[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS PLANNING
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 24TH.MAY I HAVE A FULL CALL PLEASE? CHAIRWOMAN AMANDA DENMARK.
HERE, VICE CHAIRMAN CHARLIE WETMORE.
COMMISSIONER RICH, RICH DELCO.
HERE, COMMISSIONER JASON STEWART.
[III. NOTICE REGARDING ADJOURNMENT]
THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL NOT HEAR NEW ITEMS AFTER 9:30 PM UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT ITEMS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD BEFORE 9:30 PM MAY BE CONTINUED TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OR A SPECIAL MEETING DATE AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION MEMBERS ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA[IV. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA]
MOVED.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR A.
[V. ADOPTION OF MINUTES]
I HAVE AN ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM MARCH THE 27TH? SO MOVED.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? AND THERE'S NO OLD BUSINESS.
[VIII.1. Consideration of an Updated Buck Island-Simmonsville Neighborhood Plan (Staff - Charlotte Moore)]
BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF AN UPDATED BUCK ISLANDS VILLE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.UH, SO I DO WANNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE BUCK ISLANDS WOODSVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
UM, I'M JUST AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A VERY HIGH LEVEL A REVIEW OF THE PLAN AND THE PROCESS, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'VE GOT THE PLAN I CAN BRING UP IF WE NEED TO DO THAT.
UM, SO THE BUCK ISLAND STEVENVILLE AREA IS BASICALLY THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THE BUCK ISLAND STEVENSVILLE ROADS, UH, AT YOU SEE THERE ON IN, IN THE GRAPHIC.
UM, THERE, THAT AREA WAS ANNEXED IN 2005.
IT WAS PART OF A LARGER ANNEXATION THAT WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO 2 78.
AND THERE WAS CONCERN, UH, BY RESIDENTS, UH, RELATED TO SOME INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.
THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE GETTING THE ATTENTION THAT, UH, THEY NEEDED.
AND SO THEY, UM, UH, UH, SOUGHT IT TO BE ANNEXED BY THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
AND THAT DID OCCUR AGAIN IN 2005.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE SCREEN IS KIND OF CUT OFF THERE.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SHOWING UP ON MY SCREEN.
SO LET ME GO BACK TO MY FIRST SLIDE.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2009, AND I DID ATTACH THAT TO THE AGENDA SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT PLAN.
AGAIN, THERE WAS CONCERNS WITH INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, SOME LAND DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES AT THAT TIME HAPPENING ALONG BLUFFTON PARKWAY AND SOME COMMUNITY SAFETY ISSUES AS WELL.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THOSE CONCERNS HAVE NOT CHANGED IN THE PAST 15 YEARS.
SO THE PLAN UPDATE, UM, TYPICALLY A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN SHOULD BE UPDATED ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.
SO 15 YEARS HAS PASSED, UH, QUITE A LONG TIME.
UH, THE UPDATE WAS IDENTIFIED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WE ADOPTED BACK IN 2022.
AND FROM THAT, THE TOWN IDENTIFIED IT AS PART OF THIS FISCAL YEAR'S, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN IS A PRIORITY TO COMPLETE.
UM, STAFF BEGAN TO EVALUATE THE PREVIOUS PLAN, IDENTIFY WHAT ITEMS HAD BEEN COMPLETED OR STILL NOT COMPLETED.
UM, THE PLAN, UH, WAS DEVELOPED WITH, UH, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT.
IT'S DIVIDED INTO SECTIONS AND INTERIM BACKGROUND AND HISTORY.
WE HOPE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORY, BUT THE COMMITTEE, UH, REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT.
UM, AND IT'S VERY HARD FINDING RECORDS AND INFORMATION, UH, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, SO, BUT SO THAT PORTION OF THE PLAN IS VERY SMALL.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CONDITION, EXISTING CONDITION SECTION, AS WELL AS AN ACTION PLAN.
AND THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT TOO.
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THIS MOVES FORWARD TO TOWN COUNCIL MAY CHOOSE TO ACCEPT OR ADOPT.IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO COMMIT THE RESOURCES.
THEY'LL MAKE THAT DETERMINATION OF THE ITEMS THAT THEY WANT TO PURSUE.
