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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY WOULD ALL PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, MY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
PLEASE FLAG FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE, HONOR, THANK YOU.
NOTICE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED AT THE POINT ITEM FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES.
WE'VE GOT, UH, TWO, ONE FOR THE DECEMBER 2ND, UH, WORKSHOP.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, CONCERNS ABOUT THAT? OKAY.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
HOW ABOUT THE MINUTES FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING ON, AGAIN ON DECEMBER THE SECOND? ANY COMMENTS WITHOUT OBJECTION? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? ANYBODY WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE AGENDA? OKAY.
THE AGENDA IS WITHOUT OBJECTION, DISAPPROVED.
WE ARE AT THE POINT FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS, AND THESE ARE PERTAINING TO CITIZEN COMMENTS, NOT PERTAINING TO THE TWO ISSUES WE'RE GONNA BE WE HAVE TONIGHT.
THIS IS AN OPEN DISCUSSION OF ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL ARE, ANYONE INDIVIDUAL HAS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY TO THE COMMISSION, JUST TO REMIND YOU ABOUT A FEW THINGS IN PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'VE GOT A BUNCH UP HERE ALREADY, UM, SO YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED.
KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO GO OVER HERE TO THE TABLE ON THE LEFT, MY LEFT, AND SUBMIT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, KRISTEN, OVER HERE.
RIGHT? UM, YOU'LL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, UH, THE COM.
THE COMMISSIONS WILL RESPECTFULLY LISTEN TO YOU AND, AND YOUR COMMENTS AT THE PODIUM.
PLEASE CLEARLY, CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
PLEASE IN TURN, BE RESPECTFUL OF THE PUBLIC FORUM THAT YOU'RE IN, PLEASE.
PUBLIC MEETING IS RECORDED AND THEREFORE BECOMES A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD, AS DOES ALL CORRESPONDENCE ON THIS ISSUE DIRECTED TO COUNTY OFFICIALS.
PLEASE, UH, TRY TO AVOID REPEATING COMMENTS ALREADY OFFERED.
WE'VE GOT A BUNCH ALREADY AND I'M SURE THERE PROBABLY COME MORE.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR A WHILE, AND SO WE TRY NOT TO BE REPETITIVE IF YOU'VE HEARD THEM, BUT YOU DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, PLEASE PLACE YOUR CELL PHONES ON SILENT MODE.
IF YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO THE CALLER, PLEASE, UH, STEP OUTSIDE.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS AN ADVISORY BOARD TO, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL.
AS SUCH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION ON ISSUES GO FORWARD TO COUNTY COUNCIL THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES LAND USE COMMITTEE, THEN TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE REVIEW AND VOTING DETERMINATION.
SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IS A STEP IN THE REVIEW PROCESS AND VOTING DETERMINATION BY COUNTY COUNSEL.
OKAY, WITH THAT IN MIND, CITIZEN COMMENTS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? NOW WILL BE TIME TO STEP UP.
UH, SO NO ONE, WE'LL GO THEN TO THE ACTION ITEMS FOR THE EVENING.
FIRST ONE, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR 121.43 ACRES LOCATED ON OPT HIGHWAY FROM TWO T TWO RURAL TO T FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND T THREE NEIGHBORHOOD OPEN, A VILLAGE PLACE TYPE OVERLAY CALLED THE PTO.
ROB, I WANTED TO JUST REAL QUICKLY MENTION, KRISTEN FORBES IS OUR LONG, SHE'S OUR LONG RANGE PLANNER, RIGHT? SHE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, SO SORRY.
SHE'S INVOLVED IN THE, UM, YOU KNOW, DID A LOT OF THE, UH, WORK IN DEVELOPING, YOU KNOW, IN ANALYZING THIS, THIS, UM, REZONING.
SO, UM, OKAY, SO THIS PARTICULAR, UH, ITEM DEALS WITH THE, UM, AMENDING OF THE ZONING MAP OF 121.43 ACRES OFF OF CHERRY POINT
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ROAD IN THE OKEE AREA AT THE INTERSECTION OF CHERRY POINT AND HIGHWAY ONE 70.UH, THIS AREA, THESE PROPERTIES ARE CURRENTLY ZONED T TWO RURAL, AND AS YOU RECALL, THIS ITEM CAME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT ITS, UM, OCTOBER MEETING.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A NUMBER OF COMMENTS AT THAT TIME, AND THE APPLICANT REQUESTED, UH, CONTINUE OR NOT A CONTINUATION, DEFER, I GUESS, TO DEFER TO THE JANUARY MEETING.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE BACK TODAY.
SO I WANTED TO, UM, I CAN CERTAINLY GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS PROPOSAL, BUT SINCE WE'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT PRESENTATION BACK IN OCTOBER, I WANTED TO REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING, UM, AND, AND THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THAT TIME.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE CHANGES IN THE PLAN AND THEN OUR RECOMMENDATION.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE, UH, OUR, UM, TRANSPORTATION PLANNER HERE, UH, UH, KEVIN SULLIVAN, AND, AND HE WILL, UM, TALK ABOUT THE TIA THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO AT THE OCTOBER 24TH OR 2024 MEETING, AS I HAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGREED TO DEFER ACTION ON THIS.
SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AT THAT TIME AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THERE, WE DID NOT HAVE A, A FULL TIA, IT WAS MORE OF A TRANSPORTATION MEMO.
UM, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC CIRCULATION AND THE IMPACTS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THERE WAS ALSO A COMMENT MADE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT THE MIX OF TRANSEX ZONES, UM, IN THE PLACE TYPE OVERLAY.
THERE IS A, UM, THERE'S A TABLE THAT YOU KIND OF CHOOSE FROM A MIX OF DIFFERENT TRANSECT ZONES, AND THERE'S A MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE DEVELOPED AS EITHER RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL.
FOR THE MOST PART IN THIS PROPOSAL WERE ZONED T FOUR, AND THEN THE SCHOOL SITES WERE ZONE T THREE.
UM, SO THAT WAS A CONCERN TO PLANNING COMMISSION AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN ALSO I THINK THAT THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY WERE NOT PRESENT AT THE LAST MEETING, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR SUPPORT, BUT ALSO ABOUT FUTURE, UM, THEIR FUTURE NEEDS AND, AND HOW THIS NEW SCHOOL SITE WOULD, WOULD RELATE TO THAT.
UM, SO GIVEN THAT THERE'S SEVERAL CHANGES, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT LAST SUBMISSION TO, TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, SOME OF 'EM ARE KIND OF EXTERNAL, BUT THEY VERY MUCH AFFECT THIS PROJECT.
AT THE TIME, BACK IN OCTOBER, UM, THE, THE REFERENDUM FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECT SALES TAX WAS STILL A POSSIBILITY.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS STILL UPCOMING.
WELL, NOW, YOU KNOW, WE DO KNOW THAT THAT, UM, REFERENDUM FAILED.
SO IMPROVEMENTS TO ONE 70 WERE ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE TO BE FUNDED BY THAT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A ROAD THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE EXISTING CONDITIONS, UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE TO, TO, UM, MAKE CHANGES WIDENING OR INTERSECTION CHANGES, UH, TO 2 1 70.
SO THAT'S A NEW, I, YOU KNOW, NEW BIT OF INFORMATION OR A NEW REALITY SINCE THE LAST TIME WE LOOKED AT THIS.
IN ADDITION, NOW WE HAVE A TIA, OUR, UM, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THAT.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE INTERSECTIONS, UM, THAT, THAT WE WANT TO BRING UP.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS THAT THE APPLICANT HAS MADE SOME REVISIONS TO THE PLAN, UM, ADDRESSING A LOT OF THE STAFF COMMENTS.
AS, AS YOU REMEMBER, WE, UM, THERE WAS A KIND OF A ADDITIONAL PAGE OF COMMENTS THAT HAD TO DO WITH SPECIFIC ISSUES IN THE, UM, MASTER PLAN OR THE, THE REGULATING PLAN THAT THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED.
AND SO THEY HAVE, THEY'VE MADE CHANGES TO THAT.
UM, MANY OF THE, THE, UM, COMMENTS THAT STAFF MADE WERE ADDRESSED IN THESE CHANGES.
UM, SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES, I MEAN, THERE WERE SOME MINOR THINGS SUCH AS WE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO MEET MINIMUM BLOCK SIZES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WENT OVER WITH THE APPLICANT, THEY MADE THOSE CHANGES.
ANOTHER COMMENT THAT, UM, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS, UM, THE PORTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S AT THE, THE TOP NORTHWEST CORNER NEAR THE SCHOOL ENTRANCE ROAD, UH, THE ORIGINAL SUBMITTAL HAD THAT IS, IS NOT QUITE AS REFINED IN, IN, IN WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED IN THAT AREA.
AND THE APPLICANT HAS, YOU KNOW, REVISED THE PLAN TO, TO PROVIDE MORE DETAIL, UH, IN THAT CORNER.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS NOT REALLY BEEN ADDRESSED IS THE COMMENT MADE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVING TO DO WITH THE, UH, BREAKDOWN OF DISTRICTS.
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UM, REALLY THE, UM, DISTRICTS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR FUTURE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS NT FOUR, THE, UH, SCHOOL SITES OR T THREE.UM, AND THAT IS, UM, I DID BRING UP THAT CONCERN TO THE APPLICANTS, AND I GUESS THEY COULD SPEAK TO THAT, BUT, UM, THEIR APPROACH TO THIS IS THAT WE DO HAVE AN EXISTING COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS BUILDING OFF OF.
SO YOU HAVE THE MALIN BLUFF COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE RIVER OAKS, WHERE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, T THREE ZONING THAT IS PART OF THIS LARGER COMMUNITY.
AND IT, THE GOAL IN THIS AREA IS TO PROVIDE MORE CONNECTIVITY.
SO THAT IS HOW THE APPLICANT HAS EXPRESSED THAT THEY'RE ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE.
BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, BRING THAT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ANOTHER MINOR CHANGE.
UM, AND, AND WE, AT THE LAST TIME, WE FAILED TO MENTION, OR YOU KNOW, THAT THE T THREE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED FOR THE SCHOOL SITES, DOES NOT PERMIT SCHOOLS.
SO WE WANTED TO
SO THE APPLICANT IS ADDRESSED THAT BY MAKING IT T THREE NEIGHBORHOOD OPEN, WHICH ALLOWS SCHOOLS AS A SPECIAL USE.
UM, SO THAT IS KIND OF A SUMMARY OF THE CHANGES TO THE SITE PLAN.
UM, I WILL LET, UH, I GUESS I, I'LL HAVE KEVIN SPEAK ABOUT THE TRANS, UM, THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, AND THEN I CAN COME BACK AND SUMMARIZE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE THE, UH, THE TIA IN HAND.
UH, IT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW.
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY APPROVED AT THE MOMENT.
UM, OF COURSE, UH, THIS PROJECT IS ON HIGHWAY ONE 70.
UM, THE TIA LOOKS AT A TWO PHASED APPROACH FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
UH, WE ASKED AND REQUESTED, UM, FOR, UM, CERTAIN SCENARIOS TO BE PROPOSED, UM, AND THAT WAS DELIVERED BY, UH, THE ACTUAL APPLICANT.
SO WE HAVE AN EXISTING CONDITIONS, WE HAVE A, UM, A BUILT CONDITION WITH PHASE NUMBER ONE.
WE HAVE A BUILT CONDITION WITH PHASE NUMBER TWO.
UM, AND WE LOOKED AT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, WHICH IS PHASE NUMBER TWO, UM, WITH THE EXTRA SCHOOL SITE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL INTERSECTIONS AS YOU SEE, UM, IN THE ILLUSTRATION THAT WE, UH, MADE SURE THAT WE LOOKED AT, UM, BECAUSE THAT WAS WITHIN OUR STUDY AREA.
SO THOSE INTERSECTIONS YOU SEE, SOME ARE ALONG ONE 70 AND SOME ARE ALSO INTERNAL TO THE SITE.
SO, UM, THE COUNTY, UH, TOOK A CLOSE LOOK AT THE ACTUAL TIA AND WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
OF COURSE, THE, THE APPLICANT'S ENGINEERS HERE TONIGHT, HE CAN GO INTO DEPTH ABOUT, UM, THE, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF WHAT YOU MAY SEE.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY TO, UH, TO ECHO WHAT, UH, MR. MERCHANT HAS SAID, UM, BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS THAT WE, UH, CALL UNCERTAINTIES RIGHT NOW WITH RESPECT TO ONE 70, UM, AND, UH, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THE PERFORMANCE AT CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SO IF YOU, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIA, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SUMMARY OF IT.
UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE, SE YOU'RE, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THERE ARE SEVERAL SECTIONS THAT, THAT ARE UNACCEPTABLE LOS CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, AT THIS TIME, AT, AT, AT THIS TIME, UM, BASED ON CERTAIN SCENARIOS, UM, CERTAIN SCENARIOS, WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS BASED ON, UH, HOW THE INTERSECTION IS PERFORMING.
AND THAT'S BASED ON THE, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
DO YOU HAVE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE, UH, TO GET 'EM TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL? THE TIA OFFERED, UM, SOME, UM, IMPROVEMENTS AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THE, UH, THE DEVELOPERS ENGINEERS HERE TONIGHT, HE CAN GO INTO FULL DETAIL ABOUT THOSE.
BUT EVEN WITH THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, LIKE MR. MERCHANT MENTIONED, UM, SOME OF THEM REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED ONE 70 TO BE IMPROVED.
UM, SO WITHOUT ANY CERTAINTY ABOUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE, AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT TONIGHT.
UM, WE HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.
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TO THE REPORT, UM, IT DID A TRAFFIC COUNT BACK IN 2023.IT DOESN'T SAY EARLY JANUARY, OR I MEAN EARLY 2023 OR LATE 23 OF 39,200 VEHICLES PER DAY.
AND I THINK IT EVEN SAID THEY ASSUME 3% ANNUAL GROWTH HIGHER EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT ANNUAL GROWTH.
UM, THIS IS, THIS AREA IS QUITE URBANIZED, SO ISN'T 3% KIND OF LOW.
UM, THAT IS A, UH, UH, I GUESS WHAT WE SAY, A STANDARD THAT WE USE.
S-C-D-S-C-D-O-T HAS A CALCULATION THAT THEY USE AND THEY LOOK AT THE GROWTH.
SO THEY GO SIX, SEVEN YEARS PRIOR.
SO THEY LOOK AT, WE ARE IN 2025 NOW, SO THEY GO BACK TO 20 20, 20 19, AND THEY, THEY LOOK AT, OKAY, WHAT WAS IT IN 20 19, 20 20, 21, 23, AND THEY HAVE A FORMULA TO DERIVE, OKAY, IT'S PROJECTED TO BE 3% GROWTH ANNUALLY.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A ACCEPTED NUMBER.
WE, WE ACCEPT THE 3% GROWTH, AND THAT'S JUST THE COUNT ON ONE 70.
THAT'S JUST WITHOUT THEM DEVELOPING RIGHT.
WITHOUT THE DEVELOP, WITHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AT ALL.
IT'S GONNA GROW 3% BASED OFF OF WHAT HAPPENED IN, BASED ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE HISTORY, OUR, OUR HISTORY.
SO BY MY CALCULATION, BY THE YEAR OF 2035, IT'LL BE 55,890 CARS PER DAY OR VEHICLES PER DAY, RIGHT.
SO I'M JUST AT ESTIMATE CONFIRMING WHAT I DID WAS CORRECT.
JUST TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU WERE TALKING, BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME MATH
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THAT WAS ALL PRE COVID AND WE'VE ALL SEEN THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH SINCE COVID BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT THEY CAN WORK AT HOME.
I REALIZE YOU SAID THAT'S AN S-C-D-O-T FORMULARY OR FORMULATION THAT THEY USE? WELL, IT, IT, IT IS NOT EXACTLY, THEY, THEY DIDN'T CREATE IT, IT'S THE INDUSTRY STANDARD, BUT I WAS, I WAS JUST MENTIONING THE S-C-D-O-T USED AS THE SAME STANDARD.
THAT'S, UH, THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT.
NO COMMON SENSE COMES INTO PLAY AND THAT'S WHATSOEVER
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE LET KEVIN GO? ALRIGHT, KEVIN, THANK YOU.
WE MAY CALL YOU BACK IF WE HAVE SOME FURTHER CLARIFICATIONS, UH, SO TO SOME, AND, AND I COULD, KEVIN, YOU COULD STEP IN AT ANY POINT 'CAUSE THIS, HE UNDERSTANDS THIS A LOT MORE THAN I DO, BUT IT'S, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE FUTURE SCENARIOS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THESE ARE CUT INTERSECTIONS AND THAT'S WHERE YOU MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN.
YOU, YOU HAVE TO TURN RIGHT AND MAKE A U-TURN, WHICH IS PART OF THE OVERALL PLANS FOR, YOU KNOW, LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS ON ONE 70 IN ADDITION TO WIDENING THE SIX LANES.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE FUNDED BY THE COUNTY.
UM, WHERE I BELIEVE THAT THIS TRA UH, TIA ADDRESSES SOME ADDITIONAL INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE FUNDED BY THE APPLICANT, BUT I, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY DON'T INCLUDE THESE R CUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THESE, THESE OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD CREATE AN R CUT CUT INTERSECTION.
AND SO THERE STILL REMAINS AT THE STAFF LEVEL, I GUESS A LACK OF, I GUESS, COMFORT IN, YOU KNOW, IF THESE SCENARIOS AT 2025, THEY'RE ASSUMING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE NOT MADE, AND WE HAVE A, A LEVEL OF SERVICE OF EASE AND FS, THEN WHAT ARE THEY GONNA BE IN THE FUTURE? AND SO ONE OF OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IS THAT WITHOUT THAT THESE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED, BUT WITH NO FUNDING SOURCE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL THESE INTERSECTIONS LOOK LIKE? AND, UM, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A CONCERN THAT STAFF HAS IS FAR AS OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, TAKING, I GUESS A, UM, A, A OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL AS FAR AS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, YOU KNOW, THIS AREA IS IDENTIFIED AS A VILLAGE PLACE TYPE.
AND SO AS A LAND USE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AN OVERALL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE CONSIDERATION, THIS IS, UM, THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR THIS AREA.
STAFF'S CONCERN IS THAT IS MORE OF A TIMING OF, UM, ISSUE WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT AND THE LACK OF CERTAINTY ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS TO ONE 70 THAT ARE NEEDED TO
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NOT ONLY SERVE OTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT'S PROPOSED IN THAT AREA, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, WHAT THIS WOULD IMPACT AS WELL.AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, IS THE, IS TO TAKE INTO VERY HEAVY CONSIDERATION THESE ISSUES OF TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS AND TIMING AND, YOU KNOW, TO WHAT DEGREE THAT THIS COULD BE ADDRESSED BY A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
YOU KNOW, IF THE, IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECIDES TO RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, MOVE THE FORWARD AS A RECOMMENDATION, THEN A LOT OF THESE ISSUES REALLY NEED TO BE, UM, IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT DOCUMENT WITH SOME VERY SERIOUS CONSIDERATIONS MADE FOR TIMING OF DEVELOPMENT.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CAN DO, UM, YOU KNOW, IS TIME, UM, YOU KNOW, BUILDING PERMITS OR DEVELOPMENT TO OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, BUT THAT'S OUR BIGGEST CONCERN AS FAR AS STAFF IS, IS THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FAILURE OF THOSE INTERSECTIONS, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE UNCERTAINTY OF COMMITMENT TO FUNDS, THE IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS.
A QUESTION ARE, UM, R CUTS VIABLE, UH, WITHOUT HAVING A SIX LANE, UH, ONE 70? I THINK THOSE ARE QUESTIONS WE COULD ASK THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WELL, I'M THINKING THAT IF IT R CUT, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT SIX LANES, THAT IT'S A LESSER EXPENSE AND IT ALLOWS FOR SOME MM-HMM
ANY OTHER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ROB IN GENERAL? DO DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A PENALTY IF THE CONDITIONS AREN'T MET? WELL, TYPICALLY THEY, THEY WERE, YOU CAN TIE THE NUMBER OF ROOFTOPS TO A PARTICULAR IMPROVEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, SO THE, UM, PEPPER HALL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, TIED CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE INTERSECTION OF ONE 70 AND 2 78 TO, UM, ROOFTOPS IN THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT'S THE TYPE OF THING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TIMING OF THIS AND THE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THOSE THAT I THINK WOULD BE NECESSARY IF THIS WERE TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, THERE'S ONE PARCEL, UM, BE THAT'S NOT A PART OF THIS.
IT'S, I THINK IT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CHERRY POINT, RIGHT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION THERE AT ONE 70, THE PART THAT IT WRAPS AROUND.
ARE THERE ANY PLANS, ANYTHING THAT'S BEING LOOKED AT IN THE FUTURE TO ENCOMPASS THAT WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY? OR IS IT KIND OF LIKE THE LITTLE HOUSE IN THE CITY? WELL, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE APPLICANT ABOUT THAT, AND THEY COULD SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY OWNER CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO FOR AN UP ZONING.
SO THAT PROPERTY OWNER IS INTERESTED IN SOME SORT OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY WERE READY TO COORDINATE WITH THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, BUT AS YOU COULD SEE, THERE'S TWO STUB OUTS, UM, TO THAT DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THAT ACCESS ACROSS, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE, UM, THAT PARCEL AT THE TOP CORNER RIGHT, UH, IN CHERRYPOINT ROAD IS CRUCIAL.
