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HOPE EVERYONE HAD A NICE LONG START OF SUMMER WEEKEND.
I GUESS I SEE NOBODY WANTED TO GO TO THEIR OFFICE, UH, AFTER A HOLIDAY, SO THANK YOU.
SO LO WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
UM, TO START OFF, I, UM, STARTED SOMETHING NEW, WHICH IT ONLY TAKE, TOOK ME EIGHT YEARS TO FIGURE OUT.
BUT, UM, WE, I ASKED, UM, THE CLERKS TO GIVE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING SO WE HAVE A RECORD OF, OF THE MINUTES.
UM, I HOPE THE BOARD GOT A COPY WHEN YOU GOT THE AGENDA.
AND IF ANYONE IS NOT GETTING THE AGENDA, PLEASE UH, SEE MS. NORIEGA IN THE BACK THERE AND SHE WILL, UM, SHE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET ON THE LIST.
AND THERE'S ALSO A SIGNUP LIST FOR ANYONE FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO BE ON A REGULAR DISTRIBUTION TO, UH, PLEASE PUT THEIR NAME UP THERE AND YOU'LL GET A REGULAR NOTICE OF THE MEETINGS.
SO, JUST BRIEFLY, UM, LAST MEETING WE HAD A REPORT FROM, UH, KEVIN ICARD FROM BLUFFTON ON THE, UH, THE NEW TOWN ORDINANCE REGARDING WETLANDS.
WE HAD A PROPOSAL FROM TOM LENNOX ON, UH, A TASK FORCE PROPOSAL FOR THE COMMITTEE.
AND WE HAD A GROWTH PLANNING WORKSHOP, UH, PROPOSAL BY ROB MERCHANT OF BUFORT COUNTY.
UM, AND ALSO LASTLY, WE HAD A, AN UPDATE FROM THE PLASTIC BAG SURVEY BY, UH, MR. ROB MERCHANT AS WELL.
SO TODAY'S AGENDA, WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH THE, UM, TOM LENNOX 20 YEAR REGIONAL PLAN PROPOSAL THAT HE GAVE TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, TOM COULD NOT BE HERE, SO I'M GONNA READ HIS REPORT FOR HIM.
THE TASK FORCE WAS BORN OUT OF AN INITIATIVE OF THE, UH, GIC REGIONAL COMMITTEE TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND SCOPE OF LOW COUNTRY ISSUES BEING DEALT WITH BY THE REGIONAL, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND HOW THE VARIOUS APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS ARE INTERRELATED.
IT WAS QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE INPUT ON THESE ISSUES AND THAT OF THOSE, SO LOCO MAY BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE TO ALIGN WITH A PROJECT TO DESIGN A STRUCTURE FOR REGIONAL PLANNING.
THE STRUCTURE OR OUTLINE WOULD HELP PROVIDE CONTINUITY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, LARGE AND SMALL, URBAN AND RURAL AND LARGE BUCKETS, AND SMALL TO PARTICIPATE IN SOLUTIONS TO ISSUES THAT HAVE NO POLITICAL OR GOVERNMENTAL BOUNDARIES.
WE ALL RECOGNIZE HOW CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
HENCE, THE MISSION OF THIS TASK FORCE WORKING AS A SUBCOMMITTEE OF SO LOCO IS A, TO CREATE A STRUCTURED, INCLUSIVE, AND ADAPTABLE FRAMEWORK THAT ENABLES
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DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS TO COLLABORATE EFFECTIVELY, ALIGN PRIORITIES, AND ADDRESS REGIONAL CHALLENGES.THIS TASK FORCE WAS COMMISSIONED AS A SUBCOMMITTEE OF SO LOCO APRIL 22ND, 2025, AND HAS MET THREE TIMES.
WE HAVE REVIEWED THE FOLLOWING MISSION, INITIAL DRAFT FRAMEWORK OUTLINE ELEMENTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, 11 ELEMENTS OF OUR RE OUR REGION IN 30 YEARS.
PRESENTATION MADE TO SO LOCO IN 2024, INDUSTRY SEGMENTS AND FACTORS CONSIDERED NECESSARY FOR A HEALTHY REGIONAL ECONOMY.
BEAUFORT COUNTY AND B-J-W-S-A SPONSORED, SO LOCO REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY OVERVIEW.
AND LASTLY, DRAFT AI ASSISTED FRAMEWORK OUTLINE.
WE HAVE ALSO RECOGNIZED OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PLANS THAT HAVE A REGIONAL FOCUS AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
SO LOCO, SO LOCO REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY SUBCOMMITTEE, LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, LOCO LATS, BEAUFORT COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, SOUTH CAROLINA DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE, BEAUFORT COUNTY ATLAS, THE 2024 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
BEAUFORT COUNTY CONNECTS 2021 PLAN.
WE HAVE MET WITH TAYLOR LOGAN, PLANNING MANAGER OF B-J-W-S-A TO REVIEW THEIR WORK TO DATE AND DETERMINE WHAT STRATEGIES AND TACTICS THEY ANTICIPATE IN U USING IN PREPARING THEIR PLAN.
THEIR GOAL IS TO WORK IN COLLABORATION AND CREATE PRODUCTS THAT ARE COMPLIMENTARY.
WE SHARED OUR EARLY DRAFT OUTLINES AND TAILOR FELT THEY COULD USE OUR WORK IN DEVELOPING THEIR GROWTH STRATEGIES.
FUTURE MEETINGS OF THE TASK FORCE WILL BE FOCUSED ON FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, PRIORITIES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PLANS, AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS MISSION AND JURISDICTION.
THANK YOU TOM AND HIS COMMITTEE FOR WORKING ON THAT.
UM, IF YOU RECALL FROM LAST MEETING, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ASKED, UM, TOM, LENNOX AND ROB MERCHANT'S COMMITTEE TO ELIMINATE ANY DUPLICATIONS ON WHAT THEY WERE WORKING ON.
UM, AND I'LL HAVE THIS SENT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
AND, UM, ALSO, UM, I THINK THEY'VE SHOWN THAT THIS IS SOMETHING APART FROM WHATEVER, UH, ROB IS GOING TO PROPOSE IN THEIR OUTLINE.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? OF COURSE.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS, UH, A MOUTHFUL.
UM, BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THIS GETS SENT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, PERSONALLY I THINK THAT THIS TASK FORCE IS, IS A VOLUNTEER TASK FORCE AND, UM, IT CAN ONLY BRING FORTH SOME BENEFIT.
AND I, I, I FOR ONE, THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UH, ADOPT THEM AND, UH, ENCOURAGE THEM AND SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH.
I, I MIGHT ADD THAT, THAT, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PROBABLY SHOULD BE PART OF THAT, THAT GROUP AS WELL, THAT THEY WORK WITH TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE COUNTY'S MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION FOR DEVELOPMENT.
I, I KNOW THEY WROTE DOWN HERE BEAUFORT COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE, HE WAS REFERRING TO THAT, THAT, UM, CLARIFICATION.
IS THERE, UM, CHAIRMAN KEMP, IS THERE ANY ENTITY FROM JASPER COUNTY THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS? THERE'S A LOT OF BUFORT COUNTY.
IS THERE ANY, UH, ENTITY THAT WE SHOULD TELL THAT TASK FORCE TO COORDINATE WITH FOR JASPER? I'LL TALK TO TOM AFTER WE OKAY.
SO IF THERE'S ANY COORDINATING, UH, ENTITY, I THINK WE SHOULD ADD THAT TO THE LIST AS WELL.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE NORTHERN REGIONAL, UH, IMPLEMENTATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
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ADD THAT AS WELL.ANY OTHER, UM, AGENCIES THAT THIS TASK FORCE SHOULD COORDINATE WITH CARL? AND I KNOW, UH, YOU HAD SENT ME SOMETHING AND, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THAT SHOULD BE COORDINATED WITH? UH, WE BELIEVE THAT IT, IT, IT SHOULD BE MAYOR, UH, BUT ALSO IN ADDITION TO THE SILICON GARDEN, PRIMARILY HERE TODAY, TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, JASPER AND BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY IS SPENDING $813 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS IN FACILITIES AND DEVELOPMENTS.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE PLACE THOSE FACILITIES WHERE THE GROWTH IS.
