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[ 1. CALL TO ORDER]
THE MEETING TO ORDER.PLEASE STAND FOR FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GERALD DAWSON OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND YOU SEE THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS FOR ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, ANOTHER KINGDOM OF JUSTICE FOR ALL.
OUR FATHER AND OUR GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU JUST TO SAY THANK YOU.
WE THANK YOU YOUR GOD, FOR YOUR LOVE AND KINDNESS AND ALL OF YOUR TENDER MERCIES.
WE THANK YOUR GOD FOR YOUR GIFT OF ETERNAL SALVATION AND THROUGH YOUR SON JESUS TO CHRIST.
WE THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US TO SEE THIS DAY.
WE REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ANY GOODNESS OF OUR OWN, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR GRACE AND YOUR MERCY.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS NOW AND UPON ALL THAT ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY.
I ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON THIS COUNCIL AS WE GATHER TO DELIBERATE THE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE US, BLESS US AND OUR DELIBERATIONS, THAT WE WILL COME TO A FINAL CONCLUSION AND MAKE THE DECISION THAT BENEFITS ALL THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY.
AND LAST OF ALL, OH, FATHER GOD, I PRAY FOR THE SALVATION OF THE LEADERS OF THIS NATION.
AND I PRAY, OH, FATHER GOD, THAT YOU'LL SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY.
UM, AT THIS, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND, AND CONFIRM THAT WITH OUR, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL CLERK.
[ 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
FOUR ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
MOTION BY MR. PASS, COUNCILMAN PASS, AND SECOND BY MS. TABER NECK.
ALL IN FAVOR OF A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? AYE.
[ 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.WE HAVE MINUTES FROM AUGUST 11TH, CAUCUS AND COUNSEL.
AUGUST 18TH, SPECIAL CALLED COUNCIL MEETING.
AND AUGUST 20TH SPECIAL CALLED COUNCIL MEETING.
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES.
I MAKE THE MOTION MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LARSON.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
I THINK I HEARD, UH, COUNCILMAN DAWSON.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES BY SIGNALING BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[ 6. PROCLAMATION]
TWO PROCLAMATIONS.THE FIRST ONE IS RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK.
VICE CHAIRMAN TABER WILL READ THAT.
AND DO WE HAVE SOME GUESTS HERE WE'D LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TOO? I'M DIANE BROWNFIELD, THE REGENT OF THE LOCAL THOMAS HAYWOOD JR.
UH, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
I'M THE VICE REGENT AND THE CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE HERE.
SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION WHEREAS SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2025 MARKS THE 238TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DRAFTING OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO A COURT OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF THIS MAGNIFICENT DOCUMENT AND ITS MEMORABLE ANNIVERSARY AND TO THE PATRIOTIC CELEBRATIONS, WHICH WILL COMMEMORATE THE OCCASION.
AND WHEREAS PUBLIC LAW NINE 15 GUARANTEES THE ISSUING OF A PROCLAMATION EACH YEAR BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM, I SHOULD SAY, PRO.
SEPTEMBER 17TH TO 23RD IS CONSTITUTION WEEK.
AND WE ASK OUR CITIZENS TO REAFFIRM THE IDEALS OF THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION THAT THEY HAD IN 1787 BY VIGILANTLY PROTECTING THE FREEDOMS GUARANTEED TO US THROUGH THIS GUARDIAN OF OUR LIBERTIES, REMEMBERING THAT LOST RIGHTS MAY NEVER BE REGAINED.
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EIGHTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER.ALICE HOWARD, CHAIR OF BEAUFORT COUNCIL, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
WE THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ISSUING THIS PROCLAMATION TO US.
PRESIDENT EISENHOWER OFFICIALLY ENACTED THE RECOGNITION OF CONSTITUTION WEEK BACK ON AUGUST 2ND, 1956.
EVERY YEAR SINCE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HAS REQUESTED PROCLAMATIONS FOR THE RECOGNITION OF SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD IS CONSTITUTION WEEK.
THE THOMAS HAYWARD JUNIOR CHAPTER, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL CHAPTER HERE IN NORTHERN BUFORT COUNTY, WILL RECOGNIZE THE ADOPTION OF THE US CONSTITUTION ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH AT THE HENRY C HENRY C. CHAMBERS PARK, NEAR THE THOMAS HAYWARD JUNIOR BUST.
UM, WE WILL HAVE A CONSTITUTION DISPLAY OUT THERE.
WE'LL ALSO BE HANDING OUT CONSTITUTION PAMPHLETS TO EVERYONE THAT WALKS BY AND AMERICAN FLAGS.
WE'LL ALSO BE RINGING THE BELLS AT FOUR O'CLOCK FOR RECOGNITION OF THE SIGNING OF THE CONSTITUTION.
AT THAT TIME, WE ASK THAT YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN US AT 4:00 PM AND HELP US RECOGNIZE THIS GREAT DOCUMENT THAT HAS SUSTAINED OUR COUNTRY FOR THE LAST 238 YEARS.
I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU ALL AGAIN AND DO JOIN US.
WE'VE ASKED THE, UH, SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND SOME OF THE OTHER HERITAGE GROUPS TO JOIN US ON THAT DAY.
WE PLAN TO GIVE OUT BELLS AND NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN THAT AREA WHERE OUR STATUE IS OUR, OUR BUST OF, UH, THOMAS HAYWARD JR.
BUT WE ADDED TWO BENCHES TO THAT PARK, THE SAR AND DAR DID ON LAFAYETTE DAY.
SO WE HOPE YOU'LL COME BY AND, UH, WE DID HAVE A FEW CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE THERE LAST YEAR, SO PLEASE COME.
REMIND THEM THE DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION.
SEPTEMBER 17TH, FOUR O'CLOCK WATERFRONT PARK.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PHOTO.
NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER, 2025 AS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER MACALLAN WILL READ THAT PROCLAMATION.
ALRIGHT, I'M STANDING BACK HERE BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY SEEN THIS AND IF I STAND OVER HERE THIS WAY, NO ONE OVER HERE WILL SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO I DECIDED TO GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS BY STANDING.
UH, THIS IS A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
I SPENT 30 YEARS, UH, OF MY CAREER DOING THIS KIND OF WORK IN A SPECIALIZED AREA.
AND I CAME TO REALIZE IT'S A THREE LEGGED SCHOOL STOOL TO DEAL WITH THIS.
THERE'S A LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT, THERE'S A TRAINING, I'M SORRY, AN EDUCATION AND PREVENTION COMPONENT, AND THEN THERE'S A TREATMENT, REHABILITATION, AND RECOVERY COMPONENT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THREE OF THOSE LEGS FOR THE STOOL, THE STOOL WILL COLLAPSE.
SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
WHEREAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLBEING AND PREVENTION OF MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS WORKS, TREATMENT IS EFFECTIVE AND PEOPLE RECOVER IN ALL ITS FORMS. AND WHEREAS MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE ACHIEVED LONG-TERM RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, DEMONSTRATING THAT RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE.
AND WHEREAS THE 2025 NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH THEME IS RECOVERY IS REAL.
RESTORING EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLISTIC HEALING AND THE POWER OF RECOVERY TO TRANSFORM INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
WHEREAS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH CELEBRATES THE GAINS MADE BY THOSE IN RECOVERY JUST AS WE CELEBRATE IMPROVEMENTS MADE BY THOSE MANAGING OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS.
AND WHEREAS THIS OBSERVANCE PROMOTES THE MESSAGE THAT RECOVERY IN ALL ITS FORMS IS POSSIBLE, ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO SEEK HELP AND HONORS THE DEDICATED SERVICE PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAKE RECOVERY POSSIBLE.
AND WHEREAS THE PERMANENT TAGLINE, EVERY PERSON, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY COMMUNITY REMINDS US THAT RECOVERY IS A JOURNEY THAT TOUCHES ALL ASPECTS OF SOCIETY AND REQUIRES
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A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.AND WHEREAS BEAUFORT COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT, RECOVERY SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE WELLNESS AND REDUCE STIGMA.
AND WHEREAS SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2025 IS RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL ADDICTION PROFESSIONALS DAY HONORING THE VITAL ROLE OF ADDICTION PROFESSIONALS AS PROVIDERS OF PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES, AND AS CHANGE AGENTS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO RESTORING EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER, 2025 AS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN RECOVERY, RECOGNIZE THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF OUR RECOVERY COMMUNITY, AND HONOR THE PROFESSIONALS WHO MAKE RECOVERY POSSIBLE.
MAY I PRESENT THIS TO YOU? THANK YOU.
YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? I APPRECIATE IT FROM YOU.
AFTER COMING HOME FROM TREAT, LONG-TERM TREATMENT AT, UM, HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND.
UM, JUNE 1ST, I SIGNED MYSELF UP TO NEXUS FOR IOP INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT.
AND I'VE BEEN THERE GETTING SUPPORT FROM THE COUNSELORS THERE.
THEY HAVE TAUGHT ME HOW TO COPE WITH MY ADDICTION, GIVEN ME PLENTY OF COUNSELING AND LEARNING TO COPE WITH LIFE AND KEEPING MY RECOVERY ON SEPTEMBER 24TH.
[ 7. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
UH, MIKE MOORE GIVE VISIT ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR COUNSEL.
UM, TONIGHT I HAVE, UM, PINKY HERE TO, UM, PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE REAL PROPERTY TAX INTEREST REFUNDS THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU ALL'S ATTENTION, UM, AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO FIRST OFF, LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO BOTH PINKY'S TEAM AND EBONY AND THE ASSESSOR.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HARD AS WELL AS THE HONOR AND TREASURER, UH, TO TRY TO GET THIS ALL, UM, RESOLVED FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, SO WITH THAT PINKY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME ON UP AND, UH, WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE THE, WHERE THE, UM, REFUNDS ARE AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.
UH, JUST A QUICK UPDATE TO LET COUNSEL KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THE, UH, REFUND PROCESS.
CURRENTLY, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS COMPLETED THEIR PORTION OF UPDATING ALL THE TAXPAYER ACCOUNTS IN OUR TAX SOFTWARE.
THE TREASURER'S OFFICE IS FINALIZING THE DATA THAT WOULD, THAT THEY INPUTTED, AND THEN FINANCE ANTICIPATES RECEIVING THAT DATA TOMORROW FROM WHICH WE WILL THEN PROCESS CHECKS BY THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12TH.
SO, UM, THE FINAL TOTAL THAT WE GOT TO, WE HAD LOTS OF SETS OF EYES ON THIS, SO WE GOT DOWN TO 1.1 MILLION $401,692 AND 16 CENTS.
AND LIKE MR. MOORE SAID, WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING COLLECTIVELY AS A GROUP BETWEEN THE AUDITORS, TREASURERS, FINANCE, AND ASSESSORS, UM, OFFICES TO GET THIS DONE.
SO WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'LL BE PROCESSING CHECKS BY THIS FRIDAY.
ALSO, FROM AN ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVE, AFTER SPEAKING WITH OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS, UM, MALDEN AND JENKINS, WE WILL BE BOOKING AND EXPENSING.
WE'LL BE BOOKING THE LIABILITY AND EXPENSE BACK TO FISCAL YEAR 2025 DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ERROR BACK IN MAY OF 25.
AND WE'VE NOT DONE THE HARD CLOSE ON THE BOOKS YET, SO WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO BOOK THE EXPENSE.
UM, TO LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SALARY SAVINGS, VACANCY LAG, UM, THAT WE WILL BE UTILIZING TO COVER THIS EXPENSE.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE ANOTHER TOOL THAT SARAH'S GOING TO BRING UP THE ASSESSOR'S, UH, TEAM AND THE COUNTY IT TEAM HAS DEVELOPED THIS DATABASE WHERE TAXPAYERS CAN GO AND CHECK IF THEY ARE ON THE LIST OF PROPERTIES, UH, OR TAXPAYER ACCOUNTS.
THIS, CAN YOU SEE THAT? SORRY, I'M LOOKING BEHIND ME.
AT ANY, UH, TIME, A TAXPAYER CAN PLUG IN THEIR, UH, PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OR THEIR ALTERNATE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER TO FIND OUT IF THEY ARE ON THE LIST OF, UH, TAXPAYERS TO, TO RECEIVE A REFUND.
[00:15:01]
IF THEY NEED ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, IT'S ON THE ASSESSOR'S, UH, WEBPAGE.SO THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTACT THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
UH, IN REGARDS TO ANY OF THESE REF REFUNDS, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING CLEAR, TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION FOR OUR TAXPAYERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO, AGAIN, WHEN THE CHECK GOES OUT, IT WILL HAVE A, A NOTICE IN IT SO THE PERSON WILL KNOW WHY THEY'RE GETTING A CHECK.
I DO BELIEVE WE DECIDED TO PUT REFUND, WE USED A CODE ON THERE BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK IT'S A CI DON'T LOOK AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT, RIGHT? SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CONSISTENTLY DID THAT WITH THIS.
AND WE'RE ALSO RUNNING JUST A SPECIAL CHECK RUN JUST FOR THIS, UM, REFUND PROCESS.
WHERE DO THEY FIND THE, THE ACCESS ON THIS IS, UH, ACCESSIBLE ON THE ASSESSOR'S WEBPAGE.
SO, UH, THERE'S A LINK, SARAH, IF YOU WANT TO, DO YOU MIND POPPING BACK OVER TO THAT? THE LINK IS ON THE ASSESSOR'S HOMEPAGE, SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS, AND IT SAYS, UH, PUBLIC INTEREST PAYMENT SEARCH TOOL.
SO YOU JUST CLICK ON THE HYPERLINK AND PLUG IN YOUR PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OR YOUR ALTERNATE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND IT WILL PULL UP YOUR NAME OR YOUR ADDRESS.
WE TESTED IT THIS MORNING A FEW TIMES,
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, NONE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE, UM, ON STORMWATER AWARENESS WEEK, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 22ND THROUGH 2020, OR SEPTEMBER 22ND THROUGH THE 26TH OF THIS YEAR.
AS YOU ALL HAVE PROBABLY GOTTEN A LOT OF CALLS RECENTLY ABOUT STORMWATER JUST BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE RAIN WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE STAFF HAS BEEN GETTING OUT AND, AND RESPONDING TO CALLS.
I KNOW THAT, UH, THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE, BUT, UH, IT IS, UH, A FOCUS OF EFFORT.
AND, BUT I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THERE'LL BE SEVERAL EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS AND RECOGNITION OF STORMWATER AWARENESS WEEK, UH, BEGINNING ON MONDAY.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA HELP, UH, RAISE AWARENESS AND HELP COUNTY RESIDENTS LEARN, UH, WHAT, WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PROTECT, UH, OUR WATERWAYS, UH, MAINTAIN RAIN GARDENS AND MANAGE STORMWATER ISSUES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, ON THE 22ND, ON MONDAY, THERE'LL BE A STORMWATER AWARENESS WEEK KICKOFF EVENT FROM FIVE TO 8:00 PM AT, UH, SHELL RING IWORKS LOCATED AT, UH, ON 11TH STREET IN PORT ROYAL.
THAT'S GONNA BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO EVERYONE CAN COME TO THAT.
UH, ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, A RAIN GUARD MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP.
UM, THAT'LL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC LOCATION.
ON THE THURSDAY WE'LL BE, UH, UNDERSTANDING VEGETATED BUFFERS FROM NINE TO 12 AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
AND THEN ON FRIDAY IT'LL BE THE BIO BIO RETENTION MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP, WHICH IS INTERNAL TRAINING FOR STAFF.
SO WE'LL GET THIS INFORMATION OUT VIA EMAIL TO YOU ALL, SO YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO SHARE THAT, UM, WITH FOLKS I'VE SEEN IT.
IT'S, IT'S ON THE, UH, MEDIA SITE TOO, SO THAT'S GREAT.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE SUBJECT TO ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK WE'VE ALL HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT STORMWATER LAST TWO WEEKS, BUT, UM, ED, CONTINUE TO REFER 'EM TO ME AND, AND STAFF AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA WORK TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES.
AS YOU'VE BEEN DOING, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CHAIRMAN OF STORMWATER, MARK FEINBERG, TOO.
MARK, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK OR NO.
UM, AT THIS TIME WE'RE, WE ARE
[ 8. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD]
OPENING IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC WHEN SPEAKING, EACH MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SHALL ADDRESS THE CHAIRMAN WILL AVOID DISRESPECT TO COUNSEL AND ANY PERSONALITIES WILL CONFINE HIMSELF OR HERSELF TO THE QUESTIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION.
AND COUNSEL WILL NOT REPLY TO ANY COMMENTS DURING THIS PERIOD.
UH, WE DO HAVE A TIMER OF THREE MINUTES AND I WILL TAKE THE ORDER THAT PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
THE FIRST PERSON IS PHILLIP SMITH.
IF HE WOULD COME FORWARD PLEASE, AND THE PERSON AFTER HIM IS SKIP HOAGLAND, I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNICATION SPECIFICALLY, I GUESS WITH WHAT YOU JUST LINED US UP ON.
WON'T BE ABLE TO GET ANY ANSWERS, BUT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT STORMWATER AND COMMUNICATION FROM US TO OUR REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC PERSON AND US NOT BEING A DEMOCRACY, ACTUALLY A REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC OR A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I'VE HEARD.
WE DON'T GET ANY COMMUNICATION BACK FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SPECIFICALLY ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO'S IN MY DISTRICT.
UH, I DON'T GET ANYTHING BACK ON OUR STORM WATER.
WE FLOODED TWICE IN THE LAST STORMS AND GOT ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE FROM ONE COUNCIL MEMBER.
ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER FROM A DIFF DIFFERENT DISTRICT DID COME OUT AND COME OUT AND LOOK AT US AND COME OUT AND
[00:20:01]
TALK TO US.BUT OUR COUNCIL MEMBER NEVER CAME OUT, NEVER RESPONDED TO EMAILS, NEVER RESPONDED TO PHONE CALLS.
SO COMMUNICATION'S REAL IMPORTANT TO ME.
UH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T GET ANYTHING BACK.
WE CAN'T GET OUR STORM WATER DRAINS FIXED.
NONE OF THAT CAN BE FIXED IF WE DON'T GET COMMUNICATION AND WE CAN'T EVEN GET OUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT IT.
UH, SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO COMMUNICATE WITH US AS IT IS FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU, TO GET THESE THINGS DONE SO THIS GENTLEMAN CAN COME OUT AND FIND OUT WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVE CELL PHONE ISSUES WHEN YOU HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH EMPLOYEES THAT DON'T DO THEIR JOB AND OTHER MEMBERS GET IN TROUBLE FOR CELL PHONE, CELL PHONE ISSUES.
SO WHY WOULD YOU HAVE SOMEBODY GET IN TROUBLE FOR AN ISSUE WHERE THEY CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS? SO YOU'VE TAKEN THAT AWAY FROM A MEMBER THAT DOES COMMUNICATE AND YOU LET A MEMBER THAT DOESN'T COMMUNICATE HAVE A PHONE THAT DOESN'T EVEN TALK TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.
I FIND THAT A LITTLE APPALLING.
SKIP HOAGLAND WINDMILL HARBOR.
FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK TOM RITZ FOR VISITING ME IN BEAUFORT JAIL AT MY REQUEST, WHAT WAS SHOCKING IS HOW TOM WAS UNFAIRLY ATTACKED FOR HIS KINDNESS.
TOM RITZ IS ONE OF THE MOST HONEST ELECTED OFFICIALS IN ENTIRE BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I ALSO CONSIDER HIM TRUSTED IN WHY MY WIFE AND I FULLY SUPPORTED TOM'S ELECTION.
THERE'S BEEN MANY CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND LIES SWIRLING AROUND TOM, MY WIFE, AND MYSELF WERE ALL INTERVIEWED BY BEAUFORT INVESTIGATOR AND SEEMS TO HAVE NOT ONLY PROVEN NO WRONGDOING, BUT TOTALLY EXONERATED TOM, AS WELL AS MYSELF AND MY INNOCENT WIFE WHO WAS DRAGGED INTO THIS.
I BLAME THE GOP HENLEY, THE CHAIR HENLEY AND JOE DAN LEE.
THEY CAUSED THIS BY JAILING ME.
THE ONLY ONION THAT SHERIFF TANNER NEEDS TO PEEL BACK IS HIS OWN ONION AND OTHERS ONIONS.
I SAW A LAWYER, BRIAN HOLBERT IN THE HALLWAY FROM MY JAIL CELL TALKING TO COLONEL GRANT.
SOON AFTER ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.
IF THEY DIDN'T WANT TOM TO HAVE A PHONE, THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN IT FROM HIM.
THEY SENSE THEY CENTRALIZED ALL, ALL THIS AND CALLED IT CONTRABAND.
THE MORE HONEST AND OUTSPOKEN YOU ARE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE MORE YOU ARE TARGETED.
