[00:00:01]
CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.[1. Call to Order]
WELCOME TO THE, UH, TOWN OF HILL, GATE ISLAND, GU GEECHEE LAND AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION TASK FORCE MEETING.I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING, UH, TO ORDER.
UH, THIS IS SEPTEMBER THE 11TH, 23.
[2. FOIA Compliance]
UH, KAREN, ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA? YES, SIR.BEFORE I GO INTO THE ROLL CALL, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES, A MOMENT TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO SACRIFICED AND SERVED ON NINE 11.
SO IF YOU JOIN ME JUST IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CERTAINLY, UH, IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES AND THOSE WHO FOUGHT SO HARD TO TRY TO SAVE LIVES.
AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THE NEWS, UH, WE'RE STILL SUFFERING FROM SOME OF THE HEALTH EFFECTS AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA OF THAT.
BUT WE KNOW THAT AS A COUNTRY WE'RE STRONG AND WE WILL CONTINUE, COME TOGETHER AND TRYING TO DO THE WORKING WE DO HERE LOCALLY AS ONE COUNTRY.
[3. Roll Call]
THE ROAD? CERTAINLY.AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM MS. WRIGHT OR MS. GREEN.
I DO KNOW MS. WRIGHT HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, SO I'M SURE SHE WILL NOT BE JOINING US.
HEARD FROM MS. GREEN EITHER? DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? I THINK WE DO.
[4. Approval of Agenda ]
OKAY.WE DO HAVE AN AGENDA THAT'S BEEN SET BEFORE US AND AT THIS TIME I WOULD ENTERTAIN MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
SO MOTION MR. MILLEE HAS MADE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RIGHT HAND THAT CARRIES IN UNANIMOUSLY.
[5. Approval of Minutes]
WE HAVE, UH, THE MINUTES FROM OUR AUGUST 7TH MEETING AND I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 7TH MEETING IF THERE ARE NO REVISIONS OR QUESTIONS MOVED.THOSE ARE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I SHOW OF HANDS.
THANK YOU THAT CARRIES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[6. Appearance by Citizens]
DO WE HAVE ANY APPEARANCE ABOUT CITIZENS? NO, SIR.[7. Staff Report ]
MOVING RIGHT ALONG, WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO THE, UH, STAFF REPORT, HAVE GENERAL STAFF UPDATES, UH, WORK PLAN, UPDATE AND, UM, DISTRICT PLANNING AND L M O UPDATE.THANK YOU CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, MS. CNA HAS LEFT US.
UM, SHE HAD OTHER BUSINESS SHE WAS TENDING TO, UM, AND WE THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE, SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO YOU ALL.
SO MOVING FORWARD, NICK TE AND I, UH, WILL BE HELPING YOU ALL OUT HERE WITH MOST OF YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OF OUR PLANNERS, UH, TREY AND ALEXIS THAT'LL BE HELPING US WITH OUR DESIGN REVIEW STUDIOS.
THOSE WILL BE YOUR CONTACTS FOR THOSE ITEMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WELCOME AND WE CERTAINLY, UH, UH, ACKNOWLEDGED THE WORK THAT PRANA DID HERE AND THAT WAS A BIG LOSS TO US.
BUT WELCOME TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP.
UM, ON THE WORK PLAN UPDATE, THE UPDATE WE HAVE FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, UM, THE CULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
RIGHT NOW OUR STAFF IS WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO TRANSITION THE FILMING OVER TO THEM.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT TO GET A FINAL TIMELINE FINALIZED AND GET THE FILMING STARTED.
UM, SO YOU WE'RE STILL HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THAT WHILE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
UM, AND THEN ON THE DISTRICT PLANNING UPDATE CURRENTLY, BEFORE YOU GO THERE, SO DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON THAT EDUCATION PROGRAM? WE JUST DOWN TO THE PORTION, WE JUST NEED THE
[00:05:01]
VIDEOS.IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND? YES SIR.
MY UNDERSTANDING NOW IS KRISNA WAS ABLE TO GET US, UM, THE DIFFERENT SCRIPTS, GET A TIMELINE.
UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST I THINK COMING DOWN TO WORKING WITH THE VIDEOGRAPHER TO UH, GET THAT SCHEDULE FINALIZED AND START FILMING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT MATTER BEFORE WE MOVE ON? ALRIGHT, SO, UH, DISTRICT PLANNING UPDATE.
THE MARSHES UM, STAFF IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT TO GET POSTCARDS TO GO OUT VIA MAIL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO THE POSTCARD SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE CODE OR ADDRESS ON IT SO PEOPLE CAN GO ONTO THE WEBSITE AND FILL AN ONLINE SURVEY.
UM, AND WE'LL EVENTUALLY BE GETTING TO AN IN-PERSON PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE MARSHES AS WELL.
UM, BUT MORE TO COME ON THAT ONCE WE GET EVERYTHING FINALIZED.
UM, AND CURRENTLY THE PLAN, THE MOST UP-TO-DATE PLAN IS ON THE WEBSITE UNDER MAJOR INITIATIVES, MASTER PLAN AND DISTRICT PLANNING.
SO IF, UH, ANY OF YOU ALL OR ANY CITIZEN WANTS TO GO ON THE WEBSITE AND START REVIEWING WHAT IS THERE NOW, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO.
UM, IN THE DISTRICT, DISTRICT WE HAVE BRIDGE TO BEACH.
UM, STAFF WILL BE PRESENTING AN UPDATE ON THIS PLAN AT THE P P C MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, THIS THURSDAY.
UM, AND THERE ARE NO HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS IN THIS DISTRICT.
UM, BUT WE STILL ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO IN AND REVIEW IT AND PROVIDE US COMMENTS.
UM, AND THIS MONTH STAFF WILL BEGIN LOOKING AT FOREST BEACH AND SKULL CREEK DISTRICTS.
UH, AND SKULL CREEK HAS QUITE A FEW HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, SO WE'LL BE REACHING OUT FOR, UH, INPUT FROM YOU ALL AND CITIZENS COMING UP SOON ON THOSE PROJECTS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE DISTRICT PLANNING? UH, I DO IF I MAY.
I THINK WE HAD PROPOSED A QUESTION LAST WEEK, LAST MONTH.
YOU HAD ALREADY LEFT AS TO WHEN THE DISTRICTING PLAN, WHAT WE FINALIZED AS A TIMEFRAME.
ARE YOU ABLE TO TELL US THAT? YES.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A DISTINCT TIME TIMELINE RIGHT NOW FOR THAT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THE, THE TOWN MANAGER AND TOWN STAFF AND OUR CONSULTANT TO GET THAT ALL FINALIZED.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THAT DONE RELATIVELY SOON.
