Oct 21, 2025 Bluffton Town Council Quarterly Workshop

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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

WE HAVE A QUARTERLY WORKSHOP TUESDAY, OCTOBER, THE 21ST OF THIS YEAR, 25.

AND, UH, SO I CALL IT TO ORDER.

AND I SEE THERE'S NO PUBLIC HERE SO FAR, SO WE WILL EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PER PORTION.

AND NUMBER THREE ON

[3.1. An Ordinance Authorizing the Town Manager to Execute and Deliver Such Documents, Covenants, Easements, and Restrictions in Accordance with the Conditions Imposed by Beaufort County Council as Part of the Green Space Program Over Certain Real Properties to be Purchased by the Town of Bluffton with Assigned Tax Map Nos. R610 030 000 0138 0000 and R610 030 000 1971 0000 – First Reading - Stephen Steese, Town Manager]

STEVE, ABOUT THE DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS AND COVENANTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS REGARDING THE GREEN SPACE, THE COUNTY.

WHAT DOES THAT SAY? POWERPOINT HAS SOMETHING.

ALRIGHT, SO, UM, WE, TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE UNIQUE THAT WE'RE ASKING COUNSEL TO TAKE ACTION ON AS, UH, AT THE WORKSHOP HERE, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF TIMELINESS, ONE OF WHICH IS THIS, UH, CONSERVATION COVENANTS AND THE GRANT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE RELATED TO THE PROPERTY.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE GREEN PENNY, THE TWO PROPERTIES THAT COUNTY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED.

UM, WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO CLOSING ON THOSE WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD THAT WE HAVE OUR CONTRACT IN PLACE, UM, WITH THE, UH, TO PURCHASE IT WITH THE OWNER.

AND I'LL GO THROUGH THAT HERE IN A SECOND.

AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT, UH, CHRIS HAS THAT HE'S GONNA PRESENT NEXT ON THE RIGHT OF WAY AND BUCK WALTER.

UM, WE ARE TRYING TO GET THESE IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME STUFF, UM, FINALIZED WITH THE, AND WITH THIS, LIKE THE COVENANTS, WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED THE COVENANTS TODAY FROM THE COUNTY.

THEY WERE PROMISED TO US LAST TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE TRYING TO EXECUTE THIS, UM, AT THIS MEETING IS BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO CLOSE BY THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER ON THIS PROPERTY.

AND WITH THE COUNCIL MEETING, UH, IN NOVEMBER, IT'S THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO VOTE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

SO WE WANTED TO GET FIRST READING TO YOU TONIGHT.

UM, SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.

COUNSEL AUTHORIZED THE SIGNING OF THE PURCHASE AND SELL AGREEMENT FOR THE TWO PARCELS OF LAND OWNED BY FOOTHILLS, UM, UH, UM, FOR A COST OF 2.24 MILLION.

WE PUT IT UNDER CONTROL WITH THE INTENT THAT WE WERE GONNA APPLY TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE PROGRAM, UH, ABOUT 18 MONTHS LATER.

HERE WE ARE, UM, AND HAVE IT APPROVED.

THE, UM, GREEN SPACE PROGRAM ALLOWS, UH, MUNICIPALITIES TO RECEIVE A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO PURCHASE THE LAND IN EXCHANGE REPLACING CONSERVATION COVENANTS ON THE PROPERTY IN PERPETUITY.

TWO.

UM, WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THE DUE DILIGENCE AND APPROVAL PROCESS OF BUFORT COUNTY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WHILE WORKING THROUGH THERE.

WE ALSO MADE AN APPLICATION TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSERVATION BANK.

THEY'RE ALSO A BANK THAT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR COVENANTS TO PROVIDE, UH, RESTRICTIONS ON PROPERTY.

UM, BOTH THESE PROCESSES RANK CONCURRENTLY AND WE HAVE RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM BOTH ENTITIES FOR FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS PURCHASE.

SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE'RE ELIGIBLE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AND OUR DUE DILIGENCE COSTS WE'VE HAD DURING THIS PROCESS.

SO THE DUE DILIGENCE INCLUDES A SURVEY TITLE APPRAISAL, A PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL.

WE'RE ALSO DOING A TREE AND TOPO AND WHAT WILL BE ISSU, ALSO DOING A CANOPY SURVEY SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THE CANOPY COVERAGE AS PART OF OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENT.

UM, THEY WILL COVER THE CALLS FOR ALL OF THAT.

UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, THEY AGREED AT THEIR SEPTEMBER 22ND COUNCIL MEETING TO AWARD US, UH, THE TOTAL COST OF ALL THE LAND MINUS THE EASEMENT FOR THAT EXISTS FOR POTENTIAL ROADWAY THROUGH THE PROPERTY.

SO THEY APPROVED 2.1 TWO MILLION ONE HUNDRED FORTY THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND TO GO TOWARDS THE PURCHASE AND DUE DILIGENCE OF THE PROPERTY.

THEY REQUIRE A GRANT AGREEMENT AND A COVENANT FOR THESE FUNDS.

SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE, UH, APPROVING TONIGHT IS THE FIRST READING OF THE GRANT AGREEMENT AND THE FIRST READING OF THE COVENANTS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD PUT ON THE PROPERTY.

UM, THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSERVATION BANK APPROVED AT THEIR SEPTEMBER 17TH MEETING, $146,600 AWARDED TOWARDS DUE DILIGENCE AND CLOSING COSTS.

THEY ALSO REQUIRE A GRANT AGREEMENT, SO, WHICH YOU'LL BE APPROVING TONIGHT, IS THEIR GRANT FIRST READING FOR THEIR GRANT AGREEMENT.

SO WHEN COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVES THE USE OF A GREEN SPACE PROGRAM MONEY, THE APPLICANT IS AGREEING TO PLACE THIS CONSERVATION EASEMENT OR COVENANT ON THE PROPERTY AND PERPETUITY.

WE ALSO AGREE TO A GRANT AGREEMENT, WHICH INCORPORATES THE LANGUAGE OF THE COUNTY ORDINANCE INTO THE CONTRACT.

AND SO THE TERMS OUTLINE THAT THE LANGUAGE OF THE, IT INCORPORATES THE LANGUAGE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE PROGRAM, THE ORDINANCE THAT THEY ADOPTED.

IT ALSO PROVIDES ALLOWABLE USES.

SO THESE WERE PUT IN HERE BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GOT THE GRANT AGREEMENT.

SO THERE'S SOME THINGS IN THERE THAT WERE,

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SO IF WE WANTED TO HAVE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO OUT AND SEE, UM, NATURAL HABITATS OF BIRDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UH, NATURE VIEWING, UM, LOW IMPACT PARKING AREAS, SO THAT MAY BE GRAVEL PARKING LOTS, SMALLER PARKING, LOTS OF DIFFERENT CLUSTERS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT HEAVILY IMPACTING THE, THE PROPERTY.

