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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL, UH, THANKSGIVING AND TOO MUCH.
BUT FISHER, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HERE AND I WANT OPPORTUNITY FOR, TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
HI, I'M WHITE SOUTH COAST OFFICE DIRECTOR WITH COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAD.
I'M AN INTERESTED CITIZEN, ROBERT MERCHANT, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, BU FORMAL.
I'M AL HOWARD, DISTRICT FOUR, BEAVER COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M SEBASTIAN, I'M THE COUNTY REPORTER FOR THE PACKET, SO BU WITH TRAILBLAZER.
MY NAME AMANDA, I'M THE DIRECTOR, BEAVER COUNTY.
BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT ONE, BB, UH, DISTRICT TWO MCAN, BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, CHAIR, DISTRICT THREE WITH THE OPEN LAND TRUST AND SERVICE CONTRACTOR FOR THE PROGRAM.
I'M THE COUNTY'S ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR DEVELOPMENT AND RECREATION.
AND IF THERE NO CHANGE, UH, ADDITION, UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS AGENDA? WHO MOVED? WHO WAS THAT? A MAC.
MINUTES SENT OPPORTUNITY TO READ AND APPROVE, SO, GOT IT.
I THINK TOM, START WITH YOU PLEASE.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHICH DISTRICT I REPRESENT.
MY DISTRICT GOT MERGED WITH DISTRICT SIX.
SO, UH, TOM, YOU AND I MAY BE FIGHTING IT OUT FOR, UH, DISTRICT FIVE OR DISTRICTS.
I'M IN DISTRICT FIVE, BUT I THINK IT'S ALL JOHN'S ON MUTE.
EVERYONE ALL FAVOR MINUTES? WE HAVEN'T.
WE ALREADY, WE DID, WE DID THAT.
AS I SAID, WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS HERE AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEIR COMMENTS.
SO ANY AUDIO? WANNA DO IT? UM, MR. OVER TO YOU, MR. COMMENT.
THE NEW MEMBERS, UM, ANY NEW MEMBERS? UM, UH, UH, NEW BLOOD IS ALWAYS GOOD GETTING RID OF THE OLD FOGIES.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'M AN OLD FOGGY, UM, I'M A BU TRAILBLAZERS.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST ADVOCATING TO BUILD MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS.
UM, MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS OFF KNOWN AS, UM, UH, MULTIUSE TRAIL, THE SINGLE TRACK TRAIL.
UM, I'M STILL TRYING TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF GOVERNMENT, UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, CAN'T THINK OF THE THE WORD, BUT, UM, LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE TRIBE OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, BOW ALLEY, BLAH, BLAH.
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UM, WHITE CONSERVATION LEAGUE.AND FIRST I JUST WANNA SAY I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE SALES TAX UPDATE.
UM, LOOK FORWARD TO THAT PROGRAM BEING, UM, DEVELOPED AND ANY OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST THE CONSERVATION LEAGUE IS, IS HAPPY TO HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN SUPPORT THE COUNTY IN THAT EFFORT.
THE MAJORITY OF MY COMMENTS TONIGHT ARE TO THIS AFTERNOON, RELATE TO THE LAND SWAP THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A REAL NEED FOR A NEW LIBRARY AND BALLPARKS AND DO NOT IN ANY WAY QUESTION THAT NEED FOR THOSE FACILITIES.
WE JUST HAVE QUESTIONS AND, AND SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL LOCATION ON ROLE AND CRITICAL PROPERTY.
WE BELIEVE ANY TRANSFER OF ROLE AND CRITICAL PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZED OF THE PROPERTY IN THE PROGRAM.
SO IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A SWAP, UM, IT, IT SEEMS TO US THAT HAVING SOME SORT OF, UM, CRITERIA WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE RESOURCE VAL NATURAL RESOURCE VALUES, THE CONSERVATION VALUES THAT GUIDED ITS INCLUSION IN THE INVENTORY OF FIRST PLACE AND ENSURING THAT YOU'RE COMPENSATING WITH LIKE, UM, CONSERVATION VALUES ON ITS FACE.
THE LOSS OF 60 ACRES OF PROTECTED LANDS IN EXCHANGE FOR JUST 18 IS ALSO A LITTLE CONCERNING.
UNDERSTANDING THAT ACREAGE IS NOT NECESSARILY A ONE-TO-ONE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE CONSERVATION VALUES DO COME IN AND WHY THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT.
UM, AND WE BELIEVE AS, AS THE ROLE CRITICAL BOARD, YOU ARE IN THE BEST, UM, POSITION TO KIND OF UNDERTAKE THAT TYPE OF ANALYSIS OF THE RESOURCE VALUES LOST AND GAINED IN ANY SORT OF, UM, LAND SWAP.
IN PARTICULAR WITH THE EVERGREEN AND THE NEW LEAF TRACKS.
THEIR INCLUSION IN THE RURAL CRITICAL PROGRAM WAS FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND TO PROJECT THE HEADWATERS OF THE OAK RIVER.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE, UM, AN ASSESSMENT OF, OF HOW AND WHETHER THESE FUNCTIONS CAN CONTINUE TO BE MET, UM, IF THERE WERE TO ALSO BE SOME DEVELOPMENT ON A PORTION OF, OF THAT ACREAGE.
AND IN ADDITION, AN ASSESSMENT OF ANY, UM, NEW LAND THAT WOULD BE COMING IN.
SO WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT ANALYSIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING IT.
ANYONE ELSE HERE? I'M PAULA SMITH.
I'M, UM, UH, RESIDENT OF SUN CITY.
UH, AND I'M ACTUALLY ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE LANDFALL.
UM, AGAIN, I AGREE THERE PROBABLY IS A NEED FOR, AND THAT REASON WAS TO PROTECT THE HEADWATERS OF THE OAK RIVER.
UM, IT WAS CONSIDERED, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE BLUFFTON SUM SUITE THAT JUST TALKED IN GENERAL ABOUT RETENTION COSTS AND ABOUT THIS WAS ACTUALLY FOCUSED ON THE EVERGREEN RETENTION BONDS ON THAT PROPERTY.
UM, AND THEY, UM, WAS WITH KATIE FERRERO, WHO SUBMITTED STORMWATER, UM, UH, IN BUFORD COUNTY.
UM, AND BASICALLY THEY PUT THOSE STORM WATER, UH, FACILITIES IN THERE BECAUSE OF THE WIDENING OF ONE 70, BECAUSE THEY NEED FELT THAT NEEDED EXTRA PROTECTION BECAUSE OF WHERE, UH, THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE OKEE RIVER WERE.
SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN ADDITIONAL HARDSCAPE THERE, WHICH WOULD BE THE LIBRARY, THE FOOTPRINT OF THE LIBRARY, WHATEVER THE FOOTPRINT OF THE, UH, PARKING LOT AREAS WOULD BE.
AND BECAUSE IT'S OUR CULTURAL AESTHETIC, PROBABLY LAWNS AND SO ON AROUND THERE, WHICH ARE BASICALLY DEAD SPACE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BIODIVERSITY AND, UH, WILDLIFE.
IN ADDITION, THE BALL FIELDS, WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE THEY LOOKS FROM THE MAP.
AND I'M NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE, BUT LOOKING FROM THE MAP, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WOULD BE CLOSER TO THE HEADWATERS OF THE
AND EVEN THOUGH THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE OPEN SPACE, IT'S REALLY NOT OPEN SPACE.
IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S TREATED LIKE A LAWN WOULD NEED HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES AND SO ON, UM, FERTILIZERS.
SO AGAIN, THAT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE, UH, GREATLY ENHANCED STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, BUT WHY ARE WE ADDING MORE HARDSCAPE IN A PLACE THAT WE WERE PROTECTING, UM, THE IN ORDER TO PROTECT WETLANDS AND THE HEADWATERS OF THE OK.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF MY BIG CONCERN.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE ISSUE OF LEADING SPACE IN, IN BUFORD COUNTY OR WILDLIFE, UM, IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
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EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, THIS IS JUST A SMALL PIECE OF PROPERTY, UM, EVERY PIECE OF PROPERTY LIKE THIS COUNTS COMES FILE.SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT WHEN YOU TAKE A FULL LOOK AT THIS AND EVALUATE THIS, THAT YOU WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO NOT DO THIS SWAP.