SO WE KNOW GOING FORWARD, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH BRIDGE TO BEACH TO PLANNING PUBLIC PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND THEN IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS WE LOOK TO DEFINITELY HAVE FORCED BEACH IN SKULL CREEK AND PUBLIC PLANNING COMMISSION.
IF I MAY, THE REASON BEHIND MY QUESTIONING IS I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE RIGHT DOWN TO THE OTHER MODES AND THE THOUGHT WAS THAT SOME OF THOSE CHANGES SHOULD HAVE BEEN KIND OF, SORT OF PUT ON A HOLD UNTIL THE REDISTRICTING WAS DONE.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THE NEW MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE WILL GO INTO PLACE BEFORE THE DISTRICTING ARE ARE DONE AND THEN WHEN IT'S TIME FOR US TO GO AND LOOK AT THE MAJORITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS, WE HAVE A LOT OF MORE AMENDMENTS THAT WE NOW HAVE TO KINDA LIKE WAVE THROUGH OR FILTER THROUGH.
AND TO JUMP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT, UM, STAFF HAS DECIDED TO RE ADVERTISE PHASE FIVE, WHICH IS THE FULL CODE REWRITE.
SO WE'RE REDRAFTING THE R F Q NOW AND WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING TO EVEN SELECT A CONSULTANT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR ON PHASE FIVE.
SO THE CODE REWRITE HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK.
AND THEN THE L M O UPDATE, UM, PHASE FOUR A, WHICH IS THE F A R IN PARKING.
UM, THIS DID GET PUSHED BACK TO P P C AND IT'LL BE ON THE P P C AGENDA FOR THIS THURSDAY.
UM, AND STAFF IS DOING FURTHER ANALYSIS ON THE REQUEST TO EXAMINE ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING MORE RESEARCH ON EXACTLY WHAT THESE REGULATIONS WOULD DO TO HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, ONCE THAT RESEARCH IS DONE, UM, WE LOOK TO PRESENT THAT AT P P C THIS WEEK.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU GUYS ANY COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE ON THAT TO P P C.
WE'LL PROVIDE THAT TO YOU AFTER THE P P C MEETING.
UH, Y'ALL CAN PRESENT SOMETHING TODAY ABOUT THE PARKING.
UH, NO, UH, THAT'S, UH, WE'VE BEEN REQUESTED TO RE-LOOK AT IT.
UM, SO WE'RE RE-LOOKING AT ALL THAT AND GETTING A BETTER ANALYSIS TOGETHER BEFORE WE MOVE IT TO P P C.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL GET YOU ALL SOMETHING AS SOON AS THAT RESEARCH IS DONE AND IT'LL BE PUBLICLY ADVERTISED AT P P C AS WELL.
SO WE'LL GET IT TO YOU AS SOON AS WE CAN.
THIS AN ISSUE THAT WOULD GO BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE'VE ALREADY PAST THAT POINT.
UM, I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S AT P P C, IT AND THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN RENDERED BACK DOWN TO, UH, AND IF IT DOES CHANGE ANY RECOMMENDED, IT DOES CHANGE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO PLANNING COMMISSION IF ANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS DO CHANGE, BUT WE STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOR SOME INPUT.
AND YOU ALSO ARE ALL WELCOME TO COME TO THE P P C MEETING AND HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT
[00:10:01]
THERE AS WELL.BUT I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU, TWO OF YOU ARE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SO I THINK IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES THAT P P C MAKES FROM WHAT'S PRESENTED, THEN IT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, AND IN, UH, PHASE FOUR, UM, IS CURRENTLY IN LEGAL REVIEW AND STAFF IS ANTICIPATING THIS PHASE GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER.
UM, THAT ONE RIGHT NOW, UH, WE DO HAVE A 30 TO 60 DAY WINDOW FOR REVIEW FROM LEGAL TEAM.
AND THIS IS A VERY LENGTHY CODE SECTION THAT'S BEING UPDATED.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A 30 DAY PUBLIC NOTICE WINDOW THAT FOR ADVERTISEMENT.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT ONE GOT PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING OUR COMPLETE DUE DILIGENCE WITH OUR ATTORNEYS AND MAKING SURE IT'S LEGALLY ADVERTISED SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN AS WE DISCUSSED PHASE FIVE, UM, WE ARE RE-ADVERTISING, UH, WE'RE REVAMPING IT STAFF DONE SOME MORE RESEARCH ON OTHER COMMUNITIES AND OTHER CODES THAT WE LIKE.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA RE ADVERTISE THAT AND HOPEFULLY WE GET A LARGER RANGE OF APPLICANTS THIS TIME.
'CAUSE THIS PAST SESSION WE ONLY RECEIVED TWO APPLICANTS ON THE R F Q THAT WAS PUT OUT.
UH, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE L M O UPDATES.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES? AND THEN WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ITEM.
UM, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD PERMITTING AND DESIGN STUDIO REPORT.
UH, UH, SO ON THAT ONE, WE ONLY GOT ONE NEW REQUEST THIS MONTH.
UH, AND IT WAS A PRESERVATION OF AN HEIRS PROPERTY.
UM, IN THE, UH, PREVIOUS MEETINGS, I KNOW WE PROBABLY STILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE HAVE AND HOW MANY MOVING FORWARD AND YES, SIR, ALL THAT WAS IN THE PACKET.
I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, UNFORTUNATELY.
OTHER QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS FOR MR. EDWARDS ON THAT, ON THAT ITEM, AND LIKE I SAID ON THAT ONE, UM, ALEXIS AND TREY IN OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT WILL BE TAKING OVER HANDLING, UH, THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, DESIGN STUDIOS AS WELL.
SO THOSE WOULD BE YOUR POINT OF CONTACT TYPES OF REQUESTS.
UH, HOME AND SAFETY REPAIR PROGRAM UPDATE, UH, OF THAT, IS THAT THE END OF YOUR TIME? UH, NOPE.
YOU HAVE THESE AS WELL? YES, SIR.
SO NOW YOU'RE CHRIS YATES
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 24 PROJECTS ARE UNDER CONTRACT.
UM, WE HAD 10 NEW PROJECTS BEING PREPARED TO BE SENT OUT FOR BIDDING, AND WE HAVE NINE TREE REMOVAL PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWEIGHT OR COMPLETED.
AND THE FULL DATA SET IS IN YOUR PACKET THERE FOR WHAT'S MOVING FORWARD AND WHAT'S IN QUEUE.
UM, AND THEN THE SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM.
WE HAVE 20 APPLICATIONS, HAVE RECEIVED A TOWN LETTER OF APPROVAL.
WORK HAS NOT BEEN SCHEDULED YET ON TWO PROJECTS.
