[0:29] Madam Clerk, would you please call the
[0:30] roll and do we have either of our fellow
[0:33] council members on remotely?
[0:36] They are not.
[0:37] They are overseas and hope to join.
[0:39] Whether they are able to do so
[0:42] remains to be seen, but I note the
[0:43] presence of a quorum in any event.
[0:46] Here.
[0:57] Uh Madam Clerk,
[1:00] uh just been advised that the Council
[1:02] Member Kay has joined remotely.
[1:07] Um
[1:09] the uh first item of business is
[1:11] approval of the minutes of our last uh
[1:13] Council meeting of July 7th. Uh fairly
[1:16] extensive, they've been circulated to
[1:17] Council members in advance in advance.
[1:19] Any questions or comments or further
[1:21] edits to the
[1:22] uh minutes?
[1:23] >> I had a minor edit that the clerk made.
[1:26] >> Incorporating that uh without any other
[1:28] changes, uh the minutes are deemed
[1:29] approved.
[1:30] Uh the next agenda item is citizen
[1:32] comments on agenda items only.
[1:36] Are there any citizen comments?
[1:40] Um so the next agenda item is uh
[1:44] Oh, I'm sorry.
[1:45] Mr. Wolahan.
[1:47] >> Larry Wolahan, 406 North Regret. Hi.
[1:50] Good afternoon. Um first I would like to
[1:52] thank Craig Harris. I know it's not on
[1:53] the agenda, but for his uh
[1:56] work with the fire departments on the uh
[1:58] fire alarm blitz. It's a
[2:01] really good project and this help is
[2:03] very much appreciated. Some people on John's Island maybe here, I don't
[2:08] know, use kerosene for cooking and warm
[2:10] water doesn't have fire hydrants, etc.
[2:12] So,
[2:13] fire alarms are very important. Anyway,
[2:15] I'm here to address the conservancy
[2:17] project. I don't really expect any
[2:19] answers now, but uh
[2:21] I have some questions and comments.
[2:24] Um currently we have the Sea Island and
[2:26] Charleston conservation programs. Um
[2:30] The island in the past has actually
[2:31] benefited from Charleston
[2:35] conservancy
[2:36] um items. We we had a
[2:39] fishing dock, 120,000,
[2:43] and some of the facilities granted in
[2:45] the past. So, why would we have these
[2:48] two? Do we need to have our own?
[2:51] And what's the driver for this proposal?
[2:55] Um
[2:56] Second in the proposal, um
[2:59] there's a mention of
[3:01] zoning
[3:03] requirements
[3:04] cannot be achieved because they might be
[3:06] amended in the future.
[3:09] So, is that a really a good reason for
[3:11] taking
[3:12] potential change to this away? I mean,
[3:15] I'm just reading the comment. I may be
[3:16] wrong in my interpretation.
[3:18] But if that's the reason, you know,
[3:21] zoning will be can be amended.
[3:25] Future people might want to amend
[3:26] zoning.
[3:29] Um obviously a lot more detail has to be
[3:31] done, but you know,
[3:32] » [clears throat]
[3:32] >> there's no mention of scoring tri-
[3:34] criteria, which brings me on to the next
[3:37] program
[3:39] comments. The committee for approval or
[3:42] initiation of the projects
[3:44] is largely drawn from those from an
[3:46] environmental background.
[3:48] I would just question where's the
[3:49] balance? I know the board has to approve
[3:52] you know decide on what's actually
[3:54] submitted to the board.
[3:56] >> [clears throat]
[3:56] >> But if there's no balance in what's
[3:57] submitted
[3:59] and people are from an environmental
[4:00] background and I'm all great I'm all for
[4:02] the environment.
[4:03] But again, is there a balance to the uh
[4:07] committee coming up with these ideas?
[4:11] Another comment is it looks to me like
[4:12] it basically a sixth of the land covered
[4:14] by this conservancy is actually Kiawah
[4:17] land. I may be wrong in that, might be a
[4:19] fifth.
[4:21] Um so, why are we going so far out? I
[4:23] know we border a big area and because of
[4:26] the rivers, etc.
[4:28] Um you know,
[4:30] really is is it really to the benefit of
[4:32] the island?
[4:34] And again, I have no problem in helping
[4:36] out other bits of the community, but
[4:39] I still have that question. What is the
[4:41] administration cost likely to be?
[4:44] And what is the scale of the funding
[4:45] likely to be?
[4:47] Also, a comment once a year reporting of
[4:50] the fund, which is separate to the
[4:51] committee advisory committee.
[4:54] Is one year reporting in the early
[4:56] stages adequate?
[4:59] And again, um
[5:00] I mentioned other resources um you know,
[5:03] for you know, we we had funding from
[5:05] Charleston before.
[5:07] Um I noticed notice Folly Beach got 10
[5:10] million in 25 and 2 million in 26
[5:13] uh from Charleston for drainage
[5:15] projects. And again, are we getting
[5:18] enough resources from
[5:21] other other funding opportunities to actually
[5:25] look after the island. Thank you.
[5:28] >> Thank you, Mr. Wolahan, for those
[5:29] questions and comments. I anticipate
[5:31] that uh many if not most of them will be
[5:33] touched upon during the discussion uh
[5:35] later in the agenda. Any other citizen
[5:38] comments on agenda items?
[5:41] Uh seeing none, uh we next have a
[5:43] presentation and update uh from from
[5:45] count town count from Crown Castle and I
[5:48] will turn to
[5:51] Council Member Spencer to kind of frame
[5:54] the where we are in this process. It's
[5:56] been ongoing and under his
[5:59] leadership and working with the town
[6:00] staff. So, please Council Member
[6:02] Spencer.
[6:03] >> Thanks and we have Kyle Davis from Crown
[6:05] Castle today as well as representatives
[6:08] from the carriers.
[6:10] Many of you recall we're about 2 years
[6:12] into trying to address and improve our
[6:15] telecommunications cellular in
[6:16] particular in this aspect infrastructure
[6:19] for public safety, quality of life for
[6:22] alternatives for broadband connectivity
[6:24] in our homes, things like that. Crown
[6:27] Castle as well as American Tower and
[6:29] others have been
[6:31] very helpful in assessing and looking at
[6:34] ways that we can make improvements to
[6:36] our cellular infrastructure. Crown
[6:38] Castle has four sites on Kiawah. There's
[6:41] also one American Tower site. There is a
[6:44] site that is hosted by Berkeley Electric
[6:47] and then the the final site that's
[6:49] actually on the island proper is um
[6:55] Yeah.
[6:56] For resort guest primarily, but it does
[6:58] have coverage for the surrounding area
[7:00] as well. The island's plagued with huge
[7:03] coverage gaps
[7:04] mostly LTE coverage which is pretty
[7:06] inferior to the demands of modern
[7:08] communications today for emergency
[7:10] response, for quality of life like I
[7:12] mentioned, things like that. Crown
[7:14] Castle's been a really strong partner as
[7:15] well as American Tower and the carriers
[7:17] in helping us first of all understand
[7:19] what kind of constraints the community
[7:21] was putting on them that was prohibiting
[7:23] investment which is they pay for this
[7:25] infrastructure. So, prohibiting that
[7:27] investment. And that resulted in
[7:31] updated ordinance for cellular
[7:33] infrastructure that the planning
[7:34] commission ultimately town council
[7:35] approved right about this time last year
[7:37] to recognize what takes to provide
[7:40] modern communications that our community
[7:41] needs.
[7:43] We've been going through the not so
[7:44] glamorous parts the last year or so
[7:47] since then.
[7:48] Site assessment, site planning, all the
[7:51] stuff that goes into getting it right
[7:52] when we actually do it. So, Kyle and
[7:55] team are here to give us an update where
[7:57] we're at cuz some things are going to
[7:58] start happening. It's still about a year
[8:00] or two where we're going to start seeing
[8:01] the first site come online, 15 months,
[8:03] cuz it takes a while. There's
[8:04] construction, there's planning, there's
[8:06] a lot of things that move to make it
[8:08] happen. Kyle step that through through
[8:10] that a little bit and then be available
[8:12] to answer any questions that anybody
[8:13] might have. I will add one more thing
[8:15] and thank you to Mr. Taylor who's been
[8:17] my partner in crime on this. Um, that um
[8:20] the planning commission tomorrow, which
[8:22] you'll probably touch on, Kyle, is
[8:24] looking at a zoning implications, very
[8:26] minor, but we're adjusting a boundary.
[8:27] The resort has been a great partner, uh,
[8:29] Plamondon in particular in helping us
[8:31] assess the sites cuz the four Crown
[8:33] Castle sites, which I'm hoping I'm not
[8:35] taking too much of your briefing, um,
[8:37] are hosted at the resort. Um, so working
[8:40] through some property line changes which
[8:41] result in a little minor zone change and
[8:44] adjustment that the planning
[8:45] commission's going to review tomorrow.
[8:46] So, Kyle's going to catch us up to where
[8:48] we're at and where we're going.
[8:49] >> Wonderful. Thank you so much for that
[8:51] background, Lance.
[8:51] >> And and do you mind introducing your
[8:52] team real quick?
[8:53] >> Absolutely. It's a great backdrop. So,
[8:55] um, my name is Kyle Stewart. I work as
[8:57] public
[8:57] >> I called you Davis. I don't know why I
[8:58] did that.
[8:58] >> No, you're fine. You're fine. I I
[8:59] There's no offense taken.
[9:01] Um, my name is Kyle Stewart. I work as
[9:02] public policy manager at Crown Castle. I
[9:04] assist with external and government
[9:06] affairs and today I our team, our
[9:09] subject matter experts are in the room
[9:11] and I just wanted to make sure as we
[9:13] work through our agenda today, we'll be
[9:15] able to go through those introductions
[9:16] with our team. We'll be able to review
[9:17] some of those sites that Lance talked
[9:19] about. We'll go through a timeline, an
[9:21] estimated timeline of our lead site,
[9:23] which is called Ocean Course, and we'll
[9:25] show that new or the replacement tower
[9:28] example as well as what that coverage
[9:29] will bring to the island. So, without
[9:31] further ado, with me here, um, is Jason
[9:34] Martin to my left, is Akim Muhammad to
[9:35] my left as well, and Aaron Wilson.
[9:38] Jason's our site acquisition manager,
[9:41] Zaki's our RF engineer, and Aaron is
[9:43] very close to the project and
[9:45] understands a lot of the complications,
[9:46] a lot of intricacies of the island, and
[9:48] it's great to have all of us here today
[9:50] just really just give you a background
[9:52] of what is on the island and what we're
[9:55] intending to do with replacing the
[9:57] current coverage here in some of these
[9:59] towers.
[10:00] So, on this slide you'll see Lance
[10:01] already um kind of shared a little bit
[10:04] about where we're at on the island.
[10:05] You'll see we're um located in Ocean
[10:07] Course. We have a site called Cougar on
[10:11] uh Kiawi Kiawah Beach Drive.
[10:13] We have a site named Turtle on One
[10:15] Governors Drive, and we have a site
[10:18] called Osprey on 700 Governors Drive.
[10:21] For the purpose of our presentation
[10:22] today, we're going to focus on Ocean
[10:25] Course. Ocean Course is the lead site in
[10:28] all of in our um on all of our towers
[10:31] here on the island. We anticipate
[10:33] working through updating Ocean Course
[10:36] with the other three sites to follow um
[10:38] shortly thereafter that completed
[10:39] timeline.
[10:41] So, what we'll see here is our estimated
[10:43] timeline with Ocean Course, and really
[10:45] wanted to point out so last week, 2
[10:47] weeks ago, we were able to sit down with
[10:50] John and Lance and some of our industry
[10:52] partners and really review some of the
[10:54] needs on the island, but also it allowed
[10:56] us to kind of reestablish our
[10:58] relationship and um share with not only
[11:01] John and Lance some of the progress
[11:02] we've made, but also what um our
[11:05] commitment to the island and what we're
[11:06] ready to really jump right into um
[11:09] leading off with this estimated timeline
[11:11] at Ocean Course.
[11:13] So, here we are. It's August. We're
[11:14] presenting to Town Council, and and next
[11:16] month we're going to get right into our
[11:18] pre-zoning administrative side, which
[11:20] will include balloon testing. And so, we
[11:22] really wanted to make sure the community
[11:24] was aware as we moved on to the next
[11:26] step of this project timeline that
[11:28] you'll probably start seeing some
[11:30] balloons pop up in your community. Now,
[11:32] we have to put a balloon up at these
[11:34] sites for a 10-hour period to make sure
[11:37] we can understand some of the physics as
[11:38] it relates to the coverage of the area.
[11:41] And so, I wanted to make sure that it
[11:43] was one of the first things we mentioned
[11:44] to everyone here today is that we're here, we remain committed to the
[11:48] community, and part of that is going to
[11:50] allow us to put some balloons up on our
[11:52] assets and really understand the
[11:54] coverage areas. And it's going to be
[11:55] happening soon. And and so, just making
[11:58] y'all aware as we move into the
[11:59] timeline, you'll see our zoning review
[12:01] will occur in October.
[12:03] And at this at this time, we also put in
[12:05] some of our regulatory and environmental
[12:07] reviews that really take 6 months and is a big piece of how we can move
[12:12] forward in some of our next steps. So,
[12:15] as we go through our zoning review here
[12:16] with a town of Kiawah, we'll also get
[12:19] into some post-zoning engineering in
[12:20] December, and we'll be applying for our
[12:23] building permit early next year in
[12:24] February. And we are anticipating with
[12:27] this estimated timeline by March, all of
[12:30] those reviews will be complete. And when
[12:32] those reviews are complete, we'll be
[12:34] able to move forward with our
[12:35] pre-construction like side of the house,
[12:37] and we'll be able to get all of that
[12:39] administrative stuff done
[12:41] with the goal in this estimated timeline
[12:44] is to move to tower construction in
[12:45] October of 2027.
[12:47] So, there's
[12:49] a couple different pieces that are also
[12:51] are at play here. And when we think
[12:53] about some of the
[12:55] environmental factors that happen,
[12:56] whether it's migratory birds or some of
[12:58] the other um kind of factors that
[13:02] really kind of help us like understand
[13:05] what's best to to build and when to
[13:07] build. We know that there is um
[13:10] like a nesting season from March to
[13:13] October. So, we really can't start kind
[13:16] of
[13:17] touching some of these towers till after
[13:18] that nesting season's over. And so,
[13:20] you'll see this estimated timeline kind
[13:22] of really just um
[13:24] takes that into consideration, and
[13:26] beginning in October of next year, we'd
[13:28] love to
[13:29] be constructing our tower and by the end
[13:30] of the year our carrier customers will
[13:32] be moving onto that tower as well.
[13:35] >> Kyle, I just one quick question.
[13:36] >> Yes, sir.
[13:37] >> To go back, how does a balloon testing
[13:38] help you understand your coverage area?
[13:41] Are you putting radios in the balloon or
[13:43] are you doing visual or how do you do
[13:44] this?
[13:44] >> great question.
[13:45] >> It's more visual. It's It's not to help
[13:47] with the coverage, but it's more for the
[13:49] community to see what the
[13:52] proposed tower, the height will be. So,
[13:54] we're going to um
[13:55] have a balloon test at each one of the
[13:57] sites. They will be at the
[13:59] stated height of the proposed tower and
[14:02] they'll be there for 10 hours. So, it
[14:03] just gives the community uh the chance
[14:05] to have a visual of what this tower, the
[14:07] height that it's going to
[14:09] >> aesthetics for us, not great. Thank you
[14:11] very much.
[14:13] >> Appreciate that clarification.
[14:14] >> And just just on on that point and I
[14:16] don't know what the discussions we've
[14:18] had about uh um coordination and
[14:20] communication. It's going to be
[14:21] critically important that we get the
[14:23] message out to the community and when
[14:25] those balloons are going to go up well
[14:27] in advance.
[14:28] >> 100% and we'll be sure to communicate
[14:30] that and another point of us wanting to
[14:32] talk about that today was to really just
[14:34] make sure you're you all are you all are
[14:36] aware of that as we kind of move forward
[14:38] here.
[14:39] >> I would add in the communication that if
[14:41] they see the balloon, that's a good
[14:43] thing. It means they'll get better cell
[14:44] coverage.
[14:45] >> That's fair. That's a fair point.
[14:46] >> That's the probably the main thing you
[14:46] want to emphasize. They want to see the
[14:48] balloons.
[14:49] >> Yes, absolutely.
[14:51] And so, we'll we'll anticipate, you
[14:53] know, by the end of next year that we'll
[14:55] hopefully have the Ocean Course this
[14:58] estimated timeline complete and coverage
[15:00] at Ocean Course really increased and
[15:03] that balloon testing, right? We're going
[15:05] to do them on all four sites. So, while
[15:07] we are specifically
[15:09] um you know, zeroed in on Ocean Course
[15:11] today, that
[15:12] those balloons will be um popping up on
[15:14] all of those four sites that we um
[15:16] previously shared in the slides.
[15:18] >> Kyle, I've got a question from Council
[15:19] Member Kay. She says she can't
[15:21] communicate in, but she's hearing us.
[15:23] >> Okay.
[15:23] >> Um and this may be more for the staff,
[15:25] but um she's asking uh since nesting
[15:28] season varies per bird population, are
[15:30] they involving Aaron, which is our town
[15:31] biologist, in the process? So,
[15:34] I I think the answer will be yes, if it
[15:36] isn't already. Is that correct, John?
[15:39] Yeah. Okay.
[15:40] >> Yeah, we have a whole migratory birds
[15:42] team, so we we do work with a lot of our
[15:44] experts in house to make sure that we're
[15:46] following the environmental regulations
[15:48] and then we're
[15:50] following everything to the T and and
[15:51] making sure that we can really access
[15:53] the sites and
[15:55] really take the next steps to build our
[15:56] capacity to build those sites.
[15:58] Thank you. Of course. And so here you'll
[16:00] see a little bit of what you've already
[16:02] done. And and so this is
[16:05] a completed, in progress, and next step
[16:08] kind of review of where we where we're
[16:09] at with Ocean Course.
[16:11] And so we've done our site walks, we've done the pre-preliminary tower and
[16:15] ground design.
[16:17] We've also kind of reached terms with
[16:19] some of our with the resort, and we've
[16:22] identified the need to rezone the
[16:23] parcels. So, that rezone is happening
[16:25] currently.
[16:26] And that is what we're really moving to
[16:28] the in progress section now. And and so
[16:30] we're meeting with our proposed business
[16:32] terms with our carrier partners. We're
[16:34] continuing those conversations
[16:36] with council and and our stakeholders to
[16:39] coordinate these efforts. And a lot of
[16:41] the ground lease documentation
[16:42] preparation, the stuff that happens
[16:43] behind the scenes is currently occurring
[16:46] right now.
