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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER ]
CALL THIS, UH, THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE MEETING FOR OCTOBER THE SIXTH, 2025 TO ORDER.ASK THAT YOU RISE WITH ME AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE.
TO FLAG A PLEDGE OF EGI TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC S STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, THE STATEMENT OF, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION.
HAS IT BEEN SENT OUT? YES, SIR.
UM, THE CHAIR WILL NOW ENTERTAIN
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS OUTLINED.I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND? MR. DAWSON? UH, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS? UH, THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF SEPTEMBER THE SECOND, 2025.THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES ON SEPTEMBER 2ND.
MR. PASSMAN, ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UM, WE, DOWN TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE HAVE 15 MINUTES.
I DO NOT HAVE A STATEMENT UP HERE, UM, OUTLINING WHAT TO SAY, HOW YOU SHOULD CONDUCT YOURSELF, BUT WE JUST ASK THAT YOU CONDUCT YOURSELF IN AN ORDERLY FASHION.
UM, SO WE NOW OPENING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO ANYBODY YOU WANTS TO.
SEEING NOBODY MOVING, WE GONNA MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS,
[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
TO THE, UM, ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT.I'M GONNA CALL MR. DAVIS, MARK DAVIS TO COME FORWARD.
HE'S GONNA GIVE US AN UPDATE OF THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM.
SO YOU HAVE A PAPER COPY, JUST A QUICK UPDATE HERE TO PROVIDE SOME MARK.
YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
THIS IS JUST LATEST UPDATE AS WE TRY TO KEEP UPDATED.
MACHINE'S GONNA DO THE AGENDA ITEM AND THEY'LL SEND US TO ELECTRONICALLY TOO.
WE HAVE IT ELECTRONICALLY AND WE CAN PROVIDE IT ELECTRONICALLY.
SO THIS IS A DOCUMENT YOU ALL HAVE SEEN, AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN AS WELL.
AND WE CAN PROVIDE IT ELECTRONICALLY.
YOU JUST LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED AND WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE DOCUMENTS.
UH, WE TRY TO KEEP THIS UPDATED ONCE A MONTH AND WE PROVIDE IT TO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS A PART OF THEIR MEETING TO KEEP THEM UPDATED SO THEY CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE PROJECTS ARE, HOW THEY'RE MOVING ALONG, WHAT'S BEEN FUNDED.
SO EVERYBODY'S INFORMED AND EVERYBODY CAN HAVE THE BEST INFORMATION AT THAT TIME.
NOW, I'M NOT GONNA NECESSARILY GO INTO ALL THE PROJECTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF TIME, BUT I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PROJECTS.
BUT OVERALL IN A SUMMARY, WE HAVE 17 ACTIVE PROJECTS.
AND IF YOU TURN IT OVER, IT'S A TWO SHEETER.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IF, I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF FOCUS MORE ON THE FUNDED PROJECTS PORTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF JUST JUMP TO THOSE TO SHOW EVERYBODY KIND OF HOW THAT IS BEING DISPLAYED IS ONCE THEY GO, WE PUT IN THE FINAL EXPENDITURE AMOUNT.
AND IF YOU LOOK UNDER THE GENERAL COMMENTS, WE, WE HIGHLIGHT THE GRANT AWARD, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, WHEN EVERY TIME WE BRING THOSE BY RESOLUTION.
BUT WE ALSO INCLUDE IN THERE, AS, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL APPROVE DUE DILIGENCE AS YOU HAVE SOME AGENDA ITEMS HERE TONIGHT THAT THE APPLICANTS AS A PART OF THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS PUT INTO THE PROGRAM, IS THAT IF THEY DO THE DUE DILIGENCE, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST REIMBURSEMENTS IF THEY BRING IT TO CLOSING.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN YOU SEE THAT PLUS THE DUE DILIGENCE.
SOMETIMES WE AS THE COUNTY THOUGH, HAVE SOME OF OUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE COSTS.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT SO YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS ON WHAT THAT TOTAL EXPENDITURE IS.
'CAUSE THAT TOTAL EXPENDITURE DOES GO AGAINST THAT GEOGRAPHIC REGION'S ALLOCATION.
SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT GENERAL COMMENT OF HOW WE'RE AND WHERE THOSE NUMBERS ARE COMING FROM.
AND I'LL, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.
HEY, MARK, IN THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHEN WE DISCUSSED
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THIS, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS A REPORT.I DON'T SEE IT HERE, BUT I READ THIS VERY QUICKLY.
BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE THE ANSWER ON HOW MUCH WAS COLLECTED, HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT OR OBLIGATED, AND WHAT'S OUR BALANCE.
AND WE DO THAT AT THE MONTHLY MEETING.
IS IT, IS IT, OH, YOU HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE?
WELL, I JUST DIDN'T, IS THAT, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO INTO THAT NOW? OR WE DO WE WANT, DO WE WANT TO JUMP OFF THIS? LET SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE THAT, THEN I'LL ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, SO GO AHEAD THEN.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, REALLY WHAT WE HAVE IS WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE DO THIS BY REGION, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS PRO UH, PROGRAM REQUIRED AS A PART OF THE ORDINANCE, THE ADOPTION OF A MAP THAT DEFINED FOUR GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS IN THE COUNTY.
THAT'S BY STATE STATUTE, AND THAT WAS IN THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE IT DEFINED BY NORTHERN EASTERN, SOUTHERN AND WESTERN, AS WELL AS THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS ONE OF ITS KIND, WHICH WAS GREAT.
FORESIGHT ALSO ALLOWS FOR OUT OF COUNTY EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN WE ALSO LIKE TO HELP THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE KNOW WHAT'S BEEN APPROVED BY YOU ALL BY DUE DILIGENCE.
AND THEN WHAT'S A NEW APPLICATION? SO FOR EXAMPLE, TONIGHT YOU HAVE TWO NEW APPLICATIONS IN FRONT OF YOU THAT WE RECEIVED AT OUR LAST QUARTER, WHICH WENT TO THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S LAST MEETING, WHICH THEY MADE A RECOMMENDATION FOR.
THOSE TWO ARE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR DUE DILIGENCE AND NEGOTIATIONS CONSIDERATION.
UPON APPROVING THAT, THAT'S WHEN THEY GO FROM A NEW APPLICATION STATUS TO ASSIGNMENTS TO ONE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS.
SO WE WAIT TILL YOU'RE ALL'S APPROVAL.
AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF OUR CADENCE, AND THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF ORGANIZE IT AND STAY ORGANIZED AS STAFF SO WE COMPLETELY CAN SHOW WHAT'S IN THERE AND WHAT'S A NEW APPLICATION.
UM, AND UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON ANY PARTICULAR PROJECTS, UH, I COULD GO INTO SOME OF THE FUNDING, UM, INFORMATION THAT MR. MCCLELLAN WAS JUST REFERRING TO.
ANY QUESTION? MOVE ON TO MR. DAVIS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THIS WAS WHAT, UH, MR. MCCLELLAN WAS REFERRING TO.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL THE ONE PAGER.
AGAIN, WE CAN PROVIDE THIS, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK FOR IT.
WE PROVIDE THIS TO THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, TO HELP THEM KEEP THEM UPDATED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MONEY HAS KIND OF BEEN SPENT, WHAT WE HAVE, AND THEN WHAT OUR, UH, PROJECT, UH, FUND BALANCE IS.
SO IN SUMMARY, UM, WE HAVE APPROXIMATE FUNDING.
IF EVERYTHING ON THAT SHEET YOU SEE WAS FUNDED AND JUST IN QUICK TIME, UM, WE WOULD STILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY $75 MILLION.
THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY INCLUDE THOUGH THE NEW APPLICATIONS YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
'CAUSE WE NEVER REALLY KNOW NECESSARILY HOW THOSE MIGHT WORK.
BUT WE, WE DO KIND OF CAPTURE THOSE CURRENT PROJECT FUNDING THAT WE HAVE CLOSED.
WE'VE EXPENDED ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 15 MILLION.
UH, IN OUR FUND BALANCE, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 108 MILLION.
AND THEN IN BETWEEN THAT WE HAVE TWO CATEGORIES OF WHETHER IT'S A PROJECT IN SOME SORT OF ONE OF THOSE PHASES OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN ONCE YOU ALL APPROVE AN ACTUAL BY RESOLUTION EXPENDITURE, WE MOVE IT TO AN ALLOCATED FUND.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA, YOU KNOW, OURSELVES OR THE COMMITTEE DON'T VIEW IT AS ALLOCATED INTO, YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED IT BY RESOLUTION.
SO WE KIND OF KEEP THOSE TWO CATEGORIES AS PROJECTS ARE MOVING ALONG.
SO OUR LAST UPDATE WHEN YOU ALL APPROVED BUCKFIELD AND BUCKWALTER AT YOUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THAT WENT TO AN ALLOCATED STATUS.
AND I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT IF ANYBODY HAS ANY? NO.
ANY QUESTION? NO, I THINK, MARK, YOU'RE DOING WELL AND THANK YOU, SIR.
UM, AND I WOULD MR. MACHINE LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANYTHING THUS FAR? WELL, MR. CHAIRMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND RUN INTO THE, BECAUSE IT'LL
[8.a. Recommend approval to fund due diligence and negotiate terms of acquisitions for the following proposed Green Space Program applications (Cotton Hope Tracts, Buckwalter PUD Parcel 5C) (FISCAL IMPACT: Green Space Program Fund Account #4706 (fund balance as of September 12, 2025 — $108,091,063): 1. For Cotton Hope Tracts — $25,000 2. For Buckwalter PUD Parcel 5C — $25,000) - Mr. Mike McShane, Chair of Green Space Advisory Committee & Mr. Mark Davis, Green Space Program Manager]
TIE RIGHT INTO YOUR NEXT AGENDA.UM, BECAUSE WE'LL BE CLOSING OUT.
WELL, THAT'S YOU AND THEN INTRODUCING YOU.
YOU'RE MOVING US RIGHT ALONG AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
FOR THE RECORD, I'M MIKE MCSHANE.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS YOUR CHAIRMAN OF YOUR GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND I'M A RESIDENT OF CHARLESTON COUNTY, BUT GLAD TO BE HERE AS OFTEN AS I CAN TO HELP THIS COUNCIL DO THESE PROJECTS.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU MR. CHAIRMAN REQUEST BY THE COMMITTEE BY RECOMMENDATION TO FUND DUE DILIGENCE.
AS YOU RECALL, THIS IS JUST THE INITIAL STEP.
DOES NOT COMMIT US TO GO BEYOND OTHER THAN THE DUE DILIGENCE.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON A TRACK IN DISTRICT ONE, MR. DAWSON, THIS IS IN THE ACE BASIN, 700 PLUS OR MINUS ACRES OF CONSERVATION EASEMENT LAND SURROUNDED
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BY PROPERTIES, UH, THAT ARE UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT.SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN SEEING THAT, THAT SYNERGY OF CONTINUING IT, UH, CONSERVATION.
IN ORDER TO DO THIS PROPERLY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION APPRECIATE THIS, THAT WE APPROVE ITEM EIGHT A, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR DUE DILIGENCE.
THANK YOU MR. PASS SMITH FOR KEEPING THAT, UH, KEEPING THAT STRAIGHT ON THAT, UH, THIS, UH, LIKELY WE'LL SEE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING, INCLUDING SOME BARGAIN SALE PROGRAM FROM THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT PROPERTY.
AND, UH, WE ASK FOR APPROVAL TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK TO YOU THEN OUR FO FINAL RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS WITH VALUES THAT WOULD BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT.
UM, ANY QUESTION ON COTTON? I HAVE? YES MA'AM.
UM, WHERE IS COTTON HOPE? IS IT IN RELATION TO COTTON HALL? NOT, IT IS IN THE SAME, UH, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT AREA, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY ON THE COMBY RIVER WHERE COTTON, A SIMILAR NAME.
COTTON HALL, WHICH IS NOW YOUR COUNTY FACILITY IS ON, UH, HIGHWAY 17 ON A DIFFERENT WATER BASE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY ON THE WEBY ON WEEE CREEK AND THE COMBEE RIVER.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY, WOULD YOU SAY MR. DAWSON? UH, SEVERAL MILES DIFFERENT, UH, SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO TRACKS.
SO WHERE A SEVEN, THE UPPER LEFT NORTHERN BEFORD COUNTY, IT GIVES YOU A LOCATION WITHIN THE COUNTY WHERE THE STAR IS.
YOU'VE GOT A BOAT LANDING, RIGHT? UH, RIGHT BELOW THAT, OFF THE WEBY ROAD.
UH, MARK, CAN YOU POINT THAT OUT WHERE THE BOAT LANDING IS? RIGHT THERE ON WINDY LANDING ROAD THAT WE NEED TO REPAIR.
SO IS THERE SOMEBODY SELLING THEIR LAND TO IT'S A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
SO THE, SO, UM, THEY'LL MAINTAIN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP, BUT THERE'LL BE A RECORDED DOCUMENT THAT WE'VE DONE ON OTHER PROJECTS THAT WILL RESTRICT THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT SETS THAT, WHO OWNS IN PERPETUITY? WHO THIS PROPERTY CANNOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
THE CURRENT OWNER IS THE SANFORD FAMILY.
BUT WE ALSO, UM, JUST LAST YEAR, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT, UH, PUT IN, UM, CONSERVATION 2,600 ACRES RIGHT THERE.
PROJECT THAT HAVE CLOSED, THAT'S ON YOUR SHEET.
THIS IS A GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF BALANCING THE CONSERVATION WORK.
SO THE VALUE ON THE PER ACRE BASIS, ONE IS THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS, IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN A FEE SIMPLE.
SO YOUR, YOUR OWNERSHIP RETAINS PRIVATE.
THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BEING THAT WE KNOW DEFINITIVELY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT COULD BE.
THEREFORE, WE KNOW WITH CERTAINTY WHAT ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT THAT THE COUNCIL, THE COUNTY WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO PLAY VERSUS TRYING TO ACQUIRE IT, WHICH AT TIMES IS RIGHT.
LIKE COTTON HALL, WHERE YOU HAVE FULL PUBLIC ACCESS.
SO THERE'S A BALANCE IN THERE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TAKING THE VALUES THAT YOU PRODUCE THROUGH GREEN SPACE TO REALLY LEVERAGE THAT.
SO YOU HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTY.
AND THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE TODAY.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE ONE THAT IS FEE SIMPLE AND ONE THAT IS CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTION ON COTTON MR. MAYOR FEE? YES, SIR.
UM, I, I APPLAUD YOU FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING WITH THE GREEN SPACE AND YOUR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
UM, DOES THIS PROPERTY HAVE ANY ACCESS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO IT? ARE YOU ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THE ACCESS? UH, YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PROTECTING REALLY THE VALUE OF THE RIVER FRONTAGE THERE.
SEE, THERE'S YOU, UM, AND OF COURSE THE PUBLIC HAS FULL ACCESS IN THAT CONTEXT IN TERMS OF THE RIVER ITSELF AND ANY OF THE TIDAL INFLUENCE THAT'S AROUND THERE.
UH, THERE'S NOT DIRECT PUBLIC ACCESS BECAUSE IT IS PRIVATELY HELD, BUT THE, UH, PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THE SYNERGY OF ALL THAT PROPERTY SURROUNDED BY THERE IS NOW ALL GONNA BE UNDER EASEMENT.
AND I, I, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY CONCERN, UH, THAT WE CONSERVE AND PROTECT THESE TYPE OF PROPERTIES, BUT, UH, NOT HAVING THE PUBLIC ACCESS AS FAR AS ANY TYPE OF RECREATIONAL, UH, ACTIVITIES TO BE ABLE TO GO ACROSS THAT PROPERTY, GET TO THE RIVER IS A BARRIER.
[00:15:01]
AND SO, UM, NO, THAT'S A, THAT'S A LONG WAYS TO GO MORE.BUT, BUT ANYWAY, UM, I, I'M, I, I'M BOARD WITH IT.
I THINK MARK WAS, UH, MAY I CORRECT MARK? YEAH, CORRECT.
THE, THE ACTUAL LANDING WAS RIGHT THERE.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING, MR. DAWSON, AND I HEAR YOUR POINT, AND I HEAR THIS AT THE STATE LEVEL, A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE INTEREST IN PUBLIC ACCESS VERSUS PUBLIC BENEFIT, WHICH IS WHY I WAS TRYING TO DEFINE, THERE'S A BALANCE HERE BETWEEN THE TWO.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS YOU DON'T WANT TO OWN IT ALL.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE OPERATING INFRASTRUCTURE AND DOLLARS TO MANAGE ALL THESE PROPERTIES.
BUT WHAT YOUR BENEFIT IS, IS THAT YOU'VE GOT CERTAINTY.