BEAUFORT COUNTY IS AN INCESTUOUS, BACKSLAPPING, BACKROOM DEALING, FETED BLACK HOLE OF CORRUPTION AND CRONYISM.
OUR LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS RIDDLED WITH MALFEASANCE, JUDGES, LYING CLERK WHO TAMPERS WITH JURIES, OUR LAWYERS ALL CAUGHT AT CRIMINAL FRAUD, OVERCHARGED, LEGAL FEES, MALPRACTICE AND MORE.
IT'S NOT A SWAMP WHERE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES LIVE.
IT'S A CES OVERSIGHT OF MILLIONS.
I THANK TOM AND LIKE ALL OF US, WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIX IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SO MANY DISHONEST PEOPLE SERVING.
IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR PART-TIME OFFICIALS TO EVEN TO FIX IT.
MR. HOGAN, NOTHING WORKS PART-TIME.
MR. HO, I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU NOT TO MENTION BY NAME PERSONALITIES.
I'M GONNA TALK UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND I ASK YOU TO NOT EVER INTERRUPT ME AGAIN.
SO I'M GONNA SO BACK MY TIME UP.
IT'S A FAILED POLITICAL SYSTEM.
THIS IS WHY I SUGGEST A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO HELP FIX MORE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, TO STOP WASTE LEGAL USE AND USE OF, OF TENS OF MILLIONS OF OUR TAX FUNDS.
I ASK THIS COUNCIL TO VOTE TO FIX OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE BY SIMPLY ADDING 50% MINIMUM LOCAL VOLUNTEER CPAS.
THIS COMMITTEE TAKES FULL CONTROL OF OVERSIGHT AND OUR ANNUAL BUDGET AND YEAR END AUDITS, NOT THE EMPLOYEES AND REPORTS ITS FINDINGS DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL.
I CALL THIS THE NEW DOGE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A FORMER FBI AGENT, FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME, JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY AND YOUR PROBLEMS WILL END AND NONE OF US NEED TO BE HERE ANYMORE.
AND BRIAN HOLBERT WAS FIRED FROM HILTON HEAD FOR RACIST REMARKS FIVE YEARS AGO.
HE DISAPPEARED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE ENDED UP HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I AM SPEAKING OF NO, YOU TOOK AWAY MY TIME.
I WANT THOSE SECONDS YOU TOOK FROM ME.
NO, YOU MUST MAKE UP THOSE SECONDS.
YOU MUST HIRE HONEST LAWYERS WITH NO TIES TO CORRUPTION.
AND BRIAN HOLBERT ALSO COMMITTED CRIMINAL FRAUD.
AND I HAVE FACTS AND I CAN PROVE IT WHEN I SPEAK.
I WILL GIVE YOU THE FACTS, NOT CONSPIRACY THEORIES.
[00:25:01]
AND I'M HONORED TO SPEAK TO, TO SPEAK ABOUT MY GOOD FRIEND TOWN, COUNCILMAN TOM REEDS.TOM IS A PERSON OF IMPECCABLE, IMPECCABLE CHARACTER WITHOUT A MALICIOUS BONE IN HIS BODY.
HE'S ONE OF THE MOST HONEST INDIVIDUALS I'VE EVER MET.
THE WORD INTEGRITY DEFINES TOM.
WHEN SKIP HOGAN WAS INCARCERATED, I UNDERSTAND HE REACHED OUT TO TOM FOR SUPPORT AS HE WAS STRUGGLING IN THE DETENTION CENTER UNDER WHAT SEEMED TO BE AN EXCESSIVELY HARSH SENTENCE, TOM ACTING AS A CONCERNED FRIEND.
VISITED SKIP TO CHECK ON HIS WELLBEING.
I UNDERSTAND HE FILED THE DETENTION CENTER PROTOCOL SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING SECURITY TO VISIT AN INMATE.
THE BUFORT COUNTY COUNSEL IS A BODY CREATED BY LAW WITH AUTHORITY LIMITED TO THE POWERS GRANTED BY THE SOUTH CAR, SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTION, STATE STATUTES, AND LOCAL ORDINANCES.
YOUR ROLE IS TO LEGISLATE COUNTY POLICY, OVERSEE THE BUDGET, AND TO ENSURE ESSENTIAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED RESPONSIBLY.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT, YOUR ROLE IS NOT TO OVERSTEP THOSE BOUNDARIES.
WHEN THE COUNCIL ASSUMES POWER IS RESERVED FOR THE PEOPLE, THE COURTS, OR OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AT RISK, UNDERMINING BOTH THE LAW AND THE TRUST OF CITIZENS.
A GOOD COUNCIL PERSON UNDERSTANDS THAT RESTRAINT IS AS CRITICAL AS ACTION.
STAYING WITHIN THE BOUND OF YOUR AUTHORITY PRESERVES GOOD GOVERNANCE.
A GOOD COUNCIL PERSONS LISTENS TO THE PEOPLE, MAKES DECISIONS OPENLY AND TRANSPARENTLY, AND RECOGNIZES THAT THE POWER YOU WIELD ULTIMATELY BELONGS TO THE VOTERS, NOT YOURSELVES.
UNTIL ALL THE FACTS ARE REVEALED REGARDING ANY POTENTIAL MANAGEMENT OR FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROTOCOL AT DE AT THE DETENTION CENTER, WE SHOULD AVOID PUBLIC SPECULATION THAT COULD UNJUSTLY HARM THE REPUTATION OF A GOOD AND HONORABLE MAN LIKE TOM REEDS.
I UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND SKE MENTIONED THAT HE AND TOM WERE IN A DESIGNATED VISITATION ROOM WHEN HE ASKED TOM IF HE WANTED TO SEE THE JAIL CELL.
SKIP SAID THAT WHEN THEY LEFT THE ROOM, NO ATTENDANT WAS IN SIGHT.
AND AS THEY WALKED TO HIS JAIL CELL, AS THEY WALKED TO HIS JAIL CELL, HE ALSO STATED THE CELL WAS FILTHY.
WHY WERE THEY ABLE TO MOVE FREELY? IT APPEARS THAT DETENTION, THE, THE DETENTION DETENTION CENTER STAFF FAILED TO FOLLOW PROPER PROTOCOL.
ADDITIONALLY, SKIP REPORTEDLY MADE 140 PHONE CALLS WHILE INCARCERATED IN TWO AND A HALF DAYS.
HOW, WHY IS HE PERMITTED TO MAKE SO MANY? THIS SITUATION APPEARS TO BE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED RATHER THAN A MATTER OF STANDARD PROTOCOL, THE PEOPLE ELECTED TOM RE TO SERVE ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL, LET HIM DO HIS JOB.
ANY PREMATURE ACTIONS THAT THREATEN TOM'S POSITION CONSTITUTE UNDUE INFLUENCE ON A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT.
NEXT ON THE LIST IS LYNN GREELEY.
UH, MY NAME IS LYNN GREELEY AND I AM FROM HILTON HEAD.
UH, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT TOM REITZ.
UH, TOM IS A GOOD CITIZEN, HONEST, COMPASSIONATE, AND UNDERSTANDING COUNCILMAN WHO HAS GREAT INTEGRITY.
TOM IS A VERY CONSTITUTIONAL, UH, PERSON AND DOES NOT WORK FOR THE LOBBYISTS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS MONEY OR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS.
TOM KNOWS HIS JOB AND KNOWS WHO HE WORKS FOR US.
THE PEOPLE COUNTY COUNCIL IS A DELIBERATE, UH, DELIBERATIVE BODY, BOUND BY LAW, FAIRNESS, AND DUE PROCESS.
WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS BEGIN TO DISCUSS ANOTHER MEMBER'S PERSONAL CONDUCT, BEFORE ALL THE FACTS ARE KNOWN, IT UNDERMINES BOTH THE INTEGRITY OF THE COUNCIL AND THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
PRESSURING A FELLOW MEMBER TO RESIGN OR ATTEMPTING TO COERCE THEIR VOTE, NOT ONLY EXCEEDS THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN THIS BODY, IT ERODES PUBLIC TRUST AND VIOLATES THE PRINCIPLE THAT EACH COUNCIL PERSON IS ELECTED TO SERVE INDEPENDENTLY ON BEHALF OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
EACH MEMBER HAS ONE VOTE ENTRUSTED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED THEM.
AND THAT VOTE MUST REMAIN FREE FROM INTIMIDATION OR UNDUE INFLUENCE.
PROTECTING THAT INDEPENDENCE IS ESSENTIAL TO PRESERVING THE LEGITIMACY AND CREDIBILITY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
NEXT ON THE LIST IS, UM, ARNOLD BROWN.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU.
UM, I'M NOT HERE BECAUSE I ENJOY DOING THIS.
MY MY FAMILY HAS BEEN ON SIN ISLAND FOR AT LEAST 140 YEARS.
IF MY DAD WAS ALIVE, HE WOULD BE HERE RATHER THAN ME.
SO I, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A DECISION, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE AS FAR AS PINE ISLAND OR, AND THE CPO, I THINK TWO MAJOR CRI CRITERIA THAT WOULD BE LOOKED AT IS EITHER A POLITICAL DECISION OR A LEGAL DECISION.
[00:30:01]
POLITICAL DECISION, WE HAVE HAD OVER 25,000 PEOPLE SIGN A PETITION TO SUPPORT THE, THE CPO 25,000, 25,000 EXCESS OF 25,000.I PROBABLY CAN THINK OF 10 OR 15 PEOPLE I KNOW THAT HAS NOT SIGNED A PETITION.
THE GOVERNOR, WE'VE BEEN IN HIS OFFICE, OVER 20 PEOPLE THERE, UH, I WON'T CALL ANY NAMES.
STATE SENATORS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
UM, AND THEN TODAY I CAME IN AT THREE O'CLOCK AND I HEARD MR. CUNNINGHAM SAY THAT WE WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST MR. YORK GLOVER, IT'S EVERYONE HERE TO REPRESENT OUR INTERESTS AS WELL.
FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, YOU HEARD ME SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN, UM, ABOUT THE CPO LAW OVER 25 YEARS OLD, THE 2040 COMP PLAN, SPOT ZONING.
AND THEN THERE'S A MORAL LAW ALSO THAT WE HAVE SHOWN, SHOWN TREMENDOUS SUPPORT.
UH, 25,000 VERSUS MAYBE 75 PEOPLE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, MAYBE 75 DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
I'M BEING GENEROUS WITH THE 75 PEOPLE.
SO, AND, AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT EVERY TIME THERE'S A MEETING HELD, WE, WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THAT SUGGESTS TO ME THE CONSTITUTION.
AND THEN WHEN WE END THAT, WE SAY LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
WE ARE ASKING THAT WE MAINTAIN LIBERTY AND WE WANNA MAINTAIN JUSTICE FOR ALL WE ARE.
THERE'S, WE ARE NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM MR. LVO, THE INVESTOR.
HE CAME IN WITH THE OPTION TO BUILD 164 HOMES OR A GOLF GATED COMMUNITY, WHICH HE KNEW THAT WAS NOT ALLOWED.
THE OTHER THING THAT ENTERS INTO MAKING THE DECISION IS CALLED KOOL-AID.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE DRANK IN THE KOOL-AID.
WHEN I SIT WITH SOME OF HIS, UH, SUPPORTERS, THEY SAY THINGS LIKE $80,000 JOB, GENERATIONAL WEALTH, UH, REDUCED TAXES, REDUCING CRIME RATES.
I WAS IN PAT CONROY'S CLASS AND HE DIDN'T PROMISE ALL THAT.
UH, NEXT IS DAVE FERGUSON, AND AFTER HIM IS CHRIS RUFFNER.
UH, DAVE FERGUSON, HILTON HEAD.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND MY GOOD FRIEND TOM.
UH, AND THOSE TWO THINGS GO HAND IN HAND.
AND I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY, I DIDN'T REALLY COME HERE WITH ANYTHING PREPARED TO SAY, BECAUSE WHEN I TALK ABOUT SOMEONE'S CHARACTER, IF I HAVE TO PREPARE FOR IT, THERE'S A PROBLEM RIGHT THERE.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO PREPARE TO TALK TO TOM.
UM, INTERNATIONALLY, PEOPLE KNOW ME AS A LEADERSHIP EXPERT.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE LEARNING AS LEADERS.
SO I'LL NEVER CALL MYSELF AN EXPERT, BUT I'M AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET TO IT IN THIS AREA.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, UM, WHAT I'M SEEING GOING ON LATELY, REEKS OF LACK OF LEADERSHIP, WHETHER IT'S ON THIS COUNCIL OR UH, ON THE COUNCIL IN HILTON HEAD, DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
I WROTE SOMETHING YEARS AGO, UM, AND I CALL IT MY LEADER'S CREED.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR YOU ALL TO HEAR, BECAUSE AS I LOOKED AT IT, UH, EARLIER TODAY AND CHOSE TO TALK ABOUT IT, I THOUGHT OF MY FRIEND TOM, AND HE MEETS EVERY PIECE OF THIS CREED.
SO I'D LIKE YOU TO LISTEN TO IT AND SEE IF YOU DO.
IF YOU DON'T, I HOPE YOU LOOK TO IMPROVE.
AND GOD, I'LL HELP YOU IF YOU NEED IT.
BE HONEST, DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY.
ESTEEM ALL PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE BE FAIR.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, DON'T JUST EXPECT US TO BE GOOD CITIZENS.
I WOULD DRIVE A LOT FURTHER TO TALK ABOUT HIS CHARACTER THAN I DID TONIGHT.
AND I HOPE YOU ALL WILL FULLY SUPPORT THIS MAN.
THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF LEADER.
I'VE WORKED WITH A WHOLE LOT OF LEADERS.
THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF LEADER THAT'S GONNA WALK INTO A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND SAY, I'M TOM REITS AND I'M A COUNTY COUNCILMAN AND EXPECT
[00:35:01]
TO GET ANY KIND OF PRIVILEGE.THERE WAS MISTAKES MADE HERE SOMEWHERE.
AND POLITICALLY, SOMEONE'S TRYING TO BLOW THIS MAN UP.
AND IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS TO SOME OF US THAT, SEE, HE'S MADE SOME CHANGES HERE AND HE'S ASKED DIFFERENT QUESTIONS THAN SOME OF YOU HAVE ASKED IN THE PAST.
AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT YOU WILL TRULY CONSIDER THIS ABOUT THIS MAN AND ABOUT YOURSELVES AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU COULD BE NEXT.
CHRIS RUFFNER, UH, WINDMILL HARBOR.
I'M A TERRIBLE SPEAKER, SO, UH, THAT DIDN'T HELP ME.
I SHOULD HAVE GONE NEXT TIME AND BEFORE YOU, DAVE.
UM, UNLIKE DAVE, I AM AN EXPERT IN CHARACTER, AND TOM IS THE BEST.
AND, UM, ACTUALLY THERE'S SOMEONE MISSING HERE TONIGHT WHO HAS, IS USUALLY HERE.
BUT, UH, HIS NAME'S GRACE SMITH.
A BUNCH OF US WERE TOGETHER ON FLAG DAY.
AND, UM, HE UNFORTUNATELY HAD A HEART ATTACK AND WE THOUGHT WE LOST HIM THAT DAY.
AND, UM, ACTUALLY HAD TO GO TO THE ICU.
AND HE'S STILL IN THE HOSPITAL TODAY, THREE MONTHS LATER, AND A BUNCH OF US, HE'S FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE.
SO IT WAS HARD TO GET IN TO SEE HIM IN THE ICU.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS TOM RE'S, HE WOULD NOT LEAVE HIS SIDE AND THEY CAN ONLY HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THERE.
THEN WE HAD TO SWITCH OUT ONE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
WE SNUCK SOMEONE IN
BUT HE, TOM, HE'S THE BEST PERSON.
UM, HIM AND HIS WIFE CHRIS, THEY WERE THERE MULTIPLE TIMES FOR HOURS.
DO I HAVE TIME? OKAY, STILL DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT.
SO, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS MY HUSBAND, EVERY TIME WE GO TO THE AIRPORT REPORT, EVERY TIME HE HAS A POCKET KNIFE, IT NEVER FAILS.
HE, BECAUSE HE USES IT EVERY DAY, HE HAS IT IN HIS POCKET EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT LUCKILY HE DIDN'T BRING THAT.
HE ALWAYS HAS HIS POCKET KNIFE.
AND SO FINALLY LAST TIME I SAID TO THE AGENT, CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? IS MY HUSBAND AN IDIOT? EVERY TIME WE COME HERE, HE HAS A POCKET KNIFE.
AND HE GOES ON THE FLOOR, PICKS UP A BIN LIKE THIS BIG, AND SAID TO ME, THROW IT IN HERE.
THIS IS JUST FROM THE LAST HOUR.
EVERYONE BRINGS IN THEIR POCKET KNIFE.
HE SAYS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST USED TO BRINGING THEM THEIR POCKET KNIFE.
SO I JUST HOPE EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, CAN THINK OF THAT.
EVERYBODY, WE ALL HAVE OUR PHONES ON US ALL THE TIME, EVERYWHERE.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING, WHERE CAN I, YOU KNOW, CAN I BRING IT HERE, THERE.
SO THIS IS JUST BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION AND I JUST THINK THAT EVERYBODY JUST NEEDS TO KNOW HOW SPECIAL TOM IS AND THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA RALLY BEHIND HIM.
AND LIKE DAVE SAID, WE'RE GONNA GO WHEREVER WE NEED TO GO TO THE EDGE OF THE EARTH TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MAN, THIS SPECIAL MAN IS OKAY.
COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
UM, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY, UM, IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT MY, MY BUSINESS IS SEAFOOD, UM, SEA EAGLE MARKET ON BOUNDARY STREET.
WE WERE 20 YEARS IN PORT ROYAL AT CJ SEAFOOD EXPRESS.
AND OUR DOCK FACILITY IS 34 HALLMARK ROAD ON ST.
BUT WE SELL SEAFOOD ALL OVER THE STATE AND ALL OVER BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHERE I WANT TO START TONIGHT.
UM, WE HAD A MEETING, UH, WITH MR. UH, TRIPO AND MR. DUKES ON AUGUST THE SECOND WITH THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, WITH THE SHRIMPING INDUSTRY, UH, CRABBERS.
UM, 14 OUT OF THOSE 30 LETTERS WERE SIGNED THAT DAY.
AND I THINK WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TWO OR THREE MORE FROM, FROM THAT DAY.
BUT ALSO IN THOSE LETTERS IS BUSINESSES THAT I DO BUSINESS WITH.
AND BLUFFTON, SUCH AS THE COTTAGE, UM, BARNACLE BILL AND, UH, RESTAURANTS LIKE CHARLIE'S, UH, PIGGLY WIGGLY AT, UM, KIG PLAZA.
WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS ALL AROUND
[00:40:01]
BEAUFORT COUNTY.AND WHEN I PRESENTED TO THEM THE SAME THING THAT WAS PRESENTED AT OUR MEETING ON AUGUST THE SECOND, UM, THEY WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIGN SUPPORT SUPPORTING US AND SUPPORTING EFFICIENT INDUSTRY.
'CAUSE JUST AS THE GENTLEMAN SAID A COUPLE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME, THE CPO WOULD ALLOW 150, 160 HOUSES UNDER THE CPO.
THAT'S, UH, PERMANENT RESIDENCE.
THAT'S CARS ON THE ROAD, THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
UH, WHAT HAS BEEN OFFERED IN THIS DEVELOPMENT? UM, THEY CAN CALL IT DOWN ZONING, THEY CAN CALL IT WHATEVER.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT IT, IT'S A NO BRAINER.
IT'S OVER 300 ACRES NOT DEVELOPED, SET IN PERPETUITY.
ZERO DOCKS COMMITTED IN EVERY ONE OF THESE LETTERS.
HE'S MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE FISHERMEN ON, UH, VILLAGE CREEK TO BOOK NO DOCKS ON THE MAINLAND VERSUS POTENTIALLY 70, 80, 90 DOCKS ON VILLAGE CREEK.
UM, A REDUCTION IN HOMES TO FROM 150 PLUS TO 49.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT IS JUST INCREDIBLE THAT, THAT THIS IS SUCH A GIFT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS EVERY MONTH, EVERY WEEK I SEE, UH, PEOPLE SCREAMING AND YELLING AND, AND IT JUST, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME THAT WHAT'S BEING OFFERED IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE CPO.
NOW, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER, BUT THERE WAS A REPORT DONE BY RURAL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT RISK IN 2014.
THIS WAS DONE BY COUNTY COUNCIL.
IF ONE OF THOSE LARGE TRACKS IS DEVELOPED, THEN IT COULD HAVE A DOMINO EFFECT.
HELLO, I'M ASHLEY PHILLIPS, UM, FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED WITH COUNCILMAN RE AND HIS VISIT TO THE DETENTION CENTER ON AUGUST THE 20TH, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT SEVERAL OF HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE THROWN HIM TO THE WOLVES.