SO WE THINK THAT'D BE BENEFICIAL IF YOU SO ARE SO ABSOLUTE CLAP.
SO COORDINATING WITH BOTH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THAT'S PROBABLY A, A REAL GOOD IDEA.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? TOM'S GONNA HAVE TO ADD A FEW MORE MEMBERS TO THAT COMMITTEE.
AND AGAIN, THANKS TO TOM AND HI, WHOEVER'S ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I, I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT ARE PART OF THAT COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
UH, NEXT, AS I SAID IN THE MINUTES, UH, WE HAD HEARD FROM ROB MERCHANT AND HE PROPOSED A, UM, A WORKSHOP WHICH THE, UM, THE GROUP IF WE DECIDE WOULD HIRE A CONSULTANT.
SO, UH, WE ASKED ROB TO COME BACK WITH MORE SPECIFICS TO THAT SUGGESTION TODAY.
AND, UH, HE SPOKE TO ROB LAST WEEK AND I THINK HE'S READY TO COME FORWARD.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER, UH, LAST MONTH, APRIL, UM, WHEN WE WERE OVER IN, IN BLUFFTON AND
UM, AT THAT TIME THE COMMITTEE HAD ASKED US TO PUT TOGETHER A WORK PROGRAM AND SOME NUMBERS AND A COST SHARING OR PROPOSAL FOR COST SHARING IF, IF WE ALL WOULD, UM, AGREE TO, TO MOVE AHEAD AND, AND ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, SO WE DID THAT AND THERE WERE SEVERAL COMMENTS MADE AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE WANTED TO TAKE A, A DEEPER DIVE INTO AND, AND BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE.
THE FIRST WAS KIND OF WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
IT WAS COORDINATION WITH THIS EFFORT, UM, BY MR. LENOX IN THE, IN THE GREATER ISLAND COMMITTEE.
UM, AND AS, AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, UM, TAYLOR LOGAN FROM BUFORT, JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY, WHO I'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH AND DEVELOPING, UH, THIS PROPOSAL, UM, SHE MET WITH HIM AND, YOU KNOW, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW THE TWO COULD RELATE TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS WORKSHOP APPROACH IS IT GETS THE DECISION MAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SAME ROOM EARLY ON TO GRAPPLE WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME MAYBE SOME DIFFICULT QUESTIONS FOR THE REGION THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND I THINK THE ADVANTAGE OF DOING THAT FIRST IS THAT COMING OUT OF THAT PROCESS, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE, IT WOULD HELP US FURTHER, UM, I GUESS PINPOINT WHAT ISSUES WE BELIEVE AS A REGION ARE THE MOST VIABLE THAT WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER ON.
AND POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THAT MEANS A MORE DETAILED JOINT PLANNING EFFORT, THAT COULD FURTHER REFINE WHAT IS IN THAT JOINT PLANNING EFFORT.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT COMING OUTTA THE WORKSHOP, WE COULD HAVE SOME IMMEDIATE DELIVERABLES.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD RESOLVE, UM, THROUGH SOME INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS, ESPECIALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT GROWTH AND LAND USE.
AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THIS WORKSHOP EARLY ON.
UM, HAVE SOME AGREED UPON STRATEGIES COMING OUT OF THAT.
SOME OF THEM MAY LEAD TO MORE PLANNING, BUT SOME OF THEM MAY LEAD TO SOME SORT OF INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT OR AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION OR, OR FUTURE LAND USE, GENERALIZED FUTURE LAND USE VISION.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TWO TO WORK TOGETHER AND THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE IN ENGAGING EARLY ON.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT A, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT'S A LONG PROCESS AND OFTEN YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS UNTIL, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE THAT PROCESS IS COMPLETE.
AND SO I THINK HAVING A WORKSHOP FIRST
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REALLY FOCUSING IN WHAT ARE THE ISSUES? WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD DO NOW AND THEN DO WE WANT TO FURTHER ADDRESS THESE OTHER THINGS IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL? AND SO I THINK THAT THAT IS THE WAY THAT THESE TWO CAN WORK TOGETHER.UM, AND SO THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ASKED US TO DO WAS FURTHER TO REFINE THE NUMBERS AND TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE, UH, IF WE CHOOSE POPULATION AS A WAY TO, UM, DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, UM, BASICALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT EACH PERSON, WHAT, WHAT EACH PERSON'S SHARE SHOULD BE IN CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROCESS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS.
SO WHAT WE'VE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE CONCLUDED WITH POPULATION, AND IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE TOWN OF LUFF, ESPECIALLY THE TOWN OF LOUGHTON AND HARDY, ARE GROWING QUICKLY AND THEY MAKE MIGHT BE GROWING QUICKER THAN THE ESTIMATES, BUT WE DON'T REALLY, THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE SOURCE THAT WE CAN ALL DRAW ON AS AN OBJECTIVE SOURCE FOR WHAT OUR POPULATION IS CURRENTLY.
AND THAT'S THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, UH, PROJECTIONS.
AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION AS STAFF IS THAT IF WE ARE GONNA USE POPULATION AS A BASIS FOR HOW TO DISTRIBUTE THE COST OF THIS, THAT TO USE THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, THE, THE LATEST NUMBERS THAT THEY HAVE.
IN ADDITION, WE SPOKE WITH A, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT TO JUST KIND OF GET SOME GENERAL IDEAS ABOUT WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE WORKSHOP.
SO WHAT WE PROVIDED HERE IS A, NOT TO EXCEED, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL, IT'S HARD TO PINPOINT THE, THE, THE NUMBER UNTIL WE ACTUALLY SEND OUT AN RFP OR RFQ AND START GETTING PROPOSALS OF, OF WHAT IT'LL COST.
BUT WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT, UM, A MAXIMUM OF 75,000 IS REASONABLE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF THE, UH, PHASE ONE, THE GATHERING OF EXISTING POLICIES AND INFORMATION, THE CONDUCTING OF THE WORKSHOPS, AND THEN, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE, UM, ROADMAP MOVING FORWARD FROM THAT.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
AND I GUESS FOR THE QUESTION TO THE BOARD, HOW YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS POINT.
UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONING, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE BOARD HAS UP HERE.
UM, AND THERE'S BOARD MEMBERS NOT UP HERE.
DO WE HAVE ADDITIONAL COPIES? THERE MIGHT NOT BE QUITE ENOUGH IF YOU COULD SHARE
UM, ON, ON THE FLIP SIDE, ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE, OF THE PAGE ARE THE, UH, COST SHARE BREAKDOWNS.
AND OF COURSE, NONE OF THESE DECISIONS CAN BE MADE BY THIS BODY WE'RE, WE WILL ALL COLLECT THE INFORMATION AND THEN GO BACK TO OUR JURISDICTIONS, OUR COUNCILS, TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THIS, UM, IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND I SEE THAT IT WOULD ALSO, NOT JUST A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, BUT IT IS ALSO PROPOSING TWO HALF DAY WORKSHOPS WITH US ALL.
SO WE'RE NOT ONLY COMMITTING MONEY, BUT WE'RE COMMITTING TO APPROXIMATELY EIGHT HOURS OF ALL OF OUR TIME.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA SPEND MONEY AND THEN NOT COME AND SPEND THE TIME, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GETTING EVERYTHING WE'RE PAYING FOR.
SO I, I JUST POINT THAT OUT SO EVERYBODY KEEP THAT IN MIND.
SO AT THIS POINT I'LL SHUT UP AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AREA LEFT.
