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HAVE A MOTION.ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
WE ARE BACK IN REGULAR SESSION AND WE'RE JUMPING AHEAD TO ITEM EIGHT A.
[A. MOU WITH MORGAN TRACT]
IS A SECOND READING OVER ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE MASTER PLAN SUBMITTAL FOR ATTRACTIVE LAND CONSISTING OF 356.4 ACRES, KNOWN GENERALLY AS SOUTH POINT INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN LOCATED BETWEEN US HIGHWAY 2 78 I 95, AND JOHN SMITH ROAD TO INCLUDE PARCELS OH 41 AND OH 42 LOCATED IN THE SOUTH POINT PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.UM, THIS IS ORDINANCE 2024 DASH NINE DASH 18 A.
UM, BY WAY OF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, THIS ITEM WAS INITIALLY DISCUSSED BACK IN OCTOBER.
UM, THERE WAS A WORKSHOP THAT COUNCIL HAD AT THAT TIME.
IT ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN THIS ITEM COMING BEFORE YOU FOR CONSIDERATION AT YOUR DECEMBER MEETING.
IT WAS, UM, MOVED AND VOTED UPON BY A MAJORITY OF COUNSEL THAT IT WOULD BE CARRIED OVER TO TONIGHT'S MEETING.
AND THEN THE INTERIM, AN ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP BE SCHEDULED.
THAT WORKSHOP WAS HELD LAST WEEK.
UM, AND SO THIS MATTER IS NOW PENDING BEFORE YOU ON SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, ADDITIONAL PRESENTATIONS, MR. GRUBER? UM, ARE WE GOING PLEASE, UH, SUMMARIZE WHAT THIS PROJECT IS? YOU WANNA PUT THAT UP? YEP.
SO WE'VE, WE, IF WE CAN PULL UP THE BACKUP MATERIALS, WE CAN GO OVER THOSE BRIEFLY.
SO THE ORDINANCE THAT'S PENDING BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WOULD ULTIMATELY, UH, AFFIRM THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN THAT'S SHOWN ON THE SCREEN, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE SOUTH POINT DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO, BRAN OR KATIE, IF YOU COULD JUST HIGHLIGHT AT A HIGH LEVEL A COUPLE OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE, UH, APPLICANT IF THEY WANNA PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS.
AND, AND YES, THE, THE MAIN PORTION OF THIS IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT WOULD BE, WE REPLACED THESE BATTERIES THE OTHER DAY, BUT MAYBE, UM, THERE WE GO.
THE, UM, THE SPINE ROAD THROUGH AND SOME OF THE ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S SEEN HERE.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL POD THAT'S SHOWN UP THERE IS GONNA BE COMING IN FOR ITS OWN MASTER PLAN, BUT THE MASTER DEVELOPER ARE WORKING ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD ACCESS THOSE.
SO THIS WAS OUR FIRST STAGE OF THE GAME WAS TO COME IN WITH THIS.
UM, WE CERTAINLY HAVE, HAVE BEEN THROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION AND IN A NUMBER OF, OF DIFFERENT QUESTION AND ANSWER PROCESSES.
AND, UM, WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY OF ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD FROM THE APPLICANTS GOOD EVENING COUNSEL, BRIAN MCCLURE WITH ROI REAL ESTATE.
UH, NO, I'LL JUST REITERATE WHAT SHE SAID, UM, AND SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET TONIGHT.
WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION.
I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE, UM, WE'VE FACTORED IN A LOT OF YOUR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM AND IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE CAN HAVE A VOTE TONIGHT.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'VE ALWAYS DEMONSTRATED COOPERATION AND OUR WHOLE TEAM IS HERE, AS ALWAYS.
UM, SO IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO IT, WE CAN.
BUT IF, IF, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'LL LET THAT BE UP TO YOU ALL AND, UM, THANK YOU.
I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO, UH, COUNSEL, QUESTIONING, UH, STARTING WITH MR. CARROLL.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MR. CARROLL? N UH, NO SIR.
UM, WE HAD DISCUSSED A CERTAIN SECTION OF, UM, CONCERNS AND, AND THEY WERE ADDRESSED AND THEN A FEW MORE CONCERNS CAME UP AND, UM, I MET WITH JOSH AND WENT OVER THOSE CONCERNS AND HE EXPLAINED, UM, HOW THOSE WERE BEING ADDRESSED.
AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY, NO, SIR, MR. WHITE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE'VE HAD THOROUGH DISCUSSIONS AND LOOKED AT A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND, UH, SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
YOU CAN, THANK YOU, MRS. GUZMAN.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE I BELIEVE YOU GUYS ANSWERED, UH, MOST OF, OH, SORRY, MOST OF IT AT THE, UM, AT THE WORKSHOP.
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BUT, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT IT.UM, IT'S NOT QUESTIONS, IT'S JUST COMMENTS.
UM, MR. FARIO, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EXTRA WORK THAT YOU DID ON THE FLOOD ISSUE.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GOING THE EXTRA MILE.
'CAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF MY BIG CONCERNS WAS THE FLOODING ISSUE.
UM, BUT WHAT I WANNA SAY IS, UM, I BELIEVE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE UNDERLYING FOUNDATION UPON WHICH A FRAMEWORK IS BUILT.
BAD FOUNDATIONS ACCOUNT FOR BAD STRUCTURES, JUST LIKE A HOUSE.
CRACKS APPEAR ON THE WALLS, DOORS DON'T OPEN OR CLOSE FLOORS START TO BUCKLE.
THE FRAMEWORK STARTS TO SEPARATE.
EVENTUALLY THESE WILL REQUIRE EXPENSIVE FIXES.
CASE IN POINT IS ARG BOULEVARD THERE WHERE THE BURDEN TO FIX IS NOW UPON THE SHOULDERS OF THE TAXPAYERS WITH INCREASED TAXES, WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MITIGATE RISKS ON THIS ROAD, WHICH IS JOHN SMITH, UH, TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC FROM THE MENACES OF MULTIAXIAL HEAVY CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES, INTERMINGLING WITH REGULAR TRAFFIC.
JOHN SMITH ROAD IS UNTENABLE IN ITS CURRENT STATE TO SHOULDER THE INCREASED BURDEN OF CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC.
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT POINTS OUT THE DEFICIENCIES.
THEREFORE, NO FIXES HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED OR DEMONSTRATED WITHOUT ANY WIDENING OF JOHN SMITH ROAD.
THIS IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTROUS RESULTS.
WHILE I RECOGNIZE THE PDD WAS PASSED AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BUILD, AT SOME POINT, I HAVE TAKEN A STEP BACK AND TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, I WILL BE NEGLIGENT IN MY DUTIES AS A COUNCILWOMAN IF I DON'T ADVOCATE FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY OR PUBLIC WELFARE OF THE TAXPAYERS.
AS STATED IN SECTION SIX DASH 29 DASH 1130 A OF THE SC ENABLING ACT OF 1994.
ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR, I'M DONE.
'CAUSE I'M GONNA BE ASKING SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, FIRST OFF IS YOUR DEVELOPMENT OF THIS.
WHAT ARE THE FIRST PARCELS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR DEVELOPMENT? I KNOW IT'S CHANGED SINCE WE HAD PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS.
THE, UM, AS WE SPOKE ABOUT IN THE WORKSHOP, MR. MESMAN, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE GOING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AT THIS POINT.
AND THE REASON I PROBABLY DIDN'T, UH, TALK ENOUGH ABOUT IT LAST TIME IS JUST WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, JUST IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL.
UM, DEALS THAT WE WERE, WE'RE WORKING ON HAVE SORT OF, UH, BEEN ON HOLD, BUT AT CURRENT STATE, I WOULD SAY SOUTH TO NORTH.
SO YOU'RE TALKING 13, 17 B, 17 A, THOSE, THOSE PARCELS IN THERE, CORRECT? YEAH.
AND THE ONLY ONE THAT I WOULD, HAS ANY CERTAINTY AT THIS POINT, AND THAT'S NOT A LOT OF CERTAINTY, BUT IT WOULD BE PARCEL 13.
AND I THINK THAT COINCIDES A LITTLE BIT WITH THE SHUTTING DOWN OF JOHN SMITH ROAD.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO USE THAT TO OUR ADVANTAGE.
THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS THE QUESTION THAT I, THAT I, THAT I'M LEADING IN.
SO YOUR PLAN CLEARING WOULD BASICALLY BE TAKING PLACE UP IN THOSE AREAS INITIALLY? YES, SIR.
THAT'S THE, THE INITIAL, WHAT IS YOUR ANTICIPATED PLANNING FOR THE LOG TRUCKS? THE ROUTE THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING, LEAVING YOUR PROPERTY? WOULD THEY BE TAKING PINE ARBOR TO 46 AND THEN DOWN? WE DID.
DO WE HAVE THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION ACCESS PLAN TO CLIP TO LIKE, TO, SO THERE IS A DETAILED PLAN, AND I THINK IT'LL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, BUT IF I HAD TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWER TONIGHT, THE IMPROVED PINE ARBOR ENTRANCE MM-HMM
UH, THERE WITH THE, UM, ACCENTUATED INGRESS EGRESS.
AND THEN WE, I KNOW YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THE FLAG FLAG MAN.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE WILLING TO COMMIT TO THAT DURING LOGGING OPERATIONS JUST BECAUSE OF THE BRIDGE OVER JOHN SMITH IS GONNA BE GONE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STATE SAYS NINE MONTHS.
WELL, WE KNOW THAT COULD STRETCH IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER IF YOU, WHAT IF THAT ROAD, IF, UH, JOHN SMITH WAS CLOSED AT THE INTERSECTION OF PINE ARBOR, YOU MOVED YOUR ACCESS FOR LOGGING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE SOUTH.
AND THEN YOU, THEN YOU'RE NOT COMING OUT AT RIGHT DIRECTLY AT THE INTERSECTION YOU COULD STAGE OR WHEREVER TO GET BACK ONTO PINE HARBOR.
WE, WE CAN MAKE THAT A CONDITION.
THAT, THAT SOLVES A LOT OF THAT PROBLEM.
WE'RE STILL GONNA RUN INTO QUESTIONS
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AND CONCERNS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROPERTY WITH, UH, THE CONDITION AND WHAT'S GOING TO TRANSPIRE ON JOHN SMITH.I THINK THIS, I THINK YOU HAVE A GOOD PRODUCT.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE WORKED HARD WITH US, BUT OUR GOAL HERE IS TO MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S, THAT'S PURE AND SIMPLE.
THAT'S ALL I'M LOOKING AT FOR IT.
BUT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO COMMIT FLAGMAN AND TO MAKE IT PO SAFE AS POSSIBLE, AND TO WORK WITH, UH, THE HARDY V PD TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC, I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD, A GOOD PROJECT.
YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT ON THAT.
UM, AND I'LL SAY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MARKETING MARKETABLE TIMBER ON THAT SITE.
MEANING THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT WILL BE DEBRIS, IF YOU WILL.
SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU SEE THESE BIG LOGGING OPERATORS WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE THESE GIANT TREES.
I MEAN, THERE WILL BE SOME OF THAT, BUT UM, CERTAINLY WILL ACCOMMODATE EXACTLY WHAT YOU ASKED.
AND THEN EXCESS LAND CLEARING, THEN THE EXCESS DEBRIS BE TRUCKED OFF GROUND OR BURNED ON THE PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, BE CAREFUL OF THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE NEXT TO THE INTERSTATE AND, UH, THE WAY THE WIND CARRIES TOWARDS, UH, UH, THE REC CENTER AND THE SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING OVER IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO PLEASE BE AWARE OF THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAKE THIS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS TO DRIVE THAT ROAD.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, THERE WAS A-W-T-O-C PIECE LAST WEEK THAT TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT IN CARDVILLE.
AND MR. MCCLURE HAD A SPEAKING ROLE IN THAT AS WELL.
MARTY SAS FROM THE COUNTY AND SCA.
AND IT REMINDED ME, SINCE I'VE COME TO THIS CITY, I HAVE, I HAVE PREACHED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BRING PROSPERITY TO THE FAMILIES OF JASPER COUNTY AS WELL AS TO REDUCE TAXES.
UM, AND I HAD A NUMBER OF SPEECHES OVER THE LAST EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS THAT I HAVE PROPOSED THAT.
SO THE FIRST THING I WANNA DO IS THANK ROI AND MR. REIO AND MR. MCCLURE FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HAVING SAID THAT, I HAVE OPPOSED THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT SINCE JUNE OF 2022, WHEN IT WAS FIRST REJECTED BY THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.
UM, AND I'VE CONSISTENTLY VOTED NO FOR ONE REASON.
I THINK THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON JOHN SMITH ROAD AND THAT ROAD WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE IN SAFETY.
NOW, ACCORDING TO THE TRAFFIC STUDIES, THAT ROAD IS AN F PLUS NOW.
AND, AND WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS, IT WILL GO TO A D AND I'M TOLD THAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
IT'S ACCEPTABLE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC WON'T BACK UP.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GONNA BE SAFE WITH ALL THE TRUCKS AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL OF 1400 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS GOING ONTO THAT ROAD.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF IRONIC, UH, 'CAUSE WE'VE REFERRED TO THIS AS WE'RE GONNA CREATE ANOTHER ARGENT BOULEVARD.
IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE YEARS AGO ARGENT BOULEVARD WAS JOHN SMITH ROAD.
SO WE'RE GONNA CREATE ANOTHER ORIGIN TOO, WHICH AS MRS. GUZMAN SAID EARLIER, WE ARE NOW HAVE TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FIX THAT ROAD BECAUSE IT'S UNSAFE.
SO I'M, I'M CONSISTENTLY CONCERNED AND STILL CONCERNED THAT WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE HAS NOT IMPROVED THE SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
NOW I KNOW I'M PROBABLY IN A MINORITY OF ONE, BUT I, UH, SENT TWO MR. GRUBER AND I HOPE YOU GOT A COPY, UM, OF THINGS.
I TRIED TO SIT AND SAY, HOW COULD I POSSIBLY VOTE YES FOR THIS? AND I WROTE OUT SEVEN THINGS THAT I'M ASKING FOR.
UM, AND IT'S JUST ME, NOT THE COUNCIL THAT I THINK WOULD, WOULD BE IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YES.
SO I WANNA READ 'EM, I WANT 'EM PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.
I WOULD REDUCE THE DENSITY FROM 1,420 TO HALF TO SEVEN
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10, THE RATIO OF SINGLE FAMILY TO MULTIFAMILY TO BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DEVELOPER.'CAUSE THERE ARE BOTH IN THERE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A HUNDRED FOOT BUFFER OF UNDISTURBED TREE LINE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE TREE LINE STAY ALONG JOHN SMITH ROAD WITHIN THE MAINTAINED TREE LINE, BUT NOT ALONG THE JOHN SMITH ROAD.