FOR WHAT REASON? I'M NOT SURE.
THE OPTICS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IS VERY DISTURBING ONE VERSUS INJURED.
AND NOW IT APPEARS YOU'RE WATCHING HIM GETTING EATEN ALIVE.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE MESSAGE IS LOUD AND CLEAR TO ALL OF THE CITIZENS WATCHING THIS.
ALL THE HOPE AND EXCITEMENT THAT WE HAD OF A NEW COUNCIL AND A NEW CHAIR, AND A NEW VICE CHAIR, A NEW COUNTY COUNCIL, NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS GONE.
THE PROMISE OF TRANSPARENCY AND EARNING THE TRUST OF THE CONSTITUENTS WAS ALL WORDS.
WHEN WILL THIS COUNCIL LEARN? THANK YOU.
NEXT IS LA LISA LAMARCA, DISTRICT 11.
I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHERE HIS PHONES ARE.
CAN YOU PLEASE SOMEBODY, GET HIM ANOTHER COUNTY PHONE SO HIS CONSTITUENTS CAN COMMUNICATE WITH HIM? ABSOLUTELY.
IS THAT SO DIFFICULT? SINCE THURSDAY? HE HASN'T HAD A PHONE.
ANY PHONE, PERSONAL OR BUSINESS? THAT IS MY REQUEST.
I THINK A DECENT COUNTY COUNCIL WOULD DO THAT.
I KNOW THAT HE WOULD DO IT FOR YOU.
THIS IS A PERHAPS AND THIS IS AN ANOMALY, OKAY? A DECENT, HONEST POLITICIAN.
HE GOES TO YOUR DISTRICT, HE GOES TO YOUR DISTRICT AND MY DISTRICT BECAUSE HE CARES ABOUT US.
HE'S NOT MEDDLING, HE'S NOT TRYING TO DO THINGS THAT AREN'T GOOD FOR US.
AND HOW YOU REWARD HIM IS TO TREAT HIM LIKE A PARIAH.
WHAT, WHAT? I EXPECTED SO MUCH BETTER FROM ALL OF YOU.
I THOUGHT THINGS WERE IMPROVING.
NEW LEADERSHIP, NEW TRANSPARENCY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA SPEND MONEY STUPIDLY.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING RIGHT NOW? WE'RE SPENDING TAXPAYERS MONEY TRYING TO THROW THE MOST DECENT HUMAN BEING AMONG YOU
[00:45:01]
UNDER THE BUS.I KNOW, I KNOW YOU ALL WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW THE ONES THAT REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT I THINK.
BUT I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE PEOPLE HERE AND LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE HERE.
WE ARE A SMALL FRACTION OF HIS DISTRICT AND YOURS AND YOURS AND YOURS AND YOURS.
I'M STANDING UP FOR HIM TODAY.
WE'RE GONNA STAND UP FOR HIM UNTIL THIS IS OVER AND FIXED.
NEXT ON THE LIST IS LISA DE D DEPRO.
AM I PRONOUNCING THAT CORRECTLY? NO.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY, ESPECIALLY.
THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN, FOR BEING INVOLVED IN SOME THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK AARON DEAN, THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR BUFORT JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY, AND CHARLIE STONE, THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UH, FOR TO BE FOR JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY FOR PROVIDING A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE OAKMONT SUBDIVISION OFF OF BROAD RIVER BOULEVARD FOR 30 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH HURRICANES, I'VE BEEN THROUGH TROPICAL STORMS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE FLOODING THE WAY I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST MONTH ON THE BROAD RIVER BOULEVARD CORRIDOR.
AND I BELIEVE MUCH OF THIS IS DUE TO THE DEFORESTATION AND THE EXPANSIVE GROWTH.
THE EXPANSIVE GROWTH OF, UH, APARTMENTS, TOWN HOMES.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WHEN IT RAINS, WE GET FLOODED ALL ALONG.
BROAD RIVER BOULEVARD HOUSES, UH, OAKMONT SUBDIVISION, CHESTERFIELD, SUNSET CIRCLE, UM, QUAIL RIDGE PLEASANT FARM.
WE ARE ALL GETTING FLOODED OUT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT FLOODS IS OUR SEPTIC SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE ANTIQUATED, OUR FAILING, THEY FILL UP WITH WATER, SEWAGE STARTS, SEEPING OUT ONTO THE LAWNS, DOWN IN THE DITCHES, DOWN THE STREETS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST WATER, IT'S BIOHAZARD HAY BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE.
WHEN MY SEPTIC TI MY SEPTIC SYSTEM IS COMPROMISED, I CANNOT USE MY WATER.
I CAN'T BATHE, I CAN'T WASH CLOTHES, I CAN'T WASH DISHES.
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS WE GET SOME HELP OUT HERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT CAN BE DONE, BUT I'M LOOKING TO POSSIBLY START A SEWER SYSTEM OUT ALONG THE BROAD RIVER BOULEVARD CORRIDOR.
I'VE LIVED THERE FOR SO LONG AND I'M SO TIRED OF, OF SEPTIC TANKS, FLOODING.
I KNOW THEY HAD AN EXCAVATOR OUT THERE, UM, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO DIGGING DITCHES.
MY POOR NEIGHBOR HAS TO HAVE A SUMP PUMP TO PUMP OUT OUR CUL-DE-SAC EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE TREES BEING CUT DOWN AND ALL OF THE GROWTH.
THE WATER HAS NOWHERE TO GO ANYMORE.
MR. PASSMAN, I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN GET SOME HELP ALONG THE BROAD RIVER BOULEVARD CORRIDOR.
SHELL POINT ALSO HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM.
THESE OLDER SUBDIVISIONS NEED HELP.
WE NEED TO STOP BUILDING NEW HOMES AND TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE OLDER HOMES.
NEXT ON THE LIST IS LEE GRENADA OR GRANADA, AND WILLIAM SMITH IS AFTER LEE COUNCILWOMAN AND COUNCIL.
I'M ALSO HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, COUNCILMAN TOM REIT.
I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND CAN SAY THAT, UM, I HAVEN'T MET ANYONE MORE GENUINE, EMPATHETIC, KIND, APPROACHABLE.
UM, AND WHAT HE DID WITH SKIP SEEMS ABSOLUTELY WITHIN HIS CHARACTER.
AND I, I REALLY DO HOPE THAT YOU ALL OR WHOEVER IS INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER, IS GOING TO DO DUE DILIGENCE AND GOING TO LOOK AND SEE ARE THERE ANY REPRIMANDS FROM, FROM THE STAFF WHILE TOM WAS VISITING.
DID SOMEONE THAT WAS WORKING THERE ACTUALLY ACT INAPPROPRIATELY AND ALLOW A FELONY TO EXIST ON THEIR WATCH? 'CAUSE YOU WOULD THINK, I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY RESULT IN SOMETHING LIKE A DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
SO I HOPE THAT THOSE KINDS OF INVESTIGATIONS ARE HAPPENING.
UM, CERTAINLY WE DON'T WANNA LOSE
[00:50:01]
HIM AT ALL.I THINK HE'S A GREAT MODEL, GREAT MODEL FOR ME, GREAT MODEL FOR SO MANY OF US.
AND, UM, AGAIN, HE HAS HANDS AND FEET OUT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE IN HIS DISTRICT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JUST OFFER THAT SADLY, I THINK THAT THOSE OF US THAT HAVE GONE AGAINST SOME, UM, AUTHORITIES, MAYBE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR POINTED OUT SOME THINGS THAT NEEDED TO GET LOOKED AT, UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY TARGETED.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN ALLUDED TO ALREADY TONIGHT.
UM, TWO YEARS AGO I WAS IN FRONT OF YOU ALL AND I TOLD YOU ABOUT MY HOUSE FIRE THAT NEVER GOT INVESTIGATED.
UM, IT'S BEEN ALMOST SIX YEARS IN MOSS CREEK.
UM, BURNED ALSO EITHER THE TWO HOUSES ON EITHER SIDE OF IT.
AND MY YOUNG CHILD RAN FROM THAT FIRE WHERE HE HAD BEEN LEFT ALONE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT UM, THAT WILL, THAT WILL CHANGE YOU.
THAT WILL CHANGE WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT.
AND I THINK THAT OUR, OUR SHERIFF HAS GOT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO A LOT BETTER.
I HAVE RECENTLY, UM, AUTHORED SOMETHING IN MY SUBSTACK, WHICH IS LEO AND SC, BUT IT'S CALLED THE SHUT UP SHERIFF.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE SEEING A PATTERN THAT THOSE OF US THAT DO SPEAK OUT AND DO SAY, YOU'VE MISSED THE MARK.
YOU'RE NOT DOING WHAT YOU NEED TO BE DOING.
SHERIFF TANNER DID TESTIFY AGAINST SKIP AND TOM VISITED SKIP.
AND NOW TOM, TOM IS SADLY BEING IMPLICATED IN SOME KIND OF WRONGDOING.
THIS IS A PATTERN AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL CONSIDER THAT.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL GIVE IT DUE DILIGENCE 'CAUSE WE'RE SUFFERING OUT HERE.
WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE A COUNCILMAN WHO I WOULD BET THE FARM, IF I HAD A FARM, THAT HE DIDN'T PUSH HIS WAY THROUGH ANYWHERE.
'CAUSE HE LIVES RESPECTFULLY AND THAT WAY TO EVERYONE.
WHEN YOU SPEND RESOURCES AND UM, THERE'S, THERE'S MAINSTREAM MEDIA OUT THERE THAT IS RUINING A REPUTATION, BUT YET A HOUSE FIRE THAT NEARLY KILLED A CHILD IS IGNORED.
SO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THAT.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UM, LEMME START OFF BY TELLING YOU, BY SAYING THIS, UM, TONIGHT I WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS, UH, SOME OF THE, THE, THE WEALTH GAP THAT WE HAVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEING IGNORED.
THESE FEES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND IF, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT OR, OR IF YOU'RE NOT, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB THAT'S PAYING 20 TO $35 AN HOUR, IT'S HARD.
IT'S HARD TO COMPETE, TO COMPETE, TO EVEN BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, AND, AND, AND I, I, WE, WE HAVE A INDUSTRIAL PARK, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE INDUSTRIAL JOBS.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE JOBS OF SERVING PEOPLE.
AND I, I LOVE TO HAVE THE MILITARY HERE AND LOVE HAVING THE, UM, TOURISM, BUT TOURISM AIN'T GETTING IT DONE.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, LIKE, LIKE, LIKE SOMEONE SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO, WE ARE PUTTING ALL THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES UP AND WE'RE WONDERING WHY THIS GUY HERE JOB IS SO HARD BECAUSE THE TREES ARE GOING, WE'RE CUTTING THE TREES DOWN, WHO WAS SOAKING UP THE WATER AND WE'RE HAVING MORE AND MORE WATER IN BEAUFORT.
I MEAN, WE ARE BEGINNING TO BE THE NEXT CHARLESTON BEAUFORT.
IF IT, IF IT RAINS LIGHTLY, IT'S THE PLACE IS FULL, IT'S FLOODED.
WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE AT THE APPLICATIONS OF THESE DEVELOPERS WHO WE HAVE APPROVED AND SEE HOW LONG ARE WE GONNA CONTINUE TO ALLOW BEAUFORT TO GET DEVELOPED.
BECAUSE IN A MINUTE WE ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE CHARLESTON.
LET ME, LET ME LET, LET, LET, LEMME KEEP, LEMME KEEP IT MOVING ON THAT NOTE.
UM, AND THE LAST THING IS, I CAME UP HERE ALSO TALKING ABOUT KIDS AND TALKING ABOUT THIS WEALTH GAP WHEN YOU, THERE WAS JUST A, A DEATH THAT TOOK PLACE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE KEEP PUTTING PEOPLE FROM THIS PLACE SIDE OF TOWN, THAT SIDE OF TOWN, AND WE'RE TAKING PEOPLE OUTTA THEIR COMFORT ZONE, HAVING TO FIND BABYSITTERS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH, WEALTH GAP.
AND THEN WE, WE WONDER WHY BEAUFORT COUNTY, IN ALL MY YEARS OF LIVING, I AIN'T NEVER SEEN A CRIME WEIGHT TO RAISE THAT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A REASON YOU'RE TAKING PEOPLE HELP FROM THEM.
YOU'RE CUTTING PEOPLE'S LEGS FROM UNDER THEM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HELPING THESE
[00:55:01]
KIDS.THE LIBRARY CLOSED BEFORE TIME.
WHERE CAN THESE KIDS GO IN BEAUFORT COUNTY OR, OR HELL, WHERE CAN PEOPLE PERIOD GO AND TAKE THEIR FAMILIES OR EVEN ON THIS SIDE OF THE BROAD AND HAVE A FAMILY, A FAMILY NIGHT? YOU CAN'T, THERE'S NO MOVIE THEATERS, THERE'S NO BOWLING ALLEY.
BUT YET I SEE THIS COUNCIL BACK AND SUPPORT PEOPLE AND GIVE PEOPLE BREAKS.
YEAH, I SEEN LIVE GIVE PEOPLE BREAKS IN BUSINESSES.
I'VE COME Y'ALL SEVERAL TIMES ASKING, WAITING FOR A SOLUTION TO COME TO ME AND TELL ME HOW ARE WE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BABIES AND HOW ARE WE GONNA TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES AND HELP THEM EAT IN THIS COUNTY.
THANK YOU, MR. AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT.
[ 9. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
GOING FORWARD WITH THE, UM, LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS THEY'D LIKE TO GIVE? WE'LL START AT THE END WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN DAWSON.
UH, I ATTENDED THE, UH, LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, UH, MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND THE, UH, DIRECTOR SABRINA GRAHAM GAVE A A HANDOUT TO ALL THE BOARD, UH, DIRECTORS.
AND, AND I'M GOING TO READ IT.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON INTERSTATE, UH, UH, 95 CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER THE 11TH, 20 OF 2025, ABOUT THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO INTERSTATE 95.
BETWEEN US 2 78, THAT'S EXIT EIGHT.
AND SOUTH CAROLINA 3 36, THAT'S EXIT 21 AND THE JASPER AND COTON COUNTY.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE CAPACITY, MOBILITY AND OPERATIONS ALONG THE 13 MILE CORRIDOR OF 9 95.
THE OPEN HOUSE AND PUBLIC HEARING WILL, UH, TAKE PLACE AT LAKESIDE AT BLUE HERON.
THE ADDRESS IS 1 53 JAMES L. TAYLOR DRIVE, RESIDENT SOUTH CAROLINA.
UH, THE DATE OF SEPTEMBER THE 11TH FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM WILL BE OPEN HOUSE TO VIEW THE PROJECT DISPLAYS, ASK QUESTIONS, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
AT 6:00 PM THEY WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEY'LL HAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION AND, UH, COMMENT SESSION AS WELL.
COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS, UH, PROJECT IS, UH, DOT WILL ACCEPT COMMENTS ON THIS PROPOSED, UH, PROJECT FROM AUGUST 28TH UNTIL OCTOBER 2ND, 2025.
AND YOU CAN FIND MORE DETAIL ON THE SE DOT WEBSITE, UH, PERTAINING TO THIS PROJECT.
OKAY, THANK YOU COUNCIL MCALLEN, I DIDN'T MEAN TO SKIP YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO, I DON'T.
WE DIDN'T WANNA SKIP YOU MOVING DOWN THE LINE.
COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? NO MA'AM, MA'AM.
I HAD, I'M ON THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD AND WE MET LAST THURSDAY, AND THE ONLY NEW NEWS IS AT THE SAM'S CLUB OUT IN BLUFFTON.
OH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A REPORT.
UM,
ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AND JASPER COUNTY WERE THERE.
THE MEETING WAS IN, UH, BLUFFTON.
THERE WAS A REPORT ABOUT A NEW YMCA GOING UP IN HARVILLE.
THEY ASKED US IF WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AND MR. MOORE AND I SIMPLY DIDN'T RESPOND.
THERE WAS AN UPDATE FROM THE RED CROSS, THEY'RE SEEKING VOLUNTEERS.
ON THE 27TH, I ATTENDED A, AN EVENT MR. UH, REESE WAS THERE AND SENATOR DAVIS, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE AT MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK.
IT WAS A MOMENTOUS STEP FORWARD IN ITS MISSION TO PRESERVE AND INTERPRET THE LEGACY OF AMERICA'S FIRST SELF-GOVERNED TOWN OF FORMERLY ENSLAVED PEOPLE.
THIS WAS A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THIS NEW FACILITY WAS, WHICH IS AN ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FACILITY IN AUDITORIUM.
UM, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE PARK'S LONG-TERM VISION TO EXPAND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING.
AND AS I SAT THERE, I HEARD THEM RECOGNIZE SENATOR DAVIS FOR 13 YEARS OF COMMITMENT TO MITCHELLVILLE.
SO THEY DID RECOGNIZE HIS EFFORTS FOR MITCHELLVILLE.
UM, I WENT TO LOW COG, I ATTENDED AND SABRINA'S RETIRING.
AND THEN LAST THURSDAY I ATTENDED THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WITH MR. MCALLEN.
AND AGAIN, SENATOR DAVIS IS HERE.
SO IF I DON'T GIVE A CORRECT REPORT, YOU CAN CORRECT ME.
BILL HERB CHRISMAN NOTED THAT AS OF THAT DATE, THERE WAS NO UPDATE ON DERELICT BOAT LEGISLATION FOR THE COUNTY.
THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION RECOGNIZED MARIE SMALLS.
[01:00:01]
DIRECTOR OF VOTER REGISTRATION.THE NEW CHAIR OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION COMMITTEE, MATT SWEENEY, REPORTED THAT WE NOW HAVE 134 PRECINCTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THEN HE PRESENTED THREE ISSUES.
ONE, WHICH, UH, REALLY SHOCKED ME.
THE FIRST ISSUE HE SAID WAS, THEY'RE ASKING FOR INCREASE IN POLL WORKER PAY FROM 1 35 TO 1 75.
AND HE DID RECOGNIZE THAT THIS COUNTY ADDED $100 EXTRA IN PAY FOR LAST YEAR THERE.
POLLING LOCATIONS, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH LOCATIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN SUN CITY, WE HAVE TWO POLLING LOCATIONS FOR 10 PRECINCTS, WHICH IS REALLY NOT SATISFACTORY.
AND THE ITEM THAT REALLY SURPRISED ME WAS PROCUREMENT OF VOTING MACHINES.
THE COUNTY PICKED UP 39 NEW PRECINCTS IN 24.
THE STATE PAID FOR NEW MACHINES IN THE PAST, AND NOW IF THE COUNTY NEEDS MORE MACHINES, THE COUNTY WILL HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THEM.
REPRESENTATIVE NEWTON LOOKED RIGHT AT ME AND SUGGESTED THAT THE COUNTY PLAN TO BUDGET FOR NEEDED MACHINES UP TO FIVE YEARS OUT.
SO I'M THROWING THAT FOR DISCUSSION DURING FINANCE.
AND MY LAST REPORT IS SCHOOL BOARD AND MR. SMITH IS HERE FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD SO HE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M NOT RIGHT.
I WATCHED OUR MEETINGS IN AUGUST.
THEY HELD LOTS OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS, TECHNOLOGY, OPERATION, LEGISLATIVE, FINANCE, ACADEMIC.
YOU GUYS ARE REALLY BUSY IN A WORKSHOP.
AND I DO WANNA SAY THAT THEY RECOGNIZE DR.
SHE WON THE, IN A TENENBAUM LEADERSHIP AWARD.
SHE'S PRINCIPAL AT BATTERY CREEK.
THIS AWARD IS GIVEN TO ONE PRINCIPAL IN THIS STATE WHO HAS AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT AS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THEY ALSO DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THIS COUNCIL TO DISCUSS, UH, USCB ARENA CONVOCATION CENTER.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THEIR TREASURER OR CFO GAVE A FINANCIAL UPDATE.
I'D LIKE TO REPORT ON BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
I ATTENDED TWO OF THEIR MEETINGS.
ONE WAS, WAS REPRESENTATIVE SHANNON ERICKSON AND SHE SPOKE TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABOUT UPCOMING ISSUES, UM, IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT THE HOSPITAL MIGHT WANT TO BE AWARE OF OR WORK ON.
UH, ONE THING THAT SURPRISED ME WAS THE AMOUNT OF, UM, NURSES AND OTHER STAFF WHO PHYSICALLY ATTACKED IN A, IN A HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT AND SHANNON ERICKSON VOWED TO HELP IN HELP TO, UM, SEE IF LAWS CAN BE CHANGED, WHERE THOSE THINGS CAN BE CHANGED FROM SIMPLE ASSAULT TO HIGHER CHARGES.
