE MID ISLAND DISTRICT.
THAT'S SHAPED BY THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND HISTORIC CHURCHES, UH, THAT ARE IN, UH, THE MID ISLAND DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE EXISTING ZONING TO SEE WHERE WE'VE, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME THINGS WE MIGHT WANNA RECONSIDER OR THINK ABOUT.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ITEMS IN THE, UH, GULLAH, GEECHEE HERITAGE, UH, REPORT THAT, THAT POINT
[01:15:01]
TOWARD MAYBE SOME, SOME THOUGHTS AND CHANGES THERE.UM, WE LOOKED AT THE EXISTING LAND USE.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, A, A LOT OF DIFFERENT COLORS, UH, ON THE MAP HERE, UH, PROBABLY HARD TO DISTINGUISH FROM THIS DISTANCE, EVEN, UH, THE, THE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT COLORS WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT, HOW DO WE SIMPLIFY THAT, TELL A SIMPLER STORY ABOUT THE DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE STARTING TO FOCUS IN ON CERTAIN SPACES AND, AND MAYBE CLEAN SOME OF THAT UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'VE MOVED TOWARD A POTENTIAL FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT DOES CONSOLIDATE AND COLLAPSE A FEW CATEGORIES, BUT STARTS TO HELP US THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE AREAS OF CHANGE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A, A FOCUSED, UH, MATTER AND BRING SOME CLARITY TO THAT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE PURPLE COLOR, UH, AS WE THINK ABOUT THE SORT OF HEART OF, UH, OF THE MID ISLAND DISTRICT, WHERE WE THINK MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT THAT SUPPORTS A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, CONCERNS, UH, COULD OCCUR.
UM, WE LOOK AT THE AREA AROUND THE AIRPORT, UH, AS HAVING COMMERCIAL SERVICES THAT NEED TO SERVICE THE AIRPORT AS, AS IT, UM, UH, AND, AND THE SORT OF, UH, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE USES THEY'RE THERE THEY'RE NEEDED ON THE ISLAND.
IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR THEM.
UH, AND THEN LOOKING AT, UM, THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
AND COULD WE START TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AND SOME OTHER TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL, UH, IN FILLING AND WHERE WE HAVE A, MAYBE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO HAVE SOME PARTNERSHIPS AND GIVE PEOPLE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DEVELOP SOME OF THEIR PROPERTY.
SO, UM, WE LOOK AT THE AREA AROUND THE AIRPORT AS BEING THAT COMMERCIAL SERVICE, UH, AREA, UH, AND AGAIN, UM, SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, THE GROWTH OF THE AIRPORT, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT, THAT THERE'S SOME, UH, EXISTING LIGHT INDUSTRIAL SPACES THERE THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, THERE ARE, UH, A SORT OF COUPLE CORRIDORS, UH, ALONG DYLAN AND MATTHEWS THAT PROVIDE RETAIL SERVICE LODGING.
UH, SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT, UH, USES IN THE DISTRICT AND PROVIDE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, UM, COMMERCIAL SPACE.
UH, SO THOSE ARE ALONG A COUPLE CORRIDORS, UH, BUT THEN FOCUSING IN, UH, PRIMARILY ON THIS MIXED USE, UH, CORE AND THEN OPPORTUNITIES, UH, IN, IN THEN, UM, OTHER RESIDENTIAL AREAS THROUGHOUT, UH, THE DISTRICT.
SO THOSE ARE THE PLACES WE WANNA FOCUS IN ON, UM, IN TODAY'S CONVERSATION AS WE START TO PUT, UH, THIS PLAN TOGETHER TO, TO BRING TO YOU ALL, UH, HERE BY NOVEMBER 1ST.
SO STARTING WITH THE DISTRICT CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS WE GO BACK TO THIS AGAIN, WE'RE ALWAYS RETURNING TO WHAT THE NATURAL FEATURES ARE.
UH, AND, AND, AND WHAT ARE THE, THE, THE HISTORICAL PIECES WE NEED TO, TO THINK ABOUT.
WE WANT TO CREATE AN INTEGRATED INTERCONNECTED, UH, GREEN DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKS AND PRESERVES.
WE'LL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT HERE.
IN A MOMENT, WE HAVE HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT WE NEED TO, UH, INTEGRATE AND EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, CREATING A WALKABLE DISTRICT.
UH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HOW DO WE CONNECT SAFELY ACROSS THE PARKWAY? HOW DO WE MAKE IT SO THAT IT'S EASY, EASY TO GET AROUND AND, AND MAKE THAT CHOICE TO GET OUT OF AN AUTOMOBILE? UM, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT MIX OF USES AND, AND REPOSITIONING, UH, SOME OF OUR COMMERCIAL, UH, GROUND IN THE DISTRICT, UH, CREATING AN IDENTITY AND ENSURING THAT IT FITS THE CHARACTER OF THE ISLAND.
ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
AND THEN FINALLY MAKING SURE THAT THIS DISTRICT CENTER, AS YOU'RE INVESTING IN PUBLIC SPACE IS YOU'RE INVESTING IN, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ALONG THE PARKWAY.
ARE THERE A ROADWAY OR PATHWAY IMPROVEMENTS, UM, MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THERE IS THE CORRESPONDING REINVESTMENT BY THE PRIVATE MARKET TO MAKE THESE SPACES, UH, WHAT THEY NEED TO BE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AS SIMILAR AS WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK, AS THE PRIVATE MARKETS RESPONDED TO THAT PUBLIC REINVESTMENT.
UH, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HARNESS THAT AND ALSO DIRECT IT.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE KEY HERE.
UH, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, THIS TOGETHER OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, SINCE MAY, HOW DO WE DIRECT IT? AND SO WHAT ARE SOME COMPONENTS? WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE SORT OF PUT OUT ON THE TABLE TO SAY, IF ANYTHING COMES FORWARD, IT NEEDS TO MEET THESE NEEDS TO MEET THESE STANDARDS NEEDS TO HAVE, UH, THESE FEATURES.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPACT WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, PUBLIC SPACE THAT ANCHORS A DISTRICT.
SO EVEN IN A, IN A RE REDEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE PUBLIC SPACE EMBEDDED IN THAT, THAT, THAT PROVIDES A CENTER PROVIDES THAT GROUNDING, UH, ACTIVE, UH, FIRST FLOOR IS IN A VERTICAL MIX OF USES.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOWER SKILL BUILDINGS HERE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE THINK ABOUT THAT VERTICAL MIX OF USES.
WE MIGHT HAVE A STOREFRONT, UH, ON THE GROUND FLOOR IN AN OFFICE OR A TOWN HOME ABOVE THOSE SORTS OF THINGS WE NEED TO START TO THINK ABOUT.
AND THEN AS WE ALSO LOOK AT THE CHARACTER OF THE SPACE THAT, THAT WE HAVE TODAY, A LOT OF IT IS, IS, UM, DOMINATED BY SURFACE PARKING.
WE'VE GOTTA FIND A WAY TO TREAT PARKING DIFFERENTLY.
IF WE WANT WALKABILITY, WE CAN'T BE WALKING PAST ACRES AND ACRES AND ACRES OF SURFACE PARKING.
UM, SO IN INTEGRATING THAT PARKING, UM, UH, HAVING ON STREETT PARKING, BUT ALSO BEHIND BUILDINGS, UH, IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THESE, THESE IS HOW THEY ALL SORT OF START TO FIT TOGETHER.
AND THEN THINKING ABOUT THAT MIX OF USES THAT WE WOULD WANNA SEE TOGETHER AGAIN, UM, NOT JUST RESPONDING TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID, BUT WHAT THE MARKET'S ALREADY DOING.
SO IF YOU START TO LOOK AT EVEN PORT ROYAL, THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING TO MAKE THAT SPACE MORE ATTRACTIVE, DIVIDING UP A, A LARGER FLOOR PLATE INTO SMALLER BUSINESSES, THE MARKET IS ALREADY SORT OF MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION.
[01:20:01]
UH, A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MIX OF USES IT'S RETAIL, RESTAURANT APARTMENTS, TOWN HOMES, OFFICE, UH, POTENTIALLY SOME INSTITUTIONAL OPEN SPACE USES DENSITY AT THAT DISTRICT CENTER, DEPENDING ON THE PRODUCT COULD BE 12 TO 18 VOLUMES, AN ACRE.UM, WE'RE GONNA KEEP INTO THE CHARACTER OF THE ISLAND.
I THINK, AS WE RECALL FROM OUR EARLIER CONVERSATIONS IS SPRING.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY, UH, AIRPORT CONSIDERATIONS THERE AS WELL, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ISLAND CHARACTER THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT TOO.
UH, WE WANT TO PROVIDE STRUCTURED PARKING, SIMILAR OTHER PROJECTS YOU ALL HAVE DONE, UH, RECENTLY ON THE ISLAND, UH, CERTAINLY PLACING SURFACE LOTS BEHIND BUILDINGS, AND THEN THAT LANDSCAPE GREEN EDGE ON THE PARKWAY.
WE HAVE THAT GREEN, NATURAL BUFFER ALONG THE PARKWAY THAT SHOULD STILL, UH, UH, EXIST AND GIVE SHAPE, UM, TO REDEVELOPMENT IN THESE AREAS.
SO AS WE LOOK TOWARD RECOMMENDATIONS, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT WE'VE, UH, TALKED ABOUT, THEN IT COMES TO WHAT'S THE FRAMEWORK.
HOW DO YOU GUIDE THAT REDEVELOPMENT TO CREATE THAT COMPACT WALKABLE DISTRICT? WE WANT IT TO BE, UM, UH, MIXED USE AND TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ZONING CODE, CREATE STANDARDS, UH, TO GET US THERE.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT ORGANIZATIONAL FINANCIAL TOOLS, AS YOU'VE ALL STARTED TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE INCENTIVES OR FINANCIAL, UH, TOOLS YOU COULD USE FROM A TIF DISTRICT, UH, TO INVESTMENTS YOU ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT TO CONSIDERING A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, POTENTIALLY A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES THERE, BUT IF THE CORE OF IT, WE WANNA LEVERAGE THE INVESTMENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN PUBLIC SPACE, UM, IN, IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, FOR MAXIMUM COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
UM, SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, UH, IN THE DISTRICT CENTER, I WANNA THINK THROUGH AGAIN, HOW DO ALL THESE PIECES FIT TOGETHER? SO WE'RE SORT OF ZOOMED INTO THE CENTER HERE, UM, AT, AT PORT ROYAL SEA TURTLE, NORTH RIDGE, UH, IN THE MID ISLAND TRACK.
AND WE'RE THINKING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THESE GREEN PROTECTED AREAS FIT TOGETHER? SO AGAIN, IT'S PROVIDING THAT STRUCTURE, UH, TO THIS WORK, AND WE'RE LOOKING PRIMARILY HERE AT, AT, UH, THIS MIXED USE, UH, CENTER, AND THEN HOW DO THOSE ALL CONNECT TO EACH OTHER? SO WHERE MIGHT WE NEED TO MAKE, UH, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, UH, HELP PEOPLE GET ACROSS THE PARKWAY, THE CHARACTER OF THOSE STREETS AS WE GO INTO THESE, UM, UH, COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AGAIN, UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA START TO THINK ABOUT THOSE IN THE FUTURE, LESS AS DRIVEWAYS AND DRIVE AISLES AND MORE AS PUBLIC STREETS.
AND, AND HOW DO WE, UM, HOW DO WE START TO HAVE, UH, CHARACTER THAT'S A LITTLE MORE FITTING, UH, WITH THE ISLAND? ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE PARKWAY TO TREAT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, CREATE GATEWAYS, ENHANCE INTERSECTIONS, AGAIN, TO HELP PEOPLE, UH, TRAVERSE THE CORRIDOR, UM, CONNECTING TO OTHER SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ASSETS, SUCH AS THE LIBRARY, WHAT ARE THE, UM, TRAIL AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE BOTH INSIDE OF SOME OF THESE GREEN OPEN SPACES, PARK SPACES, BUT ALSO AT THE EDGES.
SO, UM, AS WE LOOK AT THE CORRIDOR WORK TOGETHER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTI-USE PATHS, SHARED USE PATHS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PARKWAY.
UH, WE THINK IT SHOULD BE IN BOTH SIDES OF MATTHEWS.
WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CONNECT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SURROUND, UM, UM, THESE CENTERS OF ACTIVITY, UH, IN THE DISTRICT.
AND AGAIN, THIS GOES OFF THE MAP AND GETS TO THE NORTH, UH, AS WELL HERE, UM, NOT JUST HERE IN THE DISTRICT AND THEN HOW DOES ALL OF THAT FIT TOGETHER? SO AGAIN, THAT HOLISTIC STRATEGY TO CHANGE THE WAY, UH, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE HEART OF, OF THE, OF, UM, OF THE DISTRICT.
SO, UH, WE STARTED TO THINK THROUGH, AND AGAIN, YOU ALL ASKED AT OUR, UH, MAY WORKSHOP THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY.
