[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY AND LAND USE COMMITTEE.
UH, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, ALLEGIANCE TO THE FIGHT OF, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN TWO THE REPUBLIC.FOR WHICH STATEMENTS? ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
UH, PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
WOULD CONFIRM THAT WITH MS. BROCK? YES, MA'AM, IT HAS.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
A MOTION OF APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.UM, WITHOUT, UM, WE WILL, WITHOUT DISCUSSION OR WITHOUT, UM, DISAGREEMENT, WE WILL GO FORWARD.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
SETS OF MINUTES.I'M GONNA HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT BOTH OF THOSE MINUTES IN ONE MOTION.
AND WITHOUT, UM, OBJECTION, OBJECTION,
[6. CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD]
UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE TODAY FOR CITIZEN COMMENT, AND I'M GOING TO START IN ORDER AS THEY CAME IN.UM, MR. CONRAD HARTS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE, AND PLEASE REMEMBER, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ABOUT AN AGENDA ITEM, IT'S JUST PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS COMMITTEE LEVEL, SO, OKAY.
STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE.
I LIVE IN FOREST FIELDS, WHICH IS ACROSS FROM MINK POINT IN BURTON, THE INVISIBLE CITY OF BURTON.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, WE HAVE A PROBLEM THERE, AND I WENT TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WITH THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE, AND I DON'T HAVE COPIES OF THIS, BUT WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A SPEEDWAY DESIGN FOR THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND, UM, THE SPEED LIMIT IS 30 MILES AN HOUR, AND IT, THE SIGN IS AT THE ENTRANCE TO FOREST FIELDS, BUT NOBODY SEES IT BECAUSE THEY TURNING INTO FOREST FIELDS FROM EITHER DIRECTION.
SO ANYWAY, BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE SPEEDING IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND I WENT TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND I TOLD THE DEPUTY MY STORY, AND HE SAID, I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE MANY TIMES BEFORE.
AND I SAID, WELL, THEY'VE RECENTLY PAVED ALL THE DIPS THAT PEOPLE SLOWED DOWN FOR AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND NOW AS SMOOTH AS GLASS, AND THEY ARE GOING UP TO 50 MILES AN HOUR PLUS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE CHILDREN GETTING OFF BUSES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE NEED HELP WITH SPEED BUMPS, BASICALLY.
AND THE DEPUTY TOLD ME, HE SAID, GO TO COUNCIL.
SO I'M HERE, AND, UH, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
WE, WE NEED, UH, NEXT WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SAME SUBJECT.
UH, SARAH REYNOLDS, SANDRA RENEE SMITH, AND, UM, KE KEN RUMPEL.
AND, UM, THIS IS MADAM, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
COULD WE GET A COPY OF THAT? MM-HMM.
CAN WE GET A COPY? MR. HART, BEFORE
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YOU LEAVE, CAN WE GET A COPY OF THAT MAP? YES.WAS IT, WAS IT REPAID BY THE STATE? OR? WE CAN FIND THAT OUT.
DO YOU HAVE SOME HANDOUTS? YES.
UM, MADAM CHAIRMAN AND THIS, AND SAY YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE, PLEASE.
UM, AND I AM THE CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF MARSHVIEW COMMUNITY ORGANIC FARM.
HELENA, AND WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE THE ST.
HELENA ISLAND GULLAH COMMUNITY HOUSING PROJECT.
AND WE HAVE, UH, BEEN WORKING ON HOUSING AND TALKING ABOUT HOUSING FOR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE HAVE SEEN THAT OVER THE YEARS, SITTING AND WATCHING AND, AND LOOKING AT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE HAVE SO MANY DILAPIDATED AND, UM, HOUSES THAT ARE SITTING VACANT OR HOUSES WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THEM THAT ARE SUBSTANDARD, THAT ARE NOT LIVABLE, BUT THEY'RE, THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE.
AND WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, WE FOUND OUT THAT THAT WAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A HOME COOK MEALS PROGRAM, AND THE DELIVERY DRIVERS WERE TAKING THE MEALS TO THESE SENIORS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS HARD FOR THEM TO EVEN GET UP ON THE STEPS BECAUSE IT WAS SO UNSAFE.
AND WHEN THEY GOT TO THE STEPS AND TO THE PORCHES AND INSIDE THE HOUSE, THEY SAW SO MANY THINGS THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY NEED TO LET SOMEONE KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO THEY CAME TO US AND THEY TOLD US ABOUT IT.
AND SO WE REALLY PUSHED TO START SOMETHING.
AND IN 2020 3RD OF NOVEMBER, WE DID START OUR, WELL, WE DID IT IN NOVEMBER, OUR FIRST HOUSING REPAIR PROGRAM.
WE REPAIRED A, AN INDIVIDUAL SEPTIC TANK THAT ONLY TOOK ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE HOURS, BUT WE HAD ONE LADY THAT HAD BEEN ON OUR RECORD FOR REPAIRS FOR TWO YEARS.
SO WE CONTACTED HER AND WE STARTED OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM WITH THAT HOUSE.
AND ON LAST SUNDAY WAS OUR HOUSE WARMING SERVICES.
AND I WANT, UH, RENEE TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION AS TO HOW WE GOT TO THAT AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE, WHAT THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT, AND SHE'S HERE WITH US TODAY.
MS. DELOS SIMMONS, WOULD YOU STAND UP DELORES? I, I HANDLE, I CAN HANDLE THIS.
NOW, I, YOU HAD SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO IS AC YOUR ACTUAL PRESENTATION.
THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 10 MINUTES FOR.
SO WHY DON'T WE WAIT FOR YOUR ACTUAL PRESENTATION TILL WE GET TO IT ON THE AGENDA.
WE, RIGHT THERE? YEAH, THAT SOUNDS, DOES THAT SOUND GOOD? AND THEN WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
WE CAN HAVE A, A PRE YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO, NEXT, ON OUR AGENDA, UM, NEXT ON PUBLIC COMMENT, WE HAVE SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS.
UM, KATE SCHAFER IS NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM 10, WHICH IS THE OPEN LAND TRUSTS APPLICATION TO PROTECT GREGORY NECK OF 4,409 ACRE PROPERTY AT THE HEADWATERS OF THE PORT ROYAL SOUND.
UM, IT, THIS IS, UH, A GREAT DAY BECAUSE THE PROJECT BEFORE YOU, WE THINK, IS ONE OF THE MOST EXEMPLARY CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROJECTS WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING ON.
AND AS YOU'LL, AS YOU'LL HEAR IN THE STAFF REPORT, THE PROPERTY BOAST 13 AND A HALF MILES OF SHORELINE ALONG THE SATCHIE AND PHONY RIVERS.
OVER 2000 ACRES OF UPLAND PINE FOREST, OVER A THOUSAND ACRES OF SALT MARSH, AND MARITIME FOREST, AND A VARIETY OF INTACT HABITAT TYPES.
IT ALSO STRADDLES I 95 FOR 1.7 MILES.
SO WHEN IT WAS LISTED FOR, FOR SALE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS, IT TRULY COULD HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED INTO ANYTHING, UM, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, OR ALL THREE AT ONCE.
INSTEAD, GREGORY NECK WAS PURCHASED BY LANDOWNERS WHO INTEND TO PROTECT THE PROPERTY FOREVER.
AND WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY FOR THE REQUEST OF $1 MILLION FROM THE GREEN SPACE FUND TO GO TOWARD THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO TWO, PROTECT THE PROPERTY FOREVER.
PROTECTING THIS PROPERTY WILL PROVIDE A CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN THE A BASIN AND THE SAVANNAH RIVER WILDLIFE CORRIDORS.
I WOULD ARGUE THIS LANDSCAPE IS PART OF WHO WE ARE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND PROTECTING IT AS PART OF OUR LEGACY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE OPEN LAND TRUST HAS APPEARED BEFORE
[00:10:01]
YOU, WITH THE NEW GREEN SPACE FUNDING AVAILABLE.AND OUR ROLE, UM, AS THE APPLICANT IS NOT ONLY TO WORK WITH LANDOWNERS TO HELP PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY FOREVER, BUT TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE GRANT FUNDS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR A LANDOWNER TO DO SO, GIVING UP DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IS INCENTIVIZED BY GRANT FUNDING.
AND WE ARE THANKFUL THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS BEEN SUCH A LEADER FROM THE RURAL AND CRITICAL FUNDING TO THE GREEN SPACE FUNDING.
AND WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF REASONS HOW PROTECTION OF THIS PROPERTY BENEFITS US ALL.
FIRST OF ALL, IT BENEFITS WATER QUALITY DOWNSTREAM, WHICH IF YOU'RE UPSTREAM IN THE PORT ROLL SOUND IS ALL OF US IN BEAUFORT.
UM, THIS AREA IS GROWING RAPIDLY, AND THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES PROPERTIES.
IF WE INTEND TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY DEVELOPMENT OF ROADS AND ROOFTOPS WOULD DEGRADE THE WATER THAT FLOWS DOWN TO ALL OF US IF INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT WERE PERMITTED.
AND IF DEVELOPED, I'D ARGUE NO AMOUNT OF STORM WATER REGULATION WOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN HIGH WATER QUALITY THAT LAND PROTECTION IS REALLY NEEDED TO DO SO.
IT PREVENTS INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE MARINE CORPS.
AND I YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT BUILDING ON THE SUCCESSFUL 20 YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM.
AND IT SETS A STANDARD FOR PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE TO FUND THIS EASEMENT, WE ARE NOT ONLY REQUESTING FUNDING FROM YOU ALL, IT WILL BE MATCHED WITH OTHER PARTNER FUNDS, INCLUDING THE LARGEST EVER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GRANT, UM, TO THE TUNE OF $6 MILLION AND LANDOWNER DONATION.
WE, UM, BEAUFORT GREEN SPACE CONTRIBUTION IS ONLY 7.4%, WHICH RE REFLECTS A REMARKABLE VALUE FOR THE TAXPAYER.
AND JASPER COUNTY HAS ALSO WRITTEN A LETTER OF SUPPORT, I BELIEVE FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE, THIS PROJECT SETS AN INCREDIBLE NEW STANDARD FOR THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE PROGRAM BUILDS UPON THE BEST QUALITIES OF THE RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP.
DOLLARS ARE MAXIMIZED, CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES ARE PROTECTED, AND A REGIONAL APPROACH BENEFITS EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND FOR THE EXTRA 10 SECONDS.
NEXT IS, UM, MS. CATHERINE MCWILLIAMS WITH, UM, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.
OH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE PORT ROYAL SOUND GREGORY NECK PROJECT, IT'S THE SAME PROJECT THAT KATE REFERENCED AS AGENDA ITEM 10.
UM, MY NAME IS KATIE MCWILLIAMS. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF LAND PROTECTION FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, WE ARE A GLOBAL 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE 1969, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS PROJECT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PROJECT THAT WE'VE EVER DONE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
IT IS TREMENDOUSLY SIGNIFICANT FOR A NUMBER OF CONSERVATION REASONS AS WELL.
AND THIS PROJECT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE TNC GLOBAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL, UM, BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE ORGANIZATION.
AND IT WAS, THEY VOTED TO APPROVE IT BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
SO THIS PROJECT, UM, BECAUSE OF ALL THE REASONS KATE HIGHLIGHTED, IN ADDITION, IT ROSE TO THE TOP FOR US BECAUSE OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE AS A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR.
IT CONTRIBUTES TO THIS TREMENDOUS CORRIDOR PROTECTED LANDS BETWEEN THE ACE BASIN AND THE SAVANNAH RIVER.
BUT IT'S MADE UP OF DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCE LANDS, FEDERAL LANDS, AND PRIVATE LANDS THAT ARE UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
THE MODEL HERE FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IS PURCHASE, PROTECT, AND SELL.
AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THAT HERE AND WHY WE'VE COMMITTED TO SUCH A FINANCIAL, UH, FINANCIALLY SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTION IS BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A PUBLIC AGENCY TAKEOUT IN THIS CASE.
BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL THE REASONS KATE LISTED DID, UM, FOR US TO ACT AND TO ACT QUICKLY.
SO WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF PARTNERS LIKE BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSERVATION BANK, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PY PROGRAM.
IN THIS CASE, WE WILL BE SELLING A CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO THE OPEN LAND TRUST.
WE'LL BE SELLING IT AT A BARGAIN.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN A REDUCTION OF THE EASEMENT VALUE, AND WE'RE GOING TO SELL THE EASEMENT FOR TWO THIRDS VALUE.
UM, AND THAT IS SO THAT WE CAN BE MADE WHOLE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND STILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS AND ACT QUICKLY.
AND THIS MODEL ONLY WORKS BECAUSE OF PARTNERS LIKE YOU ALL.
UM, SO WE'RE HERE TO JUST EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO THE COUNTY FOR CONSIDERING THIS PROJECT.
IT IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO PRESERVE GREGORY NECK, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR TIME.
UM, THE LAST PERSON ON OUR LIST IS CARL MARK BOREDOM FROM THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION.
UH, I'M COLONEL MARK, BOREDOM COMMANDER OF MARINE CORPS AIR STATION.
BUFORT, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO DISCUSS THE BENEFITS THAT THE GREGORY NECK PROJECT PROVIDES TO THE AIR STATION AND THE MILITARY AS A WHOLE IN THE LOW COUNTRY, PREVENTING ENCROACHMENT AND INCOMPATIBLE
[00:15:01]
DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS INCREASING RESILIENCY ON THE AIR STATION, AS WELL AS IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE MOST OF OUR MARINE SAILORS, OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES, LIVE AS CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING THE MILITARY MISSION AND THE ASSETS THAT SUPPORT IT.THANKS TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE OPEN LAND TRUST FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS, OUR PARTNERSHIP HAS INVESTED OVER $69 MILLION IN THIS ENDEAVOR, AND PROTECTED OVER 6,300 ACRES OF LAND.
BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ITS RESIDENTS HAVE STOOD APART FROM OTHER MILITARY ADJACENT COMMUNITIES BY BRINGING THEIR OWN MONEY TO THE TABLE IN SUPPORT OF THIS CRITICAL PARTNERSHIP.
THE COMMUNI THIS COMMITMENT TO THE MILITARY MISSION IS WHY THE DOD READINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INTEGRATION PROGRAM.
WHAT WE KNOW AS REPI HAS PLEDGED $6 MILLION TO GREGORY NECK AS PART OF THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SENTINEL LANDSCAPE, WHICH IS A MULTI-AGENCY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PRESERVING GREGORY NECK.
THE FIRST PROPERTY TO PROTECTED UNDER THE SOUTH CAROLINA LOW COUNTRY SENTINEL LANDSCAPE, WHICH WAS DESIGNATED, UH, JUST A YEAR AGO IN MARCH, WILL NOT ONLY PROTECT 4,400 ACRES, BUT IT WILL PROTECT LOCAL AIRSPACE THAT'S USED BY THE AIR STATION FOR OUR F 18 OR F 35, AND OUR FF FIVE SQUADRONS LIMITING INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASING THE SAFETY OF THOSE AVIATORS AND THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN AND WORK HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY, TO SUPPORT NATIONAL NATURAL NATURAL STORM PROTECTION AND FLOOD ABATEMENT AS WELL, DECREASED RUNOFF AND POLLUTANTS THAT AFFECT WILDER QUALITY, ALL OF WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACT THE AIR STATION AND LAUREL BAY MILITARY HOUSING AREA, MARINE CORPS, RECRUIT DEPOT, PARIS, ALLEN, AND THE THOUSANDS OF MARINE SAILORS AND FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GREGORY NECK BEING THE FIRST, BUT NOT CERTAINLY THE LAST PROPERTY PROTECTED UNDER THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE PROGRAM AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENTINEL LANDSCAPE.
THAT CONCLUDES, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO WEATHER'S COME IN.
MOVING ALONG WITH THE AGENDA, UH, ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE'S
[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
REPORT FROM MR. ATKINSON AND MS. OCH.AND, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WE GET TO DO THIS AT EVERY COMMUNITY SERVICES, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
THE ONLY DIFFICULT FOR US IS KEEPING IT LESS THAN 10 MINUTES.
SO, UH, ON THAT NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. ROB MERCHANT.
HE IS OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR, AND HE'S GONNA PROVIDE AN UPDATE, UH, ON OUR COMP PLANS IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME PENDING, UH, UPDATES TO THAT COMP PLAN.
SO, ROB? YES, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, AND I'LL, I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT TO 10 MINUTES.
SO,
THE FIRST, UH, ITEM, WHICH I'M HANDING OUT RIGHT NOW IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT OUR PLANNING COMMISSION REQUESTED FROM US.
UM, WHEN WE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, EMBARKED ON UPDATING OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE IS THAT THIS WAS A LIVING DOCUMENT.
THAT THE, THAT THE PLAN WAS NOT ONLY USER FRIENDLY AND EASY TO READ, BUT IT HAD CLEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FUZZY LANGUAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE OFTEN COMPREHENSIVE PLANS GET CRITICIZED FOR YOU BUY, YOU SPEND A CONSULTANT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A FEW MEETINGS, AND THEN IT SITS ON THE SHELF.
AND WE VERY MUCH WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE A DOCUMENT THAT REALLY GUIDES OUR DECISION MAKING.
AND WE'RE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH EACH OF THE ITEMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN.
AND, UM, SO THAT THIS DOCUMENT, IT'S BASICALLY A SPREADSHEET.
IT HAS ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PLAN AND THE CURRENT STATUS.
SOME OF THEM ARE ITEMS THAT ARE WELL UNDERWAY, SOME OF THEM ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY LONG ONGOING PROCESS, BUT IT SHOWS THAT SOME PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
UM, AND I REALIZE THAT THIS IS, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE.
BUT, UM, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE, UH, THE SCOPE OF, UM, WHAT IS IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE HAVE, UM, ABOUT 10 CHAPTERS.
FIRST ONE, NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A LOT IN REVISITING SOME OF OUR ORDINANCES.
THE CONCERN WAS WE MAY WANNA PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES, BUT ARE THESE REQUIREMENTS WORKING FOR US? AND OF COURSE, LAND PRESERVATION, YOU'RE ALL AWARE, UM, THE COUNTY MADE A BIG, BOLD MOVE ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AND, UH, WORK, UH, THE PROGRAM IS WELL UNDERWAY, OUR GREEN SPACE PROGRAM, WHICH OF COURSE, YOU'LL KIND OF A MONUMENTAL DAY TODAY IS, IS THE FIRST DECISION, FIRST ACTUAL PROJECT COMING FORWARD.
AND, UM, OTHER ITEMS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, OUR CULTURAL RESOURCES, WE REVISITED THE CULTURAL PROTECTION OVERLAY DISTRICT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN A PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR ABOVE GROUND SURVEY OF HISTORIC RESOURCES.
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WE'VE ESTABLISHED AND, AND ARE ARE UNDERWAY WITH THE, UM, REGIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.UM, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK, UH, PLANNING AND STUDIES FOR TRANSPORTATION TO PUT US IN LINE TO MAKE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND KEEP UP WITH GROWTH IN OUR AREA.
MANY TRAILS AND PATHWAY PROJECTS.
UM, ONE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IS, UH, CONNECTING LAUREL BAY HOUSING TO THE AIR STATION AND CONNECTING THE, THE, UM, SPANISH MOSS TRAIL.
UM, MANY OF OUR COUNTY FACILITIES, PROJECTS, LIBRARIES, UM, THE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE ITEMS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND THEN ALL, AND THEN FINALLY, LAND USE.
UM, REALLY THE WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR DEPARTMENT, THE DAY-TO-DAY PERMITTING, UM, ENFORCEMENT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAND USE CHAPTER.
IN ADDITION TO SOME OF OUR JOINT WORK WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN BOTH THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY AND IN THE SO LOCO REGION TO WORK TOGETHER TO HAVE A SHARED VISION FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE YOU ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH THE DOCUMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, PLEASE FEEL FREE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PROJECTS OR SEE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT IT CONCERNS YOU.
BUT WHAT WE'RE HOPING IS THAT THIS BECOMES AN ANNUAL PROCESS.
IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE CONFERENCE, A PLAN, AN ANNUAL PROCESS THAT, THAT WE GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE DOCUMENT AND, AND UPDATE.
UM, I WAS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WHEN YOU PRESENTED IT, UM, AT IT, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, I THINK THEY'D HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO DIGEST IT.
AND, UM, I, IF ANY OF THE COMMITTEE, ANYBODY HERE HAS A IMMEDIATE QUESTION, BUT I'D LIKE IF WE COULD AFTER, UM, MAYBE AT THE NEXT COMMUNITY SERVICES, WE COULD BRING IT UP AGAIN TO SEE IF MM-HMM.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE SOME IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, SO I'M LOOKING UNDER HOUSING, UH, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION FOR US.
SO I'M LOOKING AT H 1.1, CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOCATION CRITERIA.
SO EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND YOU CAN THROW IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING MM-HMM.
MOST OF THE TIMES THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO UP ZONE INCREASE THE DENSITY TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE.
HOW DOES THAT FIT IN HERE? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I JUST WATCHED THE PLANNING COMMISSION THE OTHER DAY.
THERE WAS WORKFORCE HOUSING IN THERE, BUT IT WAS TURNED DOWN.
SO HOW DOES THAT INCORPORATE IN THIS PLAN? WELL, UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, PART OF IT,
AND SO WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND NOT TO GET INTO THE, THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, BUT WE'VE HAD REQUESTS FOR UPZONING IN AREAS WHERE IT WAS EITHER ZONED RURAL OR IT WAS ZONED SOMETHING THAT, THAT WAS NOT CONDUCIVE.
AND OUR LAND USE VISION IS, AND I REALIZE THAT WE'RE A GROWING COUNTY AND THINGS CHANGE, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, YOU KNOW, A VISION FOR HOW WE GROW OVER THE OVER TIME.
AND SO WHEN SOMEBODY'S PROPOSING DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA THAT'S NOT ZONED FOR IT, SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S SENDING A SIGNAL THAT THIS AREA, THIS IS, IF WE'RE DECIDING LOCATIONAL CRITERIA, THIS MAY NOT BE THE PRIORITY, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, THE, THE DISTANCE TO EMPLOYMENT AREAS, SERVICES, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO, BUT I THINK THAT THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THAT IT'S A REAL BALANCE BECAUSE WE'RE BALANCING THE INTEREST OF GROWTH.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT GROWTH CONGESTION ON HIGHWAYS, UM, PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS BALANCING THESE.
UM, ROB, UNDER THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES, UH, C 5.3, WE TALK ABOUT, UH, DEVELOPING TWO ADDITIONAL LIBRARIES.
ONE FOR THE, UM, LOFTON LIBRARY, UM, I'M SORRY, ONE FOR THE
THEM, UH, A SECOND, UH, ONE THREE TO 5,000 SQUARE FEET FACILITY FOR THE BURTON WELLS PARK.
AND I'VE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR OR SO WITH, UH, CHUCK, UH, AND THE BURTON COMMUNITY AS
[00:25:01]
FAR AS, UH, UH, BUILDING THIS LIBRARY.AND WE FIND OUT THAT THE, UM, THE DEED FOR THE BURTON WELLS PARK FROM THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T ALLOW, UH, LIBRARIES IN THAT FACILITY.
UH, AND SO IT'S SPELLED OUT IN HERE THAT, UH, IT SAYS IN THE BURTON WELLS PARKS, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, THREE TO 5,000 SQUARE FOOT, UM, UH, SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, THAT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL, UH, UH, LIBRARY.
AND I, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO, UH, AS FAR AS THE SQUARE FOOTAGE CONCERNED AND THE LOCATION.
UM, AND DISCUSSION WITH CHUCK.
