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[00:00:01]

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.

[1. Call to Order]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY.

THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING OF, UH, THE YEAR.

AND WHILE WE DON'T DO ROLL, ROLL CALL ANYMORE, I WILL NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER WHALEY IS PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY TODAY 'CAUSE SHE'S NOT WELL ENOUGH TO BE WITH THIS PERSON.

THANK YOU.

CAN YOU HEAR US ALL RIGHT, ELLEN? I CAN.

AND I'M GLAD I DIDN'T COME 'CAUSE YOU'D ALL BE SICK THE NEXT DAY.

.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

LET'S BEGIN WITH THE PLEDGE OF TO ALLEGIANCE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

ABOVE WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION HONOR, GOD AND INDIVIDUAL 13, JUSTICE FOR.

OKAY, GREAT.

WE'VE ALL

[3. Adoption of the Agenda]

HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE AGENDA, WHICH WE'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE.

DOES, UH, STAFF HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA FOR TODAY? NO, SIR.

OKAY.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA THAT THE COMMISSIONER HAS MOVED, SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONER LOBAUGH DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS.

FINE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE MINUTES FROM

[4. Approval of the Minutes]

THE REGULAR MEETING ON THE NOVEMBER 15TH, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.

UH, YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE VICE CHAIR O'NEILL? SECOND.

AND, UH, COMMISSIONER MEER SECONDS.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? RIGHT HAND PLEASE.

UNANIMOUS AGAIN.

GREAT.

UH, THERE, UH, THIS WOULD BE A TIME FOR APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.

FOR ITEMS THAT DON'T APPEAR ON TODAY'S AGENDA, IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON AN ITEM THAT'S NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA? OKAY.

SEEING NONE WILL MOVE DIRECTLY INTO THE NEW BUSINESS, UH, WHICH OUR FIRST ITEM IS

[7.a. Public Hearing Housing Impact Analysis Recommendation (HIA) - Consideration of a recommendation to Town Council that the Housing Impact Analysis be advanced as an amendment to the Town's Comprehensive Plan Housing Element]

CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL THAT THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS BE ADVANCED AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT.

THIS IS, UH, REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO I'D LIKE TO DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN RIGHT NOW.

AND HOW WE'LL DO THIS IS WE WILL HEAR THE PRESENTATION FROM TOWN STAFF, THEN WE WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC, UH, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GIVE, COMMENT AND QUESTIONS.

AND WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND GO TO, UH, SESSION.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE MISSY LU IS GONNA DO THE HONORS TODAY.

WELCOME, MISSY.

HELLO, UM, MISSY LU, PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR THE RECORD.

IT'S NICE TO BE BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TODAY.

I HAVEN'T BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU FOR A WHILE.

UM, TODAY, UM, WE ARE HAVING OUR SECOND DISCUSSION ABOUT HOUSING.

WE HAD A HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, AT 10 O'CLOCK TODAY.

UM, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS.

UM, SHEA, IS THE MEMO LOADED? UM, THE FOLDER.

OKAY.

THIS IS THE FINAL MEMO.

OKAY.

SO, UM, TODAY IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO, UM, LOOK AT THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS DOCUMENT AND HEAR FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, RELATED TO, TO THIS WORK.

UM, SO JUST TO GIVE SOME OF THE BACKGROUND ON, ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHY, UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PASSAGE OF ACT 57, UM, BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

AND THAT ACT ALLOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO UTILIZE A PORTION OF THEIR, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, UM, BOTH STATE AND LOCAL OR BOTH TO BE UTILIZED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUALIFIED WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, AS A TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURE.

AND, UM, A COMPONENT OF THAT IS, UH, IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE TOWN TO UTILIZE, UH, THESE FUNDS OF UP TO 15% IS THE REQUIREMENT TO COMPLETE A HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS, WHICH WAS THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN, IN YOUR PACKET.

UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, COMPLETED THAT PARTICULAR PROCESS AND HAVE SOLICITED INPUT FROM THE HOME BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS AND CONTRACTORS AND HOUSING FINANCE EXPERTS.

UM, WHEN PUTTING TOGETHER THE DOCUMENT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY, WE WORKED WITH OUR HOUSING CONSULTANT TOGETHER CONSULTING IN DRAFTING THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT.

UM, AND IN ADDITION TO, UM, COMPILING THE DATA AND RESEARCH FOR THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS, UM, WE ALSO RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE HILTON HEAD REALTORS ASSOCIATION, THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, UM, AS WELL AS LOCAL BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS.

UM, SO I'M GONNA GO OVER, UM,

[00:05:01]

YOU KNOW, THE ANALYSIS THAT WAS REQUIRED WITHIN THE ACT.

UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOME ASSURANCES TOO THAT ALL OF THIS IS INCORPORATED WITHIN, WITHIN THE DOCUMENT.

UM, SO IF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UM, OPT TO USE AT A FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING, THEN THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO THIS, UM, HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS DOCUMENT PRIOR TO THE SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE.

AND THE ANALYSIS WILL HELP DEFINE THE ACTUAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THESE FUNDS WOULD HELP SOLVE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING NEEDS.

SO THAT WAS SOME OF THE, THE LANGUAGE FROM THE ACT ITSELF.

AND WITHIN THE ACT WORKFORCE HOUSING IS DEFINED, AND I'LL READ THAT DEFINITION FOR REFERENCE, WORKFORCE HOUSING MEANS RESIDENTIAL HOUSING FOR RENT OR SALE THAT IS APPROPRIATELY PRICED FOR RENT OR SALE TO A PERSON OR FAMILY WHOSE INCOME FALLS WITHIN 30% AND 120% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR THE LOCAL AREA WITH ADJUSTMENTS FOR HOUSEHOLD SIZE ACCORDING TO THE LATEST FIGURES AVAILABLE FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

SO, UM, WITH THAT THEN THE STEPS NECESSARY, UM, FOR, UM, IN THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN THE DOCUMENT, UM, ARE OUTLINED HERE IN THIS PART OF THE MEMO.

UM, THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS HAS TO INCLUDE, UM, COST OF DEVELOPING, CONSTRUCTING AND REHABILITATING, IMPROVING, MAINTAINING AND OWNING SINGLE FAMILY OR MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS, PURCHASE PRICE OF NEW HOMES, UM, OR THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF EXISTING HOMES, THE COST AND AVAILABILITY OF FINANCING TO PURCHASE OR DEVELOP HOUSING.

UM, AND THEN AN ARRAY OF INFORMATION RELATED TO HOUSING COSTS.

AND THEN, UM, DENSITY, LOCATION, SETBACK, SIZE, HEIGHT DEVELOPMENT ON, ON LOT AND PARCELS OF LAND DEVELOPMENT OR, OR SUBDIVISIONS.

SO THAT KIND OF INFORMATION.

AND THEN HOW THE HOUSING AMENDMENT AFFECTS, UM, MODERATE TO INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

UM, THE IMPACT ANALYSIS HAS TO BE BASED ON COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND FINANCING, PURCHASING, SALE OWNERSHIP OR AVAILABILITY OF MEDIUM PRICED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS.

AND THE ANALYSIS MAY INCLUDE ESTIMATES FOR LARGER DEVELOPMENTS AS ANALYSIS OF LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF, OF THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.

UM, AND THEN THAT ONCE THOSE STEPS ARE INCLUDED IN, UH, THE DOCUMENT ITSELF, THEN THE DOCUMENT, UM, NEEDS TO BE, UM, SUBMITTED TO SOME REVIEWING BODIES.

AND, UM, AND THOSE BODIES ARE THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND THE TOURISM EXPENDITURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.

AND WE HAVE SENT, UH, THIS DOCUMENT TO BOTH OF THOSE, UH, BODIES AND THEN ALSO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH AS WE GO THROUGH THE REVIEW, UH, PROCESS, UM, THEY WILL RECEIVE THIS DOCUMENT AS WELL.

