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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY
[1. Call to Order]
TO CALL THIS TOWN COUNCIL WORK WORKSHOP, MEETING TO ORDER MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2024.DO WE HAVE AN ADOPTION, A MOTION
[2. Adoption of the Agenda]
TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? THE AGENDA AS PREPARED? SECOND.ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY.
[3.a. Review of the Town of Hilton Head Island Priority Amendments to the Land Management Ordinance and Municipal Code - Missy Luick, Director of Planning]
WORKSHOP DISCUSSION, BUT BEFORE WE GET GOING, UM, THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT IS WITHIN THIS PACKAGE TODAY, AND THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE ITEMS WITHIN THIS PACKAGE.UM, BUT DON'T, DON'T, DON'T WORRY.
WE WILL BRING IT TO THE PUBLIC AGAIN.
UM, WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS THAT'LL COME TO COUNCIL, SO YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON SOME OF THESE ITEMS. WE HAVE PRIORITIZED, UH, THE AGENDA IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE ARE HITTING THE HEAVY ITEMS FIRST, UM, AND IT GETS A LITTLE BIT EASIER AS WE GO ALONG.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, FOUR 30 IS THE TIME THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, FOR US TO BE OUTTA HERE.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME COMMITMENTS TODAY.
UM, SO LET'S BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
AFTER EACH SECTION, WE WILL HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS SO THAT WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK ON THOSE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS, SO WE WON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE END AND WHEN EVERYTHING IS SAID AND DONE.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, TO SEAN AND OR TO MARK.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WE DO HAVE A LOT TO COVER TODAY.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND US THAT THESE ISSUES, THESE ARE NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM.
THESE, THESE ELEMENTS THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK TO AND, AND, AND BEFORE SEAN ARRIVED HERE, THEY'RE EMBEDDED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, AS PART OF THE ELEMENT OF THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT SECTION, OF THE STRATEGY OF THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT SECTION, REALIZING THAT THERE ARE PRIORITY ELEMENTS OF THE LMO TO UPDATE AND THEN THE OVERALL CODE.
SO JUST FOR JUST SETTING THE TABLE A LITTLE BIT TODAY, TODAY IS ONLY ABOUT THOSE PRIORITY ELEMENTS.
WHAT TODAY IS NOT ARE THE DISTRICT PLANS AND THE OVERHAUL, OR THE, THE ENTIRE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, WHICH WE WILL FOLLOW UP AT THE NEXT, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE TODAY WILL BE LAND MANAGEMENT, ORDINANCE BASED, TOWN CODE BASED, RIGHT? SO IT MIGHT NOT BE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, BUT AFFECTING OUR DEVELOPMENT OR SHORT TERM RENTALS AS AN EXAMPLE.
AND A LOT OF WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU ARE SOME PROCEDURAL POLICY ELEMENTS THAT WILL ALSO HELP US WITH HOW WE DO BUSINESS FROM A DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCEDURE PROCESS AND PROVIDING THAT BETTER CLARITY TO STAFF AND TO THE PUBLIC.
THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME INGREDIENTS HERE TODAY ON THAT.
SO NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT LAND USE.
NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT A SHORT TERM RENTAL TODAY.
SOME ARE EASY TO DO THAT WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING FOR SO THAT WE CAN BE, UH, MORE CLEAR IN OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, A LOT OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, MOST OF WHICH HAS BEEN THROUGH PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
SO TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE HAVE, HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THEY'VE GIVEN US THEIR ADVICE.
WE TALKED TO YOU AGAIN TO GET SOME MORE ADVICE.
WE HAVE TALKED SOMEWHAT TO RESIDENTS TO, TO THE INDUSTRY ITSELF AND SHORT TERM RENTALS, AN EXAMPLE.
AND SEAN HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH MISSY TEEING THAT UP AND, AND AT LEAST LETTING YOU ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE HEARING, WHAT WE'RE THINKING.
AND THE BIG TAKEAWAY TODAY IS JUST GETTING SOME GUIDANCE FROM YOU AND SOME CLARITY ON WHAT ARE WE GOING CENTER, ARE WE GOING LEFT? ARE WE GOING RIGHT? SO WITH THAT, I'M PROUD OF SEAN AND MISSY AND THEIR, AND THEIR TEAMWORK.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, BEFORE MISSY KINDA WALKS US THROUGH AN OVERVIEW OF, OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
I WANNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THE 12 ITEMS. UH, MOST OF THEM, 11 OF THE ITEMS ARE LAID OUT THE EXACT SAME WAY.
UH, SO WE'LL, WE'LL PRESENT TO YOU WHAT THE TOPIC IS, UH, WHAT WE'VE HEARD THROUGH VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER IT WAS 10 WITH, WHETHER THAT'S WITH TOWN COUNCIL OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, OTHER COMMITTEES.
THEN WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE KEY ISSUES FROM THERE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR PRIORITY AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.
UH, WE'LL ALSO THEN SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE HEARD FROM COUNCIL.
SO FULL DISCLOSURE, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH ALL OF YOU, UH, ABOUT THIS MEETING AND, AND THE, AND THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE, UH, PRESENTING HERE TODAY.
UM, SO WE WANNA SHARE WITH YOU WHAT, WHAT YOU ALL SAID OR WHAT WE HEARD BACK FROM YOU, UM, AND SHOW YOU WHERE THERE'S SOME ALIGNMENT.
ALSO, MAYBE SHOW YOU WHERE THERE'S SOME THINGS WHERE WE NEED SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION SO WE CAN MOVE, MOVE THINGS FORWARD, UH, TO EITHER, UM, UH, A PRIORITY AMENDMENT THAT'LL COME BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL OR TO THE FULL LMO REWRITE.
AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS IN THIS STACK THAT WE DO RECOMMEND THAT GO TO THE FULL LMO BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUES.
AND IT'S JUST BE A BETTER ADDRESSED THROUGH THAT.
SO, UM, WE'LL GO AT YOUR PACE, UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO COVER AS THE MERIT NOTED.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE WILL GO AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
UM, WE'LL SEE WHERE WE END UP.
SO WITH THAT, MISS, THANK YOU, UM, MS. LEWIS, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING.
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UM, THE CLICKER'S NOT LOOKING RIGHT NOW.UH, SO WE MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE 12 AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER TODAY, AND THEY ARE NOTED HERE ON THE SCREEN.
THEY INCLUDE SHORT TERM RENTALS, NORTH POINT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ZONING, SINGLE FAMILY HOME MASS AND SCALE COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES, MASS AND SCALE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS, ADAPTIVE USE OF EXISTING HOTELS AND MOTELS, FUTURE SUBDIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN, REVIEW PROCESS, TRANSPORTATION IMPACT ANALYSIS PLAN, COMMON OPEN SPACE, PRE PROTECTION SIGN REGULATIONS, AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT STANDARDS.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS LMO AMENDMENTS PROJECT, UM, FOR SOME TIME.
UM, THIS IS THE PRIORITY AMENDMENTS CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, UH, SINCE LAST YEAR.
UM, THE LAST TIME THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE CURRENT PRIORITY AMENDMENTS WAS TO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE ON MAY 9TH.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING WITH OUR CODE CONSULTANT ON A CODE AUDIT AND BLUEPRINT.
THAT CODE BLUEPRINT, UH, SHOWS US THAT ROADMAP FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THAT BLUE CONSULTANT TO REWRITE OR OVERHAUL THE FULL LMO AMENDMENT.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE, THE FIRST TWO, UM, BOXES ON, ON THE CHART HERE THAT WILL LEAD TO THAT FULL LMO AMENDMENT.
AND A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE TODAY WILL DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHETHER IT STAYS IN A PRIORITY AMENDMENT BUCKET,
SO WE HAVE, UH, ACCOMPLISHED SEVERAL LMO AMENDMENTS TO DATE.
UH, THIS SLIDE COVERS, UH, THOSE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE COMPLETED IN 2023.
PHASES ONE, TWO, AND THREE WERE ADOPTED IN 2023, AS WELL AS A MAY, 2024 AMENDMENT TO THE FOUR SPEECH NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER OVERLAY FOR FOUR AREA RATIO REGULATIONS.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE HIRED A CODE WRITING CONSULTANT IN JANUARY TO HELP US WITH THE CODE PULL CODE OVER HILL.
WE HAVE A WORKING SCHEDULE FOR THE MO PRIORITY AMENDMENT PROJECT THAT IS UP ON THE SCREEN.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE TWO TRACKS HERE.
ONE IS FOR THOSE THAT STAY IN WITH THE PORT PRIORITY AMENDMENT, UH, TEXT AMENDMENT SCHEDULE, UM, AND THEN THERE COULD BE A, A FASTER TRACK FOR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL, UH, PRIORITY TEXT AMENDMENTS.
UM, AND, AND THOSE TIMELINES ARE NOTED ON THE SCREEN.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PRIORITY TEXT AMENDMENT, UM, IN THE CODE WRITING, UH, COMPONENT, UH, FOLLOWED BY LEGAL REVIEW OR COMPLETION OF LEGAL REVIEW, AND THEN A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UH, PERIOD PRIOR TO HOLDING THE PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN ONTO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND TOWN COUNCIL IN MARCH OR APRIL OF 2025.
THE SHORT TERM RENTAL TAX AMENDMENT SCHEDULE.
UH, WE'RE IN THE CODE WRITING PHASE RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULD ALSO HAVE A LEGAL REVIEW IN SEPTEMBER AND COULD GO TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR FIRST AND SECOND READING IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL JUMP INTO THE, THE FIRST TOPIC, UH, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED THAT WE, WE SET THIS UP INTO THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WE THINK ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED.
UH, WE LIVE A BIT MORE DIRECTION ON.
UH, SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND, AND REALLY WE'VE BROKEN SHORT TERM RENTALS INTO TWO BUCKETS.
THE FIRST ONE IS ENFORCEMENT AND FINES, THE OTHER IS PARKING AND OCCUPANCY.
SO WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS THAT WE, THROUGH THE, OUR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, OUR COUN, OUR CONVERSATION WITH TOWN COUNCIL, UH, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THESE PRIORITY AMENDMENTS IS TO ADDRESS PARKING FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS, MAKING IT A PRIORITY AMENDMENT AS THROUGH THIS EFFORT.
HOW DO WE SUPPORT A METHOD FOR ENFORCEMENT AND FINES CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW? UM, IF, WHEN CODE ENFORCEMENT GOES OUT AND IF THERE'S A VIOLATION THAT IT GOES BEYOND JUST A WRITTEN NOTICE OR A VERBAL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A VERBAL NOTICE, THEN A WRITTEN NOTICE.
IF IT GOES BEYOND THAT, THE ONLY TOOL THEY HAVE LEFT IS THE ISSUE, A CITATION.
UH, AND THERE'S, IF YOU'VE DISCUSSED IN PAST CONVERSATIONS, THAT CITATION HAS VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR HOW IT GETS ISSUED, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ADMISSIBLE COURT HERE.
UM, SO IT HAS TO BE ISSUED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, UM, AND ALSO THEN HAS TO APPEAR BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE AND HAS A VERY RIGID SET OF STANDARDS FOR IT.
SO HOW DO WE GIVE OURSELVES SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THAT AND GIVE US MORE TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX? UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS, UH, NEED TO BE, UH, A SINGLE TOPIC.
AGAIN, GETTING BACK TO MAKING A PRIORITY.
UM, SHOULD WE HAVE CAPS ON HOW MANY SHORT-TERM RENTALS WE ALLOW IN OUR COMMUNITY? WE NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE, IN THE OVERALL RESIDENT MARKET.
UH, AND THEN HOW DO WE DEFINE OCCUPANCY? SO IF WE'RE GONNA THINK ABOUT REGULATING SHORT TERM RENTALS IN, IN OTHER WAYS, AND WE WANNA DO THAT THROUGH OCCUPANCY AND PARKING, HOW DO WE DO THAT? SO THE KEY ISSUES THEN GENERALLY, UH, FALL ALONG, UH, THOSE SAME LINES.
UH, WE NEED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MANAGE PROPERTY OWNER TO VIOLATE THE REGULATIONS.
WE NEED TO MANAGE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO, WHO OPERATE WITHOUT A PERMIT.
HOW DO WE REGULATE OVER OCCUPANCY AND INCONVENIENCE THAT IS PUT ON PERMANENT RESIDENCE WHEN WE HAVE OVER OCCUPANCY? OFTENTIMES THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR WHEN THERE IS OVER OCCUPANCY
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IS, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S, WE HAVE ISSUES WITH PARKING, MOIST POLLUTION, TRASH COLLECTION, AND THEN JUST OTHER CONSEQUENCES WITHIN THE EXISTING FABRIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.THE INCREASE IN SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES CAN SKEW THE HOMEOWNER MARKET, AS WE'VE SEEN WITH OUR RECENT PROPERTY VALUATIONS, UH, AND REAL ESTATE VALUATIONS.
UH, HIGH, HIGH OCCUPANCY HOMES DO NOT HAVE FIRE SAFETY MECHANISMS. SO WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE REGULATING, UH, HOMES THAT HAVE MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN THEY, THEY MAY OTHERWISE ORIGINALLY MEAN THOUGHT TO HAVE AS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, SHOULD THERE BE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS? AND WE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THOSE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AS PART OF THE FIRE, UH, FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, UPDATE, UH, OUR, UH, CSPS COMMITTEE MEETING THIS MORNING.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SHORT TERM RENTAL, UH, CAN BE OUTTA SCALE IN CHARACTER WITH THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO HOW DO, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE, AGAIN, FIND THAT BALANCE BETWEEN THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MARKET, UH, AND, AND, AND OUR SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS? SO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE REALLY JUST TO PRESENT, KIND OF GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHERE OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL, UM, WHERE OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMITS ARE IN, IN ON THE ISLAND.
UH, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT THERE, THEY'RE ALONG OUR, OUR, OUR BEACHES, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE, IN THE, UM, IN THE, UH, FOREST BEACH AREA, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OTHER AREAS.
SO THIS IS A HEAT MAP, UH, WHERE YOU SEE GRAYS, THERE'S FEW.
WHEN YOU SEE RED, THERE'S MORE.
WHEN YOU SEE YELLOW, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE TENDS TO BE, UM, A, A SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATION WHEN WE THEN THINK ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS AND WHERE WE'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS.
UH, THIS IS SOME DATA THAT SHOWS JANUARY TO AUGUST, BLESS YOU.
UH, AS FAR AS REALTIME DATA THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, AND, UM, UH, THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT THEY, THEY GENERALLY WOULD SEE AS FAR AS TRASH, NOISE, PARKING, AND OPERATION WITHOUT A VALID PERMIT.
THIS IS SOME DATA ABOUT OUR, OR THIS IS FROM JULY, END OF JULY OF THIS YEAR, SHOWING THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET ON THE ISLAND.
SO THERE'S JUST OVER 7,000 ACTUALLY WITH THE LATEST DATA.
WE'RE JUST OVER 7,100, UH, UNITS ON THE ISLAND.
YOU CAN SEE 'EM BROKEN DOWN BY THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS. WHAT THAT MEANS FROM AN OVERALL, UM, FROM AN OVERALL STANDPOINT, YOU CAN SEE A BULK OF, UH, OUR PERMITS ARE IN THE ONE, TWO, AND THREE BEDROOM AREA, FOLLOWED BY THE FOUR BEDROOM, UH, WITH BEDROOM SIZES RANGING UP TO, TO 10 BEDROOMS. UM, FROM HERE, YOU CAN THEN SEE THE AVERAGE FLOOR AREA, AND THIS IS REPORTED INFORMATION THAT WE GET FROM PERMIT HOLDERS, WHAT THE MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY IS, AND THAT IS WHAT THEY WOULD ADVERTISE THEIR SHORT TERM RENTAL FOR.
AGAIN, THAT IS USED THROUGH A PERMIT HOLDER, REPORTED DATA ANYWHERE FROM SIX PEOPLE IN A STUDIO TO 34 PEOPLE IN A, IN A 10 BEDROOM UNIT.
WE DO THE MATH ON THAT AND DETERMINE WHAT THE AVERAGE IS.
THAT'S THE AVERAGE BASED ON WHAT EVERYBODY'S TOLD US.
THEY, THEY, THEY ADVERTISE THEIR RENTALS FOR, FOR A MAXIMUM.
THIS IS HOW MANY PARKING SPACES THEY'VE TOLD US THEY HAVE AT A MAXIMUM.
AND THIS IS THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THAT ARE ACROSS, AGAIN, ALL PERMIT REPORTED OR PERMIT HOLDER REPORTED DATA.
THIS IS SOME INFORMATION JUST SHOWING, UH, SHORT TERM RENTAL FEES AND COMPARISON OF, OF FEES FROM A, THIS IS PRIMARILY FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
WE DID INCLUDE SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, UH, AS WELL AS TELLURIDE, COLORADO.
TELLURIDE IS OFTEN CITED AS, AS ONE OF THE, UH, FRONT, UM, ONE OF THE FRONT RUNNERS AS FAR AS, UH, HOW THEY, THEY THINK ABOUT AND MANAGE AND REGULATE, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO IF WE GO BACK, UH, TO THE BEGINNING OF THAT, WHEN LOOKING THROUGH JUST SOME OF OUR PEERS, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR CURRENT FEE IS $250.
UH, BLUFFTON IS CHARGING $325 FOR INITIAL REGISTRATION AND $325 FOR AN ANNUAL RENEWAL.
UM, THE FEES THEN KIND OF GO ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT GENERALLY THERE'S A FAT FLAT FEE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UM, ANYWHERE FROM $200 TO, UH, 400, UH, I THINK IS THE 450 IS THE HIGHEST IN SEABROOK CITY OF SAVANNAH'S 400 FOR THE INITIAL PERMIT.
UH, AND THEN A RENEWAL PERMIT IS 250 IN SAVANNAH.
UH, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT, THAT TELLURIDE IS ON HERE, UH, AS WELL, IS TELLURIDE HAS TAKEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT APPROACH, AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES.
THERE'S, THERE'S A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT, UH, FEE STRUCTURES.
TELLURIDE LOOKS AT A PER BEDROOM BASIS, UM, AND THEY, THEY ASSOCIATE A FEE WITH HOWEVER MANY NUMBER OF BEDROOMS THAT YOU HAVE, UM, WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR SHORT TERM RENTAL.
IN THIS CASE, THEIR FEE IS, UH, $857 PER BEDROOM.
UM, AND THEN THEY HAVE SOME OTHER FEES THAT ARE OUTLINED HERE ON THE, ON THE PERMIT.
WE DID A SIMILAR EXERCISE, BUT FROM A BROADER NET, LOOKING ACROSS JUST BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES ABOUT, UM, PARKING, OCCUPANCY AND PENALTIES, AND JUST SEEING WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING.
THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME CONSISTENCIES IN HERE IN THAT, UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REGULATING PARKING OCCUPANCY AND ESTABLISHING A, A, A SET OF PENALTIES.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO, ONE THING THAT'S CONSISTENT IS EVERYBODY'S A LITTLE BIT
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INCONSISTENT.AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS NOT EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT SIZE FITS ALL FOR OCCUPANCY, OR HAS THE RIGHT SIZE FITS ALL FOR, FOR PARKING.
UH, EVERYBODY'S COMMUNITIES ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT'S WEIGHING INTO SOME OF THESE, THESE, THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE HERE.
UM, BUT AS YOU GO THROUGH HERE, GENERALLY THERE'S, UH, A, A NUMBER OF 'EM THAT REGULATE ACCURACY BASED ON NUMBER OF BEDROOMS. SOME OF IT DO IT BASED ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, OTHERS JUST SET A CAP ON HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE IN A UNIT.
AND THEN PARKING, UH, FOLLOWS THAT SAME, SAME, SAME METHODOLOGY AS FAR AS FOR BEDROOMS, SQUARE FOOTAGE, OR IN SOME CASES JUST A MAX PARKING.
UH, YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN TWO SPACES, AND THOSE ARE IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO LIMIT HOW MUCH PARKING THEY ACTUALLY HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, GENERALLY THERE IS A TIERED STRUCTURE FOR THE, FOR THE PENALTY SECTION, UM, STARTING FROM ANY, ANYWHERE FROM $250 TO $500 ALL THE WAY UP TO, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE ONE ON THIS SCREEN UP TO, TO $10,000.
AND AGAIN, THAT WAS LOOKING AT, UM, CITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE AND ENTIRE COUNTRY, REGARDLESS OF, OF LOCATION, WHETHER IT WAS OCEAN FRONT OR, OR NOT.
THIS SLIDE THEN SHOWS US REALLY WHAT ARE KINDA THOSE BEST PRACTICE TOPICS.
UH, AND REALLY WE LOOKED AT THIS GLOBALLY, NOT JUST RESTRICTED TO THE UNITED STATES.
WE LOOKED AT THIS A A ACROSS THE ENTIRE ENTIRE WORLD.
WE USED, UH, WE, WE, WE DID SOME RESEARCH.
WE ALSO LET AI HELP US A LITTLE BIT ON THIS.
AND, AND REALLY WE FOUND THESE NINE BUCKETS OF, OF, OF TOPICS, BEST PRACTICE TOPICS, UM, WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE TODAY, UH, OUTLINED IN THIS RED DASH LINE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING TO BE CONSIDERED BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE'VE HEARD, UH, TO BE CONSIDERED WITH THESE AMENDMENTS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A BOX AROUND NOISE LIMIT RESTRICTIONS.
WE CERTAINLY DO HAVE A NOISE ORDINANCE THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
WE COULD PROBABLY GO AHEAD AND PUT A BOX AROUND THAT.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A NOISE ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
THERE'S NO CHANGES PROPOSED IN THE NOISE ORDINANCE, UH, WHEREAS THESE OTHER BOXES ARE, THESE ARE, THESE ARE CHANGES THAT WE ARE REQUESTING OR, OR ASKING TO BE CONSIDERED.
AND SO THEN FOR OUR FIRST BUCKET, UH, ENFORCEMENT PENALTIES, UH, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THAT WE ESTABLISH, UM, UH, THE ABILITY TO ISSUE ADMINISTRATIVE FINES.
SO THESE ARE CIVIL PENALTIES RIGHT NOW.
A CITATION IS A CRIMINAL PENALTY, AND THAT FEE COULD ESCALATE UP TO $2,000 PER OFFENSE PER DAY.
AGAIN, SIMILAR TO, UH, TO HOW CITATIONS CAN BE ISSUED.
UH, BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS, UM, ALLOWS, UH, STAFF A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY IN, IN HOW THAT IS ISSUED.
STILL HAS THE SAME STANDARDS OF PROOF OF A VIOLATION, BUT ALLOWS US TO MORE READILY IMPACT, UH, OR PROVIDE A, A POTENTIAL REMEDY THROUGH, THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE FINE, A CIVIL PENALTY THAT THEN GETS EITHER PAID, UH, OR WILL BE COLLECTED AT THE TIME OF THEIR NEXT PERMIT.
UH, OR, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ASKING FOR THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO CONSIDER IS THE ABILITY TO PLACE A LIEN ON A PROPERTY IN THE EVENT THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT PAID THROUGH ANY OF THOSE OTHER METHODS.
THE SECOND CHANGE THEN IS TO THE STR PERMIT FEES.
UH, REALLY FOLLOWING THAT TELLURIDE EXAMPLE, KEEPING OUR FEE AT $250, WHICH IS ABOUT 80% OF OUR MARKET FOR ONE TO FOUR BEDROOM UNITS OR, OR RENTALS, UH, INCREASING THAT FEE TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR FIVE TO SEVEN BEDROOMS. AND THEN FOR ANYTHING THAT'S EIGHT OR ABOVE.
UH, RIGHT NOW, WE CURRENTLY CAP AT 10, AS I MENTIONED, UH, $2,500 FOR THAT FEE.
UH, WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM TOWN COUNCIL WAS GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH, WITH THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, UH, ONE COMMENT DID WE, WE DID RECEIVE THAT WE, WE THOUGHT WAS IN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE WAS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WHENEVER WE'RE ESTABLISHING, UH, FINES, PENALTIES, FEES, THAT THEY ARE, THAT WE LIMIT THE DISCRETION IN THEM.
AND SO, UH, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THE FIRST OFFENSE IS X, THE NEXT DEFENSE IS Y AND THE THIRD OFFENSE IS Z.
UM, RATHER THAN HAVING SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FLUID, WHERE, UH, THERE'S SOME DISCRETION AND WHETHER IT'S SUCH A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AT THE SHORT TERM MENTAL OFFICIALS VIEWPOINT.
UM, AND WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE, AS WE MOVE AHEAD AND WORK WITH THE, UH, THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO FINALIZE, UH, THIS CODE.
THE NEXT SET OF ITEM, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE ARE CENTERED AROUND OCCUPANCY AND PARKING.
UM, FIRST YOU NOTE THERE'S A TODD, BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? WHEN DO YOU WANT QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON THESE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, THOUGH, BUT MR. TAMPER? WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT AFTER THE PRESENTATION'S COMPLETE.
OF THIS SECTION, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.
SO THE FIRST TIME YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE IS, IS, IS AN OUTWARD DATE OF JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
THAT DATE DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE JANUARY 1ST, 2026, BUT IT, WE DO, UH, IT DOES NEED TO BE SET OUT, UM, AT LEAST TO THAT, TO THAT DATE.
UH, REALLY BECAUSE OUR SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET, OUR SEASON HAS ENDED.
THEY'RE ALREADY TAKING RENTALS FOR 2025 AT THIS POINT, UM, AND HAVE A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF BOOKINGS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.
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AND SO ANYTIME THAT WE'RE GOING TO, TO IMPACT THINGS THAT MAY IMPACT THAT RENTAL CONTRACT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ISSUED, WE NEED TO GIVE SOME TIME FOR COMPLIANCE.UM, AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE, THE, THE MINIMUM DATE OF JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
UH, AND WITH THAT, WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING IS THAT, UM, SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT HOLDERS THROUGH TERM TERM RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE UNTIL THAT DATE TO, UH, MEET OCCUPANCY LIMITS FOR EACH UNIT.
UH, HOW WE ARE PROPOSING THE OCCUPANCY LIMITS ARE BASED ON SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT BASED ON BEST PRACTICES OF, OF TWO PEOPLE PER BEDROOM, PLUS TWO PEOPLE FOR THE HOUSE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IS, WELL, THE TWO PEOPLE FOR THE HOUSE IS REALLY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE GENERALLY SLEEPING AREAS OUTSIDE OF A BEDROOM, A PULLOUT COUCH.
UM, SOME OF THE, THE UNITS, UM, UH, I KNOW MY PARENTS STATED IN ONE WHERE A CLOSET'S BEEN CONVERTED INTO A BUNK BED.
THERE ARE SOME OF THOSE, THOSE, THOSE SLEEPING AREAS THAT DO EXIST OUTSIDE OF A BEDROOM.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE ON HERE A TABLE THAT KIND OF MAPS OUT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ACROSS THE BEDROOM SPREAD.
THEN, FOR A PARKING REQUIREMENT, IF WE WANT TO REQUEST, IF WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE A PARKING REQUIREMENT, IS TO KEEP THINGS CONSISTENT AND HAVE, IF OCCUPANCY IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS, THAT THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES ALSO BE BASED ON A NUMBER OF BEDROOMS. WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE, UH, AND THIS IS A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT BASED ON SOME OF THE FEEDBACK, UH, WE HAD HEARD IN, IN PREPARING FOR THIS, IS THAT THERE BE A MINIMUM OF TWO PARKING SPACES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED GENERALLY FOR, FOR ALL OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UH, AND THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE OXY WOULD, WOULD APPLY TO ALL UNITS.
THE PARKING WOULD APPLY TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS IN OUR CONDOS AND OUR VILLAS, THEY HAVE SHARED PARKING LOTS AND THEY HAVE ASSIGNMENTS THAT, THAT THE POAS ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH.
SO FOR PARKING, WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, BUT IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, YOU'RE ALREADY REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO PARKING SPACES AS, AS THROUGH THE ZONING FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
THAT ALSO RESULTS IN A MORE EQUITABLE BALANCE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE EQUITABLE BALANCE BASED ON THE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND A NUMBER OF, OF BEDROOMS IN THE HOME, UM, AS WE LOOK AT THAT, BUT TWO, TWO, I'M SORRY, ONE SPACE PER, PER GARAGE OR PER BEDROOM, UM, AND REALLY STARTS TO KICK IN, UH, ONCE YOU GET TO THAT THREE BEDROOM UNIT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT'S WHAT THAT TABLE OUTLINES.
UM, WE ALSO THEN WITHIN THE, THE, THE DRAFT OF THE TEXT WOULD RESTRICT THE
SO BY THAT, WHAT WE MEAN IS THAT IF YOU HAVE A SIX BEDROOM SHORT TERM RENTAL, BUT YOU ONLY HAVE FIVE, FIVE PARKING SPACE, AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SIX ONE SPACE PER BEDROOM, YOUR OXYGEN LIMITED, 12 PEOPLE INSTEAD OF 14 TO OR TO RIGHT SIZE, UH, THE OXY BASED ON HOW MANY ACTUAL PARKING SPACES YOU HAVE.
WE ALSO WANNA BE CLEAR WHERE PARKING IS PERMITTED.
UM, NATURALLY THERE'S GONNA BE A REQUEST TO, TO ADD PARKING FOR THOSE THAT THAT DON'T MEET THIS, UH, POTENTIALLY DON'T MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.
UM, WE, WE ALSO HEARD THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS, WE DON'T WANT FRONT YARDS TO TURN IN PARKING LOTS.
UM, AND SO WE WOULD BASICALLY STATE WHERE YOU CAN PARK, YOU CAN PARK IN THE GARAGE, YOU CAN PARK IN A DRIVEWAY.
THAT DRIVEWAY CAN BE THE WIDTH OF THE DR OF, OF THE GARAGE.
UM, AND OR IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GARAGE, YOU CAN HAVE A PARKING PAD THAT MEETS CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.
THE NEXT ITEM THEN IS, UH, FOR, UM, UH, FROM OUR FIRE RESCUE, UH, TEAM, UH, PARTICULARLY ON LARGE HOMES, OVER 3,600 SQUARE FEET TO REQUIRE FIRE AND SMOKE ALARM SYSTEMS IN THOSE HIGH OCCUPANCY HOMES THAT ARE GENERALLY 3,600 FEET LARGER.
