Sep 18, 2024 Town of Hilton Head Planning Commission

[00:00:01]

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.

CALL

[1. Call to Order]

ONE NATION I GOD INVIS, WITH LIBERTY TO JUSTICE FOR ALL BEFORE WE BRING TODAY AN ARCHITECT.

OH, ANYWAY, MINES WORKING.

YES.

UH, OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO I WAS SAYING ED IS AN ARCHITECT AND HE BRINGS THAT PERSPECTIVE AND, UH, AND SKILLSET TO OUR COMMISSION.

SO WE WELCOME YOU IF, IF OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE NOT YET MET MR. UH, COMMISSIONER CORDES, UH, PLEASE, UH, BE SURE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, UM, BEFORE WE ASK FOR A MOTION

[3. Adoption of the Agenda]

KAREN, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA TODAY? NO, SIR.

OKAY.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS, AS PREPARED? UH, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER WHALEY, SUPPORTED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

YOU UNANIMOUS.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL

[4. Approval of the Minutes ]

YOU'VE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER HENS, DID YOU HAVE A, A COMMENT OR A QUESTION ABOUT, ABOUT THE MINUTES? YES.

ON PAGE TWO, UH, SECTION B, THE LAST PARAGRAPH, THE LAST SECOND TO LAST LINE, IT IDENTIFIES THE RIGHT, UH, THE SPEAKER AS MYSELF.

IF, IF WE COULD IDENTIFY WHO THAT IS, I THINK IT'LL BE MORE CLEAR FOR THE MINUTES.

DID YOU FIND THAT, KAREN? OKAY.

OKAY.

SO WITH THAT, OTHER THAN THAT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES MOVED BY COMMISSIONER HENS, SUPPORTED BY VICE MAYOR BY MY VICE, UH, CHAIR O'NEILL.

UH, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS AMENDED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS AS WELL.

UH, WE HAVE NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS, AND WE'LL BE MOVING INTO NEW

[6.a. Public Hearing PPR-001137-2024: Application for Public Project Review from Trey Griffin, with Wood & Partners, Inc., on behalf of the Town of Hilton Head Island, for a project adjacent to Coligny Circle to improve existing drainage facilities and add connectivity and other improvements to create a small pocket park. The affected property is located at 109 Pope Avenue.]

HERE'S HOW THIS WILL WORK.

UH, WE WILL HEAR A PRESENTATION ON THIS PROJECT, AND THEN WE WILL, UH, HAVE QUESTIONS BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE PRESENTER.

THEN WE WILL, THEN WE WILL CLOSE THAT SECTION, OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK.

THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IT WILL COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR DISCUSSION.

AND THIS TIME, INSTEAD OF BEING A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL, WE WILL BE MAKING THIS DECISION TODAY.

SO AS YOU HEAR THE PRESENTATION AND ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, KEEP IN MIND WE WILL BE, UH, ASKED TO APPROVE THIS, THIS, WE, WE HAVE FINAL APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT.

OKAY.

WITH THAT SAID, UH, TREY, ARE YOU UP TODAY? ME.

GREAT, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SIEBEL.

ALRIGHT.

I'M TREY LAU, UH, INTERIM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE, FOR THE TIME BEING.

AND AS WE, UH, DISCUSSED JUST NOW, THE, UH, WE ARE HERE TO, TO, UH, REVIEW PUBLIC PROJECT REVIEW NUMBER 0 0 1 1 3 7 DASH 2024.

THAT IS THE GANY CIRCLE POCKET PARK.

AND I HAVE A LOCATION MAP PULLED UP FOR YOU HERE.

THE, THE, THE ACTUAL PARCEL IS THIS COMPLETE SQUARE HERE, AND IT INCLUDES THE CIRCLE HERE, BUT THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS GONNA BE RIGHT HERE.

UM, AND THIS IS ADJACENT TO KAEGY PLAZA.

SO KAEGY PLAZA IS ALL, ALL RIGHT HERE.