I DON'T WANNA MAKE ASSUMPTIONS, BUT WHAT SPORT ARE THOSE? BALL FIELD, IS THAT FIGURED OUT? OR IS THAT BASEBALL OR? THAT'S WHAT I, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION LATER IN THE AGENDA.
MAY I ASK ONE QUESTION? WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS THE SPEAKER? THE PERSON WHO JUST SPOKE? WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD I'M FROM SUN CITY.
WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS FROM WHICH IT'S ACROSS ONE 70.
ANYONE ELSE? OUR GOOD STAFF IS YOUR TIME.
UM, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NOVEMBER FIELD TRIP, THE GREEN SPACE PENNY.
AND THEN I'LL, UM, WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, THAT EN CLOSED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET IS THE 2023 CALENDAR.
AND THEN I'LL, UM, RECOGNIZE SOME BOARD MEMBERS BEFORE TURNING IT OVER AND TALK ABOUT THE NEW GREEN LAND SWAP PROJECT TODAY.
UM, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME TO THE NEW MEMBER FIELD TRIP.
THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY STAFF WHO HELPED ORGANIZE IT.
UM, STEPHANIE AND BRADLEY WALKED US THROUGH, UM, A HEADWATER PIECE ON THE OKEE RIVER.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK I HAVE SOME PICTURES OF DOING THAT.
UM, AND IT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IMPACTFUL TO ME TO SET FOOT ON A PROPERTY THAT I'VE ONLY DRIVEN BY, UM, AND REALLY KIND OF SIDE FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM THE ROAD.
YOU STARTED TO HEAR THE NOISE GET LESS AND LESS, UM, AND REALLY START TO SEE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY FROM A WATER ABSORPTION, UM, YOU KNOW, RUNOFF PERSPECTIVE.
UM, AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND SEE IT.
UM, WE HAVE TRIED, THIS YEAR WE MADE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO DO MORE SITE VISITS, UM, HAVING SEEN NOW, UH, PROPERTY, UM, WELL, I THINK MOST OF THIS BOARD HAS BEEN TO POINT.
UM, WE WENT TO OYSTER FACTORY PARK OR TWO, UM, OPEN FACILITIES.
UM, WE WENT TO THREE SISTERS, WHICH IS PROTECTED WITH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
UM, AND NOW THIS, WHICH IS OWNED BY BUFORD COUNTY, UM, DOESN'T HAVE A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON IT, BUT IS OWNED IN, IN THE PASSIVE PARK INVENTORY JUST LATER IN THE TIERED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS SCHEDULE.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE, UM, MY THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO WAS ABLE TO COME AND ALSO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FROM THE GROUP.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE ABLE TO VISIT, I WOULD, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, ECHO YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT SEEING AS REALLY, UH, BELIEVING, UH, PUT A, A PHYSICAL APPRECIATION TO WHAT WE SEE VISUALLY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY INTERESTING PIECE OF, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I TOOK REALLY AWFUL TREE PICTURES.
UM, BUT THEY WERE THERE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, UM, MICHAEL MURPHY, UM, WHO IS A GREAT ARBORIST CAME WITH US, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL AND AS WELL TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S PASSION ABOUT THE COUNTY TREES.
I KNOW, AMANDA, YOU SHARE THAT PASSION, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR BLADE OF WHITE OAKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ON THE BROADER SCALE AS RURAL AND CRITICAL MEMBERS WE'RE AMBASSADORS FOR THE PROGRAM, FOR THE BENEFITS OF LAND PROTECTION.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO SEE A PROPERTY AND UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, IT'S PROVIDING VALUE FOR ALL OF US, UM, IS, IS REALLY A GREAT THING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO MICHAEL MURPHY SHOWED UP BECAUSE HE AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, PROPERTIES THAT COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE OLD GROWTH NETWORK.
IT'S A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, UM, UH, NETWORK WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE SITE FOR EVERY COUNTY SO THAT YOU CAN GO ONTO THEIR NETWORK AND, AND BE ABLE TO GO AND VISIT PLACES.
SO, UM, HE WANTED TO SEE THE PROPERTY TO SEE IF IT WAS ACTUALLY WORTH NOMINATING.
AND SO WE, HE AGREED THAT IT WAS, AND WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THAT NETWORK THIS WEEK, AND THEY'RE
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GOING TO SEND ME THE PAPERWORK TO GET IT ON.SO, UM, LATER WITH THE EVERGREEN PROJECT DISCUSSION, I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME STATEMENTS TO MAKE REGARDING, UM, FUTURE USE FROM A LARGER SCALE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THIS ONE LITTLE THING, IT'S HOW THAT ONE LITTLE THING IS GOING TO BE INCORPORATED MUCH LARGER FUTURE PROJECT.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE THOSE THOUGHTS THEN.
BUT THIS IS MOVING WITH EVERY LITTLE STEP LIKE THIS DESIGNATION, IT'S MOVING HIGHER AND HIGHER UP MY, MY PRIORITY CHAIN.
UM, AGAIN, AT THE BACK OF Y'ALL'S MEETING, AGENDA PACKET, UM, THERE IS A PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR 2023.
UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, PROPOSE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS ON THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH.
UM, AND IF YOU ALL OFFLINE OUTSIDE OF THE MEETING CAN SHARE FEEDBACK WITH ME ON, UM, A PREFERRED TIME TO HAVE A RETREAT THAT IS A LONGER MEETING WHERE WE JUST GO MORE IN DEPTH ON CERTAIN ISSUES.
UM, AMANDA AND STEPHANIE AND, AND ROB AND CHUCK AND I WILL, UM, ORGANIZE PAST YEAR.
WE HAD IT IN MAY AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SEEING SOME BOARD TURNOVER.
SO, UM, THERE'S NO REASON WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MAY, BUT, UM, BUT WE ALSO LIKE TO TIME IT THE COUNTY RETREATS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S LIKE A NON-STARTER, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO IT OR YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT TIME, JUST SHARE THAT.
ARE YOU RETREAT, IF NOBODY'S EXPRESSES AN OPINION, THEN IT WILL BE STAFFED VOICE.
WE'VE LITERALLY HAD IT IN FEBRUARY.
WE HAD IT MARCH AND HAD IT IN JUNE, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE IT TODAY.
PRESENTING IT TO YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO WHEN THAT RETREAT IS DECIDED, AND THEN RECOGNITION OF CRITICAL BOARD MEMBERS, UM, GAIL IS ROTATING OFF THE BOARD AFTER A LINKY TENURE.
AND, UM, SHE HAS BEEN OUR LONGTIME REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT 11 ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, SHE CAME TO THE BOARD WITH A PASSION FOR, UM, THE OUTDOORS AND FOR EDUCATION AND SPECIFICALLY, UM, REALLY INTERESTED IN MITCHELLVILLE AND WORK ON THE, UM, WORK IN HILTON HEAD, UH, PROTECTING KEYSTONE GRADE SPACES THAT HAS BEEN A VOCAL AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THE BOARD ON ALL OF OUR PROJECTS.
AND JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR, UM, NOTE, UM, REFLECTING OUR THANKS.
AND, UM, IF YOU FEEL IN TIME TO DO THE SAME, WE RECOMMEND YOU DOING THAT.
WE SHOULD NOT HERE WITH US TODAY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO, UM, I DON'T WANNA LET YOU DOWN, JESSE.
I DON'T HAVE A BIG UPDATE ON THE GREEN SPACE SALES TAX.
I JUST WANTED TO KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING SINCE THE ELECTION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE GREEN SPACE SALES TAX PASSED, UM, IT PASSED WITH 53% OF THE VOTE.
UM, AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT BOARD FROM RURAL AND CRITICAL.
UM, BUT WE'VE ALL BENEFIT LOCAL FUNDING ON THIS BOARD.