3,600 IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION, UM, FROM OUR, FROM OUR FIRE RESCUE TEAM IN THE FACT THAT IF THEY RECEIVE A CALL TO A RESIDENCE THAT IS 3,600 OR 3,600 SQUARE FEET OR MORE, THEY WILL RESPOND DIFFERENTLY TO THAT, TO THAT EVENT, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE SIZE AND THAT MORE EQUIPMENT MAY BE NEEDED FOR IT.
UH, AND THEN SOME OF THE, UH, ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE HEARD ALONG THE WAY IS REQUIRE A PERMIT NUMBER BEING INCLUDED, ALL RENTAL LISTINGS.
UM, THIS IS TO HELP PREVENT, UH, PEOPLE FROM TAKING ON RENTAL LISTINGS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT EXIST, UH, AND REQUIRE TRASH COLLECTION SERVICE TO BE IN PLACE.
THIS TABLE THEN TAKES AND LOOKS AT ALL OF THOSE, THOSE THOSE PROPOSED MACULAR IN OCCUPANCY AND PROPOSED REQUIRED PARKING AND COMPARES THAT BACK TO THAT PERMIT HOLDER DATA TO SEE HOW IT COMPARES TO THE, OH, I'M GOING WRONG WAY.
THESE ARE COMPARES IT BACK INTO, I AM A ROOKIE, UH, RE REPORTS IT BACK TO WHAT WAS REPORTED FOR THE MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY AND THE REPORTED AVERAGE OCCUPANCY.
AND REALLY, THIS IS THE IMPORTANT NUMBER.
UH, SO WE'RE TRYING TO RIGHT SIZE THIS.
YES, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME OUTLIERS WHERE, UH, A 10 BEDROOM, UM, TRYING, UH, REPORTING THAT THEY FIT 34 PEOPLE IN IT, BUT REALLY THE AVERAGE IS MUCH LESS THAN THAT.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AS FAR AS ACCURACY BACK TO THE AVERAGE? UM, IN SOME CASES, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE LINING UP WITH THE AVERAGE, UH, IN SOME CASES WE'RE JUST UNDER IT.
[00:25:02]
UH, AND THEN WE CAN DO THE SAME THING ON THE PARKING.SO THE PROPOSED PARKING, REQUIRED PARKING VERSUS WHAT'S BEEN REPORTED TO US.
AND THEN AS FAR AS WHAT THE AVERAGE PARKING IS, AGAIN, LOOKING TO SEE WHAT THAT, THAT NEXUS IS, UM, UH, AND THEN WHERE, WHERE THE, WHERE THE SHORTFALLS OR OVER FALLS MIGHT BE.
UH, SO THEN WHEN IT COMES TO, TO THIS, WE, WE HEARD A LOT, UM, FROM TOWN COUNCIL.
UH, WE ALSO HEARD A LOT FROM THE SHORT TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY.
UM, AS MISSY HAD NOTED, WE, WE HAVE TALKED TO, OR MARK HAD MENTIONED AS WELL, THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE INDUSTRY TO, TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THIS.
UM, AS WE LOOK AT WHAT TOWN COUNCIL HEARD, UM, UM, GENERALLY THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF ALIGNMENT ON, ON REGULATING PARKING, REGULATING OCCUPANCY.
UM, AND THERE'S, THERE, THERE SEEMS TO BE THIS QUESTION OF WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY TRYING TO REGULATE? ARE WE TRYING TO REGULATE, UM, OCCUPANCY IN, IN, IN HIGH BEDROOM HOMES? IS THAT WHERE THE CONCERN IS? ARE WE TRYING TO REGULATE MASS AND SCALE? UM, ARE WE, ARE WE PRIMARILY CONCERNED ABOUT ABOUT PARKING AND THE IMPACTS THAT, THAT, THAT PARKING HAS? BUT, AND THEN THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR US TO LOOK AT.
REQUIRED INSPECTIONS WOULD HELP ENSURE COMPLIANCE, UM, GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL TIME, UH, FOR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY TO, TO COMPLY WITH THESE.
UM, BUT THE NEW SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMITS THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO BE ISSUED BETWEEN, UH, ONCE THIS'S, IN EFFECT, THEY HAVE TO COMPLY RIGHT AWAY.
THEY DON'T GET A, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T GET A GRACE PERIOD, UH, TO COMPLY.
AND THAT LAST POINT IS, IS KIND OF WHAT WE HEARD A LOT OF AND CONTINUE TO HEAR A LOT OF, EVEN WITH THE, THE PARKING AND OXY RESTRICTIONS.
HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING MASS AND SCALE THE IMPACT TO EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS? YES, OXY DOES START TO PUT SOME LIMITS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE IN THE, IN THE UNITS TRIES, AND THEN THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, UM, ENOUGH PARKING TO SUPPORT THAT UNIT, BUT THOSE UNITS COULD STILL BE BUILT.
AND SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, ON THE SHORT TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY SIDE? I KNOW THERE'S SEVERAL OF 'EM HERE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE TODAY.
UH, I SUSPECT WE'LL HEAR FROM US PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, THEY, THEY, THEY GENERALLY, THEY UNDERSTAND
UM, THEY CAN BE MANAGEABLE AS LONG AS THEY'RE REASONABLE.
UM, THERE WAS SOME CONSIDERATION OF THESE LARGE HOMES, DO WE GIVE, DO, SHOULD THOSE LARGE HOMES RECOGNIZE AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A, A, A BEDROOM THAT'S THREE 400 SQUARE FEET AND NOT 200 SQUARE FEET LIKE A LOT OF BEDROOMS ARE, SHOULD THEY, SHOULD THEY BE GIVEN ADDITIONAL PEOPLE FOR THE HOUSE TO, TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT? OR HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR THAT ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT SOME OF THESE UNITS MIGHT HAVE? ALTERNATIVELY, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT MAYBE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BUMP IN THAT PER BEDROOM, UH, PER BEDROOM UNIT OR PER BEDROOM COUNT INSTEAD OF TWO PER BEDROOM, IT'S TWO AND A HALF PER BEDROOM, PLUS THEN THE TWO PER PROPERTY.
UM, AND THEN DO WE THINK ABOUT CHANGING PARKING, LE PARKING, AND HOW DO WE COUNT PARKING INSTEAD OF BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS? IS IT BASED ON THE ACTUAL OCCUPANCY OF THE UNIT? THERE'S A HOST END OF OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT ARE NOT CAPTURED IN HERE, BUT THESE ARE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE LOOKED AS WE LOOKED AROUND THE COUNTRY, ESTABLISHING A CAP ON THE OVERALL UNITS, ESTABLISHING A CAP BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS TO, TO HELP ADDRESS THAT MASS AND SCALE.
PERHAPS THERE'S A, A CAP ON A NUMBER OF, OF 10 BEDROOM UNITS, UH, OR WHATEVER.
UM, DO WE CONSIDER WHERE, WHERE STR PERMITS CAN BE ISSUED? DO WE CONSIDER, UM, EVENTS, UH, MORE AND MORE UNITS ARE NOW BEING MARKETED FOR WEDDINGS AND OTHER EVENTS? DO WE CONSIDER RESTRICTIONS ON THAT? BECAUSE THAT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON BUILDING PERMITS AND FIRE SAFETY RESPONSES.
DO WE HAVE STR INSPECTIONS EVERY TWO YEARS OR SOME, SOME REGULAR INTERVAL? AND THEN ALSO, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT, UH, FLEX MOVE IN AND FLEX MOVE OUT TIME? IS THAT A FEE REDUCTION? IS THERE, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN CAN OFFER TO HELP, HELP GET PEOPLE OFF THAT SATURDAY TO SATURDAY SCHEDULE TO GET 'EM ONTO A DIFFERENT DATE AND, AND MAYBE LESSEN SOME OF THAT TRANSITION TIME, UH, DURING, DURING SATURDAY EVENTS AND THEY'RE GONNA PEAK SEASON? SO I THINK THAT'S IT.
UM, I'LL PAUSE AND THANK YOU, ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
A LOT OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST.
UM, SO WE'LL GO FIRST WITH, WITH COUNSEL QUESTIONS.
MR. STANFORD, I'LL START WITH YOU.
HOW DO WE DISTINGUISH A SHORT TERM RENTAL FROM A HOME PERMIT? IF I COME IN AND I APPLY FOR A PERMIT TO BUILD A HOME, WHICH IS PERMITTED UNDER THE ZONING, WHICH WOULD'VE, UH, UH, EIGHT BEDROOMS IN IT, I'M REALLY INTENDING THAT TO BE A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I'M APPLYING FOR A BUILDING PERMIT.
WHAT IS THE DISTINCTION THERE? SO AT THE TIME OF BUILDING PERMIT, THERE GENERALLY IS NOT A DISTINCTION.
UM, UH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE OWNER OCCUPIED ON THIS ISLAND THAT ARE, ARE LARGE, HIGH VOLUME BEDROOMS, LIKE, LIKE YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
BUT AT THE, AT THE TIME OF BUILDING PERMIT, THERE IS NOT ANYTHING THAT DISTINGUISHES WHETHER IT'S SINGLE FAMILY I OWNER OCCUPIED OR SINGLE FAMILY, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
WHAT ABOUT, UH, QUESTIONS CONCERNING, UH, FIREARM, EXTINGUISHMENT, FIRE DETECT
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DETECTION EQUIPMENT? IS THAT THE SAME FOR CONSTRUCTION OF AN EIGHT BEDROOM HOUSE AS IT WOULD BE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A SHORT TERM RENTAL HOUSE? SO WE'RE GETTING INTO SOME CODE THAT I'M, I'M, I'M NOT ABLE TO, TO ANSWER.I CAN TELL YOU, AS PART OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL LICENSE REQUIREMENTS, THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED.
SO CERTAINLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE SMOKE ALARMS AS PART OF THE BUILDING CODE OR SMOKE DETECTORS AS PART OF A BUILDING CODE.
UM, OUR, OUR SHORT TERM RENTAL LICENSE ALSO REQUIRES SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS WHAT'S THE, THE, THE DIFFERENCES I WOULD, I WOULD BE, I'D BE MAKING UP, I'VE ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THE DISTINCTION, WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS A LOOPHOLE, IF I'M APPLYING FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE VERSUS, UH, APPLYING, AND I REALLY INTEND FOR IT TO BE A SHORT TERM RENTAL, IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT THERE.
I'M NOT SAYING PEOPLE DO THAT, BUT I'M SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANNA CREATE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I THINK THAT ALL SHORT TERM RENTALS SHOULD CERTAINLY HAVE A SMOKE DETECTOR.
UH, AND THAT SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT OF ALL OF THEM, I THINK ON THE, UH, FEE SIDE.
UM, CHANGING THE FEE FROM A FLAT TWO 50 TO AN ESCALATING FEE DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE HOME MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE MORE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, AND SO I WOULD CERTAINLY FAVOR THAT.
UM, I THINK YOU'VE COME TO A REASONABLE COMPROMISE, UM, ON THE PARKING REQUIREMENT, UH, AND I COULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT.
UH, SO I CAN SEE THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK HERE.
I THINK GENERALLY WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
IF I, JUST TO CLOSE THE, THE, THE, THE, THE LOOP THERE,
THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A LOOPHOLE BEING CREATED THERE.
UM, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, SO IF, MAYBE COME BACK TO ME, MAYBE SOME OF THEM MAY BE ANSWERED BY OTHER PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, JUST GOING THROUGH IN RANDOM ORDER AS IT WAS PRESENTED, AJ HIGH OCCUPANCY HOMES DO NOT HAVE FIRE SAFETY MECHANISMS. UM, I THINK THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYONE A DISSERVICE BY NOT HAVING, UM, INSPECTIONS, ANNUAL INSPECTIONS WITH THE PERMIT APPLICATION TO VERIFY THAT EXITS, UM, ESCAPE ROUTES HAVE NOT BEEN BLOCKED BY SOMEONE CREATING A SLEEPING SPACE, UM, WHERE ONE SHOULD NOT BE.
AND SO I WOULD, UM, ENCOURAGE US TO CONSIDER, UM, ADDING WITH AN ADDITIONAL FEE, AN INSPECTION EACH YEAR TO A HOME OR A VILLA, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, UM, THAT IS APPLYING FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE ESCALATING, UM, PERMIT FEE, UM, IN WONDER IS OF PALMS. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY SET THEIR FEE BASED ON THE REVENUE GENERATED, AND I THINK THAT'S HOW WE BUSINESS LICENSE ARE GENERALLY CALCULATED WITH OTHER BUSINESSES IN, SINCE THIS IS INDEED A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS, UM, IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY OUGHT TO, UM, WE OUGHT AT LEAST HAVE AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND, UH, PROS AND CONS ON THAT, UM, OF THE, THAT'S JUST AN INTERESTING COMMENT.
UM, ON PAGE 18, THE BOXES, UM, NOISE LIMITS AND RESTRICTIONS, IT IS, UM, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE, IF YOU LIVE IN A PED, THEY SET THEIR OWN NOISE LIMITATIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IN ALL FAIRNESS, SINCE MOST OF THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE, A LOT OF THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE OUTSIDE THE GATES THAT HAVE NONE OF THOSE REGULATIONS THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE OVERALL ARE NOISE ORDINANCE TO, UM, RESTRICT THE HOURS SIMILAR TO THOSE BEHIND THE GATES.
IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE RESIDENTS BEHIND THE GATES, IT CERTAINLY SHOULD BE APPLICABLE TO THOSE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE GATES, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS AND OTHERWISE.
SO THAT I THINK SHOULD BE MOVED TO PRIORITY.
UM, CONSIDERATION FOR US IS THE CHANGE IN THE NOISE LIMITS AND RESTRICTIONS ACROSS THE WARD ON THE ISLAND.
SO THAT ONE WAS ANSWERED AS YOU WERE TALKING.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE REQUIREMENT FOR FIRING SMOKE ALARM SYSTEMS IN HIGH OCCUPANCY HOMES THAT EXCEED, EXCEED 3,600, THAT'S ON PAGE 20, THAT'S A STEP ABOVE THE, JUST THE INSPECTIONS IN A FIRE, UM, ALARM AND CO I THINK THAT
[00:35:01]
IS A REASONABLE REQUIREMENT, UM, SINCE YOU ARE AT THIS POINT ARE CREATING A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS AND, UM, LIKEWISE, SUCH A THING WOULD BE REQUIRED THERE.SO, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY MOVE AHEAD WITH THAT.
OCCUPANCY FOR ME IS ONE OF THOSE TRICKY THINGS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ENFORCE IT.
AND, UM, I CERTAINLY REALIZE THAT THAT IS GONNA BE A HEAVY BURDEN, UM, ON US TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE APPROPRIATELY, UM, ENFORCE OCCUPANCY.
I KNOW THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT HOW GOBOS CAN CROSS REFERENCE WITH THE ADVERTISEMENTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, BUT IN REALITY, DOES THAT REALLY WORK OUT, FOR INSTANCE, DURING A DAY TIME IF, UM, THE, THE BIGGER HOUSE BEACHFRONT OR WITH MORE AMENITIES BECOMES THE GATHERING SPOT, WHILE THERE MAY BE ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER WITHIN THE LIMITS PHYSICALLY STAYING THERE, THEY BECOME THE PARTY HOUSE.
AND THAT DAY AFTER DAY, WEEK AFTER WEEK THROUGHOUT THE, THE SEASON BECOMES QUITE A BURDEN.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S ONE ASPECT OF OCCUPANCY THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DRILL DOWN ON, AND AT LEAST UNDERSTAND THAT THAT DAYTIME USE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE ACTUALLY PUT THEIR BAGS AND THEIR PILLOWS IN THE HOMES THEMSELVES.
SO I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE FOR NOW.
UM, YOU ANSWERED THE ONE ABOUT, UM, NEW PERMITS, AND THAT WAS A GOOD ANSWER.
UM, BUT I HAD A QUESTION ON ENFORCEMENT SINCE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, WHEN SOMEONE IS GETTING A NOTICE, WHEN THERE'S BEEN A COMPLAINT, WHETHER THROUGH THE SYSTEM OR BY A PERSONAL CALL FROM A NEIGHBOR, HOWEVER IT COMES IN AND THERE'S A NOTICE GIVEN, IS THAT NOTICE, UM, WHEN WE START COUNTING NOTICE THEN FIRST, UM, ISSUANCE OF A CITATION, ET CETERA, IS THAT PER WEEK OR IS THAT CUMULATIVE OVER THE SEASON? SO IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT THE OWNER HASN'T ADDRESSED OVER TIME OR IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT DURING A WEEK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE, UM, NOTICE OF THE COMPLAINT AND THEN A SECOND AND THEN IT RESTARTS AGAIN WITH THE NEW RENTERS WHO COME IN FOR AN ADDITIONAL WEEK TIME AFTER TIME? I THINK TO ME, IT MAKES MORE SENSE THAT THIS IS AN OWNER ISSUE, AND SO IT SHOULD BE CUMULATIVE OVER TIME AND NOT WEEK TO WEEK.
HOW, BUT WHAT WAS THE INTENT HERE? THE INTENT IN CRAFTING THIS IS A, IS AN OWNER ISSUE.
UH, SO IT DOESN'T SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR, UH, ONCE THAT, THAT PARTICULAR RENTAL'S OVER, IF THERE'S A RENTAL ISSUE TODAY AND THERE'S A RENTAL ISSUE NEXT WEEK, THERE'S A RENTAL ISSUE.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF ON PAGE TH 22 WHERE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE VARIOUS WAYS OF CALCULATING PERSONS PER BEDROOM, UM, IF YOU, IF YOU PLAY THAT ALL THE WAY OUT AND YOU WERE TO GO UP TO 2.5, UM, YOU WOULD SOON, I BELIEVE IN SOME INSTANCES BASED ON THE CHART THAT WE WERE GIVEN, ACTUALLY EXCEED THE, WE WOULD BE SETTING A HIGHER STANDARD FOR ALLOWABLE OCCUPANCY THAN SOME, UM, OWNERS ARE ESTABLISHING FOR THEMSELVES.
AND SO I WOULD NOT WANT US TO SEE US TO DO THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE CREATE A WHOLE NOTHER PROBLEM.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, I THINK AT ONE POINT SOMEONE HAD DISCUSSED THE IDEA THAT THAT WOULD ONLY WORK THEN PERHAPS UP TO A CERTAIN NUMBER OF BEDROOMS, AND THEN AFTER THAT, THAT FORMULA WOULDN'T WORK FOR SIMPL SIMPLICITY, I WOULD JUST RATHER MAINTAIN IT AS TWO PEOPLE PER BEDROOM.
AND I ACTUALLY ALSO QUESTION THE ADDITIONAL TWO FOR THE HOUSE BECAUSE IF IN SOME REGARD WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF SAFETY CONCERNS WITHIN A, UM, A RESIDENCE, UM, WITH ADDITIONAL BEDS BEING PUT HERE OR THERE, A PULL OUT SOFA ALSO CREATES, UM, A BURDEN ON THE SPACE.
AND THEN JUST SPEAKING ABOUT SPACE, THE POINT THAT WAS MADE THAT SOME OF THE BEDROOMS WITHIN THE LARGER HOMES, PERHAPS THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR OR 500 SQUARE FEET, THOSE ARE DORMITORIES, THOSE AREN'T BEDROOMS. AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER AND CLOSER LOOK AT THAT.
THAT'S NOT A, A, A REASONABLE ARGUMENT TO ME TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PER BEDROOM.
UM, AND SO THAT'S MY COMMENT WITH REGARD TO THAT.
UM, UH, PAGE 23, ESTABLISHING, CONSIDERING A CAP ON THE NUMBER
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OF SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, PERMITS THAT ARE ISSUED, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT MIGHT BE SOMEPLACE TO GET TO IN THE FUTURE, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE NECESSARILY ARE QUITE THERE YET.THERE ARE SOME OTHER STRATEGIES THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE US EMPLOY FIRST.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THAT, THE OTHER BULLET HERE IS CONSIDERED THE RESTRICTIONS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS TO HOLD COMMERCIAL EVENTS.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE ARE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, CREATING COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.
AND THEN TO EXTEND IT EVEN FURTHER, THESE EVENTS, UM, THAT HAPPEN ARE, ARE JUST ONE STEP FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD OF, UM, REALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, A FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO THEY SHOULD BE RESTRICTED FROM COMMERCIAL EVENTS TAKING PLACE, UM, IN THE SHORT TERM RENTALS IN SHORT TERM IN, UM, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WOULD REQUIRE A MANDATORY SHORT TERM INSPECTION EVERY TWO YEARS.
UM, I'VE MENTIONED THE ONE YEAR FOR FIRE AND SAFETY IS, IS IT SHOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE MUST MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN THE FLEX MOVING AND, UM, OUT ALTERNATIVES, I'VE BEEN SAYING A LONG TIME, UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THE BRIDGE AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SUCH A, UM, SO MUCH CONGESTION ON THE BUDGE DURING THE SEASON, IN PARTICULAR ON SATURDAYS, THE MOVE IN MOVE OUT TIME, ONE SIMPLE SOLUTION FOR THAT ISSUE IS, UM, THE SAME AS HERE.
WE SHOULD STAGGER, AND I DON'T CARE HOW YOU BREAK IT UP, BUT SAY 50 50, IF YOU CAN HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL THAT STARTS ON A SATURDAY TO SATURDAY OR SUNDAY TO SUNDAY, IT ALLEVIATES CONGESTION ON THE BRIDGE AND ALSO HELPS TO SIMPLIFY PEOPLE, UM, UH, RENTALS IN TERMS OF EMPLOYEES, THE BURDEN ON EMPLOYEES HAVE TO GET IN AND CLEAN AND GET OUT.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT, UM, ON A SATURDAY ON THESE LARGER HOMES IN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF HOURS, DO ALL THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT THAT IS A SOLUTION FOR THAT AND WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING THAT.
AND SO THAT ARE THE CONCLUDES I BELIEVE MY COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO SHORT TERM RENTALS AT THIS TIME.
UH, FIRST I WANNA SAY THAT I'M VERY PLEASED, UH, MISSY AND SEAN, THAT YOU PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THIS IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S A BIG STRUGGLE.
THAT WAS A LOT OF WORK TO UNDERTAKE AND, UH, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT YOU'VE COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH I GENERALLY CONSIDER TO BE VERY, VERY GOOD, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, PARTICULARLY THE ONE THAT'S EASIER FOR ME ANYWAY, AS OCCUPANCY.
I AGREE WITH MR. STANFORD THAT SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE IN EVERY BEDROOM, NOT JUST BASED ON SIZE.
AND, UH, I'M ALSO HAPPY THAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL VERY LIKELY TAKE THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING 18 OR 20 PEOPLE IN THE DINING ROOM DOWN TO ONLY TWO IN THE DINING ROOM.
UM, IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT, I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD STEP TO MOVE FROM ESSENTIALLY CRIMINAL APPROACHES TO CIVIL APPROACHES.
IT'S PRETTY CLEAR FROM THE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS IN SEA PINES THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT TRYING TO DO IT AS A CRIMINAL MATTER IS I HELD'S MUCH TOO BIG TO BE ABLE TO CLIMB.
UH, CIVIL WILL MAKE IT A LOT EASIER, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA REMOVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS. UH, ESSENTIALLY THE QUESTION IS ONLY, ONLY THE TOWN CAN DO THE REAL ENFORCEMENT HERE, NOT THE, NOT SEA PINES, NOT PALMETTO DUNES AS SUCH.
SO THAT DOES SEEM TO MEAN THAT WHAT IS THE EVIDENTIARY STANDARD THAT'S GONNA BE REQUIRED TO DETERMINE THAT THERE'S BEEN A VIOLATION, UH, OF, UH, PARTICULARLY NOISE BEING ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ONES.
UM, PARTY GOERS ON LATE FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT.
I, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LATE PARTY NIGHTS, BUT, UM, THEY, THEY CREATE A LOT OF THE COMPLAINTS.
UM, AND, AND SEA PINE HAS BEEN VERY EASY FOR A RESIDENT TO CALL SEA PINE SECURITY.
AND A DEPUTY COMES OUT AT 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, AT NIGHT, TELLS THE PEOPLE THAT QUIET DOWN AND IT HAPPENS AND IT'S TAKEN CARE OF.
THE DIFFICULTY IS THAT HAS, THAT HAS NOT SO FAR, AND I DON'T SEE AN INDICATION YET BEEN REPORTED TO THE TOWN.
SO THE TOWN DOESN'T KNOW THERE WAS A VIOLATION.
AND AS MR. LGER IN HIS REPORT INDICATED, UH, THE TOWN MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ALL THE VIOLATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE BECAUSE A COUPLE OF THE LARGER GATED COMMUNITIES DON'T REPORT THEM.
UH,
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UH, HAS ITS DEPUTIES TAKE CARE OF 'EM, THE RESIDENTS ARE HAPPY THAT THE PARTIES BEEN BROKEN UP, THE TOWN DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.UH, TWO FRIDAY NIGHTS LATER THERE'S ANOTHER PARTY.
A COUPLE FRIDAY NIGHTS LATER THERE'S ANOTHER PARTY AND SO ON.
IN EACH CASE, THE DEPUTIES ARE GONNA BREAK 'EM UP AND NOW YOU'VE GOT A REPEATED VI UH, VIOLATOR, UH, BUT THE TOWN DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO IT IS, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT ONE OF THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES HERE HAS TO BE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE GATED COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THE TOWN, UH, IF THERE'S GONNA BE A QUESTION OF, UH, PENALTIES AND SO ON, UH, WHO ARE GONNA BE THE WITNESSES? WILL IT BE THE SEA PINE'S DEPUTY, OR WILL IT BE A TOWN CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER? UH, DOES THE TOWN CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE THERE? IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE, UH, IN THE C PLAN SITUATION FOR THE, UH, SECURITY OFFICE TO CALL CODE ENFORCEMENT AND SAY, LET'S, LET'S MEET OUT AT THE SITE, UH, AND DEAL WITH THE VIOLATION AS IT'S GOING ON.
UH, SO LONG AS THAT VIOLATION DOESN'T OCCUR AFTER, WHAT IS IT, 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT ON A WEEKEND WHEN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE NOT, NOT WORKING.
UM, SO I THINK A FAIR AMOUNT OF EFFORT HAS TO GO INTO THE QUESTION OF, OF, UH, RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE GATED COMMUNITIES, UH, WHICH SO FAR ARE NOT WORKING VERY CLOSELY, IF AT ALL, UH, WITH THE TOWN.
UM, THE ONE THING I DID NOT SEE HERE IS PENALTIES ARE DOLLAR ORIENTED.
DOES THERE COME A POINT IN WHICH LICENSES COULD BE REVOKED? UH, OR ALTERNATIVELY, IS IT SIMPLY A WAIT TILL THE NEXT YEAR WHEN A LICENSE IS APPLIED TO WELL AND DENIED? BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT REVOCATION IS, IS SIGNIFICANT AND THAT, THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SHORT TERM RENTAL HOMES FOR RENT SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY COULD LOSE THEIR LICENSE IF, AS I HAVE SEEN IN IN SEA PINES, THEY ARE REPEATED NOISE VIOLATORS ON WEEKENDS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE EXCEPT TO SAY, ONCE AGAIN, I'M VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IN, IN ADVANCING THE BALL HERE.
THANK, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN CRAWFORD.
AS FAR AS YOUR, YOUR LAST QUESTION ABOUT OR LAST POINT ABOUT THE CODE ALLOWING FOR SUSPENSIONS AND REVOCATION OF PERMITS, THAT IS ACTUALLY ALREADY IN OUR CODE.
SO WHEN THERE ARE VIOLATIONS THAT CAN RESOLVE THROUGH, THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT 'CAUSE OUR, OUR GOAL IS COMPLIANCE, THEN YES, A PERMIT CAN BE SUSPENDED AND IF IT IS SO EGREGIOUS, THEN THE PERMIT GETS REFERRED FOR REVOCATION.
UM, SO THAT, THAT IS CURRENTLY IN OUR CODE IN SPITE OF A FAIR NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS.
THERE'S BEEN REALLY NO PENALTY SO FAR IN SEA BARNES, MR. AMES.
UM, I'LL TRY TO KEEP MY COMMENTS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE MISSY AND, AND, UH, SEAN, YOUR ATTEMPT TO, UH, SIMPLIFY THE FORMULA SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ADMINISTER IT GOING DOWN.
UH, IN MY OPINION, UH, THE CHALLENGE IS THE BALANCE BETWEEN ISLAND CHARACTER AND BUSINESS PRECEDENCE.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE AMOUNT OF DATA THAT YOU'VE ACCUMULATED BECAUSE THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF DESIRED EXPECTATIONS OF THE OWNERS OF ST IN THE AVERAGES.
UM, I, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION JUST FROM MY PERSONAL STANDPOINT, THAT YOUR FORMULA TWO PEOPLE PER BEDROOM MAKES SENSE.
UH, HOWEVER, UM, I WOULD NOT, UH, ADVOCATE TWO PEOPLE, UH, IN CONDOS LESS THAN 3,600 FEET.
I WOULD USE ONE PERSON, SO IT WOULD BE TWO PEOPLE PER BEDROOM PLUS ONE.
I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LARGER, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY EITHER BECAUSE OF LARGER SQUARE FOOTAGE OR BECAUSE BEDROOMS ARE LARGER.
I WOULD SAY ABOVE 3,600 FEET GOING TO TWO, UH, I'M OPEN TO WHAT OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT FORMULA IN TERMS OF PARKING.
UM, I AGREE THAT ONE CAR PER BEDROOM, UH, MAKES, UH, SENSE, UH, OR THE LIMITATIONS OF THE SITE, WHICHEVER IS MORE RESTRICTIVE.
UM, SO I WOULD ADD ALSO THAT, UH, WE ESTABLISH A MAXIMUM NUMBER, UH, PALMETTO DUNES HAS
[00:50:01]
SIX AUTOMOBILES PER UNIT MAX, AND SO I WOULD, UH, PROPOSE THAT, UM, AS A POSSIBILITY.AND THEN LASTLY, I THINK THIS ALL DEPENDS ON ESTABLISHING A MUNICIPAL COURT.