UH, JOHN SMITH ROADWAY PROVIDE A BIKE PEDESTRIAN TRAIL FROM THE PLAN COMMERCIAL TO THE I 95 BRIDGE.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOLD, WHICH IS RIGHT IN THE MASTER PLAN.
RO I'S STATEMENT THAT SAYS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS A PRIORITY FOR THE APPLICANT SLASH OWNER.
THIS WILL PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT OF A TREE LINE ALONG JOHN SMITH ROAD, COMPLETE THE SPINE ROAD WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE COMPLETION OF THE I 95 WIDENING EXUDATE BUCKY'S COMPLETION.
THIS WILL PROVIDE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE EXPECTED COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT EXUDATE THAT WILL INCLUDE BUCKY'S AND REDUCE THE INGRESS AND EGRESS AT JOHN SMITH ROAD.
WITHOUT THAT SPINE ROAD, ALL THE, THOSE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS MUST COME ONTO JOHN SMITH ROAD.
THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN TALKED ABOUT, PROVIDE A FLAGMAN AT TIMES WHEN LOGGING TRUCKS AND OTHER LARGE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES ARE ENTERING AND EXITING.
ROAD A AND OR B STATE IS A GOAL TO ADVOCATE THE S-C-D-O-T FOR A LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF PINEAU ARBOR AND SOUTH POINT, AS OPPOSED TO A ROUNDABOUT.
ALL NECESSARY TRAFFIC COUNTS SHOULD BE INITIATED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE DEVELOPER.
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLAN TO PUT A ROUNDABOUT THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE HEAVY TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING AROUND THAT, THAT HAVE TRUCKS AND CARS INTERMINGLING AT A ROUNDABOUT.
I'M FROM NEW JERSEY, THAT'S THE HOME OF ROUNDABOUTS.
I CAN SEE, I KNOW FIRSTHAND WHEN YOU'RE 17, LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE ABOUT ROUNDABOUTS, AGREE TO THREE LANES FROM 2 78 TO THE I 95 BRIDGE.
AND IF YOU CAN TAKE THAT FROM, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT FEES CAN BE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE SEVEN THINGS THAT I THINK COULD INCREASE THE SAFETY OF THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD ENTICE ME TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.
SO, UM, MY FIRST QUESTION TO MR. MCCLURE, MR. REIO, IS ANY OR ALL OF THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU? YES OR NO? SO YEAH, SOME OF THAT IS, UM, WELL, I I TELL YOU, I I JUST DON'T THINK AT THIS STAGE OF THE PROCESS, WE WANT TO RETRADE WHAT WE HAD AGREED UPON.
UM, AND I SAY THAT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.
I MEAN, WE'RE THREE AND A HALF YEARS INTO THIS PROCESS.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IF WE GET AN ACCEPTABLE VOTE TONIGHT.
BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, LIKE MR. MEERS MAN'S FLAG CONCEPT, I THINK THAT'S ACCEPTABLE, REDUCING THE DENSITY.
AND NOT TO HASH THIS OUT TONIGHT, MR. MAYOR, BUT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW CONCESSIONS MADE EARLY ON WHEN WE DID ANNEX, AND WE DID AGREE TO MOVE THE RETAIL FROM THE CORNER, YOU KNOW, OFF OF THAT BUSY CORNER.
AND WE AGREED TO TAKE THE 12 CURB CUTS DOWN TO, I THINK IT'S FIVE ON JOHN SMITH.
SO TOO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT THIS EVENING, BUT I JUST, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT THE POINT TONIGHT THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU IF WE GET AN ACCEPTABLE VOTE TONIGHT TO IMPROVE THE PROJECT.
BUT I THINK SOME OF THOSE REQUESTS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
UM, THE, I ALSO WANT TO READ ONE OTHER THING INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD.
UM, AS STATED BY MR. GRUBER AT THE START, WHEN WE OPENED UP THE SUBJECT, UH, ON DECEMBER 12TH AT OUR MEETING, WE, UM, TABLED THIS SECOND READING UNTIL TONIGHT.
UH, AFTER THAT MEETING, UH, AND DATED SEPTEMBER, DECEMBER 20TH, THERE WAS A LETTER SENT TO THE CITY.
ATTENTION, MR. MICHAEL ZIBO, TOWN OF HARDY, UM, RE LETTER OF SUPPORT, SOUTH POINT DEVELOPMENT I 95 EXUDATE MIXED USE PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
DEAR MR. ZIBO, I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE SOUTH POINT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT I 95 AND EXUDATE IN THE TOWN OF HARDY,
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APPROVED IN DECEMBER, 2022.THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT COMBINES COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES AND ADDS A VITAL ECONOMIC DRIVER WITHIN A FEDERALLY DESIGNATED OPPORTUNITY ZONE.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA LOW COUNTRY AND THE TOWN OF HARDY HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE I 95 CORRIDOR.
AND US, US 2 78 SOUTH POINT WILL PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE GROWING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WHILE ADVANCING THE REGION'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
ALONG THIS IMPORTANT, WITH THE, AN EMPHASIS ON CONSERVATION, THE PARK-LIKE RETAIL VILLAGE GREEN SPACES AND WALKING TRAIL CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL ALSO SERVE TO ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS AND CONTRIBUTE TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE SOUTH POINT PROJECT IS ALSO A CRITICAL, A CRUCIAL CATALYST FOR NECESSARY OFFSITE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES THAT WILL BENEFIT THE AREA, INCLUDING THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S I 95 EXPANSION PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE SOUTH POINT PROJECTS.
YOURS VERY TRULY, HENRY DARGAN MCMASTER.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME TO STUDY THIS AND EXPRESSING HIS, UM, HIS, UH, THOUGHTFUL SUPPORT OF THIS FOR THE TOWN OF HARVILLE.
UM, I THINK IT'S, UM, REALLY GREAT THAT, UM, WE HAVE THE GOVERNOR COMING IN ON THIS KIND OF PROJECT RIGHT AFTER, UH, ON DECEMBER 20TH.
UM, AND PERHAPS WE SHOULD, UM, NOTIFY THE GOVERNOR THAT MR. ZIBO RETIRED ON OCTOBER 31ST.
ANYWAY, UM, I'VE SAID WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
UH, THE, UH, UH, THE, UM, I HAVE MY ANSWERS AND I AM FINISHED FOR NOW.
AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
WOULD ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO VOICE THEIR OPINION ON THE SOUTH POINT PROJECT? YES, SIR.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
HOW YOU DOING? UM, I ACTUALLY DON'T LIVE IN THE TOWN OF HARVILLE.
UM, BUT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE TOWN KIND OF CONCERN US AS WELL.
I'M AT 1 98 COOKS LANDING ROAD.
UM, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HARDY WHEN THE MILITARY RETIRED, CAME BACK, UH, COINCIDENTALLY IS MY NAME.
UH, KIND OF HEARD YOU MENTION INFRASTRUCTURE OR SOMEBODY MENTIONED INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE BEGINNING.
AND WHAT I'VE SEEN SINCE I'VE GOTTEN BACK IS A LOT OF NEW COMMUNITIES, A LOT OF, LOT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT VERY LITTLE WAS THOUGHT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, MS. GUZMAN MENTIONED THE SAFETY OF JOHN C. SMITH.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN TOWN DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND SEE ALL THE TRAFFIC? IT'S, IT'S ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE.
I THINK A LOT OF THIS CONSTRUCTION WAS DONE BACKWARDS.
I THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLANNED FIRST AND THEN BRING IN ALL OF THIS STUFF.
UM, SO I REALLY THINK MORE THOUGHT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN WITH INFRASTRUCTURE PRIOR TO BRINGING IN ALL OF THIS ADDITIONAL, UM, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
REALLY NEEDS TO BE SOME, UH, THE SAFETY IN REGARDS TO THAT TRAFFIC ON JOHN C. SMITH TRAFFIC ON 46 AND THREE 15.
SO IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE SOME THOUGHT PUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND NOT JUST BRINGING IN ALL THESE NEW BUSINESSES AND REGISTER.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A COMMENT? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I LIVE ON 9 83 PINE ARBOR ROAD.
I'VE LIVED IN HARDY BELT MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I'VE LIVED ON PINE ARBOR FOR 20 YEARS.
UH, I SIGNED UP FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, NOT REALLY TO GO AGAINST SOUTH POINT OR ANYTHING, BUT THIS IS JUST AS GOOD TIME AS ANY SOUTH POINT AND MORGAN TRACK WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT JOHN SMITH ROAD AND PINE ARBOR ROAD.
WE HAVE A MAJOR DRAINAGE ISSUE ON PINE ARBOR ROAD BACK IN AUGUST WITH, UM, TROPICAL STORM, DEBBIE.
WE HAD AT LEAST TWO HOUSES THAT FLOODED PART OF JOHNS.
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ROAD WAS CLOSED DUE TO WATER OVER, UM, WELL OVER 10 YEARS AGO, THE CITY HAD A MEETING FOR PINE ARBOR RESIDENTS WITH A 10 YEAR DRAINAGE PLAN.IF WE CAN CONTINUE, I'M NOT AGAINST ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD URGE YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE DRAINAGE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, THE TRAFFIC ISSUES WE HAVE IN THE MORNINGS, JOHN SMITH ROAD, THAT TRAFFIC HAS BACKED UP PAST PINE ARBOR.
I HAVE SAT THERE AND I HAVE WATCHED CARS THAT ARE NOT TURNING, TRY TO GO AROUND THE TRAFFIC AND ALMOST HAVE A HEAD-ON COLLISION.
WE HAVE TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WHILE ALSO HAVING THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPMENTS HAVE THEIR STORMWATER PLANS, EVERYTHING IN PLACE, BUT THAT IS MAINLY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENTS AND IS NOT REALLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO I JUST URGE YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT AND TRY TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS ON HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.
BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT HEAR A LOT FROM RESIDENTS ON PINE ARBOR ROAD, AND I'M GONNA BE HONEST, I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THESE DEVELOPMENTS IF I HAD NOT HEARD FROM A BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENT AND I SET UP A MEETING WITH MAYOR WILLIAMS. THE RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO WE NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE MORE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON SO YOU GUYS CAN ACTUALLY HEAR FROM ALL OF THE RESIDENTS AND THEIR CONCERNS TO WHERE THE, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR JOB A LOT EASIER BECAUSE YOU'RE HEARING FROM ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN HARVILLE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC? ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? YES, MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY? YES.
BRIAN, KEVIN, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT, OUR VOTE IS FOR YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR ROADS AND WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING IT.
EACH ONE OF YOUR INDIVIDUAL PODS WILL BE COMING BACK TO THIS COUNCIL.
SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT'S HOW THIS, THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK.
I HAVE A MEMORY, WELL, NOT ACCORDING TO MY WIFE, BUT ON THINGS LIKE THIS, LIKE AN ELEPHANT.
YOU HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS HERE TONIGHT, AND WE AS A CITY HAVE COMMITMENTS ALSO, IF WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED TONIGHT DOES NOT MATERIALIZE ON YOUR END, I WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO BE APPROVING YOUR PODS AS THEY COME THROUGH.
WE ALREADY KNOW WITH WHERE YOU'RE COMING DOWN TO THE SOUTH END NOW TO ALMOST, UM, UPDATE OR SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF IMPROVING JOHN SMITH ROAD.
WE WERE A LITTLE BIT SAY OKAY, AS YOU MOVE DOWN IT, WELL NOW YOU'VE GONE TO THE OTHER END.
WE HAVE TO START WORKING NOW ON THAT.
WE CAN'T WAIT, BUT I'M LOOKING AT YOU GENTLEMEN.
LET'S START WORKING ON IT TOMORROW.
LET'S NOT WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE THE PROBLEMS. THAT'S IT.
UM, THANK YOU, STEVE, BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS FIXING TO SAY.
UM, I THINK, UM, IT NEEDED TO BE, UM, RECOGNIZED AND REITERATED.
UM, HOUSING UNITS, WE ARE NOT APPROVING, UH, PAUSE.
AND STEVE, UH, MENTIONED THAT, AND I WANNA REITERATE IT.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE, UM, HORSE BEFORE THE CART INSTEAD OF THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
AND LIKE STEVE ALSO SAID, IF, IF LATER ON DOWN THE LINE, BRIAN AND THEM DON'T DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE GONNA DO ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE DO NOT HAVE TO APPROVE THE HOUSING UNITS.
EVERYTHING COMES IN PHASES, BUT WE WANT TO DO INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST.
IS THIS A PERFECT, UM, SOLUTION FOR THIS AREA? NO, BUT WE HAVE, UM, MET WITH BRIAN AND HIS ASSOCIATES FOR TWO YEARS, TWO AND A HALF YEARS OR WHATEVER.
AND WE'VE HAD, UM, DIFFICULTIES WITH SOME OF THE,
[00:30:01]
UM, THINGS THAT HE CAME UP WITH.HE CHANGED THEM, HE IMPROVED THEM.
WE HAD MORE DISCUSSIONS, WE HAD SOME CONCERNS, HE IMPROVED THEM.
AND ALL ALONG THE WAY, HE HAS TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.
AND JOSH, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NEW AND COME ABOARD, JOSH HAS WORKED WITH HIM.
MATTER OF FACT, THE LAST MEETING THAT BOY AND I HAD WITH JOSH, HE WAS HAD JUST COME OUTTA THE MEETING WITH THEM TRYING TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS AGAIN.
SO, UM, I JUST THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT, AND I'LL REITERATE IT ONE MORE TIME.
THIS IS NOT ANYTHING TO DO, BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE UNITS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IS NOT COMING UP TONIGHT.
AND THOSE WILL HAVE TO COME UP IN THE FUTURE AND ONLY IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS MET, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE REQUIRED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT POINT WAS REITERATED.
ANYONE ELSE FROM COUNSEL? UM, I HAVE AN EMAIL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD FROM A RESIDENT WHO LIVES ON MILLSTONE LANDING.
SIR, I READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
UH, HER NAME IS AINSLEY FAGAN AND I'M, I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE EMAIL THAT PERTAINS TO THIS DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES THAT SHE HAS, UM, MENTIONED IN HERE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SOUTH POINT DEVELOPMENT.
SO A MASTER PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN PREVIOUS, HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN DISCUSSED NEAR THE JOHN SMITH ROAD AND 2 78.