WE'RE STILL WORKING TO GET THOSE SCHEDULED.
UH, AND 18 PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY OR HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, AND THIS MONTH WE DID RECEIVE ONE NEW APPLICATION AS WELL.
ON THE, ON THE SEWER CONNECTION NUMBERS THAT YOU HAVE, ARE THOSE PERSONS THAT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE DEEP WELL APPLICATION? THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT FOLKS.
AM I RIGHT PERSON GOING THE DEEP WELL AND IF THEY DON'T MEET THE INCOME QUALIFICATIONS THAT DEEP? WELL THAT DIDN'T COME TO THE TOWN, AM I RIGHT? I BELIEVE SO, BUT I WOULD NEED TO VERIFY THAT WITH MR. YATES, UH, BEFORE GIVING A FINAL ANSWER.
BUT I CAN VERIFY WITH HIM AND GET YOU AN, UH, AN ANSWER MOMENT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THESE FOLKS ARE, UH, FITTING THAT FIRST CATEGORY OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE THOSE THAT HAVE HAD TO COME THROUGH THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE, I GUESS.
MR. HINTS? YEAH, JUST A MATTER OF COIN ON THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD PERMITTING AND DESIGN STUDIO REPORT, YOU, YOU HAVE THE TIMEFRAME THAT'S INVOLVED HERE, UH, OCTOBER, 2021 THROUGH AUGUST OF 2023, IF YOU COULD DO THE SAME WITH THE HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM AND THE SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM.
SO WE GET AN IDEA, UM, THE SCOPE OF, OF HOW FAST THESE NUMBERS ARE COMING IN, JUST TO ADD THE, THE START DATE.
AND, UH, LET ME PAUSE RIGHT HERE.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF OUR, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MS. BRYSON AND MR.
[00:15:01]
BROWN.UH, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE, REPRESENTING HERE, AND IF ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC HAS QUESTION OR COMMENT ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS WE JUST WENT THROUGH, UM, I WOULD ALLOW THAT.
RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THE, UM, THE HEIRS PROPERTY ISSUE THAT CAME IN, UM, THIS MONTH.
UM, I WAS PART OF THAT MEETING AND, UM, I, LOW COUNTRY GULLAH HAS TAKEN OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY IN WORKING WITH THAT FAMILY TO UNRAVEL WHATEVER THE ISSUES ARE OKAY.
LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
AND, UH, IF YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND, HI, I'M SUSAN WHEATLEY AND I ACTUALLY RESIDE AT 1 78 MITCHELLVILLE ROAD.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY IN REGARDS TO THE F A R AND PARKING, UH, COMMENT THAT I'M GLAD TO HEAR IS GONNA BE A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH DONE.
UM, I AM A REALTOR AND I SERVE ON THE LEGISLATION LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE THERE AS THE
AND HONESTLY, PERSONALLY, SINCE I LIVE IN A HISTORIC GULLAH GEE COMMUNITY, IN FACT, WE CONSIDER IT A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO LIVE THERE AND, UM, IN ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE COMMUNITIES HERE ON ISLAND.
UM, I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT THIS, THIS, UH, COMMITTEE NEEDS TO KEEP THEIR EYES AND EARS OPEN BECAUSE IF THERE'S ONE THING WE DON'T WANT IS ANY DISCRIMINATION TOWARD THE OWNERS OF LAND THAT THE FAMILIES HAVE, HAVE HAD IN THEIR FAMILY FOR SO MANY YEARS.
AND I JUST, I WANT YOU GUYS TO KEEP THAT ON YOUR RADAR.
[8. Discussion Items]
OUR AGENDA ARE DISCUSSION ITEMS. UH, THIS IS LAND PRESERVATION LOW COUNTRY GALA.THIS IS BE ANA GRAVES SELLERS AS A PRESENTATION FOR US WITH SOME INFORMATION.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
UM, BEFORE I START WITH THE, UM, THE LAND PRESERVATION NUMBERS, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE
UM, IT IS COMING UP THIS OCTOBER 2ND.
UM, THIS NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, AS OF JULY, WE HAD ABOUT 49 PROPERTIES THAT ARE ON THE ISLAND THAT, UM, STILL HAD NOT PAID THEIR TAXES.
UH, WE ARE MONITORING THE LIST ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS TAKEN CARE OF.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROPERTIES ON THE ISLAND THAT HAVE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE, SO WE'VE ALSO TAKEN CARE OF THAT.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, ON WHERE WE ARE WITH, WITH THE, UM, THE TAX SALE.
AND, UM, AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, I WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS A SUMMARY OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WERE, WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT TODAY I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE, UM, THIS IS JUST GONNA GIMME A, SOME OF THE LAND NUMBERS THAT, UM, OKAY.
SOME OF THE LAND NUMBERS THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK ON AND SOLIDIFY.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS BEFORE I START.
UM, THEY'RE GOING PROPERTY BY PROPERTY NAME BY NAME.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AS THINGS CHANGE AND, UM, PEOPLE GET MARRIED AND NAMES CHANGE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE, BUT, UM, THIS IS AS CLOSE OF A, A GOOD ESTIMATION THAT I CAN, UM, SHOW YOU.
SO I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORICAL AND NEIGHBORHOOD MAP.
UM, THESE ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, COMMUNITIES AROUND THE ISLAND.
AND SO IN TALKING ABOUT THE ISLAND-WIDE LAND LOSS, IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE RUDAT STUDY IN 1995, IT ESTIMATED THAT 3,500 ACRES OVERALL WERE OWNED BY GULLAH LAND, UM, OWNERS.
AND SO WHEN THE FIRST COUNT THAT THIS COMM, THIS TASK FORCE DID IN 2017, UM, BASED ON THAT, IT SHOWS A DECREASE OF 700 AND, UH, 36 ACRES.
CURRENTLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ESTIMATE FOR THE TOWN IS AT 2,700 ACRES AND ESSENTIALLY ATTRIBUTING THE CHANGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACREAGE
[00:20:01]
BASED ON, UM, PROPERTY PURCHASES THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.SO THAT'S WHY THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PROBABLY SHRUNK.
UM, SO TODAY'S COUNT IS AT, UM, IN TOTAL 958 ACRES, WHICH IS A DECREASE OF 1800 ACRES, UM, BASED ON THE, THE TOTAL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY.
SO HERE'S THE SAME MAP THAT I SHOWED YOU IN THE BEGINNING, AND THIS IS BASED ON 2017.
I WAS TRYING TO GET UPDATED, UM, LAND, UM, PER NEIGHBORHOOD MAP.
UM, BUT THIS HAS BEEN SOME FAST AND DIRTY NUMBERS.