HOWEVER, A LOT OF THE ITEMS, UH, THE ACTION ITEMS ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AT STAFF LEVEL.
SO, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THERE WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD KICKOFF MEETING AT OSCAR FRAZIER PARK.
UM, WE HAD A SURVEY THAT WAS, UH, HANDED OUT AT THAT TIME, AND MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE SURVEY HAD LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.
AND WE ASKED WHAT CONCERNS THEY HAD.
AGAIN, IT WAS COMPLETION OF THE VARIOUS, UH, UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
THEY WANTED TO SEE A PLAYGROUND AND THEY WERE ALSO CONCERNED WITH, UH, TRAFFIC AND SPEEDING ALONG THE ROADWAYS.
WE, UH, CONVENED AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
MOST EVERYBODY HAD SOME SORT OF, UH, CONNECTION.
THEY MIGHT HAVE GROWN UP IN THE AREA WHERE THEY LIVE THERE NOW.
UM, ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP, UH, TO THE MEETINGS.
WE HAD ABOUT FIVE MEETINGS WHERE WE MET EVERY TWO WEEKS.
WE DID HAVE SOME SPEAKERS, MAINLY TOWN STAFF, UH, COME IN AND TALK TO, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, AFTER THAT WE HAD A DRAFT AND WE PRESENTED THAT DRAFT TO THEM TO REVIEW.
AND THAT DRAFT WAS THEN PRESENTED AT A, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING HELD LAST MONTH.
AND WE HAD ABOUT 30 ATTENDEES AT THAT MEETING.
I SEE THAT THE, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GRAPHICS THERE.
SO, UH, DEMOGRAPHICALLY, UM, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE AREA, THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED AS IT HAS WITH THE TOWN OF LUPTON, UH, ABOUT, UH, 15.8%.
THERE ARE ALMOST 700 HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN THAT AREA.
AND MOST OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS ARE FAMILY AND MOST OF THEM ARE MARRIED COUPLES.
WITH THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE, THERE SHOULD BE ABOUT 400 ADDITIONAL, UM, OR NEW DWELLING UNITS.
AND THAT IS ANTICIPATED TO BRING ABOUT 800 NEW PEOPLE TO THE AREA.
UM, THIS AREA IS ACTUALLY QUITE YOUNG.
UM, WAS REALLY SURPRISED WHEN I SAW THE STATISTICS.
AND UNDER THE AGE OF 18, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 31%.
WE HAVE A GROWING HISPANIC POPULATION IN THAT AREA THAT HAS NEARLY TRIPLED SINCE 2000.
UM, WE DO SEE THAT, UH, BOTH BLACKS AND WHITES, THAT, UM, THEIR NUMBERS HAVE, UH, DECREASED, BUT WE'RE SEEING MORE, UH, POTENTIALLY, UM, UH, PEOPLE WITH TWO OR MORE RACES OR POTENTIALLY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC AND, AND, UM, IT IS, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES ON THE CENSUS.
THERE IS NO CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY REALLY CAN ADVOCATE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND NEIGHBORS CAN GO TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE THAT THEY NEED.
SO, UM, THE TOWN IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH THAT PROCESS IF A GROUP CHOOSES TO FORM AN ASSOCIATION.
UH, THE DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMITTEE REGARDING NATIVE RESIDENTS WAS, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, ENSURE THAT THEIR CULTURE ISN'T DIMINISHED OR ERASED BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE IN THAT AREA, UM, WITH THE SALE OF PROPERTIES.
SO THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
UH, POTENTIALLY THERE COULD BE A TASK FORCE, NOT JUST RELATED TO THE, THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, BUT TOWN WIDE.
UM, HILTON HEAD HAS ONE, UH, CHARLESTON COUNTY, BERKELEY COUNTIES.
THEY'VE ALSO DONE THIS AS WELL TO HELP DOCUMENT, IDENTIFY, UM, UH, ALL THE PROPERTIES AND THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO PRESERVE THE CULTURE.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING A COMMUNITY EVENT, SOMETHING TO BRING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER.
AND CHIEF, UH, POLICE CHIEF, UH, WAS THERE AND HE INITIATED WHAT WE CALL A NIGHT OF UNITY.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT HAPPENED AT BY WALTER PARK.
