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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY OF THE PLAN.
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, TO ORDER.
AND LET'S BEGIN BY WITH THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE, ALL TO THE FLAG FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, NATION INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
EVERYONE HAS RECEIVED A COPY OF THE AGENDA IN ADVANCE.
UH, STAFF, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA TODAY? NO CHANGE TO THE AGENDA.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? APPROVE, APPROVE.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER HENS, SUPPORTED BY VICE CHAIR CAMPBELL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
OKAY, SO LET'S GO RIGHT INTO, UM, THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEM FROM A PREVIOUS MEETING, WHICH IS THE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FROM CHRIS BREEN OF BLUE HOUR HOUSING FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO TITLE 16 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 16 DASH FOUR.
USE STANDARDS TO ADD A NEW ADAPTIVE REUSE HOTEL MOTEL CONVERSION PROGRAM AS 16 DASH FOUR DASH 1 0 6.
WE WILL BE HAVING A STAFF REPORT FROM MISSY LEIC, AND I SEE HER COMING FORWARD NOW.
UM, MISSY LEIC, PLANNING DIRECTOR, NICE TO SEE YOU ALL THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, YES, WE ARE HERE TO TALK AGAIN ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR HOTEL AND MOTEL CONVERSIONS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, AS YOU RECALL, THIS ITEM WAS BEFORE YOU, UH, IN JANUARY.
UM, AND I WILL GIVE A QUICK BACKGROUND, UM, TO RECAP TO ANYONE WHO WAS NOT PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
PRIOR TO, UM, IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, UH, THE, WE MET WITH OUR TOWN COUNCIL AND HOW TO WORKSHOP TO TALK ABOUT OUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE PROJECT, OUR PRIORITY AMENDMENTS AND OUR DISTRICT PLANNING INITIATIVE.
UM, AND IN THAT PARTICULAR WORKSHOP, WE DID REVIEW, UM, CONCEPTUALLY, UH, A PROPOSED PRIORITY AMENDMENT TO ALLOW FOR HOTEL MOTEL CONVER COMMERCIAL CONVERSIONS.
UM, WE DID RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK, UM, FROM COUNCIL AT THAT INITIAL WORKSHOP AND, UM, USED THAT TO DRAFT A TOWN VERSION OF AN ADAPTIVE REUSE HOTEL MOTEL CONVERSION, UH, POLICY OF WHICH WAS, UH, INTRODUCED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD AT THE TOWN COUNCIL WORKSHOP WAS RELATED TO LIVABILITY COMPONENTS OF SUCH A CONVERSION.
UM, IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, UH, THE APPLICANT, CHRIS BREEN AND BLEW OUR HOUSING, SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT FOR ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HOTELS AND MOTELS.
UM, AND THEY DID SO WE HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT ON, UM, THE TOWN'S VERSION OF THAT, UM, SAME SIMILAR AMENDMENT.
UM, BUT THEY APPLIED, UM, REALLY TO, UH, GET IN FRONT OF THE, THE SCHEDULE, UM, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPOSAL WOULD ALSO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
AND THEY CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THEIR PRESENTATION ON, ON WHY THEY DECIDED TO SUBMIT, UM, A TEXT AMENDMENT PROPOSAL.
UM, THERE WAS, UH, AS I MENTIONED, A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS HELD IN JANUARY, UM, WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CONSIDER, UH, A, A PRIOR REVISION OF THIS TEXT AMENDMENT.
UM, AND AT THAT PUBLIC HEARING, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF, UH, THE TEXT AMENDMENT AND FORWARDED THAT RECOMMENDATION ONTO TOWN COUNCIL.
AFTER THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S MEETING, UM, A COUPLE DAYS LATER IN JANUARY 17TH, UH, BLEW OUR HOUSING, SUBMITTED SOME AMENDMENTS TO THAT, UH, TEXT AMENDMENT PROPOSAL.
UM, AND THAT WAS INCORPORATED IN THE REVIEW, UH, AT FIRST READING OF TOWN COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 4TH, WHERE THEN TOWN COUNCIL REVIEWED THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT, UM, AND HEARD, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AND DISCUSSIONS AND, UM, ULTIMATELY VOTED FOR THREE TO REMAND THE PROPOSAL BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED CHANGES, THERE IS, UH, A, AN ATTACHMENT IN THE AGENDA PACKET ATTACHMENT A THAT OUTLINES A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION AT THAT TOWN COUNCIL MEETING ON FEBRUARY 4TH.
AND THAT'S INCLUDED FOR YOUR REFERENCE IN THE AGENDA PACKET.
UM, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONVERSATION ON FEBRUARY 4TH BY TOWN COUNCIL, UM, ABOUT THE ADAPTIVE
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REUSE PROPOSAL.UM, AND, UH, AND THOSE CONCERNS, UM, ARE INCLUDED IN THAT SUMMARY DOCUMENT.
UM, THEN ON FEBRUARY 22ND, UM, WE RECEIVED A REVISED TEXT AMENDMENT PROPOSAL, UM, FROM BLUE HOUR HOUSING.
UM, AND, AND THAT IS WHAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UM, THEY ALSO MADE, UM, AN ADDITIONAL REVISION A COUPLE DAYS LATER, UM, ON WEDNESDAY OF LAST WEEK.
SO THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT PACKAGE, UH, THAT WAS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR REVIEW.
UM, BUT WE HAVE REVIEWED THAT, UM, AMENDMENT PACKAGE, UH, FOR THE REMAND THAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY, AND HAVE A SUMMARY OF THE REVISED TEXT AMENDMENT.
AND ALSO WE INCORPORATED A COMPARISON, UH, TABLE, UM, AS ONE OF THE, UM, UH, ATTACHMENTS WITHIN THE AGENDA PACKAGE THAT COMPARES THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY, AND ALSO COMPARES IT TO THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM.
SO NOW I'LL GO OVER, UM, THE, THE REMANDED REVISED TEXT AMENDMENT PROPOSAL THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UM, THE PROPOSAL, UM, IS NOW PROPOSED TO BE PERMITTED IN FIVE ZONING DISTRICTS IN THE LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, THE MAIN STREET DISTRICT, MITCHELLVILLE DISTRICT WATERFRONT MIXED USE DISTRICT IN THE STONY DISTRICT.
THE PREVIOUS, UM, SUBMITTAL WAS PROPOSED IN 12 DISTRICTS, AND NOW IT IS REDUCED TO FIVE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, THE PROPOSAL, UH, WOULD ALLOW AND REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING.
UM, IT IS APPLICABLE ONLY TO EXISTING HOTELS AND MOTELS IN PLACE AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE.
SHORT-TERM RENTALS WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED, UM, A HOTEL OR MOTEL CONVERTED TO MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNDER THIS CONVERSION PROGRAM WOULD BE ENTITLED TO A DENSITY CONVERSION RATIO OF UP TO NINE DWELLING UNITS FOR EVERY 10 GUEST ROOMS, WHICH WAS CHANGED FROM UP TO A ONE-TO-ONE CONVERSION RATIO, UM, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY A 10% DENSITY REDUCTION.
UM, THE EXISTING PROPOSAL, UM, STIPULATES THAT EXISTING GUEST ROOMS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BE REDUCED OR INCREASED IN SIZE IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNITS.
HOWEVER, IT IS PERMITTED TO COMBINE MULTIPLE DWELLING UNITS INTO A SINGULAR DWELLING UNIT.
THE PROPOSAL STATES THAT A 6% MINIMUM REQUIRED BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE DEDICATED AS INTERIOR COMMUNAL SPACE, UM, IS REQUIRED.
AND LAUNDRY AREAS, ELEVATORS, HALLWAYS, STAIRWELLS, AND OTHER AREAS USED FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS CANNOT BE COUNTED TOWARD THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UM, AND THAT WAS CHANGED FROM A MAXIMUM OF 6%, AND NOW IT'S A 6% MINIMUM.
LIKEWISE, THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENT WAS ALSO CHANGED FROM A MAXIMUM CRITERIA TO A MINIMUM.
SO NOW IT STATES THAT MINIMUM REQUIRED OPEN SPACE SHALL BE REQUIRED AT A RATE OF 10% OF THE BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UM, ANOTHER CHANGE WAS THAT NO LESS THAN 75% OF THE DWELLING UNITS IN THE DEVELOPMENT SHALL BE OCCUPIED BY AT LEAST ONE PERSON THAT IS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE OF A LAWFULLY LICENSED BUSINESS LOCATED WITHIN THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
PREVIOUSLY, THAT REQUIREMENT WAS 25%, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING EIGHT THROUGH 11 ITEMS ARE NEW, UM, REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT.
UM, THE ADDITION OF AN ONSITE PROPERTY MANAGER IS NOW REQUIRED, UM, A CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY IS REQUIRED TO BE, UM, SUBMITTED TO THE TOWN ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, VERIFYING THAT EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
UM, AND THEN AN PROGRAM AGREEMENT RECORDED BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE DEVELOPER THAT ESTABLISHES THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MEET THE EMPLOYMENT CRITERIA, THE SQUARE NUMBER OF BEDS FOR ALL UNITS, THE TERMS OF THE FORTH.
ADDITIONALLY, IN THE MINIMUM UNIT SIZE TABLE THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES IN THE MINIMUM UNIT SIZES FOR THE ADAPTIVE REUSE, UH, CONVERSION USE.
UM, THEY WERE ALL INCREASES FROM THE PRIOR SQUARE FOOTAGES.
SO YOU CAN SEE MICRO EFFICIENCY IS NOW 210, WHICH IS INCREASED FROM 210.
SO STUDIOS ARE 351 BEDROOMS ARE 452 BEDROOMS ARE 650, AND THREE BEDROOMS ARE 850.
AND THOSE ARE ALL INCREASES IN SIZE FROM, UH, THE PREVIOUS TEXT AMENDMENT.
SO, UM, AND THIS TABLE DOES ALSO COMPARE TO, UM, THE WORKFORCE HOUSING, COMMERCIAL CONVERSION MINIMUM UNIT SIZES, AS WELL AS THE MARKET RATE MINIMUM UNIT SIZES, UM, FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL CONVERSIONS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, THAT, UH, ALONG WITH OTHER, UM, COMPARISONS WITH THE TOWN'S, UH, COMMERCIAL CONVERSION WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM ARE NOTED ON THAT COMPARISON TABLE, WHICH WAS ATTACHMENT B THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT PACKAGE.
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SO IN ADDITION, UM, TO JUST COVERING WHAT THE CURRENT TEXT AMENDMENT, UH, PROPOSES, WE ALSO PROVIDED A STAFF ANALYSIS OF, UH, THE, THE REVISED TEXT AMENDMENT, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THAT.UM, AS FAR AS APPLICABILITY, UM, I, I HAD PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT IDENTIFIES EXISTING HOTELS AND MOTELS THAT ARE IN PLACE AT THE TIME OF THE ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT CLEARLY EXCLUDE TIMESHARE UNITS.
UM, THERE IS ONE TIMESHARE LOCATED WITHIN THE ZONING DISTRICTS PROPOSED BY THIS AMENDMENT WITHIN THE WATERFRONT MIXED USE ZONING DISTRICT.
UM, HERE'S A MAP THAT SHOWS THE FIVE ZONING DISTRICTS THAT THE TEXT AMENDMENT, UM, IS ALLOWED IN.
UH, AGAIN, IT'S THE LIGHT COMMERCIAL MAIN STREET, MITCHELLVILLE, STONY MIXED USE AND WATER ORIENTED MIXED USE DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE IDENTIFIED ON THE MAP.
UM, THE BLACK INDICATES HOTEL PROPERTIES.
UM, AND THE NEXT PAGE INDICATES THAT OF ALL OF THE FIVE DISTRICTS WHERE, UM, THIS AMENDMENT IS PROPOSED, UH, THE LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT OR LC DISTRICT IS THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT HAS EXISTING HOTELS WITHIN THEM, AND THEY'RE OUTLINED HERE.
UM, SO ALL SEVEN OF THE EXISTING HOTELS ARE IN, UM, THE LC ZONING DISTRICT.
NOW I HAVE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE WORKFORCE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS, TIMEFRAME AND ENFORCEMENT.
UM, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, PROGRAM GUIDELINES.
