[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY, UM, CALLING THE
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
NATURAL RESOURCE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO TO ORDER, UM, FOR NOVEMBER THE THIRD, 2025.WILL YOU RISE? AND WITH ME? JOIN ME.
THE PLEASURE LEAD TO THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THIS MEETING, UM, HAS MET THE QUORUM REQUIREMENT OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE.
AND I WOULD, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE FIO.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
JUST NEED, UM, A MOTION AT THIS TIME TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.THIS BEEN SECONDED, SECONDED BY MR. PASSMAN.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OCTOBER THE SIXTH, 2025.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THOSE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSIONS, COMMENTS? I JUST, YES, GO AHEAD.
UM, WHEN, WHEN COUNCILMAN, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, YORK GLOVER LEFT, DO WE NEED TO NOTE THAT THAT COUNCILMAN MCALLEN TOOK OVER MS. VICE CHAIR? YES.
MAKE THOSE DIRECTIONS IF WE CAN JUST CHANGE.
JUST NOTE WHEN THAT, AT WHAT TIME? SO, A MOTION TO, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MINUTES TO ADD THAT, UM, WHEN COUNCIL, WHEN CHAIRMAN GLOVER HAD TO LEAVE AND WHEN VICE CHAIRMAN MCALLEN TOOK OVER, I MAKE THAT MOTION.
IS IT SECOND? SOMEBODY HAS TO SECOND.
MR. DAWSON? I THINK I HEARD SECONDED MR. OH, OH, OH.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE A FAR AS MY MOTION ON THE A THE AMENDMENT IS TO INCLUDE THE, THE TIME THAT I, I LEFT.
UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT AMENDMENT, PLEASE, UH, INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND OKAY.
AND ON THE MOTION, AS AMENDED IS ON THE FLOOR, UH, OF THE MINUTES, UH, FOR OCTOBER THE SIXTH.
UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[6. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD – 15 MINUTES TOTAL]
THE PUBLIC COMMENT.UM, AND, UH, JUST WANT TO, WE HAVE 15 MINUTES.
IT SHOULD BE AT LEAST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
HUH? THERE'S ANOTHER SHEET THERE.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, GENERAL MITCHELL.
AND IN GENERAL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, WE ASK THAT YOU BE RESPECTFUL, UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND DON'T REFER TO ANY INDIVIDUALS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, DIRECT ALL COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR.
WELL, YOU KNOW, FROM THERE, I THINK THE CHAIRMAN, I, I MUST SAY THAT WHILE I WAS, UH, LOOKING AT THE AGENDA FOR THE MINUTES, I DID SEE THAT THERE'S A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES ALLOWED.
I DID NOT SEE, ALTHOUGH I, FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS, I KNOW THERE WERE LIMITATIONS, BUT I DID NOT SEE WHERE IT LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES A STANDING.
IT'S WHEN YOU SIGNED UP, THAT'S A STANDING LIMIT.
BUT BY THAT TIME, I'VE ALREADY MADE MY COMMENTS, YOU KNOW,
SINCE THERE'S ONLY, MAY I ASK, PLEASE? MM-HMM
SINCE THERE'S ONLY TWO OF US, THAT IF WE COULD STAY WITHIN THE 50 I I HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
I'LL BE, I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW.
COULD, COULD I, COULD I BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT? JUST, JUST GO AHEAD, GET STARTED.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, EVERYONE PRESENT AS WELL AS, UH, EVERYONE OBSERVING ONLINE.
BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, I'M BUQUET COUNTY RESIDENT MITCH MITCHELL, ALSO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
OUR CORE TEAM WORKING TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF DESCENT PARK INCLUDE THE STAFF VOLUNTEERS OF THE CITY OF BEAUT, BEAUFORD COUNTY OPEN LAND TRUST, THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA AT USCB, THE REJA FOUNDATION, AND TWO
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SENIOR RETIRED US ARMY OFFICER ONE PRESENT HERE, AND COLONEL ALLEN.THIS PROJECT IS THE BRAIN CHILD OF THE LATE REVEREND DR.
ELIJAH WASHINGTON, WHO IS ALSO A DESCENDANT OF THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
I'M HERE TO REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM HC A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY OF BEAUFORT FOR COLLABORATION ON THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT PARK.
THIS MOU REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY OBLIGATE $56,500 TOWARDS THE CREATION OF THE PARK'S MASTER PLAN.
THE CITY OF BEAUFORT BUDGETED 100,000 TOWARD THIS PROJECT.
THE TOTAL COST OF THE PARK IS ONE 50 OF THE MASTER PLAN IS 156,500.
THIS REGIMEN HOLDS AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTY, COUNTRY, STATE, COUNTY, AND CITY.
IN 1862, RIGHT HERE IN BUFORT COUNTY, FORMERLY ENSLAVED MEN STEPPED FORWARD AT FORT SAXTON ON THE GROUNDS OF WHAT IS NOW NEAR A HOSPITAL BUFORT TO DEFEND THE UNION AND DELIBERATE THEMSELVES FROM THE BONDAGE OF SLAVERY.
FORMERLY ENSLAVED WOMEN WERE ALSO A KEY TO THE FIRST SOUTH SUCCESSES, NOTABLY AMONG THEM, HARRIET TUBMAN AND THE UNDERGROUND RAIL OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
AND TEACHER AND NURSE SUSIE KING TAYLOR, FOLLOW THE FIRST SOUTH RANKS INCLUDED SOLDIERS FROM GEORGIA AND FLORIDA.
MOST OF THEM WERE GULLAH GEECHEE MEN, RIGHT HERE IN AUT COUNTY.
INDEED, THEY WERE FROM AREAS SOUTH OF THE BROAD, SUCH AS HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON, AND EE.
AND THEY WERE FROM AREAS NORTH OF THE BROAD, SUCH AS ST.
HELENA, PORT ROYAL BLUFFTON, AND SHELDON.
THEY INCLUDED MEN SUCH AS WILLIAM BRONSON, THE FIRST SOLDIERS TO ENLIST IN THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF ACT DESCENT.
AND PRINCE RIVERS, WHO ROSE TO THE RANK OF SERGEANT MAJOR IN THE REGIMENT.
AND AFTER THE WAR WENT ON TO BECOME A POLITICAL LEADER, A STATE LEGISLATOR, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE AND MILITIA OFFICER.
HE WAS MOST PIVOTAL IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AHAM COUNTY.
PROMINENT MEMBERS ARE A COMMUNITY SUCH AS COUNCILMAN GERALD DAWSON, AND FORMER CORONER ED ALLEN, AMONG OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN BU ETONIANS ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS PAVED THE WAY FOR NEARLY 200,000 AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT WITH THE UNION TO END THE TYRANNY OF SLAVERY AND TO REUNITE THE UNITED STATES.
YET, DESPITE THEIR HEROISM, THEIR STORY REMAINS LITTLE KNOWN AND THEIR LEGACY LARGELY UNRECOGNIZED IN THE VERY PLACE WHERE IT BEGAN.
RIGHT HERE IN HISTORIC VIEW, ESTABLISHING A PARK TO, IN THEIR HONOR WOULD PROVIDE MORE THAN JUST A MEMORIAL.
IT WOULD SERVE AS A PUBLIC SPACE FOR EDUCATION, REFLECTION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
A SITE WHERE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE CAN LEARN ABOUT BU PUTT COUNTY'S CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY.
THIS PROJECT WOULD ALSO ENHANCE HERITAGE TOURISM, SUPPORT LOCAL SCHOOLS WITH ONSITE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND STRENGTHEN OUR IDENTITY AS A PLACE THAT VALUES HISTORY AND PROGRESS.
LOCATED AT THE GATEWAY TO OUR CITY ON BOUNDARY STREET, AT APPROXIMATELY THE INTERSECTION OF POGO AND BOUNDARY STREETS, OUR FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT PARK WILL SET THE TONE FOR BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE AS THE HISTORICAL AS TO THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BY PROVIDING THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING NECESSARY TO FUND THE PARKS MASTER PLAN, BEAUFORT COUNTY WOULD BE TAKING A RESPONSIBLE AND VISIONARY STEP ONE THAT HONORS THE PAST WHILE INVESTING IN OUR CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL FUTURE.
THE MEN OF THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS ANSWERED THE COUNT'S CALL, THE COUNTRY'S CALL.
AND NOW I ASK YOU AS MEMBERS OF OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT THIS MOU SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CREATION OF THE MASTER PLAN.
THAT IS THE FIRST NECESSARY STEP IN BRINGING THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT PARK TO FRUITION.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, UM, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SCHOOL BOARD GEAR HERE, COLONEL.
HE JUST LOVES TO TALK TO THIS.
ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED
[00:10:01]
TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND ACCEPT THE GENEROUS OFFER BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE TO ACCEPT THE PROPERTY ON THE EAST SIDE OF COUGAR DRIVE.THE MAIN ENTRAN RIGHT NOW THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UH, THIS IS A NATURAL AND APPRECIATED ADDITION TO THE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS.
THE KIDS ARE EXCITED TO HAVE IT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE THE SMALL AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE, UH, FOR, UH, OUR GARDEN OR OTHER OUTDOOR, UH, ACTIVITIES.
WE HAVE NO PLANS TO DO ANYTHING MORE THAN TO, UH, CUT THE BRUSH DOWN SO IT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE WEST SIDE OR THE, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, UH, OF THE DRIVE.
UH, AND IT'S APPRECIATED AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN.
UM, JUST A REAL QUICK CORRECTION, UM, EAST, JUST REVERSE THE TWO EAST, WEST, YEAH.
REVERSE THE TWO, UH, DIRECTIONS ON YOUR, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION.