[16:47] And that means
[16:49] really getting us closer to our next
[16:51] steps, which is going to be able to
[16:52] obtain a carrier approval terms. We're
[16:54] going to be able to execute our lease
[16:55] documentation and advance our zoning and
[16:57] permitting
[16:59] shortly,
[17:00] really next month and and as we move
[17:02] towards the future.
[17:04] I'm going to pause there. I know I've shared a lot of information, but
[17:06] I'm going to pass this presentation over
[17:09] to my counterpart Jason, who's going to
[17:11] review our replacement tower examples.
[17:13] We wanted to give you visuals for what
[17:15] you all can expect as these replacement
[17:17] towers take hold in the community, and
[17:20] what kind of benefits those will bring
[17:21] to the community as well.
[17:22] >> As Jason comes up, um
[17:25] are you going to run the other towers in
[17:27] staggered parallel, or will they all be
[17:28] in series?
[17:29] >> Great question.
[17:31] >> Yeah, so as as Kyle mentioned, Ocean
[17:33] Course will be our first first path, and
[17:36] then
[17:37] we would like to submit the other three
[17:39] as quickly as we can.
[17:42] If we can do them
[17:43] in parallel, that would be ideal for us.
[17:46] But we'll just have to see how that
[17:47] plays out.
[17:48] >> Yeah, I know there'll be some
[17:49] staggering, but that would be great.
[17:50] Yeah. Thank you.
[17:51] >> And if I can just add to that, cuz
[17:53] they're talking to Crown Castle right
[17:54] now. The American Tower tower is
[17:57] sufficient height right now,
[17:59] and I believe they've confirmed they
[18:00] have the appropriate radios on that one.
[18:03] The resort continues to work the
[18:05] modernization around the sanctuary.
[18:07] The Vanderhorst tower, we're in
[18:09] discussions with Berkeley on that right
[18:10] now. There's some things we need to work
[18:12] through with that one, but
[18:14] that's the the final
[18:16] cap filler.
[18:18] >> And the hope, and maybe even
[18:20] expectation, is that we'll truly have 5G
[18:22] all over the island.
[18:23] >> Yes, that is the intent.
[18:28] » Good [clears throat] afternoon.
[18:29] >> And soon to be 6G.
[18:31] >> Okay.
[18:33] » I'm sorry. Mr. Martin?
[18:36] >> Yes.
[18:36] >> Could you move closer speak in the mic?
[18:38] The council member Kay cannot hear you.
[18:40] Thank you.
[18:40] >> Is this better?
[18:41] >> Yes, please. Yes, project.
[18:43] >> So, once again, I just want to provide
[18:45] some examples of what you may be able to see.
[18:49] On the left [clears throat] of the
[18:50] screen, this is an existing 160-ft
[18:52] monopole, which is just up the street on
[18:55] Maybank Highway on Daniel Island.
[18:58] So, you can see from this picture,
[19:00] there's some mature canopy around this
[19:02] 160-ft tower, which helps conceal it.
[19:05] Uh Kiawah Island, you have some some
[19:07] beautiful
[19:09] old growth
[19:11] canopy here on
[19:13] and
[19:14] we as Crown Castle, we believe that the
[19:16] 150-ft towers that we were proposing
[19:19] at these sites will also be concealed
[19:22] by this canopy.
[19:24] Um
[19:25] on the right-hand side, I've got a split
[19:27] screen. The Ocean Course, which is 70-ft
[19:30] is taller than the small
[19:32] smaller,
[19:33] which is on the left-hand side.
[19:35] >> [clears throat]
[19:35] >> And what we're proposing photo
[19:37] simulation is the 150-ft
[19:39] uh on the right-hand side.
[19:41] You can see um
[19:45] the Ocean Course is a stealth site. So,
[19:49] meaning the carriers, which we only have
[19:51] two currently, is on the Ocean Course,
[19:53] and the equipment is internal to the
[19:55] tower.
[19:56] >> [clears throat]
[19:57] >> It is restricted from a from a wireless
[19:59] perspective. Okay, they can't add so
[20:01] much capacity due to the limitations of
[20:04] the stealth design.
[20:06] On the right-hand side, what we're
[20:07] proposing is three distinct uh mounts or
[20:11] carriers. So, one
[20:14] uh major aspect between the two, you go
[20:16] from Ocean Course, which only has two
[20:18] wireless carriers today, and what we're
[20:20] proposing, the new tower would be able
[20:22] to support three wireless carriers, at
[20:24] least three.
[20:25] Um in addition to that, the wireless
[20:28] carriers would not be restricted in
[20:30] terms of the amount of equipment
[20:32] that they add, which add So, what does
[20:34] that
[20:35] They can add more capacity. That means
[20:37] your phones will be faster than what
[20:39] they are today.
[20:41] In addition to the increased capacity,
[20:45] we're going from 70-ft to 150-ft, which
[20:47] is going to help from a coverage
[20:49] perspective.
[20:50] Um so, kind of summarize the the
[20:53] advantage of going from the existing
[20:55] 70-ft to the 150, one, you're going from
[20:58] two wireless carriers to three.
[21:01] Secondly, they're going to have more
[21:02] capacity, so you're going to have the 5G and the faster
[21:07] uh faster speeds.
[21:09] Third, third, they're going to have
[21:12] better connectivity because they're
[21:13] going to have a bigger footprint to have
[21:15] coverage down
[21:17] and this helps to kind of give you a
[21:19] better probability that when you need to
[21:21] make that call, you're going to have
[21:22] connectivity for public safety. That's a
[21:24] big concern, I think,
[21:26] and many of them probably
[21:29] use their cell phone as as their home
[21:31] phone, right? And you know,
[21:33] it's important when you need to make
[21:35] that call, you want to have connectivity
[21:37] and that taller tower
[21:39] will help provide that that better
[21:40] connectivity.
[21:41] >> Jason, can I jump in on just a couple
[21:42] things? And most people consider their
[21:44] cellular experience this, which is
[21:46] great, and we want it to work right with
[21:48] and the apps on these phones suck a lot
[21:50] more data and now so you need a lot more
[21:52] capacity, but there's public safety, um,
[21:55] beach patrol, for example, has a
[21:57] online tool that they do reports on and
[21:59] there are a lot of gaps on the island
[22:00] where they don't have sufficient
[22:01] coverage to do that. Same thing with EMS
[22:05] and and St. John's fire and others, so,
[22:07] you know, having those kinds of tools
[22:09] available, um, I believe Kiawah maybe
[22:11] Resort even have, um, you know, tools
[22:13] and in trucks and cars that they're working off of and they have to
[22:17] find a place where they get a signal
[22:18] before they could do it, so it's it's
[22:19] disruptive as well, but also impacts
[22:22] safety.
[22:23] And I I and one more thought, each of
[22:25] the carriers has an in-home, what they
[22:27] call fixed wireless,
[22:29] uh, product, which means you can use
[22:32] instead of fiber or coax cable like with
[22:33] Comcast today or or AT&T if you have
[22:36] that, um, you can use your backhaul
[22:38] being the 5G cellular and it's broadband
[22:41] and you can actually get your home
[22:42] internet off of a device over cellular.
[22:45] >> Yeah, that's a that's a great point.
[22:46] That's, um,
[22:48] going to the the taller tower will give
[22:50] you another, um,
[22:52] fiber backhaul backhaul competitor,
[22:55] right? You can I think you have I think
[22:57] you mentioned there was fiber on the
[22:58] island, but
[23:00] this will allow the fixed wireless so
[23:01] you have a competitor for the backhaul.
[23:03] Um
[23:06] With that, I'm going to hand the slides
[23:08] over to Zaki. Zaki's going to go into
[23:10] more detail in terms of the current
[23:13] wireless coverage at Ocean Course on one
[23:15] of our carriers, and then also the
[23:17] proposed coverage at the 150 ft.
[23:24] » Good afternoon. This is Zaki Muhammad,
[23:26] part of Crown Castle RF engineering
[23:27] team. I'm here to present only just
[23:30] couple of slides here
[23:32] on the left side you are seeing is the
[23:35] current footprint uh coverage map of a
[23:38] one tower. The red highlighted color is
[23:41] basically where the signal strength is
[23:43] quite dominant, and all the residents or
[23:46] all the
[23:47] outdoor coverage in those areas are
[23:49] going to receive a very good coverage,
[23:51] good quality of signal, therefore
[23:53] getting a good throughput or speed.
[23:55] Um on the right is we have done a delta
[23:59] analysis between what we cover today
[24:02] versus what is going to look like at a higher rad center with increase.
[24:06] So, you can see that the coverage
[24:08] definitely have doubled up uh when you
[24:11] increase the height. So, currently if
[24:13] you are covering around um
[24:16] 140 homes with increased height, ideally
[24:20] we will
[24:21] cover 220 homes. So, that's the impact
[24:24] we want to see on the coverage.
[24:26] Definitely this is the top rad center,
[24:28] and as we look for the second and third
[24:30] uh carrier, the coverage is going to go a little shrunk up.
[24:34] So, that's this slide about.
[24:38] Thank you.
[24:41] » And and really just to wrap up our
[24:43] presentation today, here's an executive
[24:44] summary. We we kind of already walked
[24:46] through our completed, in progress, and
[24:47] next steps, and you'll see that uh Crown
[24:50] Castle remains committed to bring
[24:51] connectivity to the island, and we
[24:53] really want to be collaborative partners
[24:55] with you all here today, and also want
[24:57] to be able to make sure the stakeholders
[24:58] and our carrier customers are
[25:00] able to um not only be collaborative,
[25:02] but we really just want to make sure
[25:04] that connectivity remains strong. So, if
[25:07] there are any questions, we'd love to
[25:08] take them at this time, and we really
[25:10] appreciate the opportunity to share with
[25:12] you all how Crown Castle can bring
[25:13] connectivity and stronger connections to
[25:15] your island.
[25:18] And if there aren't any questions, we'd
[25:19] be happy to um you know, talk with you
[25:21] following the meeting, or if there are
[25:23] um any more pointed questions you come
[25:25] up with later, feel free to share them
[25:27] with your council members or the mayor,
[25:28] and we'd be happy to answer them in the
[25:29] future as well.
[25:31] >> I'm just going to add two quick
[25:32] comments. First of all, thank you again,
[25:34] Roger, for yours and Plaman's help with
[25:35] this. Um like I said, there's a lot of
[25:37] not glamorous stuff that happens early
[25:39] in this process, and the resort's been a
[25:41] great partner in helping make this work.
[25:43] Uh the second thing is that now that
[25:44] we're going to start seeing measurable
[25:46] process progress, uh the plan for now is
[25:48] to update monthly through the
[25:50] infrastructure and public works
[25:51] committee, um and then as need be, bring
[25:53] it forward to town council as more major
[25:56] activities happening uh as or as as
[25:58] requested.
[26:00] >> Absolutely. We remain committed to
[26:01] keeping the dialogue open and happy to
[26:03] answer any questions, and
[26:05] uh appreciate your partnership and and
[26:06] all of the help that we've already had.
[26:08] It's It's been great coming down to the
[26:09] island, and and we're really excited to
[26:11] bring um stronger connectivity.
[26:13] >> I do have one more comment. I said this
[26:14] earlier, but um
[26:16] this doesn't cost us anything except for
[26:18] helping them do it.
[26:20] The carriers and Crown Castle make the
[26:21] investment in this, so they see the
[26:23] value in doing this for Kiawah.
[26:24] >> And And that's a great point, Lance, and
[26:26] I and I would just note that those three
[26:27] other sites after Ocean Course are going
[26:29] to be carrier um driven. So, we we
[26:32] remain committed to providing those
[26:34] solutions. Those carrier commitments
[26:35] have also been shared with us, and and
[26:37] so we we're really excited to not only
[26:40] complete Ocean Course, but then to see
[26:41] that domino effect for the rest of the
[26:43] community thereafter.
[26:44] >> Thanks, Carl.
[26:45] >> thank you all.
[26:48] » Thank you, gentlemen. And again, I want
[26:49] to commend uh Council Member Spencer's
[26:52] uh leadership on this issue uh from the
[26:54] get-go. Uh without his uh persistence
[26:57] and drive, none of this uh would have
[26:59] been possible. Uh thank you. Uh move on
[27:02] to updates. Uh
[27:04] I will begin uh first with a couple of
[27:06] brief uh uh updates regarding Captain
[27:09] Sam Spite. Um as I expect many people
[27:12] are aware, maybe not every one, um when
[27:15] we met uh last month, um
[27:18] the issue with regard to the state's the
[27:20] commitment to provide uh its uh
[27:24] the state uh legislatures um
[27:27] uh authorization of funds to support the
[27:29] state's commitment towards the
[27:31] settlement had not yet occurred. It was
[27:33] still in budget committee, conference
[27:35] committee. Um that conference committee
[27:37] report was issued and uh the $32 million
[27:42] that the state was obligated to
[27:44] provide into the settlement agreement um
[27:47] was in the final conference report. Uh
[27:49] it's still not been acted on by the
[27:51] legislature, but uh the the conference
[27:53] report is scheduled to be considered by
[27:55] the state legislature a week from today.
[27:58] Uh and it's an up and down vote. Full
[28:00] expectation is that [snorts]
[28:02] um
[28:03] uh that will pass and then it will move
[28:06] to uh the governor who is expected to
[28:10] sign that. Um
[28:12] that's really just the end of the first
[28:14] inning in many respects. Uh critical uh
[28:17] steps that had to take place, but we're
[28:19] a long way from kind of final execution
[28:22] of everything that's in in the
[28:23] settlement agreement. There'll be more
[28:25] opportunity to talk about some of those
[28:27] steps uh that will have to take place,
[28:29] but some will involve town actions,
[28:30] particularly with regard to the planning
[28:32] commission and subdivision of the
[28:34] Captain Sam Spite uh parcel. So, we'll
[28:37] continue to keep you up apprised of of
[28:40] developments in that regard. Uh the
[28:42] second uh Sam Spite uh update is with regard to another
[28:46] matter we discussed last week, which was
[28:49] uh uh suppose proposed uh our
[28:51] application to the US Army Corps and to
[28:54] DES for a new inlet relocation. Um uh
[29:00] they put out a press release a
[29:01] week or two ago indicating that that
[29:04] permit application had been withdrawn.
[29:06] Um they characterized it as due
[29:08] primarily [clears throat]
[29:09] to timing considerations and questions
[29:12] regard regarding ownership of Captain
[29:13] Sam's Spit and that they would intend to
[29:16] resubmit that application at a
[29:18] subsequent date. I will simply reiterate
[29:20] as I've said time and time again, will
[29:22] continue to say, uh those are necessary,
[29:28] but not sufficient steps for there ever
[29:31] to be an inlet relocation. At the end of
[29:33] the day, there is no
[29:35] inlet relocation without the town's
[29:37] approval, and long before that happens,
[29:40] there will be an extensive
[29:43] that the next uh agenda item is uh with
[29:46] regard to a matter that came to our
[29:48] attention um uh earlier uh last month.
[29:52] Uh and it was related to a letter that
[29:56] or memo that went out from the uh
[29:59] architectural review board to builders
[30:02] and contractors, and it looks like about
[30:04] 300 or so entities on an email list. Um
[30:09] uh that memo raised significant concerns
[30:13] and was really kind of stunning in its
[30:14] inaccuracy and its overreach.
[30:17] Um the memo said, amongst other things,
[30:21] that uh the ARB has noticed an
[30:24] increasing trend of contractors
[30:25] undertaking work on properties without
[30:27] obtaining necessary approval, and to do
[30:30] so is illegal under our binding
[30:32] covenants.
[30:34] Uh that they would be subject to fines
[30:36] and further actions, and it even cites
[30:39] and mis-sites
[30:41] uh pretty substantially, uh state law
[30:44] provision dealing with with restrictive
[30:47] covenants. Um, had a follow-up meeting
[30:49] with a couple of representatives of the
[30:51] ARB. I think that was a generally
[30:53] constructive meeting. Uh,
[30:55] where we left it was the hope that that
[30:58] the ARB itself would undertake to send
[31:01] out a corrective uh, memo or letter. Um,
[31:05] uh, that hasn't happened thus far. Some
[31:08] indication that there may be one
[31:10] forthcoming. Uh, if not, the town will
[31:13] put out something to correct the record.
[31:16] And the thing that we have to understand
[31:20] here is that the Architectural Review
[31:23] Board has review authority with regard
[31:27] to buildings, fences, and structures and
[31:29] the aesthetic aspects of those under the
[31:32] general covenants.
[31:33] No responsibility whatsoever for
[31:36] builders and contractors on the island.
[31:38] If there are issues with road
[31:40] contractors or builders, then and they
[31:43] don't have a building permit, then the
[31:45] town should be advised. If they don't
[31:47] have an encroachment permit from the
[31:48] ARB, KICA should be advised.
[31:51] But, when you combine this memo
[31:54] with what's in Designing with Nature,
[31:55] which itself does not have the force of
[31:57] law, that actually says on page 49
[32:01] that violations of the standards
[32:05] may result in the suspension of a
[32:07] building permit and
[32:10] violators being prohibited from working
[32:12] on Kiawah Island.
[32:14] Beyond aesthetic considerations of
[32:16] building fences and structures,
[32:18] the Designing with Nature purports to
[32:20] regulate the conduct and appearance
[32:24] of builders and contractors and
[32:26] construction workers. Loud vehicles and
[32:28] speeding are not allowed on the island.
[32:30] Well, that's true.
[32:33] Uh, and we're certainly going to enforce
[32:35] that and KICA can, but ARB has no
[32:38] authority to enforce either Kika rules
[32:41] or regulations or town ordinances.
[32:44] Construction workers are not allowed to
[32:45] loiter around island businesses. I don't
[32:47] know if ARB staff is around there trying
[32:50] to determine who's loitering or not.
[32:51] Construction workers are required to
[32:53] wear shirts and shoes. May be a good
[32:55] thing.
[32:56] But it's not for an architectural review
[32:59] body to be purporting to regulate the
[33:03] conduct of construction workers with
[33:06] which they have no contractual privity.
[33:08] It's got to stop.
[33:11] So, I hope there will be correct or
[33:13] things. I hope some of these will be
[33:14] addressed in um
[33:16] in uh uh the revisions uh which we hope
[33:20] for will be forthcoming revisions to
[33:22] designing with nature. Oh, it also says
[33:23] that they can issue stop orders uh stop
[33:25] work orders. Again,
[33:27] uh
[33:28] none of that's in the general covenants.
[33:31] It's got to stop.
[33:32] >> Mr. Commissioner Dessen also mentioned
[33:33] something about they can grant
[33:34] variances.