UM, UH, WE, THE COUNTY IS SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING AT SOME PROPERTY, UH, OUT ON ONE 70, UH, IN THE VICINITY BETWEEN THE, UM, RALPH SMALL SCHOOL AND THE, UH, UM, THAT CORRIDOR SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE.
SO WE, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT ON THE RADAR AND SEE IF WE CAN GET, GET SOME TRACTION GOING AS FAR AS, UH, MAKING THAT COME TO FRUITION.
QUICK, COUNCILMAN GLOVER? YES.
UH, ROB, UNDER THE, UH, FIRST ONE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, UH, 5.3, TALKING ABOUT HIRING A RESILIENCE OFFICER.
WITH THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, NOT QUITE THERE, BUT WE'RE TAKING SOME BABY STEPS.
WITH, UM, WITH ALL THE SEA LEVEL RISING COMING UP, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO START PLANNING FOR THAT.
WELL, I HAVE, UH, TWO ADDITIONAL ITEMS. UM, ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE LOOKED AT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LAST MONDAY IS, UM, THE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS BRINGING FORWARDS, OR ACTUALLY THE COUNTY STAFF IS BRINGING FORWARD A, UH, RESILIENCE ELEMENT FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WHILE WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2021, THE STATE, UH, UM, TOOK ACTION TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL ELEMENT IN, IN, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLANS BASED ON SOME OF THE CONCERN ABOUT THE STORM ACTIVITY WE SAW IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND THE, YOU KNOW, SO THEY CREATED A, UM, OFFICE OF RESILIENCY AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND THEY REQUIRED THAT TO BE A CHAPTER IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CURRENTLY HAS THAT ITEM RESILIENCE AS ONE OF THE THEMES THAT'S WOVEN THROUGH THE DOCUMENT.
BUT WHAT WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD IN APRIL, WHICH WAS, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION LOOKED AT LAST WEEK, WILL BE AN APPENDIX TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT TAKES ALL THOSE, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUTLINES THE STRATEGY.
UM, AND SO WHEN I SAY RESILIENCE, THAT'S A PLANNING TERM THAT'S REALLY BEEN USED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, BUT IT REALLY DEALS WITH THE ABILITY OF A LOCAL COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO A DISASTER OR TO, TO THREATS TO THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO PLAN AHEAD SO THAT WHEN WE ARE HIT WITH AN EVENTS LIKE THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK QUICKER, QUICK, QUICKER.
THAT'S WHOLE IDEA OF RESILIENCE IS, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HEAL FASTER.
AND, AND SO THIS, THIS DOCUMENT WILL OUTLINE THOSE STEPS THAT CAN MAKE US STRONGER.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF UNKNOWNS IN A, IN THE, A CASE OF INCREASED STORM EVENTS, UH, RISING SEA LEVEL, THE MORE WE CAN ARM OURSELVES WITH INFORMATION AND TAKE STEPS TO LESSEN THE IMPACTS, THE BETTER AND THE STRONGER WE COULD BE.
SO THAT'S A DOCUMENT THAT'S COMING FORWARD, UM, THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS, UM, HAPPENED RECENTLY IS WE HAVE A STAFF WORKING GROUP.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CIP DEPARTMENT WITH PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AND WITH ENGINEERING, UM, TO TALK ABOUT, THIS ISN'T JUST A PLANNING DOCUMENT.
THIS IS REALLY, UM, A COUNTYWIDE DOCUMENT BECAUSE WHERE WE BUILD NEW BUILDINGS, WHERE WE BUILD NEW ROADS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT FACILITIES NEED TO BE REPAIRED.
ALL OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, US BEING A STRONGER COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, THAT WORKING GROUP, I'M HOPING, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THEIR WORK CONTINUES, THEN MAYBE DOWN THE ROADS WE'LL WE'LL BEGIN TO SEE OPPORTUNITY FOR, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF WE START HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE OR ACTIONS THAT, THAT WE MAY, WILL THE MUNICIPALITIES BE REQUIRED TO DO IT IN THEIR COMP PLAN TOO? YES.
AND A LOT OF THIS DOCUMENT WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A WHILE, ON AND OFF, WE GOT INTERRUPTED BY COVID AND THEN THE COMP PLAN, BUT WE STARTED THIS AS A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL EFFORT.
WE ALSO BROUGHT IN THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
SO A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN KINDA WORKED THROUGH, UM, AND THERE WAS A, A REAL INTEREST ON EVERYONE'S PART.
WE, AND WE ALSO HAD A LOT OF ASSISTANCE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, SEA GRANT CONSORTIUM, YOU
[00:30:01]
KNOW, THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH A LOT OF FREE RESOURCES AND, AND HELPED US THROUGH THE PROCESS.AND I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE REAL QUICK IS THAT THIS COMMITTEE REQUESTED US TO LOOK INTO, UH, LADIES ISLAND VILLAGE CENTER MASTER PLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS THAT WE DID THIS FULLY IN STEP WITH THE CITY.
AND SO, UM, THAT ITEM IS ON TOMORROW'S CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION.
AND SO DEPENDING ON HOW THAT IS RECEIVED, AND WE HOPE TO COME FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT MONTH WITH THE REPORT OF WHAT'S IN THAT SCOPE AND WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE THE NEXT STEPS NECESSARY TO MOVE THAT PROJECT FORWARD IF, IF WE DECIDE TO, TO GO THAT WAY.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LADIES ISLAND PLAN SCOPE? NO.
JUST THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON IT.
SO DO TOMORROW THEY'LL BE VOTING ON, WELL, IT'S A WORK SESSION.
YOU WILL GET AN IDEA OF HOW IT'S RECEIVED.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT KINDA THE SAME WAY WE ARE.
IS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN, IN MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE'LL, WE'LL THEN DO THE NECESSARY WORK IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD TO GET THIS, UM, START WORKING OUT THE DETAILS OF WHAT IT MEANS AND HOW BOTH JURISDICTIONS PARTICIPATE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME THAT WORK SESSION IS AT? SIX? UH, I, I CAN LOOK IT UP, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S FIVE 30 OR SIX.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR? OKAY.
IS THAT CON CONCLUDE FOR TODAY? UM, ANY, UH, OKAY.
AND WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE AGENDA.
NO OTHER REPORTS FROM OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS.
[8. PRESENTATION OF ST. HELENA GULLAH HOUSING PROJECT]
THE PRESENTATION BY THE ST.HELENA GULLAH HOUSING PROJECT GROUP.
IF YOU WANNA COME FORWARD, YOU GOT STARTED AND YOU GAVE US OUR HANDOUT AND WE'RE READY TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU WANNA, THIS IS, UM, YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF THEN? YES.
VERY PRIVILEGED TO SPEAK TO THIS GRAND COMMITTEE TODAY.
MY NAME IS SANDRA RENEE SMITH, AND I'M A NATIVE BORN ST.
HELENA ISLAND GULLAH COMMUNITY HOUSING PROJECT COMMITTEE.
WE ARE NOW A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WHO'S DEDICATED TO THE GULLAH COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS SIX AREAS OF NEED WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON LIVABLE, HEALTHY, SAFE HOUSING.
NOW, IN ADDITION TO HOUSING, WE ARE CONCERNED WITH OTHER AREAS, THE DEGREE OF HUNGER THAT IS PLAGUING OUR ISLAND, AMONG OUR SENIORS AND CHILDREN.
LACK OF EDUCATION, WHICH SEEMS TO BE RESULTING IN A THROWAWAY GENERATION BY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
LACK OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, AND ESPECIALLY TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE AMONG BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS, RESULTING IN ISSUES OF SUICIDE AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDES LIKE WE'VE NEVER WITNESSED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ALSO, THERE IS A LOSS OF FAITH IN OUR SYSTEM, IN THE PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENT, AND EVEN IN OUR CREATOR IN SOME INSTANCES.
HOWEVER, WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS OUR PRIMARY FOCUS TODAY, WHICH IS HOUSING.
WE HAVE PICTURES OF OUR MOST RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENT AT 96 CAPIS ISLAND ROAD, AND IT'S WHAT WE CALL OUR DOLORES HOUSE.
WE ARE HERE AS REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
OUR CEO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT WE HAVE, AS ALREADY MENTIONED, RAH REYNOLDS GREEN.
SHE'S THE CEO OF MARSHVIEW COMMUNITY ORGANIC FARM, AND OUR TREASURER MR. 10, KEN RIP DEL RIPPLE, WHO HAS SEEN US THROUGH THIS FIRST PROJECT.
UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL AGAIN TO BE HERE AND BE A PART OF WHAT IS GOING ON AND TO SHARE WITH YOU THE CRITICAL NEED FOR HOUSING AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED FOR HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WERE NOT ALWAYS AWARE OF HOW BAD THINGS WERE UNTIL OUR FOOD BANK DURING THE PANDEMIC, UM, OUR DRIVERS, WE BEGAN TO DELIVER FOOD TO OUR SENIORS AND CHILDREN DURING THE PANDEMIC, MANY OF WHICH DIDN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, OF COURSE, WERE AFRAID TO COME OUT.
AND SO WE STARTED DELIVERING FOOD DOOR TO DOOR, LEAVING IT ON THE PORCHES.
THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND OUT HOW BAD THINGS REALLY WERE ON ST.
THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT ONLY HUNGRY, BUT THEIR HOMES WERE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE.
WE FOUND SO MANY PEOPLE IN BAD SHAPE.
[00:35:01]
HAVE HAD TO, HAD THE POLICE COME TO DO HEALTH CHECKS BECAUSE OF JUST THE POOR LIVING CONDITION THAT WE FOUND OUR RESIDENTS IN SOME OF THE HOMES WERE UNINHABITABLE.SO FROM THAT, WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE'VE GATHERED A LIST BETWEEN THE BOTH OF US OF WHO NEEDED HOME REPAIRS.
WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THREE ITEMS SO FAR, AND MR. DALE RIPPLE WILL GO INTO THAT IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, BUT THEY RANGE FROM JUST NEEDING STEPS TO GET IN THE HOUSE TO JUST MAJOR REPAIRS, ROOFS, WALLS, CEILINGS, FLOORS.
YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT 64% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE FEED THROUGH OUR FEED FOOD BANK PROGRAM, MY PROGRAM COMES THROUGH NEW LIFE DELIVERANCE TEMPLE.
64% OF THESE PEOPLE ARE SENIORS.
UH, GULLAH GRUB, A RESTAURANT RUN BY RAH REYNOLDS GREEN, ALSO ASSISTS IN THIS FEEDING PROGRAM.
THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT THESE PEOPLE NOT OWN, AND, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF FOOD NOW, BUT THEY NOT ONLY LACK FOOD, BUT THEY LACK THE RESOURCES FOR HOUSING REPAIR.
WE ARE AT 18.4% BELOW POVERTY LEVEL.
THAT'S BE 14.6% IS THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
BUT I'M GONNA LET MR. DEL RIPPLE TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE DID HERE, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN AN AMAZING FEAT.
AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
SO HE'S GONNA GO OVER THE PICTURES AND SHARE WITH YOU.
HI, I'M KEN DOW REMPEL, AND, UH, I LIVE OVER, LEFT AN AREA PART OF THE STATE.
I GOT INVOLVED WITH, UH, THIS TEAM RIGHT HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AND, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN IN TOWN, UH, I FIRST MOVED, I MOVED TO THE OMNI HOTEL OUT ON HILTON HEAD.
AND WHEN I WAS, UH, THERE, I COME OUT AND THERE WAS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR BUSES, YOU KNOW, AND I, I HADN'T EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND NONE OF THE PEOPLE WAITING FOR BUSES LOOKED LIKE ME.
AND THAT KIND OF WORKED ON ME FOR, FOR A FEW YEARS UNTIL, UM, I TOLD, IN FACT, I WAS INVOLVED IN MY CHURCH.
I TOLD MY PASTOR, I'M GONNA GO EXPLORE THAT.
I'M GONNA START RIDING THAT BUS.