FROM THE MEETING I WATCHED, IT APPEARED THAT ROUGHLY A THOUSAND DWELLINGS WOULD BE BUILT IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMMERCIAL SPACES AND A POSSIBLE ROUNDABOUT IN JOHN SMITH.
WITH THIS PLAN IN POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A TRAVEL CENTER, I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONCENTRATION OF VEHICLE TRAFFIC, VEHICLE TRAVEL, AND TRAFFIC THAT IS ABOUT TO HIT THE 2 78 17 AREA.
FOR EXAMPLE, RECENT, I RECENTLY TRAVELED FROM PINE, A ROAD, UH, AREA THROUGH JOHN SMITH ROAD TO ONE OF THE GAS STATIONS ON 2 78, NEAR 95 IN THE MORNING, AROUND 7:40 AM THIS DISTANCE WAS ABOUT THREE MILES IN EACH DIRECTION.
THE ENTIRE PROCESS TOOK 45 MINUTES DUE TO THE TRAFFIC ON 2 78.
AS WE ALL KNOW, HARVILLE IS SLAMMED WITH HOLIDAY TRAFFIC, MAKING IT ALMOST DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE IN THE DOWNTOWN SLASH MAIN STREET AREA TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.
AND THEN IT PROCEEDS ONTO, UH, SOMETHING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO HEAR THAT.
ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO ANY FURTHER BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUS THE WAY THIS VOTE'S GOING TO GO.
BUT, UM, I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS, AND SIR, WHICH YOU SAID, I THINK WE'RE CREATING A MONSTER IN A BAD SPOT.
IT'S ONE THING TO, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF HOMES GOING IN BETTER PLACES THAT WON'T CREATE THE PROBLEMS THAT THIS WILL CREATE.
AND YES, THEY HAVE TO COME BACK WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PODS, BUT WE WE'RE, WE'RE FORCING OURSELVES INTO A SITUATION THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT BECOMES ALMOST MOOT.
SO, UM, I'M AGAINST THIS, I'VE BEEN AGAINST IT SINCE JUNE 22 FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT THE PUBLIC'S SAYING, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO BE AGAINST IT.
UM, BECAUSE I, I THINK WE'RE, I JUST WON'T HAVE THIS ON MY CONSCIENCE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? AND I'LL CALL FOR A MOTION.
I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES.
AND WHERE ARE WE? THIS IS SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 2 0 2 4 9 DASH 18 A.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2024 DASH NINE DASH 18 A.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE, UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL? COUNCILMAN CARROLL? YES.
[00:35:01]
BE WHITE? YES.MAYOR WILLIAMS. EMPHATICALLY NO.
THE MOTION, THE READING PASSES.
OKAY, NOW LET'S GO BACK TO WHERE WERE YOU? THE, THE ORDER THAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDING AND MAYOR.
IS, UH, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? MS. GO.
MS. GULA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO SAY? NO, I'M GOOD.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC PRESENTATION, THE INTRODUCTION OF MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER, HALEY LANGLEY, EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO, UH, INTRODUCE A NEW TEAM MEMBER TO TEAM PRT.
UM, AS ALWAYS, OUR TEAM IS ALWAYS HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING AND HALEY HAS BEEN HERE SINCE, UM, MONDAY AND HAS DONE SO.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GONNA COME, UM, ALL THE EVENTS, AND SHE'S GOT A GREAT BACKGROUND.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA DO DISSERVICE.
SO I'M GONNA LET HER INTRODUCE HERSELF.
UM, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TONIGHT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE HARDY V COMMUNITY.
EVERYONE HERE HAS BEEN VERY WELCOMING AND VERY NICE.
UM, I GREW UP IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, SO, OH, SORRY.
UM, I GREW UP IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, SO SOUTH CAROLINA IS MY HOME STATE.
UM, AND I'M A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
[A. INTRODUCTION OF MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER-HALEIGH LANGLEY]
TWO AND A HALF YEARS I WAS WORKING IN MARKETING AT THE BON CORE WELLNESS ARENA.SO LOTS OF SPORTS, LOTS OF CONCERTS, UM, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BRING SOME NEW EVENTS AND STRATEGIES, UM, TO HARDY V.
AND, UH, DO YOU HAVE FAMILY HERE? DID YOUR FAMILY MOVE FROM GREENVILLE OR JUST YOU? UM, MY FIANCE AND I, WE MOVED.
WE LIVE IN SAVANNAH, BUT IT'S JUST A SHORT DRIVE.
UM, BUT WE REALLY LOVE IT HERE.
WE PLAN TO PUT ROOTS DOWN HERE, SO EXCITED.
WE'LL HAVE TO GET YOU TO BUY ONE OF THE NEW HOMES WE'RE BUILDING
YOU JUST MIGHT NOT IN SOUTH POINT PLANNING ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE WISH YOU A LOT OF LUCK AND MANY YEARS OF HAPPINESS HERE IN THE CITY OF HARDY V.
CITY OF HARDY V
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? WELCOME.
AND WHO WAS IT THAT KEPT SENDING ME THOSE EMAILS OF EVERY EVENT THAT WAS GOING ON THERE? WAS THAT YOU? BOY, THAT MIGHT, IT JUST KEPT DING, DING, DINGING, DING DING.
I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE INFORMED OF EVERYTHING.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS LADY'S GONNA PUT YOU THROUGH.
IT'S YOU, YOU PICKED THE RIGHT PLACE TO COME TO.
NEXT WE HAVE A SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK.
AND SINCE THIS IS THE, UM, WE DO HAVE A NEW MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND SO THERE'S A CERTAIN, UM, TRAINING THAT HAS TO GO ON.
I'M GONNA PASS THIS TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO READ, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
A PROCLAMATION COMMEMORATING CITY OF HARVILLE SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK.
[B. SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK PROCLAMATION]
CHILDREN IN HARDY SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE HIGHEST QUALITY EDUCATION POSSIBLE.AND WHEREAS HARDY WILL RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT AN EFFECTIVE EDUCATION PLAYS IN PREPARING ALL STUDENTS IN HARDY TO BE SUCCESSFUL ADULTS.
AND WHEREAS QUALITY EDUCATION IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF HARDY.
AND WHEREAS HARDY IS HOME TO A MULTITUDE OF HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC AND NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM WHICH PARENTS CAN CHOOSE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, IN ADDITION TO FAMILIES WHO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN IN THE HOME.
[00:40:01]
WHEREAS EDUCATIONAL VARIETY NOT ONLY HELPS TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY, BUT ALSO ENHANCES THE VIBRANCY OF OUR COMMUNITY.AND WHEREAS HARVILLE HAS MANY HIGH QUALITY TEACHING PROFESSIONALS IN ALL TYPES OF SCHOOL SETTINGS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.
AND WHEREAS SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK IS CELEBRATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY MILLIONS OF STUDENTS, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, SCHOOLS, AND ORGANIZATIONS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS.
AND I PASS IT ON TO YOU TO READ THE LAST WORD.
OH, I, I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO SAY, NOW, THEREFORE, I HARRY WILLIAMS, I WAS GONNA CALL YOU HARRY
NOW, THEREFORE, I, HARRY WILLIAMS DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE JANUARY 26TH TO FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025 IS HARDY SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK.
AND I CALL THIS OBSERVANCE TO THE ATTENTION, ATTENTION OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
THE WITNESS THEREOF, I HEAR, BUT I HAVE HERE THE THUNDER SET MY HAND, THE 16TH DAY OF JANUARY.
I'D LIKE A, UH, UH, MOTION FROM COUNSEL TO ENDORSE THIS PROCLAMATION, PLEASE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO YOU KNOW WHERE TO SEND THIS ON.
NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE FLOCK CRIME DASHBOARD AND NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE,
[C. PRESENTATION OF THE FLOCK CRIME DASHBOARD & NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE]
MR. GRUBER, UH, AND YOU ARE GONNA PASS IT ON? I AM.I'M GONNA ASK, UH, LIEUTENANT, LIEUTENANT DETECTIVE MICHA AND JAMES, UH, BR TO COME UP AND GIVE A PRESENTATION ON BOTH ASPECTS OF OUR UPDATES.
FORWARD A COUPLE FLYER WITH SOME OF THE INFORMATION.
I'LL HAND SOME OF THE MARKETING MATERIAL WE'RE GONNA PRESENT THIS EVENING.
AGAIN, I'M WALKER MICHELLE, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU GUYS IN A WHILE.
UM, LAST WHAT WE'RE GONNA JUST LAST, JUST LAST MONTH AT THE CHRISTMAS PARTY.
IT WAS, IT WAS, YOU GOT ALL THOSE AWARDS FOR BEING SO BRAVE.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING WITH THAT.
UH, SO THIS EVENING WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A NEW PLATFORM THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED.
UH, MR. JAMES HERE HAS ASSISTED WITH THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF A LOT OF THIS.
SO WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH IS THE CHIEF'S KIND OF, HE'S BIG ON INNOVATION, HE'S BIG ON TECHNOLOGY.
HE'S PUSHED US AND, UH, CHALLENGED US TO EXPAND INTO PHASE FOUR OF OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY PROJECT.
SO WHAT THIS IS, IS IT, IT COMBINES OUR CURRENT CAMERAS WITH THE CITY AND AN INTEGRATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT PARTNERS WITH, UH, FLOCK SAFETY.
FLOCK SAFETY IS IS ONE OF OUR PROVIDERS FOR OUR CAMERAS AND SOME OF OUR OTHER, UH, TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOME OF OUR, OUR OPERATING SYSTEMS. SO WHAT IT'S DONE NOW IS IT'S BROUGHT ALL OF THOSE SYSTEMS INTO ONE AXON SAFETY, WHICH IS OUR BODY CAMERAS AXON FLEET, WHICH IS OUR DASH CAMERAS IN OUR FLEET, OUR LPR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR CAMERA SYSTEMS. AND WHAT THAT'S DONE IS PUT IT ALL ON ONE PLATFORM.
WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS OUR OFFICERS WHILE THEY'RE ON SCENE OR EN ROUTE TO A CALL DISPATCH THE SAME, TO BE ABLE TO GET REALTIME INFORMATION.
SO IF THERE'S A CRIME THAT'S COMMITTED IN A CERTAIN AREA, PART OF WHAT THE OS OR THE OPERATING DASHBOARD DOES IS ALLOWS THEM TO, IN REALTIME ACCESS THOSE CAMERAS.
IT ALSO GIVES 'EM REALTIME INFORMATION FROM OUR LPR SYSTEMS AND FROM OUR DASH CAMERAS AND FROM OUR BODY CAMERAS.
SO REALLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL AS A REALTIME CRIME CENTER OR GETTING TOWARDS A REALTIME CRIME CENTER.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS ALL OF THE INFORMATION COMING TOGETHER IN REAL TIME.
SO, HARDY V HELPS IS WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE CLOAKED IT.
THAT'S THE NAME FOR THE WEBSITE.
AND WHAT THIS DOES, THE PORTION OF THIS FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT ALLOWS THEM TO REGISTER THEIR CAMERAS AT THEIR HOMES, THEIR BUSINESSES, OR INTEGRATE IT GIVES 'EM THE OPTION FOR BOTH.
CAN WE PULL UP THE ACTUAL WEBSITE? SO WHAT DOES, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THERE'S A QR CODE THEY CAN SCAN ON ANY OF THESE MARKETING MATERIALS YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU.
THERE'S BUSINESS CARDS THAT WE'RE GONNA PASS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
THE BOTTOM HERE WHERE YOU REGISTER YOUR CAMERAS, IF YOU CLICK ON THAT, WHAT IT DOES IS ALLOW THEM TO FILL OUT THEIR INFORMATION.
SO IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS IN THE AREA OR HAVE A A HOME IN THE AREA, YOU CAN CLICK ON THIS, REGISTER YOUR CAMERAS.
THIS IS JUST TO REGISTER THEM.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE POLICE ARE GONNA GO INTO YOUR CAMERA SYSTEMS OR YOUR HOUSE AND OBSERVE YOU AT HOME.
BUT THIS MEANS IS THAT IF WE HAVE A CRIME IN THE AREA, AND WHAT WE NORMALLY DID HISTORICALLY, WE WALK AROUND AND SAY, OH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A CAMERA THERE.
AND WE TRY TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GO AND ACCESS THAT FOOTAGE.
WHAT THIS DOES IS IT TELLS US AHEAD OF TIME, IT GIVES US AN ICON ON THE MAP REAL
[00:45:01]
TIME AND TELLS US, HEY, YOU'VE GOT A CAMERA IN THESE CORNERS, THIS VICINITY, THIS BUILDING, THIS ADDRESS.SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS JUST SEND A MESSAGE DIRECTLY TO THE HOMEOWNER.
HEY, WE'D LIKE TO ACCESS THESE, YOU KNOW, WILL YOU GIVE US PERMISSION TO THE FOOTAGE FOR THIS TIME PERIOD? FOR THIS SCOPE? AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THEY CAN REGISTER THEIR CAMERAS OR THEY CAN JUST REGISTER 'EM AND JUST SAY, HEY, WE HAVE CAMERAS OR YOU WANNA COME SEE US? GREAT, WE'LL PARTNER WITH YOU.
I'VE HEARD TONIGHT A LOT OF THINGS ON SAFETY COMMUNITY.
THE INTEGRATION FOR THE CAMERAS.
IF YOU CLICK ON THAT, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO GO INTO HOW MANY CAMERAS THEY HAVE.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT SUBMITS IT TO OUR PLATFORM FOR FLOCK SAFETY ITSELF, WHICH IS OUR, OUR PROVIDER, WHICH TELLS 'EM, HEY, WE WANNA PARTNER WITH YOU IF YOU HAVE A GAS STATION, IF YOU HAVE A STORE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE WANNA PARTNER WITH YOU AND ALLOW YOU TO INTEGRATE AND ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO OUR CAMERAS IN REAL TIME.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU CAN SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THESE CAMERAS, BUT YOU HAVE TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO VIEW OUR FOOTAGE.
OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE'S PRIVACY IS VERY IMPORTANT AND NOT EVERYBODY WANTS US TO SEE THEIR FOOTAGE, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND, BUT AT LEAST THIS GIVES THEM THE OPTION TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACTUAL HARDY V HELPS WEBSITE AND HOW IT WORKS? THAT INFORMATION THAT PROVIDES ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY? ANYBODY THAT'S HERE? NO.
SO THIS IS WHAT THE DASHBOARD LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR OFFICERS.
THIS IS WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE POTENTIALLY FOR THE OFFICERS DISPATCH AND OUR INVESTIGATORS.
SO YOU SEE THE LITTLE CAMERA ICONS THAT ARE ON THE MAP HERE.
THAT PURPLE CAMERA IS THE CAMERA THAT'S RIGHT OVER HERE IN THIS BACK CORNER.