SO NOT JUST WHAT THE, WHAT THE MARKET STUDY, UH, WOULD SORT OF SAY IS POSSIBLE HERE.
HOW DO WE GET THERE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES? SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, UM, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THERE'S PROBABLY 10, 15 WAYS YOU COULD, YOU COULD START TO LOOK AT THESE PARCELS AND HOW THEY MAY CHANGE IN CHARACTER.
WE WANTED TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, SORT OF TEST THIS FORM AND CHARACTER THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
WE ALSO WANTED TO PUT SOME THINGS DOWN ON PAPER SO THAT OUR ECONOMIC CONSULTANT AT KIMLEY HORN COULD DO THEIR MARKET FEASIBILITY WORK, WHICH THEY'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE'S A BIT OF A PROGRAM AND, AND, UM, SORT OF CAPACITY ANALYSIS THAT WE, THAT WE'VE DONE.
SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT DRAWING REALLY, UH, IS A WAY TO START TO THINK ABOUT HOW MIGHT YOU ADD HOUSING? HOW MIGHT YOU CHANGE, UM, UH, SOME OF THESE USES TODAY TO NOT JUST BE, UH, RETAIL ONLY, BUT ALSO MIXED USE.
SO THE AREAS THERE IN PURPLE COULD HAVE HOUSING OFFICE, GROUND FLOOR RETAIL.
UM, HOW DO WE START TO CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THESE STREETS SO THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, INTERNAL, UM, WALKABLE ROADWAYS, IF YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, WHAT HAPPENED AT SHELTER COVE WHEN THEY REDEVELOPED THAT THEY CREATED MAYBE, YOU KNOW, HALF A WALKABLE STREET, RIGHT.
A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, STORE FRONTS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, ARE, ARE WALKABLE.
WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT DOING THAT AS YOU TURN INTO, UM, THESE SHOPPING AREAS, CREATING, YOU KNOW, CREATING THAT CHARACTER THAT REALLY, UM, MAKES IT A WALKABLE PLACE, UH, AND ENCOURAGING TO SORT OF GET OUTTA YOUR CAR AND WALK AROUND AND MAYBE DO A COUPLE THINGS INSTEAD OF, UH, JUST ONE THING THERE.
SO AGAIN, TESTING OUT THE CAPACITY, UM, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT FORM
[01:25:01]
THAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT, THAT CHARACTER LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND.AND THEN HOW DOES THAT FIT TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL THE OTHER USES THE POTENTIAL OF A PARK, UH, ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, HOW DOES THAT ALL FIT TOGETHER WITH THE ASHMORE TRACT? UM, HOW DO WE KEEP THAT AN ISLAND CHARACTER? SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S GREEN, IT'S CONNECTED.
UM, IT'S A SET OF, UH, USES THAT, THAT WORK TOGETHER THAT BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, UH, THAT IS TRULY, YOU KNOW, A GATHERING PLACE.
UH, AND I THINK WHEN WE, UH, WORK WITH OUR, UH, UH, FRIENDS WITH, UM, UH, VICTOR DOVER, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT ISLAND CHARACTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ON THE GROUND? SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, SORT OF STANDING IN ONE OF THESE, UH, BLACK CIRCLES HERE, SORT OF THE, UH, WHERE YOU MIGHT HAVE FOUR BUILDINGS COMING TOGETHER, UH, REALLY WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF YOU'RE ON THE GROUND? UH, WHAT IS THAT CHARACTER AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO DEFINE THAT TOGETHER AS WE GO FORWARD INTO, INTO, UM, DEVELOPING STANDARDS AS A NEXT STEP, BUT AGAIN, IT'S VERTICAL MIX OF USES ACTIVE FIRST FLOORS.
PLACES OF COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER, IT'S WALKABLE, UH, WE'VE GOT ON STREET PARKING, WE HAVE STREET TREES.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME BUSINESSES AS WELL AS MAYBE, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL OR OFFICE ABOVE THOSE.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, INJECTING A, A CHARACTER IN THESE STREETS THAT HAS STREET TREES, MAYBE ON STREET PARKING, MAYBE A MEDIAN, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE GREEN STREETS, THEY'RE WALKABLE.
YOU HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS THAT MIGHT SPILL OUT ONTO THE STREET.
YOU HAVE STOREFRONTS THAT ARE ACTIVE.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A BIT OF A DIFFERENT CHARACTER, UH, THAN WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY.
ALTHOUGH I THINK THEY'RE STARTING TO THINK THIS WAY ALREADY, UH, IN INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS TO SOME OF THESE, UM, SHOPPING AREAS.
SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE'VE LANDED WITH, UH, THE SORT OF DISTRICT CENTER, UH, WANTED TO MOVE ON, UH, TO HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND, AND THINK THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU ALL WERE ASKING US ABOUT BACK IN MAY AS WELL.
SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK OVER THE LAST, UM, COUPLE MONTHS, UM, TO, TO THINK THAT THROUGH AS WELL.
UH, AND AGAIN, UM, LOOKING VERY STRONGLY BACK AT THE, THE GUAG GEECHEE PRESERVATION REPORT, UM, OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE WHAT PROGRESS YOU ALL HAVE MADE IN, UM, IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE AND WHERE WE'VE MAYBE HAD, UM, UH, SOME THINGS TO OVERCOME STILL, SO WANTED TO, UM, WANTED TO GO THROUGH THAT.
SO AGAIN, WE'LL BE FOCUSING IN HERE ON THE YELLOW AREAS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
UM, AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REPORT REALLY, I THINK, DID A GOOD JOB OF, OF, UM, UM, POINTING OUT WHERE, WHERE THE ISSUES WERE, UM, AND WHAT SOME OF THE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS ARE.
AND THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
SO THEY RECOGNIZED, UM, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS WITH A MAP HERE IN A MOMENT THAT SOME OF THE AREAS THAT ARE ZONED RM FOUR TODAY, UM, REALLY DON'T LET PEOPLE MAXIMIZE THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THEIR, THEIR PROPERTY, RIGHT? UM, THERE'S SOME DENSITY, UM, UM, UH, CONCERNS THERE, AND THERE'S A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT IT, DEPENDING ON WHAT SIZE YOUR PARCEL IS.
THERE'S MAYBE A FAIR DEGREE OF CONFUSION AROUND THAT RECOGNITION THAT, UH, SETBACKS AND BUFFERING REQUIREMENTS, UM, ALSO NEEDED TO BE RELAXED IN ORDER TO ALLOW PEOPLE MAXIMUM BENEFIT OF THEIR PROPERTY, UH, AS WELL AS OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS.
SO THERE WAS A PROPOSAL IN, IN THAT REPORT FOR AN OVERLAY.
UH, WE REALLY STARTED TO LOOK AT IT AS, IS THERE A BASE ZONING THAT WE COULD ESTABLISH, YOU KNOW, AS A STARTING POINT, UM, TO REALLY CLARIFY, UH, THE POSITION THERE.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO SORT OF TEST OUT.
WE'VE DONE SOME THINKING ABOUT, UH, TOGETHER, UH, WITH YOU ALL.
AND AGAIN, UM, LOOKING AT THE EXISTING LAND USES A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT WASHED OUT ON THE SCREEN, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE GREEN AREAS THAT ARE INSIDE THE BLACK OUTLINE.
SO YOU CAN SEE ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THESE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS HAS, UM, A PORTION OF THAT LIGHT GREEN, WHICH IS THAT RM FOUR LOW TO MODERATE DENSITY, UM, ZONING.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAND USE, BUT WE'RE GETTING INTO A LITTLE BIT OF ZONING CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT, WHAT WE MIGHT ALLOW INSIDE THAT LAND USE.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING IN, UM, IN THE CONVERSATION TODAY, UH, THESE AREAS THAT ARE, ARE GREEN, AGAIN, GREEN, AGAIN, A LITTLE HARD TO SEE IN THE SCREEN, A LITTLE WASHED OUT, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY THAT THESE AREAS ARE GREEN INSIDE.
UH, EACH OF THOSE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
NOW THOSE ARE TODAY, UM, HAVE IN INSIDE RM FOUR, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR, YOUR PARCEL, YOUR LOT, YOU COULD BUILD UP TO EIGHT 20 UNITS AN ACRE, UM, DEPENDING HOW BIG, SO FIVE ACRES, YOU CAN GO TO EIGHT.
SO AGAIN, INSIDE RM FOUR, YOU'RE ALREADY ALLOWING A RANGE OF DENSITIES.
UM, WE'RE GONNA SUGGEST THAT WE, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, PICK, PICK A NUMBER AND HAVE THAT AS SOMETHING WE'RE AIMING TOWARD TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY AND A STRONGER PATH FORWARD FOR FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN, IN DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, SO I WON'T GO THROUGH THIS.
I'M GONNA CLICK THROUGH THESE, UH, PRETTY QUICKLY HERE, BECAUSE WE DID LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD AGAIN, UM, WHAT THE EXISTING LAND USE IS, WHAT THE ZONING IS.
UH, SOME PLACES HAVE, UH, BOTH RM FOUR AND RM 12 AGAIN, WHERE THERE'S ALREADY SOMETHING THAT'S RM 12 OR SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN RM FOUR.
WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T, WE DON'T,
[01:30:01]
WE'RE STAYING AGNOSTIC TOO.WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING IN ON THE RM FOUR ONLY, UH, IN THIS CASE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE EACH ONE OF THESE THEN HAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM, UM, THE, THE GOAL, UH, GEECHEE CULTURE, HERITAGE, UH, PRESERVATION REPORT AGAIN, UM, THEY WERE STILL SORT OF TRYING TO FIT IN THE EXISTING ZONING CODE.
AND WHAT DO WE ALLOW FOR THREE ACRES, FIVE ACRES, ONE ACRE.
UM, WE'RE REALLY SUGGESTING WE JUST SIMPLIFY THAT AND SAY, LOOK, THERE'S A BASE ZONING, UH, A BASE DENSITY.
SO AGAIN, WE DID THAT FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE, AND I THINK IT INFORMED, UM, OUR CONVERSATIONS AND OUR, UM, RECOMMENDATION HERE.
SO WE LOOKED AT BIG HILL, WE LOOKED AT MITCHELLVILLE, SAME THING, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A, A MIX OF DIFFERENT ZONING CATEGORIES IN MITCHELLVILLE.
BUT AGAIN, JUST FOCUSING IN ON THE RM FOUR, UH, DO THE SAME UP IN BIG ALL AND MARSHLAND.
AND WE CAN GO BACK TO ANY OF THESE AT ANY POINT, IF YOU WANT TO TODAY, BUT, UH, WANTED TO SORT OF GET TO THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE WANTED ADVANCE, UH, AND CELEBRATE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE NATIVE ISLANDERS.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR THAT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE.
UH, AND THAT'S GONNA MEAN THAT WE'RE ALLOWING FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, INFILL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, BUT ALSO SOME COMMERCIAL AND HOME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHERE ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A, A, A SMALL BUSINESS, UM, A, A FARM MARKET, A RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE A NEIGHBORHOOD IN SCALE, UM, BUT ALLOW PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, DO BUSINESS O ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
UH, WE ALSO THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE WITH PARTNERSHIPS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING AND POTENTIALLY THE AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE, UH, OPTIONS ON THE ISLAND.
UH, BUT AGAIN, AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE TRYING TO OPTIMIZE, UH, THE USE OF PEOPLE'S PROPERTY.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, GETTING GETTING THAT CLARIFIED AND SIMPLIFIED, UM, IS, IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.
SO AS SAME AS TO THE DISTRICT, WHAT ARE THE RULES OF THE ROAD? WHAT ARE SOME COMPONENTS WE, WE, WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, IN, IN, IN, UH, IN THESE AREAS, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COMPACT WALKABLE FORM.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIZING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, PEDESTRIAN, AND BIKE CONNECTIONS.
AGAIN, PEOPLE FOCUSED, UH, THESE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, AND, AND THEY NEED TO BE DONE IN A CONTEXT SENSITIVE WAY.
SO AS WE LOOK AT THE USES THAT ARE POTENTIAL HERE, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESIDENTIAL, UH, OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCALES, AND WE'LL SHOW YOU EXAMPLES OF WHERE YOU'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN REINVESTMENT IN SOME OF THESE, THESE AREAS, THE TYPES OF THINGS.
WE'VE SEEN EVERYTHING FROM, UH, DUPLEXES OR GARDEN APARTMENTS TO, UH, TWO FAMILY, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR SINGLE FAMILY, UH, HOMES AS WELL.
UH, AGAIN, UH, SORT OF KEEPING IN THE SCALE AND CHARACTER, UM, OF THE ISLAND.
UM, WE ARE, UH, RECOMMENDING THAT TO JUST SIMPLIFY RM FOUR, JUST ALLOW FOR SIX, ONE UNITS, AN ACRE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WHETHER IT'S ONE ACRE, THREE ACRE, FIVE ACRE PARCEL, SIMPLIFY IT, CREATE THAT, UM, CREATE THAT STANDARD.