NOW WHAT TOWARD OF DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY COULD OCCUR THERE WITHOUT NEEDING TO HAVE THE COUNTY SUPPORT IF THAT WERE TO BE DEVELOPED ONE DAY, WHETHER THAT'S A YEAR FROM NOW, 10 YEARS OR 20 YEARS, WHATEVER THE TIMEFRAME MAY BE.
BUT AT SOME POINT THAT WILL PROBABLY, IF IT'S NOT UNDER EASEMENT, WOULD HAVE PRESSURE TO BE DEVELOPED.
THAT'S THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BALANCE TO PUBLIC ACCESS, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT IN MY VIEW THAT WE WENT TO COTTON HALL AND OTHER PROPERTIES LIKE THAT.
SO THAT YOU HAVE, UH, THAT I KEEP USING THE WORD, THAT BALANCE OF PUBLIC ACCESS IN THAT REGARD.
YOU ALSO THEN PUT PROTECTION ON THAT BOAT LANDING THAT IS FOR, FOR PUBLIC USE.
YOU MAINTAIN THAT UNDER YOUR, UNDER, UH, YOUR COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL RESOURCES ON THAT BOAT LANDING.
UM, COTTON HALL, TO ME IS THE PRIME EXAMPLE FOR CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT IN MORE OF THESE PROPERTIES AT THAT, I WOULD BE MORE THAN GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS, UH, THROUGH THESE PROPERTIES TO THE, THE WATERS AND, AND ENJOY THE, UH, ACTIVITIES.
I WOULD ALSO OFFER FOR THOUGHT THAT IN THE AREAS LIKE THIS, WHERE YOU HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD REALLY SUFFER, I THINK, IF THEY FELT THE PRESSURE OF DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT AN EASEMENT, THAT ACTUALLY WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY WHERE IT PUSHES THOSE COMMUNITIES OUT OF THERE.
AND, AND THAT'S ANOTHER PUBLIC BENEFIT, IS NOW WE'VE GIVEN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THEIR CERTAINTY OF WHAT'S GOING TO OCCUR AROUND THAT PROPERTY.
THAT 700 PLUS ACRES WE NOW KNOW WILL HAVE UNDER THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE EASEMENT.
TO YOUR POINT, THOUGH, THE COMMITTEE TAKES THIS IN INTO CONSIDERATION EVERY TIME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF A, OF A PRIVATE LANDOWNER COMING TO US, AND WE ENCOURAGE PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO COME TALK TO US, TO A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN THE FEE SIMPLE ACQUISITION VERSUS THE PRIVATE LANDS.
CONTINUED OWNERSHIP, CONTINUED STAYING ON THE TAX ROLL, CONTINUE THEIR MANAGEMENT COSTS HELD BY THEM, BUT NOW HAVE CERTAINTY THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS HOW MUCH DEVELOPMENT CAN OCCUR ON THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CONCERN? I HAVE ONE.
UM, IF MY MEMORY CERTAINLY CORRECTLY, UM, I THOUGHT THE SANFORD FAMILY, UM, THEY PUT THEIR AIRSPACE, THEY SOLD THEIR AIRSPACE AND MARINE CORPS AIR STATION.
IS THAT OVER THIS PROPERTY TOO? NO, MA'AM.
THIS IS A TRACK THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE, UH, I GUESS IT WAS REP THEN, RIGHT? THE, THEIR LANDSCAPE PROGRAM.
THIS IS A SEPARATE SEGREGATED TRACK, FULL DISCLOSURE, THE PROPERTY YOU SEE TO THE LEFT OF ALL THAT MM-HMM
I JUST HAPPEN TO BE THE ONE THAT'S ON THE FRONT, FRONT LINES ALL THE TIME.
BUT THAT IS, UH, BUT AGAIN, THAT, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, YEAH.
WE, WE ARE WORKING WITH A WILLING LANDOWNER ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS TO NEGOTIATE CONSERVATION WITHOUT REGULATION.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THIS PROGRAM.
YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO REQUIRE REGULATION TO GET TO THIS POINT.
OUR GOALS ARE TO PROTECT THIS AREA.
THE ACE BASIN IN PARTICULAR HAS GREAT VALUE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND BY FULFILLING THIS, I THINK WE CONTINUE TO, TO, UH, ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE OF AN AREA THAT'S IN MR. DAWSON'S DISTRICT.
THAT WE BALANCE WITH THE COTTON HALL, WE BALANCE WITH THE, UH, US FISH AND WILDLIFE, WITH THE REFUGE, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INITIAL RESOURCES IN TERMS OF, THOSE ARE ALL THEN ALLOW PUBLIC ACCESS.
THE FACT THAT IF THAT GOT DEVELOPED AND ALL THAT RIVERFRONT IS TURNED INTO WHAT WE KNOW WILL HAPPEN, COULD HAPPEN IS GONNA PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THAT, ON THAT, ON THAT BASIN.
BOTH FROM A WATER QUALITY STANDPOINT, BUT FRANKLY
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JUST TO BE ABLE TO BE OUT THERE OKAY.WHERE IT GETS WARPED UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.
WE, THIS THEN GIVES A CERTAINTY OF WHAT'S GONNA BE THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, I HAVE.
SO, WELL, ARE WE, ARE YOU STILL ON COTTON HOPE? GO AHEAD.
YES, BECAUSE I'M ON THE NEXT ONE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE COUNTY.
AND IF WE COULD ACTUALLY NEGOTIATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HUNTERS TO GO OUT, WHETHER IT'S BY BOW OR BY GUNS OR WHATEVER AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD BE, I'M NOT A HUNTER, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF HUNTERS AROUND.
AND, AND AS AN AVID HUNTER AND YOUR FORMER CHAIRMAN OF DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, I, I ABSOLUTELY PROMOTE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF A, BOTH FROM A CULTURAL HISTORIC STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO FRANKLY FROM A WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY DOES NOT PROHIBIT BY ANY STRETCH THE PRIVATE LANDOWNER NEGOTIATING WITH WHETHER THEY SELL OR THEY LEASE OUT FOR HUNTING.
NO, THIS DOES NOT PROHIBIT THAT AT ALL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT ENCOURAGING THAT, THAT'S ALL.
JUST IF I MAY, JUST TO, TO REAFFIRM, THE COMMITTEE REALLY LOOKS AT THIS IN TERMS OF OUR SCORING OPPORTUNITY ABOUT BOTH THE PUBLIC ACCESS, MEANING FEE, PUBLIC OWNERSHIP TO PRIVATE LANDS, BUT PUBLIC BENEFIT.
SO THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE SCORE BE SIMPLE, ACTUALLY PRODUCES A GREATER SCORE.
BUT AS I SAID TO THE TAXPAYER, WE GET A BETTER VALUE ON A PER ACRE BASIS 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT TAKING THAT RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT AND ACQUISITION COST ON.
UM, YOU WANNA MOVE TO NUMBER IF EVERY ON WITH COTTON HOPE? OH YEAH.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON BUCK WALTER.
WELL LET, LET HIM PRESENT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GET THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW WHAT MY QUESTIONS GONNA BE.
'CAUSE I THINK IT, IT SPEAKS CLEARLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
SO AS YOU RECALL, WE RECENTLY CAME AND SPOKE AND GOT APPROVAL ON THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE TOWN UP TO GRANT TO TOWN OF BLUFF IN THE ACQUISITION OF PARCELS, PARCELS FIVE A AND PARCEL FIVE B FOR THE RECORD, I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY PEOPLE HEAR FIVE B AND THEY THINK OF A PARTICULAR ROAD.
ONCE WE INITIATED THAT GRANT, AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF TO GO AFTER, WHAT IS IT NOW BEING REFERRED TO TODAY AS PARCEL FIVE C.
THIS IS THE 55 PLUS OR MINUS ACRES THAT THEN CONNECT AND CREATE A MUCH LARGER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TOWN TO HAVE THIS AS A PARK.
TO BE CLEAR, THE TOWN HAS ALWAYS HAD THE OPPOR OF A, AN EASEMENT FOR A ROAD NAME CALLED COMMONLY CALLED FIVE B.
WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IN OUR RECOMMENDATION IS OFFERING WHAT WE THINK IS THE BEST TOOL FOR THIS COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MAKING THE MOST COMPELLING CASE THAT THERE IS NOT A NEED FOR ANY ROAD FLOATING EASEMENT THAT ALREADY EXISTS, PRE-EXISTS.
ALL OF US IN OUR PARTICULAR ROLES.
YES, WE'VE COULD, I WOULD, I HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ELIMINATE THAT IN THE BEGINNING.
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT WE MAKE THE BEST CASE OF TAKING ALL THE RE ALL THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD OCCUR ON THE ALL THREE TRACKS OFF THE BOOKS.
THE STATE PUT SOME MONEY IN THE PARCELS FIVE A AND FIVE B PARCEL FIVE B, LET ME MAKE THAT CLEAR.
SO THAT THERE ARE TWO ENTITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN GRANTS THAT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESTRICTIONS TO ENFORCE THE FACT THAT THERE WILL NOT BE RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT DOES NOT ELIMINATE A PRE-EXISTING EASEMENT FOR A ROAD COMMONLY CALLED FIVE BE, BUT THE VALUES THAT WE'RE PAYING REFLECT THAT THERE WAS AN EXISTING EASEMENT FOR A POTENTIAL ROAD.
WE ARE MAKING THE BEST CASE TO MAKE THAT POTENTIAL AS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT THAT EVER WOULD BE CONSIDERED.
THERE WILL NOT BE A COMPELLING CASE FOR THE STATE, IN
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MY VIEW, TO WANT TO INVEST IN PUTTING A ROAD THERE.THEREFORE, THAT PUTS THE ONUS REALLY ON A MUNICIPALITY TO BUILD A ROAD THAT'S GOT SOME WETLANDS AND OTHER ASPECTS TO IT.
IT WILL BE A HUGE CHALLENGE, VERY EXPENSIVE THAT WILL ALSO GENERATE A WHOLE NOTHER PUBLIC PROCESS.
THIS IS WHY THAT AS STICKY AS THIS MAY BE FOR SOME, I MAKE YOUR CASE, I AM MAKING THE CASE TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT SO THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO MINIMIZE EVER NEED OF THE CONVERSATION OF BUILDING A ROAD CALLED FIVE FEET.
BY DOING THIS, YOU WILL THEN ADD NEARLY 300 ACRES TOTAL OF A PASSIVE PARK SYSTEM THAT SENATOR DAVIS AND I HAVE GOTTEN COMMITMENT FROM OUR SOUTH CAROLINA PARKS AND RECREATION AND TOURISM DEPARTMENT TO ENGAGE WITH THE TOWN TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE TOWN REALLY FIGURE OUT AND PLAN THAT.
SO THIS COMMUNITY, 10 YEARS FROM NOW, FRANKLY 50 YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN NO ONE IS EVEN THINKING ABOUT A ROAD FIVE B, ALL THEY'RE GONNA REMEMBER IS THAT THERE'S NEARLY 300 ACRES RIGHT THERE THAT HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY PROTECTED UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
UM, ANY QUESTION? WELL, NOW I'M GONNA ASK MY QUESTION.
SO IS THE DUE DILIGENCE FOR 55 ACRES OR 55 ACRES MINUS THE RIGHT OF WAY ROADWAY? WELL, THE DUE DILIGENCE ON ALL THREE TRACKS ALWAYS GONNA HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THERE'S AN EASEMENT.
SO THE ANSWER WOULD BE IT HAS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OF THE 55 ACRES HAS A FLOATING EASEMENT ROAD EASEMENT ON IT.
BUT THAT DUE DILIGENCE WILL REFLECT THAT.
SO, UM, IF THE TOWN KEEPS THE RIGHT OF WAY, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, DOES THAT IMPACT OUR GOALS FOR GREEN SPACE OR PRESERVATION WITH THEY, HOW'S THAT WORK INTO THAT FOR THIS, I'M GONNA ANSWER IT IN MAYBE A LITTLE REVERSE WAY.
IF THE TOWN DECIDED ONE DAY TO PURSUE BUILDING THE ROAD, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE IMPACTS ON ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND THEY'LL HAVE TO MITIGATE FOR THAT.
NOT TO MENTION THE MITIGATION THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO ON ANY OF THE WETLAND IMPACTS, ET CETERA, THAT MIGHT BE THERE.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS MAKE IT TO WHERE IT REALLY IS SO ONEROUS THAT NO ONE'S GONNA WANT TO EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A COMPELLING REASON WITH NO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, NO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THAT 300 ACRES TO BE ABLE TO EVEN NEED TO DO THAT.
YOU'RE COMING WITH PARCEL FIVE C CORRECT.
TO CLOSE THE LOOP WE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE RECORD, SOME OF US WENT REALLY PRESSED, I THINK FELICIA'S I THINK IS HERE FROM THE TOWN WOULD WOULD SAY, I PUT A FULL COURT PRESS CORNERED IN THIS, WELL, I GUESS IT WAS IN THAT ROOM SAYING, YOU NEED TO DO THIS, YOU NEED TO DO THIS NOW.
AND IF I NEED TO CALL THE MAYOR, I'M CALLING THE MAYOR.
AS SOON AS I WALK OUTTA HERE TO DO THIS, THEY HAVE GONE TO PUT THIS HOUSE.
SO THEY, THEY ARE UNDER OBLIGATION TO CONTRACTUALLY TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY.
IF WE WEREN'T TO DO THIS, THEN THEY WILL STILL HAVE OWNERSHIP OF THAT PROPERTY WITH NO RESTRICTIONS, NO OVERSIGHT ON THAT.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS GET THEM THE OWNERSHIP, BUT WITH THE COUNTY AND THE STATE HAVING SOME OVERSIGHT WITH THE GRANTS.
WELL, LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S EXCITING YOU'RE DOING THE FIVE C PARCEL.
UM, AND I KNOW I ASKED LAST TIME, BUT JUST TO REITERATE, FOR PUBLIC WHO MAY BE WATCHING, CAN WE RESTRICT THEM ON THE FIVE B ROADWAY TO MAKE IT A GRAVEL ROAD? I THINK WE CAN ONLY ENCOURAGE THAT BECAUSE THAT EASEMENT ALREADY PER, UH, PERMITS THE TYPE OF ROAD THAT THEY COULD BUILD.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THAT ALL OTHER PATHWAYS, WALKWAYS, ET CETERA, WILL BE CONSIDERED AS IN TERMS OF UH, UH, IMPERVIOUS, UH, IMPERVIOUS SAFE SURFACE THAT WOULD BE THERE TO MINIMIZE THE IMPERVIOUS RUNOFF THAT WOULD OCCUR.
THIS IS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO HERE.
HAD YOU NOT HAD GREEN SPACE, WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, QUITE FRANKLY.
AND I KNOW THIS PROJECT SPLITS BETWEEN, I THINK, I THINK I HAVE THIS RIGHT, MR. CUNNINGHAM AND MRS. BROWN'S DISTRICT.
THERE, THIS WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T EXIST.
SO WE WOULDN'T EVEN REALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE, BUT WE GOT A WILLING LANDOWNER TO VOLUNTARILY NEGOTIATE A, TO DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT, IN MIKE'S VIEW, WAS PROBABLY A MESSY DEAL TO BEGIN WITH.
AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOT A TOWN COUNCIL WHO'S UNDERSTANDS THAT AND IS TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MAKE LEMONADE OUTTA WHAT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN A GREAT SCENARIO TO BEGIN WITH.
AND IT IS REALLY GOOD FOR THE WESTERN REGION BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT AT ALL.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A REALLY UNIQUE SITUATION IN THIS COUNTY BETWEEN THE WAY THAT
[00:30:01]
YOU'VE GOT HEAVY PRESSURE DEVELOPMENT AND, AND THEREFORE YES, ACREAGE VALUES VERSUS OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.THEY STILL HAVE A LOT OF RURAL CHARACTER.
A LOT OF THAT RURAL CHARACTER CAME FROM LANDOWNERS VOLUNTARILY PUTTING THEIR, PUTTING EASEMENTS ON THEIR
SO I WILL NEVER FORGET THE FACT THAT LANDOWNERS WHO INITIATED THAT ARE REALLY THE COUNTY IS IN MY VIEW, INDEBTED TO THEM.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MYSELF, I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER LANDOWNERS WHO HAVE DONE SO BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT REALLY MAKES BEAUFORT COUNTY UNIQUE.
IT FRANKLY MAKES YOU THE, THE, I THINK THE FIRST IN THE STATE, THE FIRST IN THE STATE FROM RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS, THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO DO GREEN SPACE.
THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SUCH A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, I GUESS IT'S THE DEFENSE SLASH WAR DEPARTMENT NOW ON THAT, AND TO, TO DO THIS, TO, TO PUT MONEY IN JASPER COUNTY TO DO WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THAT ASPECT IS THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, WHETHER THEY SUPPORTED IT INITIALLY OR NOT, OUGHT TO BE DEEPLY GRATEFUL THAT THEY HAVE A GREEN SPACE PROGRAM TODAY.
I'M TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S IN THE WESTERN REGION AND IT WILL TAKE DEVELOPMENT OUT OF THIS AREA.