SO, UM, I WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU COMPARISON SLIDES NEXT MONTH.
BUT THIS JUST GIVES YOU A GOOD IDEA OF, UM, THE SIZE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD VERSUS IN THE PINK.
THE OVERLAID, UM, PINK ARE THE PARCELS THAT WERE STILL GULLAH OWNED IN 2017.
AND OF COURSE THAT IS DOWN SINCE, UM, SINCE THEN.
SO NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AS I MENTIONED, UM, OVERALL THE ESTIMATED ACREAGE THAT IS OWNED BY THE GULLAH IN 2017 WAS A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND ACRES.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT THAT 955, UM, ACRES, UM, 958, WHICH IS A LOSS OF 55 ACRES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A MORE ZOOMED IN EFFECT, AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THESE QUICKLY 'CAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL OF THEM, BUT THIS IS, UM, THE, THE GRIDDED AREA OF EACH OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS IS WHERE THE LAND IS STILL OWNED BY GULLAH FAMILIES.
SO THIS IS BEAL, BIG HILL, BIG STONY CHAPLAIN, GARDNER GRASSLAND, JARVIS JONESVILLE, LITTLE STONY MARSHLAND, MITCHELLVILLE, OLD HOUSE, OLD HOUSE CREEK, SPANISH WELLS, AND SQUIRE POPE.
SO IMAGE-WISE, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE, THE DIFFERENCES NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I'M, THAT I'M, UM, REFERRING TO.
SO BASED ON THE NUMBERS TODAY, UM, COMPARING FROM 2017 TO THIS YEAR, 10 OUT OF THE 13 NEIGHBORHOODS ARE DOWN IN THEIR PLANNED OWNERSHIP THAT THE COMMUNITIES HAVE.
THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF LOSSES OR THE BIGGEST ACREAGE LOSSES IS MITCHELLVILLE, WHICH IS DOWN ABOUT 26, 27 ACRES.
BEAL AT 10, UM, MARSHLAND AT SIX AND BIG STONY AT FIVE.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, UM, FROM 2017 TO 2021, UM, BIG STONY AND JONESVILLE DID HAVE AN INCREASE FROM 2017 TO 2021, BUT THEN BACK TO A DECREASE, UM, FROM FROM 21 TO 23.
UM, AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE YEAR TO YEAR, THAT'S WHY THOSE, THOSE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES HAVE TWO NUMBERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE, THE INCREASE OR DECREASE, UM, YOU KNOW, PER COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON THE LAND NUMBERS.
UM, I'M GONNA GO, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS IN A SECOND, BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF ANYBODY HAD ANY QUESTIONS.
NOW, WHICH ONE OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN OPPORTUNITY ZONES OF THE, I CAN GO BACK.
UM, THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE IS PRIMARILY THE, UM, BEAL BEAL, UM, GOING UP INTO MITCHELLVILLE.
UM, I DON'T WANNA GO TOO FAST.
SO FROM BEAL TO MITCHELLVILLE, UM, IS IS PRIMARILY THAT AREA.
AND ESSENTIALLY FROM THE WATER IN BEAL UP TO AROUND, UM, THE, UM, WHAT IS IT, UM, MARSHLAND ROAD, NOT
[00:25:01]
MARSHLAND ROAD, UM, UM, YEAH, O OVER INTO THAT CIRCLE, THE CIRCLE OVER THERE.SO, UM, THOSE ARE PRIMARILY THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND GRA AND PAR PORTIONS OF GRASSLAND.
UM, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU THAT ONE AS WELL.
IF, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, UM, THAT CENTER IN THE, IN THE CENTER, THAT LARGEST PIECE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE WATER IN THE, THE COMMUNITY, I MEAN, THAT IS THE LARGEST, UM, PORTION OF THE LAND THAT, THAT HAS ESSENTIALLY GONE AWAY WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND, AND OF COURSE THAT WAS OPPORTUNITY ZONE, UM, ACTIVITY.
HOW, HOW WERE THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS DELINEATED? HOW DO WE, HOW DID WE KNOW WHAT, WHEN FROM THE BEGINNING? WELL, PRIMARILY THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS WERE BASED ON ALL OF WARD ONE.
SO ALL OF THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN WARD ONE.
UM, ORIGINALLY, OBVIOUSLY THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES LATELY, BUT THOSE COMMUNITIES WERE WHAT WERE MADE UP OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
DURING THE RUDAT THE AREA WAS DETERMINED BASED ON THE NATIVE ISLANDERS WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY.
SO THEY CAPTURED ALL THE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE NATIVE ISLANDERS, AND THAT WAS THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A COUNT BACK IN, WELL, THERE WAS A COUNT BACK IN, UM, THE RUDAT AT 99 95, HOW THEY DID IT AND HOW THEY BROKE IT UP.
UM, WITHIN THE REPORT IT JUST GIVES A, A, UM, OVERALL NUMBER OF THE 3,500.
UM, WAS THERE ANY INDICATION ON YOUR, ON THE LOSSES AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS VOLUNTARILY SOLD OR MAYBE FORFEITED THROUGH TAX SALE? WAS THERE ANY OF THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO YOU? THAT'S HARD TO FIND.
UM, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S PROPERTY BY PROPERTY.
UM, SINCE THE WORK THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN DOING, UM, I AM IN THE PROCESS OF, OF TRACKING THAT.
UM, THUS FAR WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD ANY LOSSES TO THE TAX SALE, UM, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE.
UM, THE, THE LIST THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE COUNTY ARE, UM, CREATED BASED ON BEST ESTIMATES.
SO IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT SOMEONE COULD BE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, BUT, BUT IT'S NOT A PERFECT SCIENCE.
AND I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, I KNOW THAT THE TOWN OF
OF THAT 1800 ACRES THAT YOU INDICATED THAT WE LOST THAT, THAT SECOND COUNT.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH OF THAT LAND THE TOWN NOW OWNS? UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.
UM, YOU TELL ME THAT NUMBER, I CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER.
UM, FOR, FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND, AND ONE THING I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE TAX LIST.
UM, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, BOTH THE TOWN AND LOW COUNTRY GULLAH FOUNDATION HAS BEEN GETTING THE TAX LIST FROM THE COUNTY, UM, VOLUNTARILY.
WE, WE REQUESTED IT WAS JUST A, A NATURAL PROCESS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP.
UM, LATELY THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REQUESTS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, SO THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR POLICIES.
IT IS NOW SOMETHING THAT'S BASED ON A FOIA REQUEST, WHICH I HAVE MADE TO THE COUNTY.
UM, IT HAS SLOWED DOWN THE PROCESS.