[33:36] >> Uh well, that's a that's a completely
[33:39] separate set of issues and maybe I'll
[33:40] touch upon that in the next ARB related
[33:43] issues. But yes, it does say uh in the I
[33:46] think the words in designing with nature
[33:48] are that
[33:50] uh
[33:53] rules and guidelines on building
[33:55] setbacks, lot coverage, building height,
[33:57] and square footage are determined by the
[33:59] ARB and the AB ARB determines in its
[34:02] sole discretion that a variance uh may
[34:05] be granted.
[34:06] Um but it's
[34:07] >> That's factually not true also.
[34:09] >> Mhm.
[34:10] Well, it's it's a nuanced issue.
[34:13] Obviously, all of those standards are
[34:15] embedded in the town zoning code and the
[34:18] board of zoning appeals is the only body
[34:21] which can grant variances from the
[34:23] zoning ordinance the
[34:24] and land development regulations.
[34:27] Yes, by private covenant
[34:30] private parties can be more restrictive.
[34:33] And the ARB may choose to do so, but
[34:35] only more restrictive and they only can
[34:37] grant uh some allowance from their more
[34:41] restrictive uh uh uh standards or guidelines. But the idea
[34:45] that somehow this the private sector
[34:47] body is actually a is a sole body to
[34:50] determine
[34:51] um uh
[34:52] lot coverage, building height, square
[34:53] footage, and and having sole discretion
[34:56] to establish variances is just just
[34:58] wrong.
[34:58] >> I- I- I- If I could just add a
[35:00] perspective that, you know, I think one
[35:02] reason it's important to clarify
[35:03] communication and rules is Kiawah is
[35:06] hard enough for construction companies.
[35:08] I mean, everybody's struggling with
[35:09] finding somebody that can build in a
[35:11] sufficient timeline or renovation or
[35:12] something like that. And there's the
[35:14] Kiawah premium to get out here and and
[35:16] do all the things we want done. There's
[35:18] a lot of construction going on in Johns
[35:20] Island, Edisto, all kinds of other
[35:22] places.
[35:23] Um it concerns me that this will be another
[35:28] nail in the coffin of it's too hard to build a Kiawah and to work a Kiawah.
[35:32] I'm going to take my crew somewhere
[35:34] else.
[35:36] » That somewhat relates to uh the second
[35:39] issue I want to touch upon uh regarding
[35:41] the tangentially ARB, uh but also uh the
[35:45] community association and the ongoing
[35:48] negotiations regarding finalizing an
[35:50] omnibus agreement between KICA and uh
[35:54] Kiawah Partners regarding a wide range
[35:56] of matters, one of which is the
[35:58] transition of some architectural
[36:01] authority, whether it's all or not, from
[36:04] uh the developer ARB to KICA. Um I had a conversation a good good conversation
[36:11] with uh the KICA board chair uh uh
[36:13] week ago Monday catching up on a number
[36:16] of things and appreciate that
[36:17] opportunity engage, and she noted at
[36:20] that time that um
[36:22] the board uh was prepared to send to the
[36:25] council a letter that requested the
[36:29] council to move forward with
[36:33] I don't know I don't know because we
[36:34] haven't seen the letter disbanding the
[36:36] design of the town's design review board
[36:39] or carving back its jurisdiction or
[36:41] reach with regard to perhaps properties
[36:44] that were subject to the general
[36:45] covenants or or Kiawah covenants.
[36:49] I I stated at the time and by the way
[36:51] that issue also just came up when we had
[36:53] our first meeting of our design review
[36:55] board on Wednesday. I wasn't there but
[36:57] watched the meeting afterwards and that
[36:59] same kind of issue came up.
[37:04] It wasn't clear to me what was driving
[37:06] the timing of this and but I think it's
[37:09] important to to step back a little bit
[37:11] so people in the community more broadly
[37:14] understand or recall why it is that the
[37:16] town established its own design review
[37:20] board and we did that back in now
[37:22] October.
[37:23] of 2025. And it was born out of
[37:27] a view and I think this was a consensus
[37:29] view that there is a strong public
[37:32] interest in design of of
[37:37] buildings in the town of Kiawah Island
[37:40] particularly larger commercial
[37:41] multi-family
[37:44] projects and that that public interest
[37:46] wasn't
[37:48] particularly well satisfied in all
[37:50] instances by having the review only
[37:53] undertaken by a third-party private ARB
[37:58] that is not particularly transparent.
[38:01] And for which there is no real
[38:03] accountability and is sometimes
[38:06] characterized by conflicts of interest.
[38:08] So the town went down the path to
[38:09] establish its own
[38:11] design review board.
[38:13] Mindful of the fact that what what's not
[38:17] necessarily good for anybody is to have
[38:21] multiple layers of
[38:23] architectural review and in particular
[38:25] in conflicting architectural review,
[38:28] the town included a proviso a sense of
[38:31] the council at the time that we passed
[38:33] the DRB that said
[38:36] and I
[38:37] not exact but this is what their terms
[38:40] would said if architectural control is transferred
[38:44] from the developer ARB to Kika on or
[38:47] below on or before June 30th of 2026
[38:52] then the council would revisit the DRB
[38:56] to consider an appropriate waiver carve
[38:59] out from the application or scope of the
[39:02] town's DRB to Kika related properties.
[39:05] Well, obviously the conditions haven't
[39:09] been met yet. I mean it's I
[39:12] it's my understanding still as of today
[39:14] there's been no execution there's not
[39:15] been any finalization of the Omnibus
[39:18] agreement
[39:19] that that would affect transfer in whole
[39:22] or in part
[39:24] from the
[39:26] developer to Kika and but that's I mean
[39:30] we can still reconsider the problem is
[39:32] we don't know what we don't know right
[39:35] now as all we can rely on is the memorandum of understanding
[39:42] that was made public back in January
[39:45] not having yet reviewed the Omnibus
[39:47] agreement. Bottom line is there has been
[39:49] no transfer we don't know exactly what
[39:51] that transfer entails. But it would be
[39:54] my commitment is to when we actually
[39:59] understand what the parameters are what
[40:02] the terms and conditions are associated
[40:04] with that with the phasing is that would
[40:06] be the time to sit down and and take a
[40:08] fresh look at the scope of our our DRB.
[40:12] Whether that's soon or many months down
[40:16] the road not clear until we see it, but
[40:18] I would note that from the MOU
[40:21] that there was the MOU did not
[40:23] contemplate a full transition
[40:26] of architectural review authority from
[40:28] the developer to the Kika ARB and would
[40:32] only happen over the course of several
[40:35] phases
[40:37] and some of those did not have hard
[40:38] deadlines associated with that. The
[40:42] other challenge and this came up a
[40:43] little bit in the context of the meeting
[40:46] with the DRB about the process of
[40:48] starting to establish town standards is
[40:52] the DRB members were asking well, don't
[40:54] we want to kind of try to line up with
[40:56] the standards for the ARB.
[41:00] The problem there
[41:03] is in 70-some pages of designing with
[41:06] nature
[41:08] on page 29
[41:11] there's
[41:12] two sentences that pertain to commercial
[41:14] and multi-family buildings.
[41:17] That's it. It just says that
[41:19] the design philosophy formulated with
[41:21] these standards guidelines shall be
[41:23] implied from single family with similar
[41:25] intent to these project types, but
[41:28] that's it. Now at the DRB meeting
[41:31] Amanda Moll from the ARB did indicate
[41:34] she was going to start working on
[41:37] new standards for commercial
[41:39] multi-family, but those haven't happened
[41:42] yet. So
[41:43] we haven't seen that. So to be
[41:45] continued, but my view was I what I
[41:47] conveyed was you can send a letter to
[41:49] us, but it'd be premature for us to
[41:51] consider until we have a lot more
[41:53] information.
[41:55] And then even then there are going to be
[41:57] have to be discussions about what
[42:00] exactly is carved out if at all.
[42:05] Is it all commercial multi-family behind
[42:08] the gate? It can't be well, at at in my
[42:10] opinion. My fellow council members may
[42:12] disagree,
[42:13] all property subject to the KICA
[42:17] covenants of the general covenants cuz
[42:18] that would include properties outside
[42:21] the main gate
[42:22] that are encroach upon public
[42:24] rights-of-way along Beachwalker Drive,
[42:26] you know, whether that's Ocean Pines,
[42:28] upper Beachwalker, the gas station, KIRE
[42:31] building, etc. Even more ironically, it
[42:34] would purport to give, since the town is
[42:37] bound by to
[42:39] submit for ARB review for certain types
[42:41] of projects on KIP and Beachwalker Drive
[42:44] going all the way out to the roundabout,
[42:46] would somehow give KICA review authority
[42:49] over stuff that goes all the way out
[42:52] towards Freshfields Village, which
[42:53] doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. And
[42:56] then we've just got to kind of work
[42:58] through Designing with Nature, these
[43:00] provisions that have,
[43:03] you know, conflict with town ordinances,
[43:05] and there are many, many others.
[43:09] The the problem there is, at least based
[43:11] on the MOU, the KICA board has now onboarded,
[43:18] they've adopted Designing with Nature
[43:20] and actually recorded those. So, now
[43:22] their provisions start conflicting with
[43:25] the towns. And while they've said they
[43:27] would change those, the MOU at least, I
[43:29] don't know about the Omnibus Agreement,
[43:31] provides that no changes can be made to
[43:34] this without the developer ARB's
[43:36] approval prior to the end of phase four.
[43:39] Again, that's all based on the MOU.
[43:41] We'll just have to see. So,
[43:44] I don't know if my fellow council
[43:45] members have different perspectives on either of those issues.
[43:49] >> Well, the only thing that maybe not the
[43:51] only thing, but the main thing that I
[43:52] have
[43:53] in talking to you and in talking to
[43:55] others is
[43:57] um
[43:58] meeting the deadline is past for
[44:03] us to maybe pull back.
[44:05] Now, for me, for us to pull back any
[44:07] further, it's not just meeting the
[44:09] deadlines that would be extended, but
[44:12] also see how the execution works.
[44:14] So,
[44:16] I'm not of a mind to to pull back just
[44:18] because a new letter's been signed. I
[44:21] want to see how their ARB works, and are
[44:23] they doing the things and being
[44:25] transparent? Are they following up? Are
[44:27] they making sure the designs there are there established procedures
[44:31] in place and requirements?
[44:33] So, it's more than just, okay, we've
[44:35] stood this up now. It's really the
[44:36] execution of how that works going
[44:39] forward, and is it working well?
[44:41] >> I share both of your concerns and and
[44:43] views.
[44:45] You know, short of the MOU in January, I
[44:48] believe it was, which was supposed to be
[44:50] done 60 days, and I was skeptical of
[44:52] that cuz it takes a long time to do that
[44:53] stuff. It's ambitious, but it does take
[44:55] time to do that stuff.
[44:57] It's no fault. It just was aggressive.
[45:00] I've had no visibility into anything
[45:02] else. So, for us to roll back or carve
[45:05] out anything, like you both have said,
[45:07] it is very premature in my mind.
[45:10] I have a lot of questions, and like you
[45:11] said, Council Member Farrell, um
[45:15] It needs to be up and operating and
[45:17] prove itself for I think the town to
[45:19] consider cuz right now we we
[45:21] deliberately established a backstop that
[45:24] was to be put in place until all this
[45:25] could get resolved, and to make sure
[45:27] we're looking out for the best interests
[45:28] of the community in the meantime. And
[45:31] we're going through work which requires
[45:33] effort and expense and and and
[45:35] lots of things to stand up and actualize
[45:38] our DRB at the same time.
[45:40] Um
[45:40] Turning something off is easy. Turning
[45:42] something on and rebuilding it or
[45:43] building it is hard. So, I I don't want
[45:46] to waste that effort we've had in
[45:47] building that backstop until we've
[45:50] really seen it prove itself because it
[45:53] could change as a matter of resolution
[45:55] at the next Kika board meeting if if
[45:56] we're not careful. So, I would need some
[45:58] kind of confidence that that that's in
[46:00] place.
[46:01] Um, I've got a whole list of concerns in
[46:03] my head that
[46:04] um, I would love to hear from Kika more
[46:06] on when they're ready to share this as
[46:07] to how this is going to be and and and
[46:10] how it's progressing and how it's
[46:11] operating.
[46:12] Um, one of my questions was authority
[46:14] and enforcement like you mentioned
[46:16] Maribel. Um,
[46:18] I may be misconnecting something but I
[46:21] don't believe that covenant change
[46:22] passed in the Kika vote for Kika to be
[46:25] able to force fines and penalties. So, I
[46:28] don't know what their enforcement
[46:30] mechanism is just as a starting point.
[46:32] It it it may just be hollow paper and
[46:34] you know, great we had a meeting but we
[46:35] can't do anything about it. So, those
[46:37] are the kinds of questions I've got of
[46:39] how are you going to enforce it? You
[46:41] know, just basic things.
[46:42] >> The other thing that comes to mind for
[46:44] me is if I recall correctly, I saw the original MOU back in January
[46:50] and it talked about transferring from
[46:53] the current ARB to Kika
[46:55] um,
[46:57] individual home sites, single family
[46:58] dwellings.
[47:00] And this was supposed to be the last
[47:01] phase, the commercial and multi
[47:03] multi-family three or four years down
[47:05] the road. Which frustrated me that it
[47:07] was taking that long to transfer all of
[47:09] it but okay. Thank you. And now it's
[47:12] reversed and they're doing commercial
[47:14] and single family first commercial and
[47:16] multi-family first
[47:18] and the timing
[47:19] it just perplexes me. Why not do the
[47:22] sort of easy important stuff to the
[47:23] community first which is the single
[47:26] family and you can onboard that and get
[47:27] some experience.
[47:29] Um, so the timing about the change and
[47:31] the kind of re complete reversal of the
[47:33] MOU if I recall correctly.
[47:35] >> It actually was commercial multi-family
[47:37] was in phase one, single family in phase
[47:39] two. There were two additional phases in
[47:42] the MOU. But it it it interestingly
[47:45] enough and again, the MOU is just the
[47:47] MOU. It's not the omnibus. Um,
[47:51] the it would transition upon
[47:53] effectiveness
[47:55] review authority for new
[47:59] multi-family or commercial,
[48:02] but the current ARB would reserve the
[48:06] authority to to review any matter that
[48:11] was pending before it or had been
[48:13] brought forward, not really defined, and
[48:16] not clear that that would ever be
[48:18] transitioned.
[48:19] >> That was the other issue.
[48:20] >> Um and then it wasn't until phase three
[48:23] that authority over again, which has no
[48:25] time frame associated with it. It has a
[48:28] no less than, but doesn't mean when it
[48:30] would actually occur, that the developer
[48:33] ARB would continue to retain authority
[48:35] over multi-family improvement
[48:37] applications. Which I guess could
[48:40] include Ocean Pines or West End or other
[48:43] things like that. So, you would not have
[48:45] Kika review authority. So, those are the
[48:47] kinds of of I think details that we need
[48:51] to better understand and and flesh out
[48:53] going forward.
[48:54] So, where we stand right now.
[48:56] >> Can I add one more comment, please?
[48:58] Uh so,
[49:00] I don't understand fundamentally what
[49:01] the rush is. Um and what the urgency is.
[49:04] I mean, we we we all commented about
[49:07] we'll review it at the right times, no
[49:09] matter what. We put in the comment at a
[49:10] recommendation to to put a a true
[49:13] trigger in there to look at it.
[49:15] Nothing's changed. The facts as we know
[49:16] it haven't changed, but I don't
[49:18] understand what's driving the urgency
[49:21] for us to roll ours back. I'd love to
[49:22] understand that. And we're all Kika
[49:25] members, too. So, we're subject to all
[49:26] this, too. And I as as I believe you all
[49:30] would echo,
[49:32] let's let's take the time to get this
[49:34] right. Let's be deliberate, use the DRB
[49:36] as a positive thing, and as a good
[49:38] backstop to give the breathing room to
[49:40] do it right.
[49:42] >> Well, and so where we are today is our
[49:44] DRB has been stood up. It had initial
[49:48] kind of organizational meeting,
[49:50] in the process of developing standards
[49:53] that go beyond the the five or six areas
[49:56] of standards specified in in the
[49:59] ordinance. Uh, the one thing so there is
[50:01] a legitimate concern on the part whether
[50:03] it's the resort or anybody else that's
[50:06] either improvements to multi-family or commercial or new additions there to
[50:12] kind of understand what the rules of the
[50:14] road are and to avoid unnecessary
[50:16] duplication of effort and I would hope
[50:18] that we get to that point where we can
[50:20] do that. So there's just a fair amount
[50:22] of spade work. The one thing I would
[50:23] observe is that by its terms the scope
[50:27] of our DRB regardless of what it applies
[50:29] to its scope of review is much more
[50:32] limited
[50:33] than that asserted by the ARB in
[50:36] designing with nature. Uh, you know,
[50:38] like boardwalks. It issue came up with
[50:40] the DRB meeting the other day about
[50:42] three levels of regulation of
[50:44] boardwalks. Our DRB would not be
[50:46] reviewing
[50:48] boardwalks. It's simply not covered in
[50:51] the scope of the DRB's existing
[50:53] authority. Yard art, landscape
[50:55] maintenance,
[50:57] uh,
[50:57] maintenance and repair, kind of go on
[51:00] and on and on. 20 pages of the designing
[51:03] with nature stuff that I would argue
[51:04] goes well beyond the general covenants.
[51:07] The ARB seeks to our DRB would not. So
[51:09] it'd be a much more limited scope
[51:11] review.
[51:12] >> Yeah, one thing that I was thinking as
[51:13] you're saying that is that
[51:15] you know, this whole thing that is in
[51:18] motion right now I don't think it's
[51:19] really been tested yet with an
[51:20] application coming in to any of the
[51:22] entities.
[51:23] I hope if somebody is submitting an
[51:24] application going through the process
[51:26] that communication continues.
[51:29] Professional and courteous, please.
[51:31] >> Guess what? The town is going to be the
[51:33] first one subject to it.
[51:34] >> Well, there you go. But with the
[51:36] Let let us know how that goes cuz we can
[51:38] adjust if we know.