UH, IT PROPOSES INSTEAD THAT 75% OF THE DWELLING UNITS IN THE DEVELOPMENT SHALL BE OCCUPIED BY AT LEAST ONE PERSON THAT IS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, UH, WITHIN THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY LIMITATIONS ON ROOM RATES OR AFFORDABILITY.
UM, THERE ARE ADDED PROVISIONS THAT IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER TO HIRE AN ONSITE PROPERTY MANAGER THAT WILL MANAGE THE PROPERTY AND OVERSEE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND REPORT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS BACK TO THE TOWN ON IF THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE BEING MET.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, IT WAS ADDED, A RECORDED AGREEMENT MUST BE IN PLACE PRIOR TO A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY BEING ISSUED FOR THAT COMMERCIAL CONVERSION, UH, FOR THE HOTEL MOTEL ADAPTIVE REUSE PROGRAM.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, PROPERTIES THAT ARE CONVERTED MUST BE MAINTAINED, UM, IN THESE AFFORDABILITY TERMS IN PERPETUITY.
UM, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ADDED IN THE NEW PROPOSAL.
UM, ALTHOUGH IT ENSURES THAT THE UNITS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE, UM, IT DOES NOT POTENTIALLY ADDRESS DECLINING CONDITIONS OF AGING STRUCTURES OR ESTABLISH MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.
AND NOW I'LL GO THROUGH THE UNIT SIZE AND COMMUNAL AMENITIES AND LIVABILITY COMPONENTS.
UM, THE MINIMUM UNIT SIZES AS DESCRIBED IN THAT, UM, UNIT SIZE CHART, UM, HAVE BEEN INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM EARLIER VERSIONS, BUT THEY DO REMAIN SMALLER THAN THE MINIMUM UNIT SIZES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, MICRO EFFICIENCY AND STUDIO UNITS ARE PROPOSED TO PERMIT A MAXIMUM OF TWO PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S AN OCCUPANCY LIMIT FOR THE MICRO EFFICIENCY AND STUDIO UNITS, BUT THERE IS NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF MICRO EFFICIENCY OR STUDIO UNITS THAT CAN BE CONVERTED AS PART OF THIS ADAPTIVE REUSE AMENDMENT.
THE COMMUNAL, COMMUNAL AMENITIES THAT ARE PROPOSED REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 6% OF THE BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE TO BE DEDICATED AS INTERIOR COMMUNAL SPACE, WHICH EXCLUDES THE LAUNDRY FACILITIES, ELEVATORS, HALLWAYS, STAIRWELLS, AND OTHER AREAS THAT ARE USED FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS.
UM, AND THERE'S A MINIMUM OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENT EXTERNALLY THAT'S 10% OF THE BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THEY ALSO ADDED MINIMUM LAUNDRY REQUIREMENTS, UM, TO THE PROPOSAL.
AS FAR AS PARKING, THE PROPOSAL CALLS FOR ONE, UM, MINIMUM OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENT, UH, PER EACH GUEST ROOM.
UM, THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE REQUIRES FOR MULTI-FAMILY, UM, A PARKING UNIT COUNT THAT IS 1.4 SPACES FOR A ONE BEDROOM, 1.7 SPACES FOR A TWO BEDROOM AND TWO SPACES FOR THREE OR MORE, UH, BEDROOM UNITS.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO PROPOSING, UM, THAT THERE WOULD BE THAT TWO PERSON, UH, PER THOSE MICRO EFFICIENCY THAT UNITS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S ONLY ONE PARKING SPACE, UH, THAT'S PROPOSED FOR THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.
UM, THERE ARE NOT, UM, REQUIRED SITE ELEMENTS, UM, TO THE EXTERIOR, UM, SPACES, THE PARKING LOT CONFIGURATION, UM, THAT WOULD REQUIRE IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY
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OR SITE FEATURES THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE MULTIMODAL, UH, TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS OR CONNECTIONS TO THOSE, UH, TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.UM, AS FAR AS DENSITY, THIS, UH, AMENDMENT PROPOSES AGAIN, NINE GUEST ROOM TO 10 DWELLING UNIT DENSITY CONVERSION RATIO WITH SOME CONDITIONS.
UM, THE HOTEL DENSITY, WHICH THESE ARE CONVERTING FROM, HAD A DENSITY OF 35 ROOMS PER NET ACRE.
UM, SO THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES IN THE FIVE DISTRICTS WHERE THIS AMENDMENT IS PROPOSED RANGES FROM A RESIDENTIAL DENSITY ALLOWANCE BETWEEN FOUR DWELLING UNITS PER NET ACRE TO 16 DWELLING UNITS PER NET ACRE.
UM, AND IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THIS ADAPTIVE REUSE PROGRAM WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES THAT EXCEED THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES ALLOWED FOR THOSE EXISTING DISTRICTS.
UM, THERE WAS SOME FEEDBACK REGARDING PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OR TRANSPARENCY AS IT RELATES TO TEXT AMENDMENTS.
THE REQUIREMENTS PER OUR CODE IS THAT THERE IS A PUBLIC NOTICE THAT IS PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER OF CIRCULATION.
THAT REQUIREMENT HAS BEEN MET.
IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT BY OUR CODE THAT ADDITIONAL NOTIFICATIONS TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, TAKES PLACE.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AND REVIEW OF TEXT AMENDMENTS THAT, UM, IT IS REVIEWED AGAINST THE REVIEW CRITERIA ITEMS A THROUGH F IN, IN THE CODE, UM, AND THAT THE, UH, THE OFFICIAL SHALL REVIEW THAT CRITERIA AND PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO THE NEXT SET OF, UH, REVIEW AND ANALYSIS IS BASED ON THE TEXT AMENDMENT REVIEW CRITERIA AND THOSE STANDARDS.
SO I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THOSE.
UM, THE FIRST CRITERIA IS THAT THE TEXT AMENDMENTS IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
NOW, CERTAINLY THE, OUR, OUR PLAN, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HAS A LOT OF LONG-TERM GOALS AND RELATED TO HOUSING AND WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, CONSIDERATIONS, UM, FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND LAND USE PLANNING, AND THE REDEVELOPMENT OF AGING PROPERTIES, UM, ARE ALL REFERENCED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, AND COULD BE SUPPORTED BY THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION.
UM, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES SPECIFY A DEFINITION, UM, ON PAGE 321 FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, AND IT IDENTIFIES, AND I'LL QUOTE ACCORDING TO THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY RENTAL HOUSING, AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOMES UP TO 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME FOR, UH, FOR SALE HOUSING, UM, WITH INCOMES UP TO 100%, EXCUSE ME, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR RENTAL HOUSING, SORRY, RENTAL HOUSING FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOMES UP TO 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND FOR SALE HOUSING, UH, TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOMES UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND THE PROPOSED TAX AMENDMENT, UM, DOES NOT HAVE AN AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT.
IT JUST HAS THAT 75% OF, UH, THE OCCUPANTS SHALL BE, UM, EMPLOYED WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND EMPLOYER, UM, BUT DOES NOT HAVE AN AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT.
UM, CONDITION NUMBER TWO OR CRITERIA TWO IS THAT THIS AMENDMENT IS REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS.
UM, THERE ARE CHANGING CONDITIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES, SOME OF THE SPECIFIC HOTEL PROPERTIES, UM, WHICH ARE DECLINING HOTELS, THEN SOME OF THEM HAVE TRANSITIONED INTO LONGER TERM RENTALS.
UM, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT MAY NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE BROADER RANGE OF CONDITIONS AT PLAY, INCLUDING PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, AND POTENTIALLY THE IMPACT ON SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
UM, THE NEXT CRITERIA IS THAT, UH, THE TAX AMENDMENT SHOW ADDRESS THE DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED.
UM, THE NEED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED, BOTH IN OUR COMP PLAN AND OTHER ADOPTED PLANS OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, HOWEVER, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THIS AMENDMENT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSES THAT NEED REMAINS UNCERTAIN.
UM, ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS AS PART OF OUR CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING IS REALLY NECESSARY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE PROPOSED CHANGES REPRESENT THE MOST APPROPRIATE POLICY AND LAND USE SOLUTION.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE NEXT CRITERIA IS THAT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS IN THIS ORDINANCE, OR WOULD IMPROVE COMPATIBILITY AMONG USES AND ENSURE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE TOWN.
UM, I INCLUDED THE PURPOSE STATEMENT OF THE LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, AS THAT IS THE DISTRICT WHERE OUR EXISTING HOTELS ARE.
AND THAT PURPOSE STATEMENT IS THAT IT PROVIDE LANDS FOR LIGHT COMMERCIAL USES SUCH AS OFFICES, BANKS, RESTAURANTS, AND LOWER INTENSITY RETAIL SALES AND SERVICE USES.
PERMITTED USE USES ARE GENERALLY AUTO ORIENTED
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AND EASILY AC ACCESSED.UM, CURRENTLY THIS AMENDMENT, UH, INTRODUCES ADAPTIVE REUSE IN FIVE ZONING DISTRICTS, UM, FOUR OF WHICH OF COURSE DO NOT HAVE EXISTING HOTELS.
UM, THE COMPATIBILITY AMONG EXISTING USES COMPONENT OF THIS CRITERIA IS ONE THAT I THINK NEEDS ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, CRITERIA E IS THAT IT WOULD RESULT IN A LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
UM, IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THIS AMENDMENT WOULD RESULT IN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF EXISTING BUILT ENVIRONMENT WITH POSSIBLE SITE MODIFICATIONS FOR PARKING OR COMMON OPEN SPACE.
IT MAY RESULT IN AN ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERN, BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE PROVISIONS THAT ASSESS THE POTENTIAL IMPACT.
UM, AND CRITERIA F IS THAT IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, UM, SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO WATER, AIR, NOISE, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATION, WETLANDS, AND THE NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, IT IS NOT ANTICIPATED THE AMENDMENT WOULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, UM, AS IT WOULD BE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF AN EXISTING SITE.
HOWEVER, IT COULD, UM, RESULT IN SOME ADVERSE IMPACTS, INCREASED NOISE, UM, IF, IF A CONVERSION RESULTS IN HIGHER OCCUPANCY OR MORE VEHICLES ON THE SITE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, I WANTED TO GO THROUGH, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTIONS, UM, THAT ARE APPLICABLE AT THIS POINT, UM, BUT ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS RELATED TO, UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
AGAIN, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS CONSIDERING THE CHANGES FROM THE REMAND FROM TOWN COUNCIL AND THE REVISED TEXT AMENDMENT APPLICATION THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UM, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING DENIAL ON THIS TEXT AMENDMENT APPLICATION.
UM, AND I WANTED TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON, UM, HOW WE REACH THAT CONCLUSION.
UM, LARGELY, UM, THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAD BOTH AT THE FEBRUARY 4TH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, AS WELL AS IN LAST WEEK'S TWO DAY STRATEGIC PLAN OF TOWN COUNCIL WHERE WORKFORCE HOUSING, OUR HOUSING MARKET IN GENERAL WERE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH.
UM, AND LIVABILITY WAS, UM, IN BOTH CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH COUNCIL, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WAS RAISED.
UM, SOME OF THE UNITS ARE BELOW THE MINIMUM UNIT SIZES FOR EXISTING COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM.
UM, THERE IS NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT COULD BE MICRO EFFICIENCY OR STUDIO UNITS.
UM, AND THERE ARE ONLY THE OCCUPANCY LIMITS THAT ARE PLACED ON THE MICRO EFFICIENCY IN STUDIO UNITS, NOT THE OTHER, UM, UNIT TYPES, THE ONE BEDROOM, TWO BEDROOM, OR THREE BEDROOMS. UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE COST OF LIVING IS NOT REGULATED WITH THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, IT DOES NOT REGULATE OR DEFINE A RENTAL RATE PER UNIT.
UM, AND, AND THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM, AND SOME OF OUR OTHER POLICIES DO HAVE THAT COMPONENT IN PLACE.
UM, SO WHILE SOMEONE HAS TO BE AN EMPLOYEE OF 75% OF THE OCCUPANTS HAVE TO BE AN EMPLOYEE OF A TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, UM, EMPLOYER, UH, THE RATE OF WHICH THEY'RE PAYING RENT, IT'S MARKET RATE OR WHATEVER RATE YOU MIGHT GET FOR A UNIT SIZE LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS CONVERSION IS.