UM, SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE BACKGROUND AND STRUCTURE OF THE DISCUSSION TODAY.

UM, THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS DOCUMENT, UM, WAS IN THE PACKET AND, UM, AND INCLUDES, UM, BOTH AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, UM, SORRY, I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE PLAN.

IF YOU SCROLL DOWN .

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

IT INCLUDES, UM, AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, UM, INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND, SORRY.

UM, EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS, THE MARKET CONDITION ANALYSIS, UM, HOUSING MARKET CONDITIONS, THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS, AND, UM, SOLVING THE HOUSING CRISIS, AND THEN SOURCES AND APPENDIX INFORMATION.

UM, SO I WASN'T GOING TO GO OVER IN DETAIL WHAT THE REPORT COVERS, UM, BUT JUST AM AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AGAIN, IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY ON, ON THE DOCUMENT ITSELF.

AND AGAIN, THE, THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH IS THAT THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

AND SO, UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE INCORPORATED IN WHAT IS CURRENTLY THE HOUSING ELEMENT THAT IS IN OUR PLAN, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THAT PROCESS, LET ME, UH, CLARIFY WITH KAREN.

DID WE RECEIVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS ON THE PUBLIC PORTAL, KAREN? NO SIR, WE DID NOT.

UM, THIS WOULD BE A TIME, UM, THAT WE WOULD TAKE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE START DISCUSSING THIS AS A COMMISSION.

SO IF, UH, IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ON THIS TOPIC, COULD YOU COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ANYBODY WANTING TO DO THAT? SO I WILL CALL THE PUBLIC HEARING TO A CLOSE AND, AND THEN, UH, ASK WHAT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE AND REMEMBER TO ACTIVATE YOUR, ACTIVATE YOUR MIC SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HEAR

[00:10:05]

COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, ALAN.

OKAY.

OKAY, GO AHEAD ALAN.

UM, MISSY, UM, I JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS AND THE BACKGROUND.

UH, THIS IS A SIMPLE ONE HERE.

UM, WORKFORCE HOUSING AS 120%, IS THAT CONSISTENT WITH THE APPROACH THE TOWN TOOK A YEAR OR SO AGO? UH, WHAT ARE YOU REFERRING TO? THE ? UM, IN PAGE TWO OR THREE? YEAH, NO, NO.

THE DEFINITION OF WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT THE ACT, UM, IMPLEMENTED WA IS NOW, DOES THE TOWN HAVE TO TA CHANGE ITS DEFINITION OR IS WAS THE TOWN'S DEFINITION CONSISTENT WITH THIS, UM, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING? THE 120% SURE THEY'RE NOT IDENTICAL DEFINITIONS.

UM, BUT THIS IS FOR THE UTILIZATION OF, OF THESE FUNDS.

UM, SO IT WOULD HAVE TO MEET IF THERE WAS A, A PROJECT THAT WAS MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN OUR CODE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING OR WAS GOING TO UTILIZE THE FUNDS THAT ARE, ARE ACTIVATED THROUGH THIS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET BOTH IF THEY ARE NOT DOING A WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT AS DEFINED IN OUR LMO, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO DO A WORKFORCE HOUSING AS DEFINED THROUGH, UM, THIS ACT, THEN IT COULD BE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET ONE OR THE OTHER.

BUT TYPICALLY I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET BOTH DEFINITIONS AND I CAN AS A FOLLOW UP, UM, OR IF, IF ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS COULD, UH, PROVIDE THE DEFINITION FROM THE LMO FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING, WE, WE CAN HAVE THAT UP IN A COUPLE MINUTES.

OKAY.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

NOW SKIPPING OVER TO THE EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS WOULD BE MY LAST SET OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE THE, UM, THE HOUSING MARKET ANALYSIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT I GOT CONFUSED ON THE EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS.

SO IF YOU GO TO YOUR PAGE 14 IN THE REPORT, UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO FILE, SORT OF MAKE THIS EASY FOR EVERYBODY.

SO THE TOURISM EMPLOYMENT IS UP AT 5% AT 14,000.

THAT'S HOW I READ IT.

BUT WHEN I SKIP FORWARD IN THE REPORT, I GET CONFUSED.

UM, COUPLE OF PAGES LATER, THEY TALK ABOUT THREE SECTORS SERVICES, UH, PUBLIC SERVICES AND HEALTHCARE.

AND THAT TOTALS 10,000.

SO IS THAT 10,000 A SUBSET OF THE 14,000? UM, AND THEN THE NEXT PAGE GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT 12,450 JOBS IN FOOD PREP AND SERVING.

AND THEN AGAIN, IT GOES ON TO TOP RELATED OCCUPATIONS OF 12,450 IN FOOD PREP AND SERVING.

SO I GOT LOST IN THESE NUMBERS 'CAUSE I COULDN'T CREATE A PATH, WHAT IS THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT ON HILTON HEAD AND WHAT PERCENT OF THESE OCCUPATIONS THAT THE CONSULTANT FOCUSED IN ON, I GUESS THAT ARE HOUSING BURDENED? UH, SO IF THE TOP OCCUPATIONS ARE 40,000 AND TOURISM IS 14,000, THEN I GET TO 37% OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT FOR TOURISM.

WHERE'S THE REST OF IT? SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IS.

OKAY.

SO I MEAN, I I WASN'T TOTALLY FOLLOWING, UM, ALL OF THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE QUESTIONING.

I I UNDERSTAND YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT THE TOURISM EMPLOYMENT BLOCK THAT, THAT I HAVE MY CURSOR ON RIGHT NOW, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OTHER ONES YOU WERE MENTIONING.

UH, IT'S ABOUT A COUPLE OF PAGES LATER.

I THINK IT'S EITHER ON PAGE, UM, UH, IT'S LIKE I, MY PRINTER PRINTS IT OFF DIFFERENT.

UM, IT'S PROBABLY LIKE ABOUT PAGE 19.

IT TALKS ABOUT, LET ME SEE IF I CAN PULL IT UP TOO.

HOLD ON A MINUTE SO I CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT PAGE.

MAKE LIFE EASY FOR ALL OF US.

BEAR WITH ME.

SO IF YOU GO TO PAGE INTO THE EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS SECTION, ME GO FIND IT, PASS THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

BUT THE GIST OF YOUR QUESTION IS THAT YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT THE TOTAL LANDSCAPE IS FOR EMPLOYMENT ISLAND WIDE, REGARDLESS OF THE SECTORS OR YOU WANT THEM ALSO BY SECTORS? UM, YEAH, SO I THINK IT STARTS ON PAGE, LET'S SEE WHAT DOCUMENT PAGE ON YOUR DOCUMENT.

THIS IS, THIS IS, YEAH, SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU START ON PAGE, I THINK IT'S 14 OF YOUR DOCUMENT, LET ME SEE, 14

[00:15:01]

PAGE 17 OF YOUR DOCUMENT.

SO IF YOU GO TO, UH, PAGE 17 OF YOUR DOCUMENT, WHICH IS AN EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS PAGE.

SO, UM, THE 14,000, THE TOURISM EMPLOYMENTS REMAIN, YOU KNOW, STATISTICALLY STEADY, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONE UP 5%, PAYROLLS HAVE GONE UP 23%.

AND SO EXPENDITURES ARE ABOUT THE SAME AS THEY WERE IN 2017.

DO YOU SEE THAT TABLE? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE SECTOR CHANGE TABLE OR THE TABLE? TABLE 17 ON PAGE 14 IN YOUR DOCUMENT TABLE 17.

I'M SORRY, WE WERE ON PAGE PAGE 17.

OKAY.

.

MY, OKAY, SO, UH, I GUESS JUST A STATISTICAL QUESTION.