AND THE VALUES YOU'RE PAYING FOR REFLECT THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON NO, I WANT TO THANK MS. TABER FOR THAT.
UM, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, UM, IT IS TO DO A CONSERVATION ON COTTON HOPE TRACK AND TO DO A FEE SIMPLE PURCHASE ON THE BUCK.
WALTER PARCEL FIVE C, WE'RE ACTUALLY JUST DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE DILIGENCE FIRST.
AND TO BE CLEAR, WE WOULD COME BACK FOR SEPARATE ACTIONS AS RECOMMENDATIONS AHEAD OF HOW TO MOVE FORWARD IF IN FACT RIGHT.
WE RECOMMEND TO MOVE FORWARD OR DO WE RECOMMEND NOT TO? OKAY.
I, UM, SO 25,000, I SHOULD, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING THE HAND.
ANY UNANIMOUS, MR. SHANE? THANK YOU, SIR.
ANY OTHER CLOSING COMMENTS? UH, IF I MAY JUST MR. CHAIRMAN? UH, YES, SIR.
MARK PUT UP THERE THAT OF ABOUT $120 MILLION, WHICH IS WHAT GREEN SPACE GENERATED.
UH, IF WE, IF, IF WE ACCEPT THAT EVERY PROJECT WE HAVE EITHER MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT'S STILL IN OUR DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE HAVE OR THAT WE HAVE CLOSED ON, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $75 MILLION REMAINING IN THE ACCOUNT THERE.
NOW THERE'S ALSO REIMBURSABLE GRANT, THERE'S MORE THAT WE DID WITH, AND THAT SHOULD COME BACK.
SO, SO WE'LL ACTUALLY SEE, UM, THAT WE'RE STILL SIGNIFICANTLY CAPACITY TO DO SOME REALLY CREATIVE AND SORT OF ICONIC PROJECTS.
I HOPE YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE, THOSE DOLLARS.
I'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH HOW YOU SPEND MONEY.
[8.b. An Ordinance to amend the business and professional licenses Ordinance, Chapter 18, Article III, Section 18-67(A)(B), Appendix A&B (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A) - Chuck Atkinson, Assistant County Administrator]
B AND ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSE ORDINANCE CHAPTER 18, ARTICLE THREE, SECTION 18 DASH 67 A AND B.UM, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION FOR THAT ORDINANCE.
OKAY, MS. BROWN, I'LL SECOND IT.
UM, TURN IT OVER TO MR. KINSON.
SO THIS IS A REQUIRED UPDATE TO OUR BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSES ORDINANCE.
IT IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS LICENSE TAX STANDARDIZATION ACT.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS OF 2021 REQUIRES THAT BY DECEMBER 31ST OF EVERY ODD YEAR THAT THE COUNTY ADOPTS BY ORDINANCE, THE LATEST STANDARDIZED BUSINESS LICENSE CLASS SCHEDULE.
IF YOU COULD PULL UP PAGE 27 OF THE, UM, BACKUP.
THERE ARE THREE PAGES THAT I WANNA LOOK AT AND LET EVERYONE, UM, HEAR AND WHO'S WATCHING UNDERSTAND HOW THE CLASS CODES, THE N CODES AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT ARE COLLECTED, HOW ALL OF THOSE CONNECT.
SO WE DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENTS INDIVIDUALLY, THE PAGE NUMBER'S NOT ON THIS ONE, IS IT? OKAY.
SO WHEN THIS COMES UP, APPENDIX B IS THE LICENSE CLASS SCHEDULED BY NS CODES WHEN IT COMES UP THE SECTION OR SUBSECTION OF THE NS,
[00:35:01]
THE N-A-I-C-S CODE, UH, TAB.I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT STANDS FOR, BUT I'LL HAVE, UH, BRANDY COME UP IN A MINUTE AND TELL YOU.
UM, THOSE ARE DONE, I BELIEVE THROUGH THE IRS AND THEY IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF BUSINESS OR THE INDUSTRY SECTOR.
AND THEN IF YOU CAN, THAT'S VERY SMALL, THE ONE BEHIND YOU, UM, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE BETTER.
THERE ARE A FEW OF THESE CLASSES THAT WERE UPDATED.
MINING WAS UPDATED FROM TWO AND THREE, UH, FROM TWO TO THREE.
TRANSPORTATION WAREHOUSE, ONE TO TWO REAL ESTATE, UH, RENTING AND LEASING GOES FROM SEVEN TO SIX.
PROFESSIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SERVICES GOES FROM FIVE TO FOUR.
HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE GOES FROM FOUR TO THREE, AND OTHER SERVICES GOES FROM FOUR TO THREE.
AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT TABLE, UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE HAVE UPDATED THE IRS STATISTICAL DATA FROM 2017 TO 2019 TO 2019 TO 21.
SO WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN? IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO APPENDIX A, I KNOW WE'RE DOING THEM IN REVERSE, BUT WE KIND OF HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
THIS IS WHERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU SEE THE RATE CLASS DOWN THE LEFT SIDE, AND THEN THERE IS A BASE RATE, AND THEN THERE IS A PER $1,000 NUMBER THAT ASSOCIATES WITH THAT CLASS.
SO THERE'S NO, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO APPENDIX A.
I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW THE CLASS CHANGES WILL AFFECT THOSE BUSINESSES ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
AND ALL OF THIS IS DONE OFF OF, UH, GROSS RECEIPTS.
SO WITHIN THE RED LINE IN SECTION THREE, IT'S ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE ORDINANCE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THE, THE BACKUP SECTION HAD THE RED LINE ON THE DATES, SO I WANTED TO POINT 'EM OUT.
IT'S SECTION THREE, SECTION THREE OF THE, UM, THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE, THE RED LINE ORDINANCE, THE NEW DATES ARE INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE, WHEREAS CLAUSES, THE ORDINANCE, YEAH, KEEP GOING DOWN.
I HAD THIS SET OUT BY PAGE NUMBER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SAME THING IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO WE'RE GONNA UPDATE THIS WHERE IT SAYS DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, NOT 2021 SHALL COMMENCE ON MAY 1ST, 2026 AND SHALL RUN THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2027.
SO AGAIN, THOSE DATES ARE IN THE RAZ CLAUSE OF THE ORDINANCE UPDATE.
THEY JUST WEREN'T INCLUDED IN THE RED LINE VERSION.
SO JACK, IF YOU GO TWO PARAGRAPHS UP, IT GIVES THE DEFINITION OF MAKES NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.
SO WITH THAT, I KNOW THAT'S, UM, A LITTLE ARDUOUS, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THESE ARE, WHY WE'RE DOING IT, IT'S REQUIRED, AND HOW THAT ACTUALLY EQUATES TO, UM, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT FOLKS PAY WHEN THEY GET THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE, WHICH REALLY HASN'T CHANGED.
IT IS, IT HAS NOT CHANGED FOR ANYONE EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE CLASS CHANGED.
IT'LL GO EITHER GO UP OR DOWN VERY INCREMENTALLY, VERY SMALL AMOUNTS, UH, ON A PER THOUSAND DOLLARS BASIS.
SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION, UH, ANY QUESTION ON THE LICENSE AND UPDATE FROM, FOR MR. ATKINSON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, MR. ATKINSON IS UNANIMOUS.
UM, THIS IS FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSE.
UM, SO DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION? NO, UM, THEN I NEED A MOTION.
IS THAT YOU ON SHOULD BE A SEPARATE ITEM.
[8.c. Single-Use Plastics Survey Update (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A) - Juliana Zadik, Environmental Long Range Planner]
AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH SINGLE USE PLASTIC.WE'LL GET IT LOADED UP ON THE SCREEN AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED.
BUT I'M GIVING THE UPDATE ON THE SINGLE USE PLASTIC SURVEY.
I'M YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL LONG RANGE PLANNER AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TODAY TO GIVE YOU ALL THIS UPDATE.
TO DO THIS, I'M GOING TO WORK THROUGH SEVERAL REASONS WHY WE'RE CONSIDERING CHANGES TO OUR PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE.
WE'RE GONNA GO OVER A SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ACTIONS TAKEN THUS FAR, AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY WA WASTE REDUCTION IS AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY TO TAKE HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WHY REGULATING UNNECESSARY SINGLE USE PLASTICS IS A CONSIDERATION TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
[00:40:01]
LANDFILLS HAVE LIMITED SPACE.THEY ARE NOT INFINITE, UM, RESOURCES.
AND CITING A NEW LANDFILL CAN BE INCREDIBLY COSTLY.
AND SO REDUCING SINGLE USE PLASTICS THAT ARE UNNECESSARY FROM OUR WASTE STREAMS CAN HELP PROLONG THE LIFETIMES OF OUR LANDFILL.
UM, OUR LANDFILL LAST YEAR, NO FISCAL YEAR 24 SAW FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY OVER 150,000 TONS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE.
ONLY 12% OF THAT WAS RECYCLED.
NOW THE FIVE ITEMS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING THROUGH OUR SURVEY AND POTENTIAL FUTURE AMENDMENTS ARE NOT RECYCLABLE THROUGH TRADITIONAL MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE STREAMS. SO WE CAN'T IMPROVE RECYCLING OF THESE ITEMS. UH, WHERE IT STANDS TODAY, THOSE ITEMS AS A REMINDER, ARE THICK PLASTIC BAGS, STYROFOAM CUPS, AND TO-GO CONTAINERS, PLASTIC UTENSILS, AND PLASTIC STRAWS.
ALL ALL OF THESE EFFORTS, IF WE'RE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REGULATING THEM, ALIGN WITH THE GOALS OF THE STATE AND OUR OWN COUNTY GOALS FOR WASTE REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
IN ADDITION TO MAYBE UNNECESSARILY FILLING UP OUR LANDFILL TOO QUICKLY, WE ALSO FIND THESE ITEMS ARE FREQUENT LITTER ITEMS THAT ARE FOUND OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, ALMOST 200,000 POUNDS OF LITTER WAS COLLECTED BY LITTER CREW THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS A PRETTY STARTLING NUMBER.
IT'S NOT EVEN HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR WHEN LITTER IS ON OUR ROADWAYS.
IT OF COURSE, MAKES ITS WAY INTO OTHER CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE OUR STORM WATER MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WHERE IT CAN CREATE CLOGS, WHICH INHIBITS THAT SYSTEM'S ABILITY TO CORRECTLY PROCESS AND DISCHARGE STORM WATER.
AND ONCE OUT THERE IN OUR MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, IT CAN CREATE PROBLEMS FOR THE WILDLIFE THAT WE SHARE OUR HOME WITH CREATING ENTANGLEMENT AND ENTRAPMENT ISSUES CAUSING INJURY OR EVEN DEATH, AS WELL AS STARVATION IF ANIMALS ARE INGESTING LITTER INSTEAD OF THE FOOD THAT THEY ACTUALLY NEED TO BE INGESTING.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PLASTICS, ONCE THEY ARE OUT IN THAT ECOSYSTEM UNDER THAT HOT SUN OR, OR EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THEY BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN INTO REALLY, REALLY SMALL PIECES CALLED MICROPLASTICS.
SO THEY'RE VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE UNLESS YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH A MICROSCOPE AT THEM.
AND, UM, ESSENTIALLY ALL ASPECTS OF OUR FOOD CHAIN OUT THERE IN THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM ARE EATING THESE MICROPLASTICS, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO REALLY POPULAR FOOD ITEMS OF OUR AREA, ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FESTIVALS CELEBRATING, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE FOUND IN OYSTERS, SHRIMP, FISH, AND CRABS.
AND IF THEY ARE IN THOSE ITEMS, THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE IN US AS WELL.
UM, SO MICROPLASTICS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE HUMAN BODY AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES FROM THE BRAIN TO OUR BLOOD, BREAST, MILK, URINE, LIVER.
IT'S BEEN FOUND IN PLACENTA AND IT'S EVEN BEEN FOUND, WHICH FOR ME AS A NEW MOTHER AT SIX MONTHS FOR MY SON, IS REALLY SHOCKING.
IT'S BEEN FOUND IN THE FIRST BOWEL MOVEMENT OF BABIES.
SO THESE THINGS ARE MOVING THROUGH ADULT SYSTEMS DIRECTLY INTO THE NEXT GENERATION.
THEY CAN CAUSE ISSUES, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU HAVE FOREIGN BODIES IN YOUR BODY.
SO THEY ARE LINKED WITH INCREASED RATES OF CANCERS AND DISEASES.
UM, IF YOU HAVE MICROPLASTICS IN YOUR BLOOD SYSTEM, YOU ARE FOUR AND A HALF TIMES MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE STROKE OR HEART ATTACK THAN THOSE WITHOUT MICROPLASTICS IN THEIR SYSTEM.
SO IT'S AN, IT'S AN ISSUE, A MULTIFACETED ISSUE.
IT'S IMPACTING OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S IMPACTING THE BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, IT'S IMPACTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE AND IT IMPACTS US AS WELL.
SO IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY SINGLE USE PLASTICS AND HELP KIND OF TURN THAT FAUCET OFF, IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE HERE.
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE CREATED A WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
AND IT IS VERY MUCH A LOCAL ISSUE.
THERE'S NOT A, A GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO REDUCE A UNNECESSARY SINGLE USE PLASTICS.
AND THERE'S NOT A NATIONAL, UH, UM, INITIATIVE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
SO LOCAL ACTION IS WHERE IT LIES IN ORDER TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THESE PERNICIOUS PLASTICS.
SO LAST YEAR WE DEVELOPED A MULTIDISCIPLINARY WORKING GROUP TO BEGIN TO DIG INTO THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS A MULTIFACETED ISSUE.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM THE KEY BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE WHO HELPED US WITH A 2018 PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, ONE OF THE FIRST ALONG THE COAST.
AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION.
IN ADDITION, THERE ARE SEVERAL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN THIS INITIATIVE.
THAT'S OUR STORMWATER DEPARTMENT, OUR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING DEPARTMENT, OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT, AND OUR PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENTS.
SINCE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT US TO DO REGARDING THE FIVE SINGLE USE PLASTICS.
SO AGAIN, THE THICK PLASTIC BAGS, PLASTIC STRAWS, PLASTIC UTENSILS AND STYROFOAM TAKEOUT
[00:45:01]
AND, UH, CONTAINERS AND CUPS.WE DEVELOPED AND DEPLOYED TWO SURVEYS FROM JANUARY UNTIL APRIL, JUST UNDER THREE MONTHS IN ORDER TO START TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES NEED AND WANT REGARDING THE THESE PLASTICS.
UM, AND TWO SURVEY TYPES WERE DEPLOYED.
SO ONE FOR BUSINESSES SPECIFICALLY AND ONE FOR OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE ANY REGULATION DIFFERENTLY.
EACH OF THE SURVEYS ASSESSED REGULATORY PREFERENCES BY OUR DIFFERENT GROUPS.
AND THEN OUR WORKING GROUP, UH, DEPLOYED A ROBUST MEDIA AND BUSINESS OUTREACH CAMPAIGN IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE COULD GET AS MANY RESPONSES AS POSSIBLE.
SO THIS INCLUDED WORKING WITH BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
IT INCLUDED A POSTCARD DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGN, AND YOU ALL HAVE THE POSTCARD THERE IN FRONT OF YOU WHERE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE THEY KNEW ABOUT THE SURVEY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
AND WE HAD SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL MEDIA OUTRIGHT REACH.
AND THOSE EFFORTS SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE GOT 6,200 TOTAL RESPONSES OF BOTH CROSS OR ACROSS BOTH SURVEYS.
UM, SO WE HAD ABOUT 138, OR WE HAD 138 BUSINESS RESPONSES AND WE HAD JUST OVER 6,000 RESPONSES FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE PIE CHARTS, WHAT I REALLY WAS HOPING FOR YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND TO SHOW HERE IS THAT WE HAD A REALLY EVEN DISTRIBUTION ACROSS OUR POPULATION GEOGRAPHICALLY THROUGHOUT BOTH SURVEYS.
SO ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR RESPONSES FROM BOTH SURVEYS CAME FROM HILTON HEAD.
A THIRD CAME FROM THE BLUFFTON OKEE AREA, AND A THIRD CAME FROM NORTH OF THE BROAD.
AND WE THINK THAT THIS EVEN DISTRIBUTION SIGNIFIES A REGIONWIDE CONSENSUS ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT THESE FIVE SINGLE USE PLASTICS.
SO THE ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THAT RESPONDENTS OF THE SURVEY RECEIVED WAS THEIR LEVEL OF SUPPORT REPORTING OUT THEIR LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF ANY OF THE FIVE SINGLE USE PLASTICS.
SO THIS WOULD BE A BAN ESSENTIALLY ON ANY OF THOSE FIVE.