AND THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIFFERENT, UM, RELIGIOUS, UH, INSTITUTIONS, CHURCHES TO COME TOGETHER AND, UM, REALLY JUST HAVE A NIGHT OF FELLOWSHIP.
AFTER A DELAY, IT WAS A PRETTY COLD NIGHT.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THE TURNOUT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LOW.
AND THIS MAY BE, UH, AN ANNUAL THING THAT HAPPENS.
ART IS ONE WAY THAT WE CAN PULL THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND HELP IDENTIFY CULTURAL ITEMS, UM, THAT CAN HAPPEN THROUGH, UM, THIS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR USING UTILITY BOXES.
SO AT THE INTERSECTION OF STEVENSVILLE BUCK ISLAND, THERE'S SOME UTILITY BOXES THERE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE SOME ART, UH, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
GALA CULTURE, UH, WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, UM, UH,
[00:10:01]
UH, GO FORWARD AND, AND TALK TO THAT COMMITTEE ABOUT.UM, THE STREET TOPPERS THAT YOU SEE IN THE LOWER LEFT, WE HAVE A LOT OF PRIVATE ROADS AND DRIVEWAYS, SO THERE'S POTENTIAL TO MAYBE SOMEHOW, UM, SHOWCASE THE COMMUNITY WITH THE STREET SIGN TOPPERS AS WELL.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, UH, NON RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS YET, SO IT, IT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGE WHERE TO DISPLAY THIS ART, UH, LAND USE AND ZONING.
SO THE, THE GRAPHIC YOU SEE ON THE LEFT IS OUR CURRENT EXISTING LAND USE.
UH, MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL SEVEN PORTION DOES HAVE SOME LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
UH, THE MAP ON THE RIGHT ZONING MAP, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DO HAVE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND, AND COMMERCIAL AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE PROBABLY THE, THE GREATEST CHANGE MAY OCCUR WITHIN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, FURTHER ON VILLE ROAD, WE HAVE A-P-U-D-I BELIEVE THIS IS A CONTRACTOR'S YARD RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK POTENTIALLY, UM, THAT PROPERTY IS LIKELY TO CHANGE.
AND MOST RECENTLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS WITH HAMILTON GROVE.
THIS IS A 85, UH, UH, HOME SUBDIVISION.
SO THERE'S THAT PRESSURE TOO THAT PEOPLE WILL ASSEMBLE LOTS AND BUILD, UH, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, CHARLOTTE, UM, JUST ONE THING TO NOTE.
THE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT ENDED UP IN THE LIGHTING DIS DRILL, I DON'T SEE IT ON HERE.
IF WE'RE PUTTING ONE THAT WAS APPROVED AFTER THAT, WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO REFERENCE THAT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ON THE EXISTING LANE USE MAP OR THE ZONING MAP? UM, WELL WHAT YOU HAVE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THE ZONING MAP.
BUT DOWN IN LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, YOU'RE NOT SHOWING THE MULTIFAMILY THAT WAS APPROVED THAT MAY AND, AND I DON'T RECALL IS THAT THREE OR FOUR LOTS? AND IT MAY NOT BE SHOWING THAT BECAUSE OF THE COLOR.
YEAH, IT'S JUST, IT WAS APPROVED FOR 200 PLUS, RIGHT? YEAH.
IT'S JUST AS THAT HASN'T DONE IT.
BUT I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMEWHERE IN THERE THAT SHE HAD LISTED FEW THINGS.
MAYBE I'M, SO WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED A FINAL PLAN FOR THAT YET.
AND I'M NOT CERTAIN IF THEY HAVE RECOMBINED THOSE LOTS.
YEAH, THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE TEXT WHERE SHE WAS SAYING THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION THEN IS IT JUST HASN'T GONE THROUGH FINAL OR THE OTHER ONE.
SO WHAT CAME OUTTA HER CONVERSATION RELATING, RELATING TO ZONING, UM, AND BACK TO THAT APARTMENT BUILDING, THERE'S A CONCERN ABOUT SCALE AND THEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT IN THE PAST.
UM, RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AS WELL.
UM, WE MAY LOOK INTO MANUFACTURED HOME POLICY RIGHT NOW.