OPEN AIR SHELTERS, PICNIC AREAS, PAVILIONS, STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND THEN, UM, THERE'S OUTLINES BUILDING AND OTHER SUPPORT STRUCTURES DEEMED TO BE ESSENTIAL TO ALLOW USES.

ONE OF THE COVENANTS, ONE OF THE RE UH, REQUESTS WE'RE MAKING BACK TO THE COUNTY BASED ON THE COVENANTS WE RECEIVED TODAY, IS WE'RE GONNA WANT TO ALLOW, UH, NON-PROGRAM RECREATIONAL.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WANT TO, TO PUT A PLAYGROUND AS PART OF THE NATURE TRAIL, WHETHER IT'S A NATURE PLAYGROUND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BASED ON WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR DOCUMENTS, WE DON'T KNOW.

THERE'S SOME QUESTION ON WHETHER THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED OR NOT.

SO WE WANNA MAKE, GET SOME CLARITY ON THAT.

UM, IF WE WANTED TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE LIKE, UH, FRISBEE GOLF WHERE YOU PUT THE LITTLE DISC, YOU KNOW, THE NETS OUT THERE, THERE WOULD BE QUESTIONS ON WHETHER THAT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE OR NOT.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S JUST SOME CLARIFICATION.

SO AS WE LOOK TO DEFINE HOW WE MAY WANT TO, UM, BUILD THIS AREA OUT FOR PARKS LIKE TRAILS, NATURE TRAILS, PAVILIONS, FUTURE USE THAT UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALLOWED.

WE, WE HAVE DEF THE DEFINITIONS CLEAR ON WHAT IS ALLOWED AND NOT ALLOWED ON THE PROPERTY.

UM, WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR HANDS AREN'T TIED ON PUTTING IN, UM, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT NATURE TRAILS, WHETHER WE WANT TO ALLOW BIKES ON 'EM, WHETHER THAT'S GONNA BE QUESTIONABLE OR NOT FROM THE COUNTY.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE ALL THOSE USES ARE CLARIFIED AND THAT WE GET THOSE SQUARED AWAY.

WE'LL MAKE SURE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING FINALIZED AND THAT OUR INTENT IS THAT NOTHING WILL BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY SEEING TONIGHT.

ANYTHING WE COME BACK WITH WOULD BE LESS RESTRICTIVE ON THE PROPERTY AS WE GO FORWARD.

STEVEN? YES, SIR.

CAN I ASK A QUESTION PLEASE? SO YOU JUST MADE A COMMENT ABOUT BIKES MM-HMM .

EXPLAIN THAT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT NATURE TRAILS, IF YOU DO PLAIN NATURE TRAILS, THEY MAY BE GOOD FOR WALKING.

IT MAY BE GOOD FOR, UM, LIKE TRAIL BIKES TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND RIDE.

YOU MAY WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO HORSES TO GO OUT.

I DON'T HAVE VERY MANY, BUT WE MAY WANT TO, BASED ON THE COVENANTS AS THEY'VE RIDDEN THEM, LIKE BIKES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON, ON THE PROPERTY FOR ANY OF THE MEN, ANY OF THE TRAILS OR ANYTHING THAT ARE IN PLACE.

ARE YOU SAYING MOTORIZED BIKES? NO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE DIRT BIKES.

OKAY.

LIKE MOUNTAIN BIKES, LIKE THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.

YEAH, NON-POWERED MOUNTAIN BIKES.

UM, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT USES WE WANNA ALLOW IN THERE NOW.

WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T RESTRICT OURSELVES TO MAKE TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT NOT BEING ALLOWED.

YEAH.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A NATURE TRAIL, WE REALLY DON'T CARE.

I WON'T SAY WE DON'T CARE, BUT WHETHER A BIKE OR A WALKER OR A RUNNER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT USES IT, THE TRAIL DOESN'T CHANGE.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T LIMIT IT AND WE END UP HAVING TO ENFORCE NOT ALLOWING BIKES ON A TRAIL THAT WE MAY BUILD THROUGH THE WOODS.

SO WE'D RATHER ALLOW THAT THAN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND TRY TO POLICE SOMEBODY ON A TRAIL, A TRAIL BIKE, WANTING TO RIDE THROUGH THE NATURE TRAILS.

SO WE'D RATHER BE ABLE TO ALLOW THAT USE THAN HAVE TO POLICE STUFF ON THAT BEHALF.

UM, SO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF UPLAND ACRES THAT MAY BE, UH, DEVELOPED AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT LIMITING THAT TO AROUND 15%.

I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S MUCH OF AN ISSUE.

UM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE GETTING A, UM, CANOPY SURVEY IS BECAUSE THEY ALSO WANNA LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF CANOPY THAT CAN BE DISTURBED.

SO WE WANT TO DEFINE THAT CANOPY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BASELINE THAT WE'RE GOING FROM.

WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO RE UH, REMOVE ANY EASEMENTS RIGHT AWAY.

UTILITIES, BECAUSE THERE'S POWER LINES THAT RUN RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF SOME OF THE PROPERTIES.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT SAYING THAT THE POWER LINE RUNS THROUGH IT.

THAT TAKES UP OUR, OUR USE FOR THE PROPERTY.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT LANGUAGE AS WELL.

AND UM, AND ACTUALLY WHAT THEY PUT IN THERE MIRRORS OUR WETLAND BUFFER LANGUAGE WHERE IT REQUIRES A 50 FOOT BUFFER FROM ALL WETLANDS, SO ALREADY MATCHES WHAT WE HAVE.

SO THEN THERE'S THE GRANT AGREEMENTS.

SO PRETTY MUCH THE GRANT AGREEMENTS ALL OUTLINE THAT THE DOCUMENTS, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE MONEY THAT, UM, CAN BE PLEDGED AND, UM, WHAT'S, HOW, HOW IT CAN BE REIMBURSED.

IT IDENTIFIES THE PROPERTY ACREAGE, THE GRANTEES, AND THE CONDITIONS FOR DISBURSEMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES CLOSING TITLE COMMITMENTS AND SO FORTH LIKE THAT.

SO ONCE WE APPROVE THE, UH, GRANT AGREEMENT AND THE COVENANTS, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO CLOSE AND RECORD ALL OF THESE AT ONE

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AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO BE TIMELINESS ON THIS.

'CAUSE IF NOT, WE HAVE TO CLOSE AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AND ALMOST DO A SECOND CLOSING TO RECORD ALL THE COVENANTS AND THE GRANT AGREEMENTS AND EVERYTHING WITH IT.