SO I, I STEPPED AWAY FROM MY ROLE IN MY CHURCH THAT TIME.
I MET DAVID HOUSE OUT ON SPRING ISLAND WHERE I CLEANED GOLF CLUBS FOR MY PART-TIME JOB.
AND DAVID TOLD ME ABOUT THIS HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
HE SHOWED ME SOME PICTURES OF MY GOOD FRIEND DOLORES'S HOUSE, AND IT WAS NOT OKAY.
I SAID, SO I JUST COMMITTED TO THE PROGRAM AT THAT TIME, I, I KNEW THAT'S WHAT I WAS COMING DOWN HERE TO DO.
SO I'M, MY, UH, WHAT I BRING TO THE PARTY IS LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
I LED, I USED TO RUN A COMPANY AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CONSTRUCTION, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO I, I CAME ON BOARD AND WHAT WE ENDED UP WITH, ONCE WE DECIDED THIS IS OUR HOUSE AND WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO PROCEED, UH, WE ENDED UP WITH A GREAT MIX OF, OF VOLUNTEERS.
A VERY STRONG VOLUNTEER BASE COMING IN AND PARTNERING WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WORKED OUT ON DOLORES'S HOUSE.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMING IN AND WORKING WITH US.
THIS WAS A THREE MONTH LONG PROJECT.
IT WASN'T LIKE GOING ON A MISSION TRIP TO HAITI WHERE YOU'RE THERE FOR A WEEK AND LEAVE YOU.
WE CAME TOGETHER AND WORKED SIDE BY SIDE TOGETHER ON THIS HOUSE AND GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
AND, UH, IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.
AND WE, WE GOT THE HOUSE DONE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, WORK WITH HIGHER LOCAL LABOR.
SO WE ARE CREATING JOBS ON THE ISLAND.
OUR SHEET ROCKERS CAME FROM THE ISLAND.
OUR AC GUYS CAME FROM THE ISLAND AND OTHER WORKERS CAME FROM THE ISLAND COMBINED WITH A BIG STRONG VOLUNTEER TEAM.
WE HAD OUR ELECTRICAL WORK, UH, DONATED.
SO WE HAD OUR ELECTRICIAN CAME IN, DONATED HIS TIME.
WE HAD A ROOF PROVIDED FOR FREE, MATERIALS FOR THE ROOF, PROVIDED FOR FREE, HAD LANDSCAPING MATERIALS, PROVIDED ALL THE SOD PROVIDED FOR THE YARD.
WE HAD TO REGRADE THE WHOLE YARD 'CAUSE THE DRAINAGE WAS UNDER THE HOUSE INSTEAD OF AWAY FROM THE HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO DO, UH, THE WHOLE PROJECT.
SO BETWEEN THE MIX OF OUR VOLUNTEER BASE THAT WE BROUGHT IN, UH, WITH THE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE ISLAND WITH OUR, UH, VENDOR PROVIDERS, UH, UH, PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR THE GREAT CODE TO, TO ALL THE FREE THINGS WERE DONE, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE DOLORES'S HOUSE DOWN TO THE STUDS, BRING IT ALL UP TO CODE, FULLY INSULATED FROM NO INSULATION, BASICALLY, UH, CENTRAL AIR FROM WINDOW UNITS TO CENTRAL AIR, AN EFFICIENT CENTRAL AIR HEATING SYSTEM.
THE WHOLE HOUSE REDONE WE DID IN THREE AND A HALF MONTHS AT A VERY, UH, COST EFFECTIVE PRICE POINT THAT I THINK MAKES US, I THINK, THE BEST ROI AND, AND THE BUSINESS, THE HOUSE REPAIRS.
SO IF YOU WANNA DO, YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO ADDRESS UNSAFE HOUSING, HEALTH CONCERNS, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, I WOULD ARGUE AND UH, PROVIDE AFFORDABLE
[00:40:01]
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE, IS TO REPAIR THE HOUSES THAT WE HAVE BEFORE THEY BECOME HOUSES YOU CAN'T LIVE IN ANYMORE.AND DOLORES'S HOUSE IS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY CLOSE NOW.
IT'S NOT NOW THAT HOUSE WILL BE THERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS FOR HER KIDS, FOR GRANDKIDS.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE, YOU KNOW, APATHY CAN CREEP IN AND ALL THESE THINGS CAN CREEP IN AND BE TOUGH TO SNAP OUT OF THAT.
BUT WHAT WE SEE IS THINGS STARTING TO CHANGE JUST FROM ONE OR TWO LITTLE PROJECTS.
UH, STARTING TO SEE THE SPIRITS KIND OF LIFTED AND HOPE BEING GENERATED.
AND I THINK THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL OVER THAT ISLAND.
IF WE CAN FIND FINANCIAL PARTNERS TO COME ALONGSIDE US, I THINK WE'RE THE BEST INVESTMENT FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING THERE IS, IS REPAIR THE HOUSING OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO TO WORK.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I, WE'D BE WILLING TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT HOW WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
AND Y'ALL HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE, UM, BUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
BECAUSE YOU HAD DONE ALL THIS WITHOUT THEIR HELP.
YOU, YOU HAVE SINCE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THEM, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, OUR CHURCH OVER IN BLUFFTON, UM, DID SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS.
THEY TOOK THE CHILDREN, THE KIDS THAT WERE OUTTA SCHOOL DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND THEY HAD THEM GO AROUND TO SENIOR CITIZENS HOME AND HELP THEM FIX THEM UP.
DO YOU HAVE A CONTACT NUMBER? I LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO 'EM YEAH.
ABOUT SOME OF THE IDEALS THAT OUR CHURCH DID.
WHAT CHURCH ARE YOU IN? MY NAME? PARDON ME? WHAT CHURCH WAS THAT? CHURCH, UM, UM, LOVE TO UNITED METHODIST.
A LOT OF VERY GENEROUS CHURCHES OVER THERE.
I THINK A LOT OF THE METHODIST CHURCHES DO SECOND.
WE WOULD LOVE, WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
AND, AND THE BAD, UH, DO YOU HAVE A CONTACT NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS OR SOMETHING? YES MA'AM.
THERE'S A, UM, WE'VE HAD, ANOTHER THING THAT I FOUND EXCITING IS WE HAD MANY VOLUNTEERS ON DAY ONE, AS WE DID ON DAY ON THREE MONTHS LATER, WE HAD, WE HAD A GROWING ENTHUSIASM.
WE HAD A, WE HAD A DAY, THE OTHER DAY WE BROUGHT A VISITOR IN AND THEY SAID, WELL, WHAT, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ALL THE FURNITURE YOU NEED? WE, WE DIDN'T INTEND TO WHEN WE DID THIS, TO PUT NEW FURNITURE IN THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, BUT PEOPLE JUST WANTED TO BLESS DOLORES.
THERE WAS A, WE, WE HAD, OUR VOLUNTEERS WERE CLEANING UP AND JUST GETTING IT READY FOR HER TO COME, COME HOME, UH, FOR SUNDAY.
AND A COUPLE CAME THROUGH AND THEY JUST SAW WHAT WE WERE DOING IN THE HOUSE.
AND I TOLD MY, AND THEY SAID, WELL, WHAT DO YOU NEED FURNACE? I SAID, NO, ALL WE NEED IS A COUPLE MORE MATTRESS AND BOX SPRINGS.
AND I TOLD 'EM, I VOLUNTEERED TO YOU WATCH, I'LL GET A TEXT BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY AND WE'LL HAVE MATTRESS AND BOX SPRINGS.
AND SURE ENOUGH, THE NEXT MORNING I WAKE UP AND THEY VENMO ME $500.
I WENT TO WALMART AND OUTFITTED THEIR GRANDKIDS ROOM WITH TWO TWIN BED AND MATTRESS AND BOXING.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S AN EXCITEMENT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IT'S A, IT'S A, PEOPLE CATCH THE, THEY, THEY CATCH IT, THEY GET IT, THEY GET THE FEED, THEY WANNA BE PART OF IT.
SO WE EXPECT ON OUR NEXT PROJECT TO HAVE THE SAME PARTICIPATION THAT WE HAD ON THE LAST ONE, HAVE THE SAME COST, UH, AND COST EFFECTIVE COST MANAGEMENT THAT WE HAD ON THIS ONE.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO THINK WE WON'T BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE NEXT TIME AND HAVE THE SAME KIND OF RESULTS.
WE'VE GOT A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL LAWSON.
ONE IS, IS OBVIOUSLY I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS INCREDIBLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.
I GUESS ON OUR SIDE, ON THE FINANCE SIDE IS, IS DECIDING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FINANCE IT, BECAUSE FOR US AS A COUNTY, WE CAN'T SPEND MONEY ON ON, RIGHT.
BUT WE, WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE BUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AND, AND THEY CAN APPLY TO THEM.
WELL, THAT GETS THE SECOND POINT.
THE SECOND THING THAT HAPPENS IS, OR, OR PART OF IT IS, I KNOW THAT, UM, JASPER COUNTY, NEIGHBORS UNITED, WHICH IS OUT IN HARVILLE, THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 15, 20 YEARS.
TED MOY, WHO'S STILL THE PRESIDENT OUT THERE, AND THEY GET FEDERAL FUNDS AND STATE FUNDS THAT THEY ARE USING THEN TO, TO DO THIS SAME THING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THEY HAVE A PROGRAM AND THEY HAVE, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED NOW THAT THEY GET OUT IN THE, THE JASPER COUNTY AREA.
UM, SO AGAIN, IF YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED TO HIM, THAT, THAT IS WONDERFUL.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'VE HAD THAT PROGRAM AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE A NON-PROFIT AS WELL.
WE DID APPLY FOR SOME GRANTS, UH, THROUGH, WITH, ALONG WITH, UH, TED MOORE AND HIS ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA REGIONAL CRESCENT GRANT.
AND WE DIDN'T GET THE FUNDING, BUT WE WERE GONNA TRY AGAIN.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS, THERE'S A BARRIER TO FUNDING.
FUNDING IS OUT THERE, BUT MAJORITY OF OUR FAMILIES ARE LIVING AN HES PROPERTY.
AND MOST OF THOSE REGULATIONS AND AND REQUIREMENTS ARE THAT YOU MUST LIVE IN THE HOUSE OR LIVE IN THE HOME THAT YOU WANT TO BE RENOVATED AND YOU MUST OWN IT, AND YOU MUST HAVE A DEED FOR IT.
MOST OF THEM ARE LIVING EARS IN THE HOUSE.
DOLORES IS THE FOURTH GENERATION EAR TO HER HOME THAT SHE HAS NOW.
[00:45:01]
WORK WITH HER TO TAKE THE STEPS TO PUT THAT HOME IN HER NAME AND HER DAUGHTER'S NAME.AND WE ARE PLANNING ON DOING THAT.
AND THAT WE ARE PLANNING ON DOING THIS THREE FOURTH OF OUR, THE SIX, THE 70 INDIVIDUALS THAT'S ON THAT LIST.
WE'VE GOT TO DO THAT FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO THAT IS A BARRIER TO GETTING FUNDING.
AND THE OTHER BARRIER IS THE MEDIUM INCOME THAT ST.
HELENA HAS, WHICH IS, DOESN'T REQUIRE THEM TO BE A DISTRESSED AREA.
AND SO FUNDING DOESN'T FLOW AS EASILY TO NON-DISTRESSED AREAS AS IT DOES TO DISTRESS AREAS.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR AND QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WOULD YOU PLEASE GET YOUR INFORMATION TO MS. BROCK? MS. BROCK WILL MAKE SURE WE GET THAT, UM, TO YOUR NEXT PROJECTS.
IT'S THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO ASK IS, IF POSSIBLE DOES, DOLORES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING AT ALL TO US AND HOW YOU FEEL, OR, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT TODAY IS A WONDERFUL DAY TO HEAR THIS.
AND YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE LISTEN IN.
THEY MIGHT LIKE TO HEAR THAT AS WELL.
SHE WAS DISPLACED FOR THREE MONTHS WHILE WE GOT THIS DONE.