IT'S POSSIBLE TO BRING FOUR MANUFACTURED HOMES ON ONE LOT THAT WAS REALLY INTENDED TO BE FOR FAMILY COMPOUNDS, BUT WE SEE INVESTORS FOR COMING IN AS WELL, BUYING LOTS AND THEN LEASING OUT SPACE ON THOSE LOTS AND KIND OF TURNING THESE LOTS INTO A BIT OF A LITTLE HOME PARK.
AND IT'S GREAT FOR, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME CONDITIONS THAT WE WANT TO PLACE ON THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL WE'LL BE LOOKING AT.
UM, THERE'S ALSO DISCUSSION REGARDING, UH, POTENTIAL TO USE PROPERTIES, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES FOR SOME TYPE OF INCOME PRODUCING OPPORTUNITIES.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A VERY GOOD HOME OCCUPATION, UM, REGULATIONS IN OUR UDO.
SO WE MAY LOOK AT, UM, AT SOMETHING THERE THAT WE CAN DO.
UH, WE DID MENTION AT OUR LAST NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING THAT THERE WILL BE A FUTURE PARK AT THE LO AT THE CORNER OF, UH, TON PARKWAY IN BUCK ISLAND ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 15 ACRES.
I BELIEVE HALF OF THAT IS WETLANDS, BUT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME HARD PLANNING AND GET THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVED AND IDENTIFY WHAT KIND OF TYPES OF THINGS THEY'D LIKE TO SEE.
THAT WAS A QUESTION WE WERE ASKED.
WE ASKED THE ATTENDEES AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, BUT I DID NOT GET ANY RESPONSES TO THAT.
SO, MOVING ON, UH, TO HOUSING ANOTHER SECTION OF OUR, UH, PLAN.
AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS, SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED ACCOUNT HOMES AND APARTMENTS.
HOWEVER, NONE OF THESE IS INDICATED TO BE, UH, FOR AFFORDABLE OR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
I KNOW OUR MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPER WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, BUT IT'S A FINANCIAL ISSUE.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, MANUFACTURED HOMES ARE PROBABLY, UH, A GOOD PORTION, MAYBE NOT A GOOD PORTION, UM, BUT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE HOMES IN THAT AREA.
SOME OF THEM ARE AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE CYCLE.
UH, WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE OFTEN OUT THERE HELPING 'EM, IT COULD BE ANYTHING ROOF FLEETS.
UM, BUT IT IS STARTING TO BECOME NOTICEABLE THAT, UH, OUR ABILITY TO HELP IS MORE OF A BANDAID AND SOMETHING MUCH GREATER NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
[00:15:01]
GIVEN THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT AREA WHO HAVE OWNED LAND OR BEEN ON THE LAND FOR DECADES, THERE IS HEIRS PROPERTY OUT THERE.UM, WE HAVE REFERRED, UH, ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED TO THE, UH, CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY OR ANY TYPE OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY CRITICAL, UM, UH, FOR THEM TO DO THAT TO RESERVE THEIR, THEIR FAMILY PROPERTY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, UH, ALONG MAY RIVER, 10 95 MAY RIVER ROAD, UH, THE TOWN IS DOING A PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP 12 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
UM, UH, THOSE 12 WILL BE DIVIDED AMONG 60, 80 AND A HUNDRED PERCENT A MI AND THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE CALLED THE MAY.
AND UH, SO THAT IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROCESS FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW, AND WE ARE ARE WINDING DOWN THAT PROCESS.
APPROXIMATELY $8.2 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING WATER AND SEWER.
UH, THE DESIRE IS TO REMOVE AS MANY SEPTIC SYSTEMS AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK SOME OF 'EM ARE A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR FROM THE ROAD TO GET TO, UM, BUT THAT IS THE, UH, INTENTION IN THE FUTURE.
SO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE OCCURRED BOTH, UH, DOWN, UH, BUCK ISLAND SIMPSONVILLE ROAD AND ALONG WITH SOME OF OUR SIDE STREETS AND PRIVATE DRIVEWAYS.
UH, THE TOWN DID A BOARDWALK AT THE CURB ON BUCK ISLAND ROAD AND IT WAS WITHOUT A RAILING.