[51:40] >> [laughter]
[51:40] >> Uh, so kind of shifting gears I was
[51:43] going to provide an update on uh civic
[51:45] and cultural center and particularly an
[51:47] update on discussions last month
[51:49] regarding our wastewater management
[51:52] solutions, but I'll I'll hold those
[51:54] reserve those until we get to the
[51:56] uh discussion
[51:58] uh a little bit later in the agenda. Um
[52:00] just to to note uh for the record, we
[52:02] had talked about at the last council
[52:04] meeting potentially having on the agenda
[52:07] for this meeting a special events permit
[52:09] or public gatherings
[52:11] uh uh ordinance. Uh we're still working
[52:13] on that. It It's really trying to
[52:15] calibrate what's the appropriate scope,
[52:17] when is there public interest in a
[52:19] public gathering. We were We reviewed
[52:22] our records and we had special permits
[52:25] for something like 50 weddings. Is there
[52:27] a real public interest? You know, if
[52:29] there are pyrotechnics or you know, if
[52:31] there's you know, erecting structures or
[52:34] loud amplified music, maybe. But, you
[52:37] know, if it's indoor wedding, I don't
[52:38] care how many people there is and if
[52:40] it's on private property, I'm not sure
[52:42] that there's a public interest. So,
[52:43] we're trying to refine those issues and
[52:45] hopefully come back in uh September. Uh
[52:47] we've got to continue work on that. Uh
[52:49] the last uh uh update that I will uh
[52:53] note is actually the most momentous development
[52:57] uh in this past month. Put all this
[52:59] other stuff aside and uh that was the
[53:02] bittersweet announcement that came out
[53:04] of the
[53:06] uh Kiawah Island Golf Resort 2 weeks ago
[53:08] uh regarding
[53:10] uh the the well-deserved and well-earned
[53:14] pending retirement after almost a
[53:15] quarter century of of Mr. Roger Warren.
[53:19] Um I I note there's a quote in from from
[53:21] Bill Goodwin um uh in the chairman of
[53:24] the Kiawah Island Golf Resort that
[53:26] Roger's leadership, vision, and
[53:28] dedication have left an indelible mark
[53:30] on Kiawah Island Golf Resort. I think
[53:33] that's way too short shrift. Uh it's
[53:35] obviously an indelible mark on Kiawah
[53:37] Island as a whole.
[53:39] Um and uh uh it does note that the
[53:43] resort and Mr. Warren intend to explore
[53:45] opportunities for his advisory support
[53:46] regarding select development projects
[53:48] and transition related matters and hope
[53:49] that that will actually come to pass.
[53:53] I will reserve any further comment at
[53:55] this time because I would hope that we
[53:56] would have further opportunities at town
[53:58] to acknowledge Mr. Warren's
[54:00] contributions to the island at a future
[54:02] date.
[54:03] That's my update.
[54:05] Council member here.
[54:07] >> I'm just giving the answer to Tom. I'm
[54:09] just going to mention
[54:09] >> I don't know if Council member K is she
[54:12] going to hold
[54:13] >> Scott.
[54:14] >> Can I don't know if you can even hear
[54:17] me.
[54:17] >> We can. Go ahead, Ms. Kay.
[54:20] >> Okay, so
[54:22] I just want to back up to the whole ARB
[54:25] thing for just my comment and that is
[54:30] I also think we need to keep that that
[54:33] um
[54:33] backstop in place since the developers
[54:38] ARB has not always
[54:40] been as quick to move forward on
[54:43] transferring responsibilities as perhaps
[54:45] we would like. So I think it's
[54:47] absolutely prudent that we keep this our
[54:51] backstop in place. Secondly, as far as
[54:55] Roger is concerned I think it's
[54:58] incalculable his contribution
[55:00] to Kiawah and he
[55:05] not everybody is always in agreement,
[55:07] but he has been
[55:08] um
[55:09] judicious
[55:11] and candid and thoughtful and respectful
[55:15] and it's always been a pleasure dealing
[55:17] with him and I don't know how somebody
[55:20] like that is going to be replaced. So
[55:22] thank you Roger.
[55:24] And then the last thing I want to talk
[55:26] about is
[55:28] the appointment the hiring of Lucas
[55:31] Hernandez as our new the town's new
[55:33] resiliency director.
[55:35] This is a project that Stephanie and I,
[55:38] with some assistance from other council
[55:39] people and staff, have been working on
[55:41] for about a year. Um, I think that the formation of a resiliency committee
[55:48] um has has helped to move some
[55:51] resiliency projects forward, but with
[55:53] the scope of resiliency issues that the
[55:56] town is addressing, it really required
[55:59] somebody with a tremendous amount of
[56:00] background and expertise and knowledge
[56:04] uh to be able to
[56:06] uh to to uh marshal all of the resources
[56:10] that will be necessary to fight some of
[56:11] the issues with climate change, sea
[56:14] level rise,
[56:15] um and storm water issues. Um, Lucas is
[56:19] uh i- immensely qualified um and we had
[56:23] some very very strong candidates apply
[56:26] for this position. But, Lucas has been
[56:28] involved with Kiawah uh resiliency and
[56:31] environmental issues for the last 10
[56:32] years. He has multi-degreed. He was
[56:36] instrumental in the uh 2017 sea level
[56:39] rise uh drafting. And um
[56:43] in order to to put somebody's hands
[56:47] around what needs to be done to work
[56:49] with all of the various stakeholders
[56:51] here and to look for funding,
[56:54] um
[56:55] uh again, that's that's was outside my
[56:59] level of of expertise, totally outside.
[57:02] And so, um I think that we are all
[57:04] trusting Lucas to take Kiawah to its
[57:08] place of prominence where it belongs
[57:10] along the East Coast in terms of being a
[57:12] leader in in resiliency issues. So, I am
[57:15] absolutely delighted with his hiring. I
[57:18] thank Brad for his support in this
[57:20] initiative and am really really looking
[57:23] forward to having him on board um
[57:25] mid-September.
[57:27] >> Thank you, Councilmember Kay, and uh I'm
[57:29] sorry that you're under the weather um
[57:31] and and thank you for for offering those
[57:33] comments notwithstanding, plus on
[57:34] vacation overseas. Now, I guess you're
[57:36] up north by now.
[57:38] Um, uh, I just to echo,
[57:41] uh, what, uh, Council Member Kay said
[57:43] about, uh, bringing on, uh, Lucas, uh,
[57:46] Hernandez. I mean, he's he's been, uh,
[57:49] well known to this community. I think
[57:50] he's going to be a tremendous asset. Uh,
[57:53] we've also, uh, gotten uh, less
[57:55] attention, but we've given some expanded
[57:58] responsibilities to one of our key staff
[58:00] members, Michael Nardelli, to be, uh,
[58:02] just operations and risk manager. And
[58:05] part of that expanded responsibility
[58:07] will be working particularly with Lucas
[58:10] on doing a comprehensive island-wide
[58:12] risk assessment. Particularly focused
[58:15] things on failure points,
[58:16] vulnerabilities like the causeway, like
[58:18] the bridge, um, and other and some of
[58:22] our utilities infrastructure, etc. So,
[58:24] we expect, uh, great things out of them
[58:27] and reporting back to the council and
[58:30] things that, uh, we will need to
[58:31] consider how to, uh, make the island,
[58:34] uh, and the community more resilient.
[58:36] How do we expand the,
[58:37] uh, extend the lifespan of some of these
[58:39] assets, etc. When it what point do we
[58:42] need to raise [snorts] the Mingo curve
[58:43] and so on and so forth. So, to be
[58:45] continued on that. And in all due to,
[58:48] uh, Council Member Kay's leadership on
[58:50] this particular, uh,
[58:52] matter. Uh, really much appreciate that.
[58:54] So, now, Council Member Farrell.
[58:57] >> Um, yeah, so just one thing. And we're
[58:59] speaking to Owen. I'm sorry you weren't
[59:01] here last meeting, Larry.
[59:03] We had, uh,
[59:05] the
[59:06] portfolio manager from the state talk
[59:07] about our investment portfolio.
[59:09] Uh, and so there's actually been some
[59:12] outreach. Wanted copies of it. Are we
[59:13] going to post it or send it out
[59:14] individually, Dorada?
[59:19] Okay, so you have it. So,
[59:21] but that's available to anybody who
[59:22] would like to see it, you know, the
[59:23] audit report or the, uh, performance
[59:25] report from our investment portfolio
[59:28] that the state manages for us. Um and so
[59:30] we're very pleased. We had deep
[59:32] discussion on what it invest in, what
[59:34] are the guidelines, what are their
[59:35] options for the future for developing
[59:37] new funds.
[59:38] Um
[59:39] and in some of the talk about investment
[59:41] outlook as well as securities that they
[59:42] hold. So, um
[59:44] it was something near and dear to I know
[59:46] Larry's heart and my heart. So, uh if
[59:48] you want copies of that, it's available
[59:49] from Dorada if you'd reach out to her.
[59:53] >> Any further updates, Councilmember
[59:54] Spencer?
[59:55] >> Uh
[59:55] just a few. Um
[59:58] so uh and to answer your questions of
[1:00:00] Walhand, we'll we'll talk about the uh
[1:00:02] the conservation fund in a few minutes
[1:00:04] and I'll try to answer your questions
[1:00:05] when we when we talk through that. Uh
[1:00:07] we've considered a lot of what you
[1:00:08] brought up, but we'll we'll we'll we'll
[1:00:10] articulate that better.
[1:00:12] Um
[1:00:14] I think we've covered most of um
[1:00:18] what I already had as notes. Um one
[1:00:22] thing I've observed though that maybe we
[1:00:25] we'll see some more data on. It seems
[1:00:27] like the island's gotten used a lot
[1:00:28] harder this season. Um we're out a lot.
[1:00:31] I I probably walk 6 to 8 miles a day on
[1:00:34] the beach, on the trails, and and other
[1:00:36] places.
[1:00:37] The amount of trash we're finding is
[1:00:39] just more than I've ever seen. I mean,
[1:00:41] significantly more. Um the amount of
[1:00:44] people fishing and crabbing and, you
[1:00:46] know, taking advantage of the natural
[1:00:48] landscape, but you know, the the the I
[1:00:51] mean, it's it's almost an order of
[1:00:53] magnitude more people I see on the
[1:00:54] bridges and at the pond one fishing and
[1:00:58] stuff like that and on the beach. Um I
[1:01:01] don't know if that's a trend, but it
[1:01:03] it's it's enough that it's really
[1:01:04] noticeable. So, I only say that in
[1:01:06] context that a lot of us are working a
[1:01:07] lot of different spinning plates about
[1:01:09] um how do we address the use of the
[1:01:12] island and um the the
[1:01:16] I'm trying to think the right word. The
[1:01:18] uh
[1:01:18] um
[1:01:20] the things we need to do to preserve the
[1:01:22] island and and and make sure it's
[1:01:24] usable, but
[1:01:26] um also
[1:01:28] Anyway, I'm losing the word, but
[1:01:30] we we got to be thinking about that as
[1:01:31] we're looking at future policies and
[1:01:33] actions.
[1:01:36] >> Uh thank you, uh Stephanie.
[1:01:40] » Thank you, Mayor. I just like to
[1:01:43] recognize we're talking about employees.
[1:01:45] We have two employees that will be
[1:01:47] celebrating anniversaries this month. We
[1:01:49] have Aaron Kevin who'll be celebrating
[1:01:51] 18 years with the town. He is the town's
[1:01:54] assistant biologist and John Taylor, our
[1:01:56] planning and zoning director, will be
[1:01:57] celebrating 10 years this month with the
[1:01:59] town. So, I'd like to recognize them and
[1:02:02] thank them for their service.
[1:02:03] Also, as a reminder, we have food truck
[1:02:05] Friday this Friday. We have it through
[1:02:07] the end of this month.
[1:02:09] Uh because of the success, we did extend
[1:02:11] it. Originally, it was just going to go
[1:02:12] through, I believe, July. So, we did
[1:02:14] push it out for an additional month.
[1:02:16] And also, as a reminder,
[1:02:19] the Kiawah Arts, which is our Arts
[1:02:20] Council, they kick off their season uh
[1:02:23] this month. Their first event is August
[1:02:26] 14th, the Marsh Grass Mamas.
[1:02:30] So, uh for more information on their
[1:02:32] season, please go to our website uh
[1:02:34] where the information is posted. And if
[1:02:36] you see anything you like, please uh
[1:02:39] sign up for tickets.
[1:02:41] And um
[1:02:42] with that, that's all I have.
[1:02:44] >> Thank you. Um we have no old business uh
[1:02:47] to consider. Moving on to new business,
[1:02:50] the first agenda item is an update on uh
[1:02:52] progress of the Civic and Cultural
[1:02:54] Center and to consider approval of a
[1:02:57] recommendation from our ad hoc building
[1:03:00] committee
[1:03:01] uh to council to approve essentially an early release package for structural
[1:03:07] steel.
[1:03:08] Um we have with us our architect of
[1:03:10] record, Steve Coe, a- a- as as as well
[1:03:13] as Josh Spencer from Edifice, our
[1:03:15] construction manager.
[1:03:17] Uh they've been working hand in glove,
[1:03:19] at least it appears to be the case, in frequent meetings and provided us
[1:03:23] regular updates. Uh, we are fairly well
[1:03:26] evolved in the conceptual
[1:03:29] uh, uh, phase of of uh, the site plan
[1:03:32] and uh, the buildings.
[1:03:34] Um, and we're essentially at this stage
[1:03:37] locking ourselves in to the footprint.
[1:03:40] Uh, but uh, still to be resolved are
[1:03:43] issues related to fit and finish and
[1:03:45] other issues associated with that. But
[1:03:47] uh, I'm certainly pleased with the work
[1:03:49] they've done and how it's evolved. I I
[1:03:51] hope the community as well will get to
[1:03:53] see a little of that and they'll be able
[1:03:55] to explain why it is that we really it's
[1:03:58] incumbent upon us both from a timing
[1:04:00] standpoint, cost standpoint, to go ahead
[1:04:02] and and take this action today to to do
[1:04:05] the early release package.
[1:04:07] Uh, Mr. Coe and
[1:04:09] Mr. Spencer.
[1:04:11] » Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[1:04:13] I want to
[1:04:15] assure the council that we will be
[1:04:17] getting building permits and burning
[1:04:19] fuel and insurance
[1:04:21] >> [laughter]
[1:04:23] » In all In all seriousness,
[1:04:25] thank you for having me here
[1:04:27] today.
[1:04:28] Um, really as the mayor said, there are
[1:04:29] there really three main purposes, I
[1:04:31] think, for today. Um, one is obviously
[1:04:33] to update you on the design progress. As
[1:04:35] the mayor said, we have been having
[1:04:37] bi-weekly meetings with uh,
[1:04:40] the town, but also weekly meetings with
[1:04:42] Josh's group and then my extended design
[1:04:44] team.
[1:04:45] Um,
[1:04:46] the purpose of those meetings has been
[1:04:48] to advance the design, but also to
[1:04:52] ensure that we are
[1:04:54] maintaining uh, control on cost and
[1:04:56] schedule. Um, Josh's group has been
[1:04:59] taking the drawings as we've been
[1:05:01] developing them and doing an analysis on
[1:05:04] various construction assemblies,
[1:05:06] materials, etc. And um,
[1:05:11] in addition to looking at those from
[1:05:13] cost, but also performance. Um not only
[1:05:16] maintenance performance, but acoustic
[1:05:18] performance in the performance hall
[1:05:19] itself. Um and those types of things.
[1:05:22] Um
[1:05:22] the second reason, as the mayor said, is
[1:05:24] a justification today for
[1:05:27] an early site and early steel package.
[1:05:29] We'll discuss that uh as it relates to
[1:05:32] long lead items, cost impacts uh
[1:05:35] specifically on materials, but also
[1:05:36] those related impacts on schedule. Um
[1:05:41] that
[1:05:42] and have an end result on increased
[1:05:44] costs. And lastly, uh we are, as the
[1:05:47] mayor said, working towards a submittal
[1:05:49] to the DRB and so I think it's just an
[1:05:52] appropriate time for us to present
[1:05:55] today.
[1:05:57] Um
[1:05:58] So, the site plan has remained
[1:06:00] relatively the same um from when you
[1:06:02] last saw it, which is in addition to the
[1:06:04] existing building that includes a lobby
[1:06:06] expansion, a community room ex- uh
[1:06:09] addition, and then the performance space
[1:06:11] itself. Um from a site plan perspective,
[1:06:14] it is improvements to overall parking
[1:06:17] and circulation on the site with an
[1:06:19] addition of we're showing at this point
[1:06:21] 45 additional uh parking spaces. Um an
[1:06:24] analysis of uh
[1:06:27] from a zoning perspective or from a
[1:06:28] performance perspective,
[1:06:30] with a 300-seat auditorium, uh we would
[1:06:33] need at a minimum 100 spaces. Um and the
[1:06:36] additional 20 or so spaces that uh we
[1:06:39] then would have uh overall on the site
[1:06:41] would be for back of house, maintenance,
[1:06:43] and staff usage during uh an event. Um
[1:06:46] the site plan itself also includes um
[1:06:50] as the mayor mentioned, uh we're looking
[1:06:52] at how we connect to utilities, and so
[1:06:55] there is uh a septic uh field associated
[1:06:59] with the overall site plan that then is
[1:07:01] um configured in overall with parking
[1:07:03] connections.
[1:07:03] >> Could I ask you to press pause just on on that issue because that is uh an
[1:07:08] update from our last council meeting.
[1:07:11] So, the site plan still
[1:07:14] contemplates
[1:07:16] septic rather than connection to sewer Seabrook Island utility. Um it's
[1:07:23] the discussions I would like to say
[1:07:25] discussions are continuing, but that
[1:07:27] would not actually be correct. Um
[1:07:30] and it's unfortunate. So, when we met a
[1:07:33] month ago, what stated in indicated that
[1:07:36] time they were sending a new letter to
[1:07:38] Seabrook Island utility reiterating our
[1:07:41] desire to connect to public sewer
[1:07:44] and do so in terms that were consistent
[1:07:46] with
[1:07:48] what been previously shared back in in
[1:07:51] February.
[1:07:52] Um there was a week after we sent that
[1:07:55] letter, a call came from council to
[1:08:00] Seabrook Island utility to the town's
[1:08:02] outside council separate council on this
[1:08:04] matter saying those terms were generally
[1:08:06] acceptable,
[1:08:08] but there was no actual written response
[1:08:11] and there was no letter of intent to
[1:08:13] serve provided at that point in time.
[1:08:17] Uh we had asked for contacts with to be
[1:08:20] connected with Seabrook Island utilities
[1:08:22] engineers.
[1:08:24] That has not yet happened.
[1:08:27] Um
[1:08:29] >> [laughter]
[1:08:30] >> Um
[1:08:32] the
[1:08:33] there are engineers. We got the contact
[1:08:36] information for the manager for Seabrook
[1:08:38] Island utility system which we already
[1:08:40] had
[1:08:41] on the 11th which is
[1:08:44] No, the 21st. I believe a letter went
[1:08:47] from our engineer to the manager
[1:08:49] requesting an urgent meeting and
[1:08:51] beginning to share documents, technical
[1:08:53] specifications, etc.
[1:08:55] To date that has not been responded to
[1:08:58] that email.