SO WE'RE WANTING TO DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME TO JUST BE EFFICIENT AND MAKE SURE IT'S ALL RECORDED PROPERLY.

YOU KNOW, STAFF GOT THE COVENANTS TODAY.

YES, DRAFT COVENANTS FROM THE COUNTY, UM, ATTORNEY REPRESENT THE COUNTY.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT, IT'S BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY EDITED BY STAFF AND, AND, AND OUR OFFICE ALREADY TODAY.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT OUT BACK OUT THE DOOR AS FAST AS WE CAN.

SO, UM, THE CONSERVATION BANK, UM, THEY, AFTER THEIR APPROVAL, UM, THEY REQUIRE A GRANT AGREEMENT AS WELL.

ONE THING THAT IS NICE IS THE GREEN PENNY ACTUALLY, UM, USED THE STATE CONSERVATION BANK'S GRANT AGREEMENT AS THE BASIS FOR THEIRS.

SO THEY'RE ALMOST IDENTICAL.

SO IF THEY'RE, IF WE'RE GOOD WITH THE GRANT AGREEMENT ON THIS ONE, THEN WE'RE PRETTY MUCH, WE'RE GOOD WITH THE GRANT AGREEMENT ON THE OTHER.

SO WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IN MOVING FORWARD WITH BOTH OF THOSE.

UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THEY'VE PLEDGE $146,600 TOWARDS THE CLOSING COSTS.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE FOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE TERMS OF TWO GRANT AGREEMENTS, AGAIN, VERY SIMILAR TO EACH OTHER.

UM, YOU ALSO HAVE THE TERMS OF THE CONSERVATION COVENANT.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST READING OF IT.

AND LIKE WE SAID, WILL, THERE WILL BE SOME MINOR AMENDMENTS WE'RE ASSUMING BETWEEN FIRST READING AND SECOND READING, BUT NOTHING THAT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH IN NATURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE, UM, A CONCERN FROM LEGAL THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO START OVER WITH FIRST READING AGAIN.

UM, AND THEN AFTER, UM, THE APPROVAL WILL BE TWO READINGS OF THE ORDINANCE AGAIN.

SO YOU'LL HAVE FIRST READING TONIGHT, SECOND READING AT THE NOVEMBER COUNCIL MEETING THAT'S OUTLINED HERE.

UM, AS A NOTE, AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE'VE EXTENDED OUR PURCHASE AND SELL AGREEMENT WITH, UH, FOOTHILLS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.

UM, DUE TO THE LENGTH OF THE GREEN PENNY PROCESS, WE'VE RUN UP AGAINST IT.

JUST AS A REMINDER, WE APPLIED FOR THESE GREEN PENNY FUNDS IN APRIL OF 24 AND WE FINALLY GOT APPROVAL FROM COUNTY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER.

SO THAT'S HOW LONG IT TOOK TO THE COUNTY TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GET APPROVAL FOR US.

UM, SO THIS WILL ALLOW THE COVENANTS TO BE RECORDED AT CLOSING, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BE DONE AS SOON, PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING IN NOVEMBER.

I'LL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY, I DO HAVE A RECOMMENDED MOTION, UH, OR APPROVAL OF COUNSEL IS GOOD.

I HAVE NO QUESTION THE USES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS ALLOWED.

ALLOW, YES SIR.

RECREATION DIDN'T SEEM TO FIT IN THAT DESCRIPTION.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT WE'LL SEND BACK TO THEM IS WE WANT TO ADD IN, UH, PASSIVE RECREATION USES BECAUSE THEY DID NOT INCLUDE THAT IN THEIR DRAFT AND THEY SENT TO US.

CAN YOU, CAN YOU THINK OF WHY RECREATION WOULDN'T AUTOMATICALLY BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT? SO THIS IS THEIR BASE GUIDELINES OF WHAT THEY'VE USED ON PREVIOUS ONES.

I THINK THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OTHER PROPERTIES.

THEY'VE GIVEN FUNDS TO PURCHASE, LIKE THEY GAVE A MILLION DOLLARS TO PURCHASE THE PLANTATION IN, UH, JASPER COUNTY.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT USE THAN US BUYING IT AS A TOWN ENTITY TO TRY TO USE IT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REQUIRED OR THAT'S OUTLINED IS THE PURPOSE FOR PURCHASING IT IS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY.

SO ONE OF THE WAYS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS IS THROUGH RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, WHETHER IT'S TRAILS, OUTLOOKS, YOU KNOW, PASSIVE RECREATION AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE USES ARE ALLOWED.

SO AGAIN, THESE ARE THEIR BASE COVENANTS THEY'VE USED ON, UH, ALL THEIR OTHER PURCHASES.

SO I JUST THINK IT'S A UNIQUE THING.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR IT TO BE ADDED.

I DON'T THINK THEY ADMITTED IT FOR ANY PARTICULAR REASON EXCEPT FOR THEY JUST HAVEN'T HAD THAT REQUEST FOR ANY OTHER PROPERTIES THAT THEY'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN RIGHT NOW.

ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, I JUST, AND, AND I ASKED, I LOOK TO MAKE SURE IT'S BROAD SO THEY DON'T, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT JUST SAYING WE GOING TO DO, UM, FRISBEE.

RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO, WE WANT RECREATION TO BE AT OUR DISCRETION.

WELL, AND THAT, AND I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT AND THAT WAS PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD TODAY, IS TO TRY TO, 'CAUSE THEY HAD SOME THINGS THAT WERE VERY NARROWED IS TO LEAVE THEM BROAD BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT TO GET IS EVERY TIME WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ON THE PROPERTY IS TO GET INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH THE COUNTY ON THE DEFINITION OF WHAT, WHAT DEFINES CULTURAL OR WHAT DEFINES WE GO BACK TO THE TERM LIKE, UM, WHAT IS

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SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAVE IT BROAD LIKE YOU OUTLINED SO THAT WE DON'T GET INTO THAT, THAT BATTLE EVERY TIME WE WANT TO DO, GO DO SOMETHING ON THE PROPERTY.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS TO GO ALONG WITH THAT THAT'S IN THERE IS THEY WANT A MASTER PLAN FOR THE SITE, WHICH WE'RE USED TO.

WE DO THAT.

UM, AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH RULE AND CONSERVATION, UM, WITH, UM, NOT OSCAR FRAZIER OYSTER FACTORY.