SHE WAS WITH HER DAUGHTER, AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR HER AND SEEING HER GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
IF, IF, IF I MIGHT, IF I MIGHT, UM, I, I JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU ALL AS A GROUP FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND, UM, UM, I CAN SEE THAT IT'S A, IT'S A HEARTFELT PROJECT THAT YOU'RE WORKING AND YOU'RE DOING IT FROM YOUR HEART.
AND, UM, I APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND, UH, THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHIPPING IN, UH, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE OBSTACLE OF THE HEIRS, UH, PROPERTY, UM, YEAH, THAT IS, THAT IS AN OBSTACLE THAT ACTUALLY PREVENT, UM, A LOT OF STATE AND UM, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING.
UH, HOWEVER, UM, IF BY CHANCE YOU HAVE SOME RESIDENTS THAT ARE NOT HEIRS PROPERTY, THEN UM, THE LOW COUNTRY CONS OF GOVERNMENT ALSO HAS A A HOME PROJECT.
HOME REMODELING AND HOME REBUILDING PROJECT AS WELL.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA REACH OUT TO THEM.
WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
AND YOU CAN CONSIDER THAT FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE THE HEIRS PROPERTY, UH, BARRIER TO, TO INITIATE.
JUST REAL QUICK, HOW, UM, HOW ARE YOU ADVERTISING FOR VOLUNTEERS? UH, SOCIAL MEDIA OR, OR BASICALLY I WANNA FIND OUT WHEN I CAN GO OUT THERE.
WHAT, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE INITIAL CREW, UH, CAME THROUGH THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY CHURCH.
AND THEN WHEN WE GET ON SITE, IT'S ALL OF DOLORES'S NEIGHBORS.
UH, IF THEY WERE, THEY WERE EITHER BRINGING US LUNCH OR COMING OVER WHEELBARROWS AND HAMMERS,
I MEAN, THERE WAS JUST A GREAT PARTICIPATION.
SO, UH, AND THE SAME CORE TEAM THAT, THAT I BROUGHT DOWN IT IS JUST, THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY TO GO.
WE WENT AND REST A COUPLE WEEKS AND WE HAVE, UH, THREE MORE PROJECTS IN LINE.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, WE HAVE SOME DECKS TO BUILD.
UH, WE HAVE, YEAH, WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS A ROOF.
UM, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
AND, UH, THEN WE HAD SOME REAL EXCITING PROJECTS THAT CAME ACROSS OUR DESKS.
WE GOT AN APPLICATION FOR A, A PERSON THAT NEEDS THIS HOUSE.
UH, AN URGENT NEED TO BECOME HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
AND WE NEED, AND WE'RE, WE'RE THE KIND OF ORGANIZATION THAT CAN, THAT CAN GO IN AND DEAL WITH THAT QUICKLY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S OUR NEXT STEPS.
AND, AND AGAIN, WE'RE, UH, UH, I APPRECIATE THE INPUT ON THE JASPER COUNTY GOES.
AND SO WE'RE NOT THE, WE AREN'T ORIGINALS GO.
HELENA IS UNIQUE IN WHAT WE DO.
BUT WE HAVE, UH, UH, I HAVE GOOD FRIENDS THAT RUN A, A ORGANIZATION CALLED REBUILD UPSTATE, WHICH I TAP INTO, IN FACT, GOING THERE, SPEND TIME WITH 'EM AND BASICALLY STEAL ALL THEIR DOCUMENTED PROCEDURES.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION AND ALL THESE KIND OF THINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AND SO PEOPLE IN THIS BUSINESS BE GLAD TO SHARE THEIR STUFF WITH US.
AND AS WE MATURE, UH, THERE IS A PROCESS THAT THEY DEVELOPED FOR GENERATING CONSISTENT VOLUNTEER BASE.
AND BASICALLY WE GO TO ORGANIZATIONS.
WE GO TO CHURCHES, TELL OUR STORY, SAY, HEY, HERE'S SOME PROJECTS WE NEED TO HELP US WITH.
WELL, WE, AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE THE LEADERS ON SITE, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE SAFETY ISSUES AND CODED ISSUES.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM TODAY.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S HEARTWARMING TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND MS. MS. BROCK WILL GIVE US YOUR INFORMATION.
[00:50:01]
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.AND CHAIRMAN, I UM, JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, THE MAR VIEW AND THE HOUSING PROJECT FOR THIS SHORT NOTICE FOR MAKING THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, UM, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
GAVE US A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION IN THE HANDOUT TOO.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ALONG ON THE AGENDA.
[9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO AMEND AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT TO JOINTLY CREATE, FUND, AND OPERATE A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, TO ESTABLISH AN OVERSIGHT BOARD TO OVERSEE THE FUND, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FUND]
RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO AMEND AN INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT TO JOINTLY CREATE, FUND AND OPERATE A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND TO ESTABLISH AN OVERSIGHT BOARD TO OVERSEE THE FUND AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FUND.AND, UM, MR. KENNEDY WILL BE PRESENTING.
SO IN 2022, COUNTY COUNCIL VOTED TO BE PART OF AN IGA WITH ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF HARDY, THE TOWN OF YEE AND JASPER COUNTY TO CREATE A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, WHICH HAD NOT EXISTED PRIOR TO THAT TIME.
AND TO FUND IT WITH MONEY FROM ARPA AND THE MUNICIPALITIES WERE FUNDING IT WITH THEIR ARPA AS WELL.
UM, THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT THAT WAS ENTERED INTO AT THE TIME, UM, IN, UH, PROVIDED THAT, UH, THE FISCAL AGENT WOULD BE COMMUNITY WORKS.
COMMUNITY WORKS IS OUT OF GREENVILLE.
AND THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ESTABLISHING, UM, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE GREENVILLE AREA.
UM, IT ALSO OVER SET UP AN OVERSIGHT BOARD.
UM, AND THAT IS IN SECTION FOUR OF THIS IGA.
UM, AND THE OVERSIGHT BOARD WAS APPOINTED FROM BY VARIOUS, UM, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
AND THE, UH, IGA PROVIDED THAT THE BOARD COULD, IF IT WANTED TO BECOME A 5 0 1 C3.
SINCE THAT TIME, 2022, THE OVERSIGHT BOARD HAS INCORPORATED, HAS BEEN DESIGNATED A 5 0 1 C3 BY THE IRS.
AND IT HAS ALSO INDICATED THAT IT WANTS TO TAKE OVER AS THE FISCAL AGENT FROM COMMUNITY WORKS.
SO THIS, UH, AMENDED IGA, UM, AMENDS THE EXISTING IGA IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
NUMBER ONE, WITH REGARD TO SECTION SIX, UM, IT REMOVES COMMUNITY WORKS AS THE FISCAL AGENT AND IDENTIFIES THE, UH, BUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST AS THE FISCAL AGENT.
IT ALSO, UM, IN SECTION FOUR, UM, PROVIDES, UH, SECTION FOUR C3 PROVIDES THAT THE, UM, THE OVERSIGHT BOARD HAS BECOME A 5 0 1 C3 AND THAT THEY CAN HIRE EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACT WITH, UH, UH, THIRD PARTIES AND OTHER THINGS.
UM, IN REVIEWING THE IGA, UM, AND COMPARING IT TO THE MESHER ACT, WHICH IS THE BASIS FOR THE IGA AND THE MESHER ACT IS A STATE ACT WHICH ALLOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, MUNICIPALITIES, AND COUNTIES TO ENTER INTO, UH, AGREEMENTS TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUNDS.
UM, WE NOTICED THAT THE EXISTING IGA WASN'T IN SYNC WITH THE ACT WITH REGARD TO A COUPLE OF PROVISIONS.
AND SO WE BROUGHT IT INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACT THAT'S IN SECTION ONE A OF THE, UM, OF THE IGA.
AND WE ALSO ADDED A SECTION TO, UH, A SENTENCE TO SECTION THREE B AT THE VERY END.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT SETS FORTH A DATE BY WHICH ALL THE SIGNATORIES TO THE IGA WILL CONTRIBUTE THEIR MONEY TO, UM, THE TRUST TO THE FUND SO THAT THE FUND CAN CONTINUE TO GO ON.
UM, AND THE, THE, AS I RECALL, THE AGREEMENT IS FOR, I THINK IT'S 10 YEARS, I THINK.
UM, AND SO IT WILL EXPIRE SEVEN YEARS.
SEVEN YEARS WHEN SEAN HAS 10, SORRY, YEAH.
EXHIBIT A YEARS, BUT SHOT HAS 10.
SO SECTION EIGHT A, UH, ATTACHMENT A HAS 10 YEARS THERE.
I WAS JUST, BUT I SAW THE FIRST ONE I SAW, OR PREVIOUS ONE I SAW WAS SEVEN YEARS.
UM, AND WE TWEAKED SECTION THREE H, UM, SIMPLY TO REFER TO THE STATE STATUTE AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME.
AND WE CHANGED THE WORD, UH, MUST WHICH CONCERNS, UH, PROVIDING ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHALL BECAUSE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, UH, LEGALLY IN THOSE TERMS. SO IF THAT, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE AMENDED IGA.
AND SO WE JUST NEED A RESOLUTION, UM, RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION TO COUNTY COUNSEL TO ADOPT THE AMENDED IGA.
CAN I JUST ASK ONE QUESTION? SURE.
[00:55:01]
QUESTIONS BEFORE A MOTION IF YOU WANT, BUT WE NEED A MOTION TOO.BUT MY QUESTION IS, YOU MENTIONED IT'S BEING FUNDED BY ARFA FUNDS? YES, CORRECT.
FIRST YEAR IS 3% OF ARPA FUNDS.
HOW WILL IT BE FUNDED? I, I SAW IT IN, I PUT SOME NOTES TOGETHER HERE, PUT GRANTS.
I JUST WANT TO DRILL DOWN TO, WE'RE GOING FROM ARPA FUNDS TO, IS IT GONNA BE A TAX MONEY FUNDING? THIS? IT WOULDN'T BE AAX MONEY.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF THE BUDGET.
JUST ARPA FUNDS PERFECT FOR YEAR.
WE WON'T BE ANYMORE ARPA COMMIT MADAM CHAIRMAN.
I'LL MAKE THE, UM, MOTION OKAY.
TO, UH, APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE IGA AND PASS IT ON TO FULL COUNSEL.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.
SECOND OPEN FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.
AND YOU JUST ANSWERED OUR THEN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
HOW'S IT HAVE TO COME OVER BUDGET? I MEAN, I'M BUDGETING, I THE GENERAL FUND DIFFERENT FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS, AND I WOULD THINK THE GENERAL FUNDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITHOUT OBJECTION? WE'LL PASS THIS UP TO FULL COUNSEL.
[10. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY AND TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROCUREMENT OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON SEVERAL PARCELS OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN JASPER COUNTY AND KNOWN, COLLECTIVELY, AS GREGORIE NECK (PIN# 087-00-09-022, 087-00-09-023, 087-00-09-025, 087-00-09-031)]
IS THE, UM, NUMBER 10.I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MIKE MCSHANE, WHO'S CHAIRMAN OF THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE.
THIS IS RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY AND TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROCUREMENT OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON SEVERAL PARCELS OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN JASPER COUNTY, KNOWN AS GREGORY NECK.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THAT AS A MOTION AND THEN WE CAN GET PRESENTATION.
SECOND, SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION.
MIKE MCSHANE, TECHNICALLY A RESIDENT OF CHARLESTON COUNTY, BUT AT THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS YOUR COMMITTEE, GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND APPOINTEE.
UH, ALSO MADAM CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, I WELCOME THE COLONEL AND HIS TEAM HERE WHO HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC, UH, COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS AS A LANDOWNER IN YOUR AREA, AS WELL AS IN MY VOLUNTEER ROLES.
THANK YOU FOR AND WELCOME TO THE LOOK COUNTRY AGAIN.