WHO'S NEXT? FROM THE DEVELOPER FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEERING? YEP.
I'M WITH WHITMER JONES KEEFER.
WE'RE THE LAND PLANNERS AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
AND WE'VE GOT A, A SHORT PRESENTATION KRISTEN'S GONNA HELP US WITH.
AND WE WANTED TO THANK KRISTEN AND ROB.
THEY'VE BEEN GREAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS AND MONTHS OF SOME BACK AND FORTH ON THE UPDATES, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT, THAT BACK AND FORTH.
SO WITH US, SO THIS EVENING, UM, AS FAR AS OUR PRESENTATION GOES, UM, WE GOT RICHARD SCHWARTZ, HE'S THE OWNER'S REP.
WE, DYLAN TURNER, HE'S WITH KIMLEY HORN, HE'S A TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
UM, ROBERT OTING WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS HERE TO SPEAK, UM, FOR THE, ON THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PROPERTIES.
JEFF ACKERMAN IS THE, THE CIVIL ENGINEER.
AND WALTER NESTER IS THE, THE LAND USE ATTORNEY AND MYSELF.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.
THIS IS, AND ROB TOUCHED ON MOST OF THESE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RECAP SOME OF THE UPDATES THAT WE'VE WORKED ON OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
UM, SO THE FIRST ONE WAS WE RE REDUCED THE COMMERCIAL DENSITY,
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UM, IN PARCEL A AND I, I'LL FLIP TO THE, THE MASTER PLAN NEXT, BUT I, AFTER WE GO THROUGH THESE RE REDUCE THE DENSITY FROM 290,000 SQUARE FOOT TO 260,000 SQUARE FOOT MAX, UM, FOR PARCEL D ONE, THAT'S THE PARCEL ADJACENT TO MAIL AND BLUFF, WE REDUCED THE COMMERCIAL DENSITY FROM 125,000 SQUARE FOOT TO 90,000 SQUARE FOOT.AND THE 90,000 SQUARE FOOT WOULD BE NO RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
SO IF THERE WAS 90,000 SQUARE FOOT OF COMMERCIAL, THERE'D BE ZERO RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE A, THIS IS VERY TYPICAL, A CONVERSION WHERE WE COULD CONVERT COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
SO EVERY A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT OF COMMERCIAL COULD CONVERT TO ONE RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
SO IF, IF WE, IF THERE WERE 90 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, THERE WOULD BE ZERO COMMERCIAL SQUARE FOOT UNIT, ZERO COMMERCIAL UNITS.
SO THAT, SO THE 90 IS A, IS IS A POTENTIAL CONVERGENCE OPTION THAT YOU, YOU'RE PUTTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
YOU WON'T PUT IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO KEEP IT SIMPLE.
WE'RE SAYING 90,000 SQUARE FOOT OF COMMERCIAL NOW, THEN IT'D BE THE OPTION TO CONVERT.
BUT WERE THOSE, WAS THAT OPTION CONSIDERED IN THE TRAFFICKED IMPACT ANALYSIS IF THAT IT WAS DECIDED TO CONVERT THAT COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL? IT WAS AT A HIGH LEVEL.
I LET DYLAN SPEAK TO THAT AS FAR AS THE, THE NUMBERS GO.
BUT THE ROOFTOPS VERSUS THE COMMERCIAL USE, YES.
AND THAT, THAT MAY BE A DETAIL THAT ALSO GETS IRONED OUT IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, HOW THAT CONVERSION WORKS.
BUT THE, BUT THE BIG THING IS ON THAT ACREAGE, THE 90 UNITS WOULD BE THE MAX IF THERE'S NO COMMERCIAL.
IS THAT, IS THAT PART OF THE 2 58 NUMBER THAT I'VE SEEN FLOATING AROUND ON TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS? NO.
THAT'S A SEPARATE SEPARATE NUMBER.
SO IT'S A 90 ABOVE THE 2 58? CORRECT.
THEN NUMBER THREE, WE UPDATED THE SCHOOL AS ROB MENTIONED, TO T THREE N DASH O.
AND BASICALLY THE O AS OUTLINED IN THE CODE IS A TRANSITION AREA BETWEEN T THREE AND T FOUR.
AND THE, THE INTENT OF O IS A SUB ZONE IN, IN THE CODE ALLOWS SOME COMMERCIAL USES.
SO YOU COULD DO LIKE A SMALL RETAIL OFFICE, DOCTOR'S OFFICES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE INTENDED TO BE INFILL COMMERCIAL AREAS.
WE'RE GONNA STRIKE THROUGH THOSE ANY COMMERCIAL USES AND JUST ALLOW THE SCHOOL USE IN THAT T THREE AND THE O OR THE SUB ZONE O, SO THAT IN PARCEL B.
HOW ABOUT PARCEL C WHERE THE EXISTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS? RIGHT, SAME THING THERE.
AND THEN, UM, NUMBER FOUR, WE UPDATED THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
DYLAN WILL GIVE YOU GUYS MORE DETAIL ON THAT.
NUMBER FIVE, THE, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WE HAVE A DRAFT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
WALTER NESTER'S GONNA PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT BULLET POINTS.
AND THEN ON THE SKETCH MASTER PLAN, UH, BASED ON CONVERSATION WITH STAFF, WE OUTLINED THE FUTURE CONNECTIVITY THROUGH THAT VALVE PARCEL THAT YOU WERE MENTIONING EARLIER.
WE OUTLINED THAT ON SKETCH MASTER PLAN.
AND WE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PACKET WAS THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THAT PROPERTY OWNER.
WE TALKED TO THAT PROPERTY OWNER.
THEY, THEY, THEY DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE CONNECTIVITY AND THE PROJECT.
THEY'RE IS THAT ON YOUR SKETCH MASTER PLAN? IT IS, YEAH.
AND ACTUALLY WE COULD, CAN WE GO BACK UP FOR A SECOND? WE CAN FLIP TO THAT.
THAT'S THE NEXT SLIDE YOU WANT.
SO THAT WOULD BE, WELL, I GUESS WHERE YOU SEE THE D TWO AND THE OUT PARCEL WOULD BE A LINE YOU'RE RUNNING NORTH, SOUTH THERE, GRAY, IT'S A GRAY LINE ON YOUR MAP.
SO THE, THE LAST ITEM WAS WE ADDRESSED ALL OF THE STAFF COMMENTS FROM THE LAST ADD THAT LIST HERE.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, WE CAN GO THROUGH THOSE.
BUT MOST OF THOSE WERE REGARDING TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE PLAN, BUT WE ADDRESSED ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS.
THIS, AND ROB TOUCHED ON A COUPLE OF THESE, THAT PARCEL D ONE, THAT'S THE PARCEL ON THE, THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE, THE PROPERTY.
UM, WE ADDED THE, THEIR BUILDING LOCATIONS, THE STREET NETWORK IN THAT AREA JUST FROM A SKETCH MASTER MASTER PLAN STANDPOINT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, SO THAT'S THE PARCEL WHERE THERE WOULD BE THE, THE 90,000 SQUARE FOOT OF COMMERCIAL.
THE SKETCH MASTER PLAN IS WHAT WE WERE CALLING EARLIER, THE REGULATING PLAN.
UH, THIS IS THE SKETCH MASTER PLAN.
SO THE SKETCH MASTER PLAN SHOWS A, BASICALLY A PROPOSED LAND PLAN OF HOW THE PROPERTY COULD BE DEVELOPED.
THE REGULATING PLAN JUST SHOWS THE ROAD NETWORK AND THE ZONING FOR EACH OF THE PARCELS.
SO THIS SHOWS A LITTLE MORE DETAIL THAT TECHNICALLY THIS PLAN WOULDN'T BE APPROVED WITH THE REZONING.
[00:30:01]
THE REGULATING PLAN AND THE USE DISTRICTS.THIS IS SHOWING HOW THOSE USES COULD BE OVERLAID ON THE PLAN.
DID I SAY THAT RIGHT ROB? YES.
IT'S MORE ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES.
AND THEN WHILE WE'RE ON THIS PLAN, THE OTHER UPDATE, SO THE, JUST EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.
SO THE D ONE IS THE, THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE PLAN.
AND THEN, UM, THE PARCEL A AND B, THAT WAS WHERE WE UPDATED THAT, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE FROM, FROM TWO 90 TO 260,000 SQUARE FOOT.
REGARDING SQUARE FOOTAGE, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE SURVEYED AREA VERSUS WHAT THE COUNTY SHOWS.
THE A NUMBER OF TOTAL ACREAGE ABOUT YOU, THERE'S ABOUT TWO ACRES DIFFERENCE.
SO THE, THE, UM, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS PLAN, THE PARCEL A AND B HAS THE SOUTH END OF THE PROPERTY HAS A-O-C-R-M LINE.
AND WHEN WE GOT THE PLATS FROM THE SURVEYOR THAT CAME IN IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER, THOSE NUMBERS WERE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE WHAT THE TAX PARCEL IDS SHOWED.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE DISCREPANCY IS.
AND WE, THAT'S PROBABLY A DETAIL WE, WE WOULD WORK THROUGH AS FAR AS, UM, THAT LAND, WE'RE NOT REALLY TYING ANY DENSITY TO THAT ACREAGE, BUT WE COULD UPDATE, WE COULD MATCH THE TWO AS FAR AS THE APPLICATION AND THE, THE NARRATIVE.
BUT THE REASON THEY'RE DIFFERENT IS 'CAUSE OF THAT SURVEY WE INCLUDE ON THE APPLICATION WE INCLUDE, WE MATCHED THE TAX PARCEL JUST SO FROM A COUNTY STANDPOINT EVERYTHING MATCHED.
BUT IN THE DOCUMENTS WE HAD TO USE THE, THE ACTUAL LINE 'CAUSE THAT'S MM-HMM
UM, THE LINE WE CAN WORK TOWARDS.
SO THIS SLIDE, ROB HAD THIS SLIDE UP AS WELL EARLIER.
THIS SPEAKS TO SORT OF THE, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS IT RELATES TO THE VILLAGE PLACE TYPE OVERLAY.
AND THIS, THIS SHOWS THE AJA ADJACENT, IT WAS CALLED OSPREY POINT, IT'S CALLED MAIL-IN BLUFF NOW, BUT TO THE NORTH WHERE IT SAYS PUD.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY T THREE RESIDENTIAL AREA AS IT EXISTS TODAY.
AND YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THEY HAVE A BULLSEYE, IT'S A YELLOW CIRCLE ON THE CHERRY POINT ROAD.
AND BASICALLY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OUTLINES THIS AREA AS PROVIDING FOR LOCAL GOODS AND SERVICES.
SO SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW THAT LIVES IN MAYLAND BLUFF, IF THEY NEED TO GO TO A RESTAURANT OR GROCERY STORE OR ANYWHERE, THEY GOTTA GET ON ONE 70.
THE IDEA IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE LOCAL, THOSE GOODS AND SERVICES LIKE A SCHOOL OR GROCERY STORE OR OTHER USES COMMERCIAL RETAIL USES, LOCALIZED WHERE THEY CAN WALK TO THOSE.
AND SAME THING WITH ALTERNATE TYPES OF, OF HOUSING AND PARKS AND OPEN SPACE TO HAVE THOSE INTERCONNECTED.
THAT'S PART OF THE, THE SPIRIT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHOW THIS BIGGER PICTURE 'CAUSE IT RELATES TO THE OVERLYING ZONING AND THE HOW WE TIE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, THE LAST THING I'LL JUST MENTION, THIS WAS IN THE PACKETS IN IN OUR NARRATIVE, BUT WE, I DIDN'T SEE IT WITH ROB'S PRESENTATION SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TOUCHED ON IT.
IS AS WE, YOU KNOW, AND THIS GOES BACK TO WHERE WHEN WE STARTED THE LOOKING AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND, AND UM, LOOKING AT THE GROWTH PATTERNS OF THIS AREA.
AND SO SOME OF THE GOALS OF THE, THE PLACE TYPE OVERLIGHT, UM, THAT ARE IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
JUST WANTED TO READ THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE JUST 'CAUSE THESE ARE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE THIS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER PLACES.
'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, TO, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE JUST RESIDENTIAL LOTS WHERE EVERYBODY, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, HAS TO GO ON ONE 70 AND AND ACCESS THE ROAD SO THAT THE, THOSE BULLET POINTS ARE, ARE PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS THAT SUPPORT SAFE, EFFECTIVE, MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
UM, INCLUDING BICYCLE OPTIONS TO MINIMIZE TRAFFIC BY PROVIDING MIX OF LAND USES WALKABILITY AND COMPACT COMMUNITY FORM.
AND THAT GOES A LONG WAY WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE SCHOOL AND THE, THE DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL USES, UH, PROVIDE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES TO SERVE A DIVERSE POPULATION.
REMOVE BARRIERS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR WALKABLE URBAN PROJECTS, PROMOTE THE GREATER HEALTH BENEFITS OF PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED ENVIRONMENTS, REINFORCE THE CHARACTER AND QUALITY OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING
[00:35:01]
CROSSROADS NEIGHBORHOOD HAMLETS AND IN OUR CASE VILLAGES, UH, REDUCE SPRAWLING AUTO DEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROTECT AND ENHANCE REAL PROPERTY VALUES.REINFORCE THE UNIQUE, UNIQUE IDENTITY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT BUILDS UPON THE LOCAL CONTEXT, CLIMATE AND HISTORY.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE BULLET POINTS THAT AS THIS FOLLOWS THE PLACE TYPE OVERLAY GUIDANCE AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THESE WOULD BE THINGS THAT WE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH FROM A MORE DETAILED PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION STANDPOINT.
THESE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT WOULD COME ALONG WITH THIS APPROVAL AND THE PLACE TYPE OVERLAP FROM A ZONING AND A GUIDING PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
SO I KNOW THAT'S MORE THAN YOU WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
NO, THAT'S, THAT'S INTERESTING.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT TIE BACK TO THAT, THAT'S SORT OF WHY WE'RE HERE IS IS THAT WAS THE, THE VISION, THE LONG TERM VISION, 10, 15, 20, 30 YEARS FROM NOW IS, IT SOUNDS COMPLICATED TO HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT WE GOTTA START WITH, WITH THESE DETAILS AND FOLLOW THESE AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO YOUR, YOUR PLAN HAS, UH, BEEN MOSTLY, UM, MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL.
UM, THERE'S NOT A, HASN'T BEEN ANY BIG DEGREE OF INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL HOUSING, A A POLICE TYPE OVERLAY DESIRES THAT MIX AS I UNDERSTAND IT AND WHAT ROB SAID EARLIER IS THAT YOUR OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO AND SO ON HAVE THE UH, INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.
SO IT IS, IT WOULD BE THERE IS ANY PLANS AT ALL FOR ANY OF THIS PROPERTY TO HAVE OTHER THAN THE POTENTIAL 90 UNITS OR ANY, ANY INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL HOMES? WELL, THERE'S AREAS THERE ARE ZONE T THREE AND T FOUR THAT ALLOW RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN OPTION BE, YEAH.
THERE COULD BE ULTRA WE SAY MULTI-FAMILY THAT COULD BE ROW HOMES, OTHER, OTHER TYPES OF HOMES.
BUT UH, THERE WOULD BE A DIVERSITY OF HOUSING TYPES.
WE ALL KNOW THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT THE, THE CODE ALLOWS THAT.
THE RICHER YOU CAN KEEP THE MIX THE MORE THAT GETS INTO THE PLACE TYPE OVERLAY.
I I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION UNFORTUNATELY.
UH, GOING BACK TO THE SKETCH MASTER PLAN.
HOW DID YOU GUYS DERIVE, YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSION A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT COMMERCIAL TO ONE DWELLING UNIT, MAXIMUM OF 90 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
WHAT IS THE DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE UNDER THIS ZONING THAT'S PROPOSED? ROB? IS IT SIX PER ACRE? THIS PARTICULAR ZONING DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE? IT'S BASED ON THE, WHAT THE LAND CAN SUPPORT.
IF IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT HAS UM, YOU KNOW, LOT SIZES FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING TYPES.
IT DOES NOT HAVE A UNIT PER ACRE.
THE PLACE TYPE OVERLAY FOR VILLAGE HAS A CAP.
I BELIEVE IT'S, UM, SIX UNITS PER ACRE.
THAT WAS PART OF, WE MADE SURE WE WERE BELOW THAT NUMBER.
SO, SO I'M JUST, I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO DO THE MATH.
I'M A MARINE SO YOU GOTTA GIMME SOME SPACE HERE, SOME LATITUDE.
UNDER THAT T FOUR NC AREA, YOU'VE GOT PLUS OR MINUS 12 AND A HALF ACRES.
SO HOW DOES THAT UP TO 90 IF, IF YOU WERE GONNA PUT MULTI-FAMILY UNITS IN THERE? WELL THERE'S THE, THE T THREE NO AREA AS WELL, THE SEVEN AND A HALF ACRES.
SO IT'S, IT'S THE, THOSE COMBINED ACREAGE.
SO IT'S THAT D ONE IS 20 ACRES.
UH, PLUS THE TWO ACRES, THAT'S PART OF THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY.
OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK, THANK YOU.
YOU SO DYLAN'S GONNA UPDATE ON TRAFFIC NOW.
HEY, UH, DYLAN TURNER WITH COMING HO TRAFFIC ENGINEER FOR THE SITE.
UM, FIRST THING I'LL DO IS GO OVER THE STUDY AREA AND GO OVER SOME OF THE STUFF AND I'LL GET BACK TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED ABOUT GROWTH RATES AND STUFF LIKE THAT TOO.
AND WHAT WE DID, UH, IN THE TIA, SO THE FIRST THING WE DID, UH, WE ANALYZED 11 INTERSECTIONS NEARBY.
UM, SOME OF THEM BEING PROPOSED SITE ACCESS POINTS.
UM, WHAT WE DID THIS TIME, SO IF YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME WE CAME HERE IN OCTOBER, WE HAD A MEMO WITH OLDER COUNTS.
WE GOT NEW COUNTS IN 2024 WHILE THE SCHOOLS WERE IN SESSION.
UM, WE'RE ABLE TO USE THOSE COUNTS, UPDATE THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE FOR THIS, UM, FOR THIS SITE.
WE ALSO ADDED IN THE SCHOOL SITE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THE SCHOOL, WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK THE COUNTS THAT WERE AT OKAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WE REPLICATED THOSE TO A DRIVEWAY TO THE SCHOOL SITE.
SO WHEN WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME THAT SCHOOL SITE'S NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR A HIGH SCHOOL,
[00:40:01]
IT COULD BE A MIDDLE SCHOOL.SO WE THOUGHT WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WE HAVE MORE GRADES THAN A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO WHAT THE NUMBERS WE'RE ADDING IN ARE PRETTY CONSERVATIVE, RIGHT? UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THAT DATA, GET SOME TYPE OF CONSERVATIVE ANALYSIS TO THIS.
UM, ANOTHER THING ON THE TRIP GEN AS FAR AS THE CONVERSION OF, OF RETAIL AND, UH, RESIDENTIAL, WE WENT WITH THE MOST CONSERVATIVE OPTION.
RETAIL HAS A HIGHER TRIP GENERATION THAN RESIDENTIAL.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THIS, IF WE CONVERTED THAT RETAIL TO A RESIDENTIAL, OUR TRIP GEN WOULD THEN LOWER.
UM, SO WE'D HAVE LESS TRIPS ANALYZED.
SO WE HAVE THE WORST CASE SCENARIO HERE, UM, IN THIS TRAFFIC STUDY FOR THE ZONING THAT WE'VE GOT OR LOOKING AT.
UM, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? ALL RIGHT, SO HERE IS WHAT OUR TRIP GEN IS, UM, 258 DWELLING UNITS 350, UH, I THINK IT'S 50 OR 60, UM, A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF SHOPPING CENTER.
SO YOU COULD SEE FROM THIS TABLE, THE SHOPPING CENTER DEFINITELY HAS THAT HIGHER DRIVE IN TRIP TO DEMAND THAN THE THE RESIDENTIAL WITH THE THOUSANDS OF TRIPS VERSUS HUNDREDS OF TRIPS.
UM, SO, UH, MORNING TIME, UH, ABOUT 400 TRIPS AND THE SCHOOL DISMISSAL AROUND 850.
AND THEN, UH, THE PMP CAN, I'M USING ROUND NUMBERS, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE TENS, BUT YOU KNOW ABOUT, UH, LET'S CALL THAT 1200.
WE'LL ROUND UP A COUPLE THERE TOTAL TRIPS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
AND THEN THE SECOND IS OUR PHASE TWO.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING THERE.
ONCE A SCHOOL COMES IN, THEY'LL HAVE TO DO THEIR INDIVIDUAL TIA PROBABLY WON'T BE ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 'CAUSE THERE'S ONE DOWN THE ROAD.
UH, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO REPLICATE THOSE TRIPS TO BE VERY CONSERVATIVE IN THIS ANALYSIS.
SO THIS IS A WORST CASE SCENARIO THERE.
UM, ALRIGHT, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE LEVELS OF SERVICE GRADES ABOVE OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS HERE.