WHAT HAPPENS? THE OFFICER SEES THERE'S A CAMERA, THEY CLICK ON IT.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE, I'LL SAY IF YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER.
ALRIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF, PART OF MY, MY PROGRAMS AS WELL.
IF YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER, YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT AND SEE EVERYTHING IN REAL TIME.
ALRIGHT? WE'RE ALSO GONNA INTEGRATE THESE WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. ALRIGHT, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING.
PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, INTEGRATE ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS TOGETHER.
MR. JAMES HERE IS HELPING OUT WITH THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S PRETTY TEDIOUS WITH THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF IT, BUT THIS IS KIND OF JUST A DISPLAY OF A SCREENSHOT OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW IF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THE CAMERAS IN REAL TIME.
SO AGAIN, THE OFFICERS CAN ACCESS THESE ON THEIR DASHBOARDS AND THEIR PATROL CARS WHILE THEY'RE EN ROUTE TO A CALL.
OBVIOUSLY NOT WHILE DRIVING, BUT THEY CAN SEE THIS, THIS FOOTAGE IN REAL TIME.
I'VE KIND OF TOUCHED ON A LOT OF THIS ALREADY, BUT IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS STUFF AND HOW IT WORKS, UM, AGAIN, DISPATCH IS GONNA HAVE DIRECT EVENTUALLY, AND EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GONNA HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
SO WHILE THEY'RE GETTING THE CALL, WHILE THEY'RE INPUTTING THE INFORMATION IN WHAT'S CALLED OUR CAD SYSTEM, IF THEY SEE THE CRIME IN PROGRESS, THEY'RE ABLE TO GIVE REAL TIME INFORMATION THAT IF A WITNESS CAN'T, THEY'RE ABLE TO GIVE IT TO THE OFFICERS WHILE THEY'RE IN ROUTE.
THIS AGAIN, IS SOME OF THE MARKING MATERIAL, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, HOW IT WORKS, WHAT IT DOES.
AND IT ABSOLUTELY OUTLINES WHAT IT DOESN'T DO.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS A LOT OF THE, THE INFORMATION WE'RE GONNA BE PASSING OUT, THIS IS ONE OF THE STICKERS THAT THE STORES CAN PUT ON THEIR WINDOWS OR ANY OF THE BUSINESSES CAN PUT ON THEIR WINDOWS IF THEY WANT TO JUST ALERT THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE USING.
AGAIN, ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE CAN SCAN THAT QR CODE.
ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC CAN SCAN THE QR CODE AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE SITE.
THIS IS ALSO GONNA GO ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH I'M SURE MR. JAMES WILL SPEAK OF.
AGAIN, A LOT OF WHAT I HEARD TONIGHT WAS COMMUNITY SAFETY AND THE FUTURE OF THE CITY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY.
THIS IS KIND OF HOW THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND VISIONS ARE INFRASTRUCTURE GROWING SO WE CAN SAFELY RESPOND AND EFFICIENTLY RESPOND TO THE CRIMES THAT WE RESPOND TO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THIS? I KNOW IT'S SHORT, SWEET, AND TO THE POINT, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
IF ANYBODY IS WONDERING WHAT FLOCK STANDS FOR? NOTHING.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SPIRITS.
IT, IT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY CLONED.
I, I STEPPED OUT AND ASKED THE, MY MARKETING GUY FOR THE, THE COMPANY ACTUALLY RIGHT BEFORE I WALKED IN HERE.
'CAUSE I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED THAT.
I SAID, HEY, I'M ABOUT TO GO TALK TO COUNCIL.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT FLOCK STANDS FOR? HE SAID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? THE SYSTEM WILL, I'M, GO AHEAD.
NO, THE SYSTEM WILL BENEFIT FOR SAY AN ACCIDENT SCENE ALSO.
UM, THE OFFICER WILL BE ABLE TO SEE AS HE'S TRAVELING TO THE SCENE, THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SEVERITY OF IT OR WHATEVER, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AS WELL.
RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY SET FORTH THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT WITH THE CITY CITYWIDE CAMERA PROJECT.
SO ALL OF OUR
SO THEY CAN ABSOLUTELY USE IT FOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND THEY CAN USE IT FOR, IF THEY WANNA GO BACK AND JUST WATCH AN ACCIDENT AND ACTUALLY SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT.
WILL THIS SYSTEM BE PROMOTED WITHIN, UH, DEVELOPMENTS, HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, OR ARE YOU LOOKING MOSTLY AT RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS? SO THEY ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH HOAS, UM, OTHER COMMUNITIES.
I KNOW LOWE'S, HOME DEPOT, QUITE A FEW LARGE, LARGE INDUSTRIES.
AND THEY ALSO, OBVIOUSLY THEY, THEY STARTED, THE COMPANY ACTUALLY STARTED IN ATLANTA AND IT WAS TOWARDS MARKETING TOWARDS HOAS IS WHERE IT STARTED.
SO AS YOU PROCEED FORWARD, YOU'LL, YOU OR SOMEBODY WILL
[00:50:01]
BE YES.WE STARTED, UM, TRYING TO, I KNOW SUN CITY HAS STARTED WITH US ON THAT AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS MARGARITAVILLE.
UM, ALL OF THE, ALL THE OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS SPEAK OF.
LIEUTENANT, UM, HOW DOES THIS INCLUDE PEOPLE'S RING? CAMERAS? IT FOR THE REGISTRATION? YES.
THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND IT, AND MR. JAMES COULD PROBABLY ANSWER THAT IN MORE A TECHNICAL ASPECT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT'LL, AND NOT FOR A DIRECT, I'LL CALL IT AN INTERFACE, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
BUT IT DOES, IF YOU WANTED TO REGISTER AND SAY, HEY, I HAVE A RING CAMERA HERE, SO LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOWS, HEY, YOU CAN COME VISIT ME IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT IN MY AREA.
THAT WOULD BE THE REGISTRATION TAB THAT WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
AND YOU SAID IT'S NOT GONNA BE STREAMING CONSTANTLY, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE PRIVACY ISSUES THAT, THAT MAY RAISE.
NO, AND THAT'S, AND IT CAN BE DONE THREE WAYS, RIGHT? SO THERE'S ONLY THERE THE ACTUAL INTEGRATION PORTION.
WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR THAT.
WE UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S PRIVACY IS PARAMOUNT, BUT THE REGISTRATION IS THE BIG, IS THE BIG KEY.
IT SAVES A LOT OF TIME SENDING OFFICERS OUT ON FOOT, CANVASSING AN AREA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF OVERTIME, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAN HOURS, FATIGUE.
AN OFFICER CAN JUST SEE, HEY, I'VE GOT CAMERAS RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS CLICK ON THIS AND IT'S GONNA LET THE HOMEOWNER KNOW, HEY, CAN I ACCESS YOUR CAMERAS? OR YOU JUST GO AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
WITHOUT HAVING TO CANVAS THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR HOURS.
WE ALSO HEARD TONIGHT, BESIDES SAFETY, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, UM, GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT'S A CONSTANT, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGE FOR, FOR THE MEDIA DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS.
UM, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC? THE TWO PART QUESTION, THE HOAS, WHAT IF THEY DON'T AGREE TO, 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING FROM SUN CITY AND YOU KNOW, THEY, THAT'S LIKE A POLICE STATE OVER THE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE HOAS.
SO GETTING INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC INSIDE THE HOAS AND OUTSIDE IS GONNA BE SO IMPORTANT IF WE'RE GONNA GET A A, A GOOD RESPONSE ON THE REGISTRATION.
SO DO WE HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT? WE DO, AND MR. JAMES IS GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WE'RE GONNA OB OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GONNA GO ON THE NEW WEBSITE THAT HE'S GONNA SPEAK OF.
IF YOU'RE IN A SECOND AND WE'RE PUSHING DOING A MEDIA, ITS OKAY THIS COUPLE OF DAYS I THINK THIS EVENING.
AND FLOCK OS THE, EXCUSE ME, FLOCK OS THEMSELVES HAVE A MARKETING TEAM THAT WILL DEVELOP ALL THE MARKETING MATERIAL FOR US.
SO IT, IT REALLY RELIEVES A LOT OF STRESS ON US TRYING TO CREATE THE DOCUMENTATION.
WE JUST TELL 'EM WHAT WE WANT, THEY SEND IT TO US, AND THEN WE CAN REPUBLISH IT OUT THROUGH ALL THE AVENUES OF, OF COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY.
AND, AND THAT'S MY CONCERN, JAMES.
AND THAT THIS IS NOT MEANT AS A CRITICISM, WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER THAT THE AVENUES WE CURRENTLY HAVE ARE NOT REACHING EVERYONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A CRITICAL ADDITION.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE RATHER THAN JUST OKAY.
THE USUAL WAYS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK MOST OF THE PEOPLE OF HARVILLE REGULARLY GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR, YOU KNOW, UH, EVEN I DON'T, YOU KNOW, UH, SO IT IT, WE NEED A MORE THOROUGH WAY TO GET OUT THE INFORMATION.
I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO THE EXPERTS, BUT I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE WE, WE LOOK BEYOND WHAT WE'RE DOING NORMALLY.
SO FLOCK SAFETY'S MARKETING TEAM WILL ALSO DEVELOP MAILOUTS IF WE REQUEST MAILOUTS THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE MAILED OUT TO THE INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS.
SO IT'S COMING TO THEIR DOORSTEP INSTEAD OF THEM TRYING TO FIND THAT INFORMATION.
THAT'S ANOTHER TOUGH THING THAT I'LL TAKE UP LATER.
WE HAVE FOUR ZIP CODES, SO THE MAILING IS, UH, QUITE A CHALLENGE.
YOU HAVE SOME OF THE MARKETING MATERIAL IN FRONT OF YOU, IT'S JUST OKAY.
BUT THAT'S, IT'S KIND OF THE PLATFORM OF WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE FROM HERE ON OUT.
AND, UH, JUST REAL QUICK, AND THIS IS, THIS IS SUPER BRIEF.
JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DASHBOARD, UM, LIEUTENANT MICHELLE DID MENTION THAT THERE'S A NEW WEBSITE OUT THERE.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT AN INDEPENDENT WEBSITE THAT'S ALSO CROSS-POLLINATED WITH THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND IT'S HARDY V POLICE SC.GOV.
AND THIS WILL ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO COMMUNICATE MORE DIRECTLY AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE THEIR SPECIFIC NEWS PLUS THE CITY NEWS ON HERE, THEIR SPECIFIC FACEBOOK PAGE.
ANY EVENTS THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON, UM, WILL BE THERE AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CONTACT, UM,
[00:55:01]
YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, COMPLIMENT, UM, OFFICERS FOR DOING A GOOD JOB.UM, JUST DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THE POLICE STAFF AND THE E 9 1 1 STAFF AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY.
UM, THIS IS LAUNCHED AND IT IS LIVE, ALTHOUGH WE ARE CONTINUING TO CREATE CONTENT AND WE WILL HAVE THAT CONTENT, UM, CREATED AND PUSHED OUT AT A WEEKLY BASIS.
AND AGAIN, LIEUTENANT MICHO MENTIONED ALL THE INFORMATION THAT HE JUST DISTRIBUTED HERE WILL BE PUBLISHED TONIGHT ON BOTH WEBSITES, HARDY SC.GOV AND HARDY POLICE SC.GOV.
SO, AND THERE'S GONNA BE A LINK FROM HARDY VC TO HARDY POLICE.
SEE? YES, THEY DO CROSS POLLINATE.
UM, SO IF SOMEBODY WAS LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR A PERMIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THEY ACCIDENTALLY WENT TO ONE WEBSITE OR THE OTHER, IT ACTUALLY CROSS POLLINATES INTO THE SAME PAYMENT PORTAL SO THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO JUMP AROUND FROM SITE TO SITE TO SITE.
CAN THIS BE PROMOTED ON THE FACEBOOK PAGES ALSO? ABSOLUTELY.
WILL, WILL THIS BE TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH SO THAT WE REACH A HISPANIC POPULATION? YES.
SO IF YOU SEE DOWN IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER LANGUAGE YEP.
WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE SO WE CAN TRANSLATE INTO 105 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
I LOOKED, I CHECKED BECAUSE I WAS GONNA RAISE A RUCKUS ABOUT IT.
SO, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, MR. R HAS JUST TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH, SO YES, THANK YOU.
UM, AND ITS INSTANT TRANSLATION JUST BY CLICKING THAT, CLICKING THAT TOGGLE BUTTON.
DANIEL, COULD YOU CLICK THE SRI LANKAN, SRI LANKAN ONE PLEASE? ONE, I WANNA SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
SEE, YOU KNOW HOW TO READ THAT.
WHAT THE HELL? I CAN'T READ IT, BUT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE
I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT, SO DON'T WORRY.
SO ACCESSIBILITY IS A BIG THING FOR THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, BUT ALSO FOR THE DISABILITIES, UM, OF CERTAIN PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY HAVE VISION PROBLEMS, HEARING PROBLEMS. AWESOME.
UM, SO THE A DA COMPLIANCE, UM, IS BEING ACTUALLY APPLIED TO THE WEBSITE CURRENTLY IT'S GOT ABOUT 10 DAYS BEFORE IT'S ACTIVE ON THERE.
BUT IF YOU HAVE VISION PROBLEMS, THERE'LL BE A HOT BUTTON THERE TO WHERE TO ACTUALLY EXPAND THE TEXT FOR YOU OR ACTUALLY CONVERT TEXT TO AUDIO FOR YOU.
SO IF YOU HAVE VISION PROBLEMS, IT'LL DO STUFF LIKE THAT AS WELL.
IT'S ON OUR REGULAR WEBSITE ALSO THEN.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES, AND I WOULD ASK THAT WE, UM, DO THIS, UH, THESE TWO AS A CONSENT AGENDA.
IF NO ONE HAS ANY OBJECTION TO THAT, UM, PLEASE, UH, PUT THAT IN THE MOTION THAT BOTH OF THEM IN ONE MOTION.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE JANUARY 2ND AND THE JANUARY 8TH? UH, REGULAR, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, MAKE A MOTION.
WE APPROVE THE JANUARY 2ND AND JANUARY 8TH COUNCIL MEETINGS.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
WE ARE DONE WITH ALL BUSINESS.
LET'S GO RIGHT TO NEW BUSINESS.
THIS IS, UH, THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, THE MZDO TO ALLOW DIGITAL BILLBOARDS 2 0 2 5 DASH OH ONE DASH 16 A.
UH, BACK IN OCTOBER, THE CITY RECEIVED AN APPLICATION TO CONSIDER A ZONING REQUEST.