SO THE COST OF LIVING IS A CONCERN.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THAT IT'S NOT BASED ON THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME REQUIREMENTS OR A RANGE OF AREA MEETING INCOME REQUIREMENTS IS ALSO A FACTOR.
UM, WHILE THE, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT DOES RESTRICT, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, IT, IT DOES NOT HAVE A DEFINED AMOUNT OF TIME IN WHICH THE TENANT IS PERMITTED TO OCCUPY THE UNIT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION BY THE APPLICANT TEAM ABOUT THE UNITS BEING FOR, UM, SOME OF OUR, UH, VISA WORKERS.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WOULD THE UNITS BE USED FOR IN THE OFF SEASON WHEN THEY'RE NOT, UH, BEING UTILIZED FOR, UH, THAT USE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, AS PROPOSED, THERE ARE FOUR ZONING DISTRICTS OF WHICH EXISTING HOTELS, UM, UH, ARE NOT THERE.
SO, UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UH, IT BE FURTHER RESTRICTED JUST TO THE ZONING DISTRICTS THAT HAVE EXISTING HOTELS.
UM, THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS REMAIN A CONCERN, UH, THAT, UH, IT IS STILL A, A ONE PARKING SPACE PER EXISTING GUEST ROOMS, UM, AND THE OCCUPANCY LOAD IS INTENDED TO BE HIGHER THAN THAT.
UH, SO THAT REMAINS A CONCERN.
UM, IT'S, IT CERTAINLY IS A LESSER PARKING REQUIREMENT THAN WHAT WE REQUIRE OF MULTIFAMILY.
UM, OUR COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM REQUIRES DEVELOPER DATA TO DETERMINE THE PARKING NEEDS THAT REQUIRES A PARKING STUDY ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT TEAM.
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THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, AN ASSESSMENT OF, UM, OUR FULL CODE AT THIS TIME, UM, AS WE EMBARK ON OUR FULL CODE OVERHAUL OF WHICH WE'LL BE LOOKING AT OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING POLICY COMPREHENSIVELY.UM, AND WE ALSO HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND COMMENT, UM, BOTH AT THAT FEBRUARY COUNCIL MEETING AND AT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION WHERE WE WILL BE REEVALUATING, UM, THE TOWN'S ADAPTIVE REUSE TEXT AMENDMENT, UM, BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK AS WELL.
SO IT, WE NEED TO DO FURTHER REFINEMENT ON, ON OUR TEXT AMENDMENT THAT WE WERE PREPARING.
UM, SO IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WAS INTRODUCED TO YOU, UM, BACK IN JANUARY.
SO, UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY, UM, THERE IS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL.
I WANNA APPLAUD THE APPLICANT FOR, UM, LISTENING TO THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED BY COUNSEL.
THEY CERTAINLY HAVE MADE A SUBSTANTIAL EDIT TO THE TEXT AMENDMENT AND WERE, UM, IN EARNEST TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT FEEDBACK THAT THEY HEARD.
AND IT, AND IT HAS CHANGED CONSIDERABLY, UM, ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE IT, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A ENTIRELY NEW SUBMITTAL.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY I HAVE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL.
AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.
FIRST, TODAY IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS ALREADY HELD ON THIS TOPIC, BUT WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST, I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONERS TO, UH, BE SATISFIED WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, AND WE, WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENT OR QUESTIONS OF MISSY.
UM, NO, UM, UH, YEAH, THERE'S A LOT.
ARE, ARE, ARE, IS THIS THE TIME? THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, AND THANK YOU, MISSY, AGAIN, WONDERFUL SUMMARY REPORT.
SO I, I THINK THAT WE ALL AGREE BASED ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BASED ON WHAT COUNCIL HAS INFORMED US THAT WE WANT WORKFORCE HOUSING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THAT'S, THAT'S WAY UP THERE IN PRIORITY.
AND, AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT OUR DILAPIDATED, OLD, UNDERUTILIZED, UNDER CAPITALIZED HOTELS, SO IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY WOULD BE ON THE SAME PAGE TO TRY TO MAKE THIS WORK.
SO, AND, AND I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
WE DON'T TAKE DOWN MORE TREES.
IT'S ALREADY, YOU KNOW, PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, PARKING, ET CETERA.
SO, SO IF, IF WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER WANTING THIS TO WORK, UM, IS THERE, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD MAKE THIS WORK WITHOUT KEEP, KEEP GOING BACK TO THE WELL TO TO PLANNING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THAT FAIRLY EASILY.
WE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE DO FOR A LIVING.
BUT, BUT IN THE MARKETPLACE, IT'S LOT HARDER TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT THE CLOCK TICKING FINANCE OBLIGATIONS, ET CETERA.
AND, UM, SO, SO I WOULD ASK YOU WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEST, WHAT WOULD BE BEST IS IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT, WHAT WOULD BE WORSE IS BECAUSE WE CAN'T COME TOGETHER, WE'RE STUCK WITH, UM, A, A, UM, A PROPERTY THAT'S UNDERUTILIZED, UNDER CAPITALIZED, AND WE DON'T HAVE PLACES FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A LOSS.
WE, WE ALL LOSE UNDER THAT SCENARIO.
UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT WE, THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT OUT THAT, THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SIZE OF, OF THE, UM, THE UNITS.
BUT THAT'S A HARD THING TO ADJUST.
BUT THAT'S THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, CONVERTING SOMETHING THAT'S UNDERUTILIZED TO SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE HEAVILY UTILIZED.
UM, AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE HEAVILY UTILIZED.
'CAUSE WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT OUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR MORE SPACE.
AND IF YOU OCCUPY THIS SPACE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, UM, MAKE OTHER SPACES AVAILABLE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A COMPOUNDING EFFECT THAT WAY.
WE KNOW THAT WE NEED IT ON THE ISLAND TO HELP, TO SUPPORT, UM, ALL OF OUR INDUSTRIES, UH, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS HOSPITALITY, WHICH IS A, A KEY DRIVER
[00:30:01]
FOR EVERYTHING WE DO HERE.AND, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT SO THAT THE TWO SIDES COME TOGETHER.
IT, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH PLAYING PING PONG AND, AND, AND THAT'S A REAL TIME EATER.
AND, AND NOBODY, NOBODY LIKES THAT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK I'M, I'M FRUSTRATED AND I KNOW EVERYBODY IS FRUSTRATED ON THIS BECAUSE I KNOW WE ALL WANTED TO WORK.
I JUST WISH THERE, UM, A BETTER WAY THAT WE COULD ACCOMMODATE THIS ORGANIZATION WHO'S, WHO'S WILLING TO, TO FUND ALL OF IT AT NO COST TO THE TOWN.
AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE OF THE NEED IS, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE WORKING AS A, A TEAM CAN ACCOMMODATE THEIR, THEIR REQUESTS? THAT WAS A VERY LONG QUESTION.
UM, I JUST WANNA REFLECT THAT AS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AND THE, THAT I OVERSEE OUR TOWNS WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM, THAT I TOO AM FRUSTRATED THAT I'M HERE RECOMMENDING DENIAL.
I DON'T WANNA BE IN THIS POSITION EITHER.
AND TO HAVE OUR, ONE OF OUR LARGEST EMPLOYERS SITTING BEHIND ME, UM, LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS AND, AND THIS APPLICANT IS TRYING TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION.
I THINK, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS NEED TO HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS, BUT, UH, WITH THIS REMAND THAT REQUIRES US TO HAVE THIS MEETING WITH A PLANNING COMMISSION WITHIN 30 DAYS, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
UM, WE NEED MORE TIME AND WE NEED TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS COMPREHENSIVELY AS TO HOW IT FITS IN WITH OUR ENTIRE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM.
UM, WE NEED TO HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION.
IS, IS THIS, IS THIS WORKFORCE HOUSING? I THINK YOU TALKED ABOUT IT AS WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, BUT IT'S, IT, IT MAY BE SOME VERSION OF WORKFORCE HOUSING, BUT IT CERTAINLY ISN'T, UM, PER WHAT THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM IS DEFINED AS AND DESCRIBED AS.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
I DON'T THINK THE WORK IS COMPLETE OR DONE.
UM, AND, UH, WE WILL BE WORKING ON THIS, ON THIS MATTER, UM, INTO THE FUTURE, BOTH, UM, IF IT'S INCORPORATED WITHIN THE TOWN'S FULL CODE OVERHAUL, UM, AND OR, UH, IF OUR, UH, TOWN'S VERSION OF THE AMENDMENT MOVES FORWARD, WE CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED A LOT AS IT RELATES TO, UM, GOOD POLICY THAT WE WOULD BE PUTTING FORWARD AS PART OF A TOWN AMENDMENT, UM, FROM THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT, UH, WE'VE HAD WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL, UM, FROM THEIR, THE TIME OF THEIR ORIGINAL APPLICATION.
COMMISSIONER CORDES? UH, TWO, TWO COMMENTS.
FIRST ONE, I THINK THE TOWN'S, UH, APPROACH TO PARKING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED HERE IN THE SENSE THAT WHEN YOU HAD THE ORIGINAL MOTEL CONCEPT, FAMILIES CAME DOWN IN A CAR AND STAYED IN A HOTEL ROOM.
IF YOU EVEN HAVE THE MICRO EFFICIENCY UNITS HERE AND YOU'RE ALLOWING TWO INDIVIDUALS THERE WHO ARE WORKERS ON THE ISLAND, I THINK IT'S QUITE LIKELY YOU'RE GONNA EXCEED THE PARKING CAPACITY FOR THESE FACILITIES.
THAT'S, THAT CONCERNS ME THAT THIS BECOMES A, A FACILITY THAT HAS CARS PARKED IN THE MEDIAN AND PARKED IN THE GRASS AND PARKED, AND IT BECOMES AN EYESORE.
I, I, I DO THINK THE PARKING IS A REAL ISSUE AT A ONE-TO-ONE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MY ISSUE IS THAT THE TOWN STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED REVISIONS TO THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AND SPECIFICALLY A SMALL NUMBER OF THOSE WHICH ARE PRIORITY AMENDMENTS.
THIS BEING ONE OF THOSE THAT'S TRACKING A PATH FOR APPROVAL THIS SUMMER, IF, IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN.
SO THAT IS A WELL THOUGHT OUT AND CRAFTED PROPOSAL BY THE TOWN STAFF, BY YOUR STAFF.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE FEEL COMPELLED TO JUMP THE GUN ON THIS IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, WHY SHOULD THIS BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER DEVELOPER COMING TO USE THIS PARTICULAR CODE, WHICH IT WILL BE AFTER MAY.
THIS WILL BE THE ONE EXCEPTION.
ANY, UH, COMMISSIONER DAWA? I WOULD LARGELY SECOND COMMISSIONER OF COURSE'S REMARKS.
I WOULD ALSO ADD SPECIFICALLY THE, THE LACK OF NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ADJOINING LANDOWNERS LAND USERS.
I FIND NEGATIVE, THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE PLANNING INTO THE FUTURE.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM TODAY, BUT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER FUTURE GENERATIONS DOWN THE LINE.
THESE, THESE BUILDINGS ARE NOT GONNA AGE WELL.
[00:35:01]
AGES WELL OVER TIME.SO, UM, I JUST FIND TROUBLING THE REMARKS, UM, FROM MSTY ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.
ARE THERE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE ASK OR PUBLIC COMMENT? UH, COMMISSIONER WHALEY.
YEAH, MISTY, I THINK YOUR GUYS, UH, SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON AND, UH, I DID SPEND TIME STRATEGIC WORKSHOP, UM, AND AS I LISTENED TO THE TOWN, AS I LISTENED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS TALK TO ONE ANOTHER AND THEY WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT IT HERE, IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR TO ME THEY WANTED MORE TIME TO FIGURE OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS THERE SOMETHING OTHER THAN WORKFORCE HOUSING AS THEY ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED IT? UM, I THINK THE TOWNS IN A BIT OF A SOPHIE'S CHOICE POSITION.
UM, EMPLOYERS NEED HELP, UH, RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES YOU'RE WORKING ON, DISTRICT PLANNING RIGHT NOW ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GIVING YOU THEIR FEEDBACK.
