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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
I TRIED CALLING, SO I'M FILLING IN FOR, UH, MAYOR WILLIAMS TODAY.
AND, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE.
THE, UH, RAGWEED HAS GOT ME AND I'VE GOT INFECTION HAD LARYNGITIS LAST WEEK, SO I'M STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THAT.
BUT WELCOME TO THE, UH, SOUTHERN ONE COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
UM, LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
AND, UH, DAN AND PATSY, IF Y'ALL WANT TO COME UP, 'CAUSE I HAVE A FEELING THAT, UM, THE COUNTY REPS MAY NOT BE HERE TODAY SINCE THEY WERE UP UNTIL THE WEE HOURS THIS MORNING.
SO, AT THIS TIME, IS THERE ANY, UH, OLD BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR AGENDA AND WE'LL GO TO DO BUSINESS IN THE USC PLEASE.
I HAD TO HERE, SEE IF I CAN JUST MINIMIZE THE SCREEN.
LOOK AT HARDY GETTING ALL HOT TECHNO THIS OUT HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF HERE ON THE SAND SHARK.
UM, PROJECT 2020, UM, PROJECT.
AND, UH, IT IS JUST, UH, A, A REALLY, UM, GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR INSTITUTION AND FOR, UH, OUR REGION TO BE ABLE TO, TO SPEAK TO THAT.
AND JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, USCB THIS PAST YEAR WAS ENDING A CELEBRATION OF ITS 20TH YEAR AS A FOUR YEAR DEGREE GRANTING INSTITUTION IN 2004 IS THE VISION OF THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY THAT PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN ALLOWING USCB TO BECOME A FOUR YEAR DEGREE GRANTING INSTITUTION.
AND DURING THAT PERIOD, AND LEADING UP TO, TO THAT TIME, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT CAN THIS INSTITUTION BE AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED FROM A FOUR YEAR DEGREE GRANTING INSTITUTION, WHY SHOULD WE HAVE IT AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? AND OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, WE HAD A CHANCE TO TRULY REFLECT OVER SOME OF THAT AND TO TAKE STOCK AND TO REALLY RECOGNIZE IN, IN LARGE MEASURES THAT, UH, THE INSTITUTIONS WAS ABLE TO REALLY, UH, MEET A LOT OF EXPECTATIONS IN SOME AREAS, EXCEED EXPECTATIONS AND OBVIOUSLY OTHER AREAS THAT ARE CONTINUING TO BE ABLE TO BE, UH, DEVELOPED.
HENCE THE IDEA OF A, A SAND SHARK 2020 PROJECT, NOT ONLY LOOKING BACK AND BUILDING ON THE PAST 20 YEARS, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT A FUTURE 20 YEARS AND, AND BEING POTENTIALLY EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE BOLD ABOUT WHAT WE CAN ENVISION FOR THE COMING 20 YEARS.
AND CRITICAL TO, UH, THAT IS, IS, IS IS THE COMMUNITY IMPACT.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO US.
UM, USB'S LAST ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, PUT IT AT $141 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT.
AND ACTUALLY WE BELIEVE THAT IT WAS, UM, IT NEEDS TO BE RE REVISED BECAUSE THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE EVEN MUCH HIGHER THAN, THAN, UM, WHAT WHERE WE PROJECTED.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT EVEN, UH, 20 YEARS AGO WE WERE LOOKING AT.
UM, THERE, I WANNA GO BACK ABOUT FIVE YEARS OR MORE AGO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE NEED THAT WE HAD WITH THE ARENA SPACE.
AND WE TOOK THE APPROACH THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE IN TERMS OF FUNDING THE INITIATIVE AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, THE COUNTY, UM, AND MUNICIPALITY POSSIBLE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
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AGO, I MEAN, UH, FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE FIRST, UM, ENTERTAINED THE, THE IDEA OF THIS LARGE VENUE, WE JUST KNEW THAT WE NEEDED A VERY BIG MULTIPURPOSE FACILITY, NOT ONLY FOR ATHLETIC PURPOSES, BUT FOR A LOT OF EVENTS FOR COMMENCEMENT EVERY YEAR, A COMMENCEMENT, WE, UH, ON OUR KNEES PRAYING THAT, UH, THE WEATHER WOULD COOPERATE WITH US, OTHERWISE WE WOULD BE IN REALLY BIG TROUBLE.AT THIS PAST COMMENCEMENT, WE HAD OVER THREE TO 4,000 PEOPLE, UH, OUT THERE COVERED.
AND IF, IF IT RAINS, WE, WE ARE IN TROUBLE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THOSE, WE ALSO, UH, KNOW THAT, THAT THAT'S A NEED NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT FOR A LOT OF, UH, HIGH SCHOOL, UH, GRADUATIONS AND, AND, UM, LARGE EVENT VENUE THAT THAT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED.
TRADE SHOWS, CONCERTS, ET CETERA, THAT JUST A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WERE NEEDED WITH THIS, UH, WITH LARGE LARGE VENUE EVENT.
SO WE SPOKE ABOUT IT AND WE PROPOSED, UM, SOME INITIATIVE, UM, PLANNING AROUND IT.
WE HAD AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY DONE ON THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PRICE POINT HAS BEEN INCREASING OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU SOMETHING YOU DON'T KNOW.
AND, UH, WHAT WAS ESTIMATED AT 50, UM, MILLION IS EASILY 70, 75 PLUS, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW YEARS LATER.
SO ANYHOW, WHAT I'VE SHOWN HERE FOR YOU IS, UM, THEY, THE, THE, THE, UH, BLUFFTON CAMPUS WITH A MULTI-PHASE ENVISIONING OF THE SAND SHARK 2020 MASTER PLAN.
AND I SAID MULTI-PHASE BECAUSE THIS IS ENVISIONED TO TAKE PLACE IN PHASES.
BUT WE HAVE HERE PROPOSED THE ARENA AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
AND DOWN THE LINE, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, UH, ENVISION A PARKING STRUCTURE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A LOT MORE OF WHAT WE ENVISION.
AT SOME POINT THE NEEDS WOULD BE WITH REGARD TO PARKING, WE ENVISION POTENTIALLY THIRD PARTY, UH, ENTITIES THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, ENVISION HOTELS FACILITY DEPENDING ON THE, THE EVENTS AND THE VENUE, UM, BUSINESS THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE THERE.
WE HAVE THE FIELDS HERE THAT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL AND TRACK AND FIELD.
AND PART OF PHASE ONE, AS I WILL DISCUSS IN JUST A MOMENT, IS GOING TO FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THE ARENA AND ON THE FIELDS BEING BROUGHT ON CAMPUS.
AND I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN JUST A SECOND ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, COULD BE DOWN THE LINE IN A PLANNING, UH, WOULD BE PRACTICE HERE FOR, UH, GOLF.
BUT I THINK WE, THIS IS JUST KIND OF A VISIONING, A A TOTAL COMPLETE VISIONING DEPENDING ON ALL OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, WANT TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE ARENA AND ON THE FIELD.
AND WE'VE ALSO, AS PART OF OUR CONVERSATION, TALKED ABOUT A BRIDGE OVER 2, 2 78 THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THESE AREAS.
IT COULD BE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AND UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE ENCOURAGING, UM, UM, MORE THAN PEDESTRIAN IN TERMS OF, UM, EMPLOYEE VEHICLES, UM, INVOLVED IN THERE.
THIS IS A QUICK RENDERING OF, UM, OF THE ARENA THAT'S BEEN ENVISIONED.
WE HAVE KIND OF CHANGED OUR NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT DEPENDING ON, UM, THE TIMEFRAME AND, AND THE DOLLAR FIGURES THAT WE WILL THROW UP HERE.
UM, BUT ROUNDLY, WE TALK ABOUT 4,000 CAPACITY, UH, ARENA AND IN IN, IN THIS CASE, BUT VERY FLEXIBLE, DESIGNED TO BE MULTIPURPOSE TO ACCOMMODATE NOT ONLY SPORTING EVENTS, NOT ONLY BASKETBALL AND, AND VOLLEYBALL AND TOURNAMENTS AND OF, OF THE KIND, BUT ALSO, UH, AS OUR INDICATED,
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UH, LARGE EVENTS LIKE COMMENCEMENTS AND GRADUATIONS AND, UH, CONCERTS, UM, PLAY, UH, TRADE SHOWS.AND, AND YOU'LL SEE IN SOME OF THE RENDERING THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THAT IS, UM, IN THE DESIGN IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, ASPECTS OF IT.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE FOCUSED ON THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, BUT ALSO THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS OF THE, THE REGION TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS PARTICULAR INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, FACILITATE HERE, AGAIN, SHOWING THE MULTI-PHASE AND FOCUSING A LITTLE BIT ON THE, THE BRIDGES CROSSING OVER TO 78.
THIS IS SOME OF THE RENDERING OF THE DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS THAT YOU CAN SEE WITH, UH, WITH THE FACILITY HERE.
AND, UM, THE GOAL IS TO TRULY PROVIDE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY IN HOW THE SEATING AND, UM, THEIR ACCOMMODATIONS COULD BE DONE.