UM, AND IT'S WALKABLE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE AND CHARACTER.
SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY, UM, UH, WHAT WE, UM, THINK SHOULD HAPPEN, UH, THAT CONSISTENT UNIFORM DENSITY STANDARD, UH, AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERN ALLOWING FOR SIX, SIX DWELLING UNITS, AN ACRE NEED A CALIBRATE AGAIN, IT'S IS GONNA TAKE ADDITIONAL EFFORT, CALIBRATE THE SETBACK AND BUFFERING THOSE INTERNAL REQUIREMENTS AND OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS TO ALLOW FOR, UH, INFILL, UH, DEVELOPMENT, RECOGNIZING THAT, THAT THESE ARE SMALLER PARCELS.
SO SOME OF THOSE STANDARDS WOULD NEED TO BE, UH, ADJUSTED.
WE ALLOW FOR THOSE HOME BASED BUSINESSES, UH, THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL USES.
UM, BUT ALSO THINKING THROUGH THAT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S STILL A PREDOMINANCE OF, OF RESIDENTIAL ON A SITE.
SO AS WE THINK THROUGH THAT, LOOKING AT 75% RESIDENTIAL AND UP TO 25%, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
SO AGAIN, THAT YE MIX, UH, IS, IS PRETTY CRITICAL THERE TOO, TO MAINTAIN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL.
SO HOW DID WE GET TO SIX? UH, WE WENT AROUND AND LOOKED AT WHAT'S BEING BUILT, UH, NOT ONLY WHAT YOU ALLOW, BUT WHAT'S BEING BUILT.
SO YOU'LL SEE, IN SOME OF THESE CASES, WE LOOKED AT THE, THE, UM, THE RESIDENTIAL, UM, ZONING WOULD'VE ALLOWED FOR MORE, BUT THE MARKET BUILT, UH, AROUND SIX.
SO THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WE FOUND.
WE LOOKED AT THE INFILL DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENED ALREADY IN GRASSLAND.
UM, YOU'VE GOT A THREE ACRE PARCEL WOUND UP BUILDING, UH, 18 UNITS, AND IT'S AROUND SIX, UH, ALMOST SIX DWELL UNITS, AN ACRE.
SO AGAIN, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BUILT AND IT'S ON THE GROUND TODAY, UH, IN MITCHELLVILLE.
SIMILARLY, UM, YOU HAVE THIS DEVELOPMENT, UH, THAT AGAIN IS A LITTLE MORE THAN FIVE DWELLING UNITS ACRE ON EIGHT ACRES.
UH, SO AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, A PRODUCT THAT IS ON THE MARKET AND, UH, UH, SEEMS TO, SEEMS TO BE WORKING.
UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S WITHIN THAT, UH, RANGE OF, UH, DENSITY, UH, IN MITCHELLVILLE, ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT, THIS IS JUST ABOUT SIX 20 EIGHTS,
[01:35:01]
AN ACRE AS WELL.UM, IT WAS IN THE RM 12 CATEGORY.
SO YOU CAN SEE, EVEN IN THAT RM 12, THEY BUILT, UH, THEY BUILT SOMETHING THAT WAS CLOSER TO SIX AS WELL FROM A MARKET PERSPECTIVE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, ANOTHER SORT OF REASON WHY WE SORT OF WENT DOWN, UH, TO THAT, TO THAT LEVEL AND LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, UH, SIX BEING, UH, KIND OF A GOOD MIDDLE GROUND AND, AND ALLOW FOR SOME CONSISTENCY.
UH, THIS IS DOWN OFF MARSHLAND, RECENT DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN, A LITTLE MORE THAN FIVE, UH, DO IT'S AN ACRE, UH, BIT OF A DIFFERENT STYLE OF DEVELOPMENT, UH, THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THESE OTHER, UH, PARTS OF THE DISTRICT.
BUT AGAIN, UH, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE, THE DISTRICT ACROSS THE ISLAND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT THAT SIX SEEMS TO MAKE A LOT OF SENSE AS HE, AS YOU THINK THAT THROUGH.
UM, AND THEN WORKING WITH, UH, VICTOR AND HIS TEAM AND ESTABLISHING SOME CHARACTER AND, AND THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, LOOKED AT THESE AS, AS NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS THAT HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL USES, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SORT OF TOP CORNER.
UM, HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO A VERY COMPACT WALKABLE RESIDENTIAL SCALE, UH, THROUGHOUT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND THROUGHOUT SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND AGAIN, THINKING THROUGH, UH, THESE STREETS, AGAIN, THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE THAT COULD HAVE ON STREET PARKING, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE OFF STREET, UH, ON STREET PARKING, UM, YOU KNOW, NARROW WALKABLE, UH, WALKABLE STREETS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
AND AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE, UH, AMEN WITH STREET TREES AND, AND OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE THEM COMFORTABLE PLACES.
UM, AS WE THINK THROUGH RECOMMENDATIONS THEN, UM, UM, ACROSS, UH, THE DISTRICT WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF, OF WHERE WE'RE LANDING ON THAT, WHERE AGAIN, AFTER TODAY, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DO MORE, DO MORE WORK, UH, PUT OUR, OUR COLLECTIVE BRAINS TOGETHER AND CONTINUE, UM, TO, TO GET YOU, UM, UM, A SUMMARY DOCUMENT THAT REALLY SETS THE ROADMAP FOR HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GET THERE FOR THIS? UM, BUT THE FIRST STEP REALLY IS THAT FUTURE LAND USE MAP, UM, AND ADOPTING THAT.
AND THEN WE ROLL INTO THE SECOND PIECE OF A, OF ADOPTING A POLICY FRAMEWORK IN STANDARDS THAT WE'RE RESULT IN THIS COMPACT WALKABLE DISTRICT, UH, AND ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF SMALL TYPE UP HERE.
UH, MAYBE SEAN, YOU'VE GOT SOME THOUGHTS HERE TOO.
UM, BUT WE START BY MAKING THOSE PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND PARK SPACE.
BRIAN'S GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, AND THAT INVESTMENT AND CREATING THE POLICIES AND STANDARDS THAT WILL SUPPORT THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I THINK THEN THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED TO GIVE TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS, WHETHER THAT'S SOMEONE THAT OWNS, UM, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY IN THESE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA NEED HELP TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY WANT TO DEVELOP SOME THINGS THEY'RE GONNA NEED SOME HELP TO GET THERE, UH, AS WELL, THE, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE AT THE HEART OF THE DISTRICT, UM, SO THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT STANDARDS AND SUPPORT THAT WE CAN GIVE, UH, THOSE FOLKS, WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES THAT WE NEED TO, UH, THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, UH, IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE TO SUPPORT THAT? UM, SO THAT'S THINKING THROUGH STORM WATER AND RESILIENCY, IT'S ALSO THINKING THROUGH STREETS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHARACTER PATHWAYS, WALKABILITY INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, THOSE ARE ALL PUBLIC INVESTMENTS THAT WILL NEED TO TAKE PLACE INVESTMENTS IN TRANSIT MOBILITY, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING, UH, YOU KNOW, A PARKING STRATEGY, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GONNA GET, IF WE'RE GONNA CONVERT ACRES OF SURFACE PARKING TO A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT, THERE'S GONNA BE INVESTMENT IN, IN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
UM, SO PLEASE KNOW, WE'RE THINKING THROUGH THAT POLICY FRAMEWORK, THE IMPLICATIONS AND WHAT'S NECESSARY IN EACH OF THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE GET INTO THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, RULES AND ROADS ESTABLISHED.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ACTUALLY DO IT, UH, TOGETHER? AND SO THAT'S THE UPDATING OF THE ZONING CODE AND MAP, UH, TO MATCH UP WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, LOOKING THROUGH THOSE ORGANIZATIONAL FINANCIAL TOOLS TO GUIDE IMPLEMENTATION.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST AND OTHER THINGS WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
UM, AND THEN WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE LEVERAGING, UH, THOSE PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, UH, IN, IN, UM, THE CREATION OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT THAT SUPPORTS THE VISION THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS, UH, FOR THIS PART OF THE ISLAND.
UM, SO THOSE ARE ALL PIECES, UM, THAT WE ARE, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON AND, AND MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, THAT THESE THINGS WILL BE IN THE REPORT, UH, AND IN GREAT DETAIL.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, UH, SORT OF LAST THING, AND THEN IT'LL OPEN UP TO CONVERSATION AND GO BACK TO ANYTHING THAT WE'VE, UH, TALKED ABOUT HERE.
UM, WHAT IS THAT SUMMARY REPORT THAT WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? UM, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK TOGETHER.
UM, IF I'D PUT ALL THE SLIDES IN HERE THAT WE HAD REVIEWED OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'D, WE'D PROBABLY BE AT LIKE 300.
SO, UM, UH, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE'VE, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EACH OF THESE THINGS, UM, AS OF TODAY, SO WE'LL, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCE
[01:40:01]
THIS PROCESS, AN OVERVIEW, WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WHAT PLANS HAVE WE LOOKED AT? HOW DOES IT ALIGN? HOW DOES THIS VISION ALIGN WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS? HOW DOES IT SQUARE WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, THAT WE, THAT WE DID, UM, THEN THE NEXT SECTION IS ABOUT THE PLANNING CONTEXT.UM, WHAT ANALYSIS DID WE DO? WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE PRIOR TO THIS POINT ON LAND USE AND ZONING MARKET ANALYSIS, UH, MOBILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS, OPEN SPACES, UH, THE AIRPORT CONSIDERATIONS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THEN HOW DID THAT LEAD US TO THAT STRATEGIC STRATEGIC DIRECTION WE REVIEWED TODAY? UM, AND, AND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THAT WE SEE NEED TO BE MADE IN THOSE, THOSE VERY FOCUSED RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN WE'LL FOCUS IN, ON IMPLEMENTATION AND THE ROADMAP TO GET THERE.
SO THOSE ARE THE SORT OF MAJOR CHAPTER HEADINGS, UM, THAT, THAT WE'RE STARTING TO FILL, UM, SORT OF BLOCK THAT OUT AND START TO FILL IN THAT CONTENT, UH, TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL, UM, BEFORE THE NEXT, NEXT TIME WE'RE TOGETHER IN NOVEMBER.
SO WE'LL BE DOING A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
IN THE MEANTIME AFTER TODAY, THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT SEAN AND HIS TEAM ARE GONNA SCHEDULE WITH HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THOSE IN OCTOBER, THERE'LL BE A PLANNING COMMISSION BRIEFING IN OCTOBER AS WELL.
AND WE'LL BRING THIS BACK TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION OF, UM, ADOPTION BY RESOLUTION ON THE 1ST OF NOVEMBER.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SORT OF WHERE WE ARE, UH, IN THE PROCESS AND THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADING IN AND, AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH BEFORE WE PUT PEN TO PAPER, WHICH IS OUR VERY NEXT STEP.
UH, WE'LL PUT PEN TO PAPER IN FIVE MINUTES IF YOU WANT US TO, BUT, UM, OPEN IT UP TO CONVERSATION, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT WE JUST PRESENTED, ANY QUESTIONS MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, WHAT THAT LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAKS, NOT A QUESTION, MAKE A COMMENT.
UM, I THINK ANDREW AND, AND, AND, AND BRIAN FOR, UM, REALLY FOLLOWING THE, UH, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE STARTED THERE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND, UM, I THINK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THAT JOURNEY, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET TO A POINT OF FUTURE LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES OR CHANGING.
AND WE, WE'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS OF TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS IN THAT CONFERENCE OF PLAN, OUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE IS CONFLICTING, RIGHT.
SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DIRECTION THAT YOU YOU'VE GONE.
UM, THE, THE, THE ONE ITEM THAT IS IN THE SMALL PRINT, UM, MAYBE SMALLER THAN I'D LIKE IT TO BE
UM, AND THIS ISLAND BEING ONE THAT, THAT IS SUCH, UM, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WALKABLE BIKEABLE STREETS AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT THE, THE WHOLE TRANSPORTATION PIECE, I THINK, UM, SHOULD BE CALLED OUT MORE, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL TIF DISTRICT HERE WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE RAISING MONEY.
UM, AND WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW DO WE EXPAND OUR TRANSPORTATION HELD HELTON HEAD? I, I CAN SEE THIS MID ISLAND AREA BEING ONE OF INTEREST, EVEN FOR RESIDENTS SAYING IN C PINES.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA WALK THERE FROM C PINES, RIGHT.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS NOT TO GET IN THEIR CAR TO COME, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE OVER THE NEXT 10, 15 YEARS? UH, WE KNOW THAT WE GONNA NEED A FUNDING MECHANISM TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO I JUST THINK THAT THAT PIECE SHOULD BE CALLED OUT JUST A BIT MORE IN THE, IN THE SMALL PRINT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
I THINK, UH, AS WE LOOK AT AND WORK ON TRANS ALREADY DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, CREATING THIS MIX OF USES WHERE THERE'S MORE THAN ONE THING GOING ON, UM, THAT BY ITSELF SUPPORTS THE, THE SORT OF QUANTITY OF PEOPLE, THE, THE MIXING OF PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS, WHETHER THAT'S BUSINESS OR, YOU KNOW, UH, LIVING, UM, THEN TRANSPORTATION CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THERE'S A DESTINATION THERE NOW THAT'S MORE THAN JUST ONE TYPE OF USE.