UM, I CAN'T, THE NAME OF THE RESTAURANT HERE ALLUDES ME RIGHT NOW.

UM, BUT THERE'S A RESTAURANT RIGHT HERE, THEN THE SHOPS ARE BACK BEHIND OVER HERE.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE ATLANTIC OCEAN IS, IS DOWN TO THE SOUTH OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE.

ALL RIGHT, SO SOME OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS AS, UH, AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, UH, THERE'S A SIGN, THERE IS A, UH, BIO RETENTION POND HERE.

IT'S USUALLY NEVER ANYTHING IN IT.

EVERY NOW

[00:05:01]

UH, FROM WHAT I HEAR, THIS IS WHERE FLIP-FLOPS GO TO DIE.

UH, I THINK THE, THE PATH, THE MULTI-USE THERE IS A LITTLE THIN, SO DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE WITH PEOPLE LOSING FLIP FLOPS, BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY GET OVER IN THAT LITTLE DRAINAGE FACILITY THERE.

UM, AND THEN THIS IS YOUR PATHWAY FROM THE ENTRY OVER HERE FROM THE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.

UM, AND THEN YOUR PARKING CONDITIONS, UM, THAT ARE ACTUALLY PART OF THE PARCEL, UH, IN KIG PLAZA.

I THINK THAT'S ALL WE GOT RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN OUR PROPOSED PLANS ARE HERE, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REVIEWING TODAY.

SO THIS WOULD BE A POCKET PARK IN HERE WOULD INCORPORATE SOME PARKING HERE, AND THEN IT WOULD BE AN EX, WELL, THE MULTI-USE PATHWAY WOULD, WOULD BE WIDENED, UH, AND THEN MADE TO BE, TO BETTER SERVE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT IS THERE TODAY.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR, UH, THOROUGHFARES GOING THROUGH THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.

SO IT'LL REALLY ENHANCE THAT, UH, PORTION OF THE MULTI-USE PATHWAY.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON IT.

SO LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS IS PARKS AND RECREATION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CORE VALUES UNDER THE TOWN'S HOUR PLAN.

UNDER THE PARKS AND RECREATION CORE VALUE, THERE ARE EIGHT MAJOR GOALS, ONE OF THEM BEING TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AND PRIORITIZE THE VALUE PARKS AND RECREATION ADD TO THE ISLAND COMMUNITY.

THIS AREA ALONG COLIGNY CIRCLE, THE JUNCTION OF THREE OF THE TOWN'S MOST PROMINENT CORRIDORS.

POPE AVENUE, NORTH FOREST BEACH DRIVE, AND SOUTH FORK BEACH DRIVE IS ADJACENT TO ONE OF THE TOWN'S MOST HIGHLY USED MULTI-USE PATHWAYS IS HIGHLY VISIBLE AND IS IN NEED OF SOME REVITALIZATION.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE ON TO A LITTLE BIT OF A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT.

SO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL BE A PASSIVE USE POCKET PARK PROVIDING ENHANCED PATHWAY CONNECTIONS ON A HEAVILY TRAVELED PATHWAY CORRIDOR, AND WILL PROVIDE NEW ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE CIVIC SPACE THAT ALLOWS FOR PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY.

FROM THE MULTI-USE PATH TO THE ADJACENT RETAIL SIT CENTER.

KIG PLAZA CIVIC GATHERING SPACE WILL ENERGIZE THE PARK AND PROVIDE ENHANCED VISUAL CONTINUITY BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTIES.

THE EXISTING EIGHT FOOT WIDE MULTI-USE PATHWAY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW 12 FOOT WIDE PATH TO SAFELY ACCOMMODATE BOTH PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE MOVEMENTS.

THEREFORE, NO MORE LOST FLIP FLOPS, WE HOPE.

ALL RIGHT, SO THE EXISTING DRY POND CURRENTLY SERVES AS A SURGE RELIEF VALVE FOR THE UNDERSIZED.