ALSO, WHAT I DIDN'T, UH, STRESS VERY MUCH HERE, BUT THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONVERSATION FROM THE GET GO IS RE HAVING A FACILITY IN OUR REGION THAT IS PART OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE THAT, THAT WE WOULD ENVISION.
AS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT IF, BUT OFTEN WHEN, WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH THE WEATHER SITUATIONS HERE AND USCB IS ALREADY SERVING AS THE SOUTHERN, UM, SITE FOR, UM, THE COUNTY, UH, AND THE REGION ACTUALLY, UH, EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND SO THIS FACILITY WOULD ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT PROVIDED WE GET THE PROPER PERMISSIONS BECAUSE I THINK THE GOVERNOR NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED WITH SOME OF THOSE CALLS.
UH, BUT THAT'S POTENTIALLY ENVISIONED IN THERE.
HERE'S SOME RENDERING THAT, UM, THAT CONFIGURATIONS THAT, THAT SUPPORTS THE ATHLETICS AND THE TRADE SHOW TYPE, UH, CONFIGURATIONS.
AND AGAIN, MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY FOR ALL KINDS OF EVENTS THAT WOULD BE THERE.
JUST GIVING YOU SOME SPECS HERE, AND LET ME ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FIELD.
UM, AS AN INSTITUTION, AS A GROWING INSTITUTION, WE ARE COMPETING AMONGST OTHER INSTITUTIONS, NOT ONLY IN GEORGIA, BUT OBVIOUSLY IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN, IN OUR REGION.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU HOW EXCITING IT HAS BEEN FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY BE RETAINED HERE TO NOT ONLY BE HERE, THEY KNOW THEY'RE GETTING SOME OF THE ABSOLUTE BEST EDUCATION, BUT THEY'RE STAYING BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER SEEN THE SCHOOL SPIRIT AS HIGH AS IT HAS BEEN RECENTLY.
OKAY? WITH THE LAUNCH OF, OF, UM, OF, UM, UM, BASKETBALL TWO YEARS AGO FOR MEN AND WOMEN, IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AND WHAT BASKETBALL HAS TAUGHT US AND WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT THE SCHOOL SPIRIT IS SO HIGH BECAUSE THE STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE RIGHT THERE AND THEN, AND IT, IT STAY.
AND WE'VE SEEN THE HIGHEST RETENTION, UM, ALMOST OF ANY INSTITUTION, UM, AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THAT.
SO WE KNOW THAT PART OF WHAT DRIVES RETENTION AND CONTINUED GROWTH THAT COMES WITH IT IS THE ABILITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE ENGAGED AND TO BE RIGHT THERE AND THE FIELDS ON, ON, UM, ON THE, ON CAMPUS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL WILL ADD TO THAT PARTICULAR DIMENSION, UH, TREMENDOUSLY.
AND, AND IN ADDITION TO OBVIOUSLY SUPPORTING TOURNAMENTS AND ALL THE OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE SURROUNDING, UM, BASEBALL IS, IS SOFT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL AS SPORTS.
SO REALLY, REALLY, UM, VERY MUCH EXCITED ABOUT THAT BEING PART OF THE PHASE ONE THAT WE ARE ENVISIONING, UM, AT THIS POINT.
AGAIN, MULTI-PHASE AND WE'LL DO IT PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO, AND POSSIBLY PHASE THREE, AND WE'LL LOOK AT AT, AT ALL OF THAT, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF, UM, THE FUNDING, UM, THAT WOULD COME.
WE ARE A GROWING INSTITUTION AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL
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PROVIDE US AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW, NOT ONLY AS AN INSTITUTION, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.AND AS A VENUE, HAVING STUDIED SOME OF THE OTHER VENUES THAT ARE SIMILAR, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRULY, UM, UM, ATTRACT A LOT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL FILL A TREMENDOUS NEED IN IN OUR COMMUNITY HERE, THESE STUDENTS.
UM, SO LET ME SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT PIECE AND THE OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO ENGAGE THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO THE, THE MUNICIPALITY IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.
LET ME ALSO, BEFORE I JUMP INTO THE NUMBER, I, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE JUSTIN RICE, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE USCB EDUCATION FOUNDATION, THAT HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL TO US IN, UH, THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.
AND SO WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GRATEFUL FOR, FOR THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT WITH US OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, GOING TO THE STATE, WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, THE STATE HAS NOW ACCUMULATED FOR US A TOTAL ABOUT OF 70, I MEAN, UH, OF $47 MILLION IN THE CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND WE WERE HOPING, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE WERE INCLUDING IN PHASE ONE TO BE AT ABOUT, UM, 120 INITIATIVE.
HOWEVER, FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AND THE DRAW DOWN ON BOTH THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY A LITTLE BIT AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ONLY INCLUDE IN PHASE ONE, WE ARE NOW LOOKING ASKING COUNTY FOR A MATCH TO THE STATE.
SO $47 MILLION TO MATCH WHAT THE STATE IS, UH, PROVIDED ALREADY TOWARD THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PERHAPS FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND IN ORDER FOR US TO GET TO WHERE WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE ARENA AND THE FIELDS, BOTH BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, AND TRACK AND FIELD AS PART OF THAT PHASE ONE, AND AGAIN, NUMBERS ARE GONNA FLUCTUATE A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WITH 95 TO PERHAPS ONE OF FIVE, UH, RANGE, WE CAN, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT PARTICULAR, UM, GOAL.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH REGARD TO NUMBERS AND WE ARE TALKING TO ALL OF YOU
AND I DON'T THINK I, I MENTIONED THIS, BUT I THINK PERHAPS THE NEWS IS ALREADY OUT THERE, BUT AFTER THREE YEARS OF, OF PROVISIONAL PROCESS WITH NCAA DIVISION TWO USCB WAS THIS PAST JULY, UM, APPROVED TO BE AN ACTIVE FULL MEMBER OF, UM, THE FELD CONFERENCE WITHIN THE NCAA DIVISION TWO ATHLETICS, AND VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S TRANSLATING IN SO MANY WAYS AND, AND I I SHOULD BRAG ABOUT, UM, OUR, OUR ATHLETICS BY TELLING YOU THAT EVEN DURING THE PROVISIONAL PROCESS THIS PAST YEAR, OUR GOLF TEAM FOR MEN'S GOLF WON THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND BECAUSE WE WERE IN PROVISIONAL PROCESS, WE COULDN'T GO BEYOND THE REGIONAL COMPETITION.
AND OUR MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM WAS THE RUNNER UP TEAM LOST TO USCA CAMP, UH, IN, IN THAT CHAMPIONSHIP HAVING ELIMINATED THE NUMBER ONE TEAM.
AND, UM, AND THERE'S KIND OF A DOWN EFFECT ONCE YOU
BUT, UM, AGAIN, WE COULDN'T GET PAST IT BECAUSE WE WERE STILL IN THE PROVISIONAL BET.
WE CERTAINLY FEEL LIKE THE FUTURE IS, IS INCREDIBLY BRIGHT, UM, FOR THIS REGION.
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SO LET ME TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.ANYBODY, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE, FROM THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, MS. PRICE? I, I DO GO FIRST THE QUESTION.
I'D, UM, ALSO, UH, WATCHED YOUR PRESENTATION TO BEAUFORT COUNTY EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, AND, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTION MAIN QUESTIONS I HAD WAS ABOUT THE FUNDING.
SO ARE YOU STILL ASKING FOR A, A MULTI-COUNTY, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE FULL NAME OF THE BONDS.
WERE YOU STILL ASKING FOR BONDS FROM TWO COUNTIES? SO, UM, THE WAY THAT WE WORKED WITH COUNTY LEADING UP TO ALL OF THIS WAS TO ENGAGE IN EXPLORATION A DIFFERENT MECHANISM THAT COULD BE THERE POTENTIALLY FOR MONDAY.
AND THE MCIP WAS JUST ONE OF THE MECHANISM PROPOSED THAT FELT LIKE IT WOULD ENGAGE THE, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN A BIG WAY.
AND, UM, BUT WE DO BELIEVE THIS IS THE CALL FOR THE COUNTY AND THE DECISION FOR THE COUNTY TO MAKE.
AND, UM, AND SO WE ARE TALKING THROUGH THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT ALL OF THAT CAN OR CANNOT BE DONE IN IN THE CON IN THE CON CONTEXT.
AND SO THEN DO YOU MEAN ONLY BEAUFORT COUNTY AND NOT ALSO JASPER COUNTY? WELL, THE MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK WOULD INVOLVE, WOULD INVOLVE JASPER COUNTY, YES.
SO TWO COUNTY REFERENDUM BOND REFERENDUM.
UH, WELL, IT, IT WOULD, IT COULD BE DONE SEQUENTIALLY OR IN PHASE, I THINK ALREADY DOING SOME MCIP AS IT IS.
AND HOW ABOUT ANY MUNICIPAL FUNDING? 'CAUSE YOU SAID YOU'RE HERE TO TALK TO ALL OF US.