UM, AND SO I THINK, UM, THAT BOARD, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SIMILARLY INCLINED TO FOCUS ON THOSE, THOSE PUBLIC BENEFITS OF LAND PROTECTION, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S STAFF AND JUMP IN HERE.
UM, IT IS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MORE CLARITY ON THE, THE PROCESS AND THE BOARD AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, IN EARLY 2023.
AND, UM, IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT IF ANY OF YOU ARE PARTICULARLY POLICY ORIENTED, UM, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC INTEREST IN THE GREEN SPACE PENNY, UM, THAT YOU FOLLOW ALONG WITH THOSE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW, FELLOW BOARD MEMBER AND A FELLOW BOARD MEMBER.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE FORMAL ABOUT IT AND DESIGNATE A PERSON, BUT, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE ASKED ME QUESTIONS BEFORE ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO, UM, JUST OPEN IT UP TO Y'ALL.
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IF YOU'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED, STAY TUNED FIRST OF THE YEAR.KATE, WILL YOU BE ACTING YOUR ORGANIZATION ACTING AS STAFF TO THE, UH, NEW NO.
THE OPENLY TRUST WILL CONTINUE AS CONTRACTORS FOR THE ROLE AND CRITICAL PROGRAM.
SO THERE'LL BE ANOTHER, THERE'LL BE OTHER STAFF ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW BOARD, CORRECT? UH, DO, DO ANYONE HAVE AN IDEA? UH, HOW MUCH REVENUE MANAGEMENT ON PAYCHECK? UM, I BELIEVE WHEN FINANCE DID THEIR CALCULATIONS, UM, THEY DID PREDICT THAT IT, OVER TWO YEARS, IT WOULD BE A HUNDRED MILLION.
SO THAT'S EASY MATH FOR ME TO DO.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON CONSUMER SPENDING.
UM, THE TAX WON'T ACTUALLY BE COLLECTED UNTIL MAY START COLLECTION IS A HUNDRED MILLION OR TWO, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
WE HEAR FROM THE ELECTION, FROM THE TERM OF COLLECTION, FROM THE DATE OF COLLECTION, NOT FROM THE DATE IT WAS PASSED BY THE RESIDENT.
MAY I ASK COUNCILMAN HOWARD A QUESTION? UM, IS THERE ANY INDICATION THAT WITH THIS, UH, INCOME FOR GREEN SPACE ACQUISITION, IT KEEPS GOING.
YOU'RE ON, YOU'RE MUTED ON OUR SPEAKER, UM, ON OUR SCREEN, AND SO LET US FIGURE THIS OUT.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK COUNCILWOMAN HOWARD A QUESTION, UM, CONCERNING THE LONG TERM
WITH ALL THIS MONEY COMING IN FOR GREEN SPACE, UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT WITH COUNCIL, ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH CRITICAL RURAL LANDS? UH, NONE AT THIS TIME.
THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE A LATER CONVERSATION.
I, I JUST THINK IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO CONTINUE TO FUND OUR WORK WITH THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY COMING IN, UM, AT LEAST SHORT TERM.
UM, AND WITH THAT, THOSE WERE THE OTHER STAFF, UM, DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT I HAD PREPARED TODAY.
UM, CHUCK TO TALK ABOUT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, THE NEW ALL.
I'M, THAT'S THAT WAY I CAN, SO I WANNA START BY SAYING THAT, UM, WHAT I'M GONNA PRESENT TO YOU TODAY IS AN ID.
IT IS NOT CONFRONTATIONAL, IT IS NOT CONTENTIOUS, IT'S AN ID.
UM, TO GIVE YOU STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, PARTICULAR MY PERSPECTIVE WITHIN MY CARE, UH, IN THE COUNTY.
I HAVE PLANNING, ZONING, CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUSINESS LICENSE, BUILDING CODES, LIBRARIES, PARKS, AND REC.
ALL OF THOSE, WELL, MOST OF THOSE ARE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.
ONE DOES NOT WEIGH MORE HEAVILY THAN THE OTHER TO STAFF.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IS PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE THAT WE CAN TO THE CITIZENS OF PLAN AND BEING THE BEST STEWARDS OF COUNTY RESOURCES.
UH, BACK EARLY THIS YEAR, THERE WAS AN IDEA PITCHED, IT WAS VERY INFORMAL COMING FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE RURAL CRITICAL PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE NEW LEAF PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE LOWER PROPERTY.
YOU HAVE RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.
AND THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, WOULD THE COUNTY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR SELLING THIS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPANDING TO RIDGE ACADEMY? THAT WAS DISCUSSED BRIEFLY AND OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION, THE IDEA THAT PERHAPS BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE PROPERTIES, THE, UH, EVERGREEN PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE, UH, TOP PORTION AND THE NEWLY PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE BOTTOM PORTION, IF IT COULD BE DONE WHERE WE COULD MAKE IT EQUITABLE AND DEVELOP IT AND
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MAINTAIN THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THIS PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED, COUNCIL WANTED TO RESEARCH THAT.IF WE CAN ACCOMPLISH BOTH GOALS, THEN THAT'S, THAT IS A VIABLE DISCUSSION TO HAVE.
I WILL SAY THAT I AM A STAUNCH DEFENDER AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A DEFENDER OF RURAL CRITICAL LAND.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BUFORD, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS PLACE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
MY HERITAGE GOES WAY BACK, UM, IS THE, THE ROOTS ARE VERY DEEP HERE FOR ME PERSONALLY.
UM, SO I CARE ABOUT THIS IMMENSELY.
UM, IT WAS ORIGINALLY PER, PER, THESE WERE BOTH PURCHASED TO PROTECT THE HEAD LOANS TO SAY THAT IT WAS EVEN A MONETARY SPLIT BETWEEN ROLLER CRITICAL FUNDS AND THE STORMWATER UTILITY.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE A KIND OF A LOW SPLIT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT.
THE EVERGREEN TRACK, STORMWATER UTILITY, IT WAS A MILLION DOLLAR PURCHASE.
STORMWATER UTILITY PUT IN ABOUT $156,000.
AND ON THE NEW LEAF, UH, THEY PUT IN 165, BUT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT THEY SPENT PUTTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ON THE PROPERTY.
ON BOTH, THERE'S A STORMWATER, UH, STORMWATER ON TO THE RIGHT AND THERE'S ONE ON THE LEFT, WHICH I'LL, I'LL SHOW YOU HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IF WE, IF WE HAVE THIS IDEA AND WE CAN MAKE IT EQUITABLE AND WE CAN STILL ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL, WHERE DO WE START? WELL, STAFF LOOKED AT THIS AND WE DETERMINED THAT THE STARTING POINT IS HOW DO YOU MAKE RURAL GROWTH A WHOLE AND MAKE IT FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD? SO WE STARTED LOOKING AT SOURCES OF FUNDING.
WE STARTED LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PROPERTIES.
AND WHAT WE CAME UP WITH ARE OTHER SENSITIVE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE SIMILAR VALUE, PRETTY CLOSE TO EQUAL VALUE, ONE BEING MORE VALUABLE THAN THE OTHER, AND PROPOSING A SWAP PROPERTIES IN RURAL AND CRITICAL AND CONTROLLING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH THE LIBRARY, WHICH WOULD GO AT THE, THE TOP WATER SCREEN WHERE THAT TRIANGLE IS.
AND THEN THE BALL FIELDS, WHICH WOULD GO AT THE BOTTOM, UH, PUTTING STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT TO ACTUALLY STRENGTHENING OVER WHAT IS THERE NOW.
UH, LEMME GO TO MY NEXT SLIDE HERE, SIR, YOU HAD YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE TOP ONE SHOWS THE, UM, WHERE ARE THE NEW STORM WATER POND IS, AND THE CENTER PORTION IS THE SENSITIVE WETLANDS.
UH, THESE, WE DID NOT DO A DELINEATION.
UH, WE DID NOT DO AN ACTUAL SURVEY OF THE PROPERTY, THE INNER PORTION OF THE PROPERTY, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANNA SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY UNTIL WE FIGURED OUT WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, THAT FOLKS HAVE AN APPETITE FOR AND THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO.
SO THE THESE LINES ARE REPRESENTATIVE, THEY'RE VERY CLOSE, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE EXACT.