I WOULD ASK THAT BRANDON SNOWDEN, THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, COME UP AND GIVE AN EXPLANATION ABOUT WHAT THE DETAILS OF WHAT'S BEEN REQUESTED IN THE PROCEDURAL HISTORY THAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR.
UM, IT STARTED HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.
THIS DID GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION BACK IN NOVEMBER, UM, WITH THE HOLIDAYS AND SOME OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
WE DID, UM, GET IT TO YOU TONIGHT FOR, FOR CONSIDERATION FOR FIRST READING.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS GRACE OUTDOOR ADVERTISING.
UM, WE, IT IS A REQUEST TO AMEND THE MCDO IN SECTION, UM, 8.3 C TWO.
UM, THAT IS THE ORIENTATION AND CHARACTER TALKING
[01:00:01]
ABOUT CERTAIN AND SPECIFIC, UM, OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS OR BILLBOARDS.THIS WOULD ALLOW LED BILLBOARDS AND REDUCE THE DISTANCING BETWEEN THAT IS HOW IT, HOW THE NARRATIVE IS WRITTEN IN THEIR REQUEST.
UM, THIS IS A, A LOT OF LANGUAGE ON A SLIDE, BUT IT IS THE EXACT REQUEST AS PULLED FROM, UM, THE APPLICANT'S APPLICATION AND NARRATIVE.
THE, UM, THEY WOULD BE DELETING ONE SECTION AND ADDING, UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE LED CHANGEABLE COPY ON THESE, UM, BILLBOARDS, UM, NEARBY REGULATIONS.
WE DID DISCUSS THIS THOROUGHLY AT, AT PLANNING COMMISSION, SO WE ADDED THIS SLIDE.
UH, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON DOES NOT ALLOW OUTDOOR OFFSITE ADVERTISING AND OR BILLBOARDS, UM, AT ALL IN THEIR ORDINANCE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY, ONCE AGAIN ON THEIR SECTION IN ARTICLE 5, 6 50 OFF-PREMISE SIGNS, BILLBOARD SIGNS ARE PROHIBITED, DIGITAL DISPLAYS ARE PROHIBITED AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT IS THE INFORMATION FROM NEARBY.
THE VISION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, DOES TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT'S TRADITIONAL LIFESTYLE, RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
THE MZDO CURRENTLY STRIVES TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS BY LIMITING THE SIZE, LOCATION, STYLE, AND NUMBER OF BILLBOARDS.
STAFF DOES RECOMMEND REINFORCING THESE STANDARDS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED TAX AMENDMENT AND ONCE AGAIN, IN THEIR MOTION ALSO STATED REINFORCING, REINFORCING THE STANDARDS OF THE MZDO IN THE COMP PLAN.
UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND THE APPLICANT IS PRESENT, MR. STEVENSON.
THAT'S THE BEST ONE TO, TO LEAVE YOU ON AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BRIANNA, JUST SO I'M CLEAR, IS STAFF AGAINST THIS AS WELL? YES, WE ARE, WE ARE SUPPORTING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE STANDARDS.
UM, IS THE APPLICANT WHO HAS REQUESTED THIS HERE, UH, I SEE THE EXPLANATION HERE, BUT PERHAPS YOU COULD, UM, EXPLAIN YOUR RATIONALE FOR THIS.
MR. MAYOR, MEMBER OF COUNCILS, MY NAME IS HAL STEVENSON.
I RESIDE IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, I HAVE OPERATED ABOUT, I THINK WE HAVE EIGHT BILLBOARDS, UH, IN THE CITY OF HARDY VILLE FROM THE MID NINETIES WHEN WE BUILT THEM.
UM, I STARTED TO LOOK AT WHAT WAS HAPPENING DOWN HERE AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE NEEDED.
WE ARE OPERATING CLOSE TO 60 DIGITAL SIGNS AND ABOUT 500 BILLBOARD FACES AROUND THE STATE.
UM, SO THIS, UH, IT WAS REALLY CONCERNING ONE PARTICULAR BILLBOARD AND I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING MAYBE WE WEREN'T THINKING ABOUT WHEN WE MADE THE APPLICATION TO BE A THOUSAND FOOT OR WHATEVER.
UH, IT WASN'T INTENDED TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE A LOT, BUT THIS PARTICULAR BOARD THAT WE WANTED TO DO SITS RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF 17 AND 95 OVER ON THE, UH, EAST SIDE, SOUTHEAST CORNER.
UM, THAT SIGN ACTUALLY READS IF YOU WERE ON HIGHWAY 17 GOING TOWARDS SAVANNAH, GOING OVER I 95, UH, THAT BOARD IS ON THE RIGHT AND IS ACTUALLY READABLE TO THAT ROAD AS WELL AS I 95.
AND MY THINKING WAS, AND IN THE, IN THE HISTORY, AND I'VE BEEN IN THE BILLBOARD BUSINESS FOR 40 YEARS, UM, I HAVE HAD MY SHARE OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE BILLBOARDS AND HAVE TOLD ME SO MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AS WE BEGAN TO DO DIGITAL SIGNS, UM, I STARTED GETTING DIFFERENT COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS, FROM, FROM, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES THAT DIGITAL SIGNS CAN BE USEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY BESIDES JUST DOING A COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
AND THEY TOLD ME, I DON'T WANT TO JUST SEE A, A BUDWEISER SIGN.
I WANNA SEE THAT THERE'S A SOMETHING FOR THE BALLET OR SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY THING.
AND SO WE'VE MADE IT OUR POLICY, UM, WHERE WE'VE DONE THESE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS.
ONE, ONE PLACE IS UP IN INDIAN LAND NEAR NEAR CHARLOTTE.
UM, WE DEDICATED ONE SIDE OF THE, WE HAD, WE PUT TWO DIGITAL FACES UP THERE.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING TO DO THAT HERE, BUT WE GAVE THEM A, A, A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FULL-TIME ON EACH SIDE.
AND OF COURSE, WHEN WE HAVE VACANCIES, WE AREN'T GENERALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT SOLD OUT SOMETIMES OF YEAR WE ARE.
UM, BUT THINGS LIKE THE FLOCK SYSTEM, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT COULD BE VERY USEFUL TO THE CITY.
AND WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, MODIFY WHATEVER OUR ASK IS TO DO SOMETHING THAT THE CITY THINK COULD BE ALSO GOOD FOR THEM.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT JUST DOWN HERE.
WE'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS A LONG TIME IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND HERE, AND WE TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WE DO, ANY OF YOUR ROTARIANS BY THE FOUR WAY TEST, AND IT'S GOTTA BE WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
[01:05:01]
DAUGHTER GRACIE CAME DOWN.UM, SHE TOLD ME ABOUT SOME OF THE, UM, CONVERSATION THEY HAD WITH THEM.
AND SO I WANTED TO COME BEFORE YOU GUYS AND LET YOU ASK QUESTIONS.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE ARE FINDING IT TO BE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER ALL THESE YEARS HAVE BEEN DOING DIGITAL SCIENCE FOR A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS NOW.
THEY SAY, OH, WE DON'T WANT, UH, LAS VEGAS.
WELL, THE, THE TECHNOLOGY IS SUCH THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, IT CHANGES INSTANTANEOUSLY, BUT IT DOES NOT FLASH.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT, UH, ON A STATE ROAD ANYWAY.
UM, WE HAVE LIGHT SENSORS THAT KEEP IT AT THE AMBIENT LIGHT.
SO REALLY THE ONLY CHANGE IS JUST THAT INSTANTANEOUS CHANGE FROM ONE AD TO THE OTHER.
AND OF COURSE, OUR, OUR INDUSTRY, UM, HAS DONE MANY STUDIES NOW TO KIND OF PROVE THE, THE SAFETY FACTOR.
AND THAT'S A, UM, CONCERN I KNOW OF THE COUNCIL TODAY.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY OF HARVILLE.
UM, AND MAYBE NOT EVERYWHERE SHOULD THEY BE THERE.
AND I'M NOT REALLY ASKING OR PROPOSING THIS, UM, TO PUT 'EM EVERYWHERE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GENERALLY, UM, BEST ALONG AN INTERSTATE WHERE PEOPLE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR.
BUT BECAUSE IT COULD BE REALLY USEFUL ON 17 AND RIGHT THERE AT THAT INTERSECTION, UM, COULD BE VERY USEFUL TO THE TOWN TO RUN MESSAGES ON IT OR THINGS LIKE THAT, OR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, LET'S START THE QUESTIONING WITH MR. MESMAN THIS TIME, GIVEN THE AREA THAT WE LIVE IN WITH WEATHER EVENTS THAT WE HAVE, DO ANY OF YOUR OTHER SIGNS, HAVE YOU WORKED OUT SOMETHING WITH, UH, MUNICIPALITIES FOR EVACUATION ROUTES OR THOSE TYPES OF EMERGENCY MESSAGES? WE HAVE NOT WORKED THAT OUT.
THOSE ARE ARE STATIC SIGNS AND THEY TYPICALLY ARE USUALLY SOLD, BUT WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO DOING THAT.
IT'S JUST, IT'S A LOT EASIER TO DO WITH A DIGITAL SIGN BECAUSE WE GET THE INFORMATION.
IT'S EMERGENCY IF YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO GET SOMEBODY OUT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A WIND EVENT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT OUR GUYS GOING UP AND CHANGING OUT VINYLS ON THIS.
NO, BUT I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH YOUR, UH, UH, DIGITAL, DIGITAL SIGNS.
I MEAN, THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT WE DO HAVE.
UM, THAT MAKES ME A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.
BUT I, THESE SIGNS HAVE A PLACE, BUT IT'S TOUGH UNDER, PLEASE UNDERSTAND, IT'S EXTREMELY TOUGH TO, UH, WHERE, WHERE DO WE PUT THESE? WHERE DO YOU WANNA PUT THESE? WHERE IS IT PROFITABLE FOR YOU TO PUT THESE? YEAH, I, I WASN'T REALLY THINKING OF, OF, UM, ASKING.
I MEAN, THE, THE, UH, CITY OF HARDY HAS A, A SIGN ORDINANCE ON OUTDOOR ADVERTISING, OFF PREMISE SIGNS, UH, WITH CERTAIN SPACING REQUIREMENTS ALREADY IN PLACE.
SO WOULDN'T SAY WE WOULDN'T WANT ANY MORE, BUT I, I, I FELT LIKE THIS WAS REALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAVE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THE CITY AND FOR US TO DO AND TO CONVERT, UH, THAT ONE FACE.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT REALLY ASKING THAT ALL OF THEM BE UPGRADED.
AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME WAYS TO RESTRICT IT.
UM, AND IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, UH, GOOD PERHAPS FOR THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAD A CHANCE TO DO IT, BUT YOU GO RIGHT BY THAT OR GO OVER 17.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE, I'VE SEEN THINGS DONE WHERE WE PUT, UH, LETTERS OVER THE TOP AND DO YOU KNOW, EVEN A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOOKING SIGN AND SAY, WELCOME TO HARDY V OR SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF A, A LANDMARK Y'ALL SEEN AROUND THE STATE.
AND SOME PLACES, UH, ROCK HILL COMES TO MIND, THEY, ONE OF THE EXITS, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT UP A WELCOME TO ROCK HILL OR YORK COUNTY KIND OF THING.
AND, UM, SO I WANNA BE ABLE TO COOPERATE WITH YOU GUYS TO SOMETHING AND FIND SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD, WOULD SEE THE VALUE OF.
SO, UM, IF WE DON'T PASS THIS TONIGHT OR WE COME BACK WITH SOME OTHER DIFFERENT LANGUAGE THAT MIGHT BE MORE SUITABLE TO YOU GUYS, UH, WE'RE VERY OPEN TO THAT.
I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE, UM, COMING BACK.
THE LOCATION AND THE NUMBER OF THESE SIGNS, NOT EVERY, IT'S, THEY, THEY DON'T FIT EVERY PLACE.
AND PERSONALLY I WOULD LIKE IF, IF THIS WAS TO BE APPROVED FOR ONE SIGN, EACH AND EVERY SIGN WOULD NEED ITS OWN APPROVAL.
THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN AND, AND THE WAY ORDINANCES TYPICALLY YOU ALLOW IT FOR, YOU CAN'T BE SPECIFIC.
IT HAS TO BE FOR ANY BILLBOARD.
WE ONLY ALLOW IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT THERE ARE SOME EXISTING BILLBOARDS THAT FACE ON OTHER ROADWAYS.
BUT RIGHT NOW OUR ONLY BILLBOARDS, THAT, NEW BILLBOARDS THAT WE ALLOW AND REPLACEMENTS ARE ALONG I 95.
AND, UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS WELL.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT LOCAL OR LOCAL OR, OR, OR ARTERIAL ROADS.
CAN WE MAKE CHANGES TO OUR MZDO TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, ONE AT A TIME? UM, I WOULD HAVE
[01:10:01]
TO GET WITH, WITH LEGAL.I DO NOT, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE, BUT, AND I WOULD HAVE TO, YEAH, WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFICS OF THAT, AND I THINK THERE'D PROBABLY BE SOME SPOT ZONING CONCERNS IF WE'RE CREATING A, AN EXCEPTION FOR JUST ONE PARTICULAR AREA.
NOW, I WOULD SAY, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE OPEN TO DISCUSSING, I THINK WE COULD WORK WITH THE AD APPLICANT TO COME UP WITH SOME LANGUAGE, PARTICULARLY AS IT APPLIES TO SPACING.
UM, THAT IS, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS IS HOW MANY WOULD WE LOOK AT? BECAUSE WHILE GRACE IS ONLY ASKING FOR ONE, YOU ALSO HAVE ATOMS AND YOU'VE GOT LAMAR AND YOU'VE GOT A NUMBER OF OTHER BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT ALL OWN THEIR OWN, IF THEY SEE ONE GO UP, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THERE WILL BE OTHERS THAT WILL BE ASKING FOR IT AS WELL.
AND SO WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPREHENSIVE MANNER, BUT ONLY IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO CONSIDER.
ONE, ONE THING I THINK WE HAD DISCUSSED AT ONE TIME IS, YOU KNOW, EVEN HAVING IT OUT FIVE OR 10,000 FEET, 'CAUSE THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF MILES AND NO LINE OF SIGHT THINGS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND IF PEOPLE WANTED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR SOMETHING IN A PARTICULAR SPOT AND IT WAS COMPELLING, THEN THE COUNCIL COULD CONSIDER THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE, THE, UM, THE, THE PLAN, UM, AND HOW TO REVISE THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE REQUEST AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
ANYTHING ELSE, MR. UZMAN? NO, SIR.