WE DEALING WITH THE EAST SIDE, THE PURCHASE ON COOL DRIVE IS THE, IS THE WEST SIDE? YEAH, IT'S, IT, IT'S IT'S THE WEST, RIGHT? YEAH, THE WEST SIDE IS, UH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EAST SIDE IS WHAT WE ALREADY OWN.
UM, MOVING THE AGENDA, UM, WAY DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER
[7.a. Discussion of Amending the Community Development Code (CDC) to Permit Storage Containers as Structures for Agricultural Purposes. (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A) - Rob Merchant, Planning and Zoning, Director and Chuck Atkinson, Assistant County Administrator]
SEVEN, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION ITEM, UM, ON AMENDING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE TO PERMIT STORAGE CONTAINERS AS STRUCTURES FOR AGRICULTURE USE.UH, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION OF DISCUSSION FOR THAT.
YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION? YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION NOW? NO.
IT'S FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSE ONLY.
AND I'M JUST HERE AS STAFF TO, TO PROVIDE BACKGROUND OR WHAT PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT I THINK ARE BEING, UM, UH, CALLED INTO QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, SHIPPING CONTAINERS, UH, AS STRUCTURES ARE NOT PERMITTED IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND THERE'S TWO SECTIONS THAT ADDRESS THEM.
UM, ONE IS, IS ACCESSORY BUILDINGS.
UM, THIS IS SECTION 4.2 POINT 20, WHICH DEALS WITH ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES, BUT IT SPECIFICALLY STATES ACCESSORY BUILDINGS.
WELL, UH, TRACTOR TRAILERS AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS MAY NOT BE USED AS ACCESSORY STRUCTURES.
SO WE HAVE THAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
THIS IS AN ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS THAT BASICALLY STATES THE USE OF ANY SHIPPING CON CONTAINER OR THE, LIKE, TRAVEL TRAILER OR RECREATIONAL VEHICLE RV AS A PRIMARY OR ACCESSORY STRUCTURE SHALL BE PROHIBITED IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS.
AND WE DO HAVE PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR, UM, AGRICULTURE, YOU KNOW, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN A RURAL AREA, WHEN YOU HAVE A PRIMARY STRUCTURE, A HOUSE, AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR, UM, ACCESSORY BUILDINGS, THEY STILL HAVE TO BE SMALLER THAN THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE.
THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TO DOMINATE, BUT WITH AGRICULTURE, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY EXEMPT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE A BARN OR ANY OTHER KIND OF AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURES.
SO WE DO HAVE A PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT PROVIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, WAIVERS FOR ACTIVE AGRICULTURAL USES.
AND I GUESS WITH THAT, THOSE ARE THE TWO SECTIONS THAT DO NOT ALLOW SHIPPING CONTAINERS AS STRUCTURES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME PRECEDENCE IN PROVIDING WAIVERS FOR AGRICULTURE USES.
I MEAN, I, I'M JUST PROVIDING THAT AS BACKGROUND.
AND I GUESS THIS IS MORE OF A DISCUSSION FOR THIS COMMITTEE, AND I'M GOING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
LET ME, UM, UM, ALSO ADD THE REASON WHY, UM, UH, THIS IS BEING BROUGHT UP.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, USES RIGHT NOW, UM, FOR AGRICULTURE WITH, UM, THESE CONTAINERS MM-HMM
UM, ONE IN PARTICULAR, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, THERE'S PRODUCTION RIGHT NOW BEING DONE WITH, UM, UH, MUSHROOMS PRODUCTION MM-HMM
UM, THERE'S PRODUCTION OF, UM, HYDROPONIC, UM, LETTUCE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, GREEN.
AND, UM, THERE'S ALSO THE USE FOR STORAGE WITH THESE CONTAINERS.
AND I THINK AGRICULTURE USE, UH, IF YOU ARE SAYING TO US, OR SAYING AT THIS TIME THAT THEY CAN BE WAIVED BY SOMEBODY IN THE
[00:15:01]
COUNTY, IF, IF A REQUEST CAME, CAN SOMEBODY IN THE COUNTY SAY, YES, WE CAN GRANT THIS WAIVER FOR THIS CONTAINER, UH, FOR AGRICULTURE USE? OR SHOULD WE ACTUALLY DO A STATUTE, UM, AMENDMENT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? WHICH, UH, IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION IF THIS IS WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WANTS US TO LOOK INTO, THAT WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR AC ACTIVE AGRICULTURE USES THAT THESE CAN BE USED NOW WHERE I'M A LITTLE FUZZY ON, I KNOW THAT WE DID PERMIT STORAGE CONTAINERS.I THINK SOMEBODY, FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S CULTIVATING MUSHROOMS MM-HMM
AND I, YOU KNOW, OUR ZONING ADMINISTRATOR COULD PROBABLY PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT, I THINK BECAUSE IT WAS DIRECTLY RELATED, BUT IN GENERAL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS THAT WAIVER.
SO I GUESS WHAT I WOULD BE RECOMMENDING, IF THAT'S THE INTEREST THAT WE, THAT WE MAKE THOSE, UM, AMENDMENTS.
I, I, I THINK WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH, WITH DISCUSSION IS IF IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXEMPTED USE FOR AGRICULTURE, WHICH REALLY SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF THE CODE AS OPPOSED TO A DISCRETIONARY SITUATION.
THE LESS THAT WE'RE ASKED, WE'RE KIND OF PUT ON THE LINE TO MAKE A TOUGH DECISION LIKE THAT.
AND IF IT'S SPELLED OUT IN THE ORDINANCE, THEN WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE GUIDANCE THERE.
UM, I CAN THINK, I DON'T WANNA, I SAW A PRESENTATION BY SOMEONE WHO WAS GROWING LETTUCE MM-HMM
IN THE, AND, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH, AND ALSO LIKE STORING THINGS LIKE HAY AND OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE KEPT DRY IN AN AGRICULTURAL AND SETTING.
UM, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO ADD LANGUAGE TOO, SO THAT IT'S, IT'S CLEARER WITHOUT HAVING TO GO LIKE TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS NECESSARILY.
AND, YOU KNOW, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, OBVIOUSLY VERY STRONG IN SUPPORTING AGRICULTURE.
SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IS NEEDED FOR, YOU KNOW, AS, AS PEOPLE ADAPT TO NEW CONDITIONS, AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I COULD SEE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GETTING BEHIND IT, IF THAT'S THE INTEREST OF COUNCIL.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO IS ADVOCATING FOR THIS, UM, HERE TODAY?
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE, UH, I SUPPOSE WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR, BUT IN CONSIDERATION OF MOVING FORWARD THAT THIS MAY BE GRANTED, WILL THERE BE RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON THE SIZE OF THE CONTAINER? THE MATERIAL OF THE CONTAINER, THE COLOR OF THE CONTAINER? HOW WILL THERE BE SETBACKS INVOLVED WITH ALL THIS? IS ALL OF THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING HERE TODAY? NO, NOT, NO, NOT, I DON'T THINK THE DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK IT'S THE DIRECTION THAT IF STAFF WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD IN PUTTING SOME LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE THAT BE INCLUSIVE.
SO ALL THAT WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THIS, RIGHT.
THE DISCUSSION WAS TO SEE IF THE, THE CONSENSUS OR FEELING OF THE BODY WOULD BE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF ENTERTAINING STAFF COMING BACK WITH THESE TYPES OF RULES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST SOME ONE PERSON SAYING, THIS IS AGRICULTURE AND IT'S REALLY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S, THEY HAVE TO COORDINATE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
IS ANY OF THIS HAPPENING ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE? EVERYWHERE.
HE'S INAPPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO BE MAKING COMMENTS FROM THE AUTHORS.
I'M, I'M SORRY TO JUMP IN ON THIS.
UM, I BELIEVE THE COMPLETE PROHIBITION WAS PASSED PRIOR TO ME GETTING ON COUNCIL.
WHY ARE WE EVEN REGULATING THIS ANYWAY? COULD, COULDN'T WE JUST ADOPT THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODES THAT WE ADOPTED FROM 2021 AND INCORPORATE IT AS A, WE, WE ALL TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHY AREN'T WE EXPANDING THIS CONVERSATION AND LETTING IT BE A BUILDING MATERIAL ALONG WITH THE AGRICULTURAL USE? WHY ARE WE EVEN REGULATING IT? SO THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK THERE.
UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS AN AGRICULTURE EXEMPTION.
AND WHEN WE COME BACK, WE WILL DEFINE WHAT AGRICULTURE USE IS, ALL OF THE PARAMETERS AROUND AGRICULTURE USE, AND WE WILL INCLUDE THAT IN THE LANGUAGE THAT WE BRING BACK.
IT, IT SEEMS, WE HAVE A CONSENSUS THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, SHIPPING CONTAINERS AS EITHER, UM, STORAGE OR AS DWELLING UNITS, THEY CAN BE USED AS BUILDING MATERIALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUILDING CODE.
WHAT THEY CANNOT BE USED FOR ARE EXEMPT SIZED DROP IN PLACE STORAGE OR ACCESSORY UNITS.
IT'S NOT JUST CART BLANC ACROSS THE BOARD.
YOU CAN'T TOUCH A SHIPPING CONTAINER.
IT CAN BE AN INTEGRATED MATERIAL IN AN OTHERWISE COMPLIANT HOUSE.
[00:20:01]
ABSOLUTELY DO THAT UNDER THE BUILDING CODE.AND NO, THERE'S NO PROHIBITION AGAINST THAT.
WHAT YOU CANNOT DO IS BUY A WELDING TORCH, CUT HOLES IN IT, GLUE WINDOWS TO IT, DROP IT IN YOUR BACKYARD AND LIVE IN IT.
THAT'S WHAT THE PROHIBITION IS FOR.
