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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING OF THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD.
AND SANDIA, ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA? YES, SIR, WE ARE.
UH, WERE THERE ANY COMMENTS, ADDITIONS, DELETIONS TO THE MINUTES? HEARING NONE.
I'LL ACCEPT THEM AS SUBMITTED.
APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS ZENDAYA, I PRESUME BASED ON THE PEOPLE WHO WENT UP TO YOUR DESK, THAT WE HAVE SOME CITIZENS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US.
THE FIRST I WILL CALL IS MS. KELLY LEBLANC.
THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING TO CITIZEN COMMENTS.
KELLY LEBLANC, THE CO-CHAIR OF THE JONESVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY, AND THE AUTHOR OF THE SURVEY ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE SURVEY RAN FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND RECEIVED 850 RESPONSES FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND FULL-TIME RESIDENTS.
HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT AN INCREASE IN SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND TIMESHARES? 90%.
90% SAID THAT THEY WERE VERY TOO EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT BOTH QUESTIONS.
DOES HILTON HEAD NEED MORE VISITOR BEDS? 95% SAID NO.
QUESTION FIVE ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE, DO YOU WANT TO LIMIT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF VISITOR BEDS? 70% SAID THEY WANT ZERO VISITOR BEDS ON THEIR STREET.
23% SAID THEY WANT VISITOR BEDS TO BE CAPPED AT A REASONABLE LEVEL.
QUESTION SIX, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF UPDATING SHORT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE PERMIT COST BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDS ADVERTISED? 92% SAID YES.
QUESTION SEVEN, WHICH IMPACTS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? THE TOP CONCERNS WERE TRAFFIC, QUALITY OF LIFE, BEACH CONGESTION, THE ENVIRONMENT, TRASH, NOISE, UNRULY BEHAVIOR, AND VISITOR PARKING.
THE INCREASE IN SHORT-TERM RENTALS IS ONE REASON WHY LONG-TERM RENTALS ARE BEYOND THE REACH OF OUR WORKFORCE.
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF USING SHORT-TERM RENTAL FEES AND FINES TO HELP CREATE WORKFORCE HOUSING SOLUTIONS? 80% SAID YES.
QUESTION NINE, WE HAVE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, BUT NO POLICY.
78% SAID THAT THEY WANT HILTON HEAD TO ADOPT THIS SHORT-TERM RENTAL POLICY STATEMENT.
UNSURE THAT TRADITIONAL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT TURNED INTO TOURIST AREAS TO THE DETRIMENT OF LONGTIME RESIDENTS.
REGARDING 15 WIMBLEDON FOLLEY FIELD ACROSS FROM ISLANDERS BEACH IN 2015, THE 8.4 ACRE PROPERTY WAS REZONED AS RESORT DENSITY.
76% SAID KEEP RESORT DEVELOPMENT OUT OF RES RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
63% SAID THE TOWN SHOULD PURCHASE THE 8.4 ACRES AND REZONE IT AS A PARK.
IN 2015, BRADLEY CIRCLE WAS REZONED AS RESORT DENSITY.
THEY NOW HAVE SIX MINI HOTELS, WHICH EACH SLEEP 24, BUT HAVE ONLY TWO PARKING SPACES EACH.
ON TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK, THE TOWN COUNCIL TOOK AN AGENDA ITEM OFF THE ROSTER, WHICH WOULD'VE STOPPED THE DEVELOPER FROM ADDING FOUR MORE MINI HOTELS TO BRADLEY CIRCLE.
LAST WEEK, THE CHARLESTON POST COURIER QUOTED DAVID AMES AS SAYING QUOTE, RIGHT NOW, TOWN OFFICIALS ARE TURNING THEIR ATTENTION TO FIXING LOOPHOLES OR LANGUAGE IN THE LAND MANAGEMENT CODE THAT DON'T MEET THE COMMUNITY'S OBJECTIVES.
OUR QUESTION IS, ARE YOU? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AT SOME POINT ALONG THE WAY, THIS TOWN BEGAN IGNORING FAMILY, THE FAMILY PART OF OUR AREAS OWN SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
AND THE WORD RESIDENTIAL CAME TO MEAN SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THAN HOW IT IS DEFINED IN THE CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY.
OUR TOWN COUNCIL HAS CHOSEN TO EFFECTIVELY IGNORE THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROBLEM AND LEFT US THEIR RESIDENTS DEFEND FOR OURSELVES.
MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE RECOGNIZED THIS ISSUE AND HAVE ACTED TO PROTECT THEIR RESIDENTS BY PLACING
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CAPS AND CONTROLS ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS.FOR EXAMPLE, SOUTHS ISLAND PROHIBITED NEW VACATION RENTALS OVER 20 YEARS AGO, JAMES ISLAND, IN ORDER TO HAVE A LEGAL BED AND BREAKFAST FOR A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THE HOMEOWNER, THE HOME MUST BE, UH, FULL-TIME OWNER OCCUPIED.
KIAWA PUT A 20% CAP ON R ONE AND R TWO ZONING DISTRICTS.
THE CITY OF CHARLESTON, INCLUDING DANIEL ISLAND WHOLE HOUSE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE PROHIBITED IN THE CITY OF CHARLESTON.
UNDER THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, HOMEOWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO INHABIT THE HOME WHILE HOSTING SHORT-TERM GUESTS, AND NO MORE THAN FOUR ADULTS MAY OCCUPY A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT ONCE.
THE TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT, UH, CAP SHORT TERM RENTALS AT 400 FOLLEY BEACH ON FEBRUARY 7TH OF THIS YEAR, A SPECIAL ELECTION WAS HELD RESULTING IN A CAP OF 800 LICENSES FOR INVESTOR OWNED SHORT TERM RENTALS.
YOU OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WE DON'T WANT TO TURN INTO A MYRTLE BEACH.
WELL, PERHAPS WE SHOULD TAKE A LEAF OUTTA THEIR BOOK IN MYRTLE BEACH.
MOST TRADITIONAL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT ZONED FOR SINGLE, UH, FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ALL OF THESE SOUTH OR SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL COMMUNITIES.
SO WHY ISN'T HILTON HEAD PROTECTING ITS RESIDENTS? IT'S EITHER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T OR YOU WON'T.
THE ABOVE COMMUNITIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT CAN'T, IS NOT A VALID EXCUSE.
WE WERE PROMISED THAT PHASE TWO OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE WILL BE AVAILABLE THE LAST QUARTER OF LAST YEAR.
NOW WE HEAR THAT IT WILL BE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE ISLAND IS LOSING VALUABLE RESIDENTS AND WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT IS BEING CONVERTED INTO SCR.
NO ONE IS SAYING THAT WE CAN'T HAVE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BUT THE INTEGRITY OF OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS CAN ONLY BE RESTORED BY ELIMINATING COMMERCIAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN AREA ZONED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
I WOULD ASK THE TOWN TO PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS.
HOW ARE YOU? ALL RIGHT, I'M HERE AGAIN.
UM, I'M, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF BRADLEY'S CIRCLE, AS YOU GUYS ARE WELL AWARE OF.
UM, NOT TWO WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS AN URGENT MATTER FOR A DEVELOPER IN OUR AREA THAT HAS SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO HAVE A PLOT STAMPED.
IT WAS EMINENT SO HE COULD SELL HIS LOT BACK TO HIMSELF SO HE COULD SUBDIVIDE THAT LOT TO GAIN AN EXTRA LOT AND MORE DENSITY.
WE WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AS A TOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENED.
AND NOW I SAID BEFORE YOU WITH THE SAME URGENCY TO PUSH THROUGH SOME AMENDMENTS IN THE LMO THAT WON'T JUST SERVE ONE DEVELOPER, IT WILL SERVE THE ENTIRETY OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
OUR TINY COMMUNITY OF BRADLEY'S CIRCLE HAS GROWN BY 45,000 SQUARE FEET WITH ONLY THE ADDITION OF FIVE HOMES, ALL WITH FOUR STORIES ABOVE GARAGE, ADDITIONAL 125 PEOPLE PLUS A WEEK.
AND IT'S NOT GONNA STOP 10 CARS PER HOUSE.
TWO MORE ARE BEING BUILT AND FIVE MORE COMING AFTER THAT, WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO BE SIMILAR IN SIZE.
SO WE PLEAD WITH YOU, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER 50,000 SQUARE FEET ON AN ACRE OF LAND.
I GOTTA ASSUME YOU LIVE IN A GATED COMMUNITY AND YOU HAVE BIGGER LOTS.
IMAGINE IF YOU HAD 50,000 SQUARE FEET NEXT TO YOUR HOME.
SO, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE THAT IN JUST 10 HOMES.
WE HAVE A VERY, VERY SMALL AREA.
I STOOD BEFORE YOU IN 2016 ASKING FOR THE SAME THING.
SO PLEASE HELP US WITH ALL THE EXTRA PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR TINY LITTLE COMMUNITY THAT WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR ROADS SHOWS THE DRAINAGE DOESN'T WORK.
PATHWAYS ARE GETTING DIS DESTROY, DESTROYED.
OUR WETLANDS ARE GETTING DEVASTATED.
THERE IS OIL LEAKS FROM THE CONSTRUCTIONS.
CHLORINE WATER LEAKS INTO OUR MARSH ON A DAILY BASIS.
PEOPLE WALK THROUGH SEAGRASS AND DUNES TO MAKE IT TO THE BEACH.
PARKING ON THE WETLANDS AREA BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SPACE.
I UNDERSTAND DEVELOPMENT AND EXPECT THAT THIS IS A PART OF WHERE I LIVE, BUT THIS IS LUDICROUS OVERDEVELOPMENT THAT'S RUINING HHI AS A WHOLE.
WE CAN BUILD, BUT WE NEED TO BE SMARTER OR THE AFTERMATH IS IRREVERSIBLE.
WE NEED TO WORK ON THE FLOOR AREA RATIO TO ENSURE THAT SMALLER HOMES GET BUILT ON THESE LOTS, ON THESE TEENY TINY LOTS OF 0.12.
WE NEED VEGETATION, OPEN SPACE SAFETY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF PARKING SPACES TO BE AMENDED TO 19 BY EIGHT FEET, NINE FEET HIGH SO THAT THESE GARAGES CAN FIT THESE SUVS AND THESE TRUCKS
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THAT ARE COMING ON VACATION VOTE IN FAVOR TO AMEND IT SO THAT THERE IS A PARKING SPOT FOR EACH BEDROOM.RIGHT NOW, THE ORDINANCE SAYS THERE ONLY NEEDS TO BE FOUR.
WHO COMES TO A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT HOME WITH FOUR CARS? I'M GONNA CLOSE OUT AND SAY THIS IS EMINENT.
OKAY? YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THE SUPERPOWER TO MAKE THESE CHANGES LIKE THE NEED TO STAMP THE PLOT SO A DEVELOPER COULD SELL IT TO HIMSELF.
YOU NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
I CURRENTLY LIVE IN WHAT WAS MY PARENTS' HOME FOR THE LAST 41 YEARS IN SOUTH FOREST BEACH.
IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE.
I'VE SEEN AN AWFUL LOT OF CHANGES OVER THE LAST 41 YEARS.
SURE, SOME OF THE HOMES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ARE SECOND HOMES AND A COUPLE MIGHT HAVE EVEN BEEN RENTALS FOR MOST OF THE LAST 40 YEARS, BUT IT'S COMPLETELY OUT OF HAND NOW.
THERE ARE VERY FEW OF US WHO LIVE THERE PERMANENTLY ANYMORE AS PROPERTIES HAVE SOLD, THEY'VE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BEEN TURNED INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS WITH THE LAST FEW YEARS SEEING ALARMING GROWTH OF THESE COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES.
THEY DON'T EVEN PRETEND TO BE SINGLE FAMILY UNITS ANYMORE.
SOME OF THEM NOW ADVERTISE THAT THEY SLEEP.
32 PEOPLE, THAT'S EIGHT FAMILIES IN MY BOOK.
THESE HOUSES CERTAINLY DON'T PRETEND TO BE RESIDENCES EITHER.
THEY'RE COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES EARNING 20,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.
SOME OF THEM ARE NOT EVEN OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS AND ARE OWNED BY INVESTMENT CORPORATIONS.
INSTEAD, WHY DOES THE TOWN ALLOW THESE BUSINESSES TO OPERATE IN A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD? DON'T THOSE WORDS MEAN SOMETHING? PLEASE.
EVEN THE TWO BEDROOM HOUSE, TWO DOORS DOWN, THAT HAS NEVER IN MY MEMORY HOUSED MORE THAN ONE COUPLE IN ONE SMALL CHILD NOW BOASTS THAT IT SUDDENLY HAS FOUR BEDROOMS AND SLEEPS.
THE HOUSE ISN'T ANY BIGGER THAN IT EVER WAS.
THEY'VE JUST PUT BUNK BEDS IN THE HALLWAY, IN THE DINING ROOM, AND NOW THEY'RE BEDROOMS. THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE TO BE INSIDE THE HOUSE UNLESS THEY'RE ALL IN BED.
SO THEY STAY OUTSIDE MOST OF THE TIME.
14 PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO BE ROWDY TO BE LOUD, BUT WHEN THEY ARE ROWDY, THEY'RE VERY LOUD.
I EVEN OCCASIONALLY LIKE TO STAY UP LATE, BUT NOT EVERY SINGLE DAY THERE IS A NON-STOP PARTY GOING ON IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD FROM NOW TILL THANKSGIVING.
BY THE TIME RENTERS HAVE HAD ENOUGH PARTYING AND ARE READY TO SETTLE DOWN A BIT, THERE'S A NEW CREW COMING IN DIRECTLY BEHIND THEM TO START UP AGAIN.
I USED TO ASK PEOPLE TO TURN DOWN THEIR MUSIC OR REMIND THEM THAT THIS IS A FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THEY WOULD PLAY EXPLICIT MUSIC OR GET REALLY LOUD WITH THEIR VULGAR LANGUAGE.
NOW I'VE TURNED INTO THAT NASTY NEIGHBOR WHO CALLS THE POLICE.
I DON'T WANT TO BE THIS PERSON.
I WANT TO BE WALKING MY NEIGHBOR'S DOG WHEN THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN AND BRINGING A CASSEROLE TO THE FAMILY WHO JUST LOST THEIR GRANDMA.
I WANT TO SAY HI TO THE KIDS GETTING ON THE SCHOOL BUS AND GATHER WITH THE NEIGHBORS TO CELEBRATE THE 4TH OF JULY.
I WANT MY NEIGHBORS TO CHECK ON ME AFTER A TROPICAL STORM AND FOR US ALL TO WORK TOGETHER TO CLEAN UP THE COMMON AREAS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHAT I REALLY WANT IS TO LIVE QUIETLY IN THE BEAUTIFUL NATURAL SURROUNDINGS OF FOREST BEACH THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR SO MANY YEARS WITH OTHER SINGLE FAMILY, ACTUAL NEIGHBORS AND NOT THE STEADY STREAM OF PARTYING TOURISTS AND ABSENTEE CORPORATE OWNERS.
SO I ASK YOU TODAY, PLEASE WILL YOU HELP SAVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE TIME, I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW THAT I LIVE IN HILTON HEAD PLANTATION, SO I'M HERE TODAY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A UH, JONESVILLE RESIDENT WHO COULDN'T BE HERE.