AND SO THAT BY ITSELF HELPS TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.
SO THEY GO TOGETHER AS TO YOUR POINT, HAVE YOU GUYS, GLEN, TAKE A BREAK.
I REALLY LIKE THE GOALS AND THE CONCEPTS THAT I SEE IN THIS PLAN, BUT I'M ALSO LOOKING FOR THE TOOLS MM-HMM
UM, AND IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, YOU'RE SUGGESTING IN THE CORE OF THE DISTRICT, UH, THAT WE DO AN UPGRADE TO RM 12, WHICH WOULD HOPEFULLY PRODUCE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I'VE SEEN MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK MOST OF US HAVE SEEN IT WHERE YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND RESIDENTIAL
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OR OFFICE ABOVE.I HOPE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT.
AND IF OUR EXPERTS RECOMMEND THAT WE USE RM 12 FOR THAT, UH, I'M INCLINED TO GO WITH THAT.
MM-HMM
AND SO YOU'RE RECOMMENDING A SIMPLIFICATION OF THAT.
SO THAT THE NUMBER THAT'S ASSIGNED IS THE NUMBER THAT WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM PERMITTED USE.
AND IN THAT CASE ARE RECOMMENDING RM SIX FOR THE, UH, FOR THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR FURTHER DENSITY, UH, IN, IN, I'D SAY MANY CASES, NOT JUST IN SOME CASES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS, IS A REALLY WORTHY OBJECTIVE.
I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE ON THE GROUND HERE, RM FOUR VERSUS RM SIX AND HOW IT ACTUALLY, HOW IT WORKS ON THE ISLAND, UH, AS WE ARE SETTING THIS UP AND I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M SAYING IS I'M LOOKING FOR THE TOOLS AND I KNOW YOU'RE BUILDING THE TOOLS FOR US, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.
I, I, I THINK THE, UH, VISION IS GOOD.
UH, I THINK THE GOAL STATEMENTS AREN'T ALIGNED WITH ISLAND VALUES.
UM, FIRST I'LL MAKE A, A COMMENT.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DISTRICTS ON THE ISLAND, AND I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS A PLACE TO LIVE.
AND ALSO FROM A BRANDING STANDPOINT, IF THOSE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS ARE ALLOWED TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN SPECIAL CHARACTER.
AND SO WHEN I'M LOOKING AT YOUR BOUNDARY MAP HERE, I'M WONDERING, IS THAT ONE DISTRICT, OR IS THAT TWO DISTRICTS, OR IF IT'S ONE, WHAT'S THE CHARACTER.
AND SO I, I DON'T NEED AN ANSWER TODAY, BUT IT, UH, I'M LOOKING FOR THE PERSONALITY OF WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES AT THE SOUTH END OF THE ISLAND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE VERY STRONG CASH FLOW.
IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO, UM, THOSE PEOPLE TO, UM, WANT TO, UH, REDEVELOP.
UH, AND SO MY QUESTION IN THE COMMERCIAL AREA, THE MIXED USE AREA THAT YOU ARE, UH, CITING, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT THE CASH FLOW CIRCUMSTANCES ARE IN THOSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES? ARE THEY LIKELY TO BE, UH, MINIMAL TO, UM, YOUR PROPOSALS OR MAY ANSWER THAT? AND MY HUMBLE MAY, UH, FIRST, THE LAST AND THAT IS THIS MIS MIXED USE DISTRICT, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY LIPS BEFORE, AS, AS WE OBSERVED THOSE THREE AREAS, THEIR 1960S, SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES MODELS OF, OF STRIP COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND IN THE PAST, I SUSPECT THEY, I KNOW THAT I'VE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THOSE DISTRICTS.
UH, THEY HAVE PERFORMED VERY WELL.
YOU CAN SEE BY THE VERY CONDITION OF THE PLACES NOW THAT SOME OF THEM AREN'T PERFORMING VERY WELL.
UM, AND IN THAT MODEL OF, OF STRIP COMMERCIAL CENTER HAS SEEN ITS, UH, ITS BETTER DAYS, UM, MARKETS SPEAK.
I THINK THE MARKET HAS SPOKEN TO THE PORT ROYAL PLAZA, FOLKS THAT SMALLER, MORE NIMBLE, MORE NEIGHBORHOOD ORIENTED, UH, RETAIL IS THE, IS THE CALL OF THE DAY.
WE KNOW WE'VE GOT HOUSING NEEDS HERE.
I THINK THAT MARKET FORCES AND OUR ECONOMIC ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW FOR THESE, UH, THIS FIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WILL TELL US WHAT THE FUTURE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS CAN BE AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR PLANNING, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, MEET THE TEST OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS.
THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY FROM MY STANDPOINT, ONE OF THE THREE LEGS OF THE STOOL OF SUSTAINABILITY.
TWO IS, UH, SOCIAL STABILITY AND, AND THREE IS ENVIRONMENTAL.
WE'RE TESTING THAT TO SEE EXACTLY IF THIS MIX OF USES IS FINANCIALLY STABLE.
UH, I THINK IT IS OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN ELSEWHERE IN REDEVELOPMENTS OF, OF
[01:50:01]
SUCH THAT IT IS.IS IT DIFFICULT WORK? IS IT A HEAVY LIFT? YOU BET IT IS.
THERE'S MULTIPLE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, THERE'S FINANCING.
THERE'S A RULE, A ROLE IN HERE FOR THE TOWN TO PLAY OR FOR SOME DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO PLAY IN PARTNERING WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, WHAT CAUSES, UH, A PROPERTY OWNER WHO'S SERVICING LEASES NOW TO MOVE OFF THE DIME INTO SOMETHING THAT SHE OR HE MAY NOT BE COMFORTABLE WITH.
THEY'VE NOT DONE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO ADMIT IT, BUT IT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TOLD US.
WE NEED, WE FULLY AGREE WITH IT.
WE NEED NEIGHBORHOOD ORIENTED COMMERCIAL.
WE NEED AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
WE NEED A DIFFERENT THING AT THE CENTER OF THIS DISTRICT AND THE CENTER OF OUR ISLAND THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
AND NOW THE TOUGH WORK BEGINS.
UM, I, I, I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHAT INCENTIVES ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO GET ON BOARD DAVID, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WELL AS, UH, COUNCILMAN AM, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS ANYBODY THAT, UM, THE FIRST STEP IN, UH, LAND DEVELOPMENT IS CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP.
NOW, IF WE DON'T CONTROL AND OWN, THAT MIGHT SOMEBODY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE FOLKS TAKE UP OWNERSHIP POSITION MIGHT BE INCENT THAT SOMEHOW, OR THERE'S TIF DISTRICTS, THERE'S TAX ISSUES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE THERE'S INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, PARKING, UH, UH, UTILITIES, STREET CONSTRUCTION THAT THE TOWN MAY PARTICIPATE IN TO INCENT THAT PRIVATE DEVELOPER TO DO SOMETHING THAT SHE OR HE WOULDN'T OTHERWISE DO.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TOOLS AVAILABLE, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE, UH, DOCUMENTED IN THIS REPORT, UH, THAT YOU WILL SEE, UH, IN LATE OCTOBER, EARLY NOVEMBER.
SO THERE'S, UM, BUT IT, I REPEAT IT'S TOUGH BUSINESS IF IT WERE EASY, IT WOULD'VE BEEN DONE BY NOW, UM, HOUSING, UM, AND I'M DIRECTING THESE COMMENTS PRIMARILY AT THE, UH, GU NATIVE ISLAND COMMUNITY, JUST BECAUSE OF THE FOUR DU PER ACRE DENSITY THAT'S THERE NOW, BUT IT MAY ALSO APPLY TO THE MIXED USE COMPONENT.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE TWO ISSUES HERE IN MY, UM, MIND.
ONE IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT AND TWO IS SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A WORKFORCE HOUSING ISSUE ON THIS ISLAND AND THAT, THAT WE HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL, UH, ISSUE ON THE ISLAND.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO CREATE IN YOUR PACKAGE OF INCREASING DENSITIES COMPONENTS TO DEAL WITH THOSE TWO ITEMS? YEAH.
THROUGH THE, UM, ENTITLEMENT OR THE, UH, LMO, UH, REVISIONS THAT WILL SPIN OUT OF THIS, THAT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE ITS OWN CRITERIA.
WE, THE TOWN MAY VERY WELL PUT FORTH, UM, RESTRICTIONS REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT AFFORDABLE COMPONENT AS, AS A BASIS OF THAT ZONING, UH, THAT MAY BE ENTICED WITH OTHER FINANCIAL TOOLS THE TOWN CAN PUT IN PLACE TO ENCOURAGE AND EVEN INCREASE THAT AFFORDABLE COMPONENT THAT'S WORKED ELSEWHERE, UH, IN, IN THE PAST AND IS PRESENTLY, UM, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE'RE NOT THE LOAN RANGERS IN THIS TOWN WITH, WITH STRUGGLING WITH THE AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING PROBLEM.
IT'S, UM, IT'S CERTAINLY IN, UH, UH, AT A CRITICAL PLACE ON, IN THE, IN THE TOWN.
SO LONG ANSWER TO SHORT QUESTION, BUT YEAH, WE'LL PUT FORTH THE, SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHAT THE TOWN CAN DO THROUGH THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESS TO ENCOURAGE.
UM, AND YOU, YOU HIT THIS ONE, ANDREW, VERY, VERY WELL IN DIRECTLY AND THAT'S PARKING STRATEGY.
IF I LOOK AT ALL YOUR PLANS, THE ONLY SOLUTION I CAN SEE IS A MULTISTORY PARKING GARAGE.
AM I, AM I NO, THAT THAT'S RIGHT.
AND LET, LET ME, LET ME HIT THAT ONE HEAD ON, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, THE ANTITHESIS OF A WALKABLE COMMUNITY MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IS LARGE SURFACE PARKING LOT FIELDS.
AGAIN, THAT WAS THE MODEL OF THE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES, BIG BOXES WITH BIG PARKING FIELDS OUT FRONT, YOU DRIVE UP, YOU WALK IN, YOU GO BACK OUT, YOU'RE OFF.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS DISTRICT, THIS MIXED USE DISTRICT IS ALL ABOUT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID.
WE WANT PLACES WHERE OUR KIDS CAN SAFELY GET ACROSS THE
[01:55:01]
PARKWAY OR DOWN THE STREET ON FOOT, ON BIKE, TO SHOP FOR THE THINGS THAT WE NEED, NOT JUST FOR THE TOURIST TRADE.THIS HAS STARTED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHAT DO THE NEIGHBORHOODS NEED? THE FOLKS THAT LIVE AND WORK HERE, UH, WHERE CAN WE GO TO, UH, TO HAVE LOCAL FOOD STUFFS, NOT NATIONAL NAME, PLATE OUT PARCELS? WHERE CAN WE GO FOR LOCAL FOOD STUFFS FOR, UM, UH, UH, LOCAL GOODS AND SERVICES? WHERE CAN WE GO TO, UH, WORK AND RECREATE AND, UH, AND LIVE AND, AND CONGREGATE.
THAT'S WHERE THIS MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IS THE ANTITHESIS OF WHAT WE SEE THERE TODAY.
WHERE IS THE GROUND TO DO THAT? WELL, RIGHT NOW IT'S UNDER ALL THE ASPHALT.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE, THE ASPHALT, BECAUSE AUTOMOBILES ARE NOT GOING AWAY AND CERTAINLY IN MY LIFETIME.
UM, SO YOU'VE GOTTA TAKE THAT ASPHALT PLATE AND YOU GOTTA STACK 'EM.
AND WHERE DO YOU STACK THOSE SOMEPLACE WHERE IT'S CONVENIENT, BUT IT'S NOT THE CENTER OF ATTENTION IN THAT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S TO THE PERIPHERY IT'S IN CASED, IF YOU WILL, WITH OTHER USABLE ARCHITECTURE, UM, AND WE'VE STRATEGICALLY PLACED THOSE PARKING STRUCTURES, THEY MAY BE A SINGLE DECK.
THEY MAY, MAY BE MULTIPLE DECKS.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRODUCT OF WHAT THOSE TENANTS ARE AND WHAT THE AUTOMOBILE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM IS ALL ABOUT ON THE ISLAND.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA ADD TO THAT'S, THAT'S THE KEY POINT IN MY MIND? WHAT DOES THIS COMMUNITY LOOK LIKE IN 15 YEARS IN TERMS OF ON ISLAND TRANSPORTATION? BECAUSE IF WE START SOLVING THAT PROBLEM, THEN CALL BEGINS TO DEVELOP DIFFERENTLY HOW ME BAY ROAD DEVELOPS DIFFERENTLY AND MAIN STREET.