SO I, I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO,
UM, WE'RE VERY IDIOT AS SO THAT THERE'S, THERE'S POTENTIAL APPROACHES TO TO THAT.
AND WHAT KIND OF, UM, TIMING ARE YOU LOOKING AT TO MAKE THIS REQUEST AT THE TWO COUNTIES FOR BOND FIN? WELL, WE ARE NOT, AT THIS POINT, WE, WE, WHAT WE ASKING IS THE GREEN LIGHT TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED AND THE COMMITMENT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, WE, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND IN PART BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE HERE AND, AND THE FUNDING THAT IS THERE, SO TIMELINE WISE, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE THE, THE COST IS, IS INCREASING UP ON US.
UM, SO FIRST I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE SEEN THE PRESENTATION, SO IT WAS HELPFUL FOR ME TO SEE THAT.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
ONE, UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARKING AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT HOUSING, SO I'LL COUPLE THE TWO QUESTIONS TOGETHER.
DOES THE EXPECTED GROWTH THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD SEE FROM COMPLETING PHASE ONE ACCOMMODATE PARKING AND HOUSING FOR THAT EXPECTED GROWTH? OR IS THAT A SEPARATE PLAN THAT YOU GUYS HAVE FACTORED INTO AN ADDITIONAL PHASE? OKAY.
IF WE WERE TO JUST RESTRICT OURSELVES AT THIS POINT TO THE ARENA AND BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL AND TRACK AND FIELD FIELD, WE PROBABLY WILL EASILY DO SOMETHING WITH 95 TO A HUNDRED A MILLION.
IF WE WERE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, THE NEXT BIG THING WOULD BE PARKING.
BUT WE DO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SUFFICIENT PARKING TO WHERE WE CAN BE WEEDING ON WITH REGARD TO PARKING, WITH REGARD TO HOTELS AND THE OTHER INITIATIVES.
WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S TALKING WITH THIRD PARTIES, BUT WE CAN'T ENGAGE THIRD PARTIES RIGHT NOW WITHOUT THE CONCRETE, UM, FUNDING WITH THIS PLAN BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, IT IS JUST TIMELINESS WOULDN'T BE THERE.
SO, AND THAT WOULD COVER OBVIOUSLY THE TRANSIENT, BUT WOULD YOU EXPECT THERE TO BE SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH, UM, IN STUDENT POPULATION YES.
THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE HOUSING TO ACCOMMODATE? YEAH, SO I WANT TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, HOUSING IS ALREADY A CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING
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ON ALL THREE CAMPUSES THAT ARE PART OF USCB ON BUFORT CAMPUS, ON HILTON HEAD, AND ON THE BLUFFTON CAMPUS TO BE LOOKING AT HOUSING INITIATIVE THAT WE ARE ENGAGED WITH RIGHT NOW.SO AS, AS IT STANDS, YOU POTENTIALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH EXPANDING THE OPERATIONS, BUT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE HOUSING TO ACCOMMODATE STUDENT POPULATION GROWTH? WE WOULD HAVE CONCURRENT, UM, OPERATIONS WITH REGARD TO ADDING ADDITIONAL HOUSING.
UM, NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, HAS THE UNIVERSITY WORKED TO LOOK PAST STATE GRANTS AND TARGETED FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING AS WELL? OR IS IT, HAS IT JUST BEEN LIMITED TO STATE AND THEN DOWN TO LOCAL COUNTY MUNICIPALITY? OKAY, SO WITH REGARD TO THE ACADEMIC SIDE, WE DO REALLY WELL WITH GRANTS.
WE ARE ACTUALLY AS A COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITY, ONE OF THE TOP, IF YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY DOLLARS OUR FACULTY AND STAFF ABLE TO BRING HER, UH, FULL-TIME AT
BUT I THINK THE, YOUR QUESTION IS PROBABLY FOCUSED MORE ON GRANTS FOR THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND DURING, DURING THE, UM, DURING THE, THE PANDEMIC PERIOD, WE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO, TO APPLY FOR SOME OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE THAT, THAT THERE WAS THE WINDOW AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT WE DID, WE DID EXPLORE THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, I THINK THAT FUNDING WENT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THERE, BUT, UM, AT THIS POINT IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN KEEP AN EYE ON, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE THUS FAR IDENTIFY THAT WE BE ABLE TO, UH, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AFTER THAT FOR THIS, THIS PROJECT.
UH, AND I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN I'LL MAKE ONE COMMENT AFTER THAT.
SO THE QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPEN TO THE STATE FUNDING SHOULD YOU NOT BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A MATCH? UM, LET'S HOPE WE KEEP PAYING, YOU KEEP PAYING IT
SO I, AT THIS POINT, IT'S COMMITTED TO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO, UM, I, I'M, I'M CONFIDENT AT THIS POINT THAT BECAUSE OUR CONVERSATION FROM THE GET GO HAD BEEN ABOUT A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE LOCAL, THAT, THAT WE ARE IN GOOD FOOTING.
SO I'LL ASK IT A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO IS THERE A MATCH REQUIREMENT TIED TO THE GRANT FUNDINGS RECEIVED, OR IN THE EVENT THAT SAY YOU DON'T GET A $47 MILLION MATCH, BUT SAY YOU GET A $20 MILLION ADDITION TO THE STATE FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE, IS THERE A PLAN, IS THERE A PLAN TO UTILIZE THE FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE FROM THE STATE AND THEN WHATEVER YOU RECEIVE FROM THE LOCAL LEVEL TO AT LEAST GET SOMETHING DONE? OR DOES IT ALL FALL APART IF YOU DON'T GET 95 OR A HUNDRED MILLION? NO, IT, IT DOESN'T FALL APART.
AND, AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A CONCRETE IN WRITING, IT HAS TO BE 50 50 AND, AND IT'S, OR THIS PARTICULAR NUMBER OR TARGET.
WE, WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT, UM, AS, AS WE SPOKE WITH ALL, UH, LEGISLATORS WITH KIND OF A, A 50 50 TYPE PROPOSITION, UM, IN MIND, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN BINDING IN WRITING.
AND THEN THE COMMENT THAT I'LL MAKE IS IN REGARDS TO ONE, MY SUPPORT FOR THIS INITIATIVE, AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT I SUPPORT IS IN REGARDS TO OUR YOUTH HIGHER EDUCATION, UM, HIGHER PAYING JOBS, UH, THE THE ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT SIDE TO THIS, EXCUSE ME, THAT, THAT COMES FROM, UM, TOURISM WITH THE SPORTING EVENTS AND SUCH.
I I CLEARLY DO HAVE CONCERNS IN REGARDS TO, UH, HOUSING AND POTENTIALLY PARKING, UH, AND HOW THAT FACTORS INTO THE PHASES, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER REASON FOR WHY I FEEL LIKE IT COULD BE A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION FOR THE COUNTY TO TRANSITION FROM A CAPITAL PROJECTS REFERENDUM TO, UH, A TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM.
UM, AND THAT THAT DECISION WAS LOOSELY MADE LAST NIGHT.
BUT I THINK THAT THE FLEXIBILITY THAT A CAPITAL PROJECTS REFERENDUM BRINGS IS POTENTIALLY FUNDING INITIATIVES LIKE THIS, WHEREAS A TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM, MY UNDERSTANDING, WOULD BE LIMITED TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND SO THEREFORE YOU, YOU WOULDN'T REALLY BENEFIT FOR INITIATIVES LIKE THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL OR EVERYTHING ELSE
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FROM, FROM FROM THE BOARD? ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FROM, OH, GO AHEAD.UM, I KNOW, UM, THEY WERE, UH, I'M SORRY, I FORGOT HIS NAME.
WAS ASKING SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOUSING.
CAN YOU GIVE SOME UPDATES ON YOUR STUDENT NUMBERS? I KNOW YOU SAID YOU RETAINED A RECORD AMOUNT, BUT HOW HAVE THEY GROWN OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, FEW YEARS TO WHERE Y'ALL ARE AT NOW WITH ALL THE THREE CAMPUSES? YEAH, SO RIGHT NOW OUR TOTAL ENROLLMENT IS AROUND 2280, AND THAT'S THE HIGHEST WE'VE HAD.
UM, IN TERMS OF ENROLLMENT, WE SAW A 7% INCREASE IN OUR RETENTION OF, OR RETURNING, RETURNING STUDENTS, WHICH IS, IT'S, IT'S A TREMENDOUS NUMBER IN, IN TERMS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SPACE.
AND WE, UM, WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE HIGHEST FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT, WHICH IS, UM, OBVIOUSLY YOUR MIX OF STUDENTS HAVE THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING FULL-TIME AND THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING PART-TIME.
AND, UH, AND, AND SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU FACTOR ALL OF THAT, THE FTES GIVE YOU, GIVING YOU THE BEST PICTURE FOR, UH, YOUR FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT.
AND, AND OURS IS, IS RIGHT AT THE HIGHEST NUMBER APPROACHING 2000, A LITTLE OVER 2000 AND, AND, AND THERE.
UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENT BASE WOULD BE BEAUFORT COUNTY? PROBABLY, UH, ROUGHLY THE NUMBERS WILL VARY SLIGHTLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT WE WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 38 TO 40 OR SO PERCENT.
AND THEN WOULD JASPER COUNTY BE THE NUMBER TWO? UH, IT'S, YES.
AND THEN WE ALSO DRAW SIGNIFICANT NUMBER FROM, UH, THE CHARLESTON AREA COUNTRY OVERALL, WE HAVE ABOUT 85 TO 90% IN STATE AND THEN THE REST FROM OUT OF STATE AND THEN THEN TO NATIONAL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BETH? YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STUDENT POPULATION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, MY CONSTITUENTS ALWAYS ASK ME ABOUT IS THE HILLS AND HEAD CAMPUS.
UM, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOU HAVE THERE FOR THE FALL SEMESTER AND WHAT COURSES ARE THEY TAKING? SO THE FOCUS ON THE HILTON HEAD CAMPUS HAS BEEN ON HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT.
SO IF I WAS GIVING YOU A NUMBER, IT WOULD BE HOW MANY OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT AS THEY DECLARED MAJOR, BUT THEY WILL BE TAKING CLASSES BOTH IN PART ON THEIR BLUFF, BLUFFTON CAMPUS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CLASSES.
THE BIG, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE HAVE FACED ON THE HILTON HEAD CAMPUS IS LACK OF HOUSING.
AND, UH, SO WE, WE BRING 110 OR 12 PLUS, UM, MAJORS, AND THEN THE CHALLENGE OF THE TRANSPORTATION JUST KIND OF DECREASES SOME OF THAT.
SO WE, WE ARE WORKING, UM, WE HAD A, A SOLUTION THAT THOUGHT WAS GOING TO WORK FOR US, BUT, BUT IT HAS KIND OF, UH, DIED ON A VINE A LITTLE BIT AND WE'RE WORKING ON A DIFFERENT SOLUTION, AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT OUR NUMBERS WILL GO ACROSS SIGNIFICANTLY THERE.
BUT IN ADDITION, FROM THE GET GO, THAT CAMPUS WAS ALSO ACCOMMODATING OUR ALI PROGRAM THAT IS, UM, VERY, VERY ROBUST AND ENGAGED THERE.
UM, AS WELL AS OBVIOUSLY THE FUTURE OF POTENTIALLY GROWING SOME, UM, SOME BIOLOGY RELATED PROGRAM THERE.
WE HAVE A LAB IN THE FACILITY AND WE ALSO AT THIS POINT LOOKING AT A ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INSTITUTE.
SO FOR THE FALL SEMESTER, ARE YOU SAYING THERE, THERE ARE NO CLASSES OR STUDENTS OR THERE MAY BE NO, WE DO, WE DO HAVE CLASSES THERE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY OR HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE THERE, BUT WE DO HAVE A VARIETY OF CLASSES THERE, INCLUDING ALSO CLASSES FOR, UM, FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS.
WITH REGARD TO THE STUDENT HOUSING, UM, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH PROPERTY ON CAMPUS THAT YOU CAN DO A GROUND LEASE MAYBE WITH A DEVELOPER TO DO STUDENT HOUSING? WE, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME PROPERTY ON, ON CAMPUS, UM, BEHIND IT.
PARTLY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THEY ARE, YES, WE DO.
AND, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT, AT MAXIMIZING THAT PRETTY MUCH LIKE YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH THE HOTELS
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ON EITHER END.IT, IT WOULD BE, UM, BEAUFORT, JASPER HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION HAS DONE THE HOUSING FOR USCB AND, AND THERE IS AN AREA THAT WE ENVISION FOR CONTINUING THAT INITIATIVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING? CARL? GOOD MORNING.
I'M A, UH, SCHOOL BOARD, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR, AND I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME DATA WE'VE RECEIVED ON THIS PROJECT FROM THE USC BUFORD COUNTY MULTI, UH, MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK PROPOSED FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION ANALYSIS.
THIS IS DONE BY, UH, THESE FOLKS DOING THIS NOW THAT SHOWS THAT THE ALLOCATION OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS 1% FOR JASPER COUNTY, 40% FROM USCB AND 60% FROM BUFORT COUNTY, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY WILL COME FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I WANNA READ YOU A STATEMENT, UH, THAT, UH, WE'VE MADE, AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AND VOTED ON THIS AND, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD STRONGLY OBJECTS TO SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND OR SCHOOL DEBT MILLAGE BE USED TO FUND THE MALTA COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK PLAN FOR SAND SHARK 2020.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SCHEDULING A JOINT COUNTY COUNCIL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON 30 SEPTEMBER TO URGE THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO STOP OR AT LEAST DELAY FORMATION OF THIS MCIP.
WE WILL STRONGLY AND PUBLICLY OBJECT TO USING SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND OR SCHOOL DEBT DEBT MILLAGE TO PROVIDE $68.4 MILLION OVER 30 YEARS TO PAY FOR THIS PROJECT THAT COMES FROM THIS SPREADSHEET.
WE OBJECT TO THE 2020 PROJECT BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOT NEITHER NEEDS OR WANTS TO USE THE FACILITIES INCLUDED IN THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT.
WE HAVE SUFFICIENT ATHLETIC FIELDS TO MEET OUR NEEDS FOR OUR, OUR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. WE WILL NOT USE SAND SHARK ATHLETIC FACILITIES.
OUR SIX HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS STATE THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO HOLD THEIR ONCE A YEAR, TWO HOUR GRADUATIONS IN THE PROPOSED SAND SHARK FIELDHOUSE FOR OPERATIONAL AND LOGISTICS REASONS, THESE GRADUATIONS ARE CURRENTLY HELD AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STADIUM WITH ADVERSE WEATHER CONTINGENCY OF HOLDING THE GRADUATION IN THEIR GYMNASIUM.
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, 61 GRADUATIONS HAVE BEEN HELD ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD, AND ONE GRADUATION WAS HELD IN THE GYMNASIUM DUE TO HEAVY RAIN.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NEED AND WANT THE PROPOSED COUNTY REFERENDUM TO IMPROVE OUR ROADS TO PASS CURRENT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR 3000 EMPLOYEES COMING TO WORK AND MORE THAN 14, 15,000 STUDENTS COMING ON TO SCHOOL ON A BUS AND THE REST OF THE 21,000 STUDENTS COMING TO SCHOOL IN PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES.
IT IS OUR CONCERN THAT OUR STRONG PUBLIC OBJECTIONS TO SANSAR 2020 TO ADD OUR, TO OUR EXISTING MILLAGE REQUIREMENTS WILL HURT THE CHANCES OF THE PASSAGE OF THIS IMPORTANT REFERENDUM.
A DELAY OF APPROVAL WILL GIVE USCB THE TIME TO PROVIDE A BUSINESS PLAN TO INCLUDE A MARKET SURVEY TO MORE ACCURATELY DETERMINE ESTIMATED MCIP REVENUE.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE THAT WE FEEL IS, UH, VERY OPTIMISTIC, I'LL SAY THAT TO SAY THE LEAST.
IT'LL ALSO ALLOW ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING DESIGN WORK TO BE COMPLETED TO GIVE A MORE ACCURATE ESTIMATION OF THE PROJECT COST.
UH, SO THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN TWO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE AND HORRY COUNTY AND IN GREEN AND, UH, BERKELEY COUNTY WHERE THEY HAD A-M-C-I-P SET UP AND THEY TOOK MONEY FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOTH SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO THEIR DETRIMENT.
AND WHAT YOU TALK TO, THERE'S BOARD MEMBERS FROM, UH, THOSE TWO COUNTIES.
THEY WILL TELL YOU THEY HAD NO
[00:40:01]
IDEA WHEN THIS PROJECT WAS PROPOSED, OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE MADE AND THE FUNDING ON WHAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS WERE GIVEN.AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT SAME ROAD.
SO THIS, THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT PERHAPS FOR THE COUNTY, BUT THE FUNDING IS A, IS A CONCERN AND HOW IT IS, HOW IT IS GOING TO BE PAID FOR.
AND SO UNTIL THAT IS SORTED OUT, UH, WE ARE NOT GONNA SUPPORT PROVIDING OUR MILLAGE, UH, TO THIS PROJECT.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S MY PLACE TO RESPOND TO THAT, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT I APPRECIATE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR WORK VERY WELL WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE ARE, UM, PARTNERS AND MANY INITIATIVE IN PROVIDING OUR TEACHERS HERE.
AND LET ME ALSO JUST FOR THE RECORD, MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IN THE EARLY DAYS WHEN WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH REGARD TO THE MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITY, OUR PRINCIPLES, WHICH WE GET ON CAMPUS ON A REGULAR BASIS JUST TO TALK ABOUT RECRUITMENT, ET CETERA, INDICATED THEIR WILLINGNESS AND THEIR INTEREST IN ALSO HAVING A VENUE THAT THEY CAN DO AT GRADUATION.