AND YOU CAN'T BUY ONE THAT'S, UM, EIGHT BY 20 OR EIGHT BY 25, WHICH WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE BUILDING CODE BECAUSE IT'S UNDER 200 SQUARE FEET.
GET A ZONING PERMIT FOR AN APPLICABLE SIZE STORAGE CON, YOU KNOW, A STORAGE BUILDING AND HAVE 'EM BRING IT AND DROP IT IN NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE.
SO, UM, WE LIKE THE CURRENT RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE.
UH, IT HAS WORKED BEAUTIFULLY FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
UM, SO YEAH, IT, IT, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS AND WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN USE THEM.
UM, AND WHAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE, WHAT COUNCIL PUT IN PLACE A COUPLE YEARS AGO IS IT WORKS AND IT'S VERY LOGICAL.
SO, BUT HAPPY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION IF WE NEED TO.
SO YOU PUT THESE SHIPPING, LEMME JUST MAKE SURE DAVE FINISHED.
SO YOU PUT THESE SHIPPING CONTAINERS ON THE FARMS AND THEY PUT PRODUCE AND STUFF IN.
THEY SHIP 'EM OUT SOMEPLACE, SO NO, THESE WOULD BE, I THINK WHAT MOST PEOPLE WANT TO DO IS STORE STUFF IN THEM FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND YOU CAN BUY OUT A SAVANNAH, A 20, 30, 40 FOOT SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR LESS THAN 3,500 BUCKS.
AND THEN YOU PAY A DELIVERY FEE, THEY'LL BRING IT OUT AND DROP IT.
UM, I THINK WE AGREE WITH STAFF THAT THAT WOULD HELP FARMERS.
THERE'S ENOUGH ROOM AROUND FARMS AND LEGITIMATE AGRICULTURAL USES WHERE IT'S, IT'S NOT THE SAME AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
EVERYBODY BUYING A AN EIGHT BY 20 SHIPPING CONTAINER AND DROPPING IT IN THEIR BACKYARD AND USING IT AS A PLAYHOUSE OR A STORAGE UNIT OR AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL DRAFT THAT.
WE'LL BRING BACK THE PARAMETERS WITH SETBACK, SCREENING, SIZE, NUMBER, LOCATION, A RECOMMENDATION, UM, YOU KNOW, BASED ON OUR PLANNING STAFF'S PROFESSIONAL OPINION, WE'LL BRING IT BACK AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A DEBATE AND WE'LL BRING THAT BACK AT THE NEXT NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE IF THAT WORKS.
I ASSUME THERE'S A GROUP OR SOME FOLKS, PEOPLE LOBBYING FOR THIS TO OCCUR? THERE'S NOT, NO, IT'S, SO I, HOW DID THIS GET HERE? YEAH, THE GOOD IDEA.
SO THERE IS, THERE IS CURRENTLY A NOTICE OF VIOLATION THAT IS PENDING AND IT WAS ASKED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IT BE BROUGHT UP AS A POSSIBLE EXEMPTION.
WE HAVE PUT A PIN IN THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS IT.
AND NOW THAT THE BALL'S ROLLING, WE WILL KEEP A PIN IN THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND WE WILL BRING THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
AND IF COUNSEL APPROVES THE EXEMPTION AFTER THREE READINGS, WE WILL LIFT THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND ALLOW THOSE, UH, USES MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT DISTRICT IS THAT IN? UH, IT'S NORTH OF THE BROAD.
OH, I CAN TELL YOU WHICH DISTRICT IT'S IN MY DISTRICT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NO, I JUST, I JUST WONDERING IF THAT WAS MY DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU MEANT ZONING DISTRICT.
I THOUGHT YOU MEANT ZONING DISTRICT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ZONING DISTRICT IS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, SURE.
SO WE HAVE THE DIRECTION WE NEED AND WE'LL BRING YOU A DRAFT BACK.
STORAGE CONTAINER IS DIFFERENTLY DEFINED IN MY OPINION FROM A SHIPPING CONTAINER.
IS THAT METAL BOX, RIGHT? BECAUSE I'M BACK, WE'RE ALL USED TO YES, SIR.
A STORAGE CONTAINER COULD BE SOME OTHER MATERIAL LIKE A BUTLER BUILDING WOOD, A SHED, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO THOSE ARE ALREADY EXEMPT AND ALLOWED IF THEY'RE BUILT IN PLACE.
THE SHIPPING CONTAINER IS THE METAL BOX THAT COMES OFF OF A SHIP THAT CAN BE JUST DROPPED ON THE GROUND.
SO THEN WE HAVE TO REALLY DEFINE SHIPPING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OKAY.
UH, YOU HAVE A MARCHING ORDER? WE GOT IT.
[8.a. A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to execute the documents necessary to negotiate with the applicant and to provide funds to the Beaufort County School District for their procurement of fee simple real property located on Lady’s Island, known as the Sea Island Parkway Tracts (pin# R200 015 000 114b 0000, R200 015 000 0638 0000), with a final purchase price not to exceed the requested amount ($2,250,000), contingent upon the results of final due diligence and the School District taking ownership of the property. (FISCAL IMPACT: Up to ($2,250,000) from the Green Space Program Fund Account #4706 (fund balance as of October 22, 2025 - $108,345,563).) - Mike McShane, Chair of the Green Space Advisory Committee]
ITEM, UH, EIGHT A.THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AND ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE APPLICANT TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO THE BEFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THEIR PROCUREMENT OR FEE SYMBOL, REAL, REAL PROPERTY, LOCATED ON LADIES ISLAND, KNOWN AS THE SEA ISLAND PARKWAY TRACK.
UH, WITH THE FINAL PURCHASE PRICE NOT TO EXCEED THE REQUESTED AMOUNT OF $2,250,000, CONTINUED UPON THE RESULTS OF THE FINAL DUE DILIGENCE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S THE, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
[00:25:01]
HEAR FROM MIKE HAN.MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, FOR THE RECORD, I'M MIKE MCSHANE, A RESIDENT OF CHARLESTON COUNTY, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS YOUR CHAIRMAN OF YOUR GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE.
WE'RE BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE, UH, THIS RESOLUTION.
UH, FIRST, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, TAKE A MOMENT AND, AND DISTINGUISH, UH, WITH GREAT APPRECIATION, UH, COLONEL GEIER AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR REALLY COLLABORATING UNIQUELY IN THIS PROJECT, NOT ONLY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND COLONEL GEIERS LEADERSHIP.
'CAUSE I THINK, CANDIDLY, COLONEL GEIER, YOU RECALL THERE, THERE WAS NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS IN THE BEGINNING WAS THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE WERE TRYING TO FORCE THE SCHOOL BOARD INTO BUYING A PIECE OF PROPERTY VERSUS, NO SIR, WE'RE WILLING TO BUY THE PROPERTY, BUT FOR YOU TO THEN TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT AND REALLY EXPAND THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AT MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS A, FRANKLY, MY VIEW, THE MOST PERTINENT TIME TO INVOLVE THAT AGE CHILDREN INTO OUTDOOR NATURAL RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONS.
ON THAT, YOUR COUNTY ENGINEERING STAFF, YOUR COUNTY PUBLIC WORK STAFF, AS WELL AS YOUR PLANNING STAFF, HAVE ALL BEEN EXTRAORDINARY COLLABORATIVE WORKING WITH THE GREEN SPACE THROUGH THIS.
BECAUSE WE KNOW AT SOME POINT, UH, AND I DON'T HAVE A CALENDAR ON THAT, BUT SEE ISLAND PARKWAY, I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOME MEASUREMENT OF IMPACT AS I RECALL, SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO DO THAT.
SO THE, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE REQUEST TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION, INDULGING THE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TO FINISH SOME NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SELLER OF THIS PROPERTY.
I HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE THE SELLER UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE AND THAT WE WILL NOT BE EXCEEDING ANYWHERE COMING CLOSE TO THAT CAP ON THAT AS HE SMILES BEHIND ME.
AND IN THAT DELIBERATION WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BEST ROUTE WAS REALLY TO WORK WITH IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND AS REPORTED EARLIER, THE SCHOOL BOARD MADE A DECISION IN MID-SEPTEMBER TO ACCEPT THIS.
AND GREEN SPACE STANDS PROUDLY TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT MIGHT BE RELEVANT.
MR. MC ELLEN, YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? WELL, I WAS THERE.
AND, UH, AND I AGREED AND, UH, I SAW THE WAY IT ALL DEVELOPED AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE, UH, FOR THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE TO TAKE AN ACTION THAT WILL ACCELERATE CONSERVATION AND AT THE SAME TIME, ALLOW THE SCHOOL BOARD TO HAVE SOME PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THEIR EXISTING PROPERTY THAT THEY CAN USE FOR THEIR BENEFIT.
SO I THINK EVERY, EVERYONE BENEFITS HERE AND, UH, IT STOPS A GAS STATION GOING IN OR A STORAGE FACILITY, OR EVEN SOME CONTAINERS MAY BE PLACED THERE SOMETIMES.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE NO LONGER POSSIBLE.
SHIPPING CON CONTAIN SHIPPING.
SHIPPING CONTAIN MR. GLORIA? YES, MA'AM.
I, I WANNA GO BACK TO COLONEL ER'S COMMENT.
I LOVE THAT IT MIGHT BE USED BY THE SCHOOL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, AND I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A HANDS-ON FOR KIDS.
COLONEL GEIER APPRECIATED IN MY PAST RESPONSIBILITY AS CHAIRMAN OF A STATE WILDLIFE AGENCY AND THEN CHAIR A FAMILY FOUNDATION THAT IS TOTALLY COMMITTED TO PROMOTING NATURAL RESOURCE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH.
THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MAP, HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE MARSH ON THE EAST SIDE SIDE TO EXPAND THIS ON THE WEST SIDE REALLY PRESENTS THIS UNIQUE, THIS I THINK PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW OPPORTUNITIES, BUT, AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE, WHICH IS THE PERFECT AGE FOR THIS EXPOSURE TO DO THAT.
SO THAT I HOPE THAT THIS WILL IN, UH, IN DAYS LIKE TODAY WOULD'VE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR CLASSROOM DAY, UH, FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE OUT IN THAT ENVIRONMENT AND WITH SOME OF THE RIGHT WORK, UH, TO GET SORT OF OPEN UP ENOUGH TO WHERE IT REALLY IS.
BUT I THINK YOU WANT TO KEEP IT TO WHERE IT'S NOT SO OPEN, IT LOOKS CLEAR THAT IT WOULD, UH, REALLY BENEFIT A PROGRAM.
AND UNIQUELY BE ADDED TO THE QUALITY OF WHAT I BELIEVE THAT SCHOOL ALREADY REPRESENTS.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE OWNER.
THIS IS WHAT GREEN SPACE PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
THE OWNER AND ITS, AND THE OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE HAVE BEEN VERY COLLABORATIVE THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
'CAUSE IT REALLY STARTED IN THE SPRING AS I RECALL, AND HAS GONE THROUGH AND AS I SAID, HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF HAVING
[00:30:01]
THE SCHOOL BOARD TO BRING THEM ON TO MAKE SURE YOUR ENGINEERING STAFF WAS COMFORTABLE ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING AND RECOMMENDING THAT WE'LL COME BACK.SO PRESUMING THAT THIS IS ADOPTED, THEN WE WOULD COME BACK TO YOU, YOU WILL THEN COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO YOUR FULL COUNSEL ABOUT THE, UH, FINISH APPROVAL OF WHATEVER THE FINAL NEGOTIATED PRICE IS ON THAT.
MR.
YOU WANNA MAKE ANY NO, I'M JUST EXCITED TO SEE YOU GO THROUGH.
CAN WE ASK WHO THE OWNER IS OF THE PROPERTY? UH, YOU CERTAINLY CAN COUNCILWOMAN BROWN, BUT I JUST DON'T HAPPEN TO RECALL THAT INFORMATION THAT I HAVE TO DEFER TO STAFF ON THAT, OR IF THE AGENT IS WILLING TO, UH, DISCLOSE THAT.
I'M WITH CHARTER ONE REAL TEAM.
I'M THE REPRESENTATIVES OF LANDOWNERS.
UM, THE FRONT TRACK, THERE IS TWO AND A HALF ACRES.
IT IS OWNED BY A MR. STEVE BARKER, UH, AND BARKER ASSOCIATES AND TERRY BARKER.
UM, AND THEN THE, THE BACK THREE AND A HALF ACRES IS OWNED BY FRANCIS GO DOWNS, UH, ROY TALLEY AND SANTA TALLEY.
COLONEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS YOU WANNA MAKE?
THAT SCHOOL IS GONNA BE BUILT BEHIND THE EXISTING SCHOOL.
AND AS YOU KNOW, IT'S A ONE STORY SPREAD OUT, BUILT IN THE 1960S CALIFORNIA STYLE ARCHITECTURE.
AND WE'RE GETTING A THREE STORY SMALLER FOOTPRINT, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TEAR DOWN THE OLD SCHOOL AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE THE ATHLETIC FIELDS TOWARD THE, THE ROAD.
AND SO THIS JUST FITS RIGHT IN TO THE CAMPUS VIEW OF, OF THAT, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A PERFECT, UH, ADDITION TO IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? COMMENTS, THE MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH THIS PROJECT? UM, THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTION.
THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
THANK YOU, MR. SHE, UH, THIS IS A QUICK MEETING FOR YOU TONIGHT, HUH? OKAY.
[8.b. An Ordinance amending the Zoning Map for 231.58 Acres (R100 025 000 0084 0000, R100 025 000 0110 0000, R100 020 000 047A 0000, R100 026 00A 0260 0000, R100 026 00A 0261 0000, R300 028 000 0016 0000, R300 028 000 016A 0000, R300 015 000 076B 0000, R100 033 00A 0022 0000, R600 009 000 0030 0000, R600 013 000 0048 0000, R600 009 000 0003 0000, R600 005 000 004D 0000, R600 021 000 0078 0000, R600 029 000 0054 0000, R600 021 000 0819 0000) from S1, T2R, T3HN, T4HC, C4CCMU, and C5RCMU toT1NP. (FISCAL IMPACT: ) - Rob Merchant, Planning and Zoning, Director]
UM, WE DO IT DOWN, UH, TO B UM, IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP, UM, FOR 231.58 ACRES, AND THERE IS ABOUT 16 PARCELS THAT I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL THOSE NUMBERS.UM, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR, UM, FROM S ONE T, R TWO, THN, T FOUR, HC, AND C FOUR CCMU, AND C FIVE RCM, U2 T ONE NP NATURAL PRESERVATION.
MOTION BY MR. PASSMAN AND SECONDED BY MR. MC.
WELL, UM, UH, HAD THE, UH, UNUSUAL PRIVILEGE TO BRING BEFORE YOU A LARGE SCALE DOWN ZONING, UH, FOR CHANGE.
AND HOPEFULLY ONE THAT I THINK, UH, COUNCIL WILL BE PLEASED WITH.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TIME WE'VE COME BEFORE COUNCIL.
THE OTHER TIME WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO WITH A LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT WERE PURCHASED THROUGH RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO PURCHASED FEE SIMPLE THAT ARE LOCATED IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY, THAT THEY STILL RETAINED THEIR ORIGINAL ZONING FROM BEFORE WHEN THEY WERE PURCHASED, WHICH NOW THAT THEY'RE, UM, UNDER PRESERVATION, WE'RE RECOMMENDING B ZONE T ONE NATURAL PRESERVE.
WE DID THIS BEFORE WITH THE SERIES OF RURAL CRITICAL PROPERTIES.
NOW THAT THE PROGRAM IS WRAPPING UP, WE WANTED TO COME IN, UM, WITH ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES, UH, WITH THAT REQUEST.
UM, I HAVE SOME AERIALS THAT'LL HELP KIND OF RUN THROUGH THE PROPERTIES.
IT'S 16 PARCELS, BUT REALLY IT'S, UM, 13 KIND OF INDIVIDUAL RURAL AND CRITICAL PURCHASES.
SO, UM, THIS IS KIND OF HARD TO MAP BECAUSE THEY'RE OVER FOR THE COUNTY, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME AREAS WHERE THEY'RE, UM, CLUSTERED TOGETHER.
UH, YOU HAVE THE CITY OF BEAUFORT THAT WOULD BE OFF TO, I'M GETTING MY DIRECTIONS MIXED UP.
IF YOU TO LOOK AT, I GUESS IT WOULD BE OFF TO YOUR RIGHT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MAP.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, TO THE, UM, LEFT WOULD BE THE BROAD RIVER AND THE
[00:35:01]
AIR STATION, UM, UP NORTH OF THIS PROPERTY.BUT, UM, IN THIS AREA, THESE TWO PROPERTIES ARE THE ADAMS TRACK.
THAT'S TWO PARCELS AND A BOUNDARY STREET VISTA.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROPERTIES.
AND THERE'S ABOUT FIVE MORE OF THESE SLIDES JUST TO KIND OF RUN THROUGH.
AND IF ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOCATION, UM, YOU KNOW, I COULD CERTAINLY, UH, FILL IN ON THAT.
THIS IS NORTH OF THE PREVIOUS MAP GOING UP TOWARD THE AIR STATION IN THE GRAYS HILL AREA.
AND THIS IS THE AM GRAY TRACKS ALONG, UM, HIGHWAY 21 GOING NORTH OF BEAUFORT.
THIS IS APPARENTLY, UH, SOME PEOPLE WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED WHEN THEY SAW THE REZONING SIGN HERE, BUT THE COUNTY HAD ALREADY PURCHASED THIS, UH, FEE SIMPLE, AND IT'S UNDER PRESERVATION.
AND SO THIS WILL THEN MATCH THE, UM, THE T ONE NATURAL PRESERVE ZONING.
BUT THIS IS IN THE HEART OF SHELL POINT, BUT IT'S A VERY LOW PROPERTY WITH A LOT OF, UH, DRAINAGE GOING THROUGH IT.
AND SO IT MADE SENSE TO, TO PUT THIS UNDER CONSERVATION.
THIS IS IN THE, OH, THIS IS ST.
THESE ARE TWO VERY SMALL TRACKS, BUT YOU HAVE BLOCKER FIELD, WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE ENTRANCE TO THE ISLAND FROM CHOW AND CREEK.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S WATERFRONT PROPERTY, UH, AT BERMUDA BLUFF, UH, OR RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY OF BERMUDA BLUFF THAT WERE PURCHASED.
AND SO THOSE TWO ARE BEING PROPOSED TO BE DOWN SOON TO T ONE NATURAL PRESERVE.
UH, FOLLOWING MAP, THIS IS THE OKEE AREA, KIND OF NORTH CLOSE TO THE BROAD RIVER.
WE HAVE THE JETER TRACT, WHICH IS, UM, THIS IS NOT ON LEMON ISLAND, BUT AFTER YOU CROSS THE SECOND BRIDGE, UH, OVER CHIESI CREEK, UH, THIS IS OFF ON THAT SIDE, UM, WHERE THERE'S VERY LITTLE HIGH GROUND AND IT, IT, IT FRONTS UP TO THE MARSH.
YOU HAVE ULTA MAHA EXTENSION, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO A LARGE COUNTY PURCHASE.
ONE OF OUR FIRST RURAL CRITICAL LANDS PURCHASES WAS SIGNIFICANT ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES.