THE, UH, REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE HOSPITAL WAS HELD, UM, A WEEK AGO WEDNESDAY, AND THE CONSTRUCTION AT THE BLUFFTON SITE IS GOING VERY WELL AND IS ON SCHEDULE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY? YEAH, I ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, TWO THINGS.
ONE, THIS IS JUST FOR ALL OF COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
UH, AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING, WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM THE CHILDREN'S CENTER.
UH, THE, I BELIEVE THEY SUBMITTED A PROPOSED RESOLUTION THAT'S BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW THAT'S GONNA BE COME FORWARD TO EVERYBODY.
UH, THAT RESOLUTION IS TO GO TO THE STATE HOUSE IN ORDER TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR A TRICARE PLAN.
UH, WHEN I SAY THAT A TRI SHARE, UM, BASICALLY TRYING TO MAKE CHILDCARE MORE AFFORDABLE BY HAVING THE STATE, THE EMPLOYER AND THE PARENT ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THAT CHILDCARE COST.
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA BE PASSING THAT RESOLUTION HERE HOPEFULLY SOON.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANT TO, UH, DISCUSS AND THROW OUT THERE IS I'M, UH, BEEN APPOINTED TO THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF BUFORT.
UH, WE HAD AN UPDATE FROM THE ENGINEER AND UH, WE'RE PLANNING A CHARETTE HERE SOON WITH THAT ENGINEER, MCSWEENEY ENGINEERS.
AND THEY HAVE ESSENTIALLY, I THINK WE HAVE EIGHT DIFFERENT POTENTIAL OPTIONS AND WE NEED THE PUBLIC'S INPUT ON, ON WHICH WAY WE, WE NEED TO GO WITH THIS SO WE CAN NARROW THAT DOWN AND HAVE THAT MONEY GO TO FOCUS IN ON, ON THE DESIGN STANDARDS AND MAKE IT REFLECT WHAT, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.
AND YOU KNOW, WHILE A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE THIS AS A, OH NO, THE WATERFRONT'S CLOSED AND I REALLY SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE THE NEXT 75 TO A HUNDRED YEARS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND, AND THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AS WELL.
UM, REALLY I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING EXCEPT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[ 10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE RE APPOINTMENTS TO THE AIRPORTS BOARD AND THEN OUR NEXT, UM, UH, FINANCE ADMINISTRATION, UM, COMMITTEE MEETING IS NEXT MONDAY THE 15TH.YEAH, THE LIBRARY BOARD WILL BE MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME OPENINGS ON THE LIBRARY BOARD TOO.
WE'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UM, WHO HAVE RESIGNED BECAUSE OF THEIR LIMIT ON HOW MANY, HOW LONG THEY CAN SERVE.
UM, MINE'S GONNA BE VERY BRIEF.
UH, I HAVEN'T HAD PHONES OR EMAIL, UH, AND I'LL WORK ON THAT TOMORROW TO
[01:05:01]
GET THAT RE RECOVERED, BUT, UM, TO VICE CHAIR'S POINT MITCHELLVILLE THAT HAPPENING LAST WEEK OR WHENEVER WE GOT THERE WAS JUST WONDERFUL.AND, UM, THE HISTORY FROM 1862, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST SELF-GOVERNING BODY, UM, AMAZING.
SO WE GOT A BEAUTIFUL, UH, COUNTY WE'RE LIVING IN.
UM, WHEN I STARTED ON COUNCIL, UH, I QUICKLY BECAME A LIAISON TO THE AIRPORT BOARD.
IS JOHN REBOLT HERE, BY THE WAY, HE WAS HERE EARLIER.
UM, OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, I INTERVIEWED ABOUT FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 12 THAT APPLIED.
I'VE, I ABOUT FIVE OR SIX THAT ARE, ALL OF 'EM ARE QUALIFIED.
SO, UH, WHEN I STARTED, THERE WERE OPENINGS AND THERE WAS NOBODY IN THE WINGS, IF YOU WILL, TO APPLY.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, FINALLY HAVE A GREAT GROUP THERE.
UM, I SAW SOMEBODY HERE FROM PALMETTO BREEZE.
UH, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, BY TOMORROW, I SHOULD GET BACK IN THE GAME AND GET YOU GOING WITH MR. SULLIVAN AND OUR PEOPLE ON THE FINANCE AND THE SHORTFALL.
UH, WE HAVEN'T, HEY, WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHETHER IT'S AIRPORT BOARDS OR PALMETTO BREEZE, I'M A LIAISON TO THE PEOPLE, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEARTFELT MESSAGES AND THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
AND I WANT TO CUT YOU LOOSE RIGHT NOW SO YOU CAN GET HOME SAFELY, RIGHT? IT'S LATE, IT'S DARK AND ALL, BUT I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, UH, YOU BRING THE LOVE LIKE THAT, YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN, WE HAVE A LIST OF 12 ITEM.
ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED, I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAD MADAM CHAIR.
UM, I, I'M GONNA VOTE YES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT I, I RENEW WHAT I SAID AT, UH, ONE OF THE COMMITTEES.
WE ARE AWARDING LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO THESE, TO THESE ENGINEERING FIRMS AND SOME OF THESE OTHER CONSULTANTS TO GET THESE THINGS DONE.
I KNOW RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE'RE AT THE MERCY OF THEM, BUT I THINK AT SOME POINT, IF IT BECOMES FEASIBLE, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THESE THINGS DONE IN-HOUSE TO SAVE THE TAXPAYER MONEY.
LIKE I SAID, RIGHT NOW, I AM GONNA VOTE YES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT, THAT CONCERN, OKAY? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA BY SHOW OF HANDS.
[ 11. a. 2025/37: An ordinance amending the zoning map for 11 acres located on Burnt Church Road (R600 039 000 1552 0000, R600 039 000 0056 0000, R600 039 000 0269 0000) from T3 Hamlet Neighborhood (T3HN) and T4 Hamlet Center (T4HC) to T3 Neighborhood (T3N)]
WE ARE GOING INTO ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING.I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO MS. TABER.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS 2025 SLASH 37.
IT'S AN ORDINANCE FOR SECOND READING, UM, AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR 11 ACRES LOCATED ON BURNT CHURCH ROAD MAP, R 600 0 3 9 0 0 0 15 52 0 0 0 0.
AND THERE'S TWO MORE MAPS WITH LOTS OF ZEROS, AND IT'S TO AMEND FROM T THREE HAMLET NEIGHBORHOOD TO T FOUR HAMLET NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE VOTE AT THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE ON JUNE 2ND WAS FOUR ONE AND ONE ABSTENTION.
THE VOTE AT THE FIRST READING AND PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 23RD FAILED SIX FIVE.
THE VOTE FOR MOTION TO RECONSIDER ON JULY 13TH ON, UH, AT COUNCIL MEETING PASSED EIGHT ONE AND THE VOTE AT FIRST READING ON AUGUST 11TH PASSED 10 ZERO.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS ORDINANCE AS READ AND HOPEFULLY SHOWN UP ON THE SCREEN? YES, MA'AM.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
SO HE'S MAKING THE MOTION AS I READ IT, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE UP ON THE SCREEN.
AND MR. LAWSON, YOU, UM, SECOND IT? YES, MA'AM.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, YES.
FOR CLARIFICATION, IT WAS JU JULY 14TH, NOT THE 13TH.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION? COMMENT? I THINK THIS ONE'S COME UP ENOUGH TIMES ALREADY.
YES, I, I DO HAVE TO GIVE THE REASONS FOR THE REQUEST.
SO I MOVE THAT WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR REZONING FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
ONE, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE CODE AND THE PURCHASE PURPOSES OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE.
TWO, IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OR OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE.
THREE, IT DOES ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED.
IT IS REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS.
[01:10:01]
EXISTING AND PROPOSED USE OF LAND SURROUNDING THIS LAND.UM, IT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY LAND.
NUMBER SEVEN, IT WOULD RESULT IN LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND NINE, IT WOULD NOT, IT WOULD RESULT IN DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY PUBLIC FACILITIES.
MR. LAWSON? DID I SECONDED IT? HE ALREADY SECONDED IT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS O ORDINANCE TO PASS.
LEMME JUST DISCUSSION REAL QUICK JUST TO SAY THAT WE KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, AND, AND THIS IS CONSIDERED A DOWN ZONING FOR THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT, THAT WERE AVAILABLE THERE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS MY DISTRICT.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT SO BEFORE WE VOTED.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS, RAISE YOUR HAND.
[11.b.2025/41: An ordinance to amend the FY2025-2026 budget ordinance to carry over FY2025]
WE ARE, UM, ORDINANCE 2025 SLASH 41 IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 26 BUDGET ORDINANCE TO CARRY OVER FISCAL YEAR 2025 PURCHASE ORDERS AND ORDERS AND FUNDS.THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR? SO MOVED.
PLEASE SAY IT'S A MOTION AS READ AND SHOWN ON THE SCREEN.
SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT THE MOTION IS.
CAN I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, MS. HARRIET, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ON THIS? OH, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO
I HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS.
MR. HOAGLAND, YOU PUT NUMBER ONE, YOU WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS? OH, YES, I DO.
WHAT WE NEED TO FIX IS THE FACT THAT NO ONE ON COUNCIL IS A CPA.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT Y'ALL, I'M TALKING ABOUT MYSELF.
UH, NO ONE REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE BUDGETS AND THE YEAR END AUDITS.
WE LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF AND ALL THESE NUMBERS, AND WE'RE JUST LIKE, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW, THEREFORE, WE HAVE NO OVERSIGHT.
UH, WE'RE DEPENDENT ON THE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX MONIES TO BE CONTROLLED BY OUR ACCOUNT EMPLOYEES.
AND, AND SO I, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND I HAVE A SIMPLE WAY TO FIX THIS AND I, BUT I WANNA GIVE YOU SOME HISTORY ON WHAT MOTIVATED ME TO START A LOT OF MY RESEARCH ON IT WITH AI TECHNOLOGY.
AND I STARTED WITH, UH, DOGE BY, WHICH WAS STARTED BY MUSK IN WASHINGTON, DC AND THAT MAN IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS OF HUMANITY.
AND HIS DOGE IS MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT IDEAS THAT I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
NOT TO MENTION ALL THE OTHER STUFF THE GUY DOES.
HE, HE'S AN AMAZING INDIVIDUAL.
AND I REALLY THAT BECAUSE I'M SUCH A, I'M, I'M REALLY A HUGE FINANCIAL PERSON.
I REALLY, I REALLY FOCUS ON FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY.
SO DO, SO DOGE STARTED THAT, AND IT STARTED WORKING.
THEN THE NEXT THING I SAW IS THE GOVERNOR ABBOTT IN TEXAS PASSED INTO LAW TEXAS DOGE.
AND THEN I SAID TO MYSELF, AND I STARTED GETTING ON AI.
I SAID, WELL, THE TRILLIONS AND THE BILLIONS ARE REALLY IN THE TOWNS AND, AND THE, AND THE COUNTIES.
NOT JUST IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THE UNITED STATES, BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND SO, UH, I, SO I, I BOUGHT THIS NAME, CITY DOGE FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE.
AND, UH, AND I SAID THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS SO SIMPLE THAT I WAS, IT WAS ALL COMPLICATED ON AI.
AND I SAID, IT'S REALLY SIMPLE THAT, THAT THE COUNTIES AND THE TOWNS, THEY'RE NOT LIKE A, LIKE THE WASHINGTON DC OR THE, THE, THE, THE GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY.
WE CAN START RIGHT HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I WANNA START HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AS, AS A LABORATORY TEST AND TAKE THIS WORLDWIDE.
AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS SO SIMPLE.
WE CHANGE OUR FINANCE, FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND WE MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT TO HAVE LOCAL VOLUNTEER CPAS.
50% OF OUR COMMITTEES MADE UP BY CPAS.
AND THESE CPAS IN THIS COMMITTEE WOULD OVERSEE ALL THE BUDGETS, ALL THE YEAR END AUDITS, NOT THE EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN THIS COMMITTEE WILL REPORT TO COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU ARE, AND IT GOES FROM THERE.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT STOPS, THEY REVIEW EVERYTHING, IT STOPS ALL THE POTENTIAL WASTE AND, AND POTENTIALLY ANY KIND OF CRIMES THAT ARE BEING COMMITTED.
SO I ASK YOU TO ASK FOR VOLUNTEER CPAS
[01:15:01]
FROM THIS COMMUNITY TO SERVE ON YOUR FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND I GUARANTEE YOU YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO SEE ME AGAIN.IS THAT GONNA BE A PROMISE? I, I PROB IF YOU'LL DO THAT, I WON'T COME AGAIN.
YOU WON'T COME FOR ATEX EITHER.
WELL, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE? ALL RIGHT.
ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT FOR MS. HARRIET? OKAY.
THEN WE WILL TAKE A VOTE, UH, FOR THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING MOTION.
YOU'RE FREE TONIGHT, MS. HARRIET.
WELL, I DID, UH, FORGET TO MENTION SOMETHING EARLIER TODAY, UH OH.
UM, WHEN I WAS UP HERE, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOUR 2026 DIGITAL BUDGET BOOK IS NOW LIVE AND AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND THERE'S A RELEASE GOING OUT WITH IT.
[12.a. 2025/42: An ordinance amending the zoning map for 86.16 acres located at 98 Jennings Road (R100 028 000 0264 000) from T2 Rural (T2R) to T3 Hamlet Neighborhood (T3HN) and T4 Hamlet Center (T4HC) utilizing the Hamlet Place Type Overlay (PTO) (Public Hearing)]
FOR FIRST READING 2025 SLASH 42 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR 86.16 ACRES.R 100 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 2 6 4 0 0 0 FROM T TWO RURAL TO T THREE HAMLET NEIGHBORHOOD AND T FOUR HAMLET CENTER, UTILIZING THE HAMLET PLACE TYPE OVERLAY.
I NEED A MOTION FROM THE FLOOR, PLEASE.
AND IT IS UP ON THE SCREEN FOR ALL TO READ A SECOND.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE DEVELOPER AND ANYONE HE HAS TO SPEAK AND PUBLIC SPEAK.
AND THIS IS FOR THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT ONLY.
WAIT FOR THE PRESENTATION TO COME UP.
MY NAME IS ROB MERRICK AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF PULTE HOMES.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY SINCERELY THANKING YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR RAMSEY FARMS. WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, THE VALUABLE FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL, THE COMMUNITY, AND ALL WHO HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO HELP US REACH TO THIS POINT.
THIS PROPOSAL REPRESENTS A THOUGHTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO GROWTH, ONE THAT ALIGNS WITH THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND LONG-TERM VISION.
THIS PRESENTATION PROVIDES A COMPARISON OF STAFF COMMENTS AND OUR APPLICANT NARRATIVE ORGANIZED BY NINE CRITERIA.
TO PRESENT A CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT ASSESSMENT, EACH POINT IS SUPPORTED BY REFERENCES TO THE 2040 BEAUFORT COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE ACTION PLAYBOOK, WHICH EMPHASIZES ALIGNMENT BETWEEN ZONING DECISIONS AND LONG RANGE PLANNING GOALS.
ITEM ONE, CONSISTENCY WITH THE CONS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE PROPOSED ZONING REQUEST PRESENTS NO IDENTIFIED CONFLICTS AS CONFIRMED BY THE STAFF.
THE PROPOSAL ALIGNS WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING ZONING DECISIONS AND ARE IN HARMONY WITH THE COUNTY'S LONG RANGE PLANNING GOALS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE LOCATION AND LAND USE SUPPORT THE COUNTY'S OBJECTIVES FOR AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING BY PROMOTING PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS, SERVICES AND EMPLOYMENT CENTERS.
KEY FACTORS IN CREATING INCLUSIVE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES.
TWO, CONFLICT WITH DEVELOPMENT CODE OR ORDINANCES.
NO CONFLICTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY DEVELOPMENT CODE OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE ORDINANCES AS CONFIRMED BY THE COUNTY STAFF.
THE PLAN ALSO ENCOURAGES A REEVALUATION OF THE PLACE TYPE OVERLAY TOOLS TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN ALIGNED WITH THE COMMUNITY'S DESIRED DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS AND CHARACTER.
OUR PROPOSAL EMBRACES THAT DIRECTION AND REFLECTS A THOUGHTFUL AND COORDINATED APPROACH TO GROWTH.
THREE, DEMONSTRATE A COMMUNITY NEED.
AS WE CONSIDER THE FUTURE OF RAMSEY FARMS, WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING A CLEAR AND GROWING COMMUNITY NEED, WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OUR PROPOSAL EMPHASIZES ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND HOUSING OPTIONS THAT ARE ATTAINABLE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, MILITARY FAMILIES, AND FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.
THIS ALIGNS WITH THE 2040 BEAUFORT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH SUPPORTS STRATEGIES FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY AS OUTLINED.
WE BELIEVE THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY RESPONDS TO THOSE PRIORITIES AND HELPS FILL THAT CRITICAL GAP IN THE LOCAL HOUSING MARKET.
[01:20:03]
FOUR, REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS.WHILE THE STAFF IS NOTED THAT THIS AMENDMENT IS NOT REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS, WE RESPECTFULLY OFFER A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
MARKING CONDITIONS HAVE EVOLVED SIGNIFICANTLY AND THE CURRENT USE NO LONGER REFLECTS THE REALITIES, UH, THE REALITIES OF THE POPULATION, GROWTH, HOUSING DEMAND, AND INCREASE IN HOME PRICING.
THE 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ENCOURAGES REDEVELOPMENT AND INFILL TO MEET THESE DEMANDS AS OUTLINED AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE NEED TO ADAPT ZONING TO MEET EVOLVING HOUSING NEEDS.
OUR PROPOSAL RESPONSE TO THESE SHIFTS BY ALIGNING ZONING WITH CURRENT AND FUTURE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
COMPATIBILITY WITH SURROUNDING USES.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PRESENTS A STRATEGIC INFILL OPPORTUNITY THAT ENHANCES WALK, WALKABLE ACCESS TO NEARBY SCHOOLS, SHOPPING CENTERS AND MEDICAL FACILITIES, KEY COMPONENTS OF A COMPLETE AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY.
AS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION TO AUGUST SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING, THE NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE CURRENTLY O OPERATING UNDER CAPACITY, WHICH REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GUIDE GROWTH WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE CAN SUPPORT IT IN MAKING THIS LOCATION ESPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR THOUGHTFUL RESIDENTIAL GROWTH.
THE 2040 BEAUFORT COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ENCOURAGES THE DEVELOPMENT THAT COMPLIMENTS EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE SITE SUPPORTS THAT VISION BY IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY AND REINFORCING THE CHARACTER AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SURROUNDING LAND.
USE SIX ADVERSE EFFECTS ON NEARBY LANDS.
BEAUFORT COUNTY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT ROLE IN FACILITATING THE TRAFFIC STUDY FOR THIS PROJECT AND ASSISTING IN, IN IDENTIFYING THE NINE STUDY AREAS EVALUATED BY KIMLEY HORNE.
THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WOULD GENERATE ONLY A MODEST TRAFFIC INCREASES, ALL OF WHICH FELL FALL WELL WITHIN THE CAPACITY OF EXISTING AND PLANNED INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHILE THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL TRAFFIC VOLUME, IT REPRESENTS ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT IN THE AREA AND IS NOT THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.
SEVEN, LOGICAL AND ORDER ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT REFLECTS A LOGICAL AND ORDERLY GROWTH PATTERN BY PLACING HIGHER RESIDENTIAL DENSITY NEAR SCHOOLS AND MAJOR ROADS.
OUR PLAN EMPHASIZES WALKABILITY AND CONNECTIVITY, ALIGNING WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS FOR CREATING PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS, SPECIFICALLY THE PLAN THAT PROMOTES SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS, ENCOURAGING PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS CHILDREN TO WALK, WALK SAFELY TO NEARBY SCHOOLS.
EIGHT ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN DESIGNED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY IN MIND.
AS NOTED IN THE STAFF COMMENTS, THE PROJECT MUST COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND WE HAVE PROACTIVELY EXCEEDED THE REQUIRED CIVIC SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTIONS INTO THE SITE PLAN.
ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES, ALL RELEVANT AGENCIES HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED REGARDING THE PROPOSAL AND NO CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED RELATED TO PUBLIC FACILITIES.
OUR PLAN ALIGNS WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND COORDINATION, ENSURING THAT GROWTH IS WELL SUPPORTED BY THE EXISTING PUBLIC SERVICES.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT IS SYSTEM WITH PRIORITIES OUTLINED IN THE CA UM, COUNTY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, REINFORCING OUR COMMITMENT TO RESPONSIBLE WELL COORDINATED DEVELOPMENT.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ACKNOWLEDGES THE GROWTH IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS BOTH DESIRED AND INEVITABLE.