THE BROWN BAR IS WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OR THE BROWN BAR IS SUPPORT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE, AND WE WERE REALLY AMAZED TO SEE THIS OUTCOME, HOW STRONGLY OUR RESIDENTS SUPPORT TAKING ACTION REGULATING THESE SINGLE USE PLASTICS AND HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ELIMINATION OF THESE SINGLE USE PLASTICS FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
WE SAW A PRETTY SIMILAR TREND AS WELL, AND IT WAS JUST AS STRONG AS THE RESIDENTS SUPPORTED IT FOR PLASTIC BAGS, STYROFOAM CONTAINERS, AND STYROFOAM CUPS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT PLASTIC UTENSILS AND PLASTIC STRAWS, OUR BUSINESSES WERE A LITTLE MORE DIVIDED ON THAT.
WE HAVE MORE SUPPORT OR OR MORE OPPOSITION COMPARED TO OUR RESIDENTS FOR, UM, BANNING EITHER OF THOSE ITEMS. AND SO THAT KIND OF LENDS TO US THE IDEA THAT WE MAY NEED TO TAKE DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR OUR DIFFERENT ITEMS. FORTUNATELY, WE ASKED OUR SURVEY RESPONDENTS WHAT APPROACH THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR EACH ITEM.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN DIRECTION FROM THOSE 6,200 RESPONDENTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS PLASTIC BAGS, STYROFOAM CONTAINERS, AND STYROFOAM CUPS.
CUPS ALL CAME BACK AS A PREFERRED, UM, BAN FOR THOSE ITEMS. WHEN IT CAME TO PLASTIC UTENSILS AND STRAWS, WE SAW BUY REQUEST ONLY AS A MORE POPULAR PREFERENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH PLASTIC UTENSILS, STRAWS.
IT WAS KIND OF A SPLIT DIFFERENCE WHETHER OR NOT YOU COMPLETELY ELIMINATE STRAWS OR YOU DO A BUY REQUEST ONLY.
NOW, REALLY QUICKLY, I DIDN'T GO OVER THIS, BUT THEY HAD FOUR OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM FOR WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE BEST APPROACH FOR EACH ITEM.
ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS WAS DOING NOTHING.
ONE OPTION IS BUY REQUEST ONLY.
SO THAT MEANS IF YOU'RE AT A RESTAURANT, YOU AREN'T AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN A STRAW.
YOU HAVE TO REQUEST THAT STRAW.
THERE'S THE CUSTOMER FEE, WHICH WAS THE LEAST POPULAR ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT THAT'S WHERE A BUSINESS WOULD BE CHARGING A CUSTOMER FOR THOSE ITEMS. AND THEN THERE'S COMPLETE ELIMINATION THROUGH A REGULATORY BAN.
SO WE HAD BAGS AND STYROFOAM AS BANS FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND THEN BY REQUEST ONLY KIND OF CAME OUT TO THE TOP FOR PLASTIC UTENSILS AND STRAWS.
AND WE SAW VERY SIMILAR TRENDS WITH OUR BUSINESSES, WHICH WAS ALSO EXCITING TO SEE THROUGH OUR SURVEY RESULTS.
SO PLASTIC BAGS, STYROFOAM CONTAINERS AND CUPS, STRONG SUPPORT FOR ELIMINATING THOSE.
BUT WHEN IT CAME TO UTENSILS AND STRAWS, WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A MIXED RESPONSE FOR UTENSILS.
WE'RE SEEING BUY REQUESTS ONLY COME OUT ON TOP AS FAR AS OUR BUSINESSES ARE CONCERNED.
KIND OF SURPRISINGLY, WE'RE SEEING STRAWS AS A BAN COMING OUT ON TOP FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE, COMPARED TO KIND OF THE PROPORTIONS WE ARE SEEING WITH RESIDENTS, WE DO HAVE MORE INTEREST IN MAYBE TAKING NO ACTION ON STRAWS OR BUY REQUEST ONLY.
[00:50:01]
OF WE WE'RE KIND OF SEEING A HAPPY MEDIUM THERE AS A BUY REQUEST ONLY, UM, OPTION FOR OUR STRAWS.IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT WE GOT THESE RESULTS.
THIS HAS BEEN SEEN UP AND DOWN THE COAST HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO THESE SAME ITEMS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED SINCE OUR 2018 BAN UP THE COAST.
AND IF WE FOLLOW SUIT AND TAKE SOME OF THESE ACTIONS TO CONSIDER MORE PLASTICS WITHIN OUR OWN PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, THEN WE WILL BE STRENGTHENING THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH OF US, AS WELL AS OUR OWN ORDINANCE THAT EXISTS TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE HEARD NOT SURPRISINGLY, CONCERNS ABOUT COSTS TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL PLASTICS TO MORE ECOFRIENDLY PLASTICS, PLASTICS.
AND SO THE WORKING GROUP WANTED TO DIVE INTO THIS, AND THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT.
WE DID PULL OTHER RESOURCES AND OTHER DATA ON THIS, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT ECO TABLEWARE OPTIONS ARE, ARE COST COMPETITIVE COMPARED TO THOSE MORE TRADITIONAL PLASTIC ITEMS ONLY PENNIES MORE IN MOST CASES.
UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IF WE PURSUE BUY REQUEST ONLY AS A REGULATORY ACTION, THAT'S GONNA SAVE THE ON THE BOTTOM LINE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS PRESSURE ON YOUR STOCK FOR YOUR INVENTORY FOR THOSE ITEMS BECAUSE FEWER OF THEM WILL BE HANDED OUT.
AND THEN OF COURSE THERE ARE THOSE LONG TERM BENEFITS OF SAVING THE LIFESPAN OF OUR LANDFILLS AND REDUCING IMPACT ON OUR STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR LITTER CREWS AND POTENTIALLY REACHING OUT TO THOSE, UH, IMPACTS THAT WE ALL FEEL THROUGH HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, LITTER AND DEGRADATION.
SO IN SUMMARY, THE RESULTS CAME OUT PRETTY CLEARLY FROM BOTH POPULATIONS, OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS.
THEY WOULD LIKE AN ELIMINATION AND REPLACEMENT FOR OUR STYROFOAM CUPS, STYROFOAM TAKEOUT CONTAINERS, AND OUR THICK PLASTIC BAGS.
AND IT LEANED PRETTY STRONGLY TOWARDS BY REQUEST ONLY FOR OUR PLASTIC UTENSILS AND PLASTIC STRAWS, EXTRAS.
OUR NEXT STEPS, WE FINISHED THE ANALYSIS, WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE RESULTS TO YOU TODAY.
I DIDN'T THINK OF IT UNTIL THIS MORNING.
BUT, UH, THE FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE TAKING OUR SURVEY RESULTS ON OUR ROAD SHOW THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE'D LIKE TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONAL COMMITTEES TO GET THEIR INPUT ON WHAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS WELL AS HOPEFULLY GET BUY-IN BECAUSE THIS REALLY ISN'T GONNA BE STRONG IF WE CAN'T HAVE OUR MUNICIPALITIES, UH, TAKE PART IN ALL OF THIS.
SO THAT WILL BE OUR NEXT STEP.
BUT THEN WE WILL START TO DEVELOP AMENDMENT LANGUAGE AND START CREATING AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO THIS INCORPORATES TYING IN OUR NEW GREEN BUSINESS PLAN THAT OUR PUBLIC, OUR GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON.
THIS WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ANY TEMPORAL TRANSITION NEEDS.
HOW LONG DO WE GIVE, UH, BUSINESSES TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE? IT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION DEVELOPING AN EDUCATION, UM, OUTREACH AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, AS WELL AS PULLING IN WHAT GRANT RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE TO AID IN THAT TRANSITION IF THEY'RE NEEDED.
AND SO I DID, IF IT PLEASES THE COMMITTEE, UM, MR. CAMPBELL, WHO'S ON THE KEEP BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD IS HERE AND HE'S A PART OF THE WORKING GROUP AND HE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS COMMITTEE.
IF YOU ALL ARE AMENABLE TO THAT, BY ALL MEANS.
YOU HAVE, WILL YOU GO FIRST?
I JUST HAVE A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION.
I'M PROUD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
YOU DID THANK A GREAT JOB WITH THIS.
YOU, YOU PRESENTED IT BEAUTIFULLY AND IT, IT'S SO EASILY UNDERSTOOD THAT I CAN'T IMAGINE IT'S GONNA BE A TAR OF PEOPLE SAYING WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.
IT JUST MAKES SENSE AND IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO TO HAVE YOU WORKING FOR US TO GATHER THIS INFORMATION AND BE ABLE TO REPRESENT US OUT IN THE FIELD TALKING ABOUT IT IS JUST GREAT.
I HAVE A WHOLE WORKING GROUP SUPPORTING ME.
ALL I SAY ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR LAST.
IS OUR NEIGHBOR JASPER COUNTY WORKING WITH US OR WILL THEY WORK WITH US MOVING FORWARD? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO THEM YET, BUT I CAN ADD THEM.
SO WE WILL, UH, GET SOME OF OUR JASPER COUNTY NEIGHBORS THERE, BUT WE COULD REACH OUT MORE DIRECTLY TO SEE IF WE COULD EXPAND OUR ROADSHOW, UM, BEYOND COUNTY BOUNDARIES.
MS. BROWN, YOU WOULD, I CAN ANSWER THAT.
UH, LYNN BOYLES, WHO WORKS IS A VOLUNTEER.
IS AS GOOD AS ANY PERSON YOU'VE EVER MET.
SHE COMES TO ALL THE MEETINGS, ALL THE UH, UH, CONFERENCES, EVERYTHING ELSE, THEY'RE WORKING, THEY'RE WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN WORK.
IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT BEHIND YOU.
[00:55:01]
IT'S ALRIGHT.BUT THE IDEA OF US WORKING CLOSELY BECAUSE THERE ARE NEIGHBORS RIGHT THERE.
UH, AND SO THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN.
SO YOU'RE, THAT WAS ONE OF MY, MY FIRST QUESTION WAS YOU WORK FOR ACCOUNTING, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.
SO WHEN WE FIRST PUT THE SURVEY OUT, WE SENT IT TO EVERYONE WHO'S ON OUR USUAL MAILING LIST.
AND THAT'S EVERYONE WHO'S USUAL SIGNED UP FOR WHAT'S YOUR USUAL MAIL? CONVENIENCE, CONVENIENCE CENTER UPDATES.
UM, ANYONE WHO'S SAID THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN UPDATES FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS.
ALL IN ALL, IT'S ABOUT 56,000 PEOPLE.
AND THEN WE ALSO SEND IT TO OUR MEDIA PARTNERS AND PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
LET'S BACK UP TO THE BEGINNING.
SO YOU SENT IT OUT TO YOUR MAILING WHAT MAIL FROM THE TAX RECORDS? IS THAT WHAT YOU SENT? NO, THOSE ARE EMAIL ADDRESSES THAT YOU SIGN UP, YOU'VE CONSENTED TO RECEIVE SIGN UP FROM, FROM US.
THEY ARE EMAIL UPDATES AND ALERTS.
SO HOW DO WE KNOW THOSE PEOPLE THAT DID THE SURVEY ACTUALLY LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY? THE ZIP CODE? YEAH.
ONE OF THE REQUIRED INPUTS, BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT TOO, IS WHO ACTUALLY WILL RESPOND AND WHAT IF PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR AREA ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS AND MISLEADING US ON WHAT WE WANT, UM, WHAT OUR COUNTY WANTS.
AND SO WE DID HAVE A SECTION THAT REQUIRED THAT THEY PUT IN THEIR ZIP CODE FOR WHERE THEY LIVE HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WHICH IS HOW WE GOT THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE PIE CHARTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN MOVE BACK QUICK, QUICK ENOUGH TO BE HONEST.
THERE WERE, UM, MAYBE A HANDFUL, NOT VERY MANY THAT CAME FROM OUT OF THE COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE, YOU CAN SEE THE OUT OF COUNTY, THE WHITE SLIVER ON THERE.
SO 2% OF RESPONDENTS FROM OUR BUSINESSES GAVE US AN OUT OF COUNTY ZIP CODE, SOME OF THEM BEING FROM JASPER COUNTY.
AND THEN WHEN IT CAME TO OUR RESIDENCE, ONLY 1% OF THE 6,062 RESPONDENTS CAME FROM OUT OF COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, SOME OF THOSE COMING FROM OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTY IN JASPER COUNTY.
UM, WHO DID THE, WHO PERFORMED THE SURVEY? YOUR COUNTY STAFF DID PERFORM THE SURVEY? STAFF.
UM, 'CAUSE I WENT AROUND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND I WENT TO BUSINESSES, OUR FAVORITE PLACES IN BLUFFTON.
NONE OF THE BUSINESSES IN BLUFFTON GOT THE SURVEY.
OUR CLUBHOUSE DIDN'T GET THE SURVEY.
BELL FAIR PLANTATION DIDN'T GET THE SURVEY.
NOBODY GOT THIS SURVEY, NOBODY GOT THE SURVEY.
SO I STARTED ASKING RE AND I NEVER GOT THIS IN THE MAIL.
WELL, I STARTED ASKING RESIDENTS HOW THEY FELT AND THEY SAID NO ON PLA NO ON PAPER STRAWS.
'CAUSE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, NO MORE PA PLASTIC STRAWS.
SO, AND I WAS JUST SPENT TWO WEEKS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA, THEY HAVE A STATE LAW THERE.
IF YOU CARRY OUT ANYTHING IN A RESTAURANT, IT HAS TO BE IN A COMBUSTIBLE CONTAINER.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT ON A COUNTY LEVEL.
WHY DON'T WE TRY TO DO IT WITH THE STATE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD TALK TO OUR STATE ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE LIST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WENT TO AND SEE HOW THEY VOTED.
AND WE DO HAVE THE, THE SURVEY RESULTS HERE.
AND SO IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU PLAY BY PLAY OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO, BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU, THERE'S, I WENT TO EVERY BUSINESS IN BLUFFTON AT ONE POINT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND NOBODY GOT THE SURVEY.
AND I WILL SAY THAT OUR SURVEY INITIALLY WAS ONLY GOING TO BE ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS LONG, BUT WE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH RESPONSES.
AND THERE WERE BIG CONCERNS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE REACHED OUT TO OUR BUSINESSES.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THE POSTCARD DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGN, WHICH MR. CAMPBELL PERSONALLY WAS A PART OF AND WENT DOOR TO DOOR AND BLUFFTON.
AND IN BUFORT WE HAD, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WHO WERE WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WELL ON HILTON HEAD IN ORDER TO CAPTURE OUR BUSINESSES.
AND SO IT WAS, I MEAN, SHORT OF KNOCKING ON EVERYBODY'S DOOR, WHICH WE TRIED TO DO WITH BUSINESSES, WE CAN ONLY CAPTURE SO MANY.
UM, BUT WE TRIED TO DO OUR BEST.
WHEN DID YOU SEND YOUR SURVEY OUT? WE SENT THE SURVEY INITIALLY IN JANUARY.
OH, WHAT IS, WHICH? YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING ON HERE, HERE, SAY, I FOUND IT IN MY EMAIL.
AND THEN WE EXTENDED IT TO THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.
IT CLOSED ON THE THIRD, APRIL 3RD.
DID YOU SEND OUT 60,000 OF THESE? WE SENT THE POSTCARDS NO, NO.
THE SURVEY SURVEY WAS MAILED TO 60,000 AND YOU GOT A 10% RETURN, WHICH IS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT WAS MAILED MAILED OUT.
WHAT'S UP HERE ON THIS SCREEN? YEAH, THAT'S
[01:00:01]
GOOD PROCEDURE.AND YOU GET 6,000 RESPONSES, WHICH IS WHAT EVERYBODY EXPECTS TO GET.
10% THINK YOU PROBABLY GOT MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS.
WE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THE STRONG SUPPORT FOR YES, SIR.
BUT I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE THE RESULTS.
NO, NO, THAT'S, I WAS JUST HELPING, I WAS JUST HELPING HER.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
WELL, AND I CAN, I CAN SHARE THOSE RAW RESULTS, I BELIEVE, SO THAT YOU CAN, BEFORE I CAN PER THIS, I WOULD WANNA SEE.
AND I KNOW MR. CUNNINGHAM, WHO'S ON THE, ON, UH, THE SCREEN THERE WOULD PROBABLY WANNA SEE THE SAME THING.
I AM, BECAUSE LOGAN, I WENT TO ALL THE BUSINESSES IN BLUFFTON, DOWNTOWN BLUFFTON.
I WENT TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT CLUBHOUSES AND NOBODY RECEIVED THIS, THIS SURVEY IN THE BUSINESS.
I'LL, YEAH, LOGAN CAN GO AFTER ME.
I'M SORRY IF THE LADY THAT'S ON KEEP BE BEAUTIFUL.
THAT WAS PART OF THE SURVEY THAT WAS ON THE COMMITTEE.
I THINK, I THINK SHE PUT SOME OF THESE OUT AT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
PAULA, YOU MIGHT WANNA TALK TO HER.
BRENDA OR BRENDA? IT WAS BRENDA.