UH, BEFORE YOU, UH, MADAM CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY JUST SUGGEST I'LL GO THROUGH ITEM 10, THEN I'M GONNA UP, UH, THEN IF I COULD, THEN AT THE END OF ITEM 11, GIVE A COUPLE OF UPDATES ON SOME YES, SIR.
SOME PROJECTS THAT I KNOW OF INTEREST TO.
ITEM 10 IS, IS AS YOU STATED, MADAM, UH, WITH THE MOTION BEFORE YOU, IS TO ASK FOR THE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD THE RESOLUTION TO FULL COUNSEL IN TWO WEEKS.
UH, MADAM CHAIRMAN, I MUST ADMIT, IN TWO WEEKS I'VE GOT A PROFESSIONAL MEETING.
I'M THE ATTENDEE, SO I WILL NOT BE PRESENT AT THAT, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE'S PRESENTATION MADE FOR COUNCIL AT THAT.
BUT SEEKING THAT, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN THE MAP THAT I SEE IS IN FRONT OF YOU, DEMONSTRATES IN ORANGE WHERE THE GREGORY NECK TRACK IS THE 4,400 PLUS ACRES.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN MR. DAWSON, YOUR AREA OF THE COUNTY, AND, AND QUICKLY GOING OVER INTO JASPER COUNTY.
THIS IS WHAT IS REALLY BEAUFORT COUNTY'S LEADERSHIP ROLE HERE.
AND IF YOU THINK OF THE SHORT TIMEFRAME IN NOVEMBER OF 22, YOUR, YOUR CONSTITUENTS VOTED ON A REFERENDUM THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PROGRAM UNTIL LAST OCTOBER.
YOU HAD A COMMITTEE YOU APPOINTED LAST SPRING.
BUT THE PROGRAM WAS NOT AUTHORIZED BY COUNCIL UNTIL LAST FALL.
AND HERE WE ARE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY WITH ONE THAT I'VE SAID TO OTHERS, I DON'T BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE SCRIPTED A FINER PROJECT TO GO IN FRONT OF YOU TO INVEST MONEY OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT I, I'M AWARE OF THAT ANY COUNTY HAS PUT CONSERVATION DOLLARS INTO ANOTHER COUNTY'S PROJECT.
AND WHAT WE COMMITTED TO YOU AS A COMMITTEE IS WE WOULD ONLY BRING THOSE KIND OF PROJECTS WE FELT WERE SO COMPELLING THAT THIS WOULD BE A UNANIMOUS DECISION BY THIS COUNCIL TO PUT MONEY IN ANOTHER COUNTY.
AND THIS PROJECT, I THINK, COVERS EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING FOR.
HIGHLY LEVERAGED REMAINS TO BE CLEAR.
IT REMAINS IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP, BUT YOU TAKE THE PROTECTION OF ALL THE WATER QUALITY AND THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS THAT
[01:00:01]
THIS WOULD CREATE.AND, AND I THINK THERE'S NO DOUBT YOUR COUNTY WOULD SUFFER THE IMPACTS OF SEEING THAT 4,400 ACRES DEVELOPED IN SOME OTHER CAPACITY.
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HAS BEEN A, UH, HAS BEEN A STALWART, UH, COLLABORATIVE PARTNER WITH THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ON MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
THE FACT THAT THEY TOOK THIS TO MAKE THIS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN CONSERVATION, UH, SPEAKS TO THE, TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE SOUTH CAROLINA DOES.
THAT WE SET A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, FRANKLY, AND HOW WE'VE MOVED FORWARD ON THAT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY HAVE ON THIS.
I'LL BE MINDFUL OF TIME PERMITTED.
I HAVE MORE OF A COMMENT, MR. MCSHANE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WHEN I CAME TO YOUR ORIGINAL MEETINGS, ONE OF MY CONCERNS WAS HOW DO WE EDUCATE OUR RESIDENTS THAT THE MONEY WILL DO THIS KIND OF PROJECT WHERE IT'S OUTSIDE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND IT'S IN JASPER COUNTY.
AND I GET IT, THE VALUE OF IT, BUT WHEN RESIDENTS HERE, WE'RE BUYING LAND IN JASPER COUNTY, WHY ARE WE DOING THAT? I STILL THINK WE NEED AN EDUCATION PIECE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY FAIR CO UH, COMMENT, UH, MADAM AND THAT THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE, NOW THAT WE HAVE A PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN DOING THAT.
UH, IF, IF I WERE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS TONIGHT, I'D MAKE IT CLEAR THAT MILLION DOLLARS YOU'RE INVESTING WHEN YOU'RE NOT BUYING IT, YOU'RE INVESTING IN THE FACT THAT YOUR FUTURE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO PAY THE, SO FOR THE CONSEQUENCES, WHAT 4,400 ACRES WILL BE DEVELOPED WOULD BE LIKE.
AND I ALSO LIKE THAT 7.4% OF THE FEE AND ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ENTITIES CONTRIBUTING.
SO WHEN YOU COME TO DO YOUR SPEECH IN SUN CITY, I HOPE YOU HIGHLIGHT THAT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THEY HEAR THAT.
MR. MCCAIN, I, UH, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
UH, I THINK THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY AND I CONGRATULATE YOU AND THE TEAM FOR, UH, MOVING FORWARD ON THIS WITH REGARD TO THE RESIDENTIAL OVER BILL THAT MAY BE HAPPENING IN ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WITH THAT RESIDENTIAL OVERBUILD, PEOPLE WILL BE COMING HERE, UH, ON OUR ROADS AND TO OUR SHOPPING CENTERS, TO OUR RESTAURANTS, TO OUR BEACHES, TO OUR PARKS, AND ALL THE FACILITIES THAT WE ARE, UM, UH, BUILDING AND USING, UH, FOR AND BY OUR RESIDENTS.
AND THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP THEM, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO DO SO.
BUT REMOVING THIS AMOUNT OF PROPERTY FROM AN OVERBUILD IS A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.
AND THAT WILL PROBABLY ACCOUNT FOR NINE OR 10,000 MORE RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT WILL NEVER BE BUILT ON THIS PROPERTY.
SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, I OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS.
I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS, UH, A WELL SCRIPTED, UH, MOVE, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING YOU REALLY UNPREPARED FOR.
SO WE'RE EARLY IN THIS PROJECT, BUT TO SPEND ONLY A MILLION DOLLARS ON A PROJECT THAT'S CLOSE TO NINE OR $10 MILLION IS CERTAINLY QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT.
SO, UH, THANK MY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE.
I, I, EARLY ON, AND I'VE MADE THE COMMITMENT THAT WE WOULD TRY TO TAKE THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT YOUR RESIDENTS HAVE VOTED TO TAX THEMSELVES AND LEVERAGE THAT TO THE POINT WHERE REALLY TO ME, SUCCESSFULLY MEASURE WHEN WE SEE A $400 MILLION IMPACT HERE, WE TAKE A MILLION DOLLARS AND YOU GET A $35 MILLION IMPACT.
WHAT YOU, WHAT IT ALSO DOES IS THE REASON WHY I BELIEVE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA WE'RE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS BECAUSE YOU PUT MONEY INTO THIS.
AND THE REALITY IS, IN A COMPETITIVE SYSTEM, YOU'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I ALSO THINK THIS WILL SET A BENCHMARK FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES IN OTHER COUNTIES TO LOOK AT HOW THEY MIGHT FACILITATE THEIR OWN PROGRAMS GOING FORWARD.
'CAUSE IT'S A FAIR QUESTION TO YOUR POINT.
WHY ARE WE GONNA PUT BEAUFORT COUNTY DOLLARS IN A JASPER COUNTY SITE? WELL, FRANKLY, THEY NEED YOUR HELP.
YOU DO GET A BENEFIT FROM THIS.
AND I THINK YOU DISPLAY A MODEL BY WHICH THEY OUGHT TO BE LOOKING AT AS WELL AND SHOW HOW THIS REALLY WORKS.
UM, AND REALLY JUST, UM, UM, ONE QUESTION.
ONE, ONE COMMENT, AND, AND I'VE HEARD, UM, UM, MR. DAWSON SAY THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ESPECIALLY IN THE SHELDON AREA, IS, IS OBVIOUSLY WE'RE CONSERVING LAND AND PULLING IT OFF THE MARKET IS NOT DEVELOPED.
HOW CAN WE, AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS A, A, A GREAT PROJECT, AND WE'RE WHAT, SEVEN 8% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE $13 MILLION THAT'S BEING SPENT TO CONSERVE THE 4,400 ACRES IS, IS INCREDIBLE.
BUT HOW DO WE AS A, AS A COUNTY, WHENEVER THIS HAPPENS, SOMEHOW CARVE OUT MORE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE OF BUFORT COUNTY
[01:05:01]
OR JASPER COUNTY? 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE, WE PRESERVE THE LAND, BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS.SO IS THERE A WAY MOVING FORWARD THAT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT AND, AND CONSERVE PROPERTY, BUT THEN ALSO SET SOMETHING ASIDE THAT, THAT MORE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA HAVE ACCESS TO, TO SOME OF THAT WATER.
AND THEN I'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION AFTER THAT, BUT SURE.
MAY I TACKLE THAT ONE FIRST? YES.
AND TACKLE, NOT FIGUR, FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING, YOU BRING UP A VERY SOLID POINT.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC BENEFIT AS MUCH AS PUBLIC ACCESS.
'CAUSE THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF BACK HERE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES IN YOUR BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ALL OF THAT.
COTTON HALL WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A COLLABORATION THAT PUT IN A BALANCE IN AN AREA THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO, BRING RESOURCES TO THAT WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC ACCESS.
WHAT YOU GOT HERE REALLY IS THE PUBLIC BENEFIT ASPECT OF IT.
AND IT'S NOT ON, IT DOESN'T GO OFF THE TAX ROLL.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THAT BALANCE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THERE.
AND SO THAT YOUR COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED TO LOOKING AT, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS COME THROUGH FROM GREEN SPACE THAT WILL HAVE FULL FEE SIMPLE ACQUISITION, WHICH THEN IS 100% PUBLIC ACCESS THERE.
SO THERE'S A LEAP OF FAITH IN THERE, BUT THE FAITH IS DEMONSTRATED BASED ON WHAT WE, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.
AND AGAIN, I, I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL PROJECT.
I DON'T THINK THAT I WAS SAYING THAT
PUBLIC BENEFIT AND PUBLIC ACCESS DO NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THE SAME THING.
THEY WORK HAND IN HAND AND PROVIDE A BALANCE, BOTH FROM A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AS WELL AS WHAT YOU CAN REALLY MANAGE.
WE HAVE ONE MORE, ONE MORE QUESTION, AND AGAIN, IF THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN ANSWER, IT'S FINE.
IS IT'S A QUESTION WE'VE ASKED BEFORE AND KIND OF ASKED, YOU COULDN'T GET EXACT ANSWERS FROM.
SO WHENEVER WE PUT LAND UNDER A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE, THEY'RE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF UNITS THEY CAN PRODUCE AND THEY'RE AGREEING TO HAVING THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON.
DOES THAT STILL ALLOW THEM TO SELL MITIGATION CREDITS TO THE, THE MITIGATION BANK? LIKE, CAN THEY STILL TAKE PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN AND CONVERT IT BACK? THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, FARMLAND THAT WAS ONCE WETLAND AND CONVERT THAT BACK TO MITIGATIONS AND, AND ACTUALLY SELL IT TO THE MITIGATION BANK AND BE PAID FOR THOSE CREDITS.
IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR A LANDOWNER TO DOUBLE DIP.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU REALLY FUNDAMENTALLY ASKING IS, CAN A LANDOWNER DOUBLE DIP? MM-HMM.
AND I'D SUGGEST IT WOULD HAVE A VERY LIMITED CHANCE OF EVER BEING AGREED TO, TO PUT ANY TYPE OF ADDITIONAL MITIGATION BANK INSTRUMENT ON TOP OF THAT FOR THAT.
THIS IS A NEGOTIATION, NOT A REGULATION.