THE BOTTOM PORTION, IF YOU NOTICE, THE TREES ARE GONE.
THE TOP PORTION, I'LL USE MY POINTER HERE.
THESE ARE VERY YOUNG PLANTED PINES HERE.
THIS PORTION HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED.
THIS IS ABOUT A SIX SEVEN ACRE POND.
AND THEN WHEN YOU TAKE THE, UM, THE, WHAT IS DEVELOPABLE ALL? SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE WOULD PUT A LIBRARY IN THIS PORTION, WE WOULD ENLARGE THIS POND SO THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ADVERSE IMPACTS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT HERE, UH, INTO THE CRITICAL.
WE WOULD ACTUALLY STRENGTHEN, UH, THE PROTECTION OF THE HEADQUARTERS BY DOING THIS, THIS PORTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS SPOT RIGHT HERE IS THERE IS A LEFT TURN LANE, UH, HEADING SOUTHBOUND ON ONE 70 THAT TURNS INTO THE PROPERTY.
AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN TURN RIGHT INTO THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THIS WOULD BE COMPLETELY SEPARATE.
THERE WOULD BE BUFFERS ALL ALONG HERE TO MAINTAIN THAT PROTECTION.
THE TOTAL DEVELOPED AREA, IN AND ABOVE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE FORM OF A STORMWATER POND IS ABOUT SIX TOTAL ACRES, RIGHT? ALL THE CENTER PORTION WOULD REMAIN IN REAL QUICK LAND, THE BOTTOM PORTION, PLUS OR MINUS 40 ACRES.
WE PULLED THIS BACK FROM THE WETLANDS AND WE ARE LOOKING AT A SUBSTANTIAL BUFFER ALONG HERE.
UH, AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM WE'RE LOOKING AT MULTI-USE BALL FIELDS WHERE YOU HAVE TWO BASEBALL FIELDS,
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VERY LARGE OUTS THAT CAN BE USED, UM, MULTIPURPOSE.WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT BALL FIELDS AND SPORTS IN GENERAL IS THEY ALL HAVE A SEASON, RIGHT? AND THOSE SEASONS, SOME, WHEN YOU PLAY SOCCER, EVERYBODY'S PLAYING SOCCER, YOU PLAY FOOTBALL, EVERYBODY'S PLAYING FOOTBALL.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN CAPITALIZE ON THE ACREAGE, UH, MAKE IT PRETTY CONDENSED AND STILL GET A LOT OF VALUE OUTTA THAT.
SO PART OF THIS CONVERSATION IS, UH, NOT WHETHER WE'RE GONNA BUILD ALL FIELDS OR A LIBRARY, RIGHT IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THAT IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.
THE QUESTION IS, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BUILD IT? SO SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF BROAD, WE'RE GOING TO DISTURB LAND TO DO THIS.
UM, SO THAT WAS KIND OF OUR STARTING.
SO AFTER THAT, THE QUESTION IS, WELL, HOW DO WE MAKE RURAL CRITICAL HOLD? WHAT WOULD BE THE EQUITABLE SWAP OR DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD'VE TO USE? THE TOP PORTION WAS PURCHASED FOR A MILLION BUCKS.
THE LOWER PORTION WAS 2 MILLION.
THE COUNTIES IN IT FOR ABOUT 3 MILLION.
A REAL CRITICAL, EXCUSE ME, UH, BOND MONEY WAS SPENT WITH ALMOST 3 MILLION WITH THE SPLIT.
AND STORMWATERS PUT CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT IN THE STORMWATER POND ON THE TOP, UH, PARCEL.
SO HERE'S WHAT STAFF CAME UP WITH.
MARY'S WAS PURCHASED BACK IN 1997.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK THAT THIS IS ALREADY A PROTECTED PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THIS IS PART OF THE ACTIVE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENTS INVENTORY OF PROPERTY.
THERE'S BEEN TALK OF WATER FLASH PADS, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS TO GO HERE THAT NONE OF THEM GOT TRACTION, RIGHT? IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH TO PUT BALL FIELDS ON, BUT IT IS VERY MUCH IN PLAY AS IT RELATES TO DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE NO DEED RESTRICTIONS.
THERE ARE NO OVERLAYS, THERE ARE NO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON THIS PROPERTY.
IT WAS PURCHASED WITH GENERAL FUND MONEY, NOT BOND MONEY.
WHAT WAS IT PURCHASED FOR, FOR THE INTENT OF OPA PARK? NO, UH, IT WAS PURCHASED BECAUSE THE, UH, SCHOOL THAT WAS THERE, IT WAS A NON-PROFIT.
I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE, THE NAME OF IT, BUT MURRAY, WELL, I MEAN THE ACTUAL, IT WAS A, UM, WAS IT A CATHOLIC? SO, UM, I BELIEVE THE COUNTY WAS APPROACHED BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO COME UP FOR SALE AND THE COUNTY DECIDED TO PURCHASE IT BECAUSE IT WAS AVAILABLE AT STEAM WATER PROPERTY, UH, IS CENTRALLY LOCATED THROUGH THE COUNTY.
BUT LOOKING BACK THROUGH WHAT I CAN FIND, THERE WAS NOTHING SPECIFIC THAT, THAT TARGETED THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THERE WAS NO CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON IT.
IF THE IDEA WAS FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY WERE BEING RESTRICTED, THERE WOULD BE RESTRICTIONS ON IT.
I'VE AT THE, AND I CAN'T FIND RESTRICTIONS ON THE PROPERTY.
THE ASSESSED VALUE, RIGHT NOW FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, IT'S EIGHT ACRES, DEEP WATER, VERY HIGH BLOOD, ALREADY HAS A DOCK AND HAS FOUR BUILDINGS.
SOME OF THE BUILDINGS ARE SERVICEABLE.
UH, SOME OF THEM NEED A LOT OF WORK.
UM, THE VALUE WOULD BE, BUT IF YOU SPLIT THIS UP, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR DIFFERENT USES TO BUY A LIKE PIECE OF PROPERTY IS NORTH OF 2 MILLION, I WOULD SAY.
UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE NOT SPENT THE MONEY TO HAVE APPRAISALS DONE CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO INVEST A LOT OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
IF THIS IS A NON-STARTER, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
THAT'S WHY WE TOOK IT TO COMMITTEE.
THAT'S WHY WE PRESENTED IT BACK TO COUNCIL TAKING THEIR DIRECTION.
AS I'M GOING THROUGH THIS, PLEASE DON'T VIEW THIS AS AN ALL OR NOTHING PROPOSAL.
IF SOME PARTS OF IT WORK GREAT.
IF SOME PARTS OF IT DON'T WORK, GREAT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE COMMON BENEFIT OF ALL CITIZENS OF BURET COUNTY.
RIGHT? SO THE NEXT PIECE OF PROPERTY IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY THAT WAS ACQUIRED AS PART OF THE, UH, INSTALLATION OF THE BLUFF PARKWAY.
THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND PORTION HERE IS, HAS ALREADY BEEN SPOKEN FOR.
THERE'S THREE ACRES THAT HAS, LEMME SEE IF I HAVE A PICTURE OF THAT.
THIS PIECE HAS BEEN SPLIT OFF AND IS GONNA BE PART OF THE NEW, UM, RECYCLING CENTER IN MURF THAT'S GONNA BE PUT SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
THE COUNTY IS PURCHASING THIS AND TO THE RIGHT, UH, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, IF YOU CAN SEE MY CURSOR IS THE CONVENIENCE CENTER.
THAT'S, THAT'S IN THAT AREA THAT LEAVES THIS.
[00:35:01]
IS WE WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE THIS WITH THE INTENT THAT IF AND WHEN THIS BECOMES AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE, UH, WE COULD DEVELOP THE WHOLE THING AS A CASTLE PARK.THIS IS RIGHT IN THE GROWTH CENTER, UH, OF BLUFFTON.
I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS.
AND WITH THE PROPER MITIGATION, EVEN IN PORTIONS OF IT ARE, IT WOULD BE DEVELOPABLE.