ANY RESPONSES BACK, SEAN? ACTUALLY, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
SO WHEN YOU, YOU WERE, YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT ADJUSTING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER HOUSE BASED ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
I BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAID IS LESS THAN 3,600, IT'D BE TWO PEOPLE PER BEDROOM PLUS ONE PER YES.
WAS THAT FOR ALL UNITS OR WAS THAT JUST, I THOUGHT IT WAS THERE CONDOS OR WAS THAT ALL UNITS? NO, THAT'S ALL ALL UNITS.
UM, I'D ECHO MY COLLEAGUES THANKING THE STAFF, UM, FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS ALSO FOR THEIR OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM STR, SOME, SOME I'LL SAY SOME SDR BEHAVIOR AND NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS THOSE WHO REPRESENT STR.
SO THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY TO TRY TO FIND IDEAS AND ALSO FOR LOOKING AT OTHER COMMUNITIES.
I KNOW THAT, UM, I LEARNED THAT THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE DOING, UM, AND PROVIDED, UH, ACCESS TO THAT CHART.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALSO LOOKING AT WHETHER OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, SO I'M GONNA START ON PAGE FIVE, GOING THROUGH YOUR PAGES.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO EVERY PAGE
BUT THE, THE FIRST THING IS THE WORKING SCHEDULE.
UM, SINCE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, I'VE SUPPORTED, UH, ADDING SDR REGULATIONS AND THE MUNICIPAL CODE, WHICH IS WHERE OUR CURRENT SDR REGULATIONS ARE LOCATED.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT MAKES MOST SENSE THERE.
THAT'S HOW THE ENFORCEMENT AND HOW OUR PERMIT TRACKING WILL BE DONE AND NOT THROUGH THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE DECIDE HERE WITH REGARD TO SDR REGULATIONS THEN IF OUR LMO NEEDS TO BE, UH, REVISED TO REFLECT THAT, THAT IT DO THE REVERSE, SO IT DO MUNICIPAL CODE DRIVES IT AND L LO O MUST SUGGEST.
SO I SUPPORT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PRIORITY TAX AMENDMENTS THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.
UH, THE ONE THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS A GOOD CODE WRITER, A GOOD CODE A GOOD ATTORNEY WILL NOT LOOK AT JUST, UM, BEAR WITH ME FOR A MOMENT.
IT IS, UM, THE SCR REGULATIONS ARE FOUND IN TITLE 12, SORRY, ARE FOUND IN TITLE 10 IN YOUR BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSES UNDER CHAPTER TWO, THERE ARE ALSO SOME PARKING REGULATIONS, UM, IN CHAPTER, SORRY, TITLE 12 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER THREE.
AND I'M THINKING THERE'S GONNA BE SOME ENFORCEMENT CONFLICT THERE IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT BOTH OF THOSE.
SO I CAUTION THE STAFF TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE MUNICIPAL CODE AND NOT JUST, UM, 10 DASH TWO DASH 50 A WITH REGARD TO PARKING FOR STR.
WE DON'T WANT ANY CONFLICTS HERE ABOUT WHO, WHO'S CALLED THE SHERIFF VERSUS OUR CODE OFFICIAL FOR ENFORCEMENT.
UM, THEN, UM, I'M GONNA SKIP TO PAGE 19.
I THINK IT'S THE NEXT, YEAH, 19.
AND THANKS TO WHOEVER'S TRACKING THAT STAR COUNTY CLERK, WHOEVER IS TRACKING THAT.
UM, SO WITH REGARD TO PRIORITY AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, I AGREE WITH ADMINISTRATIVE FINES GOING CIVIL INSTEAD OF CRIMINAL.
UM, AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S REVOCATION, UH, OR SUSPENSION OF LICENSES CURRENTLY IN THERE, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE TRACKED ALONG WITH THOSE CODE VIOLATIONS.
SO IT'S CLEAR WHEN YOU CAN HAVE A REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT LANGUAGE, HOW THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE WOULD COMPARE THE EXISTING LANGUAGE, BUT MAKE SURE THEY'RE COMPATIBLE THERE.
UM, WITH REGARD TO INCREASING THE STR PERMIT FEES, UM, I, I GO ALONG WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON INCREASING THE FEES.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE SUGGESTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A CLEAR DIRECT DIRECTION.
UH, THAT WAS ONE OF MY SUGGESTIONS, UM, TO DO, UH, FOR THE OFFENSES.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE, I THINK I USE AN EXAMPLE OF IF, IF, UM, PERSON X CAME IN AND HAD A VIOLATION AND THEY WERE REALLY OBNOXIOUS TO ME, I FEEL LIKE I'M GIVING YOU THE FULL MAX
AND THAT CERTAINLY, UH, WOULD HELP UPHOLD THE, UM, THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE AMOUNTS AS WELL.
UM, THEN ON PAGE 20, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE COMPLIANCE DATE, UM, I THINK WE'RE BEHIND THE CURVE HERE.
UM, I, I THINK TO SOME EXTENT WE'VE LOST CONTROL.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE, UM, THE BUSINESSES AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WONDERFUL, UH, FOLKS WHO HAVE GREAT BUSINESSES, GREAT BEHAVIOR.
UM, SO IT'S NOT AT ALL DIRECTED TOWARDS THEM.
A LOT OF THE, UH, THE BEHAVIOR ISSUES, UM, ARE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABSENTEE, UH, SOME INVESTORS SOMEPLACE ELSE WHO DON'T
[00:55:01]
REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.AND SO WE, WE, WE'VE LOST CONTROL A BIT WITH SOME OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AREAS, AND I'M SAD FOR THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME WE MOVE UP COMPLIANCE.
UM, I THINK FOR ANY NEW PERMITS, UM, THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLY UPON ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE.
AND I WOULD URGE HONOR THE MAYOR TO PUT THIS ON OUR, UM, AGENDA SCHEDULE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY THE CODE WRITERS KNOW HOW TO WRITE OVERNIGHT 'CAUSE YOU CAN DO IT.
UM, THEN WITH REGARD TO, UH, THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE EXISTING PERMITS, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ALSO, UH, WITH OUR PROGRAM AND I SEE REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR FINANCE, UH, DEPARTMENT HERE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR SOFTWARE.
SO I WANNA BE MINDFUL OF THAT, UM, AND MINDFUL OF THE TIMING OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MOVE AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE WITH THE APPLICATION OF THE NEW PROVISIONS EVEN FOR, UM, EXISTING PERMIT HOLDERS.
UM, THEN WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBERS, UM, IT, I'M LOOKING AT THE CHART ON PAGE 20.
UM, IT SAYS PROPOSED OCCUPANCY FOR ALL UNIT TYPES.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT MEANS WHETHER IT'S A CONDO OR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OCCUPANCY APPLIES, BUT WITH REGARD TO PARKING, IT'S ONLY SINGLE FAMILY AND NOT CONDO DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT DISTINCTION WAS MADE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE A NUMBER OF THE CONDO DEVELOPMENTS HAVE LIMITED PARKING ANYWAY.
UM, AND SO TO ADD, UM, MORE PARKING REQUIREMENTS MIGHT BE A CHALLENGE.
AND IN ADDITION, A LOT OF THE CONDO DEVELOPMENTS HAVE YOUR OWN RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AS TO HOW MANY PARKING SPACES YOU'RE ALLOWED FOR A TWO OR THREE BEDROOM UNIT.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT DISTINCTION, UH, IS BEING MADE IN THIS CHART.
UM, THE, UH, THE NUMBER I LIKE GOING WITH OCCUPANCY BASED ON, UH, PERSONS PER BEDROOM.
UM, I, I'VE BEEN WONDERING WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE PLUS TWO.
I'VE HEARD SOME REQUESTS TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER.
I DON'T WANNA INCREASE IT ABOVE PLUS TWO.
UM, I LIKE MR. AMES SUGGESTION ABOUT THE PLUS ONE UP TO 3,600 SQUARE FEET.
UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF THE CONDOS I USED TO LIVE IN ONE, A LOT OF 'EM ARE TWO BEDROOMS AND THREE BEDROOMS. I, I DON'T KNOW OF VERY MANY FOUR BEDROOM CONDOS.
UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THERE OFTEN IS A FOLDOUT COUCH IN THE LIVING ROOM.
YES, I HAVE SLEPT ON THOSE, SO I'M VERY COMFORTABLE.
BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S THE WAY YOU GO.
UM, SO I, I, I JUST QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT THE, THE PLUS ONE WILL WORK, WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE A PLUS TWO IN THOSE SMALLER AREAS AS WELL.
AND I THINK WE NEED SOME DATA TO KNOW WHICH IS THE RIGHT NUMBER THERE.
BUT I, I, I LIKE NOT INCREASING MORE OCCUPANCY AS A GENERAL STANDARD.
AND I'M SORRY, THAT'S NOT CLEAR.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE PARKING, UM, UH, I, I DO LIKE, UH, THE PARKING PER BEDROOM.
UM, I, I QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT, UH, I GUESS IN A STUDIO YOU MIGHT HAVE TWO OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY IF, UH, THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE, ARE, UH, WORKING ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, A SUMMERTIME BASIS.
UM, SO YOU MIGHT NEED TWO VEHICLES.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT AN EARLIER CHART THAT WE SAW HAD FOR STUDIOS, ONE BEDROOM AND TWO BEDROOMS, UM, IT LOOKED, I THINK THERE WAS, UH, ONE PARKING SPACE, A PER UNIT.
SO I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION MAYOR AS TO WHY THAT CHANGE WAS MADE.
AND MAYBE IT'S A MATTER OF PRACTICALITY.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
UM, BUT I ALSO SUPPORT MR. AM'S SUGGESTION WITH REGARD TO A MAXIMUM.
UH, BECAUSE WHILE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ADEQUATE PARKING PROVIDED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS WHEN WE GET TO THE HIGHER NUMBER, UM, THEN I, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE MORE CARS AND MORE PARKING.
I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE IS ADEQUATE PARKING AND NOT MORE AND MORE AND MORE BASED ON THE OCCUPANCY AND THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE ADD THERE IS A PROVISION IN, UM, SUBSECTION 10 DASH TWO DASH 50 A THREE, WHICH PROHIBITS, UM, PARKING IN THE ADJACENT RIGHTS OF WAY.
UM, SO I THINK IN ORDER TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE DON'T WANT PARKING, I THINK MR. AMY SAID THIS ALL OVER THE YARD, OR MAYBE ANOTHER MEMBER SAID THAT AS WELL, IS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO ADD A PROHIBITION THAT THERE'S NO PARKING ON THE STREET, NO PARKING WITHIN STREETS RIGHT AWAY, NO PARKING IN THE BUFFER AREA, AND NO PARKING IN THE SETBACK AREA.
AND I THINK MR. LINEER, YOU WERE SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE GARAGE OR WITHIN THE DRIVEWAY, OR A PARKING PAD, BUT WE DON'T WANT THE PARKING PAD TO TAKE UP THE WHOLE YARD.
SO I THINK IF WE HAVE THOSE PROHIBITIONS, AND THAT CAN BE ENFORCED,
[01:00:01]
UM, THROUGH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL, AS OPPOSED TO EVERYONE HAVING TO PAY SOMEBODY TO DO A SITE PLAN.UM, SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE ADD THAT PROVISION.
UM, SO ON PAGE 20, I THINK CARE OF THAT TAKES CARE OF 20, UM, 21, I THINK IS THE COMPARISON DATA.
UM, 22, UM, WHAT WE HEARD, UM, I, I THINK THE LAST BULLET ON 22 NEED TO ADDRESS MASCULINE IMPACT TO EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I THINK MR. LEININGER POINTED THIS OUT THAT IT'S A BIT DIFFICULT TO DO AT THIS POINT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A, A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
THERE'S A LOT OF TEAR DOWNS AND BUILD FOLKS, CALL 'EM, UH, MANY HOTELS OR MCMANSIONS, UM, WHICH DOES GREATLY IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU'VE GOT THE DOMINO EFFECT AND THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD IS AFFECTED.
AND WE'VE LOST OUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
WE'VE LOST OUR, OUR, UM, FULL-TIME RENTALS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO THAT TODAY, BUT I'M HOPING THAT WE KEEP THAT AS A HIGH PRIORITY IN LOOKING AT A REWRITE.
AND IF WE CAN, UH, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO DO A WHOLE LMO REWRITE.
UM, WE'VE GOT DISTRICT PLANNING COMING UP.
IT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO DO IT TOMORROW, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FULL COMMUNITY IMPACT BEFORE WE DO IT.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME PRIORITY ITEMS NOW, AND THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS BEFORE WE CAN GET TO THAT FINAL END ZONE.
UM, ON THE NEW LMO REWRITING DISTRICT PLANNING, I'M JUST PRACTICAL REALISTIC ABOUT IT BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE.
UM, THE OTHER NOTE THAT I SEE IS ONE PARKING SPACE CAN GENERALLY ACCOMMODATE FOUR PERSONS.
SO BY HAVING A MAXIMUM ON THE NUMBER OF SPACES, YOU'LL, YOU'LL DRIVE FEWER CARS AND PERHAPS HAVE FOUR PERSONS PER VEHICLE TO COME INSTEAD OF ONE, UH, 22, 23.
UM, FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS,
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THE SECOND BULLET, MANDATORY STR INSPECTION EVERY TWO YEARS, THAT'S A SAFETY CONCERN.
UM, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WITH SEVEN, ABOUT 7,000 PERMITS.
UM, IT, IT'S AN ARDUOUS TASK TO IMMEDIATELY START AND, AND COVER THAT MANY.
BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO START WITH INSPECTIONS RIGHT AWAY, AND THEN WE OUGHT TO PHASE THOSE IN.
UM, THERE WERE, UH, INSPECTIONS THAT HAPPENED.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN A FIRE CODE OFFICIAL OR A HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICIAL OR THE DAYCARE LICENSING OFFICIAL IS GONNA SHOW UP.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S COMPLAINT DRIVEN.
UH, SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S BASED ON, UH, OBSERVATION FROM OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT FOLKS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO START INSPECTIONS AND TO SOMEHOW PHASE THEM IN PERHAPS EVERY TWO YEARS IS A GOOD ONE, OTHER THAN COMPLAINT DRIVEN.
BUT LET'S NOT WAIT TO THE FUTURE TO DO THAT.
UH, PEOPLE'S LIVES CAN BE AT RISK IF THEY'RE, UM, SAFETY VIOLATIONS.
UM, AND THE LAST BULLET ON THAT, PAGE 23 ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, OPTIONS TO REQUIRE SUPPORT PLEX MOVE IN.
UM, AND I THINK THAT A WAY TO LOOK AT THAT, UM, AND, AND MAYBE WE CAN DO IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, AND THAT IS, UM, IF YOU SWITCH YOUR, YOUR CHECK-IN DATE FROM SATURDAY TO SAY SUNDAY, UM, OR MONDAY, WHATEVER THE DAY SOMEONE MIGHT PICK, IF, IF YOU HAVE X NUMBER OR ABOVE UNITS THAT SWITCH THAT WAY, UM, THEN YOU GET A REDUCTION IN YOUR PERMIT FEE.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOUR PERMIT FEE IS 500 BUCKS, IF YOU SWITCH TO THE DAY THAT YOU CHECK IN AND YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO HAS, I DON'T KNOW, SOME NUMBER OF UNITS, 50, 25, A HUNDRED, SO THAT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT THING IF IT'S JUST ME RENTING ONE OUT AND I GO LIKE, OH, HEY, I WANT A REDUCTION.
MY PERMIT FEE FROM 500 TO $100, I'LL SWITCH MY DAY.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE, UH, BASED ON, UH, IMPACT.
AND I THINK THAT'S A WAY TO PROVIDE A, A CARROT RATHER THAN A STICK TO DO THAT.
AND MAYOR, I THINK I'VE GONE THROUGH THE PAGES.
UM, I DO THANK THE STAFF FOR A LOT OF HARD WORK ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
[01:05:01]
I'M GOING TO TRY TO KEEP MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, MR. MAYOR, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BEFORE US FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION.UM, I'M, I'M PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE 2026 YEAR, UM, I THINK IT WAS ON ONE OF THE FIRST SLIDES.
UH, IF WE ACT VERY QUICKLY, A LOT OF THIS WILL NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL 2026, EXCEPT FOR THE NEW PERMITS THAT ARE ISSUED.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, THAT'S FRONT OF MIND FOR ALL OF US, UM, AS WE MOVE ALONG HERE.
UM, THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE, UM, NOW THAT WE HAVE STARTED TO ISSUE PERMITS AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF COMPLIANCE WHEN IT COMES TO THE PERMITS.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRACK.
I, I DON'T FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH OUR BASELINE AS FAR AS WHAT, UH, WAS ESTABLISHED AS A TOTAL AMOUNT OF UNITS ON HILTON HEAD, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION BEFORE WE STARTED TRACKING WITH THE PERMITS, RIGHT? SO AS WE MOVE ALONG, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW WE MEASURE THE TRENDS.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION NOW OR NOT.
UM, BUT I'LL PAUSE THERE FOR A MOMENT.
HE ASKED ME TO ANSWER THAT ONE.
UM, I THINK TIME, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN THE PAST WAS A YEAR ONE BASELINE, A YEAR ONE BASELINE REALLY IS PRE COVID AND WE CAN RELY ON OTHERS' DATA.
I KNOW THAT BILL MILES AND, AND OUR DMO CHAMBER, THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD DATA THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT.
IT'S WHAT ACTUALLY GOT ME STARTED TO START WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND IT.
WE USE THE NUMBER, WE WENT FROM 3000 PRE COVID TO 7,000 POST COVID, I THINK IN SOME TIME, RIGHT? WE'RE JUST REALLY ONE GOOD YEAR IN OF TRACKING DATA.
AND THE WAY WE TRACK DATA IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT MOSTLY THROUGH GO OS OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT IS MINING THE INTERNET AND THE ADVERTISEMENTS, THE DATA WE RECEIVE TELLS US, AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE'S 16,000 ADVERTISEMENTS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S 16,000 UNITS.
IT MEANS THERE'S 7,000 BECAUSE THEY'RE ADVERTISED ON VRBO, ON AIRBNB, AND ON PRIVATE WEBSITES.
AND SO WHEN THEY MINE THEM ALL, WE ALL TRACK 'EM BACK TO START KNOWING WHAT WE HAVE.
WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE BY ADDRESS, RIGHT? BY DISTRICT GEOGRAPHY, BY UNIT COUNT.
AND SO THE DATA YOU SEE UP THERE IS BEING PUT IN OVER TIME IN A DASHBOARD, AND YOU'LL START SEEING TRENDS.
THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT'S GOING TO TEACH US.
ALL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT NO TREND.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, IF, IF ANY OF THIS IS GOING TO WORK, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MUNICIPAL COURT TO HELP US WITH ENFORCEMENT.
UH, MY QUESTION HERE IS THE, THE NEW PROPOSED, UH, PERMITTING PRICING, HAVE WE FACTORED IN THE COST THAT IS GOING TO COME WITH MUNICIPAL COURT, ADDITIONAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND SO ON, TO GET TO THIS POINT OF ENFORCEMENT? SO THE, THE CONVERSATION REGARDING FEES IS, IS REALLY ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT AND THE, AND THE BUSINESS LICENSE OR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL OPERATION ITSELF.
THE MUNICIPAL COURT WOULD BE A, A SEPARATE ANALYSIS AND CONVERSATION AS FAR AS HOW OUR, HOW IS THAT PROCESS, WHAT IS THAT, WHAT'S THE EXPENDITURE AND WHAT'S THE, THE REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED FROM THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE EQUALIZED.
UM, THE TWO SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICE AND, UH, ALSO WHAT OUR, OUR, OUR CURRENT, UH, BUDGET IS FOR ALL THIS RECOGNIZING THERE'S GONNA BE INCREASED ENFORCEMENT THAT'S NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
AND, AND I CANNOT, UH, I CAN ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.
I HAVEN'T REALLY STARTED TO DIVE IN YET TO WHAT THE REAL COST OF, OF IMMUNO SUPPORT PO COURT ARE.
TOWN COUNCIL IN THIS FORM OF GOVERNMENT CAN APPOINT A TOWN MANAGER.
AND IN THIS CASE, WHAT I HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF THE CONVERSATION RECENTLY IS BACK TO WHAT WE USED TO HAVE AS A MUNICIPAL JUDGE.
THERE'S A COST TO A CLERK OF COURT, PROBABLY AN ADMIN, ASSISTANT CLERK OF COURT, AND WE COULD HOLD COURT RIGHT IN HERE, YOU KNOW, SO THE COST WOULD BE PEOPLE, UM, AND HOURS CODE ENFORCEMENT AS WELL.
PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, KNOW THAT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT PARKING.
IF WE HAVE 7,000 SHORT TERM RENTALS, AND AT THE BASELINE 250, DO THE MATH, THAT'S IN THE BUDGET, 1.8 OR SO MILLION DOLLARS THERE ARE FUNDS AND THERE WILL BE FUNDS TO SUPPORT A MUNICIPAL COURT.
IT'S JUST, WHAT, WHAT'S THE WILL OF COUNSEL? WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR PRIORITY? SO COST CAN BE CALIBRATED, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT EXACT COST YET.
[01:10:01]
I RAISE THAT POINT FOR US IS POLICY MAKERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE BEFORE US AS FAR AS CONSIDERATION, I THINK SOONER THAN LATER IF WE WANT THIS TO REALLY WORK.UM, THE, UH, THE OCCUPANCY, UH, PROPOSAL, WHICH I AGREE IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, HARD TO, UH, ENFORCE.
BUT BY MY MATH, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS LESS THAN THE AVERAGE IN MOST CASES.
SO I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT THAT.
UH, THE PARKING ALSO, UM, I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT.
I'M, I'M, I'M OPEN TO THE CONVERSATION OF A MAX, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC ON THAT BEFORE I GO ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
BUT, UM, FOR THE MOST PART, MR. MAYOR, UM, I'M INCLINED TO MOVE THIS ALONG AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT STAFF HAS PUT BEFORE US, THE IMMEDIATE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UM, I, I'LL BE, I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT, UM, WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE IS TAKE 3, 4, 5 YEARS WORTH OF EFFORT INTO A, AN UNREGULATED INDUSTRY.
AND THROUGH THE FORMULATION OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROGRAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THROUGH THE DATA THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED, WE'RE NOW ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT DATA TO CREATE A PROGRAM, UM, THAT NOT ONLY PROTECTS A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENT, BUT ALSO PROTECTS A QUALITY OF VISIT FOR OUR GUESTS.
AND WE'VE GOTTA BE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THAT BECAUSE IT IS MORE, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES TO THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, DURING OUR CONVERSATION, SEAN, I, I QUESTIONED, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PEOPLE PER CARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I AGREE THAT IF WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CARS COMING IN, THAT'S BETTER.
UM, BUT WHAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER? I, I NEED TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC ON THAT.
UM, AND I, I NEED MORE INPUT TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
UM, GOING BACK TO THIS BEING AN UNREGULATED BUSINESS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, TRYING TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING NOW IS GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT AND A CHALLENGE.
UM, WE ARE ONE OF THE
UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIGURE OUT AN AVENUE TO MANAGE THIS FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT WORKS WELL FOR OUR OWNERS, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, FOR OUR GUESTS.
UM, ENFORCEMENT IS A BIG PART OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE ON HILTON HEAD.
A DISCUSSION OF MUNICIPAL COURT WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE WE'RE NOT ENFORCING RULES AND REGULATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING AWAY WITH A LOT OF STUFF.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THAT AS A WAY TO CONTROL THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, SO LOOK FOR THAT TO COME UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FEES.
I, YOU KNOW WHAT, ON THE SURFACE, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
I'VE GOT NO ISSUES THERE AT ALL.
UM, I, I DO, YOU KNOW, WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, REALLY DAMNING SOMEBODY THAT HAS A PLACE.
UM, AND IT'S CAUSING MORE PAINS FOR EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW? SO I WANNA BE WARY OF THAT.
I WANNA BE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO PUT SOMETHING INTO PLACE THAT WILL PROTECT US AND GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
IS IT GONNA BE PERFECT OUT OF THE GATE? I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA LEARN FROM IT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ADDITIONAL DATA TO COME IN AND WE'LL HAVE TO ADJUST AS THAT, AS THAT MOVES ON, AS WE'VE SAID, THIS IS A MUNICIPAL CODE.
THIS IS NOT AN LMO, IT'S NOT LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, IT'S A CODE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S RESOLUTION, YOU KNOW, IT IS RULES AND REGS.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN ADJUST ON THE FLY.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT WORKING IN A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS, WE CAN COME BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND MASSAGE IT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S WORKING BETTER FOR EVERYBODY.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANNA SAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME UNTIL I HEAR FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC.
UM, WITH THAT, KIM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO.
CAN I MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT? BE, BE BE QUICK, I WANT, I WANNA GET THEM TO, YEAH.
UH, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT ONE THING THEY CONSIDER IS SATURDAY, SUNDAY, OR OTHER DAY START STARTING TO STOP.
UH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT I MAY NOT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO EVERY SUMMER FOR A WEEK LONG RENTS THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT PLACES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS.
UM, THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE FOR THOSE WHO COME ON SUNDAYS 'CAUSE THE AIRPLANE FLIGHTS ARE CHEAPER, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, IT MAY CREATE OTHER THINGS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
SO IS THAT, WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP TO, TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENTS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS? JUST ONE THING, COME ON UP WHEN, WHEN YOU COME UP, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR, AND UH, WHERE YOU LIVE.
[01:15:01]
ON UP.I'M SURE EVERYBODY REALIZES THIS TOO.
FOR ME, I GUESS I'M KIND OF LUCKY BECAUSE EVERY PROPERTY I MANAGE NORMALLY THEY ALL HAVE A, UM, SECURITY OFFICE ON SITE.
FOR INSTANCE, BREAKERS ONLY ALLOW ONE CAR PASS IN MY RESERVATIONS AND ALL OF MY NOTICES, THEY KNOW THAT IF I HAVE TO DO ANOTHER CAR PASS WITH RESPECT, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH IMC SECURITY AND ASK THEM.
SO, LIKE I SAID, I'M QUITE LUCKY THAT KIND OF STOPS THAT SAME THING.
ISLAND CLUB, ONLY ONE CAR PASS DURING SEASON.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE LENIENT.
I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO KIND OF REACH OUT MORE TO THE PROPERTY MANAGERS AND ALL THE PROPERTIES INVOLVED AND THEY'LL KIND OF TELL YOU SOME OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THERE IF YOU DON'T KNOW.
SO JUST BASICALLY THAT, AS I SAID, HELPFUL.
AND WHAT WAS YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? OH, I'M SORRY.
NO H AND THE T, BUT THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? MR. BROWN?
UM, DO APPRECIATE ALL OF STAFF'S HARD WORK ON THIS.
UM, JUST, I KNOW MY TIME IS LIMITED, BUT I WANT TO, UM, GO OVER A FEW POINTS.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND, AND IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED THAT WE'RE NOT ENFORCING WHAT WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW YET.
WE'RE GOING TO ADD MORE RESTRICTIONS.
SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE BRING UP THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE AVERAGES ON IT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE TO EQUATE SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU.
SO ON AVERAGE, UM, ELSE WHAT, WHAT I, WHAT, WHAT I'D SAY IS THIS IS WE'VE GOTTA HAVE SOME CONGRUENCY TO HAVE A ONE SIZE TWO PLUS TWO OPTION.
I'M GONNA BE VERY CLEAR WITH YOU, IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE THAT IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW FOR THERE TO BE A LOT OF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE, WHICH, IF THAT IS THE GOAL, BY DOING THAT, WE WILL BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THAT'LL BE VERY DIFFICULT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE AVERAGES, WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING ACTUALLY GOES WELL BELOW AVERAGES.
SO ALL I WOULD ASK IS THAT, THAT, UM, BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IS THE AVERAGES RIGHT NOW ARE NOT GOING TO FIT IN A TWO PLUS TWO TWO MODEL.
I MEAN, CAN WE NOT FIND THE SLIDE? YEAH, RIGHT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SO HARD.
OKAY, SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S, THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE ASKING FOR A 10 TO 20% LOWERING OF THE OCCUPANCY LIMITS.
SO AGAIN, THINK OF THAT IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE ISLAND.
AGAIN, LESS AT TAX DOLLARS, THAT'LL HAPPEN.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING HERE, LOOK AT THE AVERAGES, REPORTED AVERAGES, YOU KNOW, SO YOU'RE AT 22 VERSUS 25.
THAT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL TO YOU GUYS, BUT THAT'S THE AVERAGE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE THAT IS MORE THAN A 10% OR 15% IMPACT, THAT'S GONNA BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY ATEX DOLLARS BEING LESS.
SO AS LONG AS THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, PARKING IS A MUCH BETTER WAY TO MANDATE THIS.
WE WOULD NEVER FROM A SHORT TERM RENTAL COMMUNITY EVER ASK THAT THERE BE 8, 9, 10, OR 11 PARKING SPOTS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU WANT TO CAP OCCUPANCY FOR PER PEOPLE PER CAR AND LIMITED BY THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT IT CAN PARK, IT'S A VERY SIMPLE CALCULATION THAT THEN YOUR OFFICERS CAN DRIVE BY AND DO.
ASKING TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO RESIDENCE AND ASK THEM TO CHANGE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT THEY SLEEP, AGAIN, IS GETTING INTO OWNER USE RIGHTS.
IT'S GONNA BE A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.
TWO PLUS TWO IN THAT SENSE DOES NOT WORK.
YOU HAVE TO AT LEAST GET TO THE REPORTED AVERAGES.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE AS A RENTAL COMMUNITY CAN SUSTAIN THAT LOSS OF REVENUE.
AND THAT'S GONNA IN TURN, AFFECT YOUR AT TAX DOLLARS.
THAT'S GONNA THEN AFFECT OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
YOU KNOW, SO IF WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC THAT'S HERE AFFECTED BY CARS, DON'T CHANGE IT BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
OTHER COMMENTS? THAT'S COMING UP MORNING OR AFTERNOON? I GUESS BETH PETRO WITH BEACHSIDE GETAWAY.