SO ARE THE TWO $17 ADJUSTED FOR THE 20 $20 OR UM, OR ARE THEY THE ORIGINAL $2,017 NOT ADJUSTED FOR 2020? OH, UM, I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK BACK WITH OUR HOUSING CONSULTANT ON, ON THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION.

ARE ARE THE 20 $17 20 $17 OR HAVE THEY BEEN ADJUSTED? I, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

OKAY.

I'M JUST, YOU UNDER, I'M, I UNDERSTAND.

I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS SO I UNDERSTAND THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM WHEN IT, WHEN IT BECOMES TO PEOPLE, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE HOUSING SIDE, BUT I'M NOT FOLLOWING SOME OF THIS.

UM, SO IF WE MOVE FORWARD TO YOUR PAGE, UM, I BELIEVE IT IS NOT 16, YOU START QUOTING STATISTICS ON YOUR PAGE 17.

SO BETWEEN, UH, TABLE 17 AND PAGE 17, YOU TALK ABOUT YOU START TALKING OFF ABOUT 14,000 TOURISM WORKERS AND THEN YOU, THEN YOU NARROW IT DOWN TO ON PAGE 16, 10,000 WORKERS IN THE SERVICES, PUBLIC SERVICES AND HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.

AND THEN YOU GO BACK TO, UH, 12,450 JOBS IN FOOD PREP AND SERVING.

SO, AND THEN ANOTHER PAGE LATER YOU GO START TALKING ABOUT TOTAL RELATED O OCCUPATIONS OF THE 12,450.

SO IF I ADD EVERYTHING UP, UM, I'M, NOW I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK ON THE ISLAND ARE PART OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT PICTURE.

SO I GUESS WHAT I'M REALLY ASKING, 'CAUSE I CAN FIGURE THE REST OUT, WHAT IS THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT PICTURE YOU'VE PAINTED A PICTURE OF WHERE YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE BURDENED, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT PERCENT OF THE WORKING POPULATION THEY ARE.

OKAY, WELL, WITH THAT LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY AND, AND ANALYZING, NOW I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA SOURCE OF SOME OF THESE AND, UH MM-HMM, AND LIKE EMPLOYMENT AND WAGE DATA FOR THE, THE CHART THAT IS ON PAGE 17 IS FROM THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND METROPOLITAN AREA.

AND THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN HILTON HEAD ISLAND PROPER.

AND SO SOME OF THESE CHARTS AH, OKAY.

ARE PULLING FROM DIFFERENT, A BIGGER, BIGGER MS. OKAY.

YEP.

YEAH.

AND SO LIKE THE CHART ABOVE IT IS FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU, THE 2000 TO 2021 CENSUS.

AND SO, UM, NOT ALL OF THE DATA SETS ARE THE SAME.

OKAY.

UM, AND, UM, AND, AND FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PULLED FROM A VARIETY OF DATA SETS TO TRY TO GET A RANGE OF, OF STATISTICS TO INCLUDE JUST THE, THE BREADTH OF THE EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR AND HOW OUR EMPLOYMENT, UM, STACKS UP WITH, WITH THE REGION AS WELL, UM, MM-HMM, , YOU KNOW, HOW HOW IS THE ISLANDS EMPLOYMENT SECTOR, YOU KNOW, THE SAME OR DIFFERENT OR VARIED FROM, FROM THE REGION.

AND SO, UM, SO AGAIN, LIKE LOOKING AT THE, THE DATA SOURCE IN THIS DOCUMENT, BUT I COULD, UM, AS A FOLLOW UP, UM, PROVIDE A RESPONSE.

I THINK IF, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA TRY TO SUMMARIZE WHAT YOUR QUESTION WAS, AND I THINK IT WAS YOU WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE EMPLOYMENT LANDSCAPE AND SECTORS, SO THE QUANTITIES IN SECTORS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

IS THAT WHAT YOUR QUESTION WAS? PARTIALLY, I THINK THE EASIEST WAY FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT TO THE WORKFORCE OTHER THAN DOLLARS.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND? BECAUSE I'M GLAD YOU POINTED THIS OUT.

SO THIS TABLE ON PAGE 17, WHICH DOESN'T HAVE A TABLE NUMBER, UM, IS REALLY HILTON HEAD BLUFFED IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER PROBABLY IS THAT WHAT'S IN THE METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA HERE? UH, YEAH, IT'S A BOUNDARY THAT INCLUDES PORTIONS, THESE AREAS, THESE, SO SOME SUB SUBSET, SOME SUBSET

[00:20:01]

OF THAT 40,000 ARE HILTON HEAD EMPLOYEES AND SOME SET OF SUBSET OF THAT ARE IN TOURISM.

IS THAT HOW I COULD FOLLOW THIS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF TOURISM AND EMPLOYMENT IN GENERAL? I CAN'T SEE THE BIG PICTURE.

I GUESS THAT'S THE PROBLEM AND HOW IT'S IMPACTING HILTON HEAD.

SO HOW MANY EMPLOYEES OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT ARE BURDENED IN A BEST, YOU KNOW, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS? SURE.

WELL WE HAD, YOU KNOW, ON THE PAGE PRIOR, WE INCLUDED THE TOP ISLAND EMPLOYERS.

UM, AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE, THEY'RE, UM, RESTAURANT RESORT, UH, MEDICAL AND, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND SO YEAH, YOU CAN THEN EQUATE THAT TO THE SECTORS.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ACTUALLY IT'S THE TABLE, IT'S THE CHART ABOVE.

YEAH.

THAT'S KINDA LIKE, WELL YOU'RE QUOTING 14,000, BUT THAT ONLY LIKE ACCOUNTS FOR LIKE 25 OR A HUNDRED OR 300 THE TOP EMPLOYERS.

SO IS ARE YOU SAYING IT'S JUST A TOP EMPLOYERS WHO ARE BURDENED? NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT'S SAYING.

IT'S JUST IT THAT IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE TOP ISLAND EMPLOYERS AND THE INFORMATION AND DATA FROM, FROM A 2021 REPORT.

UM, AND, AND JUST TO ANALYZE THOSE PARTICULAR EMPLOYERS AND THOSE SECTORS HAVE SALARIES THAT HAVE RANGES BASED ON THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS AND, UM, WHAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE RENTS, UM, OR HOME PAYMENTS WOULD BE FOR, FOR THOSE WITHIN THOSE SECTORS.

THAT IS, THAT IS THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PARTICULAR PAGE.

OKAY.

AND HERE'S WHERE I COME BACK TO THIS.

I THINK THAT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE ISLAND WHO ARE BURDENED.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN SECTORS THAT ARE BURDENED, BUT WHAT PERCENT OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT TO THOSE SECTORS REPRESENT? SO YOU THE TOTAL NUMBER , SO YOU NEED THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT NUMBER? YEAH, YEAH.

OKAY.

IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THESE TOP OCCUPATIONS, UH, WHICH ARE IN A METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA ARE THE ONES THAT SHOWS THE BIGGEST BURDEN WITH RESPECT TO YOUR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, WHICH I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, I'M STILL NOT CLEAR HOW MANY WORKERS ON HILTON HEAD ARE IMPACTED BY THIS BECAUSE OF THE MIX OF DATA.

AND SO YOU, I WE NEED TO SEE SOME BEST ESTIMATE IF THE CENSUS HAS IT OR BLS HAS IT, OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT ON HILTON HEAD, WHICH IS NOT IN THIS REPORT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

I HAVE A QUESTION AND, UH, WE'RE ON THE PAGE.

UH, MY QUESTION WAS, OKAY, JUST ON THIS, UM, THAT PAGE RIGHT THERE, WHAT'S AFFORDABLE, UH, WHAT WORKERS SEGMENT? SO, UH, ON THE HEALTHCARE 1,250 NOW, IS THAT BASED OFF A PERCENTAGE OF, UH, USE OF TOTAL INCOME GOING TOWARD LIVING AND, AND A A PERCENTAGE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING TO OTHER THINGS? OR IS THAT, THAT CAN'T BE TOTAL INCOME MONTHLY.