THIS IS A RESORT DESTINATION, AND THAT IS NOT CHANGING ANYTIME SOON.
OUR TOWN THRIVES BECAUSE OF TOURISM, BUT RECKLESS TOURISM IS NOT GOOD FOR ANYONE.
I THANK THE TOWN AND THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR PASSING THE RECENTLY APPROVED SHORT-TERM TERM, UH, ORDINANCE.
IT IS A GOOD FIRST STEP, BUT IT'S JUST THAT A FIRST STEP.
THIS ISLAND NEEDS TO BE A RESPONSIBLE RESORT DESTINATION WITH DESIGNATED AREAS FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND RESORTS, RESTRICTIONS AND ORDINANCES TO ENSURE VACATIONERS RESPECT THE ISLAND AND THOSE AROUND THEM AND REQUIREMENTS SURROUNDING WHAT ARE ACCEPTABLE DWELLINGS TO QUALIFY AS SHORT-TERM REYNOLDS.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO OUR SOUTH END NEIGHBORS WHO ARE TALKING NOW CONCERNED THAT THAT AREA IS TOO CROWDED.
AND WHILE THAT'S VERY TRUE, IT DOES NOT MEAN WE START FORCING VACATIONERS INTO RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE TOWN NEEDS TO BEGIN MANAGING THE NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT CAN
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HANDLE.WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR HOME, WE MADE THE DECISION TO BUY IN A RESIDENTIAL ZONED NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT TO ALLOW DEVELOPERS FROM OUT OF TOWN TO SWOOP IN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOOSE LAWS AND BUY UP PROPERTIES AND TURN THEM INTO CASH.
JONESVILLE IS NOT INUNDATED WITH STR AT THIS POINT, BUT WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN ALLOWED AND PASSED THROUGH REVIEW IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
CURRENTLY, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.
IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE TO RESTRICT STR VRBO, AIRBNB, NEWLY FORMED RESORT, ST R RESORT, COLLABORATIONS HAVE CHANGED THE GAME AND IT'S TIME FOR THE TOWN TO CATCH BACK UP.
THIS TOWN HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ITS RESIDENTS, THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT, AS WELL AS THE VACATIONERS TO PROVIDE A BALANCED AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL EXISTENCE THAT KEEPS VISITORS COMING BACK AND INVESTED IN OUR TOWN AND RESIDENTS WELCOMING THEM BACK PLOPPING SHORT-TERM RENTERS IN THE MIDDLE OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS DOES NOT PROMOTE THAT BALANCE.
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE TURNOVER TRAFFIC, NOR TO ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC INEVITABLE.
WITH HAVING MULTIPLE FAMILIES SHARE VACATION RENTALS WITH MULTIPLE CARS, THE JONESVILLE COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT AT RISK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF BAILEY'S COVE DOUBLING OUR DAILY TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE USAGE.
IF THE HOMES WITHIN IT BECOME SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO LEAVE OUR HOMES AND WITHOUT ANY CURRENT MAX DENSITY ANALYSIS, WHO KNOWS WHAT OUR LITTLE PENINSULA CAN EVEN ENDURE.
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ALSO DON'T PROVIDE AMENITIES FOR VACATIONERS TO ENJOY WITHIN THEM OR IN MOST CASES, EVEN NEARBY.
I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE TO STOP SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN HILTON HEAD PLANTATION AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL HELP THESE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DONNIE KUNI.
UH, MY NAME IS DONNIE KUNI AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NOT ONLY THE HEART OF EVERYBODY HERE WHO IS A RESIDENT.
THE ONE UNDERLYING FACT THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IS, IS NOT JUST THE, BUT IT'S AFFECTING OUR LIVELIHOOD, BUT WE'RE BRINGING ALL THESE PEOPLE IN, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE TO SUSTAIN THE RESTAURANTS, THE HOTEL CLEANING, JUST THE EVERYDAY LIFE AS A RESULT WITH THE IMPACT THAT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MARKET HAS PUT ON OUR HOMES.
WHY WOULD ANY INVESTOR TURN THEIR HOME SHORT-TERM RENTAL HOME INTO A WORKFORCE HOUSING TYPE OF SITUATION WHEN THEY CAN MAKE DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE INCOME, THE TOWN HAS TO STEP IN.
WE GOT HERE SOME WAY AND NOW WE HAD TO FIND A WAY TO GET OUT OF IT.
YOU KNOW, OUR FORMER MAYOR, AND I WANT TO QUOTE HIM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS CAUSE EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM FEELS THE SAME WAY.
HE SAYS HILTON HEAD IS A BRAND AND HE, THIS WAS FROM THE POSTMAN COURIER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A QUALITY AND THE EXPERIENCE OPPOSED TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE BEACH IN A RESTAURANT IN THE CRAMMED HOUSES.
SO THE IMPACT ON THE BRAND, THE THE, SO THE IMPACT ON THE BRAND TO HAVE THE WRONG KIND OF UNITS IN THE WRONG PLACE IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT.
THE BONUS PROGRAM THAT WE SPEAK ABOUT IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE YOU PUT TOO MANY LIMITATIONS ON THE VALUE OF THE HOME IN THE FUTURE, OR WE PUT LIMITATIONS ON THE INCOME THE INDIVIDUAL HAS TO HAVE TO EVEN STAY IN ONE.
THE HOMEOWNERS HERE WHO LIVE HERE REPRESENTING EACH NEIGHBORHOOD IS UPSET WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AFTER 40 YEARS OF LIVING HERE, COMING HOME EVERY DAY, I LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC AND I FIND ALTERNATE WAYS TO GET HOME ON TIME, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO LEAVE.
SO IT'S UP TO YOU TO FIND A WAY TO RESOLVE WHAT WE, WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'VE COME, TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE A HAPPY MEETING BETWEEN OUR HOME RENTALS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THIS ISLAND, THE WORKFORCE.
IF WE DON'T STOP NOW, WE WON'T HAVE A SOLUTION AND WE'RE GONNA IMPLODE ON OURSELVES.
AND I ASK YOU TO LOOK INTO IT GREATLY.
I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE REPRESENTED HAS THEIR OWN POINT OF VIEWS.
I'M SURE RENTAL COMPANIES ARE HERE THAT HAVE THEIR OWN POINT OF VIEWS, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THIS ISLAND WHO PUTS YOU WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.
AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, SHORT-TERM RENTALS HAVE BECOME AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE RESIDENTS AND THE JPS TEAM ARE HERE TODAY TO CONVEY TO THE TOWN THE CONCERNS WE
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ALL HAVE IN REGARDS TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND HOW THEY AFFECT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE ISLAND.WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM DIFFERENT VARIOUS SPEAKERS ABOUT THE VARIOUS CONCERNS OF RENTALS.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT PROPOSED STR R POLICY THAT WE, THE JPS TEAM HAS CREATED.
GIVE CITIZENS THE OPTION TO UTILIZE THEIR PROPERTIES TO GENERATE EXTRA INCOME FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS AS LONG AS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING POLICY OBJECTIVES ARE MET.
ENSURE THAT TRADITIONAL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOT TURNED INTO TOURIST AREAS TO THE DETRIMENT OF LONG-TERM RESIDENTS.
ENSURE ANY REGULATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS DOES NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES OR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
ENSURE THAT HOMES ARE NOT TURNED INTO MANY HOTELS OR PARTY HOUSES, MINIMIZE PUBLIC SAFETY RISK AND THE NOISE, TRASH AND PARKING PROBLEMS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH SHORT-TERM RENTALS WITHOUT CREATING ADDITIONAL WORK FOR THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, MAXIMIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS BY ENSURING THAT NO LONG-TERM PROPERTIES ARE CONVERTED INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
ENSURE THAT SHORT TERM, SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE TAXED IN THE SAME WAY AS TRADITIONAL LODGING PROVIDERS TO ENSURE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
NOW HOW IS THIS ACCOMPLISHED? THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN BY ESTABLISHING A 40% F A R IMMEDIATELY.
ALL PARKING IS THE BASED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE, A SHORT TERM RENTAL DWELLING UNIT, ONE PARKING SPACE FOR EVERY 1000 FEET SQUARE FEET OF THE SHORT TERM DWELLING UNIT.
THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FEES TO BE BASED ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL DWELLING UNIT.
A TWO A $250 FEE WILL BE CHARGED WITH A FIRST 1000 SQUARE FEET.
A FEE OF $150 WILL BE CHARGED FOR EACH ADDITIONAL 1000 SQUARE FEET.
ALL SHORT-TERM RENTAL UNITS WILL BE INSPECTED FOR COMPLIANCE ANNUALLY.
ALL OWNERS WISHING TO RENT THEIR PROPERTY MUST ESTABLISH THE SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENCY.
ALL SHORT-TERM PERMIT FEES AND FINES THERE BE USED FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF G O V O S.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE P PC TO ADVANCE THIS POLICY TO THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR YOU AT THE NEXT TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.
IN CLOSING, LET ME SAY THIS, THERE ARE PLACES ON THIS ISLAND BEFORE SHORT TERM RENTALS, BUT IT'S NOT IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
Y'ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT TERM MEANS.
NICE TO SEE SOME OF YOU AGAIN.
MY NAME IS MEUS WSNA AND I'M THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND MOTOR COACH RESORT.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS YOU ABOUT OUR CONCERNS, AGAIN ABOUT THE DEEP WELL AND REVERSE OSMOSIS PROJECT ADJACENT TO OUR RESORT.
WE EMAILED OUR LENGTHIER NOTES, SO, UH, I KNOW KRISTA'S OUT, BUT YOU'LL BE GETTING A COPY OF THOSE.
FIRST I WANNA GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHO WE ARE.
OUR RESORT HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 1978 AND SITS ON 50 ACRES OF LAND.
IT'S A FIVE STAR RATED MOTOR COACH RESORT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND INCLUDES 401 PRIVATELY OWNED LOTS WITH JUST UNDER 800 TAX PAYING OWNERS.
BEING ON THIS BEAUTIFUL ISLAND, IT IS A DESTINATION THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
A NUMBER OF OUR OWNERS LIVE HERE FULL-TIME, UH, AND HAVE RETIRED HERE, AND MANY OTHERS ARE HERE FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS PER YEAR.
FOR ALL OF US, THIS IS HOME ON AVERAGE, THE CURRENT VALUE OF EACH LOT IS ABOUT $250,000, AND THE AVERAGE COST OF A MOTOR HOME IS ABOUT 400,000.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE A HUGE INVESTMENT IN THIS LIFESTYLE.
WITH REGARD TO THE PROJECT, PLEASE KNOW WE DON'T BEGRUDGE ANYONE FROM SAFE DRINKING WATER.
WHERE OUR CONCERNS LIE ARE THAT THE PROJECT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED SO CLOSE TO US AND WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT SHORT AND LONG-TERM NEGATIVE EFFECTS.
OUR MAIN CONCERNS INCLUDE NOISE POLLUTION, HEALTH HAZARDS, AND DECREASE IN OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THROW IN, WE ARE ZONED LIGHT COMMERCIAL, BUT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, WE ARE A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY FOR SURE.
WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS PROJECT AND ONLY FOUND OUT WHEN WE WITNESSED THE LAND BEING CLEARED.
THE BUFFER ALONG OUR PROPERTY LINE IS TOTALLY GONE.
WE MET WITH THE SOUTH ISLAND, P S D AND OTHERS AND WE'RE ASSURED CERTAIN STEPS WOULD BE TAKEN AND WE HAVE SUGGESTED STEPS THAT WOULD MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT.
WHEN I INQUIRED WHY THIS PARTICULAR SITE WAS CHOSEN, I WAS TOLD HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE WERE BACK THERE.
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CONSIDERING WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR 45 YEARS, WE FIND THAT PRETTY SHOCKING.UH, THE 40 FOOT HIGH 300,000 GALLON WATER HOLDING TANK THAT WAS BUILT TO IRRIGATE WEXFORD GOLF COURSE WAS BUILT ONLY 30 FEET FROM OUR PROPERTY LINE, AND IT'S NOW OUR DIRECT VIEW ON THAT SIDE OF OUR RESORT.
THE HOLDING TANK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PAINTED A DARK CHARLESTON GRAIN SO IT WOULD BETTER BLEND INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.
EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT DID NOT OCCUR.
SEVERAL OF US VISITED CORDIO PARKWAY PLANT.
IT'S MUCH SMALLER THAN THIS ONE AND IT'S EXTREMELY NOISY.
IN CLOSING, WE ARE ASKING THAT THE DECISION MAKERS SERIOUSLY CONSIDER OUR CONCERNS.
WE BELIEVE THIS PROJECT CAN BE A BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT HAVING DIRE CONSEQUENCES ON THE 800 OF US WHO HAVE MADE THIS RESORT IN THIS ISLAND OUR HOME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION, BUD.
MY NAME IS BLAINE BUD GRUNDLE AND I LIVE AT 1 33 ARROW ROAD.
I'M HERE AGAIN TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR CONCERN AND ATTENTION.
SO THE S I P S D PROJECT ON DUNIGAN ALLEY, I HAVE SUBMITTED WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AND I ASK YOU TO READ THEM CAREFULLY TO UNDERSTAND OUR POSITION.
SINCE CONSTRUCTION ON THIS PROJECT BEGAN, WE HAVE MET WITH TOWN STAFF, OFFICIALS AND OFFICIALS OF THE PS D.
WHILE WE, WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEEDED DEEP WELL, WE'D LIKE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO MAKE THIS PROJECT THE LEAST IMPACTFUL ON ALL THE RESIDENTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR FOCUS AT THIS POINT HAS BEEN STUDYING THE SOUND CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR EQUIPMENT BASED ON A VISIT TO THE SMALLER PLANT ON CARDILLO PARKWAY.
THIS COMMITTEE IS RES, THIS COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS TO ENSURE MODIFICATIONS TO THE TOWN MEET THE TOWN CODES.
WE HAVE MADE SUGGESTIONS TO THE PS D REGARDING LOCATION OF NOISE PRODUCING EQUIPMENT IN PHASE TWO, THEIR PRELIMINARY DESIGN SHOWED THAT MUCH OF THE NOISE PRODUCING EQUIPMENT WAS FACING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SOME HOPEFULLY MINOR RELOCATIONS AND SOME SOUND DEADENING WALLS.
WE THINK THE NOISE WILL BE REDUCED DOWN TO TOWN CODE LEVELS OR BELOW.
WE SUPPLIED THEM A DRAWING SHOWING THE PROPOSED LOCATIONS.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THEM.
AS USUAL, WE HOPE THAT THIS BOARD WILL SUPPORT US AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS TO DEVELOP A DESIGN THAT IMPROVES THE ISLAND AND DOESN'T DEGRADE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE P S D HAS NOT RESPONDED TO ANY OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS.
OUR STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT MANY OF US WILL BE EXPOSED TO A CONSTANT LEVEL OF 60 TO 70 DECIBELS, 24 HOURS A DAY.
THE PLANT ISN'T AT MAXIMUM PRODUCTION AT MIDNIGHT THAT EXCEEDS THE TOWN LIMITS IN YOUR OWN CODE.
WE ARE DOWNSTREAM FROM THE MIST FROM THE COOLING TOWERS, WHICH LIKELY WILL CONTAIN BIOLOGICAL MATTER SUCH AS LEGIONELLA DISEASE.
