* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY. UH, [1. CALL TO ORDER] WELCOME TO PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING. I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS TO ORDER. THANK YOU GUYS FOR STICKING AROUND AND, UH, 'CAUSE OF MARK LAWSON. WE'RE AN HOUR LATE, BUT IT'S OKAY. UH, IF YOU GUYS COULD ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UN UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE . ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY. ARE WE GOOD WITH OUR STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE LA FOIA? YES, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL [4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA] HAVE APPROVAL FOR THE AGENDA. CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION AND A SECOND. I'LL SECOND IT. SECOND IT BY TAB. ANY DISCUSSION AND THE AGENDA BE APPROVED WITH NO DISCUSSION OR OBJECTION AND I SEE NONE. THE AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED. I'LL [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 20 20TH. 20. THANK YOU. 2025 A SECOND. WELL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SECOND IT. I READ 'EM SECOND IT WITH TAB. ANY OBJECTION AGAIN? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION AND WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO OUR [6. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD – 15 MINUTES TOTAL] PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. UM, WE DO HAVE 15 MINUTES. I HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP ALREADY. UM, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, MR. BUTLER. HI, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? GOOD, HOW ARE YOU DOING? DOING FANTASTIC. UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS BUTLER. I REPRESENT BUTLER MARINE. UM, TALKING, UH, WANTED TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING, UH, THE CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE FOR THE BOAT LANDINGS. I'VE READ THROUGH SOME OF THE CHANGES. I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE THAT'S HAVING, ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF THE BROAD. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HOW TO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS. HOWEVER, WHAT'S NOT IN HERE IN EXEMPTION FOR BOAT DEALERS, UH, WHICH WOULD BASICALLY AFFECT US FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH CUSTOMER'S, BOATS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT NEED TO BE RIVER TESTED. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT WE DO SEA TRIALS AND DELIVERIES. WE TRY TO STAY OUTTA THE BOAT LANDINGS ON THE WEEKENDS. THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR US. IT'S NOT EFFICIENT FOR US, SO WE TEND TO USE IT DURING THE WEEK WHEN THERE'S NOBODY NOT, UH, VERY FEW PEOPLE THERE. SO I'M REQUESTING THAT WHEN THIS IS REWRITTEN, I KNOW IT'S NOT BEING VOTED ON TODAY, BUT THAT SOMETHING IS PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE TO EXCLUDE, UH, OR EXEMPT, UM, BOAT DEALERS, BOAT REPAIR FACILITIES. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. ALRIGHT. AND THE OTHER ONE, CHRISTOPHER, AND TELL ME HOW TO PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME. S SHOEMAKER. SHOEMAKER. THANK YOU. OH YEAH. HEY CHRIS. SORRY. HOW'S THAT? WASN'T YOU? HIS HANDWRITING'S LIKE MINE. IT WAS HARD, BUT IT'S OKAY. I PROMISE. WE'RE GOOD. SO HOW YOU DOING SIR? THANKS FOR HAVING ME. I WAS JUST, UH, WANTED TO ADDRESS THE, UM, PROPOSAL WHERE YOU LIMITED THE, UM, TA OR SHUTTLE TO SIX OR LESS. UM, I'VE GOT BOATS THAT HOLD SIX OR MORE. THEY'RE COAST GUARD INSPECTED. UM, SO, SO BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE SHUTTLING BETWEEN DUSKY ISLAND AND BLUFFTON, UM, AT THE LANDING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DROP OFF, IT'S REALLY, THERE'S NO CARS OR NOT OBSTRUCTING ANY PARKING OR ANYTHING. AND, UM, THE BOATS ARE ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS THE UNINSPECTED, THE JUST THE DIFFERENCES. THE COAST GUARD INSPECTS MY BOATS. THEY'RE ACTUALLY MORE SAFE AND YOU CAN HANDLE UP TO 12 PASSENGERS. SO I WAS SEEING IF YOU COULD CHANGE THAT FROM 12 INSTEAD OF SIX. SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, UH, PARKING ISSUES AT THOSE LANDINGS, BUT I PROVIDE MY OWN PARKING. AND THEN WHEN YOU DROP PEOPLE OFF ONTO FUSSY, THERE'S NO CARS WHERE, SO I MEAN, THERE'S NO PARKING NOT CAUSING ANY PARKING ISSUES. UH, IT'S JUST DROP OFF PICKUP. SO, UM, NOT AFFECTING OTHER BOATS BEING PUT IN OR OUT. UM, IT'S LIKE DEF FUSSY SURPRISED THERE'S NOT ANYONE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THEM HERE TODAY, BUT THEY NEED THOSE LANDINGS FOR NOT JUST PEOPLE BEING BROUGHT OVER BUT SUPPLIES, FOOD, STUFF LIKE THAT. UM, SO IF YOU COULD JUST CONSIDER CHANGING THAT, UM, I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT DIDN'T GET A SIGN UP THAT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT, I WILL JUST TELL BOTH OF YOU GENTLEMEN THAT I HAD THAT ON MY LIST TO DISCUSS BOTH OF THEM. THEY'RE TWO OF THE THREE THINGS. SO THEY WILL BE DISCUSSED IF YOU DON'T WANNA WAIT TILL THE END AND [00:05:01] WATCH IT LATER. JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY WILL BE ADDRESSED AND TALKED ABOUT TODAY. UM, ALRIGHT. WE WILL MOVE ON INTO OUR AGENDA [7.a. Approval of a contract change order to Wood and Partners for additional permitting requirements for the Camp St. Mary's Park development project (Fiscal Impact: The original Wood and Partners contract amount was $284,150. The contract change order, including a 10% contingency, is $134,285. The original contract and change order is fully funded from account 4502-80-0000- 54420, which has an available balance of $2,655,174) (FISCAL IMPACT: The change order request is $96,245, plus a 10% contingency of $38,040, for a total change order cost of $134,285, which will be fully funded from account 4502-80-0000-54420 that has an available balance of $2,655,174) - Stefanie M. Nagid, Director of Land Preservation] ITEMS THEN. UM, APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT TO CHANGE ORDER TO WOOD AND PARTNERS FOR ADDITIONAL PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS FOR CAMP ST. MARY'S PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. YOU HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR? SO MOVED. THANK YOU. AND A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. BYE MR. GLOVER. THANK YOU SIR. HI, HOW ARE YOU? HI, I'M GOOD. UH, STEPHANIE NAJE, DIRECTOR OF LAND PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, IN AUGUST OF 2024, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONTRACT FOR WOODEN PARTNERS TO COMPLETE THE CIVIL PLANNING, PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT FOR THE CAMP ST. MARY'S PASS PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. IT WAS EXECUTED IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR. UM, IT WAS FOR A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS AT 2 84, 1 50. UM, DURING THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THE STATE, UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES REQUESTED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE WERE UNAWARE OF AT THE TIME. WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE PERMIT, UM, THEY INFORMED US THERE IS A BALD EAGLE NEST WITHIN 660 FEET. IT'S ACTUALLY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, SO IT'S NOT ON OUR PROPERTY. UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE BEND IN THE RIVER, WE DIDN'T SEE IT. UM, BUT IT IS WITHIN THE DISTANCE THAT DNR REQUIRES US TO DO SOME MONITORING. SO WE HAVE TO DO A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE NEST THIS WINTER TO DETERMINE IF IT'S ACTUALLY STILL ACTIVE OR NOT. AND THEN, UM, WHEN WE GO TO BID FOR CONSTRUCTION, THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE MONITORING WE NEED TO DO DURING THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE REQUEST. NOW TO DO THE ASSESSMENT, THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE ALSO INFORMED US THAT THERE ARE TWO ARCHEOLOGICAL POLYGONS ON THE PROPERTY. SO THEY'RE REQUIRING A PHASE ONE ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND THEN DEPENDENT ON WHAT THAT COMES BACK AS, THEY MAY REQUIRE US TO DO A PHASE TWO. SO THE CHANGE ORDER THAT WOODEN PARTNERS GAVE US IS, UM, THE PHASE ONE AND THE BALD EAGLES AS WELL AS AN ESTIMATE FOR THE PHASE TWO. AND THEN I'VE ADDED A CONTINGENCY ON THAT AS WELL, JUST IN CASE THAT PHASE TWO IS NEEDED AND GOES OVER. SO THIS CHANGE ORDER IS AN UP TO AMOUNT. UM, IT COULD BE LESS IF WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE PHASE TWO, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET STARTED ON THAT PROCESS WITHOUT HAVING SOMETHING IN PLACE SO WE COULD JUST KEEP CONTINUING TO MOVE THE PERMITTING FORWARD. UM, SO THAT RECOMMENDED AMOUNT, THE REQUEST IS THE 96,245 PLUS THE 10% CONTINGENCY, UM, WHICH DOES INCREASE THE, UM, EXISTING CONTRACT BY 1 34 285. WE DO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE IN THE PASSIVE PARKS BOND FUND. IT CURRENTLY HAS A, UM, 2.6 ISH. IT'S REDUCED SINCE THIS WAS SUBMITTED, BUT ABOUT A 2.6 BALANCE REMAINING. ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? YES MA'AM. SO HOW MUCH HAVE WE ALREADY SPENT ON THIS PROPERTY? THIS IS LIKE THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING. SO THE 2 MILLION OF THE $2 MILLION, UM, ALLOCATED TOWARDS CAMP ST. MARY'S, WE HAVE SPENT, INCLUDING THIS CONTRACT, WE'LL HAVE, UM, JUST SHY OF 1.4 REMAINING TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING THIS REQUEST. SO ROUGHLY $600,000 WITH THE PLANNING AND THE DEMO AND PERMITTING FEES AND, AND WILL WE BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL TO MAKE THIS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH $600,000? WHAT ABOUT IF THERE'S PHASE TWO OF THIS ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY? SO THIS CHANGE ORDER DOES INCLUDE THE PHASE TWO ESTIMATED. SO WILL WE BE ABLE TO MEET THEIR GOAL UNDER 2 MILLION? UM, I'M HOPING. UH, BUT YES, I MEAN ACCORDING TO OUR ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE, WHICH WAS DONE UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO NOW, THE 2 MILLION WAS GONNA BE SUFFICIENT AND WE WERE, WE'RE STILL GOOD IN MEETING THAT BUDGET. UM, BUT ONCE WE GET TO CONSTRUCTION AND GET THE BIDS AND WITH MARKET PRICES AND, AND WHAT'S YOUR PROJECTED TIMELINE TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT? YOU HAVE A THOUGHT? ANY THOUGHT? YES. SO THE, NOW THAT WE HAVE TO DO THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY, THAT'LL PROBABLY TAKE MOST OF NEXT YEAR, CALENDAR YEAR. OKAY. AND THEN, UM, BUT WE ARE HOPING, UM, ASIDE FROM WAITING FOR SHIPPO'S APPROVAL, WE CAN STILL GET OTHER APPROVALS DONE WITH CONTINGENT UPON SHIPPO BEING THE FINAL APPROVAL. SO WE ARE STILL HOPING THAT WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR PERMITTING APPROVALS BY DECEMBER OF NEXT YEAR, GET THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY STARTED, GET THOSE UNDERWAY. HOPEFULLY THEY WON'T TAKE BUT ABOUT MAYBE SIX MONTHS TO COMPLETE AND THEN FINISH THE PERMITTING IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS AND THEN HOPEFULLY GO TO BID IN 27 27. SO ABOUT THREE YEARS. WELL, IF WE GO TO CONSTRUCTION BID IN JANUARY 27, [00:10:01] THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THE, THERE'S NOT A TON OF STUFF TO DO, SO IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THEM MORE THAN NINE MONTHS. ONCE WE GET ALL THE PERMITS, IT SHOULDN'T TAKE CONSTRUCTION MORE THAN NINE MONTHS TO COMPLETE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ONLINE? CAN THIS BE APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION? MM-HMM . YES. ALRIGHT, I SEE NO OBJECTION. ITEM A PASSES. THANK, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS STILL GOES TO COUNCIL BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT WAS OVER 200. GOT IT. OKAY. WELL IT'S OVER THE THRESHOLD ANYWAYS, ISN'T IT? NO, IT'S WITHIN THE THRESHOLD ON THIS, BUT THE CONTRACT WAS UH, 2 84. OH, YOU'RE RIGHT. SO, SO IT'S COUNCIL CONTRACT? YEAH. ALRIGHT. APPROVAL TO AWARD [7.b. Approval to award contract to J. Bragg Consulting for Shell Point Drainage Improvements Design, Engineering, and Permitting ($326,515.25) (FISCAL IMPACT: The contract fee for design, engineering, and permitting is $296,832.25. Staff recommends a 10% contingency of $29,683 The total expected budget requested is $326,515.25. The funding for this project is Stormwater Infrastructure Account No. 5025-90-9020-54420, with a balance of $9,963,800.) - Bryan Bauer, Director of Engineering ] CONTRACT TO J BRAGG CONSULTING FOR SHELL POINT DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND PERMITTING. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON? SO MOVED. I SECOND. I'LL SECOND IT. THANK YOU. TAB ON BEHALF OF MS. HOWARD. THIS IS HER AREA. OKAY. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD AND YOU? DOING WELL. SO THIS IS FOR DESIGN AND PERMITTING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SHELL POINT AREA FOR DRAINAGE. UM, THAT AREAS CURRENTLY SEES ISSUES WITH FLOODING AROUND THE HAMRICK DRIVE. SO THIS WAS ORIGINALLY SOLICITED IN, UH, APRIL OF 22 AND J BRAG WAS SELECTED, UM, DUE TO SOME ISSUES THAT POPPED UP WITH A PREVIOUS STUDY THAT WAS DONE. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR FULL SCOPE OF WORK. SO THEIR PER THEIR CONTRACT EXPIRED EARLIER ON THIS YEAR. SO THIS IS TO PROVIDE THEM A NEW CONTRACT TO COMPLETE, UH, THAT STUDY. SO, OR NOT THE STUDY BUT THE DESIGN PERMITTING FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS. UH, THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IS 296,832. STAFF RECOMMENDS A 10% CONTINGENCY TO BREEDING THE FULL APPROVAL UP TO 326,000. ALRIGHT. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO THIS IS ADDITIONAL TO WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN TO THEM UNDER THEIR CONTRACT? NO, THIS IS JUST TO COMPLETE THE CONTRACT. SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING OVER THE ORIGINAL TASK ORDER AMOUNT. THIS IS JUST TO THEIR CONTRACT EXPIRED. SO THIS IS TO GIVE THEM A NEW CONTRACT TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE WORK. SO THE, THE MONEY THAT'S COMING OUT THEN, SO IT WAS THERE SOMETHING BUDGETED THEN BACK THREE YEARS AGO THAT WAS STILL IN THE BUDGET? YES, THERE WAS STILL LEFT ON THE BUDGET TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, BUT THE CONTRACT EXPIRED BEFORE WE COULD EXTEND IT. OKAY. UM, LET, LET ME ASK IT ANOTHER WAY. OKAY. HOW MUCH DID WE SPEND SO FAR? OH, WE SPENT, UM, IT WAS ABOUT 323,000 SO FAR. OKAY. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ADD ANOTHER 307,000 FOR ABOUT 600 YES SIR. TO $700,000. YES SIR. WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY THE SCOPE. YES, SIR. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND WHEN YOU SAY THE CONTRACT EXPIRED, IS THAT DUE TO US OR THEM? UH, THIS PROJECT HAD PASSED ROUND COMING FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO ENGINEERING. SO IN THAT TRANSITION PERIOD, UM, HAD A PRECISE EXPIRATION DATE. I THINK IT WAS JUNE 15TH AND THAT JUST DID NOT GET CAUGHT IN THE TRANSITION. SO IT'S ON US. UH, YES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SO JUST TO CLARIFY, FOR THE PUBLIC, THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT ADDING ANY EXTRA FUNDS TO IT, WE'RE JUST RENEGOTIATE OR RE-UPPING THE CONTRACT FOR THE REMAINING BALANCE FROM THE ORIGINAL SCOPE? YES. ALRIGHT. ANY OBJECTION. AND THIS WILL ALSO BE APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION, MOVE ON TO [7.c. Approval of a contract to Infrastructure Consulting and Engineering for Beaufort County 2018 Pathway Projects ($1,130,144.24) (FISCAL IMPACT: The requested contract fee for remaining work is $1,130,144.24. Staff recommends a 10% contingency of $113,015 bringing the total approval to $1,243,159.24. The funding for this project is 2018 Sales Tax Pathway Account No. 4705-80-0000-54500-PTHWY, with a balance of $14,384,586.58.) - Bryan Bauer, Director of Engineering] C APPROVAL OF CONTRACT TO INFRASTRUCTURE CONSULTING AND ENGINEERING FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY 2018 PATHWAY PROJECTS. WE HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR. SO MOVED. THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN. I SECOND MR. GLOVER. ALL RIGHTY. ALRIGHT. AND THIS IS TO GIVE A NEW CONTRACT TO INFRASTRUCTURE CONSULTING AND ENGINEERING, UM, A NEW CONTRACT TO COMPLETE THE 2018 PATHWAYS. THIS ONE, UH, THEIR PREVIOUS CONTRACT WAS, UM, IT HAS REACHED THE MAXIMUM TIME ON THE CONTRACT. SO THEY ARE UP FOR A NEW CONTRACT. AND THIS ONE IS THEIR PREVIOUS CONTRACT HAD A, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A GENERIC DESIGN SERVICES, WHICH THERE WAS OUT SCOPE WORK INVOLVED WITH THAT FOR RIGHT OF WAY SERVICES, ADDITIONAL DESIGN THAT WAS NEEDED FOR STRUCTURES, FOR BRIDGES, FOR PATHWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THIS IS GONNA BE IN ADDITION TO THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR 1.1 MILLION WITH A 10% CONTINGENCY OF 113,000. ANY QUESTIONS? AND I'M SORRY, MOST OF THIS IS GONNA BE TO COMPLETE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, SO THAT'S ALWAYS FUN. THAT'LL TAKE YOU ANOTHER TWO YEARS. YEAH. ALRIGHT, I SEE NO DISCUSSION. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS? ALL RIGHT, THIS CAN BE APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THIS YOUR SIDEWALK? WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. AIRPORT [7.d. Informational Item: Airport Capital Improvement Program (ACIP) list for Beaufort Executive Airport (ARW) (FISCAL IMPACT: n/a) - Jon Rembold, C.M. Airports Director] CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM LIST FOR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT OF A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THANK YOU TAB. I'LL SECOND THAT BY MS. BROWN. JOHN, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? DOING GREAT, [00:15:01] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, I BRING THIS, UH, THE A CI PS TO YOU EVERY YEAR AS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM JUST SO YOU'RE IN THE LOOP INTO, UM, AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE SUBMITTING TO THE FAA, THE FAA REQUIRES EACH YEAR THAT WE SUBMIT TO THEM A, UH, MINIMUM FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PLAN. UH, AND THAT HELPS THEM PROGRAM THEIR FUNDING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, UM, FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL. SO IF YOU LOOK AT BEFOR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, ACTUALLY BOTH AIRPORTS ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, SAFETY AND CAPACITY PROJECTS. UH, ON THE CIP LIST, UM, YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TWO OF THEM SIDE BY SIDE, YOU JUST, THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE THAT YOU NOTICE IS THE, THE FUNDING IN EACH ONE BECAUSE BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE, JUST THE GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT, SO IT'S GOT A LOWER AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDING. AND THEN, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S GOT THE MORE FEDERAL FUNDING THERE. BUT THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU WHAT WE'VE GOT SCHEDULED THERE. THE FIRST PROJECT AT BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE IS THAT PARTIAL PARALLEL TAXI WAVE PROJECT THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE AND IMPROVE THE GRANTS FOR. SO LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE, BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT. UM, THE OTHER THING THE FA HAS THAT'S A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE IS IN BETWEEN A DESIGN PROJECT AND A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. THEY MAKE YOU TAKE A GAP YEAR. SO IT'S NOT JUST A KID GOING TO COLLEGE. UH, BUT WE DO THAT IN THE, IN THE GRANT WORLD SOMETIMES AS WELL. SO THIS IS OUR, OUR GAP YEAR COMING UP, AND THEN 27 IS WHEN WE'LL ACTUALLY EXECUTE THE CONSTRUCTION OUT THERE. SO THAT'S BASICALLY A, OR W OR OR BEFORD EXECUTIVE IN A NUTSHELL. UM, SO WE CAN EITHER ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS THERE OR MOVE ON TO HILTON HEAD EITHER WAY BECAUSE THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN. UM, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE DISCUSSION. RIGHT. AND REALLY JUST AS A REMINDER, WHAT WHAT WE DO HERE, WE'LL SUBMIT THIS TO THE FAA AND THEN, UH, YEAH, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANY ACTION. OKAY. I THOUGHT SO. I WAS JUST MAKING SURE. NO, UM, BRIAN, I WAS READY FOR YOU, MAN. , I THOUGHT JOHN COULD HANDLE THIS. SURE. GOT IT. WE SUBMIT IT TO THE FAA AND THEN IT RESULTS IN, IN A MEETING BETWEEN US AND THE FAA TO JUST DISCUSS WHAT WE THINK IS KIND OF COMING UP AT THE AIRPORT. AND, AND WE'VE ALREADY WORKED ON THIS WITH THEM ANYWAY, SO THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT'S COMING AND, UH, IT MAY CHANGE A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE, UH, THE MARCH TIMEFRAME IS, WHICH IS WHEN THEY KIND OF NAIL IT IN FOR THE, THE, THE FIRST YEAR ON THIS LIST BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE, UH, THE GRANT FUNDING STARTS COMING AROUND IS IN SPRINGTIME. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS, BUT IT'S A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH BETWEEN THE AIRPORTS AND THE FAA. ALRIGHT, SINCE WE HAVE NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN [7.e. Informational Item: Airport Capital Improvement Program (ACIP) list for Hilton Head Island Airport (HXD) (FISCAL IMPACT: n/a) - Jon Rembold, C.M. Airports Director] ON IT, LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND IF I CAN GET A MOTION FOR E AS WELL, IT'S ANOTHER INFORMATIONAL ITEM, THE AIRPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM LIST FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORTS. SO MOVED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SECOND THAT AND SECOND BY MS. BROWN. ALL RIGHT. AND AGAIN, ON THAT ONE, IT'S, UM, FOCUSED MOSTLY ON THE SAFETY AND CAPACITY PROJECTS. UH, HILTON HAS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERESTING. WE'VE GOT SOME KIND OF, SOME BLANKS IN THERE ON THE DOLLAR SIDE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A MASTER PLAN UPDATE AT HILTON HEAD AS WELL. SO, UH, WE'VE GOT WHAT WE THINK THE FAA WANTS TO SEE ON THE CIP LIST, BUT WE'RE FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT THERE'S GONNA BE SOME CHANGES THERE BASED ON THE MASTER PLAN. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT IN FLUX. HENCE, THE COLLABORATIVE AIRPORT [7.f. A Resolution to accept a South Carolina Aeronautics Commission (SCAC) Commercial Airport Entitlement Grant ($18,455) funding for Terminal Lot Tree Removal at the Hilton Head Island Airport — CONTINGENT UPON FINAL SCAC GRANT OFFER.] ENTITLEMENT GRANT FUNDING FOR TERMINAL LOT TREE REMOVAL AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT, CONTINGENT UPON THE FINAL SCAC GRANT. OFFER A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR. SO MOVED. THANK YOU, SIR. SECOND THAT. THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS A, AS IT SAYS, IT'S JUST A GRANT ACCEPTING GRANTS. WE'LL ACTUALLY BE PRESENTING THIS TOMORROW UP AT, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS. AND WE HAD SOME TREES IN THE PARKING LOT THAT GET STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AND KILL THE TREES. THEY BECAME HAZARD TREES, SO THEY HAD TO BE REMOVED. AND WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO, UH, ELEVATE THE LOWER PART OF THE CANOPY OF TREES, WHICH IS A GREAT TIME OF YEAR TO DO IT WITH DAYLIGHT SAVINGS. TIME EXPIRING BECAUSE IT GETS DARKER EARLIER. SO WE'VE GOT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE TERMINAL PARKING LOT IN HOURS OF DARKNESS. AND SO BY RAISING THE, THE CANOPIES, IT ALLOWS THOSE PARKING LOT LIGHTS TO BE A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE. SO THAT'S WHAT THIS DID. WE JUST CLEANED UP THE PARKING LOT AND REMOVED THE HAZARD TREES. ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, JUST ONE QUICK ONE. UM, REMOVAL, REFURBISHING REFORESTING OR YOU? NO, THESE ARE, THESE ARE PINE TREES. OH, YOU PINE. SO THERE'S NO, NO REQUIREMENT. AND THEY'RE, THEY WERE KILLED BY LIGHTNING. SO THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT. I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT A PINE BACK UP, BUT YOU CAN PUT SOMETHING DOWN. NO, ACCORDING TO LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, IT'S NOT REQUIRED. THAT'S NOT GONNA BE DONE. OKAY. YOU, YOU DO KNOW, UH, THE CANOPY OF TREES GONNA SAVE ENERGY, BUT GO AHEAD. AIRPORTS DON'T LIKE TREES. YEAH. THANK YOU BRIAN. THAT'S TRUTH. THAT'S TRUTH. AIRPLANES . THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU BRIAN FOR POINTING THAT OUT. CAN THIS BE DONE WITH NO OBJECTION. [00:20:02] AND I SEE NO OBJECTION. THIS WILL ALSO BE APPROVED AND MOVED ON TO COUNTY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. THANKS. ALRIGHT. A RESOLUTION [7.g. A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a First Amended Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) Between Beaufort County and the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank (SIB) for the US 278 Corridor Project. (FISCAL IMPACT: No additional County revenue is required beyond the amounts already allocated to the US 278 Corridor Project through existing funding sources. The amended IGA restructures existing commitments but does not increase the County’s overall financial contribution beyond $101 million.) - Jared Fralix, Assistant County Administrator, and Bryan Bauer, Director of Engineering] AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF THE FIRST AMENDED INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE BANK FOR THE US 2 78 CORRIDOR PROJECT. DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. I FIGURED YOU'D BE JUMPED. THERE IT IS. IN THE SECOND BY TAB. JARED, YOU'VE BE WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THIS ONE. THIS IS A GOOD DAY. YES, . THAT'S ALRIGHT. FLOOR IS YOURS, MY FRIEND. OKAY. SO AS MOST OF YOU IN THE ROOM, HOPEFULLY KNOW AND DEFINITELY COUNSEL. SO THIS IS OUR AMENDED PROJECT FOR THE US 2 78 BRIDGE PROJECT. SO THIS, OUR AMENDED PROJECT IS A THREE LANE BRIDGE SECTION, UH, ON THE EASTBOUND, REPLACING THE TWO EASTBOUND BRIDGES. UM, GOING TO HILTON HEAD, IT WILL BE STRIPED AS TWO LANES, BUT IT'LL BE WIDE ENOUGH FOR THREE LANES. AND THAT IS THE REBRANDED PROJECT THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. THE TOTAL PRICE IS $311 MILLION, $11.6 MILLION. UM, THE COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE SENT TO SIB, UH, SIV HAS VOTED ON IT. THEY ALSO SENT IT TO THE JOINT BOND REVIEW TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT AUTHORITY TO GIVE APPROVAL TO THAT. THEY HAVE ALL THOSE CHECK BOXES HAVE TAKEN PLACE. AND, UM, WE WORK WITH THE SIBS ATTORNEYS TO DRAFT THE AMENDED IGA. UM, THEY PUT IN A FEW THINGS, UM, JUST TO, TO NOTE THE PARTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT. UM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S THE FUNDING PART OF THE PROJECT AND THEN THE STRUCTURE AS FAR AS THE PRIORITIZATION OF FUNDS, HOW THOSE FLOW OUT. THE COUNTIES FUNDS GO FIRST. THAT WAS ALREADY STRUCTURED IN THE ORIGINAL IGA, UM, AND THE SIBS COME OUT LAST, UM, DOT ALSO COMMITTED THAT THEY WILL, UM, HELP CONTRIBUTE UP TO 30% OF OVERRUNS. SO THAT WAS BIG IN THEIR DECISION. SIBS DECISION TO, UM, UPHOLD THE, UH, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT. AND THEN, UM, IT HAS A CONSTRUCTION DATE OF 2031. SO THAT IS OUR NEW DATE WITH THE SIB IS THE END OF THE YEAR OF 2031 TO BE FULLY CONSTRUCTED. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN DELIVER BEFORE THAT, BUT THAT IS THE END OF OUR AGREEMENT DATE. UM, THE OTHER THING THAT THEY DID ADD INTO THE AMENDED IGA, THIS CAME FROM THEIR LAWYERS. UM, DUE TO OTHER PROJECTS THAT THEY'VE HAD AROUND THE STATE, THEY PUT A LITTLE BIT EXTRA TEETH ON THERE. UM, IF THE PROJECT STARTS TO FALL APART, THAT THEY CAN PULL BACK THEIR FUNDS A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, EASIER FROM THEIR STANDPOINT. IT DOESN'T, UM, MEAN ANYTHING UNLESS WE'VE EXPENDED FUNDS AND THEN THE PROJECT FALLS APART. TO DATE, WE HAVE NOT EXPENDED ANY FUNDS. ALL THE FUNDS, THE $120 MILLION THAT WE HAVE ATTRIBUTED TOWARDS THE PROJECT FROM CIP ARE GEARED TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION. SO WE HAVEN'T MADE IT TO CONSTRUCTION YET. SO WE HAVEN'T SPENT ANY FUNDS, UM, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED ANYHOW. SO THOSE ARE THE, THE, UH, UPDATES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE IGA THAT IS ALSO THERE IN THE BACKUP FOR REFERENCE. I HAVE A QUESTION. OH, IT'S YOU. I'M SORRY. I WANT, IT'S OKAY. SO, UM, IT SAYS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT, THE COUNTY SHALL PAY THE BANK REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES. GOOD GRIEF. WE'RE GONNA ASSUME THE STATE WILL ASSESS AS A REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEE. YES. SO AGAIN, THIS IS FROM OTHER COMPLICATIONS THEY'VE HAD ON OTHER PROJECTS AND SO THEY ADDED SOME LANGUAGE THERE. I SAID THAT. UM, BUT THAT IS, YES. DO WE GET TO DETERMINE IT'S REASONABLE FEE OR I'M SURE, UM, OUR ATTORNEY WILL HAVE HIS COMMENTS ON WHETHER IT'S REASONABLE OR NOT. I'M SURE NOT. OUR GOAL IS NOT TO EVEN GET TO THAT POINT. BUT IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE TO, THAT'S WHAT THAT PROVISION'S FOR. YEAH. WE DON'T HAVE TO LET THEM BULLY US. WE CAN DISAGREE WITH THEM AND IF THEY WANNA CHALLENGE US SO WE CAN GO TO COURT. BECAUSE IN THE END, ARE THERE ANY REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES? LET'S BE HONEST HERE. I THINK MY FEES ARE REASONABLE. THAT'S JUST RHETORICAL. SORRY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? NO, JARED. GOOD JOB. THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR LIKE 20 YEARS NOW. WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF PLAYERS THAT ARE INVOLVED, SO JUST GLAD IT'S MOVING FORWARD. UM, TO BE HONEST, THIS 20 YEARS AGO I WAS STILL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEY WERE DISCUSSING THIS. SO FOR THIS TO ACTUALLY, I'M BEING COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU, THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE THEN. AND FOR THIS FINALLY TO GET DONE IS COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, AND YOUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS FULL CIRCLE. UH, WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD AND STOP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. SO THANK YOU. AND TO YOUR TEAM, UH, ONE HECK OF A JOB. YEP, YEP. ABSOLUTELY. SO THIS BE APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION. YES. YES. MM-HMM . I SEE NO OBJECTION. THIS IS APPROVED. ALRIGHT. UH, [7.h. A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Cost-Share Agreement Between Beaufort County, the Town of Bluffton, and Buckwalter Place Association, Inc. for the Development, Construction, and Ownership of the Washington Square – Buckwalter Place Connector Road. (FISCAL IMPACT: Beaufort County’s share of the project will not exceed $133,334, plus up to 20% in approved cost overages if applicable. Funds will be drawn from the County’s Transportation Impact Fee account for the Southern Service Area, 2300-30-0000-54500-SOUTH, with a balance of $3,856,560.30) - Jared Fralix, Assistant County Administrator] HA RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A COST SHARED AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEAVER COUNTY, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, AND THE BUCKWALTER PLACE ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION AND OWNERSHIP OF THE WASHINGTON SQUARE BUCKWALTER PLACE. CONNECTOR ROAD. I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR. [00:25:01] SO MOTION. THANK YOU, MARK. SECOND, I'LL SECOND THAT. THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN. JARED. SO THIS IS SIMILAR TO A ANOTHER COST SHARE AGREEMENT THAT COUNCIL COMMITTED TO WITH THE TOWN ON BLUFFTON. UM, DIFFERENT DEVELOPER, BUT A SIMILAR PROJECT. SO THERE, THIS IS OFF OF BUCK WALTER, UM, AND IT CONNECTS BUCK WALTER PLACE AND WASHINGTON SQUARE DEVELOPMENTS. UM, SO THERE'S A PLAN FOR A CONNECTION ROAD AND THE THE INTENT IS THAT, UM, PEOPLE USING BOTH DEVELOPMENTS, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GET ON BUCK WALTER. THEY CAN USE THE ACCESS ROAD TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEVELOPMENTS. AND SO AS PART OF THIS, UM, THE THREE-WAY COMMITMENT IS BETWEEN THE TOWN, THE COUNTY, AND THE DEVELOPER OF BUCK WALTER PLACE, THE BUCK WALTER PLACE. THEY WOULD TAKE THE LEAD AND MOVE FORWARD IN THE CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN WE WOULD SPLIT THE COST ESTIMATED AT $400,000 IN A THREE-WAY SPLIT. SO $133,000 THERE IS A 20% CONTINGENCY. SO IF THE PRICE GOES BEYOND THAT, THAT'S OUR, OUR OUTER LIMIT IS 133 PLUS 20% OF, UH, OF 400,000. SO 80,000. UM, A THIRD OF THAT. AND THEN, UM, AT THE END OF THE CONCLUSION OF THIS CONSTRUCTION, UM, THIS PROJECT, THIS ROADWAY WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. THEY WOULD BE THE LONG-TERM OWNER OF A PUBLIC STREET. SO, UM, WE'RE CONTRIBUTING IT WOULD BE IMPACT FEES THAT WE WOULD UTILIZE FOR OUR SHARE. AND, UM, IF APPROVED, WE'D COORDINATE AND COORDINATE BACK WITH THE TOWN AND THE DEVELOPER. ANY DISCUSSION? UM, DO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING TO CONNECT? YEAH, SO, UM, I THE DON'T HAVE THE EXHIBIT. I THOUGHT IT WAS ATTACHED, BUT I DIDN'T NO, IT WASN'T. UM, IT'S BEHIND THE GAS STATION. OKAY. THE GAS STATION. AND IT'S ALREADY, THERE WAS A PERMIT ALREADY, UM, RIGHT. FOR THE WETLAND. SO IT'S ALREADY KIND OF ESTABLISHED, BUT IT TIES BACK TO THE ROAD. WASHINGTON SQUARE ALREADY HAS IT PAVED TO THE PROPERTY LINE. RIGHT. AND THEN IT COMES IN BEHIND STARBUCKS JUST IN FRONT OF, JUST IN FRONT OF, UM, KROGER. RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. IT'S WHERE THAT POND IS ON THE RIGHT, RIGHT BEHIND IT. IT GOES RIGHT TO THAT EASEMENT. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. OKAY. UM, ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE YES MA'AM. QUESTIONS. UM, SO THE COUNTY'S GONNA PUT MONEY INTO A ROAD THAT'S GONNA BE OWNED BY BLUFFTON. WHY WE DIDN'T PUT ANY MONEY IN. SO THIS WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN OUR IMPACT FEE STUDY. SO BUCK WALTER PLACE, ACCESS MANAGEMENT. AND SO, UM, ANYTHING THAT HAS SAFETY OR CAPACITY, AND THIS ADDRESSES BOTH SAFETY AND CAPACITY. SO, UM, PEOPLE THAT AREN'T USING, MORE, PEOPLE THAT AREN'T USING BUCK WALTER IS A, IS A BETTERMENT OF THAT ROADWAY. MM-HMM . SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE'RE ENTERTAINING. YOU KNOW WHO THE OWNER IS OF, UH, WASHINGTON SQUARE. HE'S ALSO ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, HE WAS, I BELIEVE HE WAS RECENTLY, YES. OH, IS HE NEW AND LONGER ON THERE? NO, HE, YEAH, HE RECENTLY BECAME ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S A CONFLICT? NO, THIS WAS, THIS HAS BEEN A CONNECTOR ROAD FOR A LONG TIME PLANNED. AND AGAIN, UM, REGARDLESS OF THE OWNER OF THE DEVELOPMENT, LIKE HOW, LIKE HOW LONG, UH, BEGINNING OF DEVELOPMENT OF KROGER SINCE BUCK WALTER PLACE. P UUD WAS ESTABLISHED LIKE 10 YEARS AGO, MAYBE BEFORE THAT. OKAY. BECAUSE THEY'RE EVEN I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS LONG TIME. THANKS. YEAH, BECAUSE THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS THERE'S ANOTHER CONNECTION THAT'S GONNA GO TO THE BACK LOT OF THE MOVIE THEATER TO WASHINGTON SQUARE AS WELL. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACCESS MANAGEMENT, UH, PLAN OF BUCK WALTER THAT WE JUST UPDATED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE GOAL IS TO KEEP AS MANY PEOPLE OFF BUCKWALTER AS POSSIBLE. RIGHT. SO NOW YOU'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO BASICALLY GO FROM THAT ENTRANCE OFF OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY AND HOPEFULLY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MOVIE THEATER WITHOUT TOUCHING BUCK WALTER, WE ALSO HAVE A ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR BUCK WALTER THE COUNTY DOES. SO BUCK WALTERS COUNTY ON ROAD, WE HAVE ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN. I THINK IT WAS ORIGINALLY DONE IN 2007 AND THEN WE UPDATED IT IN 2021. AND IT HIGHLIGHTS CREATING CONNECTOR ROADS, UM, ALONGSIDE BOTH SIDES OF BUCK WALTER, WHEREVER WE CAN IN ORDER TO KEEP AS MANY VEHICLES OFF BUCK WALTER AS POSSIBLE. OKAY. WAS THIS ONE OF THE CONNECTORS? YEAH, IT WAS. YEP. AND THE CONNECTORS ON THAT ACCESS PLAN, THEY'RE JUST LINES MM-HMM . UM, JUST TO REPRESENT FUTURE CONNECTOR ROADS. THIS IS THE ACTUAL CONNECTOR ROAD ITSELF. SO IT'S MAKING GOOD ON ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN ALSO. UM, ISN'T THIS ROAD GONNA BE, IS GONNA BE ACCESSED BY, UM, A CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IS GONNA GO IN THERE ALSO? I'M NOT AWARE NEXT TO WASHINGTON SQUARE. I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT YOU'RE NOT BECAUSE IS THAT WHERE IT IS, IS WHERE THE STARBUCKS IS? IT'S GOING BEHIND STARBUCKS. SO IF YOU, IF YOU'RE GOING STARBUCKS TO THE GAS STATION, RIGHT? YEAH. IF YOU'RE, SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CUT THROUGH THERE AND NOT GET ON BUCK UP. CORRECT. YOU COULD GO FROM STARBUCKS TO KROGER AND NOT THE BOWLING ALLEY . YEAH. YEAH. BOLD. [00:30:01] VERY BOLD. ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH JARED. I APPRECIATE IT. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. UM, WITH, WITH THAT SAID, UM, THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED SINCE BUCK WALTER PLACE EVEN STARTED TO BE DEVELOPED TO CONNECT ALL THOSE ROADS. UM, OUR GOAL IS TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC AND TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GETS IT DONE. AND HONESTLY, I'D RATHER THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UM, OWN AND OPERATE IT SO IT DOESN'T GET CHOPPY BECAUSE THEY ALREADY ARE MAINTAINING SOME OF THE OTHER ROADS. SO IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO DO IT. PLUS IT DOESN'T PUT A TAX BURDEN ON OUR TAXPAYERS TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT ROAD FOR THE NEXT 20 AND 30 YEARS. UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS? NO. NO. ALRIGHT. AND I SEE NO OBJECTION. THIS WILL BE APPROVED. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHTY. UM, [7.i. An Ordinance Authorizing the Acceptance and Possible Eminent Domain Associated with a Drainage Easement located in Rivers End Subdivision Identified as Open Area in Plat Book 59 at page 118. (FISCAL IMPACT: No cost for drainage easement. Work on roadside drainage to be included in Stormwater Maintenance account # 5025-90-9020-51170. Future (FY 2027) Water Quality BMP estimated cost $1,824,737.85 funded by possible grants and Stormwater Regulatory Account # 5025-90-9010-51160. ) - Taylor Brewer, Stormwater Program Manager] AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF POSSIBLE IMMINENT DOMAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT LOCATED IN RIVERS IN SUBDIVISION IDENTIFIED AS OPEN AREA. AND PLAT BOOK 59 AT PAGE ONE 18. A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR. SO MOVED. I SECOND? SECOND. YEP. THANK YOU MR. LAWSON. DISCUSSION. HI, HOW ARE YOU? HI. GOOD. HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. TAYLOR BREWER, STORMWATER MANAGER. I ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME QUESTION WHEN WE DO IN THE DOMAIN. HAVE WE TRIED AND EXHAUSTED ALL OPTIONS FOR WHICHEVER PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE NOT RESPONDED BACK? SO WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR EASEMENTS. WE'VE SENT OUT DOCUMENTS AND WE ARE GETTING A POSITIVE RESPONSE. SO, WE'LL, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, UM, ALL 154 SIGNATURES, UM, WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO CONDEMNATION. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'VE ALREADY HEARD BACK FROM THE OWNERS IN CALIFORNIA, UH, WE HAD EIGHT PARCELS THAT WE WERE PRETTY WORRIED ABOUT, BUT, UM, THEY'VE ALREADY SIGNED THEIR MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS AND THEY'RE COMING IN DAILY. SO I'M HAPPY YOU PUT A NUMBER ON THAT TO SO WE CAN EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, LIKE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE 2018 REFERENDUM, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING, BUT IF ONE OF THOSE DOESN'T SIGN OFF, IT COULD PUT A HOLD ON THE PROJECT FOR OVER A YEAR, EASY YEARS. ABSOLUTELY. AND JUST TO REITERATE, THIS IS A PROJECT WE'RE PUTTING MAJOR MONEY INTO TO RESTORE THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM ALONG THE MAIN DRAG. AND THAT WILL BE PRETTY MUCH, UH, NOT EFFECTIVE UNLESS WE CAN MAINTAIN THE POND. AND IN THIS INSTANCE, UM, EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY OWNS 154TH OF THE POND AND IT HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED. SO. ALRIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? NO. THIS BE APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION. ALRIGHT. I SEE NO OBJECTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THAT, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES SIR. UM, BEFORE YOU GO ON, I, UM, MS. MS. TAYLOR, UH, COULD I SEE YOU AFTER THE MEETING? YES SIR. ARE YOU GONNA BE AROUND? OKAY. THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT. AFTER TODAY, MAYBE NOT TODAY, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU, CAN I GIVE YOU A PHONE CALL OR SOMETHING? OH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE AROUND AFTER THIS MEETING? NO, SIR. YOU CAN CERTAINLY BRING IT UP WITH ME. I, I'LL TALK TO. OKAY, THANK YOU. YES SIR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THAT ENDS OUR ACTION ITEMS. NOW WE HAVE A COUPLE DISCUSSION ITEMS. UM, JUST SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, THESE ARE DISCUSSION. UM, I ENJOY HAVING THESE ON HERE 'CAUSE THIS IS HOW WORK ACTUALLY GETS DONE IN THE PUBLIC AND NOT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. THIS IS THE WAY EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT SHOULD WORK. UM, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST START JUMPING INTO [8.a. Discussion regarding the acceptance private roads of Somerset Point Phase 2 HOA Roads into the County Road Inventory (FISCAL IMPACT: Current road conditions meet county standards; future impacts could cost below: Estimated potential cost for 20-year resurfacing ≈ $2.44 million (C-Funds account # 2343-30- 0000-54500) Estimated potential costs for Public Works of roadside cleaning ≈ $35,075 (Stormwater Infrastructure account # 5025-90-9020-51170)) - Bryan Bauer, Director of Engineering, and Kelsie Floyd, Right of Way Manager] A COUPLE OF THESE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE ACCEPTANCE OF PRIVATE ROADS OF SOMER POINT, PHASE TWO HOA ROADS INTO THE COUNTY ROAD INVENTORY. I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS DISCUSSION ON THE FLOOR. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. AND A SECOND PLEASE. I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU MR. GLOVER WILL COME BACK. THANK YOU. UM, YEAH, SO SOMERSET POINT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD IN LAYS ISLAND AT THE END OF MARSH HAWK. PHASE ONE WAS COMPLETED WHEN THE ROAD, WHEN THE COUNTY USED TO TAKE OVER ROADS JUST BY DEEDING THAT WHEN THE DEVELOPER DEEDED TO US, WE, THAT'S NO LONGER OUR POLICY. WE HAVE POLICY STATEMENT 15 AND 17 THAT NOW GOVERNS, UM, TAKING OVER PRIVATE ROADS. SO PHASE TWO WAS BUILT A GOOD WHILE AFTER PHASE ONE. UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS REACHED OUT TO OUR RIGHTWAY MANAGERS, PATTY WILSON AND KELSEY FLOYD TO DISCUSS, UM, TAKING THE ROADS IN. SO WE WANTED TO BRING THAT FORWARD TO Y'ALL. THERE'S ABOUT SEVEN, SEVEN ROADS, 0.95 MILES IN PHASE TWO, 10 ROADS, 3.25 MILES IN PHASE ONE. UM, PHASE ONE ROADS ARE CURRENTLY COUNTING MAINTAINED AND COUNTY ROADS. SO IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS WITH ANY OF THIS? HAS THIS GONE TO THE CTC? IT HAS NOT. I SPOKE TO CHAIRMAN GORDON THIS MORNING MM-HMM . AND, UM, HE WAS ON BOARD WITH IT. BUT WE WOULD TAKE IT TO CTC IN JANUARY. OKAY. 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA BYPASS THEM. YEAH. YEAH. WE WOULD PRESENT IT TO THEM JUST KIND OF AS A INFORMATIONAL ITEM. UM, TO BRING THE ROAD IN THE SYSTEM IS Y'S DECISION, UM, WHETHER THEY WOULD WANT TO SEND SPEND CTC FUNDS ON THE MAINTENANCE OF IT WOULD BE THEIR DECISION. BUT HE SEEMED AMENABLE TO IT THIS MORNING. SO THESE ARE NOT DIRT ROADS, CORRECT? NO MA'AM. THESE ARE PAVED ROADS. OKAY. AND SO WE HAVE THE TESTING RESULTS FROM WHEN THE THIRD PARTY [00:35:01] TESTER, WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT WAS BUILT MM-HMM . UM, BUT WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH ADDITIONAL DUE DILIGENCE TO INCLUDE PAVEMENT, CORING, AND VIDEOING OF THE STORM WATER SYSTEM. AND WE'LL BRING THAT TO YOU IN JANUARY. UM, UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS. YES, SIR. UM, YEAH, THIS IS, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS HAS NOT BEEN ONE OF OUR POLICIES TO, TO DO THIS. UM, AND IF WE DO, WE THEN OPEN UP THE, THE, UM, UH, CAN OF WORMS TO THEN ACCEPT EVERY OTHER DEVELOPMENT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, NORTH AND SOUTH. AND YOU SEE WHAT THE COST IS. YES, SIR. IF WE START ACCEPTING THESE IN ALL THESE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AGAIN, THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ASSOCIATIONS, UM, WHICH THEY'RE PAYING FOR OTHER THINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO EVERY HOMEOWNER TO PAY FOR THAT AND PUT MONEY ASIDE AND, AND HAVE A, A FUND TO PAY FOR THIS. UM, I THINK WE EVEN TURNED DOWN, UM, VIEW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THEY CAME TO US RECENTLY AND WANTED US TO, TO BRING THEIR ROADS INTO THE, THE COUNTY AS AS A COUNTY ROAD. BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRIVATELY OWNED. UM, I AM NOT FOR US STARTING TO DO THIS. UM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE COSTS, UM, YOU KNOW, 20 YEAR RESURFACING, $2.4 MILLION, THAT'S JUST FOR THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE AMOUNT OF MILES THAT YOU'VE GOT. UM, THAT WE THEN DO IT FOR THEM WHEN THE NEXT DEVELOPMENTS THAT COME IN AND SAY, WELL, YOU DID IT FOR THEM, I'LL DO FOR US. AND THEN WE END UP ADDING TO OUR COUNTY ROADS, UM, WHICH ARE REALLY JUST USED BY THOSE DEVELOPMENTS. THEY ALL, MOST OF 'EM ARE ALL DEAD ENDS. MOST OF 'EM, THE CUL-DE-SACS, MOST OF THEM HAVE AN ENTRANCE IN AN ENTRANCE OUT THAT YEAH, THESE ARE, THE PUBLIC IS NOT GONNA USE IT UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO VISIT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. SO THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE USING IT ARE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. SO YEAH, THIS IS NOT A GATED COMMUNITY, BUT IT YEAH. MO THERE'S NOT OUTLET OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, SO YEAH, I MEAN I, I I THINK THIS IS OPENING UP A, A BAD PRECEDENT FOR US TO ACCEPT, UM, UH, PRIVATE ROADS AS, AS COUNTY ROADS. WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT. AND AGAIN, FOR MULTIPLE REASONS, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH MR. LAWSON EXCEPT FOR, IT SAYS HERE, WE OWN THE ROADS IN STONEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE WITH PHASE ONE. YES, MA'AM. SO HOW DID WE OWN PHASE ONE? AND NOW WE DON'T OWN THESE BECAUSE AGAIN, GOING BACK TO PHASE ONE, THAT'S WHEN A DEVELOPER COULD JUST DEED THE ROADS TO THE COUNTY. UM, AND THAT'S NO LONGER A POLICY. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE POLICY STATEMENT 15 AND 17, WHICH HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BRINGING THEM TO YOU FOR A VOTE. SO YEAH, WE OWN 3.25 MILES AND PHASE ONE OWNED AND MAINTAINED, AND THIS WOULD ADD ON 0.95 MILES. SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN TYPICAL, BUT YEAH. SO PHASE ONE IS OWNED AND MAINTAINED BY THE COUNTY. I TOO WORRY ABOUT TAKING ROADS FROM, UH, AN HOA, I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU 165 MILES OF ROADS FROM SUN CITY, BUT THAT'S, IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE. YES, MA'AM. AS MR. LAWSON SAID, JUST TO POINT OUT, THAT ALONG WITH THE ROAD IS THE STORMWATER SYSTEM. YEP. SO IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE THE ROAD OR STORMWATER SYSTEM, YOU'D OWN TWO THIRDS OF THE STORMWATER SYSTEM, BUT NOT THE OTHER THIRD. YEP. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IT'S A MESS. IF, IF I MIGHT, I AGREE WITH THE CHAIR, UH, MR. LAWSON AND, UM, THE VICE CHAIR, UM, UH, TABER, IF, IF WE, UH, IMPLEMENT OR ACCEPT THIS POLICY, THEN WE OPEN THE DOOR TO ACTUALLY APPLY THIS TO ALL OF OUR PRIVATE ROLES THAT WE BRING INTO THE COUNTY, UH, INCLUDING OUT IN THE RURAL AREAS ALSO. SO, UM, LIKE THE CHAIRMAN SAID, MR. LAWSON SAID THIS IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE AND UM, IF WE GO DOWN THIS, THEN WE'RE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A WHOLE LOT MORE OF PRIVATE ROADS BEING TAKEN INTO THE COUNTY. MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T, I, I'M IN RURAL AREAS, SO THERE'S A LOT OF PRIVATE ROADS OVER THERE AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, THERE MAY BE A LOT OF, UM, THERE WON'T BE A LOT OF, THERE MAY BE SOME REQUESTS FOR THE, THE COUNTY TO CONSIDER PRIVATE ROADS. I MEAN PRIVATE ROADS. SO I, I'M NOT GONNA BE HYPOCRITICAL HERE. UM, THE THING I WOULD, UM, I I, I DON'T SEE A MAP THAT'S, I SEE THE MAP UP THERE. SCROLL DOWN ONE MORE. IT'S IN HERE. YEAH. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP. IT IS, IT IS. I'VE, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR IT, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T SEE IT IN, I MEAN, UH, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. UM, YOU TOOK IN ONE SECTION, UH, SOME TIME AGO AND YOU NORMALLY WOULD'VE TAKEN IN THIS HERE TOO. BUT BECAUSE THE POLICY CHANGED, UH, THAT'S WHY IT'S COMING BEFORE US. SO, AND I BELIEVE WHEN THEY DESIGNED IT, THEY TRIED TO DEED THE ROADS TO US, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POLICY ANYMORE. SO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO JUST DEED THEM OVER TO THE COUNTY. SO, AND UM, THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS IS, WELL, OUR PLAN OF APPROACH WE WANT TO TELL YOU GUYS, AND THEN IF Y'ALL WANNA TELL US DIFFERENTLY, BY ALL MEANS, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT. BUT OUR PLAN OF APPROACH WAS THIS IS INITIAL INFORMATION, IT'S COME TO US, THEY COME THROUGH ALL THE PROCESSES [00:40:01] AS FAR AS THE, THE, THE HOA PRESENTING IT TO US AND OUR INSPECTION OF BY PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING. I'LL ADD, THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HERE AS WELL TODAY. AND, AND THEN, UM, SO WHAT WE WERE PLANNING ON DOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE DUE DILIGENCE, AGAIN WITH SOME ROW CORNS TO MAKE SURE IT IS ACTUAL FULL AMOUNT OF PAVEMENT AS THAT WELL AS, UM, LOOKING AT THE STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE IT WAS INSTALLED PROPERLY. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY INSPECTION DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF IT. UM, AND THEN WE WOULD BRING IT BACK IN JANUARY AS A FORMAL REQUEST FOR YOU TO EITHER TAKE ACTION OR NOT ACTION. UM, IF YOU CHOOSE FOR US NOT EVEN TO TAKE THAT DUE DILIGENCE ACTION, THEN BY ALL MEANS IT'S A DISCUSSION ITEM. BUT IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION, YOU'RE MORE ENTITLED TO THAT. BUT OUR PLAN WAS TO DO SOME MORE DUE DILIGENCE AND THEN BRING IT BACK IN JANUARY, OR AT LEAST PROVIDE THE GUIDANCE AS TO WHETHER TO SPEND THE EFFORT OR THE MONEY. YES, MR. PASTOR, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. UM, THE CONCERN I WOULD HAVE IS THE PRECEDENT SETTING IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, NOT THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO THIS, BUT IF WE ARE TO DO THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT COUCHED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT IS NOT PRECEDENT SETTING. BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, INITIALLY WHEN IT WAS BEING DEVELOPED ORIGINALLY THEY WANTED TO TURN IT OVER TO US. BUT THINGS HAPPEN THAT WAY SO THAT WE DON'T GET IN THE SITUATION BECAUSE LIKE TAB SAID, WE LIVE IN SUN CITY, IT'D BE GREAT TO TURN 165 MILES AN HOUR, UH, 165 MILES OF ROADWAY OVER TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. YEAH. BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT PUBLIC. I THINK THAT'S HERE. IF, IF COUNCIL WANTED TO GO THAT WAY AND END UP ACCEPTING IT, I THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU COULD COUCH IT, IS THAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY DEED TO US. UM, THE SECOND PHASE IS PART OF THE MASTER PLAN AND IT WASN'T CONSTRUCTED AT THE SAME TIME. OUR POLICY HAS SINCE CHANGED AND NOW THEY'RE COMING IN FOR THE SECOND PHASE. SO, UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN OUR NORMAL ROAD PROJECT, BUT JUST I WAS GONNA ADD, BASED ON OUR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK, CONFIRM IT, IT WAS BUILT TO COUNTY STANDARDS AT THAT TIME. YEAH. RIGHT. AND, AND WE WANTED TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE JUST TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS BEFORE WE MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION. DO YOU ALL TAKE IT INTO THE SYSTEM? YEAH, YEAH. WE HAVE THE THIRD PARTY TESTING REPORTS FROM THE DEVELOPERS' TESTING FIRM, BUT WE DID NOT HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND DOING OUR OWN INSPECTION. GOTCHA. LEMME JUST, JUST ADD, THERE'S PROBABLY A DOZEN, TWO DOZEN NEIGHBORHOODS IN AT LEAST THE BLUFFTON AREA THAT DON'T HAVE GUARD GATES THAT AT THAT TIME THEY WERE BUILT, THEY WERE BUILT TO COUNTY STANDARDS HOPING TO TURN 'EM OVER IT, BUT THEN THE, IT WAS CHANGED AND DIDN'T ALLOW IT AFTER THAT. SO, LIKE I SAID, I, IT, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE CIRCUMSTANCE WE COULD POSSIBLY LOOK AT, I'M STILL PROBABLY AGAINST IT BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT YEAH, I MEAN I CAN, AGAIN, I CAN NAME FERN LAKES AND LAKE LINDON AND UM, JUST KEEP GOING ON AND ON AND ON. THAT ALL WOULD QUALIFY. WELL, MOST OF THE ROADS IN LAKE LINDON, WE DO OWN AND LAKE LINDON. OKAY. THAT, AND THAT'S AN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE PROBABLY WEREN'T TAKING THEM IN. UM, BUT UM, YEAH, ALL THE OTHER NEWER ONES, THE, THE FARM AND YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE OTHER ONES OUT THERE. SO I WAS TAKING FARM, PINE RIDGE, ALL THAT PINE CRE. EXACTLY. UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE I HAVE A COMMENT? NO. UM, YEAH, MY, MY BIGGEST THING IS TWO, ONE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY WE GET OUT OF THIS WITHOUT OPENING UP THE DOOR FOR OTHERS TO SAY, WELL WE STARTED BUILDING BEFORE YOU CHANGE THOSE RULES, SO WE SHOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN. AND I SEE THAT BEING AN ISSUE. THE OTHER PROBLEM I HAVE TOO IS, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS COMMUNITY IS, BUT A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES, EVEN NON GATED, STILL HAVE HOAS. THEY CHARGE THEIR RESIDENTS HOA FOR THIS EXACT THING TO GO FOR RESURFACING DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE JUST GOT THE ROADS DONE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I PROMISE YOU THEY TOOK IT OUT OF OUR ACCOUNTS. YEP. SO MY QUESTION IS, THOSE HOAS ARE STILL PAYING, THOSE RESIDENTS ARE STILL PAYING AND THEN THE COUNTY'S GONNA PAY IT AGAIN. SO REALLY WE'RE DOUBLE TAXING OUR RESIDENTS OR MAKE, I WOULDN'T SAY TAXING, BUT DOUBLE CHARGING OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA USE TAXPAYER FUNDS TO DO THOSE ROADS WHEN THEY NEED TO BE REDONE. BUT THEY ALSO HAD TO PAY THEIR HOA THAT THEY LIVE IN. THAT WAS ORIGINALLY WHEN THEY SIGNED ON TO THEIR HOA SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF ISSUES LIKE THAT. THAT'S NOT, APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING. CAN I MAKE A COMMENT? EXCUSE YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, SO ANYWAYS, OUR HOA FUNDS GO TOWARDS RESURFACING, UM, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS, WHICH IS WHAT I LED WITH WHEN I FIRST SAID THAT STATEMENT. UM, BUT IF IT SETS A PRECEDENT FOR THE REST OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, THAT THAT COULD SET US IN A PROBLEM. SO IF WE ARE GONNA TAKE THIS IN OR LOOK AT THIS, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T SET A PRECEDENT FOR THOSE HOA AND TAX RESIDENTS. I THINK WE UNDERSTAND THAT DIRECTION. YEP. MM-HMM . IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER BEFORE WE CLOSE IT? [00:45:02] LOGAN, IF, IF I MIGHT CHIME IN. YES, SIR. TECHNICALLY AND LEGALLY ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY, THIS DOES NOT, THIS DOES NOT, UH, APPLY. THIS DOES NOT WARRANT, UH, US, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. AND SO IF BY CHANCE WE DO, THEN WE OPEN OURSELVES UP TO SOME LAWSUITS AND SOME OTHER CASES THAT HADN'T PRESENTED ITSELF YET. YES, SIR. HEARD AND UNDERSTAND AND AGREE. ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, WE WILL CLOSE THIS DISCUSSION. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT [8.b. Discussion of proposed ordinance amendments of Beaufort County Ordinance Chapter 102 Waterways. Article 1, sections 102–1 definitions, Article II, division 1, section 102-27, purpose, section 102-28, penalties, section 102-29, general prohibitions, section 102-30, dock rules, section 102-31, landing rules, division II, section 102-61, description, division 3, section 102-95, description, section 102-98, penalties, section 102-99 general prohibitions, section 102-100, dock rules, section 102-101, landing rules, Article III, section 102-133, definitions, section 102-134, penalties, section 102-136, student riders, section 102-137, public ridership. (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A) - Dylan Kidd, Deputy County Attorney ] ITEM FOR DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AMENDMENTS OF BUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE CHAPTER 1 0 2 WATERWAYS, ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH ONE DEFINITIONS. ARTICLE TWO, DIVISION ONE, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 27. PURPOSE SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 28 PENALTIES. SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 29, GENERAL PROHIBITIONS, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 30 DOCS AND RULES, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 31, LANDING RULES DIVISION TWO, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 61. DESCRIPTION, DIVISION THREE, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 95. DESCRIPTION, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 98 PENALTIES. SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 99. GENERAL PROHIBITIONS, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 10 DOC RULES. UM, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 1 0 1 LANDING RULES ARTICLE THREE, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 1 33. DEFINITIONS, SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 1 34 PENALTIES SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 1 36. STUDENT WRITERS SECTION 1 0 2 DASH 37 PUBLIC RIDERSHIP. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR FOR A SENSE OF DISCUSSION? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. THANK YOU MR. LAWSON. I'LL SECOND THAT. THANK YOU MS. BROWN. AND THERE YOU ARE AGAIN. GOOD AFTERNOON. YES. HAPPY TO BE BACK. UM, GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO SHAVE OFF ABOUT A QUARTER OF THAT TITLE FOR YOU TO READ THERE BY THE BIFURCATION AS LONG AS YOU GOT RID OF THE ROMAN NUMERAL CERTIFIED . UH, DYLAN KIDD, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY HERE BACK WITH YOU ON THE WATERWAYS ORDINANCE. UM, AS COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL MAY RECALL AT THE PRIOR PUBLIC FACILITIES MEETING, UM, THERE WAS A MOTION THAT WAS PROVED TO BIFURCATE ARTICLE FOUR FROM THE REST OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS, UH, ARTICLE. SO BEFORE US TODAY IS ARTICLES ONE THROUGH THREE THAT CONCERN SOME REGULATION, PROPOSED REGULATION OF, UM, THE WATERWAYS IN OUR COUNTY FACILITIES. UM, SO AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE, THE BACKUP MATERIAL FOR TODAY, WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE THE LAST TIME, UM, THAT WE MET, UM, SEVERAL THINGS. SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE I HAVE, UM, WE HAVE A STAFF INCLUDED, UM, FOUR UPDATES THAT REFLECT THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD IN THE LAST MEETING. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL OPTIONS TO DISCUSS WITH YOU TODAY. UM, AND WE HAVE SOME DATA TO SHARE AS WELL. SO STARTING WITH THE PROPOSED EDITS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN, IN THIS VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE, UH, FOR DISCUSSION TODAY, THE FIRST ONE IS SECTION 1 0 2 1 B. SO IN THE FIRST DEFINITION SECTION, UM, WE TOOK OUT THE SECOND PROVISION OR THE LATER PART OF THAT PARAGRAPH UNDER THE COMMERCIAL PASSENGER DE UM, DEFINITION, WHICH SET FORTH, UM, SOME LIMITATIONS AS TO COMMERCIAL PASSENGERS. WE DECIDED IT WAS, OR WE PROPOSED THAT IT IS BETTER TO DEAL WITH THAT SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE BODY OF THE, THE ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO THE LANDING. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, FURTHER DOWN IN THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION. UM, SO IT'S JUST SHORTENING THE DEFINITION THERE AND MAKING IT ONLY WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR THAT PARTICULAR SECTION. UM, THE NEXT AMENDMENT TO SHOW YOU IS SECTION 1 0 2 29, UM, A THREE, WHICH IS THE EXEMPTIONS. UM, AND WE HAVE ADDED THERE THAT, UM, PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL USE OF COUNTY BOAT LANDINGS AND PARKING AREAS MAY BE RESTRICTED BY THE COUNTY FOR PERMITTED PURPOSES SUCH AS FERRY SERVICE IN EMBARKATION OR OTHER COUNTY USES. THAT'S SIMPLY ALLOWING THE COUNTY TO, UM, OPERATE OUT OF OUR FACILITIES TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE A NEED FOR IT. UM, AND, AND JUST ENSURING THAT WHEN WE'RE CLEANING UP THESE DEFINITIONS, WE DON'T HAVE CONFLICTING PROVISIONS IN THERE ABOUT WHAT SORT OF ACTIVITY CAN OCCUR THERE AND WHAT THE COUNTY'S PERMITTED TO DO. UM, SO THAT WAS ONE WE ADDED. THE OTHER, UM, SECTION, AND THIS IS PERTAINING TO THIS SPECIFIC, UM, RULES SECTION, THE GENERAL PROHIBITIONS, UM, 1 0 2 29, AND THIS IS LATER DOWN. THIS IS, UH, SUBSECTION L WAS FIRST, UM, WE REMOVED. SO IT SAYS THE UNLOADED THE LOADING OR UNLOADING OF CARGO IT USED TO SAY, OR COMMERCIAL PASSENGERS. WE'VE TAKEN THAT OUT TO DEAL WITH THAT MORE SPECIFICALLY IN THE PARAGRAPH BELOW IT, WHICH IS M AND THE SPECIFIC PARAGRAPH DEALING WITH THAT IS M TWO, WHICH PROPOSES, UM, THE LIMITATIONS TO SIX COMMERCIAL PASSENGERS, UM, ON COMMERCIAL TOURS FROM COUNTY OWNER MAINTAINED AREAS. UM, IN CONNECTION WITH THAT, UM, COMMITTEE ASKED US AT THE LAST MEETING TO GATHER SOME DATA ABOUT THE, UH, NUMBER OF, UM, VARIOUS, UH, LICENSES FOR CHARTER FISHING OPERATORS THAT WE HAVE LOCALLY. SO, [00:50:01] UM, OUR STAFF WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 159 TOTAL FISHING CHARTER OPERATORS LOCALLY WITHIN THE AREA. 151 OF THOSE OPERATE WITH A, UH, SIX PACK LICENSE, WHICH IS WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING LAST TIME, UM, THE, THE, UH, CATEGORIES OF, UH, FISHING LICENSES. SO ZERO TO SIX IS, IS THE FIRST CATEGORY, SEVEN TO 49 IS THE SECOND CATEGORY. AND WE FOUND SEVEN OPERATORS THAT WERE LICENSED FOR THAT CAPACITY. UM, AND THEN 50 PLUS, UH, WE ONLY HAD FOUND ONE OF THOSE THAT WERE LICENSED FOR, UM, A 50 PLUS LICENSE. SO, UM, AS WE KIND OF SUSPECTED, BUT WE'RE GLAD TO, UH, FIND THAT THE SIX PACK LICENSES BY FAR THE MOST COMMON IN THE AREA. AND SO WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WAYS, UM, IF, IF WE ARE, UM, SEEKING TO LIMIT COMMERCIAL PASSENGERS OR, OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO ADDRESS THE, UH, CONGESTION, UM, AND CAPACITY AT THE LANDINGS, UM, THAT'S WHY THE, THE LANGUAGE LIMITING IT TO SIX COMMERCIAL PASSENGERS WAS PROPOSED AND IS CURRENTLY, UM, CONTAINED IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. SO TODAY, JUST SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, TOPICS TO DISCUSS TODAY. UM, WE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT ADDING ANOTHER DEFINITION FOR CHARTER JUST TO DEFINE WHAT WE MEAN, UM, BY THAT AS OPPOSED TO IN SECTION M TWO ABOUT THAT EXCEPTION. UM, WE, WE STATE CHARTER OR OTHER COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN TO THE EXTENT WE WANT TO DEFINE CHARTER TO MAKE THAT TOTALLY CLEAR WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ADD THAT AS WELL. UM, TO THE, LET'S SEE, WE DO HAVE A SECTION IN THERE WITH, UM, TEMPORARY USE AUTHORIZATIONS. UM, THE ESPECIALLY, AND THIS PERTAINS TO BARGES. SO WE, WE DO, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, AND, AND OTHER INPUT FROM FOLKS AROUND DUSKY, IN PARTICULAR ABOUT BARGES. UM, THEY CERTAINLY DO RELY ON THEM A LOT MORE THAN PERHAPS OTHER FOLKS IN THE COUNTY. AND, UM, ONE AVENUE, THE LANGUAGE THAT IS CURRENTLY CONTAINED IN THERE PERMITS, UM, FOLKS TO OPERATE THOSE KIND OF BARGES TO AND FROM DUSKY WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE. NOW IT USED TO BE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, BUT WE'VE UPDATED EVERYTHING TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR DESIGNEE. SO IT, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE RATHER THAN, UM, OR ONE IDEA WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO PERMIT THAT BY AGREEMENT, UM, WITH THE COUNTY OR WE COULD CHOOSE TO, UM, TO GO ANOTHER WAY WITH HOW WE WANNA LOOK AT THAT. UM, LET'S SEE. SO, UM, AND THE OTHER MATERIALS CONTAINED HERE IN THE DISCUSSION SECTION DOCUMENT, UM, THAT WE INCLUDED IN THE BACKGROUND, UM, WERE SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE HAD KIND OF, THAT I HAD BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON HERE. UM, THE LANDING RULES WITH A BARGE IS, UM, THE, ANOTHER, UM, DEFINITION FOR NON-COMMERCIAL. UM, WE CAN ADD THAT TO SECTION 1 0 2 29 OR THE LIMIT REVISITING THE LIMITATIONS BASED ON THE COMMERCIAL LICENSE TYPE. SO THESE ARE ALL THE IDEA THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED TO DISCUSS, UM, TODAY. UM, I WOULD BE HAPPY AND A CA JOHN ROBINSON WOULD ALSO BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING SOME, SOME GUIDANCE AND, UM, AS TO WHAT COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL MAY OR MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN DOING IN TERMS OF REGULATION AND WE'LL ATTEMPT TO REFLECT IT AS BEST WE CAN. MR. CHAIR, AGAIN, AGAIN, BEFORE WE GO INTO THAT, IT'S, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE JUST SAID. THIS IS A DISCUSSION, THIS IS WHY WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT. THIS IS THE WHOLE PROCESS OF IT. IT, SO, UM, MR. LAWSON, YOU HAD YOUR HAND. YES, SIR. UH, YES. AND OBVIOUSLY I REPRESENT, UH, DUSKY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND TO GO BACKWARDS OF WHERE THIS ALL CAME FROM WAS A FACT THAT, UM, WE HAD LANDINGS AND PEOPLE GONNA USE THEM AND WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE WITH, WITH KAYAK COMPANIES, WITH UM, CHARTERS, WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS TAKING SPACE AT THE LANDING. SO WHEN PEOPLE CALL AND SAY, HEY, WE CAN'T GET TO IT, PEOPLE ARE MAKING MONEY. SO THAT'S WHY THIS THING CAME UP. AND IT ALSO CAME UP BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE ANY RULES WHEN IT CAME TO, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THAT SIGN POSTED NO MORE THAN TWO HOUR, YOU KNOW, PARKING, BOATING AT THE LANDING. WE HAD NO WAY TO ENFORCE THAT. SO WE HAD PEOPLE THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, SCREW YOU. AND THEY LEFT THEIR BOATS THERE FOR A DAY, TWO DAYS. UM, AND WE HAD NO WAY TO GO AND REMOVE THAT BOAT. AND THAT HAPPENED. PLENTY OF CALLS FROM DUSKY, PLENTY OF CALLS FROM AJOY THAT, THAT THOSE HAPPENED. SO THAT'S WHERE THIS WHOLE ORDINANCE CAME FROM, NOT FROM US TRYING TO OVERREACH WHAT WE'RE DOING AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENT OUR WHEEL ON PEOPLE, BUT IT WAS TO TRY TO, TO, TO, TO, TO FILL THOSE POINTS IN THE LAW. SO, UM, WITH DUSKY, YOU KNOW, THEY RELY ON AND OBVIOUSLY NO BRIDGE, EVERYTHING COMES BY BOAT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. UM, WHEN WE START TALKING THIS, MOST OF, OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IS GREAT. UM, HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO EXCLUDE TEMPORARILY OR EXCLUDE PERMANENTLY ANY, ANY LANDING OR ANY, ANY, UM, DOCK THAT ARE ON DUSKY THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH, UM, CARGO, WITH UNLOADING OR LOADING WITH REGARDS TO PASSENGER DROP OFF WITH A NUMBER OF PASSENGERS. IT'D BE UNLIMITED FOR, YOU KNOW, UM, [00:55:01] UM, MR. SHOEMAKER AND, AND WHAT HE'S DOING. 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE KNOW IF SOMEONE'S COMING FROM SAVANNAH, WHAT THEY'VE GOT OR WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM. THEY STILL NEED TO BE LICENSED, STILL NEED TO BE APPROVED. UM, ANYTHING TO DO WITH, WITH PARKING ON DUSKY. 'CAUSE THOSE PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES LEAVE THEIR CAR PARKED THERE, UM, AT, AT THOSE LANDINGS. UM, ANYTHING TO DO, UM, WITH, WITH THE BARGES, AGAIN, I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO CONTROL THAT AND THEY HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO LAND. THAT MAKES SENSE. UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT LIMITS SMALLER BARGES OR PEOPLE THAT, THAT HAVE A, A SMALLER BARGES THAT'S BEARING SOMETHING OVER THERE, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD, WOULD GET TO IT. SO, UM, AND I, AND I ALMOST THINK THAT SOME OF THAT WOULD ALSO, UH, BE PART OF THE PINKNEY ISLAND AS WELL BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE FROM MOST OF THE TIME AND, AND GO TO, TO DUSKY. SO, UM, ALL THOSE THINGS. THE LAST THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS TO LIMIT PEOPLE ON TOSKY ISLAND 'CAUSE THEY'RE LIMITED ALREADY. AND TO TAKE AWAY SOMEHOW THAT THEY GET THEIR GOODS OR THEY GET THEIR, THE PEOPLE THAT COME THERE OR LEAVE THERE. UM, I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH WAS THAT, THAT SOME OF THE FERRY OPERATORS, UM, UNLIKE MR. SHOEMAKER, THEY, THEY WOULD MEET THEIR PEOPLE AT THE DOCK AND THE PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR CARS THEN PARK FOR 24 HOURS OR 48 HOURS, OR ALL WEEK LONG WHILE THEY WENT TO DSKY. AND THAT ATE UP ALL THE PARKING SPOTS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY OVER A 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, UM, WOULD, WOULD BE AN ISSUE. SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT DUSKY AS ITS OWN ENTITY TO TAKE OUT AS, AS MANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS AS WE CAN KEEP THE TEETH IN THERE. THAT THAT GIVES US THE, THE, UM, THE CONTROL OF THE DOCKS AND TO TELL PEOPLE TO MOVE AND, AND THEY MUST, MUST BE REGISTERED, MUST BE ALL THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM WHAT, WHO I REPRESENT AND WHAT I HEARD FROM PEOPLE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. NOW, WHETHER THAT'S OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED DEFINITELY AT, AT THE FUSSY ISLAND LANDINGS AND DOCKS, AND MAYBE EVEN HAVE A SPOT AT AT PINKNEY ISLAND. UM, WHERE THAT'S ALSO ALLOWED THERE. THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION AFTER MR. BUTLER GOT UP AND TALKED THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, UH, IS ANY PLACE THAT SAYS CHARTER FISHING, WE ALSO THEN NEED TO PUT IN BOAT DEALERS AND ALSO BOAT MECHANICS THAT ALSO THEN WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE, TO THOSE LANDINGS AS WELL. AND I AGREE THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE OUT THERE ON A SATURDAY. THEY TRYING TO TEST DRIVE A BOAT AT A LANDING, UH, ON, ON A SATURDAY WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE THERE. SO AGAIN, THIS BEING A DISCUSSION, THAT'S WHERE I REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HELPING THE, THE PEOPLE DFOS AND NOT HURRYING THEM. SURE. UNDERSTOOD. I WANNA MS. BROWN, MR. CHAIR, AND THEN MR. VA, I WANNA THANK, UM, YOU MR. LAWSON FOR MAKING THAT VERY CLEAR. 'CAUSE THOSE WERE MY QUESTIONS. MM-HMM . TO DYLAN. SO YEAH, IF THE PROBLEM IS DFOS OR IS ALL JOY, DEAL WITH THOSE MARIE. DEAL WITH THOSE, BUT DON'T PUNISH THE PEOPLE NORTH OF THE BROAD THAT USE THE MARINAS FOR THE KAYAKS OR THE BOATS OR WHATEVER. SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, CAN'T WE JUST LEAVE THE ORDINANCE THE WAY IT WAS AND JUST DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE IN DUSKY AND ? CAN WE DO THAT? WELL, PART OF THIS ORDINANCE GIVES LONG, I MEAN LIKE, OKAY. AND I'LL GO BACK TO MR. SHOEMAKER. I MEAN, HE JUST ASKED FROM GO FROM SIX TO 12. WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT. WE COULD DO IT BACK TO 12. WE CAN DO ANYTHING COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO DO. OF COURSE. YEAH. WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL. MM-HMM . YEAH. YEAH, BECAUSE I'VE TAKEN MR. SCHUMAKER'S, UH, EXCURSIONS AND, UM, YEAH, HE CAN, IT WAS ONLY FOUR OF US, BUT YEAH, HE CAN PUT 12 PEOPLE ON THE BOAT. HE TOOK US TO D HUSKY, BUT IT ONLY, AND THEN HE CAME BACK AND GOT US. WE DIDN'T SPEND THE NIGHT OVER THERE. CHAIRMAN MR. PASSMAN. AND THEN WE'LL GO MR. GLOVER, THEN WE'LL GO ONLINE. UM, THANK YOU MARK. PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE. IT STARTED WITH A PROBLEM ON DUSKY ISLAND. THERE WERE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BY PUTTING EVERYTHING WE PUT IN THERE. SO NOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO PROBABLY UNDO SOME OF THE THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE HARMFUL TO SOME OTHER AREAS. UH, WE NEED TO HAVE INPUT FROM THE VARIOUS OTHER AREAS LIKE WE LEARNED FROM THE BOAT MECHANICS OR FROM THE, UH, BOAT DEALERS. I THINK THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE SHOULD BE GIVING YOU AS, OKAY, HERE ARE CONCEPTUALLY THE IDEAS, LET'S FLESH THEM OUT. LET'S MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL CAN LIVE WITH. WE CAN'T LIVE WITH IT THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW. I AGREE THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION. UH, CAN WE SEPARATE THE PROBLEM AREAS FROM THE REST OF THE POLICY? AND YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD SAYING YES. I, I THINK THAT WOULD REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE, UM, DATA ANALYSIS ON OUR END TO SEE WHAT THE, THE TRUE HOTSPOTS OF CONGESTION ARE TO DO THAT. IT MAY MAKE A LITTLE, A LITTLE, A LITTLE MESSIER, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO AND WE WOULD JUST BE SUED BY THOSE PEOPLE. THOSE PEOPLE. WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AS WELL. CERTAINLY. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. REEDS. YOU HAD A COMMENT? UH, YES, [01:00:01] CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. UM, I ACTUALLY LIKE WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL, UM, WE ALL HEARD A LOT FROM, UH, THE OPERATORS, THE SMALL MOM AND POPS IN THE PREVIOUS, UM, COUNCIL MEETING. AND, UM, I'VE, I'VE MET WITH AND HEARD FROM THE BIG MARINA OPERATORS IN, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US WANT TO PUT ANYBODY OUT OF BUSINESS. AND THAT IS, I APPLAUD THIS COUNCIL FOR LEADING WITH THAT AND, AND STAYING FIRM WITH THAT. BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, LICENSING, PERMITTING INSURANCE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD THAT KEEPS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, UH, DYLAN, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, I COULD CERTAINLY SEE THAT, UH, BEING A GOOD ARGUMENT, COUNCILMAN. I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE REGISTER. WHAT DOES YOU NEED TO HAVE TO OPERATE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR ING VESSEL, UM, TO WHAT EXTENT THE COUNTY GETS INVOLVED IN REGULATING THAT. IT'S, IT'S A DECISION FOR COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL. WELL, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT HERE TO PUT PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING A BETTER ORDINANCE. SO TO ME, I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. SHOULD, AUSTIN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO, I, I CONCUR WITH THE SENTIMENTS OF, UH, US LOOKING AT, UM, WHAT IS, UH, BEING PROPOSED AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT, UH, THE PROBLEMATIC, UH, PARTS OF IT AND, AND TRY TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES SO THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY, UM, UM, CRIPPLE OR, OR, OR HURT THE, THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, UH, WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO ACTUALLY PRI PROVIDE THE WATER ACCESS FOR OUR, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE. SO, UH, I, I THINK US GOING THROUGH AND TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED AND THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT, TAKE ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. SEE IF WE CAN'T FINE TUNE THIS THING. ALRIGHT. UM, YEAH, I THINK IT WAS SAID VERY SIMPLY THAT WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF PUTTING PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS. WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE IT THE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S GOTTA BE OUR JOB. UM, BUT THAT SAID, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US ADD THAT LANGUAGE INTO IT. I KNOW I, WE DISCUSSED IT WITH STAFF MULTIPLE TIMES THAT IT WAS NEVER OUR INTENTION FOR BOAT DEALERS OR REPAIRS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT IT IN THERE. IT DOESN'T HURT FOR US TO CLARIFY THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DROP THEIR BOATS IN THERE, TEST THEM OUT, GETTING READY. 'CAUSE HONESTLY, I'D RATHER HAVE A SAFE BOAT OUT ON THE WATER THAN ONE THAT'S GONNA BREAK DOWN. THAT'S GONNA COST US MORE TAXPAYER FUNDING TO GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF ANYWAYS, WITH WHETHER IT'S OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR THE COAST GUARD. UM, THE OTHER THING IS, I, THE, THE NUMBERS WE HAD ON IT RIGHT NOW, IT IS CAPPED AT THAT SIX. AND I WAS THE ONE THAT ASKED THAT QUESTION OF WHAT WERE THE LICENSES SO WE COULD SEE, UM, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT IT'S ONLY SEVEN THROUGH THAT SEVEN TO 49, BUT 49 WILL KILL A PARKING LOT. SO I GUESS WE NEED TO START HAVING THE DISCUSSION OF WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? IS IT 12? IS IT 15? IS IT 20? UM, BECAUSE IF, AND THEN TO TIE INTO THAT, MAYBE THAT QUESTION NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED WITH THIS. WHEN IT COMES TO JET SKIS AND KAYAKS, ARE THOSE LICENSED DONE INDIVIDUALLY OR IS THAT ONE BUSINESS LICENSE? BECAUSE IF IT'S ONE BUSINESS LICENSE FOR A KAYAK AND THEY HAVE 28 KAYAKS, THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. IN A BOAT THAT HOLDS 12 PEOPLE, IT'S PER COMPANY. SO IT'S PER COMPANY. SO IF THEY HAVE ONE LICENSE, THEY COULD HAVE 50 KAYAKS ON THERE. THEY COULD, BUT TRADITIONALLY IT'S, UH, BETWEEN SIX AND 12 THAT THEY DO ON A TOUR. OKAY. I WANNA CLARIFY THE, UH, THE LANGUAGE, UH, CONCERNING THE LICENSE. SO THE LICENSE WE'RE THAT YOU'RE, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE HERE IS ISSUED BY THE US COAST GUARD? RIGHT. UH, THEY HAVE A MARITIME CENTER THAT, UH, THAT MANAGES THAT FOR THEM. UH, THEY DON'T, UH, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY TRACK THOSE, THOSE LICENSES ARE GOOD NATIONWIDE, SO THEY DON'T TRACK THOSE LICENSES PER SPECIFIC LOCATION. THE LICENSES THAT YOU SEE HERE IS INFORMATION THAT WE GOT, UH, THROUGH, UH, FROM THE SOUND FOUNDATION FROM DNR. UH, SO SOME CONNECTIONS THERE. AND THESE ONLY ARE IN REFERENCE TO, UM, CHARTER FISHERMEN. THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER ECOTOURISM OR KAYAK TOURS, PADDLE BOARDS OR ANY OF THAT. ONLY CHARTER FISHERMEN BECAUSE THEY, THEY DO REPORT THE SPECIES AND FISH THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY CATCH WHEN THEY'RE OUT IN THE FIELD. THAT'S WHAT THAT INFORMATION COMES FROM. BUT NONE OF THAT, JUST TO BE CLEAR, NONE OF THAT PROHIBITS USE FROM SETTING THE CAP AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS. THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO, JUST A COUPLE THINGS I WANNA TOUCH ON HERE JUST TO MAKE SURE. I'M, WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE POINTS OF DISCUSSION, THE DIRECTION THAT YOU HAVE FOR, UM, FOR STAFF HERE. SO I'M HEARING CERTAINLY WANNA LOOK [01:05:01] AT, UM, SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS ON DUSKY AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE NOT PROHIBITING THEM FROM RECEIVING SUPPLIES OR, UM, MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE TO AND FROM. WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. UM, AS TO THE, THE DEALER'S LANGUAGE, I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO, TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, EXPLAINED THAT NOTHING IN THE CURRENT PROPOSED, UM, ORDINANCE I THINK WOULD PROHIBIT THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY. BUT CERTAINLY I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WILLINGNESS TO HAVE PEACE OF MIND, HAVE IT SPECIFICALLY STATED. SO WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE HAPPY TO ADD THAT, UM, REGARDING THE KAYAKS AND JET SKIS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO CURRENTLY THE WAY THE PROVISIONS THAT WOULD, UM, APPLY TO THAT ARE THOSE THAT DEAL WITH THE FINANCE, THE COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS ON SITE AT THE LANDINGS. SO WHAT WE WERE LOOKING TO DO THERE WAS TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE OF WHEN SOMEONE BRINGS DOWN A FULL TRAILER FULL OF JET SKIS AND SITS THERE AND, AND RINSE 'EM OUT AND PUTS 'EM IN AND OUT, UM, ALL DAY. 