THAT IS BASED ON, UM, A FAMILY SIZE NOT SPENDING MORE THAN 30% OF, OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME ON HOUSING COSTS.

OKAY.

UM, WHICH IS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD, UM, I THINK TO GIVE A BROAD OVERVIEW OF, OF WHAT THE REPORT, UM, UH, UH, SHOULD DISPLAY FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND, AND FOR THE COMP PLAN IS THAT IT IDENTIFIES THE EMPLOYMENT SECTORS THAT IDENTIFIES, UM, THOSE, UM, SEGMENTS, UH, AND, AND WORK SECTOR CLASSES THAT THEY'RE IN.

AND THEN YOU CAN USE ADDITIONAL DATA SETS TO DETERMINE WHAT THOSE TYPICAL SALARIES ARE.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE USING DATA SOURCES.

SO IT'S WHAT'S REPORTED ON, ON TAX RETURNS AND THEN GETS FUNNELED THROUGH, THROUGH, UM, CENSUS REPORTS AND BUREAU OF LABOR DATA STATISTICS INFORMATION.

UM, AND THEN, UM, WHAT'S AFFORDABLE IS BASED ON, AGAIN, A, A MEDIAN INCOME BASED ON HOUSEHOLD SIZE, AND THEN THAT MEDIAN INCOME IS CALIBRATED BY HUD AND IT'S SPECIFIC TO A COUNTY.

UM, SO BUFORT COUNTY HAS A, A MEDIAN INCOME OF 111,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.

AND THAT'S OUR AREA MEETING INCOME, UM, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.

NOW THE DOCUMENT AND EMPLOY EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS, IF WE'RE GONNA JUST KIND OF COVER THE, UM, THE INTENT OF, UH, WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THAT IS TO SHOW YOU THE, UM, EMPLOYMENT SECTORS AND WHAT THOSE SECTORS COULD

[00:25:01]

POSSIBLY, UM, AFFORD FROM A HOUSING PERSPECTIVE.

UM, THE MARKET ANALYSIS COMPONENT IS, UH, MEANT TO SHOW YOU, UM, THE CHANGES IN THE, BOTH THE RENTAL MARKET AND THE FOR SALE, UH, MARKET AND, UM, AND THEN ALSO THE, THE CURRENT COST OF, OF HOUSING IN THOSE SECTORS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE CHANGES IN THE PRICE POINTS, UM, WITHIN THE YEARS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN, IN THAT REPORT.

AND THEN IT ANALYZED, UH, THE FACTORS IN HOUSING COSTS AND, AND ON A STATEWIDE BASIS IT SHOWED, UM, WHERE, UM, HOUSEHOLDS ARE COST BURDENED THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

UM, IT IDENTIFIED JUST ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, MIGRATION OCCURRING AND SOUTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF THE STATES THAT IS EXPERIENCING POPULATION GROWTH AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THE HOUSING MARKET OVERALL.

UM, THERE'S INFORMATION ON, UM, MORTGAGES AND, AND MORTGAGE RATES.

UM, AND, AND AGAIN, A LOT OF INFORMATION ON, ON HOUSING MARKET CONDITIONS.

AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT COST INFORMATION IS FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCE DATA AS WELL.

UM, YOU KNOW, PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT INFORMATION, UM, HOUSING BY VARIOUS PRODUCT TYPES AND THEN, UM, UH, RENTAL MARKET COSTS AND THEN CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS THAT WE GOT FROM SOURCES WITH THE, UM, THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AND SOME LOCAL BUILDERS.

AND SO, UM, IT DOES INCLUDE SOME, UM, PRETTY DRAMATIC STATISTICS ON THE CHANGE IN THE HOUSING MARKET AND, UM, SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN, UM, IN BOTH RENTS, UM, MARKET RENT, UM, AND, UH, THE AFFORDABILITY OF HOMES AND, AND THE LACK OF, UM, INVENTORY REALLY WITHIN ALL PRICE POINTS.

UM, AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE KEY TAKEAWAYS.

UM, WHEN, WHEN I LOOK AT THE, THE DATA THAT'S PRESENTED HERE AS WELL, I, I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS.

FIRST OF ALL, I, I THINK THE ANALYSIS REPORT IS VERY WELL DONE AND THERE'S A LOT OF VERY GOOD INFORMATION IN THERE, AND I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE DETAIL THAT WAS GOING INTO, UH, REGARDING WAGES AND THE 30% RULE FOR QUALIFICATION.

AND SOMETIMES IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO JUST LOOK AT THINGS IN BLACK AND WHITE.

AND WHILE THE MEDIAN INCOME YOU SAID IS 111,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, THAT IS BY NO MEANS WHAT A LOT OF THE WORKFORCE IS MAKING.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, SOMEBODY MAKING A, A FAMILY THAT MAKES $75,000 A YEAR, LET'S SAY, THAT'S THE, THE, THE EARNING PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD MAKES 75,000, THAT'S $36 AN HOUR.

OKAY? SO THEY'D BE MAKING $36 AN HOUR, $75,000 A YEAR WOULD QUALIFY FOR RENT OF $1,875.

SO SOMETIMES LOOKING AT IT IN BLACK AND WHITE REALLY SPELLED OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.

AND I THINK THIS REPORT GOES INTO GREAT DETAIL.

UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT, THAT THERE'S, THERE'S DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE REAL WAGES ARE, UH, IN SOME OF THESE SECTORS AND WHAT 30% QUALIFICATION FOR RENT MEANS.

AND I GUESS MY ONLY LAST COMMENT IS THAT WITH THE DEFINITION OF WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR QUALIFICATION BETWEEN, I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS 30% AND 120%, UM, MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT WE BUILD, UH, WE DON'T JUST GO TO THE MAXIMUM THAT WE LOOK AT ALL SECTORS, UM, AND, AND ALL LEVELS OF THAT CLASSIFICATION BETWEEN THE 30% AND THE 120% AND MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE SERVING ALL OF THOSE LEVELS OF WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT WE NEED.

AND YOU HAD A COMMENT EARLIER, DID YOU STILL YEAH, I AGREE WITH CHUCK.

I THINK THIS, THIS ANALYSIS IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND VERY EYE-OPENING AND OBVIOUSLY POINTS TO THE SENSE OF URGENCY THAT WE HAVE HERE ON THE ISLAND FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.

UM, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, SHOULD WE DEPLOY THESE, THESE FUNDS FROM AT TAX? I THINK IT INDICATED THAT IT MIGHT BRING IN ABOUT $2 MILLION A YEAR.

UM, HOW, HOW WOULD WE, UM, HOW WOULD THOSE FUNDS BE DEPLOYED TO, TO HELP MAKE A DENT IN THIS VERY LARGE, UH, DEFICIT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING? THAT IS A QUESTION FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FUTURE DECISION MAKING.

UM, BOTH

[00:30:01]

THIS ENABLES THE TOWN TO UTILIZE UP TO 15% OF AT TAX MONIES FOR THAT PURPOSE.

AND THEN HOW THE TOWN, LIKE HOW MUCH IS THE TOWN GONNA ALLOCATE, UM, IS, IS A FUTURE DECISION AND THEN HOW DOES THAT GET PROGRAMMED? IS IT BY REQUESTS? THERE ARE SOME ACTIVE REQUESTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UM, MOVING FORWARD THROUGH A PROCESS TO UTILIZE, UM, THIS, THIS FUNDING, UH, SOURCE.

AND SO, UM, BUT IT IS PER THIS ACT, UM, IT IS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING.

SO IT'S FOR ACTUAL WORKFORCE HOUSING PRODUCTION.

MM-HMM.

CONSTRUCTION O'NEILL.

YES.

UM, MISSY, I, I AGREE.

GREAT REPORT.