SO THE LIST THAT I HAVE ARE NOT AS UP TO DATE.
FOR INSTANCE, IN SEPTEMBER, I'M USUALLY GETTING A WEEKLY LIST SO THAT I CAN TRACK WHERE WE ARE BETWEEN NOW AND, AND THE SALE AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER.
UM, THAT INFORMATION IS NOT, UM, CURRENT ANYMORE.
[00:30:01]
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT I AM, I AM ACTIVELY WORKING ON AND HOPING TO RESOLVE.I DO HAVE THE PROMISE OF MARIA WALLS THAT, UM, THINGS SHOULD NOT SLOW DOWN.
UM, BUT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, THE INFORMATION FLOWS, UM, AS SMOOTHLY AS IT HAD BEFORE.
SO, SO THE TOWN HAS NOT GOTTEN ANY UPDATED LISTS AND NEITHER HAVE I, SO JUST WANNA KEEP YOU, YOU KNOW, INFORMED OF THAT THE PROPERTY GOES UP FOR TAX SALE.
IF A PROPERTY GOES UP FOR TAX SALE, DO YOU HAVE A WAY OF TRACKING HOW MUCH THAT PROPERTY WENT FORTH? LIKE THE BID AMOUNT? YES.
THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT THROUGH THE COUNTY WE'RE RECEIVING.
SO WE'RE GETTING THE, UM, THE PROPERTY ID, THE, THE OWNER'S NAME, THE ADDRESS, AND THE AMOUNT THAT THE BID WILL GO FOR.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY THE COUNTY IS DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE WHO ARE PREYING ON THE LISTS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HAVE, UM, MALICIOUS INTENT.
SO BEING CAREFUL WITH THE INFORMATION, I TOTALLY GET IT.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S A PROCEDURE AND A PROCESS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, UM, IT CAN, IT CAN GO BACK TO BEING AS SMOOTH AS IT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST.
DO YOU SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THAT LIST? ARE THEY, HOW DO YOU SAY THEY DON'T LIVE HERE? UM, WELL, WITH THE LIST WE HAVE SCRUBBED IT AND MASSAGED IT DOWN AS BEST WE COULD SO THAT WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF WHO ARE NATIVE ISLANDERS VERSUS LET'S CALL THEM OTHERS.
UM, SO WHEN I GET THE LIST, IT IS A, IT IS A, UM, MORE, MORE, UM, SPECIFIC TO GULLAH FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT IS POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE COULD FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PERFECT SCIENCE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING AT IT AS BEST WE CAN, BUT BASED ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE MAPS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE ARE, UM, IDENTIFYING WHO AND WHERE THE PROPERTIES ARE ON THAT SUBJECT CAN HELP ME.
I'D SAY, UH, A PROPERTY GOES UP FOR TAX SALE.
THE FAMILY WANTS TO REDEEM THAT PROPERTY HAS TO PAY THAT AMOUNT ON THAT AUCTION BID, OR DO THEY JUST PAY WHAT THE TAX AMOUNT WAS? DEPENDS ON, EXCUSE ME, IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY PAY IT.
IF THEY PAY IT BEFORE SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 29 DAYS.
IF THEY PAY BEFORE SEPTEMBER 29TH, THEN IT IS THE AMOUNT OF THE, THE TAX, UM, BILL.
UM, PLUS OF COURSE INTEREST, IF IT DOES GO TO THE TAX SALE AND THE PROPERTY IS SOLD, THEY HAVE TO PAY NOT ONLY THAT, BUT INTEREST ON THE AMOUNT OF THE, UH, PROPERTY THAT, UM, UH, UH, INTEREST ON TOP OF THE AMOUNT THAT THE PROPERTY SOLD FOR.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU A REAL WORLD EXAMPLE.
UM, THERE WAS A PROPERTY, THE ORIGINAL TAXES WERE $2,200.
THEY LET IT GO TO THE TAX SALE, WHICH THEY THOUGHT WOULD CLEAR THE TITLE, TOTALLY DO NOT ADVISE THAT THIS IS DONE.
IT WENT TO THE TAX SALE, THE PROPERTY THEN SOLD FOR $90,000 BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST, WHICH IS 3% FOR EVERY QUARTER.
BY THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'S 12% ON TOP OF THE, THE ORIGINAL 2200.
SO TO REDEEM THAT PROPERTY, IT WAS CLOSER TO $6,000 WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH JUST TO GET THAT PROPERTY BACK.
SO IT IS, IS IT, IT'S JUST, IF YOU DON'T HAVE $2,000
I GUESS THE QUESTION I'M ASKING IS, SO IF A PERSON FALLS SHORT, THAT'S WHERE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR ORGANIZATION COMES IN TO AID, RIGHT? YES.
SO IF, IF IN FACT THE COUNTY HAS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS AUCTIONED FOR THE PROPERTY IN ESCROW FOR A YEAR AND A DAY, RIGHT.
AND THE HOMEOWNER AND YOURSELVES CAN COME UP WITH ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THE TAXES AND THE, AND THE, AND THE INTEREST, SHOULDN'T THERE'D BE SOME WAY THAT THEY CAN REDUCE THE EXPENSE TO THAT HOMEOWNER OR THAT LANDOWNER FOR THE MERE FACT THAT THE MONEY THAT WAS PUT IN, IN ESCROW BY THE BIDDER IS STILL IN THE TREASURY WITH THE COUNTY? YES.
SO WE, IF I COME WITH THE DIFFERENCE, I PAY MY TAX AND I PAY THE INTEREST SATISFIED WITH WHAT THE COUNTY NEEDS, THE REST OF THAT MONEY CAN BE REFUNDED BACK TO THAT PERSON WHO BID IT ON THAT PROPERTY, SHOULD NOT, RATHER THAN ME HAVING TO COME WITH 90,000
[00:35:01]
TO GET THE PROPERTY BACK, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, WELL, NO, NO, NO, IT'S NOT 90 ACCORDING TO MARTIN.WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE $90,000, YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU PAY THE TAXES PLUS THE INTEREST.
AND THEN THE COUNTER JUST SIMPLY REFUNDS THAT BID IS MONEY.
NOW LEMME ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.
AND MAYBE I'M, I DON'T WANNA OPEN THE CAN OF WORMS HERE, BUT THERE, WHITE WAS DOING SOME TREMENDOUS WORK WITH THIS EFFORT ON THE MAINLAND.
UM, YOU HAVE ANY, DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HER? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SHE HAS, SHE'S A VALUABLE, UH, RESOURCE OF INFORMATION AND I KNOW THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME FRICTION SOMEWHERE IN THAT PAST, BUT IS THERE ANY TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHAT, WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE AND WHAT THERESA'S DOING THERE IN THE COUNTY? THERESA, UM, ORIGINALLY WAS WORKING IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND, UM, COVERING A GREAT DEAL OF THE STATE.