SO WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MAIN STREET DISTRICT, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE COMMERCIAL, UH, YOU KNOW, IN EACH OF THESE DI YOU KNOW, THAT SIT INSIDE EACH OF THESE DISTRICTS, UM, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE FINISHED WITH THAT PROCESS.
UH, DO I THINK THIS IS A ACHIEVABLE GOAL TO CONVERT A HOTEL? I'M NO EXPERT, BUT I HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK AND I HAVE SEEN, LIKE, I THINK BLUE HOUR HAS DONE SOME WORK IN COLORADO.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW THAT, THAT THAT'S EVOLVED OR HOW SUCCESSFUL YOU WOULD CALL THAT.
UM, I'VE SEEN VERY, VERY LARGE HOTEL CONVERSIONS.
I THINK UP IN MYRTLE BEACH, A DEVELOPER CAME IN.
HE IS A NATIONAL DEVELOPER THAT FOCUSES ON WHAT THEY CALL, I GUESS J ONE VISA HOUSING.
BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL WHAT THEY DID, BUT THEY BUILT IT FROM SCRATCH.
SO RIGHT NOW, I THINK THERE'S A PATH WHERE THIS WILL CONVERGE, BUT I'M GONNA AGREE WITH MY TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I REALLY DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE, AND IT IS A SOPHIE'S CHOICE, BUT DEVELOPERS DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME.
THEY UNDERSTAND, THEY DEAL WITH ZONING, THEY DEAL WITH, UH, DELAYS IN ZONING.
AND WHILE, YOU KNOW, BEING IN BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER.
'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE NOT THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER, UH, TO GET AN EXTENSION ON THEIR OPTION TO BUY.
THAT'S NOT THE TOWN'S PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
BUT I THINK, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ON THE PATH WHERE WE'VE GOT THE TOWN COUNCIL'S WORKSHOP INPUT.
I THINK TOWN COUNCIL'S GONNA PUT TIME INTO, I THINK YOU AND TREY AND YOUR STAFF ARE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
YOU'VE WORKED WITH THE APPLICANT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BEST GUESS BY THE TIME YOU GET TOWN COUNCIL'S INPUT, UH, THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S INPUT, UH, WHERE, WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS IS GONNA BE? BEST CASE? WORST CASE, AGAIN, IF YOU GIMME A RANGE, BEST CASE, WORST CASE, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE CHALLENGING TO PUT A DATE STAMP ON IT GIVEN, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS THAT, UH, WERE RELATED TO OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM AS A WHOLE, AND, UM, ESTABLISHING POTENTIALLY NEW DEFINITIONS OF WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, SO, UM, I DO KNOW IF IT IS NOT ADVANCED AS A PRIORITY AMENDMENT, IT WILL BE INCLUDED IN, UH, THE FULL CODE OVERHAUL, WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, IT WILL BE A TOPIC THAT WE, UM, FURTHER EXAMINE IN ONE OF THOSE TWO PROCESSES, EITHER AS A PRIORITY AMENDMENT OR WITHIN THE FULL CODE OVERHAUL.
JUST, I KNOW THERE'S SOME OTHER HOUSING PROGRAMS, SO WE KNOW NORTH POINT IS GONNA HAVE HOW MANY UNITS? UH, UP TO ONE 60? NO, VANCE, UM, THAT THERE, THEY HAD IN THE PAPER, I BELIEVE THE RANGE OF ONE 40, BUT I THINK THEY'RE WORKING ON SOME MODIFICATIONS.
SO IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS, WE PROBABLY HAVE LIKE THREE OR 400 UNITS COMING ONLINE TO ACCOMMODATE, WHAT, 700,000 PEOPLE AT THE NORTH END ALONE? YES.
AND THERE'S SOME HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECTS, UM, UNDERWAY.
CC DC IS, UM, ALSO, UH, PART OF THAT, THAT SOLUTION AND ARE, UM, ACTIVELY, UH, PURCHASING PROPERTIES, UH, FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO WE ARE BUILDING INVENTORY FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE ENTITIES, BOTH PRIVATE AND AND PUBLIC THROUGH, UM, THE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT THE TOWN IS DOING WITH NORTH POINT.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, A POTENTIAL RFP FOR THE BRYANT ROAD PROPERTY FOR ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE HOUSING THERE.
UM, SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME OTHER, UM, WORKFORCE HOUSING SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING ACTIVELY WORKED ON BOTH BY THE TOWN AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND LAST QUESTION, DO WE HAVE DATA ON HOW MANY UNITS OF WORKFORCE HOUSING
[00:40:01]
ARE ACTUALLY NEEDED? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF LARGE EMPLOYERS AND SRG IS CERTAINLY A LARGE EMPLOYER CONSORTIUM.UM, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OF THE OTHER LARGE EMPLOYERS STEP FORWARD LIKE THE MARRIOTTS OR THE WESTINS OR THE HILTONS.
SO I DON'T NEED YOU, NOVANT IS STEPPING UP.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE DATA IS AROUND WHAT THE ACTUAL NEED IS? AND THANK YOU.
SO IT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE TOWN'S 2019 WORKFORCE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN THAT 2000 UNITS TOTAL WERE NEEDED.
UM, AND, AND THAT WAS 200 UNITS PER YEAR FOR 10 YEARS IS WHAT THAT PLAN IDENTIFIED.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE PORTION OF THOSE THAT WERE NEEDED TO BE AFFORDABLE, BUT THAT WAS MEANT TO BE ALL HOUSING, ADDITIONAL HOUSING PLUS A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF, OF THEM AS WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE.
BUT I CAN PROVIDE THAT AS FOLLOW UP.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP? OKAY, THANK YOU, MISSY, THE APPLICANT ALSO IS PRESENT.
UH, YES, MR. GREEN, THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME AGAIN.
I KNOW, UH, OUR SECOND TIME IN FRONT OF YOU ALL.
UM, SO I WILL TRY NOT TO REPEAT TOO MUCH OF WHAT MISSY SAID.
I KNOW SHE COVERED A LOT OF THIS, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING WE'VE CHANGED HERE AS WELL AS RESPONSES TO THE, UH, STAFF REPORT.
SO SINCE WE LAST, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE TIMELINE OF SINCE WE LAST, UH, PRESENTED, UM, WE JUST DO WANT TO FIRST POINT OUT, BASED ON THE LAST TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, THERE WAS A SERIES OF CLAIMS ABOUT BLUE HOUR AND SOME ERRONEOUS CLAIMS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP THAT, UH, WERE NOT TRUE.
UM, WE WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS IS A TAX AMENDMENT, WHICH MEANS THAT ANY CHANGE WOULD APPLY TO ANY DEVELOPER ON HILTON HEDGE.
WE HAVE PROJECTS WE THINK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXECUTE ON, THAT WE HAVE USED AS A BASIS FOR THINKING THROUGH WHAT OTHER DEVELOPERS MAY VIEW AS GOOD OPPORTUNITIES TO CONVERT THESE HOTELS.
BUT IT IS THE TOWN'S ROLE TO ENSURE THAT PLANS FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS, ONCE THIS TEXT AMENDMENT GOES THROUGH, ARE PROPERLY VETTED, READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND MEET ALL THE BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS.
THE TOWN ALWAYS DOES HAVE FINAL APPROVAL AND ISSUES CO FOR EVERY PROJECT.
SO, UH, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A TEXT AMENDMENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS A TEXT AMENDMENT AND DOESN'T RELATE TO, IS NOT A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
UM, SECOND BLUE, OUR HOUSING IS A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER.
UH, WE'RE BACKED WITH DEDICATED CAPITAL TO PURCHASE AND CONVERT HOTEL PROPERTIES FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING, INCLUDING PROJECTS THAT ARE IN DISCUSSIONS FOR THIS TAX AMENDMENT.
UM, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE HAVING EXECUTED ON OVER $8 BILLION OF REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS AT WELL-KNOWN INSTITUTIONAL REAL ESTATE INVESTING AND OPERATING COMPANIES.
ADDITIONALLY, BLOWER IS ONE OF THE ONLY FIRMS THAT IS SOLELY DEDICATED TO ACQUIRING, RENOVATING, AND MANAGING PROPERTIES THAT ARE DEDICATED TO WORKFORCE AND EMPLOYEE HOUSING.
UH, WE HAVE FOUR PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DEDICATED FOR THIS CURRENTLY.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE, RENOVATE, AND CONVERT THOSE PROPERTIES TO HOUSE THE LOCAL WORKFORCE.
UM, FOR ALL THE PAST PROPERTIES, BLUE HOUR HAS ACQUIRED AND RENOVATED THE PROPERTIES ALL CASH, THERE'S NO CASH CONCERNS THERE AND HAS ONLY SOUGHT FINANCING UPON SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION IN FULL CO.
SO JUST WANNA CLARIFY THOSE COMMENTS FROM LAST TIME.
UH, BLUE HOUR ALWAYS SEEKS TO WORK WITH LOCAL CONSULTANTS TO ASSURE APPROPRIATE INTEGRATION WITH THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
AS SUCH, FOR OUR PROPOSED PROJECTS, BLUE HOUR HAS ASSEMBLED A STRONG LOCAL TEAM.
WE'VE ENGAGED PDG ARCHITECTS, A WELL-RESPECTED LOCAL ARCHITECT, AND WHEN WE HAVE ENGAGED GRAND OAK CONSTRUCTION AS WELL, SOUTHEASTERN, WHICH HAS BUILT BOTH LARGE MULTIFAMILY PROJECTS IN HOTELS ON HILTON HEAD, INCLUDING THE COURTYARD, MARRIOTT HOTEL, WATER WALK, AND SHELTER COVE IN THE SHELTER COVE TOWN CENTER.
UH, WE ARE WORKING IN DEALING WITH SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED FIRMS ON THE ISLAND.
FINALLY, BLUE HOUR HAS WORKED DIRECTLY WITH RICHARDSON LAB, BRUCE AT FINGER MELNICK BROOKS AND LAB BRUCE, A WELL-RESPECTED LEGAL EXPERTS WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE ON HILTON HEAD TO WRITE THIS TEXT AMENDMENT.
AND THEREFORE, THIS IS NOT JUST US WRITING IT WITHOUT THE GUIDANCE OF WELL-RESPECTED LOCAL LEGAL COUNSEL.
UM, AND WE, UH, SO I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THOSE THINGS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
AS MISSY STATED, WE HAVE MADE A HUGE NUMBER OF CHANGES TO THIS TAX AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS BOTH THE QUESTIONS FROM PLANNING COMMISSION, THE QUESTIONS FROM TOWN COUNCIL, QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, AND QUESTIONS FROM TOWN STAFF.
WE BELIEVE THIS HAS COME A LONG WAY AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO WORK TO MAKE SOMETHING WORK HERE, NOT JUST IN THEORY, BUT IN PRACTICE.
UM, IF YOU COULD SCROLL DOWN TO THE PRESENTATION, I THINK JUST FOR PUBLIC VIEWING, UM, JUST SOME OF THE, OH, I, I CAN DO IT HERE.
I GUESS I AT THAT, HERE WE GO.
SO FIRST I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS IS WE ORIGINALLY, THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL CONCERNS WAS THE ONE-TO-ONE CONVERSION.
[00:45:01]
MOVED TO A 10% REDUCTION.I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CORRECTED FROM THE TOWN'S PRESENTATION WHERE IT SAYS NINE GUEST ROOMS TO 10 DWELLING UNITS.
IT SHOULD CORRECTLY STATE 10 GUEST ROOMS TO NINE DWELLING UNITS.
IT'S A 10% REDUCTION IN DENSITY, WHICH VIEW WE VIEW WILL ALSO HELP WITH SOME OF THE PARKING, UM, UNIT SIZE.
UM, IT WAS 210 SQUARE FEET BEFORE WE HAVE MOVED THAT UP TO 250 SQUARE FEET.
WE'VE MOVED STUDIOS TO 3 52 BEDROOMS TO 4 53 BEDROOMS TO SIX OR THREE BEDROOMS TO EIGHT 50, SORRY, TWO BEDROOM SIX 50 AS YOU CAN SEE UP HERE.