MY MY CONCERN IS IF WE ALLOW THIS GENTLEMAN TO HAVE HIS DIGITAL SIGN UP THERE, WHAT KIND OF PANDORA'S BOX ARE WE GONNA OPEN? AND THAT'S WHAT BOTHERS ME.
THIS IS THE LOW COUNTRY, AND WE ARE VERY LOW KEY, AND I HONESTLY DON'T WANT, UH, ROADS AND HIGHWAYS TO LOOK LIKE THE SOUTH OF THE BORDER SIGNS THAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU'RE GOING UP NORTH OR COMING DOWN SOUTH.
THOSE THINGS JUST GIVE ME THE, THE CREEPS AND THAT'S WHAT WORRIES ME.
YOU MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR YOU.
AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE BEATING DOWN THE DOORS TO GET MORE DIGITAL SIGNS UP THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER WORRY.
ONE OF THE THINGS TO LOOK AT TOO WHEN YOU CHECK IT OUT IS, I MEAN, THE BOARD, UM, IS THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EXISTING BOARD'S ALREADY THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT WE'RE HAVING IS TO MAKE THAT BOARD LOOK BETTER THAN IT IS HAVING A DIGITAL COMPONENT TO IT.
AND THAT THAT COULD MEAN, LIKE I SAID, SOME, SOME, UH, MONUMENT TYPE, UH, DESIGNS AND THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AND MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD BE PROUD OF.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, IF WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BE IN, UM, UH, A POSITION TO WHERE YOU THAT PUT Y'ALL UNDER PRESSURE TO DO A, A BUNCH OF DIGITAL SIGNS, LIKE I SAID, IF, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T SEE MANY, IF YOU GO UP AND DOWN 95, YOU SEE VERY FEW DIGITAL SIGNS, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE MAINLY, UH, USEFUL IN COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU HAVE THINGS GOING ON THERE WHERE LOCAL BUSINESSES WANNA LET PEOPLE KNOW.
UM, IF YOU CAME ON 95 AND TOOK THE LOOP TO GO TOWARDS SAVANNAH, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE THEY MAY NEVER SEE OR GET TO.
UM, AND THAT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, LET THOSE PEOPLE KNOW MAYBE THE NEXT TIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT, THEY ARE VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION DEVICES MM-HMM
AND CERTAINLY WE WANNA DO IT IN THE RIGHT WAY AND, UM, DO IT IN A WAY THAT TAKES CARE OF, OF CONCERNS LIKE THAT.
ONE OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FIGHT A LOT WHEN WE, UH, TALK TO, UM, UM, COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, THERE ARE DIGITAL SIGNS FOR MCDONALD'S.
THERE'S OTHER KIND OF DIGITAL SIGNS ON PREMISE SIGNS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME REGULATIONS THAT WE DO.
WE HAVE TO CONFORM TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY BEAUTIFICATION ACT RULES.
AND, UM, AND SO THIS IS THE LIGHTING NO FLASHING, BUT THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF SIGNS.
UH, THOSE SIGNS ARE TRYING TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION.
THEY CAN FLASH LOOK LIKE FIREWORKS OR SOMETHING.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL KNOW THAT IS A TOTALLY SEPARATE CATEGORY OF SIGNS.
AND ON THE OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIDES WE'RE, WE ARE, UM, COMPELLED TO SPEND AND GET THE HIGHEST TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE FOR, FOR PARTICULARLY, UH, DIMMING THE SIGN, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S, UM, NOT OVER BRIGHT WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S NOT OVER BRIGHT OUTSIDE MM-HMM
AND IT DOESN'T FLASH AND DO ANY OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
MY VIEW IS THIS IS, UH, SOME EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.
UH, WE ALL KNOW THE BAD SIDE OF BILLBOARDS AND ALL THAT, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND MY, MY FEELING IS IT'S WORTH MORE CONSIDERATION AND ALSO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AREN'T WITH YOUR SIGNS THAT HAVE THE FEDERAL, IT'S A
[01:15:01]
LOT OF THESE OTHER SIGNS.SO I GUESS IN BACK OF MY MIND I'M SAYING, WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE ANYTHING ABOUT ALL THESE SIGNS THAT ARE SO NASTY OUT THERE? UH, HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
UH, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH CONSIDERATION.
AND I THINK TO SAY NO IS, UH, PREMATURE, I THINK TO SAY YES IS PREMATURE.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT WE DON'T LIKE.
SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT, JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BUT FIRST WE, IN THE INTEREST OF FULL DISCLOSURE, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MUTUAL FRIEND WHO'S TEXTED ME, UH, AND GAVE YOU A, A GLOWING CHARACTER REFERENCE.
UM, I DID NOT RECEIVE A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR, SO IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, UM, EXCUSE.
I'M SURE HE HASN'T BEEN ASKED YET, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, SO I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, WE HAVE A MUTUAL FRIEND WHO, UM, WHO ADMIRES YOU.
UH, BUT I, I DON'T, I CAN'T SAY I KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS.
UM, I AM CURIOUS, AND I DON'T HAVE IT, THE INFORMATION, WHY DOES BLUFFING NOT DO IT? WHY DOESN'T BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES IT? WHY, WHAT DID THE PLANNING COMMISSION OBJECT TO? I, I'D LIKE TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, ALL SIDES OF, OF, OF THE STORY.
AND I, I DON'T THINK I HAVE IT IN MY HEAD YET.
AND, AND KATIE AND I BOTH, I THINK WENT BACK THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES AND SOME OTHER THINGS JUST TO MAKE SURE, ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS OPENING THIS CAN, BECAUSE AS THE APPLICATION IS WRITTEN, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING, IT COULD OPEN IT UP TO ANYTHING ON I 95 FOR THIS SITUATION.
NOT ON, NOT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ROADS, NOT ON ANY OF THAT.
'CAUSE WE DON'T ALLOW THAT, WE DON'T ALLOW ANY DIGITAL, UM, THE, WE ESPECIALLY NOT FLASHING.
WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE LOW COUNTRY, AND MAYBE MR. GRUBER CAN, CAN ASSIST WITH THAT, IS THAT IS ONE OF THE DECISIONS THAT HAS BEEN MADE ALONG 2 78, ALONG ONE 70 FOR THE REASONS OF AESTHETICS FOR, UM, LOW COUNTRY, AS YOU MENTIONED, LAID BACK, AS WELL AS, UM, KEEPING THAT FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS POINT OF VIEW AND EVERYTHING, KEEPING THAT NATURAL LOW COUNTRY BEAUTY.
AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LIMIT ANY OF THOSE 1 70 17 OR 2 78 BILLBOARDS OR ANYTHING FROM, FROM COMING UP IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THAT'S WHAT KIND OF WHERE IT CAME FROM.
AND ARE WE TALKING ABOUT I 95 BILLBOARDS? THAT'S ALL THAT WE ALLOW FOR NEW BILLBOARDS AND, AND WE, WE ONLY ALLOW BILLBOARDS ON 9 95 IN THE, UNDER THE NEW ORDINANCES THAT HAVE COME OUT RIGHT.
SO I THINK ABOUT 2009 WAS THE, WAS WHEN WE REDID THE BILLBOARD AND, AND KEEPING WITH, UM, SOME OTHER STANDARDS, UM, THAT, UH, AT THAT POINT COUNSEL AND, AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AT THE TIME DID NOT WANT 'EM ON HIGHWAY 17 OR ONE 70, AND THAT WAS IN CONJUNCTION WORKING WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
SO LET ME, IS THIS ON I 95 OR IS THIS ON 17? IT'S RIGHT AT THE, UM, INTERCHANGE ON I 95.
IT WOULD BE IN, NOT S WOULD BE IN THE, THIS ONE PARTICULAR ONE, YES.
WOULD BE IN THAT, UM, I 95 QUARTER.
IT'S A I 95 AND NOT I 95 17 QUARTER.
WELL, IT DOESN'T INFRINGE ON OUR ORDINANCE THAT NOT, WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING ON 17 OR 2 78.
NO, THIS WOULD BE A REPLACEMENT ONE, THEN.
IT DOES, IT DOES MEET THE CRITERIA TO BE RE REPLACED AND, AND UPDATED.
UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER ONES ALSO THAT, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THAT WAY AS WELL.
SO OTHER ONES ALONG I 95? YES, SIR.
AND, UM, THE ORDINANCES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND BLUFFTON, THEY HAVE THE SAME RATIONALE.
THEY DON'T WANT BILLBOARDS ALONG OUR INTERIOR ROADWAYS.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE INTENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING IN THEIR ORDINANCES.
WHEN I, WHEN I, I, I CAN SPEAK TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, NOT, NOT SO MUCH BLUFF IN'S, BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY'S GOAL IS TO ULTIMATELY ELIMINATE ALL BILLBOARDS OF ANY KIND.
BUT OVER TIME, ULTIMATELY, IF THEY WERE TO COME IN AND REQUIRE THE BILLBOARDS TO GO AWAY, THEY'D HAVE TO PAY VALUE FOR THOSE BILLBOARDS.
SO WHAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT SAYS, IF YOU HAVE IT, YOU GET TO KEEP IT, BUT WHEN IT BECOMES STRUCTURALLY UNSAFE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT DOWN AND IT DOES NOT GO BACK UP.
[01:20:01]
LONG RANGE VIEW IS TO REMOVE ALL BILLBOARDS.I THINK ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES THOUGH IS THEY DON'T HAVE I 95 RUNNING THROUGH THEIR, THEIR CORRIDOR, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE SMALLER ROADWAYS.
BUT THEY DO, AND, AND WE SEE THEM IN, IN FACT, IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME AFTER SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET ELECTED TO GET 'EM DOWN.
THERE'S, THERE'S BIG SIGNS ALONG 2 78 AND ONE 70.
SO BUFORT COUNTY DOES ALLOW, UH, ALLOW BILLBOARDS, BUT THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED.
IF THEY HAVE THEY COME DOWN, THEY DON'T GO BACK UP.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DATE WAS, BUT IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO.
SO ALL THOSE EXISTED AT THAT TIME, BUT THEY DON'T ALLOW ANY NEW BILLBOARDS TO GO UP, NO NEW ONES.
AND WE DON'T HAVE BROWN, OR WE DON'T HAVE ANY IN THE INTERIOR ROADWAYS.
THERE HAVE, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW, THERE WAS ONE ON RIGHT ON, ON 17, RIGHT.
UM, NEAR MITCHELL SQUARE THAT HAS SINCE FALLEN DOWN AND COULD NOT BE REPLACED.
UM, THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT I CAN SPEAK OF RIGHT NOW, BUT NO NEW ONES HAVE BEEN ALLOWED SINCE, UM, 2009.
I KNOW, I, I'M, I'M TORN WITH A COUPLE OF WAYS BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULDN'T WANNA SEE BILLBOARDS IN LONG 2 78, AND I AGREE.
UH, OR SO I, ON, ON THE OTHER HAND, WITH EXISTING BILLBOARDS, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WE HEARD FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, COMING UP TO THE 21ST CENTURY MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
WE EVEN USE DIGITAL IN FRONT OF OUR REC CENTER.
SO IT, I LIKE THE IDEA OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY ON THE ONE HAND.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I DON'T WANNA ADD BILLBOARDS.
I, I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO I'M A, I'M A LITTLE TORN ON WHAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS.
AND JUST TO COMPLETE MY THOUGHT, WHEN I WAS IN BUSINESS AND I WAS IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS GIVE IT A LIMITED TEST AND, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S LEARN SOMETHING BEFORE YOU COME UP WITH A FINAL DECISION.
AND THIS MAY BE A LEGAL QUESTION, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY? AND THE COST MAY BE PROHIBITIVE TO SAY, OKAY, WE WANNA TEST THIS.
WE'LL ALLOW ON I 95, ONLY ONE BILLBOARD FOR SIX MONTHS.
I'M JUST THROWING NUMBERS OUT.
DOES THAT MAKE A, IS IT LEGALLY POSSIBLE? AND B, DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE? WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.
UM, SO I, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC YES OR NO, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT'S ALSO PROBLEMATIC FOR THE CITY IF WE'RE PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS.
IF WE CREATE A STANDARD THAT ALLOWS A BENEFIT FOR ONE PARTY BUT DOESN'T ALLOW A BENEFIT FOR OTHERS, A LOT OF TIMES THAT CAN GET YOU IN IN TROUBLE.
SO WE HAVEN'T DONE THE ANALYSIS, I DON'T WANNA SAY FIRMLY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, I WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH PREA ON ANALYZING THAT.
BUT I KNOW THE IDEA OF JUST CREATING AN EXCEPTION FOR ONE PARTICULAR VENDOR WOULD LIKELY BE PROBLEMATIC.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT, I MEAN, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS IT LEGALLY FEASIBLE? IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DO IT, TO SAY, OKAY, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HIM, THE WE WILL ALLOW A SIX MONTH TEST, AND THAT WAY YOU CAN GET PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
YOU SEE WHAT IT WORKS, AND, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, THAT, THAT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE, BUT I'M JUST THROWING IDEAS OUT.
I, I THINK FROM, FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, I UNDERSTAND IT'S LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS TOO.
WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW MORE SPECIFICS.
UM, MR. STEVENSON JUST SAID THAT I 95 IS NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR YOUR DIGITAL, BUT THE 17 IS, SO THOSE ONES THAT SIT RIGHT AT 17 AND 95 ARE AN OPTION, BUT MAYBE THE ONES ON 95 ARE NOT.
SO, UM, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF QUESTIONS WE WOULD NEED TO ANSWER FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT.
WE JUST GOT AN APPLICATION FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE, WE'RE, WE'RE BRINGING FOR CONSIDERATION AT THIS POINT.
COULD WE TABLE THIS FOR, TO GATHER A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION? YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE THESE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
UH, COULD WE FIND OUT HOW THE OTHER COMMUNITIES TREAT THESE? DO THEY LIMIT THESE TO CERTAIN AREAS OR THINGS LIKE THAT? I THINK BEFORE WE SAY YES, NO, MAYBE, SO WE NEED MORE INFORMATION.
YEAH, I, I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I, I DON'T KNOW MR. MAYOR, THAT THESE THINGS ARE SIX FIGURES, YOU KNOW, TO DO THESE ELECTRONIC SIGNS.
SO PUTTING UP, TANKING IT DOWN, AND IF YOU MOVE IT, YOU KNOW,
[01:25:01]
IT COULD GET DAMAGED.IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE BEST SOLUTION, BUT I THINK WE CAN, UM, COME UP WITH ALSO SOME, UH, CITY STAFF AND, AND PEOPLE IN OTHER PLACES THAT ARE VERY POSITIVE TOWARDS THIS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU TO HAVE.