UM, SO I, I KINDA LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT AND, AND I GO, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE BASED OFF OF, UH, ACTUAL TOWN SIZE, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY ACRES, HOW MANY SQUARE MILES, UM, AS, AS A THAT CAVEAT TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE, THE GROWTH PATTERN WILL BE JASPER COUNTY, HARDY, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY, BLUFFTON, AND THOSE ARE THE MAIN AREAS THAT WILL SEE THAT FUTURE GROWTH.
UM, SO I, I THINK THAT GOING OFF OF CURRENT POPULATION IS, IS KIND OF LOOKING TO YESTERDAY AND NOT LOOKING FORWARD.
UM, BUT BY LOOKING FORWARD AT LANDMASS, YOU SEE THE POTENTIAL GROWTH WITHIN THOSE AREAS, UM, THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER CALCULATION OF, OF VALUE.
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THAT'S, THAT'S A, A GOOD THOUGHT.I, IF I COULD ADD TO IT, THERE'S, UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE, THERE COULD BE SOME CAVEATS TO THAT.
JASPER COUNTY IS 665 SQUARE MILES, BUT THE DEVELOPED AREA IS ONLY SOUTHERN JASPER COUNTY.
RIGHT? SO YOU MAY WANNA MAKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TOOK, IF YOU DID THAT WAY, JASPER COUNTY WOULD BE TAKEN ON THE LION'S SHARE OF THE COST.
AND THAT MAY NOT BE WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMP WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
SO MAYBE IT'S A COMBINATION OF SOME WAY TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, I THINK YOUR IDEA IS A, A SOUND ONE, BUT ALSO, UH, NOT BE SO, UH, RIGID, RIGID TO, TO INTERPRETING THE NUMBERS.
I THINK IT GETS, I THINK IT'S A STARTING POINT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS TO WHAT ARE THOSE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT WOULD GO INTO THAT CALCULATION TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S, IT'S EQUAL ACROSS THE BOARD.
NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WHATEVER HAPPENS, UM, OFF IN THE MAINLAND IS SO IMPORTANT TO WHAT AFFECTS US ON THE ISLAND.
UM, SO WE DO GET BENEFIT FROM IT AS WELL.
AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT DEMEANING THAT OR RIGHT.
SO, AND THAT'S ALL PART OF WHAT RIGHT.
WE AS A REGION WHY WE'RE HERE, RIGHT.
BECAUSE WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING WE DO INDIVIDUALLY AFFECTS THE WHOLE REGION, RIGHT.
IF, IF I JUST ONE, UH, LARRY, IF I COULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE BECAUSE SURE.
I'M, UH, I JUST WANNA THROW SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT WOULD IT NOT BE TAXING THE TAXPAYERS TWICE, BECAUSE WE ALL LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I SAY WE ALL EXCEPT FOR JASPER COUNTY RESIDENCE,
SO WOULD THE RESIDENTS OF THE MUNICIPALITY NOT BE PAYING TWICE? JUST, UM, HADN'T STUDIED THIS TOO CLOSE OR ANYTHING, BUT THAT DOES JUMP OUT LIKE, UH, AS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO, TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU, IF THE TOWN'S GONNA PAY FOR IT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE ALL LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I'VE SAID THAT SO MANY TIMES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE LION'S SHARE OF OUR TAX REVENUE GOES TO THE COUNTY AUTOMATICALLY.
AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S AN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY OR MM-HMM
THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PAY THE SAME THING IN TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES AS ANYONE IN UNINCORPORATED AREA.
PLUS WE PAY MORE FOR THE LUXURY OF BEING IN THE TOWN OF BLOOD, YOU KNOW, WITH THE AMENITIES AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN OPERATES ON.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED THAT ROB DID WAS HE, HE TOOK OUT THE POPULATION OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN BOTH JASPER AND BEAUFORT.
SO THE POPULATION LISTED HERE FOR JASPER COUNTY AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IS MINUS THE TWO MUNICIPALITIES.
BUT I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A WORTHY THOUGHT THAT MAYBE ROB SOMEHOW INCORPORATED WITH ALL THE OTHER THOUGHTS.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS HERE.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY THIS, UM, I BELIEVE THIS DECISION IS SOMETHING THAT SO LOCO SHOULD MAKE RATHER THAN STAFF, YOU KNOW, I THINK RIGHT, ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING, AND, AND I WILL SAY ONE THING, AND I, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPALITIES, THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING COUNTY TAX EACH, EACH, UM, PROPERTY OWNER.
ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF SHARING THE COST OF THIS IS THAT EVERYONE HAS SOME INVESTMENT IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO THAT WAS SOME OF OUR RATIONALE.
BUT I WILL, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY THIS IS A DECISION I THINK FOR, SO LOCO, IF, IF, IF, UM, THE BOARD CAN AGREE ON A FORMULA OR FOR CROP COST SHARING, IF, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S THE DESIRE OF THE SPORT TO MOVE FORWARD, THEN MAYOR, UM, I, YES, ALICE, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE STORM WATER WAS A COST SHARE MM-HMM
AMONGST ALL, AND THE HOUSING STUDY WAS COST SHARE.
I THINK, UM, I MEAN, TO MAYOR TOM'S POINT, UH, I LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND I LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO IT'S, IT'S WE'RE WE NEED THE BUY-IN SOMEHOW, EVEN IF IT'S A LESSER PERCENTAGE FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND YES, ALL THE PREVIOUS LOCO SUBCOMMITTEES THAT REQUIRED THIS
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INVESTMENT WERE, UH, WERE DONE BY POPULATION MAYOR.SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, NOT SO MUCH ABOUT HOW TO SPLIT UP THE COST, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT HOPEFULLY THE, THE OUTFLOW OF THE STUDY ITSELF.
'CAUSE THE STUDY IS ONLY SO GOOD AS BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT WHAT IT RECOMMENDS.
AND SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IF THE GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A FUTURE LAND USE AND GROWTH BOUNDARY TOOL, WHEN I START LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE A PART OF THIS, YOU'VE GOT HILTON HEAD, WHICH I THINK MOST FOLKS WOULD SAY HILTON HEADS LIKELY MOSTLY DEVELOPED.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ROOM, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF REDEVELOPMENT WHICH IS HAPPENING RATHER THAN NEW GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN I THINK, UH, A LOT OF THE SAME THING COULD BE SAID FOR BLUFFED IN THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT'S UNDERWAY, UM, AND WHAT'S LEFT IS ALREADY PLANNED FOR IN TERMS OF BEING IN A PDD OR BEING IN SOMETHING THAT'S RECEIVED ENTITLEMENTS.
AND THEN GO TO HARDY V, SAME THING.
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR LAND IS WITHIN A PDD THAT'S ALREADY THEN DICTATED IN TERMS OF WHAT THE ENTITLEMENTS ARE.
AND THEN SHIFTING NORTH OF THE BROAD, YOU'VE GOT THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND PORT ROYAL, WHICH KIND OF DICTATES WHAT THEIR GROWTH BOUNDARIES ARE AND HOW THEY'RE DEVELOPING.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THOSE COMPONENT PIECES, WHAT IS THE REAL LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION THAT COMES OUT OF THIS STUDY THAT ANY OF US ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO ADOPT? BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS ALREADY REALLY KIND OF SET ON A COURSE THAT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT THAT WE CAN DO.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THIS REALLY KIND OF STARTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN THE, THE THOUGHT WAS, HEY, WE'VE GOTTA STOP GROWTH.
WE'RE JUST GROWING TOO FAST AND TOO MUCH.
BUT WHEN, WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND YOU LOOK AT THE, THE LOCAL COMPONENT PIECES OF IT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY'RE STILL LEFT ON THE TABLE THAT WE COULD INFLUENCE EVEN IF WE WANTED TO.