[1:08:59] Our director of public works last Friday
[1:09:02] sent another
[1:09:04] email following up on the engineers
[1:09:06] email
[1:09:08] regarding a number of issues and that
[1:09:10] has not yet been responded to. So at
[1:09:13] this juncture just we're kind of thrown
[1:09:16] up our hands
[1:09:17] we've just simply gotten no forward
[1:09:20] momentum whatsoever from Seabrook Island
[1:09:22] utility. I want to contrast that by the
[1:09:24] way with regard to the town of Seabrook
[1:09:26] Island and the council. One of the
[1:09:30] conditions was to modify their ordinance
[1:09:33] just as we had done to not avoid the
[1:09:36] necessity of a referendum
[1:09:39] a week ago the Seabrook Island Council
[1:09:42] actually took that action and the mayor
[1:09:44] and the council members still appear to
[1:09:46] be supportive of providing the public
[1:09:49] sewer connection
[1:09:51] but even though they wholly own the
[1:09:53] utility they can't dictate what the
[1:09:55] utility does under state law or their
[1:09:57] ordinances. So we are where we are. It's
[1:10:00] unfortunate because now where we could
[1:10:02] have parking or other uses we have a
[1:10:04] septic field we still have to have the
[1:10:05] septic field in back.
[1:10:07] There may be an opportunity in the
[1:10:09] future to connect to sewer sewer still
[1:10:12] and we're still pursue that
[1:10:13] but and we can retrofit and there's a
[1:10:16] plan for doing that but that would
[1:10:18] entail some additional cost and time at
[1:10:20] that which is just extraordinarily
[1:10:23] frustrating and fortunate.
[1:10:25] Apologies for that interruption Mr. Coe.
[1:10:28] >> Ultimately that's the most
[1:10:30] environmentally friendly solution.
[1:10:33] >> I apologize Mr. Mayor but for those that
[1:10:36] are less informed in the audience about
[1:10:38] this project
[1:10:39] could you maybe point out where the new
[1:10:41] building is versus
[1:10:42] >> I'm trying to get a pointer so I can do
[1:10:45] that.
[1:10:46] >> I think
[1:10:46] >> Kyle
[1:10:47] >> People are
[1:10:48] anxious to hear
[1:10:49] >> Sure. I appreciate that. Um
[1:10:54] Without having a pointer I mean I guess
[1:10:56] the best I can do is sort of walk you
[1:10:57] through from the bottom
[1:10:59] of the sheet. That's the main entry
[1:11:01] drive
[1:11:03] as you come in.
[1:11:04] And we will be constructing a new
[1:11:08] parking area. I mentioned the septic
[1:11:10] field, that's to the left of that.
[1:11:13] >> [laughter]
[1:11:17] » Excellent. Got it.
[1:11:22] So, this is the existing drive. The
[1:11:25] existing building is here.
[1:11:27] Existing entry to the building here and
[1:11:30] existing lobby. The addition is off the
[1:11:32] back of the building and it will extend
[1:11:34] the lobby.
[1:11:36] But there will also be a separate
[1:11:37] entrance, sort of a secondary entrance.
[1:11:40] So, the main entry will still be used on
[1:11:41] day-to-day
[1:11:43] office and day-to-day business
[1:11:45] for town hall. This entry into the
[1:11:47] building will be used for
[1:11:50] performance events and special events in
[1:11:54] the new addition itself.
[1:11:55] >> And I would just note in that regard,
[1:11:57] none of that has really changed from the
[1:11:59] very beginning of the conceptual design
[1:12:02] process in the three designs we had been
[1:12:04] submitted.
[1:12:04] >> Correct.
[1:12:06] So,
[1:12:07] additional parking, a drop-off space for
[1:12:10] the performance entry,
[1:12:12] maintaining your existing parking, but
[1:12:15] also adding parking in the large grassy
[1:12:18] area in front of existing town hall
[1:12:20] that's sort of unused right now and it's
[1:12:22] just
[1:12:25] a grassed area. We will be capturing
[1:12:27] parking in that. Parking along the
[1:12:30] backside here
[1:12:32] edge as you come around the turn to the
[1:12:35] rear area.
[1:12:37] Improving pedestrian pathways. So, if
[1:12:41] you park or are in the back, there is a
[1:12:43] pedestrian walk that connects to the
[1:12:45] front. Pedestrian walkways around the
[1:12:48] parking here and pedestrian paths along
[1:12:51] this parking.
[1:12:52] The other portion of this that has
[1:12:54] changed a bit but was sort of always
[1:12:56] being discussed was overall
[1:12:59] connectivity of this site to
[1:13:02] whether it be a walking [snorts] trail
[1:13:04] or other sort of amenities on the site,
[1:13:06] potential future amenities that we are
[1:13:08] coordinating with the town on and
[1:13:10] planning for, not specifically
[1:13:12] incorporating into this construction
[1:13:14] project but making sure that uh where
[1:13:18] those some those new amenities might be
[1:13:21] located, we're planning for connection
[1:13:23] for them. So hopefully
[1:13:25] we're not building into a corner where
[1:13:27] you can't take advantage of those in the
[1:13:29] future.
[1:13:30] Um
[1:13:30] >> And and just on that Steve, the the
[1:13:35] beyond this particular project that that we are in the process of engaging
[1:13:40] you know
[1:13:41] may have already happened a kind of
[1:13:42] master landscape or campus plan to
[1:13:45] create a more like park-like setting,
[1:13:47] usable setting, usability for this
[1:13:49] entire campus with a trail system around
[1:13:53] here particularly embracing the marsh
[1:13:55] and the live oaks back over this way,
[1:13:58] pollinator gardens, the ponds, etc. Uh
[1:14:02] and I would also just offsite what we
[1:14:06] have off this image is the intention is
[1:14:08] to have a roll curb over here. We're
[1:14:10] carving back some of the overgrowth
[1:14:12] that's occurred over the last three or
[1:14:13] four years to create a lot of additional
[1:14:15] grass overflow of parking that could
[1:14:17] also be used for additional outdoor
[1:14:19] events in the future.
[1:14:21] >> Correct. Thank you. Um
[1:14:23] I think the only thing I didn't discuss
[1:14:25] was the area here behind the new
[1:14:27] addition,
[1:14:29] sort of an informal garden courtyard
[1:14:31] area that as the mayor said whether
[1:14:33] that's on food truck Fridays or really
[1:14:35] just to try and attract folks to this
[1:14:37] site and create amenities. Um There's
[1:14:41] that's this courtyard behind the
[1:14:43] building which I'll show you as we move
[1:14:44] along.
[1:14:45] We have been
[1:14:50] I'm just going to do this now.
[1:14:51] >> looking. You have one thing you will
[1:14:52] notice we also are moving ADA spaces
[1:14:55] much closer to the front entrance.
[1:14:57] They've been way back over here, which
[1:14:59] has never really been acceptable.
[1:15:01] >> It's fine. I got it.
[1:15:02] >> be much closer to the entrance going
[1:15:04] forward.
[1:15:05] >> Correct. That's Now this one's not
[1:15:07] working. Oh, wrong thing. There you go.
[1:15:10] That's ADA parking here
[1:15:13] directly adjacent to the entry.
[1:15:17] Uh we are also have been working with uh
[1:15:20] arborist to
[1:15:21] uh
[1:15:22] categorize and existing trees, determine
[1:15:25] those which are uh diseased and or um
[1:15:30] not in the best of shape versus those
[1:15:32] which should be maintained and trying to
[1:15:34] be very selective on what we remove and
[1:15:36] what we keep. There's a um mature trees
[1:15:39] that we'd like to keep um not only for
[1:15:41] their appearance, but also for shade um
[1:15:44] and amenity on the site. And so we have
[1:15:46] met uh routinely with them as we're
[1:15:48] working through the site plan.
[1:15:52] Here's a larger view of the overall
[1:15:56] floor plan. Uh the
[1:16:03] Uh so there's the drop-off from the
[1:16:05] parking area, the entry, uh the new
[1:16:08] lobby,
[1:16:09] community room, outdoor courtyard,
[1:16:12] performance hall.
[1:16:14] Uh as part of the increase in uh
[1:16:17] occupants for the performance space,
[1:16:19] there's an expansion to existing
[1:16:21] restroom facilities to increase fixtures
[1:16:25] for that those events. And then as I
[1:16:27] mentioned, the lobby space which expands
[1:16:29] on the existing lobby and creates
[1:16:31] somewhat of a pre-function area for
[1:16:33] potential performance spaces.
[1:16:36] The design of the building is such that
[1:16:38] the floor does slope, and so we're using
[1:16:40] the lowest point of the floor to
[1:16:42] determine that we are above flood as far
[1:16:44] as we mentioned earlier some resiliency
[1:16:46] issues, um but also to be sure that if a
[1:16:49] piano needs to get either on stage or in
[1:16:52] the pre-function area and lobby, they
[1:16:53] don't have to traverse any stairs or
[1:16:55] ramps. So, the
[1:16:58] lobby is somewhat split into uh a higher
[1:17:01] 1-ft step to get into the performance
[1:17:04] level [snorts] versus the existing lobby
[1:17:07] and this port other half of the new
[1:17:09] lobby which are all on level with the
[1:17:11] area we're on here. So, if you were to
[1:17:12] come into either council chambers or the
[1:17:14] community room or the lobby or the
[1:17:16] bathrooms, that's all on on level. Um if
[1:17:20] you come into the new lobby, there's a
[1:17:21] set of stairs and a ramp here that gets
[1:17:24] you up to this additional height and
[1:17:26] then gets you into the level of the
[1:17:28] performance space.
[1:17:30] Uh back of house areas include
[1:17:33] uh dressing rooms, green room, some of
[1:17:36] the mechanical and support spaces that
[1:17:37] are needed, uh a loading dock area as I
[1:17:40] mentioned the piano storage, uh and then
[1:17:43] the wing spaces for the
[1:17:45] um performance space.
[1:17:49] Tricky to remember I have to do both.
[1:17:52] Enlarged plan, uh I mentioned before we
[1:17:55] are currently at 300 seats, uh which was
[1:17:58] the initial request from the town, um
[1:18:02] and it does have a sloped floor and I'll
[1:18:04] be showing you um
[1:18:06] images uh renderings of this space here
[1:18:08] in just a minute.
[1:18:10] Second second floor [snorts] area which
[1:18:12] really is the uh control room and some
[1:18:15] of the other support spaces uh
[1:18:17] for
[1:18:18] the performance hall.
[1:18:23] Uh enlarged plan of the lobby, this area
[1:18:26] in gray here is the existing lobby. So,
[1:18:28] as you come across into the new lobby,
[1:18:30] the expanded bathrooms as you know right
[1:18:31] now you sort of come down a corridor and
[1:18:33] you turn to get into this corridor. What
[1:18:36] we're doing is capturing that space. So,
[1:18:38] when you come through the lobby, it'll
[1:18:39] be a straight shot into the corridor
[1:18:41] that feeds into council chambers. Uh the
[1:18:44] bathrooms will then be expanded. Uh
[1:18:46] set of stairs and ramp around a
[1:18:50] relocated entry desk that now has visual
[1:18:52] control over uh this entry, the existing
[1:18:55] entry, and the entry or exit that goes
[1:18:58] out into the courtyard space.
[1:19:00] A community room and chair storage,
[1:19:03] small kitchenette.
[1:19:08] Exterior elevation. So, the top
[1:19:10] elevation is the view from the new
[1:19:12] parking area. Uh this gable end uh is
[1:19:16] the end of the building here. Uh one of
[1:19:18] the things we're trying to do is
[1:19:21] even with today with the shades closed,
[1:19:23] there's a good bit of sun. I know that's
[1:19:24] been certainly on times when we
[1:19:26] presented in that space. Uh when the
[1:19:28] sun's setting, it gets quite bright in
[1:19:30] that room. And so, we're uh
[1:19:32] um screening the end of the building,
[1:19:34] but also adding um
[1:19:36] this scrim element that allows us to
[1:19:38] sort of transition from the parking area
[1:19:41] into the new entry. This is sort of an
[1:19:44] adaptation of the existing uh elements
[1:19:46] on the building, the brown wood slats at
[1:19:50] both front and rear entries of the
[1:19:51] building. We're sort of taking that into
[1:19:54] uh
[1:19:54] again, revising that and um updating
[1:19:58] that into a bit more of a
[1:20:00] nicer element for us. They're trying to
[1:20:02] make that more like a furniture piece,
[1:20:03] but it's a screen that separates parking
[1:20:06] from walking in and entering the space.
[1:20:09] This view is looking from the rear. Uh
[1:20:12] the end of the performance hall has a
[1:20:14] large window. Again, in the renderings,
[1:20:16] you'll see that here in a second. That
[1:20:18] was one of the requests of the town from
[1:20:19] the outset of the competition phase is
[1:20:22] to have a connection to nature. So, when
[1:20:24] you're in that space, you're enjoying
[1:20:27] the fact that you're right next to this
[1:20:28] wonderful landscaped area and
[1:20:30] overlooking the marsh and the forest.
[1:20:32] We're maintaining that. This is the
[1:20:35] community room and community garden area
[1:20:38] from that view.
[1:20:41] Sorry.
[1:20:44] The entrance from the parking area,
[1:20:47] the drop-off.
[1:20:49] Um
[1:20:49] There will be This will be ADA. It's
[1:20:51] showing as a curve, but that will be ADA
[1:20:53] accessible. Um you enter through this
[1:20:55] portal of such into the entrance doors,
[1:20:59] which are behind here. This is the end
[1:21:01] of the community room and the community
[1:21:03] garden.
[1:21:05] Closer view of that. So, there's an
[1:21:07] entry sequence that's from your car into
[1:21:11] the lobby into the performance hall.
[1:21:17] The rear garden courtyard area that will
[1:21:19] have opportunities for
[1:21:22] uh contemplation. You know, if you want
[1:21:23] to come and eat your lunch there, enjoy
[1:21:25] food truck Friday. Um
[1:21:27] not a formal
[1:21:28] >> [snorts]
[1:21:29] >> uh a
[1:21:30] regimented formal garden area, but more
[1:21:32] of a loose um
[1:21:34] loose garden.
[1:21:38] Reviews of that.
[1:21:42] Uh we've been trying very hard to take
[1:21:44] into consideration the nature that
[1:21:46] you've got here. Um whether it's, you
[1:21:48] know, uh back where you can sit and
[1:21:50] overlook um
[1:21:52] the marsh uh or what does the building
[1:21:54] look like through the trees? Um
[1:21:57] I've been struck always by sort of this
[1:21:59] pattern of um live oak and how can that
[1:22:02] help to inform us? And one of the things
[1:22:04] in the performance space from an
[1:22:05] acoustics or acousticians perspective,
[1:22:08] it's really important to have a
[1:22:09] world-class performance hall. Um a space
[1:22:12] that, you know, is representative of uh
[1:22:16] I think the prestige that comes with
[1:22:17] Kiawah Island and itself. And so,
[1:22:19] there's a real science behind that. And
[1:22:21] one of those issues is that the walls of
[1:22:24] the performance space are somewhat
[1:22:26] tunable because it depends on the type
[1:22:28] of performance you have, whether you
[1:22:29] have uh
[1:22:31] pure acoustics or you have electrified
[1:22:33] sound, uh whether it's speech or dance.
[1:22:37] We want to be able to tune the room.
[1:22:39] Most of these performance halls that you
[1:22:40] go in have that ability and we've been
[1:22:43] trying to We're working with them on how
[1:22:45] that how that works. And typically what
[1:22:47] happens, closer to the stage, the walls
[1:22:50] have uh
[1:22:51] a solid to void percentage of about uh
[1:22:54] 30% solid to 70% void. And then as you
[1:22:58] move back to the back of house, that
[1:23:01] void that changes.
[1:23:03] Um
[1:23:04] We're taking uh influence from
[1:23:07] a live oak tree and that space,
[1:23:10] initially, as you see, we had somewhat
[1:23:12] of a repetitive pattern on the walls.
[1:23:15] That creates a problem acoustically,
[1:23:17] sort of known as um a picket fence
[1:23:19] approach, and you get sound waves that
[1:23:22] conflict with each other. And so, we
[1:23:23] want that to be a random space. These
[1:23:25] are just some sketches
[1:23:27] of how that's
[1:23:28] evolved.
[1:23:30] These are examples of what I'm talking
[1:23:32] about, how the walls really want to be
[1:23:33] random. We don't want a a regular space
[1:23:36] pattern. These are not uh projects my firm has done, but our
[1:23:40] acoustician our uh partner firm um has
[1:23:44] worked on many of these types of
[1:23:45] facilities across the country, and you
[1:23:47] see there's a lot of randomness in the
[1:23:50] wall systems or even in the way that
[1:23:52] they treat um
[1:23:54] a
[1:23:55] curtain pocket on the sides of the room
[1:23:57] with a random wood grill edge type of
[1:24:01] treatment.
[1:24:03] So, taking that idea of solid to void
[1:24:06] and looking uh
[1:24:08] at that pattern, we're trying to find a
[1:24:10] way that we can do this economically.
[1:24:12] So, these are sheets of plywood that we
[1:24:14] would have zero waste. So, as you cut
[1:24:17] something off that piece of plywood to
[1:24:18] create that opening in the wall surface,
[1:24:21] it can then be applied back on to give
[1:24:23] that pattern and it's really important
[1:24:24] from an acoustics perspective that you
[1:24:26] have that.
[1:24:27] Those panels would then be assembled
[1:24:30] on the walls going from the right to the
[1:24:33] left, which is towards the stage, a
[1:24:35] higher percentage of void to the back of
[1:24:37] house to a higher percentage of solid.
[1:24:41] And so the current updated view of the
[1:24:43] performance space itself looks like this
[1:24:46] with those wall panels and what we're
[1:24:48] calling wings acoustic baffles up at the
[1:24:51] ceiling that help direct sound from the
[1:24:53] stage back to the audience.
[1:24:58] I'll back up. You still see the large
[1:25:01] window in the back and that will be able
[1:25:03] to be screened if there's a movie night
[1:25:04] or some type of other event where we
[1:25:06] need to have blackout shades. We'll have
[1:25:07] that ability to do that both on the back
[1:25:09] window and the clerestory windows above.
[1:25:15] Primarily fixed seating as I mentioned
[1:25:18] before, there are some movable chairs on
[1:25:20] the sides that get us to the total of
[1:25:22] 300
[1:25:24] seat capacity.
[1:25:29] The next few views are interior views.
[1:25:32] This coming from the existing lobby into
[1:25:34] the new lobby.