LEMME SCROLL UP.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR THE UNDERSIZED PIPELINE WITHIN THE COLIGNY CIRCLE RIGHT OF WAY, THIS AREA WILL BE RESHAPED AS PART OF THE PAR OR THE PARK PROJECT AND WILL HAVE EQUAL OR GREATER STORE STORAGE VOLUME THAN THE EXISTING CONDITION.

THE STORMWATER FEATURE WILL BE DESIGNED AS A BIO RETENTION AREA WITH INDIGENOUS, INDIGENOUS WETLAND GRASS AREAS, CREATING A VISUAL AMENITY, INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE OVERLOOKING AND EXPLAINING THE BIO RETENTION AREA IS ALSO PROPOSED, SO KIND OF LIKE AN AMENITY THERE AS OPPOSED TO JUST A DRAINAGE DITCH THE WAY, THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW AND EXISTS ALSO.

OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA GO MOVE ON TO THE LOCATION AREA AND EXTENT, WHICH IS WHAT WE WILL BE DECIDING ON TODAY.

PER LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, SECTION 16 2 1 0 3 Q4 PUBLIC PROJECT REVIEW STANDARDS AND DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT PROPOSED PO PROPOSED PUBLIC PROJECT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHALL CONSIDER WHETHER THE LOCATION, CHARACTER, AND EXTENT OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH OR CONFLICTS WITH THE PLAN'S GOAL AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES.

ALRIGHT, SO THE SUMMARY AND FINDINGS OF FACTS THAT WE'LL GO OVER FIRST ARE WHETHER THEY MET THE NOTICE DEADLINES OUTLINED IN APPENDIX D 24 AND AND LMO SECTION 16 2 1 0 2 E, WHICH THEY ALL DID.

ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR FINDINGS OF FACT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THE ADOPTED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADDRESSES THE LOCATION, CHARACTER, AND STENT OF THIS PROJECT IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, FOR LOCATION PARKS AND RECREATION COMMUNITY THEME STRAT STRATEGIES AND TACTICS OR PATHWAYS.

AND THAT IS TO IDENTIFY AREAS FOR IMPROVED ACCESS TO PUBLIC PATHWAYS AND EXPANSIONS OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT ENHANCE USER EXPERIENCES IN NEW WAYS FOR CHARACTER.

WE USED INFRASTRUCTURE'S CORE VALUE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS PLAN FOR AND EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE MULTI-USE PATHWAY NETWORK TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE

[00:10:01]

AND THEN FOR EXTENT, UH, ALSO INFRASTRUCTURE CORE VALUE CONTINUE TO ACCESS THE VIABILITY OF PROVIDING NEW AND IMPROVED MULTI-USE PATHWAYS AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH TOWN ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

SO OUR CONCLUSION OF LAW IS WE BELIEVE THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SUPPORTS THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.

WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SUPPORTS THE CHARACTER OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT, AND WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SUPPORTS THE EXTENT OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.

THE LM O'S OFFICIAL DETERMINATION, WHICH LEMME SCROLL TO RIGHT THERE, AS THE LMO OFFICIAL DETERMINES THIS APPLICATION IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE LOCATION, CHARACTER, AND EXTENT AS BASED ON THE ABOVE FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW.

AND AT THIS POINT, PER LMO SECTION 16 2 1 0 3 Q4 PUBLIC PROJECT REVIEW STANDARDS, THE PLAN COMMISSION'S ROLE IS DETERMINED WHETHER THE APPLICATION IS COMPATIBLE OR IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR LOCATION, CHARACTER, AND EXTENT.

AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO QUESTIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU TREY.

LET, UH, I'M GONNA INVITE COMMISSIONERS TO ASK QUESTIONS OF TREY, BUT BE SURE TO ACTIVATE YOUR MICROPHONE IF YOU, UH, CHOOSE TO SPEAK OR, YES, TEST.

WE'RE GOOD.