SO I, I THINK THAT LOOKING AT THIS AS A MODEL FOR NEW DISTRICTS, OTHER DISTRICTS ON THE ISLAND'S IMPORTANT THAT'S RIGHT STANDARD, WE, WE, WE PICKED, WE PICKED THE MOST, UH, COMPLEX AND DARE I SAY, DIFFICULT DISTRICT CUZ ALL OF THE DISPARATE PARTS THAT THIS DISTRICT REPRESENTS.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A LOT OF HARD WORK ON THE PART OF THE TOWN AND, AND UH, OUR CONSTITUENCY, BUT, UM, THAT CAN BE APPLIED ELSEWHERE, BUT I'M AMAZED AT HOW GOOD OF A TRANSIT SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW WITH SUCH MODEST RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATION TOOK, THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, BUT THAT'S JUST A, LITERALLY A DROP IN THE BUCKET BREAK MUCH MORE THAN A BUCKET WILL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
GOT SPEAKING OF DROP IN THE BUCKET, FINISH OPEN THE LAST SEGMENT, UH, MR. BILL, YOU GOT A COUPLE COMMENTS TO ME.
I JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.
I THINK WHAT I SEE TODAY IS REALLY GOOD AT ON A CONCEPT LEVEL.
AND I THINK THE HARD WORK IS BEFORE US AND THE HARD WORK IN MY MIND IS WHEN YOU TRANSLATE ALL OF THIS, WHAT WE'RE CREATING IS A, A MICRO, UM, ECONOMIC LITTLE ECOSYSTEM.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF DEPENDENCE AND INTERDEPENDENCE HERE.
AND SO I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MAKE SOME ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THIS AT A CONCEPT LEVEL, TRANSLATE THAT INTO A MODEL WHERE WE ENVISION CERTAIN TYPES OF HOUSING, CERTAIN TYPES OF RETAIL, CERTAIN TYPES OF, UH, RESTAURANT ACTIVITY, CERTAIN TYPES OF SHOPS, ALL OF WHICH WILL CREATE ECONOMIC ENERGY.
AND THE QUESTION IS ON A SUMTOTAL BASIS, AS WELL AS A INDIVIDUAL BASIS, WILL IT WORK? AND IF I'M RUNNING A BUSINESS OVER THERE NOW, AND LET'S SAY IT'S SORT OF SLUDGING ALONG, WHICH SOME OF THEM ARE, UH, I WOULD, AND, BUT I, I LIKE HILTON HEAD AND I WANT TO STAY HERE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN ECONOMIC SENSE ABOUT WHAT THIS WHOLE THING IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW IT'S GOING TO RUN SO THAT IT MAY BE CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO CHANGE MY BUSINESS, MAYBE TO CHANGE SOME OF THE PRODUCT LINE I'M OFFERING OR MAYBE A TOTAL TRANSFORMATION.
UH, AND THAT'S A LOT BETTER THAN GETTING INTO A TAKING SITUATION WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A TERRIBLE PRICE TO PAY, TO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO LEAVE.
SO, UH, I I'M ENTHUSED ABOUT WHAT WE SEE, UH, BUT UH, THIS ECONOMIC MODEL IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT.
[02:00:01]
AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS BECAUSE WE'LL COME UP WITH THE MODEL AND IT MAY NOT BE RUNNING AT THE RATE OF SPEED WE WANT.SO WE MAY PLUCK SOMETHING HERE.
WE MAY PUT SOMETHING ELSE HERE AND THEN SEE HOW IT FITS.
BUT IF I WERE TO INVEST IN THIS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MODEL TO SEE IF I COULD THRIVE HERE.
I, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE OUR MAJOR SELLING POINT TO BRING CAPITAL HERE.
UM, WELL, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER EACH TIME THAT YOU BRING IT FORWARD.
SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF, UM, A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT ENCOURAGES CAPITAL TO COME TO THE ISLAND THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WHAT I'M CAUTIOUS ABOUT THOUGH FOREVER THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE IN THE ROOM.
WHAT I'M CAUTIOUS ABOUT IS THAT, UM, WE ARE ACUTELY AWARE OF THE HEIGHT, THE DENSITY THAT IT PLAYS WITH THAT THIRD DIMENSION THAT I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHERE THE PERSON COULD GET LOST IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND NOT PROVIDE THE SPACE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT WE'RE KNOWN FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR ECOLOGY.
AND SO I'M CAUTIOUS ABOUT THOSE, THOSE THINGS.
I'M ALSO CAUTIOUS AND I KNOW WE'LL GET HERE BECAUSE WE ARE DOING BETTER.
I'M CAUTIOUS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS, UM, TAKING PLACE NEAR AND AROUND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT LAND, BUILT THEIR LIVES, HAD EXPECTATIONS, AND THEN SOMETHING POPS UP NEXT TO THEM.
WE KNOW IN THE PAST THERE'S BEEN FAILURES WITH THAT, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN BETTER, WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER.
SO THAT CONCERNS ME, CONCERNS ME ON SOME OF THIS WITH REGARD TO WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESSES GO WHERE, AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE APPROPRIATE, UM, WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS OR NEAR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, UM, THERE ARE HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, IN LIFE'S THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, UPHELD UP HEAVED BECAUSE OF THAT.
YOU SHOWED A PICTURE ANDREW OF, UM, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT ON MARSHLAND THAT WAS, UM, COULD HAVE BEEN MORE, BUT IT'S JUST UNDER FIVE CLOSE TO SIX UNITS PER ACRE.
I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS WHAT THAT DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.
RIGHT? SO WHILE IT IS LESS THAN IT COULD HAVE BEEN, IT IS HORRIBLE.
THERE ISN'T ANYONE WHO DRIVES PAST THAT AND DOESN'T CALL A RIGHT TO ME ABOUT THE, UM, THEIR DISTASTE FOR WHAT THEY SEE BEING BUILT THERE.
SO THAT IS A, UH, NOTE FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
UM, IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A, ONE OF THE PICTURES AND I DON'T WANT TO KNOW, THINK IT'S DOWN DYLAN, UM, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT, THEY COULD HAVE DONE 12 UNITS PER ACRE, BUT THEY'RE ONLY AT SIX.
AND THEY LOOK LIKE NICE DUPLEXES.
THAT WAS A PROJECT THAT A PIECE OF LAND THAT CAME UP AROUND FOUR YEARS AGO OR SO THREE YEARS AGO, UM, WHERE IT WAS REZONED BY THE REQUEST I VOTED NO, UM, BY THE REQUEST OF THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY TO INCREASE THE DENSITY THERE, WITH PROMISE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO RE RE NEW AND INCREASE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THAT WAS, UM, THAT IS THERE AND MORE, THAT WOULD BE THERE.
NOTHING HAS HAPPENED WITH THAT PROPERTY SINCE THEN.
SO WHAT I WAS FEARFUL OF THEN, AND REMAINED, SO IS THAT WE ALL DID WAS PROVIDE INCREASED PROFITABILITY, UM, TO THAT OWNER WHEN HE RESELLS IT TO SOMEONE ELSE AND HE NEVER FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH THE PROJECT.
THEN IT'S A CONCERN OF MINE NOW.
SO JUST A, UM, HEADS UP TO BE ON THE LOOK AT IT FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION ON THE ISLAND IS INTERESTING, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TRANSPORTATION ON THE ISLAND, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN TRANSPORTATION GETTING ONTO THE ISLAND, UM, WHERE WE KNOW THAT FOLKS WHO
[02:05:01]
LIVE BEHIND THEIR GATES, UM, ARE RELUCTANT AND REALLY DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM TO GET FROM THEIR HOME, OUTSIDE THEIR GATES TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO, AS HAVE HEARD SOMEONE SAY IN THE PAST FORCE PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON THE ISLAND, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE, UM, AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO GET AROUND THE ISLAND THAT WAY, JUST TO NOTE ON THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF LITTLE THINGS THAT NEED TO TOUCH ON.
THERE'S A BIG PICTURE THAT NEEDS TO BE REALLY, REALLY, UM, FOCUSED IN ON AS WE BEGIN THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS, IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T WANNA LOSE HILTON HEAD IN THE MIDST OF IT.
PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, IN NOT VERY FAVORABLE TURNS TERMS THAT WE'RE GONNA TURN INTO MIL, UH, MYRTLE BEACH.
I'VE HEARD A BIT ABOUT MYRTLE BEACH RECENTLY FROM SOME FOLKS.
AND, UM, WE HAVE TO BE EVER COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE ONTO THIS ISLAND IS THAT WE ARE NOT MYRTLE BEACH.
WHEN THEY DRIVE ONTO THE ISLAND, THEY SEE TREES, THEY SEE OUR BEAUTIFUL, UM, WILDLIFE AND THAT IS GOT TO BE, AND MUST BE ALWAYS A PRIORITY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S GOOD FOR US AS HUMANS AND IT'S GOOD FOR HILTON HEAD AND I'LL LEAVE IT ALL AT THAT.
HOW LAST COMMENT BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SUBJECT, LET'S MOVE ON.
JENNIFER OR BRIAN, WHO'S GONNA, I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK.
THANK YOU ABOUT THIS EXCITING PROJECT.
WE, UM, WERE TOGETHER LAST TIME IN MAY AND BRIAN AND ANDREW AND TONY SHARED WITH YOU EXCITING PLANS FOR OUR A HUNDRED ACRES THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DISTRICT TODAY, THEY'RE BACK TO SHARE WITH YOU THE COST ESTIMATE AND SOME POTENTIAL PHASING, SO WE CAN DECIDE HOW, UM, WE MIGHT WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING THIS, UM, PROBABLY OVER TIME AND ALSO JUST LIKE THE DISTRICT MOVE FORWARD WITH BRINGING IT TO YOU IN NOVEMBER FOR APPROVAL.
SO WITH THAT, BRIAN'S GONNA TAKE IT AWAY AND LEAD YOU THROUGH THAT EXERCISE.
UH, AS AS SUGGESTED, UH, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH HUNDREDS OF SLIDES TO, UH, THROUGH THIS DESIGN PROCESS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO REITERATE ALL OF THOSE, BUT I DO WANT TO TOUCH UPON SOME OF THE, UH, REFRESHER POINTS AND THAT ARE THE, THE, THE GOALS OF THE TRACT.
AND THAT IS TO CONNECT IT WITH ALL THE OTHER MARVELOUS GREEN SPACES WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT TO START WITH THE NATURAL FEATURES OF THIS TRACT AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OBSERVATION OF NATURE TO EMBRACE, UNDERSTAND, SHOWCASE, ENHANCE THE GULLAH HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THIS PLACE.
MAYBE LIKE NO OTHER AREA ON THE ISLAND, THE MID ISLAND IS, IS, IS IN THAT HISTORY AND CULTURE.
AND I THINK THAT ADDS TO THE STRENGTH AND VITALITY OF THE BRAND OF HILTON HEAD AS A WHOLE, UH, ENCOURAGE, UH, UH, OPEN AIR MARKETS, HERITAGE GARDENS, PLACES, UH, THAT ARE CIVIC IN QUALITY, NOT JUST, UH, UH, NOT JUST THE TRADITIONAL PARK IN THOUGHT, BUT A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY GATHERING.
UH, IT IS A PLACE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, BUT DARE I SAY, THAT IS IN THE PROPER ORDER.
IT'S WITH THE RESIDENTS IN MIND, THE COMMUNITY IN MIND, AND THAT WILL BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY OUR VISITORS AS WELL.
AND THEN CONSIDER HOW WE PHASE THIS IMPLEMENTATION, UH, INTO PLACE, STARTING WITH WHAT IS NOW A GOLF COURSE THAT WASN'T A GOLF COURSE 70 YEARS AGO, CULTIVATED LAND AND TURN IT INTO, UH, CENTRAL CIVIC SPACE AND HOW WE MAINTAIN IT AND OPERATE IT THAT IS, HAS GOT A CAPITAL COST TO IT.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THE, A PRIMER ON THE, UH, ON THE, UH, CONCEPT PLAN AND THE PROGRAM AREAS GO RIGHT INTO THE PROJECT PHASING AND COSTS AND SOME OF THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN HOW WE IDENTIFY THIS, UH, HOW WE NAME THIS PLACE, UH, OVER TIME FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
FIRST OFF, WE'VE BEGUN WITH THE, WITH THE PARKS RECREATION MASTER PLAN, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED TO FIND A PLACE ON THE ISLAND FOR OUR RECREATIONAL NEEDS.
STAFF HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF, OF, UH, DIRECTING US THROUGH THAT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE MORE PASSIVE NEEDS IN THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, MORE ACTIVE IN OUR OTHER ACTIVE PARKS, WONDERFUL, ACTIVE PARKS ELSEWHERE.