AND SO, UM, AND THEN YOU, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE CAMP ST.
MARY'S, WHICH WAS KIND OF, UH, BROUGHT INTO THE RURAL CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE KIND OF GREATER BLUFFTON AREA, UM, GOING SOUTH OF THE LAST SLIDE THAT YOU HAVE.
BAXTER TRACT, WHICH IS ALONG ONE 70, JUST, UH, NORTH OF A RIVERBEND BARREL LANDING.
THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE SMALL PARCEL THAT WAS KIND OF A MISSING PUZZLE PIECE THAT'S PART OF A MUCH LARGER PRESERVATION IN THAT AREA.
OKEE RIVER PARK, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO PEPPER HALL, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON AT PAA PARK IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN DAVIS ROAD TRACT, WHICH IS ALSO, UM, COMPLETE.
SOME, IT CONNECTS SOME, SOME OTHER, UH, PROPERTIES THAT ARE PRESERVED BY THE COUNTY.
SO THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TODAY.
UM, THIS IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
UM, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH, UM, UH, PASSIVE PARKS PROGRAM.
SO THIS REZONING DOES NOT IMPEDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE AS PASSIVE PARKS.
IT PRETTY MUCH ALLOWS THOSE USES.
BUT IT REALLY, I MEAN, I THINK THE MAIN PURPOSE HERE, THE, THE PROGRAM AND ITS GUIDELINES LIMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE PROPERTIES.
BUT THIS IN KIND OF PROVIDES SOME, I GUESS, ANOTHER LEVEL OF PROTECTION AND A MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE COUNTY IS SERIOUS ABOUT PRESERVATION OF THESE PROPERTIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT REASON, UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, UH, STAFF BRINGING IT FORWARD, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS, UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT, IT FURTHERS AND SECURES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRESERVATION BY THE RURAL CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT IN CON CONFLICT WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODES.
THIS PARTICULAR DISTRICT, T ONE NATURAL PRESERVE IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THESE PRESERVE PROPERTIES.
IT, IT'S ALSO A DISTRICT THAT APPLIES TO MARSH ISLANDS WITH NO ROAD ACCESS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A DISTRICT THAT IS REALLY MEANT FOR PRESERVATION.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS ADDRESSING A COMMUNITY NEED OF PRESERVATION.
UM, IT'S REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS.
THESE PROPERTIES, MANY OF THEM ZONED WHAT AT THE TIME WAS APPROPRIATE FOR ITS LOCATION, BUT NOW THE DESCENTER PRESERVATION, IT MAKES SENSE FOR IT TO BE ZONED T ONE NATURAL PRESERVE.
UM, UH, IT'S, UH, COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING OR PROPOSED USES SURROUNDING THE LAND.
IT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY LANDS.
UM, AND ONCE AGAIN, LOGICAL AND ORDER ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
WE BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THOSE, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH, IT DOESN'T RESULT IN ANY ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE NATIONAL NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
IF ANYTHING, IT PROVIDES AN EXTRA LAYER OF, UH, PRESERVATION.
[00:40:01]
AND THEN FINALLY, IT IS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTION OF USES, IT'S NOT, IT'S ADEQUATELY SERVED.IT'S NOT NECESSARILY DRAWING A DEMAND FOR THINGS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION, THE, THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WITH A ZONING AMENDMENTS.
WE BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CON THE PRESERVATION IS OBVIOUSLY A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF TRYING TO LIMIT THE IMPACT ON THESE RESOURCES.
SO WE BELIEVE IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL, ANY QUESTIONS OR ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR PROPERTIES? OKAY, I'M GONNA START WITH MR. PASSMAN.
I, I, MS. BROWN, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR REZONING FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
THE REQUEST IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE CODE AND THE PURPOSES OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE.
IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OR OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE.
IT DOES ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED.
IT IS REQUIRED BY CHANGED CONDITIONS.
IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING AND IMPOSED USE OF LAND SURROUNDING THIS LAND.
IT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY LAND.
IT WOULD RESULT IN LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, AND IT WOULD RESULT IN DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY PUBLIC FACILITIES.
AND THAT'S YOUR SECOND ONE QUESTION.
YOU GONNA SECOND IT RIGHT? NO, I HAVE NO, I HAVE A QUESTION.
WE HAVE A SECOND FIRST, RIGHT? UM, MR. I'LL DO THAT.
UM, WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, ALL THESE, WHO CHOSE THESE PROPERTIES? THESE ARE ALL BOUGHT THROUGH THE ROME CRITICAL LANDS PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
SO IT WENT THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
THERE WAS A BOARDS APPOINTED BY COUNCIL.
THERE'S PROGRAM GUIDELINES, AND IT'S A, IT'S A VERY SIMILAR PROCESS AS THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, UM, PROPERTIES ARE SUBMITTED.
SO WE'LL WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, GET INTO DETAILS.
WHO OWNS THAT PROPERTY? WELL, ALL OF THESE ARE OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY, ARE OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO WE'RE JUST CHANGING THE ZONING.
WHY? BECAUSE, UM, WITH MANY OF THESE TRACKS WHEN THEY WERE PURCHASED, UM, I THINK AN EXAMPLE MIGHT BE OKEE RIVER PARK NEXT TO, TO, UM, PEPPER HALL.
YOU KNOW, THEY WERE PROPERTIES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ZONED A MUCH HIGHER ZONING DESIGNATION.
UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK LIKE THE ONE IN SHELL POINT THAT WAS ZONED T FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY, THAT ZONING DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE ANYMORE BECAUSE THIS LAND IS UNDER PRESERVATION.
IT'S RESTRICTED BY THE, THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BE CONSISTENT WITH THOSE RESTRICTIONS OF THE YES, THANKS.
SO I'M GONNA GET A LITTLE CANDID.
WE ARE ADDING LAYERS OF PROTECTION TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST OURSELVES.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THERE ARE, I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.
WELL, THERE ARE LAYERS OF RESTRICTIONS FOR RURAL AND CRITICAL.
ONE OF THE, UH, PERMISSIBLE THINGS IN THAT ORDINANCE IS THAT ANY FUTURE COUNTY, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL IN PERPETUITY WITH A SUPER MAJORITY CAN ACTUALLY SELL RURAL AND CRI CRITICAL PROPERTIES OR REALIGN THEIR PURPOSE AS LONG AS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT GOES BACK INTO THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS IF SOME, IF IN THE FUTURE, 20, 30 YEARS, 40 YEARS IN THE FUTURE, A FUTURE COUNCIL WANTED TO REPURPOSE BECAUSE THE, UM, PRESSURE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA IS JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO GO UP.
SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS IT WOULD ADD A LAYER TO THAT REQUIREMENT OF A SUPER MAJORITY TO UP ZONE THE PROPERTY FOR WHATEVER THE PROPOSED USE WOULD BE.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAY WE'RE KIND OF PROTECTING OURSELVES AGAINST OUR FUTURE SELVES AS, UH, PRESSURE ON THESE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES INCREASES OVER DECADES.
SO, SO YOU'RE TRYING THE HANDS OF FUTURE COUNCIL DOWN THERE? NO, MA'AM.
IT WOULD REQUIRE, NO, BECAUSE THE COUNT, THE FUTURE COUNCIL COULD UP ZONE THE PROPERTY, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF UPZONING, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE MANY MORE LAYERS OF PUBLIC INPUT THAN JUST A SINGLE SUPER MAJORITY VOTE BY ONE COUNCIL.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A CONCERN ABOUT, UH, THE RULING CRITICAL LAND PROGRAM IN THE PAST,
[00:45:01]
THAT A LOT OF THE LAND WAS NOT BEING PROTECTED.SO THIS WOULD GIVE US ANOTHER LAYER OF PROTECTION STUFF.
SOMEBODY MADE A REFERENCE TO GREEN SPACE.
GREEN SPACE PROPERTIES ARE PROTECTED IN PERPETUITY.
MS. BROWN, YOU FINISHED? I AM.
UM, JUST TO BE CLEAR, ALL OF THESE ARE PRESERVED PROPERTIES.
THERE'S NO BUILDINGS ON, THEY'RE ALL VACANT.
UH, WHEN I SAY BUILDINGS, I MEAN, THERE'S NO RESIDENCES ON THEM.
AND, AND STEPHANIE CAN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE SOME LEGACY STRUCTURES.
BUT THEY'RE ALL OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND SO NONE OF THESE ACTIONS TAKE AWAY ANYONE'S PROPERTY RIGHTS EXCEPT FOR OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, I GET THAT.
AND THERE'S NO DEVELOP, THERE'S NO DEVELOPMENT ON ANY OF THEM.
THEY'RE ALREADY IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, OTHER THAN PASSIVE PARK DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURES.
WE'RE NOT ALARMED ABOUT STRUCTURES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE NO INHABITANTS, THAT'S ALL.
BUT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE PREVIOUSLY UNDEVELOPED OR COMPLETELY VACANT.
AND THEN, LIKE OKEE RIVER PARK IS CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION.
WELL, STEPH, WE ASK THIS QUESTION NOW, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROPERTY THAT WE HAD THAT WE WERE RENTING TO SOMEBODY, UH, IN THE OKEE AREA.
UH, THEY WERE PAYING US RENT, OR WE USED TO HAVE SEVERAL LEASES, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE GONE AWAY.
SO WE DID HAVE ONE LEASE ON A VACANT LAND IN THE GRAYS HILL AREA, AND THAT WENT AWAY LIKE FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO NOW.
UM, AND THEN WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO LEASES, ONE WITH THE SOIL AND WATER DISTRICT AT CRYSTAL LAKE, AND ONE WITH A CHURCH AT, UM, ONE OF OUR CHIESI PROPERTIES.