AND TO REITERATE DREW'S STATEMENT, I DO MANAGE ONE OF THE LARGER HOMES.
UM, I MANAGE AN EIGHT BEDROOM HOME.
IT HAS NINE AND A HALF BATHROOMS, SO IT HAS THE CAPABILITY TO HOLD THESE PEOPLE.
BUT AGAIN, EVEN WITH THAT, IT WAS ZONED, IT WAS GIVEN A BUILDING PERMIT AND IT DOES NOT HAVE MORE THAN EIGHT SPACES.
SO WE ARE NOT ADVOCATING FOR MORE SPACES THAN WHAT ARE NEEDED, UM, OR EVEN POOR BED PER BEDROOM.
BUT IF YOU GO, I DON'T WANT YOU TO CHANGE THE SLIDE BECAUSE DREW'S COMMENT ON THE AVERAGES IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT WE HAVE, THE VAST MINORITY OF
[01:20:01]
THEM ARE ABOVE SIX BEDROOMS, 6, 7, 8, 9, AND 10.BUT THEY WILL BE THE HOUSES THAT WILL BE, BE HARDEST HIT BY THE OCCUPANCY.
IF THERE IS A WAY TO MANDATE IT MORE WITH JUST PARKING AS OPPOSED TO THE OCCUPANCY, I THINK YOU'LL BE A LOT BETTER OFF.
UM, LOOKING AT THE, THE FIRE AND RESCUE, WHAT TYPE OF SYSTEMS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FOR OVER 3,600? BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS YOU, MS. BECKER, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE SMOKE DETECTORS, UM, FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS.
SO HOW MUCH OF A SYSTEM IS THAT, UM, BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE OVER 3,600 SQUARE FEET? UH, AGAIN, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS THAT WAS SAID WAS WAITING TILL JANUARY, 2026 FOR EXISTING SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMITS TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE BECAUSE THEY HAVE, MOST OF OURS ARE ALREADY BOOKED FOR ALL OF NEXT SUMMER.
BUT ANYTHING NEW, I FULLY SUPPORT MAKING OUR REGULATIONS FOR ANYTHING THAT'S NEW COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
BUT ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN ALLOWED AND EXISTED, THEY HAVE, SOME OF THESE HOUSES HAVE GUESTS THAT HAVE STAYED IN THESE HOUSES WITH THEIR FAMILIES FOR EVERY BIT OF, OF 20 TO 30, 40 YEARS.
OBVIOUSLY THE NEWER HOUSES DON'T, BUT THOSE FAMILIES HAVE GROWN AND THEY'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THAT.
SO THAT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO HAVE TO RELOCATE ALL OF THESE FAMILIES THAT DO WANNA STAY IN ONE PROPERTY.
AND AGAIN, IT'S THE MINORITY, THE TWO BEDROOMS, THE ONE BEDROOMS THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE BULK OF OUR SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON THIS ISLAND.
THOSE SHOULD BE GOING BACK TOWARDS, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT HAVE ALL THESE TWO BEDROOM, UM, VILLAS, THEY WERE, THEY'RE IN AREAS THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND JUST A QUICK NOTE, I, I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT EVERY HOME IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE, UM, FIRE DETECTORS AND COS IN THE ROOMS THAT'S JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
UM, OUR AVERAGE HOME SIZE IS 5.5 BEDROOMS, SO WE TEND TO HAVE MUCH OF THE LARGER HOMES WE, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE BETWEEN A TWO BEDROOM CONDO ALL THE WAY UP TO A SEVEN BEDROOM HOME.
UM, AND SO JUST A COUPLE THINGS THAT POPPED UP AND I'LL REITERATE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BETH AND, UM, DREW SAID, BUT I FIRST WANTED TO START OUT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE GOT A NEW THREAD GOING HERE WITH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO STRUCTURE ARRIVAL DAYS.
AND IT MAKES ALL SENSE IN THE WORLD IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR INDUSTRY, BUT AS YOU GET INTO OUR INDUSTRY, IT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CHALLENGE TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS HALF THE ISLAND AND MAKE IT SATURDAY TO SATURDAY AND TAKE THIS HALF THE ISLAND AND MAKE IT SUNDAY TO SUNDAY.
PART OF THE REASON IS, IS ONE, IT'S HARD TO DICTATE WHAT PEOPLE WANT AS TRAVELERS AND VISITORS TO OUR ISLAND.
UM, YES, WE CAN CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHELL AROUND THAT.
THE ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT AS OUR OCCUPANCY HAS KIND OF DROPPED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE WINDOW FOR SATURDAY TO SATURDAY TO ARRIVALS IS MUCH, MUCH SMALLER THAN IT IS.
THERE'S A COUPLE OWNERS THAT WANT TO DO YEAR ROUND SATURDAY TO SATURDAY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT'S THE STRUCTURE, THE, THE, THE PEAK SUMMER MONTHS, MAYBE A FEW WEEKS AROUND SPRING BREAK, AND THEN USUALLY AROUND THANKSGIVING AS WELL.
UM, BUT THE, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT AS AN INDUSTRY, UM, REALLY ARE, THERE'S A WORKFORCE LIMITATION WITH SUNDAY WORK.
UM, A LOT OF THE CLEANING FORCE, OUR WORKFORCE WORK, MULTIPLE JOBS, AND A SATURDAY GIG CLEANING A HOUSE, A LARGE HOUSE IS GREAT INCOME FOR A LOT OF THIS WORKFORCE.
AND A LOT OF THEM, THE WORKFORCE IS VERY RELIGIOUS AND IT'S HARD TO FIND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK A ON A SUNDAY.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT BIFURCATING THE ISLAND, IT MAKES SENSE IN CONCEPT, BUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO CREATE THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE, I THINK IS GONNA BE CHALLENGING.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE ARRIVING EARLIER NOW BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BEAT THE TRAFFIC.
IT'S KIND OF IRONIC BECAUSE WE'RE LIKE, WELL, WE DON'T WANNA SHOW UP AT FOUR O'CLOCK FOR CHECK BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE LINES, SO WE'RE GONNA SHOW UP AT 11 O'CLOCK AND THAT'S GONNA CREATE THE SAME LINE AS WELL.
SO I THINK IF WE HAVE A SUNDAY TO SUNDAY, PEOPLE ARE GONNA USE THAT SATURDAY DAY TO TRAVEL TO BLUFFTON, EVEN TRAVEL TO HILTON AND STAY IN A HOTEL FOR ONE NIGHT.
THEY'RE ALREADY GONNA BE HERE.
THEY'RE GONNA CREATE SOME SORT OF CONGESTION WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO GO OFF ISLAND, ON ISLAND.
I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE LEAVE THAT JUST, JUST, IT IS WHAT IT IS AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH IT THE BEST WE CAN.
BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS, THE TOWN TO NOT REGULATE THAT, UM, FULLY.
UM, A MUNICIPAL COURT IS IMPORTANT, UM, IN ORDER TO HOLD BOTH GUESTS ACCOUNTABLE AND OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE.
WE DO BELIEVE AS AN INDUSTRY THAT THERE'S A BI WE NEED TO BIFURCATE WHAT GUESTS NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR AS WELL AS OWNERS.
UM, IF WE SOLELY HOLD THE OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE, WE WORRY THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A CHANCE OF, IT'S LIKE A PARENT WHO'S ALWAYS GONNA BE COVERING FOR THE KIDS.
ARE WE REALLY GONNA CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR OF THE GUESTS IF THE GUESTS ARE NOT GONNA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE? UM, AND FINALLY, I THINK OCCUPANCY AS, AS DREW AND BETH HAD SAID, OCCUPANCY MAX, UM, SHOULD FACTOR IN WITH THE SCALE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, A SIX BEDROOM HOME AT 3,500 SQUARE FEET IS GONNA BE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAN A SIX BEDROOM HOME AT 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO CHANGING THAT ADDITIVE FROM TWO TO FOUR IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER.
[01:25:01]
YES, SIR.MICHAEL SACKHEIM, PALMETTO DUNES.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
JUST A COUPLE OF, FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THIS, UH, UH, OF THESE, UH, STR REGULATIONS.
I THINK WHEN, UH, UH, UH, A PROPERTY OWNER GETS A, UH, ANNUAL STR PERMIT, THEY SHOULD ALSO GET A DECAL THAT THEY HAVE TO PUT ON THEIR FRONT WINDOW OF THEIR HOUSE OR THEIR CONDO.
SO IT WOULD SAY 2024 STR WITH THE OCCUPANCY, MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY.
AND THEN THE NEIGHBORS, IF THEY'RE A FULL-TIME RESIDENT, WILL REPORT ANY VIOLATION.
SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HOW TO KNOW ABOUT IT, THE NEIGHBORS, YOU JUST HAVE TO COUNT HOW MANY BICYCLES ARE IN FRONT OF THE CONDO AND YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE.
THE SECOND THING IS, I THINK THE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINES.
UH, SO IF YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT THE GUESTS, THE OWNER AND THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, IF THERE'S A FINE, THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY HAS TO BE CO-RESPONSIBLE.
SO YOU'LL HAVE A SELF-ENFORCING MECHANISM.
THEY'LL MAKE SURE TO TELL THE OWNERS NO MORE THAN 10 OCCUPANTS WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE A FINE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS GOING ONCE
SO I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION, UM, THAT'S COME AROUND AND, AND, AND, UH, SEAN, DO, YOU'VE GOT SOME SOME MOVING POINTS FROM THIS TODAY.
HE'S SAYING HELP ME WITH THE OCCUPANCY AS, AS WE SPEAK, WE ARE BOTH TAKING NOTES AND TRYING TO COMPARE THEM QUIETLY.
SO, UH, FORGIVE US FOR SIDE BARRING.
FIRST OF ALL, IT, IT SEEMS, UH, AND THERE'S SOME DETAILS BEHIND THIS BASED ON THE CONVERSATION WE HAD, BUT JUST FROM A HIGH LEVEL ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE FINDINGS AND ENFORCEMENT, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE HEARD AND LEARNED THAT WE NEED TO INCORPORATE INTO THE, INTO THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE OF THE DOCUMENT.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO PARKING, UH, WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS WE WANT ADEQUATE PARKING.
WE'VE KICKED AROUND THE IDEA OF HAVING A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES BECAUSE WE WANT ADEQUATE PARKING.
UH, WE'VE HEARD FROM FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THEY DON'T HAVE 10 SPACES ON, ON 10 BEDROOM AND, AND THEY DON'T WANT 10 SPACES.
UM, SO, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE ADEQUATE PARKING.
WE, WE WANNA HAVE SOME MAXIMUM.
UH, I THINK THERE THEN BECOMES A QUESTION OF HOW DO WE COUNT OUR PARKING? DO WE COUNT IT BY BEDROOM OR BY ANCY? BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD, WE'VE HEARD BOTH.
UM, AND IF IT'S BY OCCUPANCY, THEN WHAT'S THAT NUMBER? UH, WE'VE HEARD FOUR PER CAR AND THAT, THAT SEEMS TO BE A LOGICAL STATEMENT, BUT I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF A LARGER QUESTION ABOUT OCCUPANCY ITSELF.
UM, AND WHETHER OR NOT WE, WE, WE KEEP, SEEM TO KEEP COMING BACK TO PARKING.
SO I GUESS THERE'S A QUESTION.
IT IT, DO WE WANNA REGULATE OCCUPANCY, UM, AS PART OF THIS? UM, AND IF WE DO, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE IN THAT RIGHT TWO PLUS TWO.
I KNOW THERE'S A, AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL THAT I, THAT I HAVE NOTED HERE TO, TO SUPPORT WITH SOME DATA TO SEE WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE.
BUT, UM, BEDROOMS, I'M SORRY, I'M PARKING.
JUST SOME CLARIFICATION ON MAXIMUMS AND ARE WE COUNTING IT RIGHT? ARE WE COUNTING IT BY BEDROOM OR OCCUPANCY? AND THEN ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH OCCUPANCY? ADD ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH.
CAN I TAKE A SHOT AS WELL? MM-HMM,
I'VE BEEN TAKING SOME NOTES, KIM, I'M AFRAID TO ASK, BUT CAN YOU GO BACK TO A PARTICULAR SLIDE? DO YOU HAVE THE O DO YOU HAVE THE CONTROL NOW? I'D LIKE TO BRING YOU TO THE SHORT TERM RENTAL BEST PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS.
WE HAVE NOT TALKED AND, AND NOR HAVE WE RECOMMENDED ANY, ANY PARTICULAR RESTRICTIONS ON PERMIT CAPS OR LOCATION RESTRICTIONS.
IF THIS IS OUR FIRST REAL YEAR IN BOB HAS BEEN BUSY.
I THINK WHAT, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M TAKING AWAY TODAY IS THAT TOWN COUNCIL WOULD LIKE US TO PROCEED WITH THIS TOPIC, WITH THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT AS A TOWN CODE AMENDMENT.
YOU KNOW, THAT THE BASE YEAR AND SOME TRENDS OVER TIME REALLY IS A HIGH PRIORITY.
AND, AND, AND HEATHER WILL WIND US SITTING BEHIND YOU SHAKING HER HEAD.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE CAN PUT THAT DASHBOARD TOGETHER WITH OUR GIS TEAM.
WE NEED TO MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
WE NEED TO MAKE IT, UH, QUICKLY AVAILABLE EXTERNALLY AND ESPECIALLY MORE THAN JUST A PRESENTATION.
ARE WE HEARING, UH, ABOUT PARKING PROPERLY THOUGH? BECAUSE WE HEARD, WE HEARD A GOOD COMMENT TODAY.
[01:30:01]
TEAM ARE GONNA DRIVE BY A PARTICULAR HOUSE AND THEY'RE GONNA CHECK THE PERMIT TO SEE WHAT THE OCCUPANCY IS, TO SEE HOW MANY CARS COULD, SHOULD OR ARE ALLOWED TO BE PARKED THERE.OR DO WE JUST SAY NO MORE THAN SIX VEHICLES PER SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
AND YOU PUT THAT ON YOUR APPLICATION, YOU PUT THAT ON YOUR AD AND YOU PUT THAT ON YOUR BOOKING.
AND IT'S THE SAME RULE BEHIND THE GATES IN PALMETTO DUNES AS IT'S NOW OUTSIDE THE GATES.
IT'S A QUESTION THAT GETS US AWAY FROM SOME OF THIS OCCUPANCY CONVERSATION A LITTLE MORE WHERE WE SAY MAX SIX PARKING NOT IN RIGHT OF WAY, NOT IN BUFFER OR SETBACK UNLESS YOU'RE IN THE DRIVEWAY, RIGHT TOWN COURT OR TO AT LEAST EXPLORE IT, FIGURE OUT THE COSTS.
UM, I CAN HAVE THAT FOR YOU IN A MATTER OF DAYS.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE LATEST AND GREATEST TOWN CLERK OF COURT SALARY GRADE RANGE.
AND WE KNOW THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT MUNICIPAL COURT, THAT SHORT TERM RENTAL, FIRE RESCUE, A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER, OR PARKING A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER BENEFITS WOULD OCCUR, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MY VANTAGE POINT AS WELL AS, UH, MR. BRO'S VANTAGE POINT ENFORCEMENT PENALTIES.
DEFINITELY CIVIL, MORE PROACTIVE IF, IF THEY'RE NOT CRIMINAL AND THEY'RE CIVIL.
AND WE HAVE A COURT, I KNOW MR. BROMAGE ARE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HIS TEAM WILL BE A LOT MORE BULLISH ON ENFORCEMENT IN THAT MATTER, RATHER THAN MAKING THINGS CRIMINAL WITH A PROCESS SERVER IN OHIO AND PUTTING THAT THROUGH SOMEONE ELSE'S COURT NOISE ORDINANCE, UH, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S CURRENTLY IN OUR CODE MORE PROACTIVE AND MEASURED AND CALIBRATE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE PUDS THE SAME.
SO, SO GIVE US A MOMENT, UM, ON THAT.
FIRE SAFETY, SMOKE ALARMS, CARBON MONOXIDE, ALL OF THOSE ARE ALREADY IN, WELL, IT'S NOT IN AS A, AS A PHYSICAL IN-PERSON.
ANNUAL INSPECTION, RIGHT? I HAVE THAT RIGHT.
ANNUAL INSPECTION IS NOT PART OF OUR CURRENT PROGRAM.
WE WOULD HAVE A PERSON, WHETHER IT'S CURRENT OR FUTURE, ONE PERSON INSPECTING 7,000 UNITS A YEAR.
DO WE NEED MORE THAN ONE FEES? I BELIEVE I HEARD SCALE BY SIZE SCALE THE COST OF THE FEE BY SIZE.
MY, MY ASTERISK WAS ADD AN INSPECTION FEE OR JUST DUMP IT INTO THE PERMIT COST.
WE'RE SPENDING OUR TIME AND MONEY AND, AND WE'RE SPENDING MORE TIME ON THAT ONE RIGHT THAN WE ARE ON THE ONE THAT WE'RE SPENDING MORE TIME ON THE LATE THAN WE'RE SPENDING ON THE TIME THAT'S EARLY AND WITHOUT ISSUE.
NEW, NEW UNITS, IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE, EXISTING 7,000 OR SO UNITS DEPENDING ON WHO HAS A, A VALID PERMIT.
SOMETIMES THAT 7,000 THAT WE SEE ON THERE COULD BE 8,000 ON ANY GIVEN, ANY GIVEN SUNDAY AS THEY SAY, BECAUSE THE FOLKS PUT THEIR, THEIR HOME ON THE MARKET FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AND TAKE IT OFF.
AND, AND TYPICALLY SOME OF THOSE IN VIOLATION OR NOT IN COMPLIANCE OF OUR PERMIT SYSTEM AND OUR PERMIT PROGRAM DO NOT GET A PERMIT.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE A SMOKE ALARM.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEIR NEIGHBORS ARE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CARS ARE PARKED THERE IF THEY'RE TAKING THEIR TRASH OUT.
SO WE ARE ALWAYS CHASING THAT TO A DEGREE.
THIS BUSINESS IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE, ALWAYS WILL BE.
AND IS ACROSS THE COUNTRY A CAT AND MOUSE GAME, RIGHT? BUT THE ONES THAT WE KNOW, I THINK THEY'RE BETTER, RIGHT? WE DO NOT HAVE THE DATA UP ON THE SCREEN THAT SHOWS SEA PINES, PALMETTO, DUNES AND GOV OS AND C CLICK FIX AND CALLS TO BOB ON A SATURDAY.
WE JUST HAVE SOME OF THAT DATA BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DON'T CALL US.
THEY CALL THE SECURITY GUARD IN THE, IN THE, IN THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WHERE THEY LIVE.
'CAUSE THEY KNOW THEM AND THEY WANT MOST OF THE TIME TO BE ANONYMOUS.
SO, SO WHAT I HEARD IS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 26TH, BUT THAT OUR PER, AND THE ONE THING WE DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT TODAY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, THE PERMIT NUMBER, TRACKING BACK TO THE ADVERTISEMENT IS SOMETHING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR NEEDS.
AND WE CAN SIMPLY JUST CALIBRATE THAT IN THE ADMIN.
I THINK I CAPTURED A LOT OF IT.
WHAT HE DIDN'T CAPTURE AND I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT JUST NOW WAS OCCUPANCY.
AND I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT MR. AMES.
I WASN'T COMPLETELY TRACKING 'CAUSE I KNEW YOU WERE TAKING NOTES.
I WAS LOOKING SOMETHING ELSE UP.
THIS PLUS OR MINUS 3,600 SQUARE FEET THAT'S MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND SO I DO, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT I JUST SAID, BUT THEN ALSO EXPLORE SOME OF THESE BUCKETS IF, IF, IF WE NEED TO.
'CAUSE OF, UH, AND I, AND I'M GONNA SAY THIS LAST, WE WANT
[01:35:01]
TO GET THIS DONE FAST, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO SO FAST.WELL, I, I APPRECIATE THAT AND, AND, AND IN YOUR NOTE TAKING, AND I WANNA GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER IS THAT, UM, WHAT WE PUT INTO PLACE TODAY CAN BE ADJUSTED TOMORROW TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRINGENT, BUT GET US TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE ADDRESSING SOMETHING NOW VERSUS NOTHING LIKE WE USED TO BE.
SO, UH, ANY COMMENTS TO WHAT, WHAT MR. ORLANDO, MS. BECKER? UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE PARKING FIRST THAT, UM, I THINK I'VE MENTIONED TO OTHER PEOPLE AT VARIOUS TIMES, A RECENT ADO, UM, STORY.
UM, PERSONAL STORY IS THAT IN A SERIES OF 10 BEDROOM HOMES, TWO THAT WERE OCCUPIED HAD 18 VEHICLES IN THE DRIVEWAY AND IN THE GARAGE.
WE KNOW IN THE GARAGE BECAUSE YOU, THEY HAD TO LEAVE THE GARAGE OPEN BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T CLOSE THE GARAGE TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD PUSH THEM ALL CLOSE ENOUGH IN SO THAT ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THEM WERE HANGING OUT INTO THE STREET.
SO 10 BEDROOM, UM, HOMES NEED TO HAVE 10 BEDROOM, 10 PARKING SPACES ALLOTTED TO THEM.
UM, IF YOU MAKE IT SIX, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKS OUT, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BRING 10.
ANYWAY, ANOTHER QUICK STORY IS IT MAY WORK OUT FINE FOR FOUR PER CAR WHEN IT'S A FAMILY VACATION, BUT WHEN IT'S A GO GOLF OUTING WITH A BUNCH OF GUYS, THEY BRING THEIR, UM, OWN CARS.
AND SO YOU CAN HAVE A FIVE OR SIX BEDROOM, UM, HOME THAT WILL END UP WITH SIX OR SEVEN CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY.
SO IT IS A FIRSTHAND STORY TO TELL.
UM, AND I WANT US TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE NOT SOLVING A PROBLEM IF WE DON'T LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES THAT ARE REAL AND HAPPENING TODAY.
AND THESE LARGER HOMES ARE THE ONES THAT, UM, ARE BEING THE, THE BIGGEST OFFENDERS THAT I SEE I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN REPRESENT AN AREA OF BIG HOME RENTALS.
UM, TO SPEAK TO THE OCCUPANCY WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED IS GOING TO BE HARD TO ENFORCE.
I THINK ALMOST EVERYONE AGREED ON THAT.
SO TO TIE PARKING TO OCCUPANCY SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S JUST GOING TO SEND US ALL INTO, UM, CONSTANT AITA AND CONVERSATION AND CONFLICT WITH EVERYONE.
UM, SO TAKE THE OCCUPANCY PIECE WITH REGARD TO PARKING OUT, UM, RELATE THE PARKING TO THE BEDROOMS PERIOD.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST SAY WITH REGARD TO OCCUPANCY, YOU KNOW, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, IT BECOMES PROBLEMATIC, BUT IT ALSO IS PROBLEMATIC.
SO I THINK, BUT IT'S ALSO PROBLEMATIC WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT NOISE AND FIRE AND SAFETY CONCERNS, WHICH I THINK HAS TO BE OUR FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, PIECE TO BE LOOKING AT.
AND SO I KNOW IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW WE MANAGE IT AND DON'T PUT SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS THAT WE KNOW WE CAN'T EN ENFORCE AND THEN END UP WITH SOMETHING THAT FOLKS ARE TELLING US WE'RE NOT DOING THE JOB THAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO.
SO UNTIL WE HAVE A BIGGER CONVERSATION ABOUT OCCUPANCY IN A WAY TO ACTUALLY ENFORCE IT, UM, I'M WORRIED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT ASPECT OF IT.
I DON'T WANNA SET UNREAL EXPECTATIONS, UM, IN THE, IN THE, UM, COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A PROBLEM IN THE COMMENT ABOUT YOU CAN COUNT HOW MANY BICYCLES GET DELIVERED IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
ONE OTHER THING WITH REGARD TO SIGNAGE AND PERMIT NUMBERS, ET CETERA.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS INITIALLY WHEN WE STARTED, UM, THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT PROGRAM AND THERE WAS BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT EACH UNIT SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF PLACARD ON IT THAT HAS THE PERMIT.
I STILL BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD.
I THINK IT'S, UM, A FAIR AND REASONABLE THING TO DO FOR EVERYONE AROUND TO KNOW WHAT NUMBER OF PERMIT, UM, UH, AND, AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT WHEN A REPORT IS BEING MADE.
UM, ADDRESSES ARE NOT ALWAYS KNOWN.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US AGAIN TO REVISIT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, HAVE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED IT AND HOPEFULLY COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT EACH BUILDING SHOULD HAVE A PERMIT NUMBER OR RESIDENT SHOULD HAVE A PERMIT NUMBER ON THERE.
AND ABSOLUTELY WE NEED A DEADLINE FOR WHEN FOLKS NEED TO BE APPLYING FOR THEIR PERMIT.
[01:40:01]
DEADLINE, THERE SHOULD BE AN ESCALATING, UM, LATE FEE.AND IF THEY MISS A FUTURE DEADLINE, MAYBE AN ULTIMATE DEADLINE, THEN THEY JUST DON'T GET THEIR PERMIT THAT YEAR.
SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE MY 2 CENTS.
OTHER, OTHER COMMENTS? UM, MR. MAYOR, FIRST OF ALL, I, I THINK WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR OVER A YEAR AND I'M READY TO FISH OR CUT BAIT AND I'M READY TO CATCH THE FISH WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
AND IF WE NEED TO, UM, IF WE NEED TO GET BIGGER BAIT IN THE FUTURE, I'M, I, I'LL GO BACK FISHING, BUT I'M READY TO DO IT.
UM, I THINK WE OUGHT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FOLLOWING BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA WASTE ANY MORE TIME STUDYING AND THINKING AND, UM, AND PRICING A MUNICIPAL COURT
UM, HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DO FROM, BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD, THE MUNICIPAL CODE TRACK, NOT THE LMO.
UM, SECOND IS CIVIL PENALTIES.
CIVIL PENALTIES INCLUDING SOME, UH, STANDARDS AND REVOCATION SUSPENSION, INCREASING THE FEES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BE BEDROOMS AS THE STAFF HAS SUGGESTED.
I'LL LIVE WITH THE EFFECTIVE DATE PROVIDED THAT NEW PERMITS, UH, IT, IT APPLIES UPON ADOPTION AND THAT WE MOVE AS FAST AS WE CAN WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE LOCAL BUSINESS, UM, NEEDS AND ALSO OUR STAFF, UM, UM, SOFTWARE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PARKING MEASURE SUGGESTED BY STAFF.
I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH CONSENSUS HERE TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE, UM, SOME SORT OF MAXIMUM IF IT'S SIX SPACES, IF THAT'S THE RIGHT MAXIMUM, BUT LET STAFF COME BACK TO US IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, NOT IN ANOTHER WORKSHOP, NOT GOING BACK TO A COMMITTEE, UM, IN PROHIBITION OF PARKING IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD WITH AN OCCUPANCY MEASURE BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO A PROBLEM.
AND I LIKE THE TWO PER BEDROOM I CAN LIVE WITH PLUS TWO AS THE STAFF HAS SUGGESTED.
AND I THINK THAT TAKES CARE OF THE CRITICAL NEEDS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S HOW I WOULD SUGGEST WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, GUESS I WANTED TO CLARIFY, UH, COUNCILOR BRYSON JUST BROUGHT UP A POINT ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
BY NO MEANS AM I SUGGESTING THAT WE HOLD THINGS UP FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
I AM HIGHLY SUGGESTING THAT WE MOVE ALONG THE SAME FAST TRACK PLANNING FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
WE WILL SOON BE HAVING BUDGETARY DISCUSSIONS IN JANUARY.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, WHEN, WHEN I, WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE, UH, THE COMPLAINTS, UH, 40% OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE COMING AROUND THE TOPIC OF PARKING.
SO I, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE DEFINITELY ON THE RIGHT TRACK HERE, UM, WITH SOMETHING THAT WE CAN OBVIOUSLY ENFORCE.
UH, SO I AM, UH, READY TO MOVE ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, I AGREE WITH COMING BACK WITH SOME TYPE OF MAXIMUM, UH, FOR THE PARKING.
AND, UM, AS FAR AS THE OCCUPANCY IS CONCERNED, TO ME THAT'S MORE OF A MARKETING OF EXPECTATION THAN IT IS US BEING ABLE TO ENFORCE IT.
OKAY? SO I JUST WANT US TO BE MINDFUL THAT I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT MARKETING THAT THIS IS THE WILD WILD WEST.
WE'RE MARKETING THAT THIS IS VERY QUALITY, UH, EXPERIENCE HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I AM, MR. MAYOR.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALFRED? JUST WANNA SECOND SOME OF THESE THOUGHTS.
I WOULD BE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF STAFF COMING BACK WITH AN ORDINANCE FOR US TO DEAL WITH THESE MATTERS AND WE CAN CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION IN CONNECTION WITH THAT.
I AGREE WITH MR. ALFRED ON THAT.
THANK, I THINK WE ALL ARE IN AGREEANCE ON THAT.
WELL, WE'VE GOTTEN THIS FURTHER ALONG THAN EXPECTED, SO THAT'S, THAT'S AWESOME.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT AS WELL.
UM, NEXT, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, NORTH POINT.
SO I, YEAH, IN THEORY, THESE LIFTS SHOULD GET A LITTLE BIT EASIER, DEEPER INTO THE PRESENTATION FOR A MOMENT.
SO NEXT ITEM IS, UH, NORTH POINT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
UM, SO THIS ONE HAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT LAYOUT THAN THAN THE OTHER, THE OTHER 11 THAT ARE ON OUR DOCKET.
UH, AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CONVERSATION, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE ADVANCE THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT FORWARD.
SO IF WE RECALL, UH, TOWN COUNCIL IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED, UH, AND RECENTLY APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ON JUNE 18TH OF, OF THIS YEAR, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
[01:45:01]
THAT LAYS OUT THE PROJECT SCOPE FOR THE NORTH POINT, UM, DEVELOPMENT.I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE A, A LITTLE OVER 11 ACRE SITE THAT HAS, UH, ENTITLEMENTS FOR UP TO OR NOT OR HAS, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ENTITLEMENTS FOR UP TO 170 UNITS, UM, AS YOU SEE LAID OUT HERE.