BRENDA, HER, SHE, I THINK SHE BE, SHE WAS ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND SHE WAS GONNA MAKE AN EFFORT TO GO TO SOME OF THE BUSINESSES.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WAS REALLY VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS OF THIS.
UM, TO GET AS MANY RESPONDENTS IS, UM, VERY GOOD.
AND IT'S, IT WAS A REALLY CROSS SECTION COMMITTEE, UH, THAT PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND EFFORT INTO IT.
AND THE REASON, JUST TO GIVE A HISTORY OF IT, UH, WHEN THIS, WHEN THIS CAME UP TO NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE AND WAS SENT ON TO THE, TO, TO REVISE A PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, IT WAS, IT WAS VOTED DOWN AT COUNCIL.
SO WE TAKEN CHUCK'S ADVICE AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE'S ADVICE KEEP YOU FOR BEAUTIFUL.
WE SENT IT BACK TO COMMITTEE TO DO THE SURVEY SO THAT WE COULD SEE WHAT THE RESULTS WERE.
AND I THINK THIS HAS ACCOMPLISHED THAT.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THE OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT TOO.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF A, LET'S GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT IT.
AND WE DID IT FOR A WHOLE YEAR.
ANY, ANYBODY ELSE? UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM? GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, NOT REALLY.
GOT YOU GUYS THE, FOR I APPRECIATE YOU GOING BACK TO THAT OF WHERE THE, UM, RESPONSES CAME FROM.
I ONLY TWO ISSUES IS, FIRST OFF, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THIS BACK TO LOOK AT IT TO SEE WHAT WORKS BEST.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, I KNOW AROUND THAT 6,000 PEOPLE RESPONDED, WENT OUT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE, COUNTY, 3% OF THE POPULATION ACTUALLY STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT IT'S PENNY FLOOR.
PENNY FLOOR GOES WAY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 20, 30 CENTS MORE PER WHEN SOMEBODY'S DOING AN ITEM HUNDRED TIMES A WEEK.
THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK ON THE VOLUME.
CAN WE SEE IF THAT WORKS? NOW KEEP, KEEP TALKING.
MARK, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, MARK, EITHER.
UM, UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU IN A MINUTE.
I, I'D LIKE TO HAVE MS. HANNAH, UM, SPEAK TO THE PERCENTAGE OF A SURVEY.
I, I TAKE COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM'S, UM, COMMENT THAT THERE'S 200,000 PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY.
YOU'LL NEVER GET 200,000 PEOPLE TO ANSWER A SURVEY.
YOU'LL NEVER GET A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE, BECAUSE THAT'S HER FIELD OF EXPERTISE TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND WHILE SHE'S WALKING UP HERE, WE DID AGAIN, WORK WITH THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS AND THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE TO SEND THIS THROUGH THEIR EMAIL LIST AS WELL, DIRECTLY TARGETING BUSINESSES, SO WE COULD GET WITH THEM AND SEE HOW BIG THEIR LISTS ARE AS WELL.
THAT MIGHT HELP EXPAND BEYOND WHAT WE HAD ACCESS TO.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, I'M ONLY GONNA HAVE DATA
[01:05:01]
FOR THE COUNTY, BUT WE DID SEND THIS OUT TO 53,340 PEOPLE.IT HAD A 54% OPEN RATE, WHICH IS, UH, BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE.
MOST EMAILS ONLY HAVE BETWEEN A 20 AND A 30% OPEN RATE.
UM, BUT THE CLICK RATE WAS SMALL.
PEOPLE JUST WEREN'T VERY MOTIVATED.
I GUESS WE HAD 4% PEOPLE CLICK THROUGH.
UM, BUT YEAH, IDEALLY EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY WOULD'VE SEEN IT WOULD'VE RESPONDED, BUT WE FELT LIKE WE GOT A GOOD RESPONSE OUT OF IT BECAUSE, UM, THAT IS ABOUT 10% OF EVERYONE THAT RECEIVED THE SURVEY, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN INDUSTRY AVERAGE AS WELL.
AND, AND EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD WHO DOES THIS KNOWS THAT THAT'S STANDARD AND YOU CAN'T REACH EVERYONE, WHICH IS WHY YOU GET A MODEL AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE PROFILE PROVIDES YOU.
AND THIS PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT RESPONSE ABOVE AVERAGE.
AND IT'S PRETTY OVERWHELMING WHAT PEOPLE FEEL REPRESENTING EVERYBODY ELSE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY GET EVERYTHING FROM EVERYONE, BUT I THINK STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, THIS IS PROBABLY RIGHT LINE WITH WHAT YOU COULD EXPECT IF YOU COULD REACH EVERYONE, JUST MY OPINION.
UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU'RE BACK ON.
IF WE CAN HEAR, YOU CAN HEAR ME.
UH, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU THAT WELL, BUT KEEP TALKING.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,
UM, I'LL JUST FINISH UP MY THOUGHT, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.
THE, THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS, UM, A SINGLE ITEM TIMES IN A WEEK.
UM, JUST LOOKING AT THE SPREADSHEET, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST TO GO CONTAINER, UM, YOUR BASIC TO CONTAINER IS 40 OR 38 CENTS MORE EACH.
SO IF YOU'RE DOING THAT MATH, THAT 48 CENTS TIMES 200, LET'S JUST TAKE A PLACE THAT DOESN'T EVEN DO A MASSIVE TAKEOUT.
UM, TIMES 52 WEEKS, THAT'S $5,000 JUST ON THAT ONE ITEM.
UM, SO PENNY THAT UP YOU ABOUT SOMETHING.
EVEN A HIGHER MARGIN THAN THAT.
SO REALISTICALLY, TO GO FOOD FOR BUSY RESTAURANT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 20 TO $30,000 A YEAR.
UM, THE ONLY CO UM, COMMENT I WILL MAKE MR. CUNNINGHAM, UM, IS THIS, I HOPE YOU WERE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT FILL OUT THE SURVEY.
NO, WE CAN HEAR YOU MUCH BETTER NOW.
DID YOU DO THE SURVEY? I HAVE NOT SEEN THE SURVEY.
HE'S A BUSINESS OWNER AND HE'S A BUSINESS OWNER IN BLUFFTON.
UM, BUT I MEAN, THE SURVEY'S OVER NOW AND HE IS A COUNTY COUNCIL, BUT I THINK YEAH, BUT I THINK I VALUE COMMENTS COMING FROM HIM AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO REACH OUT TO I APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
I NOTICED THAT IN TAKING THINGS OUT FROM RESTAURANTS, THAT THERE'S A NEW ADDITION ON THEIR, UM, ON THEIR BILL WHEN YOU GET IT, AND IT'S FOR, UH, PAYMENT FOR TAKEOUT, AND THERE'S A DOLLAR OR A DOLLAR 50 INCLUDED IN THERE THAT I THINK EVERYONE PROBABLY SEES THAT AND GOES, WHAT IS THAT? BUT IF THEY ASK A QUESTION, THEY'RE GOING TO TELL 'EM IT'S BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED COST OF TAKEOUT MATERIALS THAT ARE BEING LOADED.
SO IF THOSE TAKEOUT MATERIALS BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB OF RECYCLING, AND THAT'S EXPLAINED BY PEOPLE WHO ASK THAT QUESTION, IT MAY BE BETTER RECEIVED THAN IT MAY BE, NOT CUT IN SO, SO MUCH INTO WHAT THE RESTAURANTS WOULD HAVE TO BE SPENDING OUT OF THE PROFIT THEY WOULD HAVE, BUT RATHER HAVE THE CLIENT WHO'S TAKING SOMETHING OUT, ABSORB THAT COST THEMSELVES, EVEN, EVEN IF IT'S DONE IN A MORE MODERATE RATE.
YOU KNOW? UM, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO WORK ON GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE AS YOU POINT OUT, IT'S NOT REALLY FAIR TO PUT THAT EXTRA BURDEN ON, UH, ON WORKING BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE, WHO WOULD HAVE THAT EXTRA EXPENSE.
BUT IF, IF PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO, UM, PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE RECYCLING EFFORT, WHICH THEY APPEAR TO, BASED ON THIS SURVEY, I THINK THEY WOULD HAPPILY ABSORB THE, UH, FEW EXTRA CENTS.
IT WOULD COST THEM TO TAKE OUT A RATHER LARGE MEAL FROM A RESTAURANT OR ANYWHERE ELSE WHERE THE MATERIALS THAT WE WOULD BE, UH, CARRYING THINGS OUT IN, UH, WOULD BE EASILY RECYCLED.
I THINK THERE'S WAYS AROUND IT.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU PEOPLE WILL PAY FOR CONVENIENCE.
UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER LAYERS THAT GO TO THAT.
FOR EXAMPLE, MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE DOORDASH TAKES 20% OF A TICKET BEFORE IT EVEN TOUCHES THE RESTAURANT.
[01:10:01]
BUSINESSES HAVE TO RAISE PRICE TO MAKE UP FOR DOORDASH.BECAUSE STRAIGHT FROM OUR PRICE, THEY TAKE 20% RIGHT AWAY.
UM, SO IT'S GRUBHUB AND ALL OF 'EM.
SO, I MEAN, IT, IT IS BEING DONE.
I KNOW THAT IT DEFINITELY IS, BUT I'M ALSO NOT HERE TO PUT ANY MORE PRESSURE ON OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
BUT THAT'S JUST ME PERSONALLY.
I THINK THIS IS CONVERSATION THAT'LL CONTINUE.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE DIALOGUE AND TO SEE WHERE IT LEADS US WHEN IT GETS TO COUNTY.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE? ANY OTHER QUESTION, COMMENTS? UM, I, I CERTAINLY HAVE A COMMENT.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF, UH, KEEP BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL.
AND I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD OF PALMETTO PRIDE, UH, UH, STATE, UH, ORGANIZATION.
I WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE DOING, THAT I TOOK A STACK OF CARDS THIS BIG AND WALKED DOWNTOWN.
BEAUFORT TOOK ME TWO DAYS TO DO BEAUFORT, AND I IN TURN ALSO WENT DOWNTOWN BLUFFTON TO EVERY BUSINESS ON EVERY STREET IN BLUFFTON.
NOW, YOU DON'T GO TO THE BIG BOX STORES BECAUSE PEOPLE IN THERE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, BUT THE, CERTAINLY THE SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE DO, AND OVER OVERALL, EVERYBODY WAS POSITIVE.
THERE WAS NEVER A NEGATIVE ABOUT IT.
AND, UM, AND I THINK THAT WE'VE TRIED TO, UH, GET IN TOUCH WITH MR. CUNNINGHAM A COUPLE OF TIMES.
AND ALSO, UM, ANOTHER MY VICE CHAIR.
AND, UM, WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM, BUT, UH, WE NEVER HEARD BACK.
OUR RIVERS ARE COVERED IN THIS STUFF.
THE TRUCKLOADS AND TRUCKLOADS AND TRUCKLOADS GO EVERY DAY ACROSS THAT BRIDGE GOING TO THOSE LANDFILLS.
UH, WHAT, HOW EASY IS IT FOR US TO START RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW? WE ALL GO IN THE RIVER.
AND I HOPE YOU, UM, TAKE SOME, TAKE A HEART IN WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION, BUT WE'VE WORKED HARD TO GET ALL OF US A GREAT PRESENTATION TO COME TO.
AND I DON'T ALSO, LIKE, QUICKLY ON A PERSONAL NOTE, MIKE SHAN IS AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE, AND HE MAY SAY HE'S A CHARLESTON BOY, BUT HE AS HARD AS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, HIS FAMILY, ALL FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND TO HAVE A GUY LIKE THAT DOING WHAT HE'S DOING, AND HE'S VOLUNTARY, MAN, HE'S GREAT.
AND YOUR NEXT STEP IS TO TAKE IT TO THE, THE VARIOUS ENTITIES.
AND, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE, UM, ABOUT THIS PROJECT AS WE MOVE IT FORWARD.
[8.d. An Ordinance to amend Ordinance 2022/46 authorizing the County Administrator to execute any and all documents necessary for the sale of County owned real properties identified as 1407 King Street and 600 Wilmington Street, City of Beaufort (FISCAL IMPACT: ) - Mr. Wheeler and Senator Tom Davis]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UM, I NEED A, A MOTION TO ALLOW THE, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 46 AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXERCISE TO EXECUTE, UH, ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE SALE OF COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTIES IDENTIFIED AS 1407 KING STREET AND 600 WILMINGTON STREET IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORD.I'LL MAKE THE MOTION FOR THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE.
IS THE PROPERTY MOTION, AND SECOND, IT, UM, UH, LET'S SEE.
IS MR. WHEELER HERE? I GUESS WHO'S GONNA PRESENT? MR. WHEELER.
YOU DIDN'T BRING A SENATOR WITH YOU? UH, HE HAD A, ANOTHER OBLIGATION AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT CAPTAIN FROM TODAY.
DO YOU HAVE MY PRESENTATION? RICHARDSON'S
THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN, OH, IN THE MAKING BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WAS IT SEVEN YEARS? OKAY, KEEP GOING.
WHO DID YOU EMAIL IT TO? EMAIL IT TO YOU THIS MORNING? FORWARD TO US.
DO YOU HAVE A JUMP DRIVE? WE DO.
ACTUALLY, MY SON IS MY BUSINESS PARTNER, AND HE'S THE TECH GUY.
SO HE SAID, DON'T GO DOWN THERE WITHOUT DRIVE
MUST HAVE BEEN AN EAGLE SCOUT.
WELL, LEMME JUST START WHILE WE'RE BRAIN THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, THIS JOURNEY STARTED IN 2018, UH, WHEN WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING THE OLD BEAUFORT CITY JAIL.
UH, AND TO DO A HISTORIC RENOVATION WITH THAT PROPERTY.
UH, PRIOR TO US DOING THAT, BEAUFORT COMMISSIONED A HOUSING MARKET STUDY NEEDS, UH, ALSO IN 2018.
AND IT IDENTIFIED FOUR CLEAR AREAS THAT YOU WANTED TO PURSUE.
ONE WAS TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING FOR LOWER MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
ONE WAS TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOUR SALE HOUSING, UH, TO MODERATE
[01:15:01]
AND HIGH INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.ONE WAS TO SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF A PRODUCT THAT WILL APPEAL TO MILLENNIALS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, AND ONE THAT WOULD SUPPORT ADAPTIVE REUSE OF EXISTING VACANT OR UNUSED STRUCTURE FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES.
UM, THE PROPERTY THAT WE PURCHASED WAS ON KING STREET.
AND, UH, THE CURRENT PROJECT AS DESIGNED CONSISTS OF THREE PHASES, THE HISTORIC RENOVATION OF THE JAIL THAT WILL CONSIST OF NINE RESIDENTIAL UNITS DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO THAT YOUNG URBAN MARKET.
YOU DISCUSSED 13 NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES CALLED THE COTTAGES AT JUSTICE SQUARE, AND THEN WORKFORCE HOUSING ON THE 600 BLOCK OF WILMINGTON.
JUST THE ARROWS WORK ON YOURS.
SO AGAIN, THIS, THIS IS A THREE DIMENSIONAL REPRESENTATION OF THAT PROJECT.
I'M GONNA SCOOT THROUGH THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY.
THAT IS THE HOUSING MARKET STUDY THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.
THOSE ARE THE FOUR KEY POINTS.
JUSTICE PARK IS THE NAME OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
THIS IS THE TWO BLOCKS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, THE JAIL IS IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER.
THE BEAUFORT, UH, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR DEC THAT IS NOW VACANT, AND THEN ACROSS 600 WILMINGTON.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO BLOCKS THEY'RE WORKING ON.
THE, UH, THE JAIL PROJECT TOOK ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS, UH, TO, TO, UH, GO THROUGH, AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS TIMELINE.
WE FIRST MET, UH, WITH JOHN WEAVER IN 2018 AND 2019 DURING HIS TENURE HERE.
UH, AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT WAS TO ADVANCE THE JAIL PROJECT AND ALSO TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF PURCHASING THE ADJACENT BUILDING THAT YOU OWNED, THAT YOU LEASED TO DHC.
UH, WE THEN, WHEN, WHEN MR. WEAVER LEFT, WE THEN HAD THE SAME PROCESS WITH ASHLEY JACOBS DURING HER TENURE HERE.
UM, WE CLOSED ON KING STREET, UH, ON SEPTEMBER, 2021, UH, AND BEGAN THE PROCESS OF SUBMITTING THE JAIL FOR ITS HISTORIC RENOVATION.
UH, IN 2021 BEGAN OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH BRITTANY WARD ABOUT ACQUIRING THAT PROPERTY.
UH, IT WAS PUBLICLY POSTED IN MAY OF 2022.
UH, IN OCTOBER OF 2022, WE SIGNED A LETTER OF INTENT WITH THE COUNTY.
UH, WE BEGAN THE WORKFORCE HOUSING DESIGN LATER THAT YEAR.
UH, WE HAD OUR FIRST DESIGN REVIEW WITH THE CITY IN 2023.