UH, SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER, HE THANKS TREY.

IT, UM, I JUST, UH, IF YOU CAN CREATE A PICTURE, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THE THEME OF THIS IS TO ENHANCE THE WALKWAY, SO IT'S NOT LIKE A BASEBALL FIELD, IT'S, IT'S THE WALKWAY THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS.

AND, AND TELL US WHAT, INSTEAD OF THE DRAINAGE DITCH, ARE YOU FILLING THAT UP SO THAT IT'S GRASS? SO I WILL ASK OUR APPLICANTS TO KIND OF FILL US IN ON THAT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU FROM A CONNECTIVITY STANDPOINT, SO WHAT THE REASON WE WENT WITH THE PATHWAY IS THE MUL MAIN PORTION OF THIS IS BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS THAT MULTI-USE PATHWAY IS GONNA BE WIDENED AND YOU'LL SEE THE YELLOW ARROWS THERE.

THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE MORE CONNECTIVITY TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY COLIGNY PLAZA.

UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, AS YOU CROSS THE STREET, UH, CROSSING NORTH FOREST BEACH, YOU EITHER ENTER KIG PLAZA OR GO TO THE LEFT AND GO AROUND, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA GO UP TO THE OTHER RESTAURANTS AND, UH, SHOPS.

THAT WAY WITH THE NEW POCKET PARK WE'LL BE ABLE, OR PASSIVE POCKET PARK AS YOU WILL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO ACCESS THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE MORE.

UH, PERFECT.

YEAH.

SO IT'S, IT'S FOR, FOR PEDESTRIANS, CORRECT? IT'S IT'S NOT FOR FRISBEE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S NOT THE PASSIVE PARK.

IT'S, THAT'S JUST GONNA BE A GREEN AREA THAT MAKES WHEN YOU, IT, IT MAKES IT LOOK PRETTIER FOR THE PEDESTRIANS WALKING TO AND FROM.

CORRECT.

THERE COULD BE SOME, SOME AREAS TO, TO SIT SOME, SOME AREAS TO MAYBE PARK YOUR BIKE AND, AND HANG, HANG OUT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

OKAY.

BUT, UH, THE, THE, THE MAIN GOAL IS TO PREVENT, PROVIDE THAT CONNECTIVITY THAT'S MISSING THERE RIGHT NOW.

YEAH.

AND IF YOU COULD JUST LET, LET ME KNOW, INSTEAD OF THE, THE, THE FLIP FLOP CONTAINER AREA , IS IT GONNA BE, IS THAT GONNA BE FILLED OR IS IT GOING TO STILL BE A, A DRAINAGE, UM, BASIN, UH, TREY, JUST TREY GRIFFIN WOODEN PARTNERS, TREY GRIFFIN WITH WOODEN PARTNERS, UH, THE ANSWER UNFORTUNATELY IS IT STILL HAS TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A BASIN.

WE, UH, ARE EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO FILL, BUT UH, SEASONAL GROUND WATER IS TOO HIGH AND SO WE CAN'T GET THE STORMWATER STORAGE CAPACITY THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN BY FILLING INTO THE UNDERGROUND.

SO IT'S STILL GONNA BE SOMEWHAT OF A BASIN.

IT'S GONNA BE A, A PRETTIER BASIN.

IT'S GONNA BE THE, THE IDEA IS THAT IT GETS RESHAPED TO HOLD THE SAME STORMWATER VOLUME, UH, BUT IN A USER-FRIENDLY WAY FOR THAT IMPROVES SORT OF THE AESTHETICS OF THE, UH, CIRCLE AND GIVES SOME PEOPLE ACCESS PASSIVE, BUT NOT RECREATION, JUST RIGHT, RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, AESTHETICS.

THANK YOU.

OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MUELLER? YES.