AND IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE HEARD
[02:10:01]
FROM THE PUBLIC SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE, UH, WEBSITE AND THROUGH INTERACTION, SOME OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR SAKE OF THEIR LIFESTYLES, ALL OF THAT TAKEN AS A WHOLE IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE PROGRAM OF USES.WE HAVE BROKEN DOWN THIS CONCEPT PLAN INTO THESE FIVE AREAS FOR SAKE OF, OF EASE OF UNDERSTANDING.
THIS ACTIVE PLAY AREA IS OPEN FIELD FOR PICKUP, UH, ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS, NOT LEAGUE PLAY PER SE.
THE HEART OF THE TRACK IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE CENTER OF THE PARK OR THE FACILITY, THE MORE INTENSE PEOPLE, PLACES, UH, THE ECO PARK, WHICH IS, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE, OF THE GROUND TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST.
THAT IS ALSO THE PART OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO STORM INUNDATION AND, UM, AND, AND FLOODING CONSIDERATIONS, THE ISLAND HERITAGE, UH, NEXT TO GRASSLAND, ALSO THE RELOCATION OF THE ST JAMES CHURCH IN ON UNION CEMETERY NEXT TO THE CEMETERY, ALL WORKING IN CONCERT ONE TO THE OTHER, AND THEN THE CULTIVATED LANDSCAPES, WHICH IS A SERIES OF GARDENS AND PASSIVE OPEN SPACES, A PERSPECTIVE VIEW, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF SCALE OF WHAT 102 ACRES LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS A BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A BIG, UH, OPPORTUNITY AND, AND SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF GREEN SPACE.
BEFORE I GO ON THAT, I WANT TO SPEAK, UH, IF I CAN GET GOING BACKWARDS, I WANNA SPEAK A BIT I'M LOST NOW.
AM I GOING BACKWARDS? NOW? YOU ARE.
UH, I WANNA SPEAK TO, TO ITS CURRENT CONDITION.
UH, IT WAS PURCHASED BY THE TOWN.
IT HAS GONE FALLOW OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR, FOR SURE.
UM, IT IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS IN NEED OF RESTORATION.
UH, THE POND SYSTEM, THERE IS, UH, NOT THE STRONGEST OF ENVIRONMENTS.
UH, WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT WE HELP THAT WATER QUALITY FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE MANAGEMENT OF STORM WATER, THE RESILIENCY FOR STORM SURGE, THE NEED TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE GOT TO RECHARGE THE AQUIFER MOVE STORM WATER TO AND THROUGH THE PARK.
SO THIS IS AS, UH, THIS PROJECT STARTS WITH RESTORATION, UH, BEFORE WE EVEN THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SPACES TO THAT POINT, THE FIRST PHASE, WE'RE REALLY CALLING THE PARK FRAMEWORK.
HOW DO WE MOVE DIRT ONE TIME? HOW DO WE INTERCONNECT THE PONDS? SO WE GET HEALTHY WATER BODIES, THE NATURAL FLUSHING AND FLOW THROUGH OF STORM WATER, HOW WE, UH, ACCOMMODATE THE WATERSHEDS AND THE WATER THAT'S PASSING THROUGH THE SITE.
MUCH OF THOSE STREAM BEDS HAVE BEEN PUT INTO CULVERTS AND, UH, FOR SAKE OF THE GOLF PLAY OVER THE YEARS.
SO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, UH, HAS, UM, UH, IS IN, IS IN NEED OF SOME RESTORATION, FOR SURE, FROM A EARTHWORK PHASE.
ONE SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO DIG THOSE LAGOONS AS INTERCONNECTED CREEKS.
WE'RE GOING TO, UH, RESTORE THE STREAM.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE THE EARTH ONE TIME.
AND AS THEY SAY, BAKE THE CAKE BEFORE WE PUT ICING ON IT.
AND, AND, UH, WE'RE DONE WITH THAT.
NO PUN INTENDED THE DIRTY WORK, UM, THAT ALSO SUGGESTS THAT CERTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, UH, UTILITY SYSTEMS WILL BE PART AND PARCEL OF THAT FIRST PHASE.
WE ALSO NEED TO GO THROUGH, UH, ENGINEERING OF THE WHOLE TO MAKE SURE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ENTIRE SITE WORKS TOGETHER AS IT SHOULD FROM A, FROM A, A CIVIL ENGINEERING STANDPOINT, WE ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF UPFRONT THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO CODIFY THIS VISION, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THE OTHER PHASES, AS WE PUT THEM, WE'VE PUT THEM AS FUTURE PHASES BECAUSE THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO FOLLOW IN SEQUENCE.
IT'S A MATTER OF WHAT FUNDING COMES AVAILABLE, WHAT THE PUBLIC SAYS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS THE NEXT PIECE OF PARK DEVELOPMENT.
WITHIN REASON, WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL AS TO NOT STEPPING OVER OR DAMAGING NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR SAKE OF PUTTING IN CURRENT CONSTRUCTION.
ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT AS WE'RE DOING PHASES OF THE PARK, THE REST OF THE PARK CAN REMAIN OPEN TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS TODAY.
WE'RE ALL OUT IN THE PARK TODAY, WALKING ABOUT AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UH, BUT I THINK EVEN IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION IS, IS A PRETTY BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
WE'LL STILL HAVE THE USE OF THE, UH, UN UNDEVELOPED UNDERDEVELOPED LAND WHILE WE'RE INTO THE PHASING OF THE PARK
[02:15:01]
ST.JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH, AS WE KNOW, IS, IS PROPOSED TO MOVE TO THAT SOUTHEAST CORNER NEXT TO THE CEMETERY.
WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT THE ISLAND HERITAGE SECTION OF THE PARK BE DEVELOPED IN CONCERT WITH THAT.
SO THAT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY CAN BE CONCENTRATED IN THAT CORNER AT ONE TIME.
AND WE'RE DISRUPTING THAT PART OF THE WORLD ONLY ONCE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE, WE'VE MENTIONED 97 ACRES.
THIS IS ACTUALLY 102 ACRE PARCEL, BUT IF YOU NET OUT THE FIVE ACRES FOR THE CHURCH, THAT'S 97 ACRES OF CIVIC SPACE.
SO THAT'S THE DIFF WE'VE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT OTHER SIGNIFICANT PARKS.
WE MAY HAVE SHARED THIS WITH SOME OF YOU IN THE PAST, AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SOME THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH MOST THAT WE HAVE NOT JUST TO UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF PARK THAT IS OUT THERE, CIVIC PLACE, CENTRAL PLACES, THAT COMMUNITIES ARE BUILDING AND, AND UTILIZING AND UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THOSE PARKS.
SO AS WE COMPARE THAT TO OUR PARK PROGRAM, WE'RE ON PAR WITH OTHER PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITIES ARE DOING RELATIVE TO OFFERINGS FOR THEIR CITIZENRY.
NOW, SOME OF THOSE COSTS, BECAUSE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COST, HOW WE GET FROM A, A VISION TO, UH, BUILT CONSTRUCTION IN THE GROUND.
THE GATHERING PLACE IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA IS 66 ACRES.
I'LL START BY SAYING IT WITH, START BY SAYING IT WAS PREDOMINANTLY PRIVATELY DEVELOPED, PREDOMINANTLY PRIVATELY DEVELOPED.
THAT'S SEVEN, $7 MILLION AN ACRE THAT'S SEVEN TO EIGHT TIMES MORE THAN THE, UM, THE BENCHMARK NUMBER THAT BOUNCES AROUND IN THIS HEAD AS WE'RE DOING PARK DESIGN, UH, UH, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, UH, AGAIN, UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS, AN ACRE, UH, 460, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS AN ACRE FOR, UH, SUMMIT PARK IN BLUE ASH, OHIO, SOMETHING MORE AKIN TO, UH, THE SCALE AND, UM, PROGRAM OF THIS PART STILL WITH A LOT OF ARCHITECTURE, WHICH IS DRIVEN THAT PRICE UP.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE SIGNIFICANT AND, UH, AND THE COST OF ARCHITECTURE TYPICALLY IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE COST OF MOVING DIRT.
SO OPEN GROUND IS CHEAPER TO DEVELOP AND OPERATE, MAINTAIN THAN, THAN BUILDINGS.
SO AGAIN, SOME OTHER MORE, UH, REGIONAL OR, UH, LOCAL, UH, COMPARISONS, LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION, WHICH IS A FABULOUS PARK IN THIS COMMUNITY IS 10 ACRES.
IT HAS GOT A, UH, WORLD CLASS PLAY BASE.
UH, IT IS, UH, BUT IT'S ONLY 10 ACRES.
THE SIZE OF THIS MID ISLAND TRACT UNITY PARK IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA IS AGAIN GETTING CLOSER TO OUR SIZE, BUT IT'S UNDER HALF THE SIZE OF THE MID ISLAND TRACT.
IT TOO HAS A PRETTY ROBUST PROGRAM.
UH, THE MID ISLAND TRACK YOU CAN SEE HAS EVEN MORE PROGRAM, BUT WE'VE GOT MORE REAL ESTATE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE PASSIVE RECREATION USES AND CIVIC USES, UH, AND IT FITS NICELY.
SO NOW SOME OF THOSE BENCHMARK COSTS, LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION WAS $14 MILLION.
THAT'S 1.4 MILLION AN ACRE AGAIN, INTENSELY DEVELOPED, BEAUTIFULLY DEVELOPED, BEAUTIFULLY DETAILED, WONDERFUL ARCHITECTURE, UH, AND, AND, UH, THAT'S THE COST UNITY PARK IN GREENVILLE, $38 MILLION.
THAT'S APPROACHING THAT MILLION DOLLAR AN ACRE AGAIN, IT'S GOT SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURE, BUT ALSO WAS VERY HEAVY IN THE RESTORATION SIDE OF THINGS.
THE MID ISLAND TRACT, WHAT'S THAT GOING TO BE FOR 97 ACRES? WE BROKE IT DOWN INTO INCREMENTAL PIECES TO GET TO THAT ANSWER.
FIRST, THAT FRAMEWORK PHASE, THE FIRST, UH, PART OF RESTORING THE WATER BODIES, THE BULK OF THE EARTHWORK, YET CREATING A USABLE PARK AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND ALSO USABLE PORTIONS OF THE UNDEVELOPED PARK.
WHILE THIS CONSTRUCTION IS TAKING PLACE, IT'S GOT TRAILS PLAYGROUND, UH, THE, UH, FOOTBRIDGES ACTIVITY SPACE FOR PICKUP PLAY ALL THE UTILITIES, THE RESTORATION WORK STORM WATER CAPACITY FOR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT FOR AQUIFER RECHARGE FOR HEALTHIER WATER BODIES AND THE CONVEYANCE OF WATER TOO.
AND THROUGH THE SITE AND HELPING TO RESTORE THE HABITAT.
WHAT USED TO BE A GOLF COURSE IS, IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE SUCH, UH, FOR THAT IT'S 18 MILLION IN THAT FIRST, UH, FIRST COST.
THAT INCLUDES ENGINEERING COST.
[02:20:01]
PERMITTING COSTS.THAT ALSO BRINGS ALONG WITH IT, UH, AN EXAGGERATED SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THAT PERMITTING AND ENGINEERING NEEDS TO DO THAT WORK UPFRONT AS AN ADD-ON COST OR ENHANCEMENTS.
AS WE HAVE SAID, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY AS WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC FORUM, UH, MARK LUTHER KING JUNIOR MEMORIAL IN, IN THE PARK ALSO FOR A DOG PARK, THOSE ARE ADDITIVE PIECES THAT CAN HAPPEN AS PART OF THE BASE PROJECT OR BE ADDED AT ANY TIME, BUT WE DO NEED TO RESTORE THE PARK.
THE NEXT PHASE AGAIN IS, IS, UH, ISLAND HERITAGE AGAIN IN NO PARTICULAR SEQUENCE, BUT THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE, UH, COMMUNITY CULTURAL GARDENS PICNIC PAVILIONS AT, AT GARDEN SHED PARKING AND ENTRY TRAILS EVENT LAWN FOR ANY NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITYWIDE, UH, NATIVE, UH, UM, ISLANDER NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH ARE IN FACT ADJACENT, ALSO CONGREGATION OF ST.
JAMES AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAPPENS TO BE A VISITOR THAT'S SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND COULD I THINK, SHOULD BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ST.
JAMES A MULTI-USE COMMUNITY, BUILDING A PLACE FOR, UH, STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES, UH, IS ANOTHER MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS.
THIRD IS THIS, UH, HEART OF THE TRACT.
THIS IS WHAT I CONSIDER THE INTENSE PEOPLE PLACE OF THE PARK.
AGAIN, IT'S AC IT'S ACCESSED OFF OF DYLAN ROAD, WHICH IS AN ARTERIAL, UH, AND IT, IT PROVIDES FOR A SCULPTURAL FOUNTAIN, UH, MULTI-USE UH, COMMUNITY FACILITY AND, AND FOOD SERVICE, PARKING NATURE, PLAY TRAILS, PICNIC, PAVILIONS, SMALLER THINGS LIKE B BOCHE COURTS AND, AND, UM, UH, CHESS TABLES, THE ALAA, WHICH IS A LINEAR GARDEN.