WE HAVE LIKE A MASTER PLAN THAT THEY'VE APPROVED AS PART OF RURAL AND CONSERVATION THAT SO LONG AS WE STAY WITHIN THAT MASTER PLAN THAT WE'RE WE'RE GOOD AND THEY, THEY'RE KIND OF USING THAT AS THE SAME KIND OF BASIS FOR THIS AS WE WOULD PUT TOGETHER A MASTER PLAN.

THEY WOULD REVIEW IT, APPROVE IT, WE WOULD ALL HAVE AGREEMENT ON THAT.

AND THEN SO LONG AS WE STAY WITHIN THAT, WE WOULD BE GOOD TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT AND OPERATE WITHIN THE PROPERTY.

MS. BUR MY QUESTIONS WERE ALONG THE SAME LINES AS COUNCILMAN HAMILTON'S.

UM, AND SO I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS EXCEPT, IS THERE, UM, A POND ON THE PROPERTY I FEEL THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN IN THE PAST, BUT MAYBE I'M THINKING ABOUT THERE'S WET BOOTS, BUT NOT UPON, BECAUSE I WAS JUST QUESTIONING ABOUT IF THERE WAS, AND MAYBE AGAIN, IT WAS AN NON ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, BUT IF FISHING WOULD ALSO FALL UNDER, YOU KNOW, UM, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD IN FRONT CREEK TECHNICALLY PROBABLY IT WOULD FALL UNDER PASSIVE, BUT THAT WOULD BE ONE THAT, AGAIN, THEY MAY ARGUE AND SAY THAT BASED ON THE ORIGINAL COVENANTS THEY SENT, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT FIT WITHIN THAT.

SO WE WOULD WANT, THAT'S WHY WE WANT IT TO BE A LITTLE BROADER, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A POND OR IF THERE'S JUST WETLANDS ON, ON THIS ONE.

I MEAN, YEARS AGO I MOVED THAT SIDE.

I, I MEAN IT MAY BE THERE, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER ONE RECALL.

YEAH, SO ON THE, THE VEIN THAT THEY'RE ASKING THE QUESTIONS ABOUT, AND THE REASON I ASKED ABOUT BIKES, LIKE NOT MOTORIZED NECESSARILY, BUT UH, I WAS THINKING IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE PATH THAT WE'RE BUILDING NOW AND EVENTUALLY THAT WILL MAKE A TURN 90 DEGREES AND COME BACK DOWN TO TIE INTO EXISTING PATHWAY DOWN ONE 70.

YEAH, WELL DOWN, UM, LEFT, LEFT, LEFT THE PARKWAY.

AND SO IT'S NOT A STRETCH TO THINK BY THE TIME IT GETS DOWN TOWARD THE HOSPITALS YOU COULD EVENTUALLY BICYCLE OVER TO THIS PROPERTY AS WELL, YOU KNOW, SO I MEAN THAT'S CONCEIVABLE, CONCEIVABLE.

SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T WANNA, THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION ON THAT.

AND EVEN THE PAVILION, YOU MAY WANT A BATHROOM OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, I SUPPOSING SO, YES.

SO THE CLARITY THAT, THAT THEY WERE SPEAKING TO, WILL YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON THIS BY THE TIME OF THE SECOND READING OR NOT? THAT IS OUR GOAL.

OKAY.

WE, WE, LIKE I SAID, UH, WE SPENT A GOOD PORTION OF OUR LEGAL MEETING THIS AFTERNOON GOING THROUGH THIS AND GOING THROUGH THE DETAILS AND WE WERE PUTTING BACK THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THEM.

WE HAVE TO HAVE IT BACK TO THEM BY TOMORROW OR THURSDAY.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A FINAL AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH FOR Y'ALL, THE NOVEMBER COUNCIL MEETING.

THANK YOU.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU NEED A MOTION? YES SIR.

SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION? I HAVE ANY OBJECTION? UM, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED ON THE SCREEN.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO SECOND THAT MOTION.

, THAT WAS WELL DONE.

UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE TOPIC? NONE.

SO ALL IN FAVOR VOTE.

AYE.

AYE.

UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU.

AND AGAIN, WE TRY NOT TO BRING Y'ALL STUFF TO VOTE FOR AT WORKSHOPS.

THEY'RE SPECIFIC FOR A REASON, SO I APOLOGIZE, HAVE TO DO THAT TONIGHT.

BUT THANK Y'ALL FOR, UH, DOING SO WELL.

WE HAVE

[3.2. Consideration of an Ordinance and Ratification of an Easement Over Certain Real Property owned by the Town of Bluffton, identified as Beaufort County Tax Map No. R610 030 000 1848 0000, in favor of Beaufort Jasper Water & Sewer Authority, to Provide Service to the Economic Development Project at Buckwalter Place – Second & Final Reading – Chris Forster, Assistant Town Manager]

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR OR MAYOR APPROACH, ADMIN COUNSEL.

UM, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY SECOND AND FINAL READING.

UH, THIS WAS ON CONSENT AGENDA AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.

UM, SO THIS IS JUST WRAPPING THIS UP.

AND WE ARE IN REFERENCE TO THE OAK WALTER PLACE, UH, OUTLINED IN YELLOW ON THERE IS THE LAC PROPERTY AND THAT BLUE LINE COMING DOWN INTO, UH, THAT YELLOW AREA IS, UH, A JASPER WATER LINE.

AND, UH, THERE IS A BLANKET EASEMENT OVER, UH, PLACE FOR UTILITIES.

BUT A NEW POLICY FROM JASPER IS THAT AS THEY DO PROJECTS, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SITE SPECIFIC EASEMENTS.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS DOES.

IT ALLOWS THEM AN EASEMENT FOR THEIR BORDER BORDERLINE THERE.

AND IT WILL ALLOW

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UM, AND THE ESTIMATED OPENING DATE IS NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER 1ST, RATHER.

UH, WHICH I DISCUSSED AT, UH, THE LAST MEETING.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO.

UM, SO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THIS AS WELL.

I MOVE TO, TO THE, THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE SCREEN.

YOU NEED A SECOND? SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING KNOWN? NONE.

THIS ALL SAY ANYONE IN FAVOR OF AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

[3.3. Update and Discussion Related to a Second Pavilion at Oscar Frazier Park]

WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES ON SOME, UM, PARK PROJECTS.

AND THE FIRST ONE ON THE AGENDA IS A PROPOSED SECOND AT OSCAR FRAZIER PARK.

AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS 2018 MASTER PLAN THAT THE ROTARY CENTER AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFING HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS OR SO.

AND THAT WORK HAS ALL BEEN COMPLETED AS OF LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME WHEN WE FINISHED THE SPLASH PAD.

AND WHAT WE'VE NOTICED SINCE THE SPLASH PAD HAS BEEN COMPLETED, IT, THERE'S A BIG DEMAND FOR THE PAVILION ITSELF.