UM, SO YOU HAVE YOUR MORNING, YOU HAVE YOUR SCHOOL DISMISSAL, AND YOU HAVE YOUR PM.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WITH THE SIGNALS THAT WE HAVE OUT HERE, UH, CHERRY POINT OPERATING LEVEL SERVICE D IN THE MORNING, THAT'S THE SCHOOL ARRIVAL.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST TIME AND UH, I'LL GO OVER IT AGAIN.
RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THE CHERRY UH, THE OAKDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPERATES, IT HAS A REALLY BAD QUEUING ISSUE THAT EXTENDS AND GOES BACK ONE TO ONE 70.
OUR TIA ADDRESSES THAT, UH, AS OF SOME SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, AND THEN TIDE WATCH IS OPERATING PRETTY WELL, UM, OFF OF ONE 70, GETTING A LOT OF PUSH THROUGH.
SO THE ONE 70 TAKES A LOT OF THE TIMING DEMAND ON THOSE SIGNALS.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF PUSH THROUGH ON THE TIDE WATCH AS WE GET INTO THE NO BUILD, WHICH IS OUR NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL START TO SEE THESE, THIS IS BEFORE OUR DEVELOPMENT GETS ON.
SO THIS IS WITH THE 3% GROWTH, WHICH IS EXPONENTIAL.
IT'S NOT A LINEAR GROWTH, IT'S, SO, IT'S NOT LIKE A CURVE LIKE THIS, IT'S A CURVE THAT GOES UP THAT WAY.
UH, IT'S GOT THREE, UH, APPROVED DEVELOPMENTS.
OKIE VILLAGE, UH, THE REST OF MAINLAND BLUFF, THE SPEEDWAY GAS STATION, UH, WHICH HADN'T BEEN BUILT YET OFF OF PEARLSTEIN DRIVE.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE GROWING BY 3%, WE'RE ALSO ADDING OTHER NEARBY DEVELOPMENTS ON TOP OF IT.
UM, SO WE ARE CONSIDERING SOME, SOME LOCALLY KNOWN.
AND THOSE DEVELOPMENTS WERE COORDINATED WITH THE COUNTY AND S-C-D-O-T, UH, AND THEIR TRAFFIC STUDIES WERE USED TO THEN DEVELOP THIS.
UM, SO THIS TELLS YOU WITHOUT OUR DEVELOPMENT COMING IN, A NEW SIGNAL AT SHORTCUT IN THE MORNING WILL OPERATE LEVEL SER EXPECTED TO OPERATE LEVEL SERVICE E THE MORNING D IN THE MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON, UH, CHERRY POINT THEN STARTS TO DROP TO AN F, UM, AND THEN D'S IN THE MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON AND THEN TIDE WATCH GOES TO C AND AND BS.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE RELATIVELY KEEPING UP WITH THE SAME LEVEL SERVICE EXCEPT FOR CHERRY POINT.
AND THESE ARE WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS YOU'RE SEEING ON SCREEN.
UM, SO THE BLACK ARROWS ARE WHAT THE EXISTING LANGUAGE IS AND THE OTHER COLOR ARROWS.
SO IF IT'S A YELLOW, UM, COLOR, OR SORRY, GREEN, YELLOW COLOR BLIND HERE, GREEN COLORED, IT'S BEEN COMMITTED BY ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND BLUE WOULD BE, UH, UH, AN LINEAGE FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT.
NOW THE WAY THAT THESE WORK WITH DOT IS, WE CANNOT GET ANY COS FOR THE SITE UNLESS THESE IMPROVEMENTS ON SCREEN ARE BUILT.
SO THESE HAVE TO BE IN PLACE FOR US TO GO FORWARD AND GET AND GET OCCUPIED ON SITE.
SO EVEN IF ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT DIDN'T COME, COME IN AND AND DO IT, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HAS SHOWN IT HAS TO BE, HAS TO BE DONE FOR US.
UM, SO WHAT THIS IS, UH, SHORTCUT, WE'RE JUST PRETTY MUCH GOING THROUGH TRAFFIC THERE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE MALIN BLUFF, UM, IMPROVEMENTS IS SOME RADII A, A RIGHT TURN, UM, RIGHT TURN INTO OUR SITE ACCESS POINT OFF OF MA AND BLUFF AND, UH, 1, 1 70, UH, RIGHT TURN DECALS THERE.
UM, SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT LINEAGE
[00:45:01]
ON CHERRY POINT.SO WE'RE WIDENING CHERRY POINT TO A FOUR LANE SECTION UP TO OUR FIRST, UM, OR EXCUSE ME, TO THE SCHOOL ACCESS POINT.
AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO IS ALLOW A LEFT TURN LANE FOR THAT SCHOOL TRAFFIC.
IT GETS THEM OFF OF CHERRY POINT, STACKING OFF TO THE SIDE OR OFF ON THE SHOULDER LIKE THEY DO NOW, UH, INTO AN INDIVIDUAL STORAGE LANE TO THEN TURN INTO THE SCHOOL, UH, TO HELP THOSE SCHOOL OPERATIONS THERE.
AND SO THAT'S JUST US SHOWING SOME, UH, A TURN LANE INTO THE FUTURE SCHOOL SITE.
SO THEN IT'S GO TO PHASE TWO, NO BUILD.
SO THEN THIS IS JUST, WE'RE ADDING ON, UH, BY 2035, 3% GROWTH.
THIS INCLUDES OUR PHASE ONE TRAFFIC.
NOW WE'RE PUTTING, UH, WE HAVEN'T YET PUT ON THE SCHOOL.
SO IT'S OUR PHASE ONE TRAFFIC PLUS, UH, THE 3%, OR EXCUSE ME, IT'S 1% FROM 2029 TO 2035, UH, FOR THOSE SIX YEARS.
SO STARTING TO TIP THE SCALES TOWARDS THOSE, THOSE FS AND EASE.
AGAIN, 2035, THIS IS ALL ASSUMING ONE 70 IS AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, TWO LANE, NO R CUTS, NO WIDENING.
THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ASSUMING THAT IT STAYS EXACTLY AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO THEN LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, LEVEL SERVICE REMAINING ABOUT THE SAME FROM THE NO BUILD TO BUILD.
SO WHAT WHAT MAKES US FEEL GOOD IS WHAT WE'RE DOING UPFRONT IN PHASE ONE CAN HANDLE MOST OF PHASE TWO.
REALLY THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS A RIGHT TURN DESELL INTO THE SCHOOL ACCESS POINT.
UM, SO, SO THOSE TYPE OF THINGS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE LOOKING GOOD FOR US.
NOW THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS GETS A LITTLE BIT TO YOUR POINT OF THE R CUT OF WHAT ABOUT THE R CUT WITH THE TWO LANES? SO THIS ISN'T EXACTLY AN R CUT YET.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL THROUGH CUTS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROPOSE TO THE COUNTY AND TO S-C-D-O-T STILL KIND OF BEING THOUGHT THROUGH, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
BUT THE THROUGH CUT IS, IT DOES NOT ALLOW THROUGHS FROM THE SIDE STREETS, RIGHT? SO IF YOU WANTED TO GO CHERRY POINT TO PEARLSTEIN, YOU NO LONGER CAN MAKE THAT MANEUVER STRAIGHT THROUGH THE SIGNAL.
YOU'VE GOTTA GO UP IN U-TURN AT ANOTHER SIGNAL AND IT'S AT EVERY SIGNAL.
AND THAT'S GOING AHEAD AND SETTING YOU UP FOR THAT FUTURE R CUT SCENARIO.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
R CUT YOU NO LONGER HAVE FULL MOVEMENT SIGNALS.
YOU'VE GOT THESE LIMITED ACCESS SIGNALS ALONG THE WAY.
THIS IS STARTING TO HELP GET YOU THERE.
SO RIGHT FIRST WE'RE TAKING OUT THE THROUGHS WITH THAT WE GET MUCH BETTER OPERATIONS ALONG THE CORRIDOR AND IT'S ALSO KEEPING TWO LANES ON ONE 70 AND IMPROVING THOSE, UH, IMPROVING THOSE LEVELS OF SERVICE, JUST RESTRICTING SOME MOVEMENT.
SO IT'S STARTING THAT PROCESS OF THE R CUT.
UM, AND WE CAN GO TO 2035, WHEREAS BEFORE, WITHOUT DOING THE THROUGH CUT, WE HAD A LOT MORE FS.
WE HAVE JUST ONE F IT'S STILL AN F IN THE MORNING AT CHERRY POINT, BUT IT'S NOT AS BAD AN F.
THEN THE OTHER PART OF THIS WITH TRAFFIC, UM, THIS TRAFFIC STUDY'S GOT A LOT IN IT AND SO I'M EXPECTING SOME QUESTIONS AND STUFF.
BUT, UM, THE LAST PART WITH THE TRAFFIC IS WE DO HAVE A SECTION THAT INCLUDES THE ONE 70 CORRIDOR STUDY AND IT LOOKS AT WHAT WOULD THIS LOOK LIKE WITH THE WIDENING OF ONE 70 AND THE R CUT CORRIDOR.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE GRAPHICS UP THERE.
THERE'S BEEN TWO HITS TO THAT IS THE STUDY'S STILL NOT YET ADOPTED BY S-C-D-O-T AND THE OTHER IS THE PENNIES, UH, DIDN'T PASS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO WITH THAT TIMELINE.
WILL IT BE BROUGHT BACK UP ON A, MAYBE A FUTURE POTENTIAL PENNIES VOTE? MAYBE THERE'S GOTTA BE ANOTHER POTENTIAL PENNIES VOTE.
SO WHAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS DOING AND CAN DO IS PUT IN SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR THE WHAT IF SCENARIO.
AND THAT'S THROUGH THE POTENTIAL THROUGH CUTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR.
SO THERE ARE STUFF THAT THE PRIVATE DOLLARS CAN DO TO GO INTO THE A PUBLIC PROJECT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THIS DEVELOPMENT'S DOING.
UM, WITH THAT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WITH THE TRAFFIC.
UM, DID THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION ON THE GROWTH RATE OR ANYTHING? THE 3%? UH, AND THAT, THAT STUFF FOR NOW.
AND SO TO TELL YOU HOW THEY DO THE GROWTH RATE, KEVIN HIT ON IT.
WE DO AS THEY LOOK AT SCDO EIGHT, S-C-D-O-T ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC DATA FOR FIVE, 10 YEARS.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE ELIMINATE ANY COVID INFLUENCE.
2025 WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE OF 2020 TRAFFIC, THAT MIGHT EVEN BE SOMETHING THAT GETS BROUGHT UP.
BUT THIS WOULD'VE NOT INCLUDED ANY COVID INFLUENCE TRAFFIC ON THAT DAILY COUNT.
UM, WE ALSO USED THE SAME GROWTH RATE THAT WAS IN THE ONE 70 CORRIDOR STUDY, UH, DONE BY AECOM FOUR, BUFORT COUNTY.
AND, UH, THOSE GROWTH RATES WERE ALSO PRESENTED TO DOT AND BUFORT COUNTY PRIOR TO STARTING THIS PROCESS AND WE'RE WERE APPROVED FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
[00:50:03]
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? THE DRAFT? I HAVE A QUESTION.UH, MAYBE THIS COME UP A LITTLE BIT LATER WITH WALTER.
UH, THE DRAFT, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UM, UM, SHOWS FIVE TRACKS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED OVER TIME UP TO 2031 MM-HMM
UM, ARE THEY, ARE THOSE TRACKS, CAN THEY BE TIMED IN A WAY THAT WOULD MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON THE LOS OR WOULD YOU HAVE TO DO ANOTHER IMPACT STUDY OR, SO WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS STUDY IS LIKE INSTEAD OF DOING IT OVER TIME, IT'S JUST RIGHT ON TOP.
SO EVERYTHING HAPPENS BY THE 2029 IS KIND OF OUR HORIZON YEAR THAT WE USE.
SO THERE MIGHT BE A SMALL DISCREPANCY ON THE, THE TWO YEARS OF 2031 VERSUS 2029, BUT IT'S PUTTING EVERYTHING ON THE NETWORK RIGHT AT ONE TIME VERSUS PHASING IT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SCHOOL SITE.
SO IT WON'T BE, IT WON'T LOOK AT IT IN THAT PHASE OF THIS MASTER PLAN.
NOW, AS EACH PHASE GOES THROUGH, THERE MIGHT BE A SITUATION WHICH WE'RE BACK BEFORE YOU, BUT IF THAT'S, IF SOME OF THAT, UH, PHASING COULD CHANGE ANYTHING WE LOOKED AT HERE.
BUT THIS IS, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF A WORST CASE, PUTTING IT ALL IN AT ONE TIME VERSUS FIGURING OUT PHASE BY PHASE BY PHASE WHAT THOSE INFRASTRUCTURES ARE NEEDED.
THIS IS SHOWING WHAT YOU'LL NEED FOR THE MASTER PLAN.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I THINK FALL CHAIR WILL SPEAK BETTER TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, BUT AS FAR AS WHAT WE DID FOR THE TRAFFIC, OKAY.
YOU'RE THROWN AROUND LEVELS OF SERVICE MM-HMM
AND EVEN I HAD TROUBLE WITH THAT.
I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING, COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY DESCRIBE LEVEL OF SERVICES C THROUGH FR I DON'T CARE ABOUT A AND B.
THAT'S GONNA BE IMPOSSIBLE ANYWAY.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S NOT A GRAPHICS CHART.
SO LEVEL SERVICE C IS YOUR DELAYS ABOUT, I'M GONNA USE THE MAXIMUMS FOR C, D AND E.
WE DO GET LEVEL SERVICE E IN IN THIS VERSUS WHAT YOU HAVE IN SCHOOL.
UM, BUT AT A, AT A SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION, LET'S SAY IF YOU'RE 35 SECONDS OR LESS, YOU'RE IN THE A TO C ZONE.
SO THAT'S THE AVERAGE TIME IS SPENT AT THAT SIGNAL.
UH, D IS ABOUT 55 SECONDS, YOU'RE ABOUT A MINUTE.
SO FOR D AND UH, E I'M JUST GOING TO GENERALIZE THESE.
AND, AND SO E IS ABOUT A MINUTE TO A MINUTE AND A HALF, AND AN F IS OVER A MINUTE AND A HALF TIME SPENT AVERAGE VEHICLE, UH, DELAY AT THAT INTERSECTION.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
AND THE, THE F SCALE, UM, WHEN SIGNALS, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF KEEP THAT CLOSE, BUT THE F ON UNS SIGNALIZE, SO THE UNSIGNED INTERSECTIONS HERE, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU HAVE A LEFT TURN ON ONE 70 ON A SIDE STREET, THE DELAY IS GONNA BE ASTRONOMICAL.
IT'S KIND OF GONNA BE OUTSIDE OF THE SOFTWARE COMPUTATIONS.
UM, SO THERE'S, YOU GET OUR, OUR SOFTWARE SENDS US LIKE A DOLLAR SIGN TO BASICALLY SAY THAT DELAY IS EXCEEDS 300 SECONDS.
'CAUSE AFTER THAT THERE'S A UNRELIABILITY IN THE, THE CALCULATIONS.
IS THAT YEAH, YEAH, I SAW THIS TABLE, BUT YEAH, NO, YEAH, YEAH.
IT DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO LOOKED THAT THE FIRST TIME.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS WALTER NESTER AND I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE LOCAL OFFICES OF BURR AND FOREMAN.
UM, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE USE OF A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE PROPOSALS BEEN PROPOSED BY STAFF.
UH, THERE'VE BEEN A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE USE OF A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
BEAUFORT COUNTY IS PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
OF COURSE, ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS, OR THE LARGEST AROUND HERE IS THE BUCKWALTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WAS USED.
UH, IT'S NOW PART OF, UM, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, BUT A VERY LARGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ENCOMPASSING A LARGE TRACK OF LAND.
I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS PURSUANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ACT, IT PROVIDES FOR, UM, ORGANIZED DEVELOPMENT OF LAND PURSUANT TO YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, VESTS DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS FOR THE OWNER OF THAT LAND.
AND THERE COULD BE MULTIPLE OWNERS AS MAYBE THE CASE HERE.
SO A DRAFT OF A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN CIRCULATED.
THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT DOESN'T GET APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT'S NOT EVEN A RECOMMENDATION.
THE PLANNING, THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT, A AGREEMENTS ARE APPROVED BY ORDINANCE, BY COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND THE, THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT HAVE, HAVE BEGUN AMONG THE DEVELOPER, AMONG STAFF AND THE DEVELOPER OR THE OWNER.
BUT NOTHING'S BEEN FORMALIZED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONVERSION, THE CONVERSION IS AN IDEA.
IT'S A GOOD DEVELOPMENT IDEA TO HAVE IN BECAUSE, BECAUSE
[00:55:01]
IT, IT, IT WILL ADDRESS THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE ECONOMY, WHETHER HOUSING IS MORE NECESSARY OR DOCTOR'S OFFICES SHOPPING, COMMERCIAL, COMMERCIAL USES, IF THAT'S WHAT THE CONVERSION.BUT IF COUNTY COUNCIL DOESN'T WANT THE CONVERSION, IT'S NOT PART OF THE AGREEMENT.
IT'S, IT, IT'S, IT'S A CONTRACT THAT IS BASED ON THE AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.
UM, THERE ARE VERY FEW LIMITATIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THERE'S SOME LIMITATIONS ON TIMING.
THERE'S SOME BA AND THAT IS THAT THE LENGTH OF THE TERM OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT HAS TO BE BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE LAND MASS THAT'S BEING USED.
UM, BUT A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CAN BE USED IMPORTANTLY TO ADDRESS THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD OF.
AND SO, AS MR. TURNER, UH, NOTED, YOU CAN SAY, OKAY, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN A CERTAIN CRITERIA IS MET, THE DEVELOPER OR THE OWNER OR THE APPLICANT FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT HAS TO MAKE A SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OFF SITE.
SO A SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT TO ONE 70 OR A SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT SOMEPLACE ELSE, THAT CAN BE A REQUIREMENT.
AND THERE, AND, AND WE USE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO ADDRESS HOW THAT THAT OCCURS.
AND THAT'S VERY COM VERY COMMON.
IT'S IN THE PEPPER HALL, IT'S IN THE JAZZ 2 78, WHICH IS A WALMART, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THAT THE COUNTY ENTERED INTO MANY YEARS AGO.
BUT THERE, THERE ARE TOOLS, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS.
IT'S A TOOL TO ADDRESS CONCERNS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, CONCERNS OF STAFF, CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS, CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS CAN BE ADDRESSED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BY REQUIRING THE PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AFTER APPROVAL TO RECORD RESTRICTIVE LAND USE COVENANTS ON PROPERTY WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO THERE, THERE'S BEEN A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, THE SCHOOL PROPERTY.
HOW DO YOU LIMIT IT TO THE SCHOOL PROPERTY? WELL, THE T THREE, UH, OH, T THREE, UH, OPEN DOESN'T HAVE SUCH A LIMITATION.
AND I THINK MR. MERCHANT WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU CAN'T USE THE ZONING TO RE TO MAKE THOSE KIND OF RESTRICTIONS.
CAN'T USE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO USE, MAKE THOSE KIND OF RESTRICTIONS.
BUT WE CAN SAY IN A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT THE OWNER IS CONTRACTUALLY BOUND TO RECORD RESTRICTIVE U LAND USE COVENANTS THAT RUN WITH THE LAND THAT RESTRICT USES ON THE PROPERTY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IDENTIFIED IN THE, OR ONE OF THE USES THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN THE DRAFT THAT'S BEEN CIRCULATED IS ON, UM, SORRY, I DON'T KNOW THE PARCELS AS WELL AS THE LAND PLANNERS DO, BUT, UM, ON THE, ON THE, ON THE CAN DIETER TRACT, I THINK IT'S THE 73 ACRES.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT THE CHERRY POINT RESIDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT.
THEY DIDN'T WANT SELF STORAGE, THEY DIDN'T WANT C STORES AND GAS STATIONS.
WELL, WE CAN'T USE THE ORDINANCE TO DO THAT, BUT WE CAN USE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO REQUIRE THE OWNER WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO RECORD LAND USE RESTRICTION THAT WILL PROHIBIT IN THE FUTURE THE USE OF THAT PARTICULAR USE ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A FAIRLY COMMON TOOL.
SO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND, AND A LANDOWNER TO PLAN PROPERLY PLANNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ORGANIZED DEVELOPMENT OF LAND, BUT VESTS THE PROPERTY RIGHTS OF THE OWNER OF THAT LAND TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND I'M GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MAY HAVE.
UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, JUST TO KIND OF PARAPHRASE WHAT YOU SAID, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS DONE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE DEVELOPER, OBVIOUSLY, AND THEN THERE'S TWO PUBLIC READINGS TO WHERE THE PUBLIC IS OBVIOUSLY INVITED TO EITHER MAKE COMMENT OR LISTEN AND GIVE THEIR INPUT THROUGH CITIZEN COMMENTS.
ARE THERE AMENDMENTS TO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS CAN BE AMENDED PURSUANT TO THE SAME METHODOLOGY IN WHICH THEY'RE PASSED.
SO DO THEY, DO THEY HAVE TO BE READ PUBLICLY OR CAN THEY JUST BE DONE AS BACKDOOR DEALS TO AMEND A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? IF IT'S A MATERIAL AMENDMENT, AND MOST AMENDMENTS WOULD BE, MATERIAL WOULD REQUIRE TWO READINGS OF COUNSEL.