AND SO I I, I LOOK AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE GONNA GET OUT OF THIS STUDY AND DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO THEN PAY TO PURCHASE THAT INFORMATION? UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT, YOU KNOW, I DO AGREE WE ALL HAVE GOOD POLICIES.
WE HAVE GOOD LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A REAL ADVANTAGE TO, UM, HAVING SOMEBODY WHO, WHO'S MORE OF A DISINTERESTED FACILITATOR TAKING ALL THOSE COMPONENTS AND LOOKING AT HOW THEY WORK AT A REGION.
AND THERE, I THINK IT MAY BE THAT OUR PATH TO WHAT IS AN AGREED UPON FUTURE LAND USE POLICY, IT MIGHT BE A LOT CLOSER THAN WE THINK, BUT I STILL THINK IT, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE A GOOD EXERCISE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN AREAS OF THE REGION THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE 4 62 CORRIDOR, YOU KNOW, THE PORT ROYAL SOUNDS, UH, THE AREA ALONG THE BROAD RIVER.
THERE, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A SHARED VISION.
IS THIS AN AREA WHERE WE WANT TO PROPOSE MORE OF A PRESERVATION? THIS IS AN AREA WE WANT TO TARGET INFILL.
AND I, I, SO I, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE TO DO THAT, AND THERE'S STILL ENOUGH PARCELS IN PLAY THAT HAVING THAT STRATEGY IN PLACE WOULD BE A, A GOOD THING FOR THE REGION.
AND I, I THINK ABOUT EVEN, UM, WHEN WE DID THE SOUTHERN REGIONAL PLAN, AND IT'S BEEN ALMOST 20 YEARS, UH, AT THAT TIME WE HAD CALCULATED IT ALL, BUT 11% OF SOUTHERN BEAVER COUNTY, BUT CLAIMED IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER THROUGH PD OR MM-HMM
BUT WE STILL AT THAT EXERCISE REALLY, UM, WAS A CATALYST FOR, UM, WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL, WE RE REWORKED OUR IMPACT FEES, UM, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN BUFORT, BUFORT COUNTY AND THE JURISDICTIONS.
AND ALSO HAD SUCCESSFUL, UM, SALES TAX REFERENDUM IN, I THINK IN 2006.
OR THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A RESULT OF THAT MESSAGE GETTING OUT ABOUT ALL THIS IMPROVE ALL THIS IMPROVED DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE, AND HOW ARE WE GONNA ADDRESS IT AS, AS A REGION.
SO I MEAN, I, I, I BELIEVE THAT THERE, IF IF WE'RE CLOSER TO THE GOAL, THEN I THINK THAT THAT HOPEFULLY WOULD MAKE IT EASIER.
BUT I STILL THINK THAT THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE OF, OF THIS EXERCISE, AND WE DON'T REALLY, OTHER THAN WE HAVE THIS GROUP THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AN AGREEMENT WHEN, LET'S SAY A PROPERTY IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR UPZONING IN BUFORD COUNTY OR ANNEXATION OF HOW WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION, OR I GUESS MAKE DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, IN HOW THEY MIGHT AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE IN THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE REGION.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT THERE'S A REAL ADVANTAGE TO DOING IT.
BUT, UM, AND IT MAY BE THAT WE'RE CLOSER THAN WE THINK.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT JOSH SAID, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENVISIONED WITH WHEN WE STARTED THIS IS THAT THERE ARE, WE EACH
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HAVE OUR OWN SETS OF RULES, ORDINANCES, AND APPROACHES TO, TO OUR GROWTH AND WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, IN OTHER WORDS, UM, LAST, LAST MEETING, BLUFFTON GAVE US A, UH, PRESENTATION ON THEIR NEW ORDINANCE.WHAT OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BLUFFTON DOES THAT ARE, THAT COULD BE HELPFUL TO THE REST OF US, OR WHAT PORT ROYAL DOES OR, OR BUFORT DOES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT PERHAPS THEY HAVE ORDINANCES PROTECTING THEIR, UH, ENVIRONMENT THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN OURS.
SO I THOUGHT ONE OF THE GOALS, AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS COULD BE IF THIS STUDY POINTED OUT THOSE AREAS OF DIFFERENCES THAT PERHAPS THE REST OF US COULD LEARN FROM AND ADOPT.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU, ROB, IS, IS THAT ONE OF THE GOALS OR CAN IT BE ONE OF THE GOALS? YEAH, I THINK IT CAN BE.
I MEAN, I THINK ANALYSIS OF, UH, WHAT PROTECTED RESOURCES OR POLICIES THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S IT'S FRESHWATER WETLANDS OR, UM, THE STORM WATER OR, UH, WET, UH, BUFFERS, UH, YOU KNOW, ALONG OUR RIVERS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE POINTING OUT THOSE DISCREPANCIES AND DETERMINING WHETHER, YOU KNOW, AS A REGION, WE THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE STANDARD OR THEY SHOULD BE GREATER OR, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE DEFINITELY THINGS THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED IN THIS.
THERE'S ALSO, BESIDES ENVIRONMENTALLY, THERE'S, THERE'S IMPACT FEES WITH, WITH THIS ONE JURISDICTION DO TO ANOTHER.
UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE, DOES BEAUFORT REQUIRE SIDEWALKS? AND, AND HARVILLE DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER? AND THAT WAS THAT, THAT WAS ALWAYS ONE OF MY HOPES.
SO MAYBE APPLY THAT TO SOME OF OUR THINKING.
UH, JOSH, WERE YOU ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING? DID I CUT YOU OFF? I WAS, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK WRONG, JOSH.
I WAS GONNA BUILD OFF OF WHAT JOSH HAD SAID AS WELL, BECAUSE THINKING BACK TO SOME OF THE PREVIOUS STUDIES, THE 2040 PLAN THAT WAS DONE, THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN THAT WAS DONE, UM, THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE REGARDING THE GROWTH BOUNDARIES, I'M TRYING TO, TO QUANTIFY WHAT VALUES COME FROM A $75,000 EXPENSE THAT'S NOT ALREADY THERE.
AND, AND ALMOST WONDER IF IT WOULD BE, 'CAUSE WE, TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE WOULD NEED AN OUTSIDE FACILITATOR TO, TO SHOW US WHERE OUR DISCREPANCIES ARE OR WHERE OUR NEIGHBORS MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING THAT WE MAY FIND VALUABLE AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A COLLABORATION AMONGST OURSELVES AND, AND WE COULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION AND MAYBE ESTABLISH A, A BETTER PROCESS TO WHERE WE DO THAT.
BUT I'M NOT SURE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT FROM A TWO HALF DAY, UH, EVENT WITH AN OUTSIDE FACILITATOR.
AND, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT AT LEAST I'M HEARING WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY, CITY OF BEAUFORT, TOWN OF BLUFFTON, HILTON HEAD, PORT ROYAL, UM, YOU KNOW, SO MAYBE THERE'S SOME, SOME VALUE IN BETTER IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE THERE'S OVERLAP BETWEEN JASPER COUNTY AND HARDY V, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND HOW THAT PLAYS INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY'S DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I THINK A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING AS FAR AS WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS EVENT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS WOULD BE BASICALLY A 2045 PLAN AND WE HAVE A 2040 PLAN, RIGHT? UM, THIS WOULD BE A, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO ADDRESS TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT REGIONAL GROWTH, WHICH I THINK WE ALL HAVE IN SOME DEGREE OR ANOTHER IN OUR CONFERENCE OF PLANS ADDRESS, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE IT AS A REGION.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING, SO THE, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OR THE, UM, GROWTH BOUNDARIES THAT ARE IN PLACE DON'T DO THAT NOW? UM, WELL, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, BUFORT, PORT ROYAL AND BUFORT COUNTY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY DO HAVE A SHARED VISION THAT'S IN PLACE.