WE ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE TOWERS ACCORDING TO STANDARD DESIGN PRACTICES.
I ASKED THIS COMMISSION TO CAREFULLY REVIEW THEIR NEXT APPLICATION, PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE NOISE LEVELS THAT WILL BE GENERATED, THE EXCESSIVE RUNOFF THAT IS FLOODING OUR PROPERTIES AND THE LOCATION OF COOLING TOWERS AND THE KNOWN HEALTH HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
I ASK YOU TO SCRUTINIZE THEIR NEXT PERMIT, REQUEST VERY CAREFULLY.
THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THEIR BUILDING, CONSTRUCTION, LOCATION AND SOUNDPROOFING WILL ALL INFLUENCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF US.
WE ARE A NEIGHBORHOOD AND I INVITE OUR AUDIENCE TO GO DOWN THE STREET TO DUNIGAN ALLEY AND SEE WHAT'S BEING BUILT THERE AND SEE IF YOU'D WANT THAT IN YOUR BACKYARD.
I OWN AND LIVE IN THE HILTON HEAD MOTOR COACH RESORT.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY BECAUSE OF THE S I P S D WATER TREATMENT PROJECT AND HOW IT'S IMPACTING OUR RESORT OWNERS AND RENTERS.
THE PLANT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED IN TWO PHASES.
PHASE ONE INVOLVES BUILDING A WATER TANK, DRILLING TWO WELLS, ONE SHALLOW AND ONE DEEP 3,800 FEET SPANNING APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 16 MONTHS.
[00:30:01]
TWO INVOLVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RO PLANT, SIX COOLING TOWERS, OTHER RELATED EQUIPMENT, AND ANOTHER WATER TANK SPANNING AN ADDITIONAL THREE YEARS WITH EXPECTED COMPLETION.PHASE ONE HAS BEEN PERMITTED AND IS IN PROCESS TO DATE.
WE HAVE ENDURED SITE CLEARING AND PREPARATION CONSTRUCTION NOISE DISRUPTION DURING THE FIRST WATER TANK CONSTRUCTION AND WATER RUNOFF.
PRESENTLY, THE FIRST WELL IS BEING DRILLED.
PHASE TWO IS NOT YET PERMITTED IF APPROVED AS PROPOSED.
ONCE THE PLANT IS OPERATIONAL, WE WILL BE LISTENING 24 7 NONSTOP TO PLANT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COOLING, TOWERS, GENERATORS, FANS, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT, WHICH ARE THE EQUIVALENT TO SIX LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES IN OUR BACKYARD.
WE BELIEVE THE EXCESSIVE NOISE WILL INHIBIT ENJOYMENT OF OUR PROPERTIES AND EVEN SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT.
WE HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THESE COOLING TOWERS HARBOR DEADLY LEGIONELLA, WHICH IS WE ALL KNOW NOT GOOD.
WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT PHASE TWO, WHICH ADDRESSES THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OPERATING PLANT, HAS NOT YET BEEN PERMITTED.
SIPS EXISTING PHASE TWO PROJECT SCHEMATIC HAS NO SIGHT OR SOUND MITIGATION INCORPORATED.
AT THIS STAGE, THERE IS TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO CAREFULLY EVALUATE THE PROPOSED LAYOUT AND DESIGN.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT COOLING TOWER DESIGN AND SELECTION IS CRITICAL TO NOISE GENERATION AND OR THAT SIMPLY REARRANGING THE COOLING TOWERS CAN DIRECT NOISE AWAY FROM OUR RESORT RATHER THAN DIRECTLY INTO OUR RESORT AS PRESENTLY PROPOSED.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT SIGHT AND SOUND BARRIERS CAN EASILY BE ADDED.
WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO SIIT AND HAVE RECEIVED NO INDICATION THAT THEY HAVE ANY INTENTION OF ADDRESSING OUR CONCERNS.
AND BECAUSE SIIT HAS ALREADY ONE DISREGARDED THEIR REQUIRED PROPERTY BUFFER AND TWO HAS NOT TAKEN ADDRESSES TO A, HAS NOT TAKEN INTO CONCERN.
THIS PROJECT NEEDS THOUGHTFUL OVERSIGHT.
WE ASK THAT THE PLANNING COMMITTEE CAREFULLY REVIEW THE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR PHASE TWO, WHICH ADDRESSES THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OPERATING PLANT.
AND BEFORE APPROVAL AND PERMITTING OF PHASE TWO REQUIRE THAT SIPS, IT INCORPORATES SITE AND SOUND MITIGATION.
I'M A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF THE ISLAND HERE.
I LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS MORE A, A PERMANENT TOURIST BECAUSE I CAME HERE AS A TOURIST.
UM, SHORT-TERM RENTAL EFFECTS ON THE ECONOMY AND TOURISM SHORTTERM RENTALS PAY MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES AND PAY FOR OUR SCHOOLS WITH LESS SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
THE RESIDENTS TAXES WOULD BE INCREASED TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
SHORT TERM RENTALS OWNERS EMPLOY PROPERTY MANAGERS, CLEANERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OTHERS.
THE OWNERS SUPPORT LOCAL STORES IN ORDER TO FURNISH AND STOCK THEIR HOMES.
THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS INCOME TAX FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY SALES TAX.
WE HAVE NO MANUFACTURING HERE AND RELY ON SERVICES WHILE TOURISTS SUPPORT BUSINESSES.
THE REAL REVENUE COMES FROM THE WW TWO SERVICE EARNERS.
OUR RESIDENT POPULATION COULD NOT SUPPORT ALL OF THE SERVICES WE HAVE ON THE ISLAND.
WE MUST HAVE TOURISTS TO FUND OUR ISLAND.
SHORT-TERM RENTALS HAVE A SMALLER GREEN SPACE FOOTPRINT, KEEPING TOURIST ACCOMMODATIONS IN HARMONY WITH THE ISLAND'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
DESIGN FOR THE ISLAND, THE LARGE MULTI-LEVEL HOME HOTELS, TIMESHARES AND RESORTS ARE EYE SORTS AND WE'LL GET MORE NUMEROUS IF THE SMALLER DETACHED HOUSE AND VILLA ACCOMMODATIONS ARE ELIMINATED.
NO ONE WANTS TO SEE MORE HOTELS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
HOTEL ROOMS ARE NOT WELL SUITED FOR THE MULTI NIGHT STAY.
FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.
FAMILIES PREFER MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF SORE TERM RENTALS, AND IF WE MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THEY WILL TAKE THEIR VACATION DOLLARS TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
SHORT TERM RENTAL OWNERS HAVE THE INCENTIVE TO UPDATE AND UPKEEP THEIR PROPERTIES TO KEEP THEM ATTRACTIVE TO PROSPECTIVE GUESTS.
THIS HELPS THE ISLANDS, KEEPS THE ISLAND BEAUTIFUL AND PROPERTY VALUE HIGHER.
SHORT-TERM RENTALS BRING IN TOURISTS WHO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON THE ISLAND, KEEP BUSINESSES OPEN AND EMPLOYEES WORKING.
THEY ALSO PAY SALES AND ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, WHICH HELPS TO FUND OUR GOVERNMENT AND PAY FOR AMENITIES ON THE ISLAND.
[00:35:01]
CONSIDER THEIR RENTAL HOMES THEIR SECOND HOME, AND MANY PLAN TO USE THEIR SHORT TERM RENTALS AS THEIR PERMANENT HOME.THE OWNERS CARE ABOUT THE ISLAND IN ALL ASPECTS SUCH AS THE ECONOMY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WILDLIFE, AND THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THEY ARE NOT DISINTERESTED INVESTORS.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME'S RICHARD ANOS.
I AM A RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
DIDN'T PLAN ON SPEAKING TODAY, BUT SINCE THE FLOOR WAS OPEN, I THOUGHT I'D TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AND COME AND SPEAK BEFORE YOU.
I'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE ABOUT 1967 ON PROPERTY HERE SINCE 1970.
SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES.
THE PROPERTY WE BOUGHT WAS IN A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SAYS IT ALL.
WHEN YOU HAVE THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THEY START PUTTING FOUR, FIVE FAMILIES IN ONE HOUSE, THAT'S NOT SINGLE FAMILY ANYMORE.
SO YOU JUST NEED TO PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE PAID FOR AND WHAT WE CAME HERE FOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
I KNOW YOU HEAR MANY CONCERNS.
SOME OF THOSE ARE ROUTINES, SOME ARE URGENT, AND SOME ARE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
I LEFT A PACKAGE FOR EACH OF YOU TO LOOK AT, UM, AFTER WE ALL FINISH HERE.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF WHAT I SEE OUT MY BACK DOOR.
YOU CAN HARDLY TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SURF WATCH BUILDING AND THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BUILT SIDE TO SIDE WITH NO SPACE IN BETWEEN BY A SINGLE DEVELOPER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I LEFT YOU A PLA THAT, UH, WHERE HE IS BOUGHT FIVE EIGHTHS OF AN ACRE AT THE OPENING TO BRADLEY CIRCLE.
NOW HE, THERE'S 3 1 8 ACRE LOTS AND A QUARTER ACRE LOT.
NOW, HE HAS SOLD THE QUARTER ACRE LOT FROM ONE OF HIS CORPORATIONS TO ANOTHER CORPORATION OWNED BY HIMSELF SO THAT HE CAN SUBDIVIDE THAT INTO 2 1 8 ACRE LOTS.
SO NOW WE'RE IN A POSITION UNDER THE CURRENT REGULATIONS.
IF HE BRINGS HIS PLANS TODAY OR BEFORE Y'ALL TAKE ACTION, HE'LL BE ABLE TO BUILD FIVE MORE 10 BEDROOM UNITS ON A LITTLE OVER HALF AN ACRE.
IF THE FLOOR AREA RATIO AND PARKING RULES ARE NOT ESTABLISHED RIGHT AWAY, THIS WILL CERTAINLY HAPPEN.
WE'RE IN A HUNDRED YARD DASH WITH THIS DEVELOPER.
IT'S OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY VERSUS ONE PERSON.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT Y'ALL WILL SIDE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN WAIT ON THE ENTIRE ALAMO REWRITE.
I'M GONNA BE ASKING MR. ORLANDO TO MOVE THIS ALONG, TO PULL OUT TWO THINGS THAT WILL HELP NOT ONLY US, BUT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
IF YOU ESTABLISH A FLOOR AREA RATIO OF WHATEVER PERCENTAGE, 30, 40, 50%, I DON'T CARE.
THESE HOUSES WILL BE 10,000 SQUARE FEET IF HE WANTS TO, WHICH HE HAS BEFORE.
SO I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE HE'LL CHANGE 10,000 SQUARE FEET HOUSES ON 5,400 SQUARE FOOT LOTS, A RATIO OF NEARLY TWO TO ONE.
IF YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY HAVE A QUARTER OR THIRD ACRE LOT NEXT TO YOU, DO YOU WANT 20, 25 OR 30 BEDROOMS NEXT TO YOU? THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE EVERY NIGHT IN MY BACKYARD.
THERE ARE PARTY DECKS ON FIVE HOUSES AND THEY RAISE CANE AS LONG AS THEY WANT TO.
SOMETIMES THEY COME, SOMETIMES THEY CAN'T.
I NEED YOU TO PLEASE WORK WITH MR. ORLANDO AND MR. COLIN AND THEIR STAFFS.
WE NEED TO CARVE OUT IMMEDIATELY FLOOR AREA RATIO AND DECENT SIZE PARKING, THREE DIMENSIONAL PARKING SPACES SO THAT THEY CAN'T DO WHAT THEY DID NOW AND HAVE LITTLE PARKING GARAGES THAT ARE SIX FEET ABOVE SIX FEET.
SO PLEASE PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND ALSO YOU'LL BE DOING EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, EVERYBODY THAT LIVES ON THIS ISLAND A FAVOR AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.
[00:40:07]
GOOD MORNING.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
AFTER VISITING THE ISLAND FOR DECADES WITH MY FAMILY, WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH JUST THIS PAST YEAR TO, TO PURCHASE A HOME IN NORTH FOREST BEACH.
I REALLY WISH WE'D HAVE DONE IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, BUT WE DIDN'T.
UH, LIKE MANY HOMEOWNERS HERE, WE ENJOY THE HOME IN THE OFF SEASON SEASON AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT WE USE A, A LOCAL RENTAL AGENCY TO HELP US IN PEAK TIMES OF THE YEAR TO TO RENT THE HOME, TO SHORT TERM RENTALS TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE EXPENSES.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS BEEN KNOWN AS A, A FAMILY DESTINATION WITH WONDERFUL BEACHES AND ABUNDANCE OF GOLF COURSES AND SO ON FOR, FOR, FOR AS LONG AS I CAN RECALL.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NUMEROUS HOTEL AND CONDO ALTERNATIVES, MOST FAMILIES PREFER TO RENT A HOME.
SO DID IS SPACIOUS ENOUGH TO INCLUDE THEIR SIBLINGS, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, AND, AND IN OUR CASE, WE, WE GET TOGETHER WITH MY BROTHER SISTER ONCE A YEAR.
IT'S OUR OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER.
AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL HOMES AND THE TOURISM INDUSTRY ARE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF HILTON HEAD'S LOCAL ECONOMY, SHORT-TERM RENTAL HOMES, FUEL THE ECONOMY, PROVIDE GREAT SERVICE JOBS, AND THEY GENERATE, THEY GENERATE THE REVENUE, UH, FROM TOURISM THAT SUPPORTS MANY OF HILTON HEAD'S LOCAL ACTIVITIES, THE SCHOOLS, THE BEACHES, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, BIKE PASS PARKS AND POLICE AND, AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.
HOWEVER, I I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE, UH, AN A BALANCE THAT'S STRUCK BETWEEN LOCAL FULL-TIME RESIDENTS AND, AND VISITING SEASONAL GUESTS.
I PERSONALLY WAS IN FAVOR OF ALL THE SHORT-TERM ORDINANCES THAT YOU GUYS JUST PASSED, UH, PARTICULARLY REGARDING, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING ISSUES AND, AND NOISE CONTROL AND TRASH AND, AND SO ON, ESPECIALLY GUEST SAFETY.
UM, I, MY MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE KIND OF JUST BEING, I KNOW THAT THE LAST COUPLE YEARS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE CRAZY WITH EVERYTHING COVID RELATED IN THE PANDEMIC.
AND, AND I PERSONALLY HAVE SEEN MORE VISITORS HERE THAN IN THE PAST.
SO MY CAUTION IS, UM, CAN WE PLEASE JUST BE A LITTLE PATIENT, SEE WHAT SETTLES OUT, SEE WHAT THE LOCAL ORDINANCES THAT WE JUST PASSED, WHAT THEY GENERATE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT LIKE SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES DOWN HERE ON, ON THE ISLAND, THAT WHETHER IT'S PALMETTO DUNES OR SEA PINES WILL STRIKE A BALANCE THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY, UM, AND, AND, AND TAKES CARE OF WHAT THE JONESVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY IS LOOKING TO ACHIEVE AND SO ON.
SO THAT IS JUST MY WORD OF CAUTION.