IF YOU WILL, UH, THE GATEWAYS INTO THE, UH, INTO THE FACILITY, FOOTBRIDGES IN OPEN LAWN FOR PLAY THAT'S 17 MILLION.
THERE'S A LOT OF HARD SCAPE IN ALL THIS, UNDERSTAND THIS, ISN'T JUST THE GREEN STUFF, THE PLANTS THAT GO INTO IT, BUT IT'S TRAILS, IT'S, IT'S CONCRETE, IT'S FURNITURE, UH, IT'S PAVILIONS AND, AND RESTROOMS, UH, INTERACTIVE WATER FEATURE IS ANOTHER 2 MILLION.
AGAIN, THAT CAN BE PART OF A BASE PROJECT THAT CAN BE ADDED AFTER THE FACT, THE CULTIVATED LANDSCAPES, THIS WHOLE SOUTHEAST AREA OF THE, OF THE PARK ALONG UNION CEMETERY.
UH, THERE'S OPEN AREAS THERE I'LL COME BACK TO THOSE IN A MOMENT, BUT, UH, I WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THE NEED FOR, UH, UH, MONET GARDEN, UH, POSSIBLY AS AN ENHANCEMENT, BUT LOW COUNTRY BOTANICAL GARDENS DISPLAYS OF PLANTS, SOMETHING THAT IS MORE NATURAL AND INDIGENOUS TO THE PLACE, UH, OPEN LAWN FOR PLAY AND ACTIVITIES, UH, AND, UH, AND DEMONSTRATIONS FOR, UH, SOME OF THOSE GARDEN PLACES.
SO THAT'S A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS ADD THE MONET GARDENS AND THE PROMENADES AND THE FOUNTAINS OFF OF THE PARKWAY.
THAT'S THE LINEAR PIECE THAT IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE PARKWAY THAT LEADS, LEADS THE EYE TO THE, UH, TO THE HEART OF THE PARK.
THE ECO PARK AGAIN, IS THAT, IS THAT N NORTHEAST HALF OF THE PARK.
UH, IN THE FIRST PHASE, WE WILL HAVE SPREAD SOME EARTHWORK.
WE WILL DONE THE, THE BAKING OF THE CAKE.
AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS WHERE WE GO BACK AND RESTORE THE, THE VEGETATIVE QUALITY REMOVING INVASIVES, ENCOURAGING THE INDIGENOUS PLANTS AND ADDING TO THOSE PARKING, UH, PICNIC PAVILIONS, OBSERVATION DECKS FOR THE WATER BODIES AND FOR, UH, FOR, UH, FLOOR AND FAUNA HABITAT RESTORATION, BOARDWALK, AND CANOPY WALK THROUGH THE TREE CANOPY.
THAT'S A 13 MILLION, UH, AFFAIR TO ADD A STRUCTURE, AN EENT A, A, A PAVILION, A CONDITIONED SPACE, AND ALSO ADDITIONAL PAVED PARKING.
THAT'S ANOTHER $3 MILLION OF ENHANCEMENT.
SO ALL OF THAT TAKEN TOGETHER, LOOKING OVER THE RIGHT OF THIS IMAGE, THOSE COSTS TAKEN IN TOTAL RANGE FROM, UM, UH, $500,000, AN ACRE TO $730,000 AN ACRE.
SO WE'RE WELL BELOW THE COST ON A PER ACRE BASIS.
WE'RE 10 TIMES LARGER THAN THE LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK, OR EVEN BELOW THAT OF, OF UNITY PARK IN GREENVILLE, WHICH IS, UH, VERY SIMILAR PARK.
WHY IS THAT? YOU SAY, BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THIS PARK IS, IS LEFT TO THAT, UH, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
[02:25:01]
IT FIRST BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO MOTHER NATURE AGAIN, BUT IT IS, IT IS NOT ARCHITECTURE INTENSIVE, THERE'S OTHER IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.WE KNOW THAT PSD HAS GOT PLANS FOR, UH, FOR SOME INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ENHANCEMENTS, WHICH WILL TOUCH THE EDGE OF THIS TRACT.
UH, THERE ARE, ARE SOME OFFSITE, UH, IMPROVEMENT NEEDS.
WE FEEL WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE NEED FOR SAFER PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE CROSSING, UH, AT THE SURFACE AT BOTH DYLAN AND, UH, UNION CEMETERY.
UH, DYLAN ROAD, ALONG WITH UNION CEMETERY, UH, SHOULD BE IN, IN IMPROVED TO HAVE SOME, UH, STREET SIDE PARKING, SOME EASE OF GETTING OUT OF AN AUTOMOBILE AND WALKING INTO THIS PARK, WALKING INTO THE SPACE WITHOUT HAVING TO SEEK OUT A, UH, A PARKING LOT IMPROVED LIGHTING AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS.
AND MAYBE SOME OF THOSE KEY AREAS IN IMPROVED STREET SCAPE LANDSCAPE.
THAT'S NOT PART OF THOSE COST NUMBERS THAT I JUST WENT THROUGH.
THOSE MAY VERY WELL BE PART OF OTHER, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, TOWN WIDE, ONE PART OF THE, OF THE RECREATION PROGRAM THAT WE DID NOT PUT IN THE MID ISLAND, BUT WE PUT IN THE ASHMORE AND THAT IS THIS 18 HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP DISK GULF.
THERE'S AN EXISTING GULF FACILITY ON, UH, A NEAR ASHMORE ADJACENT TO IT AS A MATTER OF FACT, BUT THIS IS A VERY FRIENDLY WAY OF DEALING WITH THE ASHMORE TRACT ENVIRONMENTALLY.
IT'S GOT RESTRICTIONS, UH, AND CONCERNED RELATIVE TO, UH, THE, THE TREES, WEAPONS, UH, WATER COURSES, RESTRICTIONS ON DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN, UH, WORK VERY FRIENDLY WITH NATURE WILL PROVIDE A, A, A PARKING AREA, A, A COMFORT STATION, RESTROOMS AND PAVILION.
AND THIS IS A FACILITY THAT CAN BE WOVEN THROUGH THE TREES WITHOUT DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S A MILLION AND A HALF TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
SO HOW DOES, HOW DO WE PAY FOR ALL OF THAT TYPICALLY IN A, IN A PARK OF THIS SIZE, UH, IN MY EXPERIENCE DOING THIS FOR, UH, ALMOST 40 YEARS, UM, THAT IT ISN'T NECESSARILY LAID AT THE FEET SOLELY OF THE MUNICIPALITY IN THIS CASE, THE TOWN TOWN CERTAINLY NEEDS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GARNER PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.
I MENTIONED THAT THE TULSA PROJECT, WHICH WAS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FUNDED BY PRIVATE DONATION, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S AN ANOMALY TO BE SURE, BUT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY WITH US TO TASTEFULLY, UH, GARNER SOME, UH, DONOR OPPORTUNITIES AND, UH, SPONSORSHIP MONEY TO COME INTO THE PARK AND TO IN FACT, BUY NOT JUST THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF THOSE UPFRONT, UM, UH, UH, ELEMENTS, BUT ALSO TO ENDOW SOME FUTURE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
SO IT'S NOT FOR PROFITS, THERE'S A LOT OF STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.
LORD KNOWS THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT OF FEDERAL MONEY FLOATING ABOUT OUT THERE, AGAIN, THE PRIVATE DONATIONS IN PHILANTHROPIC GROUPS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT CAN TAKE, UM, ECONOMIC OWNERSHIP, IF YOU WILL, OF PORTIONS OF THIS, SOME OF THOSE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE, THE, THE CULTIVATED AND CULTURAL GARDENS, THERE'S A NUMBER OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UH, DO IN FACT, FUND THESE AND OPERATE THESE, UH, SUCH FACILITIES, THE ECO PARK, UH, MANY IN THIS AUDIENCE WHO HAVE BEEN SO INVOLVED WITH THE, UH, WITH THAT WHOLE INITIATIVE, KNOW OF SOME OF THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS OF AUTOBON AND THE LIKE WHO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, AND, UH, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PROGRAMMING OF THE EVENT GARDEN.
WE'VE GOT A WONDERFUL SYMPHONY HERE.
WE'VE GOT THE FACE FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT MAY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THESE SPACES.
AND THERE IS SOME REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES THERE AS WELL.
SO WE THINK ALSO THE LOCAL FOOD VENDORS, I, I, I MENTIONED THE, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GUAG GEI CULTURE AND HISTORY OF THE PLACE.
WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THIS PARK TO SHOWCASE THAT, UH, THAT CULTURE, UH, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR EVENTS, THERE'S REVENUE SHARING FOR, UM, UH, ANY NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES THAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE PARK, BUT KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS STILL UNDER STRICT TOWN CONTROL TOWN OPERATION, BUT THERE ARE SMARTER WAYS OF, OF, UH, FUNDING SOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THERE'S ALSO THESE PURE PARTNERSHIPS FOR, UH, THE, THE PARK AS, AS
[02:30:01]
A WHOLE HEALTHCARE PARTNERING WITH ALL THE WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT CAN HAPPEN, UH, PARK CONSERVANCY DISTRICTS AND, AND THE LIKE, SO IF YOU BUILD IT, YOU MUST MAINTAIN IT AS THE ADAGE GOES.WE WANNA BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION THAT AS WE BRING ON 97 ACRES OVER TIME OF WHAT I THINK IS, IS BEST IN CLASS PARK FOR BEST IN CLASS COMMUNITY.
WE'VE GOT TO BE COGNIZANT THAT WE'VE GOTTA HAVE DEDICATED STAFF AND RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE IT.
THIS TOWN DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH ITS PARK SYSTEM.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS PARKS THAT ARE EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED, AND, AND I WOULD THINK THAT NOTHING DIFFERENT WOULD HAPPEN HERE, BUT WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT AS WE'VE PUT ON CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, WE'VE GOT TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN IT, PARK SECURITY, SECURITY AS A WHOLE IS IMPORTANT IN SOCIETY.
AND, AND CERTAINLY THESE DAYS, UH, IS THERE A PARK AMBASSADOR CORE THAT WE MAY IN INSTIGATE, UH, IS THIS PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR OF THE TOWN, UM, ALONG WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, ABLE AND CAPABLE AND SUFFICIENT TO, UH, ENSURE SECURITY HERE, THAT'S SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOLVED LONG TERM.
UH, ALSO THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THIS IS A PLACE CERTAINLY FOR ALL OF US TO ENJOY, BUT THIS IS ALSO A PLACE TO ENGAGE, UH, THE, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, NOT JUST ON THE, IN THE, ON THE ISLAND, BUT OFF AS WELL TO EDUCATE NOT ONLY SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, BUT, UH, US, UH, UH, ADULTS, UH, FOR CONTINUED LEARNING THROUGHOUT OUR LIFETIMES.
SO A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE ASKED US, WELL, WHAT'S THIS PARK NAME? WELL, WE'VE HERE.
TWO, FOUR HAVE CALLED IT THE MID ISLAND TRACK BECAUSE IT'S A TRACK AND IT'S IN THE MID ISLAND, BUT I, I DOUBT THAT THAT'S THE ROMANTIC NAME THAT WE WANT.
THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY AND CULTURE, NOT JUST ON THE ISLAND, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THIS DISTRICT.
UM, WHAT IS THAT PROPER NAME? NOT FOR ME TO DETERMINE UNLESS SOMEONE TELLS ME TO, SO WHAT WE THINK A, A, AN APPROACH TO NAMING THIS IS TO, UH, IS TO COMMIT TO A PUBLIC PROCESS, BECAUSE THIS IS A PLACE FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN THIS, BUT TO HAVE IT, UH, IN FACT, CURATED OR DIRECTED BY SOMEONE WHO'S IN THE BRANDING BUSINESS, UH, ENGAGE THE PUBLIC TO HELP SELECT THE NAME, EDUCATE THOSE, UM, THOSE FOLKS, THOSE, UH, THOSE PARTICIPANTS INTO WHAT'S, THE HISTORY OF THE PLACE.
TELL THE STORY OF THE PARK, ESTABLISH SOME GUIDELINES AS TO, UH, HOW WE'RE GOING TO SELECT THAT PARK NAME, ENGAGE THE PUBLIC, UH, THROUGH WORKSHOPS, UM, TAKE THEIR COMMENTS AND THEN CURATE THOSE, UH, THOSE NAMES AND SUGGESTIONS, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION BY TOWN COUNCIL.
NOW THAT'S, THAT'S ONE PROCESS TOWN COUNCIL IS WELL WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS TO GO NAME THIS AS THEY SEE FIT.
AND, AND THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
SO, UH, WE'RE JUST PUT THIS FORTH FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION THAT THIS MAY BE A MORE AGREEABLE PROCESS.