SO, I MEAN, THAT IS AN ADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? SO JUST FROM THE CITY OF BEAUFORT PERSPECTIVE, WE WOULD BE PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY ALREADY HAS, RIGHT? I, WELL, I BELIEVE THAT THE WHOLE
[00:35:01]
REGION BENEFITS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CITY OF BEAUFORT WOULD BENEFIT IF WE HAD A BETTER APPROACH TO GROWTH ON A ONE 70 CORRIDOR, BECAUSE RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORT COMMUTE, YOU KNOW, THE, TO SAVANNAH, TO SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.SO I THINK THAT THERE'S, I THINK EVERY JURISDICTION, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US ALREADY HAVE A GRIEVANCE IN PLACE, SOME OF US DON'T, BUT I THINK WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THIS SHARED VISION.
SO THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT IT REALLY MAKES SENSE FOR ALL OF US TO PARTICIPATE.
YOU KNOW, AND IT MAY BE THAT CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS HAVE A LOT MORE PROPERTIES AT PLAY, UH, YOU KNOW, MIGHT HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON THE REGION, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF LAND IS DEVELOPED IN THE WRONG WAY OR, UH, OR IF WE PRESERVE A PIECE OF LAND THAT WOULD HAVE A INVERT, YOU KNOW, A BENEFIT TO THE REGION.
BUT I THINK THAT WE ALL BENEFIT FROM WORKING TOGETHER.
SO, SO ULTIMATELY, COULD THIS BECOME A, A PROCESS THAT IDENTIFIES WHERE WE MAY NEED TO DOWN ZONE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE CURRENTLY BEEN ZONED FOR HIGHER DENSITY? BECAUSE IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO, TO PURCHASE THAT REDUCTION IN DENSITY? IS THAT WHERE THE, THE GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY PROPERTIES THAT MAYBE ARE ZONED, YOU KNOW, NOT IN OUR BEST INTEREST NOW? UM, WELL, I
AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE SUCCESS OF THIS RIDE ON JUST DOWNEND.
IT, IT COULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BEAVER COUNTY AND JASPER NOW HAVE, YOU KNOW, GOOD LAND PRESERVATION TOOLS.
SO IT COULD BE FURTHER, YOU KNOW, REFINING WHERE WE TARGET, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, ONE OF THE THINGS THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM CAN DO IS, IS BUY DOWN DENSITY WITHIN APPROVED DEVELOPMENT SO THAT THAT COULD BE A RESULT.
I GUESS I'M SAYING AS A STAFF PERSON, WE'RE ALWAYS, WE KNOW THAT IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT POLITICAL DECISION OR DOWNEND PROPERTY.
AND SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT IS AN OUTCOME OF THIS.
IT COULD BE THAT WE AGREE ON IN THE FUTURE WHERE WE DON'T WANNA SEE FUTURE GROWTH OR ANNEXATION.
AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH, IS IF YOU IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS, THEN THOSE PROPERTIES RIGHT NOW ARE ALREADY ZONED SOMETHING MM-HMM
AND SO IF YOU SAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA IDENTIFY THAT WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF WHATEVER REASON, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THAT OR, OR CHANGING WHAT IT CURRENTLY IS? A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES, WE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT LANDS KIND OF ON THE, THE EDGES OF DEVELOPMENT OR ZONES, UH, LOW DENSITY, RURAL, YOU KNOW, IN THE COUNTY, OR JASPER COUNTY HAS A LOW DENSITY ZONING DISTRICT, AND IF THEY ARE TO DEVELOP, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO, IN THE FUTURE, WANT TO INCREASE THEIR ZONING OR ANNEX.
AND SO IT MIGHT BE IDENTIFYING THOSE AREAS THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR FUTURE ANNEXATION OR UPEND OR, UM, THOSE AREAS WHERE WE THINK THEY SHOULD STAY RURAL OR THEY SHOULD BE TARGETED FOR PRESERVATION.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A, A LOT FOR EVERYONE TO, TO THINK ABOUT AND, UH, HOW FAR THEY WANT TO GO.
BUT I, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF A WORKSHOP WOULD BE TO HELP US DEFINE ACTUALLY WHAT WE WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS, UM, AND, AND GO FORWARD.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN'T DO HERE IS GET INTO THE WEEDS.
WE'RE THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE DESIGNED TO DO.
UM, BUT WE DO NEED TO, UM, GET TOGETHER AND DECIDE WHERE, WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
THE, AS FAR AS STAFF BEING ABLE TO MOVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS FORWARD.
JOSH AND I WERE TALKING THIS MORNING ABOUT A CONSULTANT.
THE REASON YOU HIRE A CONSULTANT IS BECAUSE THE, THE STAFF, THEY DON'T HAVE TIME FOR IT.
AND THAT'S NOT PART OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING TO DO, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE YOUR RESPONSE.
A CONSULTANT DOES WHAT IT ADDS TO OUR, UM, STAFF CAPABILITY.
AND IT TAKES THE PLACE OF STAFF, SO TO SPEAK.
SO JUST EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU, AS YOU, UM, AS YOU CONSIDER THIS.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, SIR? PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
ANYBODY FROM OUT HERE? UH, WE ARE FILMING EVERYTHING, SIR.
MORNING MAYOR WILLIAMS AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
[00:40:01]
PATSY BRYSON ALSO IS A BOARD MEMBER, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER, HILTON, HEAD ISLAND.YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO BE WHERE THE HEARTBURN IS, IS ABOUT THE MONEY.
SO I AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD, GOOD TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT OF SOME SORT.
BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RETIRED FOLKS IN OUR COUNTIES AND WE HAVE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
SO PERHAPS LOOKING AT THAT KIND OF PEOPLE POWER, WE COULD REDUCE THE COST TO MAYBE THE COST OF THE VENUE.
UNLESS WE CAN FIND A VENUE THAT'S LARGE ENOUGH IN OUR SHARED FACILITIES TO HOST A WORKSHOP AND MAYBE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR SOME COFFEE OR WATER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT THAT OPTION AND REDUCE THE COST BY FINDING LOCAL TALENT WHO CAN SERVE AS THE FACILITATOR, THE MEDIATOR, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL 'EM.
BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF STAFF, 'CAUSE IT PUTS STAFF IN AN AWKWARD POSITION AND ALSO USE A LOT OF THEIR TIME.
AND ALSO THE SAME FOR US ELECTED OFFICIALS.
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BE THE FACILITATOR
AND IF WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP US BRING TOGETHER OUR THOUGHTS TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER, MAYBE THAT'S A WAY TO CONSIDER, WE COULD PUT YOU IN CHARGE OF THAT PATSY.
UM, I LEFT MY VOICE IN CHARLOTTE, SO, SO SORRY.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THANK YOU ALL.
I SAT THERE FOR YEARS AND WE LISTENED AND LISTENED TO ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS FOR US TO REALLY BE EDUCATED.
AND THAT WAS REALLY THE TOOL FOR SO LOCO TO BE EDUCATED.
AND THEN WE MOVED FORWARD ON SO MANY GOOD INITIATIVES.
SO I THINK I'M SPEAKING MORE TO THE NEWER ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UM, IN 2009, WE WERE, WE WERE IN A HORRIBLE RECESSION.
ANTHONY BARRETT, OUR TOWN MANAGER AT THE TIME, SPENT DOUBLE THIS ON WHERE WE WANTED TO BE.
WE WANTED TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, KEEP STAFF, YOU KNOW, WORKING, BECAUSE WE WERE HITTING THE ROCK BOTTOM OF, OF THE RECESSION IN THAT.
SO WE TOOK MONEY AND INVESTED IN A CONSULTANT THERE.
IF WE USE THE PLAN, THEY'RE WORTH IT.
IF WE'RE JUST DOING THIS TO PUT IT ON A SHELF, THEN LET'S JUST KEEP GETTING EDUCATED AND NEVER PUT IT TOGETHER.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET A FACILITATOR TO HIRE SOMEBODY.