AND IT IS WORKFORCE MEANING THAT, UH, 60 TO 150% OF THE MEDIA INCOME WILL BE LIVING IN AT LEAST 50% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS.
AS PART OF THAT, UH, THE TOWN AND OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, ONE STREET RESIDENTIAL, HAVE CERTAIN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACTUALLY I'LL START AT THE BOTTOM.
FIRST ONE, STREET'S RESPONSIBILITIES REALLY KICK IN ONCE THE ZONING IS ESTABLISHED ON THE SITE WHERE THEY WILL HANDLE DESIGN PERMITTING, THE FINANCING, LEASING, CONSTRUCTION, LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF, OF AND OF, OF THE BILL OF THE PROPERTY.
ALONG THE WAY, THOUGH, WE HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO AS, AS A TOWN, UM, FROM LONG-TERM SUPPORT THE GROUND LEASE, UM, USING SOME OF OUR FUNDS TO, TO HELP GET THE, UH, THE PROJECT OFF THE GROUND AND, AND HELP MAKE IT AFFORDABLE.
BUT WHAT WERE WANNA TALK ABOUT HERE THIS AFTERNOON IS THE ZONING ENTITLEMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND, AND SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS LAY OUT A, A, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS, ACTUALLY THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR WHAT THAT ZONING ENTITLEMENT CAN BE.
CURRENTLY, THE SITE IS ZONED PR, WHICH IS IDENTIFIED BY GREEN AND, AND IT'S IN HERE IN THAT RED DASHED OUTLINE.
UH, IT'S SURROUNDED BY, UH, RESIDENTIAL ZONING.
RM FOUR, UH, ALSO HAS SOME, UH, IS IT RM EIGHT? I BELIEVE IT'S RM EIGHT OFF TO NEARBY.
AND THEN LIGHT COMMERCIAL, WHICH IS ALSO NEARBY, UH, JUST OFF TO THE WEST HERE IS, UH, THIS IS
THIS IS, UH, STONY ZONING, WHICH THIS PROPERTY IS JUST OUTSIDE OF THE, THE STONY HISTORIC, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO AS A STAFF, WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND LOOKED AT THE, THE DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS THAT HAVE BEEN AGREED TO, UM, AND TRIED TO LINE THAT UP WITH THE DIFFERENT ZONING OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE LMO.
UH, THE FIRST TWO ARE RELATED TO THE WATERFRONT MIXED USE DISTRICT.
THE WATERFRONT MIXED USE DISTRICT ALLOWS A WHOLE HOST OF USES, UM, FOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS AND POTENTIAL ZONING THAT IS LOCATED ON WATERFRONT AS NAME WOULD IMPLY.
AND THIS DOES HAVE FRONTAGE ON JARVIS CREEK, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT THAT NORTH POINT HAS PUT FORWARD THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CONFORMS WITH ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FROM A USE FROM A DENSITY, FROM A SETBACK HEIGHT INTENSITY, MEANING IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE THAT'S SET OUT IN THE WMU.
SO ONE OPTION AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE, THE, THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND WHAT THEY MEAN AS FAR AS FROM A ZONING COMPATIBILITY STANDPOINT.
AS WE, AS WE GET INTO THIS ONE OPTION IS TO ZONE IT WMU AND ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH PUTS ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS.
IT'S AN, IT'S A PRIVATE, IT'S AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND DEVELOPER, UM, TO HOLD BACK SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE WMU WOULD OTHERWISE ALLOW, WHICH IS SOME COMMERCIAL USES 75 FEET INSTEAD OF 45 FEET, WHICH IS WHAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS APPROVED AT, UM, TO HELP USE THAT TO, TO REALLY KIND OF PULL BACK SOME OF THOSE ALLOWANCES THAT THE WMU GRANTS.
THE OTHER OPTION IS THE WMU DISTRICT WITH A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY, A PD TWO OVERLAY.
SO WE TALK A LOT ABOUT PD ONE AND OUR, OUR LARGER, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENTS LIKE SEA PINES, PALM MEADOW, INDIAN SHIPYARD, THOSE ARE PD ONES.
WE, WE DO HAVE A SMALLER PLAN DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY FOR, FOR SMALLER PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF 'EM AROUND THE ISLAND, UM, WHEREBY WE COULD, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE, WE COULD ALSO USE THE PD TWO TO, TO BASICALLY TAKE THOSE SAME RESTRICTIONS AND PUT 'EM IN PLACE THROUGH ZONING.
SO, UH, REALLY A, A BELT AND SUSPENDERS APPROACH TO, TO SOME OF THOSE, THOSE, THOSE CONCERNS THAT MIGHT EXIST WITH USING A, A WATERFRONT MIXED USE.
NOW, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WITH THE WMU IS WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE VICINITY IS, ARE WE ARBITRARILY APPLYING A ZONING DISTRICT TO THIS PROPERTY THAT DOESN'T OTHERWISE, WOULDN'T OTHERWISE BE ALLOWED ON THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES? AND WHILE, YES, AS I SAID BEFORE, THIS PROPERTY DOES HAVE FRONTAGE ON JARVIS CREEK, WHICH RUNS UP THROUGH, UH, THIS LIGHT GREEN AREA.
UM, THERE ARE SIMILAR, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY COVERED BY THE TEXT HERE, BUT THIS, THIS AREA RIGHT HERE, THIS IS A, A SIMILAR TYPE PROPERTY OFF OF THE SQUIRE JUST PAST THE SQUIRE POPE CAUSEWAY THAT HAS WMU ON IT.
THERE IS SOME CONCERN AS WE REVIEWED THIS WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE ZONING ONE BECAUSE IT'S NOT, THERE'S NO OTHER ZONING LIKE IT AROUND IT.
UM, AND SOME OF THE PARAMETERS WITHIN THE WMU ITSELF WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INTENT SECTION, UM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, LOOKING AT THIS MAP, YOU SEE CROSS,
[01:50:01]
UM, THEY, THE OTHER WMU THAT ARE UP ON SKULL CREEK, THOSE HAVE FULL DOCKS, THEY HAVE MARINAS, THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS.THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT HAVE THAT.
SO ON ITS FACE THERE ARE SOME ISSUES, UH, WITH THE WMU THAT GIVES PAUSE TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY AND AS A RESULT GIVES PAUSE TO US.
THE THIRD OPTION THOUGH IS LOOKING AT OUR EXISTING RM ZONING DISTRICTS.
OUR, OUR RESIDENTIAL, UH, DISTRICTS IN THIS CASE, WE DO HAVE AN RM 12 ZONING DISTRICT AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, THERE IS RM 12, OR I'M SORRY, THERE IS R THERE ARE RM ZONINGS NEXT TO THIS PROPERTY.
THE ISSUE IN APPLYING THIS, WELL, LEMME BACK UP.
SO WE CHECK OFF SOME OF THOSE BOXES ABOUT ARBITRARY APPLYING A, A, THIS AN A RESIDENTIAL ZONING TO THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S SURROUNDED.
SO WE, WE, WE CHECKED THAT BOX AND THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE ZONING DISTRICT TO, TO PLACE ON THE PROPERTY WHERE THE RM 12 FALLS SHORT THAT THE WMU CARRIED US ACROSS.
THE, THE LINE WITH WAS ON SOME OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, WE'VE COMMITTED TO A PROJECT THAT REALLY WILL PENCIL OUT TO JUST UNDER 15 UNITS PER ACRE.
WE'VE ALSO, THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTENSITY OF HAVING 15 UNITS PER ACRE REQUIRES MORE THAN A 35% IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE.
THAT IS ONLY ALLOWED IN THE, IN THE RM 12, BUT THIS IS A WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT AND THE WORKFORCE HOUSING ZONING THAT WE HAVE ALLOWS CERTAIN INCENTIVES, CERTAIN BONUSES, CERTAIN RELIEF OF SOME DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS BY INCORPORATING WORKFORCE HOUSING INTO ITS INTO THE PROJECT.
SO WE COULD APPLY THAT RM 12 AND THEN TO SOLVE FOR THOSE TWO, TWO AREAS WHERE WE, WE AREN'T COMPATIBLE, WE COULD AMEND THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FOR A 25% DENSITY BONUS.
SO TAKE THAT 12 TO 15, UH, AND THEN ALSO INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE FROM 35 TO 50.
UH, AND, AND THEN WE ALSO WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, LANGUAGE IN THERE AS WE DO WITH THE RM FOUR THAT'S IN THE WORKFORCE HOUSING, UH, CHAPTER.
THAT HAS TO HAVE FRONTAGE ON A MAJOR ARTERIAL AND A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF FIVE ACRES.
WHAT THAT HAS THE EFFECT OF DOING IS IF WE WERE TO APPLY THIS, BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T APPLY JUST TO, EVEN WITH THOSE RESTRICTIONS, WOULD NOT HAVE JUST APPLIED TO NORTH POINT.
WE ALSO HAVE HEARD FROM COUNCIL, WE DON'T WANT THIS NECESSARILY TO APPLY JUST TO NORTH POINT.
WE WANT THIS TO, TO BE SOMETHING THAT FITS WITHIN OUR, OUR ZONING DISTRICTS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS ALLOW, THERE ARE TWO OTHER, THREE OTHER SITES THAT ARE ZONED RM 12 CURRENTLY.
THESE ARE NOT GREENFIELD SITES, THESE ARE BUILT SITES.
UM, ONE IS SANDALWOOD TERRACE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ALREADY AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S A BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY PROJECT.
UM, NEXT TO THAT IS THE OAKS VILLAS, WHICH IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT, BUT IS, IS REALLY A NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, IN THE SENSE OF WHAT THOSE HOMES OR WHAT THOSE VILLAS SELL FOR.
UH, AND THE OTHER IS THE PALMETTO VILLAS, UM, WHICH IN ITS WHOLE EXCEEDS FIVE ACRES.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO ZONE THIS PROPERTY RM 12, AND THEN TO ALSO AMEND OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING CHAPTER TO ALLOW THOSE TWO EXCEPTIONS TO THE RM 12 CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH RM FOUR, UH, AND OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, CHAPTER.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR COUNSEL'S DIRECTION ON THIS.
WE BELIEVE THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO GO, UM, AFTER SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION WITH, UH, AMONGST STAFF AND WITH OUR TOWN ATTORNEY.
SO WE'LL GO TO, TO, UH, COUNCIL COMMENT.
UH, I WOULD FOLLOW STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, MR. GRAHAM.
YEAH, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AT THIS AND, UH, GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO, UH, MAKE A DECISION SO WE CAN CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM THAT WE'VE GAINED HERE.
UM, I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE RM 12, UM, AND TRYING TO TWEAK THAT TO, UH, HELP OUR PROJECT.
I ALSO WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE MADE SOME, UH, CHANGES TO OUR LMO OVER TIME TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE, UH, THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND, UH, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY TRACTION ON THOSE.
SO I THINK IN A SENSE WE ARE SORT OF CREATING A MODEL TO A DEGREE, UH, AS TO WHAT WORKS SO THAT THE PROJECT CAN PENCIL, UH, SO THAT FOLKS ARE, UH, ENCOURAGED TO DO SO.
UH, THE ONLY, UH, THE ONLY PIECE THAT I'M SORT CHALLENGING US A BIT ON THIS IS THE IMPERVIOUS COVER INCREASE.
IS THERE A WAY TO SORT OF MITIGATE THAT WITH IMPERVIOUS OPPORTUNITY? IS WHERE MY HEAD IS GOING, UM, AT, AT THIS POINT.
UH, SO, UM, MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL,
[01:55:01]
SO IT, AS WE LOOK AT THE CONCEPT PLAN THAT'S IN PLACE, ACTUALLY, THEIR IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE IS GOING TO EXCEED EVEN 50%.SO THEY WILL BE USING PERVIOUS COVERAGE TO GET DOWN TO THE 50% THRESHOLD.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WHAT HAPPENS IS WE'RE, WE'RE IN A 45 FOOT HEIGHT DISTRICT.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THIS, THIS, THE VERTICAL SCALE LOW.
AND BY DOING THAT, WE SPREAD OUT MORE ON THE SITE.
AND SO THESE ARE KIND OF THE, THE, THE, THE TUGS AND POLES THAT WE HAVE ON DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS MS. PRICE.
UM, I AGREE WITH THE STASH RECOMMENDATION.
I I DID HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH THE WMU CONSIDERATION, SO I APPRECIATE THIS.
AND LOOKING AT THE AREAS, UH, THAT ARE ZONED RM 12, THEY'RE LONG, UH, MAJOR CORRIDORS, WHICH IS WHERE WE NEED TO PROVIDE WORKFORCE HOUSING TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH, UM, WITH PERHAPS THE KIND OF TRANSPORTATION WE MIGHT BE LOOKING TOWARDS IN THE FUTURE.
AND NEAR COMMERCIAL AT LEAST, UH, SANDALWOOD TERRACE AND OAKSVILLE IS, ARE CLOSE TO, UH, COMMERCIAL, UH, HUBS, IF YOU WILL, UM, WHICH IS WHERE WORKFORCE SOMETIMES WOULD BE.
UM, SO I, I THINK THOSE AREAS ARE GOOD.
THE PALMETTO BAY VILLAS, MAYBE NOT AS MUCH, BUT I THINK YOU JUST MENTIONED, I WROTE DOWN, I KNOW IT'S FIVE ACRES, SO, AND I GUESS IT'S EXISTING.
SO UNLESS THERE'S A TEAR DOWN, THEN UH, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE, UM, SUBJECT TO THIS KIND OF, UH, DIS INCREASE.
AND I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S CLOSER TO, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS EXISTING.
UM, AND I LIKE ADDING, UM, POSSIBILITIES OF WORKFORCE HOUSING IN OTHER ZONING DISTRICTS.
I, I AGREE WITH MR. BROWN ABOUT THE CONCERN ABOUT INCREASING IMPERVIOUS AREA, AND MAYBE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE HAVE TO INCREASE IT BECAUSE IT MIGHT APPLY TO OTHER PROJECTS AND WE DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE, UM, IMPERVIOUS COVER INCREASES.
UH, WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, FOR THREE REASONS.
UH, ONE, UH, I SUSPECT THAT THE DISTRICT PLANS WILL SUGGEST THAT THESE AREAS MAKE EMINENT SENSE FOR, UM, UH, THE HIGHER DENSITY, UM, WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SECONDLY, I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE WORKFORCE HOUSING IN AREAS THAT ARE CONCENTRATED.
AND, AND THREE, I THINK THE NORTH POINT SITE DEVELOPED AS PROPOSED AS A WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I CONCUR WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE RM 12 APPROACH.
FIRST, WHEN WE INCREASE DENSITY, AND THERE'S SUCH LARGE SUPPORT FOR THAT, IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO ME IT'S BASED ON WHEN GOVERNMENTS GETTING INVOLVED.
WE'VE SEEN OTHER INSTANCES WHERE WORKFORCE HOUSING OPTIONS WERE BROUGHT TO US AND THE IDEA THAT SOMEONE WOULD INCREASE DENSITY TO ACCOMMODATE WORKFORCE HOUSING WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT HAS BEEN, OR THOSE SUPPORTING IT, UH, CRUCIFIED.
AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THE, UM, HYPOCRISY OF THAT.
UM, GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IS NOT THE WAY THAT I LIKE TO GO ON ANYTHING.
I DON'T THINK THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE OTHER, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THAT'S A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT I WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND, THAT INCREASING DENSITY, UM, SOMETIMES IS, IS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME GOAL.
BUT WHEN IT'S ONLY APPRECIATED WHEN GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED, YOU LOSE ME.
UM, HAVING ALREADY HEARD FOUR BOATS ALONG THE WAY HERE, I DO WANNA POINT OUT, UH, OR ASK A QUESTION.
YOU'VE MENTIONED SANDALWOOD TERRACE, OAK VILLAS, THE OAKS VILLAS, AND PALMETTO VILLAS, UM, AS THE ONLY RM 12 DISTRICTS WHERE THIS WOULD APPLY OR AREAS WHERE THIS WOULD APPLY, JUST THOSE THREE AREAS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO WHAT I WOULD SAY WITH REGARD TO THAT IS, UM, SANDALWOOD TERRACE IS A KNOWN ENTITY, SO NOT AS BOTHERED BY THAT, UM, BEING BROUGHT INTO THIS, UM, NEW ZONE.
AND THE OAKS VILLA I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH.
UM, THOSE ARE PEOPLE NOT JUST WHO ARE NECESSARILY, UM, UM, WORKFORCE, BUT THEY'RE, IT'S A LOVELY AREA AND ANYONE MAY WANNA LIVE THERE, UM, AND PURCHASE.
AND SO I HOPE THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHEN PURCHASING WILL KNOW EXACTLY THE IMP UH, RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS ZONING OPTION ON WHAT THEY'VE JUST BOUGHT.
UM, UNLIKE IN OTHER AREAS WHEN WE MADE CHANGES WITH REGARD TO LIKE RM FOUR WHEN IT WASN'T WELL PUBLICIZED,
[02:00:01]
THAT IF YOU HAVE OVER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF ACRES AND IT HAPPENS TWICE, YOU CAN UP THE, THE DENSITY AND FOLKS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN, UM, AWARE OF THAT.AND THEN A QUESTION, WOULD IT BE WITH REGARD TO PALMETTO VILLAS, WOULD IT BE, UM, FAIR AND REASONABLE SINCE, UH, TO REZONE THAT AREA OUT OF RM FOUR 12? SO IN, IN NONE OF, IN, IN THE, AND THE OTHER PROPERTIES ARE ZONED RM 12, WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE ZONING FROM RM 12.
WE ARE SIMPLY AMENDING THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROVISIONS SO THAT IN THE RM 12 DISTRICT, IF SOMEONE WORKS TO CHOOSE TO COME AND MAKE AN APPLICATION AND WANT TO CREATE WORKFORCE HOUSING MM-HMM,
THEY WOULD'VE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT ANYWAY WITHOUT, WITHOUT MAKING THESE CHANGES.
BUT DOING SO GIVES THEM THE BENEFIT OF SOME DENSITY AND IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE BENEFITS, RIGHT? SO, BUT WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE ZONING ON ANY OF THESE PROPERTIES.
BUT BECAUSE THAT BECOMES AN OPTION, AND BECAUSE THAT'S AN AREA WHERE I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE'S, UM, WHAT I'M ASKING IS CAN WE TAKE THESE PROVISIONS, ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS WITH, UM, DENSITY BONUSES, ET CETERA, OUT OF THAT PARTICULAR AREA SO THAT THEY AREN'T, THAT'S NOT AN OPTION THERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING TO HAVE DONE.
I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE TAKE THOSE PROVISIONS WITH REGARD TO THE DENSITY BONUS AND THE INCREASE IN IMPERVIOUS IMP IMPERVIOUS, UM, OUT OF THE PALMETTO VILLAGE LOCATION.
UH, AND I WOULD ASK TOWN COUNSEL FOR SOME GUIDANCE ON THAT, BECAUSE AS WE'RE REZONING THIS MM-HMM,
AND SO THERE'S SOME PARTICULAR ELEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO DO SOME STUDIES ON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WELL, IT'S JUST MY SUGGESTION.
UM, AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT LATER AFTER THAT'S BEEN DONE.
AND THEN I, I'M ALSO GONNA MAKE A COMMENT WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE INCREASE IN THE IMPERIOUS COVERAGE.
WE JUST HAD A CONVERSATION, UM, JUST RECENTLY ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH FLOODING AND DRAINAGE AND THE LIKE, AND, AND, AND AN OVERBUILT ENVIRONMENT UTILIZING MORE LAND AND LEADING LESS LAND IN ITS NATURAL STATE.
AND, UM, INCREASING IMPERVIOUS FROM 35 TO 50 COUNTERS.
EVERYTHING THAT WE SAID WE WANTED TO DO JUST THE OTHER DAY IN THE PUBLIC PLANNING MEETING.
SO THOSE WHO ATTENDED THAT MEETING KNOW THAT CONVERSATION.
AND, AND SO AGAIN, HERE WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT GOES COUNTER TO WHAT WE JUST AGREED WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US AND WE DIDN'T WANNA SEE ANY MORE OF.
SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MR. STANFORD.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE WELL DOWN THE ROAD ON NORTH POINT.
WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE PROJECT, AT LEAST IN CONCEPT.
WE'VE APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
UH, ONE OF THE SOLE OBLIGATIONS OF THE TOWN IS TO GET THE PROPERTY ZONED APPROPRIATELY.
I THINK THAT THE STAFF HAS MADE AN EXCELLENT JOB, AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, AND SHOWING HOW DIFFERENT ZONING, UH, UH, APPLICATIONS COULD BE USED HERE.
THE FIRST TWO WOULD RUN INTO AN AREA OF SPOT ZONING, WHICH WE WANT TO AVOID.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, UH, THE RM 12 WITH A DENSITY BONUS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE APPROVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, MAKES COMPELLING SENSE.
UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES, SIR.
I'M, UH, CLIFF MCMACKIN WITH SEA PINES RESORT, AND, UH, AS MANY KNOW, OUR PARENT COMPANY, RIVERSTONE PROPERTIES, UH, DEVELOPED, UH, PALMETTO VILLAGE, UH, PHASE ONE.
WE'VE, UH, DEVELOPED, UH, AN ACRE OR SO OF IT ALREADY WITH THE 16 UNITS, AND WE DEVELOPED THAT AT 12 UNITS PER ACRE.
AND WHILE I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE STILL EXTREMELY, UH, PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE THERE, UH, WE DO GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS AND, UH, CONCERNS FROM OUR PARENT COMPANY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FUTURE PHASING JUST DUE TO THE ECONOMICS OF DEVELOPING AT 12 UNITS PER ACRE.
UM, SO, UH, I DO WOULD JUST, UH, CONSIDER, UH, ASK YOU TO CON CONSIDER TO, UH, CONTINUE TO REEVALUATE THAT AS A, A PART OF THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR ISLAND.
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ELLEN WALLY.UM, I'M ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE COMMENTS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH, UH, MY ROLE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT I WANTED TO ADDRESS RESILIENCY.
AND IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE NORTH POINT SLIDE WHERE YOU CAN SEE JARVIS CREEK PARK ACROSS THE STREET PARK.
WE CAN'T MOVE THE, OKAY, WELL, YOU ALL KNOW THE AREA WELL ENOUGH,
UM, WHEN I WALK AROUND THE NORTH POINT SITE, I'M NOT QUESTIONING WHY YOU CHOSE THAT.
I'M QUESTIONING HOW YOU DEVELOP IT.
UM, THAT POST OFFICE FLOODS REGULARLY.
I HAVE WALKED AROUND THAT PROPERTY I SEE AFTER A VERY BIG, ESPECIALLY AFTER, WHAT WAS IT, DEBBIE? I DON'T REMEMBER THAT LAST STORM.
THAT WAS LIKE A POND OVER THERE.
UM, I ALSO AM NOT AN EXPERT IN, BUT HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THAT WHOLE JARVIS CREEK AQUIFER INFRASTRUCTURE IS WHERE WE MANAGE THE FLOODING ON THE ISLAND.
SO WHAT I'D URGE YOU TO DO IS WHETHER YOU CALL IT RM 12 OR COME UP WITH RM 14, WHATEVER, WHEN I SAW BUMPING 35 TO 50% IMPERVIOUS, MY RADAR WENT UP.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN DEAL WITH THAT PROPERTY WITH A WHOLE NEW ZONING CATEGORY RATHER THAN MONKEY AROUND WITH RM 12.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS WORKFORCE HOUSING THING, WHICH IS DECISIONS BEEN MADE, YOU'RE GONNA DO IT.
UM, DON'T HAVE A ISSUE WITH IT.
BUT I THINK IF YOU'RE GONNA BE RESILIENT, THAT AREA, YOU GOT JARVIS CREEK ACROSS THE STREET, YOU GOT THOSE AQUIFERS RUNNING THERE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU BUILD IT SO YOU HAVE MORE IMPERVIOUS SPACE AND NOT IMPACT THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN HAPPENING ON THE ISLAND.
SO I'D URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER OR SLOW DOWN.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A CONTRACT, BUT YOU WANNA DO IT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANNA BE SITTING HERE IN A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER THE FIRST FOUNDATION'S GOING IN THERE.
WE HAVE A DEBBIE OR A MATTHEW, AND YOU'RE REALLY FLOATING BOATS OVER THERE.
SO IF YOU DID DO ALL THAT ENGINEERING STUDY AND YOU KNOW, YOU ALREADY CAN BUMP IT FROM 35 TO 50% WITH NEGLIGIBLE OR MANAGEABLE, UM, RESULTS, THEN LET'S HEAR ABOUT IT.
BUT I JUST HEAR IT'S 35 TO 50% SO WE CAN ZONE IT TO THE CONTRACT.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO MANAGE THE ZONING TO THE REALITIES OF THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ISLAND.
IF YOU DID THAT, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH US.
OTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, SEEING THEM, WE'LL BRING IT BACK.
UH, DANIEL ANTHONY JONESVILLE IS WHERE I LIVE.
UM, MARK, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M AT WITH THIS THING STILL.
UM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, I'M, I'M REALLY NERVOUS THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S NOT THERE FOR THIS.
I THINK THE FLOODING IS GONNA BE AN ISSUE.
UH, I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, YOU BRING ALL THESE PEOPLE INTO THIS PLACE, RIGHT? AND I UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF IT, BUT THESE, THESE FAMILIES ARE GONNA HAVE CHILDREN.
THOSE CHILDREN ARE GONNA NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL.
THAT PUTS THE CHILDREN GOING ACROSS GUMTREE ROAD, WHICH IS ALREADY BAD.
AND IT CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE THERE FOR THOSE KIDS GETTING BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL.
NOT TO MENTION THE TRAFFIC JAM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE.
NOW YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOUR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND STUFF, AND I BROUGHT THIS POINT UP TO YOU BEFORE WORK, IF THIS IS WORKFORCE HOUSING, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR YOU, THIS DEVELOPMENT IS ON THE WESTBOUND LANE GOING OFF ISLAND.
ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS LIVING THERE ARE GOING TO GO SOUTH.
IT'S GONNA CONGEST GUMTREE ROAD, AND THEY'RE GONNA JUMP OUT THE SPANISH WELLS AND CONGEST SPANISH WELLS EVEN MORE.
UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE PROJECT AND YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE WORKFORCE IN THERE, BUT WE ALSO GOT ANOTHER 238 UNITS COMING IN AT RIGHTS PLACE, OKAY.
EVERYTHING'S GETTING PILED UP IN WARD ONE.
I MADE A STATEMENT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, I RED FLAGS ME.
UM, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE LAST PLACE ON THIS ISLAND THAT WE GOT THE CHARACTER AND UNIQUENESS THAT WE ALL LOVE ABOUT THIS ISLAND, AND WE ARE SELLING IT DOWN THE RIVER.
SO JUST BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING, LOOK AT THOSE NEGATIVE IMPACTS FIRST BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO US.
UM, WELL, I THINK YOU'VE GOTTEN YOUR, YOUR DIRECTIVE FROM COUNSEL ON THERE.
SO SEAN, MR. YOU'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE NUMBER THREE SINGLE FAMILY MASS SCALE
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AND PARKING.SO SINGLE FAMILY MASS SCALE AND PARKING.
YOU HAVE, SORRY, MY MIC, SORRY.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING SINGLE FAMILY MASS SCALE AND PARKING WITH, UH, THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL FOR SOME TIME.
WE HAVE HEARD, UM, MANY THINGS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, UM, THAT IT'S TYPICALLY AN ISSUE, UH, BOTH FOR PARKING, UM, AND THE MADISON SCALE WHEN THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME IS BUILT AND RENTED AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
THAT NEW BUILDS ARE OUT OF SCALE WITH THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND THAT SMALL LOTS ARE BEING APPROVED IN MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS FOR LARGER OUT OF SCALE HOMES.
SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IS THAT NEW HOUSES ARE OUT OF SCALE WITH EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, THERE'S HIGH DEMAND FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
THERE'S HIGH LOT COVERAGE, LIMITED PARKING, AND INCREASING STORMWATER RUNOFF.
THERE ARE PROJECTIONS IN THE SETBACKS.
AND, UM, OUR BUILDING HEIGHT CALCULATION, UH, STARTS FROM IN, IN A LOT OF CASES.
UH, ZERO IS NOT AT GRADE, UM, WHERE YOU START MEASURING FROM, UM, THERE ARE LACK OF LIMITS ON FILL, UH, THAT'S PERMITTED TO BE PLACED ON SINGLE FAMILY LOTS.
UM, WE HAVE HIGHER OCCUPANCY, SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT TEND TO HAVE SPILLABLE PARKING.
LARGER HOMES COVER MORE OF THE LOT THAT LIMIT LIMITS THE SPACE AVAILABLE FOR PARKING AND THAT WE NEED TO BALANCE PROVIDING ADEQUATE SPACE FOR PARKING WITH LOT COVERAGE.
NOW ON, UH, THIS TOPIC PLUS COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES, MASS AND SCALE AND SUBDIVISION, WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL ALONG WITH WHAT WE'VE HEARD.
BASED ON THOSE QUESTIONS, THERE COULD BE, UM, PRIORITY AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE MADE, OR THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS ON SHOULD THEY BE ADVANCED FOR THE FULL CODE AMENDMENT.
SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL ON THE PRIORITY SIDE ARE, SHOULD WE REDUCE OUR BUILDING HEIGHT AND OR CHANGE HOW BUILDING HEIGHT IS CALCULATED? UM, CURRENTLY OUR HEIGHT IS MEASURED FROM PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE FOR RESIDENTIAL THAT'S AT 13 FEET ABOVE MEANS SEA LEVEL, UM, OR INSTEAD OF PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE, WHICHEVER'S HIGHER.
UM, OR SHOULD THIS BE CALCULATED ISLAND WIDE BASED ON OUR ZONING DISTRICT'S LOCATION, LOT SIZE OR CONTEXT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AS A PRIORITY AMENDMENT, SHOULD WE LIMIT OUR ALLOWED PROJECTIONS OR ENCROACHMENTS WITHIN THEIR SETBACKS? UM, AND THAT WOULD MAINTAIN BUILDING SEPARATION ALONG ESTABLISHED SETBACK LINES.