UM, WHERE DOES THAT DIALOGUE HAPPEN? 'CAUSE I'M ASSUMING THAT A REALLOCATION IS GONNA HAVE TO HAPPEN WITH THE AT TAX DOLLARS.

THAT'S GONNA BE A, AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

IT, DOES IT HAPPEN, I GUESS MY MAIN QUESTION, DOES IT HAPPEN IN FINANCE, UH, ADMINISTRATION AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL OR DOES IT HAPPEN AT THE STATE LEVEL? NO, IT'S, IT'S WITHIN THE LOCAL BUDGET PROCESS.

OKAY.

YES.

IN THE REVENUE COMMITTEE OR, UM, IN THE, JUST IN THE OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS.

UM, WELL, IF THEY MAKE IT, WELL, IT CAN HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

IF THEY MAKE A, AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET CYCLE OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR BUDGET, THEN THEN IT WOULD GO THROUGH, MOST ALL ITEMS GO THROUGH A COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND THEN TO COUNCIL.

AND SO THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE WOULD BE INVOLVED FIRST AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THERE.

UM, THE, SO THERE'S TWO SEPARATE TRACKS WITH THIS, AND ONE IS THE, THE ACTUAL PREREQUISITE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THIS HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS REVIEWED AND APPROVED, AND THEN AS PART OF YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

UM, AND THEN, AND THEN THE BUDGET PROCESS IS, IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT WOULD ALSO HAPPEN ALONG A SEPARATE TRACK.

UH, COMMISSIONER WHALEY, I CAN NO LONGER SEE YOUR PICTURE ON MY SCREEN, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SATISFIED WITH, UH, THE ANSWERS THAT YOU HAVE SO FAR.

ARE YOU, ARE YOU GOOD? YES, YES, I'M GOOD.

I THINK I WOULD JUST ASK MISSY AND HER, UH, TEAM, THEY DID A LOT OF WORK ON THIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING FROM A SECTOR PERSPECTIVE IS GREAT.

I THINK THAT THE, UH, HOUSING MARKET ANALYSIS I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB ON THAT.

I'M JUST HAVING TROUBLE PUTTING INTO THE CONTEXT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT.

THERE'S AN URGENT NEED FOR CERTAIN SECTORS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND, UM, OF THE TOTAL WORKING POPULATION, HOW MANY ARE AFFECTED, SO THEY CAN ZERO IN ON THAT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

UH, CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.

UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? MY OWN TAKEAWAY FROM READING THIS REPORT, WHICH WAS 45 PAGES LONG AS YOU ALL KNOW, WAS THAT IF YOU DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM HERE, AFFORDABLE THINK BEFORE WE READING THAT REPORT, YOU CERTAINLY WEREN'T CONVINCED AFTER.

I APPRECIATE THAT THEN.

SO IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF, OF COURSE, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AFTER HEARING THIS REPORT, RECOMMENDED TOWN COUNCIL THAT THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS BE ADVANCED AS AN AMENDMENT OF THE TOWN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND HOUSING ELEMENT.

UH, DO I LET YOUR PLEASURE ON THAT ONE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDING THIS DOCUMENT BE FORWARDED TO COUNSEL SECOND.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

IS THERE DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSION? YES.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.

YES, MA'AM.

ELLEN? UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT THE, UH, CONSULTANT AND THE STAFF PUT THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT PICTURE AS EITHER AN ADDENDUM TO THE REPORT OR AN ASSERTED PARAGRAPH TO THE REPORT.

I DIDN'T HEAR IT, BUT COULD, UH, ELLEN, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? REPEAT YOUR AMENDMENT PLEASE.

YEAH, MY AMENDMENT IS A REQUEST TO, UH, MOVE THAT THE, UH, MISSY OR HER TEAM OR THE CONSULTANT INSERT A PARAGRAPH OR A FOOTNOTE THAT PUTS THE SECTOR PROBLEM IN CONTEXT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT.

SO JUST ASKING TO ADD A TOTAL EMPLOYMENT NUMBER TO THE REPORT.

OKAY.

IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT AMENDMENT? NONE.

WE WILL GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT IS TO, UH, SEND ALONG TO TOWN COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS IMPACT ANALYSIS BE ADVANCES AN AMENDMENT.

UM, VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

SEVEN VOTES HERE.

UM, ARE YOU IN? YES.

MM-HMM.

.

THANK YOU MISSY.

APPRECIATE YOU.

WE HAVE TWO OTHER ITEMS.

[7.b. Public Hearing STDV-001838-2023 - Request for a driveway name from Barbara Hudson, on behalf of Shrimpnana LLC, owner of R511 007 000 002B 0000, for an access driveway located at 175 Squire Pope Road]

THE FIRST ONE IS GONNA REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING.

IT'S A, UH, IT'S UH, KNOWN AS STDV 0 0 1 8 3 8.

IT'S A REQUEST, UH, TO RENAME A DRIVEWAY LOCATED AT 1 75 SQUIRE POPE ROAD.

THIS DOES REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING, SO I WILL OPEN THAT.

AT THIS POINT WE

[00:35:01]

WILL HEAR A REPORT FROM JOH FISTER AND THEN, UM, FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT.

SO JOH.

OKAY.

HELLO, JOH FISTER, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND FIRE RESCUE DEPUTY CHIEF.

SO THE FIRST REQUEST IS FOR, UH, THE DRIVEWAY THAT SERVES THE PARCEL AT 1 75 SQUIRE POPE ROAD.

UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVES THE APPLICATION BASED ON THE CRITERIA THAT WE OUTLINED IN OUR STAFF REPORT AND THE LMOA LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT.

UM, THAT IS THE PARCEL WHERE THERE ARE MULTIPLE BUILDINGS ALREADY ON THE PARCEL AND, UM, THERE IS POTENTIAL THAT THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL, UH, BUILDINGS ADDED AS WELL.

THE AREA HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW IS WHAT WOULD END UP BECOMING THE NAMED DRIVEWAY.

UM, A PART OF IT IS THAT IF THEY DO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS, THERE ARE NOT ADDRESSES IN THAT AREA TO GIVE THEM.

AND IT BRINGS THAT WHOLE PARCEL TOGETHER WITH, UM, ADDRESSES OF ITS OWN.

THE PROPOSED STREET NAME IS SHRIMPERS ROW.

UH, WE CHOSE THAT OF HER, UH, SUBMISSIONS BECAUSE HER, UH, NARRATIVE WAS THAT THE NAME WAS TROJAN.

AS FOR MANY YEARS, THE ROWS OF SHRIMP BOATS HAVE LINED OUR DOCKS UNLOADING THE FINEST SEAFOOD ANYWHERE.

OUR HISTORY IN THE SEAFOOD BUSINESS GOES BACK TO THE 18 HUNDREDS FOR THE HUDSON FAMILY.

AND WHEN WE VETTED, UH, THE NAMES THAT THEY HAD SUBMITTED, CAPTAINS AND FISHERMEN WERE BOTH DUPLICATED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

SO THE STREET NAMES HAVE BEEN VETTED AND THEY MEET THE CRITERIA THAT IS SET OUT IN THE LMO AND THE STAFF REPORT.

AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

SURE.

DRIVEWAY.

DRIVEWAY.

UM, SO THERE ARE, AND IN THIS CASE, SO GENERALLY WE HAVE ACCESS EASEMENTS OR WE HAVE RIGHT OF WAYS.

AND, UM, THIS DOES NOT FIT EITHER OF THOSE.

UM, WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER PLACES WHERE WE HAVE HAD TO DO THIS.

ONE IS AT, UH, SAND SHARK FOR THE COLLEGE.

UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE HAD TO DO IT, UM, AT HOSPITAL CENTER COMMON THAT, UH, THAT RUNS THROUGH THERE TO GIVE IT ADDRESSES.

SO, UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO A LOT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, A DRIVEWAY OF A COMMERCIAL AREA, BUT BECAUSE THAT LOT IS SO BIG, UM, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT.