UM, IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, SHE HAS MOVED, UM, WHAT SHE IS DOING TO, UM, CHATHAM COUNTY IN GEORGIA.
SO, SO SHE IS NO LONGER WORKING, UM, ANY PROPERTIES HERE.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW I'M THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN, UM, THAT IS OPERATING AT THE SCALE THAT I'M, THAT'S, THAT I'M OPERATING AT.
UH, THERESA, OF COURSE, WAS A MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE, UH, WHEN WE FIRST FORMED THE TASK FORCE.
AND SHE WAS, IT HAD SOME VALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION, UM, IN THIS TYPE OF WORK.
BUT AT SOME POINT I DO KNOW THAT SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS ONLY, I THINK, AT THAT TIME, DEALING WITH PROPERTIES NORTH OF THE BROAD OR INITIALLY YES.
WHEN I STARTED THAT, THAT WAS PART OF THE RATIONALE FOR COVERING HILTON HEAD BECAUSE SHE WAS PRIMARILY NORTH OF THE BROAD.
AND, UM, WE WERE FOCUSING ON SOUTH OF BROAD.
WHEN IN THE PUBLIC HAVE A QUESTION.
YEAH, PLEASE APPROACH ANDRE WHITE.
I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS MR. HE'S COMMENT.
YEAH, THIS IS, UH, FOR THE RECORD, JUST GO AHEAD AND GIVE US YOUR NAME.
OH, ANDRE WHITE, UH, 2 82 BEAT CITY ROAD.
UM, I JUST WANNA ADDRESS MR. HE'S COMMENTS ABOUT WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE ESTABLISHED.
I MEAN, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE ESTABLISHED WHEN, UM, OUR FAMILY SETTLED AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, ACTUALLY SOME DURING THE CIVIL WAR, AND THEN THE OTHERS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.
SO WE'VE OFFICIALLY BEEN LANDOWNERS, I THINK SINCE AROUND 1865.
SO THAT, SO THESE ARE ALL THE AREAS WHERE FAMILIES WERE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BRIDGE WAS BUILT.
SO THE RUDAT REPORT KIND OF JUST WAS A REPORT, BUT FOLKS HAVE BEEN IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR, FOR, FOR GENERATIONS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND JUST TO WRAP EVERYTHING UP FOR YOU, UM, JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH, UM, THE DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON.
WE DID HAVE A WORKSHOP IN SEPTEMBER, UM, WITH MARIA WALLS.
UM, AND A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME, SOME GOOD, I'M SORRY, THAT SAYS SEPTEMBER.
UM, AND SO OUR NEXT WORKSHOP IS IN OCTOBER, AND THAT ONE WILL BE AT PENN CENTER.
NOW I ALSO DO WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE FACT THAT IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE, THE, UM, ASSESSMENTS ARE COMING OUT AND THE ASSESSMENTS, UM, WILL, WILL SHOW SOME, SOME, PROBABLY SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN PROPERTIES.
UM, SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY PEOPLE ARE AWARE, BUT THAT YOU CAN, UM, SUBMIT A, UM, A APPEAL TO HAVE YOURS ADJUSTED.
BUT IT'S A SHORT WINDOW OF TIME.
SO DURING THE WORKSHOP THAT WE'RE HAVING, IN ADDITION TO MARIA WALLS COMING BACK OUT TO TALK TO PEOPLE, UH, WE'RE INCLUDING THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY AS WELL AS EBONY SANDERS, THE ASSESSOR.
SO PEOPLE CAN GET DIRECT QUESTIONS ANSWERED REGARDING THAT.
UM, BECAUSE THE, THE, UM, THE WINDOW OF TIMES THAT ESSENTIALLY THE CLOCK STARTS IN JANUARY WHEN WHEN, UM, YOU CAN PUT IN AN APPEAL.
[00:40:01]
WITH, WITH THAT ALL BEING SAID, UM, IF NO ONE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.OBVIOUSLY THIS WORKSHOP IS CENTERED AROUND, UH, TAXES.
UM, I KNOW AT ONE POINT THERE WAS ALSO ONE THAT INCLUDED, I BELIEVE.
WE WILL BE HAVING ANOTHER WILL'S CLINIC, ONE HILTON HEAD IN NOVEMBER.
IT WILL BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, LOW COUNTRY LEGAL VOLUNTEERS.
NOW, THE SAME PERSON THAT'S GONNA DO THE WILL WORKSHOP, COULD YOU SEE IF THEY WILL TALK ABOUT TRUST TOO? WE CAN INCLUDE THAT.
WE CAN INCLUDE THAT AND, BUT, BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WILLS CLINIC IS THAT PEOPLE WALK IN THE DOOR WITHOUT A WILL.
SO IT IS NOT A, A FORUM KIND OF SITUATION, BUT AS FAR AS DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, A TRUST OR AN L L C, THAT KIND OF THING, WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE, THOSE KIND OF OPTIONS INTO THE WORKSHOP.
OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. SELLERS.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING IN THERE AND IN THE GAP AND DOING WHAT YOU CAN TO HELP WITH, UH, PRESERVATION.
OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA IS THE HILTON HINT HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION DESIGN TEAM, I BELIEVE ARE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU SOME IMAGES FOR THE REDESIGN.
MY NAME IS DON BOSS, I'M AN ARCHITECT WITH LITTLE, JOINING ME IS AARON STEVENS WITH CIRCULAR LANDSCAPE DESIGN.
SYDNEY KIRSON, INTERIOR DESIGN AND GRACE, ICKY PROJECT COORDINATOR WITH US SO EARLY IN THE DESIGN FOR THIS PROJECT, THE, UM, COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SCHOOL MADE IT CLEAR TO US THAT THEY WANTED THIS BUILDING TO INCORPORATE NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND WHAT WE, UM, ULTIMATELY DESIGNED.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS JUST SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE INSPIRATIONS THAT WE'VE REFERENCED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS, BUT ALSO HOW THOSE ELEMENTS BEEN PRESENTED IN THE DESIGN WORK.
OBVIOUSLY THE LANDSCAPE WAS VERY IMPORTANT, THIS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE COLOR PALETTES TO DERIVE THEMSELVES FROM.
THIS IS THE EXTERIOR OF THE, UM, HIGH SCHOOL AND REBUILT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, UM, IS, IT'S REMAINED SO IT'S IN THE DISTANCE THERE, BUT THE, UM, EXTERIOR HAS REALLY BEEN INSPIRED BY SORT OF THAT VISTA OF WATER TO SKY THE, YOU SEE OVER THE MARSHES OR THE, UH, OCEAN.