UH, WE THEN WENT BEFORE HRB, SINCE THIS IS IN HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THAT WAS ALSO IN 2023 AND GOT APPROVAL.
WE ACTUALLY SIGNED THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY IN, UH, FEBRUARY 16TH, 2024.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S TAKEN US FIVE YEARS TO GET TO THAT POINT.
UM, ONCE WE SIGNED THAT, WE SUBMITTED OUR FIRST APPLICATION FOR SC HOUSING.
UH, THAT WAS DONE IN JULY OF 2024.
UH, WHILE ON A BOAT SOMEWHERE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM MS. WARD THAT, UM, WE HAD DISCOVERED AN OLD ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, AN OLD TANK IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER OF 600 WILMINGTON THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED.
BUT THE REMEDIATION AGREEMENT WITH D HECK HAD NEVER BEEN SIGNED.
SO IT TRIGGERED AN EPA ASSESSMENT, UH, AND IT STOPPED OUR APPLICATION.
UH, WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ISSUES.
IT IS 117 PAGES LONG ON THAT PROPERTY THAT WAS REQUIRED TO DO SOIL BORINGS ON THAT PROPERTY, SOIL BORINGS ON THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT DISCOVERED WAS THAT IF BEAUFORT EXPERIENCES AN EARTHQUAKE OF 7.2 ON A RICHTER SCALE, THAT THESE BUILDINGS THAT WE PROPOSED TO BUILD MIGHT MOVE FIVE DEGREES.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAD TO CONSTRUCT EARTHQUAKE DRAINS.
AND EARTHQUAKE DRAINS ARE DRAINS THAT EXTEND 10 FEET FROM EACH ONE OF THE HOUSES THAT WE'RE BUILDING, UH, FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND THAT REDUCED THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WE COULD BUILD FROM 39, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM UNDER SRDP FINANCING WITH SE HOUSING DOWN TO 33.
WE THEN RE-ENGINEERED THE SITE PLAN TO BE AN SE HOUSINGS REQUIREMENT.
AND WE SUBMITTED OUR SECOND APPLICATION IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF MODIFYING THE PSA.
I RECEIVED A DRAFT AGREEMENT FROM SENATOR DAVIS AND FROM RICHARDSON, AND THEN WAS NOTIFIED THAT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE OF UNITS FROM 39 TO 33, THAT THAT WAS DEEMED A MATERIAL CHANGE.
AND WE, AGAIN, HAD TO WITHDRAW OUR APPLICATION WITH SC HOUSING.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE WORK VERY DILIGENTLY TO MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN IN A SIGNIFICANTLY DISADVANTAGED AREA, UH, FOR, FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UM, THIS JUST FOR INFORMATION, THIS IS THE JAIL RENOVATION, UH, THAT, UH, THE ARTIST RUNNING OF WHAT WE PROPOSE IT WILL LOOK LIKE.
UH, THESE ARE TWO UNITS, AGAIN, THEY'RE DESIGNED TO BE, UH, UH, VERY MUCH APPEALING TO THAT YOUNGER PROFESSION.
ONE TO DRAW, THEY'LL BE RENTAL UNITS.
WE HAVE TWO BEDROOMS AND ONE BEDROOM UNITS.
UH, WE ARE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH WITH BOTH, UH, UH, THE ARCHIVES AND HISTORY AND NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND, UH, THE CITY, UH, TO MAINTAIN HOW WE COULD DEAL WITH THE BARS ON THE WINDOWS.
UH, HEALTH ENGINEERS DON'T LIKE BARS ON WINDOWS.
UH, SO WE AGREE, REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO HINGE THE JAIL BARS AND PRESERVE THOSE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE STARTED DOING THE ROOF ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
AND, UH, THE REMEDIATION ON THIS WAS OVER
[01:20:01]
$400,000 TO GET RID OF THE ASBESTOS AND THE LEAD PAINT AND OTHER, OTHER GOODS.UM, JUST A QUICK OUTLINE ON THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD APPRAISALS DONE.
UH, WE REACHED A LETTER OF INTENT.
IT WAS THEN DETERMINED IT HAD TO GO TO OPEN BID.
THERE WERE FOUR BIDDERS ON THE PROPERTY.
WE WERE THE ONLY ONE THAT OFFERED TO PAY ANYTHING FOR THE SITE.
UH, WE HAD CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT THEN RESULTED IN THE PSA.
AND THEN AT THE END OF OUR FIRST APPLICATION, WE DID AN ADDENDUM WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD INCLUDE THE ISSUES THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSING WANTED.
THEY SENT DIRECT FEEDBACK OF CHANGES THEY WANTED TO MAKE.
AND MR. LAB, BRUCE, MR. DAVIS, WORKED ON THOSE FOR US.
UH, THIS IS HOW THE PROJECT WAS INITIALLY DESIGNED.
YOU CAN SEE THE JAIL IN THE LOWER LEFT.
YOU CAN SEE THE 13 HOMES WE'RE GONNA BUILD ON THE KING STREET BLOCK.
AND YOU SEE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WITH 39 UNITS ON THE, UH, THE WILMINGTON BLOCK BECAUSE OF THE WORKFORCE, EXCUSE ME.
'CAUSE OF THE EARTHQUAKE DRAINS, WE HAD TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNITS.
SO IT WENT, THEN, IT ACTUALLY WENT DOWN FROM 39 TO 33.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE FOR INFORMATION, BECAUSE SOME OF YOU WEREN'T PART OF THE ORIGINAL APPROVAL PROCESS.
THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THIS IS NOT AN INSTITUTIONAL BILL.
THIS IS NOT AN APARTMENT CO COMPLEX.
THE EXACT SAME MATERIALS THAT ARE GOING IN THE HOMES THAT WE'LL SELL ON THE, UH, KING STREET SITE ARE THE EXACT SAME MATERIALS THAT ARE GOING IN THESE WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS.
THE ROOF, THE HARDY POINT, SIDING, NINE FOOT CEILINGS, THE WINDOWS, EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY THE SAME.
YOU'LL NOT BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HOUSE THAT WILL SELL FOR $500,000 AND A WORKFORCE HOUSING UNIT THAT'LL APPEAL TO SOMEONE MAKING 30% OF AREA MAIN INCOME.
THE, UH, SOUTH COUNTY APPROVAL PROCESS IS, IS, UM, A SIGNIFICANT LABOR OF LOVE.
UH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO COMPLETE ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE COMPLETE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS.
YOU HAVE TO DO A MARKET STUDY.
YOU HIRE A CONSTRUCTION CON CONSULTANT THAT, UH, FROM THEIR APPROVED LIST, YOU THEN DO PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS.
AND IN OUR CASE, THE GEOTECHNICAL REPORT.
AND THEN THE ISSUE OF SITE CONTROL, WHICH IS THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE COUNTY, COMES INTO PLAY.
MR. WHEELER, SIR, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU.
UH, BUT YOU IN GOOD HAND WITH MR. MCALLEN.
SO, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THE, THE RENTAL BREAKDOWN FOR THE WORKFORCE HOUSING, THE BEAUFORT, A MI AS OF LAST REPORT WAS 75,000.
THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE COUNTY REQUIRES US TO DO NOTHING MORE THAN BE LESS THAN 100% OF A MI, THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSING REQUIREMENT IS WE MUST HAVE SIX UNITS AT 30% OF A MI 10 UNITS AT 50% OF A MI 10 UNITS AT 80% OF A MI.
AND WE CAN HAVE 10 UNITS AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF A MI.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME DIFFERENCES IN REQUIREMENTS THERE.
WE PUT TOGETHER, WE THOUGHT AN EXCEPTION.
GOOD PROJECT TEAM GARVIN DESIGN, ALLISON RAMSEY, ARCHITECTS, CAROLINA ENGINEERING HILL CONSTRUCTION TERRA COM DID OUR ENGINEERING REPORT.
AXIOS CONSULTING, BOWEN RESEARCH.
JOSH BROWN AND DECO HAS DONE ALL THE DEMOLITION.
WE HAVE SPENT $1,367,200 OF OUR MONEY ON THIS PROJECT.
THAT'S THE LAND THAT WE'VE PURCHASED.
THAT'S ARCHITECTURAL COSTS AND ENGINEERING COSTS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING, ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION, THE MARKET STUDIES, THE REQUIRED CONSULTANTS BY SE, HOUSING LEGAL FEES.
AND I SHARE THAT WITH YOU TO HOPEFULLY ESTABLISH THE SERIOUSNESS AND THE COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IN THIS PROJECT WORK.
THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE, UH, STRUGGLED WITH HAVE BEEN DESIGN CONFLICTS BETWEEN HRB AND HUD AND SC HOUSING, FOR EXAMPLE.
THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC DESIGN REQUIREMENTS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, YOU HAVE TO BE 18 INCHES ABOVE GRADE SC HOUSING, YOU HAVE TO BE 24 INCHES ABOVE GRADE.
UH, WE CANNOT USE ANY WOOD PRODUCTS AT ALL.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO USE, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRODUCTS SUCH AS HARDY PLANK AND EXTERIOR, UH, THE EXPOSED RAFTERS AS AN EXAMPLE.
BUT WE WORKED THROUGH ALL THOSE AND FINALLY CAME UP WITH A DESIGN THAT MEETS BOTH SC HOUSING AND HRV.
WE HAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE WITH THE COUNTY SITE, UM, THAT REQUIRED US TO DO THE EXPAND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES.
WE HAVE SOME TECHNICAL AND CONSULTING, AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR EARTHQUAKE DRAINS THAT CAUSE THE UNITS TO GO THROUGH WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT.
AND AGAIN, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GET THE ORDINANCE APPROVED TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE FINAL CHANGES TO THE PSA.
WE'VE BEGUN CONSTRUCTION ON THE JAIL, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT CONTINGENT ON ANY OF THE, UH, CONDITIONS IN THE CONTRACT.
UH, WE DO NEED TO UPDATE THE PSA WITH THE COUNTY TO MEET SC HOUSING REQUIREMENTS.
PRIOR TO, UH, THIS BEING BROUGHT TO A HALT, MR. BRUCE AND MR. DAVIS HAD COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT WE THOUGHT MET, THAT WE'VE TALKED WITH SC HOUSING, THEY'VE AGREED TO REVIEW THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
UH, WE WILL THEN GO THROUGH WITH ACQUISITION AND THE REMEDIATION FUNDING.
[01:25:01]
UH, WE FEEL AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE, WE DO WANT TO GO BACK TO HRB.WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE CITY, WE DO NOT TO NEED TO, BUT WE WANNA TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND DO THAT.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO THEN START THE COTTAGES.
AND THEN THE SOONEST THAT WE CAN RESUBMIT TO SC HOUSING IS GOING TO BE JUNE OF NEXT YEAR.
UH, THEIR WORKSHOP WILL START IN JANUARY.
UH, THEY SET FOR PUBLIC DOCUMENTATION BY FEBRUARY, MARCH.
UH, WE CAN SUBMIT OUR APPLICATIONS.
USUALLY THE DATE'S LATE MAY OR LATE JUNE.
UH, THEY ANNOUNCE PRELIMINARY SCORING IN AUGUST.
UH, YOU GET PRELIMINARY AWARDS IN OCTOBER.
AND IF EVERYTHING WENT WELL, AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET AWARDED, WE COULD START CONSTRUCTION IN 2027, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE COMING BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR THOSE CONTRACTS FOR BOTH THE OLD SITE AND THE NEW SITE TO BE SEPARATED.
SO HERE'S A REQUEST THAT, THAT WE'RE MAKING.
NUMBER ONE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT CONFORMS TO ALL SC HOUSING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, TWO ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE DONE THAT, UH, WE BELIEVE IT MEETS THOSE STANDARDS.
AND AGAIN, IN OUR CONVERSATION WITH SC HOUSING LAST WEEK, THEY'VE AGREED TO REVIEW IT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT.
UH, SECOND THING WE'D LIKE TO SEPARATE AND DISCONNECT THE CLOSING OF EACH SITE.
WE HAVE HELD OFF DOING THE COTTAGES ON OUR PROPERTY BECAUSE THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE OF ENGINEERING ONE SITE AND THE CONTRACT AS WE INTERPRETED IN SECTION FOUR, PARAGRAPH FOUR B SAYS WE CANNOT START ANY OF THE WORK, UH, UNTIL WE START THE REMEDIATION ON THE WILMINGTON STREET BUILDING.
THE WILMINGTON STREET BUILDING IS STILL OCCUPIED AND BEING USED.
SO CLEARLY THAT IS THAT SOME PURE WAY BEFORE WE CAN DO THAT.
UM, SO THE PURCHASE PRICE THAT WE AGREED TO PAY WAS 1,000,050, UH, FOR BOTH PARCELS.
UH, THERE WAS A 250,000 RICHARDSON, AM I CORRECT, TWO 50 FOR THE KING AND, AND EIGHT 50? I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS TO SPLIT THOSE TWO, UH, UH, INTO 50,000 SINCE WE'VE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY ALREADY FOR THE VACANT, UH, C BUILDING SITE AND A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE WORKFORCE HOUSING SITE.
WE WILL PROVIDE THE REMEDIATION DEMOLITION AS, AS WE PREVIOUSLY AGREED TO THE REMEDIATION FOR BOTH BUILDINGS TOTAL, $700,000.
UH, THAT'S JUST TO GET RID OF THE ASBESTOS AND THE LEAD PAINT AND THE MOLD AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE THERE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A DATE, BUT WE DO NEED A DATE CERTAIN AS WHEN THE, THE, UH, WILMINGTON STREET BUILDING WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR US.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR PERMISSION TO ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLITION INFRASTRUCTURE ON ALL SEVEN COTTAGES ON THE KING STREET SITE TO GO WITH THE SIX THAT WE HAVE ON OUR SITE.
AND AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY WORKED FOUR YEARS ON THAT.
SIX OF THE 13 HOMES ARE ON OUR PROPERTY.
IT WILL SAVE US A LOT OF MONEY IN ENGINEERING.
AND FRANKLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GOT PENALIZED FOR IN OUR SCORING FOR APPLICATION WAS THE FACT THE JAIL WAS NOT DONE.
AND THE DHEC BUILDING NEEDS DEMOLITION.
SO WE'VE COME BEFORE YOU HOPEFULLY DEMONSTRATING GOOD FAITH FOR ALMOST SEVEN YEARS.
UH, HAVING SPENT WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR MONEY TO MAKE THIS PROJECT RELATIVE.
OH, ONE OF THE
UH, SO I'LL BE LONG GONE WHEN THIS IS DONE.
BUT WE THINK THIS ENABLES US TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T SEE DONE VERY OFTEN IN INNER CITIES.
THAT YOU TAKE AN AREA THAT YOU REFURBISH OLD COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES THAT NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED AND REMEDIATED, AND YOU COMBINE HOUSING DESIGNED FOR YOUNG URBAN PROFESSIONALS WITH THAT, DESIGNED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING WITH OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES FOR SALE.
THAT'S A PRETTY AMAZING PROJECT.
SO WE WOULD ASK YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THE REQUEST THAT WE HAVE MADE, AND I HAVE THE OBLIGATORY QUESTION SLIDE.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO COMMENTS, NO OBSERVATIONS.
I'LL, UH, IN THE ABSENCE, OH, GO AHEAD.
OH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT.
AND I HEARD ALL THE DETAILS WHEN YOU MET WITH US PRIVATELY, BUT SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING IT, TO ME IS ATROCIOUS.
AND YOU'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THIS WILL BENEFIT PEOPLE.
SO I'M IN FAVOR OF GRANTING THE CHANGE, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.
WELL, I, I APPRECIATE, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE'VE ALSO BEEN CONTACTED BY TWO OTHER CITIES THAT WANNA DO EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
UM, ONE IN HARTSVILLE AND THEN ONE WAS IN GEORGETOWN.
I APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR STEADFASTNESS ON THIS, UH, ON THIS MATTER.
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE, UH, WE, WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IN THE EARLY STAGES IT ALWAYS APPEARS SO GREAT, AND THEN PEOPLE GET DISCOURAGED AND IT GOES UP IN SMOKE.
BUT YOU HAVEN'T ABANDONED US, AND I APPLAUD YOU.
AGAIN, THANK FOR STICKING TO THIS.
IT LOOKS LIKE A GREAT PROJECT, AND I'M, UH, I ALSO SUPPORT IT.
AND, UH, I HOPE THAT, UH, THAT THE, UH, THE VOTE THAT WE TAKE HERE TONIGHT WILL ALLOW YOU TO PROCEED.
ANYONE ELSE? ANY OBSERVATIONS AT ALL? WE VOTE NO BEFORE YOU VOTE.
WE'VE GOT UHON LAB BRUCE HERE.
[01:30:01]
ATTORNEY ADVISING COUNSEL ON THIS.BECAUSE OF THE S TO THE CONTRACT ARE IN PLACE.
MEMBERS OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, UH, AS MR. HOLBERG MENTIONED, MY NAME'S RICHARDSON LAB.