AND THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, THE REQUEST WAS TO PLEASE INSTALL A RAILING THERE.
UM, AND THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE MORE WORK THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE.
I THINK THERE'S STILL, UH, SOMETHING THEY NEED TO DO HERE.
UH, ALONG THE BOTTOM WHERE THE RAILING MEETS THE BOARDWALK.
OTHER SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING, UH, WE HAVE, UH, CONNECTED WITH THE FIRE DISTRICT TO INSTALL FIRE ALARMS ANYTIME THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE GOES OUT, WE DO CHECK FOR FIRE ALARMS, IN SOME CASES CARBON MONOXIDE AS WELL.
UM, AS WE'RE ABLE, WE ALSO WANT TO, UH, UPDATE ADDRESSES AND IF THERE'S ANY MISSING STREET SIGNAGE, WE WANT TO DO THAT AS WELL.
OUR, UM, PROJECTS DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BEGIN, UH, REVIEWING THE AREA, LOOKING AT CROSSWALKS, SIDEWALKS, ANYTHING SAFETY RELATED THAT NEEDS TO UPGRADED.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, ONGOING.
AND AGAIN, SPEED CONTINUES TO BE A CONCERN.
LARGE TRUCKS COMING THROUGH THE AREA.
SO WE WILL WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO, UH, HAVE, UH, REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE A A SPEED TRAILER OUT ON BOTH ROADWAYS.
SO ALL OF OUR FINDINGS, UM, UH, WE DEVELOPED, UM, WHAT WE CALL AN ACTION PLAN FOR EACH OF OUR, UH, CHAPTERS, OUR AREAS AND OVERALL WE IDENTIFIED 38 STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN PURSUE AS A TOWN AND UH, WORKING WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.
AND THAT COULD BE OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES AS WELL AS PRIVATE AGENCIES.
UM, IT DOES INCLUDE A TIMELINE.
SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE ONGOING AND THESE ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE BACK OF THE PLAN.
UH, WE DID PROVIDE THESE AT THE LAST NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, INCLUDING HAVING SOME BOARDS UP WHERE PEOPLE COULD WRITE ON 'EM, IDENTIFYING IF THEY AGREED DISCREET OR IF THEY WANTED TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS. BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE TO THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE NEXT STEP IN THIS PROCESS MOVE THE PLAN FORWARD WOULD BE TAKEN INTO TOWN COUNCIL ON MAY 14TH, UH, THAT IS COMING UP.
AND AFTER THAT, THE PLAN WILL BE ADOPTED AND THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO WORK ON THOSE STRATEGIES.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HERE IS THE MOTION THAT WE PROPOSE.
WELL, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A VERY NICE JOB.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CHARLIE, WELL GO TO THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ACTION ITEMS FOR A SECOND IF YOU WOULD.
CHARLOTTE, LET ME, I CAN BRING IT UP IN THE PAGE.
AND I, SORRY, I TOUCH THE WRONG THING.
WELL, AND WHILE, WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND IT, THE SECOND ACTION ITEM ON TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY IS EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP BUS STOP LOCATIONS AND BUS SHELTERS IN THE AREA, UM, WITH A TIMELINE OF MARCH, 2025.
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MAY NOT KNOW THIS IS, THIS IS AN AREA THAT I AM SUPER SENSITIVE TO IS SAFETY FOR OUR KIDS GOING TO SCHOOLS YET GOING DOWN TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY.IT'S GONNA BE RIGHT BEFORE YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
NEXT PAGE NUMBER TWO RIGHT THERE.
UH, MY OPINION, I DON'T KNOW IF PLANNING COMMISSION SHARES THIS WITH ME.
I DON'T KNOW THE DYNAMICS OF THIS.
MAYBE YOU CAN EVEN SPEAK TO THAT CHARLOTTE, BUT A YEAR FROM NOW IS NOT, IN MY MIND, IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
THOSE BUS STOPS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN, IN OH NINE, OH AND 10.
UH, AND TO GO DOWN THERE AND SEE THE KIDS GATHERING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE PEOPLE ARE WHIPPING AROUND AT 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN, ARE THESE FOR SUGGEST SCHOOL BUS STOPS OR ARE THESE FOR LIKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BUS STOPS? SO THESE WERE IDENTIFIED FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, BUT THAT IS A GOOD POINT.