I DO HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT SETBACK ENCROACHMENT TABLE YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE.
WE DO ALLOW, UH, ENCROACHMENTS INTO OUR, INTO OUR SETBACKS FOR FENCES AND OPEN BALCONIES, UM, ROOF EVES AWNINGS, BAY WINDOWS, AND OTHER THINGS.
SOME, UH, ENCROACHMENTS CAN EXTEND UP TO FIVE FEET IN ANY SETBACK.
UH, OTHERS, UH, ENCROACH AT DIFFERENT VARIABLES.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE OUR EXISTING ALLOWANCES IN THE CODE.
WE'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL THAT WE DO NEED CHANGES TO APPLY TO EXISTING SUBDIVISIONS.
UM, THAT CURRENT BUILDING HEIGHTS ARE TOO HIGH THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE LIGHT AIR AND SEPARATION BETWEEN UNITS.
WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR SETBACKS WITHIN SINGLE FAMILY LOTS AND ESTABLISH MINIMUM LOT SIZES AS FAR AS SINGLE FAMILY MASS AND SCALE.
UM, WE HAVE DONE AN EVALUATION OF MASS AND SCALE CONTROLS ISLAND WIDE.
WE DID AN EVALUATION OF FLOOR AREA RATIO AS, AS YOU ARE AWARE, UM, AND, AND DETERMINED AFTER THAT ANALYSIS THAT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL FLOOR AREA RATIO CALIBRATION IS, IS MAYBE NOT CORRECT FOR ALL OF OUR ISLANDS, UH, FOR ALL OUR ISLAND NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND FOR THE FULL, UH, CODE AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT CREATING AN ANALYSIS OF EXISTING BUILDING AND LOT SIZES TO RIGHT SIZE THAT APPROACH IN DIFFERENT AREAS, WHETHER THAT BE ZONING DISTRICTS OR CONTEXT AREAS, UH, WITHIN, UH, THE CODE.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR THE FULL UPDATE.
AND THEN TO GO BACK TO THOSE QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL, BASED ON, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD WE CALIBRATE FOR THE PRIORITY SET IS, IS WHAT'S QUEUED UP ON SLIDE 33.
MS. BECKER, I'LL START WITH YOU.
UM, WELL, I'LL START WITH, UM, THE LOOKING PAPER, THE, UM, SETBACK AND MANY AREAS.
THERE IS ONLY A FIVE FOOT SETBACK FROM THE BUILDING ON TO THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND SO IF WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW ANYTHING WITHIN THAT SETBACK, IT
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IS VERY LIKELY HAS ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THERE IS NO SEPARATION BETWEEN THE HOMES.A DECK CAN GO FULLY FIVE FEET IN ON THE ONE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY LINE, AND THE OTHER PROPERTY OWNER ON THE THE OTHER SIDE CAN ALSO GO FIVE FOOT IN WITH A DECK OR SOMETHING ELSE, A STAIRCASE, ET CETERA.
AND SO THERE'S NO SEPARATION WHATSOEVER, WHICH IS A HUNDRED PERCENT INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE LMO ALSO, UM, CONTAINS AND NEEDS TO BE ABIDED BY, WHICH IS THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF EACH ONE OF THESE, UM, ISSUES THAT COME ALONG.
AND IF WE DON'T LOOK AT PURPOSE AND INTENT FIRST, THEN WE FAIL MOVING FORWARD.
AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE ANYTHING BEING DEVELOPED WITHIN THE SETBACK OF THE, UM, UH, HOME, THEN THE PROPERTY WILL NEVER, NEVER FIT THE PURPOSE AND INTENT IT.
IN TERMS OF, UM, IN TERMS OF CALCULATING HEIGHT, I THINK PROBABLY THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE, UM, IS THE BEST PLACE TO GO.
OTHERWISE, IF YOU HAVE A LIMITATION OF, UM, 45 OR 35 AND YOU'RE IN A FLOOD ZONE AND YOU'RE NOT ABOVE THAT 13 FEET, NATURALLY YOU ARE NOT REALLY AT 35 OR 45, YOU'RE AT SOMETHING FAR GREATER.
UM, AND WE'RE SEEING THAT INCREASINGLY SO IF YOU'RE STARTING AT SEVEN, YOU'RE GOING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL SIX.
SO YOU'RE AT 51 OR BETTER, UM, IN A 45 FOOT HEIGHT ZONE.
SO THAT SHOULD, UM, BE CONSIDERED FROM MOVING FORWARD TO JUDGE HEIGHT BASED ON THE, UM, PRE-DEVELOPMENT, UM, GRADE, IN ADDITION TO THE FILL WHICH WAS MENTIONED.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S AN ANOTHER CONSIDERATION, WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION HEIGHT.
AND AS THE FOUNDATION HEIGHT INCREASES ON A PROPERTY, THE, UM, ISSUE, ISSUE OF FLOODING BECOMES GREATER.
UM, YOU WILL SEE IF YOU GO AROUND AND LOOK AT NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT OFTEN THESE SMART VENTS, AND I HAVE PICTURES HERE OF ONCE THAT I'VE, UM, SEEN THAT ARE FULLY 16, 18 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND LEVEL, WHICH MEANS WHEN YOU COME IN TO DO A FINAL GRADE, SMART VENTS CAN, UH, MUST BE NO GREATER THAN A FOOT ABOVE THE FINAL GRADE.
AND THEN IF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY ISN'T AT WHAT THAT SAME HEIGHT YOU ARE DEVELOPING A RUNOFF INTO ADJACENT PROPERTY AND CAUSING FLOODING ISSUES THAT, UM, THAT I'M SURE ARE NOT PART OF THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OR ANYONE'S EXPECTATION TO HAVE A NEW HOME BEING BUILT NEAR OR AROUND THEM CREATING ADDITIONAL FLOOD FLOODING CONCERNS.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE THOUGHTS WITH REGARD TO THAT.
AND THE, THOSE TWO ISSUES SHOULD BE MOVED UP TO THE PRIORITY LIST OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY, UM, MOVING SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.
UM, AND THERE I HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF OTHERS THAT ARE, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR YOU TALKING ABOUT THEM.
UM, THE MASS AND SCALE OF THE HOMES WITH REGARD TO THE FAR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IS CLEARLY OUT OF CHARACTER, UM, OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
MOST RECENTLY YOU SEE AS, UM, THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ARE BEING DEVELOPED.
AND WHILE THERE'S NO WAY, AS GLEN POINTED OUT TO, UM, TO JUDGE A SHORT TERM RENTAL AS IT'S BEING APPLIED FOR, AS A NEW BUILD, IF WE DON'T HOLD THESE STANDARDS TIGHT ON THE NEW BUILD PERMIT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A PROBLEM MOVING FORWARD AS WE ARE NOW WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS BEING INADEQUATE TO, UM, TO MEET THE STANDARDS THAT WE'RE, UM, SETTING.
SO THIS IS THE WORKPLACE WHERE WE CAN, UM, PROVIDE SOME, SOME NORMALCY BACK TO, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PARKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND IF IT'S NOT A FAR WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN AN APPROPRIATE, UM, FOR ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE ISLAND, IT WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD STARTING POINT TO AT LEAST GIVEN US SOME RELIEF BACK IN, I THINK, UM, WAS IT MARCH OR WHENEVER IT WAS THAT WE HAD THAT FIRST VOTE AND IT WAS DROPPED? SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE SHOULD DO IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS FAR IS WE SHOULD REALLY BE CONCENTRATING ON THAT PERVIOUS IMPERVIOUS RELATIONSHIP AGAIN.
AND THAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY AS WELL.
THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING EVERY
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DAY.THE PERMITS ARE COMING IN AND THESE HOMES ARE BEING BUILT, CREATING FLOODING ISSUES, PARKING ISSUES, HEIGHT ISSUES, UM, AND THE PURPOSE INTENT OF THE LMO, WHICH WAS APPROVED, UM, LONG AGO HAS NOT BEEN, UM, BEING FULFILLED.
AND SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THESE RIGHT NOW.
IN TERMS OF PRIORITY AMENDMENTS, UH, MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS GONNA BE SETBACKS.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH SOME, UH, LOTS AND HOT SITUATIONS AND SEA PINES WHERE THE SIDE YARD SETBACK IS RELATIVELY SMALL TO BEGIN WITH.
THERE'VE BEEN A FAIR NUMBER OF, UH, DECKS AND PORCHES PUT ON THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
YOU MIGHT AS MIGHT AS WELL BE CELEBRATING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY'RE SO CLOSE, UM, PARTICULARLY IF THE NEIGHBORS ARE GENEROUS WITH THEIR REFRESHMENTS.
UM, SO THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH ROOM LEFT IN THE SITE BACK.
THE ONLY THING WE CAN GET THROUGH ARE A BUNCH OF ARMADILLOS, WHICH HAVE BEEN IN THAT AREA.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME.
UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL COS, UM, THAT WE SHOULD DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN THERE, UM, AS A PRIORITY.
I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN DO MINIMUM LOT SIZES AS A PRIORITY, BUT I THINK THE OTHERS, UH, I WOULD HOPE WOULD BE IN THAT AREA.
UM, THERE IS, THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION THAT HAS RESULTED FROM CHANGING THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT LIMITATION AS A RESULT OF, OF, UM, UH, THE FLOODING SITUATION OF 13 FEET ABOVE MENA SEA HIGH LEVEL.
IT HAS RESULTED OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE SUBSTANTIALLY TALLER THAN THE NEXT ONES.
THAT'S CAUSED A LOT OF CONCERN, WHICH I THINK INDICATES THERE IS, THERE IS RESIDENT, UH, CONCERN ABOUT BUILDING HEIGHTS.
UH, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW YOU ADDRESSED THAT ONE, BUT IT DOES EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT BUILDING HEIGHTS.
UM, WITH REGARDS TO BUILDING HEIGHT, I THINK THAT'S FAIRLY COMPLICATED.
UH, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT.
UH, IT, IT PROBABLY DOES HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH DISTRICT PLANNING, UH, BECAUSE SOME AREAS ARE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT CHARACTER THAN OTHER AREAS, AND SO WE WANT TO PROTECT CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
UM, I THINK THAT THE SCALE, UH, IN NORTH FOREST BEACH, UH, IN BRADLEY, UH, CIRCLE, UM, IS AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
UM, MY REFLEX IS TO LIMIT IT TO 45 FEET AS A MASS.
SO YOU, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A, UH, FOUNDATION THAT, UH, OR A FIRST FLOOR THAT ACCOMMODATES AUTOMOBILES, THEN THAT'S A PART OF THE MASS ASS.
SO I I, I'M NOT SURE IT'S THAT SIMPLE, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT'S, UH, A DIRECTION I WOULD HEAD.
UM, AS FAR AS THE SETBACKS ARE CONCERNED, I THINK WE'VE LOST TOUCH WITH WHY THEY WERE IN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WE WERE TRYING TO MAINTAIN SOME VESTIGE OF NATURAL VEGETATION AND SEPARATION BETWEEN HOUSES FOR PRIVACY.
AND THAT'S NO LONGER A PRIORITY FOR A LOT OF THE DEVELOPERS, REGIONAL DEVELOPERS PRIMARILY, WHO HAVE COME TO THE ISLAND AND SAID, WE WANT TO DO IT THE WAY WE DID IT IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, NOT THE WAY YOU GUYS USED TO DO IT ON HILTON HEAD.
SO I THINK REALLY THE TOWN NEEDS TO TAKE A STAND THERE.
WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO PROTECT? WHAT DO WE REPRESENT TO THE BROADER WORLD? AND SO I, I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, UH, LMO AMENDMENT THAT TO ME SEEMS MORE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY IDENTITY, UH, AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD ATTACK.
BUT I, WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS CONVERSATION OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, I KNOW THAT THERE'S PUSHBACK ON HOW YOU DEVELOP IT.
I THINK, I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY DEBATE THAT WE NEED TO SETTLE AS FAR AS THE HEIGHT IS CONCERNED.
I THINK THAT'S TOO COMPLICATED TO SAY TODAY.
HOW WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE IT IN, IN OTHER WORDS, FOR US TO MAKE IT AN LMO AMENDMENT IS GONNA TAKE A LOT OF YOUR TIME TO GET THERE.
SO I THINK THAT COMES OUT OF THE DISTRICT PLAN.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR THE ANALYSIS SO FAR, AND, UM, A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT THE HEIGHT.
I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 33, THE QUESTIONS FOR TOWN COUNCIL ONE SEEMS TO HAVE TWO
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SUBPARTS.UM, SO THE FIRST ONE ABOUT HOW HEIGHT IS CALCULATED CURRENTLY MEASURED FROM PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE OR 13 FEET ABOVE MEANS C LEVEL AND INSTEAD WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
WHAT'S THE MOST RESTRICTIVE WAY TO MEASURE HEIGHT? IS IT PRE GRADE? PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE.
UM, AND SO I WOULD NOT, SO THE SECOND QUESTION OF ONE ISLAND WIDE OR BASED ON ZONING DISTRICT, I DO IT ISLAND WIDE AND I WOULD DO IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THEN, UM, NUMBER TWO, PRIOR AMENDMENT LIMIT PROJECTIONS IN THE SETBACKS.
I LOOKED AT YOUR CHART AND IT REMINDS ME OF, UH, THE QUESTION THAT CAME UP ABOUT, UH, STAFF WAIVERS VERSUS VARIANCES.
AND WE DID AWAY WITH A BUNCH OF WAIVERS.
THIS LOOKS LIKE A BUNCH OF WAIVERS TO ME.
UM, AND I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST AND I SEE SECOND ENTRY, OPEN BALCONIES, FIRE ESCAPES, OR EXTERIOR STAIRWAYS, WHICH REALLY EXTENDS THE BUILDING INTO THE SETBACK AREA.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE ALLOW THAT.
AND THEN I LOOK AT UNCOVERED PORCHES, STOOPS DECKS, PATIOS OR TERRACES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE ALLOW THAT, ESPECIALLY IN A FIVE FOOT SETBACK.
UM, SO, UH, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO ADDRESS IT.
I SAY, YES, GET RID OF THESE ENCROACHMENTS.
AND THEN THE, THE TWO QUESTIONS THEN ARE, DO WE GET REALLY WHOLE ENCROACHMENT ALLOWABLE TABLE? THAT'S THE EASIEST THING TO DO.
AND THEN AS WE DO THE FULL LMO REWRITE, IF WE SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE WE THINK WE OUGHT TO ADD SOME ALLOWABLE ENCROACHMENTS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MIGHT BE.
IT MIGHT BE, I'VE GOTTA PUT, UH, A GUTTER SYSTEM TO PROTECT STORM DRAINAGE.
THERE MAY BE SOME LEGITIMATE REASONS FOR THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
SO EITHER GET RID OF THE WHOLE THING, LIKE WE GOT RID OF WAIVERS OR PICK AND CHOOSE.
I THINK PICKING AND CHOOSING IS GONNA BE HARDER.
I'D GET RID OF 'EM ALL AND ADD BACK IF WE NEED IT LATER.
UM, THEN WITH REGARD TO, UH, BACK ON PAGE 33, WE ARE FROM TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, SOME OF THIS, UH, SOME OF THAT LIST RELATES TO EITHER SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS OR TO FUTURE DISTRICT, UH, ZONING.
UM, SO, UM, THE CURRENT BUILDING HEIGHTS ARE TOO HIGH.
I DEALT WITH THAT BY MY SIMPLE CALCULATION.
YOU GO TO THE, UH, MOST RESTRICTIVE, UM, THE OTHERS INCREASE THE SETBACKS MAYBE.
YES, I THINK THAT'S SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS, WHICH WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE.
I THINK THAT'S ALSO SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS AND IT MAY VARY BY THE AREA.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE CAN SOLVE THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND, UM, THE BUILDING HEIGHTS, UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I'D SAY IS THAT, UH, I HEARD MR. RAM SAY SOMETHING ABOUT 45 FEET, BUT ALSO VARY BASED UPON THE AREA THAT'S LOCATED.
SO YOU MAY NEED TO BE CONTEXT SENSITIVE.
SO I THINK, UM, THE FUTURE, UM, LMO REWRITE WILL DEAL WITH THAT BASED ON THE DISTRICTS AND THE CONTEXT.
UM, AND UM, THEN PAGE 35, FULL LMO UPDATE RECOMMENDATION, MASS AND SCALE.
I AGREE WITH THAT WHETHER FAR OR NOT IS AN EFFECTIVE ONE.
I THINK WE, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT OUR CURRENT FAR ALLOWANCES, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE OF ONE PARTICULAR HOUSE, THEY CALL IT THE BLUE HOUSE, UH, OVER IN THE MIDDEN AREA THAT WITH THE EXCEPTIONS IT'S TOO BIG
SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT FAR ON A AREA BY AREA BASIS AND NOT ISLAND WIDE.
SO WE CONTINUE TO NEED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING ABOUT THE MASS AND SCALE OF HOMES IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE RIGHT FORMULA, YES, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S THE BEST ONE OR RIGHT NOW.
UM, COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF EXISTING BUILDING AND LOT SIZE IS THE RIGHT SIZE APPROACH.
I, I THINK YOU STARTED TO DO THAT.
AND SO I WOULD SAY YES TO CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
AND IF I'M MISSED ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, LEMME KNOW.
I THINK THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, TO, UH, GETTING RID OF THE ENTIRE LIST.
UH, AND THAT WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOU INCREASE THE SETBACKS.
I I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IN ARCHITECTURE, THE FLEXIBILITY TO ARTICULATE THE SIDE OF A BUILDING OR DEAL WITH IT, UH, CAN, CAN PRODUCE A BETTER PRODUCT.
SO, UM, I I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK AT BOTH POSSIBILITIES.
MR. BROWN GONNA ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ON PAGE 33,
UM, AS, AS FAR AS THE HIGHNESS CONCERNED, UM, I GUESS THE QUESTION, THE LAST QUESTION IS, UH, SHOULD THIS BE ISLAND WIDE OR SHOULD WE
[02:30:01]
USE THE DISTRICT PLANNING TO SORT OF DRIVE US? I THINK WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF THE FLOOD REGULATIONS, MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO APPLY IT ISLAND WIDE.THAT'S JUST ME NOT BEING AN ENGINEER, JUST, UM, MY, MY FIRST GLANCE AT IT.
SO, UM, I THINK THERE MAY, THERE, THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME CUSTOMIZATION TO THAT.
NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I, I DO FEEL AS IF OVERALL REDUCTION IN HEIGHT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AS FAR AS THE SETBACKS ARE CONCERNED, UM, I JUST WANT TO REMIND US ALL THAT AS WE LOOK AT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE TASK FORCE.
UH, SETBACKS WERE A CONCERN AND WE INITIATED FAMILY COMPOUND FAMILY SUBDIVISIONS TO DEAL WITH SETBACKS.
SO, UM, I'M MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S SOME TYPE OF EXEMPTION OR SPECIAL EXCEPTION AS WE HAVE IN THESE DISCUSSIONS.
AGAIN, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A BLANKET APPROACH ON THAT.
BECKY, YOU GOT SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD REAL QUICK? YES, REAL QUICK.
UM, SO EVEN IF HAD AN ISLAND WIDE APPROACH TO MEASURING HEIGHT AT PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE, YOU STILL HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE FLOOD REGULATIONS.
SO YOU STILL HAVE THE 13 FOOT, UM, REQUIREMENTS.
SO IF YOUR GRADE IS, AGAIN, USING THE EXAMPLE OF SEVEN, YOU STILL HAVE FIVE FEET BEFORE YOU CAN START YOUR FIRST FLOOR.
UM, SO YOU STILL HAVE THE SECURITY AND THE SAFETY OF KNOWING THAT IF THERE WERE A MAJOR FLOOD, YOU HAVE, UM, ADEQUATE ROOM FOR THOSE WATERS TO PASS BY.
IS, IS ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO, UM, JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD AND I'M ASSUMING I STATED THAT CORRECTLY.
BUT, UM, IN ADDITION, THE WAIVERS, UM, WE GOT RID OF FOR GOOD REASON.
AND SO WITHOUT GOING THROUGH MY OWN VERSION OF SAYING THE SAME THING, I CONCUR WITH, UM, COUNCILWOMAN BRYSON THAT THE WAIVERS OUGHT TO BE, UM, REMOVED AND THAT ANY EXCEPTIONS WITHIN THAT TABLE SHOULD ALSO BE REMOVED FROM THE LMO.
UM, WE'VE SEEN WAY TOO MANY EXAMPLES WHERE, UM, WAIVERS AND EXCEPTIONS GET, UM, UM, OVERUSED AND MAKE PROJECTS, UM, INCONSISTENT WITH THE DESIRES OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, I WILL, IN THIS CASE SAY WHAT PATSY SAID.
UM, WITH REFERENCE TO THE HEIGHT CALCULATION, I'M INCLINED TO THINK THAT THAT IS NOT PRIOR A PRIORITY ITEM.
I THINK IT'S A COMPLICATED ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH, WITH A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT.
THAT BEING SAID, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHAT WOULD BE REASONABLE WOULD BE THAT THE HEIGHT WOULD BE CON WOULD BE CALCULATED, UH, BASED UPON, UH, THE HEIGHT ABOVE THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE.
UM, OR 13 FEET, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER, GET IT ABOVE THAT 13 FEET AND THEN YOU CALCULATE IT FROM THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE THEREAFTER.
BUT I THINK THAT COULD BE DELAYED TILL LATER.
I DO THINK THAT THOSE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, UH, ZONING DISTRICT BY ZONING DISTRICT.
UH, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT IS A LONG-TERM CALCULATION WITH REFERENCE TO PROJECTIONS INTO SETBACKS.
I RELATE BACK TO MY DAYS ON THE BZA WHEN WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO PUT IN AN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND THEY COULDN'T PUT IN AN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT BECAUSE IT PROJECTED OVER THE BUILDING SETBACK LINE.
UM, YOU GET INTO UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS WHEN THAT HAPPENS, BUT I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED.
UH, THE PRIORITY ITEM IN MY MIND HAS TO DO WITH MINIMUM LOT SIZES OR SHAPES.
UH, I THINK OF THE COOKIE CUTTER ELEMENTS.
THERE'S ONE THAT EXISTS OVER ON MARSHLAND ROAD WHERE YOU HAVE TALL HOUSES THAT ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON VERY NARROW LOTS.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN ABUSE OF THE WHOLE IDEA OF VIOLENT CHARACTER.
SO THAT HAS TO DO WITH SHAPE OF THE, UH, LOT AS WELL AS THE SETBACK LINES AND THE BUFFER LINES ON THAT LOT.
SO THAT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED VERY CAREFULLY AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, TO ME, A PRIORITY ITEM SO THAT WE CAN AVOID THOSE.
SO-CALLED COOKIE CUTTER ITEMS MOVING FORWARD.
MARK, YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WERE GONNA SAY? I, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK FOR SOME CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE WAIVERS.
THE WAIVERS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE LMOA COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR BACK IT FEELS.
IT FEELS, FEELS LIKE MORE THAN A COUPLE YEARS AGO, BUT THOSE, JUST FOR CLARITY, THOSE WAIVERS THAT STAFF WAS ALLOWED TO DO RATHER THAN A BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS VARIANCE APPLICATION, UM, HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE CODE.
UH, MAYOR I MENTIONED THAT I BROUGHT IT UP IN COMPARISON.
[02:35:01]
I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN REMOVED, BUT I'VE HEARD IT A COUPLE TIMES.I, I KNOW THAT WE'VE REMOVED THEM AND THEY WERE RECENTLY AND THAT WAS A GOOD THING.
THEY GET TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
I, I AGREE WITH, WITH WHAT MR. AMES HAD SAID.
ANTHONY, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
WHEN IS THE SLIDING SCALE COMING OUT OR IS IT EVER SLIDING SCALE? MM-HMM.
SO THAT'LL BE A CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THE FULL REWRITE OF THE LML.
THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT'S STUDIED.
THEN FRANK, UH, FRANK, WE WOULD LIKE TO REINFORCE A COMMENT MADE BY MS. BECKER.
UH, AND, UH, MASS AND SCALE HAS OTHER DIMENSIONS BESIDE, UH, HEIGHTEN AND, UH, THAT SORT OF THING.
MASS AND SCALE INVOLVES WATER RUNOFF.
I HAD A HOUSE BUILT NEXT TO THEM.
IT WAS BUILT IN PROBABLY TOO MUCH SOIL.
IT'S NOT HIGH, BUT IT'S, IT'S COVERS A LOT OF GROUND.
AND THEN THIS PERSON PUT IN AN IMPERIOUS DRIVEWAY.
IT'S ABOUT AS BIG AS A HA A RUNWAY.
UH, AND THEN PUT A, A A, UH, PUTTING IN GREEN IN BACK IT'S IMPERVIOUS AND THEN REMOVED ALL THE SHRUBBERY IN BACK.
SO, UH, A LAKE FORMS EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
AND, UH, IT'S A SEA PINE AND CSI IS WORKING ON IT.
IT'S NOT, UH, THEY'RE NOT SOLVING IT EVEN THOUGH THEY KEEP ON DIGGING UP THINGS AND PUTTING UP THING.
BUT I THINK IMPERVIOUS SURFACES, MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T, WE SHOULD LOOK AT DRIVEWAYS THAT ARE AN ACRE BIG AND THEY SHOULD BE IMP IT SHOULD BE PERVIOUS.
UH, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE BARRELS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, CAPTURE WATER IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS OR SO.
BUT I THINK, I THINK WATER RUNOFF IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN MEETS THE EYE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH OVER TIME MORE THAN IT HAS NOW.
OTHER COMMENTS? GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, TAIWAN, SCOTT, UH, JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK MR. BROWN FOR BRINGING UP THE, UM, ALL THE EFFORTS FROM THE GULLAH GEECHEE TASK FORCE AND AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, UM, AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT CONTINUES TO COME UP.
UH, WE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THAT.
UM, SO, UM, AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THAT, CONTINUE TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT.
THANK YOU TOWN COUNCIL, UH, MR. AMES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CALLING OUT FOR SPEECH WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MASS AND SCALE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, MASSIVE, UM, FIRE ESCAPES I GUESS INTO THE ABUTMENTS AND IN SETBACKS.
WE HAVE BUILDINGS THAT ARE BUILT END TO END.
THE CHARACTER OF FOREST BEACH HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY AND NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE BETTER.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
OTHER COMMENTS? RIGHT? SEEING NONE, SEAN, YOU GOT YOUR DIRECTION.
OKAY, MAYOR, MAYOR, JUST FOR CLARITY, SEAN SAID YES, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A LAYER TO THAT.
SEAN, WHAT IS THE CLARITY
'CAUSE WE ARE DEALING WITH BIG HOUSES, LITTLE LOTS ZONING THAT WENT FROM FOUR AND FIVE AN ACRE TO MORE THAN FOUR AND FIVE AN ACRE.
AND PEOPLE ARE STILL MAXING OUT THE SAME HOUSE SIZE ON THE SMALLER LOT SIZE WITH LESS AREA FOR PARKING IN A PREVIOUS IMPERVIOUS RATIO.
THAT, THAT, THAT FAILS OUR, OUR EXPECTATION.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE RUNOFF FROM THE ROOF GOING INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S YARD.
LIKE WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS, BUT I, BUT IT IS, THIS IS THE HARDEST ELEMENT OF OUR WHOLE ANNUAL FIGURE OUT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY HARDER BECAUSE SEA PINES IS DIFFERENT THAN SINGLETON.
SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ALREADY BUILT OUT.
MR. ANTHONY TALKS ABOUT, UM, HIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SUBDIVISION NEXT TO IT.
THERE THERE IS NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
WE AS A STAFF STRUGGLE WITH FLOOR ERROR RATIO BECAUSE SMART ARCHITECTS ARE SMARTER THAN ALL OF US TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET AND MAXIMIZE ALL THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IN A FLOOR ERROR RATIO.
[02:40:01]
UH, WE, WE CAN GET RID OF THE SLIDING SCALE.I'VE NEVER SEEN IT, DON'T WANNA SEE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT IF WE DON'T FIGURE OUT WHAT 45 FEET IS AND WE DON'T FIGURE OUT WHAT A SIDE YARD SETBACK IS, OR A BACK SETBACK AND BUFFER IS, AND THAT YOUR AIR CONDITIONER UNIT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE UNLESS THERE'S A GOOD REASON THROUGH BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS TO PUT IT IN THERE, WE'RE RIGHT BACK TO ZERO.
SO WHAT I, I DID NOT HEAR TODAY, A COMMONALITY OF WRITE TO CODE.
WITH THE ONE EXCEPTION REESTABLISH OUR SETBACKS.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE THREE FEET, WE CAN MAKE 'EM FIVE FEET, BUT WHEN WE SUBDIVIDED FIVE UNITS AN ACRE TO EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE IN FOREST BEACH, THREE FEET MATTERS BECAUSE NOW YOU DON'T, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A 2020 FOOT SHOTGUN STYLE HOME.
THAT'S THREE STORIES AND 10 BEDROOMS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
LIKE WE HAVE A, WE HAVE AN ISSUE IN A DESIGN AESTHETIC AND A DESIGN STANDARD THAT IS NOT THE SAME ACROSS OUR ISLAND.
AND WHAT, WHY, I'M JUST BEING FRANK ABOUT THIS.
WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH IS OVERREACTING, KNOWING THE PROBLEM IS THERE AND CAUSING AN ISSUE WITH A BEAUTIFUL HOME IN SEA PINES, RIGHT? SO I ASK FOR SOME CLARITY BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT SHOE SIZES HERE.
AND, AND, AND I AGREE WITH THAT AND, AND I PERSONALLY, I NEED TO SEE OPTIONS.
I NEED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCH DONE AND, AND SOME THINGS PUT OUT THERE AND SAY, OKAY, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT X, Y, OR Z? UM, YOU KNOW, I I THINK WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT CHARACTER, YOU KNOW, AND THE VEGETATION THAT SURROUNDS THESE HOMES.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN LOST OVER THE YEARS.
UM, BUT HOW WE GET THERE, HOW WE GET TO A SOLUTION, I DON'T KNOW.