UM, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
THAT'S 20%, I THINK IT WAS STATED AS A SLIGHT INCREASE.
THAT IS A PRETTY BIG INCREASE.
AND CLOSER TO THAT TWO 80 FIGURE, UM, I'LL JUMP DOWN ONE.
WE'VE ALSO PAIRED THAT WITH A MAX OCCUPANCY OF TWO PEOPLE PER MICRO OR STUDIO UNIT.
THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS OF 280 SQUARE FEET DO NOT HAVE A MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY BASED ON MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO WE ARE PAIRING A SLIGHTLY SMALLER UNIT WITH MAX OCCUPANCY RESTRICTIONS.
WE HAVE ALSO PUT ON, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T BELIEVE IS EXISTS ANYWHERE ON THE ISLAND EXCEPT FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
FOR ONSITE MANAGEMENT, WE ARE PUTTING A REQUIREMENT FOR ONSITE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.
ANOTHER THING THAT IS NOT REQUIRED AT OTHER PROPERTIES ON THE ISLAND, WE ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND HERE, AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE ALL ABOVE AND BEYOND TOWN'S ORIGINAL PROPOSED TAX AMENDMENT, LAUNDRY FACILITIES, ONE, ONE WASHER AND ONE DRYER FOR EVERY 12 UNITS, AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT NOT REQUIRED.
IN THE TOWN'S PROPOSAL, LOCAL WORKFORCE REQUIREMENT, WE HAVE MADE A MASSIVE JUMP FROM 25% TO 75%.
WE HAVE PROPOSED THAT TO TOWN COUNCIL AS WELL.
75% OF THE UNITS MUST BE AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO IS EMPLOYED BY A LAWFULLY LICENSED BUSINESS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE THINK THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO LEAVE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THAT AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY LOSE THEIR JOB, WHO MAY START TO MAKE, OR WHO, WHO MAY, UM, WANT TO MOVE TO THE ISLAND WITHOUT A JOB, SOMEBODY WHO MAY RETIRE TO NOT HAVE TO KICK THEM OUT OF THE HOUSING.
AS FAR AS PARKING, WE BELIEVE THE REDUCTION IN DENSITY AND OCCUPANCY LIMITS WILL HELP PARKING, UM, UNITS WILL BE ASSIGNED A PARKING SPOT.
AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT FOR PARKING, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS.
PART OF HAVING ON ONSITE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT IS TO REQUIRE, TENANTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JUST PARK ANYWHERE THEY WANT.
OUR VIEW IS THE MORE PARKING YOU ADD, THE MORE OCCUPANCY YOU ADD.
IF YOU HAVE THREE SPOTS A UNIT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SIX PEOPLE LIVING IN IT.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE IS A BENEFIT TO LIMITING THE PARKING, BOTH FROM AN AFFORDABILITY PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A OCCUPANCY PERSPECTIVE.
WHEN YOU GO TO RENT AN APARTMENT, JUST AS YOU RENT A HOUSE OR OWN A HOUSE, IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE PARKING SPOT, IT LIMITS THE PRICING ON THAT HOUSE.
IT LIMITS THE PRICE ON THAT PARKING ON THE APARTMENT, AND IT ALSO RESTRICTS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO LIVE THERE.
WE DO VIEW THAT, UH, PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, IT WILL ALSO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BIKE AND USE FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND CARPOOL.
WE THINK THAT PARKING CAN BE USED AS A GREAT TOOL TO RESTRICT THAT RATHER THAN HAVING THESE MASSIVE PARKING LOTS THAT TAKE UP A BUNCH OF COVERAGE AND ALSO LEAD TO INCREASED OCCUPANCY.
FROM A REGULATION PERSPECTIVE, WE DIDN'T, WE HADN'T SPECIFICALLY HIGH ATED REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY.
WE PUT TOGETHER A ROBUST ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT MIRRORS THE WORKFORCE.
UH, UH, MANY OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM.
IT ACTUALLY INCREASES IT TO QUARTERLY OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING HERE ARE EMPLOYED ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US FOR THIS AMENDMENT.
WE THINK THAT THAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS HERE.
FROM A ZONING DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE, THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, WE HAD 12 ZONING DISTRICTS.
THIS IS MAYBE A POINT OF CONFUSION RIGHT NOW.
WE HAD MOVED IT DOWN TO FIVE ZONING DISTRICTS BASED ON WHAT WE BELIEVE WAS THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWN STAFF.
WE ARE FINE PUTTING IT AS THE AMENDING IT, HOWEVER, WE NEED TO, TO THE FOUR ZONES WHERE HOTELS CURRENTLY EXIST.
SOME OF THOSE ZONES, HOTELS ARE NOT ACTUALLY ALLOWED IN, BUT THEY DO EXIST IN THOSE ZONES.
WE ARE FINE PUTTING IT AS THAT OR REMOVING THE ZONING CRITERIA ENTIRELY.
AFTER ALL, THIS ONLY APPLIES TO EXISTING HOTELS AT THE TIME THE AMENDMENT IS WRITTEN.
SO WE ARE FINE WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS TO WHICH THEY BELIEVE WOULD BEST SOLVE TO JUST INCORPORATE THE EXISTING HOTELS.
WE ALL KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING HERE.
THIS IS FOR EXISTING HOTELS, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THE ZONING RESTRICTION SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE TOO COMPLICATED TO AMEND TO THAT LONGEVITY OF HOUSING.
UM, WE HAVE MADE THIS FOR PERPETUITY.
THIS IS A STRONGER PROPOSAL THAN THE CURRENT WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM THAT HAS TIME LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG THIS IS PRO FOR.
ONCE YOU CONVERT A HOTEL OR A MOTEL TO THIS, TO THIS HOUSING, IT LASTS FOREVER.
THAT IS PART OF THIS PROPOSAL.
THAT IS A REALLY STRONG PROMISE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
I DON'T, I, I WANT EVERYONE TO REALIZE THERE IS A, THERE IS A HUGE DEDICATION TO EMPLOYING PEOPLE WHO WORK ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, WE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE A RESPONSE OF THE, OF A DENIAL FROM THE TOWN I, UH, FROM TOWN STAFF.
[00:50:01]
WE KNOW WE HAVE HEARD TIME, TIME, TIME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.WE HAVE BEEN IN CON DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TOWN SINCE OCTOBER OF 2023.
WE BEGAN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR PERRY, THE CCDC, ON HOW TO DEVELOP WORKFORCE HOUSING ON HILTON HEAD WITH FOCUS ON CONVERTING THESE HOTELS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
AS I'VE MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, FORMAL CONVERSATIONS, NOT TO MENTION EMAILS, PHONE CORRESPONDENCE IN FEBRUARY OF 2024.
APRIL, 2024, MAY 20 JULY, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, ALL THE WAY THROUGH 2025.
A FORMAL WORKSHOP OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 16TH OF 20, UH, 24.
ON MAY 7TH, 2024, WE HAD RECEIVED TOWN'S INITIAL TIMELINE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON WHAT THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED TIMELINE WAS.
THAT WAS A TEXT AMENDMENT LANGUAGE FINALIZED MAY 24TH, 2024, A PUBLIC PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING IN AUGUST 21ST OF LAST YEAR, A FIRST READING OCTOBER OF 15TH, AND HIS SECOND READING NOVEMBER 5TH.
TIMELINE BLUE HOUR DILIGENTLY FOLLOWED UP ON THIS TIMELINE, OFFERING OUR PERSPECTIVE AS AN OUTSIDE DEVELOPER IN ANYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLY DO TO HELP ASSIST WITH THIS PROCESS.
UM, WE SPOKE WITH ALEXIS, WHO HAS LEFT TOWN STAFF AND BRAD AS WELL FROM C TWO G CONSULTING, WHO WE BELIEVE IS NO LONGER EMPLOYED BY THE TOWN.
WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE TIMELINE WAS GOING TO BE MISSED.
UM, WE, UH, THE TOWN STAFF RESPONDED EMAIL SAYING IT IS IN, UH, SORRY.
THE TOWN STAFF RESPONDED WITH AN EMAIL SAYING THAT THE DRAFT CODE LANGUAGE IS SET TO GO TO LEGAL AT THE END OF OCTOBER AND WILL BE IN PLANNING COMMISSION IN JANUARY WITH A TARGET ADOPTION DATE OF Q1 2025.
WE ARE Q1 OF 2025 AND WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT THIS SUMMER.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME TWICE.
HAS THIS BEEN PUSHED BACK MORE THAN SIX MONTHS? I KNOW WE KEEP SAYING TIME, BUT TIME, TIME, TIME.
LOOK, WE ARE KEEP SAYING TIME AND THAT IS, IT KEEPS BEING PUSHED BACK WHEN THIS HAPPENED IS ONLY AT THIS POINT TO BLUE HOUR DECIDE TO SUBMIT A TEXT AMENDMENT THAT WE FELT WOULD CONTINUE TO PUSH THIS PROCESS FORWARD, BUT WOULD ALSO INCORPORATE LANGUAGE.
WE BELIEVE DEVELOPERS WOULD ACTUALLY UTILIZE THIS AMENDMENT TO HELP ADDRESS ITS HOUSING CRISIS.
THAT IS THE IMPETUS FOR BLUE HOUR PUSHING THIS FORWARD.
NOT SPECIFIC PROJECT BASED PER THE STAFFS.
UH, SO, UH, WE, I TALKED THROUGH THE ALLOWABLE ZONING DISTRICTS.
I DO WANT TO TALK THROUGH THE WORKFORCE HOUSING HOUSING PROGRAM.
IT SAYS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH STATED WORKFORCE HOUSING GUIDELINES WITH THE TOWNS WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM.
WE AGREE THAT WE DID NOT WRITE THIS THROUGH THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE CODE.
WE HAVE CHOSEN TO WRITE THIS AS A SEPARATE PROGRAM FOR THE TOWN.
WE WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN USED TO CREATE ANY NEW UNITS, GIVEN ITS LIMITED BENEFIT AND RESTRICTED EXCESSIVE RESTRICTIONS.
THIS WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN A 2024 ARTICLE IN THE HILTON AT EYELID PACKET TITLED HILTON HAD GAVE DEVELOPERS INCENTIVES TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THEY DIDN'T WORK TO PROVIDE A FEW QUOTES FROM THE ARTICLE.
WHAT GOOD ARE WORKFORCE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES IF NOBODY USES THEM? A LAUNDRY LIST OF RESTRICTIONS PAIRED WITH A RECENT INCREASE IN BORROWING COSTS IN COSTLY LAND PRICE AND HILTON HEAD HAVE RENDERED A WELL-INTENTIONED INCENTIVE INCENTIVE PLAN, LARGELY USELESS.
UM, IT HAS BEEN OVER THREE YEARS SINCE THE TOWN OF HILTON THAT HAS PUT THE WORKFORCE HOUSING IN PLACE AND NO DEVELOPERS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THEM.
NOT ONLY HAVE DEVELOPERS NOT USED THEM, BUT SOME OPT TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING ON THEIR OWN GOING AROUND THE WORKFORCE HOUSING RESTRICTIONS.
EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIRMAN, OR IS THIS A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OR A PRESENTATION? I'M GIVING 'EM A LITTLE EXTRA TIME BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE HAD FROM THE STAFF REPORT.
BUT COULD YOU FINISH IT UP PLEASE, MR. GREEN? YES, OF COURSE.
I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO.
AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, UM, PROJECTS THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO FIND THEIR WAY AROUND THE DENSITY RESTRICTIONS THROUGH LOW BEDROOM COUNTS AND HIGH UNIT COUNTS.
LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WITH PARK LANE.
THREE UNITS, 20 BEDROOMS, 10 BEDROOMS TO ONE KITCHEN.
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE THESE DENSITY RESTRICTIONS.
PEOPLE JUST PUT A TON OF BEDROOMS FOR A SINGLE UNIT.
UM, I DO WANNA ADDRESS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IF I HAVE A CHANCE HERE.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ADDRESSED THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AS MISSY SAID, THERE IS MANY PLACES IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT TALK ABOUT INCREASING HOUSING, FINDING HOUSING FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING FARTHER AWAY, WHO ARE WORK, WHO ARE LIVING FARTHER AWAY TO COME HERE TALKING ABOUT ZONING INCENTIVES, ADAPTIVE REUSE OF PROPERTIES.