UM, SO THE ACCESS OF THE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES HIGHLIGHTED IN THAT, UH, PURPLE, IS THAT ENTERED INTO FROM THE KIG, THE ESTABLISHED KAGEY, UH, PLAZA, OR IS THAT A, A DIFFERENT ENTRY INTO THAT PARKING LOT? UH, SO THE PURPLE AREAS YOU SEE ARE NOT VEHICULAR, THEY'RE PEDESTRIAN AND IT'S EXISTING.

UH, CARS WILL

[00:15:01]

NONE OF THAT CHANGES.

AND SO THIS IS ONE OF FOUR CORNERS OF THAT, UH, OF THAT, UH, CIRCLE.

ARE THE OTHER CORNERS AT SOME POINT OR ARE THEY ALREADY EXPANDED TO THAT FROM THAT EIGHT TO 12 FOOT, UH, PATHWAY? I'LL HAVE TO LET THE TOWN ANSWER.

I DON'T, I BELIEVE THAT SOME ARE AND SOME AREN'T.

I THINK THAT THE SOUTHWEST QUAD QUADRANT IS STILL, UH, TIGHT, BUT SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT OCCURRED WITH LOW COUNTRY ON THE, ON THE SORT OF THE WESTERN SIDE WERE EXPANDED.

BUT I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO LET YOU GUYS TALK TO THAT ONE.

THAT'S ALL I HAD.

YEAH, I, I HAVE NOT BEEN OUT THERE AND, AND MEASURED MYSELF, BUT I'VE BEEN OUT THERE A GOOD BIT.

AND VISUALLY I WOULD SAY THAT THEY'RE NOT 12 FEET.

THEY WERE, THEY'RE PROBABLY EIGHT FEET OR SMALLER IN SOME AREAS, ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO THE ATLANTIC ON THE FLATBREAD SIDE.

UM, I KNOW WAS YOU GO UNDER THAT TREE, WHICH WE TRY TO RETAIN, IT GETS REALLY NARROW UNDER THERE.

SO MR. WILL WHALEY TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

WHAT'S BIO RETENTION? YOU REFERRED TO IT IN THE DESCRIPTION.

I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THAT MEANS.

I WOULD IMAGINE SO IF YOU THINK OF A STORM WATER IN THE POND, YOU SEE, INSTEAD OF IT BEING A WET POND, IT'S A DRY POND, BUT IT ALLOWS WATER TO FILTER THROUGH THE SOILS AND CLEANSE IT SORT OF BEFORE IT GETS BACK INTO THE GROUNDWATER OR INTO THE STORMWATER SYSTEM.

SO DO YOU LIKE, AMEND THE SOIL? SO IT'S DIFFERENT LAYERS IN IT? SO I, I'M TRYING JUST SORT OF UNDERSTAND IT.

BASICALLY YOU, YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO A LOT OF AMENDMENTS TO IMPROVE.

IT'S REALLY MORE OF A PLANTING CONCEPT THAT HOW OKAY.

HOW THE PLANTS FILTER THE WATER BEFORE THEY GET INTO THE, THE GROUNDWATER.

OKAY.

AND IS THERE ANY SIGNIFICANCE TO THESE LITTLE CIRCLES WITH NUMBERS AND ARROWS ON THEM? THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THOSE, THOSE REPRESENT THE, THE VIEWS OF THOSE PHOTOS THAT TREY HAD SCROLLED THROUGH? YEP.

OTHER COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER CORDES, ARE YOU RETAINING, UH, THE PLANTINGS THERE ARE THOSE NEW PLANTINGS OR A MIX? THE BASIN ITSELF WILL PROB MOST LIKELY BE RESHAPED.

AND SO ALL WE'LL HAVE TO REPLANT IT.

THE TREES, THE TREES WILL SAVE, WILL, WILL CERTAINLY SAVE ANY SPECIMEN OR SIGNIFICANT OAKS.

SOME OF THE PINES, OBVIOUSLY, DEPENDING ON THE FINAL CIRCULATION, MAY HAVE TO BE, UH, REMOVED, BUT THEY WILL ALL BE REPLACED FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LMO REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT BANK.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONER HENS.