SO IT WOULD, IT, THE AMENDMENT REQUIRES THE SAME PROCEDURES THAT, THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH IS A CONTRACT, BUT IT'S PASSED BY ORDINANCE, BY COUNCIL VERY WELL WHO DECIDES WHETHER, UM, A, UH, AMENDMENT IS MATERIAL OR NOT? YOU SAID MOST OF THEM ARE, BUT SOME OF 'EM AREN'T.
WELL, COUNTY COUNCIL IS NOT GOING, CAN'T APPROVE CHANGES TO THEIR ORDINANCE WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURES TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE.
LIKE IN THE CASE OF RIVER OAKS, WHERE THEY SAID AT FIRST IT WAS GONNA BE A 65 AND OLDER COMMUNITY, AND THEN THERE WAS A CHANGE THAT CAME IN AND SAID THAT, AH, WE'RE NOT GONNA WORRY ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S NOT A, A MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT.
[01:00:01]
THAT QUESTION.UM, I THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN ONE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN DECIDED AT THE TIME, AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF.
BUT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS ARE ORDINANCES AND THE CHANGE IN ORDINANCE, YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT THE STATUTE WOULD TELL YOU.
SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WOULD NECESSARILY GUARANTEE THAT THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT WOULD BUILD A SCHOOL THERE.
I MEAN, THAT COULD BE AMENDED, IS THAT RIGHT? YOU COULD, YOU COULD RESTRICT THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE PROP.
YOU COULD REQUIRE THE LANDOWNER, IN THIS CASE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
YOU COULD REQUIRE THE LANDOWNER TO, TO RECORD RESTRICTIVE LAND COVENANTS, USE COVENANTS ON THE PROPERTY, RESTRICTING THE USE TO, UH, SCHOOL USE ONLY.
YOU COULDN'T REQUIRE THEM TO DEVELOP SOMETHING ON THAT PROPERTY.
BUT YOU, THE, THE RESTRICTION COULD LIMIT WHAT COULD BE BUILT THERE.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S A SORT OF A SECONDARY KIND.
THAT'S WELL, SUSPENDERS, THAT'S THE ZONING.
BUT THE T, IF IT'S T THREE O, THEN IT CAN BE A SCHOOL USE BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION, BUT IT CAN BE, THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER USES, BUT WHAT'S BEING, WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AND PROPOSED IS TO LIMIT THE USES TO SCHOOL USES.
AND THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, AGAIN, A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE LANDOWNERS AND THE, AND THE COUNTY CAN REQUIRE THE LANDOWNER TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, INCLUDING RECORDING THOSE LAND USE RESTRICTIONS.
I SAW ON PARCEL, UM, B WHERE YOU HAD BEEN RESPONSIVE TO SOME OF THE CITIZEN COMMENTS IN THE PAST IN RESTRICTING SOME OF THE USAGE.
UM, QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS WHY DIDN'T, WHAT DIDN'T YOU PUT IN THERE? ONLY A SCHOOL OR, BUT IT LEAVES IT OPEN TO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT SCHOOL SPECIFIC.
WELL, IT WASN'T IN, IT'S, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO, TO, TO DO THAT.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, MR. POPPAS, IT'S A, IT WAS A DRAFT.
SO WE'RE UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S, IT'S OUT THERE TO BE DISCUSSED.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE TYPE OF, UH, NUANCE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DRILLED DOWN ON IN CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE DEVELOPER COMING UP WITH A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT STAFF CAN RECOMMEND TO, UM, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
BUT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF DISCUSSION.
I THINK THERE'S A CONCERN, AS I WAS READING THE PUBLIC, THAT IF, IF, IF IT'S A NOT A SCHOOL, WHAT ELSE COULD THEY USE THAT PROPERTY FOR AND WHAT, WHAT DID HE FAULT TO? AND IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
WELL, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS, IS HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, WE CAN, BUT AGAIN, THE DOCUMENT CAN BE MADE TO REFLECT WHAT COUNCIL, WHAT COUNCIL WANTS AND WHAT THIS BODY RECOMMENDS.
UM, UH, AN APPROVAL CAN, CAN, CAN MAKE THOSE KIND OF, AND I, I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU CAN MAKE, MAKE YOUR APPROVAL SUBJECT TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
AND, UM, AND, AND CERTAINLY THAT CAN BE ONE OF 'EM.
BUT TYPICALLY WHAT THE MUNICIPALITY WILL DO IS, IS CREATE A COMMITTEE.
IT COULD BE THE LAND USE COMMITTEE THAT WILL NEGOTIATE, DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE OWNER RIGHT.
TO, TO COME UP WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IT'S TYPICALLY A COMMITTEE OF, UM, OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE HERE AS WELL.
AND ROBERT OTTING IS GONNA COME SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TALK TO YOU.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHY AM I EVEN HERE?
UM, THE PROPERTY THAT WE OWN ON ONE 70 WAS BOUGHT LOTS OF YEARS AGO, AND ITS ORIGINAL PURCHASE PURPOSE WAS FOR A DISTRICT OFFICE THAT FELL TO THE WAYSIDE A LONG TIME AGO.
AND NOW THERE IS NO REAL USE FOR THAT PROPERTY ON OUR CURRENT, UM, PROPERTY USE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, UH, FOR THAT PROPERTY FOR ANY TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
NOW, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR ARE NEW SCHOOL SITES, UM, UH, WITH THE GROWTH IN BLUFFTON, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE LAND FOR A NEW SITE AFTER WHAT WE HAVE AT MAY RIVER.
UH, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR RIGHT NOW WITH THE MAY RIVER CAMPUS, WE'RE CURRENTLY BUILDING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THERE WAS ENOUGH LAND THERE EVENTUALLY
[01:05:01]
FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL.THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONVERSATION ON WHETHER OR NOT A MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD GO THERE OR NOT.
UM, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ABOUT TO BUILD AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THE MAY RIVER PROPERTY.
UM, SO OUR GOAL AS STAFF IS TO ENSURE THAT GROWTH IN THE FUTURE, THAT WE HAVE A LAND AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE SCHOOLS.
AS IT WAS KIND OF ALREADY MENTIONED TONIGHT.
UH, THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, I'M GONNA USE THE WORD SWAPPING AS NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN OFFICIALLY A GOOD TERM, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA CALL IT.
SWAPPING FOR HAS IN MIND, BASICALLY A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, IT WOULD NOT BE PROBABLY IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO BUILD AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RIGHT NEXT TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, WE COULD POTENTIALLY BUILD AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER IF THE NEED WAS THERE.
UM, AND THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TOO SMALL FOR A TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S REQUIREMENTS FOR A HIGH SCHOOL ARE ABOUT 50 ACRES.
AND MOST OF OUR, YOU LOOK AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S UH, IT'S ABOUT 80 ACRES.
UM, WHAT WE USE AT BLUFFTON IS A, A LARGE CAMPUS THAT, UH, IS OVER A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED ACRES.
HILTON HEAD'S IN THE SAME, THERE'S MULTIPLE SCHOOLS THERE, BUT YOU'RE WELL OVER A HUNDRED ACRES.
30 ACRES WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE A TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, BUT WHAT IT IS THE RIGHT SIZE FOR IS A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND, AND THAT'S, AND WE'VE LAID OUT A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS PROPERTY, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN MIND.
UH, WITH THE LOCATION RIGHT NEAR OKAT T ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IT'D MAKE GOOD SENSE TO ALSO HAVE A FUTURE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ON TOP OF THAT, THIS SIDE OF THE COUNTY WHERE WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF GROWTH IS FAR AWAY FROM OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE ALL CENTERED IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
AND IF WE BUILD ONE ON THE MAY RIVER, OF COURSE THAT WOULD EVEN BE FURTHER AWAY.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE COVERAGE FOR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE ON THIS SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
DO YOU CURRENTLY OWN THE PROPERTY? SO WE CURRENTLY OWN PROPERTY D ONE.
THAT IS A, SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS SWAPPING D ONE THAT'S LOCATED ON ONE 70.
AND AS I SAID, THE ONLY THING WE COULD PROBABLY USE IT FOR IS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, BUT IT'S ON ONE 70.
SO THAT IS NOT, UM, A GOOD PROPERTY FOR US FOR AN EARLY CHILDHOOD.
ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT A GOOD PROPERTY FOR A SCHOOL PERIOD.
SO WHAT WE LIKE IS BEING FURTHER OFF ONE 70 BACK AWAY FROM THE HIGHWAY.
AND, UH, IT COULD, THE 30 ACRES WOULD BE A LARGE SITE FOR AN EARLY CHILDHOOD.
IT'S WAY MORE THAN WE NEED FOR AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
MOST OF OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS ARE LESS THAN 20 ACRES.
UM, AND THEY'RE USUALLY, AND THEY ARE LOCATED NEXT TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE TO CROSS A ROAD TO GET THERE, WHICH ISN'T OPTIMAL, IT'S NOT AN OPTIMAL SITE FOR AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
IT WOULD, IT'S AN OPTIMAL SIZE SITE FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE OPENED THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHAT'S THE CURRENT CAPACITY? WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU AT? OOH, SO I LOOK, I THINK WE'RE IN THE MID EIGHTIES.
UM, IT'S OBVIOUSLY GROWING, UM, AND THERE IS SOME CONCERN FOR THE GROWTH WITH OKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, WHAT WE, WHAT I WOULD SAY ON THAT, AND WE'VE HAD GROWTH AND CONCERNS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE PAST, BUT WITH OUR LATEST, UH, BOND REFERENDUM THAT WE LUCKILY GOT PASSED BY THE COUNTY, UM, INCLUDING THAT WAS A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AS I SAID, IS WE'RE BUILDING IN EL IN, UH, THE MAY RIVER AREA.
SO PART OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IN THIS SPRING IS LOOK AT THE ZONING FOR THAT NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND THAT WILL HELP OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BALANCE, UH, FOR THE, WE DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR NOW ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS PLUS.
UM, OUR NEXT NEED SCHOOL-WISE IN BLUFFTON WILL BE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WHAT WOULD THE COST OF THE COUNTY BE TO SWAP OUT THESE TWO PARCELS FROM THAT D ONE TO THE B? SO THERE IS NO COST.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S A STRAIGHT SWAP.
ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY OFFICIAL DISCUSSIONS BEING STARTED ABOUT DEVELOPING THAT PROPERTY FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL? UM, WHAT WE HAVE TALKED WITH, OUR BOARD HAS SHOWN THEM THAT A MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD FIT THERE.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A LAND RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO WE'RE NOT ACTIVELY DESIGNING A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT IS OUR NEXT NEED.
AND YOU'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE DEVELOPER? WE ARE.
IF THIS WHOLE THING GOES FORWARD, YES, SIR.
I IMAGINE THERE IS A CLAUSE IN THERE THAT IF THE DUST DOESN'T GO THROUGH THAT CONTRACT WITH NULL AND VOID, THAT
[01:10:01]
IS CORRECT.WELL, YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION TO CHANGE YOUR MIND AND NOT PUT IT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THERE.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY IN THAT CASE? UM, LIKE I TOLD YOU, WE, WE, WELL, YOU COULD NOT PUT A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL THERE.
'CAUSE THE DIFFERENCE, OBVIOUSLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MIDDLE SCHOOL JUST BARELY FITS THERE.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND A HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT I UNDERSTAND THE PARKING FOR ALL THE STUDENTS.
IT JUST WOULDN'T WORK ON THAT SITE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, IF WE NEEDED ONE IN THE FUTURE, IT'S, IT'S A LARGE SITE FOR THAT, BUT WE COULD PUT AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER THERE IF THAT NEED ARISES.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, WE DO NOT HAVE, WE'RE WE'RE BUYING THIS AS A LAND BANK FOR A FUTURE USE.
'CAUSE AS A COUNTY MAY BE AWARE, AND US, IF YOU BUY SOMETHING WHEN YOU NEED IT, THAT'S THE WORST TIME IN THE WORLD TO BUY.
SO WE'RE BUYING SOMETHING AHEAD OF A NEED OR THAT IS OUR GOAL.
THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY PURCHASING.
IS THERE ANY TIMING, UM, AN ELEMENT OF TIMING THAT YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGER ON ABOUT WHEN THIS MIGHT POTENTIALLY BECOME MIDDLE SCHOOL? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 YEARS.
AND IS THE COUNTY, OR IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PREPARED TO JUST SIT ON THAT LENGTH FOR 10 YEARS? I WOULD, WELL, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT IT CANNOT, WE, AT THIS TIME, WE JUST PASSED OUR LAST REFERENDUM.
UM, IT PASSED IN, UM, UH, 2023.
AND, UH, IT IS SUPPOSED TO GO OUT THROUGH 2020, NO, 2024.
AND THERE IS NO FUNDING IN THERE FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO I CAN TELL YOU, WE WILL NOT EVEN START THIS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, OUR NEXT NEED, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE NEXT ROUND, UH, AT, UH, A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL.
DEFINITELY, WHETHER THAT GOES AT THE MAY RIVER CAMPUS OR GOES HERE, THAT, THAT COULD BE UP FOR DISCUSSION.
JUST TO CONFIRM, YOU SAID 30 ACRES IS JUST ABOUT THE MINIMUM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO YEAH, IT, IT'S A TIGHT, UH, SITE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT IT DOES FIT THERE.
THE STATE WOULD REQUIRE US TO HAVE, WHEN THEY USED TO HAVE REQUIREMENTS, THEY TOOK THAT AWAY.
IT NEEDS TO BE GREATER THAN 25 ACRES.
KIND OF BETWEEN 25 AND 50 IS MIDDLE SCHOOL SIZE GREATER THAN 50 WOULD BE A HIGH SCHOOL SIZE.
WHY'D YOU GO THERE ORIGINALLY? WHICH ONE? THE ORIGINAL SITE? YEAH.
THE ORIGINAL SITE WAS FOR A BOARD OFFICE.
SO THAT WAS IN THINKING THAT IT WAS, UH, IN BETWEEN, UH, NORTH AND, AND SOUTH BEAVER COUNTY.
AND THAT FELL APART A LONG TIME AGO.
'CAUSE OF THE GROWTH, THE GROWTH IN THE AREA.
UM, AND, AND AS I MENTIONED AS WELL, UH, WELL, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE, THE, WELL, I THINK YOU'RE GETTING TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITE.
WE ACTUALLY BUILT THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS PART OF THIS WHOLE PUD.
WE BUILT IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS BEING DEVELOPED FOR RESIDENTIAL TO BE A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHAT OKAT T WAS BUILT AS, JUST THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEVER CAME AROUND IT.
UM, AND SO EVER SINCE ITS EXISTENCE, IT'S BEEN THERE AND WE'VE HAD TO BUS KIDS IN BASICALLY.
BUT NOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS FORMING AROUND IT.
AND WE WILL BE REVIEWING THAT AS WE LOOK AT THE DISTRICTING AS MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY COMES ONLINE THAT NOW, AND THAT WILL HAVE ALL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, I HAVE TO SAY, AND COMMENTS ON HOW WE LOOK AT, UH, REZONING SCHOOLS.
BUT THAT WILL BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS RICHARD SCHWARTZ.
I'M THE APPLICANT, UH, ALONG WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
DO YOU ALL NEED A BREAK? WANNA STAND UP? YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO A LOT OF TECHNICALS SO FAR.
IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR ME, BUT YOU'RE OKAY TO KEEP GOING? OKAY.
UH, I PROMPTED ROBERT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ORIGINAL REASON THAT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR YEARS, I HAD NO IDEA.
IN, IN, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENCE SINCE 89.
UH, FOR YEARS I HAD NO IDEA WHY THERE WAS A SCHOOL OUT THERE AND THERE WERE NO NEIGHBORHOODS AND NO ANYTHING.
AND, AND TODAY WE KNOW THE HOMES ARE BEING BUILT AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS FILLING IN.
AND, AND IT'S PART OF THE LONG RANGE PLAN THAT THIS IS A VILLAGE DISTRICT.
BUT WHAT IT'S MISSING IN THIS VILLAGE DISTRICT IS THE LAST PART OF THE PUZZLE, WHICH WE'RE, WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO WORK AND SOLVE TOGETHER, UH, WITH YOU AND, AND WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREA, YOU'VE SEEN THIS PROJECT COME TO YOU AND IT'S BEEN, UH, DENIED OR DEFERRED.
[01:15:01]
IT WAS, UH, 417 UNITS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.IN, IN, WHEN I GOT THIS PLAN UNDER CONTRACT, I MET WITH THE OWNERS OF, I MET WITH THE CHERRY POINT RESIDENTS AND SOME OF THE MAINLAND BLUFF RESIDENTS.
I SAID, THIS PLAN IS A GOOD PLAN AT 417 UNITS.
IT'S 117 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, WHICH ISN'T THAT MUCH, AND THE REST IS MULTIFAMILY AND, AND COMMERCIAL.
I SAID, THIS MEETS, I BELIEVE THEY GOT APPROVAL FROM, FROM THE PLANNING, UH, STAFF.
I SAID, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PLAN.
WHAT, WHAT DON'T YOU LIKE? I DO, I'VE DONE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
AND I SAID, WHAT, WHAT DON'T YOU LIKE THIS, THIS MEETS EVERYTHING THAT THE LONG RANGE PLAN THAT THE VILLAGE OVERLAY IS, IS ATTEMPTING TO DO.
WELL, WE DON'T LIKE THE DENSITY.
I, I WAS TOLD NO ONE CAME AND TALKED TO US.
THEY JUST STUFFED IT DOWN OUR FEET.
I GOT HANDED, I GOT TOLD TO HIT THE ROAD.
SO IN THINKING ABOUT THIS, I'M A, I'M A RESIDENTIAL BUILDER BY TRADE.
UM, AND THINKING ABOUT THIS AND KEEPING THE DIALOGUE OPEN, WE HAD ANOTHER MEETING AND, AND WE MET AT FELICIA'S HOUSE IN CHERRY POINT.
AND, AND AGAIN, IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
UM, I WAS TOLD, THERE'S NO WAY.
AND, AND I THOUGHT, WOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS DESIGNATED AS THE VILLAGE OVERLAY FOR YOU ALL.
HOW CAN I MAKE THIS WORK WITHIN YOUR PLAN TODAY WITHOUT ASKING FOR CONCESSIONS JUST TO ASK TO USE THE LAND MANAGEMENT LAWS WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS AND PLACE IT THERE AND TRY AND MAKE IT WORK ECONOMICALLY.
TRY AND MAKE IT WORK FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT I KNEW ROBERT AND, AND I KNOCKED ON HIS DOOR AND WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL SWAP.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU ASKED ABOUT THE, THE COSTS COMMISSIONER ROSS, THEY'RE GETTING THE BEST PART OF THAT, THAT PARCEL BACK THERE.
AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, THIS IS KINDA, THIS IS FABULOUS.
THIS IS GOING TO CREATE OPEN SPACE FOR THE RESIDENTS ALONG THE LOWER PART WHERE THAT LARGE BUFFER IS.
AND THAT WILL SOLVE HOPEFULLY ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, BECAUSE THE USE IT, THE WAY THAT THEY DESIGNED IT, THEY PUT THE SCHOOL ACROSS FROM PARCEL C AND THEY PUT THE ATHLETIC FIELDS WHERE IT SAYS PARCEL B ON THAT.
SO LET ME TELL YOU, MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELDS GET USED LESS THAN PARKS THERE.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO LIGHTS VERY FEW TIMES ON THEIR LIGHTS AND, AND THERE'S JUST NOT MUCH USAGE.
SO I THOUGHT THIS IS A GREAT SOLUTION FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THAT PENINSULA.
INCREDIBLE SOLUTION FOR MALIN BLUFF, WHICH IS COMING ONLINE AND RIVER OAKS, THEY ALL HAVE FAMILIES.
HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE FOR THEIR KIDS TO GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL AS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN A CONNECTED ENVIRONMENT.
SO THEN I WENT BACK TO THE RESIDENTS AND I SAID, HOW, HOW ABOUT THIS? AND THEY SAID, NO, NO, NO, NOT ENOUGH.
I TOOK IT DOWN TO 258, THE ACREAGE, JUST SO WE'RE AWARE, THE ACREAGE THAT WE'RE ASKING, IT'S 121, BUT THE SCHOOL IS ALREADY THERE, THE ELEMENTARY.
SO I USED THE APPROXIMATE 91 ACRES, AND BASED ON YOUR QUESTION, THAT'S FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE FORTY SIX UNITS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE CONVERSION IN A SECOND.
AND IT'S CLUSTERED IN A MULTIFAMILY ENVIRONMENT OR IN A MIXED USE ABOVE STORES.
BUT THAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND IT.
THEN THEY SAID, WE DON'T WANT ANY RESIDENTIAL, MR CHAIRMAN PAP, YOU TALKED ABOUT RESIDENTIAL.
THE RESIDENTIAL WE'RE ADDING TO THE OVERALL PLAN IS, IS A MULTIFAMILY ASPECT WHERE THERE'S NONE THERE.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE SMALLER LOTS AND RIVER OAKS, LARGER LOTS AND MAYLAND BLUFF.
SO WE CREATE THAT MIXTURE BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE GIVING THE COMMERCIAL WALKING VILLAGE AND THE SCHOOLS TO THIS VILLAGE OVERLAY THAT IT, THAT'S NOT THERE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE KIND OF ADDING THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, UH, TO THIS SITUATION.
SO THEN THEY SAID, WE WANT MORE USE RESTRICTIONS.