AS YOU KNOW, WHENEVER A COMMENCEMENT IS HAPPENING, AND LET'S SAY WE HAVE 3000 PEOPLE INDICATING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO COME TO COMMENCEMENT AND WE CHANGE VENUE AND WE SAY, 'CAUSE OF THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, WE ARE NOW GOING TO DO IT IN A GYM.
AND WE DO HAVE A FACILITY ON CAMPUS NOW THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE MAYBE SIX, 700 PEOPLE.
THAT MEANS YOU TELLING THE FAMILIES AND ALL OF THOSE THAT THEY CANNOT COME.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FIRST GENERATION GRADUATES WHO, FOR WHOM THIS IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO DO.
AND WE'VE HAD TO MAKE THAT KIND, THOSE KIND OF CALLS.
AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT FUN, IT'S NOT PLEASANT.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, NOW WHETHER THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CHOOSES TO USE THAT OR NOT, IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUSLY THEIR CALL.
AND SO WE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE ISSUE.
THE, UM, THE, THE MERIT OF THE PROJECT IS BIGGER THAN JUST WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL USE IT AND BENEFIT IT.
AS WE SAID, IT'S A MULTIPURPOSE FACILITY.
IT INCLUDES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDES THE, THE NEEDS OF THE UNIVERSITIES AND INCLUDES A LOT OF, OF, UH, UM, U UTILIZATION FOR, FOR THAT PARTICULAR SPACE.
SO, SO THE FACT THAT IT MAY NOT MEET CERTAIN NEED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DOESN'T MAKE THE PROJECT IRRELEVANT OR, UM, OF, OF KNOWING IMPORT.
OUR COMMITMENT WAS STUDYING POTENTIAL MECHANISMS THAT ARE THERE FOR BEING ABLE TO DO FUNDING.
AND OBVIOUSLY SOME CALLS HAVE TO BE MADE, CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS HAVE TO BE MADE IN ORDER FOR THE NUMBERS THAT, UM, THAT YOU PROVIDED TO BE THE, THE ONES WORKING ON.
AND FOR INSTANCE, $68 MILLION IS A FAR CRY BIGGER NUMBER IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE USING IN COMPARED TO 47 MILLION THAT WE JUST MENTIONED HERE AND WHAT IT DOES IN THE DISTRIBUTIONS OF WHAT PART CAME FROM WHERE.
AND, UM, AND UNLIKE A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS WITH REGARD TO FUND RAISING AND, AND, AND, UH, REFERENDUM ET CETERA, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT PARTICULAR, UM, AS A, AS AN INSTITUTION, UH, ABILITY TO DO.
SO YEAH, I I THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION.
IT'S GONNA CONTINUE A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT STEVE, I THINK YES, SIR, I WAS JUST GONNA KIND OF, DR.
PANNU REALLY HIT A LOT OF WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IS ONE FUNDING MECHANISM THAT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE LIKE TIFS, THERE'S MOUS THAT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE TO RESTRICT THE REVENUE FROM DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT PARTICIPATE.
AND UM, I KNOW Y'ALL WERE LOOKING AT FUNDRAISING AND HAVE A, A COMMITTEE THAT YOU'VE CREATED WITH THE, UM, FOUNDATION TO HELP DO THAT.
[00:45:01]
UNDERSTANDING IS THE NCIP WAS JUST THE FIRST FUNDING MECHANISM THAT YOU'VE LOOKED AT.AND, BUT YOU HIT THE REST OF WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS THAT THIS GOES BEYOND, AGAIN, WAY EARLY IN THE DECISION OR IN THE, IN THE PROCESS.
AND I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DIRECTION THAT I'VE SEEN WITH USCB WOULD WANT TO TAKE WHERE IT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT PARTNERS WITH THIS, BUT MORE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TO GET THE FUNDING IN PLACE AND MOVE FORWARD AND SUPPORT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
UH, LET ME MENTION JUST AS A REFRESHER, I, I MENTIONED HOW THIS WAS INSPIRED BY WHAT HAPPENED 20 YEARS AGO TO BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER USCB AND IT TOOK A, A TIFF FUNDING MECHANISM, UM, THAT BROUGHT ON THE, THE, THE, THE BLUFFTON CAMPUS.
AND I SAW STEVE, WHERE STEVE, OKAY.
STEVE WAS, UH, SO INSTRUMENTAL IN NEW YORK AND THAT T WAS PAID OFF IN NINE YEARS INSTEAD OF THE 30 THAT WAS PROJECTED ON THAT PARTICULAR FUNDING.
AND SO MCIP WAS A VISION TO BE VERY TOUGH, LIKE, BUT TO ALSO EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE MULTICOUNTY.
UM, UM, WHERE, WHERE USCB IS, IS BOTH ON BOTH BLUFFTON AND, AND BUFORD AND JASPER, I'M SORRY.
I THINK WE, I KNOW JOSH HAS GOTTA GET UP INTO A PRESENTATION, BUT IS THERE ANY LAST QUESTION? YES, SIR.
HAS THE UNIVERSITY DISCUSSED THE FEASIBILITY OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP? YEAH.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME NAMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THERE AND UM, THEY'RE DEFINITELY BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS, BUT YOU CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT UNTIL YOU HAVE SOME, UM, SOMETHING TO BE ABLE TO, TO SELL CORPORATE WITH ALL.
SO THAT'S ENVISIONED DOWN THE FUTURE.
I'M CERTAIN MR. GRUER HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT FOR A WHILE.
SEE HOW WELL YOU DO ON THIS TECHNOLOGY,
ALRIGHT, SO I KNOW IF I DO NOT HAVE THIS WRAPPED UP IN 15 MINUTES, I WILL GET IN TROUBLE BY THE BOSS.
SO WE ARE GONNA GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, WANNA DO A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO TOM HENS.
I KNOW HE REGULARLY ATTENDS THESE MEETINGS.
I DIDN'T SEE HIM TODAY, BUT HE HAD SENT OVER, UM, A REPORT FROM THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, ENTITLED THEIR HOUSING PLAYBOOK.
AND SO THEY'VE KIND OF WAITED INTO THIS AREA OF HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE EVER RISING PRICES IN HOMES AND HOW DO WE MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
AND SO WHILE THE CITY DID NOT BASE ITS CURRENT ACTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, I'VE STRUCTURED THIS PRESENTATION TO KIND OF REALLY ALIGN WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SHOW THAT WHAT THE CITY'S DOING IS HELPING TO HOPEFULLY CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, IN THAT PLAYBOOK, THERE'S REALLY, THERE'S FOUR ITEMS THAT THEY ADDRESS.
THE FOURTH ONE WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS USING GOVERNMENT LAND FOR HOUSING.
THAT IS NOT PART OF WHAT HARDY BILL'S DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, BUT WE'RE NOT USING BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT OR CONSERVATION AREAS OR FORESTS TO CREATE NEW HOUSING.
SO WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THAT ONE OFF.
BUT THE OTHER THREE THAT THEY HAVE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE ALL ACTIVELY WORKING ON WITHIN THE CITY OF HARDY.
SO THE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY HAVE ARE ONE, UTILIZING AND ALMOST REQUIRING SMALL LOTS WITHIN SUBDIVISIONS.
UM, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO, IN THEIR OPINION, SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
WHEN DEMAND IS HIGH AND SUPPLY IS LOW, PRICES WILL RISE TO MEET THAT DEMAND.
WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE MORE SUPPLY, THEN THERE'S DEMAND, THEN PRICES WILL FALL TO MEET THAT DEMAND.
UM, AND SO BY CREATING MORE HOUSING IN TERMS OF QUANTITY, IT CAN BRING THE INDIVIDUAL UNIT PRICES DOWN.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS YOU CAN BUILD FIVE $1 MILLION HOMES ON AN ACRE A PIECE.
SO IF YOU HAVE FIVE ACRES, FIVE HOMES, OR YOU CAN DO 50 TOWN HOMES, REALLY IT IS HELPING TO CREATE MORE QUANTITY THROUGH ALLOWING SMALLER LOTS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, ALLOWING A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES, DUPLEXES, TOWN HOMES, MULTI-FAMILY, UH, ET CETERA.
AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO DENSITY AND GETTING MORE UNITS ON A PARTICULAR SITE.
VILLE IS ALLOWING THESE TYPES OF RESIDENCES TO GO IN A
[00:50:01]
LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT.AND THEN LAST BUILDING HOMES NEAR WHERE THE JOBS ARE LOCATED.
UM, IF YOU DRIVE ON 2 78 IN THE MORNINGS, AND I KNOW BEING HERE IN HARDY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY, UM, PARTICULAR TO US.
WE HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON 2 78 THAT GETS BOTTLENECKED UP AT THE INTERSECTION OF LATITUDE.
UH, MARGARITAVILLE AND, AND HILTON HEAD LAKES THAT TRAFFIC BY AND LARGE ARE NOT HARDY RESIDENTS.
THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THIS AREA AND OUTSIDE OF THE STATE, BUT THEY'RE TRAVELING TO THE JOBS THAT ARE IN BLUFFTON AND HILTON AND IN OTHER PLACES.