SO IF I CAN JUST BECAUSE THIS, IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FAR, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IMPERVIOUS PERVIOUS AND THEN RECENTLY, UM, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LOT COVERAGE AND MAYBE LOT COVERAGE GETS TO THE PROTECTION OF THE BIGGER LOTS.
UM, AND, AND ALSO SOLVES SOME OF THE PROBLEM WITH REGARD TO FLOODING BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT IF YOU PUT A DRIVEWAY IN, EVEN IF IT, YOU PUT THE FILL IN BETWEEN, THAT TURNS TO CONCRETE OVER TIME.
AND SO IT BECOMES A IMPERVIOUS SURFACE.
UM, WE AND DAVID AMES, UM, COUNCILMAN AMES AND I WORKED ON THIS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
WE REMOVED HVACS FROM THE SETBACK WHEN WE WENT OVER.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CAME IN AND WE, WE WORKED ON AND WE GOT REMOVED FROM THE LMO, UM, THE ALLOWANCE OF HVACS BEING IN SETBACKS.
SO SOME OF THIS WORK BY BITS AND PIECES WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER TIME, BUT MARK, WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT LOTS THAT GETS SUBDIVIDED, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT IT, THE OLD ORIGINAL SUBDIVISIONS OF MANY OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEN YOU GO TO LOOK AT THEM NOW, YOU ARE GOING TO FIND THAT WHAT WAS A REASONABLE SIZE LOT HAS BEEN SPLIT IN HALF OR THIRDS AND TO LESS TO MAKE GREATER.
IF YOU HAVE A 40 FOOT NOW WHERE IT USED TO BE 80 FEET, YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN FIVE FOOT SETBACKS OR WE'RE GOING TO CREATE ALL OF THESE SHOTGUN HOUSES LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T DO, UM, IS WE DON'T SET STANDARDS FOR DEVELOPMENTS.
SO WHEN PERMITS COME IN, FOR INSTANCE, UM, THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE'S TWO EXACT HOMES BEING BUILT SIDE BY SIDE AND THEN THREE ADDITIONAL EXACT HOMES BEING BUILT SIDE BY SIDE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOESN'T GO TO THE PURPOSE, INTENT OF THE LMO.
SO WE'RE NOT CREATING ANYTHING.
UM, ALSO IN OUR LMO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PERVIOUS IMPERVIOUS ON A SINGLE FAMILY LOT, THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP AT CURRENTLY.
YOU CAN LITERALLY BUILD ON THE ENTIRE BUILDING ENVELOPE AND IF, AND UNTIL WE REMOVE ALL OF THOSE EXCEPTIONS AND THE SETBACKS, THE ENTIRE BUILDING ENVELOPE AND THEN SOME.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE ENTIRE LOT THAT SITS IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF NUANCES, BUT IT'S NOT SUCH HEAVY LIFTING THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE.
I THINK WE'VE MADE PROGRESS, UM, AND I THINK GOOD SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED TO US AND WE OUGHT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE AND HOW TO DO BETTER THAN THE DEVELOPMENT THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN STANFORD WAS REFERRING TO, WHICH, UM, IS A, A DISGRACE PERIOD ANYWHERE, BUT ESPECIALLY HERE ON HILTON HOOD.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN COME TO SOME AGREEMENT AND GET THIS DONE BECAUSE AS I SAID BEFORE, AS EVERY DAY MORE PERMITS
[02:45:01]
COME IN AND MORE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ALL SIT AROUND AND AT LEAST FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN A PARTY TO ACTUALLY BEING AT THIS TABLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO IT'S TIME TO MAKE THE SOLUTIONS AND CREATE THE DEVELOPMENTS WE WANNA SEE, UM, TAKE PLACE AND NO MORE DELAYS.MAY I ASK MISSY THEN, 'CAUSE I SEE YOU'RE TAKING NOTES AND, AND LOOKING AT HER, HER LIST OF ITEMS OF WHAT WE BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WHERE THERE'S SOME CONSENSUS ON TO AMEND AS PART OF A FUTURE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
SO, UH, AS FAR AS THE INITIAL TWO QUESTIONS THAT WERE RELATED TO THE PRIORITY AMENDMENTS, I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF MIXED FEEDBACK.
SO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE WAS AGREEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HOW WE MEASURE BUILDING HEIGHT NOW OR THREAD THAT INTO DISTRICT PLANNING AND AS A RESULT IT WOULD BE IN THE FULL CODE AMENDMENT.
UM, AND THEN I DID HEAR THAT THESE, UH, BUILDING HEIGHTS SHOULD BE APPLIED ISLAND WIDE AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WERE SOME AGREEMENT THERE.
I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE MARSHLAND ROAD PROJECT, THAT BUILDING HEIGHT IS ON A SMALL LOT AND CREATES AN ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT, UH, IMPRESSION THAN A SINGLE FAMILY HEIGHT HOUSE AT THE SAME HEIGHT, BUT WITH A HOUSE A HUNDRED FEET AWAY OR 50 FEET AWAY OR WHATEVER.
SO I DO NOT THINK THAT BUILDING HEIGHT IS ISLAND WIDE.
I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH DISTRICT PLANNING AND THE CHARACTER OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I GONNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF I CAN FIGURE OUT A COMPROMISE HERE.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE CURRENT HEIGHT IS MEASURED FROM PRE-DEVELOPMENT OR 13 FEET ABOVE MID SEA LEVEL, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
SO WHAT IF THAT'S CHANGED TO WHICHEVER IS MORE RESTRICTIVE JUST FOR NOW AND THEN WE'LL GO BY WHICHEVER IS MORE RESTRICTIVE WITH REGARD TO THE HEIGHT AND SET ASIDE FOR DISTRICT PLANNING, THE CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THE HEIGHT SHOULD BE WITHIN THAT AREA.
IS THAT AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE? I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES.
I I I'M, I HAVE TO JUMP IN AGAIN.
UH, EVERY DIMENSION OF A LOT IN THE, IN THE, AND THE HOUSE THAT GOES ON, IT RELATES TO THE ONE NEXT DOOR TO IT.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN ESTABLISH THE HEIGHT THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, BUT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT'S GONNA BE VERY OBJECTIONABLE UNLESS WE HAVE THE SETBACKS IN THE SUBDIVISION APPLY IN A WAY THAT WE LIKE THE ISLAND CHARACTER.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN ANSWER TODAY, BUT I THINK YOU HEAR A PRIORITY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THE QUESTION IS, CAN WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN ADVANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE DISTRICT PLANS, WHICH ARE DEALING WITH A CHARACTER OF EIGHT DIFFERENT DISTRICTS ON THE ISLAND? THANK YOU.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO IS TO DECIDE WHAT SHOULD BE DONE NOW AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AS PART OF AN IN-DEPTH LMO ANALYSIS.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN ANSWER ON HEIGHT RESTRICTION.
SO TO ME THAT SIT IN FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS, SORRY THAT YOU GET A, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH US FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA GET THAT FOR THE RECORD, I'M NOT COMPLAINING, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND SOME COMMONALITY.
IIII THINK THAT WELL, ONE, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND COMPARE SOME NOTES AND BRING FORWARD SOME ISSUES OR SOME CASE STUDY SOLUTIONS ON, ON THESE ISSUES.
HEIGHT, SETBACK, PARKING, HOUSE SIZE, LARGER LOT, SMALLER LOT.
IT, THIS, THIS WILL NOT EXPEDITE AS FAST AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
OKAY? NO, IT, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY GONNA BE ADDRESSED IN THE SUBDIVISION, RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE WE CAN REALLY MAKE THE CHANGE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR THAT HAS THE SAME LOT SIZE.
CAN THEY BUILD THE SAME HOUSE? YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ANSWER HERE OR NOT BUILD THE SAME HOUSE.
UM, SO REALLY THE, THE ISSUES THAT WERE THE BIGGER ISSUE AS THOSE NEW DEVELOPMENTS COME ON, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED IN A MORE, UH, EQUITABLE WAY THAN THIS.
HOW ABOUT THE SETBACK PROJECTIONS? I, I NEED MORE ON THAT, JESSE.
WHAT THE SETBACKS? NO, I'M JUST IN, IN TERMS OF, OOPS, SORRY.
I'M GOOD WITH ADDING THE SETBACKS.
AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T CREATE THAT NARROW, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE? AND, AND THAT'S WHERE I, I NEED, I NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION.
I WASN'T TALKING, I WAS JUST ASKING MISSY WHAT
[02:50:01]
SHE HAD HIS NOTES FOR COMPROMISE.I HAD ON THE SETBACK ENCROACHMENT, UM, POSSIBLY, UH, LIMITING THOSE, UM, THAT THERE WAS AT LEAST FOUR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT SUPPORTED THAT.
THAT'S THE WAY I COUNTED IT TOO.
IS THAT, AND THEN DECIDING ABOUT WHAT WIDTH SHOULD BE WHERE ON SETBACKS LATER.
SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? YEAH, SO REMOVE ALL THOSE PROJECTIONS
'CAUSE WE CAN'T ADDRESS THAT RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT.
WELL, AND AND TO THAT POINT, JUST SO I CAN ADD THIS SO WE, SO IT DOESN'T KEEP RUMBLING AROUND IN MY HEAD AND, BUT TO THAT POINT, A LOT OF, UM, EXISTING, UM, A LIST EXISTING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SUBJECT TO, UM, CONTINUING NEW DEVELOPMENT WHERE THERE ARE AVAILABLE LOTS AS WELL AS KNOCKDOWNS AND, AND REBUILDS.
AND SO, UM, I THINK IN THOSE AREAS WHERE YOU'RE ALREADY CONFINED BY THE SETBACK TO THE MAYOR'S POINT WHERE WE DON'T WANNA HAVE ANY MORE TALL, SKINNY, UM, HOUSES, THERE'S AN EXAMPLE ALREADY SET AND THEN A STANDARD ALREADY THERE.
HOWEVER, THE UM, WAIT, DID NOT WAIVERS, EXCUSE ME, EXCEPTIONS, MAKE SURE I USE THE RIGHT WORD THIS TIME.
EXCEPTIONS NEED TO GO THAT CLARIFIED A LITTLE BIT FOR YOU.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, COMMERCIAL MASS AND SCALE.
SO, UM, COMMERCIAL MASS AND SCALE, WE HAVE HEARD QUITE A BIT OF INPUT FROM BOTH OUR PLANNING COMMISSION AND OUR DESIGN REVIEW BOARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, MAINLY THAT LARGE SCALE BUILDINGS ARE OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL AREAS ON THE ISLAND.
UM, THERE WERE SPECIFIC LETTERS THAT WERE WRITTEN BY THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD THAT IDENTIFIED SOME PROJECTS OF CONCERN, INCLUDING 15 WIMBLEDON AND 55 GARDNER BAY SHORE, UM, THE BOATHOUSE STORAGE PROJECT ON SQUARE POPE, THE WATERWALK APARTMENTS.
THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED, UM, REQUIRING ADDITIONAL FOUNDATION PLANTING, UH, AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE BUILDING, SOME ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPE BUFFER, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND UH, ALSO THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ALSO REVIEWED THE A SIMILAR, UM, EVALUATION, ALSO WROTE A LETTER, UM, TO THE TOWN MANAGER IN 2021.
UM, AND THEN FURTHER REQUESTED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY, UH, THESE ISSUES MAINLY TO THE MASS AND SCALE OF COMMERCIAL, UH, BUILDINGS AS WELL AS MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND THOSE, UH, LANDSCAPING CRITERIA BOTH ON OUR BUFFERS AND THE PERIMETER OF, OF THE BUILDING STRUCTURE ITSELF.
SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT WERE THEMES ARE THAT THE MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE OUT OF SCALE WITH THE EXISTING SURROUNDING BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT THE DRB UM, HAVE NOTED THAT THE HEIGHT OF SOME OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE OUT OF CHARACTER WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SO, UM, THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE CONVERSATION WE JUST HAD ABOUT HOW WE MEASURE BUILDING HEIGHT AS WELL AS OUR SETBACK ENCROACHMENT TABLE.
UM, THE DIFFERENCE IN QUESTION NUMBER ONE IS THAT FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL, WE MEASURE FROM PRE-DEVELOPMENT GRADE OR 11 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL.
SO FOR RESIDENTIAL IT'S 13 FEET.
UM, BUT THOSE QUESTIONS ONE AND TWO ARE, ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE QUESTIONS FROM THE SINGLE FAMILY MASS AND SCALE.
BUT OVERALL, THE APPROACH THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE INPUTS BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD, UM, TO LOOK AT THAT MASS AND SCALE AND CONTEXT WITH ITS SURROUNDINGS TO LOOK AT OUR LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS, IS THAT OVERALL THE RIGHT APPROACH WE SHOULD BE TAKING WITH THIS, WITH THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC? UM, IN ADDITION TO HEIGHT, SHOULD BUILDINGS BE REGULATED BY WIDTH AND OR VISIBILITY FROM THE WATERFRONT OR MAJOR CORRIDORS? UM, ON THIS TOPIC, FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL, WE HAVE HEARD THAT OUR CURRENT BUILDING HEIGHTS ARE TOO HIGH, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE LIGHT AIR AND SEPARATION BETWEEN UNITS.
INCREASING THE SETBACKS ESTABLISH MINIMUM LOT SIZES AND A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEIGHT AND THE PROXIMITY TO THE STREET AND THOSE BOUNDARIES, UM, SO LOWER, CLOSER TO THE STREET AND BOUNDARIES OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE SAME SETBACK TABLE, UM, WITH THE ENCROACHMENT ALLOWANCES IS INCLUDED.
UM, AGAIN, THESE SETBACK ENCROACHMENTS APPLY FOR ALL DEVELOPMENTS, SO NOT JUST SINGLE FAMILY, THEY
[02:55:01]
APPLY TO COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY AS WELL.SO THE SAME SETBACK ENCROACHMENT ALLOWANCES APPLY THROUGHOUT, UM, ALL DEVELOPMENT TYPES FOR THE FULL CODE AMENDMENT.
UM, THE IDEAS THAT ARE CONTEMPLATED ARE CONSIDERED CREATING A BUILDING STORY MAXIMUM.
UM, SO STORIES, UM, INCLUDING HEIGHT FOR MULTIFAMILY, COMMERCIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS IN APPROPRIATE ZONING DISTRICTS EVALUATE THOSE MASS AND SCALE CONTROLS ISLAND WIDE DETERMINE FEASIBILITY AND APPLICATION FOR INTERIOR AND COMMERCIAL BUFFER TYPES THAT MEET ISLAND CHARACTER.
AND, UM, A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THOSE EXISTING BUILDING AND LOT SIZES TO RIGHT SIZE THAT APPROACH IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO LOOKING AT CONTACT SENSITIVITY AS WE LOOK AT THIS COMMERCIAL MASS AND SCALE.
SO I'LL GO BACK TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. BROWN, I'LL LET YOU KICK THIS OFF.
UM, GONNA, IT COMES TO THE COMMERCIAL MANSON SKILL.
UM, I'M GOING TO SORT OF WRAP MY COMMENTS AROUND POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT OR NOT.
UM, THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DILAPIDATED AREAS ON THIS ISLAND, UH, THAT ARE SCREAMING FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
AND AS WE START TO DIVE DEEPER INTO OUR DISTRICT PLANS, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ENCOURAGE SOME INVESTMENT IN REDEVELOPMENT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT A COUPLE SLIDES AFTER THIS MISSY SAID WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS.
UM, SO THAT WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF WHAT A, WHAT WE ARE GIVING OPPORTUNITY TO OR RESTRICTING OPPORTUNITY TO.
UM, AND AGAIN, UM, AS I STATED EARLIER, THE THE OVERALL HEIGHT IS DEFINITELY A CONCERN WE DON'T WANT TO CALL IT, THAN THE TALLEST TREES IN SOME CASES, RIGHT? UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE DO HAVE AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR REINVESTMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, I'VE TOLD THIS STORY TO SOME FOLKS BEFORE, I THINK IT BEARS REPEATING.
I I DON'T LIKE TO REPEAT STORIES UNLESS I THINK THEY'RE NECESSARY, BUT, UH, WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED DOWN HERE FULL TIME IN JULY OF 2015, WE WENT FOR A WALK ON THE BEACH ON THE SOUTH FOREST BEACH AREA AND I LOOKED OVER AND I SAW THIS GIGANTIC, UH, BUILDING BEING BUILT WAY ABOVE THE TREE CANOPY.
AND I'M GOING LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE FOR THE ETHIC HERE.
SO BEING A, A RETIRED ZONING AND LADIES ATTORNEY, I CALLED THE TOWN AND ASKED, UM, FOR SOMEONE WHO COULD TALK TO ME ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, THE TOWN STAFF MEMBER WHO CALLED ME BACK, I, I DO NOT REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, AND IF, IF I DID, I WOULD NOT SAY A NAME.
BUT THEY SAID TO ME, WELL, IN 2014 THERE WERE SOME AMENDMENTS HERE.
THIS RESORT DISTRICT WAS CREATED AND INCREASED THE HEIGHT.
AND THEN THE NEXT SENTENCE WAS, YOU'LL GET USED TO IT.
I TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT AND HE SAID, UHOH, I GUESS YOU'RE NOT RETIRED ANYMORE,
SO THAT BEGAN MY CONCERN ABOUT THE LARGE MASS AND SCALE OF BUILDING, SUCCEEDING THE TREE CANOPY AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, I CO-FOUNDED THE COLI COALITION OF ALL NEIGHBORS.
WE TOOK THAT ON AS ONE OF OUR REQUESTS.
SO DATING BACK TO, I THINK IT SAYS 2018 IN HERE, I THINK MY, MY PLEA TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT DATES BACK BEFORE THAT.
THEN THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD STEPPED UP AND SAID, WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE MASS AND SKELETON, THESE BUILDINGS.
AND, AND, AND THANK YOU MS. LOICK FOR LISTING THEIR CONCERNS FROM THE LETTERS IN SPECIFIC PROJECTS, UM, BECAUSE THEY SAW IT TOO.
AND SO
UM, BUT I, I WOULD REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LIKE FOR US TO AT LEAST REDUCE THE HEIGHT IN RESORT DISTRICT AND DO THAT RIGHT AWAY.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PROJECTIONS HERE.
I WOULD AGAIN, GET RID OF THE PROJECTIONS LIST FOR NOW AND DO THE SAME THING I SUGGESTED ON, UH, THE SINGLE FAMILY, UH, BUILDINGS.
UM, AND, AND THE OTHER THING I WOULD DO IS LOOK AT THE RESORT DISTRICT BECAUSE, BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO SOME WAY OF INCREASING THE HEIGHT ABOVE.
AND LET'S LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET RID OF WHATEVER KIND OF EXCEPTIONS THERE ARE TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT AND AT LEAST DO IT THERE.
[03:00:01]
THAT'S MY PLEA.UM, I, I THINK WE CAN DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE WHAT WE HAVE, UH, IN OUR LMO AT THIS TIME.
UM, CLEARLY, UH, WHEN WE CREATE, UH, SIX STORY BUILDINGS CHEEK TO JOWL, WE AREN'T GETTING WHAT WE INTENDED EARLY ON.
SO BESIDES THE HEIGHT OF TREES, WHICH I THINK SHOULD ALWAYS BE A MARKER, UM, WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THOSE, UH, SETBACKS BETWEEN BUILDINGS.
SO I, I AM IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, UH, A, A REDUCTION ON THE NUMBER OF FLOORS THAT CAN BE BUILT IN A COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
UM, WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE, UM, TODAY IS A 75 FOOT HEIGHT LIMIT ABOVE FLOOD ELEVATION.
IF THEY USE A MANSARD ROOF, THEY CAN CREATE AN EXTRA FLOOR, UH, UP TOP, UH, AN ARCHITECT AND A, A CAPITALIZED DEVELOPER IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINESSE OUR CODES UNLESS WE ARE CLEAR WHAT OUR INTENT IS.
AND SO I, I THINK ON THIS ONE, MASS AND SCALE OF THE COMMERCIAL USES, ESPECIALLY ALONG, UH, OUR EDGE CONDITIONS, THE BEACH, OUR ARTERIAL ROADS, UH, AND BROAD CREEK, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT OUR ZONING DISTRICTS, MHM, MARSH MIXED USE, UM, ESPECIALLY, AND THEN THE, UM, RESORTS, UH, UH, SO I, I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS AN ISSUE WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
HAVING SAID THAT, IT'S MORE COMPLICATED AND IT RELATES TO THE DISTRICT PLANNING AS WELL.
BUT, BUT MY VOTE IS TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HEIGHT, MASS SCALE SETBACKS OF, UH, PRIMARILY, UH, I DON'T PRIMARILY, UM, RESIDENTIAL USES.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET MULTI-STORY BUSINESS OFFICE BUILDINGS, BUT HOW WE ACCOMMODATE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE PUT IN A HIGH RISE BUILDING IN THE KIG DISTRICT, UH, IN, IN OTHER AREAS.
I THINK IT'S WROUGHT WITH, UH, FRAUGHT WITH, UH, PROBLEMS. OKAY.
WELL, I GENERALLY THINK WE SHOULD APPROACH COMMERCIAL IN THE WAY WE'VE AGREED TO APPROACHING A FAMILY.
UH, I NOTE THERE ARE ON YOUR PAGE 41 LESS, THERE ARE TWO THINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH COLUMN.
UM, VISIBILITY FROM THE WATERFRONT, MAJOR QUARTERS.
THAT'S A FACTOR THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR COMMERCIAL.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT THE SETBACK ON A, ON THE LAST BULLET POINT ON THE RIGHT IS, IS ALSO APPLICABLE THE FARTHER BACK THE BUILDING, THE TALLER IT CAN BE.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE I'M IN, IN FAVOR OF APPROACHING THIS GENERALLY AS WE ARE WITH A SINGLE FAMILY.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS SINCE 2018, ACCORDING TO, UM, THERE'S 38 EACH.
38, WE BEING ASKED BY THE DRB AND BY CITIZENS.
AND I KNOW EVEN I ASKED, UM, REPEATEDLY OVER TIME THAT THE, UM, DRB MANUAL BE REWRITTEN BECAUSE WE CHARGE THEM WITH DOING A JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE, UM, IN COMPLIANCE OR ALIGNED WITH THE PURPOSE AND INTENT AND THE CHARACTER OF THE ISLAND.
UM, AND WE FAILED TO GIVE THEM THAT TOOL.
SO THAT'S GOOD SIX YEARS THAT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
AND SO THE FIRST THING THAT I'M GONNA ASK IS A PRIORITY, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GETS DONE, BUT AS A PRIORITY IS IF WE CAN, UM, GIVE THE DRB AND STAFF WHATEVER TOOL THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE NEXT WEEK AND BEGIN TO LOOK AT, UM, THAT MANUAL.
WE HAVE INSTANCES OF BUILDING AROUND THE ISLAND THAT COULD HAVE SO MUCH BETTER BECAUSE THE DRB DID DO THEIR JOB AND THEY DID MAKE SUGGESTIONS AND THEY DID PRESS ON THE ARCHITECTS AND DEVELOPERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT
[03:05:01]
WITHOUT ANYTHING TO HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE.AND SO WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT AREN'T AS GOOD AS THEY COULD HAVE BEEN.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT IS A TOP PRIORITY, WHETHER IT'S IN LMO PRIORITIES OR JUST A PRIORITY FRAMEWORK TO HELP US GET THAT DONE.
AND THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THIS, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT COMMERCIAL AS THOUGH IT'S IN ITS OWN WORLD.
LIKE IT'S ONLY ON IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER COMMERCIAL, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR USE LIST IN VARIOUS ZONING, UM, DISTRICTS, THERE ARE USES THAT ARE COMPLETELY COMMERCIAL THAT CAN TAKE PLACE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
AND SO ANOTHER REQUEST IS A PRIORITY IS THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, THAT USE LIST AND ANYTHING THAT ISN'T A RESIDENTIAL USE BE TAKEN OUT OF A RESIDENTIAL RM NEIGHBORHOOD, IT DOESN'T BELONG.
UM, SO YOU CAN'T HAVE A DECENT NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE YOU HAVE USES THAT INCLUDE COMMERCIAL IN THEM.
SO THAT NEEDS TO GO, UM, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, UM, IN TERMS OF THE MASS AND SCALE, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE ARE, WE ARE BIGGER THAN WE EVER I BELIEVE INTENDED TO BE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WASN'T MY INTENT, BUT I KNOW I MOVED HERE BECAUSE OTHERS WHO WERE SMARTER THAN I WHO DEVELOPED THIS ISLAND, UM, TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEVELOPED IN A WAY THAT WAS FITTING FOR THE LAND AND THAT FIT INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN THAT CONCEPT AND WE HAVE LOST SIGHT OF IT.
SO DO WE NEED, UM, ADDITIONAL SETBACKS AND BUFFERS FROM OUR ROADS SO WE CREATE THE PROPER EDGES AND LESS MASS AND SCALE? I THINK THAT IS TRUE.
I THINK WE NEED TO PUSH OUR SETBACKS AND BUFFERS, UM, OFF THE ROAD SO THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, UM, THOUGHT PROCESS THAT MANY OF US WE'RE DRAWN TO WHEN WE CHOSE HILTON HEAD AS OUR HOMES.
UM, I KEEP BEING A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED WHEN I HEAR DISTRICT PLANS, DISTRICT PLANS, DISTRICT PLANS, UM, AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH A, UM, REZONING IN OUR AREA THAT WAS UNANNOUNCED TO US AS, AS OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED ON THE ISLAND.
BUT WHEN I HEAR THE, THE, UM, CHARACTER OF A DISTRICT, ET CETERA, IT WORRIES ME THAT THERE ARE ALREADY EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALREADY EXISTING CHARACTER FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
AND, UM, NOW A DISTRICT PLAN, UM, WILL COME IN AND TRY TO ESTABLISH THAT ESTABLISHED, UM, AREA AS SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT.
AND I AM GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT I'M PAYING ATTENTION AND THAT I DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN TO WHERE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS EXIST.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
AND, UM, I HOPE IN THAT I GAVE YOU THE ANSWERS TO, UM, ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ON PAGE 41.
UM, HEIGHT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CONCERN, AND I DO NOT THINK THERE'S ANY ROOM TO EXTEND THE HEIGHT.
SO WHATEVER THE MOST RESTRICTIVE ANALYSIS OF, UM, HOW YOU MEASURE, UM, IS WE DO THAT.
75 FEET IS AWFULLY TALL, AND IF YOU ADD ANOTHER FIVE, SIX, OR EIGHT FEET ON TOP OF THAT, IT BECOMES COMPLETELY OUT OF THE CHARACTER FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND SO IF WE HAVE TO DO THAT BY MEASURING DIFFERENTLY OR JUST LISTENING THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS IN A RESORT DEVELOPMENT, THEN WE OUGHT TO BE DOING THAT.
UM, AND SO, AND FOR ME, AGAIN, ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN'T HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH EVERY DAY.
THERE ARE DEVELOPERS AND OUT THERE TRYING TO HUSTLE IN WITH THEIR PLANS SO THAT THEY CAN BUILD THINGS THAT WE HAVE CLEARLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, AND MOSTLY AGREE WE DON'T WANT BUILT STANFORD.
UH, I'LL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN POSED.
UM, AND THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IS THE 11 FOOT, UH, UH, LIMIT THAT IS THE 11 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT, THAT THAT'S A FLOOD ZONE.
THERE'S NO REASON IT SHOULD BE 11 FEET FOR COMMERCIAL AND 13 FEET FOR RESIDENTIAL.
IN MY MIND, IF SOMEONE CAN CONVINCE ME OF THE CONTRARY, THAT'S FINE.
I RECOGNIZE THAT MAKING CHANGES IN THIS, UH, IS A COMPLICATED PROCESS.
AND SO I'M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH, UH, MS. BECKER'S OR
[03:10:01]
MS, EXCUSE ME, UH, UH, THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT LET'S AT LEAST LIMIT THE HEIGHT IN THE RESORT DISTRICT MOVING FORWARD.WE CAN DO THAT, UH, PROJECTIONS INTO SETBACKS.
I THINK IF WE IMPROVE THE SETBACKS, WIDEN THE SETBACKS, MAKE THEM TO WHERE THEY'RE MORE MEANINGFUL, UH, NOMINAL PROJECTIONS ARE NOT A MAJOR ISSUE FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.
UH, I THINK THAT MASS AND SCALE OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AS A GENERAL CONCEPT IS A LONG TERM QUESTION.
SO I, I GO BACK TO WHY THIS TOWN GOVERNMENT WAS FORMED BACK IN 1983.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE, IT WAS HAVING LOCAL LEADERSHIP, UM, TAKING IT AWAY FROM THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES THAT THAT ALLOWED A LARGE DEVELOPMENT IN PUD DUNES, A BIG HOTEL, UM, UNCONTROLLED DEVELOPMENT OF STACK OF SHACKS AND TRUE MASS AND SCALE HIT HILTON HEAD.
UM, THANK GOD IT WAS THE, THE, THE GOVERNMENT WAS FORMED LOCALLY TO PROTECT THAT.
UM, WE HAVE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT AND WE'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO THE PURPOSE OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
UM, SO LINE OF SIGHT, HEIGHT, MASS, SETBACKS, ALL OF IT'S GOTTA GO BACK TO A POINT WHERE IT MAKES SENSE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, SOMEWHERE, SOME WAY THAT WAS LOST OVER THE YEARS.
AND, AND I SAY THIS NOT ONLY FOR COMMERCIAL, BUT ALSO RESIDENTIAL.
UM, WE'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO THAT POINT AGAIN TO WHERE WE'RE REALLY LOOKING OUT FOR WHAT MAKES THIS CHARACTER OF THIS COMMUNITY SO SPECIAL.
AND IT IS WHAT DROVE ALL OF US HERE AND HAS KEPT US HERE.
SO THAT'S MY DRIVE TO Y'ALL, IS TO LET'S TAKE IT BACK AND PUT IT TO A POINT WHERE IT USED TO BE.
AND YES, WE'VE GOTTA BE, YOU KNOW, CAREFUL ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO THEY CAN REDEVELOPMENT, REDEVELOP WITHIN THE REALMS AS TO WE SET FORWARD, VERY LIMITED LAND IS LEFT, AND IT IS OUR TIME AND OUR OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
UM, AND IF IT IS REDEVELOPMENT, THEY CAN DO IT WITH THE CONFINES OF WHAT'S THERE.