'CAUSE WE, WE KNOW WE HAD GOTTEN INSTANCES OF THAT BEFORE. SO THE WAY WE TRIED TO GET AT THAT AND THE KAYAK ISSUE BEING THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE COMING DOWN WITH A TRAILER FULL OF KAYAKS AND RUNNING THEM WAS TO PROHIBIT THOSE TYPE OF TRANSACTIONS ON SITE JUST TO MAKE IT SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE A RESERVATION OFFSITE. UM, AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE IT DELIVERED, UM, TO THE, TO THE LANDING AND PUT IT IN AT THE LANDING. AND, AND THAT'S TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE UNDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. THAT WAS JUST THE WAY WE, THE BEST WAY THAT WE COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET AT THAT ISSUE. BUT CERTAINLY HAPPY TO HEAR ANY, ANY FEEDBACK OR DISCUSSION ON THOSE ITEMS AS WELL. I GUESS I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, THAT MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT ON YOUR GUYS AS WELL IS FINE. TO TOUCH ON MARK'S POINT, IF WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE IDEA OF EXCLUDING, UM, DUSKY AND USING PINKNEY ISLAND AND ALL THAT STUFF, AND IT MIGHT ALREADY BE DONE, MAYBE I'M JUST UNEDUCATED ON THIS. UM, DO PINKNEY ISLAND RESIDENTS HAVE A PASS ON THEIR CAR THAT MARKS THEIR CAR AS A RESIDENT FOR, UH, DUSKY, THE DUSKY RESIDENTS HAVE A PASS ON THEIR CAR THAT SAYS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY A RESIDENT DUSKY WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR CAR THERE FOR MULTIPLE DAYS? NO, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO. OH. SO, SO WE HAVE HAD THAT ISSUE BEFORE. WE DON'T KNOW WHOSE CAR IS WHO'S RIGHT. SO IF WE HAVE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ON DUSKY, UM, AFTER A CAR HAS BEEN THERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, WE USUALLY GIVE A GRACE PERIOD MM-HMM . AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE GIVE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, LET'S GET IT TOWED. IF IT'S ANY BOAT LANDING, WE DID SOME FROM CC HAGUE BOAT LANDING AND WE GOT CRUCIFIED. PEOPLE WERE MAD BECAUSE THEIR CAR WAS GONE. WE GOT, WE RETURNED THE CARS BACK TO THE PARKING LOT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW. SO THAT WAS ONE THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, HANK AND I TALKED ABOUT MAYBE AT OUR DECAL. SO IF YOU LIVE ON DUSKY, PUT A DECAL ON YOUR CAR SO WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE ON DUSKY. YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT JUST MAKES SENSE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, TO ENFORCE THIS, BECAUSE OUR ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THIS AS WELL IS WE HAVE RULES AND REGULATIONS IN PLACE, BUT WE HAVE NO WAY TO ENFORCE THEM. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE OUR GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK, UM, HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY ENFORCE THE RULES WE PUT IN PLACE AND THE TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND TO BE ABLE TO BE HANDLED EASILY. YES. UM, SO I, I'M NOT SAYING CHARGE 'EM A FEE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO KNOW SO WE HAVE AN IDEA. UM, I THINK THAT'S THE LAST THING I HAD, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IF YOU DID NEED MORE MONEY FOR PARKING, DUSKY IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. POSSIBLY $600,000 COULD FIX THAT PARKING LOT. THROWING IT OUT THERE. IS THAT A CURVE BALL? YOU THROWING IT OUT THERE NOW? I DON'T THINK WE ARE SAYING WE WANT TO JUST ELIMINATE DUSKY AT ALL. I THINK WE WANT TO GIVE SOME SPECIFICITY TO WHAT IS TAKING PLACE ON DUSKY SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THESE ARE THE RULES OF REGULATION. THAT'S A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH. IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE EXCLUDING JUST A FEW THINGS. LIKE I SAID, THE THINGS THAT TALK ABOUT CARGO AND PASSENGERS. YEAH. RIGHT. SO I THINK IT CAN BE WRITTEN POSITIVELY RATHER THAN WE'RE JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA FORGIVE YOU. UH, IF I MAY, ONE NOTE AS WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THIS, AND I THINK WE UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENTS OR DYLAN DOES AT LEAST, UM, IS ON, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DUSKY AND CC HAGUE, WE JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL DESCRIBING CC HAGUE BECAUSE AS WE KNOW THE BRIDGE IS COMING THROUGH MM-HMM . AND IT WILL DISRUPT THE FERRY. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING HANK'S LOOKING AT DIFFERENT FERRY LOCATIONS. YEAH. AND SO TODAY, AS THE BOAT LANDING AND FERRY EXISTS MAY NOT EXIST EXACTLY LIKE THAT. SO JUST AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S A LITTLE NUANCED AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THE SPECIAL PROVISION JUST BE DONE AS THE FERRY EMBARKATION LOCATION. WE, WE COULD ADD THAT OR WE COULD SAY THAT FOR CC HAGUE OR JENKINS ISLAND, YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE LIMITS. AND COUNSEL COULD ALSO DIRECT THAT WE GO TO A PARKING PASS PERMIT OR DECAL SYSTEM FOR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS OF QUE ISLAND. SO YOU CAN IDENTIFY THEM AND HAVE THAT, UH, PASS IN THEIR CAR AND THEN THEY CAN STAY THERE FOR A LONGER PERIOD AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHERS THAT ARE LIMITED IN THEIR TIME. IF WE GO TO JENKINS ISLAND, THE FERRY SYSTEM MAY LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES TODAY, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A BOAT RAMP NEXT TO A [01:10:01] FERRY PASS. SO PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO FUKE WITH A BARGE, SMALL BARGE, THEY'RE COMING TO THE BOAT LANDING, NOT THE FERRY. SO THE FERRY MAY NOT EVEN ACTUALLY HAVE A LAND. IT MAY JUST BE A DOCK AND ONLY A BOAT PULLS UP TO IT AT JENKINS ISLAND POTENTIALLY. SO WE CAN TALK THROUGH THAT, BUT JUST KNOW AS YOU'RE DEFINING EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANNA DO, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME SPECIAL LANGUAGE STUFF. WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK AND AMEND AGAIN BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE NOW. AND IT'S GOING TO BE A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE MAYBE THREE OR FOUR THE WAY THINGS GO BEFORE WE FINALIZE EXACTLY WHERE OUR FURRIES FERRY SYSTEM IS GONNA BE LOCATED. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR JARED. YOU TURN DOWN THE OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING . YES. I PUT IN A REQUEST THE FACILITIES ABOUT, IT'S FREEZING HERE. MY FEET ARE LIKE ICE CUBES IS CONTROLLED REMOTE. YEAH. EVERYBODY'S SAYING THE THING. IT'S BEEN INCREASED. UM, LAST 30 MINUTES OR SO, WHAT'S BEEN INCREASED? THE AIR CONDITIONING. YEAH. SO IT SHOULD BE GETTING WARMER. OH YEAH. JUST PASS OUR BLANKET. IT'LL BE OKAY. JUST IN TIME FOR US TO LEAVE. I NEVER WERE OH YEAH. OH, SORRY. LAST WEEK WAS HOT. NO, IT WAS HOT LAST WEEK. LAST WEEK. IT WAS HOT. YEAH. OKAY. IT WAS FINE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GATHER THIS BACK REAL QUICK SO WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, UM, ON THIS MATTER? NO. OR DO WE GIVE HIM ENOUGH THINGS TO FIX FOR US? TWO WORDS, FIX IT. SO THE PLAN IS TO COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE IN JANUARY? YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST ACTION NOW FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION. WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE AND LET'S SEE WHAT OPTIONS WE CAN ACTUALLY, UM, CHANGE INTO IT. CHANGE IN, IN IT. AND THEN I ALSO, IF WE COULD FOR WHOEVER IS ENFORCING IT, WHETHER IT IS US OR THE COUNTY OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THEY SEE THAT THEY MIGHT NEED IN THERE THAT WOULD HELP THEM OUT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR JOBS. EASIER. LET'S SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN BRING BACK THE DISCUSSION FOR THAT TOO. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY NEED TO RUSH THIS. LET'S JUST GET IT RIGHT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU ALL. ALRIGHT, WE'RE CLOSE THE DISCUSSION ON THAT ITEM AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. DISCUSSION [8.c. Discussion concerning a request by a County resident to add a new ordinance to prohibit the discharge of firearms near residences, commercial buildings, public buildings and play areas in rural Beaufort County. (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A) - Brian Hulbert, County Attorney, and Jeremy Bratcher] CONCERNING A REQUEST BY A COUNTY RESIDENT TO ADD THE NEW ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS NEAR RESIDENCES, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND PLAY AREAS IN THE RURAL BEAUFORT COUNTY. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND IT. THANK YOU. THIS IS UP FOR DISCUSSION. OKAY. I'LL INTRODUCE THE TOPIC HERE. UH, CAN YOU PULL UP THE BULLET HOLES IN THE RESIDENCE? THE PICTURES OF THE BULLET HOLES? YOU DON'T WANT THIS YET? NO. THE PICTURES OF THE BULLET HOLES. SO THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD OVER THERE, UH, IN THE BLUFFTON PRITCHARD LAKE AR LAKE DRIVE AREA. AND UH, WHAT'S, WHERE IS IT? IT'S A NEW RIVERSIDE. OH LAKE MR. UH, BRATCHER AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE, UH, BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, UH, COUNSEL, THE SHERIFF AND STAFF IN REGARDS TO A, UH, RESIDENT WHO LIVES IN THE RURAL COUNTY THAT SHOOTS HIS WEAPONS ON HIS PROPERTY. BUT THE ROUNDS DON'T STAY ON HIS PROPERTY. THEY'LL GO OVER HIS BERM OR WHATEVER HE IS GOT THERE AND THEN GO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THERE'S BULLET HOLES UP NEXT TO THE ELECTRIC BOX THERE. UM, JUST FLIP THROUGH THE PICTURES THERE, UH, AND DIFFERENT AREAS, UM, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THERE'S A SCHOOL IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I'M GOING TO LET MR. BRATCHER MAKE HIS PRESENTATION TO YOU BECAUSE HE'S REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY ADOPT A GUN, UH, A WEAPONS DISCHARGE ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT DISCHARGE OF A WEAPON WITHIN, UH, WHATEVER DISTANCE FROM A RESIDENCE OR A PARK OR A SCHOOL. AND THERE IS A SCHOOL ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND AROUND COULD TRAVEL TO THAT SCHOOL THERE AS WELL. NOW, I PROVIDED IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS A COPY OF THE STATE LAW REGARDING DISCHARGING FIREARMS AT OR INTO DWELLINGS STRUCTURES, ENCLOSURES, VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT AND THE PENALTIES. AND I'M GONNA READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE STATE ORDINANCE THAT'S RELEVANT HERE. UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, IT'S UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO DISCHARGE OR CAUSE TO BE DISCHARGED, UNLAWFULLY FIREARMS AT OR INTO A DWELLING HOUSE OR BUILDING STRUCTURE OR ENCLOSURE, REGULARLY OCCUPIED BY PERSONS. A PERSON WHO VIOLATES PROVISIONS OF THE SUBSECTION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY AND UPON CONVICTION MUST BE FINED NOT MORE THAN $1,000 OR IN PRISON, NOT MORE THAN 10 YEARS OR BOTH. SO IT'S A 10 YEAR PENALTY IF YOU'RE FIRING A WEAPON INTO A HOUSE OR AT A HOUSE. IT'S A STATE LAW. SO THAT HAS TO BE ENFORCED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, MEANING A DEPUTY SHERIFF OR POLICE OFFICER, UH, DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S A MUNICIPALITY OR IN RURAL COUNTY. ALRIGHT, SO WE DON'T HAVE AN ORDINANCE REGARDING DISCHARGE WEAPONS. THIS CAME UP LAST YEAR. THERE'S DISCUSSION. UH, COUNCILMAN PASSMAN HAD ROUNDS FIRED, UH, NEAR THEIR [01:15:01] NEIGHBORHOOD AT RIVER BEND THERE IN OKEE BLUFFTON. UM, AT THAT TIME, UH, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNSEL AND STAFF AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, IT WAS DECIDED THAT IT WASN'T APPROPRIATE TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE. BUT, UH, COUNCILMAN PASSMAN CAN DISCUSS THAT DURING THE DISCUSSION PART OF THIS, UM, AND GIVE YOU HIS PERSPECTIVE AS FAR AS WHAT TRANSPIRED. 'CAUSE HE WAS, UH, HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT. I WILL TELL YOU THAT CHARLESTON HAS PASSED AN ORDINANCE JUST LAST, UH, MONTH, UH, REGARDING DISCHARGE OF WEAPONS. AND I'M GONNA READ YOU, UH, THE KEY PART OF THAT ORDINANCE, DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY. IT'S UNLAWFUL. IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY TO DISCHARGE A FIREARM WITHIN 100 FEET OF ANY BUILDING, DWELLING OR OTHER STRUCTURE, EXCEPT WITH THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE OWNER OR OCCUPANTS OF ANY SUCH BUILDING, DWELLING OR STRUCTURE. AND THE PENALTY THERE, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN MAGISTRATE COURT OR MUNICIPAL COURT AS A SUMMARY PENALTY WOULD BE A FINE OF UP TO $500 OR 30 DAYS IN JAIL. AND BEING IN ORDINANCE, IT CAN BE ENFORCED BY EITHER CODE ENFORCEMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO EITHER ONE COULD ENFORCE THAT ORDINANCE THERE. UM, THEY GIVE DIFFERENT EXCEPTIONS, UH, LIKE IF IT'S AN ENCLOSED BUILDING OR A RIFLE RANGE OR A PISTOL RANGE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. UH, BUT CHARLESTON PASSED IT, BUT THEY MADE IT TO WHERE YOU COULDN'T DO IT WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET. THAT MAY BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN YOU WANT FOR ROYAL BEAUFORT COUNTY. I DON'T KNOW. BUT I JUST TELL YOU WHAT HAS RECENTLY HAPPENED TO OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH PASSING THAT ORDINANCE THERE. OKAY. GIVEN THAT I DON'T WANNA STEAL JEREMY'S THUNDER, I KNOW HE'S GOT A PROPOSED ORDINANCE HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT AND GIVE YOU THE HISTORY IN MUCH MORE DETAIL AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE FEAR THAT THE RESIDENTS LIVE IN THERE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN. UH, AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA LET HIM MAKE HIS PRESENTATION. I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THAT IN YOUR BACKUP AS WELL. AND JUST WHILE JEREMY'S COMING UP, THE COMMUNITIES IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, JEREMY LIVES IN BLUFFTON, THE PERSON DOING THE SHOOTING IS IN UNINCORPORATED BUFORT. HENCE THE COMPLEXITY. YEAH. GO AHEAD JEREMY. NO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BRIAN, EVERYBODY. UM, DID EVERYONE HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE PRESENTATION I HAD SENT? MM-HMM . FABULOUS. AND, UM, AS MR. HALBERT MENTIONED, I DO HAVE A FEW OF MY NEIGHBORS HERE AND THEY'D LOVE TO JUST SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF WORDS AT THE VERY END JUST FOR SOME OTHER FIRSTHAND PERSPECTIVE. UM, TRULY THANK, THANKFUL THAT, UH, YOU GUYS GIVE ME THE TIME TO PRESENT THIS FORMALLY. AND REALLY THE GOAL TODAY IS, IS SIMPLE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, PROACTIVELY MODERNIZING, UH, AN OUTDATED ORDINANCE BEFORE IT RESULTS IN TRAGEDY, NOT AFTER. UM, EVERYTHING YOU'LL HEAR TODAY IS A PRODUCT OF MONTHS OF DOCUMENTATION, COORDINATING, COORDINATION AND RESPONSIBILITY, UH, FROM A COMMUNITY THAT'S ENGAGED IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM. AND WE COME HERE TODAY, NOT WITH COMPLAINTS, BUT WITH SOLUTIONS AND WANTING TO BE PART OF THAT SOLUTION. UM, IF YOU WANNA, OH, I'VE GOT A CLICKER. FABULOUS. YOU GET IT. BRAVO TAKE. OH, GOTCHA. THERE WE GO. LOVE IT. UM, SO I'VE GOT JUST SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY TO ADD AS WE KIND OF LOOK THROUGH THIS. UH, I WANNA EMPHASIZE UP FRONT, THIS IS NOT A LAKES AT NEW RIVERSIDE PROBLEM ALONE. UH, THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY GROWTH PROBLEM. IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE GROWING, BUT WITH THAT GROWTH COMES SOME OTHER, UH, IMPACT. THE ONLY RE REASON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS ONE OF THE FIRST TO, TO EXPERIENCE THIS, UH, IS DUE TO THE GROWTH IN THE NEW RIVERSIDE AREA, THIS EXACT SCENARIO, RURAL LOTS WITH PERMISSIVE FIREARM DISCHARGE, UH, ADJACENT TO DENSE SUBDIVISIONS AND NEW SCHOOLS. THAT'S A SITUATION THAT'S GROWING ACROSS THE COUNTY AND IN THE NEW RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR SPECIFICALLY, AS WELL AS OKEE PARTS OF ST. HELENA, NORTHERN BLUFFTON, ET CETERA. UH, THIS ISSUE WILL CONTINUE TO REPEAT ITSELF UNLESS MODERN STANDARDS KEEP PACE WITH POPULATION GROWTH. SO HOW'S THIS ESCALATED? THIS BEGAN BACK IN APRIL OF 2024, UH, WITH THE PHOTOS YOU SAW EARLIER, UH, THAT WAS A SUSPECTED FENCE AND SIDING PENETRATION WHERE SOMEBODY NOT CONNECTED, UH, WITH THE SITUATION. UM, EXCUSE ME. BASICALLY A RESIDENT WAS TOLD BY HIS LANDSCAPER, HEY, SORRY, I I MESSED YOUR FENCE UP. THERE'S A HOLE IN YOUR FENCE, I'LL PAY FOR IT. HE HAD NO REASON TO THINK OF THE OTHERWISE. RIGHT? WELL, IT WASN'T UNTIL APRIL OF THIS YEAR, 2025, AND THEN MAY WHEN IT REALLY PICKED UP, WHEN MULTIPLE RESIDENTS HEARD NOT JUST THE REPEATED DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM, BUT ALSO THE SONIC BUZZ OF A BULLET FLYING ABOVE HEAD. [01:20:01] I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD THAT HAPPEN TO ME TWICE. UM, IN THE MAPS THAT YOU SEE, UM, THAT I HAD SHARED, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THEM MOMENTARILY. I WAS WALKING SOUTHBOUND ON RUSSELL ROAD TOWARD AN INTERSECTION OF RUSSELL ROAD AND HARTWELL ROAD. I HAD HEARD THE GUNSHOTS FOR A FEW MINUTES. I WAS WALKING MY DOG, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, SUDDEN I HEARD THAT Z AS IT GOES OVER MY HEAD, I'M NOT MILITARY LAW ENFORCEMENT. THERE'S NOT A REASON I SHOULD HAVE HEARD THAT ANYWHERE, LET ALONE MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE WALKING MY DOG. RIGHT? THAT'S WHEN I START IN THE COMMUNITY. WE START RAISING THESE CONCERNS. UM, AND THEN I'M AT EIGHT HARTWELL ROAD. YOU GO DOWN AS FAR AS 84 HARTWELL ROAD, WHERE ANOTHER RESIDENT HAS HAD THAT SAME THING IN HIS BACKYARD. THINK OF ALL THE HOMES IN BETWEEN AND EVERYTHING BEYOND THAT. ALSO, IN MY BACKYARD, IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN MY WIFE AND I WERE IN THE BACKYARD. AND THAT'S JUST WHEN I'M OUTSIDE. I'M NOT OUTSIDE ALL DAY. SO JUST IMAGINE THE FREQUENCY OF THIS AND THE RISK THAT IS IMMINENT BECAUSE THE DIRECTION OF THIS FIRE, AND WE'LL SEE MOMENTARILY, IS DIRECTLY TOWARD HOMES. THE MAILBOX KIOSK WHERE ALL THE MAILBOXES ARE. THAT MAILBOX KIOSK IS ALSO WHERE SCHOOL CHILDREN WAIT FOR THE BUS AND GET OFF THE BUS BALLISTIC. UH, A A A BULLET FROM A HANDGUN, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WILL TRAVEL UP TO THREE MILES. THAT NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT'S BEING BUILT BETWEEN LAKES AND NEW RIVERSIDE, AND THE HIGH SCHOOL IS ABOUT 2200 FEET, LESS THAN HALF A MILE. AND ALL THOSE TREES THAT USED TO SEPARATE THOSE ARE GONE NOW. SO BALLISTIC RANGE, YOU'VE GOT A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEING BUILT THERE. I DIGRESS. UM, ONE MOMENT. THERE WE GO. SO, IN PREPARING FOR TODAY, I, I SPOKE WITH, UH, RESIDENTS WHO ARE FORMER MILITARY LAW ENFORCEMENT FIREARM INSTRUCTORS. EACH CONFIRMED THAT THE SOUND AND TRAJECTORY WERE FULLY CONSISTENT WITH ROUNDS BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER OVER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. THIS IS HOW WE REACHED MORE THAN 118 SIGNATURES WITHIN 24 HOURS WHEN, UH, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS BACK ON THE 23RD MM-HMM . AT BLUFFTON TOWN HALL. THE URGENCY IS REAL AND THE DANGER IS PRESENT. UH, FROM A REAL WORLD IMPACT, UH, RESIDENTS HAVE ALTERED THEIR DAILY BEHAVIOR. IN SPEAKING WITH MY NEIGHBORS, CHILDREN AREN'T ALLOWED TO PLAY IN THEIR BACKYARDS. PARENTS ARE NOW DRIVING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL INSTEAD OF ALLOWING THEM TO WAIT THE BUS STOP. JOGGERS ARE AVOIDING RUSSELL ROAD AND HARTVILLE ROAD INTERSECTION. PEOPLE ARE WALKING, WALKING THEIR DOGS, UM, IN OTHER AREAS BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT GUNFIRE 200 FEET AWAY POINTING IN THEIR DIRECTION AS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHO HAVE BEEN TO THE SITE AND THE SHOOTER. SHOOTER HAS SHOWN THEM WHERE HE'S SHOOTING, HOW HE'S SHOOTING, AND THE DIRECTION HE'S SHOOTING. IT'S ALL DOCUMENTED. HE IS SHOOTING DIRECTLY IN TOWARD THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH VIOLATES STATE LAW. BUT BU BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO THIS DAY ONLY REFERS TO COUNTY ORDINANCE. ANY REASONABLE PERSON KNOWS THAT'S NOT RATIONAL. UM, AND IN THE FALL OF 2026, A HUNDRED ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WILL BE IN AN OPEN CAMPUS UNDER A HALF MILE DOWN RANGE. THAT SCHOOLS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. IT'S NOT OPEN YET. WE HAVE A CHANCE TO RESOLVE THIS BEFORE THAT IMMINENT DANGER COMPOUNDS. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO HELP PREVENT THE PREDICTABLE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW. UM, 16 DASH 23 DASH FOUR FOUR OH IS UNAMBIGUOUS. IT IS A FELONY TO DISCHARGE A FIREARM AT OR INTO A DWELLING OR OCCUPIED STRUCTURE. AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN PHOTOS OF THAT. UM, THE CHALLENGE, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT IS ENFORCEMENT, IS DEPUTIES ARE CITING OUTDATED COUNTY ORDINANCES, NOT THE STATE STATE STATUTE IN THEIR INVESTIGATIONS. SO ONE OF OUR ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS FOR TODAY IS THE FOLLOWING. WHERE DO WE STAND WITH RETRAINING OR REEDUCATING DEPUTIES ON THE APPLICABLE STATE STATUTE AS COMMITTED TO DURING THE OCTOBER 23RD MEETING THAT WE HAD IN BLUFFTON TOWN HALL, THAT WAS ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS THAT I HAD DOCUMENTED IN MY NOTES FROM THAT MEETING. UM, TO DATE, NOTHING HAS CHANGED THAT I'VE OBSERVED WITH THE RESPONSE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THE MAP WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, THE YELLOW CIRCLE WITH THE RED X, THAT IS WHERE BCSO HAS CONFIRMED THAT THAT [01:25:01] RESIDENT IS SHOOTING, CORRECT THE TWO GREEN DOTS IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT AND THE GREEN.AT THE TOP. THOSE ARE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS OF BULLETS TRAVELING CLOSE ENOUGH TO THEIR PERSON THAT THEY HEARD THE BUZZ AS IT GOES OVERHEAD. NOW, THAT RED CIRCLE, THAT'S THE RISK AREA. THE BOTTOM LEFT THE CIRCLE WITH THE X IN IT. THAT'S THE MAILBOX KIOSK WHERE ALSO EVERY HUMAN HAS TO GO PICK UP THEIR MAIL. THE CHILDREN WAIT TO GET ON THE BUS AND THEY EXIT THE BUS RIGHT THERE. NOW, IF HE'S SHOOTING IN THAT DIRECTION, DOES IT TAKE A ROCKET SCIENCE TO SEE WHAT THE RISK IS? NOW IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE TWO GREEN DOTS AND YOU SEE A RED DOT, THAT IS THE HOUSE THAT MR. HOLBERT SHOWED THAT HAS THE BULLET LODGED IN ITS SIDE, WENT THROUGH THE FENCE, THROUGH THE SIDING, THROUGH THE PLYWOOD INTO A STUD. AND IT REMAINS THERE. TODAY, IT'S BEEN SEALED WITH CAULK. WHEN THAT HOMEOWNER WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD, EH, MY LANDSCAPER THREW A ROCK. AND THE HIT, WELL, IT'S STILL IN THERE. WE HAVE NOT JEOPARDIZED, UM, UH, CHAIN OF CUSTODY ON THAT. IT'S STILL RESIDES THERE. BLUFFTON PD, N-B-C-S-O HAVE BOTH VISITED THE PROPERTY, THEY'VE TAKEN ACCOUNT OF IT. THEY WON'T REMOVE IT, BUT THEY WILL BE PRESENT IF WE CHOOSE TO HAVE IT REMOVED. AGAIN, THAT COSTS MONEY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. SO, UH, MORE TO COME ON THAT. BUT YOU CAN DO THE MATH. WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S IN THERE. ALL RIGHT, NOW, THIRD PARTY CONFIRMATION. ONE POINT THAT'S EXTREMELY RELEVANT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. KHIAN HOMES, THAT'S THE, THE DEVELOPER, ALSO THE DEVELOPER WHO STILL CONTROLS THE HOA. THIS DEVELOPER PURCHASED SOME OF THE LAND OF LAKES AND NEW RIVERSIDE FROM THE SHOOTER, AND CURRENTLY RENTS THE DIRT ROAD. SO YOU SEE THAT ROAD GOING VERTICAL BETWEEN THE, THE GREEN CIRCLE AND THE YELLOW CIRCLE. THAT'S A DIRT ROAD. THAT ROAD IS OWNED BY THE RESIDENT AT TWO 19 AND 2 23 PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD. OKAY, SO KHIAN IS RENTING THAT SERVICE ROAD FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR THE BACK, FOR THE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, OTHER PHASES OF THE DEVELOPMENT. UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN KEEPING THIS PERSON HAPPY BECAUSE THEY RENT THIS ROAD. HOWEVER, UM, THEY HAVE NOW ISSUED A FORMAL ATTORNEY CEASE AND DESIST LETTER TO THAT BUSINESS PARTNER. UH, OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULDN'T DO THIS LIGHTLY. THEY WOULDN'T DO IT UNLESS THEIR ATTORNEYS VALIDATED THE DANGER. AND THEY WOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT DO THIS UNLESS EVIDENCE SUPPORTED IT. THIS CONFIRMATION FROM A LARGE NATIONAL COMPANY PUBLICLY TRADED WITH ITS OWN LIABILITY CONSIDERATIONS SHOULD CARRY SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT. AS MR. HOLBERT MENTIONED, CHARLESTON COUNTY HAS RECENTLY, UH, UPDATED THEIR ORDINANCE WITH DIRECTION AND DISTANCE, DISTANCE BASED RESTRICTIONS. RICHLAND COUNTY NOW HAS BUFFERS FOR HOMES AND SCHOOLS. WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE HAS DENSITY BASED RULES. CHATHAM COUNTY, GEORGIA PERMIT AND CONTAINMENT STANDARDS. EVERY ONE OF THESE BALANCES RIGHTS WITH SAFETY, EVERYONE REFLECTS GROWTH AND SUBURBANIZATION. EVERY ONE OF THESE COUNTIES ACTED BEFORE SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPENED. UM, EARLIER TODAY, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT EARLIER TODAY. I DID SHARE A UNOFFICIAL PROPOSAL THAT MY NON-LEGAL EXPERTISE PUT TOGETHER. I SHARED THIS BACK IN OCTOBER WITH THE SMALL GROUP. I MET WITH. UM, JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE REALISTIC AND RATIONAL. BY ALL MEANS, USE IT AS A FOUNDATION FOR THE MODERNIZATION. OUR PROPOSAL WAS INTENTIONALLY WRITTEN AROUND FOUR PRINCIPLES, SAFETY BUFFERS, CLEAR DISTANCE AND DIRECTION STANDARDS, NEAR HOMES, SCHOOLS, AND WALKING PATHS BETWEEN NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD AND THE HOMES IS A WALKING PATH THAT GOES THE ENTIRE DISTANCE FROM PALMETTO BLUFF NEW AND OLD PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD, ALL THE WAY TO THE CIRCLE. EVERY HUMAN WALKING DOWN THAT WALKING TRAIL IS NOW SUBJECT TO RISK FROM THE SHOOTER BALLISTIC CONTAINMENT. IF YOU SHOOT RECREATIONALLY, YOU MUST CONTAIN YOUR ROUNDS. PERIOD. THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. PERMITTED PRIVATE BURNS. NOT TO RESTRICT SHOOTING, BUT TO VALIDATE THEY'RE BUILT SAFELY. THAT'S [01:30:01] SOMETHING THAT VCSO OR SOMEONE NEEDS TO REGULATE. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, IF YOU DRIVE OUT THERE, THERE IS A BERM BETWEEN THE LAKES OF NEW RIVERSIDE. IT'S AN EARTH AND BERM BETWEEN LAKES OF NEW RIVERSIDE AND THAT DIRT ROAD, THAT SERVICE ROAD. OKAY, TWO 19 AND 2 23. PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD IS IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE ROAD UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE BERM TOWN OF BLUFF 50. HE IS SHOOTING FROM COUNTY INTO A BERM ON PROPERTY THAT IS NOT HIS. ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE INTO TOWN OF BLUFFTON. WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE AND MULTIPLE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS THAT THERE ARE ALSO TREE STANDS ON HIS PROPERTY, WHICH FURTHER COMPOUNDS THE RISK OF IT COMING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE NOW IT'S ABOVE THE BERM. ALL OF THE MATH, ALL OF THE DIRECTIONAL SITUATIONS, ALL AT LINE. THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE AS GROWTH CONTINUES, THE RISK WILL CONTINUE TO MOUNT. NOT JUST HERE. THIS IS JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE FROM WHICH WE CAN ACT. JEREMY, HAS THERE BEEN ANY IMPACT FROM THE HOA DEVELOPER SENDING THE LETTER? THAT LETTER WAS SENT WEEK AND A HALF TO TWO WEEKS AGO. A CEASE AND DESIST, RIGHT? MM-HMM . UHHUH, , WHAT I CAN ACTUALLY ABOUT A WEEK AGO. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE MAY GO TWO MONTHS WITHOUT HEARING ANY GUNSHOTS. THEN WE MIGHT HAVE FOUR DAYS IN A ROW WHERE IT'S POP, POP, POP AND YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING. THEN THE NEXT DAY IT COULD BE 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. AND IT'S NOT JUST HANDGUN. I, I'M A GUN OWNER MYSELF. YOU COULD TELL A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NINE MILLIMETER HANDGUN AND 2 23 ROUND COMING FROM A A RIFLE. UH, HE'S SHOOTING ALL THE ABOVE. AND IF THE HANDGUN'S GONNA GO THREE MILES, I'M NOT AN EXPERT. BUT A 2 23 IS GONNA GO MUCH FURTHER 'CAUSE YOU GOT A LOT MORE, MORE GUNPOWDER THOUGH IN THAT PROJECTILE. UH, THE LAST ITEM ON ON THAT IS, UH, CLEAR ENFORCEMENT EXPECTATIONS. DEPUTIES SHOULD HAVE A STANDARD TO APPLY CONSISTENTLY, NOT A PATCHWORK INTERPRETATION. WE'VE SHOWN THAT THE INTERPRETATION VARIES AND NO ONE IS LOOKING AT STATE LAW. ONLY THE COUNTY ORDINANCE. IT'S NOT ABOUT RESTRICTING FIREARM OWNER, UH, FIREARM OWNERSHIP. THIS IS ABOUT RESPONSIBLE DISCHARGE STANDARDS THAT MATCH TODAY'S POPULATION DENSITY SPECIFIC REQUESTS OF THE COUNTY. TODAY. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE COMMITTEE TO COMMIT TO THE FULL FOLLOWING FOUR ITEMS. ONE, ADVANCE THIS ORDINANCE MODERNIZATION INITIATIVE TO THE FULL COUNSEL FOR FORMAL REVIEW AND FIRST VOTE AT THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, WAITING UNTIL JANUARY, FEBRUARY, OR LONGER PLACES US INTO PEAK CONSTRUCTION AND GROWTH SEASON AND CLOSER TO THE OPENING OF A SCHOOL EVERY DAY WE WAIT IS ANOTHER DAY THE INEVITABLE COULD HAPPEN. NUMBER TWO, DIRECT THE COUNTY'S LEGAL TEAM TO FORM A WORKING GROUP THAT INCLUDES COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, TOWN OF BLUFFTON LEGAL OR STAFF, AND A REP REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. ITEM THREE, ISSUE, INTERIM ENFORCEMENT CLARIFICATION FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. ENSURE DEPUTIES ARE ABLE TO AND EXPECTED TO APPLY STATE, STATE STATUTE 16 DASH 23 DASH FOUR 40 WHEN ROUNDS TRAVEL TOWARD HOMES. AND ITEM FOUR, COMMIT TO A DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 WINDOW FOR DRAFTING, REVIEWING, AND PUBLICLY PRESENTING A MODERNIZATION ORDINANCE FOR A FIRST VOTE. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, THIS IS YOUR MOMENT TO LEAD ON A MODERNIZATION UPDATE THAT IS OVERDUE, BIPARTISAN, AND SQUARELY FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK, ARE THERE ANY REMAINING QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER TODAY? ALRIGHT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP MR. PASSMAN. CERTAINLY THIS IS, UM, A, A TIME WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN AFFECTED IN THE PAST. WE DID HAVE A BULLET GO INTO A HOUSE WHILE, UM, SOMEONE WAS NOT THERE. HAD THEY BEEN SITTING WHERE THE BULLET WAS. 'CAUSE THEY ALWAYS DO THAT EVERY MORNING THEY WOULD'VE BEEN KILLED. WOW. UH, WE STOPPED IT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. UH, IT HAS STARTED AGAIN. MM-HMM . SO IT IS TIME FOR US TO PUT THE APPROPRIATE ORDINANCE INTO PLACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. NOW WE HAVE TO MOVE ON AND DO IT. MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD I JUST ASK MR. PASSMAN TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE ISSUES RELATING TO GETTING A [01:35:01] RESOLUTION IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE TIME? UH, THE, THE SHOOTING WAS GOING ON ON PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN OWN. HMM. THE OWNER WAS UNAWARE THAT THEY WERE USING THEIR PROPERTY FOR SHOOTING. UH, THAT WAS RESOLVED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THE OWNER IS AN ABSENTEE OWNER. THEY DON'T LIVE THERE OR THEY LIVE OUTTA STATE. SO IT'S BACK AGAIN. SO WE DO HAVE TO PUT SOME TEETH IN AN ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MINE. WE CONTINUE TO GROW IN AREAS THAT USED TO BE TOTALLY TREE. EXACTLY. THEY'RE NOT ANYMORE, BUT THEY'RE STILL PEOPLE THAT ARE ON PROPERTY USING FIREARMS OF ALL KINDS. WHETHER THEY'RE HANDGUNS OR LONG GUNS. IT DOESN'T MATTER. DOESN'T MATTER. THANK YOU, MR. LAWSON. YEAH. AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, I I WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS. I THINK IN THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE REACHED OUT APRIL. I GOT, UH, MAY 20TH. I JUST LOOKED UP MY EMAIL. OKAY. THAT YOU HAD REACHED OUT TO ME THE VERY FIRST AND, AND EVERYONE SINCE. AND, AND, UH, WE, WE GOT, UM, CHIEF BABITZ AND, UM, SHERIFF TANNER INVOLVED. AND, UH, THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT SAYS THAT, THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE FROM, FROM, FROM, UM, UM, FROM BEING FIRED AT AND, AND HOW GOING. BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT WHATEVER THE STATE LAW IS IS NOT PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOME TYPE OF, OF ORDINANCE. I WOULD JUST POINT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES HERE BEFORE HEAR FROM THEM WAS GONNA SAY, COULD HE MAYBE APPROACH 100% TO OPEN DISCUSSION? COME ON DOWN, MR. HATFIELD. EVERYBODY FROM I KNOW, BECAUSE REALLY IT'S GOING TO, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH YOU. YES. YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT ME TO SPEAK BECAUSE YES, WE DO. I WOULD TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE LEARNING ATTORNEY HERE SAYING THOSE ARE BULLET HOLES AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A BULLET IN THERE. THAT'S WHAT, THANKS FOR YOUR EXPERTISE. APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S HOW THEY WERE PRESENTED TO US. AND NUMBER TWO, WE DON'T NEED SOMEBODY TO TELL US WHAT THE STATE LAW IS. WE KNOW VERY CLEAR WHAT IT IS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE INTENTION NUMBER ONE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN UNLAWFUL ACT. OKAY. SO LET'S GET THAT CLEAR. AND I BROUGHT OUR LEARNER ATTORNEY HERE WHO EXPLAINED IT A LITTLE BIT MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN I WOULD DO FOR SURE. BECAUSE THE PEOPLE GETTING IN OUR BUSINESS TO TELL US WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING IS NOT APPROPRIATE. I AGREE THAT YOU PROBABLY NEED THAT ORDINANCE. BEAUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE CHANGED. GO AHEAD, SIR. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY NAME'S JUSTIN WETZEL. I'M AN ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL WITH THE, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE. BRIAN KILL AND I ARE BOTH HERE ON BEHALF SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I, I THINK AT FIRST, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, YOUR CONCERNS FOR YOUR RESIDENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY VALID. I THINK, UM, THAT THERE'S NO, NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. THE QUESTION, AND I THINK WHAT, WHAT CHIEF HATFIELD'S TRYING TO GET AT IS THE STATE STATUTE THAT SHOOTING INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING, IT DOES REQUIRE A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS. ONE IS AN UNLAWFUL ACT, AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHEN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS INVESTIGATING A, AN ALLEGED CRIME AND THEN TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO ACTUALLY, UH, MAKE A, YOU KNOW, PROSECUTE IT IS, UM, ONE, WHAT'S THE MEN'S REA WHAT'S THE CRIMINAL INTENT? AND THEN TWO, UH, PROVING THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO COMMITTED THE OFFENSE. SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WHERE THE RESIDENCE WAS, UM, POTENTIALLY HIT, UH, BY A BULLET, UH, WE DON'T KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT IF THAT WERE TO BE THE CASE, IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. SO THERE WOULD BE CERTAINLY A CHALLENGE IN TRYING TO DETERMINE WHO MAY HAVE FIRED THAT ROUND. AND IF THAT COULD BE DETERMINED, MAYBE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY FOR A CRIMINAL CHARGE THERE. UM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW. THE QUESTION IS GOING FORWARD, HOW DO YOU PREVENT THIS? SO FROM AN ORDINANCE PERSPECTIVE, UM, YOU REFERENCED SOME OF THE, UH, ORDINANCES FROM, UH, UH, CHARLESTON COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, LEXINGTON AS WELL. AND READING THOSE, UH, I THINK THEY'RE WELL DRAFTED. THE QUESTION IS, HOW WOULD IT APPLY? IN BUFORD COUNTY, YOU HAVE ALMOST A THOUSAND SQUARE MILES OF, OF AREA. YOU HAVE ALMOST 200 HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS AND YOU HAVE A VARIETY OF COMMUNITIES. SO IF YOU WERE TO CRAFT AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD BE ENFORCED FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, HOW, HOW DO WE ENFORCE THAT? SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN ORDINANCE, LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL, WILL ENFORCE THAT. BUT THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU CRAFT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A DESIRED EFFECT? 'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHARLESTON ORDINANCE, THERE'S I THINK A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED FOOT, UH, RADIUS. IF YOU LOOK AT LEXINGTON ORDINANCE, IT'S A 200 OR 300 FOOT RADIUS DEPENDING ON WHERE, UH, THOSE BUILDINGS ARE, WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL OR WHETHER IT'S A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY. SO IN THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT INSTANCE, UM, YOU HAVE A RESIDENCE THAT'S AT I THINK TWO 19 AND, AND 2 23. UNLESS I I GOT THOSE WRONG, I APOLOGIZE. UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE OUTSIDE, I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY THE ORDINANCES IN CHARLESTON AND LEXINGTON PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE THAT DESIRED EFFECT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FURTHER AWAY. UM, SO THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW DO YOU CRAFT AN ORDINANCE THAT CAN BE APPLIED FAIRLY, BUT ALSO DO PROTECT RESIDENTS THAT ARE, UH, IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS, UM, SUCH AS NEW RIVERSIDE? SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT. I DON'T KNOW. I CERTAINLY CAN FROM A LAW [01:40:01] ENFORCEMENT, FROM A LAWYER PERSPECTIVE, TRY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, TRY TO HELP SHAPE THAT, THAT THAT ARGUMENT, IF YOU WILL. BUT, UM, HOW DO YOU CRAFT THAT ORDINANCE SO THAT IT HAS THAT DESIRED EFFECT? AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO THAT. THERE ARE, UH, LAWS ON THE BOOK, SO TO SPEAK, THE SHOOTING INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING. BUT AGAIN, IT'S UNLAWFUL ACT. YOU HAVE TO PROVE THAT MENS REA THAT CRIMINAL INTENT, UM, IT'S SILENT AS FAR AS THE STATUTE AS TO WHAT'S CRIMINAL INTENT IS, UM, FOR SHOOTING IS OCCUPIED DWELLING. SO YOU'RE TYPICALLY LOOKING AT A RECKLESS INTENT. SO HOW DO YOU PROVE THAT? AND ALSO HOW DO YOU PROVE THE IDENTITY OF THE SHOOTER? SO CERTAINLY IF, IF, UM, A CRIMINAL ACT WAS COMMITTED OR ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL INVESTIGATE IT AND IF, AND IF APPROPRIATE, MAKE A CHARGE. UM, I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, UM, INSTANCE, UH, IT JUST, WE DON'T HAVE THE EVIDENCE FOR THAT. SO MOVING FORWARD, WHAT DO WE DO? AND, UM, I I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT, BUT I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE ANY OTHER GUIDANCE OR, OR RESEARCH THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO. AND, AND AS YOU SAID, ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO BE THE KEY. AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE, OUR NEIGHBORS CALLED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THEY DO COME OUT YES, SIR, TO DO THE INVESTIGATION, BUT BY THE TIME THEY GET OUT THERE, THE SHOOTING HAS STOPPED OR THE PERSON HAS LEFT THE PREMISES AND THEY ONLY SEE, YOU KNOW, SHELLS ON THE GROUND. SO THAT IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE AS WELL. BUT TO YOUR POINT, UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T CRAFT AN ORDINANCE. THAT JUST MEANS THAT THE ORDINANCE HAS TO BE CRAFTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENFORCE THAT. YES, SIR. MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I SPEAK TO, BECAUSE I ALSO HAD SOME CONCERN ABOUT DISCHARGING FIREARMS IN A RURAL COMMUNITY. MY COMMUNITY BASICALLY SING HELENA AND, UM, AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT. AND I WAS RECENTLY, UH, TOLD ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED WHERE A PERSON CAME OUTSIDE IN A CROWDED AREA AND SHOT UP IN THE AIR AND NOTHING WAS HAPPENED. NOTHING HAPPENED TO THAT PERSON. UM, BECAUSE HE HAS A RIGHT TO THIS JUDGE, HIS ON FIREARM, UM, IN A RURAL COMMUNITY. SO I ASKED THE QUESTION IF, IF I SIT, UM, AT A A, A FUNCTION LIKE WHAT WE RECENTLY HAD AT THE PENN CENTER AND YOU GOT A WHOLE CROWD OF PEOPLE THERE, AND I TAKE A GUN AND I FIGHT UP IN THE AIR, CAN I GET AWAY WITH THAT? I THINK IT DEPENDS ON, ON THE WHY YOU'RE DOING IT OR, OR WHO'S AROUND. THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED AN AGGRAVATED BREACH OF CASE, SO I CAN GET AWAY WITH IT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT DEPENDS ON THE INVESTIGATION. SO THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE LAWS THAT MAY APPLY TO THAT. THAT'S A CONCERN I HAVE. AND THAT'S WHY, UH, I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF SOME KIND OF REGULATION. WHEN I SAW THE, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL IN CHARLESTON PASSING THAT ORDINANCE, I SAID, HEY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS. AND I ALSO IN A AREA WHERE HUNTERS, UH, PERVA MM-HMM . SO I MEAN, JUST FIRING A GUN IS NOTHING, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU ARE IN A PUBLIC PLACE OR NEAR A RESIDENCE LIKE THAT, I MEAN, THERE SHOULD BE SOME CON RESTRICTION TO THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW. WELL, I I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE QUESTION FOR THE COUNCIL IS, IS WHAT, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CRAFT AS FAR AS AN ORDINANCE THAT MAY PROHIBIT THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT PREVENT SOMEBODY WHO MAY BE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGED IN, IN HUNTING ACTIVITY OR OTHER LAWFUL ACTIVITY. NO, I DON'T BOTHER THEM. YES, SIR. YEAH, I I WOULD ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP CRAFT SUCH AN ORDINANCE. I THINK ANY ORDINANCE THAT WAS TO BE DRAFTED, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE INPUT TO COLLABORATE. EXACTLY. UM, I DON'T THINK IT'D BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO TAKE THE, UH, THE LEAD ON THAT. OH NO. FROM AN ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, NO. I MEANT TO WORK WITH US TO MAKE SURE, BUT ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, BECAUSE, UM, IF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THIS, UM, THE DEPUTIES WILL MAKE CHARGES THAT END UP IN MAGISTRATE'S COURT IF YOU CORRECT, IF YOU PASS AN ORDINANCE, IT'LL BE A MAGISTRATE'S COURT. SO BRIAN KILL AND I'LL PROSECUTE THOSE CASES. SO, UM, WE'RE THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT WE'LL ALSO PROSECUTE THOSE CASES AS WELL. SO WE CAN GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE ON NOT ONLY ENFORCEMENT, BUT ALSO PROSECUTION SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS THE ORDINANCE. AND, AND I DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT, BUT I THINK IT'S BRIAN KEEL, JUST SO YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THERE'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA PROSECUTE THESE CASES ARE SITTING IN THIS ROOM. AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE TEETH IN THIS. IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS, YOU TRIED THIS I THINK A YEAR AGO WITH THE, WITH THE FEET, IT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IS MAJOR PURDY POINTED OUT EARLIER IS, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT, IS THAT EVEN IF WE GO OUT IN A NOISE ORDINANCE, WE GOTTA CATCH 'EM MM-HMM . AND SO HOW AM I GONNA PROVE, HOW IS DYLAN GONNA PROVE, HOW IS DUSTIN GONNA PROVE THAT SOMEBODY IS 200, 300 FEET FROM THEIR HOUSE WHEN THEY DO THAT? I'M PRIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. I REMEMBER A CALL, I WENT ON DNR AND THE GUY'S SHOTGUN WA SITTING RIGHT THERE AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, WHERE IS HE STANDING WHEN HE SHOT THAT SHOTGUN? THAT'S A PROSECUTION ISSUE THAT Y'ALL NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU DO THAT. AND I [01:45:01] DON'T THINK, AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I I DO EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR SUBDIVISION. I LIVE IN SHELL POINT. THEY TELL US EVERY MORNING THEY'RE ABOUT TO START SHOOTING, WHETHER IT'S PARAS ISLAND OR WHETHER IT'S THE PEOPLE BEHIND US, RIGHT? MM-HMM . YEAH. WE DEAL WITH IT. OKAY. BUT WHAT I'LL ALSO SAY IS YOU'VE GOTTA THINK ABOUT HOW FAR FROM THE HOUSE YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS. CHARLESTON AND, AND RICHLAND AND THESE OTHER COUNTIES, THEY CLEARLY LOOK TO THE STATE STATUTE AND THE DEER HUNTING STATUTE, WHICH IS WHAT, 300 FEET? OH YEAH. AND YOU GOTTA BE UP THE GROUND, WHICH YOU HAVE DEER HUNTING. IF HE'S NOT IN VIOLATION OF THAT, HE'S NOT GONNA BE IN VIOLATION OF YOUR ORDER. SO WE'VE GOTTA THINK ABOUT WHEN WE'RE DOING THAT. AND I ALSO THINK, AND I APPRECIATE IT'S A BLUFFED ISSUE, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S A ST. HELEN ISSUE. IT'S A PORT ROYAL ISSUE. IT'S A, A BUFORD ISSUE. SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT, YOU GOTTA BRING IN EVERYBODY, BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE TRIED THIS BEFORE AND I AGREE. I, I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY WALKING AROUND THEIR SUBDIVISION AND NOT BEING ABLE TO WALK SOMEWHERE. BUT WE'VE GOTTA DO IT AND WE'VE GOTTA DO IT LAWFULLY. AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHATHAM COUNTY SAVANNAH ISSUE. THEY HAD A GUN ORDINANCE, IT JUST WAS STRUCK DOWN AGAIN. MM-HMM . SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT, YOU GOTTA DO IT SLOWLY AND DO IT RIGHT. THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY LEGAL THAT'S ALL GOT, SO, SO I THINK OUR GOAL WAS TO COLLABORATE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND ALL OF YOU. UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH JEREMY WHEN WE WERE THERE. OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T DO IT IN A BUBBLE. RIGHT. AND WE GOT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND WE GOT UNINCORPORATED BUFORT AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD IS VERY DIFFERENT IN DENSITY THAN NORTH OF THE BROAD. SO YOU CAN'T JUST SAY NO SHOOTING A FIREARM. BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHILDREN BECAUSE THAT SCHOOL IS GONNA GO UP. MM-HMM . THERE'S A WHOLE CAMPUS THERE. IT'S NOT JUST ONE LITTLE SCHOOL. AND SO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. SO WE DO NEED TO COLLABORATE ON THIS. SURE. IF I COULD ADD ONE THING. MM-HMM . JUST CHOOSE THE MICROPHONE SO THEY CAN GET IT ON THE RECORD. YEAH. THANK YOU. IF I COULD ADD ONE ITEM, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP AS PARTS HAVE BEEN ANNEXED INTO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, YOU NOW HAVE A SMALL DONUT HOLE THERE. SURE. AND THAT IS WHERE THE ISSUE LIES. CORRECT. THAT THEY STILL THINK THAT THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY ACRES OF LOB LOLLY PINES AND NOW THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY MILES AND MILES OF HOMES. MM-HMM . ONE SOLUTION COULD BE FIX THAT DONUT HOLE. YEAH. INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT. ANNEX IT. WELL, I'M JUST GIVEN OPTIONS AND SOLUTIONS, UH, OR, UH, AS YOU GUYS MENTIONED A POSSIBLE SOLUTION. I'VE PRESENTED AN OPTION, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, FEEL FREE TO DRAFT WHATEVER, BUT I'VE GIVEN SOME OPTIONS AS FAR AS DENSITY REQUIREMENTS, DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS, ET CETERA. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT OCTOBER AND YOU CAN, UH, I'M SURE IT'S RECORDED, BCSO, NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER AND 9 1 1 MULTIPLE RESIDENTS, INCLUDING SOME THAT ARE HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY, WE'RE REPORTING THE ISSUE. THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END SAID, YES, I CAN HEAR THE GUNSHOTS. SO THEY HEAR THE GUNSHOTS THROUGH THE PHONE AND THERE'S STILL NO SOLUTION. AND THEN THE OTHER DAY, UM, THE OPERATOR SAID, YES, WE KNOW HE'S SHOOTING AND OFF HE CALLED US. ONE OF OUR OFFICERS WENT TO OUR SECONDHAND INFORMATION, NOT MYSELF, WENT TO HIS HOME, SAW WHERE HE WAS GOING TO SHOOT, AND IT'S OKAY. WELL I CAN TELL YOU THAT DIRECTION THAT HE WAS SHOOTING WAS DIRECTLY TOWARD OUR HOMES. UM, SO JUST GIVING SOME MORE CONTEXT, NOT BEING COMBATIVE, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION. WHEN YOU HAVE 9 1 1 AND NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER OPERATOR SAYING, YEAH, WE HEAR IT, IT'S OKAY. I BEG TO DIFFER. DOES MAJOR PURDY HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? SINCE YOU MENTIONED HIM? I DON'T WANNA DISRESPECT HIM. WE RESPONDED TO CALLS FOR SERVICE OUT THERE AND, AND I'VE HEARD THE VIDEO AND IT IS LOUD. AND OUR DEPUTIES WENT OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY AND WHEN THEY GOT THERE, THEY WERE SHOOTING IN A BERM. THEY DESCRIBED IT AS 12 TO 15 FEET HIGH. THEY WERE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. IT WAS IN THE COUNTY. AND, AND YOU CAN SHOOT IN THE COUNTY. THE STATE LAW IS IN THE COUNTY. THEY'RE SHOOTING INTO A BERM. IT'S, IT'S 12 TO 15 FEET HIGH. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE BERM IS. IT'S THE, IT'S NOT A DEBATE BETWEEN YOU TWO. YEAH, TWO ME PLEASE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, SO THEY'RE SHOOTING INTO A BERM. IT APPEARED TO BE SAFE. AND, AND THAT WAS A DIFFERENT RESIDENCE THAN THE ONE, THE ONE THAT WAS IN QUESTION EARLIER WITH THESE ROUNDS THAT WERE FIRED INTO THE HOME IN APRIL OF 25. I MEAN, WE, WE AGREE WITH IT. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND STOP THIS. I HEARD THE, THE GUNFIRE IN THE VIDEO. IT'S, THERE'S A LITTLE VIDEO. A WOMAN SENT THE VIDEO INTO US AND THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S LOUD. AND THAT'S WHERE I CAME UP, YOU KNOW, ASKED THESE GUYS ABOUT MAYBE A NOISE ORDINANCE ISSUE. IT, THAT'S A PROBLEM. IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT WE NEED SOME TEETH TO GO OUT AND BE ABLE TO, TO PUT OUR FOOT DOWN AND ENFORCE IT. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE I HAVE NO, I GUESS COMMENT. CAN SHE SPEAK? CAN THESE PEOPLE SPEAK OR IS IT CLOSE? I MEAN, IF HE'S YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, THAT WAS THE WAY WE WERE, WE HAD THESE SET UP THAT ONE PERSON REPRESENTS. BUT I I, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY [01:50:01] IF YOU'LL LET ME FINISH, BUT WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP, THAT WOULD BE PERFECTLY FINE. YEAH, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. WHY TAKE JUST MONTH RIVERBEND HERE? THAT'S OPEN LAND RIGHT NEXT. OKAY. IT'S ONLY, YES MA'AM. IF YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME, PLEASE. YES. OKAY. I'M ROSEMARY HUGHES. I LIVE AT 12 HARTWELL ROAD. I AM RIGHT NEXT TO THAT GREEN DOT. SO I'M RIGHT NEXT DOOR. I'M ALSO DIRECTLY BEHIND WHERE THE SHOOTER ALLEGED SHOOTER FROM 2 19, 2 23. THIS IS MY DAUGHTER, LILA. SO JEREMY GAVE YOU, UM, THE TIMELINE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE MAPS. AND I'M REALLY HERE JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PERSONALLY HOW THIS IS IMPACTING. AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YES, THERE'S THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMING AND THOSE CHILDREN DIDN'T GET THERE YET, BUT MY DAUGHTER'S ALREADY THERE IN THE COMMUNITY ON HARTWELL. HER FRIENDS ARE ALREADY THERE. THEY ARE ALREADY GETTING OFF THAT, THAT BUS STOP EVERY DAY BY THOSE MAILBOXES. SO THERE ARE CHILDREN. PLEASE BE, LET ME BE CLEAR, THERE ARE CHILDREN ALREADY AFFECTED BY THIS AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED HER TO COME TODAY TO BE HERE AND TOOK HER OUT OF H HE MCCRACKEN EARLY TO DO SO. SO FIRST LET ME SAY THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FORMALLY REQUEST THE MODERNIZATION OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY FIREARM DISCHARGE ORDINANCE. ALL RESIDENTS IN THE LAKES OF NEW RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY LIVE UNDER THIS ONGOING SAFETY THREAT TO OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND OUR PETS. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS. AS A MOTHER, I WAS ASKED TO GIVE THE PERSPECTIVE AS A MOTHER AND SPEAK FOR SOME OF THE MOTHERS AT LAKES OF NEW RIVERSIDE. FROM MY OWN VERY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, MY HOME IS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE PERSON SHOOTING. I RESIDE AT 12 HARTWELL ROAD. MY 83-YEAR-OLD MOTHER AND MY 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER LIVE WITH ME. I'VE WORKED FOR THE NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 30 YEARS. I HAVE DECIDED TO MOVE TO BLUFFTON TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE A SAFER, BETTER ENVIRONMENT IN BOTH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. AN OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE HER BIKE, TO WALK HOME FROM THE BUS STOP THAT IS SEEN ON THAT MAP, TO PLAY IN HER YARD, THE YARD RIGHT NEXT TO THE BERM, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BERM WITH HER, WITH HER DOGS, AND JUST BE A KID. NOT ONLY IS HER SAFETY AND ALL THE CHILDREN'S SAFETY COMPROMISED AS THEY WALK, RIDE AND PLAY, MY DAUGHTER IS IN ALIGNMENT AND DIRECT ALIGNMENT WITH THE SHOOTER AND THAT BERM. AND SHE HAS HAD TO STOP DOING HOMEWORK IN A FRENZY TO MOVE MY MOTHER WHO CANNOT HEAR, AND TO MOVE MY DAUGHTER FROM MY KITCHEN ISLAND. AS SHE'S DOING HER HOMEWORK INSIDE MY HOME, SHE HAS BEEN IN A PANIC OVER THE WORRY THAT HER HEART OF HEARING GRANDMOTHER WILL NOT HEAR THE SHOOTING FAST ENOUGH TO MOVE BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED WHERE HE'S SHOOTING. AND WE DO NANNY MOVE, MOM, MOVE. HURRY UP, MOVE. MY MOTHER. CAN'T HEAR, CAN'T SEE, AND HAS A CANE. THE DOGS ARE FLIPPING OUT. WE HAVE TO GET HER TO MOVE. WE NO LONGER USE OUR YARD. WE NO LONGER USE OUR PATIO. I ALSO RECEIVED A FRANTIC TEXT FROM MY DAUGHTER ON ONE RECENT SUNDAY MORNING AS I WAS IN PUBLIX ON MAY RIVER SHOPPING TO GET HOME BECAUSE HE WAS SHOOTING COMPLETE PANIC. AND I RACED HOME, AS I'M SURE YOU HEARD THE RECORDINGS. AND IF YOU WANTED TO HEAR IT RIGHT NOW, WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IN OUR HOME, I COULD PLAY IT FOR YOU. THAT IS WHAT SHE HEARS AND GOES INTO A PEN. I PICKED MY DAUGHTER UP EARLY FROM SCHOOL TODAY TO JOIN US THIS AFTERNOON. HER PRESENCE HERE TODAY IS A REMINDER THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT FACELESS IN THIS REQUEST. THIS IS ONE OF THEM. THEY ARE REAL AND THEY ARE IN DANGER. AND I HOPE THAT MY DAUGHTER LEARNS TODAY HOW TO USE HER VOICE FOR HERSELF AND FOR OTHERS WHEN THERE IS A NEED FOR CHANGE. AND MR. LAWSON, I DID REACH OUT TO YOU AND YOU DID WRITE BACK TO ME ON MAY 29TH, AND YOU DID SAY YOU WOULD GET BACK TO ME WHEN YOU HEARD FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. BUT TIME'S PASSING. HE'S SHOOTING, HE GOES OUT THERE SOME DAYS HE'S SO RECKLESS WITH THE POP, POP, POP, POP, POP. SOMETIMES THERE'S LOUD EXPLOSIONS. WE HAVE A TEXT CHAIN THAT WE, EXCUSE ME, I'M GETTING MY MOUTH'S GETTING VERY DRY. I'M GETTING UPSET. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THOSE EXPLOSIONS WERE ONE DAY. WHAT COULD HE POSSIBLY DO? AND THEN HE WENT BACK TO HIS POP, POP, POP, POP, POP. I HAVE BEEN FACED WITH DECISION AS AN OVARIAN CANCER SURVIVOR, A SINGLE MOTHER, A CARETAKER TO MY ELDERLY MOTHER. I EITHER FIND THE ENERGY TO GO BACK TO NEW YORK OR NEW JERSEY, OR I HAD TO FIND THE ENERGY TO WRITE MY EMAILS TO CALL. AND ONE [01:55:01] OF THE OFFICERS TOLD ME, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU GO AROUND THE BLOCK AND SPEAK WITH HIM? SHOULD I GO AROUND THAT BLOCK? I HOPE THAT CALL'S RECORDED. 'CAUSE IT WOULD BE IN THE, IN THE AREA OF MAY. TOLD ME TO GO AROUND THE BLOCK AND SPEAK TO HIM. ME, MY COUSIN IS HOMELAND SECURITY. HE SAID, DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT. SO I'M FACED WITH THAT DECISION. NOW DO I PACK UP? DO I PACK UP? HOW COULD SHE DO HER MATH HOMEWORK AND SIT THERE? HOW COULD I GO TO THE STORE? I KNOW MY HARD OF HEARING MOTHER IS THERE. SO EITHER WE MODERNIZE THIS OR JUST BE HONEST WITH ME IF IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. 'CAUSE I'M GONNA GO, I'M GONNA GO HOME. I'M GONNA GO HOME TO NEW YORK OR NEW JERSEY. 'CAUSE YES, BULLETS, FLY BULLETS GET THROUGH BUILDINGS. SOMETIMES WE SEE IT ON THE NEWS. BUT IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU'RE IN YOUR HOME AND YOU KNOW SOMEBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO DIRECTLY SHOOT TO A BERM THAT FACES MY KITCHEN TABLE WHERE MY CHILD IS STANDING, SITTING. AND I ALSO FEEL THAT IT'S RELEVANT TO MENTION THAT I AM A BELIEVER IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT. AND IN CONVERSATIONS IT GETS LOST WITH OUR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT WE'RE NOT, THAT WE'RE NOT, WE ARE GONNA TAKE SOMEBODY'S RIGHT AWAY. WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO TAKE SOMEBODY'S RIGHT AWAY. I'VE SPENT MONTHS TALKING TO NEIGHBORS TO EXPLAIN THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND THEN THEY HEAR THE VIDEOS IF THEY HEAR IT. I'M SORRY, MY MOUTH IS GETTING VERY DRY. I APOLOGIZE. AND WE HAVE A HUNDRED MORE THAN 118 SIGNATURES ACTUALLY. SO CHANGE IS NOT EASY. HOWEVER, IT'S OFTEN NECESSARY. AND THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY TO MAKE THIS CHANGE. NO ONE WANTS TO RECONVENE AFTER WE HAVE A VICTIM. AS A MOTHER, I IMPLORE YOU TO MAKE THIS CHANGE. AND I WOULD LIKE YOU PLEASE TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER A MOMENT. THANK YOU. A MOMENT. BECAUSE SHE SAT HERE AND SHE'S SICK. SHE HAS A COLD BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK. SO I WOULD ASK IF YOU COULD PLEASE ALLOW THAT. OKAY. YOU PUT THE MICROPHONE DOWN SO WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME, GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS LILA HUGHES. I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. I GET OFF THE BUS ON MAINLAND LAKES DRIVE EVERY DAY AT ABOUT FOUR 10 WITH MANY OTHER KIDS. I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET HURT. PLEASE CONSIDER CHANGING THIS OR ORDINANCE. I AM TRULY AFRAID FOR MYSELF, MY MOTHER, MY GRANDMOTHER, AND MY PETS. I DON'T, I DON'T GO IN OUR YARD. MY MOTHER, MY GRANDMOTHER BOUGHT ME A SAUCER SWING. WE HAD IT INSTALLED AND THEN I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO USE IT BECAUSE I WAS, WE ARE I SORRY BECAUSE WE ARE TOO AFRAID THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN FAST ENOUGH. BUT I'M ALSO AFRAID WHILE IN THE HOUSE, THE GUNSHOTS ARE SO LOUD. IT IS VERY SCARY. I DON'T WANT TO MOVE. BUT WE CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS. PLEASE CONSIDER OUR SAFETY AND MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION TO KEEP KIDS LIKE ME SAFE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, I BELIEVE THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE WE WOULD DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO MEET WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THEY'RE HERE TODAY. THEY'RE CONCERNED. UH, THEY ALL CAME. SO I KNOW THE SHERIFF'S CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. I KNOW THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS TOO. WE SPOKE TO THEM. WE ARE CONCERNED. AND BY THE WAY, FOR THE REST OF COUNCIL, WE MET WITH JEREMY ON OCTOBER 23RD. IT JUST TAKES A WHILE FOR COUNTY TO MOVE IT ALONG. BUT WE NEVER LOST YOU IN THE TRAIL. SO I WOULD DIRECT ADMINISTRATION IF EVERYONE'S GOOD WITH THAT, TO SET UP AND MEET WITH THE, HAVE OUR ATTORNEYS MEET WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND NOT JUST ATTORNEYS. 'CAUSE YOU ALL GET CAUGHT UP IN EVERYTHING AND MAYBE TRY, I'M JUST HARASSING YOU MR. HOLBERT, AND SEE IF WE COULD PUT IN ORDINANCE, AS THEY'VE ALL SAID, WITH TEETH IN IT. EVERY ONE OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAID IT HAS TO HAVE TEETH, OTHERWISE WE'RE WASTING TIME. CORRECT. IS THAT RIGHT? CHIEF DEPUTY HATFIELD? YES, MA'AM. I HAVE A QUESTION. STATE STATUTE ON ABSOLUTE THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK, DID WE INTRODUCE YOU WHEN YOU SPOKE? I THOUGHT EVERYBODY KNEW ME. WELL, I DON'T IF ALL THE RESIDENTS KNOW YOU EXPERIENCES UP HERE. MY NAME IS MICHAEL HATFIELD AND I'M THE CHIEF DEPUTY FROM [02:00:01] THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. OH, I WANTED THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW YOU TOO. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANKS. THAT'S MY OTHER MEMBERS CLOSING. I JUST STATE A QUESTION IS, UM, DO YOU THINK WE CAN RUSH THIS ALONG OF THEM SITTING DOWN, RIGHT, WE WANTING THE ORDINANCE AND GET THIS TO COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 8TH AND THEN, 'CAUSE IT TAKES THREE VOTES. NO, IT'S TAKE TIME. IT TAKES THREE VOTES FOR AN ORDINANCE TO BE PASSED. JUST LETTING YOU GUYS KNOW IT WOULD'VE TO GO THROUGH COMMITTEE FIRST. NOW THAT PUTS US INTO FEBRUARY. IT'S LONGER IN ORDINANCE. WOULD'VE TO GO THROUGH COMMITTEE FIRST. BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE TO DRAFT IT AND THEN WE'D VET IT THROUGH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, GET THEIR COMMENTS ON IT. AND THEN WE'D ALSO WANT TO ROUTE IT THROUGH THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES FOR THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT BUREAU TO SPEAK. BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU'RE, IT'S A LARGE COUNTY WITH ONE MUNICIPALITIES. AND THEY MAY HAVE SIMILAR SITUATIONS, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR INPUT BEFORE WE DRAFT THE ORDINANCE. IT WOULDN'T APPLY IN THE MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THEIR INPUT. SO IT'S FULLY CONSIDERED EMBEDDED. BUT IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO COME BACK TO COMMITTEE AS A DRAFT ORDINANCE FOR DISCUSSION, UH, AFTER OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT AND PROVIDE THEIR INPUT. BUT THE CHIEF HAS TO PROMISE NOT TO BE SO GRUMPY WHEN HE REVIEWS IT. WELL, NO. COULD ANYTHING IN ? WE, WE ALSO NEED TO INCLUDE OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS DISCUSSION. I'M, UM, I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. I, I'M SORRY FOR THE, UH, RESIDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY HAVING TO LIVE THROUGH THIS ORDEAL IN THIS NIGHTMARE. BUT IT'S A, IT'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM. AND UNLESS WE, UH, TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO REALLY ADDRESS IT, IT'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. I'M SORRY, DEPUTY, YOUR CHIEF. GO AHEAD. COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE. YES. I THOUGHT EVERYBODY COULD HEAR ME BACK THERE, BUT NOPE. IN ANY EVENT, IT WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE THAT WE DID HAVE BAITZ AND STEPHANIE PRICE AND JEFFREY MEYERS FROM PORT ROYAL ALL ON BOARD WITH THIS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD IF WE DID IT EVERYWHERE. THE SAME WAY. THE SAME. YEP. WE AGREE. MR. GLOVER, YOU SAID YOU HAD ANOTHER COMMENT. NO, I DON'T HAVE A COMMENT. BUT, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, I I, I'M THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT BROUGHT NUMBER D AND, UH, WITHOUT, UM, ANY, A LOT OF DELAY. UH, I WOULD LIKE IF YOU, YOU DON'T MIND FOLDING THAT INTO THE DISCUSSION WITH THE SHERIFF AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UM, TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM. I DON'T NEED THE SHERIFF TO APPROVE US PUTTING SIGNS UP THAT SAYING I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO I THINK MORE ENFORCEMENT AND STUFF AS WELL. WELL, LET'S DO IT THIS WAY. IF WE WRAP, LET'S FINISH THIS ONE. I THINK YOU FIND APPROACH THE, UM, IS APPROPRIATE. YOU CAN PUT IT WHERE YOU DESIRE. IT'S IN THERE. IF WE SEE IT AND WE KNOW IT'S THERE, THAT MEANS YOU'RE APPROVING IT AND WE CAN EMPLOY IT. CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THOSE SEPARATE JUST SO, OKAY. 