I'VE LIVED IN AN AREA, WE, WE LIVED IN NEW ENGLAND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND HAD A HOME ON CAPE COD AND SAW WHAT LACK OF REGULATION AND HOW THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I'D JUST BE CAUTIOUS OF, OF OVER-REGULATING AND DESTROYING ESSENTIALLY THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG FOR THE ECONOMY HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
SEDA, BEFORE WE GO ON, HOW MANY MORE DO WE HAVE? THREE.
ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL, WE'LL PROCEED.
UM, I COME HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE VACATION RENTAL INDUSTRY.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE HILTON HEAD VACATION RENTAL ALLIANCE.
I'M ALSO, UH, INVOLVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA VACATION RENTAL ALLIANCE AND SAYING TODAY TO YOU AS MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL AND OUR GREATER COUNCIL, I WILL BE THE INCOMING PRESIDENT OF THE VACATION RENTAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, THE INTERNATIONAL GOVERNING BODY OF VACATION RENTALS.
SO IF WE WANT TO HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO PROPERLY REGULATE THIS INDUSTRY, I STAND BEFORE YOU OFFERING MY SERVICES TO DO SO.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTAL RENTALS, WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S THE ISSUES WITH JONESVILLE.
WE TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH BRADLEY BEACH.
WE HAVE JUST STARTED ON A JOURNEY OF REGULATING THIS INDUSTRY.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY AS HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO SET THE GOLD STANDARD FOR REGULATION.
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO WORK A BALANCE.
I MYSELF AM A 21 YEAR RESIDENT.
I, MYSELF AND MY PARTNER HAVE 23 EMPLOYEES THAT WE EMPLOY.
I, MYSELF AND MY PARTNER HAVE OVER 250 SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT WE USE JUST FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND I AM ONE OF 43 DIFFERENT RENTAL COMPANIES ON THE ISLAND.
SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT IF WE JUMP BEFORE WE KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE ON OUR ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT
[00:45:02]
A MONTH AGO.TODAY WAS THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.
WERE ANY OF THESE ITEMS BROUGHT UP DURING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION? THE ANSWER IS NO.
IF THE TOWN COUNCIL HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN, IT NEEDS TO SIT AND FOLLOW THAT PLAN, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE THESE TYPES OF ITEMS. THE OTHER ITEM THAT I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT IS, AND WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE, THE ADVISORY COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE STARTED.
NOW YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT WANNA VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
THERE ARE ARE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS MATTER.
THE ADVISORY COUNCIL COULD BE A CLEARING HOUSE.
INSTEAD OF WASTING ALL OF THIS TIME IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE ISSUES, DISCUSS THEM, HAVE COLLABORATION, HAVE COOPERATION, AND THEN COME BACK TO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE INSTEAD OF WASTING AN HOUR PLUS OF TIME FOR YOU TO REALLY DO THE BUSINESS OF OUR TOWN GOVERNMENT.
AGAIN, REGULATIONS AND CAPS ARE NOT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED ON THE ROADMAP.
YOU SENT OUT A SURVEY, WHICH I WILL GO ON RECORD OF SAYING IS COMPLETELY OB, OBTUSE AND IRRESPONSIBLE TO HAVE NOT WON.
USED THE TOWNS, THE TOWNS SENDING OUT A SURVEY THAT DID NOT DISCUSS WITH THE VACATION RENTAL COMMUNITY AT ALL.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY AND FOR YOU TO HAVE SENT OUT SOMETHING DISCUSSING CAPS AND LIMITATIONS WITHOUT OUR CONSULTATION, AGAIN, IS RECKLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE.
THANK YOU, MICAH COOPER, BAILEY, GOOD MORNING.
UM, I LIVE ON THE NORTH END, BUT I'M HERE WITH SUPPORTING JONESVILLE PEOPLE.
UM, I WANNA MATCH HIS ANGER, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, UM, AS YOU KNOW, I AM ONE OF THE DISGRUNTLED SERVICE PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND WHO CAN BARELY AFFORD TO LIVE HERE AT $1,555 A MONTH FOR A ONE BEDROOM IN ONE OF THE VERY FEW SHORT OR LONG TERM RENTAL COMMUNITIES LEFT.
I WANNA SAY THAT ALL THE GREAT SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT PEOPLE KEEP TALKING ABOUT, ALL THESE GREAT JOBS WILL, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE HERE IF WE CAN'T LIVE HERE.
I AM NOT GONNA COMMUTE TO THIS ISLAND WHEN I CAN MAKE MORE LIVING IN BLUFFTON AND MAYBE EVEN HAVE A ROOMMATE IN A NEW APARTMENT.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
IT'S NOT JUST DESTROYING NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, KIDS HAVE NO ONE TO PLAY WITH BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY ON THEIR STREET THAT LIVES THERE.
IT'S NOT JUST THAT, IT'S NOT JUST THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST THAT PEOPLE SPENT THEIR WHOLE LIFE WORKING TO BUY A HOUSE HERE AND THEN NOW THEY'VE GOTTA SEE A MONSTROSITY, YOU KNOW, NEXT DOOR THAT THEY WERE NEVER PLANNING ON.
IT'S THAT YOU WILL HAVE NOBODY TO MOW YOUR LAWNS, YOU'LL NOBODY TO WALK YOUR DOGS.
YOU WON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO STAFF THE ER.
YOU WON'T HAVE ANYBODY AT RESTAURANTS.
YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANYBODY IN THE RESORTS.
THERE WILL BE NOBODY HERE, NO ONE LIKE ME.
IF YOU GUYS DON'T THINK ABOUT US WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WE NEED LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THIS ISLAND.
I WILL SEE IT AT EVERY MEETING.
YOU WILL GET TIRED OF SEEING ME, BUT THAT IS MY JOB NOW.
AND LASTLY, MR. CHAIRMAN RISA PRINCE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, I KNOW THAT TOWN COUNCIL HAS BEEN WORKING TO CRAFT SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGULATIONS WITH THE GOAL OF BALANCING THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS WITH THE RIGHTS OF PROPERTY OWNERS FOR WELL OVER A YEAR.
THE PHASE ONE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES GENERATE TOWN REVENUES AND EXCESS OF THOSE OF FULL-TIME RESIDENTS LIKE ME, INCLUDING A HIGHER BASE PROPERTY TAX.
THEY PAY SCHOOL TAXES, A TAX, H TAX AND BEACH RE NOURISHMENT DOLLARS.
ELIMINATING STRS COMPLETELY WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, NOT ONLY DUE TO DECREASED TAX COLLECTIONS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE PROPERTY VALUES WOULD DROP AS STR R OWNERS MOVE THEIR INVESTMENTS TO OTHER MARKETS WHERE THEY CAN ACHIEVE SIMILAR RATES OF RETURN THAT THEY CURRENTLY ENJOY.
AS PART OF YOUR INITIAL REGULATION DISCUSSION, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE VACATION RENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THAT COMMITTEE SHOULD INCLUDE RESIDENTS LIKE THOSE WHO SPOKE TODAY, BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE INDUSTRY LIKE MR. BROWN.
[00:50:01]
OF THE PHASE ONE REC REGULATIONS AND MAKE FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNSEL.THE PHASE ONE DATA IS CURRENTLY BEING COLLECTED.
I RECOMMEND THAT THIS COMMITTEE MOVE NOW TO AND EMPANEL THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE SO THAT THEY'RE READY TO ANALYZE THE PROGRAM COST VERSUS REVENUE COLLECTED, THE COMMUNITY IMPACT OF PHASE ONE REGULATIONS AND TO DEVELOP THE PHASE TWO CHANGES FOR YOU.
UM, I THINK I'M SPEAKING FOR THE FOUR OF US UP HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DECORUM.
AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, SOMETIMES IN TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS, WE ARE CHALLENGED IN THAT WAY.
UM, I HEARD, AND I THINK THE FOUR OF US HEARD WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND TODAY.
UM, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS FINDING THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE RESIDENTS, PROPERTY RIGHTS, THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE LAWS THAT THIS STATE HAS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THE TRAFFIC AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WE ARE PUSHING AS A COUNCIL TO FIND THAT RIGHT BALANCE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING AND OF COURSE YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY HERE, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXCUSE YOURSELF NOW, PLEASE DO AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
OTHERWISE, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR CHAIR.
BEFORE YOU, UM, MOVE ON, I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE WHO HAVE COME HERE TO SPEAK SO PASSIONATELY ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT THAT HAVEN'T JUST COME FROM THE LAST WEEK OR TWO OR MONTH BUT YEARS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND SPEAKING UP.
THANK YOU FOR THE UNITED VOICE THAT REACHES FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH END OF THIS ISLAND.
AND ACROSS THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT IS TRUE AND WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THE BALANCE FROM WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TOWARDS WILL PLAY OUT IN EFFECT THE FUTURE.
I THINK YOU CAN HEAR CLEARLY THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PHENOMENA HERE ON THE ISLAND WANT US TO ADDRESS.
AND, UM, WHILE WE'RE WORKING QUICKLY, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE UM, WE ASK OUR TOWN MANAGER TO, UM, MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO ITEMS THAT WILL IMPACT FUTURE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE SHORT TERM RENTALS AS THEY EXIST TODAY.
IT'S ABOUT THE FUTURE SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT WILL BE BUILT TOMORROW.
SO THE F A R THE FAIR, UM, FLOOR AREA RATIO IS IMPORTANT ASPECT THAT SHOULD MOVE AS A PRIORITY AHEAD OF ALL OTHERS.
THE IDEA OF A PARKING SPOT FOR A BEDROOM OR FOR PER SQUARE FOOT, THAT INCREASES THE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE CARS NOT TO BE PARKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND YARDS AND YARDS BECOMING, UM, GRAVEL PARKING LOTS FROM THEM, PARKING DOWN THE STREETS IN OUR GROCERY STORES, IN OUR PARKS, AND THEN BEING SHUTTLED OVER TAKING UP SPACES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THOSE TWO ITEMS ALONE NOT ONLY IMPACT THE FUTURE, THE PRESENT, BUT THEY CAN IMPACT THE FUTURE.
AND HOW WE BEGIN TRULY TO ADDRESS THE BALANCE THAT WE SEEK.
UM, WE ASK, SOME HAVE ASKED, WE GOT HERE NOW HOW DO WE GET OUT OF IT? AND THAT THOSE TWO ITEMS ALONE WILL ADDRESS THAT.
I THINK BEYOND THOSE, WE'VE HEARD A SUGGESTION FROM THE JONESVILLE PRESERVATION GROUP THAT THEY HAVE, UM, OTHERS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE US TO FORWARD TO TOWN COUNCIL AND ONTO OUR TOWN MANAGER.
AND I THINK THERE'S NO HARM IN ACTUALLY TAKING THAT UP HERE TODAY AND MOVING THAT FORWARD SO THAT IT CAN BE CONSIDERED IN A REAL WAY TO, THAT WILL CAUSE REAL IMPACTS TO CREATE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR WORKFORCE LONG TERM.
AND SO TO DO THAT IS NOT DOING OUR DUTY AND HOLDING UP OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR RESIDENTS.
[00:55:01]
ANOTHER MATTER, I DO WANT TO MENTION WITH THE MOTOR COACH ISSUE, I'VE HEARD YOU SPEAK AT LEAST THREE TIMES NOW.I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOTTEN ANY ATTENTION, BUT AFTER THIS MEETING, I WILL PROMISE YOU THAT I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE ATTENTION THAT I CAN BRING TO YOUR CAUSE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS AT THIS TIME.
DISCUSSION ESTABLISHING THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR FRANKLIN.
BUT, UM, I ACTUALLY ASKED BEFORE YOU DO, UM, CHAIR, I DID ASK THAT WE TAKE, UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO US FOR CONSIDERATION AND PASS THEM ON TO OUR TOWN COUNCIL TO, UM, TO LOOK AT MORE CLOSELY AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO PASS THEM ON TO OUR TOWN MANAGER FOR AS A DIRECTION.
UM, IT WAS DISCUSSED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT WE WOULD MAKE A PRIORITY AT LOOKING AT THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE IN THE CONDITIONS, UM, WITH REGARD TO DEVELOPMENT, OVERDEVELOPMENT, REDEVELOPMENT, HOWEVER YOU WANNA SAY IT ON THIS ISLAND.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE THE DOCUMENT THAT THE JONESVILLE PRESENTATION GROUP HAS PUT TOGETHER AND MOVE IT FORWARD FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
I, I THINK THAT IS A MOTION THAT IS OUT OF ORDER.
IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS DISCUSSION.
ESTABLISHING A TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND GROWTH.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
IS IT IMPORTANT TO RESPOND JUST IN TERMS OF CONSIDERATION TO OUR RESIDENTS? I'M SORRY, ADAM BECKER, PLEASE.
AND IF WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW, FINE SEAN, PLEASE.
JUST BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, I KNOW WE WANNA MOVE ON WITH BUSINESS.
UM, I JUST DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UH, WE HAVE, UM, CHANGES THAT ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON TO THE LMO TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE SHORT TERM, UH, PINCH POINTS AND ISSUES.
UM, WHEN THE TOWN COUNCIL HAD THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN BACK IN JANUARY, WE LOOKED AT A NINE 60 TO 90 DAY TIMEFRAME.
UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR INTERNAL TEAM, UM, LASER FOCUSED ON THIS.
UH, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CHARETTES AND IT'LL LEAD INTO SOME OF THESE NEXT ITEMS. UH, BUT WE WILL DELIVER SHORT TERM, UM, AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE OR SOME THAT ARE ALREADY GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, UM, IN THAT 60 TO 90 DAY PERIOD.
UM, AND SO WE'RE EXECUTING BASED ON THAT DIRECTION THAT CAME, UH, AT THAT POINT WE WILL OVERHAUL OUR ENTIRE LMO BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, TO INCLUDE THE DISTRICT PLANNING AND THE GROWTH FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING HERE, UM, SHORTLY, UM, WHEN WE GET TO IT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE POINTING THAT OUT AS LONG AS YOU BROUGHT THOSE THAT MATTER UP.
UH, IS THE F A R UNDER CONSIDERATION IS THE PARKING ISSUE? YES, SIR.
THOSE ARE ALL PART OF THE SHORT TERM, UH, AMENDMENTS THAT WE WILL BE, WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD IN THAT IN THAT FIRST BATCH.
WHO IS GOING TO PRESENT THE FRAMEWORK? I, I WANNA JUST PROVIDE SOME OVERVIEW BECAUSE, UM, I'M, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT AN A TIME IN HILTON LED'S HISTORY SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A, UM, A MASTER PLAN FOR HILTON LED ISLAND.
UM, IN MY PREVIOUS WORK I DID A LOT OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS AND SO I WAS EXCITED WHEN I CAME TO HILTON BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE, WE TRANSITION INTO LOOK AT MASTER PLANNING, LOOKING AT REDEVELOPMENT.
AND I, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE FINALLY THERE.
WE LOOKED AT THE MID ISLAND DISTRICT, UM, OVER THE PERIOD OF A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND BROUGHT THAT FORWARD TO TOWN COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER.
UM, THAT ESTABLISHED KIND OF THE FRAMEWORK ON HOW WE WOULD EVALUATE OTHER DISTRICTS AND BRING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
UM, IT WAS MISSING A COUPLE OF KEY COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE INCLUDING IN THIS, IN THIS PART OF THE, UH, THE PROCESS.