SO THAT'S MY DIRECTION TO Y'ALL.
SO WITH THAT SAID, PUBLIC COMMENT.
HI, I AM JOCELYN STEIGER, UH, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR THE HILTON HEAD AREA REALTORS AND THE BEAUFORT, JASPER COUNTY REALTORS.
UM, JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THIS DISCUSSION.
ONE IS THAT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, 35% OF THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WAS VACANT.
I WOULD ASSUME IT'S EVEN MORE NOW.
UM, WE NEED THIS PROPERTY REDEVELOPED.
A LOT OF THINGS, UNFORTUNATELY ARE COST PROHIBITIVE FOR OWNERS BECAUSE OF OUR CODES AND THINGS.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO TAKE GREAT CARE AND TAKE TIME WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE THINGS WITH COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
'CAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA KEEP DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AND STOP PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO REUSE THEM, REMODEL THEM, REPURPOSE THEM.
UM, SO THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
AND AND I GET REALLY NERVOUS WHEN I HEAR ABSOLUTES.
LIKE SOMEBODY MENTIONED, NO MORE COMMERCIAL IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
I MEAN, FOLKS, WE'VE JUST HELPED THE GULLAH GEECHEE FOLKS OUT.
WE'VE JUST GIVEN THEM A NEW WAY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR BUSINESSES.
UH, LET'S NOT TAKE THAT AWAY NOW THAT WE JUST DID IT.
AND IN SOME RESIDENTIAL AREAS, COMMERCIAL'S GREAT.
AND IF YOU FOLKS WANT SOME YOUNGER PEOPLE HERE ON THIS ISLAND, THEY WANNA WALK TO THINGS.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA HAVE CARS AND DRIVE FIVE, SIX MILES TO GET TO SOMETHING.
UM, AS FAR AS AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING GOES, IT NEEDS TO BE LOCATED WITHIN WALKING DISTANCES OF COMMERCIALS, THINGS AND SCHOOLS, ET CETERA.
SO ONE SIZE FITS ALL IS SCARY, I THINK FOR ANYBODY TO EVER DISCUSS.
UM, ON HILTON HEAD, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT REAL ESTATE TOURISM AND THE MILITARY ARE THE THREE, IS THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL OF OUR ECONOMY.
IF YOU MESS AROUND WITH REAL ESTATE AND TOURISM, WITHOUT REALLY TALKING TO REALTORS, DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS, THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE KNOW, THEY KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WANT THAT ARE COMING TO THIS ISLAND, THEY HEAR FROM THEM ALL THE TIME.
UM, PLEASE INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS.
I'M AFRAID THAT JUST THIS BUBBLE OF FOLKS HERE, UM, YOU, YOU'VE REALLY GOTTA HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE INDUSTRIES THAT YOU'RE AFFECTING.
AND YOU'VE GOTTA HEAR WHAT PEOPLE WANT THAT ARE COMING HERE.
I THINK WE SHOULD HONOR WHAT WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO DO FOR THE NATIVE ISLANDERS AND THEIR PROPERTY.
[03:15:01]
THANK YOU.OTHER COMMENTS, MR? WELL, OBVIOUSLY KIND FINGERS, I'D PROBABLY DISAGREE WITH JOSLYN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THE ONE THING I DO AGREE ON IS THE, UH, FAMILY SUBDIVISIONS AND THE FAMILY COMPOUNDS.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TOUCH ANY OF THAT STUFF.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT SEEMS GOOD TO ME.
BUT WE, NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT COME HERE, WE ALSO NEED TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.
OKAY? WE ARE THE DRIVING FORCE OF THIS ALLEY.
WITHOUT US, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SURVIVE.
AND THE REASON, ALAN, THAT ALL THIS GOT SCREWED UP WAS A 2014 REWRITE AT A LMO AND THAT WAS DEVELOPER'S GREED AND A TOWN'S GREED THAT DID THAT.
OTHER COMMENTS, MR. SCOTT? YES, TAIWAN SCOTT.
UM, MY FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE GULLAH GEECHEE LAND AND OUR PRESENCE HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND, UM, OUR OPPORTUNITY AND TO CONTINUE AND TO CONTINUE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UM, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, RD ZONING AND WATERFRONT MIXED USE ZONING, HOW WE SPOKE TO THE GULLAH GEECHEE LANDOWNERS WHO OWN PROPERTY WITHIN THOSE ZONES, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, OTHER THAN GULLAH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE ZONES, THOSE ZONES.
SO IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT REDUCING, UM, WHICH MAY BE FINE, REDUCING LAND HEIGHT OR BUILDING HEIGHTS OR REDUCING RESTRICT MAKING RESTRICTIONS ON THESE PROPERTIES, UM, ARE WE GONNA CONSIDER HOW THAT'S GONNA AFFECT THESE PROPERTY OWNERS PROPERTY VALUE? ARE THEY GONNA BE COMPENSATED FOR THAT, FOR THAT USE OR THAT HEIGHT, THAT ADDITIONAL HEIGHT OPPORTUNITY? WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING THAT.
'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN HERE AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, AGAIN, OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE REWRITING OF THE LMO AND REDISTRICTING AND ALL THESE PLANS, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS GONNA AFFECT GULLAH OWNED PROPERTY.
SO WE SHOULD BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND OUR ISSUES AND OUR CONCERNS SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED AND UPGRADED AS A PRIORITY.
WE HAVE CULTURALLY USED OUR LAND, WE LIVED AND WE HAD BUSINESSES ON OUR PROPERTY.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE HERE.
SO AGAIN, WE CAUTION THE TOWN ON EVERY STEP THAT THEY'RE TAKING THAT'S GONNA AFFECT OUR LAND, OUR USE, AND OUR CULTURE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, MA'AM.
SO ALAN, I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO SAY, YOU MUST HAVE GOTTEN A COPY OF MY EMAIL OF WHY I AM RUNNING, BECAUSE I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I WANNA PROTECT OUR ISLAND HOME.
I WANNA GO BACK TO OUR FOUNDING ETHOS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS.
WE ALL CAME HERE AND WERE ENCHANTED BY HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HOLD ONTO THAT AS BEST WE CAN AND ACHIEVE THE BALANCE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, OUR TOURISTS, AND OUR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, MA'AM.
WHAT I DON'T HEAR ARE CRITERIA.
SO WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT 11 FEET, 12 FEET.
IF THERE ARE CERTAIN VALUES YOU'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, RESILIENCE, CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO BE ABLE, IF SOMEBODY FROM THE PUBLIC TO SAY THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE, THAT IT EXCELS IN THESE CRITERIA.
AND I KNOW THAT AS A COUNSELOR, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT RESILIENCE, YOU WANT CHARACTER OF NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU WANNA MAKE MONEY, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD CAN CONTINUE THEIR WAY OF LIFE THERE.
SO I HEAR GENERAL CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER IT SHOULD BE 11 FEET OR 13 FEET, 45 FEET OR 70 FEET, TWO STORIES OR THREE STORIES.
[03:20:01]
BUT IN WHAT CONTEXT? WHAT, WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED? WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR MARKER FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT DID YOU ACHIEVE IT? YOU KNOW, DID YOU ACHIEVE RESILIENCE? DID YOU AVOID, YOU KNOW, UH, FLOODING? IS IT GOING, WHAT'S THE RISK AND WHAT'S THE REWARD? I DON'T SEE THE TRADE OFFS AND IT'S HARD TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT.I I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE MAKING THE ASSESSMENT.
MAYBE YOU'RE DOING IT IN THE BACK ROOM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE CULTURAL ASPECT, WHETHER YOU'RE TRYING TO, UM, REDUCE THE MITIGATION IN THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, THE RESILIENCE, YOU KNOW, FLOODING SEEMS TO BE A BIG CONCERN HERE AND RESILIENCE IS THE COMPONENT OF IT AND MAINTAINING A WAY OF LIFE.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW YOU GUYS ARE MAKING THAT DECISION.
OTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT THING NONE TIME IS UP.
THAT YOUR, HUH? THAT YOUR TIME IS UP.
I WAS, I WAS WONDERING IF, IF WE WANTED TO, TO TAKE CHALLENGE, SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO, UH, GET THROUGH QUICKER IF YOU WANT TO A, A ADJUST THE, UH, AGENDA
WELL, WITH ALL THE RESPECT, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT, THAT TRAVELED A LITTLE BIT AND HAS, HAS BEEN TALKING WITH US ABOUT A PRELIMINARY APPLICATION.
THE CONVERSION IN THE HOTEL, I, I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO DIVE INTO IT.
IT IS IN AROUND THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE WHEN THE LAST TOPIC WE ARE, WE WILL DO SOME CASE STUDIES.
WE ARE GOING TO DO A CASE STUDY ON ALL THINGS HEIGHT, SETBACK, PARKING, PERUS, IMPERVIOUS, ALL THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.
WE'LL COMPARE THE WESTIN WITH AQUA TERRA, WE'LL COMPARE THE WESTIN AND AQUA TERRA WITH QUARTER DECK, WE'LL COMPARE ALL THREE WITH SOMETHING ELSE, AND WE WILL SHOW YOU THE, THE, THE DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE IN DIFFERENT PLACES IT MAKES SENSE.
UM, AND THAT I, I THINK THE, THE HOTEL CONVERSION CONVERSATION IS RIGHT IN THE SAME BUCKET.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LAND USE.
ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR HOTELS AND MOTELS.
UM, SO WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR HOTELS AND MOTELS, A CONVERSION PROGRAM, UM, THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR ACCESSIBLE AND FLEXIBLE HOUSING THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT WE HAVE EXISTING AGING HOTELS AND MOTELS ON OUR ISLAND THAT INVESTORS HAVE INQUIRED ABOUT CONVERTING TO HOUSING.
BUT OUR CONVER COMMERCIAL CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS THAT WE ALREADY ALLOW DO NOT ALLOW FOR A ONE-TO-ONE ROOM TO DWELLING UNIT CONVERT CONVERSION RATIO.
UM, OUR EXISTING COMMERCIAL CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS DO NOT REQUIRE OPEN SPACE OR AMENITY SPACE.
UM, THE ISSUES THAT, UH, WE'VE SUMMARIZED IS THAT THERE IS NO ALLOWANCE FOR THAT HOTEL CONVERSION, UM, AT A ONE-TO-ONE CONVERSION RATIO.
UM, ADAPTIVE REUSE IS A TOOL THAT IS USED FOR REVITALIZING, UNDERUTILIZED OR VACANT, UH, PROPERTIES AND TRANSFORMING, FORMING THEM INTO VALUABLE COMMUNITY ASSETS.
UM, AS FAR AS A PRIORITY AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATION, UM, WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT WE COULD CREATE AN ADAPTIVE USE PROGRAM THAT WOULD ALLOW HOTEL MOTEL CONVERSIONS INTO MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING UNITS.
UH, THAT THESE HOUSING UNITS WOULD NOT BE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES.
AND THAT WE WOULD ALLOW UP TO A ONE TO ONE, UH, CONVERSION FROM A MOTEL HOTEL ROOM TO MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING UNIT IF CERTAIN CRITERIA ARE MET.
AND THOSE CRITERIA INCLUDE THAT THE UNIT SHALL MEET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFE AND SANITARY DWELLING UNITS, INCLUDING A KITCHEN, BATHROOM STORAGE SPACE, AND LIVING SPACE AT AT LEAST 6% OF THE BUILDING INTERIOR IS COMMUNAL SPACE, 10% EXTERIOR COMMON OPEN SPACE, AND THAT THE SITE CAN MEET DEVELOPER DATA STANDARDS TO ACCOMMODATE THE USE WITH THE PARKING THAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE SITE.
UM, WE'VE HEARD A FEW THINGS FROM COUNCIL THAT A KITCHEN FACILITY NEEDS TO BE A REQUIREMENT OF THE UNITS THAT THE PROPERTY BE MAINTAINED AT A, AT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CARE.
UM, AN EXAMPLE WAS UTILIZATION OF COMPONENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, AND THAT THERE ARE STANDARDS FOR THAT COMMUNAL SPACE TO ENSURE THAT IT'S FUNCTIONAL AND SERVE THE PURPOSE FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE.
AND WE DO ALLOW, UM, COMMERCIAL CONVERSIONS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING, COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, THOSE ARE BASED ON THIS UNIT SIZE CHART.
SO, UM, COMMERCIAL CONVERSION FOR HOTELS AND MOTELS IS CURRENTLY ALLOWED THROUGH THIS CONVERSION PROGRAM.
AND IT'S BOTH FOR MARKET RATE CONVERSION AND WORKFORCE HOUSING CONVERSION.
BUT IT HAS TO MEET THE, THE MINIMUM UNIT SIZE CHART ON THIS TABLE.
SO FOR MARKET RATE, YOUR ONE BEDROOM, YOU HAVE TO BE A MINIMUM OF 800 SQUARE FEET.
[03:25:01]
AND THEN IF IT WAS TO INCLUDE SOME WORKFORCE HOUSING, YOU COULD HAVE UP TO A 280 SQUARE FEET MICRO EFFICIENCY, A STUDIO AT 400 AND LIKEWISE THROUGHOUT THE CHART.UM, THEN THE CONVERSION WOULD HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT COME WITH THAT.
UM, WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM, IT'S A WORKFORCE HOUSING AGREEMENT AND SOME COVENANTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE.
SO WHAT THIS ADAPTIVE REUSE PROGRAM IS OFFERING, UM, A CONVERSION THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE, UM, SOME OF THOSE, UH, RESTRICTIONS FROM THAT MINIMUM, UH, UNIT SIZE TABLE.
UM, BUT IT DOES ADD IN SOME LIVABILITY REQUIREMENTS WITH THAT COMMUNAL SPACE, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR THAT ARE COMMERCIAL CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS.
YOUR PROGRAM DOES NOT ALLOW OR DOES NOT REQUIRE CURRENTLY.
SO, UM, THE PRIORITY AMENDMENT IS, IS, UH, UP BEFORE YOU AND WE'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.
MS. BRYSON, I'M GONNA START WITH YOU.
AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE I WANNA LEAVE.
I JUST THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA AND I WANT YOU TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT THANK YOU.
I, I, I SUPPORT, UH, THE, UH, ABILITY TO REUSE A HOTEL OR MOTEL.
UH, IS THIS INTENDED TO BE MARKET RATE HOUSING? IT COULD BE, UM, BASED ON THE UNIT SIZES, IT'S LIKELY TO BE BELOW MARKET RATE, BUT, UM, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE, UH, AN AREA MEDIAN INCOME REQUIREMENT AS PROPOSED.
WELL, I'M, I'M VERY CAUTIOUS, UH, CREATING SMALL SPACES FOR MARKET, UH, RATE HOUSING.
UM, OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY IN THE, IN, IN THIS CASE, FROM MY STANDPOINT, IS FOR IT TO BE A SUPPLY OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO I, THAT'S, UH, I, I GUESS I COULD UNDERSTAND, UH, IN MORE DETAIL THE EXACT SIZES OF THE UNITS AND HOW THEY WERE GOING TO BE CONFIGURED THAT MIGHT INFLUENCE, UH, BUT A ONE-TO-ONE RATIO AS IT SOUNDS, UH, THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MARKET RATE HOUSING THAT WE WANT ON THE ISLAND.
WHAT WOULD MARKET RATE HOUSING BE IN THE, IT'S NOT A WORKFORCE.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE MARKET RATE FOR BUILDING OF THIS NATURE? UM, SOMEBODY WANTS TO LIVE ON THE ISLAND AT LESS THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OR A HOTEL ROOM.
WELL, I AM NOT GOING, UM, I'M CONCERNED THAT OUR PRIORITY IS NOT BEING MET WITH THIS KIND OF CONVERSION.
I DON'T SEE THIS AS PERMANENT HOUSING.
I SEE IT AS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR, FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED TO WORK ON THE, ON, ON THE, UH, ON THE ISLAND.
IT SOLVES AN ISSUE, UH, AND PROVIDES A SPACE FOR WORKERS TO LIVE ON THE ISLAND THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY, UH, ACCOMMODATE.
I, I TEND TO AGREE WITH, WITH, WITH MR. JAMES, LIKE, I THINK THIS WOULD BE PARTICULARLY GOOD FOR SITUATIONS LIKE CHIMNEY COLE THAT COME UP WHERE WE'VE BETTER RELOCATE.
UH, I, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF BENEFIT TO THE OVERALL COMMUNITY FROM CONVERSIONS THAT ARE NOT INVOLVING WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO I, SO I SEE THE, UM, THAT SITE PARKING MEETS THE DEVELOPMENT DATA STANDARDS, UM, I'M WORRIED ABOUT PARKING, UM, IN THIS SITUATION.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF, UM, WHAT A 6% OF THE BUILDING'S INTERIOR WOULD BECOME COMMUNAL SPACE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT RELATES TO HOW MANY DWELLING UNITS COULD BE BUILT INTO A SPACE LIKE THIS AND WHAT THAT 6% OF THE OVERALL BUILDING, UM, SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WOULD BE.
SO I'M NOT SURE IT'S REALLY, OR FOR THAT MATTER, THE 10% ON THE EXTERIOR, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE, IF THAT'S A MEANINGFUL NUMBER TO CREATE A WHOLE LOT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN CURRENTLY TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
SO, EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT RELATIONSHIP WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ME.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE, UM, AN AREA MAP OF WHERE
[03:30:01]
THESE TYPES OF, UM, HOTEL AND MOTELS CURRENTLY EXIST, UM, SO THAT WE KNOW THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SURROUNDING AREAS CHANGING FROM ONE USE TO ESSENTIALLY ANOTHER.I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE SOME EXAMPLES OF THIS.
I, I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO VISUALIZE THIS, BUT I CERTAINLY AGREE THAT, UH, A UNIT WOULD NEED TO HAVE A KITCHEN FACILITY RATHER THAN JUST A HOT PLATE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND SO THAT NEEDS TO BE THERE AND ADEQUATE, UH, BATHROOM FACILITIES NEED TO BE THERE AS WELL.
SO I HAVE AN OPEN MIND OF SEEING THIS.
UM, IF YOU CAN ADOPT THIS AS A PRIORITY WITH THE OTHER ITEMS WE'VE LEFT FOR YOU, I'M HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT.
UM, BEFORE I GET INTO MY COMMENTS, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN, UH, SOME DEVELOPERS COME IN AND CONVERT, UH, PAST COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS INTO HOUSING.
AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHY HAVE THEY NOT BEEN DRAWN TO SOME OF THE HOTELS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR A LONG TIME? OKAY.
UM, WELL, I REALLY CAN'T SPEAK TO THE, YOU KNOW, MARKET DYNAMICS THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY WITH, YOU KNOW, THE REQUIREMENTS TO DO THE DAPTIVE REUSE.
I THINK, UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A CONVERSION, I THINK IT HAS TO BE THE RIGHT BUILDING THAT'S AT A CERTAIN STANDARD FOR A COMMERCIAL CONVERSION FROM HOTEL MOTEL TO RESIDENTIAL.
UM, SO CERTAIN BUILDING CODES ARE GONNA BE A REQUIREMENT FOR THIS CHANGE OF USE, AND THAT LEVEL OF ANALYSIS IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE.
UM, I'M STRUGGLING WITH THIS ONE BECAUSE I, I THINK WE NEED TO BE TAKING MORE INTO ACCOUNT OUR CONDITIONS AND TRENDS HERE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE, WE ARE SEEING A, A DECLINE IN SOME OF THE, UH, DEMAND FOR HOTELS BECAUSE OF WHAT THE SDRS HAVE DONE.
UM, SO NOW WE'RE LEFT WITH THESE BUILDINGS AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.
UM, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM CONCERNED, UH, WITH THE ONE-TO-ONE.
UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN AMES.
WE ARE, WE ARE CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT ALLEN WIDE TO SOME DEGREE IF WE GO TOO FAR DOWN THIS, UH, THIS PATH FOR THE TRANSIENT WORKER.
AND IF WE ARE TRUE TO WANTING TO POTENTIALLY LOWER OUR AVERAGE MEDIAN AGE HERE ON HILTON HEAD, I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING THAT WITH THIS PARTICULAR, UH, TYPE OF PROJECT.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SUGGESTING I'M TOTALLY OPPOSED TO IT, BUT I WANT US TO, TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND IS, TO ME, THIS SPEAKS VERY LOUD AND CLEAR TO OUR LEVEL OF SERVICE HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
UH, MOST TRANSIENT WORKERS ARE IN THE HOSPITALITY BUSINESS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THOSE THAT ARE COMING TO WORK HERE VERSUS PACKING AS MANY AS WE CAN INTO A HOTEL, RIGHT? I, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT HILTON IS ABOUT.
AND IF WE'RE ASKING, UH, FOLKS TO COME HERE AND WORK, THEN THEY NEED TO HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL.
UH, SO TO ME, THIS NEEDS A LOT OF WORK IF WE'RE GOING IN THIS DIRECTION.
UM, JUST VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ONE FOR ONE AND NOT HAVING, I MEAN, JUST A PLACE TO UNWIND AFTER DEALING WITH OUR TOURISTS
SO, UM, ON THE SURFACE, I'M SORT OF WARM TO IT, MR. MAYOR, BUT, UM, IT NEEDS A LOT OF WORK IN MY OPINION.
SO I, I SOMEWHAT AGREE WITH, WITH, UH, MR. BROWN'S COMMENTS.
UM, BUT THE, THE SOCIAL WELLBEING ASPECTS OF THE PROPERTY IS SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS ME.
UM, WHAT DO WE NEED TO PUT INTO PLACE, INTO A POLICY, INTO THIS AGREEMENT, UM, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THERE IS THAT QUALITY OF LIFE ASPECT?
[03:35:01]
AND IT'S NOT JUST STACKING PEOPLE IN, YOU KNOW, THAT, BUT THAT SAME, THAT SAME COMMENT.THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STACKED IN ANYWAY, RIGHT? THAT THEY COME IN HERE.
SO YES, WE, WE NEED THE SERVICE WORKERS AND IT IS A SEASONAL ASPECT.
TWO, WE'VE GOT UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND IF WE CAN ADDRESS THEM WITH, WITH FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA LIVE THERE AND GARNER A WAGE THAT IS, THAT IS MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE, THEN THERE'S A VALUE, UM, THERE'S A VALUE TO THEM, THERE'S A VALUE TO US.
SO, UM, I I, I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM.
I, WHETHER IT'S ONE TO ONE, I'M NOT SURE OF, UM, SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT.
I MEAN, TO, TO YOUR QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY THEY HAVEN'T COME AROUND.
UM, BUT I LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN CONVERTED, UM, THEY'RE NOT THAT MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT'S BEING OFFERED.
THERE HAS BEEN A, THIS WAS YEARS AGO, A PROPERTY ON, UH, PARK LANE THAT WAS CONVERTED, A HOTEL CONVERTED, AND IT WENT TO WHOLE OWNERSHIP.
UM, AND IT'S, IT WAS AN OLD HILTON HILTON INN, UM, AND IT WAS CONVERTED, SO IT'S VERY MUCH THE SAME.
AND IT WAS CONVERTED AT A ONE-TO-ONE YEARS AGO.
SO, UM, I I, I LIKE THE IDEA, I WANNA KEEP IT MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK WE JUST MIGHT NEED TO TWEAK IT HERE AND THERE A LITTLE BIT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS COME ON UP.
CHRIS
UM, SO WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH THE TOWN ON THIS THOUGHT, THESE CONVERSIONS.
BLUE HOUR HOUSING IS REALLY FOCUSED ON WORKFORCE HOUSING, HOSPITALITY CONVERSIONS ACROSS THE US.
UH, WE THINK THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS IN HILTON HAD ONE SPECIFIC PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND LOOKING TO MOVE ON IS 120 UNIT PROPERTY THAT WOULD BRING 120 WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS TO THE COMMUNITY INCREDIBLY QUICKLY.
UM, THERE'S A WELL PAVED PATH ACROSS THE US FOR HOSPITALITY CONVERSIONS.
THESE ARE BEING DONE IN MANY AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COUN, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING IN BLUFFTON AND CLOSE AREAS IN IN ISLAND COMMUNITIES AND, AND OTHER PLACES AS WELL.
UM, A LOT OF HOTELS RIGHT NOW ARE BEING USED FOR THE WORKFORCE WITHOUT COOKING FACILITIES, WITHOUT AN ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, LIVE IN STAN, YOU KNOW, LIVING IN SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS.
IF, IF WE ARE GONNA TURN A BLIND EYE TO WHERE EMPLOYEES IN THE WORKFORCE ON THE ISLAND IS CURRENTLY WORKING, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONVERT HOTELS AND TO BRING STANDARD GOOD STANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE WORKFORCE OF THE ISLAND.
UM, THESE UNITS, AS WE VIEW THEM, WILL ALL HAVE KITCHEN APP FACILITIES IN THEM WITH PROPER COOKING FACILITIES AND REFRIGERATORS AND MICROWAVES AND ALL THE THINGS YOU WOULD EXPECT IN AN APARTMENT THAT'S YOUR OWN AS WELL.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THESE PROJECTS AND THE PROJECTS WE BRING TO THE ISLAND, IT'S UNITS THAT DO HAVE COOKING FACILITIES, COMMON AREAS THAT WILL HAVE GYMS AND COMMUNAL LAUNDRY FACILITIES AND BIKE STORAGE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS YOU WOULD EXPECT IN APARTMENT COMMUNITY.
PART OF THE REASON WHY THESE PROJECTS HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT HERE SO FAR IS THERE ARE DENSITY RESTRICTIONS.
THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT SO THAT PRICES HAVE TO BE SO EXPENSIVE FOR A UNIT THAT THE PROJECT WOULD NEVER WORK OUT.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE UNITS WE CAN BRING TO THE ISLAND AT A INCREDIBLY AFFORDABLE PRICE IF YOU CAN ALLOW FOR ONE-TO-ONE DENSITY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE ON THEIR OWN OR LIVE WITH ONE OTHER PERSON IN THESE UNITS INSTEAD OF OVERCROWDING AS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE SEE IN MANY OF THE 2, 3, 4 BEDROOM UNITS WHERE THERE'S 10 PLUS 15 PLUS PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE UNITS.
SO I THINK THERE'S AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
I FULLY AGREE WITH ALL THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS AND KITCHEN FACILITIES AND STANDARDS FOR COMMUNAL SPACES.
THAT'S USUALLY IMPORTANT TO US AND USUALLY IMPORTANT TO INCENTIVIZING BOTH DOMESTIC WORKFORCE AND INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE, WHICH ARE HUGELY IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE ISLAND WITH THE CHAMBER WITH A HUGE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE REALLY EXCITED FOR BOTH THEIR DOMESTIC AND INTER INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE THEM IN INCREDIBLE, UH, IN AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO LIVE.
SO, UM, WE'VE HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT IT FROM MANY OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS ON THE ISLAND AND, YOU KNOW, IN ANECDOTAL CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH, WITH OTHER FOLKS ON THE ISLAND.
SO WE FULLY AGREE THAT THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AND UM, AND UH, YOU KNOW, DONE IN THE RIGHT WAY, BUT WE THINK THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE TO PROVIDE REALLY
[03:40:01]
HIGH QUALITY HOUSING FOR THE WORKFORCE ON THE ISLAND.ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THIS IS TOO BIG.
THE LAST PERSON MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.
I THINK THERE'S A PONY IN THIS PILE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS REALLY, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF SEASONAL WORKERS.
THEY COME IN, I MEAN, ONE BIKE SHOP IS 18 PEOPLE.
HE IS GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT 'EM AND THEY COME FOR THE SUMMER AND THEN THEY LEAVE AND THEN, AND THE OFF SEASON WE GOT SOME OTHER SEASONAL WORKERS WHO COME IN AND WE HAVE STUDENTS PERHAPS THAT ALREADY COMING IN, GOING TO USC, SO THERE'S A PONY IN THE PILE SOMEHOW AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH SOMETHING THAT HAS A NICE KITCHEN AND THEN A NICE TOILET AND A NICE, THIS, I MEAN, I LOOK AT MY GRANDSON WHO'S IN A, IN A ROOM WITH THREE OTHER PEOPLE.
IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF THIS TABLE.
YOU KNOW, THEY GET IN THERE AND THEY HAVE SOME FACILITIES DOWNSTAIRS WHERE THEY COOK AND THEY DO ALL THEIR STUFF AND, AND THEY'RE, AND, AND THEY'RE VERY HAPPY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY.
SO THERE'S A POINT IN THIS PILE, I JUST HAVE TO THINK THROUGH AND THINK DIFFERENTLY A LITTLE BIT.
THE SEASONALITY THAT WE, WE CAN MEET AND MAYBE THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE STUDENTS, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM INTO SOME PLACE WHEN THEY COME IN THE OFFICE IN THE REGULAR SEASON TO GO TO SCHOOL AT USC.
MAYBE WE CAN PUT PEOPLE IN THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENT? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, YOU, MISSY, GOT YOUR MARCHING ORDERS ON THAT ONE.
YES, WE WILL DO SOME CASE STUDIES AND ANALYSES AND LOOK AT THOSE LIVABILITY COMPONENTS.
UM, BUT YES, I HEARD THAT, UH, THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE DRAFTING.
UM, SO WE GOT THROUGH FIVE, UH, OF THE 12 TODAY, UM, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD.
THE OTHERS, YOU KNOW, THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS WE WILL BRING BACK UP IN THE, IN THE MAJOR SUBDIVISION PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, UM, ARE TWO OF THE MORE, UM, ROBUST THAT WILL BE ADDRESSING.
AND THEN THE TRANSPORTATION IMPACT ANALYSIS, COMMON OPEN SPACE, PRE PROTECTION SIGN REGULATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT STANDARDS.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHEN WE'LL BRING THAT UP.
AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO FIND THE TIME TO DO THAT, WHETHER IT IS AT A COUNCIL MEETING, UM, OR IF IT IS AT ANOTHER WORKSHOP.
BUT WE WILL, WE WILL FIGURE THAT OUT, UM, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ALL THAT.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.