SO THERE'S, THOSE ARE METAL PANELS ON THAT, UM, FACADE.
AND THEY GO FROM A GRAY AT THE BOTTOM AND DISSIPATE TO A SKY BLUE AT THE TOP TO SORT OF RELATE TO THAT IMAGE THAT YOU SEE ALL OVER HILTON HEAD.
UM, IN ADDITION, THE PLANTINGS ON THE FRONT THAT I'M GONNA FLIP BACK 'CAUSE YOU CAN SEE 'EM BETTER HERE, BUT, UM, WE'RE USING KIND OF THE FORM OF THE BUILDING, UM, TO CREATE, THESE ARE BIOSWALES, SO THEY'RE STORMWATER FEATURES.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE ACCEPTING RUNOFF FROM THE ROOF AND THEN BE PLANTED WITH NATIVE PLANTS FROM THE ISLAND, UM, SO THAT THE NATIVE PLANTS CAN, UM, HELP IMPROVE THE STORMWATER QUALITY, UM, INFILTRATE THE, THE WATER, REDUCE THE RATES OF RE BUT ALSO PROVIDE AN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY, UM, ABOUT THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS HAPPENING HERE.
AND ALSO THE PLANTS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE, UM, END DOMINICAN ECOLOGY HERE.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE A RENDERING OF THE INTERIOR.
UM, THIS IS RIGHT WHEN YOU WALK IN THE FRONT DOOR OF THE SCHOOL.
UM, SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO HERE IS INCORPORATE, UM, SOME NATURAL ELEMENTS.
THE TERRAZZO FLOORING THROUGHOUT IS GONNA HAVE OYSTER SHELLS INCORPORATED INTO IT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO DESIGNED KINDA A MAP OF THE PORT ROYAL SOUND INTO THE FLOORING AS WELL.
UM, SO YOU'LL GET TO KIND OF HAVE THAT SENSE OF PLACE WHEN YOU WALK IN THE FRONT DOOR.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING, WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED AREAS TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, STUDENT ARTISTS AS WELL AS LOCAL ARTISTS.
UM, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE KIND OF THE CEILING STRUCTURE.
THERE IS, UM, WOOD THAT'LL KIND OF BRING IN SOME WARMTH, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEN, UM, HIGHLIGHT THAT
[00:45:01]
REGIONAL MATERIAL QUALITY.AND SO THESE ARE COLLABORATION ZONES THAT WE'VE DESIGNED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC WING OF THE SCHOOL.
UM, KIND OF TOUCHDOWN SPACES FOR STUDENTS TO DO PRIVATE STUDY OR GROUP WORK.
UM, AND THOSE ARE GONNA INCORPORATE, UM, SOME FUNKY CARPETING THAT, UM, HAS KIND OF INSPIRED BY THE, UM, QUILTS AND TEXTILES OF THE GULLAH HERITAGE.
UM, THE GRAPHICS IN THE BACK, WE'VE GOT, UM, ALLUDE TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL NA UH, ECOSYSTEMS. AND THEN, UM, AGAIN, MORE FEATURE WALLS TO HIGHLIGHT STUDENT AND LOCAL ARTISTS.
THERE'S ANOTHER RENDERING OF THE MEDIA CENTER.
UM, HERE WE'RE INCORPORATING, UM, SOME CIRCULAR LIGHT FIXTURES, UM, WHICH ARE MORE OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL SIDE OF THINGS, UM, WITH THE SHELL RINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
UM, THE CIRCULATION DESK, UM, WHICH IS KIND OF HARD TO SEE IN THE RENDERING, BUT WE'VE INCORPORATED SOME COUNTERTOPS THAT HAVE, UM, RECYCLED GLASS BOTTLES AND THAT BLUE COLLAR THAT KIND OF NOD TO THE, UM, THE BOTTLE TREES THAT YOU SEE THROUGHOUT HILTON HEAD.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, WE'VE GOT GLAZING THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL AND WINDOWS EVERYWHERE THAT PROMOTE THAT CONNECTION TO NATURE FOR STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A LIGHT FIXTURE THAT'S KIND OF A THREE D PRINTED, WOVEN MATERIAL, UM, THAT WE'VE, UM, IT'S INSPIRED BY THE, UH, GOLA SWEETGRASS BASKET WEAVING IN THE BACKGROUND THROUGH THE GLASS.
UM, AND THESE ARE JUST SOME MORE IMAGES.
UM, FOR OUR INSPIRATION FOR THE LANDSCAPE DESIGN.
WE ARE, UM, NOT AS FAR ALONG IN OUR, IN OUR DESIGN AND DETAILING AS THE ARCHITECTS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HOPE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL ON THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THEMES YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PICK UP, ESPECIALLY IN THE INTERIOR COURTYARD.
SO THERE'S A LARGE COURTYARD, UM, WHERE IN THE CENTER THERE, UM, WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE SEVERAL COMPONENTS THAT WILL OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, STUDENTS TO SPEND TIME OUTSIDE, UM, OUTDOOR SEATING, UM, ENGAGE WITH AGAIN, YOU KNOW, COMPONENTS OF THE, THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEM.
BUT, UM, WE'LL BE EXTENDING A LOT OF THE COLOR MATERIAL CHOICES FROM THE INTERIOR OUT SO THAT IT FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN OUTDOOR EXTENSION OF THE SCHOOL.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE AREN'T AS FAR ALONG HERE, WE'D LOVE, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY INPUT FROM Y'ALL ON THINGS YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE OR NOT SEE OR, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN, CAN BETTER, UM, REPRESENT SOMETHING THAT'S MEANINGFUL, UM, WITHIN THIS COURTYARD.
IT'S A MULTI-FACED PROJECTS TO THE COURTYARD WILL BE DONE IN PHASE.
WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS GET ANY INPUT AGAIN.
UM, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR HAVE SOMEONE TO PAINT THE HAWK? UH,
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT A GULLAH ARTIST DOING THAT? UH, WE'VE, WELL WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY GOTTEN FAR ENOUGH TO REALLY LOOK AT, UM, THAT PART OF IT, BUT CERTAINLY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
'CAUSE I MEAN, WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL IT WAS PAINTED BY BILL PINKNEY ARTIST COVERED UP BY SOMEBODY ELSE, SO.
WELL, AND IF Y'ALL HAVE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO OR ENGAGE WITH, WE'RE CERTAINLY OVER THAT UP.
WE'LL BE SERVING ALL THE ART THAT IS IN THE BUILDING AND WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY TO SAVE OR OTHERWISE RECORD WHAT'S THERE.