ONE IS THAT CONDITIONS AND TRENDS, YOU KNOW, BUILDING ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND BUILT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS YOU WORK THROUGH AND ADOPT THAT PROCESS, IT SHOULD TRANSLATE INTO YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
IT SHOULD TRANSLATE INTO YOUR IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS, INCLUDING THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, YOUR ZONING, AND SO FORTH.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A FUTURE LAND USE MAP ON HILTON ISLAND IN MY TENURE.
AND SO THIS EFFORT WILL GUIDE A FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT PROVIDES THE RIGHT, UM, CONSISTENCY DEVELOPMENT LEVELS, BOTH FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT, UM, TO, TO KIND OF RESET.
SO WE WILL COMPLETE THE CONDITIONS AND TRENDS WE NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE AT ON SOME OF THESE KEY THINGS.
UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS WERE BROUGHT UP HERE TODAY.
SO I WANNA COVER THAT JUST BRIEFLY.
[01:00:01]
DO HAVE THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM IN PLACE.UH, WE ARE ACTIVELY, UH, WORKING TO PERMIT THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
SO THEY'RE PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
WE WILL HAVE, I BELIEVE ON APRIL 15TH, THE FIRST QUARTER REPORT ON, UH, CON ON CONFIRMED SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
IT'LL CONTINUE TO GROW AS NEW LISTINGS COME ONLINE OVER TIME, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT DATA TO SHARE.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS, UH, WHEN THAT WOULD BE A AVAILABLE ON APRIL 15TH IS THE DATE.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT TREND, REALLY UNDERSTAND THE SIZE AND MAGNITUDE OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S THE APPETITE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR GROWTH AND IF WE'RE ROUGHLY AT 40,000 PERMANENT RESIDENTS OR PER PERMANENT POPULATION TODAY IN THAT PLANET, TALKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 50,000.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT GROWTH IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND BE INTENTIONAL ON HOW IT HAPPENS.
UM, YOU LOOK AT SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
IF, IF YOU HAD TWO PEOPLE PER PER HOUSE AND YOU WANNA GROW 10,000, IT'S 5,000 MORE RESIDENTIAL UNITS ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF THE ISLAND.
THAT DOESN'T FACTOR IN IF THOSE HOMES ARE BUILT AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS, RIGHT? THAT DOESN'T CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR PERMANENT POPULATION.
UM, IF, IF A THIRD OR A HALF OF THE HOME IS BEING BUILT ARE IN THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL BUCKET, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWICE THAT NUMBER OF UNITS TO GET TO THAT WHERE THE APPETITE FOR GROWTH WAS.
OR YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, WHERE THAT BALANCE POINT IS AS COUNCILMAN AMES UH MENTIONED.
SO THE CONDITION AND TRENDS ASSESSMENT, REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHERE OUR CAPACITIES ARE, WHERE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FROM GROWTH FROM THE SYSTEMS WE HAVE ON THE ISLAND IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP WILL PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR WHERE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND GROWTH SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
WE'RE TRYING TO BASE THAT AGAIN ABOUT BUILDING ON AN ITERATIVE MAP.
LET'S PROTECT THOSE AREAS THAT WE KNOW SHOULD NOT BE DEVELOPED.
WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL TOWN HOLDINGS THAT WE KNOW THROUGH THE FUNDING SOURCES SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY THE, UM, BASED ON THE FUNDING, THE FUNDING THAT WAS USED TO ACQUIRE THEM.
THERE ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY PROTECTED AREAS THAT WE SHOULD PROTECT.
SO LET'S BUILD THAT MAP AND UNDERSTAND THE AREAS THAT WE WANNA PROTECT AND PRESERVE.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS AT THE VERY TOP OF OUR LIST.
AND THEN WE KNOW WHERE THERE'S, THERE'S AREAS WHERE ACTIVITY HAS OCCURRED, UM, WHERE IT MAKES SENSE AND WHERE THERE'S CAPACITY FOR ADDITIONAL GROWTH BASED ON TRANSPORTATION, UH, OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER, SEWER, UM, MOBILITY.
UM, AND, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD THAT MAP.
USING THAT INFORMATION WE KNOW THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND WILL, WILL GROW TO WHAT LEVEL WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT AND DETERMINE AND WHERE THAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
AS PART OF THIS EXERCISE, UM, THE DISTRICT PLANNING WILL GET DOWN TO MORE FINE TUNED DETAIL OF WHERE WE ARE GOING, UH, WITHIN THE SPECIFIC SUB AREAS.
AND THEN THAT WILL ALL BE USED TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS FUTURE LAND USE MAP, WHICH WILL GUIDE THAT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
AND HAVING THOSE KEY ITEMS IN PLACE WILL PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
WE CAN CALIBRATE OUR CODE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DRIVING IN THAT DIRECTION AND MAKING THE CHANGES THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR AND THAT I'VE BEEN EXPECTING TO DELIVER FOR SOME TIME.
SO I WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT OVERVIEW.
I KNOW I PROBABLY STOLE A LOT OF WHAT MISSY'S GONNA COVER, BUT THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE ON.
SHE'S GONNA GIVE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL CUZ WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CONSULTANTS AND OUR TEAM AND SO I'M GONNA, I TOLD HER MISSY TAKE CHARGE AND, UH, I'M GONNA GET OUT OF THE WAY, BUT I WANNA SHARE THAT FOR THE GROUP.
MISSY LU, ASSISTANT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THESE PROJECTS.
UM, I THINK SEAN DID PRETTY MUCH, UM, TAKE EVERYTHING THAT I WAS GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, BUT, BUT REALLY THEY'RE BOTH THREADED TOGETHER, SO, AND LINKED INTRICATELY AND ALSO TO THE LMO PROJECT THAT WILL BE ON YOUR AGENDA NEXT MONTH.
UM, THE GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP, AS SEAN ALREADY DISCUSSED, IS A WAY TO LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY AND WHERE WE ENVISION THAT GROWTH, WHERE WE ENVISION THAT EXTRA 10,000 RESIDENTS TO BE.
SO IT'LL IDENTIFY THOSE CENTERS AND EDGES.
IT, IT'LL BE A WAY TO LOOK AND THINK ABOUT THE ISLAND IN 3D, UM, AND THINK ABOUT WHERE WE WANT TO HAVE THOSE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CENTERS IN THOSE AREAS FOR GROWTH AND WHERE WE WANNA SEE AREAS OF CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION.
UM, AND THEN THAT PROJECT IS KIND OF LIKE GOING FROM THE VISION IN OUR PLAN THAT SETS, UM, OUR VISION AND OUR TENANTS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES, THEN DOWN TO THAT GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP FURTHER DOWN INTO DISTRICT PLANNING, WHICH GETS TO A PARCEL LEVEL, AND THEN WE ADOPT A FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
[01:05:01]
WORKING THROUGH POLICY AND LMO AND BECOMES PART OF, UM, OUR CODE, AND THAT'S RIGHT AT THE GROUND LEVEL.SO THIS IS REALLY TAKING, UM, WHAT WE'VE BUILT UPON WITH, UM, DISTRICT PLANNING AND JUST BRINGING IT FROM 30,000 FEET FURTHER DOWN THROUGH ALL, ALL OF THOSE LEVELS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERALL VISION FOR THE, FOR THE PROJECT.
I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION ON WHERE WE'RE HEADED AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SETTING THE CORRECT SCOPE FOR THE OVERALL PROJECT.
WE MET LAST WEEK WITH THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TEAM, UM, INTERNALLY AS WELL AS THE CONSULTANT TEAM TO WORK ON SCOPE AND, AND OVERALL HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, STRATEGICALLY WORK THROUGH THESE PROJECTS.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET TO DISTRICT PLANNING, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY? WHAT LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? UM, AND, AND SO FAR WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS A VERY ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, PROGRAM.
AND, UM, AND THAT, AS SEAN HAD MENTIONED, THAT THESE ARE ALL REALLY BUILDING UPON, UM, THE WORK THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
AND PART OF THE WORK THAT THE CONSULTANT TEAM HAS ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON IS THAT CONDITIONS AND TRENDS ANALYSIS, WHICH WILL GIVE US THE INFORMATION AND DATA WE NEED.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS WILL BE THE MICROPHONE INTO THE COMMUNITIES, CERTAINLY ALL TOPICS, UM, WE WILL HEAR ABOUT, UM, THROUGH THIS LENS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND THEN I THINK AS SHORT TERM RENTALS WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSED TODAY, UM, HOW DOES THAT WEAVE INTO DISTRICT PLANNING? AND THEN HOW DOES IT WEAVE INTO PERHAPS THE, THE LMO AMENDMENT PROJECT THAT WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UM, NEXT MONTH? UM, SO OVERALL, UM, THE FULL PROGRAM, AS WE DESCRIBED, IS, UM, REALLY WELL INTEGRATED WITH, UM, THE LMO PROJECT AS WELL.
UM, AGAIN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT PROJECT NEXT MONTH AND WHAT THE SCOPE IS FOR THAT.
AND I THINK, UM, SEAN INDICATED WHAT THAT PROJECT, UM, LOOSELY ENTAILS.
UM, BUT WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT NEXT MONTH.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, YEAH.
THERE, THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT TO THIS.
UM, I, I'VE GONE THROUGH SOME EXERCISES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, THROUGH THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE WHERE THEY'VE COME IN AND THEY, THEY'VE DONE THESE REALITY CHECKS AND IT LOOKS AT THE COMMUNITY AND 3D, RIGHT? SO WHERE IS THE DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY AND LEVELS? HOW'S IT DIS DISTRIBUTED? AND THEN IT TAKES INTO, IT MAKES SOME ASSUMPTION TO SAY, HERE'S ROUGHLY WHAT WE THINK THE RIGHT ADDITIONAL MIX WOULD BE.
AND THEN THE COMMUNITY WORKS TO PLACE THAT, YOU KNOW, I I, UM, SOMETIMES IT'S POKER CHIPS OR LEGOS OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY, IT'S, IT'S A 3D REPRESENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND IF YOU LOOKED AT AN INTENSITY CENTER LIKE COLIGNY OR SHELTER CLUB TOWN CENTER OR HARBORTOWN, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD SOME MORE IN THAT, TO PROTECT AREAS THAT SHOULD BE PROTECTED? SO IT'S NOT JUST ADDING MORE IN THOSE AREAS.
IT IS LET'S REDUCE DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY IN SOME AREAS AND MOVE THOSE TO WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THAT.
SO AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO, IS THAT, IS THOSE SIMILAR EXERCISES, HAVE THE COMMUNITY HELP GUIDE WHERE THEY THINK, UM, THAT DEVELOPMENT SHOULD OCCUR.
UM, AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I BROUGHT THAT IN.
WE'LL BRING YOU A DRAFT GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP AND THE, THE DRAFT DISTRICT MAP FOR REVIEW.
WE WANNA KNOW TODAY IF WE'RE ON THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THEN WE'LL KEEP CHECKING IN AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS ON THESE KEY ITEMS TO BRING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
UM, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM, SORRY, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE, UM, COMMENT ON THE, THE END RESULT OR DELIVERABLE PACKAGE FOR THIS, UM, EFFORT SIMILAR TO MID ISLAND DISTRICT.
WE ENVISION EACH DISTRICT TO BE PART OF AN OVERALL PACKAGE, BUT, BUT CAN BE PULLED OUT AS INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS OR SECTIONS.
SO IT WILL LOOK SIMILAR TO MID ISLAND DISTRICT, UM, OVERALL, UM, IN HOW THAT WAS FORMATTED.
AND, UM, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERALL DELIVERABLE CONCEPT.
UH, MISSY, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION HERE.
BUT FOR, UH, FULLER UNDERSTANDING FOR SOMEONE THAT'S NOT BEEN THROUGH THIS EXERCISE BEFORE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS MAP WILL BE AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY, UH, TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE ISLAND? OKAY.
AND THEN AS YOU DRILL DOWN DEEPER INTO THE MAP, YOU WILL SEE INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS WILL THOSE SHOW OVERLAYS OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING THAT APPLIES THERE.
[01:10:01]
JUST LIKE MID ISLAND DISTRICT, IT WILL GO THROUGH AN EXERCISE TO LOOK AT EXISTING ZONING, EXISTING LAND USE, AND THEN FUTURE LAND USE.AND, UM, AS WE GET THROUGH THAT DISTRICT PLANNING AND, AND HEAR FROM RESIDENTS ON, ARE THOSE USES APPROPRIATE? ARE THE, IS THE INTENSITY AND, UM, THE DENSITY APPROPRIATE AND WILL CALIBRATE, UM, WITH THE RECOMMENDATION SECTION FOR EACH DISTRICT? IT SOUNDS OUTSTANDING.
WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH TODAY ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS, SOMETHING WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT AND ARE TRYING TO DEAL WITH.
UH, WILL SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES ALSO BE IT IDENTIFIED AS YOU DRILL DOWN, DEFINE POINTS INTO THIS MAP.
UM, THAT WILL BE PART OF THE CONDITIONS AND TRENDS ANALYSIS.
WE'LL HAVE ALL METRICS ON A VARIETY OF, UM, POINTS OF DATA.
AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS WILL BE ONE OF ONE OF THOSE, UM, INCLUDED IN THE MENU OF, UH, CONDITIONS AND TRENDS THAT WILL ANALYZE.
SO BEYOND CONDITIONS AND TRENDS, MY QUESTION IS, WILL IT BE AVAILABLE ON THE MAP? WILL YOU BE LOOKING AT, UH, AN INDIVIDUAL PARCEL OR A NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW MANY SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE THERE? WE'RE MINING THE DATA RIGHT NOW OF THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT ARE HERE AND WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED THROUGH OUR, UH, PROGRAM IN THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE AND THE LICENSING THAT IS BEING REQUIRED.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT DATA IS GONNA BE AVAILABLE ON THIS MAP TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THIS VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
WE, UM, COUNCILMAN CHAMBER, WE CAN CERTAINLY DEVELOP A, A HUB AND DASHBOARD THAT HAS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT LAYERS TO INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, THE GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP IS REALLY A HIGH LEVEL, LET'S SAY 30,000, UH, UH, FOOT LEVEL THAT LOOKS AT WHERE YOU HAVE CENTERS, WHERE YOU HAVE EDGES THAT YOU WANNA PROTECT.
THE, THE DEV, THE, THE DETAIL WILL COME IN.
THE DISTRICT PLANNING WILL EVALUATE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS WITHIN EACH, WITHIN EACH ONE OF THOSE DISTRICTS LIKE WE DID FOR MID ISLAND AND CALIBRATE A FUTURE LAND USE CONDITION AND MAP THAT PUSHES US IN THAT DIRECTION.
IT'LL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL CODE CHANGES TO, TO CHANGE THE ZONING TO MATCH AND THE FUTURE.
LAND USE MAP SHOULD GUIDE, UM, DECISION MAKING GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN THE ZONING MAP IS YOUR TOOL, YOUR REGULATORY TOOL AS PART OF YOUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE.