UH, AND AS PRESSURE ON, ON THIS, IN THIS STRETCH OF BLUFFTON, UH, BEGINS TO INCREASE AND AS THE INVENTORY OF AVAILABLE PROPERTY GOES DOWN, UH, I'M QUITE CERTAIN THAT THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE WOULD LOOK TO, UH, DO SOMETHING WITH THIS PROPERTY IN THE SHORT TERM, IF IT IS BROUGHT OVER.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS PUT BOARDWALK, CONNECT IT, GO INTO PARTNERSHIP.
I HAVE NOT TALKED TO THE SCHOOL, BUT GO INTO SOME KIND OF PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH A JOINT VENTURE AND MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC CAN ENJOY IN AN AREA OTHERWISE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT.
UH, THE VALUE OF THIS, UH, PARCEL HERE.
WE'RE LOOKING SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT ABOUT $250,000.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SPLIT, THIS TOTAL TRACK WAS PURCHASED FOR $3 MILLION PLUS THE ALREADY INVESTED IN STORMWATER.
WE'RE LOOKING SOMEWHERE ABOUT 2.3 TO 2.5.
I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLOSE VALUE FOR THE SWAP BASED ON THE OTHER TWO PROPERTIES, LEAVING THE CENTER PORTION IN AND THEN BRINGING THE LOWER PORTION, TOP PORTION OUT.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT THE REASON THAT THIS LINE WAS BROUGHT THIS FAR DOWN FOR THE, UH, EVERGREEN TRACK IS BECAUSE WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE LIBRARY, WE DID NOT WANT TO HAVE THE STORM WATER POND ON RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROPERTY BEING FED BY THE LIBRARY.
WE WANTED, WE COULD MANAGE THAT, UM, AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
GOING BACK TO THE OTHER PARCEL, TO THE, UH, ST.
MARY'S, I GUESS WANT'S YEAH, THE LAST PIECE.
WOULDN'T THAT PARCEL TODAY BE SOMETHING THAT, SO THAT WOULD BE A SEE THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE US WHOLE.
IT WOULD'VE TO BE SOMETHING WE WANNA HAVE IF WE HAD.
SO IT'S EIGHT ACRES ON DEEP WATER.
UM, IT IS AT THE END OF CAMP ST.
SO I GUESS THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA MAKE THIS EQUITABLE IF IT'S GLOBAL AT ALL.
SO IF A PORTION OF IT IS, IF A PORTION OF IT'S NOT, IF NONE OF IT IS, THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO DISCUSS AND GET YOUR INPUT ON QUESTION, MAAM.
LAST ONE AREA YOU TALKING ABOUT RIGHT THERE? YES SIR.
IS THAT BIG ENOUGH TO PLACE, UH, WHAT YOU CALL A BALL FIELD? FIELD IS NOT.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? DOES THE, UH, BLUFFTON PARKWAY PARCELS, DOES THAT, DOES THAT MEET, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
CRITICAL AND RURAL LAND PRESERVATION CRITERIA.
JOHN, I WANNA REPEAT YOUR QUESTION TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT.
DID YOU ASK IF THIS BLUFFTON PARKWAY PARK YEAH.
DOES THAT LAND MEET THE CRITERIA FOR, UH, RURAL AND CRITICAL LAND PRESERVATION IF WE WERE TO PURCHASE JOHN? I'M SORRY, OUR SPEAKER'S NOT WORKING.
I'M AFRAID TO DO IT CAUSE I'M FREAKING MESSING UP.
WE WON'T HAVE THE MICROPHONE AT ALL.
NOW YOU GOTTA UNMUTE YOURSELF.
CAN HEAR ME? CAN YOU ON, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
DOES THIS, UH, BOOK IN PARKWAY PARCEL MEET THE CRITERIA THAT RURAL AND CRITICAL PRESERVATION, UH, HAS SET UP? DOES IT MEET THE CRITERIA THAT RURAL CRITICAL HAS SET UP? YEAH, THIS QUESTION.
DOES IT MEET, YOU KNOW, DOES IT, IF YOU WERE TO DO THE SCORING, WHAT WOULD IT, AND I THINK THIS IS PART OF THE ANALYSIS THAT, UH, NEEDS TO BE DONE.
[00:40:02]
UM, HE THINKS IT'S PART OF THE ANALYSIS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.IS DOES THIS PROPERTY MEET ROME CRITICAL STANDARDS? THIS BLUFF AND PIECE, AND I, I I CAN ANSWER FOR BOTH YOUR QUESTION, JOHN AND ART'S QUESTION ABOUT CAMP ST.
AMANDA AND I TYPICALLY DO PROPERTY SCORING, AND WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT FOR EITHER PROPERTY.
SO BASICALLY YOU WANNA KNOW REACH CRITICAL NAME, AMANDA.
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD ART ASK AND THAT'S WHAT I HEARD JOHN ASK.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR AND UNDERSTAND.
SO I WANNA RESTATE THIS TO BE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTIONS.
WELL, THESE, THE ONLY PARCELS THAT YOUR STAFF HAD IDENTIFIED AS THESE.
SO WE REVIEWED THE WHOLE LIST OF THE COUNTY'S INVENTORY.
UM, WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP THE PROPERTIES SOUTH OF BROAD AND FINANCE PROPERTIES THAT HAD VALUE FROM A PRESERVATION POINT OF VIEW AND FROM A MONETARY POINT OF VIEW.
SO THESE ARE THE TWO THAT FLOATED RIGHT TO THE TOP IN OUR OPINION.
WE MET BOTH CRITERIA WITH THESE TWO.
ARE THERE OTHERS? THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE.
UH, THE PARCEL THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, THERE'S A PIECE THERE THAT COULD PERHAPS, UH, THERE IS ACROSS THE ROAD WHOLE, THESE WERE THE BEST TWO.
THEY WERE THE BEST TWO IN OUR OPINION.
WAS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE BEST TWO FOR RURAL AND CRITICAL, OR THE BEST TWO FOR THE FIELD? WELL, ACTUALLY I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE OKAY.
WE HAVE LOOKED, WELL, WE HAVE LOOKED, UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY FIRST.
UH, WE HAVE LOOKED FOR, I KNOW THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR, AND THE LIBRARY BOARD AND LIBRARY SAT WAS HERE.
UH, THEIR REQUEST WAS TO HAVE A LIBRARY THAT IS NOT BURIED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, MOST OF OUR OTHER LIBRARIES, THEY DON'T HAVE FRONTAGE ON A MAIN HIGHWAY.
AND WHEN YOU DO FIND IT, UM, IT, A LIBRARY, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT IT IN THE PARKING LOT OF PUBLIX.
RIGHT? THAT'S ONE PLACE THAT WE LOOKED AT.
UH, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT IT AT THE BACKSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE LOOKED AT THESE PARCELS AND WE WENT, WELL, IF WE CAN MAKE IT, IF WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THE ORIGINAL GOAL, WHICH WAS TO PROTECT THE HEAD, RIGHT, THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT LOCATION FOR A LIBRARY.
THE OTHER PARCEL WE LOOKED AT IS A LITTLE FARTHER IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE, UM, PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S TOO FAR DOWN ONE 70.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE STUDIES THAT THE LIBRARIES HAD DONE, WE'RE TRYING TO STAY FROM 2 78 TO 46, FROM ONE 70 TO SOMEWHERE IN THAT ENVELOPE.
UH, MIDDLE OF IT'S IN THE INVENTORY.
THAT'S WHY HAS, UH, SUN CITY BEEN APPROACHED TO PROVIDE A LOCATION FOR A LIBRARY.
THAT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE PROBABLY THE MOST BENEFIT TO SUN CITY OR THEY WOULD BE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE, UH, MAIN BENEFICIARIES ANYWAY FOR A NEW LIBRARY.
I WOULD THINK THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH PROPERTIES AS THEY HAVE, THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO PROVIDE PROPERTIES FOR A LIBRARY.
YEAH, WE HAVE NOT, WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THAT WITH THEM.
HOWEVER, UH, THE NEW RIVERSIDE AREA IS THE SORT OF GROUND ZERO FOR GROWTH.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS ACCESSIBLE FOR THE AGENT AND PUTTING IT IN SUN CITY WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC OR ADJACENT.