THIS IS WELL ADDRESSED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS IT CURRENTLY STATES.
THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM DOES NOT ALLOW FOR HOUSING FOR MANY OF THE ISLANDS WORKERS.
IF YOU ARE A FIREFIGHTER, YOU MAKE TOO MUCH TO LIVE HERE.
IF YOU ARE A HOSPITALITY WORKER, YOU DON'T MAKE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN WORKFORCE HOUSING.
WHY IS THE PROGRAM WRITTEN FOR 60 TO 80% OF A MI? IT DOESN'T WORK FOR TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN HOSPITALITY OR ONE PERSON AND IT DOESN'T WORK FOR MANY OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE TRYING TO HOUSE HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
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HERE.IN SUMMARY, THE TAX AMENDMENT WILL FULFILL THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS OF CREATING ADDITIONAL HOUSING SUPPLY THROUGH COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT USING ZONING INCENTIVES.
THE ENTIRE POINT OF THIS IS TO CREATE ADDITIONAL DENSITY AND REDUCE PARKING IN EXCHANGE FOR THE AGREEMENT THAT IT WILL HOUSE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE ON THE ISLAND.
AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE UPDATES.
UH, WE'VE HAD THREE PEOPLE SIGN UP TO SPEAK WITH US, I BELIEVE ALL ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
AND WE WILL ASK THEM TO COME FORWARD IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SUBMITTED THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT FORM.
AND THAT BEGINS WITH ALAN WOLF.
MR. WOLF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS? IF YOU COULD KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES, PLEASE, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
ALAN WOLF, PRESIDENT OF THE SURGE RESTAURANT GROUP AND FOUNDER OF THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE TOPIC AND ACTION OF HOUSING FOR WORKERS ON HILTON HEAD SINCE 2017.
UM, A COUPLE POINTS OF FEEDBACK.
REITERATING WHAT MR. BREEN SAID, CITING THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL, UM, CONVERSION IS TO SITE A PROGRAM THAT HAS PRODUCED NO NEW UNITS.
WE NEED NEW SOLUTIONS TO PRODUCE WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS AND WE NEED 'EM QUICKLY.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IT FOR SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN.
UM, TOWN STAFF NOTED THAT THERE IS NO MENTION OF UPKEEP STANDARDS.
IT WAS ALSO BROUGHT UP BY THE DAAS.
UM, THAT WOULD ALSO MATCH THE EXISTING LACK OF STANDARDS FOR THESE CURRENT HOTEL PROPERTIES, WHICH ARE SUFFERING FROM DILAPIDATED STANDARDS.
THE PARKING ISSUE OF ONE-TO-ONE AGREED, IT IS A BIG CONCERN.
THERE IS A PARKING CONVERSION FOR MULTI-FAMILY DENSITY.
SO THAT SHOULD BE USED IN THIS CASE.
PRETTY SIMPLE SOLUTION LIVABILITY, I'VE HEARD THIS COME UP A NUMBER OF TIMES.
THERE ARE EMPLOYERS CURRENTLY HOUSING SIX PEOPLE IN ONE MOBILE HOME ON MARSHALL AND ROAD.
SO TO CONTINUE TO CITE THE CONCERN OVER LIVABILITY IS A GOOD THING TO CITE, BUT IT'S TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT THERE'S ALREADY WORKERS BEING FORCED TO LIVE IN SUBSTANDARD ENVIRONMENTS AT EXORBITANT RATES.
THE LIVABILITY ISSUE CAME UP LAST WEEK WITH ME.
CHARLIE CALVERT, WHO USED TO RUN THE USCB HOSPITALITY SCHOOL OFFERED TO BRING 30 INTERNS YEAR-ROUND INTERNS IN CULINARY TWO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THE SURGE RESTAURANT GROUP COULD PROBABLY USE HALF OF THOSE, I'M SURE BY SOME, SOME OTHER EMPLOYERS COULD USE 'EM AS WELL.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE ROOMS TO BRING THEM TO THIS ISLAND.
UM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE A DIFFERENCE OF 280 SQUARE FEET TO 250, WHICH IS ONE FOOT ON TWO SIDES OF THE ROOM, IS GOING TO KEEP THOSE WORKERS FROM WANTING TO COME HERE AND START THEIR CULINARY CAREER ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE WILL NOT SOLVE ALL THE HOUSING NEEDS WITH ANY SINGLE APPROACH.
THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE ARE PROPONENT OF.
WE WILL HOWEVER, SOLVE, UM, THIS PROBLEM IF WE BRING THESE SORTS OF SOLUTIONS TO THE TABLE.
I REQUEST THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDER SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE, GETTING US BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN PUSH THIS FORWARD AND MAKE THE BUSINESSES, UH, SUCCESSFUL IN OUR AREA.
MATT SUKO, UH, BEACH HOUSE FOOD AND BEVERAGE DIRECTOR.
UH, JUST TO KIND OF TALK TO MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOUSING THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO OUR HTP PROGRAM, UH, AND OUR J ONE PROGRAM HERE AT BEACH HOUSE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITHOUT ANY HOUSING, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE'VE HAD TO RESTRUCTURE OUR BUSINESS IN THE SUMMERTIME AS WELL TO OFFER LESS TO OUR GUESTS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING.
UH, WE HAVE ALL FOUGHT, LIKE JUST THIS WEEK.
IN FACT, UH, I ACTUALLY HAD TO DENY A VERY TALENTED, UH, USC GRADUATE, UH, FROM AN OPPORTUNITY OF EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO HOUSING.
UH, IN FACT, I HAD TO THEN ACCEPT A LESS QUALIFIED USC GRADUATE BECAUSE HE HAD HOUSING WITH HIS GRANDPARENTS HERE ON THE ISLAND.
SO, UH, IT'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE, NOT ONLY FOR MY HOTEL, BUT ALSO THE FUTURE OF HILTON NET.
AND FINALLY, UH, GRAY SMITH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK WITH US? MR. SMITH? THANK YOU.
IT'S, I HAVE SIX POINTS AND I'LL GET THROUGH AS MANY AS I CAN IN THREE MINUTES.
UH, IT'S SURPRISING WHAT, UH, CONCERNED RESIDENTS CAN LEARN.
UH, WHEN WE LOOK TO WAYS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR BEAUTIFUL ISLAND.
UH, THERE HAS BEEN COMPLICITY OF AT LEAST ONE ELECTED MEMBER OF TOWN COUNCIL, UH, FROM THE BEGINNING IN, IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THIS PROJECT, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE, UM, AND AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
UM, I THINK THAT BRINGS UP, UH, ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND ALSO, UH, QE BONO WHO BENEFITS.
NUMBER TWO, THE PROJECTS WAS INITIALLY INTRODUCED AS, UH,
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DORM FACILITIES, COMMUNAL LIVING FACILITIES AND GROUP LIVING FACILITIES.IT WAS ONLY CHANGED TO THE MORE POLITICALLY CORRECT WORKFORCE HOUSING WHEN THAT, UH, DISRUPTOR CHANGE WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
THERE'S A MODEL IN BLUFFTON, IT'S CALLED NEXT LOFT.
IN 2002, IT WAS BUILT AS AN EXTENDED STAY HOTEL.
AND IN 2018 CONVERTED TO A SMALL APARTMENTS RESIDENCY TALKING WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS.
THREE OF THEM WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE NE OF NEXT LOFT.
I'VE LEARNED THAT THEY DESCRIBED THAT THERE.
THIS PLACE HAS DESCENDED INTO A HAVEN FOR DRUGS, PROSTITUTION, AND TRAFFICKING.
WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE SAME CONDITIONS GET ESTABLISHED IN SEVEN LOCATIONS, SCATTERED ALL OVER HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
NUMBER FOUR, THE RED ROOF INN.
UH, WITHIN THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAD OCCASIONS SADLY, TO, UM, NEED TO PUT A RELATIVE UP AT THE, UH, RED ROOF INN FOR A MONTH.
I WOULD DROP HIM OFF AT NIGHT AFTER HE WORKED FOR THE DAY.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN THERE AT NIGHT LATELY, BUT THERE'S ALL KINDS OF UNSAVORY CHARACTERS HANGING AROUND THERE.
AND OUR WORKFORCE RELATIVE HAD HIS ROOM BROKEN INTO AND TWO E-BIKES STOLEN.
UH, AND THIS IS IN A HOTEL THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY OPERATIONAL, NOT WHATEVER.
UH, FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYMENT IS A VERY FLUID BY NATURE.
UH, HOW COULD A FOOD SERVICE WORKER BE FORCED TO SIGN A SIX MONTH LEASE? AND NUMBER SIX, HOW WILL THAT 75% NUMBER BE CONTINUALLY AND EFFECTIVELY MONITORED? WE REALLY DON'T NEED, UH, OUR TOWN GOVERNMENT GETTING INTO THE, UH, BUSINESS OF URBAN HOUSING AND INSPECTION.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD? YES SIR.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD? GIVE US YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE AND, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE OKAY, CHAIR.
I ACTUALLY ACTUALLY HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS TO SPEAK.
SORRY, I SHOULD ASK YOU UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, JOHN CASEY INDIGO RUN.
I ASSUME AS A CITIZEN, MY TIME HAS ACTUALLY STARTED, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE OTHER PRESENTATION.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY HAVE NOT HEARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN THE PRESENT WHEN DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE IS WHY IN MARCH OF 2025, AS WAS POINTED OUT BY SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A NEW UNIFORM SET OF PROVISIONS, WHICH ANY APPLICANT CAN SHOOT AT.
IT'S NOT AN ANSWER TO SAY, OH, THIS JUST DOESN'T APPLY TO US.
IT IS SORT OF SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
IT IS SORT OF GEARED TOWARD A PARTICULAR, UH, GROUP, UM, UH, WANTING TO ENGAGE IN A PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND IT IS, AS I'VE BEEN POINTED OUT, NON-CONFORMING.
I ACTUALLY, I SAT HERE AS I ACTUALLY HEARD THAT ONE OF THE JUSTIFICATIONS AND BENEFITS OF THIS, UH, PROJECT AND THE NON-CONFORMING PARKING IS, OH, WELL, GEE, THAT'LL, THAT'LL MEAN THAT THE RENTS WILL BE DEPRESSED.
AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE TOO MANY CARS WON'T APPLY.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT, IT, IT'S KIND OF SILLY.
THE, THE IDEA HERE IS TO HAVE, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE UNIFORM LAWS GOVERNING, UH, UM, UH, PARTICULARLY USES TO HAVE THEM APPLY TO EVERYBODY EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME.
AND THE ANSWER IS NOT SIMPLY MORE CONVERSATIONS.
IT'S FOR THE APPLICANT TO MEET THOSE STANDARDS.
THEY'LL BE ENACTED IN THE CODE.
THERE'S STANDARDS THEY NEED TO MEET, AND IF THEY'VE GOT TO BUILD BIGGER UNITS OR COMBINE UNITS OR, UH, OR TAKE OTHER MEASURES TO MEET THOSE STANDARDS, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE TO DO SO.
AND IN THAT SENSE, THIS REALLY IS SPECIAL LEGISLATION AND SHOULD BE DISFAVORED.
WHO ELSE DO WE HAVE? UH, HANNAH, MR. WILLIAMS? I, I'LL, MS. PHILLIPS.
ASHLEY PHILLIPS IN THE GO RUN.
UM, I WANNA START BY SAYING I THINK THE HOTEL MOTEL CONVERSION PROGRAM HAS REALLY GOOD POTENTIAL.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK AS PROPOSED NOW WITH THIS DEVELOPER, IT'S READY TO GO.
I THINK WORK NEEDS TO, UH, CONTINUE.
UH, THE TOWN STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED
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DENIAL AND THEY'VE LISTED A LOT OF REASONS, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU FOLLOW THEIR RECOMMENDATION.ANNA, WHO ELSE? UH, NOW MR. WILLIAMS IS READY TO GO.
I'M CHESTER WILLIAMS. I'M A LOCAL ATTORNEY HERE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA CORRECT ONE GLARING MISTAKE THAT MR. BREEN MADE IN HIS PRESENTATION ABOUT THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM.