THERE'S OFTENTIMES, WHEN WE GO OVER THERE, THERE'S, UH, PEOPLE SETTING UP FOR PARTIES, MULTIPLE PARTIES FOR BIRTHDAYS, FAMILY EVENTS, AEROBIC EXERCISES, ALL THAT TIME.

SO THERE'S A BIG DEMAND RIGHT NOW THERE.

SO IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

WE'RE SEEING A, A BIT OF A PROBLEM THERE WHERE, UM, THERE'S MULTIPLE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET USE OF THAT PAVILION AND SOME PEOPLE WILL LOCK IT DOWN FOR THE WHOLE DAY.

YOU KNOW, THEY'LL, THEY'LL GET THERE AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING FOR A PARTY THAT'S IN THE EVENING, JUST SO THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO IT.

SO WE, UH, STEVEN ASKED US TO TAKE A LOOK AT POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR A SECOND PAVILION THAT MIGHT NOT IMPACT THE DESIGN OF THE PARK AND WOULD BE SYMPATHETIC TO THE PARK.

SO THIS IMAGE HERE SHOWS FOUR POTENTIAL LOCATIONS THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

UM, NUMBER ONE, WHICH BASICALLY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING PAVILION OUT IN THE LAWN AREA.

UH, IT'S CLOSE TO ALL THE FACILITIES, ALL THE AMENITIES, THE PLAYGROUND, THE SPLASH PAD AND ALL.

BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A BIT CLOSE TO THE PAVILION ITSELF AND IT TAKES UP SOME OF THE LAWN AREA.

SO THAT WAS ONE WE, UM, UP KIND OF THROUGHOUT, BUT IT WAS ONE THAT I WANTED TO SHOW FOR CONSIDERATION.

UM, LOCATION NUMBER TWO ON THIS IMAGE IS KIND OF THE SOUTH END OF THE EVENT, LAWN AREA, KIND OF ALONG THE TREE LINE.

UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF A A, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER REMOVED FROM SOME OF THE AMENITIES AND IT WOULD REQUIRE, UH, A SIDEWALK EXTENSION TO IT.

UM, LOCATION NUMBER THREE WAS A, A LOCATION BETWEEN THE EXISTING, UH, SIDEWALK AND RECREATION COURT.

IT'S KIND OF LIMITED IN SIZE, ESPECIALLY NOW SINCE WE'VE BUILT SOME, UH, GOLF CART PARKING IN THERE.

SO IT'S REALLY LIMITED IN TERMS OF THE SIZE OF PAVILIONS THAT COULD GO IN THAT LOCATION.

AND, UM, LOCATION NUMBER FOUR WAS KIND OF ON THE NORTH END OF THE EVENT PAVILION CLOSE TO THE PERIMETER TRAIL, KIND OF BACKING UP TO SOME EXISTING TREES WOULD BE ADJACENT TO THE PLAYGROUND AREA AND PRETTY CLOSE TO THE, TO THE PARKING, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AND ALSO IN THE RESTROOMS. SO WE PRESENTED THESE OPTION TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STAFF MEMBERS OF DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND THEY, UM, THEY, UH, RECOMMENDED, UH, LOCATION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS SHOWN ON THIS IMAGE.

UM, THERE'S AN AERIAL VIEW ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE THAT SHOWS THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION WHERE IT'S BACKING UP AGAINST THE TREES THERE.

AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THERE'S A PICTURE OF THAT LOCATION.

WE'D HAVE TO MOVE THE BENCH IN THAT LOCATION TO INCLUDE IT.

THAT'S THE POSSIBLE LOCATION WE CAN CONSIDER.

AND THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE IN PLAN VIEW.

UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT A 25 BY 25 PAVILION, NO RESTROOMS, JUST TO OPEN AIR PAVILION TO ALLOW ANOTHER PLACE FOR PARTIES TO TAKE PLACE, UM, AND EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE.

UM, IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE TRAIL, UM, AND CLOSE TO THE RESTROOMS AND THE PARKING AND THAT'S GOOD.

AND, AND THE DASH LINE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THIS IS SHOWING THE OVERHANG.

SO WE'RE PROJECTING TO HAVE A WIDE OVERHANG SO THAT, THAT

[00:25:01]

THIS IS A ELEVATION, AGAIN, IT'S A SIMPLE PAVILION, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE A CUPOLA.

UH, THE ROOF COLOR IS THE SAME AS THE EXISTING PAVILION, THE, THE POST OR HAVE A SIMILAR DETAIL AS THE EXISTING PAVILION.

SO WE TRIED TO CARRY THROUGH THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SO IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING PAVILION IS A SMALLER PAVILION.

AND WE STARTED NEST IT INTO, UM, THE TREES THAT ARE LOCATED IN THAT AREA.

UM, JUST SCHEDULE NEXT STEPS IF YOU ELECTED TO PROCEED WITH THIS PROJECT.

UM, WE WOULD, WE COULD GET THE DESIGN DONE PROBABLY BY CHRISTMAS TIME.

UM, DID IT SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND BE READY TO CONSTRUCT SOMETHING IN THE SPRING OF THE SUMMER.

SO, UH, AS FAR AS QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION, UH, MY QUESTIONS TO YOU WERE REALLY, UH, DOES THE TOWN COUNCIL AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDED LOCATION OF THE PAVILION SUGGESTED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE? AND DOES THE TOWN COUNCIL AGREE WITH THE SCALE AND DESIGN OF THIS PAVILION PROPOSED BY THE ARCHITECT? THOSE ARE TWO QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE FOR THIS MS. BERG.

UM, HOW BIG IS THE EXISTING PAVILION THAT IS OUT THERE? HOW BIG IS IT? IT'S 35 FOOT WIDE BY, WHAT IS IT? 50 MAYBE? SO IT'S 25 BY 35.

AND THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE THE ENCLOSED.

DOES THAT INCLUDE THE RESTROOMS I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OPEN AIR SECTION OF IT IS 25 BY 35.

OKAY.

SO THIS ONE THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING WOULD BE JUST SLIGHTLY SMALLER.

DEFINITELY SMALLER, BUT NOT IT'S GOOD SIZE.

IT WOULD ACCOMMODATE SIX PICK PICNIC TABLES.

UM, WHAT IS OUR PAVILION POLICY? IS IT JUST A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE? IT IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE.

I'M SURPRISING THEY CAN HOLD IT FOR THE ENTIRE DAY IF THEY WANT TO.

THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE START DECORATING IN THE MORNING.

I'VE BEEN THERE IN THE MORNING.