THIS IS WHAT I THINK WHY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS BALANCE THE PUBLIC ACT, THE PUBLIC OWNERSHIP.
BECAUSE THIS HAS SIMPLY BEEN A NEGOTIATION WITH A WILLING LANDOWNER TO LIMIT WHAT, WHAT DEVELOPMENT CAN EVER OCCUR ON THAT PROPERTY.
THIS DOES NOT TAKE A REGULATION TO GO THROUGH AND TRY TO DEMAND THAT 4,400 ACRES HAS SOME TYPE OF RESPONSIBLE, UH, LIMITED DEVELOPMENT.
SO THERE IS A FISCAL COMPONENT OF IT, BUT THAT FISCAL COMPONENT ENABLES THE LANDOWNER TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT, TO REALLY MOTIVATE THEM TO DO THAT.
AND FRANKLY, I WOULD ARGUE THAT I HAVE YET TO SEE A DEVELOPMENT THAT HASN'T NECESSARILY COST THE TAXPAYERS MORE MONEY IN THE SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO GO WITH IT THAN DOING THIS.
THAT MILLION DOLLARS YOU PUT IN THIS PROJECT IS GONNA, IS GONNA SAVE YOU MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, I PREDICT VERSUS WHAT YOU'D HAVE TO DO IN TERMS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA COME RIGHT IN YOUR, IN YOUR BACK DOOR.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST ANSWER.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT AN ANSWER STILL.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST ANSWER I EVER GOT.
COUNCILMAN RAMS, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE NIGHT WITH WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER HERE.
UM, BUT MS. SHAFFER, THIS IS TO YOU, WILL YOU COMMIT HERE TONIGHT? AND IT GOES TO WHAT TAB, OUR COLLEAGUE TAB TALKED ABOUT HELPING EDUCATE OUR CONSTITUENTS UNDER WHY WE DO, YOU TALKED ABOUT WATER, WATER QUALITY, DIDN'T YOU? WOULD YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT MR. MCSE GETS THAT PART OF THE EDUCATION AS WELL? AND MAYBE YOU GET THAT TO ALL OF US HERE ON COUNCIL, BECAUSE WE GOTTA REPORT BACK TO OUR PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT.
SO WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT I THINK IS VERY CRITICAL.
I'M SURE, I'M SURE THE OPEN LAND TRUST WILL DO THAT.
AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WELL, I'LL MAKE THIS COMMITMENT IN MY ROLE TO THIS COUNCIL.
THEY WILL HELP ME DO EXACTLY THAT.
I STILL HAVE AN ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.
AND I HAVE DONE THIS ACROSS THE STATE AND HAPPY TO DO IT.
[01:10:01]
WHAT I WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS IS TAKE YOUR MODEL AND TAKE IT TO THE OTHER 45 COUNTIES.AND MANY OF 'EM ARE LOOKING AT THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM.
THIS WILL BE TAKEN NATIONALLY AS A MODEL.
I THINK TONIGHT MAYBE THE FIRST TIME A COUNTY PUTS MONEY IN ANOTHER COUNTY.
YOU WERE THE GOLD STANDARD HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO.
YOU CAME UP WITH 50 YEARS AGO WITH AN OPEN LAND TRUST.
AND HOW MANY YEARS AGO? WERE RURAL CRITICAL LANDS.
AND NOW TONIGHT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MOVED TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
WELL, WE DO LOVE OUR MILITARY AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
AND JUST THAT COUNCILMAN GLOVER AND THEN OH YEAH, I, I'M THROUGH.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, REITERATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN SAID, UM, PARTICULARLY WITH THE MILITARY.
UH, THE MILITARY BASE IS ACTUALLY IN BEAUFORT, SO THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
HOWEVER, THERE'S A MILITARY RESILIENCE PLAN THAT STRETCHES ALL OVER SEVERAL COUNTIES AND THIS IS ONE OF THE COUNTIES THAT IT TOUCHES AND WE ARE ADHERING TO THAT CONCEPT AS WELL.
UM, SO I DO SUPPORT THIS HERE AND I REALLY WANT TO SEE, UM, WHERE RALEIGH WEST HAVE SAID WE WANT TO CONNECT THE SAVANNAH RIVER TO THE ACE BASIN.
SO THIS IS MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO I APPLAUD THIS PRESENTATION.
I THINK WE HAD A MOTION AND YES.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THEN YOU, UH, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE
[11. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS TO FUND OR NOT TO FUND DUE DILIGENCE AND NEGOTIATE TERMS OF ACQUISITIONS FOR GREEN SPACE APPLICATIONS]
NEXT ITEM.SO MADAM CHAIRMAN, UNDER UH, ITEM NUMBER 11, YOU WE'RE ASKING ACTUALLY FOR THE INITIAL, UH, APPROVAL TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE AND THE NEGOTIATION ON TWO TRACKS.
THERE WERE THREE APPLICATIONS THAT CAME FORWARD TO YOUR GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE MEETING, TWO OF WHICH WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TONIGHT.
THE THIRD ONE WE ACTUALLY RECOMMEND, 'CAUSE IT WAS A FEE SIMPLE APPLICATION.
WE ACTUALLY ARE NOT MAKING A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.
AND WE WILL VOTE ON ALL THREE OF THEM SEPARATELY.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD IS, UH, MADE AN A AN APPLICATION ON A TRACK AND IS YES, I'M SORRY.
UH, WHICH WE WERE CALLING THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY IS TO PURSUE JUST SIMPLY THE DUE DILIGENCE.
IT'S JUST AS A GENERAL REMINDER, IF YOU APPROVE DUE DILIGENCE AND NEGOTIATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN WE COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO GO FURTHER.
IT JUST GIVES US THE ABILITY TO, TO LIMIT WHAT WE SPEND, BUT TO BE ABLE TO GET THE, UM, REALLY TO MAKE THE DECISION TO MAKE AN INTELLIGENT RECOMMENDATION BACK ON THE APPLICATION.
I WANNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE FIRST ONE, WHICH IS THE FEE, SIMPLE DUE DILIGENCE.
UM, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD JURISDICTION.
I THINK TOM MADE THE MOTION FIRST.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS IS JUST TO DUE, DUE DILIGENCE.
SO MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT ONE OTHER LITTLE EDUCATION PIECE FOR THE REAL WORLD.
IF THEY'RE LISTENING, WHICH I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE, BUT THE FACT THAT THE GREEN SPACE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED IN DIFFERENT REGIONS.
SO WHEN PEOPLE SEE HILTON HEAD, HILTON HEAD AND THEN NEW RIVER TRACT, WHICH IS DOWN BY ME, THEY UNDERSTAND IT'S ALLOCATED IN DIFFERENT REGIONS.
MAYBE YOU COULD JUST REITERATE THAT A SECOND.
AND THE PROGRAM THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD AND THE COUNCIL APPROVED, WE TALKED ABOUT EQUITY AND HOW WE LOOK AT THE FOUR REGIONS BASED ON THAT.
AND EQUITY IS, IS ADMITTEDLY A VERY BROAD DEFINITION HERE BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH DIFFERENT VALUES SOUTH OF THE BROAD VERSUS NORTH OF BROAD.
THAT'S JUST THE, THE REALITY, REALITY OF THE MARKETS, UH, AS WELL AS AVAILABILITY, UH, IN THAT.
SO IT WASN'T TO JUST SAY WE'RE GONNA TAKE, DIVIDE UP THE FUNDS BY EQUAL METRIC THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN APPLY THOSE APPLICATIONS THAT COME TO US.
NOW, REMEMBER, APPLICATIONS HAVE TO COME TO THE GREEN SPACE.
LANDOWNERS THEMSELVES OBVIOUSLY ARE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT DIRECTLY.
I ENCOURAGE 'EM TO WORK WITH A QUALIFIED ENTITY, UH, TO DO SO.
'CAUSE I THINK THEY'LL HAVE A BETTER RESULT.
THAT'S JUST MY VIEW ON HOW THAT THAT WORKS.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP ALWAYS THAT IN MIND BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE, THE, YOUR COUNCIL'S ORDINANCE FOR THE PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS? FIRST ONE THAT WE WOULD VOTE ON FOR JUST DUE DILIGENCE.
THIS WAS A FEE SIMPLE APPLICATION.
I WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT THESE ARE, UM, PROPERTIES THAT THE OWNERS ARE, HAVE COME AND MADE THE APPLICATION IN.
HILTON HEAD HAS GIVEN A LETTER OF, UM, CHAIRMAN, AS I LOOK AT THIS MAP, THIS IS BASICALLY, UM, MAYBE CONSIDERING FILLING A DONUT HOLE.
[01:15:01]
IS, IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE TOWN HILTON HEAD HAS PARCELS AND THESE, THESE ARE STRIPS OF LAND IN BETWEEN.SO, UM, I'M HOPING OTHER MUNICIPALITIES SURE.
BUT I THINK THEY HAVE A STRATEGY IN MIND ABOUT TRYING TO, TO CREATE CONNECTIVITY AND ADJACENCY PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN WHAT I BELIEVE MAKES SUCCESS IN CONSERVATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? UH, DO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL GO FORWARD WITH THE DUE DILIGENCE.
JONESVILLE ROAD, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, GEOGRAPHIC REGION SOUTHERN TO PROCEED.
VERY, VERY SIMILAR REQUEST, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
IT'S JUST FOR THE, UH, APPROVAL FOR DUE DILIGENCE IS THE NEGOTIATION.
MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MCCLELLAN.
IS THAT YOUR
THAT'S THE JONESVILLE ROAD TRACK IN YELLOW ONE.
IT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT THE, THE OWNER HAS COME FORWARD WITH AN APPLICATION RIGHT THROUGH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
THE TOWN, THE APPLICANT IS ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
BUT IT IS, JUST TO NOTE, PERHAPS THE VICE CHAIRMAN BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT.
UH, LANDOWNERS, EVEN IF THE APPLICANT IS AN ENTITY, LIKE THE TOWN MUST SIGN IN THAT THEY ARE PROVING THAT THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.
SO THIS IS NOT, UH, SOMEBODY IN NEFARIOUSLY PUTTING IN AN APPLICATION AND THE LANDOWNER DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
NO OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE'LL GO FORWARD FOR DUE DILIGENCE.
RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATION FOR NUMBER TWO, JONESVILLE ROAD.
SIMPLE APPLICATION FOR THE NEW RIVER TRACK.
THIS IS IN BLUFFTON POLITICAL JURISDICTION.
UM, THE GEOGRAPHIC REGION IS WESTERN.
THIS IS A FEE SIMPLE APPLICATION TO THE COMMITTEE.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO MOVE FORWARD AS A FEE SIMPLE.
UH, THE TOWN OF, UH, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ACTUALLY WROTE A LETTER THAT, UH, THAT THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN THIS PARTICULAR LAND.
AND, UH, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE COULDN'T BE AN OPPORTUNITY DOWN THE ROAD TO WORK WITH THE LANDOWNER ON SOMETHING ELSE.
IT'S JUST NOT BASED ON THEIR APPLICATION AS IT WAS SUBMITTED.
A RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT PURSUE ANY DUE DILIGENCE.
WHEN YOU SAY BASED ON THEIR APPLICATION, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? EMPLOYEE BASED ON THEIR APPLICATION WAS FOR AN THEN THE, THE COUNTY TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKING FOR FEE.
BECAUSE THIS IS CERTAINLY AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE JUST ONE BIG MESS.
AND, AND THE COMMITTEE WAS SENSITIVE TO THE FACT, AND, AND I MADE A POINT, UH, LAST THIS PAST WEEKEND TO DRIVE THROUGH THAT AREA.
'CAUSE I WAS, THIS IS MY DISTRICT.
AND, AND ON SATURDAY, AFTER ALL THAT RAIN, I GOT A CHANCE TO EXPLORE YOUR DISTRICT QUITE WELL.
AND I'M GLAD I HAVE A HIGH VEHICLE VEHICLE.