AND INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE RUN BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AS WELL, THE HUDSONS DON'T, ARE NOT, THE RESTAURANT IS BEING, UM, LEASED.

UH, AND SO, AND THEN THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME THINGS IN THE OTHER BUILDINGS AND WE REALLY DON'T WANNA GIVE THEM ALL THE SAME ADDRESSES OR CONTINUE TO JUST GIVE MULTIPLE ADDRESSES OFF OF SCAR POPE ROAD.

SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE TYPICALLY DO, BUT IN SOME CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES TO GIVE INDIVIDUAL ADDRESSES, IT BECOMES NECESSARY.

YES.

YES.

AM I CORRECT? IS THAT THE ROWING CENTER ALSO? NO, THAT IS THE, THE DOCK FOR, FOR HUDSON'S, LIKE FOR THE SEAFOOD.

OTHER QUESTIONS FROM, OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER HANSON? SO, UM, YOU, YOU PUT IN, UH, REQUEST TO DRIVE A NAME FROM BARB BARBARA HUDSON.

IS THAT WHO'S ASKING FOR IT? OR IS THAT WHAT THE NAME OF THE, THE DRIVEWAY IS NOW? I'M, I'M, NO, THEY ALL HAVE SQUIRE POPE ADDRESSES RIGHT NOW.

BARBARA HUDSON IS THE OWNER OF THE P THE PARCEL.

AND SO SHE IS REQUESTING, OH, THAT WE NAME IT.

GOTCHA.

UM, I GOT IT.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT LOCATION IS THE ROY CENTER RIGHT HERE?

[00:40:05]

YEAH, IT IS.

YEAH.

IT'S NOT THE RESTAURANT.

THIS ONE THAT'S MARKED OUT, IT'S THE ROAMING CENTER THAT'S THE CENTER.

YEAH, THEY DID FAMILIAR WITH IT.

DID NOT PULL THE YEAH, THAT IS THE ROWING CENTER.

THAT'S THE ROWING CENTER BECAUSE YOU PUT THE BOATS OVER HERE.

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON THE ROWING TEAM.

.

I AM GUESSING THEY DID NOT PULL THE RIGHT MAPPING , IT'S LIKE WE'RE RENAMING THE ROWING CENTER UP THERE.

OKAY.

YEAH.

OH, GOOD EYE.

GOOD EYE.

YEAH, IF YOU GO TO YOUR RIGHT.

OH YEAH, THAT'S BARBARA HUDSON'S UP HERE.

YEAH.

YEAH.

SO THAT IS OUR MISTAKE IN PULLING THE MAPPING OVER HERE.

OKAY.

LET ME ASK IF THERE'S, LET, LET ME, I NEED TO GET PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST, LET ME ASK YOU, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO US ON THE NAMING OF THIS PARTICULAR STREET? UH, SEEING NOBODY THAT I CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW, COMMISSIONER, HENCE, WHATEVER YOU'RE WANTING TO DO IS FINE.

MOVE APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER, HENCE SUPPORTED BY VICE CHAIR O'NEILL.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHT HAND, PLEASE.

MR. WHALEY, ARE YOU IN? I'M IN.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM KNOWN AS

[7.c. STDV-002173-2023 - Request for a new driveway name from Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue, on behalf of Alejandro Camposano, owner of R510 007 000 026C 0000, for a new access driveway located off Ned Court]

STDV 0 0 2 1 7 3 20 23.

IT'S ANOTHER, UH, UH, AIMING OPPORTUNITY, UH, THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE WILL, BUT THERE WILL STILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK AFTER JOE HAIDA GIVES HIS PRESENTATION.

SO THIS ONE, THE PROPOSED STREET NAME IS SANTI PLACE.

UM, IT IS THE REQUEST ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF THE PARCEL FOR A NEW ACCESS DRIVEWAY THAT'S LOCATED OFF OF NED COURT.

AND, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVE THE APPLICATION BASED ON THE CRITERIA THAT WE OUTLINED IN THE STAFF REPORT AND THE LMO.

UM, THIS ONE, IT IS OFF OF, UH, GUMTREE AND NED COURT.

THIS IS NED COURT RIGHT HERE.

AND, UM, IN ADDITION FOR THIS ONE, THE PARCEL CAN HAVE MULTIPLE HOMES ON IT, UH, THREE.

AND SO GENERALLY OUR CRITERIA IS THAT ONCE, UM, YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN TWO HOMES ON A SINGLE LOT.

WE DON'T WANT TO DRAW IT, WE WANT TO NAME IT SO THAT THEY HAVE INDIVIDUAL ADDRESSES SO THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COUNT MULTIPLE HOMES BACK OFF OF A DRIVEWAY.

UM, SO THIS IS THE, UH, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO PUT ONE HOME IN RIGHT NOW AND WE DID NOT WANT TO GIVE IT A NED COURT ADDRESS AND THEN COME BACK AND CHANGE IT LATER.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THEM BEING ABLE TO PLACE THREE HOMES ON THAT PROPERTY.

SO THE PROPOSED STREET NAME IS SANTI PLACE.

UM, THE NAMES THAT THEY CHOSE WERE FAMILY NAMES.

THEY ONE, THE OTHER ONE WAS KATIE, WHICH IS ALREADY DUPLICATED, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS THEIR LAST NAME, WHICH, UM, IS NOT AS EASILY TO AS EASY TO PRONOUNCE AS SANTI.

SO, UM, THAT IS WHY WE WENT AHEAD AND CHOSE SANTI.

SO AGAIN, THE STREET NAMES HAVE BEEN VETTED AND THEY MEET THE CRITERIA THAT IS SET FORTH IN THE LMO AND OUR STAFF REPORT.

AND AGAIN, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE.

COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS? HEY, COULD HE FIT THREE PASSES ON THAT PROPERTY? UH, IT HAS THE, IT HAS THE DENSITY TO HAVE THE HOMES.

OKAY.

YEAH.

ALRIGHT.

UH, ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ON, UH, THE NAMING OF THIS PARTICULAR STREET? I DON'T SEE ANYBODY.

SO WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMISSION? APPROVE COMMISSIONER LOVA NEWS TO APPROVE, SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONER DAR ENZO.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? UH, RIGHT HAND.

UH, COMMISSIONER, WAIT, ARE YOU GOOD? YEP.

YEP.

OKAY.

A UNANIM.

OKAY.

I THINK WE'RE THERE, RIGHT? THANK YOU.

JODA.

UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY REPORT TODAY.

IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY STAFF REPORTS TODAY, SHAY? NO, SIR.

OKAY.

UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY THE COMMISSION? NOT WE STAND ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

[00:45:32]

THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN WAS DEVISED IN PROBABLY OR 2006, RIGHT AROUND THERE.

WE WERE STARTING TO SEE THE GROWTH EFFECT, OUR SMALL TOWN COMING WEST OFF OF HILTON HEAD AND MOVING ITS WAY INTO BLUFFTON.

AND BLUFFTON WAS JUST THIS SMALL, SOMEWHAT OF A SQUARE MILE, BUT GROWING.

SO WE DECIDED TO PUT SOME MONEY AND A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS INTO WHAT IS CALLED THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN.

IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2006 AND IT REALLY IS A BLUEPRINT FOR ALL OF OUR POLICIES, IMPROVEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.

SO THE GARVIN HOUSE IS BEHIND US.

IT IS A HISTORICAL STRUCTURE.

IT'S THE, PROBABLY THE LAST FRIEDMAN'S COTTAGE THAT'S ON THE RIVER.

SO YOU LOOK AT IT AND PEOPLE THINK, TEAR IT DOWN.

WELL, AGAIN, IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN, IT WOULD TELL YOU ENHANCE YOUR STRUCTURES, PUT YOUR TIME AND EFFORT AND YOUR MONEY INTO PLACES THAT CAN'T BE DUPLICATED.