IT COULD BE IN SUN CITY ON ADJACENT TO EITHER 2 78 OR
UM, JUST KNOWING THAT THE BACK ROAD THAT CUTS UP WITH THE FIRE STATION AND, UM, THE RESTAURANT, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT.
UM, THERE'S NO FRONTAGE ON 2 78.
IF YOU COME BACK TO ONE 70, UH, THAT'S WHERE THEIR GOLF COURSE CUTS THROUGH.
AND THEN THERE ARE HOUSES JUST ADJACENT WITH A FIRM.
SO THERE MAY BE PARCELS THERE.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH PUTTING THIS ON A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY, FOR INSTANCE, IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU, YOU LITERALLY HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH THE APARTMENTS AND PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE APARTMENTS TO GET TO IT.
BUT THE GOAL HERE IS TO HAVE A LIBRARY THAT IS UPFRONT ON
[00:45:01]
HIGHWAY ONE 70, UM, IN THAT BOX, RIGHT.CUZ WE DON'T WANT PUT IT TOO CLOSE TO THE OTHER LIBRARIES TO SERVE THESE AREAS, WHICH ARE GROWING VERY RAPIDLY.
WELL, MY MY MAIN OBJECTION TO IT IS THAT EVERY, EVERYBODY THAT I'M JUST ABOUT, THAT I KNOW AND TALKED TO ABOUT THE RURAL, RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS FEELS THAT THIS PROPERTY IS BEING PURCHASED TO FOR LONG TERM PRESERVATION.
THAT'S WHAT THEY VOTED FOR AND THAT'S WHAT THEY THINK.
I MEAN, E EVERYBODY I KNOW IS SURPRISED WHEN I TELL 'EM THAT NOT ALL THE PROPERTIES ARE UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
AND, AND I THINK TO TAKE PROPERTY OUT OF THE ROLE OF CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM AND DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH IT IS REALLY BAD FOR PUBLIC, UH, PERCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM AND FOR THE NEW PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S, UM, I THINK THAT ANYTHING SHOULD BE DONE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT BALL FIELD AND THAT LIBRARY WITHOUT TAKING RURAL AND CRITICAL PROPERTIES.
I MEAN, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S MY FEELING ABOUT IT.
THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT PUBLIC PERCEPTION THAT WE'RE CONSERVING THESE PROPERTIES.
SO THAT I THINK WE SHOULD YEAH, I I TOTALLY RESPECT THAT FROM YOU.
YOU KNOW, FROM STAFF'S POINT OF VIEW, THE REASON WE APPROACHED THIS IS BECAUSE IT WAS PURCHASED FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HEADQUARTERS.
NOT THE, YOU KNOW, NOT OTHER STATED REASONS.
AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE A FAIRLY LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ON OUR OWN CRITICAL PROPERTY.
SO FROM STAFF'S POINT OF VIEW, WE BOUGHT IT TO DO AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ON, UH, AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A LIBRARY VERSUS A LARGE POND AND YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS.
I GUESS IT'S A, IT'S A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE AND HOW YOU LOOK AT THEM, THEY'RE BOTH DEVELOPING, THEY'RE BOTH DISTURBING THE PROPERTY.
THEY'RE BOTH TAKING THE TREES DOWN.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON, YOU KNOW, AT THE BOTTOM WE'RE HARVESTING THE TREES.
IT IS A, IT IS A VACANT FIELD NOW AND WILL BE EVERY TIME WE HARVEST IT, YOU KNOW, EVERY, HOWEVER OFTEN WE HARVESTED.
UM, SO ANYWAY, THAT WAS JUST STAFF POINT OF VIEW.
I I TOTALLY RESPECT YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON THAT.
UM, SO ANYWAY, THAT WAS JUST OUR PERSPECTIVE AND THE WHOLE REASON WE WERE GONNA GET FORWARD.
UM, SO WHEN I WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS, UM, WHEN CHEF CAME AND ASKED ME, AND HE SHOWED ME A MAP AND HE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE AREA? YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE ACQUISITION? WHAT WAS THE AREA TO PROTECT? SO I HELPED GUIDE THE, THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE, OF THE PROPERTIES TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF THE ACQUISITION WAS TO PROTECT THE HEADWATERS AND TO CREATE STORMWATER POND.
SO THE PROPOSAL AS PRESENTED STILL DOES THAT.
THE PART THAT'S ENROLLING CRITICAL STILL PROTECTS THE HEADWATERS.
THERE'S STILL TWO STORMWATER POND THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
UM, THE SECOND THING THAT I WAS GONNA DO WITH THIS PROPERTY WAS I WAS GONNA PUT IN A PARKING LOT FOR A PASSIVE PARK ANYWAY, OFF OF DAVIS ROAD.
CAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BROADER CONTEXT, AND I, I WISH WE COULD PULL UP THE, I WISH AMANDA COULD PULL UP THE GIS, BUT I HAVE A MAP.
THIS PROPERTY IS, UM, I'M GONNA KIND OF DO IT BACK A LITTLE BACKWARDS.
SO THIS PROPERTY IS OVER HERE ON ONE 70 AM DAVIS ROAD.
THERE IS A PROPERTY THAT RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE THAT IT USED TO BE OWNED BY CLEVELAND.
IT IS NOW ONE OF OUR POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING DUE DILIGENCE TO PURCHASE THAT PROPERTY.
THAT IS A CONNECTOR PIECE TO OT REGIONAL PRESERVE THAT WE JUST VISITED IN NOVEMBER.
THE ONLY WAY TO GET PEOPLE ONTO OT REGIONAL PRESERVE IN A SAFE MANNER THAT'S NOT GONNA IMPACT THE BUSINESSES AND CAUSE A LOT OF TRAFFIC DOWN THE ROADS THAT DON'T NEED A LOT OF TRAFFIC, IS TO BRING PEOPLE DOWN DAVIS ROAD AND IN THAT CLEARCUT AREA ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE, PUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PASSIVE PARK.
SO PUT IN A PARKING LOT, A RESTROOM, STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE, LIKE, DO ALL OF THAT THAT I WOULD NORMALLY DO ON A PASSING PARK IS TO PUT THAT THERE, HAVE A TRAIL HEAD THAT CONNECTS UP TO THE CONNECTOR PIECE TO OAK T REGIONAL PRESERVE, AND THEN HAVE SOME REALLY NICE NATURE TRAILS GO ALL THROUGH THE PRESERVE AND COME BACK DOWN.
BUT THIS IS THE ONLY LOGICAL PLACE TO PUT IN THAT PARKING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS NOT GOING TO CAUSE EXCESSIVE DAMAGE TO THE OTHER MORE
[00:50:01]
SENSITIVE NATURAL RESOURCES ON OT REGIONAL PRESERVE OR THAT CONNECTOR PIECE, WHICH IS SURROUNDED BY, UH, RESIDENTIAL MOBILESO I WAS ALREADY GOING TO PUT IN A PARK.
SO WHEN HE SAID, WELL, WE COULD PUT IN, YOU KNOW, THE BALL FIELDS WITH THE PARK.
I'M LIKE, GREAT, YOU GUYS CAN SPEND THE MONEY TO PUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN I CAN PUT IN, I CAN SAVE MY MONEY FOR THE TRAIL AND THE BOARDWALK AND ALL LIKE THE COOL, FUN STUFF TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO THE NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO THAT'S WHY I SUPPORTED IT BECAUSE I KNOW KATE KNOWS, AND AMANDA KNOWS ANYTIME ROLAND CRITICAL COMES UP, I'M LIKE, NO, IT'S PROTECTED.
BUT WHEN WE WERE THINKING THROUGH HOW THIS QUOTE DEVELOPMENT WAS GONNA OCCUR, IT'S LIKE, WELL, I'M ALREADY GONNA DO THAT.
SO WHY WOULDN'T WE ALLOW IT TO BE A MULTI-USE PROPERTY INSTEAD OF A SINGLE-USE PROPERTY? I THINK IT'S A GREAT POINT, AND I'LL ADD TO IT.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF OUR, UH, OTHER SUCCESSFUL PROPERTIES, WE HAVE CRYSTAL LAKE, RIGHT? IT HAS A BUILDING ON IT.