ONE, IS ANY OF THIS GONNA BE CONSIDERED SPOT ZONING? NO.
UM, SO THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE DISTRICT IS MEANT FOR THIS PURPOSE, FOR, FOR PRESERVATION.
SO, UM, AND, AND WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
WE HAVE A PRECEDENT, I MEANT AROUND THE, THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES THAT ARE SURROUNDING THAT.
EACH ONE OF THESE, DOES IT CREATE A 'CAUSE I THINK IN OUR FORM OR PREVIOUS EXPLANATION BEFORE CHANGING THE ZONING THAT IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE ADJACENT USES IS AN ISSUE AND CONSIDERED SPOT ZONING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING A SPOT ZONING ISSUE WITH THESE PROPERTIES.
YEAH, IT, IT IS, UM, IT, IT IS MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION BECAUSE OF THE, THE DEFINITION OF THE DISTRICT T ONE NATURAL PRESERVE THAT IT'S REALLY CREATED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
I MEAN, IT'S CREATED FOR PRESERVED PROPERTIES.
SO IN THAT CASE, YES, THESE ARE SCATTERED.
WE DO HAVE A FEW OTHER EXAMPLES.
IN OUR ORDINANCE, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED T TWO RURAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS DEFINED BY THE NUMBER OF LOTS THAT ARE SMALLER THAN FIVE ACRES.
SO IF IT'S IN A DEFINITION AND IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENT OF THAT DISTRICT, THEN WE BELIEVE IT IS, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTED.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU HAVE A DISTRICT THAT'S, LET'S SAY IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE IS TO BE PART OF A, A REGIONAL COMMERCIAL AREA, AND IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF AN AREA THAT'S NOT REGIONAL COMMERCIAL, YOU KNOW, SURROUNDED BY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S DOESN'T MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THE DISTRICT AND IT'S SURROUNDED BY OTHER PROPERTIES, WE BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE SPOT ZONING.
AND THEN FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT MM-HMM
IF WE DO CHANGE THESE DESIGNATIONS AND UNDER THE RULE AND CRITICAL, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SELL THESE IN THE FUTURE.
DOES DROPPING IT TO T ONE MP REDUCE THE OVERALL MARKET VALUE OF IT AND LIMIT THE ABILITY TO RECOVER TO GO BACK INTO THE PROGRAM? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES.
WHAT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY, IF, IF WE TAKE AWAY THE, THE C FOUR OR C FIVE USE AND PUT IN THE T ONE MP, AND THEN WE GO AND SELL IT AS A NATURE PRESERVE, IT'S GONNA LIMIT THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY.
IT'S BACK ON THE FEE, BACK ON THE FREE MARKET.
AND IN COMPARISON TO THE USE IT IS NOW, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT COUNCIL WOULD HOLD ALL THE CARDS IN UPZONING IT TO ALLOW WHATEVER YOU'RE SELLING IT FOR.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE A CONTINGENCY OF THE SALE AND THE VALUE WOULD BE CORRELATED WITH WHAT THE NEW USE WOULD BE.
AND WOULD PROBABLY, I'M JUST GOING OUT A LIMB 'CAUSE IT'S SO HYPOTHETICAL, IT WOULD PROBABLY INVOLVE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT OF SOME KIND.
UM, I JUST, I, WHEN YOU GET INTO SOME OF THESE AREAS, THEY'RE HIGH GROWTH AREAS AND THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY VALUABLE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FUTURE, AND THEY'RE NEXT TO LARGER TRACKS.
[00:50:01]
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A CONCERN BECAUSE YOU AS A COUNTY COUNCIL OR WHOEVER'S SITTING IN THE SEAT, YOU KNOW, DECADES FROM NOW, WOULD HOLD ALL THE CARDS.SO THAT WOULD BE A CONSCIOUS DECISION.
AND THEN IF, YOU KNOW, A COUNCIL LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, THEY JUST WOULDN'T SELL IT.
THEN I, I GUESS I, I JUST TAKE AN ISSUE WITH BINDING FUTURE COUNSELS ON THIS ISSUE.
IT'S NOT BINDING THEM, BUT IT'S, IT'S PROTECTED NOW, RIGHT? FROM DEVELOPMENT? WELL, IT IS PROTECTED UNDER BY WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THE ORDINANCE.
NOW, SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD DO IF COUNSEL THIS COUNCIL WANTED TO, AND I WOULD BE VERY IN FAVOR OF, AS A STAFF MEMBER, IS TAKING ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES AND PUTTING THEM UNDER A PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
NOW THAT WOULD TAKE 'EM, THAT WOULD PROTECT THEM IN PERPETUITY.
IF, IF THAT'S THE OBJECTIVE, I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO DO A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
BUT, BUT THEN AGAIN, WITH THE ZONING CHANGES, I JUST WANNA BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE ZONING CHANGES.
SO THE COMPATIBILITY WITH THE ZONING CHANGES, NO ZONE, NO DEVELOPMENT IS COMPATIBLE WITH EVERYTHING.
IF YOU'RE UPZONING, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET INTO CHALLENGES WITH SPOT ZONING.
BUT TO ZONE IT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL DROPS TO ALMOST ZERO, THAT'S ZERO'S COMPATIBLE WITH EVERYTHING.
SO IF, IF, IF THE DIRECTION IS TO GO BACK AND START LOOKING AT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS, WE WOULD LOVE TO DOWN ZONE THESE PROPERTIES.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK WITH A, UM, A BLANKET CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT COVERS ALL OF THESE PRO UH, PROPERTIES, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
ANY, ANYTHING ELSE? UH, NO, THAT'S IT.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I, I HAVE, AND STEPHANIE MAY BE THE PERSON THAT ANSWER THIS, UM, THE BAXTER, BAXTER BAXTER PROPERTY.
UM, I REMEMBER, 'CAUSE I WAS SERVING ON THE RULE IN CRITICAL LAND, THEY WANTED TO DO EXACTLY WHAT DAVE IS, IS SUGGESTING TO SELL THAT PROPERTY TO SOMEONE, UH, WITH THE CONSERVATION ON IT.
I THINK IT IS A 20 ACRE TRACK OF LAND.
IT HAS A HOUSE, AND THAT'S ALL THAT CAN HAPPEN IF THAT SALE TOOK PLACE.
UM, THIS DOES NOT PROHIBIT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
WELL, THESE ARE ALL OWNED BY BE BEAUFORT COUNTY NOW.
SO AT ONE TIME, THE, YOU KNOW, THE TALK WAS THAT, UM, AS LONG AS IT WAS IN CONSERVATION, WHICH MEANT THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN TO LIVE ON IT WITH THE HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE PERMITTED IS IF THERE WAS A SALE FOR IT, THAT I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE CASE IF IT WERE A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
BUT THIS WAS, THIS IS OWNED FEE SIMPLE BY BEFOR COUNTY.
SO, YOU KNOW, A, A LOT OF TIMES WE ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS LIKE THAT WHEN THERE WAS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
UM, ANY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION IS NOT, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION.
WE ALREADY HAVE THE MOTION, NOT A MOTION.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE.
THE TABLE PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING THE HAND, THOSE IN OPPOSITION.
I'M SAYING NO, YOU'RE OPPOSITION.
FOR ALL OF IT OR YOU IN ALL OF IT? OPPOSITION.
IT IS, UM, IT PASSES TO IN OPPOSITION, YOU KNOW, AS WELL.
[8.c. A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the city of Beaufort for collaboration on the 1st South Carolina Volunteers of African Descent Park. (FISCAL IMPACT: This MOU requests the County to obligate $56,500.00 towards the creation of the park Master Plan. Staff recommend funding the request from account 4502- 80-0000-54420, which has an available balance of $2,634,964.62. The City is obligating $100,000.00 towards the creation of the park Master Plan.) - Stefanie M. Nagid, Director Land Preservation Department]
THE AGENDA, UH, IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY OF BEAUFORT FOR COLLABORATION OF THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT PARK.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR THAT? WHICH WOULD INCLUDE, SO MOVED.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THAT, OKAY.
UM, THE MEMORANDUM REQUEST, UM, I'M GONNA LEAVE IT UP TO STEPHANIE.
YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, WHICH WOULD BE INCLUSIVE IN THE MOTION.
SO AS, UH, YOU HEARD MR. MITCHELL, UM, MENTION THIS PROJECT GOES BACK, UM, LONG, LONG TIME FOR, UM, CONCEPTUALIZING, UM, MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROJECT WAS IN 2015, BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE CITY OF, UH, BEAUFORT AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY OPEN LAND TRUST ALL AGREED THAT PROTECTION OF THESE PARCELS IN WHAT WAS CALLED UM, THE BOUNDARY STREET, BATTERY CREEK VISTA, WAS, UM,
[00:55:01]
NECESSARY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HEADWATERS OF BATTERY CREEK, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE ON THAT SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK.UH, SO IN 2015, EVERYBODY JUST KIND OF VERBALLY AGREED THAT THEY WOULD WORK TOWARDS THE, UM, ACQUISITION OF THE VARIOUS PARCELS.
AND SO THE MAP UP THERE, UH, SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENT PARCELS THAT MAKE UP THIS ENTIRE, THE ENTIRETY OF THE PARK AND MOST OF THEM BELONGING TO THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, SOME OF THEM BELONGING TO THE OPEN LAND TRUST, SOME OF THEM BELONGING TO US.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK JUST ONE THAT IS CO-OWNED BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
THESE PARCELS, UM, INCLUDED OVER TIME, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF GAS STATIONS ON THERE.
THERE WAS A WENDY'S, THERE WAS THE OLD UNITED WAY BUILDING, WHICH OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT WAS HOUSED IN UNTIL IT WAS DEMOLISHED, I THINK A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO AGO.