I SAID, WHAT DO YOU WANT? THEY SAID, NO LODGING.
[01:20:02]
THEY SAID, NO GAS STATION, NO STORAGE.I SAID, OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
WE WANT A LARGER BUFFER ON THE LOWER SIDE, 75 FOOT.
OKAY, SO WE'RE ALL DOING THIS TOGETHER.
HE SAID, WE WANNA SEE THE DRAFT, THE, THE DRAFT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
MY ATTORNEY'S LIKE, WE NEVER DO IT THIS EARLY.
WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? AND WE WERE AT THE LAST MEETING AND I TALKED ABOUT, I WAS ONLINE.
WE TALKED ABOUT WE SHOULD KIND OF HAVE BULLET POINTS BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP YOU FOR THE FUTURE, KIND OF AS A PROCESS CHANGE IF WE'RE EVER GONNA DO IT.
I SHARED THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THEY'VE HAD TIME TO MASSAGE IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS TO BE A PART OF THIS.
BUT THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T TRUST BECAUSE OF THE PAST.
AND WITH YOUR APPROVAL, IF THERE'S TRUST ISSUES, WHEN YOU HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENT, WE COULD DO APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME HUMAN ISSUES THAT ARE, THAT ARE PROBLEMS THERE RIGHT NOW, NOW THAT RESIDENTS ARE BEING BUILT.
SOME OF THE RESIDENTS DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER BECAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH OF PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND IN GOLF CARTS WITH NOWHERE TO GO.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF KIDS ON BICYCLES GOING DOWN TO LOOK AT THE MARSH.
AND THAT USED TO BE QUIET, PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THERE'S NO DESTINATION FOR ALL THESE FAMILIES TO GO TO UNLESS THEY LEAVE.
AND THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM THAT I, I'VE SEEN IT.
SO THERE ARE SOME REAL PROBLEMS THERE.
THE STACKING WITH THE, UM, WITH THE SCHOOLS, UH, DROP OFF IN PICKUP TIME ONLY DEVELOPMENT CAN FIX THAT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S THE ONLY MONEY THAT CAN FIX THAT PROBLEM.
THERE'S A DESTINATION PROBLEM.
IF YOU NEED, YOU LIVE IN MAILIN BLUFF AND YOU NEED A STICK OF BUTTER, YOU GOTTA GO OUT ON ONE 70 AND MAKE A LEFT.
IF YOU NEED A TOOTHBRUSH, SOME FLOSS, YOU GOTTA MAKE A TRIP GENERATION GO OUT AND ADD TO THE TRAFFIC.
THERE'S NO CONTAINMENT THERE, THERE'S NOTHING TO KEEP RESIDENTS IN THERE TO WALK UP AND TAKE A BICYCLE.
NOT TO EVEN MENTION SOCIETY'S CHANGING THE GROWTH OF DOORDASH, INSTACART, ALL THAT IS TRAFFIC RELATED ISSUES.
THERE'S NOTHING OVER THERE FOR THOSE FAMILIES, THOSE THOUSANDS OF HOMES THEY ORDER IN.
BUT WOULD YOU ORDER IN IF YOUR GROCERY STORE WAS A BLOCK AWAY? NO.
YOU'D SAY, COME ON HONEY, LET'S GO TAKE A WALK AND LET'S GO GET SOME GROCERIES.
OR YOU'D STOP ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK BECAUSE IT, IT MAKES SENSE.
LET'S TAKE THE GOLF CART UP AND GET A CUP OF COFFEE.
WE SEE IT IN MANY OTHER EXAMPLES IN THE AREA.
WHEN THERE'S A COMMERCIAL ASPECT, IT CONTAINS TRAFFIC.
RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE APPROVED THE RESIDENTIAL.
THE CHERRY POINT RESIDENTS ARE THERE.
RIVER OAKS IS THREE 30, MALIN BLUFF IS 500.
IT'S, IT'S BEING BUILT ALREADY.
THOSE PEOPLE, I'M NOT ASKING FOR THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING LET'S GIVE 'EM A PLACE TO GO SO WE CAN REDUCE TRAFFIC.
AND, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
I THINK I'VE COVERED EVERYTHING.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? I APPRECIATE YOUR YES, SIR.
YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA ADDRESS THE CONVERSION FEATURE.
UH, SO, UM, THEY, ON THE LAST MEETING, UM, WE GOT STAFF APPROVAL AND IN D ONE WE HAD 134 UNITS.
AND DID WE HAVE A HUNDRED, UH, WE HAD 134 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND WE HAD A SQUARE FOOTAGE OF, I'M NOT 160,000 COMMERCIAL SQUARE FEET IN THE VILLAGE ZONING.
THERE'S, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A CAP ON COMMERCIAL SPACE 'CAUSE IT'S REGULATED BY PARKING.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT IN THIS BUSINESS, NO ONE REALLY UNDERSTANDS THAT.
AND I WAS TOLD BY THE RESIDENTS HOW UPSET THEY WERE.
AND SO, UM, WHAT I DID SINCE THEN IS I TOOK THE 2 58 PLUS THE 1 34, I TOOK IT AWAY.
I SAID, WE'LL JUST GO DOWN ON SQUARE FOOTAGE.
IT'S 90,000 AND OFFER A CONVERSION, UH, TO THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
[01:25:01]
RESIDENTS WERE UPSET.AND, UM, AND THEN I ALSO UPDATED THE TIAI DID NOT WANT TO UPDATE THE TIA AND I UPDATED THE TIA SO WE CAN HAVE FULL ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I ALSO SHARED THE, AND CREATED THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THEM SO THEY COULD MARK IT UP AND TELL ME THEY DON'T, LIKE, THEY DON'T TRUST, THEY DON'T, AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO DO, I'M TRYING TO, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE HAVE A SAY, TELL ME WHAT THEY WANT.
THE, OF COURSE YOU CAN SAY, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT'S EASY, BUT WE HAVE A LAND SELLER THAT WANTS TO SELL, WHETHER IT'S TODAY OR TOMORROW, SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I'M TRYING TO SAY, USE A DEVELOPER WHO HEARS YOU.
WHO, WHO, UH, WHAT DO YOU WANT? I'VE SAID YES TO ALMOST EVERYTHING THEY'VE ASKED FOR.
I GET, I GET TEXTS, I GET, UM, EMAILS.
I, SOMEONE ASKED ME TO NAME A STREET AFTER MR. PRITCHARD.
I'M OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE I THINK THIS WILL BE A BETTER PLACE.
AND IT MAKES SENSE TO, TO HAVE THE COMMERCIAL VILLAGE.
I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY DOWN THE ROAD AND EVERY TIME I GOTTA, I GOTTA GET SOMETHING, I GOTTA LEAVE.
BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO A PUBLIX.
THEY GO THROUGH THE BACK EVERY TIME AND THEY DON'T COME OUT TO THE ROAD.
I SEE HOW GREAT THAT LIFESTYLE IS.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT HERE.
UM, I'VE ASKED THIS IN, IN A GENERAL WAY, SO ANSWER IT THE BEST WAY YOU CAN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE, UH, PLAUSIBILITY OF HAVING ANOTHER, UH, PENNY SALES TAX REFERENDUM? ARE YOU IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE SO CENTRAL TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR PLAN.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, BUT THE TRAFFIC, UM, AS THE ROAD EXISTS NOW, UM, I IS A VERY, VERY TOUGH SITUATION IN MY OPINION.
SO BEEN, I THINK WE NEED CONVERSATION.
AND I, I THINK WE, I HAVEN'T BEEN, UH, I THINK I'M A PROPONENT FOR IT.
UM, THERE ARE, YOU'RE NOT, JUST TO GO BACK ONE SECOND.
YOU'RE NOT SETTING A PRECEDENCE BY APPROVING THIS PLAN HERE.
'CAUSE THERE IS NO MORE LAND IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THE APPROVALS FOR THINGS ARE ALREADY COMING.
THIS, I BELIEVE TO THE, TO THE BEST I CAN, WHEN I LOOKED UP A, CONTAINS THE RESIDENCE TO THE BEST, I'M A PROPONENT FOR THE PENNY SALES TAX.
I, I THINK WE NEEDED, AND I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, I'VE BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT.
WHEN THEY SAID WE'RE GONNA RAISE THE, UH, WE'RE GONNA LAY, RAISE THE FEES ON, UM, WATER AND SEWER.
I, I'M ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS WHO SAID, OKAY, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
IT, IT'S, IT COSTS JUST, IF YOU'RE GONNA RAISE IT, PLEASE PROVIDE SERVICE AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED SO WE CAN BUILD FOR THE PEOPLE.
IT'S HARD IF YOU'RE GONNA RAISE IT AND NOT KNOW IF YOU HAVE CAPACITY.
SO I AM A PROPONENT, UM, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IT'S GONNA COME AROUND 2026 AND PROBABLY GET APPROVED IF YOU APPROVE THIS TODAY.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH COUNSEL, IT'LL TAKE TWO YEARS TO GET PERMITS.
SO NOTHING IS HAPPENING IMMINENTLY.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A LENGTHY PROCESS, SO WE'RE NOT ADDING TO THE TRAFFIC TOMORROW.
WE'RE ADDING TO IT IN LIKE 29.
THAT'S REALLY, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S, IT'S A LONG PROCESS TO, TO COME TO FRUITION.
JUST LIKE YOU SAW ALL THE RESIDENTIAL AROUND IT, CREATING THE COMPLAINTS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PRESENTERS FROM YOUR GROUP? THAT'S IT.
UM, I THINK WE ARE READY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF COMMENTS HERE.
UM, I SAY, UH, THAT YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AGAIN AND YOUR, YOUR ADDRESS, UH, YOU'LL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES.
YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE DING WHEN IT'S GETTING CLOSE SO WE CAN GET EVERYBODY IN HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
AND AGAIN, PLEASE TRY NOT TO BE REPETITIVE, BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED, NEED TO SAY, SAY IT.
SO I HAVE, I THINK IT'S, UH, GARY JOHN OR GREG? JOHN.
[01:30:01]
THANK YOU.IT IS GREG JOHN, I APPRECIATE IT.
UH, MY ADDRESS IS 1 32 DEVIL'S ELBOW LANE.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN THE AREA FOR ABOUT 27, 28 YEARS WORKING, UH, MOSTLY HILTON HEAD IN BLUFFTON.
AND OVER THAT TIME PERIOD I'VE BEEN DRAGGED OUT, YOU KNOW, MOVED OUT MORE TOWARDS THIS CORRIDOR TO, UH, TO WORK.
I, I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS, BUT FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS I'VE BEEN IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS.
AND OVER OVERWHELMINGLY, THE, THE NEWER PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH IN THAT AREA ON BOTH SIDES OF, UH, ONE 70 HAVE EXPRESSED, UM, THEIR DESIRE TO HAVE AREAS WHERE THEY CAN BE WITHIN, UH, THE COMMUNITY WALKABLE GOLF CART, NOT HAVE TO GO OUT ON THE HIGHWAY.
UM, AND THIS SOUNDS LIKE A PROPOSAL AND LOOKS LIKE A PROPOSAL IF DONE PROPERLY, WHERE THESE FOLKS COULD ACHIEVE THAT AND THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE TRAFFIC.
UM, THE, THE, THE NEED FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL, I THINK IN MY OPINION IS ALSO, UH, A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE THERE JUST ISN'T ONE OUT THERE.
AND I HEAR THIS A LOT TOO, FROM FOLKS THAT I WORK WITH THAT, UM, EXPRESS AN INTEREST IN HAVING THAT DONE.
SO I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE APPROVED.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU STEVE RILEY.
MR. CHAIRMAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
I'M WITH MSK COMMERCIAL SERVICES, A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRM BASED ON, ON HILTON NET ISLAND AND WORKING IN THE REGION.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH MR. SCHWARTZ ON A VARIETY OF PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I ALSO HAVE SOME GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, AND TO ME THIS IS A COMMENDABLE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEVELOPERS, SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND RESIDENTS THAT THEY'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH AND FACILITATE SOME MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND ALSO, UM, THE NOTION OF INTERCONNECTIONS AND THE ABILITY TO MOVE ABOUT AND GET DAILY NEEDS MET WITHOUT GOING OUT ON THE ROAD NETWORK IS, UH, IS CRUCIAL AND I DO SUPPORT THE APPLICATION.
HEY, ROBERT HARDEN, 7 3 3 DANNER DRIVE, MAYLAND BLUFF.
UH, SO I'M GONNA BE, TRY TO BE QUICK HERE.
UH, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF WOODS COULDS AND MAYBES AND NOT MUCH CONFIRMATION OF WHAT IS THE PLAN HERE.
UH, I WANT TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S NOT AS BAKED AS A PLAN.
THIS SHOULD BE AT, AT THIS STAGE.
I WANT TO SEE A PLAN THAT'S BROUGHT HERE THAT'S OWNED, THAT'S CONFIRMED AND FULLY COMMITTED TO IT WITHOUT A LOT OF WHAT IFS WITH, UH, DEPENDENCIES UPON PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE TAX TAX REFERENDUM, WHICH FAILED FURTHER CALLS 'EM TO QUESTION HOW ARE WE GOING TO APPROVE NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITH A LACK OF ONGOING AND NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.
UH, THE TIA COMPLETED, I DO APPRECIATE SEEING A REFRESH.
TIA, ALTHOUGH WHEN I LOOKED AT THE DATES, THE ONE DATE BESIDES ALL THE MATH WAS NOVEMBER THE 12TH.
TUESDAY, WHICH IS A SHORTENED WORK WEEKEND, SCHOOL WEEK.
UH, MOST ASSOCIATIONS, MUNICIPALITIES PREFER TO SEE A FULL ADDRESSABLE WEEK POURED INTO YOUR NUMBERS AND NOT A SHORTENED WEEK DUE TO THE VETERAN'S DAY HOLIDAY.
UM, TRAFFIC'S ALREADY BACKING UP ON ONE 70 AS THE PLAN STATES TONIGHT.
GETTING AHEAD OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES ONLY IS GOING TO FURTHER THAT TRAFFIC SITUATION UNTIL WE CAN CONFIRM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS TO ONE 70 WE WANT TO DO.
SO ALL THE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT, ALTHOUGH THEY SOUND GREAT AND I THINK WOULD, YOU KNOW, HELP TRAFFIC WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT SIZE WITHOUT ONE 70, THAT'S DEAD IN THE WATER.
UM, THE TIA DOES MAKE PAGES OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT HAVE CRITICAL CONTINGENCIES ON UPGRADED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE COUNTY HAS NO FUNDING OR CURRENT PLANS TO COMPLETE.
UM, THE SCHOOL BOARD, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE MR. OTTING, UH, BEING HERE TONIGHT, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND PUBLICLY WHERE THIS HAS BEEN VETTED FOR THAT SUPPORT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE PUBLIC POINTED INTO THOSE DOCUMENTATIONS TO, TO ACHIEVE THAT, UH, APPROVAL FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT AND LAND SWAP.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, LOOKING AT THE, THE PLOT, THE 30 ACRES, ALTHOUGH IT IS ON THE MINIMUM OF WHAT HE HIMSELF SAID WOULD BE FOR A MIDDLE, MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT'S CUT IN HALF BY A WETLAND.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH 30 ACRES.
THAT'S BASICALLY DIVIDED 15 AND 15 THAT SHATTERS THE MINIMUMS REQUIRED.
AGAIN, I'M DEFINITELY NOT OPPOSED OR IN FAVOR OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, HAVING BEEN A VERY FREQUENT VISITOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS TO THIS WONDERFUL PLACE DURING COVID AND NOW A RECENT RESIDENT, I'VE SEEN THE WONDERFUL GROWTH THIS COUNTY
[01:35:01]
CAN DO, BUT THE LAGGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOON TO BE FULL SCHOOLS THAT WE KNOW WE PROBABLY SHOULD TAKE A STEP BACK, PAUSE, PUT IN THE FULL EFFORTS, AND ENSURE THE TIMING AND DEVELOPMENT ALIGN AS BEST AS POSSIBLE TO SEE THIS BEAUTY COUNT.BEAUTIFUL COUNTY GROSS MARLEY.
HI, TISH DE LOZIER, 8 7 4 DANNER DRIVE, MAYLAND BLUFF.
UM, CURRENTLY AS IT IS PRESENTED, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THE REZONING.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE NEXT, UM, SUBJECT, NOT, NOT THIS.
I GUESS I DIDN'T SPECIFY THAT.
HOW ABOUT KAREN SLANDERERS? GOOD EVENING.
I LIVE AT 2 65 MAIL AND BLUFF.
I AM A RESIDENT OF BUFORD COUNTY.
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE BACKBONE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH.
IT IMPROVES ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES SUCH AS CLEAN WATER, ELECTRICITY, SAFE ROADS, CREATES JOBS AND BOOSTS BUSINESSES, INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED BEFORE ANY MORE REZONING HAPPENS.
FOR THIS REASON, I HOPE YOU ALL WILL CHOOSE TO SAY NO TO THIS PROPOSAL.
IN CLOSING, A RISING TIDE DOESN'T RAISE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A BOAT.
WE HAVE TO BUILD THE BOAT FOR THEM.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO RISE WITH THE TIDE.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE ZENO HAWKINS.
ZENO HAWKINS, THREE BAYER PENINSULA AND HILTON HEAD.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US.
UH, I AM A, AN EXPERIENCED DEVELOPER, UH, MAINLY IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA AND GREENVILLE.
AND I MUST SAY IT'S NICE TO NOT BE IN THE HOT SEAT TONIGHT AND, UH, TO KIND OF BE AN OBSERVER.
UH, I'M NOT INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT, BUT, UH, I DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN, IN THESE MUNICIPALITIES THAT I'VE MENTIONED, AND I'VE WITNESSED AND CREATED QUITE A BIT OF SMART GROWTH COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND WHEN I SPEAK ABOUT THIS, I, I FEEL LIKE I AM A PERSON THAT UNDERSTANDS SMART GROWTH AND I'VE SEEN SOME GOOD STUFF AND BAD THINGS.
SO, UM, THERE ARE ABOUT A THOUSAND HOMES ON THE, UH, SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
WE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR NEEDS BY APPROVING THIS COMMERCIAL VILLAGE SO THEY CAN BIKE, WALK, OR GOLF CART TO THE SERVICES FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND HOMES.
THIS WILL REDUCE THE TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY ONE 70.
THERE AREN'T ANY SUPERMARKETS FOR THESE FOLKS TO, TO VISIT, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE CONVENIENT.
UM, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A GENERAL NEED FOR HOUSING THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE NEED HIGHER DENSITY HOUSING.
I THINK SOME APARTMENTS FOR MIXED HOUSING WOULD BE GREAT HERE.
UM, AND IN, IN BETWEEN THE COMMERCIAL VILLAGE AND SCHOOLS WOULD BE AN OPTIMAL LOCATION FOR THIS HOUSING TYPE.
WE DO NEED THE, UH, POTENTIAL NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL TO GO HERE ADJACENT TO THE EL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE, UM, THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY AND THE PERFECT LOCATION FOR THE SCHOOL.
A GENERAL OBSERVATION THAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT IS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE SCHOOL DROP OFF AND THE PICKUP LINES THAT BACK ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGHWAY ONE 70 AND THIS, WE ALL KNOW THE COUNTY DIDN'T PASS THE TAX IMPROVEMENT VOTE.
SO THIS DEVELOPMENT IS THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE CHERRY POINT ROAD ISSUES.
UM, A LOT OF MY FAMILY LIVES IN THE, UM, SOUTHERN PART OF HILTON HEAD AND IN SEA PINES, AND THEY
[01:40:01]
SHOP, EAT, GO TO THE MOVIES, AND THEY USED TO, UH, HAVE THEIR KIDS BIKE AND WALK TO SCHOOL.AND I, I FEEL LIKE THIS, THIS PLAN WOULD BE A SIMILAR VERSION TO THIS IDYLLIC VISION THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS.
UM, AS THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS, IT SEEMS TO BE THERE'S SOME SUPPORT, UH, THAT, UH, FOR THIS TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN FILL THE NEED AND APPROVE THIS COMMUNITY.
MR. SCHWARTZ, PLEASE FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS, THIS OAK T VILLAGE HAPPEN.
THE COMMUNITY WILL EVENTUALLY BE THANKFUL FOR YOU, FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR CREATIVITY, FOR YOUR TO COME.
FELISE LAMARCA, DO WE HAVE A GROCERY STORE? SORRY, FELICE.
LAMARCA 1 49 CHERRY POINT ROAD.
DO WE HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM A GROCERY? CAN YOU MA'AM, PLEASE JUST ADDRESS US HERE AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS IS DO WE HAVE ANY COMMITMENT FROM THE COMMERCIAL ENTITIES THAT WOULD MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER IN THE CHERRY POINT NEIGHBORHOOD? AT YOUR OCTOBER 7TH COMMISSION, UM, MEETING WHERE MR. SCHWARTZ FIRST GAVE YOU THE PROPOSAL FOR CHERRY POINT REZONING, WE GAVE YOU A LETTER OF CONDITIONAL SUPPORT.
WE MEANING THE CHERRY POINT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS OF TODAY, MY NEIGHBORS HAVE REQUESTED THAT I RESCIND THAT SUPPORT.
SO WE ARE OFFICIALLY DOING THAT.