[1:25:36] The area where the floor pattern changes
[1:25:38] goes from existing to new. Right now
[1:25:39] there's an exterior wall there. That
[1:25:41] wall will be removed with new structure
[1:25:44] to hold up the new building, obviously,
[1:25:46] but you see this is the relocated entry
[1:25:48] desk. You're looking out towards the
[1:25:50] garden courtyard. This entry door goes
[1:25:52] into the community room and as we walk
[1:25:54] through here and you start looking
[1:25:56] toward the towards the right, you'll see
[1:25:58] this uh
[1:26:00] hallway coming down towards council
[1:26:02] chambers.
[1:26:06] The screen wall is actually in front of
[1:26:08] the bathrooms, which are here to the
[1:26:10] right of this corridor. That's the
[1:26:11] existing corridor here behind me.
[1:26:14] Community room entry desk. This is the
[1:26:17] ramp that goes up and then the set of
[1:26:19] stairs, which is behind in this view.
[1:26:20] You really don't see it. The other thing
[1:26:21] we're trying to do, we know certainly
[1:26:23] the Arts Council has a presence, so we
[1:26:25] want to make sure that we provide spaces
[1:26:27] for art and display in the lobby and
[1:26:30] really let it be an amenity for the
[1:26:31] town.
[1:26:36] And sort of this reinterpretation of the
[1:26:38] screening that you have on the existing
[1:26:39] building, doing that in a little bit of
[1:26:41] a different way so that you start
[1:26:43] catching glimpses of that here in the
[1:26:45] lobby, but then when you get into the
[1:26:46] performance space, it actually opens up
[1:26:48] even more and becomes that solid devoid
[1:26:50] that I was talking about earlier.
[1:27:03] And
[1:27:05] with that, do you want to go over
[1:27:07] schedule a little bit? Okay, sure.
[1:27:10] Josh Spencer with Edifice Construction.
[1:27:13] >> Thank you all. Good afternoon.
[1:27:15] Nice presentation, Steve.
[1:27:17] >> Yep.
[1:27:18] So,
[1:27:19] as as part of our duty as construction
[1:27:21] manager, one of our first things to
[1:27:22] identify kind of early on in this design
[1:27:24] process any long lead um
[1:27:27] structural items or mechanical items,
[1:27:30] electrical components.
[1:27:32] And in today's climate, um structural
[1:27:35] steel is coming at a bit of a long lead
[1:27:37] time as far as the date of order to the
[1:27:40] date it's on site.
[1:27:42] So, as we've been evolving this design
[1:27:45] over the past few months, we have come
[1:27:47] up we have settled upon what the floor
[1:27:49] plan of the building looks like and the
[1:27:52] conceptual amount of structural steel
[1:27:54] needed to construct the space.
[1:27:56] Uh today's world in a building of this
[1:27:58] size, structural steel lead times can
[1:28:01] vary from 32 to 44 weeks.
[1:28:04] Um in discussion with our steel mills
[1:28:05] and our steel subcontractors, we
[1:28:07] anticipate the tonnage needed for this
[1:28:09] building is around 36 36 weeks from the
[1:28:12] date we place the order to the day that steel is on site. Our team always
[1:28:17] had a want and a desire to break ground
[1:28:20] as soon as possible
[1:28:22] to
[1:28:23] start our foundation work, our site
[1:28:25] work, and get concrete in the ground.
[1:28:28] The current intent
[1:28:30] in discussions with
[1:28:32] our team here is to mobilize to site in
[1:28:35] February of 2027.
[1:28:38] Which working backwards means that we
[1:28:41] need to release steel to the steel mill
[1:28:44] and to our subcontractors
[1:28:47] by November at the latest.
[1:28:49] The good thing about this process
[1:28:52] Edifice is serving as the town's
[1:28:54] construction manager and that allows us
[1:28:56] a bit of flexibility to release packages
[1:28:58] ahead of having the final contract value
[1:29:01] determined. So part of today's
[1:29:04] conceptual approval is to make
[1:29:08] sure make sure that we have approval to
[1:29:11] move forward in both design and
[1:29:13] construction procurement for this early
[1:29:16] site package.
[1:29:18] And what that would mean from Steve is
[1:29:20] on the design side an expedited approach
[1:29:23] to the foundation and steel which would
[1:29:25] allow us in turn to order that steel
[1:29:28] have it locked in
[1:29:30] for a June 2027 delivery.
[1:29:33] From the town's perspective we are not
[1:29:37] on the hook for the total cost of that
[1:29:40] steel from day one that release in fall
[1:29:43] it would be just like any other
[1:29:45] construction procurement the bill would
[1:29:48] be due upon receipt to the site. So I
[1:29:51] think today's discussion is conceptual
[1:29:53] approval of this plan in which enables
[1:29:56] us to start construction and mobilize in
[1:29:59] February of 2027.
[1:30:03] » I I've just got a question. Um
[1:30:06] Where are you sourcing the steel from?
[1:30:08] Just curiosity.
[1:30:10] >> Well, so
[1:30:13] with with that package with that early
[1:30:15] steel package, we will solicit two three
[1:30:17] to six structural steel subcontractors.
[1:30:21] Um
[1:30:21] depending on which subcontractor we land
[1:30:24] on
[1:30:25] uh
[1:30:26] would determine which mill that came
[1:30:28] from. But most likely a Nucor mill
[1:30:31] within the state. Um joist and deck can
[1:30:33] be sourced from all over the country,
[1:30:35] but it would really be relying on that
[1:30:37] subcontractor of
[1:30:39] that's that's the lowest responsible
[1:30:41] bidder's preference.
[1:30:42] >> Okay, thanks.
[1:30:44] >> I'll back up a little bit. Um a
[1:30:46] traditional sort of delivery would be
[1:30:48] that we would design the building in
[1:30:50] totality, submit it for building permit,
[1:30:52] have it reviewed, get it approved, uh
[1:30:55] and then release the entire building
[1:30:56] package to the contractor uh to start
[1:30:59] work. Um that would
[1:31:01] for overall for our schedule, that would
[1:31:04] mean likely February of '27. Um
[1:31:09] the issue is that in doing that and then
[1:31:11] looking at the lead time on steel, which
[1:31:13] when we started this project was not 30
[1:31:16] to 40 weeks. Um the impact of that has
[1:31:18] been uh correct me if I'm wrong, my
[1:31:20] understanding is the majority of the
[1:31:22] impact on that is because of data center
[1:31:23] construction across the country has
[1:31:25] taken up steel mills
[1:31:27] all over the country. Um but recognizing
[1:31:30] that and then also after doing analysis
[1:31:32] on the building systems um trying to
[1:31:35] limit the amount of steel, which we are
[1:31:37] and there are some pros and cons to
[1:31:39] that, but the pros are by using concrete
[1:31:42] block in the auditorium space, it has
[1:31:44] real advantages from an acoustics
[1:31:46] perspective. We reduce the amount of
[1:31:48] steel. We are able to then hopefully not
[1:31:51] being at the 40-week lead time on steel,
[1:31:53] less than that. Um but then also by
[1:31:56] releasing steel
[1:31:58] in October, November,
[1:32:00] we don't start construction,
[1:32:02] finish foundations, and then sit and
[1:32:04] wait two or three months for steel to
[1:32:06] show up on site with nothing happening.
[1:32:08] We're able to get a jump on the project
[1:32:10] by starting foundations earlier, so
[1:32:12] hopefully a line that as soon as
[1:32:14] foundations are done, the steel is on
[1:32:15] site, we're ready to rock and roll with
[1:32:18] uh erection of steel without any delay
[1:32:20] or extending the construction duration,
[1:32:22] which as you know, when you extend a
[1:32:23] construction duration, more overhead,
[1:32:26] more cost. So, we're trying to reduce
[1:32:27] that construction duration overall.
[1:32:30] >> I mean, overall, I Or did you want to
[1:32:32] add something?
[1:32:32] >> Well, I I guess just to add that the
[1:32:34] overall procurement method right now
[1:32:36] would be uh we we we refer to it as a
[1:32:38] component GMP. So, component one GMP
[1:32:42] number one would be that early site
[1:32:44] steel concrete, gets this release.
[1:32:46] Component two would be the remaining of
[1:32:48] the scope, the finishes, the interior
[1:32:50] details, landscaping, etc. That would
[1:32:53] most likely be first of the year, first
[1:32:54] of 2027. Those two GMP packages together
[1:32:58] would equal a total contract value.
[1:32:59] That's in theory how we're contemplating
[1:33:01] it right now.
[1:33:02] >> I guess from my perspective, we're not
[1:33:04] really coming into this cold. There's
[1:33:05] been thankfully some good discussions at
[1:33:08] along the way on this. Um
[1:33:10] I feel like we've got about as best
[1:33:11] solution as we can for the footprint of
[1:33:13] the building, pending the other things
[1:33:15] that are going on.
[1:33:16] Your descriptions helped to get started
[1:33:18] in my head and understand why you need
[1:33:19] to do this. So,
[1:33:21] I think it makes sense to me.
[1:33:23] >> The
[1:33:25] it's been a lot of back and forth and
[1:33:27] give and take. Those guys talk at
[1:33:29] regularly, and then they engage with us.
[1:33:32] We did have a meeting of the ad hoc
[1:33:34] committee last week, unanimously
[1:33:36] recommended
[1:33:38] moving forward on this basis. That's
[1:33:40] comprised of myself, Council Member
[1:33:43] Berner, who's not with us today,
[1:33:46] Rob Glass, and Mark Caymans, and David
[1:33:49] Wool, chair of the Arts Council,
[1:33:52] and the level of communication has been extraordinary, and and we're
[1:33:57] greatly appreciative of that. It's
[1:33:59] interesting the basic footprint hasn't
[1:34:03] changed that much
[1:34:06] kind of from the get-go. Minor
[1:34:08] alterations here and there.
[1:34:11] The
[1:34:12] it was a considered decision to add
[1:34:15] about 1,000 square feet into the project
[1:34:17] which is mostly lobby space to increase
[1:34:20] kind of the overall set decks and flow.
[1:34:23] But that's been the kind of the major
[1:34:25] the only really significant design
[1:34:27] element. We were between 250 and 300
[1:34:30] seats. A lot of pressure to to keep it
[1:34:32] at the high end. So, we did that. Where
[1:34:36] the discussion is really been primarily
[1:34:39] is now at this point in time all of this
[1:34:41] fit and finishes whether exterior
[1:34:43] materials, interior materials, etc. And
[1:34:46] still some cost trade-offs and elements
[1:34:48] about that and they've been very good
[1:34:49] about offering the committee
[1:34:51] alternatives and you know, we've accepted some cost reduction
[1:34:59] recommendations.
[1:35:00] Others we've simply said no, we're not
[1:35:02] willing to make that kind of concession.
[1:35:05] And and I think Mr. Promotor
[1:35:07] works in your
[1:35:09] words in your mouth but something like
[1:35:11] aim high or you know, build for the
[1:35:13] future. Don't be penny wise and pound
[1:35:16] foolish here.
[1:35:18] And so we've been kind of mindful of
[1:35:20] that to make sure that this is a truly a especially from the acoustics
[1:35:24] standpoint a world-class facility that
[1:35:27] we can attract the some of the best and
[1:35:29] the brightest that go to Juilliard for
[1:35:31] one night and maybe they'll be willing
[1:35:32] to come here for a second night.
[1:35:34] >> And that cost analysis process does not
[1:35:36] stop with this decision today. In fact,
[1:35:38] it just keeps moving forward but part of
[1:35:40] that includes things like there's a very
[1:35:42] large AV and IT package associated with
[1:35:45] the sound system and the equipment in
[1:35:47] the performance space and we're looking
[1:35:49] at ways of how can we perhaps have
[1:35:52] um an initial phase of that that gets
[1:35:54] you everything that you need. Certainly
[1:35:56] works quite well, but it's not the Taj
[1:35:59] Mahal of spaces or it might not have all
[1:36:01] of the aspects to it, but it has the
[1:36:03] future for plug and play for those
[1:36:05] aspects and looking at ways that we can
[1:36:07] save some money.
[1:36:08] Um
[1:36:09] not just in that, but even in the
[1:36:10] exterior wall materials, finishes, those
[1:36:13] types of things. Um so, that process
[1:36:15] continues.
[1:36:19] » Councilmember Farrell?
[1:36:21] >> Nothing for me. Thank
[1:36:22] >> Um I you know, I'll go a little bit out
[1:36:24] of order. We do have citizen comments
[1:36:25] after new business, but I would invite
[1:36:27] if there's anybody that has any comments
[1:36:30] or questions um from our team while
[1:36:33] they're here now, we certainly please
[1:36:36] take this opportunity if you if you have
[1:36:39] Yes, Larry.
[1:36:40] >> What is the
[1:36:41] estimated cost and when was that
[1:36:43] estimated because costs have increased
[1:36:45] significantly over the last year, like
[1:36:48] 20% steel or whatever?
[1:36:50] >> So, we are I mean, that is still in the
[1:36:53] evolutionary stage. Uh
[1:36:55] we have I mean, we do have preliminary
[1:36:58] numbers. There's some that are going to
[1:36:59] go up and some that are going to come
[1:37:01] down.
[1:37:01] >> And it's the answer to the question is
[1:37:03] really there isn't one cost. It's uh we
[1:37:05] have been assessing cost all along at
[1:37:08] each phase. Um
[1:37:10] and there are the the one of the ways
[1:37:12] that we do that to anticipate cost
[1:37:15] increases because the price of
[1:37:17] an auditorium chair today is not going
[1:37:19] to be the same as it is in eight months
[1:37:21] when you need that chair. So, there are
[1:37:23] escalation and contingencies in the
[1:37:25] estimate. As we then make decisions on
[1:37:28] in fact, we are getting chair samples
[1:37:31] for um
[1:37:32] uh
[1:37:33] the town to review various types and uh
[1:37:36] aspects of different chairs. Uh as we
[1:37:38] start nailing down those specific
[1:37:40] decisions,
[1:37:42] the costs become more clear, the
[1:37:43] contingency percentages come down
[1:37:45] because we don't have as much unknown.
[1:37:47] So, there will be continual cost
[1:37:49] estimating throughout the whole process.
[1:37:51] >> I understand that we are actually
[1:37:52] working with Eclipse on two projects
[1:37:54] currently and their financial tracking
[1:37:56] is very good. I have to say that.
[1:38:00] I read in the Post and Courier, maybe
[1:38:02] totally incorrect, it was 12 million.
[1:38:06] » So,
[1:38:07] I'll address that. Larry, that was kind
[1:38:10] of the the the conceptual without, you
[1:38:14] know, a firm understanding of what's
[1:38:16] involved early on as to what the cost of
[1:38:19] the project would be. It It's certainly
[1:38:22] going to be higher than that. Um but I
[1:38:26] actually think not dramatically so. I
[1:38:29] believe where we are right now in the
[1:38:31] last round of conversations
[1:38:34] is right around 13 million or so for
[1:38:38] hard construction costs plus
[1:38:40] contingencies.
[1:38:41] And then we have design fees on top of
[1:38:44] that, but some of that was considered
[1:38:46] decisions. For example, to expand the
[1:38:49] square footage from where we originally
[1:38:50] planned by 1,000 square feet. So, we're we're we're again, we're trying to
[1:38:55] They're they're they're trying to
[1:38:57] develop it against budget and and in
[1:38:59] some cases we're saying, uh
[1:39:02] okay.
[1:39:03] >> I actually agree totally in principle.
[1:39:05] if you're going to do it
[1:39:06] now, get it right.
[1:39:07] But
[1:39:09] the only concern is that the 12 million
[1:39:12] becomes 15. I mean, we've had problems
[1:39:14] with subcontractors walking away. I
[1:39:18] It's It's It's
[1:39:19] >> Well, Larry, at at some point part of
[1:39:21] this we're doing it two phases. I mean,
[1:39:23] the Josh is going to be on the hook and
[1:39:25] Edifice is going to be on the hook at
[1:39:26] some point in time because we will
[1:39:28] negotiate a guaranteed maximum price for
[1:39:31] construction here in a couple of months.
[1:39:33] So, and that's what we're trying to
[1:39:35] refine. He's because he's going to be on
[1:39:37] the hook.
[1:39:38] >> Well, and and I will just add, Mr.
[1:39:39] Mayor, that part of this part of this,
[1:39:42] you know, see me at risk process does
[1:39:44] allow us to
[1:39:46] engage subcontractors at a very early
[1:39:48] stage and part of part of your point
[1:39:51] part of our contemplation with this
[1:39:53] early steel package is a tool to
[1:39:55] mitigate the escalation of steel. We can
[1:39:57] lock it in right now, you know, and so
[1:39:59] those are very those are being taken
[1:40:01] consideration right now. No, absolutely.
[1:40:04] >> Roger.
[1:40:06] What you're seeing as the escalation
[1:40:08] percentage per month right now
[1:40:11] >> [clears throat]
[1:40:11] >> in construction in this area, you know,
[1:40:13] having been involved in over the years.
[1:40:15] We were amazed at how quickly it went
[1:40:16] for a while. Are you still seeing it
[1:40:18] escalating at a 3 to 4 to 5% per month?
[1:40:21] >> We we're a little bit less than that. We
[1:40:23] our
[1:40:23] conceptually we we reference a percent
[1:40:26] per quarter right now as as a as a
[1:40:29] average is is what is what we're
[1:40:31] anticipating. 1% per quarter.
[1:40:35] » Okay.
[1:40:38] >> And again, that there's a there's a lot
[1:40:39] of metrics that go into that.
[1:40:40] >> What contingency percentages are you
[1:40:42] carrying for construction?
[1:40:43] >> We've got a 3% construction contingency
[1:40:45] to take in as as a contractor's
[1:40:47] contingency into the GMP.
[1:40:50] But as Steve alluded to, we're carrying
[1:40:51] I believe
[1:40:55] » Yeah, a lot much larger.
[1:40:56] >> Well, yeah, 12 I'm sorry I don't have
[1:40:58] those numbers in but 12% for design and
[1:41:01] estimating contingency until and that
[1:41:03] will carry us until we get to a
[1:41:05] construction level set of documents.
[1:41:06] >> would those contingencies being larger
[1:41:09] would give you some offset against any
[1:41:11] other escalations during the course of
[1:41:12] construction.
[1:41:13] >> Correct.
[1:41:13] >> Yeah, okay.
[1:41:14] >> And and that's built into the numbers I
[1:41:17] just
[1:41:18] >> We we started at a 25% contingency but
[1:41:21] as we've been developing more and more
[1:41:23] understanding about what the interior
[1:41:24] materials might be or the fit finishes,
[1:41:26] that contingency has come down as the
[1:41:28] pricing has gotten tighter.
[1:41:30] >> I'd be surprised if they'd give you a
[1:41:31] 25% in contingency when you get down to
[1:41:34] a hard price.
[1:41:36] >> There will there will not be a 35%
[1:41:38] [laughter] contingency fee if that
[1:41:40] I don't expect them to
[1:41:41] ask for that and then we would not grant
[1:41:43] that.