ACHIEVING BALANCE REQUIRES GUIDING DEVELOPMENT TO THE LAND THAT IS MOST SUITABLE BASED ON THE SOUND, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES.
OUR PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT REFLECTS THIS VISION BY ALIGNING THE COUNTY'S LONG-TERM GOALS FOR RESPONSIBLE AND COORDINATED GROWTH.
WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THIS EVENING AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL FOR THE PROPOSED ZONING MAP AMENDMENT TO HELP ENSURE YOUR QUESTIONS ARE ADDRESSED THOROUGHLY.
WE'RE JOINED WITH WALTER NEST, WITH BURR AND FOREMAN JOSH TILLER WITH JK TILLER AND ASSOCIATES, JEFF ACKERMAN WITH CAROLINA ENGINEERING AND JACK CONAN WITH KIMBERLY HORNE.
EACH AVAILABLE TO SPEAK TO THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS OF EXPERTISE IN LAND PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND TRAFFIC.
WHO, ANYONE ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK? UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? WE DON'T HAVE ANY, NONE ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, BUT YOU HAVE SOMEONE ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF? NO, MA'AM.
I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR SPEAK.
UH, SPEAKING ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, NOT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
FELISE LAMARCA, YOU SIGNED UP FOR THIS
[01:25:01]
ONE.EMILY HORN DID A TRAFFIC STUDY AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THIS.
AND THEY LOOKED AT NINE ROADS AND HOW THE 488 MINIMUM OF 488 CARS ARE GONNA IMPACT THIS AREA.
THEY OMITTED THIS ROAD FROM THEIR STUDY.
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THAT ROAD IS? I'M GUESSING JENNY'S ROAD.
WHAT IS ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY ALSO KNOWN AS 1 71 70.
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST PULTE, BUT UNDERSTAND THIS, THEY HAVE DEVELOPED FROM NEW RIVER ALL THE WAY CLOSE TO OLDFIELD.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH ONE 70? HAVE THEY ATTEMPTED TO HELP US FIX ONE 70 BUT THEY'VE ADDED THOUSANDS OF CARS AND WE FACE IT EVERY DAY.
AND WE MAY NEED THIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
WHEN I'M COMING BACK FROM HILTON HEAD, I GET OFF ONE 70 AS SOON AS I CAN AND I GO DOWN BROAD RIVER BOULEVARD TO CUT OVER THE BOUNDARY.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA AND IT'S QUITE RURAL AND QUITE BEAUTIFUL AND THERE ARE LOTS OF FAMILIES LIVING THERE THAT LOOK LIKE THEY LOVE LIVING THERE.
AND I JUST WONDER IF SOME ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN DONE TO KNOW IF THIS IS REALLY NEEDED AND IF IT IS, CAN WE STAND THE CARS? 'CAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO DO TO BEAUFORT WHAT'S BEEN DONE TO OTT IN BLUFFTON.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, LIKE YOU SAID, MY NAME IS JOYCE.
I'VE HEARD ROB SPEAK TIME AND TIME ABOUT THE 2040 PLAN.
AND OF COURSE WE HAVE THAT 2040 PLAN.
YOU GUYS SHOULD KNOW IT BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE BEAUFORT COUNTY WROTE THE 2040 PLAN.
BUT WHEN WE WENT TO THE MEETING, I THINK IT WAS JUST FOR, UH, TO A PICTURE KIND OF THINGS FOR US BECAUSE NOBODY WOULD LISTEN TO WHAT WE SAID WHEN THAT 2040 PLAN WAS WRITTEN.
AND NOW YOU'RE COMING WITH ROB, UM, WITH AND ALL THESE OTHER DEVELOPERS IN THIS, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, MY GRANDFA GRANDMOTHER, GRANDFATHER HAS LIVED THERE.
I'M SAYING, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.
AND, UM, WHEN WE SPEAK OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S, TO US, IT'S LIKE NO DIFFERENT FROM THE 17 AND THE 18 HUNDREDS WHEN THOSE PROPRIETORS WERE COMING IN AND TAKING OUR LAND.
YOU SEE, WE ARE THE NATIVES HERE.
NOBODY REALLY WANTS TO HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY.
WHAT YOU, WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME IS THAT YOU'RE ONLY INTERESTED IN HOW MUCH YOU CAN GET.
BUT THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY THAT CAME UP HERE, TALKED ABOUT, UM, SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT THIS, THIS BOARD COULD REALLY BE WORKING ON AT THIS COUNTY.
UM, YOU HAVE BUILT UP THE ROADS WHEN IT COMES TO STORM WATER DRAINAGE AT BROAD RIVER ROADS.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU BUILT THAT ROAD UP SO HIGH.
ALL THE WATER RANDOLPH ON MY PROPERTY AND I HAD TO DO MY WHOLE SEPTA TANK OVER TO PREVENT THE WATER FROM TAKING OVER.
OUR CHURCH THAT WE GO TO ON THAT SAME, UM, PARIS ISLAND GATEWAY.
THE THE WATER IS RUNNING IN OUR PARKING LOTS OFF OF THE MAIN ROADS.
AND NOW THESE DEVELOPERS ARE COMING AND WHEN THEY'RE
[01:30:01]
BUILDING, THEY'RE BUILDING THE LAND UP HIGHER, COMING IN WITH ALL THAT DIRT.AND NOW ALL THE WATER IS GOING TO RUN OFF ON US.
NOBODY'S THINKING ABOUT ALL THE ANIMALS THAT, THAT ARE IN OUR BACKYARDS NOW AND IN OUR FRONT YARDS NOW.
AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO WE ARE ASKING YOU BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN PAYING TAXES AND PAYING TAXES AND PAYING TAXES AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND THIS, THIS, THIS DEVELOPER HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
AND THEY'RE KEEPING COMING BACK AND HAVING US TO COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU ALL CAN ACCEPT THEIR PROJECT WHEN THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO YOU.
SO IT COULD BE ACCEPTABLE THE FIRST TIME.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO FIND A WAY TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD HOUSES ON TOP OF HOUSES.
AND I PROMISE YOU, WE HEAR SIRENS EVERY DAY.
UH, WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE? AND BY THE WAY, I SUBMITTED TO YOU, UH, UH, A DOCUMENT, UM, THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ABOUT THE HOUSING.
UM, IN, IN IT'S HERBERT GLAZE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE HOUSING, UM, FROM UM, SHADOW MOSS WHEN HE WAS LAST HERE AND, AND TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU, ALL THE PEOPLE LOVE IT.
UH, THE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE AT SHADOW MOSS.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE AT HAHAN AND IT SURE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT ANYMORE.
SO WHO ARE YOU ALL WANTING TO COME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO OUR AREAS WHEN I HAVE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, WAGES AND SALARY REPORT.
YOU GUYS AREN'T PAYING THE PEOPLE NO MONEY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THESE HOUSES.
FIX THE ROADS, FIX THE WATER, HELP THE PEOPLE AND STOP.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD HOUSES, GIVE US A CHANCE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE IMPACT OF THE OTHER HOUSES THAT YOU'VE ALREADY BUILT.
WE'VE BEEN HERE SEVERAL TIMES, PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT EVEN SHADOW MOSS IS EXTENDING A PROJECT IN THEIR AREA RIGHT NOW.
MORE HOUSES, THEY'RE BUILDING.
I MET THEM OVER AT THE ZONING WHEN I SAW THEM AND I TALKED WITH THEM.
EVEN THEY ARE BUILDING, CONTINUING TO EXTEND SHADOW MOSS.
SO WHAT ARE YOU ALL GONNA DO TO HELP US? BECAUSE WE VOTED FOR YOU AND WE ASK YOU TO STICK WITH US.
NOT THE PROPRIETORS, NOT THESE NEW NAME CALLED DEVELOPERS.
THANK YOU MS. I HAVE BARBARA CHI.
MS. BARBARA CHILES IS NEXT ON MY LIST TO SPEAK ABOUT NUMBER TWO.
OKAY, THIS IS ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
I AM A RETIRED PLANNING STAFF DO COUNTY PLANNING STAFF PERSON.
UM, AND I AM AGAINST THIS REZONING.
THE LAST TIME I SPOKE, I MENTIONED DENSITY.
THE ALLOWED CURRENT DENSITY FOR THE 86 ACRES IS 28 DEVELOPMENT UNITS.
THEY ARE PROPOSING, THEY WENT, THEY PROPOSED ORIGINALLY 258 DWELLING UNITS AND THEY'VE CUT IT DOWN TO 244.
AND I'M NOT SURE, NO NUMBERS WERE MENTIONED THIS TIME BY BY THE DEVELOPER AS TO WHETHER THEY EVEN CUT THAT DOWN.
BUT 2 44 VERSUS 28, THAT'S A LOT OF FOLKS.
THAT'S A LOT OF HOMES, THAT'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THAT'S A LOT OF VEHICLES.
AND THE SCHOOLS, WALKABLE SCHOOLS ARE ONLY THE HIGH SCHOOL BATTERY CREEK ACROSS THE STREET ON JENNINGS.
AND JUST A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROBERT SMALLS, UM, INTERNATIONAL, IT'S A MIDDLE SCHOOL,
[01:35:02]
BUT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS WAY UP ON SHANKLIN ROAD.I WOULD NOT HAVE MY CHILD WALKING ON JOE FRAZIER ROAD.
THERE IS NO WALKABILITY FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN.
IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL, WE WALKED MILES, BUT THESE DAYS THE KIDS ARE PUT ON BUSES, ET CETERA.
IT'S THE, THE IMPACT IS FOR THAT AREA IS GOING TO BE HORRIFIC.
AND I SAY NO, DO NOT APPROVE IT.
NEXT I HAVE CAROL DOREY TO SPEAK ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
I WAS SUR I WAS KIND OF CONCERNED AT FIRST THAT WE WEREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
UH, 'CAUSE IT IS REALLY IS A CONCERN.
I JUST HOPE IT'S NOT AN EXERCISE OF FERTILITY.
'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS REALLY A CHAMELEON LIKE IT'S BEEN SPOKEN OF BEFORE.
UH, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE CHANGED THE COLOR, IT'S IT'S THE SAME PROJECT, BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT IT WAS A MUCH BETTER PROJECT THAN FIRST TIME AROUND.
UH, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY CUTTING TREES AND SURVEYING IN THERE.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING AS, UH, THEY'RE GOING FORWARD AS MUCH AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN WITHOUT THESE TWO MEETINGS.
BUT I WONDER AT TIMES IF THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE DEVELOPMENT CODES.
THIS LALC COMPANY, ACCORDING TO COUNTY'S WEBSITE, IS A MICHIGAN FIRM.
BUT ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE, THEY'RE BASED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
THEY'RE NOT HERE CONCERNED ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT.
UH, WE ARE IN A, I FEEL WE'RE A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT TO THEM AND, AND NOTHING ELSE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS SHOULD MEAN MORE TO YOU THAN, THAN THAT.
AND I KNOW THEY DO BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE.
AND IT DOES TO US BECAUSE WE'RE HERE AS WELL.
ONE OF THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES IS SO CRIME RIDDEN THAT A POLICE SUBSTATION HAD TO BE PUT THERE.
UM, ONE HAD SO MUCH FLOODING A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE PEOPLE HAD TO PARK OUT ON ONE 70 AND OTHERS HAD TO GET A TOW, TOW TRUCKS TO GET THEIR CARS OUTTA WATER.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THAT RAIN, WHEN WE HAD SO BADLY, WATER WAS ACTUALLY RUNNING ACROSS JENNINGS ROAD.
SO IF IT'S RUNNING ACROSS JENNINGS ROAD AND THERE'S VEGETATION OVER THERE, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHENEVER IT'S ALL CONCRETE AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT GROUND TO SOAK INTO.
NOW GRANTED, NOT ALL OF THESE, THESE PROJECTS HAVE PROBLEMS, BUT I FOUND JUST FROM THE NEWS THAT THEY'RE, THAT THE SOME PROBLEMS ARE ALMOST, THERE'S SOME PROBLEMS WITH SOME, WAIT, LEMME TRY THAT AGAIN.
THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH ALMOST ALL OF THEM.
AND THERE ARE RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH THE OLDER ONES.
YOU JUST CAN'T STACK PEOPLE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER WITHOUT ANYTHING TO DO, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND NOT EXPECT PROBLEMS. THE LAST TIME WE MET, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WOULD BE TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT'S BEEN ADDRESSED BY MANY BY PEOPLE THAT KNEW MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO.
THAT IF YOU GO ON CERTAIN TIMES ON THAT ROAD, IT IS BUMPER TO BUMPER.
WHEN SCHOOL'S OUT, WHEN THERE'S A GAME, WHEN THERE'S ANYTHING, THERE'S HOUSING AT ONE END.
AND IT, AND I KNOW AS FAR AS THE, I'M SURE THERE'S STATE ROADS TO GET ANYTHING DONE THERE WOULD TAKE YEARS FOR ANY IMPROVEMENT IN THAT AREA.
UM, THE GENTLEMAN PRESENTING THE PLAN THE LAST TIME SAID THAT THEY HAD TALKED TO BEAUFORT JASPER WATER, WATER AUTHORITY AND THAT THEY WERE OKAY WITH THIS PROJECT.
WELL, ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE THAT I BROUGHT IN THE POSTED COURIER IN MAY, IT SAID BEAUFORD JASPER NEEDS $600 MILLION TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH.
AND AT TIMES THEY'RE STRESSED ENOUGH THAT THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN THE COUNTY.
UH, AND OF COURSE WITH ALL THIS, THAT MEANS OF COURSE THERE'LL BE GRANTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THE INCREASE WILL BE PUT BACK ON THE, ON THE RESIDENTS.
AND AT THIS TIME THEY'RE THINKING POSSIBLY 18%.
AND THAT I'M SURE WILL VARY AS THEY GET ALONG WITH IT.
WE SHOULD STOP FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LOOK AT THE PRICE THAT WE'RE PAYING, INCLUDING THE REDUCTION OF RESILIENCY IN OUR COUNTY.
AND AS I MENTIONED IT THE FIRST TIME, CRIME IS GETTING SO BAD IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE HAVE OVER 80 UNSOLVED MURDERS AND I DIDN'T CHECK TO SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER IS NOW, BUT THAT'S VERY NEAR TO MY HEART.
'CAUSE ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE STATISTICS IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER.
UM, WE HAVE CONGESTION, WE HAVE SCARCITY OF RESOURCES, INCLUDING MEDICAL.
[01:40:01]
CAN TAKE SIX MONTHS OR LONGER.SO WE REALLY CAN'T TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE HERE.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE SHOULD BE MORE THAN QUA QUANTITY.
EVEN IF BUFORT COUNTY HAS THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS BUFORT CITY IS KEEPING 25% OF THE TREES IN GREENERY.
IT'S BETTER THAN CLEAR CUTTING THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE DONE.
BUT IT'S STILL PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG.
UH, I I MADE A FEW NOTES SINCE THE GENTLEMAN WAS TALKING AND I THOUGHT WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT WALKING TO STORES, UNLESS YOU'RE PROBABLY 18, YOU'RE NOT GONNA WALK TO A STORE.
WALMART WILL BE THE CLOSEST IF YOU CUT THROUGH THE WOODS AND GO THROUGH THE DITCH AND GET IN THEIR PARKING LOT.
THE SCHOOLS ARE BATTERY CREEK, WHICH IS DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT AS FAR AS ROBERT SMALLS AND BROAD RIVER, THOSE CHILDREN CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE WALKING THAT FAR.
AND THERE ARE NO MEDICAL FACILITIES IN THAT AREA AT ALL.
I KNOW 'CAUSE I'M AT 180 3 JENNINGS ROAD.
SO, UM, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHANGE TO THAT AREA AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED THE CHANGE TO THAT AREA.
I THINK WE NEED TO, BEFORE BEAUFORT COUNTY GOES OFF A CLIP, WE NEED TO STOP AND REALIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE BEFORE WE LOSE IT ALL.
UM, MY LAST PERSON SIGNED UP IS LOUISE BROWN.
GOOD AFTERNOON TO EACH AND EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS LOUISE BROWN AND I LIVED ON RAMSEY LOOP NUMBER ONE, BUT I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BURTON MY WHOLE LIFE.
I LIVED THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
I LEFT AFTER I GOT MARRIED, BUT I CAME BACK AND I AM NOT FOR THAT PROJECT THAT THERE PLANNING ON DOING.
I DON'T HAVE A HUSBAND IN THE HOUSE WITH ME.
I HAVE A GRANDSON THAT GOES TO WORK AT NIGHT.
BETWEEN 11 OR 12 O'CLOCK I HAVE TO LEAVE OUT OF MY HOUSE TO GO PICK HIM UP FROM WORK.
AND I'M NOT AFRAID BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY THAT LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT IF YOU BRING OTHER PEOPLE IN, WHY SHOULD I BE PAYING FOR MY HOME THAT I'M LIVING IN AND TO BE AFRAID TO GO OUT AT NIGHT TO PICK UP MY GRANDSON FROM WORK.
AND THE PROJECT IS NOT FINISHED YET, BUT AS I LOOK, 'CAUSE IT'S RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM ME.
LIKE THEY GOT THEIR APPROVAL ALREADY, BUT I'M NOT FOR, AND RIGHT IN THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE THERE'S A DRAINAGE DITCH WHERE WE HAD THAT RAIN.
MY FRONT OF MY HOUSE WAS, WAS UH, DROWNED OUT THE ROAD BECAUSE THE DRAINAGE, SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE AND I'VE BEEN THERE FOR A YEAR, I COULDN'T TELL YOU THE LAST TIME WHEN SOMEBODY CAME TO CLEAN THE DRAINAGE OUT.
SO WHAT IS IN THERE IS DIRT AND LEAF.
SO THE WATER CAN'T EVEN GO THROUGH THE DRAINAGE.
SO IT'S STAYING UP ON TOP OF THE ROAD.
AND RIGHT IN THE, ON THE LEFT SIDE, THERE'S A WATER HYDRANT.
THEY HAVE, I THINK IT'S ABOUT THREE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL THOSE DRAINAGE THAT IT'S IN THE DITCH.
I KNOW IT'S CONNECTED TO THE, UH, WATER HYDRANT.
IF I DON'T GET SOMEONE TO, WHEN THEY CUT MY YARD TO CLEAN THE DITCH OUT, IT'LL BE A TOTALLY MESS.
SO I'VE HAD TWO PEOPLE THAT CAME TO MY HOUSE.
THEY DID MY YARD BUT I WASN'T AT HOME.
AND THE DRAINAGE IS WHATEVER, WHATEVER I CALL IT THE DRAINAGE, IT'S OFF FROM UNDERNEATH THE GROUND.
SO WHEN THEIR LAWNMOWER WENT ON TOP OF IT, IT TORE THEIR RIDING LAWNMOWER UP.
SO I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BECAUSE I CALLED THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
THEY SAID, UM, AIN'T NOTHING THEY COULD DO.
I MEAN I CALLED THE UH, COUNTY.
HE SAID NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT.
HE SAID CALL THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
I CALLED THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
LEMME TELL Y'ALL WHAT THEY DID.
THEY DIDN'T TRY TO COME BACK TO DIG IT BACK UNDER THE GROUND.
THEY LEFT IT ON TOP OF THE GROUND AND PUT BLUE PAN AROUND IT.
NOW THE, WHERE THEY PUT THE BLUE PAN AROUND IT, NOBODY CAN CUT THE GRASS THERE UNLESS THEY DO A WEED EATER.
I'M PAYING FOR ALL THESE STUFF TO BE DONE IN TO A DITCH THAT IS IN THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
BUT THEN WHEN I TRIED TO CLEAN IT OUT, A POLICE OFFICER CAME BY.
HE TOLD ME TO OUT THE FIRE BECAUSE IT'S WHATEVER YOU THE THE COUNTY PROPERTY.
THEY SAID IT'S COUNTY PROPERTY.
SO AIN'T BUT SO MUCH I CAN DO WITH IT.
BUT I AM AGAINST THAT BUILDING PROJECT THAT IS ABOUT TO COME UP.
I MIGHT NOT LOOK LIKE IT, BUT I WAS LIVING IN THAT AREA ALL MY LIFE AND FOR ME TO COME AND GO AND BE AFRAID I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THAT.
[01:45:04]
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT? COME ON THE COURT AND GIVE US YOUR NAME WHEN YOU'RE UP HERE.I'M APPALLED OF THE DEVELOPMENT NAME YOUR NAME.
I DON'T LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY BUT IT'S RIGHT DOWN FROM MY PARENTS' HOME AND SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS.
AND I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF THE MEETINGS AND I THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING IN HERE.
AND AGAIN, I DO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WE ARE PUTTING SO MANY HOUSES I SEE EVERYWHERE.
I LIVE IN BATTERY POINT AND THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS COMING RIGHT AROUND ME.