WE'RE HERE, WE HAVE A BOARDWALK THAT WE ADDED THAT'S DEVELOPMENT.
THERE'S NO MORE IMPACT, AT LEAST FOR THE LOWER PORTIONS WITH THE BALL FIELDS THAN WHAT WE HAVE PUT AT, UM, BRIDGE AND POINT.
WE PUT SIDEWALKS, WE'VE PUT IN GROUPS, WE PUT IN, UH, OBSERVATION DESKS.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE GRASS FIELDS PROTECTED STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND A COUPLE OF BATHROOMS. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT BUILDING WILLIAMS, BRYCE STADIUM, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MANICURED CARED FOR FIELDS.
UM, THE, THE PART, THE, THE NORTHERN PART, THE ACTUAL FOOTPRINT IS ABOUT SIX ACRES TOTALED IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED, WHICH IS MORE THAN, WELL IT'S PROBABLY DOUBLE THAT, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DISTURBED AREA.
SO IF, IF IT IS A, IF IT'S A PHILOSOPHY OF ONCE IT GETS INTO RURAL AND CRITICAL, IT'S OFF THE TABLE.
AGAIN, I CARE AS MUCH ABOUT RURAL AND CRITICAL PROPERTIES AS ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
THIS IS NOT AT ALL RURAL AND CRITICAL VERSUS ANYBODY ELSE.
CHUCK, I THINK THE QUESTION IS 7.4 TAKEN PART, AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MM-HMM.
I THINK WHAT JOHN IS ASKING, AND WHAT I'M ASKING MAYBE IF IS REFERRING TO, IS THE SWAP PIECE SWAP? ARE THEY REALLY, WOULD THEY EVER COME UP? DO WE JUSTIFY RESIDENCE THAT THESE ARE PATIENTS AND PROPERTY THAT WE THINK THEY COULD HAVE BEEN $10 UNDER OUR, UNDER OUR MANAGE? IT'S A WONDERFUL, NO, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL POINT AND THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
SO THAT'S WHY I STARTED BY SAYING, PLEASE DON'T LOOK AT THIS AS AN ALL OR NOTHING PROPOSAL, RIGHT? IF THE SOUTHERN PORTION DOESN'T WORK, IF THE BALL FIELD PORTION DOESN'T WORK, AND WE FEEL THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, WE LOOK AT THE, THE, THE PORTION THAT'S ALREADY 50% DEVELOPED AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE REALLY EQUITABLE.
IT WOULD BE EQUITABLE AND LOGICAL TO JUST SWAP THOSE TWO PROPERTIES OUT.
THAT WOULD BE ALMOST A TWO FOR ONE FROM A VALUE POINT OF VIEW FOR RURAL.
IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ANYWHERE ON THAT CONTINUUM.
AGAIN, IT'S AN IDEA AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THE CITIZEN OF BUFORD COUNTY.
IS THE PROPERTY ON THE BLOCK AND PARKWAY NOT SUITABLE FOR A LIBRARY? IT IS NOT.
WHY IS THAT NOT SUITABLE? UM, LOCATION NUMBER ONE.
THERE IS A, UH, INTERSECTION HERE.
THERE IS AN INTERSECTION RIGHT DOWN HERE.
THERE IS NO TURN LANE FOR THE WESTBOUND LANES OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
UM, DON'T THINK WE COULD GET, UH, LEFT HAND TURN LANE, WHICH MEANS PEOPLE WOULD'VE TO COME DOWN.
THEY WOULD'VE TO TURN AROUND TO GET BACK TO IT.
UM, IF, IF WE COULD GET ALL OF THAT, YES, BUT THE COST OF CONSTRUCTING ALL OF THAT, THE COST OF THE, JUST THE TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD OH, WOULD COST MOST OF WHAT THE LIBRARY WOULD COST.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE DID, WE LOOKED AT THIS, WE ALL ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THE, THE TRAFFIC ISSUE AND THE CIRCULATION PROBLEMS CAME IN.
UM, SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION THERE, BUT NO ONE'S DONE.
I THINK BRITTANY WANTED TO SPEAK.
BRITTANY, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? UM, THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT, AND I
[00:55:01]
AM HERE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.SO I I WANTED TO THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE.
UM, I BELIEVE THE NEW LEAF TRACK WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY OWNER DIDN'T WANT TO SUBDIVIDE OR SELL ONLY A PORTION.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF STEPHANIE AND I APOLOGIZE, I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT ON DIFFERENT CALLS,
UM, BUT I I, TO STEPHANIE'S POINT, IT WAS PURCHASED FOR THE HEADWATERS.
AND THE MINUTES ALSO STATE THAT, UH, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEPARATE THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS WHY WE PURCHASED THIS ENTIRE PARCEL, UM, WITH THE DESIRE TO, UH, PROTECT THE HEADWATERS.
UM, AND SECOND TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE JUST BEING ASKED ABOUT THE, UM, PARKWAY, I HAD DISCUSSED IT ACTUALLY PREVIOUSLY, UM, WITH ENGINEERING FOR ANOTHER USE.
UM, AND THEY SAID THAT THE AREA, THE 10 ACRES THAT WE WOULD BE CONVEYING THAT AREA, UH, THE POTENTIALLY WETLANDS, AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T, UM, A GREAT PLACE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, DUE TO WHAT WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR, UM, WITH THE WETLANDS THERE.
AND AGAIN, JUST TO SHOW THAT WE'RE NOT PUSHING IN ANY ONE DIRECTION, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE ANY ONE PIECE OF THAT OFF THE TABLE.
IT IT, IT'S AN, IT'S A STARTING POINT, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA OVEREMPHASIZE IT, BUT THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN PITCHED, UM, OR FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN MAKES IT SEEM LIKE SOMEHOW THIS IS ADVERSARIAL OR LIKE SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO GET OVER IT.
WE ARE RESEARCHING AND ACTIVELY WORKING TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTION.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF NOTHING IS THE BEST SOLUTION, WELL FINE.
WE'RE GONNA TURN IT INTO A PASSIVE PARTS, WHICH AGAIN, IS PART OF MY DIVISION.
SO I'M NOT PUSHING IN ANY ONE DIRECTION.
I WOULD THINK THAT ALMOST ANY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS OVER THERE WOULD WELCOME A LIBRARY ADJACENT TO THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF WORK THAT COULD BE DONE TO, UM, PITCH THAT TO SOME OF THESE, UM, DEVELOPING PROPERTIES OVER THERE THAT THE ADVANTAGE TO THEIR, UM, RESIDENCE OF A LIBRARY IN THEIR, IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT OR ADJACENT TO IT OR, UM, AND TO, TO JUST FIND A, A PIECE THAT WE ALREADY OWN THAT IS, THAT EVERYBODY FEELS IS PRESERVED PROPERTY AND AND DEVELOPMENT IS, UM, IT'S NOT, I I DON'T FEEL IT'S RESPONSIBLE ON FOR US TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UM, FIND IT EITHER A DONATED PIECE OF PROPERTY OR A PROPERTY THAT COULD BE PURCHASED AT A, A BARGAIN SALE FOR THIS REASON.
CAUSE IT'S A BENEFIT TO THE PEOPLE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT SURE.
I I, I AGREE WITH YOUR HEARING ABOUT THAT.
THE PROBLEM IS YOU DON'T WANT TO BE PERCEIVED BY THE PUBLIC IS PROVIDING A LIBRARY FOR A CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT OR THERE'S, THERE'S A FINE LINE THERE IF, IF YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTS PROBABLY GIVE US A CHEAPER PRICE, BUT THEN IT WOULD BE THEIR LIBRARY, PUBLIC LIBRARY.
IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC'S LIBRARY IF YOU, ON A, IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET TO NO, I DON'T NEED DRIVE THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MEAN, HAVE IT ON A, ON ON ONE 70 ON BLUFFTON PARKWAY ON 2 78, 1 OF THESE PUBLIC, UM, ARTERIES.