[1:41:44] >> And you know, all kidding aside, I mean
[1:41:46] the the market fluctuates and it's
[1:41:49] construction costs as you know, it's
[1:41:51] very it's hard to to pinpoint. The
[1:41:53] benefit of this process and one of the
[1:41:55] reasons we advocated for this uh
[1:41:58] bringing the contractor in early as
[1:41:59] opposed to what is a traditional sort of
[1:42:02] design the project, send it out for bids
[1:42:05] and hope that you get numbers that are
[1:42:06] good. We didn't in that process you
[1:42:09] don't have the benefit of being able to
[1:42:11] look at different systems, different
[1:42:13] types of assemblies, different materials
[1:42:15] and see what impact they have overall on
[1:42:17] not only the cost but the schedule and
[1:42:18] so I do think that it's the right
[1:42:20] approach on this and Edifice has been a
[1:42:23] great partner in that don't expect that
[1:42:25] to change.
[1:42:27] » Any other questions or comments from the
[1:42:30] audience on this matter? So I would now
[1:42:34] seek
[1:42:34] a motion to approve the recommendation
[1:42:38] of the of our
[1:42:41] architect, our construction manager risk
[1:42:43] and the ad hoc building committee to
[1:42:44] move forward with the early release
[1:42:46] package for structural steel.
[1:42:48] >> So moved.
[1:42:49] >> Second.
[1:42:50] >> Any further discussion?
[1:42:53] All all in favor?
[1:42:55] >> I.
[1:42:57] don't know if Council member K is
[1:42:59] raised hand.
[1:43:01] Um
[1:43:02] thank you very much Steve and Josh great
[1:43:05] presentation.
[1:43:06] Uh
[1:43:07] I just encourage the entire community to
[1:43:09] look at this presentation
[1:43:11] review this
[1:43:12] I think they've done an extraordinary
[1:43:14] job. It's been a great team to work with
[1:43:16] and hope that continues.
[1:43:17] >> Thank you.
[1:43:18] all.
[1:43:19] >> Uh
[1:43:20] next agenda item is
[1:43:22] consider approval of ordinance 2026-14
[1:43:25] which is an ordinance to establish for
[1:43:28] lack of a better term the
[1:43:30] town equivalent to the county's green
[1:43:32] belt fund and I'd like it to turn it
[1:43:35] over to council member Spencer and our
[1:43:39] town administrator who really taken the
[1:43:41] labor in or and bring us to this point.
[1:43:45] >> I'll go ahead and start and Stephanie
[1:43:47] please jump in
[1:43:49] and correct me when I say something
[1:43:50] wrong.
[1:43:51] >> [laughter]
[1:43:51] >> So
[1:43:53] this started actually several years ago
[1:43:56] in the deliberations for the
[1:43:58] comprehensive plan Kiawah next and is in
[1:44:01] the currently approved Kiawah next
[1:44:04] comprehensive plan for the town to
[1:44:06] establish
[1:44:08] an equivalent of a green belt type fund
[1:44:11] and really it comes down to
[1:44:14] what the community's ethos about
[1:44:18] environment protecting our natural
[1:44:19] environment protecting environment that
[1:44:21] feeds into our natural environment
[1:44:24] and how do we make potential strategic
[1:44:26] purchases partnered with qualified
[1:44:29] eligible partners like the Conservancy
[1:44:31] like Low Country Land Trust that put
[1:44:34] together land deals whether they be
[1:44:36] purchases with conservation easements or
[1:44:40] scraping the development rights off of a piece of property
[1:44:44] and put a conservation easement on that
[1:44:45] but the ultimate goal is preserving
[1:44:48] open space that
[1:44:52] protects a natural ecosystem for
[1:44:53] wildlife for
[1:44:55] the quality of water for
[1:44:58] the air quality for all the things that
[1:45:00] are important to Kiawah we
[1:45:04] I spent a lot of time discussing it we
[1:45:06] discussed it at length at the town
[1:45:08] strategic planning session in January
[1:45:11] we had just approved the comprehensive
[1:45:12] plan after that
[1:45:14] got a lot of input from the Conservancy
[1:45:16] from Low Country from others on on how
[1:45:19] they've accomplished it we met with the
[1:45:20] towns the county's green belt fund and others to
[1:45:24] get get baseline about how they operate
[1:45:26] their program as we define what a
[1:45:28] town-sponsored program might look like.
[1:45:31] Um
[1:45:32] we we came up with the jurisdiction of
[1:45:36] the Kiawah Island watershed um primarily
[1:45:39] because that's where the water in the
[1:45:40] Kiawah River's coming from. That's you
[1:45:42] know, it covers a lot of things of the
[1:45:44] aspect of the criteria that we would
[1:45:46] consider um
[1:45:48] for the the town to partner with
[1:45:51] qualified organizations to protect um
[1:45:54] land. Um and so the the watershed seemed
[1:45:58] to fit that definition. Um
[1:46:01] you know, they they the the upsides are
[1:46:04] uh you know, improved wildlife habitat
[1:46:06] um natural resources um taking
[1:46:09] development pressure off of um uh
[1:46:12] the
[1:46:14] outer perimeter of Kiawah, all the
[1:46:15] things that matter to Kiawah. And even
[1:46:17] though
[1:46:18] frankly, a lot of it may happen on Johns
[1:46:19] Island in the southern part of Johns
[1:46:21] Island it's for the benefit of not only
[1:46:23] that community, but for our community as
[1:46:26] well because we have the development
[1:46:28] pressure gone, because we have better
[1:46:30] natural resources, better buffers of the
[1:46:32] ecosystem, things like that. So, um we
[1:46:35] generated, Stephanie and I did, a
[1:46:37] framework document about two or three
[1:46:38] months ago. Uh generated through council
[1:46:41] or or disseminated through council. Um
[1:46:44] it was generally supported. I really
[1:46:46] didn't get any any negative feedback on
[1:46:48] it. It was all uh broadly supported. Um
[1:46:51] so, we've taken the next steps of
[1:46:52] writing the ordinance and a policy
[1:46:55] document. The the logic between
[1:46:57] ordinance and versus policy document is
[1:47:00] it's harder to change ordinances. So,
[1:47:02] let the ordinance be the authority um to conduct the fund. And then the policy
[1:47:07] document is a more flexible way for this
[1:47:10] council or future councils to define
[1:47:12] what the fund's focus is and how it
[1:47:14] operates and things like that. I will
[1:47:16] say up front that we've gotten a lot of
[1:47:18] input on this, but you learn by doing.
[1:47:20] >> [laughter]
[1:47:21] >> Um you know, our our our goal right now
[1:47:23] is to get up and operating, uh
[1:47:24] communicate,
[1:47:26] um, establish, um, once we get through
[1:47:28] the second reading, you know, next
[1:47:29] month, hopefully,
[1:47:30] establish, um, the the board that will
[1:47:33] review applications,
[1:47:35] get up and running, learn from it,
[1:47:37] iterate, make improvements, and and stay
[1:47:40] focused. So, Stephanie,
[1:47:43] Was that everything?
[1:47:45] Okay.
[1:47:46] Thanks.
[1:47:47] And and thanks, there's several people
[1:47:49] in the room that have helped us on this,
[1:47:50] so thank you.
[1:47:53] >> Um, uh, questions, uh, comments?
[1:47:57] Council member Kay, Council member
[1:47:59] Farrell.
[1:48:02] Miss Kay, you want to go? You want to
[1:48:04] have any questions or comments?
[1:48:06] >> Uh, yeah. Um,
[1:48:08] I initially I was not enthusiastic about
[1:48:12] this, um,
[1:48:13] this initiative, but the more that
[1:48:17] Lance, um, explained
[1:48:20] um, how it was going to come together,
[1:48:22] um, the more I decided that it actually
[1:48:25] makes an awful lot of sense. There are
[1:48:27] so many things that are outside of our
[1:48:29] control that when we can grab onto
[1:48:31] something and put it at least somewhat
[1:48:34] in our control, then we should. Um, and
[1:48:37] my a lot of my concern, um,
[1:48:40] centered around, um,
[1:48:42] just the cost of this.
[1:48:45] But again, I don't think there's a whole
[1:48:46] lot that's more important than, um,
[1:48:49] protecting our resources. So, I am now,
[1:48:53] um,
[1:48:54] a firm firm supporter, and a job well
[1:48:57] done to Lance and his team.
[1:49:00] >> Uh,
[1:49:00] thank you, Council Council member Kay.
[1:49:02] Just to note one thing, what today's uh,
[1:49:05] ordinance, and this is just
[1:49:06] consideration on first reading,
[1:49:09] um, does not involve any funding
[1:49:12] whatsoever.
[1:49:13] >> Yeah, I meant to mention that.
[1:49:14] >> That that's that would be a separate
[1:49:17] conversation or decision made in the
[1:49:19] whether this is we actually adopt this
[1:49:23] and we want to consider a mid-year
[1:49:25] budget adjustment.
[1:49:27] Ultimately, it's going to simply be an
[1:49:29] interfund transfer.
[1:49:31] >> Mhm.
[1:49:31] >> Uh and even when you do the interfund
[1:49:33] transfer, it isn't really binding in any
[1:49:37] regard.
[1:49:38] That still doesn't mean you're
[1:49:39] necessarily going to fund any proposed
[1:49:43] conservation easements. So, it's kind of
[1:49:44] depends on what we receive, what the
[1:49:46] criteria are, what the conservation
[1:49:49] values are. So, we're we're quite a ways
[1:49:51] yet from actually, you know, writing a
[1:49:54] check or approving anything.
[1:49:55] >> And council will approve anything. The
[1:49:57] board will make a recommendation to
[1:49:58] council and council ultimately approve
[1:50:00] anything that happens.
[1:50:04] » So, I am um
[1:50:08] I'm still struggling with this a bit and
[1:50:10] we don't need to debate this, you know,
[1:50:12] today here. Um
[1:50:15] I conservation's a great issue, full
[1:50:17] stop. Environmental conservation
[1:50:19] especially
[1:50:21] is near and dear to my heart, full stop.
[1:50:23] There's a bunch of issues we're working
[1:50:25] on where we're trying to protect the
[1:50:26] Kiawah River
[1:50:28] watershed area, environmental
[1:50:30] conservation,
[1:50:32] um water quality in particular.
[1:50:36] My my concern is kind of a couple of
[1:50:39] things. One, and I I put on the hat like
[1:50:41] we don't have taxes here on Kiawah, but
[1:50:43] if we had taxpayers,
[1:50:45] is this the highest and best use of
[1:50:48] taxpayers money?
[1:50:49] Um I think that's just a great way to
[1:50:51] think about it.
[1:50:52] Um
[1:50:54] and I'm going to just throw out a couple
[1:50:55] of things.
[1:50:56] You know, we've been supportive of
[1:50:59] Conservancy and other organizations like
[1:51:02] the Conservancy. Does this put us in
[1:51:04] competition with them or does it
[1:51:06] increase greater partnership? I'm still
[1:51:09] having trouble seeing the vision there.
[1:51:12] Um the second thing is again near and
[1:51:16] dear to my heart from other areas is
[1:51:19] proximity.
[1:51:20] I think the idea of defining the Kiawah
[1:51:22] River watershed is the area
[1:51:25] is the right way to do it.
[1:51:27] But as I look at the map, there's some
[1:51:30] that area includes areas up by the the
[1:51:31] airport.
[1:51:33] Uh
[1:51:34] is that the right way to spending money
[1:51:36] for Kiawah Island residents who are not of
[1:51:40] Kiawah residents.
[1:51:41] Um for me one of the things that kind of
[1:51:44] got me on board with this is protecting
[1:51:46] the corridor, and we call it the front
[1:51:48] door to Kiawah.
[1:51:50] That makes total sense to me. But then
[1:51:53] how far where do you define the front
[1:51:55] door? Where does that stop? At some
[1:51:56] point there's got to be a boundary.
[1:51:58] >> [snorts]
[1:51:58] >> Um so I like the idea of the watershed
[1:52:00] because it's more inclusive of
[1:52:03] protecting water quality.
[1:52:05] Um
[1:52:07] but again at some point the boundary
[1:52:08] becomes important to me.
[1:52:10] Um
[1:52:12] is there higher and better uses for
[1:52:14] these funds?
[1:52:15] Um
[1:52:17] how do we prioritize parcel A versus
[1:52:19] parcel B?
[1:52:21] Um
[1:52:22] those things are going to come in
[1:52:24] and I do want to before I go any further
[1:52:26] one of my requirements for even
[1:52:28] entertaining
[1:52:30] this ordinance was
[1:52:31] for there to be a a plan put together.
[1:52:34] And you've done a spectacular job,
[1:52:36] Lance. This is great great starting
[1:52:39] point. And And starting point doesn't do
[1:52:41] it justice, but it's a great great place
[1:52:44] to to begin to think about the
[1:52:45] ordinance. So I really appreciate you
[1:52:47] taking time and getting this done so
[1:52:50] well.
[1:52:50] >> [snorts]
[1:52:51] >> Um
[1:52:52] I I'm not saying no. I just kind of when
[1:52:54] Larry spoke earlier, I had kind of the
[1:52:55] same That's kind of where I was. What
[1:52:58] are we doing and why are we doing it?
[1:53:00] And What are the limits? How do we
[1:53:02] prioritize? Are we competing? Are we
[1:53:04] providing more funds or maybe providing
[1:53:07] less funds? How does this affect our
[1:53:09] relationship with the conservancy?
[1:53:11] Um
[1:53:12] I want to talk about just more. But
[1:53:14] those are just some of the issues as I
[1:53:16] sit here and I think about this uh we
[1:53:18] entertain this idea.
[1:53:20] The last thing I'll say is as you know I
[1:53:22] was
[1:53:23] very much against putting anything in
[1:53:25] the budget or earmarking funds until we
[1:53:27] got a document like this in front of us.
[1:53:30] So I again really appreciate getting this
[1:53:34] document in front of us.
[1:53:35] What I didn't want to see then and what
[1:53:37] I don't want to see now is us allocating
[1:53:39] money money and then spending it because
[1:53:41] we've allocated it. Uh so I want us to
[1:53:44] be very judicious as this goes forward
[1:53:47] for us to think about that and not
[1:53:49] just pick a number and allocate it and
[1:53:50] then we spend it and that gets back to
[1:53:52] the responsibility to if we had
[1:53:54] taxpayers. How how do we think about
[1:53:56] using taxpayer money most efficiently?
[1:53:59] So I I'll stop there but um
[1:54:02] I think the work you've done is
[1:54:03] spectacular. And now it's just kind of
[1:54:06] looking through it and kind of dotting
[1:54:07] the eyes and crossing the Ts and getting
[1:54:08] comfortable with
[1:54:11] the boundaries I'll say broadly
[1:54:12] speaking.
[1:54:13] >> Well, thanks and I'm happy to discuss
[1:54:14] with you offline as well as you're
[1:54:16] digesting and and coming up with
[1:54:17] questions. Um a couple quick answers not
[1:54:20] to prolong it. Um it's the the watershed
[1:54:23] idea was we knew we need to put some
[1:54:25] kind of boundary on.
[1:54:26] >> Absolutely.
[1:54:28] >> And that's one of the things I think
[1:54:29] we'll learn over time. And if we've got
[1:54:31] competing interests and priorities of
[1:54:34] you know there's something that maybe
[1:54:35] does protect the corridor because that's
[1:54:36] important to me as well. Um you know the the front door coming in. Um and and the ambiance of that which preserve
[1:54:44] checks a lot of blocks. Um the
[1:54:47] recommendation out of the board to the
[1:54:48] council and the decision of council may
[1:54:50] be of course something that's you know
[1:54:52] more proximate to us. Um similar to how
[1:54:54] we've handled the sales tax and other
[1:54:56] kinds of things. Um this is not intended
[1:54:59] at all to be in competition with the
[1:55:01] conservancy or low country. It's In
[1:55:03] fact, I think it's in there that it's it's to be a partnership. They
[1:55:07] would be the executing agent. We would
[1:55:09] not be going out and doing land
[1:55:11] purchases or our own easements. We would
[1:55:13] execute through them. And And And
[1:55:15] they're masters of putting together a
[1:55:16] patchwork of green belt funds and maybe
[1:55:19] us and, you know, some grants and some
[1:55:21] other things to to execute their
[1:55:23] purchases. So, um and when it comes to
[1:55:25] the money, I mean,
[1:55:27] I thought of different ways we could do
[1:55:28] it, too. You know, we we we could do a
[1:55:30] mid-year budget review. I mean,
[1:55:32] technically, we can approve
[1:55:35] budget real time if we wanted to through
[1:55:37] the Ways and Means. You know, here's the
[1:55:38] applications we've got. And we think
[1:55:40] we're meeting quarterly. Maybe there's
[1:55:41] ad hoc. Maybe there's something worthy.
[1:55:44] Maybe we bring it through the Ways and
[1:55:45] Means process
[1:55:47] individually or as a package more real
[1:55:49] time as opposed to,
[1:55:51] you know, annual semi-annual budget
[1:55:53] review. We'll have to think through
[1:55:54] those things. I I hear you on that. Um
[1:55:57] so, that we can make balance to
[1:55:58] frugality and the appropriate use of
[1:55:59] money to trying to accomplish some of
[1:56:01] these goals.
[1:56:02] >> And And I'll tell you up front, I I I
[1:56:03] have some conflicting thoughts in my own
[1:56:05] mind about this.
[1:56:06] Um When When I think about this
[1:56:09] originally and the way I got comfortable
[1:56:10] with this originally was thinking of it
[1:56:12] as a green belt fund for predominantly
[1:56:14] Betsy Kerrison.
[1:56:15] >> Mhm.
[1:56:16] >> Um But that was That was um and maybe
[1:56:19] this is the way I'm supposed to think,
[1:56:20] but that was really self-serving for
[1:56:22] residents of Kiawah.
[1:56:23] And I thought is there ways to benefit
[1:56:25] the broader community that's not the
[1:56:27] town of Kiawah?
[1:56:29] And for me, a passion might be to
[1:56:31] protect small land owners who might
[1:56:34] otherwise be forced off their land
[1:56:35] because of property values. I I I don't
[1:56:39] want all of Johns Island to become like
[1:56:41] Kiawah Island. I like the economic the
[1:56:43] socio-economic diversity that we have
[1:56:45] around us. And to protect that
[1:56:47] socio-economic diversity, to protect
[1:56:49] diversity of land use, small farms,
[1:56:52] larger farms, uh wooded areas, all of
[1:56:55] that makes sense. What I certainly don't
[1:56:57] want to see is, you know, residential
[1:56:59] developments all over Johns Island.