'CAUSE ONE WE COULD POSSIBLY BE TAKING ANY ACTION ON SOONER RATHER THAN THE OTHER. SO JUST TO KEEP THEM SEPARATED. UM, WITH THAT SAID, I THOUGH ONE THING I WILL SAY IS I'LL, I'LL BE UPFRONT WITH YOU GUYS. ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE STATEMENT YOU ASKED FOR BY DECEMBER 31ST, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO BREAK EVERY RULE THAT WE PUT IN PLACE ON COUNTY COUNCIL. WE WOULD HAVE TO, FOR, WE HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE TO, FOR CHECKS AND BALANCES. SO NONE OF US CAN PUSH ANYTHING THROUGH ILLEGALLY THAT IT HAS TO GO THROUGH STAFF FIRST TO DRAFT IT. WE HAVE TO TALK TO THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES 'CAUSE WE WANT TO GET THIS RIGHT. AND THEN IT COMES TO COMMITTEE, THEN IT GOES TO COUNTY COUNCIL. UM, THE REASON FOR THAT IS YOU COULD DO THE SAME THING WITH FUNDS. THINGS YOU GET PASSED THROUGH BEFORE COMMUNITY EVER EVEN KNOWS ABOUT IT. UM, WE HAD THE SAME PROCESS WITH OUR BOAT LANDINGS EARLIER TODAY. THE FIRST TIME WE HAD THAT MEETING WE HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN HERE. SO IT IS THAT OPEN CONVERSATION. IT IS THAT DIALOGUE. UM, UH, I, I FEEL FOR YOU GUYS, THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT AND COME UP WITH THE RIGHT SOLUTION, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS NOT ONLY IN YOUR AREA, UM, TOWN OF BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT. AND WE CAN GET SOMETHING PUT TOGETHER TO GIVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ANYMORE. YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ANYMORE. MM-HMM . UM, SO DO YOU NEED A MOTION OR WAS IT NO. STAFF DISCUSSION SHOULD BE FINE. DONE IT. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT WHEN IN ORDERS IS PUT FORTH AND IF IT COMES OUTTA COMMITTEE AND GOES TO COUNCIL, IT TAKES THREE READINGS OF COUNCIL. SO IT'S A PROCESS. IT TAKES A WHILE AND A PUBLIC HEARING. YEAH. YOU'RE LOOKING AT FEBRUARY. FEBRUARY OR MARCH. COULD MR. CHAIR. YEAH. THEN LET'S, LET'S WRAP THIS UP. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. YEAH, I AGREE. UM, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THE COUNTY COULD PUT A, A RESTRAINING ORDER IN THE SKY, NOT SHOOT GUNS AT A CERTAIN TIME? ONLY A JUDGE CAN GIVE A RESTRAINING ORDER. OH, A JUDGE. OH, ALRIGHT. WITH THAT I THINK OUR STAFF HAS DIRECTION TO WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEN AFTER THAT WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET SOMETHING DONE HERE. UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA TO KEEP SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE REST OF US UP TO DATE OF ANY OTHER, UM, I GUESS ACTIONS BEING TAKEN. ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE YOU SAID A LETTER WAS SENT FOR A CEASE OF ASSIST A WEEK AGO CEASE. SO JUST TO KEEP US UP TO DATE. SO WE HAVE ALL INFORMATION, [02:05:01] THEY HAVE ALL INFORMATION. SO IF SOMETHING DOES COME OUT WHERE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN AGAINST THIS INDIVIDUAL, THERE IS A RECORD OF THAT. I MEAN I'M SURE THEY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL IF NEED BE. ALRIGHT, WE WILL CLOSE ITEM DISCUSSION NUMBER C THAT WILL GO FORWARD. SO THANK THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO OUR RESIDENCE. I THANK YOU GUYS. UM, WE WILL MOVE OVER TO [8.d. Discussion concerning a request by a County Council member to address whether signs should be place at the entryway of every county-owned building to inform the public that firearms are prohibited in public buildings. (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A) - Brian Hulbert, County Attorney ] OUR LAST ITEM OF THE DAY DISCUSSION CONCERNING REQUEST BY A, I'M GLAD YOU DIDN'T SHOOT ME DISCUSSION CONCERNING A REQUEST BY A COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER TO ADDRESS WHETHER SIGNS SHOULD BE PLACED AT THE ENTRYWAY OF EVERY COUNTY OWNED BUILDING TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT FIREARMS ARE PROHIBITED IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS. I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS DISCUSSION ON A MOTION. SECOND, I'LL SECOND IT. ALRIGHT, WE'LL GIVE THEM A SECOND TO EXIT SO WE CAN HAVE THIS DISCUSSION. RYAN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, SIR. OKAY. UH, I PRO I AGREED TO JUST TEE THIS UP. UH, BUT THIS REQUEST TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA CAME FROM COUNCILMAN YORK, UH, RELATED TO AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WHERE SOMEONE BROUGHT A, UH, WEAPON AND SHOWED IT AROUND AT THE SCOTT RECREATION CENTER. UH, AND HE THEN INQUIRED AS FAR AS, UH, WHETHER LAW'S PROHIBITING THAT OR WHAT'S GOING ON. UH, I GUESS THE INDIVIDUAL WAS, UH, I DUNNO IF HE WAS ARRESTED, BUT HE WAS TAKEN AWAY, BUT THEN RELEASED, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO BRING A WEAPON ONTO PUBLIC PROPERTY. UH, WHAT THE STATE LAW PROHIBITS IS BRINGING A WEAPON INTO A PUBLIC BUILDING SO YOU CAN PROHIBIT, UH, WEAPONS IN A PUBLIC BUILDING FOR ALL EXCEPT FOR OBVIOUSLY LAW ENFORCEMENT. UM, BUT THE CONCERN WAS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM, UH, COUNCIL GLOVER, THEN I'LL LET HIM LEAD THE DISCUSSION, IS SHOULD COUNSEL, DIRECT STAFF, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE SIGNS ON EACH OF OUR PUBLIC BUILDINGS, NOT ALL THE PROPERTIES, JUST THE BUILDINGS AT THEIR ENTRYWAYS THAT INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT WEAPONS ARE PROHIBITED. AND THERE'S TWO ASPECTS TO THAT. ONE ARE JUST WEAPONS IN GENERAL, BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT A SEPARATE STATUTE THAT DEALS WITH PROHIBITING CONCEALED WEAPONS NOW. SO YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE, MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THAT SIGN, UH, IN THE, IN THE STATUTE AND PUT THAT UP. SO YOU COULD HAVE IT WITH JUST, I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING TWO, ONE FOR ALL WEAPONS AND THEN ONE FOR CONCEALED WEAPONS. 'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T WANT WEAPONS, YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANT CONCEALED WEAPONS WITH THE OPEN CARRY LAW. OKAY. SO WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS ON THE STATUTES THAT I GAVE YOU IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL, I'LL LET, UH, COUNCILMAN GLOVER, UH SURE. LEAD THE DISCUSSION FOR WHAT OCCURRED. SURE, THANK YOU. UM, THE FACILITY THAT WAS BASICALLY, UM, DISPLAYING THESE, UH, WEAPONS, UM, HAS, UH, IS PART OF OUR RECREATION PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BOTH, UH, CHILDREN THERE AS WELL AS SENIORS. AND, UM, THERE WAS NO DISCHARGE OF THE, THE, UH, FIREARMS, BUT IT WAS A DISPLAY OF FIREARMS THERE AND IT WAS VERY INTIMIDATING, UH, BY A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS, UM, THERE BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR OWN SAFETY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. SO THE QUESTION BECOMES WHAT CAN BE DONE AND WHAT CAN BE, UM, UM, BROUGHT IN AS FAR AS ADDING SOME KIND OF, UM, PENALTY CONSEQUENCE FOR BRINGING ANY KIND OF FIREARMS ON THE PROPERTY. THE LAW BASICALLY SAID YOU CAN HAVE IT IN YOUR VEHICLE, BUT CAN YOU DISPLAY IT? AND IF WE, IF THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DISPLAY IT, THEN CAN WE HAVE SOME KIND OF ORDINANCE TO PREVENT THEM FROM, UH, SHOWCASING THEIR GUNS, UM, ON A PUBLIC PROPERTY? AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW EITHER. JUST TO BE CLEAR, STATE LAW DOES PROHIBIT BRINGING A WEAPON ONTO SCHOOL PROPERTY. IT'S JUST THE OTHER PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT THEY DON'T, THEY ARE THEY, BUT THEY CAN HAVE THE GUNS BASED ON WHAT I READ, UM, IN THEIR VEHICLE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN BRING A GUN AT ALL ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. I DON'T THINK SO EITHER. NO. RIGHT. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN. NO SCHOOL PROPERTY. THE STATUTE PROHIBITS THAT. YOU DON'T WANT GUNS AROUND THE KIDS OR ANYTHING BUT ON PUBLIC PART. ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. AND WE HAD THIS ISSUE ARISE JUST RECENTLY WHERE, UH, THEY WERE BRINGING GUNS IN THE TRUCK TO OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS. SO THE QUESTION WAS COULD WE PROHIBIT THAT? AND, UH, IN RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, WE CAN'T PROHIBIT THEM HAVING THE GUNS IN THEIR, UH, VEHICLES WHILE THEY GO TO THE CONVENIENCE CENTER. NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN BRING IT OUT AND POINT IT AT ANYBODY. THAT'S AGAINST THE LAW CLEARLY. RIGHT. UH, SO THEY'RE NOT PROHIBITED FOR BRINGING IT ON THE PUBLIC PROPERTY ONLY IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I READ THIS AND I GET IT, WEAPONS, NO WEAPONS, THAT TO ME IS A LITTLE MORE INCLUSIVE. BUT WHEN I READ NO CONCEALABLE WEAPON, AND I'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION WITH MY SON AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT, SO IF I WANT TO BRING MY SHOTGUN, IT'S NOT CONCEALABLE. RIGHT. CAN'T HIDE IT. I'M NOT TALL ENOUGH. THAT'S RIGHT. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE PUT IT IN THEIR PANTS AND I'M NOT TALL ENOUGH TO DO THAT. BUT I'M JUST SAYING I, THAT'S WHY I WANT THE NO WEAPONS AND THE NO CONCEALABLE, THOSE ARE MORE HANDGUN LIKE AND [02:10:01] SO ON. IT'S JUST CLEAR TO SHOW THAT EVERYTHING'S PROHIBITED. RIGHT. AND THE SHERIFF HAS VERY SPECIFIC, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SIGN BECAUSE HE HAS TO ENFORCE THAT. AND IF THE SIGN IS NOT PROPERLY DISPLAYED OR DOESN'T SAY WHAT, WHAT THE INTENT IS, HE CAN'T PROCESS. IT'S ACTUALLY STATE CODE. SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE INVOLVED. IT'S ACTUALLY STATE CODE TELLS YOU IT HAS TO BE EIGHT BY 12, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. YEAH. YES MA'AM. RIGHT? YEAH. THAT'S ALL IN THE STATE CODE. I KNOW THIS, WE INVESTIGATED THIS IN SUN CITY AND THEN IT BECOMES, WELL WHAT ABOUT THE TENNIS COURTS? AND THEN THEY GOTTA BE BIGGER AND IT JUST GOT UNWIELDY. SO I GUESS WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE AS FAR AS YOU WANT THE ADMINISTRATOR. WELL I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT TO DO IT FOR ALL OF THE COUNTY OWNED BUILDINGS, UH, IN THE COUNTY. THAT'S A LOT OF BUILDINGS. IT'S EVERY ENTRANCE AND YEAH. YES. AND AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THIS IS THE WAY THE STATE IS MOVING JUST OFF THE SIDE AND WE'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY. , GUN, GUN ISSUES IS, IS PREVALENT. SO I THINK WE SHOULD DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO AT LEAST PROTECT THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, FROM COMING TO, UM, UH, PUBLIC BUILDINGS. EXCLUDING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUILDINGS AS FAR EXCLUDING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. YES. . YEAH. I, I'M A, I'M A SECOND AMENDMENT GUY. I'D HAVE A TOUGH TIME VOTING FOR, FOR ANYTHING. IT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T BE PERSUADED, BUT RIGHT NOW, I MEAN I, I, I, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK I WOULD SUPPORT IT. RIGHT. WELL WE'RE FOLLOWING THE LAW. IF THE LAW SAYS YOU CANNOT BRING A FIREARM INTO A PUBLIC BUILDING, WE CAN POST A SIGN THERE THAT'S NOT VIOLATING YOUR RIGHTS. IT'S JUST SAYING IT'S A PUBLIC BUILDING. YOU CAN'T BRING FIREARMS IN THERE AND YOU CAN'T BRING A CONCEALED WEAPON IN THERE. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE GONNA PUT A METAL DETECTOR AT EVERY BUILDING THAT WE HAVE THAT SIGN? NOPE. DON'T THINK THIS IS A DIFFERENT THING. YEAH, WHY DON'T, I THINK JUST THE ANNOUNCEMENT I EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHY YOU HAVE TO, WHY, WHY YOU WOULD HAVE TO IS IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ENFORCE IT, THEN ALL YOU'RE DOING IS PEOPLE THAT ARE AB ABIDING BY THE LAW, ABIDE BY THE LAW. THE ONES THAT AREN'T, AREN'T OUR SCHOOLS HAVE PROVEN THAT. OH YEAH. OUR SCHOOLS HAVE PROVEN THAT OVER THE YEARS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS. SO IF WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN THIS ROAD, THEN WE BETTER BE READY TO FUND METAL DETECTORS AND SECURITY AT EVERY SINGLE LOCATION THAT HAS THAT WEAPON. I UNDERSTAND THE STATE LAW. I'M SAYING I MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH THE STATE LAW, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF YOU'RE GONNA PUT PEOPLE AT RISK THAT THE ONES THAT ARE ABIDING BY THE LAW, A LOT OF PUBLIC BID BUSINESSES RIGHT NOW ARE PROHIBITING GUNS IN THERE. AND THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT AS A PUBLIC BUSINESS. YES. YES. AND ALSO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING US TO DO THE SAME THING. THEY'RE NOT ENFORCING IT LIKE BY HAVING METAL DETECTORS, THERE'S GONNA BE A CAR TO TELL YOU THAT THOUGH THOSE PUBLIC BUSINESSES ARE HELD LIABLE FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS INSIDE THAT BUILDING AND WE ARE TOO. CORRECT. SO CAN I TELL YOU WHAT I SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA ENFORCE IT IS MY QUESTION. WHAT I WAS TOLD BY SECURITAS AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SIGN, DON'T BOTHER CALLING THE SHERIFF TO COME BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T PUT THE SIGN UP. THAT IS WHAT STOPPED US. IN SENSE. YOU GOTTA HAVE THE SIGN AND THEN IF JARED WALKS IN AND PULLS HIS GUN, NOW THE SHERIFF CAN COME. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD. WHERE IS THAT? JARED CARRY COURT OR YOU'RE SHOTGUN, WHATEVER. THEN I'M FULL PUTTING UP THE SIGNS. IS THAT CORRECT MR. HBOY? NO SIGN. THEY WON'T, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. IT'S AN OPEN CARRY STATE. WELL, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THE STATUTE PROHIBITS GUNS IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. YEAH. YEAH. SO IT'S JUST A REMINDER OF PEOPLE. RIGHT. UM, COUNSEL MAY ALSO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT IT WHERE THERE ARE BUILDINGS ACCESSIBLE BY THE PUBLIC. THE PUBLIC DOESN'T GO INTO ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS. UH, BUT LIKE OUR ADMINISTRATION BUILDING OR THE MYRTLE UH, PARK BUILDING BUILDINGS LIKE THAT WHERE THE PUBLIC ARE GOING IN, YOU MAY WANNA CONSIDER, ALRIGHT, IN THOSE BUILDINGS YOU'RE DOING, YOU MAY WANNA CONSIDER TO GO FURTHER AS FAR AS THE OFFICE BUILDINGS WHERE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF IS WORKING. WE JUST NEED THE GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL AS FAR AS IS THERE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL AS FAR AS PUTTING THOSE SIGNS UP OR NOT. RIGHT. AM I NOT CORRECT THAT I SAW THEM ON THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY DOOR? I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT. WE WERE JUST THERE. I JUST SAW IT ON THE DOOR. MAYBE THAT'S OUR BUILDING. THEY MAY BE UP, BUT IS IT JUST THE, UH, DECAL WITH THE GUN AND A CIRCLE AND A THING THERE? OR IS IT THE CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ONE EIGHT BY 12? IT'S EIGHT BY 12. IT'S A WHITE THING. I'M GONNA SEE IT TOMORROW NIGHT WHEN I GO. YEAH. IT'S THAT, THAT'S MY ONLY CONVERSATION. I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN THAT ROAD, I WANNA KNOW THE ENFORCEMENT OF IT. I I UNDERSTAND THE STATE LAW, BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT OUT AND JUST LIKE THESE PEOPLE HERE THAT WERE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW, WE BETTER BE PREPARED TO ENFORCE IT. AND IF I WANNA KNOW HOW, THAT'S GONNA BE MY BIGGEST QUESTION. THE SHERIFF IS GONNA DO THAT. THE SHERIFF'S CAN DO A HOW WHEN A PERSON WALKS IN WITH IT AND IT'S UNDERNEATH THEIR JACKET AND NO METAL DETECTOR, NO NOTHING. AND [02:15:01] THEY'VE BEEN IN THERE ALL DAY WITH IT. WELL, WELL, BUT ANY COUNTY EMPLOYEE COULD TELL THEM THAT, ALRIGHT, WEAPONS ARE HOOD HERE, PLEASE TAKE IT TO THE CAR. UM, NOW IF THEY DON'T DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO CALL THE SHERIFF OR NOT. YEAH. AND I THINK IT'S ALSO, UH, PROTECTION FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL. SO GOOD POINT MR. GLENN. WELL IT'S GOTTA GO TO FULL COUNSEL. YEAH, RIGHT. OKAY. IF THERE'S GONNA BE THAT KIND OF DIRECTION, I MEAN PROTECTING OUR EMPLOYMENT, IF WOULD DO GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMITTEE AND THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL, THERE'S NOT A CONSENSUS HERE, SO IT WOULD'VE TO BE A COUNCIL VOTE 'CAUSE YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT WERE OPPOSED TO IT AND SOME THERE. SO IF YOU WANT US TO BRING THIS TO, UH, COUNCIL FOR A VOTE, UH, WE CAN DO THAT. UH, IT'S, WE JUST NEED GUYS FROM COUNCIL. I JUST WANNA KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA PUT ARMED OFFICERS AT EVERY ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS ARE METAL DETECTORS. THAT'S GONNA BE MY QUESTION. AND WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWER IS GONNA BE NO BECAUSE OF THE COST. NO, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR THAT. I'M NOT ASKING FOR THAT AT ALL. THEN WE ARE PUTTING OUR EMPLOYEES AT JEOPARDY. YOU'RE JUST TELLING EVERYBODY WHAT IS NOT IN THAT BUILDING. NOT EITHER. YOU'RE TELLING EVERYBODY THAT THIS IS A GUN-FREE ZONE. STATISTICALLY GUN-FREE ZONES HAVE HIGHER RATES OF MASS SHOOTINGS. OOH, THANKS FOR THAT TIM. IS THAT A FACT? YEAH, IT'S, IT OBVIOUSLY IT'S A DISCUSSION ITEM. NOTHING, NO ACTION IS BEING TAKEN ON THIS. I GUESS YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT OP OPTIONS ON THE SPECTRUM IF IT COMES FORWARD TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE. UM, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE IN COUNCIL HAS ANYTHING LIKE THAT. MR. DAWSON, I KNOW YOU'RE ON THE ONLINE. ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD, SIR? WELL, WE HAVE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT HERE. SO MAYBE IT JUST GOES TO FULL COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION. SO WOULD YOU LIKE US TO PUT IT ON THE DECEMBER 8TH COUNCIL? UH, YES. WE'LL PUT IT ON. I THINK THAT IS UP TO HOWARD TO DECIDE WHO GOES ON. HE MAKE A DECISION PUT ON THE AGENDA. ALRIGHT. WITH THAT THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS. THANK YOU. AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. YOU ARE WATCHING BC TV LIVE, WORK PLAY. I AM DENNIS ADAMS. AND THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT. NO BUFORD TONYAN, YOUNGER THAN 60 IS LIKELY TO REMEMBER THE GOLD EAGLE TAVERN. AND YET FOR OVER 30 YEARS, THE TAVERN WAS A PLACE FOR LOCALS TO BRUNCH AFTER CHURCH FROM A MENU OF LOW COUNTRY AND CONTINENTAL DISHES. FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE YEARS BETWEEN 1930 AND 1961, THEY COULD STEAL A GLANCE AT CLARK GABLE AND OTHER CELEBRITIES WHO HAD CHECKED IN TO ENJOY THE WORLD FAMOUS VIEW OF THE RIVER AND THE MARSHES FROM THE TERRACE. THE TAVERNS TABBY FOUNDATIONS ON BUFORD'S OLD POINT DATED BACK TO THE 17 HUNDREDS AND COULD BE SEEN EVEN TODAY. BUT DEVELOPER AND PHILANTHROPIST, KATE GLEASON ADDED THE FAMILIAR ROUND TOWER WHEN SHE OWNED THE PROPERTY IN THE 1920S. THE GOLD EAGLE NAME DATES BACK TO THE EARLIEST OWNER, HENRY WILLIAM DE SOUR DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES MINT, WHO AUTHORIZED THE FIRST GOLD EAGLE DOLLARS IN THE 17 HUNDREDS. THE BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED IN THE EARLY 1960S, BUT THE TAVERN DID ITS PART TO ESTABLISH BUFORD'S REPUTATION AMONG TRAVELERS. THE WORLD OVER. I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BUFORT COUNTY MOMENT. TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.