SO ALL IN WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING IS THAT AT THE END OF THIS, UH, ASHMORE WORKING WITH THE MID ISLAND TRACK, AND AS WE GROW INTO OUR BRITCHES, AS THEY SAY WITH PHASED DEVELOPMENT, THIS WILL BE A BEST IN CLASS PARK AT THE CENTER OF THE ISLAND, MID ISLAND DISTRICT.
IT IS THE CENTRAL PARK FOR THE CENTRAL PARK FOR, I THINK THE TOWN OF HILL HEAD PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
OUR NEXT STEPS WILL BE WE'RE HERE ON, ON THE 14TH OF SEPTEMBER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, WE GO TO THE PARKS RECREATION COMMISSION FOR BRIEFING IN ON, IN EARLY OCTOBER, BACK HERE, 1ST OF NOVEMBER FOR, UH, CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION OF NOT JUST THIS VISION PLANNED AS CONCEPT PLAN, UH, BUT FOR PHASE ONE OF THE MID ISLAND TRACK, ALONG WITH THE, UH, THE DISTRICT PLAN AS A WHOLE, I THINK THEN IT'S TIME FOR CELEBRATION ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE TOWN, UH, AND THE CONSTITUENCY HAS DONE TO GET TO THIS PLACE AND TO CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A MAGNIFICENT PLACE ON A, IN A MAGNIFICENT TOWN.
UH, COUNCIL WILL NEED, ALONG WITH STAFF, ESTABLISH A BUDGET AND A SCHEDULE.
IT THEN GOES INTO FINAL DESIGN, A LOT OF ENGINEERING, PERMITTING, CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, SPECIFICATIONS FOR THAT PHASE, ONE DEVELOPMENT OUT FORBIDDING GET CONTRACTOR OR CONTRACTOR UNDER, UH, AGREEMENT TO THE TOWN START THAT CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AND AWAY WE GO.
[02:35:01]
OVER, DEPENDING ON HOW FUNDING AND, AND THE POLITICAL WILL GOES, THAT WE JUST CONTINUE TO TAKE ANOTHER BITE.I AM HAPPY TO ASK ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WELL, AND CAN I PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION, UM, RELATIVE TO THE BUDGET? SO WE HAVE 5.2 MILLION THAT TOWN COUNCIL APPROVED IN F Y 23.
SO PROVIDED YOU APPROVED THE MASTER PLAN IN NOVEMBER.
WE'RE READY TO, WE HAVE THE FUNDING TO MOVE ON INTO THAT DETAILED DESIGN THAT BRIAN MENTIONED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE TOWARD BRINGING, UM, CONVERSATION AND PART OF F Y 24 BUDGETING ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT PHASE ONE TO BE, AND HOW YOU MIGHT WANNA PAY FOR THAT.
BUT WE'LL BE READY TO GO ON AND MOVE IN TO THAT DETAILED DESIGN BASED ON THE FUNDING THAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED FOR THE PROJECT.
AND THEN THE PROJECT CELEBRATION.
UM, LIKE BRIAN SAID, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORT.
I KNOW WHEN WE STARTED TALKING LAST YEAR, WE SAID WE WERE GONNA HAVE GROUNDBREAKING AND A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND AND START.
AND WE ALL REALIZED, UM, HOW MUCH TIME THIS TOOK AND HOW MUCH EFFORT WE NEEDED TO PUT INTO IT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH COUNCIL.
AND SO WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT, BUT IT IS, IT WILL BE TIME TO SAY, AS A GROUP, WE'VE COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT'S BEST IN CLASS, THAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATE THAT AS WE MOVE INTO THAT DETAILED DESIGN OF BEING ABLE TO PUT THAT SHOVEL IN THE GROUND.
SO JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT FOR CONTEXT, BRIAN, FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, FIRST TOM, ONE QUESTION, BRIAN, YOU DIDN'T MENTION WHERE YOU PLANTED THE MONEY TREE.
OH, I, I, THE MAYOR TOLD ME THAT WAS IN YOUR BACKYARD, TOM, THAT I'M NOT SURE.
AND AS ALWAYS, I'M GONNA SAY WHAT I ALWAYS DO.
THIS IS MORE THAN BEST IN CLASS.
THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AND SECURE AND PRESERVE FOR THE FUTURE 97 ACRES IN PARK STATE.
AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT, I THINK WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, A POINT TO THAT, THE OVERDEVELOPMENT, IF WE WERE NOT TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THIS LAND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU READ THE PAPER.
I THINK IT CAME IN YESTERDAY, OR MAYBE IT WAS THIS MORNING.
I'VE BEEN, UM, BUT ON JONESVILLE ROAD, AS WE KNOW, THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UM, DEVELOPMENT GOING ON AND IN THE PAPER, JUST WITHIN THE LAST DAY OR SO, THERE'S A HORSE FARM.
THERE'S A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN GO AND ADULTS GO TO RIDE HORSES AND TO LEARN ABOUT HORSES AND TO ENJOY OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN 60 DAYS, EVICTION NOTICE TO MOVE THE HORSES BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW DEVELOPMENT GOING IN THAT SPACE.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HILTON HEAD AND DEVELOPMENT AND KEEPING AND MAINTAINING OUR ISLAND, NOT JUST OUR BRAND, BUT WHO WE ARE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN THE ROADS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE THIS LAND AND A PARK LIKE STATE FOR THE REST OF TIME.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO ADD, CUZ I THINK YOU'RE HEADING IN A GREAT DIRECTION.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A VERY AMBITIOUS PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT.
UH, I THINK IT'S MAKES SENSE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
UM, I THINK IT WILL, UH, BE ATTRACTIVE TO VISITORS AS WELL.
UM, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF TODAY'S CONVERSATIONS, IF THIS PROGRAM IS WORTH 70 MILLION IN EXPENSE TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT CREATES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, IS IT MORE IMPORTANT THAN WORKFORCE HOUSING, COMMUNITY HOUSING OR LESS IMPORTANT? AND IF THIS IS 70 MILLION, DO WE HAVE 70 MILLION ON THE SIDE FOR HOUSING? UH, RHETORICAL QUESTION OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S, I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE PRIORITY DECISIONS.
AND WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR INVESTMENT MIGHT DO THE MOST GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT I'M IN FULL SUPPORT
[02:40:01]
OF THIS PROGRAM.I, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A BINARY DECISION WORKFORCE OR THIS, UH, I THINK WE HAVE TO DO BOTH AND THAT'S GONNA FORCE SOME VERY SENSITIVE CASH FLOW, UH, COMPLEMENTATION TO MAKE THIS WORK.
UH, THIS DOES HAVE, UH, ONE KEY FEATURE IS THAT THIS HAS WIDESPREAD APPEAL FOR CHILDREN, FOR SENIORS AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN ALSO WIDESPREAD APPEAL FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND, AND OUR VISITORS.
SO, UM, I THINK JUST BY THE INHERENT DESIGN OF THIS, THIS PARK, UH, IT IS, UH, GOING TO BE A SUBSTANTIVE LONG TERM, UH, ATTRACTION FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS HERE THAT MAKE US COMPETITIVE.
THIS WILL PUT US, PUT US A STEP AHEAD.
SO I ENCOURAGE THAT IT FROM A CAPITAL FINANCING STANDPOINT, IT'S GOING TO BE TRICKY.
UM, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THE SUNKEN COST AND PHASE ONE, UH, IS GONNA BE A BIG NUT.
UH, AND, UM, WITHOUT ANY REVENUES COMING IN, UH, AND WE MAY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S TANGIBLE BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO TAP INTO THE LARGES OF, UH, OF THE, OF THE DONOR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, TRICKY, BUT I I'M TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF CONTINUE TO PROCEED.
UH, IT MAKES A TRUE STATEMENT ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND IT CERTAINLY DOES ENHANCE OUR BRAND.
UM, I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THE CONCEPTS THAT WE ARE SEEING, COMING FROM OUR EXPERTS, ECO PARK CULTURE GARDENS, THESE OTHER FEATURES, THEY RING TRUE TO OUR IMAGE OF OURSELVES, TO OUR ISLAND CHARACTER AS MY GOOD FRIEND, DAVID FOCUSES ON MANY TIMES.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING HERE LAST NIGHT.
UM, I SAT IN WITH JENNIFER AND THE MK SK TEAM, UH, IN A PUBLIC MEETING AT PORT ROYAL.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT COMING OUT OF THAT.
I KNOW THAT MY FRIENDS IN PORT ROYAL HAVE STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT THINGS AND THAT'S VALID.
THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR CRITICISM OF THE PARK OR THE CONCEPTS OF THE PARK AS WAS PRESENTED.
I DID HEAR CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXPENSE.
UM, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE LAST NIGHT, THE DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE EXPENSES THAT WE'VE SEEN HERE TODAY, BUT I THINK OUR FRIENDS IN PORT ROYAL AND FURTHER ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, OUR RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REVENUE, UH, EXPENSE THAT IT'S GONNA COST, UH, TO DEVELOP THIS PROJECT.
AND THAT MAKES ME THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TERM PROJECT AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, I HOPE I SEE IT COMPLETED, BUT THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT BRIAN AND ANDREW AND YOUR TEAM, THANK YOU FOR OUTSTANDING CONCEPTS THAT REALLY SPEAK TO US IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE GONNA BE DOING ON NOVEMBER THE FIRST IS APPROVING THE PHASE ONE, OR AT LEAST THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, PHASE ONE IS THE INITIAL ENGINEERING AND CORRECTION OF THE WATER, UH, FLOWS AND THAT SORT OF THING, GETTING IT TO WHERE IT CAN BECOME A BAR PARK LATER ON.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THIS AND OTHER THINGS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING PART OF THAT TEAM.
I, I AM GOING TO, I GUESS, RELATE THIS TO OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION.
UH, COUNCILMAN AINS AND COUNCILMAN HAWKINS HAVE, HAVE KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT, UH, 70 MILLION WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE LONG TERM.
[02:45:01]
BUT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT DOING THIS WILL YIELD SOME TYPE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY WITH THE IDEA OF US LOOKING FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN THE MID ISLAND INITIATIVE AREA.AND, UH, WE'VE ALREADY GOT 5 MILLION BUCKS SPENT, BASICALLY
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THERE'S A LINE ITEM, THERE'S MONEY THERE AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WE, WE DIDN'T REFEREND THIS TO GET TO THIS POINT
SO ALTHOUGH THAT THE TWO DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS IN MY MIND, THE LEVEL OF THE CONVERSATIONS ARE THE SAME.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT POINT AS FAR AS BEING RELATIVE.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, I THINK THAT, UM, YOUR BRIGHTENS TEAM HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH, WITH LAYING THIS OUT.
I'M GLAD THAT THERE ARE NUMBERS NOW ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UM, THE ONLY QUESTION I'D ASK IS BETWEEN NOW AND, UH, NOVEMBER.
UM, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT THE, THE PLAN IS BEING SHOWN HERE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC TODAY, BUT IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS PRESENTATION TO BE PUBLIC, UM, ON THE WEBSITE OR WHEREVER ALONG THE WAY SO THAT WE CAN START TO GET FEEDBACK, UM, BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, WHY'S TAKING A SHOW IN A ROAD LIKE HE'S DONE IN THE PAST.
BUT I THINK HAVING IT SOMEWHERE ON OUR WEBSITE HELPS ALSO FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT GONNA BE IN ATTENDANCE WILL JUST BE ABLE TO, TO SEE IT.
BUT OTHERWISE, GREAT JOB GUYS.
APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO THIS DESK FOR QUESTIONS BY THE COMMUNITY DONE.
UH, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT IS THERE ANY LATITUDE IN THE PROPOSED, UH, 1% SALES TAX FOR GREEN SPACE, UH, FOR OUR USE, UM, TO BE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PART? UH, IT'S IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
EASY ANSWER IS, I DON'T KNOW YET I'LL RESEARCH IT.
UM, I KNOW THAT SENATOR DAVIS WANTS TO COME AND, AND TALK WITH TOWN COUNCIL, UM, ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE, UH, PROVISIONS OR, OR, OR, OR, OR CODE PROPOSED, UM, ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER WITH BEEFER COUNTY.
SO PERHAPS HE CAN HELP US WITH SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE'S COMING MORE, NO, HE I'D HAVE TO CHECK HIS SCHEDULE.
PERHAPS HE CAN COME AS E AS EARLY AS SEPTEMBER 20TH, OUR NEXT MEETING, IF HE CAN MAKE IT OTHERWISE SOON THEREAFTER, I, I SUGGEST SOONER THAN LATER IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT ANSWER.
I'LL INVITE HIM AND, AND I SEE SOME HEAD NODS IN THE, IN THE CROWD THERE TOO.
I'LL INVITE HIM FOR THE SEPTEMBER 20 AGENDA AND IF HE CAN MAKE IT, I'LL, I'LL LET YOU KNOW, PUT ON THE AGENDA.
BRIAN, YOU DID EXACTLY WHAT WE ASKED YOU TO DO, AND I THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH WITH THAT.
I'LL CALL THE MEETING AND VIDEO ADJOURNED ALL.