UM, WE'RE NOT IN A HUGE HURRY TO TRY TO PUT PRESSURE ON YOU TO DO ANYTHING.
WE JUST WANT TO GO ALONG IN A PROCESS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLY ON.
IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, THE REQUEST A VARIANCE.
UM, IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THAT WAS THE WAY TO GO.
SO, UH, UH, TEXT AMENDMENT SEEMED TO THAT, BUT JUST MOSTLY US THINKING, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND TALKING WITH BRIANNA.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE CAME UP WITH NOW, BUT I THINK IF WE CAN WORK OVER TIME TO COME UP TO ANSWER AND GET SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD, AND SO TABLING IT WOULD BE TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE TO ME.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A, I HAVEN'T STUDIED THE PROS AND CONS TO BE ABLE TO BE CONFIDENT TO SAY THIS IS THE RIGHT THING.
I ALSO AGREE WITH MRS. GUZMAN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA OPEN UP A CAN OF WORMS THAT WE CAN'T CLOSE AGAIN, OR YOU USE PANDORA'S BOX.
WELL, UH, THAT'S EVEN USE WORMS TOO.
THAT'S EVEN CAN LOW COUNTRY TALK.
THAT'S, UH, PANDORA'S EVEN HARDER TO CLOSE.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN FOR ME IS I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO GROUP THINK ON THIS.
AND SO I THINK HARRY, AND, AND I THINK PARTICULARLY WHAT STEVE SAID, LET'S KICK THE CAN AND LOOK AT THIS AND FIND SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND IT'S A DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY AND IT MAY NOT WORK FOR US, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH AN OPEN-MINDED LOOK AT THIS WITH SOME FACTS AND SOME SUGGESTIONS, AND WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD SOME POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AND MAYBE SOME THAT HAVE HAD SOME NEGATIVE, THAT'S MY, UH, WE, WE, UM, WE WILL WORK TO PUT SOME THINGS TOGETHER THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WILL BE USEFUL TO YOU.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOU LETTING US HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS AND MAYBE COME BACK WITH SOMETHING.
AND WE ULTIMATELY DON'T PR ULTIMATELY DON'T PREVAILS.
UM, WE'RE GLAD TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY AS IT IS AND WORKING WITH OUR EXISTING BILLBOARD.
SO, UM, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO CAUSE ANY TROUBLE.
WE WANNA JUST COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY LIKES.
SO WE'LL WORK ON THAT TOGETHER.
WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE MUCH MORE TROUBLESOME, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
UM, THE, UM, AND I, I WOULD LIKE MR. GRUBER, I, I THINK THE COUNCIL WOULD BENEFIT FROM, UH, UH, WHATEVER ANALYSIS, UM, MR. KIMBALL COULD, COULD ADD TO THE CONVERSATION.
I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE ENOUGH YEP.
UH, INFORMATION OR ENOUGH BACKGROUND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A QUALIFIED DECISION TONIGHT.
AND, AND I THINK, UH, SO IF, UH, THE COUNCIL WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, TO, UM, TABLE THIS TO A DATE SPECIFIC, UM, I, I THINK THAT I WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT.
I, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE A MO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE 2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 A FOR ONE MONTH TO THE SECOND MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER, UH, THE PUBLIC TO COME FORWARD WITH ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS AT THIS TIME.
SO SEEING, UH, NO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS TO, UH, THE SECOND MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.
I'M GONNA CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOME HOMEWORK TO DO FOR THE NEXT MONTH.
AND, UH, WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU CAN ADD TO MAKING US MORE EDUCATED, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UH, AND MR. GRUBER, I THINK WE'D ALL BENEFIT FROM WHATEVER RATIONALE, UH, BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT COUNTY AND OTHERS WHO HAVE, UH, BANNED BILLBOARDS, WHAT THEIR RATIONALE IS.
WE'LL GET YOU SOME INFORMATION ALONG THOSE LINES, AS WELL AS SOME SUGGESTED OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION AND WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO EVALUATE WHAT LEGALLY WE CAN OR CANNOT DO.
NEXT, UM, WE HAVE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE CONFIRMING A LOAN FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE BANK TO THE CITY OF HARDY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THE COUNTY OF JASPER, SOUTH CAROLINA, IN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED 28 MILLION OH 95,
[01:30:01]
UH, 9 0 3 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A PORTION OF THE COST OF CERTAIN REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN PURSUANT TO THE REDEVELOPMENT.ISN'T, ISN'T THIS, UM, OH, THIS IS THE LOAN.
UM, I'M THINKING THE COST OF CERTAIN REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN PURSUANT TO THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE EXIT THREE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA, INCLUDING PROVISIONS TO THE PROPOSED INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT AMONG STIB CITY AND COUNTY, AND THE LOAN AGREEMENT AMONG THE STIB CITY AND THE COUNTY AMENDING THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL ORDINANCE TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE INITIAL OBLIGATION TO BE ISSUED.
UM, THIS IS ORDINANCE 2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 B.
UH, BOTH ITEMS B AND C UNDER NEW BUSINESS TONIGHT ARE COMPANION PIECES, AND THEY'RE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECENT ACTIONS BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE BANK.
ONE, THEY AGREED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXIT THREE PROJECT, AND TWO, AGREED TO REVISED LOAN TERMS, UM, FOR A LOAN THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ACCEPTED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY.
AND SO THIS FIRST ITEM, ITEM B, IS AN ORDINANCE THAT ENCOMPASSES BOTH THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND THE, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE BANK.
AND IT ALSO THEN AMENDS THE LOAN AGREEMENT AMONGST THOSE PARTIES AS WELL.
AND THEN ITEM C IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH IS PRIMARILY FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCORPORATING THOSE UPDATED TERMS. AND SO EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, WE'VE UPDATED THE DATES TO BE MORE CURRENT WITH, UH, OUR CURRENT EXPECTATIONS.
TWO, THE DOLLAR VALUES HAVE BEEN AMENDED TO NOW REFLECT THE ACTIONS THAT THE SIB HAS TAKEN IN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL, UH, GRANT FUNDING AND THE LOAN TERMS. AND THEN THREE, WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF, WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING FOR SOMETHING WHICH, WHICH THE CITY'S ALREADY AGREED TO.
BUT RATHER THAN TAKING IT UP BY A SEPARATE DOCUMENT, WE'VE INCORPORATED, UM, THAT THE CITY WILL ACCEPT MILLSTONE LANDING ROAD INTO ITS ROADWAY NETWORK, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT, A AS LONG AS WELL AS YOUR OWN.
THAT'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS IN THE UNINCORPORATED PORTIONS OF JASPER COUNTY, BUT ONLY EXISTS TO SERVE PROPERTY THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY, WHICH IS THE MILLSTONE LANDING SITE.
AND SO, WHAT, WHAT LOOKS LIKE A DRIVEWAY TO MOST FOLKS IS ACTUALLY LABELED BY DOT AS MILLSTONE LANDING ROAD, AND THAT IS THE ROAD THAT WE WOULD BE ACCEPTING.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH BOTH ITEMS B AND C ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
UM, MR. WHITE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T.
UM, MR. GRUBER, I'M, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I GOT A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT, UM, THE AGREEMENT WITH THE STIB HAD CERTAIN, WHERE IS THAT, WHERE IS THE STATUS OF THAT? THAT AGREEMENT WAS A, EXTENDING THIS LOAN TO 25 YEARS AND B GRANTING US AN ADDITIONAL $35 MILLION.
AND I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOING TO BE APPROVING THIS EVENING.
SO, SO AS A PART OF ITEM B, UH, SUBSECTION TWO, SO THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, AMENDING AND UPDATING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT.
THE SECOND ONE IS AMENDING THE LOAN AGREEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THOSE TERMS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE, CAN, CAN BE FOUNDERS WITHIN THE LOAN AGREEMENT AMONGST THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE BANK, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING AT IT HERE.
SO THIS, UM, HAS ALL FIVE OF THESE SPECIFICATIONS THAT THE BANK WANTED, INCLUDING LOOKING FOR GRANTS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S NOT JUST THE LOAN, THIS IS THE NEW INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE SURE YES, SIR.
THIS COVERS THE, THE NEW GRANT, THE CONDITIONS THAT IT CAME WITH, AND EXTENDING THE LOAN TO FROM 15 TO 25 YEARS.
THE IGA AND THE LOAN AGREEMENT ARE BOTH EXHIBITS TO THIS ORDINANCE.
AND THE REASON WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD IS AN ORDINANCE IS BECAUSE WHEN THE CITY INITIALLY APPROVED BOTH OF THOSE DOCUMENTS, THAT WAS DONE BY ORDINANCE AS WELL.
[01:35:01]
WITH THE DOCTRINE OF EQUAL DIGNITY, WE NEED TO AMEND THEM VIA THE SAME METHOD, WHICH IS BY ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE.I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT HOW THIS, THIS WAS INTRODUCED.
SO I JUST WANT IT, IT IS, I SEE IT HERE.
IT'S, UM, IT COVERS EVERYTHING.
IS THE COUNCIL CLEAR ON THAT? OKAY.
UM, WE, WE HAVE HERE REPRESENTATIVES OF, OF THE TEAM WHO HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.
UM, SO BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UH, SAY ANYTHING? NO, SIR.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
DOES THE PUBLIC, UH, UNDERSTAND THIS? DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE THIS EVENING WITH THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK? UM, ONE, ONE FURTHER QUESTION.
THIS IS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND THE BANK.
WHERE IS THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF APPROVING THIS AS WELL? UH, PROCEDURALLY THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.
I BELIEVE THEY WERE MEETING EITHER TUESDAY OR THURSDAY.
I SAW THE CHAIRMAN HERE EARLIER.
I, I, IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH ANDY FOLGER, I KNOW HE HAD EMAILED THAT THAT WAS IN PROCESS, THAT THEY WERE WORKING TO APPROVE IT AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
UH, I SAW NO ONE STAND UP FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, IN WHICH CASE, UM, AND AS MR. GRUBER SAID, UH, THE NEXT PART, BUT WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT SEPARATELY, IS, IS PART C.
SO I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES.
THIS IS FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 B.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE 2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 B.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNSEL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE? I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS.
IT'S THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE SECOND AMENDMENT, UH, AND PARTIAL REINSTATEMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARDY V AND SLF, OWNER OF THE LAND WITHIN THE CITY OF HARDY V, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE RIVERPORT TRACKED.
THIS IS ORDINANCE 2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 C.
MR. GRUER GRUER, WILL YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS AND HOW IT RELATES TO THE ONE WE JUST PASSED? YES, SIR.
SO, AS PART OF THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS THAT WERE REFERENCED IN THERE RELATING TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT AND THE LOAN AGREEMENT.
AND SO AS WE ARE UPDATING THOSE TO REFLECT THE NEW TERMS FROM THE S CIB, IT REQUIRES US TO UPDATE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AS WELL, TO INCORPORATE THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO, AGAIN, IT'S PRIMARILY LIMITED TO CHANGES WHERE THE DATE IS BEING UPDATED, THE DOLLAR VALUES ARE BEING UPDATED.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WE'VE INCLUDED LANGUAGE THAT AUTHORIZES THE CITY TO ACCEPT THE MILLSTONE LANDING ROAD AS A CONDITION OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS A NEW TERM, BUT A TERM THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH.
AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S CLARIFICATION, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL DID HAVE A WORKSHOP TO REVIEW, UM, THE, UH, PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE NEW EXIT.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO THAT AS WELL.
UH, SO AT THIS POINT THEN I WILL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL QUESTIONS.
MR. MESMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NO, SIR, I DO.
SO THIS IS, UM, WE, WE HAVE THIS IN HERE.
UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, OH, ONE OTHER THING I DID FORGET, I WAS TRYING TO, JUST TO BE CLEAR,
[01:40:01]
UM, WE'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE AND WE CONFIRMED WHICH WE DID THE LAST TIME.WE, WE WENT THROUGH THIS, I THINK BACK IN NOVEMBER.
THE AGREEMENT, UH, WITH ALL THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE GRANTED, THAT AGREEMENT STILL STAYS IN PLACE PER WHAT WAS SIGNED BEFORE.
THEY ALL THE AGREEMENTS THAT WERE DONE WITH THE WILDLIFE REFUGE AND, YOU KNOW, THE BUFFERS AND EVERYTHING THAT WERE DONE COUPLE YEARS AGO, THEY, THEY ARE STILL ENFORCED AND IT DOESN'T CHANGE WITH THIS.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO, THIS IS FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 C.
MAKE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF 20 25 0 1 DASH 16 C.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNSEL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE? CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED WITH THE LAND REQUISITION FOR SEVEN RANDALL STREET.
THIS IS, UH, A RESOLUTION ONE VOTE ONLY, 2025 DASH ONE DASH 16 D.
THIS WAS DISCUSSED IN, IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, THE CITY WAS CONTACTED ABOUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER ACQUIRING PROPERTY NEAR THIS CAMPUS.
UM, AND WE LOOKED AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF DUE DILIGENCE.
WE OBTAINED AN APPRAISAL ON THE PROPERTY, A SURVEY, AND IN PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, ALL OF THOSE HAVE COME BACK CLEAN.
AND SO THE QUESTION BEFORE COUNSEL THIS EVENING IS WHETHER OR NOT TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH EXECUTING A CONTRACT TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY AT SEVEN RANDALL STREET, UH, FOR THE CONSIDERATION PURCHASE PRICE OF $60,000.
UM, MR. WHITE, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EITHER.
UM, SO I'LL LIKE TO ASK THE PUBLIC IF THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PURCHASE, WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM HERE.
SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO RESOLUTION.
2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 D MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION 2025 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 16 D.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNSEL OR THE PUBLIC SEEING NONE OR CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS.
NEXT, ANOTHER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH, UH, HOYER INVESTMENT GROUP, UH, MORGAN, LLC AND DR HORTON FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE INTERSECTION OF S 1 41 JOHN SMITH ROAD IN US 2 78 INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD.
AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TO, THIS IS RESOLUTION 2025 DASH OH ONE DASH 16 E AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC.
WE DID DISCUSS THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING, ALSO, MR. GRUBER? YES, SIR.
AS WAS DISCUSSED, UH, EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE INTERSECTION OF JOHN SMITH ROAD AND US 2 78 IS A CURRENTLY FAILING ROADWAY SYSTEM.
UM, IT IS VERY CLEAR TO US AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF FOLKS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE THERE IN ORDER TO BETTER HANDLE THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THAT IS CURRENTLY TRAVERSING THAT PARTICULAR INTERSECTION.