HE WAS AN EXTREMELY FAMOUS PERSON AND AFTER I GRADUATED, PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW AND COVERED IT UP.
SO TELL AN ARTIST OR SOMEBODY IN THERE.
THAT PROBABLY BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE YOU'VE BEEN TO HIGH SCHOOL THOUGH, RIGHT?
UM, I'VE BEEN TO OTHER GAMES, BUT YEAH, I WANTED TO ASK, UH, I DIDN'T SEE AREA WHERE THE GYMNASIUM, ANYTHING WAS GOING BE REDONE THERE.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS, FROM WHAT I I UNDERSTAND, A VERY, UM, ELEGANT OIL PAINTING OF A HAWK THAT JOE PAINTED DID BY HAND.
IT TOOK HIM ANY NUMBER OF DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, OR YEARS TO DO THAT.
I'LL FINALLY HEAR THAT IT'S BEEN COVERED OVER.
THAT'S REALLY A TREMENDOUS CULTURAL LOSS.
UH, IF THAT IS IN FACT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN IT HAS HAPPENED.
SO LOOK AT, IS THERE ANY, ANY RECORD OR IMAGERY OF THAT? HAS TO BE, HAS TO BE, HAS TO BE, I MEAN THAT, THAT,
[00:50:01]
THAT'S SORT OF DISAPPOINTING.YEAH, I, I THINK THE RENDERINGS ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE.
UM, ON THIS SLIDE YOU HAVE HERE, DARK TAN IS THE NEW PART AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PERFORMING ARTS ARTS CENTER IS ALL, ALL THE LIGHT TAN, THE SAND COLOR, IS THAT EXISTING OR WHAT IS THAT? A PHASE TWO OR WHAT? IT'S PHASE TWO.
UM, THERE WILL BE, THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COURTYARD WILL BE ESSENTIALLY THE NEW, A NEW WING AS WELL FOR C P E AND CAFETERIA.
AND THEN EVERYTHING TO THE WEST THERE, UH, WILL BE RENO FULLY RENOVATED, WHICH IS THE GYM.
UM, VERTICAL CORRIDOR CONNECTION HERE IS KIND OF THE CUTOFF OF THIS IS THE EXISTING
IS THERE ANYTHING THERE NOW THERE IS THIS, UM, EVERYTHING THAT'S THE, BASICALLY THE ACADEMIC WINGS OF THE BUILDING.
UM, THAT'S THE NINTH TAN NEW PART.
IT'S WHERE THE NINTH GRADE ACADEMY IS RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE IS A, THERE IS ALL THE CLASSROOM SPACE THAT ACTUALLY OCCUPIES THAT COURTYARD SPACE ALL THE WAY OUT TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE BUILDING THE FIRST PHASE IN FRONT OF IT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL THE ENTIRE TIME AND THEN MOVE THEM SO THAT THEY DON'T END UP PART WHEN, AND THEN PART THIS HELPS GIVE ANY REFERENCE.
'CAUSE I KNOW SEEING THINGS DRAWN OUT IS CONFUSING SOMETIMES, UM, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW PLAN COMBINED WITH OLD PLAN, BUT THESE TREES RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE OR AT THE EDGE OF THE EXISTING BUILDING IN THE PARKING LOT, IF THAT GIVES YOU ANY KIND OF REFERENCE, THAT TO ME HELPS.
SO THE PARKING LOT UP FRONT'S GONNA BE CUT IN HALF OR MORE THAN SOME QUESTIONS.
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR WORK AND GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME INPUT AND, UM, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT? I ASSUME WE HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, SO IF WE DO HAVE SOME IDEAS, I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE THAT TODAY, BUT IF WE DO
THAT'S A GREAT, UH, SUGGESTION.
CAN I FIND MYSELF DOWN AT THE END OF THE, UH, AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA BEFORE I CLOSE THAT I DO WANT TO ALLOW ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO, YES.
MR. WHITE, UH, THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND ANA'S PRESENTATION AS WELL? YES.
WELL, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE BE HERE AND, UH, OF COURSE I WANT TO AGAIN, RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT MS. CNA DID, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ACQUIRED A CAPABLE STAFF WITH, UH, WITH MR. EDWARDS AND NICK T AND THE REST OF THE STAFF STEPPING UP.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU FILLING IN THE GAPS SO WE CAN KEEP THIS, THIS IMPORTANT WORK GOING.
AND ALL THOSE WHO GAVE INPUT AND OF COURSE OUR COUNCILMAN BRYON BROWN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IF THAT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOMENT.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION TO ADJOURN? YES, SIR.
I WOULD LIKE TO, IF I MAY JUST, UH, MENTION THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT THE SAO ISLAND COMMUNITY ON THURSDAY, LAST THURSDAY.
YOU KNOW, SAO ISLAND, AS YOU KNOW, IS A, IS A NATIVE ISLAND, UH, COMMUNITY.
UH, THEY, THEY HAD A SITUATION WHERE THERE WERE 13 COMMUNITIES ON THAT ISLAND.
ORIGINALLY IT WAS 13 COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO ONE.
MACINTOSH COUNTY WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO ESTABLISH SOME ORDINANCES THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR THE DEVELOPERS TO COME IN AND CHANGE THE WHOLE FOOTPRINT OF THE ISLAND.
AND, UH, IT'S A FIGHT THAT THEY'RE GOING ON THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH IT.
[00:55:01]
KIND OFI WANNA MAKE THAT RECOGNITION.
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
AND WE DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, A FEW MONTHS BACK TO MEET WITH THOSE FOLKS FROM SLO.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN TOUCH WITH SOME FOLKS FROM, UH, CHARLESTON AS WELL.
AND I HAVE TO, UH, CERTAINLY GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE PAT ON THE BACK HERE IN HILTON HEAD BY STARTING THIS, UH, CULTURAL PRESERVATION EFFORT.
WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN SHARE WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THE CORRIDOR, IF YOU WILL, UP AND DOWN THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR.
THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING HERE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT CAN BE MODELED AND SHARED WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES AND EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THE CULTURE.
AND THAT'S, UH, EASIER SAID THAN DONE, OF COURSE.
AND NOT TO BE SLIGHTED OR MAKE LIGHT A LITTLE OF THE CULTURE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CULTURE, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE AND DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE AND LOSS OF CULTURE AND TALK ABOUT THE SENSE OF PLACE.
UH, MOST OF US RELATE HERE IN HILTON HEAD TO, TO GOLF AND TENNIS AND THE BEACH.
I'M HAPPY THAT SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE NOW HAS GOTTEN ON THE RADAR AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE IS A VERY RICH HISTORY HERE IN WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
[9. Adjournment]
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.