I'VE SEEN TWO PARTIES SETTING UP SIMULTANEOUSLY.

SOME PEOPLE BRING OUT POP-UP TENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.

SO THERE'S A NEED, I BELIEVE, FOR COVER, UH, GATHERING AREA.

LET ME COMMENT.

AND I, I SEE THEM BOTH FREQUENTLY, UH, JUST WALKING MM-HMM .

AND, UH, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE BEST POLICY.

I PERSONALLY HAVE LIKED THE FACT THAT WE DON'T, UM, HAVE RESERVATIONS.

UH, IT SEEMS TO WORK.

AND I'VE EVEN SEEN A DUOS, I'VE SEEN THREE BIRTHDAY PARTIES SIMULTANEOUSLY, ONE UNDER THE PAVILION AND TWO OFF TO THE SIDE.

AND EVEN, UH, THIS ONE OVER THERE WHERE THE, UH, OSCAR FRAZIER IS NOW.

I MEAN, I DO SEE MULTIPLE WINS IN A DAY WHEN I'M OUT WALKING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT THEY, IT SEEMS TO WORK, YOU KNOW? SO I DON'T KNOW.

BUT OTHER PEOPLE CAN'T.

I JUST HATE THAT SOMEBODY COULD TAKE IT FOR THE ENTIRE DAY AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE CAN'T USE IT.

I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE ENTIRE DAY PART.

I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.

SO, UM, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

UM, I CAN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR SLIDE OF THE LOCATIONS, UM, SHOWING FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

I DO AGREE, UM, THAT IF WE CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS OPTION FOUR DOES MAKE THE MOST SENSE WITH IT.

UM, LOOKS LIKE IT HAS VERY MINOR TREE IMPACTS, WHICH IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE SIDEWALKS.

AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

UM, AND IT IS CLOSE TO THE PLAYGROUND.

UM, HOW, ANY IDEA OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST AT ALL? WELL, OUR PAVILION'S OUT AT, UH, NEW RIVERSIDE BARN PARK, WE HAD A SMALL PAVILION, WHICH WOULD BE ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN THIS WAS, UH, $175,000.

AND THE LARGER PAVILION WAS 2, 2 50, SOMEWHERE IN THAT AREA.

SO CUSTOM PAVS, UH, MAY COST A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT IN THIS CASE WE'RE TRYING TO MATCH CHARACTER OF AN EXISTING PAVILION OUT THERE.

UM, UM, I LIKE OPTION ONE BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO THE OTHER PAVILION WHERE THE BATHROOMS IS.

UM, AND THE SIZE IS COMPATIBLE, UM, TO WHAT'S, WHAT'S EXISTING SEND MAYBE THIS HERE.

I DON'T, I DON'T, IS IT ENOUGH TO SEE THE IMPACT? BUT I THINK, UM, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD, SO I WOULD LET THEM SEE IT.

WELL, , LEMME PICK A DIFFERENT NUMBER.

.

UM, SO I WAS LOOKING AT THREE AND FOUR.

UM,

[00:30:02]

UM, I, I COULD LIVE WITH THAT AND IT'S CLOSE TO THE P PLAGUE GROUND.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I COULD SAY TWO OR THREE, BUT IT WOULD JUST NOT GET YOU ANYWHERE .

SO I WOULD SAY FOUR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS SO FAR? YOU HAVE TWO QUESTIONS ON YOUR LIST.

THE OTHER ONE WAS, IS THE CHARACTER AND SCALE ACCEPTABLY ALL.

IT'S SMALLER THAN THE, THE SPACE AVAILABLE IN THE EXISTING PAVILION, BUT IT IS, IT'S UM, 25 BY 25.

LET ME ASK THE QUESTION.

UNDER THE EXISTING PAVILION, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE PIECE THAT'S NOT BATHROOM EXCLUDE THAT, IS THAT NOT THE SAME SIZE AS WHAT THE OPEN SPACE IS UNDERNEATH THE PAVILION? THAT'S OPEN AIR, I BELIEVE IS 25 BY 35.

I'M SAYING THOUGH, IS THE SCALE OF THAT ON WHERE THE EXISTING PAVILION IS.

MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING YOU WHERE THE EXISTING PAVILION IS.

TAKE THE BATHROOM OUT OF IT OUTTA THE EQUATION, THE CONCRETE RIGHT THERE.

POUR, FORGET THE BATHROOM.

IS THAT A SIMILAR SCALE TO THIS NEW ONE? THIS NEW ONE WOULD BE SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THAT.

SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THIS SCALE.

10 FOOT NARROW.

YEAH.

THE, THE, THE ONE WITH THE BATHROOMS IS 25 BY 35.

THIS ONE WOULD BE 25.

FIVE BY 25.

OKAY, I GOT IT.

OKAY.

TO, TO GET THE SAME SCALE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT INTO THE LAWN TO, TO GET THAT SAME KIND OF SCALE.

AND, AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE LOOKED AT THE OPTIONS WE DID WAS WE WERE TRYING NOT TO IMPACT THE, THE FIELD OF DREAMS AND NOT TRYING, TRYING TO LEAVE IT AS OPEN AS POSSIBLE.

WELL THERE ARE SOCCER GAMES AND STUFF ON THAT FIELD.

I'VE SEEN THAT AND I'VE EVEN SEEN A TOURNAMENT THERE, A GIRLS TOURNAMENT, UH, WITH MULTIPLE, WELL, THAT, THAT WAS NOT SOCCER.

THAT ONE WAS, UH, VOLLEYBALL, REMEMBER VOLLEYBALL.

SO ANYWAY, I WOULD SAY FOUR.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MOVING ON TO NUMBER FOUR.

WE PULL THE SEC, THE SECOND PRESENTATION.

OH, ARE YOU DONE ? THERE'S NO MOTION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.

HAS ANY DIRECTION TO GO? PROCEED? NO, PROCEED FORWARD.

OKAY.

[3.4. Update and Discussion Related to the Buck Island Road Park]

THIS IS THE PROPERTY THAT YOU PURCHASED ON MARCH, 2024.

IT'S 15.12 ACRES.

UH, 8.53 IS UPLAND AND 6.59 IS WETLAND.

IT'S ON THE CORNER OF ABOUT THE PARKWAY ON BUCK ISLAND ROAD ACROSS FROM EAGLES FIELD.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID INITIALLY TO START PLANNING ON THIS IS TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE SIZE OF THE UPLAND AREA AND WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY FIT ON IT.

AND WE TRIED TO DO A LITTLE COMPARISON OF, UM, EXISTING PARTS.

AND WHAT THIS IS, IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF IN OVERLAYING, IN THIS CASE, OSCAR FRAZIER PARK ON TOP OF THE, WE IN THE UPLAND AREA FOR BUCK ISLAND ROAD PARK.