BRUCE, I'M WITH FINGER MILLING BROOKS AND LAB BRUCE IN HILTON HEAD.
I BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, I'M GONNA ECHO A FEW THINGS THAT MR. WHEELER SAID, AND PART OF WHY I WANT TO PRESENT TO YOU IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT Y'ALL WANT FROM ME, AND THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE THIS IS A PRETTY COMPLICATED DEAL.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THIS HAS BEEN SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING.
SO THE WAY THAT THIS DEAL WAS ORIGINALLY STRUCTURED, IT WAS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT WAS GONNA BE BUILT.
IT EFFECTIVELY TIED THE WILMINGTON STREET PROPERTY WHERE YOU WERE GONNA GET 39 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE KING STREET PROPERTY, WHERE THERE WAS GOING TO BE MARKET RATE HOMES BEING CONSTRUCTED.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO ENSURE THAT BOTH OF THOSE WOULD GO TOGETHER.
THE, THE SALE WAS A COMBINED AMOUNT, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE PURCHASE PRICE ALLOCATIONS AS TO WHICH ONE WENT WHICH, OR HOW MUCH WENT TO EACH ONE.
IT WAS A SINGLE CLOSING FOR BOTH PIECES OF PROPERTY.
THERE WERE RESTRICTIONS THAT WERE GOING TO BE IMPOSED, UH, THAT WERE GOING TO BE RECORDED AGAINST BOTH OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE REMEDIATION OF BOTH SITES BEFORE ANY CONSTRUCTION COULD TAKE PLACE ON THE MARKET, WHAT I'LL CALL THE MARKET RATE PARCEL, KING STREET.
AND THERE WAS ALSO A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT COULD BE BUILT ON KING STREET UNTIL THE 39 AFFORDABLE UNITS WERE CONSTRUCTED.
THE PROPOSAL THAT'S BEING SUBMITTED TODAY LARGELY NEGATES THAT, AND IT CREATES, YOU KNOW, A FRAMEWORK OF TWO SEPARATE DEALS.
AND PART OF THE REASON THAT MR. WHEELER HAS PROVIDED SUCH A PRESENTATION TO YOU AND DETAILED THE SEVEN YEARS, EIGHT YEARS THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY'VE PUT INTO THIS WHEELER AND WHEELER IS IT SHOWED TO YOU THE GOOD FAITH, AND I'M SPEAKING ON HIS BEHALF A LITTLE BIT, BUT TO DEMONSTRATE TO YOU THE GOOD FAITH THAT HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE PUT INTO THIS PROJECT IN ORDER TO HOPEFULLY CONVINCE THE COUNTY TO SEVER THESE TWO DEALS, TO ALLOW KING STREET TO BE DEVELOPED, AND THEN HAVE THE AFFORDABLE SITE SEPARATED RIGHT NOW UNDER THE AGREEMENT, UH, WHERE WE STAND, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD HAS EXPIRED.
CLOSING IS EITHER, I I, I BELIEVE CLOSING WAS SUPPOSED TO OCCUR EARLIER THIS MONTH, BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE DELAYS IS OUTLINED THERE, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE, THE PARAMETERS.
SO IN MOVING FORWARD, PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THIS AMENDMENT WOULD BE THE SEVERING OF THESE TWO DEALS, AND THAT WOULD REMOVE A LOT OF WHAT THE CONTRACTUAL GUARANTEES ARE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT.
SO IN THEORY, YOU COULD BUY THE KING STREET PROPERTY FOR 50 SOMETHING THOUSAND THAT COULD BE DONE.
THEY COULD BUY THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PORTION OVER ON, UM, WILMINGTON STREET, BUT NEVER DEVELOP IT.
WE COULD PUT A PER DM PENALTY ON THERE FOR FAILURE TO DEVELOP WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF A YEAR.
UH, BUT IT'S ALSO CONTINGENT UPON STATE HOUSING FUNDING, AND THAT'S A POT THAT WE'RE NEVER CERTAIN THAT ANYBODY'S GOING TO GET TO.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THERE HAVE BEEN THESE DELAYS.
SO I BRING THAT ALL TO YOU, NOT TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO MUDDY THESE WATERS AND MAKE Y'ALL QUESTION THE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, BUT REALLY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FIELD IS ADEQUATELY EXPLAINED.
AND I KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WANT FROM YOUR, YOUR DIRECTION MOVING FORWARD.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THAT WAS A REAL QUICK SUMMARY OF A, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SEVEN YEARS AND A PRETTY LENGTHY CONTRACT.
WELL, PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE WAITED WITH MY LAUDATORY COMMENTS TO MR. WHEELER BEFORE YOU SPOKE
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FROM ANYONE WITH REGARD TO THIS? YES, JUDGE.
IF, IF, IF, IF I MIGHT ASK, UM, WOULD YOU ADVISE COUNSEL THEN TO SUPPORT SEPARATING THE TWO PARCELS? AND HOW DO WE GET SOME GUARANTEE THAT WE CAN ASSURE THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSINGS WILL BE BUILT? IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN? WELL, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS KIND OF THE, THAT'S WHY WE HAD SUCH A COMPLICATED AGREEMENT.
AT FIRST IT WAS HOW DO YOU TIE THESE TWO TOGETHER CONTRACTUALLY? HOW DO YOU DO ONE WITH THE OTHER AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAPPEN? AND SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WAS A GIVE AND TAKE, AND TO MR. WHEELER'S CREDIT, MR. DAVIS'S CREDIT, THEY WERE GREAT WITH WORKING WITH US AND TRYING TO NEGOTIATE THESE TERMS. AND WE NEED, UH, THEY NEEDED SIX UNITS TO BE BUILT TO BE ABLE TO FUND THE REST OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT.
AND SO THEY WANTED TO HAVE THAT, RIGHT? THEY HAD THE REMEDIATION CONCERN, OR WE HAD THE REMEDIATION CONCERNS.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION WAS DONE ON BOTH SIDES, AND THAT THEY COULD DO ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON BOTH SIDES BEFORE.
[01:35:01]
THE, WE CAN CREATE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WITH FINANCIAL PENALTIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO ENSURE THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GETS BE, UH, BUILT.BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TIE IT TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT HAS ANY REAL LASTING IMPACT OR VALUE.
SO WE CAN'T, BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE TO PUT CONTINGENCIES IN THERE FOR THE FUNDING FROM STATE HOUSING, MOST LIKELY.
UM, AND THOSE ALREADY EXIST UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT.
THAT FAILURE TO MEET THOSE CONDITIONS CAN NEGATE THAT WILMINGTON STREET CLOSING AND ALLOW THE KING STREET ONLY TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, THE, AGAIN, WHAT MR. WHEELER IS WANTING TO SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE TO Y'ALL IS HE HAS, HE'S PUT FORTH THE EFFORT.
HE'S DONE, HE'S GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN HIS DILIGENCE AND IN THE PROCESS.
HE SAYS HE IS STILL COMMITTED TO DOING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND NOTHING TO DATE HAS SEEMED TO INDICATE THAT HE'S NOT.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT HE HAS TO APPLY TO SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSING.
THE COMMENTS SEEM TO CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAIN REASON THAT WE WERE COMING BACK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WAS BECAUSE OF A REDUCTION FROM 39 UNITS TO 33 UNITS BECAUSE OF THESE EARTHQUAKE DRAINS DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND THIS, UM, UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK THAT THEY FOUND.
SO IT'S, IF YOU WOULD, IF Y'ALL WANT TO KEEP THESE TWO TOGETHER, WE CAN WORK ON THAT AND TRY TO COME UP WITH A WAY THAT CAN ALLOW THIS TO WORK, THIS PROJECT STILL TO WORK FOR MR. WHEELER, OR IF YOU WANNA SEVER THEM, WE CAN DO THAT AND PUT TOGETHER SOME CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE THINK WILL BEST PROTECT THE COUNTY AND ENSURE THAT THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING GETS BUILT.
IT'S JUST ANY PROTECTIONS, IN MY OPINION, ARE GOING TO BE LESSER THAN WHAT THEY CURRENTLY ARE.
BUT THE WAY THEY CURRENTLY ARE DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BUILT ACCORDING TO MR. WHEELER, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER TWO YEARS FOR THE FUNDING CYCLE TO START UP AGAIN.
I, WHAT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL A FEW YEARS AGO WAS AN ORDINANCE FOR THE LAND PURCHASE.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY AS AN AMENDMENT TO THAT ORDINANCE.
IN THE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE THAT I'VE DRAFTED AND PUT BEFORE YOU, IT AGREES TO REDUCE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING FROM 39 TO 33, BUT IT KEEPS ALL THE OTHER TERMS THE SAME.
TO PROTECT THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THAT WORKFORCE HOUSING AND THAT THAT'S BUILT BEFORE THE OTHER DEVELOPMENT ON KING STREET.
THE COUNTY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND SEPARATING THE DEALS AND HAVING SEVERAL LAND PURCHASES TO PROTECT THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WORKFORCE HOUSING COMES IN.
IF YOU KEEP THEM TOGETHER, THAT'S THE BETTER PROTECTION.
NOW, YOU MAY WANT TO DEVIATE AND ALLOW 'EM TO BUILD MORE ON THE KING STREET PROPERTY EARLY ON, WAITING FOR THE FUNDING FOR WILMINGTON.
BUT TO SEPARATE THE LAND PURCHASES, YOU PUT THE COUNTY AT RISK FOR THE, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING GETTING COMPLETED IN THE END.
SO I PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE, I TOOK OUT OF THE CONTRACT AND PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE A TERM OF THE ORDINANCE THAT IT'S GONNA BE REDUCED FROM 39 TO 33, WHERE IT'S PROTECTED BY LAW.
THERE'S A LOT OF ARGUMENT GOING BACK AND FORTH AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS MATERIAL CHANGE OR NOT.
I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A MATERIAL CHANGE BECAUSE IT WAS A 15% REDUCTION IN THE WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT COUNTY COUNCIL NEGOTIATED AND AGREED TO.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS IN INCONSEQUENTIAL.
I THOUGHT COUNSEL WOULD'VE TO MAKE THAT DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT THAT REDUCTION FROM 39 TO 33.
NOW, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU ACCOMMODATE THEM BECAUSE OF THE EARTHQUAKE, UH, PROTECTIONS THEY GOTTA PUT IN THERE.
BUT TO SEPARATE THE CONTRACT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT AS MR. UH, LABUS STATED AS FAR AS PUTTING THAT IN THERE.
THE BEST PROTECTION FOR THE COUNTY IS TO KEEP THE PARCELS TOGETHER, TO KEEP THE PRICES THAT WE'VE ALREADY DETERMINED FOR EACH PARCEL THE SAME AS THEY WERE, AND NOT TO CHANGE THE PARCELS.
WHY MESS WITH THE NUMBERS IF THE TOTAL'S GONNA STAY THE SAME AND TO GO FORTH WITH ALLOWING THE REDUCTION, BUT KEEP EVERYTHING ELSE THE SAME.
DID YOU, DID, HAS SOMEONE READ THAT MOTION INTO THE RECORD? YOU PUT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND TO GET IT HERE.
AND THE MOTION IS, WAIT A MINUTE.
THAT MOTION HASN'T BEEN READ YET.
WE IS PUTTING A MOTION ON TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE.
THAT'S WHAT THE O THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
RIGHT? AND THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT HAS WHAT I RECOMMENDED TO INCLUDE IN SECTION THREE THAT ENSURE THAT NOT LESS THAN 33 AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE CONSTRUCTED ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARCEL AT 16 600 WILMINGTON STREET.
AND THEN THEY'D BE SOLD AT AFFORDABLE PRICES OR REMAIN SUBJECT TO THE AFFORDABILITY COVENANTS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE AFFORDABILITY TERM AS DEFINED IN THE PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT.
IS IT YOUR INTENTION TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM COUNCIL MAKE THAT MOTION?
[01:40:02]
THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE COUNCIL THAT'S ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW IS THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT I DRAFTED BY DOING WHAT I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S BEEN MADE BUT HASN'T BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD.WHERE IS IT? THE, THE ORDINANCE IS BEFORE COUNSEL.
AND THE MOTION AND SECOND, PUT IT ON THE FLOOR.
RIGHT? SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE ORDINANCE BEFORE COUNSEL.
SO, SO THE AMENDMENT IS SIMPLY THEN THE AMENDMENT IS WHAT I PUT BEFORE MR. WHEELER.
CAME FORTH WITH SOME DIFFERENT TERMS THAT HE'S ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER.
THAT WOULD'VE TO BE A CHANGE TO THIS AMENDMENT.
THERE'D HAVE TO BE MORE DRAFTING DONE IF YOU ACCEPTED ANY OF MR. WHEELER'S PROPOSALS.
SO THEN THIS, THIS, UM, THIS VOTE TONIGHT WILL NOT THEN THIS, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST READING.
THIS WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE.
SO THIS ONE AND WOULDN'T BE AS STATED IN HIS PSA MODIFICATIONS.
THIS IS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CONSIDER THAT THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THE PSA MODIFICATIONS 'CAUSE THAT SEPARATES IT.
AND YOU DON'T WANNA SEE THAT HAPPEN.
I DON'T PS MODIFICATIONS IS WHAT YOU CALL THE COUNTY ORDINANCE AMENDMENT BEFORE YOU DOES NOT INCLUDE SEPARATING THE PARCELS YEAH.
OR CHANGING THE DOLLAR VALUES.
IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANOTHER CHANGE, THE ONLY ONE THAT THE COUNTY WOULD, UH, CONSIDER ACQUIESCING TO AND RECOMMENDING TO COUNCIL WOULD BE TO ALLOW MORE DEVELOPMENT ON THE KING STREET PARCEL THAN THE WI BEFORE THE WILMINGTON, UH, DEVELOPMENT OCCURS.
AS IT IS, HE CAN ONLY DEVELOP THOSE SEVEN, I THINK, ON THE KING STREET PARCEL UNTIL IT CONSTRUCTS THE WILMINGTON BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO ENSURE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING WAS CONSTRUCTED.
COULD I HAVE THAT, UH, DOCUMENT YOU TOOK BACK? I WANNA SEE THAT IT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, I, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SEPARATE IT.
I, I CAN GO ALONG WITH REDUCING IT TO 33 UNITS AS, AS, UM, MR. HOLBERT SAID, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CARROT AND THE CARROT IS THE, THE UNITS, AND WE'VE ALREADY REDUCED IT FROM 39 TO 33.
SO I THINK THEY NEED TO BE KEPT TOGETHER.
UH, I WOULD BE OPEN TO DISCUSSIONS OF LETTING HIM DEVELOP MORE ON THE KING STRING PROJECT.
I GUESS HE'D HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH HIS HISTORIC BEAUFORT THOUGH FOR THAT.
AND THE OTHER OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS PROJECT WORK.
UH, AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF IT COULD WORK.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE IT WORK IS TO HAVE THE TWO TOGETHER.
AND IT 'CAUSE WORST CASE, IF HE DOESN'T GET STATE APPROVAL, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO THEN? BUT I, I THINK HE'S GOT A BETTER CHANCE NOW FOR STATE APPROVAL.
UM, WE DON'T NEED APPROVAL FOR THE SIX.
WHEN, WHEN I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE CLEAR.
THE, WE ALREADY HAVE APPROVED THE JAIL AND SIX HOUSES ON PROPERTY WE ALREADY OWN.
THE ADDITIONAL HOMES THAT WILL BE BUILT ON THE KING STREET SIDE ARE SEVEN.
AND WE AGREED VOLUNTARILY NOT TO BUILD THOSE SEVEN HOMES.
SO THE SIX, WE, WE, WE HAVE ABILITY TO DO THAT TODAY.
UH, WE OFFER THAT AS, AS GOOD FAITH.
UH, WHAT, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO HAPPEN FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IS IT IS GONNA COST A LOT OF MONEY TO DEMOLISH THAT ADMINISTRATION BUILDING THAT'S VACANT.
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ON THE WILMINGTON SITE UNTIL YOU RELOCATE THOSE PEOPLE.
WE WERE EVEN APPROACHED BY COUNCIL ABOUT BUILDING A COMMERCIAL BUILDING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN TWO YEARS AGO.
AND THEN YOU GUYS WENT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO WE'VE TRIED EVERYTHING TO BE AS COOPERATIVE AS WE CAN.
THE, THE MAIN THING FOR US IS ENGINEERING THE KING STREET SITE WITHOUT DEMOLISHING THAT BUILDING IS, IS AN EXPENSIVE PROCESS.
IF WE COULD DEMOLISH THAT BUILDING, DO THE ENGINEERING ON THE SITE, WHICH NOW WE'RE PROHIBITED FROM DOING UNTIL WE DO THE REMEDIATION ON WILMINGTON, THAT WOULD BE OF SOME HELP AS WELL.
AND I, I HAD NOT SEEN THE AMENDMENT, SO I WAS NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT WAS BEING, UM, NOBODY SENT ME A COPY OF WHAT, OF WHAT THE, WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED TODAY.