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO OVERLAY THE DISTRIBUTION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS WITHIN THE DISTRICTS AND THEN OVERALL, UH, ISLAND WIDE, UH, MAP AS WELL.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE CAPABILITIES OF HAVING THIS, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROGRAM AND GO OS UM, TRACKING THIS AND MAPPING IT AND, UH, VERIFY WE'LL HAVE THAT DATA TO SHOW ON A MAP.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 30,000 YES SIR.
FEET RIGHT NOW, AND THAT WOULD NOT SHOW AT THAT.
BUT WE'VE HAD SO MANY CONCERNS ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
I WANTED TO TRY TO DRILL DOWN TO THE POINT THAT THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE.
YOU HAVE, EACH OF YOU HAS MENTIONED THAT THERE WILL BE CONSIDERABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
WE NEED TO DO THAT BY GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN JUST HAVING THOSE MEETINGS HERE, UH, IN TOWN COUNCIL.
THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
SEAN, WE'RE MISSING JUST AN INTERJECTION, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT GOV OS WILL BE IDENTIFYING ON A MAP, SHORT TERM RENTALS IN ADVANCE OF WHAT THIS PROCESS MIGHT BE.
SO THE PUBLIC WILL SIR WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT APRIL 15TH REPORT IS THE FIR WELL IT'S THE FIRST QUARTER REPORT, UH, IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE RELEASING TO INCLUDE DISTRIBUTION.
UM, JUST WANTED TO PICK UP ON THAT ASPECT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH REGARD TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
MANY OF THEM CREATE ISSUES ACROSS OUR ISLAND, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE AN IDENTIFIED, UM, DATA POINT THAT SHOWS HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE OWNED BY LLCS AND HOW MANY OF THO HOW MANY SHORT TERM RENTALS THOSE LLCS OWN IN TOTAL, BECAUSE THAT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
NO, NONE OF THEM ARE LESS EQUAL, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE A, A DATA POINT ON.
NOTHING ELSE ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT OTHER THAN GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU SEAN, UH, FOR THE REPORT.
UM, I, I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL PICKING UP ON SOME OF MR. STANFORD'S QUESTIONS.
I I THINK A LOT OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE ZONING MAP
UH, COULD, COULD WE, AND AND I'M LOOKING AT THE OUTLINE YOU PREPARED IN THE STAFF REPORT TODAY.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO DEFINE THAT TERM AND IF THERE IS AN EXAMPLE, UH, THAT PERHAPS WE OR THE PUBLIC COULD SEE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
CUZ YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M PRETENDING LIKE I'M A SATELLITE AND LOOKING DOWN NOW FOR A 3D AND I CAN'T
[01:15:01]
DO THATUM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, COMMUNITY SESSIONS AND I AGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE IN THE COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THAT'D BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, UH, AND I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO SEE A TIMELINE OF HOW THAT WOULD WORK OUT.
I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY STILL IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF FIGURING THAT OUT, BUT AS SOON AS WE HAVE SOME SORT OF IDEA ABOUT HOW THAT WILL PROGRESS AND MAYBE WHICH AREAS WILL BE INCLUDED.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO DRILL DOWN TO DISTRICTS IN THE OUTLINE, IT'S, IT INCLUDES JONESVILLE, UM, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO, UH, KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH OF THE NEXT DISTRICTS, UM, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT DRIVE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY SESSIONS, I'M ONLY GUESSING AT THAT.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO GIVES YOU THE IDEAS ABOUT WHICH DISTRICTS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE LIST? AND I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW THAT AND, AND THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US AND TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, THE, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT, THAT BOTHERS ME, UM, IS THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CALLS FOR, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF HE CALLED IT AN APPETITE FOR GROWTH, BUT, UH, TO GROW FROM 40,000 TO 50,000 RESIDENTS.
AND, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M BOTHERED BY THAT.
I, I, YOU KNOW, I LOOK BACK AT THE COMP PLAN AND SEE THE LANGUAGE THERE AND HOW THAT WAS DESCRIBED, BUT I THINK BECAUSE, UH, ONE OF OUR STRATEGIES THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED AT OUR STRATEGIC, UH, WORK SESSION OVER TWO DAYS WAS GROWTH MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS WHY Y'ALL ARE HERE TODAY TO MAKE THESE REPORTS TO US.
UM, BUT DOES THAT CHANGE, UM, BASED ON THAT DATA AND THE COMP PLAN? I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
UM, AND WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT IN YOUR REPORT, THE BALANCE BETWEEN, UM, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FULL-TIME RESIDENTS GROWING FROM 40 TO 50,000, HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT WITH THOSE WHO COME AND VISIT AND HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE HERE AT ONE TIME? UM, SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT, AT THE DATA FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW VERY CAREFULLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT GROWTH MANAGEMENT.
UM, AND, UM, I, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS WORK.
UM, YOU, YOU PROBABLY HEARD ME BEFORE, SAY, INSTEAD OF PUMPING THE BRAKES
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSED L M O AMENDMENTS TO DEAL WITH GROWTH MANAGEMENT ISSUES.
UM, OF COURSE, I SUPPORT THIS DIRECTION.
I THINK IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE, UH, COUNCIL AND STAFF TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THE FUTURE AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE SOME REASSURANCE WHERE THIS COMMUNITY IS HEADED.
THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS, UH, OR BENEFITS OF WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
ONE IS IT WILL ALLOW US TO PRESERVE AREAS OF THE ISLAND, UH, IN PERPETUITY THAT SHOULD BE PRESERVED IN PERPETUITY.
AND SECONDLY, IT WILL ALLOW, UM, THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND EDGE CONDITIONS.
AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, SE SESSION EARLIER, UH, PEOPLE FROM THE MOTOR COACH MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE INTRUSION OF, UH, WATER FACILITY RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
THAT'S AN EDGE CONDITION THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BETTER UNDERSTANDING HOW WE PROTECT OUR EDGE CONDITIONS FOR THE HIGHER AND BETTER USE OF THE RESIDENTS.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S THOSE TWO ELEMENTS.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO PRESERVE THE AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED TO BE PRESERVED AND NOT, NOT ONLY IN NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, BUT NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
AND THEN SECONDLY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROTECT THE EDGE CONDITIONS OF RESIDENTIAL AREAS ON THE, IN THE COMMUNITY? SO I GATHER FROM OUR CONSENSUS UP HERE, UH, MISSY, THAT WE'RE HEADED IN A GOOD DIRECTION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT IT, UH, NEXT MONTH AND THE MONTH AFTER.
NEXT ON THE ITEM DISCUSSION OF ESTABLISHING A TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND PLANNING DISTRICTS, IS THAT INCORPORATED ALREADY? AND WHAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT OR IS OKAY.
BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS WERE DISCUSSED AT THE SAME TIME.
ITEM C, CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE UPDATING THE LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE BEACH MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON AT ISLAND, PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BEACHFRONT MANAGEMENT ACT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE REQUIRES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER LOCALITIES ALONG THE OCEAN.
I'M THE TOWN ENGINEER FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
[01:20:01]
THIS ITEM HAS COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, RECEIVED UNANIMOUS APPROVAL.IT THEN CAME BEFORE THE COMMUNITY SERVICES PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, AND THEN TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING IN JANUARY WHEN IT WAS DISCUSSED, UM, IT WAS REMANDED BACK TO COMMITTEE TO THIS PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
AND THERE WERE A FEW EDITS AND CHANGES DISCUSSED THAT WE, UH, ARE, HAVE INCORPORATED INTO THE PLAN.
UM, I HAVE A PRESENTATION HERE THAT, UH, I WILL NOT GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.
UH, IT'S BEEN PRESENTED BEFORE TO, UM, COUNSEL AND COMMITTEES, BUT I DID WANT TO ADDRESS THE CHANGES.
UM, THE, THE FULL PLAN, THE UPDATE TO THE PLAN IS IN THE PACKET, UH, INCLUDED ON THE WEBSITE AND FOR THIS MEETING.
THERE ARE FOUR ITEMS, UH, THAT WERE CHANGED.
THE FIRST ITEM WAS, UM, MENTION OF WHERE THE CHAMBER PROMOTES OUR BEACHES.
WE WANTED TO SAY THE PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR BEACH.
UM, THAT IS ALSO THE, THE FOURTH ITEM, THE SAME THING AND A DIFFERENT REFERENCE.
UH, THE, THE SUBSECTION HEADING OF A CLIMATE, UM, SHOULD BE ADAPTATION, A SEA LEVEL RISE PLAN.
WE'RE GONNA CALL THAT THE RESILIENCE PLAN, UH, GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN THERE WAS A MENTION OF A PAST COMMITTEE, A DISASTER RECOVERY COMMITTEE THAT, THAT DID THEIR, THEIR MISSION AND COMPLETED THEIR WORK AND WAS THEN DISBANDED AFTER THE RECOVERY PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AND THE DEBRIS MANAGEMENT PLAN.
SO, SO WE ADMITTED THAT, UH, FROM THE PLAN.
SO THOSE ARE THE CHANGES FROM THE PLAN THAT WAS PUT FORTH TO TOWN COUNCIL AND WAS REVIEWED BY PLANNING COMMISSION AND PAST COMMITTEES.
UM, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW, UH, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE, IF ANYONE QUESTIONS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO AND WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, UM, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A SHORT WHILE.
SCOTT LIGGETT DID IT FOR DECADES, AND WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE SAME COASTAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT, UH, THAT HAS WORKED AND ENGINEERED AND MONITORED OUR BEACHES FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
AND, AND THOSE FOLKS TELL ME WHEN I MEET OTHER CITY MANAGERS, CITY ENGINEERS, PUBLIC WORKS, DIRECTORS, AND AND CONSULTANTS, THAT, THAT WE ARE THE GOLD STANDARD.
WE ARE WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE.
UM, WE HAVE A, A SELF-SUSTAINING FUNDING SOURCE THROUGH, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS TAX THAT WE HAVE A FENCED ACCOUNT WITH A BEACH PRESERVATION FEE THAT HELPS FUND OUR PROJECTS.
SO WE CAN CHOOSE TO GO AFTER GRANTS FROM THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS IF WE CHOOSE, UH, TO DO SO ON THESE RENOURISHMENT PROJECTS.
WE'RE REALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR OUR OWN BEACHES AND, AND OUR OWN PROJECTS AND HOW WE WANNA DO 'EM.
OF COURSE, WE CAN'T, UH, GO WITHOUT THAT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK HERE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A, A PROGRAM BEFORE 1990.
THE TOWN WAS INCORPORATED IN 83.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS EARLY COUNCILS WISHED TO DO WAS DEVELOP A PROGRAM, UM, TO RENOURISH AND, AND SUSTAIN OUR BEACHES.
UH, YOU SEE THIS PICTURE, THESE ARE ALL FROM THE SAME VANTAGE 0.4 PICTURES OVER TIME.
UM, THAT HOUSE THERE WITH THE, UH, IS THAT A GABLE ROOF LINE? IS THAT CORRECT? MM-HMM.
BUT ANYHOW, THE PICTURES WERE TAKEN FROM THE SAME VANTAGE POINT.
AND AT 1990 WHEN IT WAS EVERY PROPERTY OWNER FOR THEMSELVES, UH, YOU SEE THE ROCK REVETMENTS AND, AND THINGS PEOPLE HAD TO PLACE TO, TO KEEP THE, THE, THE OCEAN, UH, FROM ERODING THEIR LANDS.
NOT ONLY THE, THE RECREATION AND COMMERCE AND EVERYTHING THAT THE, THE BEACHES BRING, UM, HABITAT, UH, ET CETERA.
BUT FOR RESILIENCY, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS AT A CONFERENCE HERE, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO AND, AND LOOKING AT WHAT IAN DID UP NEAR POLLY'S ISLAND, SOME AREAS THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN RECURED AND SOME THAT HADN'T.
AND, AND THE ONES THAT HAD BEEN RECENTLY RE NOURISHED, WITHSTOOD THE, THE, THE SURGE FINE.
AND, UH, VERY MINOR EROSION AND, AND, YOU KNOW, LITTLE PROPERTY DAMAGE, THOSE THAT HAD NOT BEEN RENOURISHED SUFFERED, UH, BAD PROPERTY DAMAGE AND THAT THAT WAS A LOW CAT ONE OBJECT.
UH, AND THE CONNECTION TO OUR CONVERSATION IS THAT WITHOUT THE BEACH MANAGEMENT PLAN BEING UPDATED, WE WOULD AT THAT POINT BE, UH, JEOPARDIZING OUR, UM, UH, RENOURISHMENT PERMITS.
YES, SIR, IT IS, UH, THE, THE STATE BEACHFRONT MANAGEMENT ACT REQUIRES COASTAL COMMUNITIES THAT, UH, LIKE US, THAT HAVE A BEACH PROGRAM, HAVE A BEACH MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATED EVERY 10 YEARS.
IT, IT IS ADOPTED BY, UM, OCRM.
WE HAD OUR LAST PLAN ADOPTED BY OCRM IN 2017.
THEY ASK FOR A FIVE YEAR INTERIM UPDATE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE, ADOPTING THAT, AND IT'S UPDATING THE STATISTICS AND THE FACTS AND THE, THE BEACH SURVEYS, ET CETERA.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE UPDATING IT IN THAT REGARD AND WE'LL SUBMIT IT TO THEM.
UM, BUT YES, IT, IT, IT WILL HELP WITH OUR PERMITTING.
AND A LITTLE BIT OF A SIDEBAR, THERE IS A BILL BEFORE THE, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW FOR BEACH RENOURISHMENT FUNDING.
[01:25:01]
UM, HAS SPONSORED THAT BILL.AND WHAT IT WILL DO IS DEVOTE A, A LINE ITEM FUNDING WITHIN SOUTH CAROLINA PARKS RECS AND TOURISM DEPARTMENT, AN ANNUAL RECURRING ACCOUNT.
UM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT EIGHT TO 10 MILLION INITIALLY, AND IT WILL COME FROM, UH, 2% OF THE ADMISSIONS, TAX, ADMISSIONS, TAXES, ANYTHING LIKE A SHOW, A BALL GAME, A MOVIE, ANYTHING YOU PAY ADMISSION TO, UM, THEY TAX THAT AND IT GOES INTO A POT.
AND SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S HUGE.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING US, IF WE CHOOSE TO GO FOR THAT FUNDING, UH, THROUGH FUTURE GRANT.
UM, SOME QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UH, THANK YOU MR. BUCKALOO FOR THAT REPORT.
AND, UH, ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO MET WITH ME, UM, WITH MY DOG, DOG-EARED VERSION OF THE BEACH MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AND MY LIST OF 15 QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND SUGGESTIONS.
UM, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME GOOD LANGUAGE TO MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, ALSO POINTED OUT THAT A LOT OF THE PLAN CALLS FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE LMO, INCLUDING MASS SCALE AND DENSITY, UM, AND SOME OTHER THINGS WHICH THE STAFF IS ADDRESSING WITH THAT, WITH THE OTHER PROCESS.
ALSO, THERE'S SUGGESTIONS TO AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER EIGHT, UH, WHICH DEALS WITH THE BEACH ITSELF, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE, AND THAT'LL BE A DIFFERENT PROCESS, UH, TO GO THROUGH THOSE, UH, POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS.
UM, THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE IN THE PLAN THAT APPEARED TO BE A BIT DATED, AND SO WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THAT.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM, I THINK IS THE LANGUAGE, UH, AND I'M SORRY THE LANGUAGE WENT THAT AWAY ON THE DIAS.