THIS IS NOTHING, $75,000 TO, FOR EACH OF US AND AS A WHOLE TO HAVE A GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP.
IN 2009, WE CREATED A GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP.
WE DIDN'T DOWN ZONE, BUT WE SAID WHERE WE WANTED IT.
AND WE DO GET A LOT OF GRIEF, BUT I'M VERY PROUD ABOUT WHAT BLUFFTON DID AND WHERE HARDY VILLAGE IS GOING TO FIND THOSE PLACES.
THEY DID AN OVERLAY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING LAST LAST MEETING.
AND IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING.
WHERE DO YOU WANT THESE THINGS? WHERE DO YOU SEE THESE THINGS? SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ON THAT.
I'M ACTUALLY MORE EXCITED OVER THE POTENTIAL SERVICES IN ADAMS AND MAYBE UP YOUR BUDGET.
UM, TRANSPARENCY IS SO IMPORTANT.
HERMIT FINDERS, JOSH AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST WEEK ABOUT HARDY WANTING TO DO THAT.
IF WE HAD AN OVERALL MAP, INTERACTIVE MAP THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN SEE, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT LEAD TO THE NEXT PENNY, THAT LEAD TO THE NEXT WHATEVER WE NEED.
UM, SO FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, I, I LOVE THIS.
WE 10 YEARS WE TRIED TO GET HERE.
SO ALL I HAVE TO SAY, THANK YOU.
UM, I, I SHOULD CHANGE SEATS WITH MAYOR SKA, THE FORMER MAYOR, SCA,
THE STUDY, UM, IS PROBABLY IMPORTANT OR THE, BUT THE, BUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS WE WANNA STOP GROWTH AND WE ARE NOT SAYING IT.
THAT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
SO WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW WE GOING TO FACE OUR FEAR WITH A SOLUTION.
AND WE NEED TO, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T STOP GROWTH, MAYBE WE CAN SLOW DOWN GROWTH.
SO, SO LET'S, LET'S DEAL WITH THE BIGGER PICTURE AND, UH, WE THROWING MONEY AT IT, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ALWAYS DO, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO THROW SIGNS AT IT.
THAT'S HOW WE GOING TO, HOW WE GOING TO MANAGE GROWTH.
WE, WE BECOMING SOMEWHERE ELSE USA RIGHT NOW.
[00:45:01]
YOU.UH, JESSE WHITE, UH, COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE.
UM, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.
AND THE OTHER KIND OF, UM, I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW TO INTERJECT INTO THIS CONVERSATION AND JUST BASED ON SOME OF THE EARLY ON CONVERSATIONS, THE, THE GROWTH SUBCOMMITTEE WAS HAVING, UM, I THINK WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IS UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE COSTS OF GROWTH.
YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT STOP IT, BUT WE CAN MANAGE IT AND WE CAN DIRECT IT INTO THE PLACES WHERE WE ARE BEST EQUIPPED AS A REGION TO HANDLE IT AND TO, YOU KNOW, ABSORB IT.
AND THEN WE CAN IDENTIFY THE AREAS AS A REGION THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE ARE NOT TURNED INTO ANYWHERE.
USA THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT SPECIAL CHARACTER, WE CAN ALL AGREE, YES, WE WANT TO SEE THIS PROTECTED.
HOW DO WE DO THAT? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IF IF WE DO NOTHING? WHAT IS THE DO NOTHING SCENARIO? AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT THAT MAP THAT ROB HAD SHOWED THAT, UM, WITH THE, THE ENTITLEMENTS, UM, 53,000 PLUS UNITS THAT IS COMING.
AND SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT IS MORE WHAT THIS EXERCISE IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE KNOW THAT SOME GROWTH WILL COME.
IT'S LIKE WE KNOW I LOT OF GROWTH IS COMING AND IS GONNA BE UTILIZING SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE, SHARED ROADS.
UM, ALL OF THESE THINGS IMPACT ALL OF ALL OF THE JURISDICTIONS.
BUT IT'S HARD TO KIND OF WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW IT IMPACTS THE CITIZENS OF EACH OF THESE JURISDICTIONS.
AND SO BY THE DECISION MAKERS KIND OF REALLY IMMERSING THEMSELVES IN THE TRUE COSTS OF GROWTH AND WHAT IT MEANS, WHAT IT WOULD, WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO KEEP THAT TRAIN GOING, UM, IN TERMS OF THE, THE COST OF SERVICES, UM, TO THOSE AREAS OF GROWTH.
I THINK THAT'S MORE WHAT THIS EXERCISE, WHAT, WHAT THE VALUE THAT YOU WOULD BE GETTING AS DECISION MAKERS IS JUST FEEL MAKING MORE INFORMED CHOICES ABOUT HOW TO GROW AS A REGION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT AS WELL.
THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD HAVE SAID.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? THE MAYOR, WHEN WOULD BE A DROP DEAD DATE THAT WE WOULD ALL NEED TO COME BACK WITH THIS TO, IF WE DECIDE TO GO DOWN THIS PATH, UH, COLLECTIVELY IS ALL THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS.
BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE TO GO BACK AND TALK TO OUR FOLKS TO, TO KIND OF SEE WHEN THIS WILL START OR NOT START, UM, THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO DROP DEAD DATE TO, UH, START WORKING AND OR NOT WORKING.
BUT I THINK THE BOARD HAS TO DECIDE HOW MUCH TIME THEY WANT TO COME BACK AND REPORT.
SHOULD WE, UM, WE CAN PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IN NEXT MONTH IN TWO MONTHS AND THREE MONTHS.
AND THAT GIVES EVERYBODY TO GO BACK AND TAKE THE TEMPERATURE OF THEIR COUNCILS.
BECAUSE WE'RE AN ADVISORY BOARD, WE ARE NOT A DECISION MAKING BOARD.
SO, UM, WE NEED TO, UH, GET THOSE DECISIONS FROM EACH ONE OF OUR COUNCILS.
SO IS THERE, UH, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UH, COUNCILMAN MORALE, UM, DOES ANYBODY FROM THE BOARD HAVE A SUGGESTION, UH, HOW MUCH TIME EACH OF US WANTS TO REPORT BACK SOME SORT OF DECISION ON HOW, ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD? ANY THOUGHTS? THINK TWO MONTHS.
UH, NEXT MONTH IT'S JUST TOO SOON, RIGHT? SO YOU I AGREE.
I'D SAY TWO TO THREE MONTHS YOU COME BACK WITH AN ANSWER BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT ON OUR PLATE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, UM, RE-LOOK AT THE ESTIMATED COST SHARE, BUT, BUT ALSO, UM, KEEP READING THIS STRATEGY WILL ALIGN LAND USE INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND CONSERVATION PRIORITIES ACROSS THE REGION.
UM, I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH THAT, THAT THAT STATEMENT.
UM, WE ALL HAVE OUR, OUR DIRECTIVES IN PLACE IN HOW DO WE ALIGN, YOU KNOW, LAND USE,
[00:50:01]
I CAN'T TELL, YOU KNOW, HARDY BILL DON'T DO X OR Y OR Z, RIGHT? SO, SO I THINK THAT THE OVERALL STRATEGY AND PURPOSE OF IT MAY NEED TO BE RE REDEFINED JUST A LITTLE BIT.AND IT IS ABOUT ADDRESSING FUTURE GROWTH, HOW TO MANAGE IT APPROPRIATELY AS, AS WAS STATED.
UM, AND IT'S ALL THESE THINGS ARE IN PLACE.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE CREATING A, A CONTENT AGGREGATOR TO PULL EVERY MUNICIPALITY AND COUNTY'S INFORMATION INTO ONE LOCATION AND THEN COME UP WITH A PLAN THROUGH SO LOCO THAT WE ALL ADOPT AND TRY TO GET THE, THE COMMUNITIES TO ADOPT.
SO I, I THINK THE OVERALL PURPOSE OF IT MAY NEED TO, TO CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT SUGGESTION RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES ON THE ISLAND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT THIS SUMMER.