AND SO IF YOU CAN BUILD HOUSING WHERE THOSE JOBS ARE, YOU CAN CUT DOWN ON THE TRAFFIC, BUT YOU CAN ALSO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN PEOPLE THEN DON'T HAVE TO ADD IN THEIR COMMUTE TO ALSO THEIR HOUSING COSTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THOSE AREAS AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, IN TERMS OF POPULATION GROWTH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW.
THIS WAS OUR PROJECTIONS THAT WE CREATED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT THEY ARE ALMOST SPOT ON TO WHERE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF ACTUAL COUNTS OF POPULATIONS.
SO WHILE SOME OF THESE LOOK LIKE VERY LARGE NUMBERS BACK IN THE DAY, UM, YEAH, WE ARE, WE ARE RIGHT AROUND THE 20,000 MARK TODAY IN TERMS OF OUR POPULATION AND LIKELY TO CONTINUE GROWING.
YOU SEE THERE BY ABOUT, UH, 23 TO 2000 PER YEAR.
AND SO THAT IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE.
BY HAVING THE ROOFTOPS, YOU GENERATE MORE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES BY GENERATING MORE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, YOU CREATE MORE JOBS.
BY HAVING MORE JOBS, YOU CAN CREATE MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO HAVING ALL OF THAT IS A POSITIVE THING WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING MORE OF THAT HOUSING TYPE.
UH, THIS IS OUR ACTUAL NUMBER.
SO THE END OF, UH, LAST YEAR WE WERE JUST SHY OF, UH, 1400 NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THESE WERE COED ISSUED OUT THE DOOR, ALL DONE.
UM, OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS ARE LOOKING AT, UM, I KNOW WE'VE GOT IT IN HERE.
LET ME ADVANCE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS FOR THIS YEAR ARE LESS THAN WHAT THEY WERE LAST YEAR, SO WE ARE SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOWDOWN.
SO FOR 2025 LAST YEAR WE WERE, UH, JUST SHY OF 1400.
THIS YEAR WE'RE PROJECTING TO BE PROBABLY AROUND 1200 BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
UH, WE WERE JUST OVER A THOUSAND THROUGH AUGUST.
AND SO KIND OF HOW WE'RE TRACKING THAT IS WE'RE GONNA LIKELY WIND UP SOMEWHERE AROUND 1200.
UM, AND TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN, UH, WHERE EVERYBODY'S LIVING.
SO WE'VE GOT GROWTH THAT IS GOING ON EVERYWHERE.
THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN IS A LIST, AND IT'S NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT IT'S A LIST OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SUBDIVISIONS AND COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ACTIVELY BEING CONSTRUCTED AS WE SPEAK.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP THAT THEY ARE SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE ENTIRE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST, UH, BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY.
IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, OUR MOST, UM, VOL VOLUMINOUS, UH, COMMUNITIES ARE LATITUDE, MARGARITAVILLE, SUN CITY, UH, ARGENT COTTAGES.
NOW, IT USED TO BE RIVERTON POINT WAS NUMBER THREE LAST YEAR.
ARGENT COTTAGES HAS NOW EXCEEDED THAT.
UM, THOSE ARE SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES, BUT THEY ARE RENTAL HOMES RATHER THAN FOR SALE HOMES.
BUT YOU CAN SEE IT IS A, A NUMBER OF UNITS, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD IN ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
IN TERMS OF JOBS, AGAIN, WE ARE FOCUSED ON BRINGING EMPLOYMENT TO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE.
AND SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, THE CLARIUS PARK WITH TS CONDUCTORS, 2.7 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF WAREHOUSE AND COMMERCIAL SPACE.
UM, TFS CONDUCTORS, AS I SAID, IS GONNA BE, UH, 462 MANUFACTURING JOBS.
UM, AND SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS IN THEIR KIND OF FIRST PHASE.
SO THEY'VE LEASED 300,000 SQUARE FEET OF EXISTING SPACE.
THEY HAVE TAKEN AN OPTION ON AN ADDITIONAL MILLION SQUARE FEET NEXT DOOR TO THEIR CURRENT LOCATION.
AND SO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SOME FUTURE EXPANSION AND CONTINUE TO GROW IN THIS AREA ONCE THEY GET ESTABLISHED.
UH, ADDITIONALLY WE HAD THE OPENING OF THE SALT SOUTH ATLANTIC LOGISTICS TERMINAL 880 ACRES.
UH, IT'D BE 550 JOBS AT FULL BUILD OUT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE SHERWOOD TRACT BEING, UH, MARKETED BY THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE AS AN OEM MANUFACTURER, UH, FOR THE HYUNDAI PLANT FOR ANY OF THE OTHER AUTOMOBILE PLANTS, ANY OF THE OTHER MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AROUND HERE.
BUT THE GOAL WOULD BE, UH, IF WE BROUGHT IN SOMEBODY, UH, OF THAT CALIBER, PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN TO 800 RANGE IN TERMS OF NEW JOBS WITH THAT PROJECT AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT EXIT THREE.
THIS ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT HERE IS RIVERPORT.
YOU'VE GOT RESIDENTIAL HOUSING IN THE NORTHERN SECTION.
YOU'VE GOT OFFICE, HOSPITAL, PROFESSIONAL SPACE IN THE MIDDLE, COMMERCIAL
[00:55:01]
AREAS, UH, TO THE SOUTH OF THAT, UH, RESIDENTIAL MIXED USE IN THIS AREA, A CONVENTION CENTER, RESTAURANTS, UH, RETAIL HOTELS IN THIS AREA.AND THEN HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING AT THE VERY SOUTHERN END.
BUT, UH, IT'S A MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, COMING ONLINE.
AND THEN I, THAT'S THE VERY BOTTOM PART OF RIVERPORT, WHICH IS THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, SOUTH POINT.
AND THAT'S OVER BY EXIT EIGHT.
UM, SO IT'S GONNA BE 840 MULTIFAMILY UNITS, 580 SINGLE FAMILY UNITS.
SO 1400 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, NOT THE 14,000 THAT WAS QUOTED IN THE NEWSPAPER.
UH, BUT THEN IN ADDITION TO THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, 850,000 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG THAT EXIT EIGHT CORRIDOR, WE'VE GOT BUCKY'S THAT'S GONNA COME IN A COUPLE YEARS ONCE THE, UH, I 95 WIDENING AND EXIT EIGHT WORK IS DONE.
AGAIN, 70,000 SQUARE FEET AND 200 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AT FULL BUILD OUT.
SO AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED JUST WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON REDEVELOPING OUR DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL AREA.
UM, SO THE CITY HAS ACQUIRED, UH, SEVERAL PARCELS ALONG THE WHITE HARDY BOULEVARD CORRIDOR.
WE'RE WORKING WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT FIRM OUT OF NEW JERSEY ON A PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR FIRST FLOOR COMMERCIAL, POSSIBLY EVEN SECOND FLOOR COMMERCIAL, BUT THEN PROBABLY SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR BEING RESIDENTIAL RENTAL SPACE ABOVE THAT COMMERCIAL.
AGAIN, WITH THE IDEA OF TRYING TO CREATE A MORE, UH, DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT TYPE FIELD.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE CITY STAFF, WE'VE CONTINUED TO GROW.
WE'VE MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR SIZE.
UH, 10 YEARS AGO IN 2015 WE HAD 70 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
AND AGAIN, AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN POPULATION, OUR EMPLOYEE, UH, BASE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS WELL, UM, ATTAINABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO, UM, WITHIN A LOT OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING COMING ONLINE, AND I TALKED ABOUT MARGARITAVILLE, SUN CITY, RIVERTON POINT, THOSE ARE MORE OF OUR ESTABLISHED COMMUNITIES.
THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.
THEY'VE BEEN ACTIVELY MARKETING FOR A LONG TIME.
A LOT OF THESE ONES THAT YOU SEE HERE, THE HUNT CLUB, THE PRESERVE, THE RETREAT AT EAST ORIGIN, THOSE ARE NEW COMMUNITIES THAT ARE JUST GETTING STARTED, UM, AND UNITS BEING BUILT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE ARE MUCH MORE, UH, GEARED TOWARDS ENTRY LEVEL HOUSING.
SO THE TYPICAL PRICE POINT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT WE'RE SEEING IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 300 AND 350,000.
NOW, COMPARATIVELY, THAT'S STILL A VERY BIG NUMBER, BUT IT IS CHEAPER THAN THE $600,000 THAT YOU WOULD SEE SOMEWHERE IN BLUFFTON AND IT'S CHEAPER THAN THE $800,000 THAT YOU WOULD SEE SOMEWHERE IN HILTON HEAD.