AND, UM, ALL OF THOSE STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED.
THE, UM, GAS TANKS AND EVERYTHING HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE GROUND.
AND SO NOW THE PARCELS ARE VACANT AND ARE CURRENTLY OPEN JUST FOR PASSIVE U LITERAL PASSIVE USE OF JUST WALKING THROUGH IF YOU'RE ON THE SIDEWALK.
UM, THE, UH, PROPERTIES WERE THAT WE PURCHASED, THE COUNTY PURCHASED WERE IN 20 16 20 17 THROUGH THE ROWLAND CRITICAL LANDS PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
UM, IN 2023, THE CITY HAD REQUESTED THE COUNTY TO, UM, TO NAME THIS PROPERTY, THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT DESCENT PARK THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2023 BY COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND NOW THE CITY HAS GONE FORWARD WITH, UM, HI, WITH ADVERTISING BIDDING FOR A PLANNER TO PLAN A PARK, UM, USING THE CONGLOMERATE OF ALL OF THE PARCELS.
SO THE MOU THAT IS BEFORE YOU, UH, BASICALLY FORMALIZES THAT REQUEST.
SO THE COUNTY IS APPROVING THE USE OF THE COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES AS PART OF THE PARK.
IT IS ALSO APPROVING OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY AND SUPPORTING THEM IN OBTAINING GRANTS FOR FUTURE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PARK.
AND THEN THERE IS A VERY SPECIFIC MONETARY REQUEST OF $56,500 TOWARDS THE CREATION OF THE PARKS MASTER PLAN.
UH, THE CITY OF BUFORT DID HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THEY OBLIGATED THIS FISCAL YEAR TOWARDS THAT MASTER PLAN.
BUT DURING THE BIDDING PROCESS AND THE, UM, NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE, UM, CONSULTING PLANNER, UH, THE BID, THE NEGOTIATIONS CAME DOWN TO THE 1 56 500.
AND SO, UM, THE CITY IS HOPING THE COUNTY CAN ASSIST IN THAT CREATION AND THEN THEY CAN USE THAT MASTER PLAN TO GO FORWARD AND GET ADDITIONAL GRANTS, UM, AND OTHER FUNDING IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSTRUCTION.
THE MOU ALSO DOES, UH, STATE THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO MAINTAIN THIS PROPERTY.
UM, AND THEY ARE ALSO MAINTAINING SEVERAL OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY'S BOUNDARIES.
UM, AND I THINK I HIT, OH, AND THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE, UM, PASSIVE PARK, UH, CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT THAT I'VE BEEN USING TO DO THINGS LIKE, UM, OAK, OT, RIVER PARK, AND, UM, WHITE HU HERE IN DOCK AND OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
SO I DO HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE IN THAT ACCOUNT.
UM, BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE GO THERE, I, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE, UH, AT LEAST THE CITY MANAGER YOU WANNA SPEAK.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CONSIDERING THIS MOU.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE FIRST BID THAT WE GOT BACK FROM OUR, UH, DESIGN FIRMS WE'RE A LOT HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
AND WE HAVE NEGOTIATED DOWN FROM ABOUT $600,000 TO $156,000 IN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE NARROWED THE SCOPE OF IT CONSIDERABLY, UH, TO PRODUCE A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, WHICH AS STEPHANIE SAID, WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE A PRODUCT THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD AND TRY TO RAISE SOME FUNDS TO GET THIS PART BUILT ON AS LITTLE, UH, TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO, UH, YOUR $56,000 THAT YOU COULD THROW IN HERE FOR US WOULD ENABLE US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT CONTRACT AND, UH, IS A CRITICAL STEP IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
I'M GONNA OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME, THIS TAB.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE MOU, WHICH IS PAGE 52.
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ONE OF THE, WHERE AS IS THE COUNTY AND CITY INTEND TO COLLABORATE ON PUBLIC ACCESS, PASSIVE RECREATION AND CULTURAL INTERPRETATION IMPROVEMENTS ON THE PROPERTY.DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE CITY WILL BE ASKING US FOR FUNDS TO CREATE THIS PASSIVE PARK? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
KNOW THE CITY
UM, THE ANSWER IS WE DON'T KNOW YET.
WE WOULD HOPE THAT THROUGH, UH, PRIVATE DONATIONS AND, AND OTHER GRANT SOURCES, UH, THAT WE WOULD GARNER ENOUGH INTEREST IN THIS PARK, UH, THAT WE WOULD HAVE MOST OF THE PARK FUNDED.
UM, IF THAT DOES NOT OCCUR, THEN THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE MAY COME BACK TO YOU, UH, FOR A REQUEST.
I CAN'T GUARANTEE RIGHT NOW STANDING HERE, THEY WON'T COME BACK TO YOU.
REALLY? I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT WE'LL TRY NOT TO AND THAT WILL BE A LAST RESORT.
SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES.
BUT NOW I HAVE A QUESTION ON NUMBER TWO, FINANCIAL.
IF YOU ROLL DOWN FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION, THIS PARAGRAPH MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
THE FIRST THING SAYS THIS, MOU DOES NOT OBLIGATE COUNTY OR CITY FUNDS.
AND THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY AT THE LAST SENTENCE, HOWEVER, THE CITY INTENDS TO OBLIGATE 100,000 AND THE COUNTY INTENDS TO OBLIGATE 56,500.
SO IT SHOULD SAY, IF YOU TAKE THAT FIRST SENTENCE OFF AND LEAVE THE REST OF IT, AND THEN IT SHOULD SAY THE MOU DOES NOT OBLIGATE COUNTY OR CITY FOR FUTURE FUNDS.
BUT THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, IT'S CONTRADICTORY IN THAT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION.
SO THIS MOU DOES NOT AUTHORIZE THE EXPENDITURE OF THOSE FUNDS.
SO THE MOU DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE CITY OR COUNTY TO THE FUNDS.
THE 56,500 IS UNDERNEATH THE THRESHOLD WHERE, UM, STAFF CAN AUTHORIZE THAT EXPENDITURE.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE MOU IS COUNCIL'S BLESSING ON THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE AS DESCRIBED IN THE MOU.
THE FIRST SENTENCE SAYS THE MOU DOES NOT OBLIGATE COUNTY OR CITY FUNDS.
THE LAST SENTENCE SAYS, WE WILL, WILL OBLIGATE 56,500.
AND LEAVE THE LAST ONE, WHICH IS WHAT HE'S ASKING FOR.
WE'RE NOT ASKING, THAT'S A CONTRADICTION.
IT, IT SAYS, INTENDS TO OBLI OBLIGATE.
IT DOESN'T SAY AT THE, I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF MIXING WORDS, BUT THE MOU ITSELF DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE FUNDS.
WE'RE JUST STATING THAT THE INTENTION IS TO PARTNER WITH THAT SPLIT FOR THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH WOULD BE A SEPARATE ACTION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT TO THE MOU, BUT THIS PARAGRAPH MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
IT'S CONTRADICTORY GOVERNMENT, MR. IT'S GOVERNMENT.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONFUSION, BUT STAFF'S INTENT, AND THE CITY'S INTENT IS THAT THIS IS NOT THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATING INSTRUMENT.
THIS IS JUST THE OBLIGATION FOR, TO COLLABORATE ON THE PARK THERE.
AND IF YOU BUY OFF ON THAT, OKAY, THEN STAFF WILL WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR TO OBLIGATE THE FUNDS.
THAT'S SEPARATE BECAUSE IT'S BELOW COUNCIL'S OBLIGATION AUTHORITY.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BRING THAT TO YOU.
IT CAME TO YOU AS AN IGA BETWEEN US AND THE CITY TO GO FORTH ON THE PARK CONCEPT.
SO IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT, FOR THEM TO GO FORTH WITH THAT MASTER PLAN, THAT'S WHAT THIS REALLY ADDRESSES.
THAT'S ALL EXCESSIVE LANGUAGE AS FAR AS THE INTENT OF THE SPENDING, STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S JUST BACKGROUND INFORMATION, I THINK IS THE POINT THAT CHUCK'S TRYING TO MAKE.
SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE FIRST SENTENCE? THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU.
THE LAST SENTENCE IS RELEVANT.
WELL, YOU COULD TAKE 'EM BOTH OUT BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A OH FINANCIAL OBLIGATION INSTRUMENT.
THIS IS JUST THE DESIRE TO GO FORTH WITH THE MASTER PLAN.
AND IF YOU GIVE YOUR BLESSING, THEN STAFF WILL GO FORTH IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR TO OBLIGATE THE FUNDS FOR THAT.
SO THEY'RE NOT ASKING YOU FOR THE OBLIGATION OF THE FUNDS OR TO ADDRESS THE FUNDS.
THEY'RE JUST ASKING YOU, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THE CONCEPT IN JOINING THE CITY AT A JOINT MASTER PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK? THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS.
I'M DONE, MR. CHAIR, IF I MAY.
I THINK THE COLLABORATION IS GREAT.
EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO COLLABORATE, I THINK IT IT'S BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR ALL.
I HAD SOME STICKER SHOT WITH THE 156 TOTAL.
I, I TALKED TO COUNCILMAN MITCHELL OVER THERE, UM, ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK.
YOU SAID IT WAS 600,000 THE FIRST GO ROUND.
WHO'S DOING THIS? THE SCOPE OF WORK CHANGED QUITE A BIT.
SO THE INITIAL BID INCLUDED EVERYTHING AND THE KITCHEN SINK.
AND THEN THROUGH THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS, IT WAS WHITTLED DOWN.