BUT THE SCHOOL IS AN ISSUE TOO.
AND THEN IF THIS IS PUBLIC HEARING TRANSPORTATION, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE SCHOOL TOO.
AND I KNOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AT LEAST IN THE PAST, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I, AT GRANDKID STAGE WHEN I WAS A KID STAGE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DETERMINED WHERE THESE BUS STOPS WERE.
AND SOME OF THE KIDS, ESPECIALLY IN BUCK ISLAND, SIMPSONVILLE WALK A HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE WITH NO SIDEWALK.
NOW WE'VE ADDRESSED MOST OF THE SIDEWALK ISSUES, BUT WE STILL HAVE SAFETY ISSUES THAT I THINK THE DISTANCE, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY, EVEN IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HASN'T IDENTIFIED IT, THAT IS, IT'S AN ACCIDENT HAPPEN.
AND SO IF WE CAN LOOK INTO ADDING THAT, UM, AND MAKING IT A HIGH PRIORITY FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING I SAW IN THIS WHOLE THING.
I THINK YOU DID A, AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS ON COUNCIL WHEN THE OH NINE ONE CAME THROUGH, THIS ONE'S A LOT EASIER TO READ AND, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DID ON GREAT.
WE HAD, AND, AND I NEED TO ADD, I MEAN I'M, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
I MEAN, I HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE, UH, I AS SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LIVE HERE, UM, NOT WORKED HERE BUT YOU KNOW, NEARLY FIVE YEARS NOW.
LIKE THERE'S THIS INFORMATION I DIDN'T HAVE AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE COMMITTEE, UH, DEDICATED THEIR TIME.
WE ALSO HAD A WONDERFUL INTERN, ANGIE CAST, WHO UM, WAS VERY HELPFUL DOING THE RESEARCH FOR THIS.
AND I THINK SHE'S GONNA MAKE A GREAT PLANNER.
AND I NEED TO ADD TOO, THAT SHE'S ALSO DOING HER THESIS ON HOW WE, HOW TO ENGAGE A HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN BLUFFTON.
SO SHE'S FINALIZING THAT NOW AND SHE'LL GRADUATE.
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE INFORMATION? I WILL I MOVE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE BUCK ISLAND STEVENSVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN UPDATE TO THE TOM COUNCIL? I SECOND.
I'D SAY THAT'S MORE OF A STAFF FURTHER.
HE WAS ASKING IF WE WANTED TO ADD WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL.
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'LL COMMUNICATE TO TOWN COUNCIL THAT THAT WAS A CONCERN.
[IX.1. Workshop Regarding Housing Analysis Required to Obtain Accommodations Tax (ATAX) Funds to Develop Workforce Housing (Staff - Charlotte Moore)]
NEXT ONE IS ANOTHER, UM, WORKSHOP ITEM REGARDING HOUSING ANALYSIS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN ACCOMMODATIONS, TAX FUNDS FOR DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE HOUSING.THIS LEY IS IN A WORKSHOP AND IT'S REALLY MORE INFORMATIONAL ITEM.
WE'LL BE, UH, BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO YOU NEXT MONTH, BUT WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, OBTAIN UP TO 15% OF OUR A TAX FUNDS BE USED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND THAT, UH, AS DEFINED BY STATE, THERE'S A NEW ACT, ACT 57 THAT WAS ADOPTED LAST YEAR AND THEY IDENTIFY WORKFORCE HOUSING AS ANYTHING FROM 30% TO 120% OF THE A MI FOR P FORT COUNTY, WHICH IS $111,000.
IN ORDER TO GET THAT MONEY, WE HAVE TO DO HOUSING ANALYSIS AND THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY, UH, HOW THIS MONEY MIGHT AFFECT CERTAIN THINGS SUCH AS HOUSING COSTS.
UH, ONCE WE OBTAIN THAT MONEY OR ONCE WE SUBMIT OUR HOUSING ANALYSIS, IT GOES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AS WELL AS TO THE TOURISM EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
UM, ONCE THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY, UM, AS WE, UH, SEE FIT IN ACCORD IN ACCORDANCE OF THE LAW.