UM, BUT THE LANGUAGE, UH, WHICH CONCERNED ME, UM, IN THE PLAN, UH, WAS TO COORDINATE WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE BEACH.
AND, AND I THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT FOCUS NOW, SO WE'RE ADDING THE LANGUAGE TO PROMOTE THE PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR BEACH.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, ONE OF THE FOCUSES, ONE OF THE 15 STRATEGIES IS ADOPTING A RESILIENCY PLAN, WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE ALSO WORKING ON.
UM, AND, UM, THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE WHICH REFERRED TO CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND SEA LEVEL RISE.
UM, AND NOW WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT'S MOVING TOWARDS THE RESILIENCY PLAN.
SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME, UM, AND THE INFORMATION FROM THE STAFF TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
GLENN, ANY THOUGHTS, COMMENTS? I JUST WANNA SAY I'M PROUD THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS MADE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THE PRESERVATION OF ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS.
UM, OVER THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN COMING TO HILTON HEAD SINCE, UH, 1983 WITH OUR YOUNG CHILDREN AND NOW OUR GRANDCHILDREN, THE BEACH IS A PRIMARY SPOT THAT WE RETURN TO DAY AFTER DAY.
AND THE PRESERVATION THAT'S BEEN UNDERTAKEN IS OBVIOUS.
IT'S APPRECIATED, AND YOU GUYS DO GREAT WORK.
AND, UM, IT'S A TRIBUTE TO SCOTT IN MANY WAYS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE CARRYING ON.
DO YOU HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT? I'M SORRY, MR. CHAIR.
I FORGOT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, I, I'D ASK A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, THAT HAD BEEN RAISED BEFORE ABOUT THE GAP, AND FORGIVE ME IF I'M NOT USING THE RIGHT TECHNICAL TERMS, BUT THE GAP BETWEEN, UH, THE STATE'S REGULATION.
MAP
AND A AND I SEE YOU PULLED UP A MAP, UH, YOU WERE GONNA TRY TO HELP ME OUT WITH, IS THERE A GAP STILL? AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DO WE NEED TO DO OR SHOULD WE DO? OR ARE WE DOING ABOUT, UH, NOT HAVING A GAP? YES, MA'AM.
UH, WE DON'T THINK THERE'S A GAP.
WE HAVE, UM, THE, THE COASTAL PROTECTION OVERLAY, UM, ZONING DISTRICT IN, IN THE LMO, AND THERE'S A TRANSITION AREA DISTRICT AS WELL.
UM, I, I PULLED UP AN EXAMPLE SLIDE HERE, AND THE, THE AREA, THE, THE SEAWALL CASE THAT FOLKS HAVE HEARD ABOUT IN SEA PINES, UM, THERE WERE FIVE, UM, CONTIGUOUS PROPERTIES THERE.
YOU'LL SEE THE, THE LITTLE BEACH ACCESS WALK UP TO THE, UM, UPPER RIGHT.
BUT, BUT THOSE FIVE PROPERTIES BANDED TOGETHER, PULLED THEIR MONEY AND HIRED A CONTRACTOR AND SAID, WE WANNA BUILD A SEAWALL.
I, YEAH, I JUST MENTIONED WE HAVE A GREAT RENOURISHMENT PROGRAM.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT MOST FOLKS RELY UPON ON THE BEACH.
WELL, THESE FIVE DECIDED, UH, LOOK AT THE COST BENEFIT AND THE RISK.
WHAT IF WE DIDN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS WAS, WAS IF WE DIDN'T CONTINUE TO REER, WHAT IF WE GOT HIT BY BACK TO BACK SUCCESSIVE, YOU KNOW, UH, HIGHLY EROSIVE STORMS, ET CETERA.
ANYHOW, THEY MADE THE DECISION THEY WANTED TO, TO PUT THEIR MONEY IN INTO A WALL.
AND YOU SEE THE, THE RED LINE THERE AS THE OOC ARM SETBACK LINE.
SO THEY COULD NOT GO BEYOND THAT ENCROACH.
[01:30:01]
THERE'S THE OCRM BASELINE, WHICH, UM, RIGHT AT THIS LOCATION COINCIDES WITH THE TOWN'S BEACH FRONT LINE, OUR BEACH FRONT LINE.WE TOOK THE 1999 OCRM BASELINE, AND, AND WE SET IT AND LOCKED IT IN.
WE SAID, THAT'S OUR BEACHFRONT LINE FOR THE TOWN STANDARDS.
AND THE GREEN, THE LIME GREEN HATCHED AREA IS OUR COASTAL PROTECTION AREA.
SO AT THIS SEGMENT OF THE BEACH, YOU KNOW, THEY DID NOT ENCROACH BEYOND THE SETBACK LINE WITHIN THE COASTAL PROTECTION LINE.
UM, THEY WENT, UH, WHATEVER IT IS, FIVE FEET BACK, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE HEDGEROW OR THE DARK LINE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
SO IT'S, IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THEIR PROPERTY LINES COINCIDED WITH THAT RED LINE, THEREABOUTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT IT ON THEIR PROPERTY AND, AND THE LAWSUITS FROM SOME ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS STEM FROM DID THEY GET PROPER COASTAL ZONE CONSISTENCY, PERMITTING AND, AND MPDS STORMWATER PERMITTING, OTHER THINGS.
BUT I MEAN, WE FEEL THAT, THAT THERE ARE NO GAPS OR LOOPHOLES.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE, UM, GOOD REGULATIONS TO PROTECT THE BEACH FRONT IN THAT REGARD.
AND, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE WAY THE LMO, UM, UH, STATES IT IS, IS THE MORE RESTRICTIVE RULE WHETHER STATE OR TOWN SHALL GOVERN.
AND IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICT, WE, WE DEFER TO THE STATE.
AND, AND, AND I'D SAVED THIS ARTICLE FROM, UM, GOSH, I THINK IT'S 2018, UM, AND, AND RICKY PARKER, BUT THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE WAS QUOTED SAYING THAT, UM, IF WE WANTED, UH, TRY TO ADDRESS THE SEAWALL QUESTION AND THIS GAP QUESTION TO, UM, UH, EXTEND, UM, TO HAVE AN AMENDMENT, UM, IN OUR CODE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING ABOUT.
SO IT'S YOUR VIEW THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO DO THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, DO WE NEED AN AMENDMENT, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, OR SAY NO, AS WE GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT ALAMO O AMENDMENTS? WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL CONSIDER THAT.
WE'LL LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND, AND I THINK THE OTHER ONE WAS, UM, UH, A POLICY AGAINST SEAWALLS.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PLAN DOES HAVE THAT POLICY IN THERE, IS IT, AND, AND THE STATE DOES AS WELL.
UM, THE STATE HAS A POSITION OF PRESERVATION AND NO NEW HARDENING, UH, OF THE BEACHES ARE ALLOWED.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR ADDRESSING THAT.
JEFF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION AND THEN ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE DIAS IF THEY CHOOSE TO.
IS THERE A MOTION CHAIRMAN? I HAVE A MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE FORWARD THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE 23 DASH OH ONE, UPDATING THE LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE BEACH MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BEACHFRONT MANAGEMENT ACT AND RECOMMEND ADOPTION, UH, BY THE TOWN COUNCIL WITH THE FOLLOWING RE REVISIONS.
ONE PAGE SIX, EDITED ITEM F TO ADD, QUOTE, PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, TOURISM EFFORTS TO PROMOTE PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR BEACH.
TWO, PAGE 14 EDITED SUBSECTION HEADING AT RESILIENCE PLAN, EXCUSE ME.
RE RESILIENCE PLAN, UM, CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND SEA LEVEL RISE THREE PAGE 89, EDITED.
THIRD ITEM TO DELETE MENTION OF DISASTER RECOVERY COMMISSION.
THE TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED A, THE RECOVERY PLAN IN 20 2003, WHICH WAS UPDATED IN 2014.
THE DISASTER RECOVERY COMMISSION WAS INFORMED TO WORK WITH STAFF TO FURTHER RESEARCH CERTAIN UNRESOLVED ISSUES IN THE RECOVERY PLAN FOUR, PAGE 90, EDITED ITEM F TO ADD PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY IN QUOTES, UH, TO CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TOURISM EFFORTS TO PROMOTE PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE BEACH.
TODAY, WE, UH, BEG YOUR PARDON.
ANYBODY WANT TO ADDRESS PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE SCENE? NONE.
ANY LAST MINUTE COMMENTS FROM NOTHING TODAY? WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE PLEASE? CERTAINLY, UH, MS. BRYSON? YES.
ONE LAST ITEM, CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE CALENDAR YEAR 2023, PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UH, I, I'M SORRY, MR. CHAIR, I, I UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR THIS.
I, I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, I WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ON MARCH NINE, UH, IN, IN RELIANCE UPON THE PREVIOUS SCHEDULE.
MY HUSBAND AND I SCHEDULED A TRIP OUT OF STATE
THE APRIL 13 DATE IS DURING, UH, THE RBC HERITAGE TOURNAMENT.
WELL, THAT MAY BE AMENDED, UH, BY NECESSITY.
[01:35:01]
UH, CHAIR ONE, AS LONG AS IT WAS BROUGHT UP SPECIFIC DAYS.AND HEARING THAT, UM, MS. BRYSON WON'T BE AVAILABLE ON MARCH 9TH, MY HUSBAND HAS A, UM, AN APPOINTMENT AT M U S C, SO I WILL NOT BE HERE ON MARCH 9TH.
WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT SPECIFICALLY.
AND MR. ALFRED IS HERE FOR A, UH, EITHER ONE OF THOSE IF WE CON CONSIDER TO MOVE FORWARD.
OTHERWISE, TODAY WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT.
I, IN, IN LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE, THE, THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETS THE FIRST AND THIRD WEEKS.
THE FINANCING ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETS THE FIRST AND THIRD WEEKS.
THIS WILL NOW MOVE US, I THINK, TO THE SECOND YES.
AND, AND I'M GUESSING THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS GONNA BE CHANGING ITS SCHEDULE BECAUSE NOW IT'S THE FOURTH WEEK.
THAT WOULD MEAN WE WOULD MEET EVERY WEEK DURING THE MONTH, EXCEPT FOR, UH, 1, 2, 3, 4 MONTHS WHEN A TOWN COUNCIL MEETING IS SCHEDULED.
SO I'M, I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO MEET EVERY WEEK, EVEN THOUGH I LOVE BEING HERE.
WELL, I, I THINK THE PURPOSE OF THIS ADJUSTMENT IS TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE TO MEET IN ADVANCE OF THE FULL COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN MOVE INFOR INFORMATION YES.
AND MOTIONS FORWARD, WHICH I SUPPORT.
AND JUST TO NOTE THAT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING HAS NOT ENTERTAINED AN, UH, CHANGE IN OUR SCHEDULE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE SCHEDULE AS, UH, PROMOTED SUBJECT TO FURTHER REVISION AS NEEDS REQUIRE.
IS THERE A SECOND? EA WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? UH, FIRST OF ALL, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS SCENE? NONE.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ADJOURN THE MEETING, BUT THANK THE PUBLIC FOR PERSEVERING.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.
GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND THEN CLICK TO VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST.
CALL THE MEETING TO, UH, ORDER.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THIS IS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
THE SUBJECT OF THIS MOMENT IS THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY LOST TO FOLKS TODAY, BUT THE ARTIFACTS, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY ARE AROUND US.
PHOSPHATES WERE KNOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.
THEY WERE FIRST DISCOVERED UP AROUND SOMERVILLE AND NORTH OF CHARLESTON.
AND BENEATH THE MARL WAS THE PHOSPHATE ROCK.
GEOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS KNEW ABOUT IT.
PHOSPHATE WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE AGRICULTURAL OF THE SOUTH BECAUSE IT IS THE BASIS OF MOST FERTILIZER.
AND MANY OF THE COTTON LANDS OF THE OLD SOUTH WERE MUCH EXHAUSTED BY THE COTTON INDUSTRY BEFORE THE WAR.
SO AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY WAS INTRODUCED FIRST IN CHARLESTON IN 1867, AND THEN LOOKING FOR BEDS OF HIGH CONTENT PHOSPHATE ROCK.
THESE PHOSPHATE EXPLORERS AND ENTREPRENEURS DISCOVERED BEAUFORD COUNTY.
BEAUFORD COUNTY BECAME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF PHOSPHATE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ONE OF THE RICHEST SOURCES OF PHOSPHATES KNOWN IN THE WORLD.
BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900, THIS BECAME THE CENTER OF THE MINING PART OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY.
MANY OF THIS FERTILIZER FACTORIES WERE IN CHARLESTON, BUT THE MINING AND THE PHOSPHATE WORKS, AS THEY CALL THEM, WHERE THEY BROKE THE ROCK DOWN INTO POWDER AND THE PURE PHOSPHATE AND SHIPPED IT OUT.
THOSE INDUSTRIAL CENTERS WERE MOSTLY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AT THE HEIGHT OF THIS INDUSTRY.
[01:40:01]
BURE TOWNIANS WERE EMPLOYED IN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.$5 A DAY IN MANY CASES, WAS A RULE OF THUMB WHEN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS BEGAN IN THE 1870S, THAT THE RICHEST VEINS OF PHOSPHATE WERE UNDERWATER UNDER THE CSAW RIVER, UNDER THE BEAUFORT RIVER UNDER BATTERY CREEK.
SO INITIALLY, LOCAL SEA ISLANDERS WOULD DIVE DOWN FOR THE ROCK AND FILL UP BASKETS, AND THEN GET PULLED UP IN A ROPE, NOT ONLY LIMITING THE DEPTH TO WHICH THEY COULD MINE AT, BUT LIMITING THEIR HEALTH AS WELL, GOING UP AND DOWN.
BUT VERY QUICKLY IN THE 1870S, ENGINEERS DISCOVERED THAT THEY COULD BUILD VERY LARGE UNDERWATER STEAMING POWERED DREDGES ON FLOATING BARGES.
AND SO THEY BEGAN TO MECHANIZE THE INDUSTRY.
AND RATHER THAN EMPLOYING FEWER PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY EMPLOYED MORE, MORE THAN HALF OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND 80% OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN SOUTH CAROLINA CAME FROM BEAUFORD COUNTY.
THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900 WAS THE LARGEST INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF BEAUFORD COUNTY AND THE LARGEST MINING INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND PEOPLE HAVE PRETTY MUCH FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS THE SOURCE OF GREAT PROSPERITY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BETWEEN 1870 AND 1890, THE POPULATION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY GREW.
BAY STREET BECAME A FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTER.
PHOSPHATE WORKS, IN OTHER WORDS, FACTORIES WHERE THEY BURNED THE PHOSPHATE ROCK AND BROKE IT DOWN INTO POWDER.
WERE LOCATED ON SPANISH POINT, WERE LOCATED ON LUCY CREEK, AND THE LARGEST WAS LOCATED FIRST ON CSAW PLANTATION, AND THEN OUT AT THE END OF CHISHOLM HIGHLAND ON SUMMERHOUSE POINT, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CSAW RIVER, SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES AND PHOSPHATE DRS.