SO THIS IS BASICALLY SHOWING THE ENTIRE FIELD OF DREAMS AREA PLUS THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND THEN PARKING ASSOCIATED.

WE WOULD ACTUALLY FIT IN THIS UPLAND ACREAGE FOR BUCK ISLAND NORTHERN PARK.

SO THAT'S THE SCALE OF THE PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.

IT'S NOT A NEW RIVERSIDE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING SMALLER AND IN BETWEEN.

IT'S SMALLER THAN OUR, IT'S LARGER THAN OUR DOWNTOWN PARKS, BUT IT'S ALL UPLANDS.

THAT'S ALL UPLANDS THERE, WHICH SHOWN THERE.

AND UH, OBVIOUSLY THE BIG LARGE LAND EATERS ARE REALLY THE, THE BIG FIELDS, THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, SOCCER FIELDS, LAW FIELDS.

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET ONE OF THOSE ON HERE, BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE ENOUGH PARKING.

SO THIS IS SHOWING KIND OF, UM, A LOT OF DIFFERENT USES IN THERE, BUT NOT ONE GREAT BIG EEL USE ATHLETIC USE.

SO JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THESE COMPARISONS SO YOU'LL GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCALE OF THE PROPERTY.

THIS ONE SHOWS OYSTER FACTORY PART.

UM, BASICALLY EVERY, ALL THE AMENITIES RELATED TO OYSTER FACTORY PART WOULD FIT WITHIN THIS UPLAND AREA OF BUCK ISLAND ROAD PARK.

YOU ALL THE PARKING, THE EVENT AREA, THE PAVILION, UM, UP SEAFOOD, UH, AND GARDEN HOUSE, THEY ALL FIT WITHIN THIS,

[00:35:01]

BOTH THE EPICOR SIDE, THE WEST SIDE AND THE EAST SIDE.

THE TOWN PARK, UM, WOULD FIT IN THIS PROPERTY.

SO LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, DETAIL OF WHAT PLANNING WORK WE'VE DONE SO FAR.

AFTER YOU BOUGHT THE PROPERTY, WE ENGAGED WOODEN PARTNERS AS A PARK PLANNER, KIND OF HELP US OUT WITH GETTING STARTED WITH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOME CONCEPTUAL DESIGN.

UH, THE SECOND THING WE DID IS WE MET WITH THEM IN A KICKOFF MEETING.

WE HAD 13 MEMBERS OF TOWN STAFF, MOSTLY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EXECUTIVE STAFF.

AND WE KIND OF, UH, MET WITHIN THE ETTE FORMAT TO KIND OF DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF PROGRAM ELEMENTS, WHAT KIND OF RECREATION ELEMENTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PROPERTY.

AND THIS IS BEFORE I DID THAT SCALE COMPARISON EXERCISE.

SO IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THEY PICKED UP ON SOME OF THAT WITHOUT EVEN SEEING THAT.

SO, UM, WE MET ON THE 19TH AND THE LIST OF ITEMS THAT THEY CAME UP WAS THE PAVILION AND RESTROOMS, SMALL COMMUNITY BUILDING, UM, PLAYGROUNDS FOR ALL AGES, MULTIPURPOSE FIELD FOR PICKUP SPORTS, NOT NECESSARILY REGULATION SIZE, UH, FIELDS.

AND ALSO THEY MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THEY, WE SHOULD CONSIDER MAYBE SYNTHETIC TURF IN SOME OF OUR FIELDS AS OPPOSED TO ALL NATURAL GRASS.

UH, A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS ARE DOING THAT NOW ON THEIR PROPERTIES.

SO, UH, PERIMETER TRAILS AND BOARDWALKS, UH, MAKE SURE WE CONNECT TO BLUFFTON PARKWAY, UH, PATHWAY SYSTEM THAT WOULD TAKE US TO BUCK ISLAND ROAD AND SIDEWALKS.

UM, ALSO CONNECT, TRY TO INTERFACE WITH THE, THE WETLAND ITSELF SO THAT YOU CAN GET OUT IN THE WETLAND THERE.

UM, NATIVE HABITATS AND SUCH.

UM, PUMP TRACK IS SOMETHING THAT THEY MENTIONED AS A CONSIDERATION.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP WHEN WE WERE PRETTY MUCH FINISHED WITH NEW RIVERSIDE BARN PARK.

A PERSON CAME, I REMEMBER TO TOWN COUNCIL AND OFFERED THIS SUGGESTION.

WE USED TO CONSIDER A PUMP TRACK.

WHAT IS THAT? I WAS ABOUT TO ASK? THAT BASICALLY IS A TRACK FOR BICYCLES WHERE IT HAS A LOT OF HILLS AND VALLEYS AND, AND BANK TURNS AND IT'S A MADE FOR SMALLER KIDS ON BIKES.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE SEEN IN BEAUFORT COUNTY YET, BUT I THINK THEY'RE COMING RIGHT NOW.

UM, SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING NEW TO CONSIDER HERE.

UM, THE COMMITTEE ALSO KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THINGS THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT HERE.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS UP FOR, UM, YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT MOM, MAYBE NO DOG PARK PICKLE BALL SPLASHED.

WE WERE KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE ITEMS. UM, AND SOME, SOME OF THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR 'EM AND A SKATE PARK.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE BIG ATHLETIC FIELDS WAS, WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY MENTIONED AS WELL.

SO THEN THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY THAT CAME UP WAS THAT STEVEN AND HEATHER AND KEVIN GOT AN INVITE FROM BUFF MIDDLE SCHOOL, COME FOR CAREER DAY.

AND UH, DURING THAT THEY KIND OF FLIPPED THE SWITCH ON 'EM AND, AND KIND OF WENT AND PRESENTED OPTIONS FOR THEM TO CONSIDER TO GET THEIR OPINION OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

THE SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH GRADERS AT THIS PARK, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE CLOSEST TO IT.

SO, UM, I'LL GO, I'LL GO IN THAT LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL IN A SECOND HERE.

SO I, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I NEED TO GET SOME IMAGERY TOGETHER FROM THE PARK CONSULTANTS.

UM, THESE ARE SOME IMAGES THEY PUT TOGETHER FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY CENTER.

UM, AGAIN, THEY MENTIONED THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IT MAYBE SMALLER THAN THE ROTARY CENTER, UH, WITH NO KITCHEN.

YOU KNOW, THE KITCHEN'S BEEN KIND OF A MAINTENANCE HEADACHE FOR US.

UM, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEE KIND OF SUGGESTED IN THIS LOCATION AS A POSSIBILITY.