UM, THERE ARE JOINT INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT WE'RE ALL FACING.
WHAT ARE THEY, UM, WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT THAT, THAT WE'RE FACING WITH? UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, DRILLING IS NOW BEING DISCUSSED IN THE ATLANTIC AGAIN, RIGHT? IS THAT AN ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE UP AND UNDERSTAND? UM, BUT EACH COMMUNITY AND EACH MUNICIPALITY IN THE COUNTY HAVE DIFFERENCES AS TO WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING TO GO AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
AND I SEE THIS MORE AS A OKAY, RESIDENTS, HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR AREA.
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTED, UM, POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY.
SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT OUT THERE? BECAUSE IF WE ALL AGREE ON A, ON A, ON A DIRECTIVE, THAT'S JUST US AGREEING ON IT.
IT HAS NO WEIGHT, IT HAS NO BEARING, BUT THIS IS THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS COMING FORTH.
UM, SO I, I JUST, I THINK A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT NEEDS TO GO INTO IT.
DAN WOOD WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
UM, I TOO THINK A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION NEEDS TO COME OUT.
I WAS LISTENING TO ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTIES WITH THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS, AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT CONVOLUTED.
UM, I, I THINK JESSE WAS TOUCHING ON SOME ITEMS AS WELL.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE GROWTH OF BLUFFTON IMPACTED HILTON HAD, AND IT STILL IS, RIGHT? IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE GROWTH OF HARDY V IS IMPACTING BLUFFTON, RIGHT? OKAY.
AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT JASPER COUNTY IS GONNA IMPACT ALL OF US.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES, WHETHER IT'S THE ROADS, WHICH THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL IN THIS REGION, WE'RE ALL USING THE SAME WATER.
WE ALL HAVE TO BUILD THE SCHOOLS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
I DON'T THINK WE KNOW THE OVERALL IMPACT, FINANCIAL IMPACT LONG RANGE, WHAT ALL OF THIS MEANS TO EACH OF US.
YET I KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE OUR LITTLE ITEMS WHERE WE KNOW WHAT WE DO WITH OUR OWN PLANNING, BUT I THINK PART OF WHAT THIS STUDY WAS HOPEFULLY GOING TO REVEAL WAS THE OVERALL SCHEME OF ALL OF THIS TIED TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY.
I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT JOSH WAS SAYING A WHILE AGO.
YES, UH, HILTON HEAD IS PRETTY MUCH DEVELOPED OUT.
BLUFFTON IS NOT FAR FROM BEING DEVELOPED OUT.
THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT OF PLACES YOU CAN BUY LAND.
BUT AGAIN, THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE, WHEN YOU KEEP GOING OUT, THE TENTACLES OF IT ALL STRETCH UNIVERSALLY.
AND IT WILL IMPACT EVERYBODY NORTH OF THE BROAD, SOUTH OF THE BROAD, AND IN JASPER COUNTY.
SO I, I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE DEFINITION ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE GOAL.
ANYONE ELSE? IF, UH, I'LL MAKE A SUGGESTION SO WE CAN MOVE ON.
I WOULD ASK EACH JURISDICTION TO DO, UH, OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.
WE'LL, WE'LL SCHEDULE FOR, UM, TWO MONTHS FROM NOW, BUT WE'LL REVIEW, UH, NEXT MONTH WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE PREPARED.
WE CAN ALWAYS PUSH IT, PUSH IT OUT.
SO I WOULD ASK EACH JURISDICTION, ASSIGN SOMEONE A, DEFINE WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE DONE WITH THIS.
B UH, COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDED COST SHARING FORMULA THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT POPULATION AND LANDMASS OR SOME OTHER SUGGESTION THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
AND THEN C OF COURSE WILL BE TO TAKE A TEMPERATURE OF EACH ONE OF YOUR COUNCILS TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THIS PLUS OR MINUS FORMULA OF, OF COST SHARING, YOU HAVE AN APPETITE FOR.
IF, IF THE COUNCIL SAYS, HEY, I'M, I, YOU KNOW, BEAUFORT COUNTY SAYS I I DON'T WANT TO SPEND $15,000 EITHER WAY, THEN AT LEAST WE KNOW, BUT IT, WE
[00:55:01]
ROB MERCHANT, ALL THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE DESERVES AN ANSWER, AND WE NEED TO DECIDE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AFTER A COUPLE YEARS OF HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.OTHER SUGGESTIONS THAT, UH, ON THE BOARD ON WHAT WE NEED TO, UM, UH, MODIFY OR, OR CLARIFY OUT OF THIS DOCUMENT? MAYOR WILLIAMS? I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ROB AND HIS COMMITTEE DID A, A LOT OF WORK ON THIS.
AND, UM, AND I WENT TO THEIR MEETINGS AND ENJOYED THE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, I THINK I AGREE WITH MARY SALKA, THOUGH I TOTALLY ABOUT WE NEED TO DO THIS, BUT WE'LL, IF WE COME BACK IN TWO MONTHS, THEN I'D LIKE FOR US TO MAKE A DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALREADY INVESTED A LOT OF TIME IN WORK IN THIS.
AND THAT WILL REQUIRE EACH OF US, OF OUR JURISDICTIONS TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TAKE THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR COUNCILS AND TO SEE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE A VOTE, BUT AT LEAST KNOW, UH, GIVE US SOME INDICATION THAT YOU'RE FOR OR AGAINST MOVING FORWARD OR BEING PART OF IT.
SO THERE'S EIGHT JURISDICTIONS OR NINE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE STORMWATER WITH SIX, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S, UM, IF THERE ARE SIX OF, OF THE NINE, THEN PERHAPS WE, THOSE SIX WANT TO GO FORWARD.
THAT WAS A GOOD, GOOD DISCUSSION.
AND, UH, AGAIN, UH, ROB, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE PUT FORTH ON THIS, ON THIS DOCUMENT.
UM, NOW SPEAKING OF, UM, TAKING TEMPERATURE AND, AND DECIDING WHAT WE WANNA DO, ALTHOUGH AGAIN, THERE'S NO TIME.
UH, THE THIRD ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, TO DISCUSS THE TRI SHARE RESOLUTION PROPOSED BY THE CHILDCARE SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND AGAIN, IN FAIRNESS TO THAT SUBCOMMITTEE, I THINK AT SOME POINT WE OWE THEM AN ANSWER.
HARDY DID PASS THE RESOLUTION, AND OUR COUNCIL DID DISCUSS WITHOUT ANY FINAL DECISION, UH, THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO BE, UM, I DON'T WANNA USE THE WORD GUINEA PIG, BUT WE WOULD, WE WOULD CERTAINLY TEST CASE WW WOULD, WOULD, UH, BE INTERESTED IN BEING A TEST CASE IF THAT'S, UH, WHAT THE GROUP WANTED TO DO.
UH, SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM THE JURISDICTIONS, UH, HAS ANYONE ELSE PASSED THIS? YES.
ANYONE ELSE? MAYOR, I'LL, I'LL JUST, COURT ROYAL HAS LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO BRING IT FORWARD YET.
UM, DUE TO SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE COME AROUND, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD, YOU'VE HAD, YOU'VE HAD NOTHING TO DO, WE'VE HAD TO TAKE SOME THINGS OFF THE AGENDA TO ADDRESS SOME OTHER ITEMS. SO THIS HAS NOT MADE IT THERE YET.
MAYOR, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I THINK, UH, STEVEN, STEVE
UH, MAYOR WILLIAMS, WE, WE WANT THE COMMITTEE TO COME IN AND DO A PRESENTATION TO ALL OF COUNCIL BEFORE WE TAKE ACTIONS.
IT'S NOT, WE HAVEN'T SAID YES OR NO, BUT, UH, MAJORITY OF COUNCIL WANTS TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE.