IT'S BASICALLY THE GREAT SWAMP.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S PERHAPS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET ACROSS IS I DON'T WANNA BIAS THE, THE FACT THAT THE PROPERTY MAY HAVE SOME MERIT, BUT IT IS NOT THROUGH THE FEE SIMPLE ACQUI, UH, APPLICATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION WHETHER ON THIS ONE I HAVE MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION COMING FROM THE COMMITTEE? I HAVE A SECOND.
I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED SINCE THIS IS MY DISTRICT AND WE NEED HELP.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THEY MIGHT ASK YOU THAT WHEN YOU COME IN TO TALK.
I I'M, I'M PREPARED FOR THOSE KIND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WHAT IS THAT? IF, IF THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE, I HAVE A COUPLE UPDATES ON SOME OTHER THE PROJECTS YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE'LL, WE WILL NOT GO FORWARD ON THIS ONE.
NOW I HAVE A UPDATE ON THE OTHER.
SO YOU'VE GIVEN, UH, PERMISSION TO ON DUE DILIGENCE ON A COUPLE TRACKS.
AND THIS IS JUST HOW WE, WE REFER TO 'EM MITCHELLVILLE, WHICH IS ABOUT A 26 ACRE TRACK ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
IT'S IN NEGOTIATIONS BOTH WITH THE LANDOWNER AND THE TOWN.
UM, MOVING FORWARD ON THAT HAS BEEN SOME APPRAISAL WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND WE'LL HAVE THAT REVIEWED JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIMEFRAME IN THAT.
[01:20:01]
VERY OPTIMISTIC HERE.THE LANDOWNER'S BEEN VERY COLLABORATIVE ON THAT.
UH, THERE'S A TRACK KNOWN AS HALF MOON ISLAND THAT'S IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THE APPLICANT OPEN LAND TRUST IS NEGOTIATING WITH THE LANDOWNER AS WE SPEAK.
SO THAT WE MAY HAVE SOMETHING I HOPE TO COME BACK FORWARD NEXT.
AND THEN, UH, ULMER ROAD, UH, WAS, UH, YOU BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE LANDOWNER, BROUGHT IN APPLICATION.
YOU GAVE US THE AUTHORITY TO DO DUE DILIGENCE.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATOR.
WE HAVE A LAW FIRM NOW REPRESENTING GREEN SPACE THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH ON ALL OF THESE.
BUT SPECIFICALLY THERE WAS TO, UH, WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO EITHER REVIEW THE APPRAISALS THAT HAVE BEEN CURRENTLY SUBMITTED BY THE LANDOWNER OR EVEN RESERVED A RIGHT TO, UH, REQUEST IN CONTRACT FOR OUR OWN APPRAISAL.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT THAT POINT IS ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE MARKET'S, APPRAISAL, SURVEYS, ET CETERA, ARE TAKING A LITTLE LONGER THAN MOST OF US WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
SO I ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR INDULGENCE THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE ITEMS, BUT I FELT COMPELLED TO KEEP THE COMMITTEE INFORMED OF WHERE THOSE ARE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME BROAD INTEREST IN THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE THREE.
UM, WITH THE MITCHELLVILLE 26 ACRES, UM, ON MARCH 1ST, FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD A CHANCE TO DO A FIELD TRIP AT MY DISTRICT, AND THAT WAS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THIS COUNCIL CAN DO TO HELP YOU SOLIDIFY AIR PROPERTY DISCUSSIONS OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU NEED FROM US? I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO THE POINT.
THERE IS, UM, THERE WAS, THERE, THERE'S SOME LEGAL WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE OF SORT OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT PARTICULAR TRACK.
I DON'T THINK COUNCIL COULD DO ANY MORE THAN THEY'VE ALREADY DONE.
YOUR, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY STAFF IS, UH, AND OUR AND OUR NEW LAW FIRM ARE GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL IN THAT.
UH, UH, I THINK THAT WE'LL GET THAT.
I'M, I'LL LOOK TO TOM REAL QUICK.
I THINK YOU WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH SOME THINGS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING ON MONDAY.
UM, YEAH, I WAS IN TOUCH WITH THE LAW FIRM AND I ALSO RAN INTO ONE OF THE LAWYERS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH, UH, SOME OF THE HEIRS WHO OWN THAT PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, IT TECHNICALLY IS AN HEIRS PROPERTY.
THE POINT TO SOMEBODY WHO MADE THE COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT AIRS PROPERTY, THEY ADD A UNIQUE CHALLENGE.
AND SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH SOME WAYS FOR THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOME RELIEF TO THAT BECAUSE IT AFFECTS NOT JUST HERE, IT AFFECTS REALLY THE WHOLE COASTAL PLAIN.
AND IT IS GONNA TAKE SOME STATE WORK TO REALLY HELP OUT ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
I FEEL CONFIDENT WE'LL WORK THROUGH THAT.
AND JUST ONE MORE LAST COMMENT ON THAT.
THIS IS A CASE THAT, UM, IS PART AND PARCEL TO COUNTY COUNCIL AGREEING TO WORK WITH TOWN COUNCIL ON HILTON HEAD.
WE'VE COME TOGETHER AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROBABLY A LONG TIME, WE'VE DONE A LOT, DONE SOME WORK TOGETHER THAT WE HAD SYNERGIES ON.
AND, UM, IT IT, IT'D BE A SHAME IF THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH WITH FLYING COLORS.
SO AT ANY PHASE OF THIS PROCESS, PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO BECAUSE, 'CAUSE THAT IS CRITICAL, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT WE BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY ON MARCH 1ST.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US WANTED TO LEAVE, I HOPE, I BELIEVE, BUT, UH, I WANNA GO BACK.
BUT MR. WELL WE HOPE WE'LL MAKE THAT THE CASE WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN GO BACK TO THAT.
UM, TO BE FAIR, THE TOWN PUT IN AN APPLICATION FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT FROM THE COUNTY.
OH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS MORE TO KIND OF HELP FACILITATE THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
DOESN'T, DOESN'T OBLIGATE US BY ANY STRETCH.
AS PART OF THE DUE DILIGENCE YOU PUT ON MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT THAT WOULD BE, WHAT THE COUNTY WILL INVEST IN THAT VERSUS THE TOWN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ABOUT THOSE THREE? I SAID THEY WERE AGGRESSIVE.
I THINK WE'RE MAKING HISTORY, UM, NOT ONLY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT NATIONALLY.
WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT.
I THINK, UH, ONCE THIS, UH, GREGORY NECK IN TWO WEEKS, PRESUMING COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, IS REALLY NEWSWORTHY.
THIS IS, PARDON THE EXPRESSION, THIS IS CAMPAIGN NEWSWORTHY TYPE ACTION HERE.
I WAS GONNA SAY, I CERTAINLY KNOW IF WE'VE PUBLISHED THIS WITH THE FULL INFORMATION ABOUT IT SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND QUESTIONS.
AND IF, AND I'M OPEN TO, UH, WORK WITH SOME STRATEGIES WITH OUR PARTNERS ON HOW WE MIGHT, COULD SCRIPT SOMETHING I'VE USED THAT TERM EARLIER, THAT COULD BECOME PART OF THAT EDUCATION.
[01:25:27]
THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.WHY ARE DARK SKIES IMPORTANT? WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO US? THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND LOOK UP AND SEE STARS.
NOT ONLY DOES LIGHT POLLUTION PREVENT US FROM SEEING STARS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE SKY FOR MILLENNIA CONNECTING US TO CIVILIZATION'S PAST, BUT IT CAN ALSO HAVE A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH AS WELL AS THE HEALTH OF MANY OF THE ORGANISMS THAT LIVE AROUND US.
WHAT EFFECT DOES ARTIFICIAL LIGHT HAVE ON THE NIGHT SKY AND THE STARS THAT WE CAN OBSERVE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AWAY FROM THE LIGHTS OF CITIES, WE CAN OBSERVE ABOUT 2000 STARS.
BUT IF WE ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF A BRIGHT STREET LAMP, A HOME WITH NO CURTAINS ON THE WINDOWS OR FLOOD LIGHTS, THE NUMBER OF STARS WE CAN SEE DROPS DRAMATICALLY.
SIMPLE WAYS OF LIMITING THE EFFECTS OF LIGHT POLLUTION ARE TO CLOSE THE CURTAINS AT NIGHT.
WHEN THE LIGHTS IN YOUR HOME ARE ON INSTALL MOTION DETECTORS SO THAT EXTERIOR LIGHTS ONLY COME ON IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT RATHER THAN LEAVING THEM ON ALL NIGHT.
AND IN THE CASE OF STREET LAMPS, USING A SHIELD THAT DIRECTS LIGHT DOWNWARD, YOU CAN DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF LIGHT POLLUTION WHERE YOU ARE BY OBSERVING AN EASY TO FIND CONSTELLATION.
FIRST LOOK FOR THE FAMILIAR SHAPE OF THE BIG DIPPER.
THERE'S THE CUP, AND HERE'S THE HANDLE.
USE THE STARS AT THE FAR SIDE OF THE CUP, DRAWING A LINE AWAY FROM THE BOTTOM.
AND THE FIRST BRIGHT STAR YOU COME TO WILL BE POLARIS, THE LAST STAR IN THE HANDLE OF THE LITTLE DIPPER.
LOOK AND SEE HOW MANY STARS YOU CAN COUNT IN THE LITTLE DIPPER.
CAN YOU SEE ALL OF THE STARS IN THE HANDLE AND IN THE CUP? IF SO, YOU HAVE VERY DARK SKIES.
IF YOU CAN ONLY SEE POLARIS AND THE TWO STARS AT THE FAR END OF THE CUP, YOU HAVE A LOT OF LIGHT POLLUTION.
THE MORE STARS YOU CAN SEE IN THE LITTLE DIPPER, THE LOWER YOUR LEVELS OF LIGHT POLLUTION ARE.
JUST KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE THAT YOU'LL NEED ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO LET YOUR EYES ADJUST TO THE DARK.
AND YOU'LL WANNA GO OUT ON A DARK NIGHT WITHOUT A LOT OF LIGHT FROM THE MOON.
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT CAN IMPACT MANY OF OUR LOCAL SPECIES.
LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE HATCH LINKS USE THE WAVELENGTHS OF BLUE AND GREEN LIGHT OF THE STARS REFLECTING OFF THE OCEAN TO GUIDE THEM DOWN TO THE WATER.
WHEN THEY HATCH, BEACH FRONT LIGHTING CAN DISORIENT THEM, CAUSING THEM TO GO THE WRONG DIRECTION, WHICH LEAVES THE BABY'S VULNERABLE TO PREDATORS AND EXHAUSTION.
EASTERN SCREECH TOWELS, WHICH HUNT AT NIGHT USING THEIR EXCELLENT HEARING AND VISION, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF FOOD IF THEY LOSE THE COVER OF DARKNESS TO HELP THEM SNEAK UP ON THEIR PREY.
AND MIGRATORY BIRDS, SUCH AS OUR BEAUTIFUL PAINTED BUNTING, OFTEN TRAVEL AT NIGHT.
USING THE LIGHT OF THE STARS TO NAVIGATE ARTIFICIAL LIGHT CAN CONFUSE AND DISORIENT THEM, CAUSING THEM TO CRASH INTO TALL BUILDINGS OR FLY IN CIRCLES UNTIL THEY'RE TOO EXHAUSTED TO CONTINUE.
THERE ARE MANY MORE EXAMPLES OF THE EFFECT WHICH LIGHT POLLUTION HAS ON ANIMALS.
SCIENTISTS ARE JUST BEGINNING TO DISCOVER HOW PROFOUND AND DETRIMENTAL THESE EFFECTS CAN BE IN MANY LOCATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.
GOING OUTSIDE TO STARGAZE IS NOT EVEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH LEVELS OF LIGHT POLLUTION.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REDUCE LIGHT POLLUTION WHERE YOU LIVE.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DARK SKIES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND LEARN TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE AMAZING SITES THE NIGHT SKY HAS TO OFFER.