SO WE WERE WAITING FOR THE AMENDMENT TERMS FROM YOU, BUT WE NEVER GOT THEM.
UH, THOSE WERE SENT TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO YOU'RE JUST RAISING MY LEVEL OF NOT UNDERSTANDING THIS BECAUSE, UM, I, SO THESE NEGOTIATE, THIS AMENDMENT WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY OF ADMINISTRATOR TO CONSIDER ALL THE DETAILS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE TODAY AND INCORPORATE THOSE INTO AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE SIGNED.
IS, AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF TALKING GOING ON HERE.
AND I, I HAVE NEVER EVEN SEEN THIS UNTIL NOW.
[01:45:01]
WELL, THAT WAS IN THE PACKAGE.THAT WAS YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T APPEAR TO ME.
AND THERE WAS A SIMPLE ONE SENTENCE FOR THE, FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE AMENDMENT, BUT MY QUESTION IS, DOES EVERYTHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED HERE GIVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THE AUTHORITY TO INCORPORATE ALL THOSE DETAILS INTO A FINAL DOCUMENT? NO.
ALL THE DISCUSSION THAT'S OCCURRED HERE, AS FAR AS THE PROPOSALS FROM MR. WHEELER'S PRESENTATION, COUNSEL WOULD HAVE TO GIVE GUIDANCE TO US AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO, UM, HAVE GUIDANCE TO PUT THAT INTO THE PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ORDINANCE, UH, NECESSARILY WHAT MAY HAVE TO, IT WOULD TAKE MORE TWEAKS FOR THE, UH, ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, I THINK, AS FAR AS IF WE'RE GONNA BIFURCATE THE PROPERTY, WHICH WE DON'T RECOMMEND AS WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION ON THE KING STREET PROPERTY, IF YOU WANNA ALLOW HIM TO BUILD THOSE OTHER SEVEN HOUSES BEFORE THE WILMINGTON STREET WORKFORCE HOUSING PARCELS ARE BUILT, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, TAKEN.
AND THAT COULD BE DONE IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT POTENTIALLY.
UH, LET ME LET MR. LAB BRUCE, HE'S BEEN WORKING THIS FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD, UH, FOR THE COUNTY ON THE PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT.
BUT FOR THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TERMS ARE AND WE HAVE TO AGREE TO THOSE BEFORE COUNSEL AGREES TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE.
UH, UNLESS YOU WANT TO GIVE ALL THAT UNFETTERED DISCRETION TO THE ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, YOU COULD, BUT WE NEED GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL AS FAR AS WHAT TERMS ARE ACCEPTABLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE KEY TERMS AND THEY'RE, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND CONSEQUENTIAL TERMS. DO YOU EXPECT TO GET THAT HERE TONIGHT? I'M LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM COUNSEL AS FAR AS WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE WILLING TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE OTHER CHANGES AT THE FIRST READ AND OR SECOND READING.
UH, AND WE, WE CAN GET GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMITTEE HERE AS FAR AS WHAT TERMS THEY HEARD FROM MR. WHEELER THAT THEY LIKE TO ACCEPT.
AND WE COULD PUT THOSE FORTH IN THE, UH, DRAFT PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT, WHICH SHOULD BE PART OF THE PACKAGE WHEN IT GETS TO COUNCIL FOR FIRST READING.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE TERMS WORKED OUT BEFORE BETWEEN, UH, MR. LA BRUCE AND SENATOR DAVIS YET.
BUT ONCE WE GET THOSE TO WHERE WE HAVE A, UH, DRAFT PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT WITH THE TERMS THAT COUNSEL'S WILLING TO AMEND, WE CAN BRING THAT FORTH.
BUT WE NEED THE GUIDANCE FROM YOU AS FAR AS WHAT YOU LIKE OR DON'T LIKE FROM MR. WHEELER'S PRESENTATION.
AND FROM THE POSITION THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM, UH, MR. LABUS AND MYSELF, AND I'LL ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN.
DO YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE THAT TONIGHT OR CAN WE MOVE THIS FORWARD FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATION SO THAT A PRODUCT CAN COME BACK TO US ON A SECOND READING? WE COULD, WE CAN, THERE'S BEEN NO FIRST READING.
THIS IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
AND THE COUNCIL WILL BE THE FIRST READING.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS IF YOU RECOMMEND APPROVAL ON THIS ORDINANCE TO COUNSEL THAT WOULD GO FORTH.
IF YOU'D LIKE US TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL TERMS AS REQUESTED BY MR. WHEELER, WE NEED THAT GUIDANCE SO WE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES TO THE PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT.
HAVE THEM READY FOR YOUR FIRST READING.
THEY COULD OCCUR THERE, THERE COULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THE FIRST READING, AND YOU COULD HAVE MORE AMENDMENTS BEFORE THE SECOND AMENDMENT OR THE SECOND READING FOR THAT TO OCCUR.
THERE'S GONNA BE NEGOTIATION THERE.
BUT WE NEED THE GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL AS FAR AS WHAT'S ACCEPTABLE AS FAR AS AMENDING THE CONTRACT.
YOU ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.
HE'S LIKE, NO, WE'VE GOTTA DEAL STICK TO THE DEAL.
OR BECAUSE OF THE EARTHQUAKE, UH, COMPLICATIONS.
YOU CAN AGREE TO REDUCE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING, WHICH WE AGREED WAS REASONABLE.
THE OTHER CHANGES YOU DIDN'T GET MY SUPPORT FROM.
THAT CODIFIED OR ATTEMPTS TO CODIFY THE REDUCTION FROM 39 TO 33 MAKES THE LAW.
SO THERE'S NO QUESTION AS FAR AS IS THAT A MATERIAL CHANGE? IF YOU WANNA CHANGE THAT AGAIN BEFORE IT'S CONSTRUCTED.
33 HOMES ARE WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO STICK TO UNLESS YOU BRING IT BACK TO US AND CHANGE THE LAW, WHICH REQUIRES THREE READINGS.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE SEVERANCE? THAT WOULD BE, YOU WOULD'VE TO TELL US THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN WE COULD HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT READY FOR THE FIRST RELAY COUNCIL IF THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED IT.
UH, BUT IT WOULD AGAIN BE WHAT DOES A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL AT THE FIRST READING RECOMMEND OR APPROVE? THAT'S WHERE IT'LL FORMALIZE.
DID ANYONE ON THIS COMMITTEE RECEIVE MR. WHEELER'S PRESENTATION BEFORE HE GAVE IT TODAY? I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT, THAT WE READ IT, DIGEST IT, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WILL SUPPORT US MOVING FORWARD WITH WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED,
[01:50:02]
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THAT FURTHER DISCUSSION APPROPRIATELY NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION.AT THE FIRST READING, THERE WAS A PAGE STATED OF PSA MODIFICATIONS THAT CLEARLY OUTLINED MR. WHEEL WAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
AND, UH, I HEARD IT HERE TONIGHT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CONSIDERING THAT TONIGHT AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION BEFORE WE LEAVE THE ROOM.
BUT IF WE CAN MOVE THIS FORWARD AND THEN HAVE THIS DISCUSSED AND EVERYONE CAN COME BACK WITH A LOGICAL PIECE OF PAPER THAT CONTAINS ALL OF THE POSSIBILITIES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GOING FORWARD.
UH, WHAT HEARING ALL OF THIS, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT WE DEFER THIS TO THE NEXT NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.
COME BACK AGAIN, HAVING REVIEWED ALL THIS AND ALLOW FURTHER DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN, UH, THE COUNTY AND MR. WHEELER AS FAR AS THE TERMS TO HAVE A MORE DEFINED, UH, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE STAFF.
UH, MR. WHEEL HAS BEEN WAITING SEVEN YEARS.
I DON'T THINK ANOTHER 30 DAYS IS GONNA BREAK HIS HEART.
BUT THE SITUATION HERE IS SUCH THAT, THAT I THINK, I THINK UNREASONABLE DEMANDS ARE BEING PLACED ON THE COMMITTEE TONIGHT WITHOUT ALL OF THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND IF ANYONE DISAGREES WITH ME, JUST CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE AUTHORIZING WITH THIS AMENDED WITH THIS ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE, IF THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, OR IF THERE ARE OTHER THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED, SUCH AS SEVERANCE, NO SEVERANCE.
IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A BIG, BIG OBJECTION.
WE MET WITH MR. WHEELER AND SENATOR DAVIS LAST WEEK.
AND, UH, AS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, UH, THEY TALKED ABOUT SEPARATE, NOT SEPARATE.
UH, AND WHEN WE LEFT THAT MEETING, WE AGREED NOT TO SEPARATE WAS OUR RECOMMENDATION POSITION.
WE WERE WAITING FOR TERMS TO COME IN FOR THEM TO WORK OUT, BACK AND FORTH AND TO HOPE, HOPE TO HAVE A, UH, DRAFT PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WHERE WE'RE THAT'S NOT IN HERE.
SO CAN I MAKE A A COMMENT THOUGH? IT'S STARTING ON PAGE 89 IN THE PACKET IS THE MEMO IN YOUR HAND AND ALL OF THE BACKUP MATERIAL THAT MR. WHEELER HAS TALKED ABOUT FOR SEVEN YEARS.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE, WE DIDN'T GET IT.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF IN HERE.
WELL, MAYBE IN THE PACKET, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE NAME OF THE OTHER ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THE COUNTY ONLY RECOMMENDED THE 39 TO 33.
THAT'S WHAT I PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE.
AND I PUT IT IN THE ORDINANCE.
OTHERWISE IT WOULD'VE JUST BEEN IN THE PURCHASE SALE AGREEMENT OF THE CONTRACT AND AMENDED THAT WAY.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THE MATERIALITY OF THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT HAD TO BE BUILT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEING REDUCED FROM 39 AND THREE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT HERE? THE COUNT.
WE CAN MOVE THIS ALONG AND COME BACK AT SECOND READING WITH A FINAL DOCUMENT THAT THAT'S COME TOGETHER AFTER EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT IT.
WE CAN MOVE IT FORWARD IF YOU'RE READY TO, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE READY TO GO WITH THE COUNTY'S RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE IT FROM 39 33.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE WE CAN GO FORTH.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY HERE.
BUT THAT'S WHERE WE NEED THE GUIDANCE AS FAR AS DID ANY OF MR. WHEELER'S OTHER REQUESTS SINK IN WITH YOU TO WHERE YOU WANNA SUPPORT THAT? WELL THEN, WELL, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW YET.
I DON'T UNLESS EVERYBODY'S READY TO TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
AND IF THERE'S CHANGES YOU WANT US TO MAKE, WE CAN MAKE THEM BETWEEN NOW AND FIRST READING.
BUT WE NEED TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
CAN WE JUST MOTION TO MOVE THIS ALONG? SURE.
WELL, WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF WHAT WE'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA VOTE TO, TO MOVE THIS TO A FIRST READING.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? YES.
MOVE IT FORWARD AS MAYOR OR DO YOU WANT STAFF TO MAKE ADDITIONAL CHANGES? MS. TABER, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE TROUBLE HERE, BUT I'M TRYING TO BE CLEAR.
I BELIEVE ATTORNEY, YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I COME FROM AND I'M TRYING TO BE CLEAR HERE.
GOING FORWARD TO TRY AND INCORPORATE HERE EVERYBODY'S POSITIONS THAT SEEM TO BE STATED HERE TONIGHT, BUT NOT IN THIS DOCUMENT.
AND IF THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA USE AS OUR REFERRAL POINT, I THINK IT'S INCOMPLETE.
WHAT? YOU'VE GOT THE COUNTY'S RECOMMENDATION RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY RECOMMENDS AND SUPPORTS AND THAT.
BUT THEN YOU HEARD FROM MR. WHEELER.
AND YOU SEEM TO BE IN FAVOR OF WHAT HE WAS REQUESTING.
I AM NOT MR. CHAIRMAN IN FAVOR OF SEPARATING THE TWO.
I'M ONLY IN FAVOR OF REDUCING IT TO 33 TO 33.
THAT'S, AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S IN HERE.
SO, MATT, IF WE'RE GOING TO, IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE COUNTY'S RECOMMENDATION THAT IT NOT BE SEPARATED, THAT WILL BE COMING BACK TO US AT THE FIRST READING.
WHAT WILL BE COMING TO YOU AT FIRST READING IF YOU VOTE TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AS AMENDED RIGHT THERE YEAH.
[01:55:01]
39 TO 33.NO OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WILL BE, NOTHING ELSE WILL BE CONSIDERED.
IT'S NOT UNLESS YOU GET A, A VOTE FROM COUNSEL TO RECOMMEND OR TO DIRECT STAFF TO MAKE ANY FURTHER CHANGES.
OR AT THE FIRST READING, YOU COULD MOVE TO AMEND THE AMENDED ORDINANCE TO MODIFY OTHER THINGS.
MR. CUNNINGHAM IS ON THE SCREEN.
YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? UH, YES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I GUESS JUST TO CLARIFY FOR YOU, MAYBE, MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO SEE IF ANYBODY WANTS A MOTION TO ADD ANYTHING TO THIS AMENDMENT OR, OR KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN IN BOTH.
WELL, THERE HASN'T EVEN BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DISCUSS IT IF WE JUST OPEN IT UP FOR MORE DISCUSSION.
I WOULD RATHER, QUITE FRANKLY, AT THIS HOUR, MOVE THIS ALONG AND SEE, UH, WHERE IT TAKES US AT THE FIRST READING.
AND BY THEN WE WILL HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER IT AND COME BACK WITH SOME FEELINGS AND POSITIONS ON WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN WITH REGARD TO THIS.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S IN FAVOR OF GETTING IT DONE, BUT THERE SEEM TO BE SOME THINGS THAT ARE HANGING THERE THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO AGREE ON.
AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS MOVE IT ALONG AND HAVE IT COME BACK IN A MORE LOGICAL FASHION.
SO WHAT WE ARE CONSIDERING IS ACTUALLY THERE IN FRONT OF US.
THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SEVERING IT.
THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO HAVE IT PRESERVED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYBODY FEELS ABOUT THAT, BUT WE COULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT TALKING ABOUT THIS, WHICH IS NOT MY, WHICH IS NOT MY OBJECT.
I WANNA MOVE THIS ALONG AND MAYBE WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL BE BETTER PREPARED TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER THINGS WE WANT TO PUT IN THERE.
BY GIVING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE SALE OF THESE COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES.
SO I'M READY TO CALL US TO A VOTE.
DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, IT'S ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR.
IS HE STILL ONLINE? NO, DON'T SEE HIM? NO, HE IS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN, DID YOU ALREADY VOTE? YES.
SORRY FOR MY, UH, I'M NOT REALLY SORRY.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE HERE.
IT SEEMS TO ME THERE'S A LOT LEFT UNSAID THAT NEEDS TO BE SETTLED AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN, IT'S SMART FOR US, CONSIDERING WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AFTER THIS ONE.
KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS HERE UNTIL THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION THAT TAKES PLACE, BACK, CHANNEL TO DISCUSS SOME OF THESE THINGS.
ACTUALLY CONSIDERING THE STATEMENTS MADE, UM, IN THAT, UH, IN THAT, UH, PSA MODIFICATION AND A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED THAT AREN'T HERE ANYWHERE.
AND I THINK MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME ACTUALLY BEING DISCUSSED HERE IN OUR PRESENCE, AND MAYBE AS A SURPRISE TO SOME OF US, AND MAYBE NOT AS A SURPRISE TO A LOT OF US, I DON'T KNOW YET.
BUT, UH, UH, HAVING STEPPED, I'M SO HAPPY HE LEFT.
YOU KNOW, WHO SO CONSIDERATE OF HIM TO MOVE.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CHAIRMAN'S ON BOARD HERE WITH THIS AND THAT WE MOVE AHEAD IN A LOGICAL FASHION.
AND I REGRET THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE ANOTHER MONTH, BUT AS I SAID, AFTER SEVEN YEARS, UH, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD REALLY MATTER TO YOU FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS.
SIX THREE WHEN WE STARTED THIS.
WELL WE TOOK THIS IS GOING TO COUNCIL TO COUNCIL.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE IT'S GOING, BUT I HAVE TO TELL HIM WHAT HAPPENED.
I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND.
SO WHEN I TELL HIM, I MAY BE CALLING YOU TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED HERE TONIGHT, AND THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT HE'LL BE COUNCIL ON THE 27TH OF OCTOBER.
DIDN'T WE JUST APPROVE THIS TO GO TO OUR NEXT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING? YES, WE DID.
SO THERE'S, THERES NO 30 DAYS.
IT'S MOVING ON TO THE FIRST READING.
WE'LL BE 27TH IN OCTOBER 27TH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT A READY ADJOURN THIS MEETING? NO MORE COMMENTS FOR ANYBODY.
AND SORRY FOR MY OBFUSCATION HERE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THIS.