AND, UH, BEFORE WE PASSED THE RESOLUTION, UH, THE, THE COMMITTEE CAME IN AND EXPLAINED WHAT TRI SHARE WAS, AND THEN WE TOOK A VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION.
UH, BEAUFORT, JASPER COUNTY, HAVE WE ANY MAYOR WILLIAMS? UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY'S BEEN DEALING WITH B AND B BRIDGES AND BUDGET, SO
I, I HAD A DIFFERENT ONE WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, BUT I WON'T GO INTO THAT ONE.
ONLY IMAGINE ME, MY BIG MOUTH.
UM, OKAY, ANYONE ELSE? I SAY, SO WE HAVE BEAUFORT, PORT, ROYAL, AND HARDY.
SO WHY DON'T I SUGGEST THAT IF, UM, IN TWO MONTHS, WE'LL COME BACK WITH SOME UPDATES FROM EVERYBODY ON WHERE YOU WANT TO GO FORWARD, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, WE STILL, IF WE DO ADOPT A RESOLUTION, A JOINT RESOLUTION OF, OF, UH, TRI SHARE, THEN
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THE NEXT STAGE OF THAT WOULD BE TO TRY TO GET IT INCLUDED IN THE STATE BUDGET, BECAUSE ONE THIRD OF THAT SHARING, UH, WE WANT TO COME FROM STATE FUNDS.SO WE HAVE, UH, IF WE ADOPT A, A RESOLUTION, WE WANT TO GET OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, OTHER JURISDICTIONS INVOLVED IN, IN ADVOCATING TO THE STATE TO ADOPT THIS, AT LEAST FOR OUR REGION, BUT PERHAPS ON A STATEWIDE BASIS.
ANYBODY WANNA ADD TO THAT? ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ONE LAST ITEM, AND THAT IS THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
DO WE HAVE, UM, I HAVE NOTHING FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS ON TAP FOR NEXT MONTH.
ARE THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? YES, SIR.
I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, UM, ENTERTAIN THE HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, UM, EVACUATION PLAN.
THAT CERTAINLY WOULD BE TIMELY.
AND, UH, MR. HAMILTON, WHO WOULD YOU SUGGEST WOULD BE THE BEST PERSON TO GIVE THAT PRESENTATION? WOULD
I'M JUST, WHERE DID YOU FEEL THE WHEELS OF THE BUS GO OVER YOU THERE? CONJUNCTION WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE JASPER COUNTY, BUFORD COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE SAY, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT RUN THE SHOW.
SO I, I THINK, AND, UM, COUNCILWOMAN GUZMAN, THAT'S WHO, UH, YOUR, YOUR EVENT OVER AT, UH, IS RUN BY THE SHERIFFS ALSO? UM, NO, WE, IT'S A, UM, A GROUP OF PRIVATE CITIZENS THAT GOT TOGETHER AND PUT IN A, UM, A TEAM TO EDUCATE BUILDING HEAD LAKES FOLKS.
AND NOW WE'VE INCORPORATED MARGARITAVILLE BECAUSE ONCE WE ARE MEETING AT THE SAME INTERSECTION, SO ON JUNE 21ST, WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT LOCAL AGENCIES WHO WILL BE THERE, UH, TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT WE HAVE TO EVACUATE AND HOW TO PREPARE.
SO, SO, UM, IF YOU COULD PERHAPS GIVE ME THE PARTICIPANTS THERE, MAYBE WE COULD, BECAUSE I THINK BOTH SHERIFFS WERE INVOLVED WITH TO THAT.
UM, CHIEF WOODWARD AND SHERIFF MAL FIRST WILL BE THERE.
WE ARE ALSO HAVING, UH, JASPER COUNTY EMS AND HARVILLE, UH, FIRE, UH, WE ARE HAVING FOLKS FROM BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER.
WE ARE HAVING, UH, THE GAS COMPANY, UH, COME IN.
WE HAVE SEVERAL LOCAL AGENCIES THAT, UH, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR SAFETY DURING, UH, A HURRICANE.
BUT I WILL GIVE YOU THE COMPLETE LIST, UH, AFTER.
THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOO BROAD FOR THIS FORM, BUT, UH, THE, OH, SHERIFF, SHERIFF'S AND, AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE STATE POLICE THAT COME TO, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT TOGETHER, THAT'S PROBABLY AN HOUR'S WORTH OF LET'S THINK.
ANYONE ELSE? IS EVERYBODY IN FAVOR OF THAT? YEAH.
ANY NAYS TO THAT THEN? THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO END THIS MEETING TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, ATTENDING AND I THINK WE HAD SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING.
PLEASE, BEFORE YOU GO, WAIT, WE'RE NOT DONE.
I'M JUST SITTING THERE THINKING, I DIDN'T MEAN TO COME ACROSS LIKE, LOFTON IS TOO CHEAP TO PAY OUR PORTION OF A STUDY OR ANY OF THAT.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY YOU CAME ACROSS.
WELL, TRYING TO JUST MAKE SENSE OF EVERYTHING WE DO, BECAUSE IF YOU SPEND MONEY AND YOU JUST SPENT MONEY AND YOU KEEP SPENDING MONEY, THEN YOU WON'T HAVE MONEY TO DO THE VERY JOBS THAT THE STUDY'S GONNA TELL YOU THAT YOU NEED TO DO.
UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP THE, THE FACT THAT 92 OR THREE, WHATEVER IT IS, PERCENT OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS ALREADY IN DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
IT'S NOT HARD TO TELL WHAT'S COMING TO BLUFFTON WHEN POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S GONNA TAKE FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS.
BUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY COMING TO BLUFFTON IS, IS CARVED IN STONE SIGNED DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
WE KNOW HOW A CHANGE IN ANYTHING IN THAT END, UM, ESPECIALLY TO MAKE IT LESS DEVELOPMENT.
SO I WOULD THINK IT'D BE VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE, THE DIFFERENT AREAS, WHETHER IT'S UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY, JASPER COUNTY, CITY OF HARDY, LOOK
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WHAT'S OUT THERE THAT POSSIBLY COULD BE DEVELOPED BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR, YOUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS SAY AND ALLOW AS FAR AS DENSITY AND WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF ZONING, BUT LOOK AT THE ENTIRE REGION ON A MAP AND SAY, OH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING HERE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING THERE.
AND TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS, YOU KNOW, THE WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, WHETHER IT'S DIFFERENT ZONING, WHETHER IT'S RESTRICTIONS, WHETHER IT'S PUR, PURCHASING CRITICAL AREAS, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE, THE ACTUAL TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS PRETTY MUCH CARVED OUT.
WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE, WHAT'S COMING, WHAT CAN COME, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING DILIGENTLY AND SPENDING MONEY TO TRY TO TAKE OFF SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE KNOW COULD COME JUST BECAUSE WE, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT PLENTY ALREADY, UM, OBLIGATED.
SO IF, IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, LOOKING AT THE MAP AND SEEING WHAT WHAT THE REAL UNKNOWNS ARE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO MAKE THE 20 YEARS FROM NOW BETTER FOR PROTECTING WHAT WE HAVE.
AND, AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY, YOU KNOW, AS WE GAVE OUR TASK OUT THOSE SUGGESTIONS, LET'S PUT THAT INTO THE FINAL DOCUMENT AND ALONG WITH THE COST SHARING FORMULA AS WELL, BECAUSE THOSE ARE GOOD, GOOD COMMENTS.
AND HARVILLE'S THE SAME WAY WE ALL OUR LAND MASSES UNDER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS BASICALLY, RIGHT? SO, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN? HOW CAN WE LEARN TO MANAGE THE, THE GROWTH BETTER WISELY AND, UH, WITH ALL THE OBJECTIVES IN MIND? AND, AND SO IT'S GOOD COMMENTS, UH, GOOD MEETING TODAY.
NOW YOU CAN STAND UP UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO STOP YOU.