SO RIGHT NOW, I RECALL THERE'S A SIGN THERE FOR COLIGNY, IF I'M CORRECT.

IS THAT SIGN GOING TO STAY OR GO OR IS THERE A SIGN THERE AT ALL? THERE IS AN EXISTING SIGN.

I THINK WE'RE WORKING WITH STAFF TO DETERMINE WHETHER THAT STAYS.

I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'S SOME SORT OF TOWN PARK SIGNAGE, WHETHER IT HAS ANY RELATION TO COLIGNY, I THINK IS TO BE DETERMINED.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS POINT? UH, OKAY.

HEARING NONE, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, WE WILL COME BACK TO DISCUSSION HERE AFTER PUBLIC HEARING.

I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK THAT ANYBODY WHO COMES TO SPEAK TO US, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'LL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES OF COMMENTS.

SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY? UH, DOES IT LOOK LIKE ANYBODY WANTS TO? SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND IT COMES BACK TO US FOR DISCUSSION.

SO OUR ROLE IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSED, UH, FITS WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

AND WE'VE JUST HEARD FROM STAFF THAT IN THE KEY AREAS THAT THEY'VE STUDIED, THEY SAID THAT, THAT SARAH RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION TO US, THAT WE FIND THAT IT FITS WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ACTION WE'D LIKE TO TAKE TO I MOVE TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER, HENCE MOVES TO APPROVE.

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MEER.

OTHER COMMISSION DISCUSSION? UH, HEARING NONE? LET ME CALL FOR THE VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

IT'S UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU.

UH, THANK YOU TREY, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR REPORT.

UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMISSION BUSINESS, UH, UNDER CHAIR

[9. Chairman's Report]

I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO INTEND ONE OR BOTH OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, PROJECTS WITHIN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO.

UM, I, I THINK THE TOWN IS MAKING AN EFFORT TO GET MORE NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVEMENT IN, IN, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

AND IT WAS HELPFUL FOR ME FOR TO, FOR ONE, TO SEE HOW THAT WAS PLAYING OUT.

AND I SAW MANY OF YOU THERE AND I, I APPRECIATED YOU DOING THAT.

SO, UH, THANKS FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT THERE.

UH, SHAY

[10. Staff Reports]

SO JAY SHAY? YES, SIR.

GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSION MEMBERS SHA FERRA FOR THE RECORD WITH COMMUNITY PLANNING.

UM, WE HAVE UPDATES FOR YOU ON THE LMO AND DISTRICTS PROJECT.

UM, WE HAD THE FIRST WORKSHOP FOR THE PRIORITY AMENDMENTS FOR THE LMO.

MANY OF YOU ATTENDED THAT OR VIEWED THAT ONLINE,

[00:20:01]

UM, A PARTIAL REVIEW OCCURRED, UM, OF THE PRIORITY AMENDMENTS.

SO RIGHT NOW THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW-UP MEETING SCHEDULED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THAT REVIEW BY TOWN COUNCIL AND WE WILL MAKE YOU AWARE AND INVITE YOU TO THAT MEETING, UM, WHEN IT'S SCHEDULED AS WELL.

UM, FOR DISTRICTS, WE HAVE THAT MEETING.

UM, NEXT, NEXT TUESDAY AT 1:00 PM IN CHAMBERS, ANOTHER TOWN COUNCIL WORKSHOP THAT WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE THEME CHARACTER, VISION AND FOCUS AREAS FOR, UM, EACH OF THE SEVEN DISTRICTS.

THE MID ISLAND DISTRICT WAS APPROVED BACK IN 2022.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE LARGER LMO PROJECT, WHICH WE'LL FOLLOW.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE IN THE BACKGROUND, UM, AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE DISTRICT PLANS IS A PRIORITY, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT.

UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE OF THOSE, OF THE, UH, TOWN COUNCIL WORKSHOP AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC MEETINGS OUT IN JONESVILLE AND MUDDY CREEK.

IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HAVE ALL OF YOU INVOLVED AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT IN THE FUTURE.

HEAR ME.

HI SHAY.

THANKS FOR, UH, PROVIDING THE UPDATE.

UM, A COUPLE OF US DID ATTEND THE WORKSHOP ON MM-HMM, , UM, MONDAY.

UM, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE'RE STILL GONNA REQUIRE DISCUSSIONS, BUT ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT CAME UP THAT WAS KIND OF NEW TO ME IS THE NOTION OF A HOTEL CONVERSION ZONING PROJECT.

UM, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON HOW THAT STARTED AND, UH, WHAT THE GENERAL INTENT IS? UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE ACTUAL PROJECT ITSELF THAT WAS NOTED AT THE MEETING, BUT I CAN, I CAN EXPLAIN THAT THE LMO CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR A CONVERSION AND, UM, THERE ARE CONVERSIONS TO RESIDENTIAL.

SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HOTEL CONVERSIONS AND ARE THERE PROPERTIES THAT WOULD FALL INTO THIS? 'CAUSE I CAN'T VISUALIZE IT, SO I'M JUST HOPING THAT AT SOME POINT WE CAN UNDERSTAND.

WELL, I THINK THAT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THAT INFORMATION AS PART OF THE FOLLOW UP ON THOSE ITEMS. THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED AT THE MEETING, UM, THERE WERE REQUESTS FOR EXAMPLES, MAPS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WOULD HELP BETTER EXPLAIN.

UM, SO THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW UP ON ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF SHAY? GOOD.

I WE'RE GOOD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

UM, I, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT, UH, I, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, BUT IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANYONE ELSE IN THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO RAISE BEFORE WE ADJOURN? SEEING NONE, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED.

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.

PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS SHOULD BE VERY SPECIAL PLACES THAT PROVIDE JUST THE RIGHT MIX OF WHAT CHILDREN NEED IN ORDER TO LEARN, GROW, AND DEVELOP AT THEIR OWN PACE AND IN THEIR OWN SPECIAL WAY.

A HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCE BOOSTS LATER ACHIEVEMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF RETENTION, SCHOOL OR PLACEMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND INCREASES THE CHANCE OF GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

HIGH QUALITY CLASSROOMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN ARE RESPECTFUL AND CARING PLACES.

THE CLASSROOMS HAVE MATERIALS AND DAILY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY AND AGE APPROPRIATE.

AN EFFECTIVE PRE-KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM IS AN INVITING, INTERESTING PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ENGAGE IN ACTIVE LEARNING.

THESE CHILDREN ARE SUCH SPONGES THAT ANYTIME THAT THEY SEE PRINT, THEY'RE CURIOUS ABOUT IT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY ALSO HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT IT IS ABOUT.

UM, MORE THAN TEACHING LETTERS AND SOUNDS.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO SEE, UM, WHOLE WORDS, I BELIEVE IN A HOLISTIC, UM, APPROACH TO, UM, READING ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNG

[00:25:01]

AND SO, UM, AS WE, UM, LABEL THINGS AROUND THE ROOM, THEY BEGIN TO JUST ABSORB THAT THERE ARE WORDS THAT GO WITH THINGS.

AND THEN ALSO WE DO A LOT OF, UM, LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE.

UM, WHEN THEY PAINT, WE PUT WORDS TO THEIR PAINTINGS, TO THEIR DRAWINGS, TO THEIR JOURNAL WRITINGS.

A DIVERSITY OF MATERIALS STIMULATE ALL THE SENSES OF A CHILD.

ART AND MUSIC CENTERS.

COMPUTER AND SCIENCE AREAS ALL SUPPORT NATURAL CURIOSITY AND DISCOVERY.

CHILDREN MOVE FREELY WITH APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE AND ENGAGE IN PLANNED AND PURPOSEFUL PLAY.