AND I SEE THE IMPACT AND WE SAYING WE WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THIS PROJECT IS NOT AFFORDABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE HERE.
AND THEN WE SAID THE SCHOOLS BATTERY CREEK HAS 700 AND I THINK 91 SLOTS THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE.
'CAUSE I WAS AT A MEETING WHEN THAT WAS ADDRESSED.
AND IF WE, IF THIS PROJECT GOES THROUGH BASED ON THE PRICING FOR THE HOUSING, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE AFFORDABLE, PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO MOVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S GONNA BE PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRED THAT ARE COMING FROM THE NORTH WHO HAS THE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO SECURE BUYING THAT HOME.
SO THEN WE LOCK OUT THE SAME PEOPLE WE SAID WE ARE HERE TO SERVE AND TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR THEM TO HAVE PUBLIC HOUSING OR RESIDENCE.
THE CONGESTION IN BUFORT, WHEN I CAME BACK FROM NEW YORK AND I'VE LOOKED AT BOUNDARY STREET ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY AND I SEE THE IMPACT JENNINGS ROAD AND THE OTHER ROAD IS A TWO LANE, ONE GOING IN, ONE COMING OUT WITH THE INFLUX OF NEW HOME OWNERSHIP IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THEN ACROSS FROM WALMART, WE HAVE THE NEW, UM, SHOPPING CENTER THERE.
WE HAVE ALL THE NEW HOMES THAT HAVE COME UP RIGHT ON ONE 70.
WHEN YOU COMPILE ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, THAT'S GONNA MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SECONDLY, WE SAW THE IMPACT OF THE FLOODING WITHIN THE BROAD RIVER ROAD, THE CASTLE ROCK ROAD AND SEVERAL OTHER ROADS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE, AS THEY SAID, TAKE OUT THOSE VEGETATION AND THOSE TREES, WHERE IS THE WATER GOING? AND WHEN THIS WONDERFUL DEVELOPER HAS LEFT OUR COMMUNITY AND WE START HAVING THE ISSUES WITH SEPTIC TANKS, WE START HAVING THE ISSUES WITH CONTINUAL FLOODING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
GARDEN OAKS IS A VERY EXAMPLE UP.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY OVER 300 APARTMENTS.
THE NEXT THING WE KNOW, WE SAW THE CRIME STARTED HAPPENING.
I WAS THE ONE, ONE OF THOSE PERSON THAT WENT DOWN THE CITY HALL AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THEM BECAUSE I SAID, UNLESS THE DEVELOPERS PUT UP CAMERAS TO MONITOR SITUATIONS, UNLESS THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE PUT UP SOME TYPE OF THE PROGRAMS TO HELP THE CHILDREN WITH THAT LIVE AND RESIDE THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM.
AND THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM, A REPEATED PROBLEM.
WE, YOU, THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING YOU TO STEP UP.
DON'T LET THE DEVELOPERS COME IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND KEEP DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE DON'T WANT MORE DEVELOPMENT THAT WHEN THEY FINISH AND THEY'RE GONE, WE HAVE MORE
[01:50:01]
PROBLEMS, INFRASTRUCTURES PROBLEMS. WE HAVE MORE TAX PAYING PROBLEMS, LET US FACE REALITYAND SOMETIMES WHEN WE FACE REALITY, WE DON'T LIKE WHAT WE SEE, BUT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT? YEAH.
I MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND PASS EIGHT.
THE REASON WE HAVE TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO END TODAY, BUT WE'RE GONNA EXTEND.
IF Y'ALL COME TO HILTON HEAD, YOU'D SEE WHAT ALL THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
MY COUNCIL MEMBER WON'T COME EVEN DOWN OR GIMME A CALL BACK OR ANSWER AN EMAIL TO COME TO SEE WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED IN THE SPANISH WELLS AREA.
EVERYTHING THEY'RE SAYING IS TRUE.
YOU CONTINUE TO BUILD UP, THERE'S A COUNTY DRAINAGE DITCH BETWEEN OAK MARSH AND THE ATROCITY THEY PUT NEXT TO US, WHICH WAS THE TOWN'S FAULT.
BUT THE COUNTY LET 'EM HAVE A CLOSER RUN WITH THE PROPERTY TO THE DRAINAGE DITCH.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME SETBACK.
THE TOWN ALLOWED IT, THE COUNTY ALLOWED IT.
INSTEAD OF CLEARING OUT THAT DRAINER, PUTTING THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE.
EVERYTHING THEY'RE SAYING IS TRUE.
I'M SORRY TO UH, BUT THIS IS ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
I KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING TO.
THAT THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GETTING TO.
I'M SAYING WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS TRUE WITH THE ZONING, UH, MS. TABER.
EVERYTHING THEY ARE SAYING IS TRUE WITH THE FLOODING.
WE JUST HAD THAT RECENT RAINSTORM BEFORE THE ABSORPTION WOULD HAPPEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT TO US.
MY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD NOT COME OUT THERE AND LOOK AT IT.
YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND IT MORE IF YOU WOULD COME AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON HILTON HEAD.
IT IS TAKING AWAY ALL THE AREA FOR THE WATER TO RUN OFF INTO THE MARSH.
AND YOU ARE HAVING A CEMENT WORLD.
YOU GUYS ARE GONNA RUIN BUFORT JUST LIKE THEY'VE RUINED HILTON HEAD.
COULD I JUST HAVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? BILL SMITH.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? SO HEARING NONE I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
ALRIGHT, ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE POINTS OF DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? UH, MADAM CHAIR? YES.
UM, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, I MOVE THAT WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR REZONING FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
ONE, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE CODE AND THE PUR PURPOSES OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE.
TWO, IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE OR OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE.
IT DOES ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED.
IT IS REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS.
IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING AND PROPOSED USE OF LAND SURROUNDING THIS LAND.
IT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY LAND SEVEN.
IT WOULD RESULT IN LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND NINE, IT WOULD RESULT IN DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED, UM, BY PUBLIC FACILITIES.
FURTHER, THERE WILL BE CONDITIONS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REZONING WILL NOT ALTER ANY DISTRICT STANDARDS AND THAT THE ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, UH, BE INCLUDED ALONG WITH OTHER INCENTIVES TO ASSIST MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO AFFORD TO PURCHASE HOUSES IN THIS DEVELOPMENT AREA.
MADAM CHAIR? YES, I MOVE TO AMEND A MOTION.
ALRIGHT, MR. JOHNSON, YOU NEED A SECOND? FIRST? I'LL SECOND IT.
OH, WE ALREADY, WE ALREADY SECOND THE MOTION IN THE BEGINNING FOR DISCUSSION, BUT NOW HE'S GOT THE MOTION TO MOVE IT FORWARD AND THAT NEEDS A SECOND.
SOMEBODY WANNA SECOND HIS MR. PRESIDENT LARRY.
NOW MR. DAWSON WANTS TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
I, I MOVE THAT WE DENY THE REQUEST FOR THE, UH, ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
IT IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISION OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE.
IT DOES NOT ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHICH THEY HAVE SPOKEN ELOQUENTLY TO THAT FACT.
IT IS NOT REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS
[01:55:03]
AND IT WOULD NOT, I'M, I'M SORRY.IT WOULD RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, WATER, AIR, UH, NOISE, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATIONS, WETLANDS, AND THE NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND LASTLY, IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN, IN A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY PUBLIC, UH, FACILITIES SUCH AS THE STREETS AS FAR AS THE TRAFFIC ISSUE THAT, UH, THE PEOPLE FROM THE RESIDENT JUST SPOKE ABOUT.
PORTABLE WATER, SEWER, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, AND DISPOSABLE DISPOSAL SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE, FIRE, AND EMERGENCY FACILITIES FOR THOSE REASONS, I'LL SECOND THAT.
OH, MADAME CHAIR, JUST A MINUTE.
YES, MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, UM, REMEMBER HE'S OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN AND I, I JUST WANNA SAY IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S NOT SO MUCH AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.
IT SEEMS LIKE A SECONDARY MOTION TO THAT.
SO IF WE WANT TO TAKE IN AN ORDER SINCE JOE MADE HIS FIRST, WE CAN TAKE THAT, WHICH WOULD ALLOW, UM, MR. DAWSON TO VOTE NO ON THAT.
AND THEN IF, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE SECONDARY MOTION.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL WANT TO HANDLE THAT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S TWO.
WELL, IF MR. DAWSON WANTS TO VOTE NO ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION, THAT'S LITERALLY THE SAME THING HE JUST SAID, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS PHRASED AS AN AMENDMENT TO IT.
AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S NOT AN AMENDMENT, MR. DAWSON.
SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT? WE NEED TO REQUEST THAT THEY WITHDRAW THE MOTION.
WOULD YOU REQUEST PLEASE WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION, YOUR AMENDMENT SO THAT WE CAN VOTE ON THE FIRST? YEAH.
ALRIGHT, I'LL, I'LL REMOVE THE, THE AMENDMENT MOTION.
I'LL TAKE BACK THE SECOND THEN.
SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL ON THIS MOTION THAT MR. PASSMAN MADE AND READ? CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? HE SECOND.
I, I BELIEVE THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND, AND MR. SMITH'S, JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ON THE RADAR.
OAK MARSH IS ON THE RADAR WITH MR. MOORE TO BE LOOKED AT FOR THOSE ISSUES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO FEEL COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT.
SECONDLY, AS LONG AS I'M ON THIS COUNCIL, I'LL LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND I THINK PE THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN LOUDLY, WE GOTTA STOP THIS STUFF.
ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? MS. HOWARD? I'M GOING TO VOTE NO TO THE ZONING AMENDMENT.
I THINK THERE ARE MANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED ADEQUATELY.
I READ THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, UH, SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, I, I KNOW OF THE TRAFFIC FIRSTHAND OVER IN THAT AREA AND WITH ALL THE OTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS ALREADY COME FORWARD.
UH, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A REAL ISSUE.
SO I'M GOING TO VOTE NO, UM, FOR THE ZONING CHANGE.
ANYONE ELSE HERE TO MAKE A CO? YES, MR. CUNNINGHAM.
UM, SOMEONE THAT HAS GROWN UP HERE FOR 30 SOME YEARS.
UM, I JUST, THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST ABOUT HOUR AND A HALF PEOPLE JUST RIPPING COUNTY COUNCIL APART AND EVERYBODY SAT HERE QUIETLY THIS ENTIRE TIME.
I COULD DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO 99% OF THE TIME AND THEN ONE TIME I DON'T, YOU'LL HATE ME.
I'VE COME TO LEARN THAT I'M USED TO IT.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T WANT, I WANNA ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SAID THAT PER OR GO THIS PROPERTY IN HAND.
WE HAD PEOPLE SIT HERE TIME AND TIME AGAIN, TALK ABOUT, I'M GONNA USE WORDS NO BOWLING ALLEY.
I'LL USE THAT 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY RUN A BOWLING ALLEY.
NO MOVIE THEATER, NO THINGS TO DO.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU ALSO DON'T WANT THE GROWTH.
NO GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL'S GONNA GO IN AND PUT IN A MOVIE THEATER, A BOWLING ALLEY.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T RUN BUSINESSES IN THE GOVERNMENT.
THE CITIZENS ARE GONNA GO BUILD THAT TYPE OF INDUSTRY.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT'S GONNA GO BUILD THE STORE, THE RESTAURANT, THE GROCERY STORE, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE WITH THAT TAKES PEOPLE.
IF THAT BUSINESS IS NOT GONNA MAKE MONEY, THE BUSINESS IS NOT GONNA COME.
NOW, I'M NOT SAYING I SUPPORT THE GROWTH.
I'M NOT SAYING I SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU GUYS YELL AT US TIME AND TIME AGAIN ABOUT WE WANT THIS HERE, WE WANT THIS HERE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, BUT WE DON'T WANT THE HOUSES THAT COME ALONG WITH IT.
THAT'S VERY, IT'S VERY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
UM, I I DEFINITELY WAITED AN HOUR AND A HALF, UM,
[02:00:01]
TO SPEAK.NOR WOULD I, I WOULD ASK FOR THAT SAME RESPECT, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M SUPPORTING YOU RIGHT NOW.
UM, JUST WANNA TAKE THAT AS A WHOLE.
SOMETIMES I, I WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S OVER IN HILTON HEAD OR BLUFFED IN IN BUFORT AND THEN BE IN ST.
HELENA AND SO ON AND SO ON AND SO ON.
BUT WE CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
WE CAN'T FORCE BUSINESSES TO COME HERE.
WE CAN'T FORCE THIS CERTAIN BUSINESS TO COME HERE.
IT'S, THAT'S A GOVERNMENT OVERREACH, WHICH WE GOT RIDICULED EARLIER SAYING THAT WE WERE DOING A GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.
BUT I GUARANTEE YOU, IF I WOULD'VE DONE SOMETHING AND I WAS NOT A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, OR IF WE HAD SOMEBODY'S BACK WHEN YOU THOUGHT WE DID SOMETHING WRONG, THEN YOU WOULD SAY THAT'S A GOVERNMENT OVERREACH TOO.
SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'VE BEEN YELLED AT ALL DAY ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
I'LL JUST SAY, JUST REMEMBER BOTH SIDES OF THAT AISLE.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO IF YOU DON'T WANT THE HOUSES.
I HAVE NOT VOTED YES ON ANY UPZONING EXCEPT ONCE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN COUNTY COUNCIL IN FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT WAS TO GO FROM ONE HOUSE TO SWITCH IT TO COMMERCIALS.
THEY COULD DO OFFICES ON THE SPACE INSTEAD OF A HOUSE.
SO I'M WITH YOU, BUT JUST REALIZE WHAT COMES WITH THAT.
THE BUSINESSES AREN'T GONNA COME, THE JOB CREATION IS NOT GONNA COME.
UM, JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNSEL CALL THE QUESTION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE MR. PASSID TO REITERATE THE FINAL PART OF THAT MOTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE DOCUMENT.
THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REZONING WILL NOT ALTER ANY DISTRICT STANDARDS AND THAT THE ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS BE INCLUDED ALONG WITH OTHER INCENTIVES TO ASSIST MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO AFFORD TO PURCHASE HOUSES IN THE DEVELOPMENT AREA.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, WE CALL THE QUESTION IF YOU WOULD DO A ROLL CALL.
THIS IS ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? NO.
NOW YOU SHOULD OPEN THE FLOOR FOR A NEW MOTION.
OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DAWSON CAN RENEW HIS MOTION.
MR. DAWSON, DO YOU WANNA REFRAME YOUR MOTION? MAKE A MOTION.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE DENY THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT REQUEST FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
IT IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CODE AND OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
IT DOES NOT ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS.
IT WOULD RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, WATER, AIR, NOISE, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATIONS, WETLANDS, AND THE NATURAL, NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS STREETS, PORTABLE WATER, SEWER, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY, ME, UH, MEDICAL FACILITIES.
UM, MOTION MADE BY MR. DAWSON, SECONDED BY MR. CUNNINGHAM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.
IS THIS DEALING WITH A MATTER WE'VE JUST SETTLED? YES.
I THOUGHT IT WAS, BUT HE SAID HE COULD MAKE THE MOTION.
THIS MAKES VERY CLEAR THE ACTION OF COUNSEL RATHER THAN JUST HAVING A FAILED MOTION TO APPROVE SOMETHING.
UH, THIS MAY PRECLUDE HAVING AN APPEAL ON THIS ISSUE.
THAT'S OUR PREFERRED COURSE OF ACTION ON MOTIONS THAT FAIL GOING FORWARD WHEN IT DEALS WITH PLANNING, UH, AND ZONING.
I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE WE WERE, WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE VOTING ON.
ANY FURTHER COMMENT ON COUNCIL? AND WHAT'S THE VOTE THAT WE'RE SEEKING? YES.
OR A NO? DISAPPROVED ZONING MAP AMENDMENT DISAPPROVE TO DISAPPROVE.
I'M SORRY TO DENY MY QUESTION WHAT
[02:05:01]
A YES IS.AS A DISAPPROVE A NO WOULD MEAN YOU WOULD WANT IT TO MOVE FORWARD.
DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND A YES MEANS YOU ARE DENYING THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT A NO MEANS YOU'RE GONNA LET IT GO FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL AGAIN PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
SO MR. HALBERT, THE NEXT ORDINANCE BECOMES A MOOT POINT.
NO, WE HAVE, WE STILL TO VOTE.
[12.b. 2025/43: An ordinance to approve a Development Agreement for Ramsey Farms located at 98 Jennings Road (R100 028 000 0264 0000) between Pulte Home Company, LLC., a Michigan Limited Liability Company, authorized to conduct business in South Carolina, and the County of Beaufort, South Carolina pursuant to section 6-31-30 of the code of laws of South Carolina, 1976 as amended (Public Hearing)]
SLASH 43 NEW ONE ORDINANCE TO APPROVE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR RAMSEY FARMS, LOCATED AT 98 JENNINGS ROAD.R 100 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 2 6 4 AND FOUR ZEROS BETWEEN PULTE HOME COMPANY LLCA MICHIGAN LIMITED, UH, LIABILITY COMPANY AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA PURSUANT TO SECTION SIX DASH 31 DASH 30 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA 1976 AS AMENDED.
I MOVE, I MOVED THAT WE DENY THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE RAMSEY ROAD, UH, FARMS PROJECT LOCATED AT 98 JENNINGS ROAD.
I IF I MAY INTERJECT FOR A MOMENT.
THIS IS STILL MARKED AS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE STILL HAVE IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE YEP.
SO MR. DAWSON MADE THE MOTION.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO I'M GOING TO THE DEVELOPER FIRST AGAIN.
YOU GOT THE SARAH DO YOU GOT THE PRESENT? I'M ROB MERRI WITH PULTE HOMES.
UH, WANNA START BY SAYING, UH, THANK YOU.
WE, WE'VE HEARD YOU LOUD IT AND CLEAR.
UH, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I WANNA ADDRESS AS WE MOVE, UH, MOVE THROUGH THIS.
UM, PULTE HOMES HAS BEEN A BUILDER IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.
WE'VE PUT THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES IN HOMES THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY, WHETHER YOU'RE THEIR ENTRY LEVEL TO RETIREES, WE TALK ABOUT BEING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I LIVE RIGHT UP THE ROAD AND, AND AND CHAIR HOWARD'S DISTRICT.
I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR 23 YEARS.
WE OFF ALSO REPRESENT 75 PLUS EMPLOYEES IN THIS AREA THAT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, TALK THROUGH THE MANY COMPANIES THAT SUPPORT THE HOUSING INDUSTRY IN THIS AREA.
SO TO SAY THAT WE DO NOT CARE IS AN ABSOLUTE FALSE STATEMENT AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THROUGH THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
LET'S ALSO TALK TO THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
WE KEEP HAVING QUESTIONS REGARDING THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
THE TRAFFIC STUDY WAS PROVIDED BY THE BUFORT COUNTY.
Y'ALL PROVIDED THE NINE CRITERIA, THE NINE INTERSECTIONS THAT WERE STUDIED THROUGH THIS, THOSE NINE INTERSECTIONS IS, WAS ALSO STUDIED THROUGH KIMBERLY HORN AND WAS ACCEPTED.
THE REVIEW AND STUDY WAS ACCEPTED BY SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE HAVE KIMBERLY HORN HERE THAT CAN ALSO SPEAK TO THIS STUDY.
AGAIN THAT WAS PRESENTED BY BUFORT COUNTY THAT WE COMPLETED WITH MINIMAL, MINIMAL IMPACTS.
SO TO SAY THAT WE WE'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE STUDY, YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING YOUR OWN STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED.
STORM WATER, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ENGINEERS HERE, STORM WATER HAS TO REMAIN ON SITE.
BEST PRACTICES FOR STORM STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.
SO EVERY SITE IS DESIGNED TO BE ABLE TO HOLD STORMWATER ON THAT SITE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
INFILL, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE PROJECT THAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD UP HERE, LET ME JUST GO THROUGH A COUPLE QUICK THINGS HERE SO YOU COULD SEE IT.
UH, LEMME GO BACK ONE RIGHT HERE.
SEE THAT STAR? WE'RE DEAD CENTER INFILL.
YOU TALK ABOUT HAVING INFILL PROJECTS THAT WORK WITHIN THE WALKABILITY, WITHIN THE, THE SUPPORT THAT COMMUNITY
[02:10:02]
THAT KEEP THE ROADS, KEEP ALL THE, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, WITHIN 10 MINUTES, YOU'RE AT THE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, 15 MINUTES, YOU'RE OUTSIDE ALL THE WAY TO WELL BRANCH AND PAST IT.SO TO SAY YOU WANT, YOU WANT GROWTH, WE'RE BRINGING YOU THAT GROWTH.
NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS THE BRO, IS THE, IS THE CORRIDOR FOR THE GROWTH AND WE'RE PROVIDING THAT FOR YOU.
WE HEARD STORIES, UH, TALKING ABOUT WALKABILITY TO THE SCHOOLS.
NEXT ONE RIGHT HERE, YOU SEE THAT BLUE DOT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
THAT'S THE FIVE MINUTE AND 10 MINUTE WALKABILITY TO SCHOOLS.
DEAD CENTER RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING YOU ARE FACTS OF THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
SO LET'S GET INTO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AS WE'VE WORKED HARD AND WE'VE LISTENED AND PULTE HAS DONE EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY US, BY THE, THE MULTIPLE HEARINGS THAT WE'VE HAD.
WE'VE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
LET ME GET TO THE SCREEN REAL QUICK HERE.
OH, BY THE WAY, UH, LET ME GO BACK TO THAT ONE.
THE BEAUFORT JASPER WATER AND SEWER.
WE HAVE A LETTER THAT WE COULD PROVIDE YOU THAT WAS PROVIDED TODAY TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY 244 UNITS.
THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY'S.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
AND WE RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL ROLE WORKFORCE HOUSING PLAYS IN SUSTAINING BEAUFORT COUNTY'S ECONOMIC VITALITY, PARTICULARLY TOURISM, MILITARY HEALTHCARE AND SERVICE SECTORS.
THE 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CLEARLY IDENTIFIES LIKE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE NOTED TONIGHT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROJECT.
CLEARLY IDENTIFIES THE NEED TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT HOUSING FOR ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL SUCH AS TEACHERS, NURSES, AND PUBLIC SAFETY WORKERS.
HOWEVER, THE ABILITY TO MEET THE NEED IS CURRENTLY HINDERED BY REGULATORY BARRIERS, INCLUDING RESTRICTIVE ZONING, INSUFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, AND PERSISTENT ANTI-GROWTH SENTIMENT.
THIS AGREEMENT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALIGN WITH THE COUNTY STRATEGIC GOALS BY PROMOTING MIXED USE TRANSIT ACCESSIBLE AND A HUNDRED PERCENT WORKFORCE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT ADDRESSES THESE CHALLENGES.
YOU'VE ASKED FOR IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND WE'RE PROVIDING A HUNDRED PERCENT WORKFORCE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THESE CHALLENGES.
I URGE COUNSEL TO CONSIDER THIS JUST NOT AS A LAND USE DECISION, BUT AS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY'S LONG-TERM RESILIENCE AND EQUITY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE INTENT OF PLACE TYPE OVERLAY.
WE HAVE THOROUGHLY DESIGNED OUR LAND USE PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE 244 SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED UNITS THAT PROMOTE AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING.
WHILE WE DID NOT REQUEST ADDITIONAL DENSITY BONUSES AS OUTLINED IN THE 24 ACTION PLAN, WE INSTEAD REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE PTO FRAMEWORK BY WORKING WITH THE PRESCRIBED THREE UNITS PER ACRE, ENSURING COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT AND THE COMMUNITY VISION.
THE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS THE PLAN STRATEGIC GOALS BY LOCATING HOUSING, NEAR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, SCHOOLS, TRANSIT ROUTES, AND BY FOSTERING WALKABLE MIXED INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE EAGER TO COLLABORATE WITH THE BUFORD JASPER HOUSING TRUST TO ENSURE LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY AND REGIONAL COORDINATION FULFILLING THE COUNTY'S OBJECTIVE.
OUTLINED IN THE STRATEGY EIGHT THREE AND YOUR ACTION PLAN.
THIS PARTNERSHIP AND PLANNING APPROACH DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITABLE RESILIENT GROWTH AND REFLECTS THE COUNTY'S PRIORITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
AGAIN, YOU ASKED FOR IT OVER AND OVER AND YOU'VE PROVIDED ACTION PLANS, AND WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THOSE ACTION PLANS FOR YOU.
WE JUST NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO FOLLOW THROUGH.
I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTS A FULL COMMITMENT TO BEAUFORT COUNTY'S HOUSING GOALS, PROVIDING A HUNDRED PERCENT WORKFORCE HOUSING ACROSS ALL 244 SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED UNITS.
THIS IS NOT A PARTIAL EFFORT OR A TOKEN INCLUSION.
IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLACE-BASED SOLUTION THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS OUR TEACHERS, NURSES, PUBLIC SAFETY WORKERS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL.
[02:15:01]
PROJECT DELIVERS A TANGIBLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $2.5 MILLION BACK TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE ASPECT.THIS IS REINFORCING OUR DEDICATION TO EQUITY, RESILIENCE, AND RESPONSIBLE GROWTH THROUGH THOUGHTFUL LAND AND PLANNING COLLABORATION WITH BE FOR JASPER, ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRATEGIC ACTIONS OUTLINED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE ARE NOT ONLY MEETING A CRITICAL NEED, WE ARE SETTING A PRECEDENCE FOR HOW BEAUFORT COUNTY CAN GROW INCLUSIVELY AND SUSTAINABLY.
SO IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE GOALS OUTLINED IN THE 2040 ACTION PLAN AND A RECOGNITIONS OF PULTE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY WORKFORCE HOUSING, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL TO PROCEED WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THIS INITIATIVE DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATING DEVELOPMENT BARRIERS, EXPANDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH.
OUR PARTNERSHIP IS SHARED A VISION FOR RESILIENT, EQUITABLE, AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE COLLABORATION AND DELIVERING A LONG VESTING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS.
EVERY TIME I SEE MR. HALBERT POP UP, I HAVE TO STOP.
DO YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, MR. MERRICK? YEAH.
UM, I'M JEFF ACKERMAN WITH CAROLINA ENGINEERING.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN BEAUFORT AND I'VE BEEN AN ENGINEER HERE FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS.
TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN.
UM, IN REGARDS TO STORMWATER, UM, WHAT, WHAT ROB OR MR. MERRICK WAS, WAS TALKING ABOUT, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS A SOLO COAST STORMWATER MANUAL.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST STRINGENT STORMWATER MANUAL OF ANY DISTRICT OR STATE I'VE EVER WORKED IN.
UM, ALL OF THE DRAINAGE FROM FROM THIS PROJECT WOULD BE CAPTURED AND STORED OR INFILTRATED INTO THE GROUND.
WE WOULD ALSO BE DESIGNING IT TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT THAT MEANS STORMWATER ATTENUATION UP TO THE A HUNDRED YEAR DESIGN STORM.
THAT'S, I THINK IT'S 14 INCHES OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS.
SO ARE STORMWATER IMPACTING ANYTHING DOWNSTREAM THAT'S NOT GONNA OCCUR WITH THIS DESIGN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT, THAT, UH, JOSH TILLER HAS CREATED FOR THE PROJECT, YOU'LL SEE NATURAL RESOURCE, OPEN SPACE AREAS.
YOU'LL SEE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AREAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON STORMWATER, I'LL BE GLAD TO ADDRESS 'EM.
AND WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'VE CLEARLY SPOKEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE GROWTH.
THEY DON'T, BUT IT IS INEVITABLE.
IT IS INEVITABLE, AND IT IS RESPONSIBLE BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN THAT Y'ALL HAVE ASKED FOR AND THAT YOU CREATED AND THAT YOU APPROVED.
SO AGAIN, WE REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, SO ANYMORE FOR PUBLIC HEARING FOR YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS, MR. MERRICK? OKAY.
ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE? I DO HAVE THE SAME PE WELL, I HAD JOYCE GIBBS, BARBARA CHILES, CAROL DORE, LOUISE BROWN.
THEY ASKED TO SPEAK ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TOO.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO SAY.
WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ON THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
SO, UM, MS. GIBBS, YOU SIGNED UP TO, TO SPEAK ABOUT NUMBER THREE AS WELL? YES.
THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, NOT ZONING MAP.
WE DO NOT JUST NEED, UM, OF SCHOOLS, I MEAN, UH, TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, NURSES, WE ARE HERE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE CAN'T CHERRY PICK, WE ALL LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT HE IS REFERRING TO, THAT THE 2040 PLAN,
[02:20:01]
THE REQUEST THAT YOU MADE, YOU, YOU PUT OUT THERE THAT HE IS MEETING AND MAYBE HE DOES MEET IT.WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT HE DOESN'T MEET IT.
WE ARE SAYING THAT THERE ARE 20 OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAS ALREADY MET IT.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? THERE'S SO MANY HOUSES COMING UP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY.
WE ARE NOT GONNA MISS OUT ON 244 MORE HOUSES.
SO WE SHOULDN'T BE DENIED ANYTHING BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ADDITIONAL HOUSES IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
WE HAVE, AND I'VE GIVEN YOU PICTURES PREVIOUSLY WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS COMING IN OUR AREA.
WE, WE, WE ARE GONNA BE JUST FINE WITHOUT THAT PARTICULAR ONE.
BARBARA CHILES, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? YES.
UM, CAROL DORE, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? I REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD EXCEPT I DO KNOW THIS COMPANY IS THIRD LARGEST BUILDING COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THEY MIGHT BE IN THIS AREA, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING TO GO ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND IF YOU LOOK 95, IT'S COME RIGHT UP.
AND I'M SORRY, THAT'S MORE THE ZONING, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS ABOUT, WE TALKED AGAIN ABOUT THE WATER.
THESE PEOPLE DON'T LIVE THERE.
THE ONES THAT HAVE TALKED LIVE THERE WHEN IT RAINS, WE CAN'T CUT OUR GRASS FOR ABOUT A WEEK BECAUSE THE GROUND IS ALREADY MUSHY.
SO WHEN I SAY THAT WATER WAS RUNNING ACROSS JENNINGS ROAD, WHEN THEY PUT THAT CONCRETE DOWN, THERE WON'T BE ANY PLACE FOR THAT TO GO.
AND IT WILL JUST CREATE ANOTHER PROBLEM AND ANOTHER SITUATION, IT'LL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY BY ITSELF.
SO JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WE'RE GIVING UP FOR THE LITTLE THAT WE'RE GETTING.
DID YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? HUN? COME ON UP.
ONLY THING I HAVE TO ADD WITH THAT IS THAT THEY'RE SAYING THAT IT'S LOW INCOME APARTMENT.
THESE APARTMENTS THAT ARE COMING HERE, THAT ARE ALREADY HERE, I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER.
SHE HAS APPLIED FOR APARTMENT.
EVERY PLACE THAT SHE WENT, SHE GOT TURNED DOWN.
YOU KNOW WHY THEY SAID THAT? SHE'S SINGLE.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME HAVING ONE CHILD AND SHE NOT HAVING ANY? SHE STILL NEED A PLACE TO STAY.
SHE HAS BEEN TURNED DOWN FOR MUCH FOUR APARTMENTS BECAUSE SHE DON'T HAVE A CHILD.
SO I, I DON'T, STILL DON'T AGREE WITH ANOTHER APARTMENT COMING.
THESE ARE HOMES, NOT APARTMENTS.
MR. MECK, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SAY? YOU WERE POPPING UP.
OH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC FIRST? OH, I'M SORRY.
MR. SMITH, YOU RAISED YOUR HAND FIRST.
ANY OTHER MR. SMITH? GO AHEAD.
WELL, FIRST OFF, LEMME STOP BY SAYING THIS.
I WASN'T GOING TO REALLY SAY MUCH, UH, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY SPOKE VERY WELL.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS DEVELOPER GETS UP HERE AND KEEPS SAYING, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL, AND WE, AND YOU KNOW, THE MENTALITY OF IT IS THAT COUNTY COUNCIL OWES THEM SOMETHING BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONVERSATION, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS A BACK ROOM CONVERSATION OR THE CONVERSATION, BUT THE CONVERSATION UP HERE AT HAND IS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SPEAKING AND THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN LOUD AND CLEARLY SAID THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT.
AND IF CONNIE COUNCIL HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT SAYING THAT THEY, THEY'VE WANTED, HE KEEPS SAYING, YOU AND WE AND Y'ALL, WHO, WHO IS WE? WE, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN AND SAID THAT, LISTEN, THEY WANNA BE ABLE TO CUT THEIR GRASS.
WE, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID, LISTEN, WE, WE, WE DON'T WANNA BE STUCK IN OUR HOMES BECAUSE WE'RE FLOODED.
WE, THE PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW MANMADE WATER TO THE WATER TABLE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE, THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.
SO WHEN YOU GET UP HERE AND YOU SPEAK ARROGANTLY AND, AND, AND, AND SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT THIS DEAL TO COME ACROSS, IT DOESN'T HELP.
'CAUSE WE, THE PEOPLE ARE FROM HERE.
WE'VE BORN HERE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO SURVIVE HERE.
AND WHAT THE LAST SPEAKER WAS SAYING IS THAT, LISTEN, IF HER DAUGHTER THEN APPLY TO THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND SHE CAN'T GET IN BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T MAKE ENOUGH,
[02:25:01]
THEN WHAT YOU THINK IS GOING, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN SHE APPLY TO LIVE CLOSE TO HER MAMA? AND SHE CAN'T AFFORD ONE OF THOSE HOMES.SHE CAN'T, SHE DANG SURE WON'T BE ABLE TO LIVE CLOSE THERE.
SO I JUST WANT, I JUST WANT, WHEN I PUT THAT OUT, WHEN YOU SAY WE AND WHO LISTEN, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.
I AIN'T, I AIN'T GONNA BE LONG BEFORE YOU.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE, WHEN, WHEN Y'ALL MAKE THOSE AND TALK, THOSE DIFFERENT, WHOEVER Y'ALL ARE TALKING TO AND SAY THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IT, THEY DON'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.
THEY STILL HAVE TO HAVE TWO 11 VOLT RIGHT HERE.
EITHER APPROVE IT OR DISAPPROVE IT.
SO STOP COMING UP AND SAYING, TRYING TO BULLY AND SAYING, WE AND Y'ALL, AND Y'ALL ASK FOR IT.
SOMETIMES I, I MAY TELL HIM NO.
I MAY TELL HER NO, BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET, THANK YOU MR. SMITH.
GRANT, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? COME ON UP.
I WORK FOR THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, ALSO LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT PROCESS.
GENERALLY, UM, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR COUNCILS TO MANAGE BECAUSE, UM, AS TIME GOES BY, THE COUNCIL MAY WI WISH TO MAKE CHANGES, UM, LIKE UPDATING THEIR STORMWATER ORDINANCE.
UM, AND IT, IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO AMEND THESE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS BECAUSE BOTH PARTIES HAVE TO AGREE TO DO IT.
UM, AND SO JUST WANTED TO, UH, REMIND YOU OF THAT.
UM, AND THAT IT CAN POTENTIALLY TIE THE HANDS OF FUTURE COUNCILS AS WE LEARN MORE, UM, IN THE FUTURE AND WANT TO UPDATE OUR ORDINANCES.
THOSE, THOSE RIGHTS GET VESTED IN THOSE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THIS AS INFILL DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THAT AREA IS PRETTY RURAL.
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A SCHOOL THERE, UM, AND THAT IS PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SCHOOL, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT'S A SAFE WALK, THAT THERE'S INFRASTRUCTURE THERE TO WALK.
UM, AND SO JUST BECAUSE IT'S IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, I DON'T, I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CONSIDER IT A WALKABLE AREA.
UM, AND ONE OTHER THING, UH, IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M SORRY, I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT HERE, BUT, UH, YEAH, WE'LL JUST ASK THAT THE COUNCIL, UM, HOLD, HOLD STRONG.
UM, AND OH, I WAS GONNA ASK, I WAS GONNA POSE THE QUESTION, IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO MOVE FORWARD THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITHOUT THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT? AND THAT MAY BE A LEGAL QUESTION, UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
I'M GLAD TO SEE A YOUNG PERSON YOUR AGE LOSES THEIR TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA FIGHT FOR IT, BUT IT'S OKAY.
YEAH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS IN THIS.
I, I COULD PUT A DOT ON MY HOUSE IN HILTON HEAD AND SAY, I'M WITHIN FIVE MINUTE WALK TO TOSKI, BUT I'D HAVE TO WALK ON WATER AND I CAN'T DO THAT.
IF THESE KIDS CAN'T GET TO A SCHOOL THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT DISTANCE AWAY, IF THEY'VE GOTTA WALK DOWN A HIGHWAY OR WALK SOMEWHERE ELSE, IT DOESN'T WORK.
SO YOU COULD PUT THAT DOT ON A MAP, JUST, JUST LIKE HE JUST SAID, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYWHERE CLOSE TO IT.
SECOND, THEY'VE GOT A STORM WATER REPORT THAT COMES OUT THAT SAYS IT'S ALL CONTAINABLE, BUT WHAT IF IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND THEM BECAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT THAT'S THERE, WHICH WE'VE SEEN ON HILTON NET OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
EVERY TIME THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT PUT UP, WE GET FLOODED WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE EVERY TIME.
IF YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND YOU DO APPROVE IT, GET BONDS FROM THESE GUYS, MAKE 'EM PUT UP BONDS TO TAKE CARE OF SOMETHING THAT COMES IN THE FUTURE, DON'T YOU JUST GIVE 'EM CARTE BLANCHE TO DEVELOP, MAKE 'EM PUT AN INVESTMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY FOR THE FUTURE.
SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP AND A NEIGHBORHOOD GETS FLOODED, THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT WITH THAT BOND AND HAS TO BE HELD FOR MAYBE 10 OR 20 YEARS.
I KNOW THAT MIGHT MAKE IT A LITTLE CUMBERSOME ON THIS GENTLEMAN, BUT IT ALSO PROTECTS THE COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD.
WELL, MR. MERRICK'S BEEN HOPPING UP THREE TIMES ON GO.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO REITERATE.
ONE, THE ASPECTS OF THE THINGS THAT WE PROVIDED TONIGHT WERE IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, AFFORDABILITY, WORKFORCE HOUSING, NOT ONLY FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGHOUT THESE TIMES THAT WE'VE BEEN UP HERE, AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL ITSELF.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY SPEAK ENOUGH TO THE STORM WATER, THE TRAFFIC STUDY, ALL THOSE THINGS.
WE'VE GOT THE FACTS TO PROVE EVERYTHING BEHIND THAT.
WE GOT THE FACTS THAT PULTE HAS BEEN A GREAT BUILDER IN THIS AREA, AND WE CONTINUE TO
[02:30:01]
BE THAT WE GOT THE FACTS THAT WE ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, THAT WE LIVE IN THIS AREA, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, COMMUNITY.I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT COMES TO BUY YOUR FIRST HOME USING YOUR VA LOAN AND GETTING INTO THAT.
SO WE HAVE ANSWERED TO ALL THOSE THINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TALKED ABOUT IS BROUGHT UP TO THE FACT OF BULLYING OR THIS AND THAT BEHIND DOORS.
DON NO, EVERYTHING IS TRANSPARENT.
WE'VE BEEN TRANSPARENT FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE IN, SAME AS Y'ALL, THE OTHER THING THAT WE ARE UTILIZING AS A BUILDER AND A DEVELOPER IN THIS COMMUNITY IS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE DENY THINGS BASED ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE MOVE THINGS FORWARD ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
OUR ROADMAP AS A BUILDER IN THIS COMMUNITY IS BASED ON THE GROWTH CORRIDOR AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT IS MY GUIDING BOOK TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, HEY COUNTY, WHERE ARE WE GOING? THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
LET'S PLAY, LET'S GO AND THEN LET'S GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE UTILIZING.
RAMSEY FARMS IS THE FRONT GATE TO THE, UH, NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY GROWTH CORRIDOR.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE START OF THE, YOU, YOU JUMP OVER RAMSEY, NOW YOU'RE DONUT HOLDING.
YOU WANT GROWTH FURTHER OUT YOUR DONUT HOLDING SECTIONS.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE IDEAL LOCATION FOR THAT INITIAL GROWTH INTO NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND EVERYTHING FROM THE SCHOOL TO HOUSING.
THE SUPPORT IS THERE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
MY, UH, COLLEAGUE HERE TOLD ME TO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP.
WELL, YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
ON THE, ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
I DO NOT, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION AMONG OURSELVES.
HOW CAN YOU HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AS THE FIRST STEP WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ZONING, YOU DON'T HAVE APPROVAL TO, YOU DON'T HAVE THE OTHER CHANGES COMPATIBLE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IT, IT'S JUST DOESN'T, IT SEEMS ODD TO ME.
BUT HOW CAN YOU HAVE AN AGREEMENT, GIVE SOMEONE AN AGREEMENT WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE APPROVAL, OR THE ZONING HASN'T BEEN CHANGING.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
ANYONE ELSE BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BE SLEEPING HERE TONIGHT? OKAY.
SEEING NOTHING ELSE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I TURN TO COUNSEL.
ANY COMMENTS ON THE MOTION? YES.