THE TOWN HAS ISSUED A NOTICE OF ACTION FOR A CONVERSION OF A PREVIOUS COMMERCIAL USE TO MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNDER THE TOWNS WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE IT'S MY SIGNATURE ON THE RECEIPT OF THE NOTICE OF ACTION.
UH, OUR CLIENT IS RECENTLY, THEY HAVE RECENTLY SUBMITTED THEIR BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION PLANS TO DO THE INTERNAL REVISIONS, MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO CONVERT THE FACILITY TO MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE.
AND THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO, MR. GREEN'S WRONG ON THAT ACCOUNT, OKAY? IT'S NOT AN EASY PROGRAM TO COMPLY WITH, BUT IT CAN BE DONE WITH RESPECT TO THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION HERE.
AND MR. BREEN HIMSELF PUT THE NAIL IN THE COFFIN.
HE SAID, WE'VE MADE PLENTY OF CHANGES SINCE THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION.
WHAT'S BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW HAS NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THERE ARE MANY PROVISIONS IN HERE THAT HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PUBLIC VETTING.
LEMME READ TO YOU WHAT SECTION 6 29 7 60 OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAW SAYS BEFORE ENACTING OR AMENDING ANY ZONING REGULATIONS OR MAPS, THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THAT'S YOU IF AUTHORIZED BY THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY, WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN, SHALL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT, WHICH MUST BE ADVERTISED AND CONDUCTED ACCORDING TO LAWFULLY PRESCRIBED PROCEDURES.
THERE HASN'T MANY PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS PARTICULAR APP.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A BRAND NEW APPLICATION.
THERE BEEN SO MANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO IT, AND I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT, I MEAN, THE TOWN DOESN'T HAVE ANY LIABILITY IF IT GOES FORWARD, IT'S ALL ON MR. BREEN, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU, THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY WHO FILES THAT LAWSUIT TO CHALLENGE THIS IF IT GOES THROUGH ON THIS BASIS AS FAR AS THE, THE, THE, THE SUBSTANCE OF THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
SELF, YOU KNOW, I, I'M A PROPONENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
I HAVE A CLIENT WHO IS ACTIVELY DOING COMMERCIAL CONVERSION.
IT'S A GOOD THING, BUT IT'S A GOOD THING IF IT'S DONE IN A RIGHT WAY.
THIS IS NOT A WORKFORCE HOUSING PROPOSITION.
THIS IS AN EMPLOYER PROPOSITION FOR EMPLOYEE HOUSING.
AND IT DEALS WITH ONE PARTICULAR, EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN OVERTLY STATED.
IT DEALS WITH ONE PARTICULAR PROPERTY ON THE ISLAND.
LIKE THE GENTLEMAN MINUTE
THE TOWN'S BEEN TO THAT RODEO BEFORE, AND TYPICALLY IT DOESN'T WORK OUT WELL.
AND I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT IF YOU GO DOWN THIS PATH WITH THESE PROVISIONS RIGHT HERE, IT'S NOT GONNA WORK OUT WELL EITHER.
THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. UH, MR. COLTRANE, CAN, CAN, CAN YOU GIVE THE COMMISSION AN OPINION ON THE PUBLIC HEARING QUESTION THAT WAS JUST RAISED? WELL, I DON'T HAVE MY STATE CODE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WHAT THE STATE CODE, THE, THE PART OF IT THAT MR. WILLIAMS READ, HE READ ACCURATELY, BUT THEN THE STATE CODE GOES ON TO SAY THAT ANY CHANGES MADE MUST BE RETURNED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ITS REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION.
THAT'S NOT PRECISE 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, WHICH IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
TOWN COUNCIL PROPOSED CHANGES, THE CHANGES CAME BACK, YOU ARE HAVING THAT HEARING AND THEN YOU RETURN IT TO TOWN COUNCIL WITH YOUR, UH, RECOMMENDATION, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
UM, THIS ONE HAS CHANGED A LOT.
I WILL CERTAINLY AGREE WITH THAT.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THE STATUTE CONTEMPLATES THIS.
AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS IN KEEPING WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE ACT AND ALSO THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, WHICH HAS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME, IT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT IN, IN SUBSTANCE THE SAME LANGUAGE.
I MEAN, I, I DON'T HAVE A, I DON'T HAVE A, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE, THERE'VE BEEN SOME MATERIAL CHANGES, BUT I THINK THAT THE STATUTE CONTEMPLATES THAT WHEN CHANGES ARE MADE, IT COMES BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, WHICH IS WHAT'S HAPPENED.
BUT HERE, THERE HAVE BEEN EVEN FURTHER REVISIONS INJECTED INTO THE PROCESS REVISIONS THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL HASN'T CONSIDERED
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PROVISIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF ANY SORT OF PUBLIC HEARING WHATSOEVER.AND I SUBMIT TO YOU AND TO MR. COLTRANE THAT THAT'S A FATAL DEFECT IN THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING TO BE ON THIS PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M A RESIDENT OF, UH, 15 PAINTED BUNTING ON, PARDON ME, ON THE ISLAND.
UM, UH, JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S KNOWLEDGE, I AM ON THE BOARD OF THE CCDC, BUT I'M NOT HERE REPRESENTING CCDC IN ANY FASHION.
I'M HERE AS A CITIZEN, A CITIZEN WHO HAS, UH, BEEN INVOLVED IN HILTON HEAD, UH, FIRST AS A VISITOR 50 YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, UH, I, UH, RECOGNIZE AS YOU DO THE TREMENDOUS NEED FOR WORKFORCE EMPLOYMENT.
UM, UH, I, I HEARD THAT, UH, WE DON'T MEET THE, THAT IT DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TOWN ORDINANCES.
UH, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A-M-I-A-M-I IS ONE CRITERIA.
I THINK THE CRITERIA THEY PUT FORTH IS A MUCH STRONGER CRITERIA.
UH, WHETHER IT'S SOMEBODY THAT'S CLIPPING MY HAIR OR SOMEBODY THAT'S SERVING ME FOOD, UH, SOMEBODY THAT'S BLOWING GRASS OR A NURSE, UH, HEY, WE NEED THOSE PEOPLE TO BE EMPLOYED HERE ON THE ISLAND.
AND I THINK THAT 75% CRITERIA IS WONDERFUL.
UH, THE DELAY PROCESS OF DELAYING THIS.
WE HAVE ALL OUR ORDINANCES IN PLACE.
THEY WERE PERFECT AT THE TIME, OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN VOTED INTO PLACE.
UH, THE MARKET WILL DETERMINE WHAT THOSE PRICES SHOULD BE.
UH, I THINK AS THE APPLICANT SAID, HEY, IF THEY DON'T DO A GOOD JOB, WHETHER IT'S PARKING, WHETHER IT'S WITH, UH, UH, QUALIFYING PEOPLE, UH, THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT WE NEED THIS.
AND, UH, PUTTING IT BACK ON THE BACK BURNER AND DELAYING AT SIX MONTHS.
DO WE KNOW AT SIX MONTHS DOES THIS OPPORTUNITY STILL THERE? SO I WOULD STRONGLY, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MOVE AHEAD WITH IT.
IF THERE'S MODIFICATIONS YOU BELIEVE NEED TO BE MADE, MADE TO THE, UH, UH, SUBMITTAL, MAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THOSE MODIFICATIONS.
LET US GET PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THE ISLAND HERE IN HOUSING ON THE ISLAND.
ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? HANNAH? YES.
HI, IT'S, MY NAME IS LINDA HARRINGTON AGAIN.
BIG POPULATION THERE IN INDIGO.
UM, I WANTED TO, WHAT PUZZLES ME, AND IT HAS PUZZLED ME.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER GOTTEN AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THE TOWN STAFF REDESIGNS PROJECTS, IF YOU PUT IN AN APPLICATION TO PLANNING ZONING, DOESN'T MATTER.
YOU GO WITH YOUR APPLICATION, YOU GO WITH YOUR PLAN, WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, WHY YOU NEED TO DO IT.
AND IT'S PLANNING AND ZONING'S JOB TO AFFECT THE SMALLEST CHANGE POSSIBLE TO THE CODES TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT PROPER USE OF THEIR LAND, BUT NOT GIVE AWAY THE STORE.
AND IN MY WAY OF THINKING, YOU ARE ALL RESIDENTS HERE, YOU HAVE A STAKE IN IT.
ALL THE STAFF ARE NOT RESIDENTS HERE, AND THEY'RE, HOW MUCH ARE WE, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN MAN HOURS, HOW MUCH HAVE WE AS A TOWN PAID THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OUR COLLECTIVE POCKETS TO REDESIGN APPLICATIONS, NOT TOWN'S JOB.
THE APPLICANT'S JOB? UH, AGAIN, IT, IT, IT, ALL OF THESE AMENDMENTS, ZONING, APPEALS, THEY'RE ALL MEANT TO GIVE THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE CHANGE.
AND I SEE HERE, WE'RE REDESIGNING BUILDINGS.
THE PARKING ISSUE ALONE WOULD MAKE ME TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY, THIS IS NOT EQUIPPED.
WE DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO FERRY THESE PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH.
AND I THINK IT'S, UM, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME TO BE A GRAB BY THE APPLICANT BECAUSE OF THIS MUCH NEEDED WORKER HOUSING.
BUT ASK YOURSELVES THIS, HOW MANY PROJECTS ARE GOING ON NOW, WORKER HOUSING, WHAT HAPPENS A DECADE FROM NOW
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WHEN YOU HAVE A GLUT OF WORKER HOUSING? AND IT WILL HAPPEN.THAT'S THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS.
I THINK WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT HEARING, UH, A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR DISCUSSION.
AS MISSY OUTLINED TO US, WE HAVE BASICALLY THREE OPTIONS TO RECOMMEND TO TOWN COUNCIL APPROVAL TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS OR TO RECOMMEND DENIAL.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ON ITS WAY TO TOWN COUNCIL.
SO THERE'LL BE ANOTHER SET OF FOLKS LOOKING AT IT.
BUT, UH, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE THERE, MR. WHALEY? YEAH.
SO CAN YOU JUST WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS FROM HERE, BECAUSE I'M KIND OF, KIND OF LIKE CONFUSED.
WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING, NOW WE DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, UM, TOWN COUNCIL SENT US BACK WITH DOZENS OF ISSUES.
SOME HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, SOME HAVEN'T BEEN, AND YOU ARE WORKING ON AN LMO.
SO WHAT'S, WHAT ACTUALLY IS THE PROCESS NOW? WHERE DOES THIS GO NEXT? WHAT DO THEY DO? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS CYCLING AND WE HAVE THE TOWN COUNCIL, THE ELECTED MEMBERS SAID THEY WANT MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT ALL THIS.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE THEY MAKE ANY FINAL DECISIONS.
WELL, UM, AS THE TOWN ATTORNEY OUTLINED THAT THIS MATTER ALREADY HAD A PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, OF WHICH YOU MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, IT WENT TO COUNCIL.
IT WAS REMANDED BACK TODAY AS A PUBLIC MEETING TO REVIEW, UM, THE, THE, THE CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT.
FROM HERE, YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF EITHER APPROVAL OF DENIAL OR APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS WILL BE FORWARDED TO TOWN COUNCIL.
IT WILL GO TO A COUNCIL COMMITTEE BEFORE GOING TO FULL TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, IT WILL, I, I I BELIEVE IT WILL BE ON THE APRIL, UM, CSPS COMMITTEE.
UM, UH, IS WHERE IT WOULD GO AFTER IT LEAVES HERE.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY IT WOULD JUST CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THAT DUE PROCESS.
UM, REGARDLESS OF IF IT'S A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OR DENIAL OR APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS, IT WOULD STILL MOVE ON, UH, THROUGH THAT PROCESS UNLESS THE APPLICANT, UH, WITHDRAWS THEIR A APPLICATION.
BUT IT WOULD JUST CONTINUE ON.
SO AS FAR AS THE, YOU WERE ASKING POTENTIALLY THE, THE TIMELINE FOR THE OTHER PRIORITY AMENDMENTS AND THE FULL LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE OVERHAUL, UM, WE ARE PREPARING, UM, FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING IN MARCH AND APRIL TO BRING FORWARD ADDITIONAL PRIORITY AMENDMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, WE HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK, UM, WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO SOME MORE WORK ON THE TOWN'S, UM, ADAPTIVE REUSE, UH, HOTEL MOTEL CONVERSION AMENDMENT AS WELL.