THEN IN THE OCTOBER 7TH MEETING, WE WERE MADE AWARE OF THE LAND SWAP WITH BCSD.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME AFTER SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH MR. SCHWARTZ AND MANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT WOULD CAUSE US TO GIVE OUR SU LEND OUR SUPPORT.
WE FIND OUT THAT THERE'S A DENSITY INCREASE IN ACREAGE FROM 71 ACRES TO 121 AND FROM 258 HOMES TO WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING.
SO MR. SWARTZ MET WITH US SEVERAL TIMES AND WORKED WITH US, AND WE HAVE BEEN APPRECIATIVE.
HE HAS ADDRESSED MANY OF OUR CONCERNS, BUT HE ALSO KNEW THAT OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN WAS INCREASING DENSITY.
AND HE ALSO KNOWS SINCE WE RECOMMENDED WHY NOT A SCHOOL IN ONE OF OUR FIRST MEETINGS, THAT THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF GETTING OUR SUPPORT.
SO IN TERMS OF INCREASING DENSITY TRAFFIC, UNACCEPTABLE, NONE OF THAT IS CHANGING.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLAN AND IT'S AT THE WRONG TIME.
I THINK THAT THEY ARE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS BEFORE THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN FIXED IN THIS COUNTY.
WE HAVE MANY PROBLEMS. HE MENTIONED TRUST.
THERE'S A TRUST ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE RIVER OAKS DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, MR. SCHWARTZ IS TIRED OF HEARING IT, BUT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, CITIZEN INPUT AND RIVER OAKS TURNED INTO NOT A 55 PLUS COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE NOT BUILT OUT.
THEY HAVE MANY, MANY ACRES ALL THE WAY TO THE RIVER TO STILL DEVELOP.
SO THE TRAFFIC IS ONLY GONNA GET WORSE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS, UH, DEREK SEDER.
I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WHO ACTUALLY LIVES IN THE AREA.
UM, I DON'T LIVE A HALF HOUR AWAY.
UM, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT AFFECTS MY WIFE AND I, UM, AS WE RESIDE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, AND IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOMEONE HERE WHO STANDS TO PROFIT, UM, IF THIS IS REZONED, TOOK THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THIS CHANGE.
TO ASK THEM TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND VOICE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE REZONING.
ALLUDING TO THE FACT THAT WE SUPPORT IT, UM, THAT IS FALSE AND MISLEADING.
THE CHERRY POINT COMMUNITY DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS REZONING.
UM, I KNOW RICHARD WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND PREVENTING ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC ON ONE 70.
IF HE WAS SO PASSIONATE, THEN WHY, WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE IT REZONED? IT'S
[01:45:01]
RURAL, IT'D BE LESS TRAFFIC IF IT WASN'T REZONED.THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO HAVE IT REZONED AT THIS TIME.
WE JUST GOT A GREAT DAY, PUPPY ON CHRISTMAS, SO I'M EXHAUSTED.
SO I'M GONNA READ OFF A PIECE OF PAPER.
UH, I DID HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS BASED ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE HEARD TODAY SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES ALLOW FOR THE VILLAGE TYPE OVERLAY IF RIGHT CONDITIONS ARE MET.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO FIT A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE HERE.
BUT THE ACTUAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAIN POINT SAYS THAT THIS AREA OF OKEE SHOULD BE RURAL.
IF THERE'S A NEED, THEN WE WOULD CONSIDER THE VILLAGE TYPE OVERLAY.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD ALSO URGE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF THEY ARE, THEY HAVE A SEVERE NEED FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, OTHER THINGS, MAYBE THEY SHOULD CONSIDER BUYING THIS PROPERTY IN WHOLE AND USING THE LARGER PROPERTY TO FULFILL THOSE NEEDS FOR THE COUNTY INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIT A LITTLE BIT OF MORE MIXED USE, UH, LIVING INTO OUR AREA.
UH, SO MY, MYSELF AND OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE TODAY HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSION FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
UH, VARIOUS DIFFERENT REQUESTS.
WE HAVE A PARTIAL RIGHT OUT FRONT OF MAIL AND BLUFF THAT IT'S CURRENTLY ZONE AS COMMERCIAL, THAT THEY TRY TO TAKE THE COMMERCIAL AWAY FROM US, OUR WALKABILITY, OUR ABILITY TO SHOP AND, UH, GET PLACES WITHOUT GOING TO ONE 70 AND PUT APARTMENTS THERE.
HERE WE ARE AGAIN, UH, THE SECOND YEAR ON THIS CHERRY POINT PLAN, WHICH ALSO HAS A VERY HIGH DENSITY 258 GUARANTEED.
COULD BE ANOTHER 90, WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
UM, SO JUST TO KIND OF REITERATE WHAT I READ ONLINE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ADVISES ON WAYS TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER COUNTIES AND TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL ON PLANNING FOR CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES, PRESERVATION OF THE SCENIC BEAUTY, THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, AND THE LANDS AND WATERS OF THE COUNTY.
I THINK WE ARE NOT SPEAKING ENOUGH ABOUT JASPER COUNTY'S PLANS.
THEY HAVE 10,000 PLUS UNITS GOING IN THE ARGENT PROJECT.
THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE 70 THAT I THINK IS GONNA DO NOTHING BUT EXACERBATE THE ONE 70 TRAFFIC CONCERNS.
SO THAT 3% NUMBER IS A BASELINE.
IF NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED, UM, I BELIEVE THEY SAID THERE WAS SOME, UH, CONSIDERATION ON OTHER PROJECTS.
I'D LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON WHAT THAT CONSIDERATION WAS, WHICH PROJECTS WERE CONSIDERED.
SO THE CHERRY POINT PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TODAY DOES NOT CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES IN ANY MORE SIGNIFICANT WAY THAN THE CURRENT RURAL ZONING.
THIS BILL SHAPE OVERLAY DOES NOT PRESERVE THE SCENIC BEAUTY, AND THIS UPSELLING DOES NOT PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, LANDS OR WATERS FOR THE COUNTY.
IN FACT, THIS PROPOSAL IS A DETRIMENT TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS OVER THE CURRENT RURAL ZONING AND IS MAGNIFIED BY THE IMPACT OF SURROUNDING COUNTIES, JASPER, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THEIR EAGERNESS TO INCREASE DENSITY.
AS WE'VE ALL SEEN IN THE RECENT TIMES, I WOULD REQUEST ON BEHALF OF MALE AND BLUFF THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THE STATEMENTS THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT FROM MY NEIGHBORS AND FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, THAT YOU ALSO RECOMMEND REJECTION FOR THIS PROPOSAL.
UH, IT IS UNFORTUNATELY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE COUNTY NEEDS AT THIS TIME.
I ALSO AGREE WITH POLICE'S COMMENTS THAT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE, FIVE, 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, THIS COULD BE A FANTASTIC PLAN.
I THINK WITHOUT THE ONE 70 IMPROVEMENTS, WITHOUT THE WATER IMPROVEMENTS, POLICE IMPROVEMENTS, ET CETERA, UH, IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT FOR THIS TIME.
DANIEL, SCOTT, DANIEL, UH, CHERRY POINT ROAD.
DON'T LET THIS CON CONCERN YOU.
I JUST, MY PRINTER DIDN'T WORK.
I HAD TO BRING A COMPUTER
WELL, IF YOU GO TO NUMBER ONE ON THE STAFF REPORT, IT SAYS, ALTHOUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN STATES FUTURE LAND USE OF THESE PROPERTIES IS TO BE RURAL, NUMBER ONE.
OKAY, LET'S SAY IT AGAIN, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
YOU CAN TAKE IT TO THE OVERLAY, BUT IT CALLS FOR RURAL.
UM, IF YOU GO TO NUMBER THREE, AND THAT'S BEEN AMENDED.
NOW, THE ONLY COMMUNITY NEED THAT'S BEING MET BY THIS IS THE SCHOOL.
IT'S NOT SAYING ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT UP FRONT IS MEETING ANY TYPE OF COMMUNITY NEED.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU CAN SEE, I CAN FIND A GROCERY STORE.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM BUYING FOOD ON MY WAY TO CHERRY POINT ROAD,
UM, IF YOU LOOK ACROSS FROM B WHERE THE SCHOOL SHOULD BE GOING UNDERNEATH THE LEGEND IS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING A A TON OF TOWN HOMES.
THOSE TREES AREN'T STAYING THERE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY ADDRESSING THAT TRAFFIC ISSUE WHEN THOSE GET PUT IN THERE.
AND LET'S BE REALISTIC, PARCEL B WAS GIVEN TO THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THE FRONT PART
[01:50:01]
UP AT ONE 70 IS WORTH A LOT MORE MONEY.THAT'S WHERE ALL THE MONEY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMES IN.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I READ YOU THE EMAIL WHERE HE THREATENED US AND TOLD US WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND IF WE'RE NOT IN THIS TOGETHER, THERE'S NO NEED FOR ME TO PUT ANYTHING IN THERE.
I CAN GO BACK AND READ YOU THE EXACT, LET'S SEE, I GOT TIME.
IT'S WHAT I HAVE COMMITTED TO.
THAT WILL BE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IF YOU CAN'T SUPPORT ME, THEN I SHOULD NOT PUT ANY RESTRICTIONS OR CAPS ON DENSITY IN THE AGREEMENT.
WE DO IT TOGETHER OR WE DON'T.
AND I CAN TELL YOU AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR 31 YEARS, YOU'RE STUPID.
IF YOU PUT SOMETHING IN AN EMAIL.
IF YOU DON'T WANT IT READ IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, IT'S OKAY.
SO, BUT I THINK, UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF DISINGENUOUS THINGS SAID THIS EVENING.
I THINK YOU'RE ALL VERY INTELLIGENT.
I THINK YOU REALIZED A LOT OF THE ADDRESSES THAT GOT UP HERE AND SAID WHAT THEY WANTED TO HAPPEN AND THE DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AREA.
AND IT'S, UH, I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH, UM, ONE HOUSE PER THREE ACRES FOR THE RURAL ZONING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
MY NAME IS KAITLYN SIMMONS AND I LIVE AT 8 23 DANNER DRIVE WITHIN MALLIN BLUFF.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FIRST, THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH YOU HERE TONIGHT AND ALSO FOR TAKING EMAILS.
THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR, THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW WHERE MY NEIGHBORS AND I, MANY OF WHOM ARE SITTING BEHIND ME TONIGHT, HAVE STOOD IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS OVER THE PROPOSED REZONING OF PARCELS THAT ARE DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO MALL BLUFF AND CHERRY POINT.
WE STOOD IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL ONLY A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO DISCUSSING THIS EXACT SAME PARCEL OF LAND.
AND OUR MESSAGE WAS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THEN.
WE DO NOT WANT THE COUNTY TO UP ZONE THIS AREA TO ALLOW FOR HIGHER DENSITY, DESPITE PROMISES THAT THIS PARCEL WOULD NOT BE UP FOR REZONING AGAIN FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.
MIDWAY THROUGH 2024, WE DISCOVER THAT, HEY, A NEW APPLICANT IS BACK AT IT.
HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY DURING THIS TIME? NO.
THE AREA'S GROWN AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW RAPIDLY OUTPACING OUR UNDERLYING INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR ROADS, OUR SCHOOLS, THE WATER SUPPLY, OUR POLICE FORCE, OUR ACCESS TO MEDICAL RESOURCES, WHETHER IT'S HOSPITALS OR DOCTORS, AND OUR ECOLOGICAL PRESERVATION IS JUST FALLEN BEHIND.
YET HERE WE ARE AGAIN TONIGHT, FIGHTING TO HAVE OUR VOICES HEARD AND BEING DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THE WAYS IN WHICH SOME PARTIES ARE REALLY FIGHTING TO HAVE OUR VOICES DROWNED OUT.
SPECIFICALLY, IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE IS MISINFORMATION BEING SPREAD REGARDING MALL AND BLUFFS SUPPORT FOR THIS REZONING.
WE ARE AWARE OF EMAILS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO COUNTY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT MISREPRESENT OUR POINT OF VIEW ON THIS MATTER.
THEREFORE, I'D LIKE TO CLEAR THE AIR PUBLICLY ONCE AND FOR ALL.
MAL AND BLUFF DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS REZONING REQUEST.
I REPEAT WE DO NOT SUPPORT THIS REZONING REQUEST.
WE HAVE COMMERCIAL SPACE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US THAT HAS NOT BEEN UTILIZED AT ALL.
SO IF YOU WANT WALKABILITY, WE CAN GET IT.
WE JUST NEED SOMEONE TO DEVELOP IT.
I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE RECOMMEND THAT COUNTY COUNCIL DENY THIS PROPOSAL.
COLTON MAXEY 1 0 7 MYRTLE ISLAND ROAD.
HOW YOU DOING? THAT WAS MY SON.
I'M THE OWNER OF MAXI BLACK STREET AND CHRISTIE'S HERE IN THE AREA, REAL ESTATE.
I'D LIKE TO COMMEND MR. SCHWARTZ FOR AN AMAZING JOB PUTTING THIS TOGETHER OVER AND OVER AND TRYING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
AND I THOUGHT HE DID, BUT TONIGHT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING DIDN'T, BUT I THINK IT'S, THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT.
IT REALLY HELPS WITH MAIL AND BLUFF THAT'S SAYS SAYING THEY'RE AGAINST IT, BUT THE MINUTE THAT'S THERE, THAT ALL USE IT, I MEAN THE, THE GOLF CART ACCESSIBILITY AND ALL THE STUFF THAT WALK INTO THE STORE AND EVERYTHING'S GREAT.
[01:55:01]
IN DOWNTOWN BLUFFTON AND I MOVED OUT OF A GATED COMMUNITY TO, TO THE AREA DOWNTOWN.AND WE LOVE THE ABILITY TO GO DOWNTOWN RIDE AND GO AND GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND GO TO THE RESTAURANTS.
AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT.
I ALSO REPRESENT THE SELLERS OF THIS PROPERTY AND HAVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS GREAT PEOPLE.
THEY LIVE IN GEORGIA, THEY'RE RETIRED, THEY'RE OLDER, AND THEY WANNA SELL THE PROPERTY.
THEY WANNA MAKE, THEY, THEY WANNA RETIRE.
SO THIS, THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR THEM TOO.
AND THEY JUST, THEY WANT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SELLERS OR ANYTHING? NO, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
WE JUST WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU.
UH, WITH THAT, I THAT IS THE END.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER CITIZEN COMMENTS OVER THERE? NO.
AND WE'VE COMPLETED THAT, THAT PORTION OF IT.
UM, ROB, DID YOU WANT TO COME BACK AND SAY ANYTHING? DO YOU HAVE ANY, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF ANYBODY THAT'S BEEN, COME FORWARD? OKAY, LET'S BRING IT UP HERE THEN AND LET'S BEGIN A DISCUSSION.
I HOLD BACK, I SAID IT, I SAID IT A A YEAR AGO.
I THINK WHEN WE WERE HERE, WHEN THIS WAS FIRST BROUGHT UP.
IT'S, IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST PUTTING IN IT IN THE AREA WHERE IT JUST, IT DOESN'T BELONG.
COMMON SENSE TELLS ME IT'S THE TRAFFIC IS GONNA BE AN ISSUE, IT'S GONNA CONTINUE.
I MEAN, IT'LL GO DOWN FOR A WHILE, BUT IT'S, IT'S ONLY GONNA BACK TO THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY AT.
I THINK THERE'S ISSUES WITH BUFORD, JASPER WATER, I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SUFFERING ISSUES WITH, WITH BROWN WATER.
AND, AND HECK, WE'VE BEEN DEALING ON STORM WATER WITH AN ISSUE DOWN IN THE
I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I, I APPRECIATE THE FACT OF WHAT MR. SCHWARTZ IS TRYING TO DO.
I, I, I THINK YOU'RE VERY CREATIVE AND I THINK THE OTHER REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS HERE, AND EVEN A FELLOW FROM CHARLOTTE.
SO I LIVED IN CHARLOTTE FOR A WHILE.
I JUST THINK IT'S THE WRONG PLACE IN THE WRONG TIME.
I THINK, I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD FAR ENOUGH INTO THE FUTURE WHERE THIS IS GONNA BE A GOOD THING.
I CURRENTLY, THE ONLY BENEFIT I SEE FOR IT IS THE SCHOOL.
I'M, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
THE ONLY BENEFIT THAT I SEE OUT OF THIS RIGHT NOW IS THE SCHOOL IS THE LAND FOR THE SCHOOL.
I THINK IT'S PARTICULARLY CLEAR THAT, UH, THE LAST TAX, SALES TAX THING THAT WE HAD THAT JUST EXPIRE OR WILL EXPIRE.
UM, AND THEN THE REFERENDUM THAT CAME UP IN NOVEMBER GOT VOTED DOWN.
ONE OF THE REASONS I BELIEVE IT GOT VOTED DOWN IS BECAUSE WHEN THEY HAD WHATEVER, HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY HAD, AND THEY HAD ALL THESE PROJECTS, THEY ONLY GOT TWO OR THREE DONE.
AND THERE'S, THEY'RE WAY BEHIND ON THEIR PROJECT.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA SAY, LET'S FIX ONE SEVEN.
BUT ON TOP OF IT, IT DOESN'T LOOK TO ME LIKE ONE SEVEN'S GONNA GET FIXED UNTIL THE NEXT DECADE OR MORE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S PUTTING A ROUND PEG IN A SQUARE HOLE OR WHATEVER THAT SAYING GOES, AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
YOU, I'D BE REPEATING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID.
SAY IT AGAIN IF YOU NO, I DON'T.
I APPRECIATE, UM, MR. SCHWARTZ'S NOTION, AND I THINK SOME OF HIS SUPPORTERS HAVE SAID THAT ONLY A DEVELOPER CAN FIX THE STACKUPS WITHIN THIS AREA.
THAT IS, AND THAT'S A CONCERN TO ME, THAT THERE ARE NOW CARS THAT ARE BACKED UP TO HIGHWAY ONE 70, EITHER INCOMING OR OUTGOING, AND THAT THEY'RE EITHER LIKE ON THE CURB OR WHATEVER, ON SOME GRASSY AREA.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU WANNA DO THAT, BUT REALLY THAT IS, UM, NOT THE BIGGEST ISSUE AT ALL, AND THAT'S WHY I'M GONNA HAVE TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
THE IDEA THAT, UM, THINGS YOU WON'T GET PERMITTED.
YOU SAID IT'LL BE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, THIS AND THAT.
WELL, IT MIGHT BE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS BEFORE THERE'S ACTUALLY A REFERENDUM THAT PASSES THAT WILL IN FACT IMPROVE HIGHWAY ONE 70.
AND I THINK THAT THE, I MEAN, I, I, I DON'T LIKE DRIVING OVER THERE.
ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS THE ARGENT BOULEVARD.
AND HAVE YOU YOURSELF TALKED WITH HARVILLE AND JASPER COUNTY? HAVE YOU WEIGHED IN WITH THEM? I MEAN, IS YOUR THINKING THAT BROAD AND, AND WHAT
[02:00:01]
DO YOU TAKE FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS LOOKING FORWARD? I THINK THAT ARJUN ROAD NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.AND, AND THEN THEY HAVE THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN, COULD YOU COME BACK UP HERE TO THE MICROPHONE IF YOU WANT A RESPONSE TO THAT, MR. SCHWARZ, UM, AR ROAD NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.
UM, YOU MEAN WIDENED ARJUN ROAD NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED, WIDENED, UM, IT, IT'S TERRIBLE RIGHT NOW, BUT THEN THERE'S GONNA BE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN, UH, PAST RIVERTON POINT.
IT'S GONNA GO AROUND TO, UH, ARGENT.
AND THEN JASPER STATION ROAD WILL HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO VILLAGE DRIVE THAT WILL HELP.
SO THESE NEW OUTLETS HELP ALLEVIATE ON OUR PLAN, THE, THE FRONTAGE, INCLUDING THE, YOU KNOW, THE OUT PARCEL WHO YOU, YOU'VE SEEN LETTERS IN, IN YOUR PACKAGE OF, OF THINGS IN THE PAST.
UH, THE OUT PARCEL HAS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH US TO ENSURE THAT THE FRONTAGE ROAD IS COMPLETED FROM END TO END, FROM CHERRY POINT UP TO D ONE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE CONNECTION FROM D ONE TO MALIN BLUFF.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT BY PLANNING STANDARDS, ALLEVIATE, MITIGATE TRAFFIC STUFF.
AND SO, EXCEPT, OH, COULD I FOLLOW UP? YOU CAN HAVE A TALK AMONGST OURSELVES.
UH, WE, WE ARE FACED, UH, AT EACH OF THESE MEETINGS WITH DECISIONS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AND THE TIMING OF THAT WITH INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIMPLY ISN'T THERE.
AND I'M UNABLE TO SUPPORT, UH, WHAT IS OTHERWISE A LOVELY PRESENTATION.
CERTAINLY YOU FELLOWS HAVE ALL SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME, AND I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE TO, UH, ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED.
BUT, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HIGHWAY ONE 70 IS OVERBURDENED AND IT MUST BE FIXED BEFORE WE CAN BE PARTY TO ANY CONTINUED EXPANSION.
I WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT ARE, THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO BE CONSIDERED IN ANY GOING FORWARD ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, I BELIEVE IN, UH, NEGOTIATIONS, I THINK WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING, UH, THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY NEGOTIATION WITH THE PUBLIC THAT LIVES THERE.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE DIALOGUES THAT WERE STARTED WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE BY MR. SCHWARTZ.