UM, OPENING AIR PAVILION LIKE OUR PARK AND OSCAR FRAZIER PARK PAVILIONS WITH RESTROOMS. AND THESE ARE THE IMAGES THAT WE SENT TO, UH, WITH KEVIN AND STEVEN AND HEATHER TO THE, BOTH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS.

'CAUSE WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN ALL THE RECREATIONAL ELEMENTS.

SO I'LL GO ACROSS THE TOP ON, UH, LEFT TO RIGHT.

YOU'VE GOT THE, UH, ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD, YOU'VE GOT NATIONAL GRASS FIELDS, UM, SOME COURT GAMES LIKE SAND VOLLEYBALL.

UM, THE SECOND ROW DOWN WOULD BE LEFT TO RIGHT WOULD BE THE WETLAND, UM, BOARDWALKS, UM, OTHER WALKING TRAILS AND THEN PERHAPS WIDER TRAILS FOR MULTI-USE TRAILS FOR BIKES AND SUCH.

THAT'S AN IMAGE ON THE BOTTOM LEFT OF BUMP TRACK, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

IT'S USUALLY EITHER ASPHALT OR DIRT.

UH, IT CREATES A LOT OF MOUNDS AND UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO OUT TO NEW RIVERSIDE BAR IN THAT MOUND, IT'S A VERY POPULAR THING.

[00:40:01]

SO THIS IS KIND OF ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT HASN'T BEEN USED IN ONE OF OUR PARKS YET.

UM, AND THEN BOTTOM MIDDLE IS JUST A TYPICAL, UH, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND, UH, ANOTHER TYPE OF PLAYGROUND ADVENTURE, KIND OF FREE PAY PLAY AGILITY TYPE COURSE.

UM, SO THOSE ARE THE IMAGES I SEE.

YEAH.

WELL THOSE ARE THE IMAGES THAT WE PRESENTED AT, AT THE, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU THINK THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WONDERING TO SEE THE MOST OF THIS CHART? ARE WE LOOKING AT THE FIRST SCREEN OR THIS ONE? BOTH.

EITHER ONE.

AND THEY HAD A CHANCE TO GO OFF SCRIPT AND RECOMMEND ANYTHING THEY WANTED TO.

YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.

ANY GUESSES? MR. HAMILTON? .

I HAD TO GUESS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE OUTSIDE , GET OFF THEIR ELECTRONICS, RIGHT.

CHARGING STATIONS.

MY GUESS WOULD BE EITHER THE ADVENTURE FREE PLAY AREA OR THE BASKETBALL.

OKAY.

AM I WRONG? I FORGOT TO MENTION THE ZIP LINE.

THAT WAS ANOTHER THING WE PUT IN THERE TOO.

AND THE, AND THE, UH, .

SO THOSE ALL THINGS WERE IN THIS, UH, PRESENTATION TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

LET ME UM, JUMP IN TOO.

I, THAT MOUND THAT YOU JUST SPOKE TO, I WAS THERE WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN THIS WEEKEND AND IT IS A TRIP.

I, I WAS LIKE, WELL I KEPT WATCHING ONE LITTLE GIRL ABOUT THREE YEARS OLD, HAD THE LITTLE, WHAT DO YOU, THE LITTLE THING LIKE A SCOOTER THAT YOU STAND ON AND SHE'D GET TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AND HER MOTHER KEPT TELLING HER, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

AND SHE WAS DETERMINED SHE WAS GONNA RIDE THAT THING ON THAT MAP.

SHE FELL OVER FIVE OR SIX TIMES.

SHE NEVER DID RIDE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN, BUT IT WAS CUTE.

AND UH, THAT PLACE WAS JUMPING THE, UH, THE ZIP LINE IS A BUSY THING AT THE PARK THERE.

UM, ONE THING I WAS ALWAYS CURIOUS ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT FITS WITH THE DYNAMICS AND THE RANGE, BUT THE ONLY BASKETBALL COURT AROUND HERE IS THE ONE THAT YOU GOT PUT OVER THERE AND THE ONLY OTHER ONE'S OUT WHEN YOU GO ALL THE WAY OUT TO BUCK WALTERS.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THERE'S A COVERED ONE ON MC RILEY AS WELL.

IS THERE? YEAH.

MATTER OF FACT.

OH YEAH, I MEAN THAT'S THE ONE I'M THINKING OF.

IT'S THE ONE THAT I ONE NEEDLE STEEL AND ONE AND THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET ACTUALLY.

SO THE UH, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? WELL, MY THOUGHTS IS THAT, UM, AND THAT'S PROBABLY GOING OFF STRIP IS THAT WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO, TO, UM, AS WELL TO BE A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.

I DON'T THINK THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GIVES A, IT GIVES A KID PERSPECTIVE, BUT, UM, BUT I, I WOULD, I WOULD, EVEN THOUGH THEY GO TO SCHOOL THERE, THEY PROBABLY DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

.

WELL, I DO AGREE.

I THINK HAVING A COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE WE PUT SIGNS ON YEAH.

YOU KNOW, ON BUCK ISLAND AND VILLE AND ALL AROUND THERE SO WE CAN TRULY GET THE PARENTS INPUT ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE, UM, TO SEE.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

THE DOTS THAT YOU'RE SHOWING, WE WE'VE DONE THAT AT OTHER LOCATIONS, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WE'VE DONE HERE.

THAT'S WHAT WAS DONE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WE DID THAT AT NEW RIVERSIDE BARN PARK.

WE GOT, MAJORITY WERE ADULTS AND A LOT OF 'EM WERE FROM SUN CITY.

AND, AND THIS WAS KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE.

I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T GO DO YEAH.

WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE ACTUALLY TRIED, UH, MAYFEST AND ONE OF OUR CONCERTS TO SET UP AND THEY BOTH GOT RAINED OUT.

SO WE HAD SURVEYS READY TO GO AND THESE BOARDS THERE AS WELL.

WE GOT RAINED OUT.

SO I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TARGETING DIFFERENT AGES.

AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, MY GRANDCHILDREN HAVE ALMOST PROGRESSED FROM DUBBOS.

THAT'S PROBABLY ZERO TO FIVE OR WHATEVER, SIX.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT AGES YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

THEY'RE SMALL.

SO THEN I STARTED GOING OVER MORE TO OSCAR AND THEN NOW I'M GOING TO THE BARN BECAUSE YOU GOT THE ZIP LINE AND MORE ACTIVITY OUT THERE.

I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT AGE GROUPS WERE OUT THERE.

I SAW A MIXTURE OF EVERYTHING AT THE BARN.

BEEN AFTER MULTIPLE TIMES.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE? YES.

OKAY.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.

ALL DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.