UM, AND I, I AM NOT CERTAIN THAT IT'LL BE ON EITHER THE MARCH OR APRIL AGENDA.
UM, BUT WILL, IT WILL WHEN READY, IT WILL BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, OR BE FOLDED INTO THE FULL CODE OVERHAUL OF WHICH WE'LL BE CODE WRITING YET THIS YEAR, THE PUBLIC, UM, WE'LL START SOME PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS THIS YEAR AS WELL ON THAT PROJECT, THE PUBLIC REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE FULL CODE OVERHAUL.
UM, I WILL KNOW THAT AS SOON AS WE ARE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ALONG IN THE CODE WRITING PROCESS, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE TO HAVE, UM, SUBSTANTIAL CODE WRITTEN ON THE FULL CODE OVERHAUL THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
HOW MANY COMMUNITY, HOW MANY COMMUNITY, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? DISTRICT PLANNING INPUT SESSIONS, HAVE YOU HAD AND HOW MANY REMAIN? THERE ARE TWO REMAINING.
SO WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A DISTRICT ENGAGEMENT SESSION THIS WEEK AND ANOTHER ONE NEXT WEEK, AND THAT WILL WRAP UP OUR DISTRICT ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY, UM, SESSIONS.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR I'M WILLING TO PUT A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
I'D LIKE TO PLACE A MOTION ON THE TABLE THAT, UH, FOLLOW TOWN STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL.
SECOND TO THE MOTION, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DUBOIS.
A COMMISSION DISCUSSION, UH, COMMISSIONER HENS.
SO IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER WE APPROVE IT OR DENY IT, BUT WHAT WE VOTE ON HERE IS INCONSEQUENTIAL, BUT IT SENDS A MESSAGE.
HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY WE, WE MAKE THE RIGHT CALL.
BUT MAYBE A WAY TO LOOK AT THIS IS A VOTE AGAINST, IT MEANS WE'RE VOTING FOR, WE WANT TO KEEP THAT HOTEL UNDERUTILIZED, HOTEL PROPERTY AS IT IS.
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AS IT IS UNDERUTILIZED, UNDER CAPITALIZED, AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE CONVERTED TO WORKFORCE HOUSING.SO WE WANT TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO.
IF WE TURN THIS DOWN, IF WE PROVE IT CLEARLY, WE'RE GOING AGAINST, UH, TOWN PLANNERS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE EXPERTS AND, AND HIGHLY VALUE THEIR, THEIR OPINION.
I, I DON'T WANT TO VOTE TO DENY IT, SENDING THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE STATUS QUO.
AND SO TO ME, THAT THE ONLY OPTION THAT SEEMS RIGHT IS TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS TO TOWN COUNCIL.
NOW WE'RE NOT, WE'RE IN NOWHERE.
I'M NOT ANYWHERE NEAR QUALIFIED TO LIST THOSE CONDITIONS, BUT, BUT I THINK MAYBE IF WE COULD GENERALIZE ON THE CONDITIONS WHERE STAFF WORKS WITH THE APPLICANT TO TRY TO NARROW THE GAP, THEN THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE COULD GET WHAT WE ALL NEED AND WANT, WHICH IS, UH, CONVERTING A, A UNUTILIZED PROPERTY INTO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HIGHLY UTILIZED AND VALUABLE FOR THE TOWN.
YOU KNOW, MY OWN VIEW, RESPOND TO THAT COMMISSIONER, SINCE IT'S MY MOTION.
LEMME, LEMME JUST MAKE A COMMENT FIRST.
IF THIS WERE DEALING WITH ONE PARTICULAR PROPERTY AND WE COULD LOOK AT IT ISOLATED LIKE THAT, IT WOULD BE ONE THING.
BUT IF THIS, IF WE SEND THIS ON WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION, TOWN COUNCIL EVENTUALLY ADOPTS IT, UH, THAT BECOMES PUBLIC POLICY AND IT APPLIES TO ALL THE, ALL THE PROPERTIES ON THE ISLAND.
AND I THINK THERE'S JUST TOO MANY, UH, THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN QUITE WORKED OUT YET FOR ME TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
UM, I RESPECT WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER HENS SAID BECAUSE I DO THINK WE NEED WORKFORCE HOUSING, SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THAT.
WHAT I THINK IS A BIT OF A STRAW MAN IS THE FACT THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN HAPPEN TO THIS PROPERTY.
I MEAN, I, I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME, IS WHAT I HEARD WAS THIS DEVELOPER'S ON A TIMELINE WITH THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN SOMEBODY ELSE WON'T STEP UP.
NOW IF WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON THE LMO AND THEY LOSE THEIR OPPORTUNITY, UM, THAT'S BUSINESS THAT HAPPENS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE, WE'RE ACCEPTING THE STATUS QUO BECAUSE IF IT WAS, UM, DESIRABLE ENOUGH FOR THIS DEVELOPER AND THEIR INVESTORS, UH, TO LOOK AT IT, IT IT'LL HAVE AN INTEREST FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
SO, SO THAT'S THE ONLY PART OF YOUR, YOUR HYPOTHESIS OR YOUR PREMISE THAT I DISAGREE.
BUT I DO AGREE WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT I WANNA SHORTCUT HOW MUCH WORK THE TOWN STAFF HAS PUT INTO IT AND HOW MANY TIMES THE TOWN HAS BEEN BURNED BY QUICK, QUICK ZONING CHANGES AND IN RELATIVE TO EVERYTHING, IT'S BEEN KIND OF QUICK.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF SHARE MY THOUGHTS.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR THAT'S BEEN SECONDED TO RECOMMEND DENIAL.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE ON THAT? YES.
OKAY, THEN I'M GONNA ASK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE EXCEPT OF THE MOTION.
TO DENY RECOMMEND DENIAL, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
UM, THERE ARE NO OTHER, THERE'S NO OTHER COMMISSION, BUSINESS OR CHAIRS REPORT.
IS THERE A STAFF REPORT THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKE PLACE TODAY? ALRIGHT THEN.
I BELIEVE WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR MEETING UNLESS THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE, I WILL, UH, DECLARE THE MO THE MEETING ADJOURNED.
WHAT IS A SUPER MOON? THIS TERMINOLOGY BECAME COMMON IN POPULAR MEDIA ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN HEADLINES ABOUT THIS PHENOMENON.
A SUPER MOON OCCURS WHEN THERE'S A NEW OR A FULL MOON, AND
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THE MOON'S CLOSEST APPROACH TO EARTH HAPPENS AT THE SAME TIME.YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW THAT THE MOON'S ORBIT IS NOT PERFECTLY CIRCULAR AROUND THE EARTH.
AND WHEN THE MOON IS THE FURTHEST FROM EARTH IN ITS ORBIT, THAT'S CALLED APOGEE.
AND WHEN THE MOON IS CLOSEST TO EARTH IN ITS ORBIT, THAT'S CALLED PERGE.
BEFORE SUPER MOON WAS A COMMON TERM, THESE ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS WERE CALLED PERGE FULL MOON OR PERGE NEW MOON.
BUT SUPER MOON SOUNDS A LOT MORE EXCITING.
COMPARE THE APPEARANCE OF AN APOGEE FULL MOON AND A PERGE FULL MOON IN THE SKY.
A PERGE FULL MOON CAN APPEAR 14% WIDER AND 30% BRIGHTER THAN AN APOGEE FULL MOON.
THE FULL SUPER MOON LOOKS PARTICULARLY LARGE AT NIGHTFALL WHEN THE MOON FIRST RISES.
THIS IS CALLED THE MOON ILLUSION.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT OUR BRAINS SEE THE MOON CLOSE TO OTHER OBJECTS FOR SIZE REFERENCE, AND IT SEEMS REALLY LARGE, BUT ONCE IT GOES UP HIGHER INTO THE SKY AND IT'S NOT NEAR ANYTHING ELSE, UH, IT SEEMS MUCH SMALLER THAN IT ACTUALLY IS.
BUT YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF THAT THE CHANGE IN THE MOON'S APPARENT SIZE IS JUST AN ILLUSION.
JUST TAKE A PIECE OF PAPER, ROLL IT UP INTO A TUBE, AND TAPE IT SO THAT THE MOON JUST FITS INTO YOUR TUBE.
LOOK AT THE MOON AS IT FIRST COMES UP OVER THE HORIZON, AND THEN LOOK AGAIN A FEW HOURS LATER AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE SIZE DOESN'T CHANGE.
TIDAL HEIGHTS ARE AT THEIR GREATEST WHEN THE MOON, THE EARTH, AND THE SUN ARE ALL IN ALIGNMENT, SUCH AS DURING A NEW MOON OR A FULL MOON.
SPRING TIDES, A FULLER NEW MOON, AND THE PERI G OF THE MOON COINCIDE ABOUT THREE TO FOUR TIMES PER YEAR.
DURING THOSE TIMES, THE HEIGHT OF THE ALREADY LARGER THAN USUAL SPRING TIDES IS ACCENTUATED EVEN MORE BY THE MOON'S CLOSER PROXIMITY TO EARTH.
THESE PERIAN SPRING TIDES OR SUPER MOON SPRING TIDES ARE ALSO CALLED KING TIDES.
KING TIDES USUALLY HAPPEN ON THE DAY OR TWO AFTER THE SUPER MOON, RATHER THAN ON THE EXACT SAME DAY.
KING TIDES CAN GIVE US A CLUE ABOUT WHICH AREAS WILL BECOME PERMANENTLY INUNDATED AT SEA LEVEL CONTINUES TO RISE, AND ALSO WHICH AREAS WILL EXPERIENCE MORE FREQUENT AND MORE INTENSE FLOODING.
THE LOW COUNTRY REGION HAS SEEN A RELATIVE SEA LEVEL RISE OF ABOUT ONE FOOT IN THE LAST 100 YEARS.
DUE TO A COMBINATION OF GLOBAL SEA LEVEL RISE AND GROUND SUBSIDENCE, KING TIDES CAN REACH ONE AND A HALF TO TWO FEET ABOVE AVERAGE HIGH TIDE HEIGHT.
SEEING THE FLOODING FROM A KING TIDE IS A LITTLE LIKE LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE AND SEEING THE POTENTIAL RESULTS OF A ONE TO TWO FOOT RISE IN SEA LEVEL.
DUE TO GRADUAL SEA LEVEL RISE, DATA SHOW KING TIDES ARE GETTING HIGHER AND OCCURRING MORE OFTEN.
INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS, FLOODING, LOCALIZED DAMAGE, AND TRAFFIC ISSUES ARE ALL BYPRODUCTS OF THIS PROCESS.
AND PLANNING FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCY BECOMES AN IMPORTANT TASK SINCE MORE THAN HALF THE WORLD'S POPULATION LIVES IN COASTAL AREAS.
THE KING TIDES PROJECT IS AN INTERNATIONAL CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT THAT IS USING PHOTOGRAPHY DURING KING TIDES TO DOCUMENT FLOODING EVENTS, AREAS AT RISK FOR SEA LEVEL RISE, AND WHAT FUTURE SEA LEVEL RISE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROJECT CAPTURE PHOTOS OF AREAS IN THEIR LOCALITY THAT EXPERIENCE FLOODING AND EROSION AT THE PEAK OF KING TIDES, AND THEN SUBMIT THEM ONLINE TO A DATABASE TO RECORD AND DOCUMENT EFFECTS OF FLOOD RISK IN COASTAL AREAS.
PROVIDE COMPARISONS FOR THE FUTURE AND VALIDATE MODELS WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN REALITY.
IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL IS LEADING THE SOUTH CAROLINA KING TIDES INITIATIVE, AND YOU CAN HELP BY SUBMITTING PHOTOS THROUGH THE APP FOUND ON MY COAST.ORG/SC.
SUPER MOONS ARE NOT ONLY A BEAUTIFUL SITE, BUT THE RESULTING KING TIDES AFFECT THE LOW COUNTRY'S COASTAL AREAS AS WELL.
NEXT TIME WE HAVE ONE OF THESE SUPER ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS, GO OUT AND SEE WHAT OBSERVATIONS YOU CAN MAKE.