SO AS FAR AS THE PRICE POINT GOES, IT IS MUCH MORE ATTAINABLE EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL HIGH COMPARATIVELY TO A NUMBER OF OTHER AREAS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
JOSH, WE'RE ABOUT TO YOU MM-HMM
YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO SAVANNAH AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WHERE DOES THAT PRICE POINT COME IN? SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, BUT IT'S INTERESTING 'CAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS WITH REGARDS TO MULTI-FAMILY, UM, THE POOL, WENTWORTH, GUYTON, RINKIN AREA, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THEY STARTED BUILDING A LOT OF MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS OVER THAT WAY.
AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF OUR WORKFORCE LIVES AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE COMMUTING FROM.
UM, AND SO I WAS OVER THERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO DRIVING AROUND AND I HAPPEN TO NOTICE THAT WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE, AND I THINK IT IS VERY MUCH WITHIN THAT SUPPLY AND DEMAND MODEL, BECAUSE THERE'S NOW SO MUCH SUPPLY THERE, YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE SIGNS OUT FRONT THAT SAY NO DEPOSIT, NO NECESSARY THREE MONTHS FREE RENT.
YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT COMPETITION KICK IN WHERE IT'S RAISING, OR I'M SORRY, IT'S LOWERING PRICES BECAUSE THERE'S THE VOLUME OF SUPPLY THAT'S THERE.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SINGLE FAMILY MARKET, BUT I DO KNOW WITH THE MULTI-FAMILY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT, THEIR COSTS ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, I THINK IT'S IN A, A FUTURE SLIDE THAT'S GONNA COME UP IN ADDITION TO THE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING THAT THE CITY'S APPROVED, WE ALSO HAVE 3000 MULTIFAMILY UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED, ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND AGAIN, OUR HOPE IS AS THOSE COME ONLINE, BY PROVIDING THAT SUPPLY, IT WILL DRIVE THE AVERAGE COST DOWN.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT $1,500 FOR A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT AND THAT'S VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THIS AREA.
UM, SO THIS IS, WE'LL GO THROUGH A HANDFUL OF THESE COMMUNITIES JUST KIND OF AGAIN, LOOKING AT WHAT THAT ENTRY LEVEL HOUSING PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE.
SO WE'VE GOT MILLSTONE LANDING, UM, JUST OFF OF 46 HERE, SOUTH OF, UH, DOWNTOWN 620 UNITS.
UM, 75 OF THOSE SIX 20 HAVE BEEN BUILT.
UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING, UH, KIND OF A HANDFUL OF THE TIME AS THEY SELL OUT AND MOVE INTO THEIR NEXT PHASES.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE ON SMALL LOTS.
THEY ARE TIGHTLY PACKED TOGETHER.
[01:00:01]
UM, WITHIN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PROPERTY, ROYAL OAKS, THIS IS OVER BY THE REC CENTER.UM, IT IS A COMBINATION OF TOWN HOMES, WHICH AGAIN HELPS TO PROVIDE THAT DENSITY BECAUSE YOU NEED A LOT LESS FOOTPRINT IN TERMS OF REAL ESTATE FOR A TOWN HOME.
THEN YOU DO A SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED STRUCTURE.
AND SO, UM, IT'S A MIX OF BOTH SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES, BUT THOSE HOMES ARE TYPICALLY AROUND SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1600 TO 1800 SQUARE FEET.
SO THEY'RE MOST DEFINITELY ON THE SMALLER SIDE.
BUT YOU'VE GOT, UH, TOWN HOME MIX AND THEN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT'LL BE IN THE INTERIOR OF THAT DEVELOPMENT.
ANOTHER ONE, UH, RYAN HOMES AND ROYAL OAKS 250 UNITS.
SO THAT'S THE SINGLE FAMILY COMPONENT THAT GOES WITH THE MULTI-FAMILY, OR I'M SORRY, THE TOWN HOMES.
SO THE TOWN HOMES ARE BEING BUILT BY FARINO AND RYAN HOMES IS DOING THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
WE'VE GOT THE RETREAT AT EAST ARGENT 630 UNITS.
ABOUT HALF OF THAT HAS BEEN PERMITTED ALREADY.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE SMALL HOMES ON SMALL LOTS.
UM, IT'S A DR. HORTON COMMUNITY, SO AGAIN, AN ENTRY LEVEL PRODUCT FOR, UH, PRIMARILY GEARED TOWARDS, UH, WORKFORCE OR FAMILIES.
THE HUNT CLUB AT EAST A, AGAIN, 500 UNITS ONLY 15 SO FAR HAVE BEEN ISSUED, BUT THEY'RE CONTINUING TO BUILD AND GROW OUT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO GOT THE PRESERVE AT ARGENT WEST 350 UNITS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ALL THE SAME TYPE.
SO THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT I MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UH, MULTI-FAMILY UNITS.
SO WE'VE GOT 3000, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND JUST WITHIN THE LAST I WOULD SAY 16 MONTHS, WE'VE SEEN THIS PRODUCT START COMING ONLINE.
AND SO WE'VE ISSUED 700 BUILDING PERMITS OUT OF THOSE 3000 UNITS.
UM, SO HILLPOINT, THAT'S A MULTIFAMILY.
THIS IS UP, UH, NEAR THE HOSPITAL COMPLEX.
UM, YOU'VE GOT JUST, UH, RIGHT THERE IF YOU'VE SEEN THE CLEARING THAT, UH, WAS TAKING PLACE ALONG I 95, EVERYBODY SAID, OH, THAT'S WHERE BUCKY'S IS GOING.
THAT'S NOT BUCKY'S, THAT'S, THAT IS A APARTMENT PROJECT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE 300 THAT, UH, HILLPOINT IS TAKING ON, UH, SOMEWHERE ELSE, UH, LAKEVIEW TERRACE 144 MULTIFAMILY.
THIS IS AFTER, UH, OFF OF JASPER STATION ROAD.
SO IN THE EAST, A AREA WE'VE GOT, OH, OKAY.
SO THIS IS NOW INTO ALL OF THESE.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S WORTH NOTING THERE IS NO PUBLIC FUNDING, THERE IS NO SUBSIDIES, THERE IS NO FINANCING.
THIS IS ALL JUST WITHIN THE MARKET HERE.
NOW THAT IS GREAT THAT THE SUPPLY WILL HOPEFULLY BRING THOSE PRICES DOWN, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT AT 300 OR $350,000, IT STILL REMAINS UNATTAINABLE FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT THE CITY IS WORKING ON WHERE THERE IS GOVERNMENTAL INVOLVEMENT OR GOVERNMENTAL SUBSIDY, AND THIS IS ONE OF 'EM.
SO THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, UM, BENNETT AND RYDELL COMPANIES.
AND SO THE CITY OWNED THIS PROPERTY AND PROVIDED THE LAND TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY WHO'S GOING TO BUILD SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 50 TO CITY WORK, 50 TO 60 WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS.
THE ONLY THING THAT THIS PROJECT IS WAITING ON IS FUNDING.
THEY ARE LOOKING TO SEEK FUNDING THROUGH THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.
UM, THEY'VE SUBMITTED A COUPLE ROUNDS OF APPLICATIONS.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SELECTED YET, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM.
WE'RE WORKING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR DELEGATION TO CONTINUE TO LOBBY THEM TO MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR FUNDING FORMULA SO THAT WE CAN BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE FOR THOSE GRANTS AND ALLOW THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.
IS THAT A LONG-TERM GROUND LEASE? UM, NO, IT WAS AN OUTRIGHT DONATION, BUT IT'S RESTRICTED IN TERMS OF HOW IT CAN BE USED GOING FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY GONNA BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WAS DONE IN BLUFFTON OFF OF 46 ON 10 95.
HOW MANY YEARS? UM, I THINK IT'S IN PERPETUITY.
UM, I KNOW IT'S AT LEAST A MINIMUM 30 BECAUSE IT HAS TO RUN WITH THE BONDS THAT ARE TAKEN OUT TO PAY FOR THE FINANCING OF IT.
BUT I THINK IT'S, IN THIS INSTANCE IT IS A PERPETUAL, UM, RESTRICTION.
ANOTHER ONE THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN, THIS WAS HARVEY PLACE.
SO THIS WAS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, A PRIVATE DEVELOPER AND A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
THE CITY ACQUIRED SOME LAND, UM, JUST UP THE ROAD FROM THIS BUILDING.
WE PARTNERED WITH FARINO TO BUILD THEIR TOWN HOME MODELS ON THESE LOTS.
AND THEN WE PARTNERED WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO QUALIFY THE RESIDENTS AND THEN OVERSEE AND MANAGE THIS DEVELOPMENT.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS SO EFFECTIVE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY JUST, UH, SIGNED A CONTRACT TO PURCHASE AN ADDITIONAL, I THINK IT'S AN ADDITIONAL JUST, JUST SHY OF FOUR ACRES, UM, WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO AT LEAST 18 MORE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UNITS.
[01:05:01]
WILL BE WITH THE SAME PARTNERS OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT DOING THE SAME MODEL WHERE WE WORK WITH A BUILDER OR SOME OTHER DEVELOPER TO BUILD THE UNITS ON THE LAND THAT THE CITY OWNS.AND THEN WE'LL WORK WITH A NONPROFIT TO QUALIFY PEOPLE TO PUT PEOPLE IN THOSE UNITS.