MY WIFE AND I LIVE HERE IN BLUFFTON.

AND, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A, A, A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT SINCE ABOUT 2008 AND, UH, BEFORE THE RESTORATION AND RENOVATION STARTED.

AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN SEEING PROGRESS OVER TIME.

WELL, IT'S, IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

UM, THE, THE HAR THE HOUSE HAS BEEN CALLED THE GARVIN HOUSE FOR JUST KIND OF FOLKLORE VERNACULAR.

AND AS, UH, MELANIE MARKS MY WIFE, WENT THROUGH THE, THE GENEALOGY, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT HIS REAL NAME WAS CYRUS GARVEY.

BUT THROUGH TRANSFER OF DEEDS AND OTHER, OTHER, THE WAY PEOPLE WROTE THINGS THAT HIS NAME IS ACTUALLY CYRUS GARVEY.

BUT IT TOOK ON GARVIN.

AND AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVIN, AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVEY, BUT HIS REAL NAME AS YOU TRACK BACK HIS FAMILY AND SO FORTH IS, IS TRULY CYRUS GARVEY.

YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY SAYS THAT HE BUILT THE HOUSE IN 1870, SHORTLY AFTER, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS FREEDOM, UH, ON PROPERTY THAT BELONGED TO JOSEPH BAYNARD, WHO WAS A PLANTATION OWNER.

HIS SUMMER HOME WAS HERE ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT HIS PLANTATION WAS NEAR OR POSSIBLY IN THE BOUNDS OF PALMETTO BLUFF, THE DEVELOPMENT.

AND, UH, SOMEHOW CYRUS WAS ABLE TO WORK THIS LAND, BUILD HIS HOUSE IN 1870, BUT DIDN'T GET DEEDED THE PROPERTY UNTIL 1880 BY JOSEPH BAYNARD.

UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS HOUSE AND HE WAS LIVING HERE AND THE VIEW THAT HE HAD, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.

MY WIFE AND I GOT TOGETHER AND WE SAID WE HAVE TO BECOME PART OF THIS.

SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO COME TO COME DOWN HERE AND SPEND TIME HERE AND TRY AND FACILITATE AND BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT, THIS IS HISTORY AND HOW COULD WE HELP? WELL, WHAT BRINGS US TO BLUFFTON IS THIS MAGNIFICENT HOUSE HERE, THE GARVIN HOUSE.

UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS, AS DIRECTOR OF THE PALMETTO TRUST.

I'M ALL OVER THE STATE WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND, AND UH, COMMUNITIES AND THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR RADAR EVER SINCE I CAME ON IN 2007.

THIS WAS AN AMAZING STORY OF THIS FAMILY AFTER FREEDOM, WERE ABLE TO BUILD THEIR OWN LIVES HERE IN THEIR OWN PROPERTY.

UH, THIS IS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION 'CAUSE MOST OF THE PROPERTIES WE WORK WITH DO GET TURNED INTO PRIVATE HOMES.

THIS IS ONE WHERE IT REALLY IS GONNA BE LIKE A MUSEUM, UH, SITUATION WHERE THE PLACE IS SAVED AND THE COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN LEARNING ABOUT IT AND THE TOWN CAN LEVERAGE IT AS PART OF THEIR HISTORIC CHARACTER THAT IS SO KNOWN IN BLUFFTON.

SO, WELL, BASICALLY WHEN WE TOOK OVER THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS A STABILIZATION PROJECT, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WHERE THESE SIX BY SIXES, CRIBBING CARRIES A STEEL BEAM THAT PRETTY MUCH RUNS THROUGH THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSE.

SO YOU'VE GOT ONE HERE AND YOU'VE GOT ONE PRETTY MUCH THAT RUNS DOWN THE CENTER.

AND THIS WAS BASICALLY TO GIVE SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCTURE GOT TO THE POINT OF WHERE IT REALLY COULDN'T STAND BY ITSELF.

NOW THIS IS NEW PRODUCT, BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE ALL OF THE, UH, ORIGINAL FLOORING.

SO WE BASICALLY REMOVED IT FROM THE HOUSE, WRAPPED IT UP, DOCUMENTED IT, AND NUMBERED IT SO THAT IT CAN GO BACK DOWN IN THE SAME PLACE.

AND WHAT WE'LL END UP DOING IS PAINTING THE PLYWOOD FLOOR BLACK SO THAT YOU CAN'T SEE DOWN THROUGH THE CRACKS.

AND IT GIVES THE ILLUSION OF WHAT IT USED TO LOOK LIKE.

WE'LL INSTALL AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL STUFF AS POSSIBLE.

SAME THING WITH THE SIDING.

SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT TOO HARD TO PULL DOWN.

IT'S ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF.

BUT WE'LL TAKE THIS DOWN, PHOTOGRAPH IT, DOCUMENT IT, AND WE PUT IT BACK IN THE SAME PLACE.

THIS IS SOME OF THE ORIGINAL OLD BEAM

[00:50:01]

AND BASICALLY IT'S ANYWHERE FROM SIX INCHES TO SIX AND A HALF INCHES.

'CAUSE IT'S ALL ROUGH HUED.

IT WAS ALL DONE BY AX AND BASICALLY OUR HAND SAW.

SO IT'S NOT PERFECT, SO IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A STA OR A LITTLE BIT OF A WAVE HERE AND THERE.

SO WE'VE INTERLOCKED AND TIED IT IN.

WHEN WE DUG THE FOOTING, WE CAME ACROSS A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS.

SO JUST VARIOUS BOTTLES, LITTLE BABY PERFUME BOTTLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PRECIOUS TO THEM BACK IN THE DAY.

AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE OLD ORIGINAL LIDS FROM THE CANNERY, FROM THE, UH, OYSTER FACTORY.

I KIND OF ALWAYS ENJOYED THE CHALLENGE OF LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND TRYING TO LOOK AT, OKAY, WHY DID THEY DO THIS? OR HOW DID IT DEVELOP INTO THIS? AND HOW IT PROGRESSED AND CHANGED.

AND JUST EVEN STANDING HERE, YOU NOTICE THAT THIS IS EXTERIOR SIDING.

SO THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE USED TO END HERE.

THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BACK DOOR.

HAD A FRONT PORCH ON THE FRONT SIDE.

SO AS TIME PROGRESSED THEY NEEDED MORE ROOM.

THEY BASICALLY JUST NOTCHED IN, ADDED TO THE FOUNDATION, BROUGHT A NEW ROOF OUT.

AND NOW THIS BECAME BASICALLY ANOTHER ROOM, BEDROOM, LIVING ROOM AREA, KIND OF A KITCHEN AREA HERE.

AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT RUNNING DOWN TO HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S, YOU CAN SEE THEY ACTUALLY JUST WENT DOWN TO THE BEACH, GOT SAND AND BASICALLY MIXED A SAND MORTAR.

AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OYSTER SHELL PIECES IN IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

JUST, THAT'S AMAZING.

WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT WE'VE GOT A HEAVY DUTY FOUNDATION LIKE WE HAVE NOW, AND THIS USED TO BE BASICALLY WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS TAKE A CYPRESS STUMP, HOPEFULLY CYPRESS BECAUSE IT WOULD LAST LONGER AND THIS IS 1870.

BUT THEY WOULD BURY THIS INTO THE GROUND AND THEN THEY WOULD START ALL OF THEIR HEAVY BEAM AND FRAMING AND BASICALLY SIT ON TOP OF THIS.

YOU HAVE MILESTONES EVERY DAY AND YOU THINK AFTER, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS THAT YOU KNOW IT, IT'S DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.

AND IT'S A CHALLENGE.

SO WE HAVE A STAIRCASE THAT WAS INTACT, SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO REMOVE IT, WE KIND OF KEPT IT IN PLACE.