IT, UH, SEEMS LIKE THEY'VE FALLEN OFF THE EDGE OF A CLIFF IN TERMS OF ANY, THESE NUANCES, OR YOU'VE GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE THERE IS NOWHERE PUBLIC DISCUSSION GOING ON.
I COULD BE WRONG ON THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I, I SEEM TO BE HEARING.
NOR HAVE I HEARD THAT THERE'S BEEN MUCH DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF AS WE LAST MET REGARDING THE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, UH, TONIGHT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S, THOSE KIND OF NEGOTIATIONS CAN REACH, GET YOU TO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WHERE EVERYBODY'S IN ACCORD.
UH, ABSOLUTELY GOING FORWARD, A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BE BEFORE ANY ZONING APPROVAL IS NECESSARY.
AND THERE A LOT CAN BE DONE IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE FOR ME IS THE, UM, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THEY STILL LEAVE, UM, AT UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE LEVELS, AT LEAST UNACCEPTABLE ON THE, ON THE VOICE OF THE COUNTY.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY SOME SEVERAL E AND F UH, LO'S, UH, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
YOU KNOW, I CANNOT TELL PEOPLE, WELL, YOU CAN ACCEPT ANOTHER FAILURE RATE EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE GONNA IMPROVE THE ROAD BECAUSE OF THE DENSITY THAT'S BEING INCREASED DOWN THOSE ROADS.
UM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THE RESPONSE ON LIMITING THE USE OF THE LAND AND THE PARCEL OF LAND THAT'S, UH, GONNA BE DEDICATED FOR THE SCHOOL.
UH, BUT I'M VERY VAGUE AND DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT WHAT THE SCHOOL'S GONNA DO WITH IT.
UM, AND THE CONCERN IS WHAT? THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
IT COULD BE ANOTHER SWAP THEY'RE DOING HERE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, I'M NOT MAKING THOSE ACCUSATIONS, BUT I'M, THERE'S A VAGUENESS ABOUT THAT.
THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A REAL, REAL SOLID, UH, NEGOTIATION OR COMMITMENT GOING ON BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE DEVELOPER.
UH, THAT'S WHERE I STAND, AND THOSE REASONS I WOULD NOT, UH, GIVE MY APPROVAL AT THIS TIME.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION? CAN I HAVE A MOTION?
[02:05:01]
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR DENIAL AND CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING A ZONING MAP FOR 121.43 ACRES WITH THE, UH, LOTS.0 0 8, 0 0 5 0 0 1, 0 5, AND 0 1 0 4.
LOCATED ON OKA T HIGHWAY FROM RURAL T TWO R TO T FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND T THREE NEIGHBORHOOD OPEN USING A VILLAGE TYPE OVERLAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION RAISE YOUR HAND.
A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? RECOMMENDING APPROVAL DENIED.
NEED A BREAK? YEAH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE LAST ISSUE.
GETTING THE FLU IS NOT FUN FOR ANYONE.
FLU PREVENTION AND RESPONSE IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3.
YOU CAN PRACTICE PREVENTION BY WASHING YOUR HANDS AND KEEPING YOUR HOME CLEAN, KEEPING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM STRONG BY EATING HEALTHY AND BEING ACTIVE AND STAYING AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK.
IF YOU DO GET THE FLU OR GET SICK, THEN YOU WANT TO GO TO THE DOCTOR, STAY HOME FROM SCHOOL OR WORK AND STAY HYDRATED TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY TO FIGHT THE VIRUS.
SO REMEMBER, FLU PREVENTION AND RESPONSE IS EASY AS 1, 2, 3.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUT HERE, SUNNY TODAY WITH LIGHT BREEZES GIVING WAY TO CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON.
WE COULD SEE SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION LATER ON, FOLLOWED BY POWERFUL STORM CONDITION.
NOBODY KNOW EXPECTED ASKING EVERYONE.
CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP ARE 3.28 ACRES, LOCATED AT 64 JAMES O COURT FROM T THREE EDGE TO T THREE TO MAY RIVER, COMMUNITY PRESERVATION.
UM, THIS ITEM, IT'S NOW EVENING.
IT'S DISCUSSED, UH, THIS ZONING AMENDMENT APPLICATION BEFORE YOU CONSISTS OF A 3.28, UM, ACRE PARCEL LOCATED ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE PRITCHARD COMMUNITY.
UH, THE PRITCHARD COMMUNITY, UH, IS ALMOST ENTIRELY ZONED T THREE EDGE, AND THAT IS A DISTRICT THAT IS ALMOST SOLELY A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ON LARGE LOTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY ALLOWS SINGLE FAMILY WITH A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 75, 500 AND, UH, 50, UM, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOT.
THIS PARTICULAR REZONING IS A RESPONSE TO A ZONING VIOLATION THAT HAS OCCURRED.
THERE IS A, THIS PROPERTY IS BEING USED AS, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR ANIMAL RAISING AND THAT IS NOT A PERMITTED USE IN THAT DISTRICT.
AND THIS, UM, EXISTING NON-CONFORMING, YOU KNOW, NOT OBJECT CURE, YOU KNOW, ILLEGAL USE.
IT, YOU KNOW, WAS CITED BY OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, AND THEY GAVE THE APP THE OWNER AN OPTION TO TRY TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION BY, UM, CHANGING THE ZONING OF THE DISTRICT INTO A, A DISTRICT THAT WOULD ALLOW AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL RAISING.
AND SO, AND THIS MAP DOESN'T SHOW IT TOO WELL, BUT WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS CHANGE THE ZONING FROM T THREE EDGE TO MAY RIVER, CP OR MAY RIVER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION.
THAT IS PRIMARILY AN AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL, LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
AND IT ABUTS LAND THAT'S CURRENTLY ZONED MAY RIVER CP.
UM, IT, IT'S A LARGE AREA BASICALLY BETWEEN PRITCHARD AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON THAT ZONED THAT BLUE.
AND THIS IS JUST ADDING ANOTHER PARCEL TO THAT.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DIRECTLY WEST OF THIS PROPERTY IS A RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION.
[02:10:01]
UM, OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE ANIMALS ARE BEING RAISED, THEY OWN A LOT IN THAT COMMUNITY ON, UH, JAMES O COURT.AND THAT'S HOW THEY ACCESS THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS CHANGE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY DOES CONSIST OF A DOWN ZONING, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AGRICULTURAL USE AND ANIMAL RAISING DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE, THE, THE NEIGHBORING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS THAT DEBUT THIS PROPERTY.
OUR, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES PROMOTE THE PRESERVATION VIABILITY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IS THE USE THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROMOTES FOR, YOU KNOW, IN THE COUNTY IS IN GENERAL.
AND SO AS FAR AS STAFF RECOMMENDATION, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS IF THE, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION WILL ULTIMATELY COUNTY COUNCIL WHEN, WHEN CONSIDERING THIS, IF THEY AGREE WITH THIS REZONING, WE BELIEVE THAT THE MAY RIVER CP DISTRICT SHOULD BE, THERE SHOULD BE A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THAT AS WELL, TO REQUIRE 50 FOOT BUFFER BETWEEN ANY AGRICULTURAL USE AND SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS IN AGRICULTURE IN THAT DISTRICT.
SO IF THIS PROPERTY WERE TO BE REZONED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING THAT THE COUNTY COULD DO TO REQUIRE THEM TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF, OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ANIMAL FARMING TO THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
UH, T THREE EDGE, UM, ACCORDING TO THE CODE, ALLOWS FOR AGRICULTURE AND CROP HARVESTING.
BUT YOU DON'T CONSIDER THE AGRICUL THE ANIMAL HUSBANDRY TO BE PART OF AGRICULTURE AND HARVESTING? NO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, IN OUR TABLE, UNDER AGRICULTURE, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, WE HAVE CROP HARVESTING, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, PLANTS, AND THEN THERE'S ANIMAL, THE RAISING OF ANIMALS, WHICH IS THE SEPARATE USE.
AND, UM, IN THE T THREE DISTRICT, IT ALLOWS THE FARMING BUT NOT THE ANIMALS.
UH, SECOND QUESTION IS, IS IT, IS THIS A, A CONDITION THAT WOULD BE, THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING TO CHANGE THE TEXT FOR CONDITIONAL USE FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PROPOSAL? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO AND GET SPECIAL, UH, CONDITIONAL APPROVAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER WHAT DEC WOULD REQUIRE OF, OF THIS, UM, PROPERTY AND NOT HAVING THAT CONTROL.
WE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH MAKING A TEXT CHANGE TO THE DISTRICT TO AT LEAST ALLOW THAT BUFFER.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT STATE REGULATES IT WOULD APPLY TO THIS, TO THIS PROPERTY.
IT WOULD APPLY TO THIS PROPERTY.
WELL, IT WOULD'VE, WHAT IT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD APPLY TO ANY, YES.
UM, ANYONE DOING ANIMAL RAISING OR, OR FARMING IN THE MAY RIVER CP.
ANYWAY, I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS, IF, IF WE APPROVE THIS, THIS WOULD BE IN CONDITION OF APPROVAL.
WE WOULD SAY WE APPROVE THIS MAP AMENDMENT ONLY IF YOU ACCOMPANY IT WITH THIS TEXT AMENDMENT.
ROB THE, UH, PROPERTY BELOW THE ONE THAT IS ALSO MRCP, DOES THAT HAVE 50 FOOT BUFFER IN IT? NO.
SEE, SEE, RIGHT NOW THAT DISTRICT ALLOWS AGRICULTURE IS A PERMITTED USE WITH NO ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING, YOU KNOW, AND IT WOULD BE WHERE AND ABOUT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
ALONG THOSE LINES, ARE WE THEN ADVOCATING A POTENTIAL HARDSHIP ON EXISTING MRM RCP ZONING? WELL, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IS A CONSEQUENCE.
I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE, IT WOULDN'T APPLY TO EXISTING AGRICULTURE IN THAT AREA, BUT IF SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO DO, AND IT COULD, THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT COULD APPLY SPECIFICALLY TO THE RAISING OF ANIMALS, NOT TO AGRICULTURE.
SO DEPENDING ON HOW WE WRITE THE, ARE THE OTHER PROPERTIES, DO YOU KNOW IF THEY'RE FOR RAISING ANIMALS OR FOR AGRICULTURE? THE OTHER LRCP? UM, THE EXISTING ONES, YEAH.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD IDEA ABOUT HOW MANY, HOW MUCH ANIMAL RAISING IS GOING ON IN THE PROPERTIES IN THE MAY RIVER CP.
IS THAT WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS? IS LIKE, YES.
IS THIS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE? THAT MIGHT BE MY QUESTION IS TO PUT THAT 50 FOOT REQUIREMENT, WHICH I LIKE MM-HMM
[02:15:01]
BUT PUT IT IN THERE AND POSSIBLY CREATE A HARDSHIP FOR EXISTING LANDOWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN RAISING ANIMALS POTENTIALLY ON THAT LAND.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S REALLY APPROPRIATE.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, I I GENERALLY, WITHOUT HEARING ANYBODY ELSE, I LIKE THE IDEA OF, OF GRANTING THE MRCP.
I'M JUST LEERY ON THAT 50 FOOT.
IS IT, I'M SORRY, DAN, GO AHEAD.
OH, ROB, UH, TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS 50 FOOT BUFFER.
UH, IS IT, FIRST OF ALL, WOULD IT NOT BE A CONDITION PER PER PROCEEDING THAT, THAT BE IN THE CODE, THE CODIFIED IN SOME FASHION BEFORE WE WOULD APPROVE THIS? OR MY NEXT QUESTION IS, DOES IT APPLY TO EVERYONE? YEAH.
AND IF SO, IF SOMEONE HAD ALREADY, UH, FENCED AND THEY, AND THEN THEY'D HAVE TO MOVE THEIR FENCE, IS THAT A, A POSSIBILITY? ARE WE, ARE WE GETTING IN OVER OUR HEADS HERE? SO, SO THE ANSWER TO THE FIRST ONE IS YES.
I MEAN, IF WE WERE, SO THE WAY IT WOULD WORK IS, I GUESS WHAT WE'RE ASKING, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IF THERE'S AN INTEREST IN PERMITTING THIS ZONING MAP AMENDMENT AS STAFF, WE BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED WITH SOME SAFEGUARD TO PROVIDE THAT BUFFER.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE SEE THAT HAPPENING IS BY A TAX AMENDMENT TO THE MAY RIVER CP DISTRICT.
AND THAT, SO THAT WOULD AFFECT FUTURE PEOPLE.
PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE FUTURE WHO WANT TO RAISE ANIMALS, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT EXISTING FARMS BECAUSE THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED, THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED.
THIS ONE, IT WOULD AFFECT, BECAUSE THIS IS AN ILLEGAL NON-CONFORMING USE.
SO THE, ONE OF THE CONDITIONS, IF THEY DID GET THE ZONING THAT WAS FAVORABLE TO THEM RAISING ANIMALS WOULD BE, THEY HAVE TO THEN MEET THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE LAWS THAT WOULD APPLY TO IT.
SO, BUT I AGREE THAT THAT IS A RISK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IS CHANGING TO, FOR ONE PARTICULAR PROPERTY THAT COULD IMPACT OTHER PEOPLE.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT IS THE RISK IN MAKING THAT CHANGE.
BUT FROM THE STAFF STANDPOINT, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE, WE CAN'T DO CONDITIONAL ZONING.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE SEE THAT.
TO PROVIDE THAT BUFFER OR SOME SAFEGUARD MM-HMM
AND ROD, THAT'S SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.
I MEAN, A QUESTION THAT I HAVE, IS IT PIGS? IS IT HORSES? RIGHT.
I MEAN, WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE, THE POTENTIAL NUISANCE? UM, AND I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE GOATS AND COWS AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE QUITE A NUMBER OF ANIMALS IN THE PROPERTY.
OUR ORDINANCE, NEITHER ORDINANCE PROVIDES MUCH GUIDANCE TO, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ENOUGH ANIMALS THAT IT'S NOT JUST SOMEBODY WITH A FEW PETS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I'M SURE THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE AT THE MEETING MIGHT, MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT.
BUT, SO IF WE WERE TO CHANGE THE TEXT OF THE NEIGHBOR RIVER CP RIGHT NOW IN THE NA RIVER CP, AND IT'S A DIFFERENT DIS YOU KNOW, IT BECAUSE IT'S COMMUNITY PRESERVATION AREA, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DEF DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURE, AND IT'S SIMPLY A BLANKET DEFINITION THAT INCLUDES BOTH CROP HARVESTING AND ANIMAL RAISING.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IF, IF WE WERE TO WRITE IN A 50 FOOT BUFFER, IT WOULD APPLY TO RAISING OF ANIMALS, NOT OF THE, UM, CROP HARVESTING STATE.
DO WE KNOW HOW, HOW LONG THERE HAVE BEEN ANIMALS BEING RAISED ON THAT PROPERTY? AND, AND HAS THERE BEEN ANY REPERCUSSIONS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR ADJACENT PROPERTIES THAT HAVE COMPLAINED OR ANY STORM WATER? WELL, THERE WAS A COMPLAINT, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THIS HAS BECOME A VIOLATION ISSUE.
SO IT, IT'S BEEN SOME YEARS THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT, AND IT WAS, IT'S NOT A PERMITTED USE.
AND SO IT WAS NOT DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PROPER PERMITTING.
ROB, IT'S BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THE, UM, DAMAGE TO THE MAY RIVER FECAL COLIFORM AND SO ON MM-HMM
IT'S BEEN CAUSED BY ANIMALS IN THE AREA YEAH.
AND I KNOW THIS PROPERTY ISN'T RIGHT CLOSE TO IT, BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S, UM, NEAR ENOUGH WHERE POTENTIALLY THE, UM, ANIMAL RUNOFF, WHAT RUNOFF WOULD GET INTO THE WATERS.
[02:20:01]
WHERE THE LOCATION OF THIS PROPERTY IS? UM, ARE THERE ANY CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PREVENT THAT? WELL, FOR, AND WE ARE RESTRICTED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WHEN IT HA WITH AGRICULTURE, IT, IT'S PRETTY MUCH UNDER THE PURVIEW OF DEC.AND SO THAT, THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE OTHER BLUE PROPERTIES THAT ARE CLOSER TO THE MAY RIVER IN THE MAY RIVER CP ALLOW AGRICULTURE.
SO THE APPROVAL OF, OF THIS PARTICULAR ZONING CHANGE, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT EXTENDING THE DISTRICT CLOSER TO THE RIVER, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT OVERALL.
IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THIS ISSUE HAS COME UP? FIRST TIME IN THE MAY RIVER CP? NO.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE ANIMALS ARE RAISED WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
I I THINK THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT IS MADE ITS WAY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS A MAP AMENDMENT AS, AS A, UH, REMEDY.
BUT YEAH, WE DEAL WITH THESE TYPES OF ISSUES ALL THE TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE? UM, THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE.
THEN I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER PARTIES WE WANNA HEAR FROM ARE THE PUBLIC THAT IS HERE.
SO I'VE GOT THREE PEOPLE WHO WISH TO SPEAK WHEN WE START WITH THE ROD KIMBALL AGREED WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR STAYING SO LATE WITH US.
I LIVE IN THE VERDE VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS, YOU SEE THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AND THE M-M-R-C-P IS THE BACK OF MY PROPERTY RIGHT THERE.
ALL THAT AREA IS WETLANDS AND IT IS HEADWATERS OF THE MAY RIVER.
BLUFFTON TOWN CAME AND HELPED ME WITH MY SEPTIC SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY HAD A PROGRAM WHERE THEY WERE DOING THAT FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT HAD TROUBLE BECAUSE OF THE COLIFORM.
NOW HE, THE, THE PROPOSED CHANGE AREA IS DOWN SLOPE.
SO THAT WATER GOES ACROSS 46 AND DOWN, DOWN THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THAT ALL GOES TOWARD THE HEADWATERS MAY RIVER.
SO YES, I THINK IT'S BAD FOR THE OYSTERS, THE FISH LARVAE, ALL THAT STUFF.
UM, AGRICULTURE IS FINE THERE.
IT'S ALL WETLANDS, UH, PINE TREES, THAT'S AGRICULTURE.
UM, BUT THE ANIMALS, THERE'S TOO MANY.
AND, UH, IF YOU CAN'T MITIGATE, MITIGATE THE, UH, COLIFORM FROM THOSE ANIMALS, IT'S JUST GONNA GO RIGHT IN THE RIVER.
KRISTEN, CAN YOU MOVE THE TIMER OFF TO THE SIDE SO WE CAN SEE THE DIAGRAM PLEASE? THANK YOU.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WAS HELPFUL.
WHICH PROPERTY WAS YOURS? I LIVE IN VER VIEW AT, UH, 58 ON THE MAP THERE.
CAN YOU POINT IT'S, SEE THE LONG DIAGONAL, SEE THAT BLUE ON THE SCREEN IS WHERE MY, MY HOUSE IS.
I GUESS WE GET THE MAP
I LIVE AT 42 JAMES O COURT IN VERDE VIEW.
UM, I HAVE BEEN CONTACTING THE COUNTY OVER MULTIPLE YEARS REGARDING VIOLATIONS THAT THEY'RE ALLOWING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THE PROPERTY, UM, CURRENT, THEY WERE INFORMED BEFORE THE MAN INSTALLED THE ANIMALS THAT THEY WERE ILLEGALLY CLEARING THE PROPERTY.
THEN WHEN HE STARTED WITH A FEW ANIMALS, THERE'S NO SHELTER FOR THEM.
THERE ARE COWS, GOATS, HORSES, UM, OTHER FARM ANIMALS THERE, WHICH ALSO GET LOOSE ALL THE TIME.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN FACEBOOK POSTS.
UM, THEIR HORSES ARE RUNNING ACROSS MAY RIVER ROAD.
[02:25:01]
NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY HAVE DUMPED DEAD ANIMALS INTO VERDE VIEW, UM, INTO OUR PROPERTIES.UM, FIRSTLY, THE LOT THAT THE MAN OWNS TO ACCESS THAT PROPERTY THROUGH OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IS DEED RESTRICTED, RECORDED AT THE COUNTY FOR RECREATIONAL USE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE SHOULD NOT EVEN OWN THAT LOT OR BE USING IT FOR ACCESS.
THERE IS NO, IT SAYS RIGHT IN OUR RECORDED RIGHT RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE RECORDED IN THE COUNTY THAT PROPERTIES ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR THAT, THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS.
UM, THE BLUE AREA BEHIND THE PROPOSED BLUE AREA THAT WRAPS DOWN WE'RE RIGHT BY PALMETTO BLUFF.
SO THERE IS NO AGRICULTURE OR ANYTHING THAT'S ALL PRESERVED BY THE PALMETTO BLUFF.
PRESERVE THAT AREA ON THE MAP, UM, RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT.
THE LONGER ONE, I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WANTED TO SEE.
UM, THE LONGER TO THE WESTERLY SIDE OF THE LOWER BLUE AREA IS CURRENTLY A RETENTION BASIN.
IT'S ON OUR PROPERTY, AND HIS ANIMALS ARE GOING RIGHT INTO OUR WATER AND OUR DRAINAGE AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.
UM, SO HE'S VIOLATING BY GOING ACROSS, TAKING A DEED RESTRICTED LOT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND USING IT FOR ACCESS.