SO THAT'S THE PROPERTY THAT WE ARE UNDER CONTRACT TO PURCHASE.
UH, SO WE CAN DO NINE DUPLEXES OR 18 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'LL TALK WITH COUNSEL ONCE WE'VE CLOSED ON THIS ABOUT WHAT THE PRODUCT IS THAT WE WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH, BUT WE KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT.
ONLY THREE MINUTES OVER ACCORDING TO YOUR WATCH.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? JUST ONE QUESTION.
UM, ON THE WAY HERE, UH, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ON 2 78 AND ALL THAT LAND, IS THAT ANOTHER ONE OF THESE? SO THAT IS A SUBDIVISION THAT IS ACTUALLY IN THE UNINCORPORATED PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
IT IS 275 SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW INITIALLY WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, IT WAS GOING TO BE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE FOR RENT RATHER THAN FOR SALE.
BUT I'VE HEARD THAT MAYBE IT'S GONNA BE A 50 50 MIX.
SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE ABOUT THAT STRUCTURE, BUT IT IS 275 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK GO AHEAD.
UM, 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA KEEP US ANY LONGER OR YOUR PAUSE.
UM, UH, I'VE ALWAYS TOLD PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE IN BLUFFTON, THAT THEY HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET.
AND I ALWAYS, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE A LITTLE FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS TOLD THERE WERE 60,000 RESIDENTIAL UNITS APPROVED IN HARDY TWO AND A HALF PEOPLE.
I THINK PEOPLE QUITE GRASP THAT.
WHERE ARE Y'ALL UP TO NOW ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR WHAT HAS BEEN APPROVED? SO PDDS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, THINGS WHERE THEY ARE VESTED WITH AT LEAST SOME LEVEL OF DEVELOPABLE, UH, RIGHTS WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT AROUND 20,000 OKAY.
IS WHAT'S IN OUR PIPELINE NOW THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE WHAT'S BEEN APPROVED BEFOREHAND.
THAT IS WHAT IS LOOKING AT US IN THE FUTURE IS 20,000 UNITS THAT ARE GOING TO COME WITH ONLINE ADDITIONAL THAN WHAT'S ALREADY MOVING.
SO AGAIN, 2.1 PEOPLE PER HOUSEHOLD.
COULD IT BE 30 TO 50,000 MORE PEOPLE? IT IT COULD, YEAH.
BUT AGAIN, THINK ABOUT THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THAT WE HAVE GOING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY TODAY, WHICH AREN'T RESIDENTS.
AND SO WE MAY BE SWAPPING ONE OUT FOR ANOTHER, HOPEFULLY.
OH, I HAVE A QUICK DISCLAIMER AND THEN A QUESTION.
SO THE DISCLAIMER IS, IS I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU GUYS FACE IN HARDY.
SO MY QUESTION IS JUST SIMPLY TO SEE IF THERE'S ALIGNMENT WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
SO I KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IN THE CITY OF BUFORT ARE, UM, SPECIFICALLY TIED TO OUR TRANSPORTATION IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE FALLEN A LITTLE BIT BEHIND IN THAT REGARD.
WE HAVE THE SAME HOPES THAT SOME OF OUR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS WILL KIND OF HELP WITH THE, UM, INVENTORY THERE AND THE SUPPLY WILL, YOU KNOW, BRING THE PRICE DOWN.
UM, HOWEVER, HOW IS THE CITY OF HARDY WORKING TO BALANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE, UM, CAPACITIES ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE GROWTH THAT YOU EXPECT? YEP.
SO OUR BEST GOAL IS TO TRY TO KEEP PACE WITH THE GROWTH.
WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE OUT IN FRONT OF IT BECAUSE TO BE OUT IN FRONT OF IT, I'VE GOT A TAX RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE NOW TO BE ABLE TO BRING NEW RESIDENTS WHO DON'T LIVE HERE YET HERE.
AND THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE NOW DON'T WANNA PAY FOR THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY COME AND THEY START PAYING TAXES BEFORE WE CAN USE THAT REVENUE TO THEN PROVIDE IMPROVEMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT, UM, WE ARE WORKING IN ALL AREAS ACROSS THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE ACTIVE PROJECTS IN THE EAST ORIGIN AREA ALONG 2 78, ALONG ALL OF OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS.
WE HAVE SOME LEVEL OF ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT EITHER PLANNED IN PERMITTING IN DESIGN, OR AT LEAST PROVIDED FOR IN TERMS OF FUNDING.
AND SO WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS JASPER COUNTY HAD THE VISION TO ADOPT THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM.
SO WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT IS GOING TO BE USED SPECIFICALLY FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THIS AREA.
I MEAN, ALL OF OUR MAIN CORRIDORS HAVE SOME LEVEL IMPROVEMENT PLANNED FOR THAT.
UM, NOW THE CITY'S ALSO DOING A LOT OF PROJECTS ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE.
SO WHEN YOU DROVE HERE TODAY, IF YOU CAME OVER ON ARGENT, YOU SAW ALL THE ORANGE BARRELS ALONG THE ROADWAY.
THAT'S A PROJECT THAT THE CITY'S DOING TO REALIGN SHORTCUT BOULEVARD WITH JASPER STATION ROAD SO THAT WE CAN INSTALL A TRAFFIC SIGNAL THERE AND HAVE, IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY'S TAKING ON, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A DOT OWNED ROADWAY.
ARE THEY GONNA WIDE THERE? WHAT NOW ARE THEY, ARE THEY GONNA WIDEN CAR? UM, SO THE AR CORRIDOR IS PART OF WHAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE SALES TAX PROGRAM.
IT IS JUST NOW GETTING UNDERWAY WITH DESIGN WORK.
I THINK THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT YES, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO BE WIDENED, BUT THERE'S BEEN NOTHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD YET THAT SHOWS YES,
[01:10:01]
THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE IT.BUT I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER, BUT IT WAS A, IT WAS A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER, TENS AND TENS AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IS EARMARKED FOR THAT CORRIDOR.
IT'S A TIGHT LITTLE CORRIDOR BECAUSE YOU GOT ALL THE BUILDINGS KIND RIGHT UP, YOU GOT THE BUILDINGS THERE, YOU GOT THE UTILITIES THAT ARE EVEN CLOSER TO THE ROADWAY AND THEN YOU'VE GOT WETLANDS THAT ARE ON EITHER SIDE OF IT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT PROJECT.
BUT I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY, THE CITY AND THE TOWN OF RIDGELAND HAVE ALL PRIORITIZED THAT PROJECT AND THE 2 78 CORRIDOR AS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY PROJECTS COMING OUT OF THAT REFERENDUM.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THEY WANNA GET STARTED ON FIRST BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT A MINIMUM FIVE YEAR PROCESS BETWEEN DESIGN AND PERMITTING BEFORE WE EVER START TALKING ABOUT SEEING A SHOVEL ON THE GROUND.
BECAUSE THAT WHOLE AREA BETWEEN 4 62 AND, AND AR ROAD, INCLUDING THE OLD FIELD WHERE THEY GOTTA STOP BY.
YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF BACKUP THERE.
AND ALL OF THAT AREA IS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO NONE OF THE JASPER COUNTY SALES TAX DOLLARS WILL GO THERE.
AND THAT IS WHY WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT IF THEY ARE GOING TO GO BACK OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANOTHER REFERENDUM IN 2026, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT IT GETS PASSED.
AND SO IT NEEDS TO BE SCOPED APPROPRIATELY.
IT NEEDS TO BE SIZED APPROPRIATELY AND IT NEEDS TO BE EDUCATED TO THE PUBLIC APPROPRIATELY BECAUSE THAT PROBLEM IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
IT IS ONLY GONNA CONTINUE TO GET WORSE UNLESS WE CAN FIND FUNDING TO THE TUNE OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED THERE.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? GREAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC? GREAT.
SO ANYBODY DARE TO ASK QUESTIONS?
SO LOVE TO AND THEN I THINK HE ASKED FOR TWO.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO I VOLUNTEER FOR ROYAL
DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT? THEY'RE NOT HERE.
SO IF, IF THEY CAN'T THEN, THEN, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO IS REACH OUT TO FIGURE OUT WHO CAN, UM, GET IT DONE.
'CAUSE SINCE WE ARE OVER TIME AND I DON'T WANNA HAVE THE REPUTATION OF ALWAYS GOING OVER ALLOTTED OR HAVING LONG MEETINGS.
UM, SO WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND THEN WE, WE HAD DISCUSSED THE PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS OF THE COUNTY ON THE SURVEY OF THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE.
UH, DO WE WANNA INCORPORATE THAT THE SAME DAY? TRY TO ANYWAY, BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT DIFFICULT THAT LONG.
I'M SORRY MR. WILLIAMS MISSED THIS, UH, BUT I'M SURE HE'S WATCHING.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
I AM MEMORY 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.
THE LAND FOOD 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'RE COOKED WITH RICE IN ONE POT, WE CALL IT A RICE 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.
[01:15:03]
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