UM, THE TOWN CAN, UH, USE THAT WITHIN THINGS SUCH AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND CAN ALSO DISTRIBUTE IT TO, UM, NON-PROFITS AS WELL.
SO THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON THE ANALYSIS NOW.
WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU NEXT MONTH.
UH, WE HAVE UNTIL I BELIEVE DECEMBER, 2030, UM, TO USE THAT EACH YEAR.
AND I THINK WE ESTIMATED, UM, YEARLY UP TO ABOUT 150,000,
[00:25:01]
UM, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE FROM AT TAX.SO WE COLLECT ABOUT A MILLION A YEAR IN A TAX.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? ALRIGHT THEN HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I FORGOT MY DISCUSSION, BUT THANKS FOR WATCHING BUFORT COUNTY TV.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
A NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT NOW HANGS ABOVE A BUSY BEAUFORT COUNTY ROADWAY, BUT IT HAS A BIRD'S EYE FOR SAFETY.
THE HAWK SIGNAL IS INSTALLED ON ROBERT MALLS PARKWAY IN BEAUFORT BETWEEN NEAL ROAD AND SALEM ROAD.
IT'S PART OF THE LATEST SECTION OF THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL AND SOMETHING THE COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SAYS WAS NEEDED.
THIS IS A SIGNAL DESIGN SPECIFICALLY FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CROSSINGS.
IT'S IN A LOCATION WHERE WE'VE GOT HEAVY EXPECTED PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS THAT NEED TO GET ACROSS A BUSY ROAD.
HAWK STANDS FOR HIGH INTENSITY ACTIVATED CROSSWALK.
THE BEACON SIGNAL IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS.
WHEN WE KNEW WE WERE GONNA BE CROSSING THIS, THE SPANISH CROSS TRAIL AT GRADE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY, WE REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PEDESTRIANS.
THE CONCEPT FIRST CAME ABOUT IN 2000 IN ARIZONA, AND UNTIL LATE 2009 WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL DEVICE.
IT'S THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ONLY THE SECOND IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR MORE OF A MID-BLOCK LOCATION WHERE YOU HAVE HIGH PEDESTRIANS BUT DON'T HAVE A, AN ADJACENT TRAFFIC SIGNAL FROM WITH NORMAL ROADWAY TRAFFIC.
WE'VE GOT A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY AND WE'VE GOT A TRAIL CROSSING IT THAT'S A VERY POPULAR TRAIL.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS, A LOT OF CYCLISTS ARE USING IT AND WE NOW HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY FOR THEM TO SAFELY GET ACROSS.
THE HAWK DOES NOT OPERATE LIKE A NORMAL TRAFFIC LIGHT.
A PEDESTRIAN OR CYCLIST ON SPANISH MOSS TRAIL PRESSES THE BUTTON AT THE INTERSECTION TRIGGERING A SERIES OF RED AND YELLOW LIGHTS FOR DRIVERS.
FIRST IS THE FLASHING YELLOW, THEN SOLID YELLOW, LETTING DRIVERS KNOW TO SLOW DOWN SOLID RED, AS DOES ANY OTHER TRAFFIC.
LIGHT MEANS STOP THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL INITIALLY SHOWS A SOLID RED HAND, AND ONCE TRAFFIC IS STOPPED, WE'LL DISPLAY THE USUAL WALK SIGN.
AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS, IT CHANGES TO A BLINKING HAND AND DRIVER'S SEAT.
WHEN THE LIGHT IS FLASHING RED, YOU HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP.
BUT THEN IF IT'S CLEAR, THEN YOU CAN MOVE ON.
WHEN IT'S SOLID RED, YOU HAVE TO COME TO A STOP AND WAIT.
BUT WITH FLASHING RED, COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND IF IT'S CLEAR, THEN YOU CAN MOVE ON.
AND FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR ANY EXTRA INFORMATION, IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ON THE PROPER METHOD FOR CYCLISTS OR PEDESTRIANS ACROSS OR FOR, UH, WHAT MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT, YOU CAN GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY WEBSITE, WHICH IS BC GOV.NET.
AND THERE'S A BROCHURE AVAILABLE ON THAT WEBSITE FOR THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
I'M STEPHANIE FRENCH AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.