WE WORKED UNDER IT, AROUND IT, IN IT.

AND I, WE TEMPORARILY SECURED THIS THING EIGHT DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE WE PUT THE FLOOR SYSTEM UNDER IT.

THIS BASICALLY IS OUR RACKS.

SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TAKE SOMETHING OFF THE STRUCTURE, WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE IT IS AND WHAT IT WENT.

SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD PHYSICALLY REMOVE IT, PHOTOGRAPH, AND THEN WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND JUST LABEL THIS PIECE, WHAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE IT WAS ON, WHERE IT WAS AT.

AND IT BASICALLY GIVES US A GUIDE TO PUT THIS GIANT PUZZLE, YOU KNOW, BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.

THIS IS A RESTORATION.

MOST OF THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT ARE DONE, A RENOVATION, A REHABILITATION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE MODERN USE.

WE DO HAVE MODERN CODES THAT HAD TO BE IMPLEMENTED HERE BECAUSE OF ITS PUBLIC ACCESS.

UH, BUT EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO TRY TO ENSURE IT COMMUNICATED WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAD TO BUILD.

SO WE DIDN'T PUT IN THESE BIG BRICK PIERS UNDERNEATH.

THAT WOULD'VE BEEN NORMAL.

WE JUST USING WOODEN STUMPS.

THIS IS WHAT WHAT THEY HAD.

UH, BUT EVERYTHING IS WORKED TO GIVE THE AESTHETIC LOOK OF THE TYPE OF HOUSE.

THIS THING WOULD'VE BEEN WHEN IT WAS BUILT TO CAPTURE A POINT IN TIME TO CAPTURE WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE.

AGAIN, THIS IS A PIECE OF A BROADER PICTURE TO CAPTURE WHAT A FAMILY CYRUS GARVEY WAS LIVING IN HERE WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THESE RECLAIMED WOOD AT THE TIME IT WAS RECLAIMED.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM HOUSES THAT WERE BURNED AFTER THE WAR ENDED AND PUT THIS TOGETHER WHERE HE LIVED.

AND THEN THAT'S WHY THE GENEALOGY AND THE HISTORY OF HIM AND HIS FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT.

'CAUSE IT ISN'T JUST A BUILDING, IT'S A MAN AND HIS FAMILY IN A TIME OF OUR HISTORY WITH A BUILDING AND A COMMUNITY AT A TIME OF MOVEMENT.

AND SO YOU WANNA MAKE IT AS REAL AS POSSIBLE.

IT COMMUNICATES A TIME AND PLACE THAT NOT MANY PLACES DO ANYMORE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, UM, IN THE LOW COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE SUCH DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES, USUALLY LITTLE WOODEN BOXES LIKE THIS GET DESTROYED AND LOST.

AND SO THIS COMMUNICATES SOMETHING, UH, POST CIVIL WAR, UM, POST ENSLAVEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT THESE PEOPLE SURVIVING AND OVERCOMING ENSLAVEMENT INTO A PLACE OF FREEDOM AND THEIR NICHE IN PROPERTY AND THEIR OWN HOUSE.

AND, AND THAT TRANSITIONAL STORY IS NOT TOLD ENOUGH IN THE STATE, AND WE'RE SO GLAD IT COULD BE DONE HERE.

THE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, IS WORKING IN ALL OF THE OLD LUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE'RE TO THE EXCITING PART OF IT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY DONE WITH THE FRAMING.

NOW WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING THE PUZZLE BACK TOGETHER.

YOU GET A FEEL FOR WHEN THEY ACTUALLY PUT IT TOGETHER AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WHEN THEY RAN OUT OF A PARTICULAR SPECIES OF LUMBER OR SOMETHING TO USE AND THEY JUST CHANGED UP AND, AND STILL KEPT GOING AND PUSHED FORWARD.

I KNEW THE HOUSE WOULD BE HERE WHEN WE GET BACK.

JUST

[00:55:01]

THE, THE METHODICAL WAY THAT WE PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.

MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THESE BEAUTIFUL OAK TREES THAT HAVE SURROUNDED THIS.

THAT WAS THE SCARY PART.

'CAUSE I DID COME DOWN HERE THREE DAYS AFTER THE STORM AND THERE WAS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.

I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE HOUSE.

I, I GOT DOWN THE ROAD AS FAR AS I COULD AND LOOKED AT THE HOUSE AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH.

IT JUST BLEW ME AWAY THAT THE THING WAS STILL HERE, HIGH AND DRY, NO LEAKS, NO NOTHING, NO DAMAGE.

AND THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, LUCKY, VERY LUCKY.

IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, I PRESENTED THE TOWN WITH OUR FINISHED REPORT.

UM, AND I KNOW THE TOWN IS PLANNING ON USING THAT MATERIAL TO PROMOTE THE, THE HISTORY OF THE, THE HOUSE THROUGH BROCHURES, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE TO MAKE IT A TRUE DESTINATION FOR TOURISTS.

I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO APPLY THE BLUFFTON PRESERVATION SOCIETY FOR KNOWING THE VALUE AND, UH, OF THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THIS HOUSE FOR THE TOWN IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IN THIS COUNTRY THESE DAYS.

THERE'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH STRIFE AND THERE'S SO MUCH CONFLICT AND FRICTION TO ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS SAY, THIS IS IMPORTANT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT OUR MONEY HERE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW HOW PEOPLE OVER TIME DID WORK TOGETHER AND RESPECT EACH OTHER.

AND WE'RE RESURRECTING NOT ONLY A HOUSE, BUT REALLY A, A LEGACY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT ROSE ABOVE A BIG CHALLENGING TIME.

SIFORD COUNTY LIBRARY EXISTS TO SERVE AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY FOR LEARNING, FOR LEISURE FOR LIFE.

WE STRIVE TO DEVELOP A TOP-NOTCH LIBRARY SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES OPEN AND GUIDED ACCESS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF MEDIA AND PROGRAMS TO INFORM, INSPIRE, AND EMPOWER PEOPLE IN PURSUIT OF A LIFELONG LEARNING, PERSONAL ENRICHMENT AND CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.

EVERY THREE YEARS, BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY DEVELOPS A STRATEGIC PLAN TO CHART THE COURSE FOR THE FUTURE OF LIBRARY SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF BUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS.

THIS PLAN IDENTIFIES WHERE WE ARE GOING, THE ACTIONS NEEDED TO GET THERE, AND HOW WE WILL MEASURE OUR SUCCESS AS WE STRIVE TO DO MORE AND MORE FOR YOU.

AS A RESULT OF MONTHS SPENT GATHERING AND REVIEWING VALUABLE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY STAFF, KEY STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE 2023 TO 2025 BUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLAN.

OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN IS AN ASPIRATIONAL YET ATTAINABLE ROADMAP TO GUIDE OUR ACTIVITIES IN FOUR KEY AREAS, COLLECTIONS, COMMUNICATION, LIBRARY SPACES, AND USER EXPERIENCE.

OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE WILL BUILD UPON OUR HIGH STANDARDS TO BROADEN OUR PRINT AND DIGITAL COLLECTIONS AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE REFLECTIVE OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS.

WE WILL ALSO SEEK WAYS TO BETTER INFORM AND EDUCATE OUR CARDHOLDERS ABOUT THE VARIETY OF RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS WE PROVIDE.

WE WILL ALSO SEEK WAYS TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND ALONG THE WAY, WE'LL PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES TO OPEN NEW LIBRARY LOCATIONS AND RENOVATE EXISTING LIBRARY FACILITIES TO ACHIEVE COMMUNITY SPACES THAT ALL LIBRARY USERS MAY ENJOY.

ULTIMATELY, OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVICE EXCELLENCE AND ELEVATE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH BUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

PROMISE TO BE EXCITING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THEM WITH YOU.

JOIN US AS WE MAKE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY YOUR PLACE FOR LEARNING OR LEISURE FOR LIFE.