MR. DAWSON'S GOT THE CRITERIA TO CONSIDER.
OKAY, MR. DAWSON, YOU WANNA TALK? OH, MR. CUNNINGHAM HAS IT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS HE IS SAYING IS TRUE, WE DO PUT OUT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT IS THE FIRST STEP OF THAT NEXT QUARTER.
ALL THESE FACTS ARE TRUE, BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T SAY WHEN WE HAVE TO APPROVE IT OR WHEN WE SHOULD APPROVE IT.
THAT'S WHERE COUNSEL HAS TO COME IN AND MAKE A DECISION.
IS IT TIME NOW? IS IT TIME LATER? UM, THE STATEMENT, WE, WE'VE SAID IT BEFORE.
EVENTUALLY SOMEONE'S GONNA TRY AGAIN.
IT MIGHT BE PULTE, IT MIGHT BE SOMEBODY ELSE.
I GUARANTEE YOU SOMEBODY WILL TRY AGAIN.
JUST LIKE CHERRY FARMS HAS BEEN TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I HEAR IT IN BLUFFTON EVERY THREE MONTHS, SOMEBODY ELSE COMES UP ON THE SAME PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UM, THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
UM, BUT WITH THAT SAID, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ON THE SAME AGENDA.
WHY YOU WOULD HAVE A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT AT THE SAME TIME AS A, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT IN DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT SAYS IT'S ONLY APPROVED IF THE ZONING IS APPROVED.
UM, WITH THAT OTHER THING THOUGH, I TOLD YOU WE'VE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF GETTING YELLED AT.
WE DISCUSSED WITH PEOPLE ABOUT A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND THEN YOU GUYS ACCUSED US OF DOING BACKDOOR DEALS.
BUT IF WE GO OUT THERE AND SAY A BOND, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA SAY, WE DID A BACKDOOR DEAL.
BUT YET PEOPLE CLAP FOR SOMEBODY WHEN THEY SAY YOU SHOULD HOLD 'EM ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKE 'EM DO A BOND, WHICH WOULD BE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT US TO DO.
SO I, THAT'S WHY I JUST SAY SOMETIMES THESE THINGS ARE VERY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
IT'S HARD TO BE IN THIS POSITION AND MAKE THE DECISION YAY OR NAY TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.
BUT I JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO STAY INVOLVED.
I'M GLAD EVERYBODY CAME OUT HERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS STAYING LATE.
ALWAYS, WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE, IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
SO IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE PEOPLE ARE EXCITED FOR, I'M EXCITED THAT WE HAD A FILLED ROOM.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY'S ACTUALLY ENGAGED AND PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.
ANY OTHER COUNCILMAN BEFORE MR. DAWSON READS THE CRITERIA? MR. LAWSON? NO, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY REPRESENT BLUFFTON AND WE'VE SEEN BLUFFTON GROW AND THINGS HAPPEN THERE.
UH, A LOT OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WERE ACTUALLY DONE BY THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AS OPPOSED TO,
[02:35:01]
TO THE COUNTY.WHEN YOU LOOK AT, AT THE SIZE OF BLUFFTON THAT'S THERE NOW, UH, MR. SMITH, YOU MENTIONED HILTON HEAD.
I LIVED IN HILTON HEAD FOR SIX YEARS BEFORE MOVING TO BLUFFTON AND HAVE SEEN THAT GROW THERE AND SEE THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
AND I THINK WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE SAYING SLOW THINGS DOWN, TAKE A BREATH.
UM, BUT, BUT REALIZE TOO, THIS IS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.
ANYTIME WE START TURNING DOWN PROPERTIES FOR DEVELOPMENT, AND I THINK THAT, THAT THE NUMBERS THERE, THEY'RE ASKING FOR WERE, WE'RE A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, 10 TIMES MORE THAN, THAN WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS PROPOSED FOR THAT PROPERTY, WHAT WAS ACTUALLY ALLOWED THROUGH THE ZONING.
SO WHEN YOU DO THAT THOUGH, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA, YOUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE, ARE, ARE NOT GONNA INCREASE AS FAST AS YOU THINK THEY SHOULD, BECAUSE WHENEVER THE DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO AGAIN, I'M NOT PROMOTING IT, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S GOOD OR BAD, I'M JUST TELLING THAT, THAT THERE IS A A, A PUSH AND A PULL, A PRO AND A CON THAT HAPPENS WHENEVER YOU EITHER DON'T DEVELOP OR DO DEVELOP.
AND THERE THERE'S BENEFITS, UM, TO BOTH THOSE SIDES.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S NEGATIVES FOR BOTH THOSE SIDES.
SO, SO JUST REMEMBER, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT.
AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S THINGS THAT HAPPEN AND THERE'S, THERE ARE, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES THAT THAT HAPPEN THEN AROUND THERE.
THANK YOU, MR. LAS, MR. BAR ALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I I VOTED TO NEGOTIATE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
I THINK THESE ARE GONNA BE THE, THE SMART LAND USE TOOL MOVING FORWARD AS THIS MOVING FORWARD, AS THIS COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW.
BUT MY, MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS THE DENSITY IS JUST, IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH DENSITY FOR THE, FOR THE TIME RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN GET THERE.
I, I DO APPRECIATE PULTE COMING TO THE TABLE AND, AND TRYING TO BE A GOOD PARTNER HERE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THE DENSITY WAS JUST TOO MUCH FOR ME RIGHT NOW.
LOOKING OVER MY, MY NOTES THAT I HAVE ABOUT IT, IT WE'RE JUST TOO FAR OFF I THINK.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER ON THIS TOPIC THEN WILL, MR. DAWSON, WOULD YOU READ YOUR CRITERIA PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
TO SUPPORT YOUR MOTION, MAAM, BEFORE I READ THE CRITERIA, LEMME SAY TO THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO SPOKE, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND SPEAKING UP ON BEHALF OF, UH, YOUR COMMUNITY, WHAT YOU, WHAT YOUR WISHES AND WHAT YOUR DESIRES ARE.
UM, I WOULD SAY TO ALL OF MY COUNCIL, UM, CONSTITUENTS, LET US BE MINDFUL THAT THE PLANNING, THIS, THIS, THAT DEVELOPMENT, UH, PLAN CAME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY VOTED, UM, IT WASN'T UNANIMOUSLY, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED IT DOWN.
AND SO NOW IT'S BEFORE US AND WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING OUR FINAL VOTE.
SO I, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED THAT WE DENY THE REQUEST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
IT IS IN CONFLICT, CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
IT DOES NOT ADDRESS A DEMON, A ATED NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT IS NOT REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS.
UM, AND IT WOULD RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS WATER, AIR, NOISE, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATIONS, WETLANDS, AND THE NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE, OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND LASTLY, IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS STREETS, PORTABLE WATER, SEWER, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, AND DISPOSALS, SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE, FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDIC MEDICAL FACILITIES.
WE NEED A SECOND FOR THIS ONE.
SECOND IT MS. BROWN SECONDED IT.
THE MATTER THAT WENT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, NOT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
ALRIGHT, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT.
WE VOTING ON YES, WE'RE VOTING ON.
WOULD YOU RESTATE YOUR MOTION PLEASE? MOTION TO DENY VOTE TO DENY.
DENY THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE CRITERIA LISTED THE REASONS THE CRITERIA LISTED FOR HIS CRITERIA.
DO YOU HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THAT? CAN WE, WHEN LISTING THEIR CRITERIA, WHAT IF ALL THE THINGS LISTED DO NOT ACTUALLY APPLY? DISAGREE.
YOU CAN MOVE TO AMEND TO REMOVE SOMETHING.
[02:40:01]
WHICH ONE DOES NOT APPLY? SCHOOLS AND STORM THE SCHOOLS.IS THERE A MOTION TO AMEND TO REMOVE THAT? I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW IT WOULD WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
THAT CONCLUDES THE ORDINANCES GOING TO THE RESOLUTIONS,
[13.a. 2025/49: A resolution to accept and to appropriate funds from the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund (SCORF)]
MS. HOWARD? YES.UM, A IS 2025 SLASH 49 A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIOID RECOVERY FUND OR CALLED SCORE.
MADAM CHAIR, IF, IF WE MAY GIVE THE ROOM A MOMENT TO OKAY.
WE NEED, WE'LL GIVE HIM HIS MINUTES.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO ADD MOTIONS IN THERE.
I JUST KNOW PEOPLE WATCHING A HOME MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR.
NOW IT'S QUIETED DOWN RESOLUTION 2025 SLASH 49 A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM A SOUTH CAROLINA OPIOID RE RECOVERY FUND OR CO OR ACRONYM SCORE MOTION.
SO MOVE MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE A MOTION BY I'LL SECOND CU COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM.
A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LARSON.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[13.b. 2025/50: A Resolution establishing a policy that restricts and defines the allowable uses of Beaufort County Council's Economic Development 'Site & Jobs' funds, which are allocated annually for use by the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation.]
RESOLUTION 20 25 50 A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A POLICY THAT RESTRICTS AND DEFINES THE ALLOWABLE USES OF BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE AND JOB FUNDS, WHICH ARE ALLOCATED ANNUALLY FOR USE BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.DO I HAVE A, A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION? A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. COUNCILMAN BROWN.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I I'LL SECOND IT.
SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BARTHOLOMEW.
ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS.
[13.c. 2025/51: A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with Lowcountry Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) for administrative support - Daufuskie Island Ferry Qualified Discount Rider (QDR) passes for fiscal year '26.]
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM AGREEMENT WITH THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY, LRTA FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR DUSKY ISLAND FERRY.QUALIFIED DISCOUNT WRITER PASSES FOR THE PHYSICAL YEAR 26TH.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MAKE THE MOTION WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LARSON.
I SECOND DO WE HAVE A SECOND BY VICE CHAIRMAN TABER.
NICK, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
[13.d. 2025/52: A Resolution to Accept a South Carolina Aviation Commission (SCAC) Grant for the Hilton Head Island Airport (HXD) Administration Building Conceptual (Design)]
A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT A SOUTH CAROLINA AVIATION COMMISSION GRANT FOR THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN RES.
ANY DISCUSSION HEARING? NO DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS? AYE.
[13.e. Approval of a contract award for RFP 052024 Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA)/Tax System software for Beaufort County to Harris Govern.]
E APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT AWARD FOR RFP 0 5 2 0 2 4 COMPUTER ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL TAX SYSTEM SOFTWARE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY TO ACCOMPANY HARRIS GOVERN.I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT CONTRACT AWARD.
I THINK WE'RE FALLING ASLEEP HERE.
I'LL SECOND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DAWSON, I THINK THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION.
ANY DISCUSSION PLEASE? WELL, I WOULD REFER PEOPLE TO THE, UM, ITEM THAT WAS SENT TO US BY EMAIL, BUT
[02:45:01]
MAYBE MS. HARRIET OR MR. MOORE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, OR MR. EVANSON WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS.STAFF WILL BE COMING TO SPEAK.
WHOEVER WANTS TO COME FORWARD.
MR. THOMAS? EVERYBODY'S COMING.
I KNOW THIS IS A VERY TOUCHY SITUATION, BUT I DID, UH, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY GOT A CHANCE ON COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE EMAIL THAT I SENT THAT HAD A MEMORANDUM THAT JUST COVERED THE TIMELINE OF THE PROCESS FOR THE EVALUATION.
THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE, UH, IT COVERED THE FACTS THAT BASICALLY WE ARE SELECTING AND RECOMMENDING SELECTING HARRIS GOVERNMENT AS THE BEST SOLUTION.
ALL THREE COMPANIES THAT WERE, UH, IDENTIFIED AS THE TOP THREE, WE RANKED IT DOWN TO THE TOP TWO.
THEN AFTER THE INTERVIEWS AND DEMOS, THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE RANKED HARRISON NUMBER ONE, WHICH FOLLOWS THE, THE COUNTY CODE.
SO WITH THAT SAID, SUBJECT TO YOUR QUESTIONS, I DO HAVE THE IT DIRECTOR HERE, DAN MORGAN.
WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE FENCE, BUT, UH, WE STAY WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, TO, TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO HARRIS.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
I DO HAVE, HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER BAROLO, WERE, WERE ALL PARTIES THAT ARE GONNA BE USING THIS INVOLVED IN EVERY SINGLE ROUND OF SCORING? YES, SIR.
I HEARD A, I HEARD A YES AND A NO.
ALL OF THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE INVOLVED IN ALL THE RATINGS.
SO EVERY, EVERY SINGLE AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT WAS INVOLVED IN EVERY ROUND? YES, SIR.
THE, THE ASSESSORS, THE TREASURER, THE AUDITOR.
AND EVERY SINGLE ROUND, SIR, BECAUSE I, SIR, I KNOW I SAW ONE THE LAST ROUND.
IT LOOKED LIKE THE TREASURER'S OFFICE SCORED ZERO.
SO DID THEY PARTICIPATE OR DID THEY SCORE? 0, 0, 0, 0.
WE SENT A COPY OF
HOW MANY O HOW MANY OTHER COUNTIES ARE USING THIS PARTICULAR SOFTWARE? DAN, YOU WANNA ANSWER THAT PLEASE.
SO CURRENTLY THE CAMMA PORTION, WHICH IS THE ASSESSMENT IS LIVE CURRENTLY IN RICHLAND, DORCHESTER, AND PICKENS COUNTY.
AND IN THE TIMELINE, IT WOULD TAKE A YEAR FOR IMPLEMENTATION FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THAT BY THE TIME THEY'RE COMPLETED, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND THE BILLING AND COLLECTIONS MODULES WILL BE LIVE IN, THAT WOULD BE HORRY COUNTY, FLORENCE COUNTY, AND ABYVILLE COUNTY.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING THE BETA VERSION HERE? NO.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE LIVE IN THOSE COUNTIES.
IT'S CURRENTLY LIVE THE KAMA AND THEY WILL BE LIVE IN THE OTHER TWO MODULES BY THE TIME WE START TRYING TO DO OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE MODULES.
CURRENTLY IT'S ONLY ONE CORRECT? FOR, FOR THE CAMERA MODULES.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? YEAH.
$3 MILLION ESSENTIALLY PHASED IN OVER THE NEXT, UH, WHAT, THREE TO FIVE YEARS? I, I JUST, WHY, WHY ARE WE RUSHING INTO THIS? IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A RUSHED TYPE SITUATION RATHER THAN WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE IMPLEMENTATION IS WITH THE OTHER COUNTIES AND ENGAGE ON THAT FRONT.
I DON'T REALLY THINK IT'S A RUSH.
IT'S JUST, I KNOW WE HAVE THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO GO THROUGH A, A, UH, NEW FOR WHAT YOU CALL IT ASSESSMENT REASSESSMENT.
AND SO WE, IT TAKES 18 MONTHS REGARDLESS OF WHO WE PICKED TO GET THIS SOFTWARE WORKING PROPERLY.
SO THAT'S, I GUESS THAT'S THE RUSH IS LET'S GO AHEAD AND AWARD IT TO A COMPANY, ONE COMPANY THAT CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
IS THERE ANY COUNTY THAT'S USING IT IN ALL PHASES THAT WE PLAN TO USE IT ON? WE WOULD BE THE FIRST COUNTY TO USE IT IN EVERY DEPARTMENT.
BEFORE WE EVEN START, WHAT I'M SAYING CURRENTLY TODAY, IS THERE ANY COUNTY THAT'S USING ALL OF 'EM? RIGHT NOW? YOU'RE SAYING IT WILL BE LIVE WHEN WE START, BUT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE ABOUT TO PICK THIS COMPANY CURRENTLY NOBODY IS LIVE USING IT AND ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT WE PLAN ON USING IT FOR ALL THREE MODULES, CORRECT? YEAH.
SO THE CAMERA IS THE ONE THAT WE'RE GOING WITH.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A YEAR FOR THEM TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THEY'LL BE LIVE IN THE OTHER THREE MODULES, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE TWO OFFICES, AUDITORS, AND TREASURES TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THOSE AND MAKE ANY CUSTOMIZABLE SOLUTIONS THAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR NEEDS AT THAT TIME.
THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THAT'S CURRENTLY QUESTION.
[02:50:01]
YOU'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO COME ONLINE AND YOU'RE DOING GONNA DO REASSESSMENT.WHAT HAPPENS IF WE KEEP THE SAME SOFTWARE WE HAVE, THE CURRENT SOFTWARE WE HAVE, UM, IS THE 20-YEAR-OLD, ALMOST 20-YEAR-OLD PRODUCT.
THERE ARE, BECAUSE OF LEGISLATION CHANGES, BECAUSE OF THE DYNAMICS OF OUR COUNTY, THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT BEING SUPPORTED ANYMORE.
SO WE CAN, UM, IMPLEMENT A CAMERA.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA BE GOOD AT, GREAT AT WHATEVER WE USE.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE'RE USING IS AN OUTDATED PRODUCT.
THERE'S SOME, WE JUST HAVE SOME LEGISLATION CHANGES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, IF THEY GET PASSED, HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WORK ON THE CAMERA SIDE OF IT.
UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CAMERA SIDE, WE HAVE SOME, UM, PROFESSIONALS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT THAT'S BEEN HERE AT THE VERY BEGINNING, MYSELF INCLUDED.
BUT THEY'VE ACTUALLY HANDHELD THIS PIECE THAT WE HAVE, AND THE GENTLEMAN THAT DOES HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE HAS 35 YEARS IN THIS COUNTY.
AND SO IF HE DOES ALL THAT GOES WITH HIM AND NOW WE HAVE A SOFTWARE THAT WE ARE THE ONLY ONES BESIDES CHARLESTON USING THE CAMERA SIDE OF IT.
OTHER COUNTIES HAVE ABANDONED OR THEY HAVE AN OLDER VERSION OF IT.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT'S A DYING PRODUCT.
IT PRODUCT IS PRETTY MUCH DI MEAN IT'S, IT'S OBSOLETE.
SO WE NEED SOMETHING NEW REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE GO TO, WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK WE, WE WILL TAKE A ROLL CALL.
I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION SO THAT IT WILL BE ON TELEVISION AND EVERYONE CAN HEAR YOU.
THE QUESTION WAS ASKED IF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS VOTED ON ALL THE ROUNDS AND I WAS ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE IT DEPARTMENT ON THE FINAL ROUND IF THEY ACTUALLY VOTED AND IF WE GOT A COPY OF THIS COURT, IT'S INCLUDED IN THE PACKET.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL, THE ONLY QUESTION I'VE GOT IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU SAID IT WAS, CAME DOWN TO THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES.
UM, HOW MUCH OF A COST DIFFERENCE WAS BETWEEN THE, THE, THE THIRD, SECOND AND THIRD, UM, COMPANY THAT, UM, VERY SIMILAR.
AND IT, IT BASICALLY CAME DOWN TO THE TOP TWO, WHICH WAS CATALYST AND HARRIS GOVERNED VERY SIMILAR IN PRICE.
I MEAN COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN, IN CLOSENESS AND THEN WE NEGOTIATE, WE WERE THE FINAL, BEST AND FINAL OFFER WITH HARRIS AND NARROWED IT DOWN EVEN LOWER THAN THE INITIAL PRICING THAT WE'RE GIVEN THAT.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY HOW THE PROCESS RUNS.
YOU RANK, THEY WERE, HARRIS WAS RANKED NUMBER ONE.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BUDGET IS, YOU NEGOTIATE.
IS IT LOW? YOU CAN GO AND GET A A GET A GOOD PRODUCT.
ALRIGHT, START WITH, UM, MS. BROWN, RIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
I REMEMBER CAMPBELL, AND THIS IS BEAUFORD COUNTY MOMENTS.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD TODAY.
THE FOOD HAS BEEN A GREAT PART OF OUR LIFE IN TERMS OF GATHERING FOOD AND PREPARING THEM.
OUR FOOD IS BASED ON THE LAND AND THE SEA.
[02:55:01]
HAS ALWAYS BEEN RICE.WE DON'T FEEL WE HAVE EATEN DINNER UNLESS WE'VE HAD RICE.
RICE WAS MIXED WITH VARIOUS ITEMS FROM THE SEA, LIKE OYSTERS OR SHRIMP.
AND WHEN THEY COOKED WITH RICE IN ONE POT, WE CALL IT A RICE OR, OR SHRIMP OR AN OYSTER PERLOW.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE WATERMELONS AND THE SWEET POTATOES.
SWEET POTATOES WAS ALWAYS EATEN WITH FISH AND FRESH FISH WITH GRAVY AND A SWEET POTATO.
OKRA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FOOD WAYS WE, WE, WE RAISE THEM AS WELL AS WE PREPARE THEM WITH SHRIMP AND TOMATOES.
AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT A GUMBO.
AND THAT'S WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
AND SO ENJOY THE FOOD OF THE LOW COUNTRY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR HISTORY.
THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.