IN PURSUIT OF THAT, THE CITY BEGAN COMMENCING CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL OF THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS AROUND THAT PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION WITH THE IDEA OF TRYING TO CREATE A COST SHARING AGREEMENT, UM, THAT WOULD PAY FOR THE NECESSARY DESIGN, PERMITTING AND ULTIMATELY CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE HIC MORGAN FOLKS THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO STEP UP AND ASSUME THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT PROJECT IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE IT,
[01:45:01]
ITS APPROVAL, AND TO MOVE IT FORWARD.AND SO THEY'VE PREPARED AND SUBMITTED TO THE CITY A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT OUTLINES THE, UH, GOALS OF THE PROJECT, OF IMPROVING THAT INTERSECTION AND OUTLINES THE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE, UH, TO SEE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS BE INSTALLED AT THAT LOCATION.
UM, SOME ITEMS OF NOTE WITHIN THE MOU ITSELF, IT STATES THAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD AGREE TO PAY UP TO $8 MILLION OF NOT TO EXCEED THAT FIGURE FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.
THOSE WOULD BE PHASED INTO TWO PAYMENTS WITH AN INITIAL PAYMENT OF $900,000 BEING DONE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF APPROVING THE MOU.
UH, THAT MONEY WOULD BE USED TO BRING ON BOARD ENGINEERS AND CONSULTANTS TO BEGIN THE DESIGN WORK AND PERMITTING.
AND THEN THE REMAINING AMOUNT WOULD BE, UH, BROUGHT FORWARD ONCE THE PROJECT HAD BEEN LET BID AND ACTUAL BIDS CAME BACK WITH FIRM PRICES FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO, UH, THIS TO ME IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET MOVING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN ON GETTING IMPROVEMENTS AT THAT INTERSECTION.
UH, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, PAYING FOR THE MAJORITY OF THOSE EXPENSES, THE ONLY THING THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR IN RETURN IS THAT THEY RECEIVE A CREDIT OF $1,300 PER UNIT AGAINST WHAT THEY WOULD'VE OTHERWISE PAID FOR EXTERNAL ROAD DEVELOPMENT FEES.
AND SO, UM, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THE NATURE OF COLLECTING THOSE EXTERNAL DEVELOPMENT FEES IS TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO PAY FOR DIRECTLY.
UM, LET'S GO TO, UH, QUESTIONING, AND WE'LL START WITH MR. MESMAN.
UM, BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED IN THE PRESS AND EVERY PLACE ELSE LATELY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SALES TAX INITIATIVE, CAN JOSH, CAN YOU GIVE US IN THE PUBLIC AN ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME SO PEOPLE DON'T THINK THAT IF THIS IS PASSED, THOSE LIGHTS ARE GONNA BE UP DAY AFTER TOMORROW? MM-HMM
REALISTIC, A REALISTIC OR A GENERAL TIMEFRAME OF WHEN THE, THE PROJECT COULD BE COMPLETED? I THINK A GENERAL TIMEFRAME WOULD BE SOMETIME WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, GIVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING FROM LEAD TIMES FOR ENGINEERING AND PERMITTING, AND THEN ULTIMATELY CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.
I, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A REALISTIC EXPECTATION.
SO THIS, WILL THIS BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EXIT EIGHT? WOULD THAT ALL BE GOING IN TOGETHER KIND OF THING TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE CHAOS THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? YES, MA'AM.
BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS COULD HAPPEN CONTEMPORANEOUSLY WITH ONE ANOTHER.
WE KNOW THAT BASED UPON DOT SCHEDULE, THEY'RE ANTICIPATING COMMENCING THE WIDENING PROJECT, UM, SOMETIME THIS SPRING.
AND THEY ANTICIPATE THAT IT'S GONNA BE GOING ON FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS AS FAR AS WHEN EXIT EIGHT MAY BE COMPLETED.
AND SO, YES, THERE, THERE'S VERY MUCH AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BOTH OF THOSE GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY.
MY ONLY COMMENT, UM, JOSH, A LOT OF MOVING PARTS GONNA TAKE SOME EXCELLENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT TO KEEP ALL THESE PIECES TOGETHER, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD APPROACH.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DID DISCUSS THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE DISCUSSED THE TURNING LANES, UH, SO THEY WERE LONG ENOUGH.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TRAVEL 2 78 AND TURN ONTO JOHN SMITH ROAD, YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC BACKS UP QUITE A BIT.
OF COURSE, THE LIGHT WILL HELP ALLEVIATE THAT.
UM, BUT YOU STILL NEED, UH, A TURNING LANE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FOR, UM, THAT TO GO WITHOUT BACKING UP INTO, UH, THE OTHER LANES.
UM, JUST ONE QUESTION AGAIN, I THINK, UH, STEVE DID GOOD IN MAKING SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE TIMETABLE HERE.
THIS LIGHT HAS ALREADY MET THE WARRANTS AND DOT HAS APPROVED THE LIGHT TO GO THERE.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A KEY ELEMENT.
THERE'S SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE HOPING FOR LIGHTS THAT MAY NOT HAVE YET MET THE, UM, WARRANTS THIS INTERSECTION HAS.
SO IT'S A MATTER JUST OF DESIGN AND THEN IMPLEMENTATION.
A A PREVIOUS STUDY WAS PERFORMED, UH, AN OPINION OF PROBABLE COST WAS DERIVED FROM THAT, AND IT GAVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT WE ARE LIKELY TO EXPECT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE FORMAL DESIGN DRAWINGS.
DOES ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS? MOU WITH HIC?
[01:50:01]
OKAY.SEEING NONE, I'LL LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO, AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION 2025 DASH OH ONE DASH 16 E MAKE.
MR. MARY, I'D LIKE TO, UH, UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION 2025 DASH ZERO WHEN ONE, WE HAVE A MOTION.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BY COUNSEL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE? I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE THE, UH, MANAGER'S REPORT BY MR. GRUBER.
ONLY ONE ITEM TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING, AND IT ACTUALLY COULDN'T HAVE TIED UP BETTER FROM A TRANSITION STANDPOINT.
WANNA MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS GONNA BE HOSTING A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND LISTENING SESSION ON JANUARY 30TH AT THE HARDY V REC CENTER FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM TO DISCUSS PHASE TWO OF THE I 95 WIDENING PROJECT, WHICH ESSENTIALLY TAKES THOSE IMPROVEMENTS FROM MILE MARKER EIGHT UP TO MILE MARKER 21.
ALRIGHT, COUNSEL COMMENTS, WE'LL GO IN REVERSE ALPHABETICAL ORDER TONIGHT AND START WITH MR. WHITE.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UH, MR. NO COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? MOST OF MY TIME FOR THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON A LOT OF THESE WORKSHOP THINGS AND, UH, VERY HELPFUL, BUT I HAVE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THE, WE HAVE BEEN BUSY, UM, WITH WORKSHOPS, MEETINGS.
WE TAKE GOVERNMENT TO HEART HERE IN HARDY V UM, EVERY ONE OF US HAS PUT IN A LOT OF TIME, UH, A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING AT TIMES.
UM, A LOT OF EDUCATION, A LOT OF READING, UM, BUT WE WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
ANYBODY CAN? WHAT WAS IT? WHAT IS IT YOU SAY BO? DO IT.
A MISTAKE SOMETHING SOMETHING.
BASIC, DO IT RIGHT IN A HURRY TO MAKE A MISTAKE.
AND SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE WE DO TAKE, UH, A TIME WITH IT, SUCH AS WITH YOUR SIGN ORDINANCE TONIGHT, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME WITH THAT.
UM, THE, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WHAT WE HAVE COMING ON.
PARK AND REC HAS BEEN VERY BUSY.
UM, I THINK EVERY ONE OF US HAS GOTTEN A CALENDAR WITH EVERYTHING THEY HAVE FROM NOW THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR ON THERE.
UM, OUR NEW, UH, UH, INFORMATIONAL SYSTEM, CAMERA SYSTEM WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I THINK IS GOING TO BE A FANTASTIC ASSET TO THE CITY.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME FOR IT TO GROW, BUT I THINK IT WILL BE A FANTASTIC ASSET WITH THAT.
MRS. GUZMAN, YOU READY FOR THIS? I HAVE NOTHING.
DO I HAVE TO LEAVE FOR A WHILE?
WILL YOU, WILL THIS BE IN ENGLISH OR STRING LAKIN? UM, I HAVE TO, WELL, I DUNNO.
YOU GONNA LEAVE IT UP TO ME? YES.
UH, IT'S BEEN A BUSY COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UH, JOSH AND I, UH, VISITED SUN CITY AND GAVE A PRESENTATION.
UM, PEOPLE WANTED TO KNOW IF JOSH HAS BEEN HERE TWO MONTHS OR TWO DECADES.
HE SEEMS TO KNOW EVERYTHING ALREADY.
UM, JOSH AND I ALSO WENT TO OUR QUARTERLY MAYOR'S MEETING, WHICH THIS MONTH WAS IN HARDY V.
UM, THESE, THESE ARE GOOD SESSIONS WHERE WE GET TO HARDY V IS PART OF, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY, A SMALL PART.
AND WE GET TOGETHER QUARTERLY WITH THE MANAGERS AND MAYORS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, AND THAT WILL, THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW UP.
UH, THAT GROUP HAS ALREADY SCHEDULED A MEETING TO SIT DOWN AND MEET WITH THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS, UH, THE CHAIR ALICE HOWARD, AND THE, UH, VICE CHAIR, UM, ANNA MARIE TABER.
UM, I ALSO MET WITH, AND THIS WAS PART OF OUR, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO I WILL NOT GO IN, UH, ANY FURTHER WITH IT.
BUT ANOTHER DOUG SMITH, UH, THAT, UH,
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PRESENTED US, WHICH THE COUNCIL HEARD EARLIER.UH, I ALSO, UH, ATTENDED THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
AND, UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE HAVING A, A WORKSHOP ON, ON FEBRUARY 4TH.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, MR. MESMAN.
IT'S GONNA REQUIRE A LOT OF THOUGHTFUL READING AND, AND UNDERSTANDING.
UH, I ALSO MET AS CHAIR OF SO LOCO, UM, SO LOCO, UH, PUT TOGETHER A SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILDCARE, UM, AFTER HEARING A PRESENTATION FROM REPRESENTATIVE SHANNON ERICKSON OF BUFORT, AND WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE WORKING ON THAT.
THE GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL ALSO PUT TOGETHER A SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO, UH, THOSE TWO SUBCOMMITTEES CAME TO HARDY V AND WE PUT THEM TWO TOGETHER.
AND THERE WILL BE A REPORT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH THAT'S SO LOCO ON HOW THEY CAN COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO, UM, START TO DEAL WITH THE CHILDCARE CRISIS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
UM, JOSH ALSO ON HIS CURRENT, UM, SPEAKING CIRCUIT, DID A POWER HOUR, HOUR WITH THE, UH, HILTON HEAD, UM, ISLAND, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, OUR YOUTH COUNCIL MET, UM, AND THE, THEIR NEXT ASSIGNMENT, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS HELP THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY HERE IN HARDY V WE ALL NOTICED, AS WE WERE, THE YOUTH COUNCIL WAS GIVING OUT TOYS AT THE LAST, THE, UH, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UH, NEW RESIDENTS THAT ARE PRIMARILY SPANISH SPEAKING.
SO WE HAVE, AND I INVITE THE COUNCIL TO COME ON FEBRUARY 12TH.
UM, I HAVE A NUMBER OF HISPANIC LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY COMING TO SPEAK TO THE STUDENTS, AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, RICK PATEL, WHO IS, UH, FLUENT IN SPANISH, UH, JUDGE NANCY.
UM, THE, UH, HEADS OF THE, UM, HISPANIC BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
ALEX NAVARRO, HIS WIFE, UH, VERONICA, WHO'S ALSO ON THE BOARD OF HABITAT WITH ME.
UM, THEY'LL BE COMING TO, TO, UH, TRY TO ADVISE THE STUDENTS ON HOW THEY CAN HELP THE, UH, SPANISH COMMUNITY, UH, ACCLIMATE THEMSELVES TO THEIR NEW HOMELAND.
UH, I WENT TO, UH, USCB, A PANEL OF PROFESSORS TALKING ABOUT OUR WATERWAYS, ECOLOGY, UM, AND MARINE BIOLOGY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY A GOOD THING, UM, AND PERHAPS TRY TO FIND A WAY FOR THE COUNCIL TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, AND IT'S HAPPENING AT BEAUFORT COUNTY, IS THE WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT PLASTIC BAGS AND HOW MUCH OF THAT'S ENDING UP IN, IN PARTICLES IN OUR WILDLIFE.
UM, AND I THINK THE, UH, COUNCIL WOULD BENEFIT FROM HEARING SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, JOSH AND I WENT TO, UH, LOW COG LAST FRIDAY TO DISCUSS, UM, NEXT STEPS FOR, UH, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO, UM, START TO ENGINEER AND, UH, DESIGN ARGENT BOULEVARD, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, UM, REFERENDUM ITEMS. UH, WE DO NEED TO SIT WITH THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND START THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED BY THE ORDINANCE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE REFERENDUM.
UM, PROCEEDS THAT WILL START IN MAY.
UM, THE, I I HANDED EVERYBODY A PIECE OF PAPER.
UH, THE JASPER COUNTY, UM, RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAD, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AT, UH, THE, UH, JASPER COUNTY PARK.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS, I ASKED THEM TO SEND US INFORMATION.
THIS IS THE ONLY THING I, I DIDN'T STAY FOR THE MEETING.
I JUST DROPPED BY AND TOOK THESE COPIES.
UM, BUT THERE CERTAINLY, THEY'RE TRYING TO DO A MASTER PLAN OF THAT PARK.
AND TOMORROW, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, IS THE ANNUAL MEETING OF CONVERGE, WHICH IS PUT TOGETHER BY, UM, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE.
AND IT JUST, UH, YOU'LL HEAR FROM ALL THE
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LOCAL LEADERS WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN, IN THE COMMUNITIES, ALL THE MAYORS.UH, WE HAVE A, UH, PRERECORDED TAPED, UM, SHORT FIVE MINUTE THING.
UM, SO THAT WILL ALSO BE PART OF IT.
SO IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO ON A BEAUTIFUL FRIDAY MORNING, GO TO CONVERGE TOMORROW.
IT'S AT SUN CITY AT PINCKNEY HALL.
SO AT THIS POINT, OH,
SEE, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WITH THE COUNTY.
NOW,
ON THAT NOTE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.