WELL THE, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND I GO TO THEIR MEETINGS HAS TRIED.
THEY'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF ALTERNATIVES.
UM, I'M NOT SAYING WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THEM, BUT THEY'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF ALTERNATIVES LIKE THAT.
UM, AND I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE, THEY CAN ALWAYS BE MORE WORK, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THE LIBRARY BOARD WANTS TO PUT ANYTHING THAT'S PERCEIVED AS IN A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD OR, UM, PARTICULAR WELL, I MEAN THAT, THAT THE, THIS LOCATION IS IN, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ADJACENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT'S ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY.
I JUST, I WANNA GIVE THE BOARD SOME CREDIT.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK THAN YOU.
[01:00:01]
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE WORK DONE, THAT THEN WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT ALICE, I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO, TO HAVE STAFF DO THE APPRAISALS.WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE SWAP PIECES WITHOUT REALLY KNOWING HOW THEY WANT BACK UP AGAINST CRITERIA.
I THINK THAT WOULD, SOME OF US COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
PARTICULARLY AROUND CONSERVATION THAT WOULD BE MOST IMPORTANT.
BUT THE MONETARY VALUE DOESN'T NECESSARILY, UM, UM, COORDINATE WITH THE CONSERVATION VALUE.
YOU KNOW, CAUSE THAT PROPERTY IS, I MEAN, IT'S LOW AND IT'S GOT A LOT OF OTHER REASONS WHY IT MAY NOT BE AS HIGH OF VALUE AS OTHER PROPERTIES.
UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T HAVE MORE CONSERVATION VALUE.
I THINK WHAT OUR CRITERIA SHOULD ADDRESS THE CONSERVATION, RIGHT? THAT'S PRINCIPLE.
THAT'S THE PRINCIPLE ADDRESSES BOTH.
I'M, I'M MORE IN THAT CONSERVATION THAT THEN, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD A SPOKE TO MY FEELING ABOUT THIS, I WOULD, I WOULD GET THIS CALL.
CAUSE SHE MENTIONED EVERYTHING BY ME AND I WANTED COMMEND, UH, CHUCK STAFF FOR, FOR ALL THESE
BUT IN THE END IF WE, YOU KNOW, THEY DID IT IN A REAL, UH, TECHNICAL WAY.
BUT IN THE END, UH, THESE FUNDS ARE TO PRESERVE LAND AND HOW CAN YOU GET PUBLIC TO, TO AGREE WITH ALL THESE CHANGES WITHOUT, TO THE PUBLIC.
I MEAN, THEY DID A GOOD JOB IN EXTREME TO US, BUT THE PEOPLE OUT THERE, THEY GOT ONE THING IN MIND.
WE BROUGHT, WE GOT CONFIRMATION AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY WOULD HAVE LYING THERE.
SO HOW DO YOU GET TO THEM TO TELL 'EM THAT IF, IF THIS DO HAPPEN? WELL THAT'S, THAT'S A PUBLIC PERCEPTION THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS, IS WHEN YOU TAKE IT OUT FOR ANY REASON OUT OF THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM, IT'S VERY BAD FOR PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
AND, AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, UM, I MEAN, WHETHER IT'S LIBRARY OR BALL FIELD OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT THE, THAT THE PUBLIC WILL USE, UH, UH, CONVENIENCE ZONE, IT'S UM, IT'S, IT'S STILL REALLY THAT BAD TO SELL IT IN ONE WAY THAT IS A CONSERVATION PROGRAM AND USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
I WILL POINT OUT I AS WELL, THE ANIMAL SHELTER, THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
IT WAS DONE AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
IT WAS EQUITABLE AND IT WAS A WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
AND IN MY OPINION, IT DIDN'T HARM THE REPUTATION OF WORLD CRITICAL AT ALL IF ANYTHING HAD STRENGTHENED IT.
UM, SO I MEAN THAT, THAT WAS A LAND SWAP AND WE BUILT A FAIRLY LARGE BUILDING ON IT AND IT WAS A WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
I WANT TO ASK ABOUT A I HEARD WAS ASK ONE HE WAS TALKING ABOUT YES, THERE WAS ONE AND I DID PREPARE SLIDE SINCE I'VE THIS QUESTION, UM, SHARE.
UM, THERE WAS A LAND A LANES THAT SWAP IN 2012, 20 ACRES OF OAK MARSH PROPERTY PROTECTED ALONG HIGHWAY ONE 70 IN EXCHANGE FOR 43 42 ACRES ONTO CHE ROAD, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED FOR USE OF THE TRASH TRANSFER STATION.
I DO WANNA SAY THOUGH, THAT THE PIECE THAT WAS, THAT WAS SWAPPED HAS A CHURCH ON THAT HAS LEASE THAT WAS STILL HAD I HAVE LEASE WITH THAT TRIP.
SO IT WAS SWAPPED, AN UNDEVELOPED PORTION OF PROPERTY WAS SWAPPED FOR A DEVELOPED PORTION OF PROPERTY AND THE 20 ACRES, CURRENTLY ONLY SIX OF THAT WAS USED AND THERE'S STILL 13 AND A HALF ACRES THAT COULD BE USED FOR SOME COUNTY PURPOSE IN THE FUTURE.
SO YEAH, UNDEVELOPED, BUT IT'S STILL THERE AND WAS PREVIOUSLY PART OF WORLD.
AGAIN, ACRES, TWO ACRES SUCH AS ROAD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY IAM MAKE A SUGGESTION.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA SOLVE THIS TODAY.
UH, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE STAFF NEEDS TO, UM, EVALUATE THESE PROPERTIES USING OUR CRITERIA.
AND I THINK BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING, THE STAFF NEEDS TO ARRANGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO VISIT ALL THESE PROPERTIES AT PLAY.
[01:05:01]
AN AFTERNOON AND JUST DO A, A QUICK RUNAROUND.LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPERTIES AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AT OUR JANUARY MEETING AND DISCUSS THIS, UH, MORE THOROUGHLY.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA MAKE ANY HEADWAY TODAY.
WE WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT AS A DIRECTION.
YEAH, I I TEND TO AGREE, UH, NEEDS MORE ANALYSIS.
APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE FOR THE COUNTY.
APPRECIATE YOUR THANK YOU CHUCK, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, DO WE NEED TO THAT IN A FORM OF A MOTION? YEAH.
WERE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT MAC? YOU WANNA MAKE THAT A MOTION? I'LL BE HAPPY TO.
SO I, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE, UH, EVALUATE THE PROPERTIES, UH, THAT, UH, ARE INVOLVED IN THIS SWAP BASED ON OUR CRITERIA FOR, UH, PURSUING PROPERTY AS FOR RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS FUNDING.
AND THAT WE ALSO PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THESE PROPERTIES.
UH, SO WE CAN, UH, HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO SEE WHAT THE, HOW THEY COMPARE TO ONE ANOTHER.
I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
WHAT HE SAY?
AND WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET THAT EVALUATION BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING SO WE HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT IN ADVANCE OF WELL, OUR NEXT MEETING IS JANUARY 9TH.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET ENOUGH PRAISE PROFESSIONAL OF THE HOLIDAY BY MID OH.
SO THAT IS TIGHT BECAUSE HOLIDAY.
SO WE'LL LOOK AT THE WEEK OF JANUARY 2ND FOR A SITE VISIT.
UNLESS YOU WANTED TO DO IT 19TH OR SURE.
THIS, THIS MONTH, THE WEEK OF THE 19TH.
UH, I MAY, I'M, BUT THAT'S WHAT DATE ARE YOU SAYING? THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 19TH.
IF YOU ALL WOULD REPLY TO AMANDA AND I WITH PREFERRED AVAILABILITY, GIVE US A COUPLE OF OPTIONS, WE'LL PUT IT TOGETHER.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF CHUCK? THANK YOU, SIR, FOR DOING THE, DID, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND I GUESS WE, I GUESS WE'LL BE GETTING BACK TOGETHER SOME KIND RECOMMENDATION THIS BOARD.
AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE RARE MERRY CHRISTMAS AND I HAVE.