AND THE TUGBOATS AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HAD TO, UH, SUPPORT THIS INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS WERE AN ENORMOUS BOON TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
EVENTUALLY, THE SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES WERE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE VERY LARGE COMPANY CALLED THE CSAW MINING COMPANY.
THE CSAW MINING COMPANY, BY 1892, WAS THE LARGEST PHOSPHATE MINING COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IN THOSE SAME YEARS, IN 1888, RICH VAS OF PHOSPHATE WERE DISCOVERED NEAR TAMPA, FLORIDA.
AND DURING THE 1890S, THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE EXTRACTED FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY DECLINED IN THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE DISCOVERED AND EXTRACTED FROM FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES LIKE NEAR NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE WAS PHOSPHATE.
AND EVENTUALLY IT PUT THESE PHOSPHATE MINES OUT OF BUSINESS PHOSPHATE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE RIVER ROCK, AS IT WAS CALLED IN THOSE DAYS, WAS 60% PURE PHOSPHATE, WHICH IN 1870 WAS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
BY 1888, THE FLORIDA ROCK WAS 80% PURE PHOSPHATE.
IN THE ECONOMICS OF THAT, SIMPLY PUT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PHOSPHATE BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS.
THE CSAW MINING COMPANY STOPPED MINING IN 1905.
THE VIRGINIA CAROLINA COMPANY TRIED TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THE OLD WORKS AND FINALLY WENT BANKRUPT IN 1914.
AND THAT WAS THE BITTER END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.
CONSEQUENCE OF THE END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT EXODUS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION OF THE SEA ISLANDS, WHO, WITHOUT GOOD WAGE JOBS, BEGAN TO MOVE NORTH AND DEPOPULATED MUCH OF BUFORD COUNTY.
BUT THE OTHER EVENT WHICH PASTED THE DEMISE OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY IN BUFORD COUNTY WAS OF COURSE THE GREAT HURRICANE OF 1893, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE 10 LARGEST HURRICANES IN MOST DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANES EVER TO HIT.
THE UNITED STATES KILLED AS MANY AS 2000 PEOPLE ON THE SEA ISLANDS AND WRECKED THE PHOSPHATE FLEET.
SO THE INVESTORS IN THE PHOSPHATE FLEET MOVED THEIR CAPITAL TO FLORIDA, AND THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS DECLINED IN BUFORD COUNTY.
THIS HAS BEEN A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
GUYS, I JUST CAUGHT THIS LITTLE BEAUTIFUL BIRD IN THE KEPLER'S.
UH, IT'S ACTUALLY IN THEIR FIREPLACE AND IT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE CHIMNEY.
BUT JUST WHILE WE HAVE IT, BEFORE I LET IT GO, I THOUGHT WE'D LOOK AT A COUPLE THINGS.
UH, AND THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT, UH, MANEUVERABILITY FOR SURE TO CATCH INSECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, ALSO THE MOUTH IS BUILT FOR CATCHING INSECTS AND KIND OF OPENING IT UP VERY WIDE AND CATCHING FLYING INSECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'M GONNA WALK RIGHT OVER HERE.
I'M HERE AT BONNIE SHORE, OBVIOUSLY, AND I'M GONNA PUT THIS LITTLE DOWN RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THIS TRAIN.
THE FEET I NOTICED ARE REALLY INTERESTING.
[01:45:01]
ABOUT IT, BUT BOY, IT FLEW OFF PERFECTLY.GATES, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
WHY NOW? 12 YEARS OF BLACK FREEDOM FOLLOWED BY AN ALT-RIGHT ROLLBACK, A PRESIDENT IMMEDIATELY, UM, FOLLOWING ABRAHAM LINCOLN, WHO REFUSED TO RENOUNCE WHITE SUPREMACY A CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT THAT EFFECTIVELY UNDID THE POWER OF THE 14TH AND 15TH AMENDMENTS.
WHAT'S THAT SOUND LIKE? CONTEMPORARY TIMES? CONTEMPORARY TIMES.
SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN AMERICA ABOUT THE PERILOUS MOMENT IN WHICH WE WERE LIVING BY ANALOGY THROUGH TELLING THE STORY OF RECONSTRUCTION IN ITS ROLLBACK.
AND I FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AFTER, UH, THE HORRIBLE MURDERS OF, UH, REVEREND CLEMENTA PINCKNEY AND THE OTHER INNOCENCE AT MOTHER MANUEL CHURCH BECAUSE THE JUSTIFICATIONS THAT DYLAN ROOF, UH, SUMMONED FOR HIS ACTIONS, UM, WERE VERY REMINISCENT OF RACIST RHETORIC ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR AND FOLLOWING RECONSTRUCTION.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A HORROR MOVIE WHEN YOU THINK THAT THE VAMPIRES DID.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY COME UP OUT OF THE CASKET AND HE THINK, DAMN, I THOUGHT I'D PUT A STAKE IN YOUR HEART.
I THOUGHT THAT THE WORST AND MOST PERNICIOUS, HEINOUS ASPECTS OF ANTI-BLACK WHITE SUPREMACY WERE LONG GONE.
AND THAT I WAS A NAIVE ABOUT THAT.
AND WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN HATE SPEECH, ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-GAY ATTITUDES.
AND PEOPLE, WHEN PEOPLE BECOME FRIGHTENED, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE, THEY LOOK FOR SCAPEGOATS.
AND THE SCAPEGOATS TRADITION HAVE BEEN JEWISH PEOPLE, WOMEN, GAY PEOPLE, AND OF COURSE IN THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
UM, LET'S GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ROLLBACK TO RECONSTRUCTION.
RECONSTRUCTION IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY, AND YET IT IS SO MISUNDERSTOOD.
WHY IS THAT? WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PERIOD AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANT? WELL, W W E DUBOIS WROTE A BOOK IN 1935 CALLED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION, AND ONE CHAPTER'S CALLED THE PROPAGANDA OF HISTORY.
AND HE ANALYZES HOW WHITE HISTORIANS HAD WRITTEN ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ROLLBACK TO CREATE A MYTH MYTHOLOGY OF BLACK INCOMPETENCE THAT BLACK MEN HAD BEEN ELECTED TO OFFICE AND COULDN'T PROPERLY SERVE.
THAT BLACK VOTERS HAD BEEN MANIPULATED BY NORTHERN SCALLYWAGS AND CARPET BAGGERS, THAT BASICALLY THEY WERE TOOLS AND PAWNS THAT THEY WERE DISHONEST.
UH, ROBERT SMALLS, IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST, UM, HEROES OF THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION SERVED FIVE NON-CONSECUTIVE TERMS IN CONGRESS BECAUSE HE WAS CONSTANTLY BEING ACCUSED YET OF STEALING MONEY AND MISAPPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEY WERE, UM, THERE WAS A MYTHOLOGY SANCTIONED BY THE DISCIPLINE OF HISTORY LOCATED AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CALLED THE DUNNING SCHOOL, LED BY HISTORIAN, PROFESSOR DUNNING.
AND THEY FOUND EVERY WAY TO INTRODUCE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THAT HAS ONLY BEEN UNDONE BY HISTORIANS SINCE DUBOIS PUBLISHED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND MOST NOTABLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ANOTHER COLUMBIA PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR ERIC FONER, WITH WHOM, UH, WE MADE A RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
PLUS WE HAVE OVER 40 HISTORIANS DOING MODERN, UM, CUTTING EDGE SCHOLARSHIP ON RECONSTRUCTION THAT WHOM WE FEATURE IN THE SERIES.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH A COLLECTIVE, UM, SERIES, AND IT'S VERY MUCH A COUNTERPOINT TO THE RECEIVED INTERPRETATIONS OF RECONSTRUCTION FABRICATED BY THE DUNNING SCHOOL.
WELL, FOR US, SINCE THIS IS THE PHONER SCHOOL,
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WHY IS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SO PIVOTAL TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF RECONSTRUCTION? SOUTH CAROLINA WAS GROUND ZERO FOR RECONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT WAS A MAJORITY BLACK STATE.
THE, UM, THERE'S A FAMOUS 1872 LITHOGRAPH OF THE FIRST COLORED SENATOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND THREE OF THOSE MEN IN THAT LITHOGRAPH WERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHEN RICHARD T GREENER GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO GRADUATE FROM HARVARD IN THE CLASS OF 1870, WHERE WAS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY? WAS IT IN NEW YORK? WAS IT IN BOSTON, WAS IT IN PHILADELPHIA? CHARLESTON CAME TO CHARLESTON AND WENT TO, UH, COLUMBIA AND SERVED ON THE FACULTY, UM, AND TOOK LAW CLASSES THERE.
THE, UM, A BLACK MAN FROM ENGLAND, FROM LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ROBERT BROWN ELLIOT CAME TO, TO BOSTON IN 1867.
THE BRITISH NAVY COULD SMELL THE OPPORTUNITY HEADED STRAIGHT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND WORKED FOR RICHARD HARVEY CAIN'S NEWSPAPER, THEN WAS ELECTED TO, TO CONGRESS.
AND, UM, THIS WAS WHERE IT WAS AT, THIS IS WHERE IT WAS HAPPENING.
AND WHEN I INTERVIEWED REPRESENTATIVE CLYBURN, HIS OFFICE IN THE, IN THE CONGRESS, WELL, HE'S LONG BEEN A STUDENT OF RECONSTRUCTION.
YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE A MUSEUM.
YOU GO IN THERE AND ALL THESE BROTHERS ARE ON THE WALL.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA HAD A BLACK MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THAT NOW SOUTH CAROLINA, EVEN IN THE 18TH CENTURY, WAS CALLED NEGRO COUNTRY.
UM, AND VERY SOON THAT WAS DISMANTLED.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT MANY OF THE MOST VICIOUS BATTLES OF RACE OCCURRED HERE CUZ THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THIS BLACK MAJORITY.
I WENT TO CALHOUN COLLEGE AT YALE UNIVERSITY.
HE NOT ONLY WANTED SLAVERY TO CONTINUE, HE WANTED TO RESURRECT THE SLAVE TRADE
HE WAS A, HE WAS A ROUGH BROTHER.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BLACK SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHURCHES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THE SLAVES WANTED TO GET MARRIED AND LEGALIZE THEIR LOVE RELATIONSHIPS.
THE, UM, THE TAKING OUT OF ADS IN NEWSPAPERS TO REUNITE FAMILIES.
AND THE FACT THAT 80% OF THE ELIGIBLE BLACK MEN IN THE SOUTH REGISTERED TO VOTE IN WHAT I CALL THE FIRST FREEDOM SUMMER, THE SUMMER OF 1867, AND 500,000 OF THEM CAST THEIR VOTES IN THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1868 FOR ULYSSES ES GRANT.
AND PEOPLE FORM SCHOOLS HISTORICALLY BLACK, WHAT WE NOW CALL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LIKE SHAW AND HOWARD, BUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA, ALAN AND BENEDICT AND KALIN AB ABSOLUTELY.
AND YOU KNOW, JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT, THAT THE SLAVES HAD A HUNGER FOR LEARNING BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT HAD BEEN KEPT FOR THEM WAS KNOWLEDGE OF READING AND WRITING.
AND THEY KNEW THAT WAS THE PATHWAY TO, TO SUCCESS.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION GREW OUT OF THIS PERIOD? MM-HMM.
THERE WEREN'T PUBLIC STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION GOVERNMENTS PARTICULARLY, UM, IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND PARTICULARLY AS DESIGNED BY ROBERT SMALLS, UM, ESTABLISHED STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS, WHICH HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE, WHICH IS A SHOCK TO PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF EDUCATION.
IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THOUGH THAT THINGS LIKE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CERTAINLY, UH, ENFRANCHISEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE POSITIVES THAT GREW OUT OF THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD ARE STILL UNDER ASSAULT.
AND IT'S, WE HAVE TO, UM, ANY SOCIETY IS JUDGED BY THE QUALITY OF ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND WE AS AMERICANS SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED AT HOW WE'VE ALLOWED OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE POPULATED BY BRILLIANT TEACHERS WHO ARE SO MOTIVATED, BUT THEY'RE UNDERPAID AND UNDER-RESOURCED AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE, UM, A GENERAL IDEA THAT THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS SOLELY IN THE HANDS OF THE SOUTH.
THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION
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WAS A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN ECONOMIC INTERESTS AND POLITICAL INTERESTS IN THE NORTH AND IN THE SOUTH.THERE WAS A PAN ECONOMIC PANIC OF 1873, WHICH WAS CALLED THE FIRST GREAT DEPRESSION.
AND PEOPLE LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, WHY DON'T WE SPEND ALL OUR MONEY ON THESE NEGROES IN THE SOUTH? LET 'EM THRIVE.
AND THEY ACTED BARREL AS IF 200 YEARS OF SLAVERY COULD BE WIPED OUT WITH NO REPARATIONS, WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, NO BENEFITS GIVEN NO 40 ACRES IN A MULE, NO HELP.
UM, THAT EACH, EACH OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ON THEIR OWN.
NOT ONLY THAT NEW FORMS OF OPPRESSION WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED DEBT, P AND H SHARECROPPING, THE RISE OF THE KLAN, THE RISE OF THE COOK, TERRORISM.
AND SO VERY MUCH, UH, RECONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT ISSUES THAT STILL ROYAL OUR SOCIETY TODAY.
WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE A CITIZEN? WHO HAS A RIGHT TO BE AN AMERICAN? WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY? AND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TERRORISM IN THE HEALTHY FUNCTIONING OF A, OF A DEMOCRACY? WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN, IN THE FACE OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF TERRORISM? HOW CAN WE HAVE THIS VERY BLATANT REMINDER FROM 150 YEARS AGO AND NOT BE MINDFUL OF ITS IMPACT TODAY? THAT'S WHY DILLON MCGEE AND I MADE THIS SERIES AND WITH PBS WELL GET, AND I AM ON THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, I FLEW DOWN TO BEAUFORD FROM HARVARD.
I JUMPED ON JETBLUE AND CAME DOWN HERE CUZ I WANTED A SOUTH CAROLINA SCREENING TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GROUND ZERO, THAT THEN IS NOW, AND I WANT TO DO ONE IN CHARLESTON.
UH, AND I WANNA DO ONE AT THE PENN CENTER.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNTRY UNDERSTAND THAT WE MADE THIS SERIES ABOUT THE CURRENT RACIAL CLIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES, THOUGH IT'S THROUGH THE MIRROR AND THE ANALOGY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND ITS ROLLBACK CALLED REDEMPTION.
WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR YOU FOR THIS SERIES? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES.
FIRST, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES TO BE CREATED IN THE CLASSROOM SO THAT RECONSTRUCTION IS AS CENTRAL TWO, A COURSE IN AMERICAN HISTORY AS A CIVIL WAR IS, OR WORLD WAR I OR WORLD WAR II.
RECONSTRUCTION WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIMENT WITH INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND IT WAS CRUSHED.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA SURVIVE AS A SOCIETY IS IF WE FASHION FORUMS OF INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND COLLABORATION THAT ALLOW MULTIPLICITY OF VOICES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ET CETERA, GENDER ID IDENTITIES TO THRIVE AND LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE.
THAT'S MY GOAL IN CREATING THIS SERIES, AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL WATCH IT.
TALK TO HENRY LEWIS GATES, JR.