THAT'S IN THE VERDE REVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THE COUNTY IS ALSO AWARE THAT ANOTHER RESTRICTED LOT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR RECREATIONAL USE, THEY GAVE SOMEBODY A PERMIT TO BUILD A HOUSE ON IT WITHOUT GETTING OUR, WITH THEY, THEY NEVER COME BACK TO US.
IF SOMEBODY WENT INTO PALMETTO BLUFF AND SAID, I'M GONNA PUT A MOBILE HOME IN THERE, OR I WANNA PUT FARM ANIMALS IN THERE, THEY WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO DO IT.
BEAUFORT COUNTY IS ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN ALL IN AND AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I HAVE THE PLANS IF YOU WANTED TO SEE THEM, OF THIS IS OUR RESTRICTED RECORDED AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S BEEN THERE FOR 40 YEARS.
AND MY FAMILY'S BEEN IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 40 YEARS.
AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IGNORES EVERYBODY IN CHARVILLE AND ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD ON RESTRICTED LOTS.
IF YOU HAVE A RESTRICTED LOT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BUILD A MOBILE HOME THERE, OR YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BUILD SOMETHING, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS NOW SAID THAT YOUR RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE RECORDED ARE ALLOWED TO BE VIOLATED AND THEY SUPPORT THAT.
I LIVE AT FOUR KING GEORGE ROAD, WHICH IS SORT OF IN THE FRONT PART OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I ACTUALLY HADN'T COME TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT AFTER HEARING, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
SO, COUPLE LITTLE HISTORY FACTS.
I'VE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE, UH, JANUARY OF 1989, SO I'VE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.
LOTS OF THINGS HAPPEN IN CHARVILLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE DEVELOPER DIED AND DID NOT TURN OVER THE ROADS TO ANYONE.
THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE COUNTY'S ATTENTION.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? NOBODY FIXES THE ROADS.
SO THIS MAN WHO NOW HAS THE ANIMALS IS COMING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH WHATEVER EQUIPMENT HE HAS, INCLUDING MOVING HIS MOBILE HOME IN DISRUPTING THE ENTIRE WITHOUT APPROVAL, ROAD WITHOUT APPROVAL, RIGHT? ANYWAY, OKAY.
THERE IS NO HOA, UNFORTUNATELY.
IT'S JUST IN, WE HAVE TO START.
I KNOW THERE IS NO HOA THOUGH.
JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT YES, IT IS IN THE HEADWATERS OF STONY CREEK, WHICH FEEDS DIRECTLY INTO THE MAY RIVER.
SO THERE'S CERTAINLY IS CONCERN THERE.
THERE'S CERTAINLY STORM WATER CONTROL ISSUES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AGAIN, BECAUSE NO ONE MAINTAINS THE ROADS, THERE IS NO SYSTEM FOR DRAINAGE.
AND THEN AGAIN, HIS ONLY ACCESS IS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND HE'S HAVING ALL THESE ANIMALS EVENTUALLY.
HOW ARE THEY GETTING THERE? WELL, I IMAGINE THEY'RE COMING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THIS STUFF HAPPENS DURING THE DAYTIME.
AND IF YOU DO DECIDE TO APPROVE IT, AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU DON'T, THE 50 FOOT BUFFER WOULD BE GREAT BENEFIT.
'CAUSE NOTHING'S GONNA PREVENT HIM RIGHT NOW FROM HAVING COWS IN HIS FRONT YARD, WHICH ISN'T A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S NOT WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING.
SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, PAY ATTENTION TO US LITTLE PEOPLE IN PRICHARD V, WHICH IS NOW GROWING AND, AND HELP US OUT HERE.
[02:30:01]
THANKS.I GUESS WE, UH, COME UP HERE TO THE P COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
ARE WE ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS NOW? WE CAN DISCUSS AMONGST OURSELVES? YES.
UM, I WISH ALL OF OUR DECISIONS WERE AS EASY AS THIS ONE
UH, IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF THE PETITIONER CARED ENOUGH TO EVEN COME TO THIS MEETING, MUCH LESS COME BEFORE AND NOT AFTER THE FACT.
UH, I'M A, I'M OFFENDED ON SO MANY LEVELS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO VOTE NO AND GO HOME.
UM, HE'S BEEN VIOLATING CODE FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.
EVIDENTLY, UM, IT'S A FECAL COLIFORM ISSUE.
UM, AND HE DIDN'T COME HERE TO EVEN TALK TO US.
SO, UH, I SAY LEAVE IT ALONE AND DENY THE APPLICATION AND NOTIFIED THE ZONING PHONES TO MAKE REGULAR TRIPS OUT THERE.
WELL, MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE WERE, EVEN WITH THE, THE GOOD, UM, CONDITIONS THAT ROB PUT IN OR THE STAFF PUT IN, IF WE VOTE YES, WE'RE JUST ENABLING HIS BAD BEHAVIOR.
I MEAN, THAT'S BIG ISSUE FOR ME.
AND I WAS GOING TO, UM, ASK THE QUESTION THAT ED DID ABOUT THE FECAL COLIFORM.
AND EVEN THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE, THE MALE AND BLUFF CHERRY POINT, I MEAN, THEY'VE BROUGHT THIS UP IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS NOT AT THE HEADWATERS, ALTHOUGH THEY, THE MAY RIVER THERE IS CONTAMINATED.
SO I THINK IT'S, UM, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS IF FOR NOTHING ELSE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, I JUST ECHO WHAT YOU'VE SAID.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION PAID TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE MAY RIVER AND ALL THAT ATTENTION, AND ALL THE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT.
IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE MADE MUCH OF A DENT.
IN FACT, THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES THAT DEMONSTRATE THE FECAL COLIFORM AND THE MAY RIVER HAS INCREASED OVER THE PAST DECADE OR SO.
UM, I DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD ADD TO THAT.
UM, I AM IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT BEING PROTECTED AND THE HEADWATERS BEING PROTECTED.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE TO ENJOY THAT.
AND WE DON'T WANNA DESTROY IT.
I DO HAVE ONE QUES ONE QUESTION.
UH, SHE MENTIONED THAT THE, THE ROADS AREN'T OWNED BY ANYBODY, THEREFORE THERE'S NO DRAINAGE.
SO THERE'S STORM WATER ISSUES THERE.
IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN ADDRESS THAT SITUATION? WELL, THAT WOULD BE IN OUR RECOMMENDATION.
I GUESS WE CAN MAKE A CONDITION OF OUR NON-APPROVAL OR APPROVAL, WHICHEVER WE WANT DO, IF YOU WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.
SO AT LEAST THE COUNTY'S AWARE OF WHAT YOUR CONCERN IS.
I, I THINK AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN, ASSUMING THE ACCURACY IS THESE PEOPLE JUST MOVING ON TO THE PROPERTIES AND MOVING ON MOBILE HOMES OR WHATEVER THAT ARE RESTRICTED PROPERTIES THAT THIS HAS TO BE EXPRESSED TOO.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE RULES, THEY HAVE TO BE ENFORCED.
AND SO, I, I'M A LITTLE, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ASPECT, THAT WE'RE SOMEBODY IS NOT ENFORCING THE RULES AND OKAY.
SO THAT, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT'S OTHER THAN THIS.
AND IF APPROPRIATE, MAY I MOVE TO, UM, DENY THE RECOMMEND DENIAL.
I MOVE, RECOMMEND DENIAL OF AN OR ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR 3.28 ACRES, LOCATED 64 JAMES O COURT, AND THEN ALL THE NUMBERS IN AND THE REST OF THE STUFF THERE.
YOU NEED TO REPEAT IT WHEN IT'S RIGHT HERE.
SECOND, YOU HAVE TO REPEAT IT.
PARENTHETICALLY, R 600 SPACE OH 3 6 0 0 0 0 2 2.
SPACE FOUR FROM T THREE EDGE, THREE E TO MAY ROOFER PRESERVATION.
AND BEFORE, BEFORE WE GET A SECOND ON THAT, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANY CONDITIONS TO THAT? SEVERAL OF YOU, YOU MENTIONED CONDITIONS ABOUT RESTRICTED PROTECTION OF THE RESTRICTED COVENANTS.
NO, YOU MENTIONED, UH, ROADWAYS INFRASTRUCTURE.
DID YOU WANT, WOULD THAT BE PROPER FOR THIS MOTION? BECAUSE THIS THING HAS NOTHING ON THERE ABOUT THAT.
I, I WOULD THINK THAT'S A SEPARATE RECOMMENDATION WE SHOULD MAKE.
I THINK YOU ATTACHED THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE, TO THE MOTION.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT'LL EVEN GO FORWARD.
AM I CORRECT? NO, I, THE COUNTY WILL HEAR IT AND I GUESS IT'LL BE IN THE MINUTES THAT WE MENTIONED IT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT GONNA, YOU DON'T NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THAT, I GUESS IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
[02:35:01]
IT'S JUST THE CONDITIONS THAT WERE MENTIONED.DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
MOTION IS DENIED FOR, UM, ZONING AMENDMENT.
I THINK, UM, WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OFF THE, HERE.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT.
USUALLY THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT AT THIS POINT.
WITHOUT, IS THERE ANY, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA DISCUSS? MR. YOU ADJOURNED? WELL, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TALK ABOUT IN A, ALL OF THIS IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAVE KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED.
UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY A SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE AND ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.
UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR BUT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE AND A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA.
AND WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A, WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE.
UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE.
UM, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING THEM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, OUR FIRST CLASS.
WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY APPROVED IT, UH, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.
SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.
AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.
[02:40:01]
UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIGHER OFFICERS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS, AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.
WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE MM-HMM
THAT ARE ABLE TO RETIRE FAIRLY YOUNG AND MAY BE LOOKING FOR THAT JOB.
THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.
AND, UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE, WE NEED TO GET INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN, BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT, AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM, AND THEY'RE A RETIRED TEACHER, OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKERS, RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
AND THEY'RE STILL, STILL AT AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
YES, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THAT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
BUT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000 A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK, BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.
IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN A RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
AND I, WE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND THEN IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.
AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY THE TRAINING.
AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.
THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING.
AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.
I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BEFOR COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND THE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.
THERE IS, AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.
THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE WELL TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.
AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM.
WHETHER THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHERS, RETIRED MILITARY IS IMPORTANT.
THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF, SO HOW, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OPENINGS DO YOU HAVE FOR THIS PROGRAM? FOR THIS PROGRAM? WE, WE ONLY HAVE TWO CURRENTLY.
POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.
SO, I MEAN, IN TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.
IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL, OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK.
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.
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IT MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, TO PAY.I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.
SO ALL WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.
AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN MM-HMM
UH, AS THEY'RE COMING UP THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST HOPE THE APPLICATION START POURING IN.
AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN, THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO, UH, THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.
THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE WILL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.
IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR, AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL TO NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SRO CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER, BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE SRO, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.
SO I THINK LINDSEY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK, WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES, SIR.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE LARGEST SHIPS IN THE WORLD COULD SAIL INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND, AND THAT'S WHAT JOHN BO, THE FRENCH EXPLORER SAID, SHED ALL THE SHIPS OF FRANCE, NA, ALL THE SHIPS OF THE WORLD COULD SAFELY RIDE IN ITS MOUTHS.
IT'S VERY DEEP AND VERY UNUSUAL.
AND IF YOU'RE A SAILOR AND YOU GO UP AND DOWN THE COAST ON THE INLAND PASSAGE, YOU COME INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT.
IT'S 60 FEET DEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF PORT ROYAL SOUND, 30 FEET DEEP OVER THE BAR.
AND THE INTERESTING THING TO ME IS THAT THE SHAPE OF THE ENTRANCE HAS NOT CHANGED.
FOR 500 YEARS, MILLIONS OF SHELLS LEFT BY NATIVE INHABITANTS OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS, ATTEST TO THE BOUNTY OF ITS WATERS.
CLOVIS POINTS, WHICH ARE MORE THAN 10,000 YEARS OLD, HAVE BEEN UNEARTHED ON ITS SHORES.
INEVITABLY, THE NATURAL RICHES OF THE SEA ISLANDS SURROUNDING PORT ROYAL SOUND ATTRACTED THE GREAT EMPIRES OF THE 17TH AND 18TH
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CENTURIES.FIRST, SPAIN ARRIVED IN 1521, THEN FRANCE CAME ASHORE IN 1562.
FINALLY, THE BRITISH CLAIMED THEM AS CAROLINA.
IN 1663, THE LAND OF CHARLES, AFTER BARELY SURVIVING A DEADLY CLASH WITH THE NATIVE AMERICANS, THE SETTLERS DEMANDED PROTECTION FROM THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.
THEIR LOG FORD IN BUFORT TOWN HAD BEEN BURNED.
AND IT WAS IN THAT EARLY PERIOD AND THIS EARLY 1720S THAT THE PEOPLE OF BUFORT SAID, WE NEED A FORT TO PROTECT US.
SO THEY BUILT THIS TO PROTECT THE INLAND PASSAGE BEFORE IT GOT TO BUFORT, WHICH IS THE REASON FOR THE LOCATION OF WHAT EVENTUALLY BECAME FORT FREDERICK OR FORT PRINCE FREDERICK.
THE NEW FORT BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE IN 1726 AFTER THE FAMOUS SETTLER COLONEL JOHN BARNWELL, BETTER KNOWN AS TUSKA AURORA JACK RETURNED FROM ENGLAND WITH THE INDEPENDENT COMPANY AFOOT A REGIMENT OF BRITISH REGULARS.
FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS, FORT PRINCE FREDERICK, A SMALL STRUCTURE MEASURING JUST 125 FEET BY 75 FEET EXISTED AS A TYPICAL FRONTIER STYLE LOG AND EARTH.
AND FORT ARTILLERY STOOD AT THE READY TO SLOW ANY APPROACH BY THE SPANISH FLEET.
AS SOON AS THE FIRST WARNINGS FROM THE WATCH CANNONS AT THE MOUTH OF THE SOUND WERE FIRED, THE MILITIA WOULD BE DISPATCHED.
THE SETTLERS OF THE ISLANDS ENVISIONED SOMETHING STURDIER, A STRUCTURE THAT COULD OFFER THEM REAL PROTECTION IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
BUT THE PEOPLE KEPT PETITIONING THE COMMONS HOUSE ASSEMBLY OF THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT FOR MORE MONEY TO FINISH THE FORT.
IN 1773, THE FRENCH HUGIN SETTLER AND CONTRACTOR, JOHN DIBERT, WAS HIRED TO DEVISE A MORE SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE.
AND HE SAID, I'LL BUILD A FORT OF OYSTER SHELL AND LIME, WHICH IS WHAT WE SEE THERE TODAY.
AND AS IT WAS DESCRIBED IN 1733, IT WAS FIVE FEET THICK AND FIVE FEET HIGH.
THE FORT WAS NAMED FOR THE ELDEST SON OF KING GEORGE II OF ENGLAND.
SO FORT PRINCE FREDERICK, WHICH IS HIS FORMAL NAME, WAS BUILT IN 1726, COMPLETED IN 1733, PROBABLY ABANDONED BY 1740.
AND FOR THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE, 1726 TO 1733, IT WAS THE SOUTHERN FRONTIER OF ENGLISH NORTH AMERICA.
AND ALTHOUGH THE BRITISH OCCUPIED PORT ROYAL FOR A TIME DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE GREATEST BATTLE WAGED BY FORT PRINCE FREDERICK OVER THE NEXT CENTURY AND A HALF WAS WON WITH THE WEEDS AND THE WEATHER.
A PLANTER BY THE NAME OF JOHN JOYNER SMITH CAME INTO POSSESSION OF THE LAND EARLY IN THE 18 HUNDREDS, TURNING THE EXPANSE ABOVE THE OLD FORD INTO FIELDS OF COTTON TENDED BY THE ENSLAVED.
BUT ALL THAT CHANGED IN NOVEMBER OF 1861, WHEN UNION FORCES OVERCAME THE CONFEDERATE TERRITORY.
WHEN THE PORT ROYAL BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL SOUND HAPPENED IN THE FALL OF 1861, AND THE PLANTERS FROM THE BEAUFORT REGION, SKEDADDLED, AS THEY CALL IT, UM, THEY LEFT BEHIND BETWEEN EIGHT AND 10,000 SLAVES.
IT'S THE PEOPLE WERE SO JUBILANT, UH, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HEARD THE CANNONS GO OFF, BECAUSE THERE WERE ABOUT 55 SHIPS COMING INTO THAT AREA THAT THEY CALL IT BIG GUN SHOOT DAY
AND WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HEARD THE BIG GUN SHOOT, THEY, THEY SAID, FREEDOM IS HERE.
THE YANKEES ARE HERE, SO WE ARE FREE.
BUT THAT AREA ON THOSE BLUFFS ABOVE FORT FREDERICK IS, UH, WHERE THERE'LL BE CAMPS AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE WAR, AND THERE'LL BE EVERYTHING FROM ARTILLERY TO INFANTRY.
ENC CAMPED BOTH WHITE AND BLACK TROOPS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
THEY WILL BUILD, APPEAR OVER TOP OF THE WALLS OF FORT FREDERICK OUT INTO THE BEAUFORT RIVER OVER THE TOP OF OLD FORT FREDERICK STEP.
THE FIRST BLACK REGIMENT MUSTERED IN AS THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
IT'S GONNA BE IN THE SUMMER OF 1862.
EVERYTHING SORT OF BEGINS TO CHANGE, AND PERMISSION IS GIVEN TO BEGIN RAISING BLACK REGIMENTS.
AT THAT TIME, PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN SENT A MILITARY GOVERNOR TO PORT ROYAL GENERAL RUFUS SAXTON IS GIVEN PERMISSION TO BEGIN RAISING UPWARDS OF 5,000 BLACK TROOPS.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE DOES IS HE ORDERS THEM TO ASSEMBLE AT THE SMITH PLANTATION.
AND THAT WILL BECOME THEIR CAMP.
AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL BE NAMED CAMP SAXTON IN HIS HONOR, DOZENS OF MISSIONARIES,
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TEACHERS AND PHYSICIANS FROM THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE US ARRIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO BEGIN A PROJECT THAT WILL COME TO BE KNOWN AS THE PORT ROYAL EXPERIMENT.THEY ARE JOINED BY THE FAMED HARRIET TUBMAN, WHO BROUGHT MANY PEOPLE TO FREEDOM WITH THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
SHE NURSED THE CIVIL WAR INJURED WHILE SHE SHOWED THE NEWLY FREED PEOPLE HOW TO WILLINGLY WORK IN A WAGE BASED SYSTEM, RATHER THAN BEING FORCED TO LABOR UNDER THE THREAT OF THE LASH.
MISS LAURA TOWN ESTABLISHED THE PENN SCHOOL ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, JUST A FERRY RIDE ACROSS THE SOUND FROM FORT FREDERICK, AN INSTITUTION THAT IS STILL IN OPERATION TODAY.
LINCOLN WATCHED THE EXPERIMENT WITH GREAT INTEREST, AND DURING THE SUMMER OF 1862, ANNOUNCED THE PRELIMINARY EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
IMMEDIATELY PLANS WERE MADE FOR AN ELABORATE CELEBRATION AT CAMP SAXTON FOR JANUARY 1ST, 1863, THE DAY THE PROCLAMATION WAS TO BE SIGNED.
UH, THEY ARE ROASTING 10 OXEN AND, UH, PREPARING TABLES FOR FOUR OR 5,000 PEOPLE TO COME DOWN TO IT.
OF COURSE, WHEN IT WAS READ AND AFTER IT WAS READ, SOMEONE SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OUT WITH THE SOUND.
MY COUNTRY, TI D AND JUBILATION TOOK PLACE.
BUT THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS A HIGH POINT IN THEIR LIVES.
AT THAT TIME WHEN THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS READ, THEY USED THAT FORT AS THE BASE FOR THEIR DOCK, YOU KNOW, AND THE DOCK WAS BUILT OVER THE TOP AND THE FORT AND BOATS CAME IN.
AND, BUT THERE IT WAS, I MEAN, IN GROUND, AT GROUND ZERO OF THAT EVENT.
AND, UH, THAT EVENT IS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT HAS EVER OCCURRED IN 500 YEARS OF THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTY, CERTAINLY.
AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.
A DEVASTATING HURRICANE SHOOK THE SEA ISLANDS IN 1893, CAUSING MASSIVE DAMAGE.
STURDINESS OF THE FIVE FOOT TALL AND FIVE FOOT WIDE WALLS SAVED THE FORT FROM ANNIHILATION.
TODAY, IT STILL STANDS AS THE OLDEST TABBY STRUCTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
IN THE WINTER OF 2015, ARCHEOLOGISTS WORKED TO EXCAVATE THE REMAINS OF FORT FREDERICK.
IN PREPARATION FOR THE DAY WHEN IT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC BY LAND.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, OLD FORT FREDERICK IS ALSO BEING GIVEN A NEW LAYER OF TABBY IN PREPARATION FOR ITS FUTURE.
AS THE ONE REMAINING AMBASSADOR TO WITNESS A PIVOTAL HISTORICAL EVENT, THE FORT'S MOST IMPORTANT JOB, AS IT TURNED OUT, WAS TO SERVE AS THE ACTUAL BRIDGE FROM THE WATERS OF PORT ROYAL SOUND, SUPPORTING PEOPLE AS THEY STEP TOWARD THEIR CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.