PURPOSEFUL PLAY IS PLAY THAT WE HAVE PLANNED OUT WITH AN END GOAL IN MIND.

SO THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PRESET FOR THEM, THAT LEADS THEM TO HAVE BUILDING BLOCKS.

AND AS TEACHERS, WE CAN SEE WHERE WEAKNESSES ARE, WHERE THEY NEED TO DO SOME EXTRA PRACTICE.

AND WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE KINDS OF MATERIALS, ACTIVITIES, GAMES, BOOKS, TECHNOLOGY, ARE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS SO THAT THEY CAN THEN BUILD ON THAT TO MAKE THEM A MORE WELL-ROUNDED CHILD IN THEIR EDUCATION.

BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS SCREEN OVER 1000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR THROUGH CHILD FIND FOR 685 AVAILABLE SLOTS.

CHILDREN SELECTED FOR ENROLLMENT ARE THOSE WITH THE HIGHEST INDICATORS OF AT RISK FACTORS TO INCLUDE LOW SOCIOECONOMICS, SINGLE PARENTS EDUCATION LEVEL OF THE PARENTS, AND MORE OUT OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVED.

95% ARE CHILDREN OF POVERTY AND APPROXIMATELY 30% HAVE A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AS THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE.

BEST PRACTICES IN A DAY-TO-DAY PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM INCLUDE THOSE THAT ARE WELL-GROUNDED IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT THEORY AND RESEARCH, AS WELL AS CHILDHOOD LEARNING THEORY AND RESEARCH.

SOCIAL SKILLS, GENDER AND CULTURAL SOCIALIZATION, PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, PERSONAL IDENTITY, EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT ARE ALL CRITICAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD.

PRE-KINDERGARTEN IS REALLY VERY OFTEN THE FIRST EXPERIENCE CHILDREN HAVE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME.

SO THEY'RE COMING TO US AND THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT BEING SOCIALIZED IN A LARGER GROUP.

THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO TAKE TURNS, HOW TO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER, HOW TO HAVE SELF-CONTROL, AND ALSO THAT CONCEPT OF BUILDING TEAMWORK.

ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS ARE STAFFED WITH CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO HELP FOSTER ACADEMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND FAMILIES.

HOME AND SCHOOL ARE YOUNG CHILD'S TWO MOST IMPORTANT WORLDS AS THEY WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT CHILDREN'S LEARNING.

THE CREATIVE CURRICULUM FOR PRESCHOOL HAS BEEN SELECTED AS THE CURRICULUM MODEL AS IT IS DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE PRE-KINDERGARTEN CHILD.

THIS EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM HELPS CHILDREN BECOME ENTHUSIASTIC LEARNERS AS IT ADDRESSES THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EARLY LEARNER.

KIDS CLUBS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SITES ARE EVENTS WHERE PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND CHILDREN WORK TOGETHER AND ENJOY HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES, GUESTS, SPEAKERS, FAMILY MEALS, AND MORE.

WELL, PARENTS ARE THE FIRST TEACHERS THAT THESE CHILDREN EVER HAVE.

THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING THEIR LIFE.

WE HAVE THEM FOR SUCH A SHORT TIME, THEY'RE IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ALL THEIR LIFE.

BUT UNLESS WE CAN HELP OUR PARENTS ENGAGE WITH US, UNLESS OUR PARENTS ARE ON BOARD WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM, WE CAN'T TAKE THAT AND EXTEND THAT LEARNING IN ORDER TO FULLY EDUCATE EVERY PRE-KINDERGARTEN CHILD IN THE DISTRICT.

BEST PRACTICES, WELL-PREPARED TEACHERS, STIMULATING MATERIALS AND ENVIRONMENTS, SOLID CURRICULUM, AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE IMPERATIVE.

TOGETHER WE CAN GIVE EVERY CHILD A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE SCHOOL SUCCESS.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.