[01:05:01]
I WAS ON THE SELECTION TEAM WITH THE CITY STAFF.SO THROUGH THE SELECTION PROCESS, IT WAS WHITTLED DOWN TO WHAT WERE THE NECESSITIES WE NEEDED TO CREATE A MASTER PLAN, HOW MUCH TIME WAS THAT GONNA TAKE? AND IT WAS, IT WAS LITERALLY TWO MONTHS OF BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE SCOPE REALLY FINE TUNED BECAUSE THE INITIAL SCOPE WAS VERY, VERY LARGE.
THAT'S STILL $156,000 FOR, FOR A PIECE OF PAPER THAT I ACTUALLY DOESN'T PUT A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND.
YOU SHOULD RECALL WHAT THE COST WAS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE OTHER PARKS.
THEY'VE ALL BEEN VERY HIGH AND I KNOW THEY'RE ALL, AND, BUT THEN I GO BACK TO THE, TO THE, TO THE STUDY FOR THE ENTIRE FIRE CONSOLIDATION PROPOSAL, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
I KNOW IT CAN GO NORTH OF THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, THE SCOPES JUST SEEM, THE PRICE THROWS ME OFF.
I'M JUST, I SAY THAT ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS THAT COME FORWARD RIGHT IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, DESIGN PROPOSAL, UH, THERE IS A, A HEAVY HISTORICAL ELEMENT TO THIS, UH, THAT, THAT COUNCILMAN MITCHELL, UH, PROVIDED YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON IN HIS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND WITH THAT COMES A, A BURDEN TO BE CORRECT WITH YOUR HISTORICAL FACTS WHEN YOU PUT TOGETHER YOUR INTERPRETIVE MATERIALS, YOUR EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, UM, AND, AND INDEED YOUR MONUMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES INTO THE PARK.
UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE HISTORIANS ON BOARD, UH, TO HELP YOU FACT CHECK THAT INFORMATION AND TO BE SURE EVERYTHING IS CORRECT, UM, IS NOT UNEXPENSIVE.
AND SO THAT ADDS TO THE EXPENSE OF THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN.
DON'T WE HAVE THE HISTORIANS LIVING WITH US THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, THAT ARE DESCENDANTS OF THESE PEOPLE? DESCENDANTS DO NOT EQUAL HISTORIANS? WELL, THEY CAN STILL SHARE PROPER INFORMATION.
THAT'S A WHOLE LOT CHEAPER THAN I HAVE A COMMON, OKAY.
MS. HALL FIRST AND THEN MS. SURE.
UM, I'M, I REMEMBER WHEN THIS PROJECT FIRST STARTED AND WENDY'S WAS THE LAST, LAST MAN STANDING, AND THEN FINALLY IT GOT TORN DOWN.
I'VE HEARD SO MANY DIFFERENT STORIES GOING BACK.
ARE YOU GONNA A PART OF THE SCOPE, ANY ARCHEOLOGICAL WORK GONNA BE DONE IN THE SCOPE? OKAY.
THERE'S SOME OF YOUR COSTS RIGHT THERE.
I MEAN THAT I, THAT WAS MY BIG QUESTION.
MR. MCMILLAN GLAD, UH, THAT, UH, MS. HOWARD CLARIFIED THAT, AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON TARGET WITH THE COST.
UH, ANYONE WHO WILL REMEMBER, I HAVE EXPRESSED MY GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THE DIRECTOR OF OUR PASSIVE PARKS PROGRAM.
I'LL DO THAT AGAIN HERE TONIGHT, AND I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS WITH A YES VOTE WHEN WE GET TO THE VOTE.
IS THAT A CALL FOR THE QUESTION? YES.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? I'M JUST GONNA REITERATE MY COMMENTS.
THIS PARAGRAPH I WOULD LIKE TO SEE REMOVED.
IT IS NOT A PROBLEM TO HAVE IT REMOVED.
IS IT? IT'S NOT TO REMOVE IT, IT'S JUST SURPLUSAGE.
IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE RESOLUTION, THERE'S NO DISCUSSION ABOUT FINANCES AT ALL.
IT'S PURELY ABOUT THE MOU AND THE MASTER PLAN.
AND BECAUSE IT'S AT THE STAFF LEVEL FOR APPROVAL, DIDN'T HAVE TO COME TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL.
AS FAR AS FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATION.
THE FIRST YOU AFTER THE FIRST PARAGRAPH.
BUT IF YOU READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY, IT MAKES SENSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN THAT CONTEXT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO READ IT IN THE ENTIRETY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE HURDLE YOU HAVEN'T GETTING OVER THERE WHERE YOU THINK IT IS IN CONFLICT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS.
I'M GOING CALL FOR THE YES, SIR.
UM, I'M, I'M IN TOTAL FAVOR OF SUPPORTING THIS AS WELL.
I AM, UH, ONE OF THE DESCENDANTS OF THE FIRST, UH, UH, VOLUNTEERS.
MY GREAT, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED AND, UH, UM, WITH THE UNION AND, UH, AND SO IN THE, UH, CIVIL WAR AND ACTUALLY, UH, JUST WERE COMMEMORATE, UM, THE SACRIFICES THESE MEN MADE FOR THE ABOLISHMENT OF SLAVERY, UM, IN THE SOUTH AND IN THE, IN THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
UM, QUESTION HAS BEEN CALLED FOR, WELL, DOES COUNCILMAN KANICK WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MOU TO, UM, REMOVE EVERYTHING AFTER THAT FIRST SENTENCE IN FINANCIAL ALLEGATION PARAGRAPH? I THINK THE AMOUNT IS IN HERE.
NO, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MOU, MR. GLOVER.
WHICH, WHICH, WHAT PARAGRAPH IS HE SPEAKING ON? PARAGRAPH TWO, THE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION.
THAT'S THE ONE SHE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER, SO, RIGHT.
SHE SHE WAS EXPRESSING THE CONCERN OF THE FIRST SENTENCE.
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AM I NOT LOOKING AT THE MOU? SO IF YOU STILL HAVE THOSE CONCERNS, DID YOU WANNA MAKE A, A MOTION TO AMEND TO REMOVE THE LANGUAGE AFTER THE FIRST SENTENCE? YEAH, THIS WAS, YEAH.I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION TO REMOVE EVERYTHING AFTER THAT FIRST SENTENCE.
THAT'S MY PREFERENCE IN PARAGRAPH TWO.
SO IS THERE A SECOND? THAT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY ELSE.
NOW WHEN YOU, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU MOVING? BASICALLY IT IS, IT'S GOING TO READ THIS.
MOU IT DOES NOT OBLIGATE COUNTY OR CITY FUNDS.
THE REMAINING PORTION IS GONNA BE REMOVED, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECT, IS WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS WHAT SHE'S, THAT'S THE MOTION.
BUT IT DOES DEFINE THE AMOUNT AND I THINK THE AMOUNT NEEDS TO BE THERE.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND APPROPRIATE THAT LATER.
THAT'S A DISCRETION OF THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE THERE IS THE POINT.
'CAUSE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN APPROVE.
SO YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION AS THE AMENDMENT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND AMENDMENT.
THOSE IN, UM, ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION HAS BEEN PROPERTY MOTION AND SECONDED.
UH, ARE THEY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT? UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
OPPOSED? YOU GOT THOSE OPPOSED? UM, UM, DAVE, WHICH WAY ARE YOU VOTING? NO.
UH, OPPOSITE OF WHAT? THE SECOND MOTION FAILED.
LEMME MAKE SURE WE GOT THE MOTION.
YOU'RE BACK TO THE REGULAR MOTION.
YOU'LL GOT THE, YOU GOT, DO YOU HAVE THE VOTES? YES.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, WHICH IS THE, BASICALLY TO, UM, PROVE THIS RESOLUTION.
PLEASE INDICATE BY WINGS IN YOUR HAND.
JUST THE RESOLUTION, RIGHT? THAT'S THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.
THOSE OPPOSED, WELL, THAT'S NOT, EXCUSE ME.
YOU'RE, THIS IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, NOT THE MOU, THE RESOLUTION.
OH, IT INCLUDES THE MOU, WHICH INCLUDES THE RESOLUTION, RIGHT? MO RIGHT.
ANY? NO, IT PASSED SEVEN TO ONE.
AND THE OTHER VOTE WAS THREE TO FIVE, THREE TO SIX, THREE TO FIVE.
EIGHT, THREE TO FIVE, THREE TO HIGHER
I THINK THANK, THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.
UM, I THINK WE ARE DOWN TO ADJOURNMENT AND I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN.
THANK YOU, MR. YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
I REMEMBER CAMPBELL, AND THIS IS BEAUFORD COUNTY MOMENTS.
WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD TODAY? THE FOOD HAS BEEN A GREAT PART OF OUR LIFE IN TERMS OF GATHERING FOOD AND PREPARING THEM.
OUR FOOD IS BASED ON THE LAND AND THE SEA.
THE LAND FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN RICE.
WE DON'T FEEL WE HAVE EATEN DINNER UNLESS WE'VE HAD RICE.
RICE WAS MIXED WITH VARIOUS ITEMS FROM THE SEA, LIKE OYSTERS OR SHRIMP.
AND WHEN THEY'RE COOKED WITH RICE IN ONE POT, WE CALL IT A RICE OR SHRIMP, OR AN OYSTER PERLOW.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE WATERMELONS AND THE SWEET POTATOES.
SWEET POTATOES WAS ALWAYS EATEN WITH FISH AND FRESH FISH WITH GRAVY AND A SWEET POTATO.
OKRA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FOOD WAYS.
WE, WE, WE RAISED THEM AS WELL AS WE PREPARE THEM WITH SHRIMP AND TOMATOES.
AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT A GUMBO.
AND THAT'S WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
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AND SO ENJOY THE FOOD OF THE LOW COUNTRY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR HISTORY.THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.