[1:57:01] So,
[1:57:02] that's the good side of this. The The
[1:57:04] hard thing for me is just getting up
[1:57:05] with how do we execute on that and where
[1:57:07] do we stop and what are our priorities?
[1:57:09] >> I've went through similar thought
[1:57:10] processes, so I hear you.
[1:57:13] >> And you know, you mentioned like around
[1:57:15] the the airport.
[1:57:17] The fact of the matter is Johns Island
[1:57:18] is an island.
[1:57:21] >> [laughter]
[1:57:21] >> And so, it's surrounded by waters well,
[1:57:23] the Stono and all of that and and stuff
[1:57:26] runs off of Johns Island agricultural
[1:57:31] runoff, etc. And Lee Bundrick
[1:57:34] conservancy has done extraordinary
[1:57:36] amount of work on behalf of the town
[1:57:37] looking at water quality issues and
[1:57:39] shellfish harvesting restrictions that
[1:57:41] exist in Kiawah River in part because of
[1:57:44] some of these development pressures. It
[1:57:46] just kind of one of the pragmatic
[1:57:48] issues. You know, yes, protecting water
[1:57:50] quality, protecting
[1:57:52] view sheds, aesthetics, uh
[1:57:56] wildlife habitat.
[1:57:58] >> Number one thing we always get
[1:57:59] complaints about is traffic.
[1:58:01] >> Mhm.
[1:58:02] >> And the less actual development,
[1:58:05] commercial and residential development
[1:58:06] in lower Johns Island along Betsy
[1:58:08] Kerrison, Bohicket, and River up to the
[1:58:11] ingress and egress points off of the
[1:58:13] island,
[1:58:14] the less future
[1:58:16] traffic pressure there will be. So, any
[1:58:18] product property that's put under
[1:58:20] conservation easement is one that's not
[1:58:22] then further developed for by right for
[1:58:25] residential purposes or agricultural
[1:58:28] purposes.
[1:58:29] So, there is that element of it. But
[1:58:31] yes, this I I agree.
[1:58:34] I've had a lot of back and forth as well
[1:58:36] on trying to say, "Ah, criteria."
[1:58:39] >> [laughter]
[1:58:39] >> And and there is still
[1:58:42] this process. I mean, ultimately,
[1:58:44] there's the policies and procedures
[1:58:46] you've got to
[1:58:48] establish the advisory committee, which
[1:58:51] will
[1:58:53] you know, review all the criteria.
[1:58:54] There's got to be a justification, just
[1:58:56] like there is for the county greenbelt
[1:58:58] fund. And one of our requirements, it's
[1:59:00] not a requirement, but I think one of
[1:59:01] the criteria and how you weight things
[1:59:02] is, you know, this isn't just the town
[1:59:05] doing this. This is if you also leverage
[1:59:08] off county greenbelt,
[1:59:10] uh state
[1:59:12] conservation bank, resiliency fund, etc.
[1:59:15] So, we're leveraging off things where
[1:59:17] there's a collective belief there is a
[1:59:19] high conservation value. At the end of
[1:59:21] the day, the town, it's got to come back
[1:59:23] to the council, even if there is money
[1:59:26] allocated to the greenbelt fund or the
[1:59:29] conservation fund, it still comes back
[1:59:31] as a recommendation to the council.
[1:59:33] >> Yeah, I think that I mean I mean a lot
[1:59:35] of this is
[1:59:36] um
[1:59:37] I think how do how do we be a good
[1:59:40] neighbor to the broad Johns Island
[1:59:41] community?
[1:59:42] And this is one certainly one way. And
[1:59:45] we can impact traffic. Uh
[1:59:47] I'll take that off cuz I don't I can
[1:59:49] argue both sides then. We can impact
[1:59:50] traffic. We can certainly impact the
[1:59:52] visual corridor for other neighbors up
[1:59:54] and down Betsy Kerrison or beyond.
[1:59:57] Uh we can be a good neighbor by, you
[1:59:59] know, maintaining improving the
[2:00:01] watershed. And and I'll actually I'll
[2:00:03] call that one out because
[2:00:05] that's one that frustrates me because
[2:00:08] we're being put in a position of having
[2:00:09] to have a
[2:00:10] septic tank here on our property.
[2:00:13] You know, that's not going to help the
[2:00:14] watershed area. So, I'd I'd really like
[2:00:16] for us to
[2:00:17] find a way to be a good neighbor, have a
[2:00:19] good neighbor, and and make sure we
[2:00:21] don't have to have a septic system for
[2:00:22] our for our town, but we have to we have
[2:00:25] to build this this building.
[2:00:28] Um
[2:00:29] So, there's a it's a lot of benefits
[2:00:31] here, and it's the right thing to do.
[2:00:33] It's again kind of
[2:00:36] What's How far do we go both in terms of
[2:00:38] monetary expenditures, both in terms of
[2:00:40] physical dimensions, and um
[2:00:43] you know, up and down the socioeconomic
[2:00:45] boundaries that we can help.
[2:00:48] >> All right.
[2:00:49] Appreciate all that. To to be continued
[2:00:51] on that. This is first reading with
[2:00:53] continued I assume you and Stephanie
[2:00:54] would welcome continued input from
[2:00:56] council members.
[2:00:58] I I expect council member Werner will
[2:00:59] also have some some thoughts and
[2:01:02] perspectives. I know you've done a good
[2:01:03] job of reaching out to to everybody and
[2:01:05] engaging everybody. Any other further
[2:01:08] questions or or or comments at this
[2:01:10] point in time? I'm not sure we did
[2:01:13] actually I do do not have I do not have
[2:01:15] a motion to to approve adoption of the
[2:01:18] ordinance which is all that it is at
[2:01:21] this point in time the framework on
[2:01:23] first reading.
[2:01:25] >> So moved.
[2:01:26] >> Second.
[2:01:27] >> Any further discussion? All in favor?
[2:01:30] >> Aye.
[2:01:32] >> Thank you.
[2:01:34] Next agenda item Mr. Gottschalk.
[2:01:39] This is discussion item no no action
[2:01:43] proposed at this point in time. Although
[2:01:46] the discussion may lend itself to some
[2:01:48] potential actions. But this is um
[2:01:52] to deal with issues in
[2:01:56] they've been persistent issues. I would
[2:01:59] say that they become perhaps even more
[2:02:01] persistent given Kika's decision to
[2:02:04] remove the
[2:02:07] recycling area and the dumpsters from
[2:02:11] Beachwalker Center. And so now it's just
[2:02:14] solar rail in here. So I asked
[2:02:17] Brian to kind of provide us with some
[2:02:21] background and context what we've
[2:02:23] actually encountered.
[2:02:25] What the practical issues are for the
[2:02:27] town and different options that we might
[2:02:29] look at for addressing those.
[2:02:31] >> Yes sir, thank you.
[2:02:32] So
[2:02:33] good quick background on some of the
[2:02:36] issues that we've been having.
[2:02:38] I'm going to going to
[2:02:40] kind of specifically speak to Kestrel
[2:02:42] Court. That's where we're seeing
[2:02:44] most of the issues. Um
[2:02:47] I've got I've got some pictures that I
[2:02:49] can share with you guys as well. Um and
[2:02:51] I think Neil's going to queue that up.
[2:02:54] But while he's doing that, um so for for
[2:02:57] a while, um
[2:02:59] years
[2:03:01] actually, we've been seeing on and off
[2:03:04] um a lot of trash piling up at Kestrel
[2:03:06] Court. Um for one reason or another, uh
[2:03:09] could be inoperability of the compactor
[2:03:13] units or they just might be full. And um
[2:03:16] we're seeing people just leave their
[2:03:18] refuse on the ground. Um and it's become
[2:03:22] quite quite an issue.
[2:03:24] Uh
[2:03:25] pretty regularly on a Monday, we'll come
[2:03:28] into work and and be notified or go
[2:03:30] check out and see that there's a big
[2:03:32] issue over at Kestrel Court. And what
[2:03:34] that does is a takes up a lot of time um
[2:03:38] from me, Michael, um and some other
[2:03:40] people that we have uh to help clean up
[2:03:43] that site. Um
[2:03:45] it's really unhealthy for the
[2:03:46] environment and it's it's just obviously
[2:03:49] an overall terrible look um for people
[2:03:51] that go to utilize that site.
[2:03:53] And further, the trash can pile up so
[2:03:56] much so that the units can't be serviced
[2:03:59] until they get uh till the site gets
[2:04:01] cleaned up. Um
[2:04:03] So, this is a conversation that that
[2:04:06] we're bringing up. We're revisiting now.
[2:04:08] We've had this conversation uh you know,
[2:04:10] just general discussion a few times. I
[2:04:13] think most recently was maybe at uh this
[2:04:15] retreat over the winter.
[2:04:17] Um
[2:04:19] We put forth the efforts that were
[2:04:21] discussed there. Higher enforcement.
[2:04:23] We've upgraded the cameras. We added an
[2:04:26] additional camera over there as well.
[2:04:28] Um
[2:04:29] regular routine monitoring. We've
[2:04:31] upgraded the signage. Um we're still
[2:04:33] just seeing a lot of abuse and misuse of
[2:04:36] that site over there.
[2:04:38] Um Um
[2:04:40] >> So, let let me stop you right there.
[2:04:41] >> Yes, sir.
[2:04:42] >> As I listened to start and I was
[2:04:45] thinking about how do you solve this
[2:04:47] problem,
[2:04:48] it sounded a lot like a capacity issue.
[2:04:51] Or a capacity of machines that were
[2:04:53] working.
[2:04:54] >> Um
[2:04:55] >> Did you think about that in your um in
[2:04:57] your analysis?
[2:04:58] >> Yes. Uh
[2:04:59] it's not typically a capacity issue.
[2:05:03] There are plenty of times, I would say
[2:05:06] almost the majority of the times where
[2:05:08] I'll go over there and clean up what's
[2:05:10] been placed on the ground. Um I can
[2:05:13] typically fit everything into the
[2:05:15] compactors where they're supposed to go.
[2:05:18] What we're seeing is um
[2:05:21] misuse of it uh in the way of people
[2:05:25] throwing away prohibited items that are
[2:05:29] clogging up the dumpsters, creating
[2:05:31] voids in the hole so that there's trash
[2:05:34] not falling to the bottom where the
[2:05:35] compactor can actually work and and
[2:05:38] press material together.
[2:05:40] Um
[2:05:40] and then there's there's just a lot of
[2:05:43] bulky kind of what we would consider
[2:05:45] brown trash items that would not fit in
[2:05:48] those units in the first place. And um
[2:05:50] so they're just being left on the
[2:05:51] ground. And then a lot of times what
[2:05:53] we're seeing is somebody will show up,
[2:05:56] they'll see items on the ground already.
[2:05:58] They won't even look into the units to
[2:06:00] see if there's space for them to throw
[2:06:01] their stuff away. They'll just go ahead
[2:06:03] and put it on the ground assuming that that's the
[2:06:07] appropriate or or best course of action.
[2:06:09] So, capacity is not is not really an
[2:06:12] issue. It's it's the misuse of people
[2:06:15] throwing away prohibited items. Um
[2:06:18] >> Somebody left a boat at the town.
[2:06:20] >> They did.
[2:06:21] >> do we have the photos?
[2:06:22] >> Um yeah, I think
[2:06:23] >> I had one on my phone I was trying to
[2:06:25] find.
[2:06:26] Uh I mean it was
[2:06:29] 10 ft or more
[2:06:31] of trash in front of everything.
[2:06:35] The compactors piled up all the length
[2:06:37] of it at one time at Kestrel
[2:06:39] » [clears throat]
[2:06:39] >> Solar Rail. Somebody gave me a heads-up
[2:06:42] on a
[2:06:43] the local resident on a weekend. I went
[2:06:44] over there and it was
[2:06:48] remarkable how much trash was just
[2:06:50] dumped on the ground.
[2:06:50] >> It's bad behavior.
[2:06:51] >> And yeah, um so
[2:06:55] what I think the intention of of
[2:06:59] revisiting this discussion today is to
[2:07:03] um see if there's any any progress or or
[2:07:06] guidance that that I can get from the
[2:07:08] council to um
[2:07:11] to take some different measures over at
[2:07:14] Kestrel Court. And like the mayor said,
[2:07:16] I think we're going to see um a little
[2:07:18] bit more use of that site now that the
[2:07:20] Beachwalker Center um dumpsters are no
[2:07:23] longer available to the public. Um
[2:07:25] again, capacity isn't necessarily issue,
[2:07:28] but
[2:07:29] you know, as soon as somebody puts
[2:07:31] something on the ground, then that many
[2:07:33] more people are going to start uh
[2:07:34] following suit. Um so
[2:07:37] if y'all don't have any other questions,
[2:07:40] then I can go into some options, or
[2:07:42] maybe Mayor, you would like to present
[2:07:45] some options.
[2:07:45] >> like you've got the the they're coming
[2:07:47] up. Um you know, one of the things we've
[2:07:50] got to to
[2:07:52] determine because it's been a persistent
[2:07:54] problem of just dumping a lot of trash
[2:07:56] there and misuse of the site is you
[2:08:00] know, this is a convenience
[2:08:02] for
[2:08:04] uh uh residents and property owners.
[2:08:07] Um
[2:08:08] you you do have Bees Ferry. The county
[2:08:11] does have a landfill, which one can go
[2:08:14] to,
[2:08:15] uh and that's typically where you go.
[2:08:17] The town
[2:08:17] >> It's not open on Saturday.
[2:08:19] >> It's open from 8:00 to 3:00 on
[2:08:20] Saturdays. Um
[2:08:22] but but any event,
[2:08:24] it's I'm just saying there is Bees
[2:08:26] Ferry. It
[2:08:28] We'll get there, Phil. Um the
[2:08:31] uh
[2:08:32] Bees Ferry, interestingly enough, or any
[2:08:34] typical landfill, is for the use of
[2:08:38] residents.
[2:08:40] Um not and explicitly not commercial uh
[2:08:45] waste or construction waste. Uh it's
[2:08:48] used for the residents. And at Bees
[2:08:49] Ferry, you have to show your resident
[2:08:52] your ID to show you're a resident of
[2:08:54] Charleston County and or utility bill to
[2:08:57] show you're a property owner. Um you
[2:09:00] know, this is supposed to be a facility
[2:09:03] for the use of Kiawah Island residents
[2:09:05] and property owners, but we don't have
[2:09:07] anybody there to manage to see if it's
[2:09:09] actually being used only by residents
[2:09:12] and property owners. I know we've had
[2:09:13] issued some citations in the past cuz
[2:09:15] occasionally you'll see a vehicle with a
[2:09:18] logo on it or something like that where
[2:09:21] you know it's not a property owner.
[2:09:23] Um and so what the we were discussing
[2:09:26] this in senior staff is I
[2:09:30] far end the real extreme is do we just
[2:09:32] get rid of this thing altogether? If
[2:09:33] it's going to continue to be abused and
[2:09:35] people it's a convenience, you just got
[2:09:37] to go up to Bees Ferry.
[2:09:39] Or alternatively, do you fence it? Do
[2:09:42] you put hours? Bees Ferry
[2:09:44] No, it does have hours. It's like think
[2:09:47] 7:00 to 4:00 or something like that
[2:09:49] Monday through Friday uh and then it's
[2:09:52] Saturday I think it's 8:00 to 3:00 not
[2:09:53] open on Sunday, but it does have limited
[2:09:56] hours. And whether we have fenced this
[2:09:59] and have limited hours or you know, what
[2:10:01] else? There are just we're we're
[2:10:03] struggling a little bit to try to figure
[2:10:05] out how best to proceed.
[2:10:07] >> That's So, another point you you
[2:10:09] mentioned the word convenience and I I
[2:10:11] wanted to bring that up, too. The the
[2:10:14] intention of this site historically has
[2:10:16] been a convenience site for residents.
[2:10:20] Um
[2:10:21] and that's going to be, you know, when
[2:10:23] you get an oversized box you to deliver
[2:10:25] to your house and it can't fit in your
[2:10:27] residential container, you're going to
[2:10:28] take it over there. Um maybe you had uh
[2:10:32] an event at your house, a lot of guests
[2:10:34] that
[2:10:35] produced a lot of trash, you can take
[2:10:37] the excess trash over um to the site.
[2:10:39] But, what we're seeing is this is
[2:10:41] becoming much more than a convenience
[2:10:44] site for for residents. A lot of
[2:10:47] residents that that we can we can uh
[2:10:51] kind of observe or using it as a more of
[2:10:53] a primary site. Um which which again is
[2:10:56] not the intention for it. It's not built
[2:10:58] out for it um the way it's constructed
[2:11:00] right now. So, we we we really think
[2:11:03] that there's something that we can do
[2:11:05] further that can mitigate the issues of
[2:11:09] the trash piling up there we're saying.
[2:11:11] >> You know, you and [clears throat] I have
[2:11:12] talked about this quite a bit. Um but I you know, I
[2:11:17] hate to drive expense. I do think if the
[2:11:20] abusable area
[2:11:22] is more constrained by putting up
[2:11:25] fencing or something,
[2:11:27] that potentially will be a trigger in
[2:11:29] somebody's head of oh, I can't fit
[2:11:31] inside the enclosure, maybe they're less
[2:11:32] likely to throw it outside the enclosure
[2:11:34] or
[2:11:35] maybe they do that, too. I don't know.
[2:11:37] Another thing we've talked about is um
[2:11:40] housekeeping crews, especially on
[2:11:41] Saturdays, potentially abusing it. Maybe
[2:11:44] it's closed on Saturday. They're
[2:11:45] supposed to take the stuff to B Sphery,
[2:11:47] but maybe they all aren't.
[2:11:49] Maybe it closes at 4:00 every day like
[2:11:51] we talked about. That's you know, same
[2:11:53] time that you know, the staff takes off.
[2:11:55] And you know, construction crews are
[2:11:57] leaving leaving between 5:00 and 7:00,
[2:11:59] it's no longer available for them.
[2:12:01] I mean, they may go, too, but
[2:12:02] [clears throat] that means leaving their
[2:12:04] site.
[2:12:05] >> Yeah, and so so with that with that
[2:12:07] thought process in mind, then that
[2:12:10] definitely lends itself to having an an
[2:12:13] enclosure with hours on it. Um
[2:12:15] >> I I think of it like an amenity, to be
[2:12:17] honest, right now. I mean it's not a
[2:12:19] need to do but it's a nice to do. It's
[2:12:21] nice not to drive to these ferry.
[2:12:24] Hate to punish the good behaving people
[2:12:26] for the bad behaving people. Maybe we
[2:12:28] can
[2:12:30] remove some of the bad behavior. It's
[2:12:32] still achievable. I don't know. I mean
[2:12:34] I'm just thinking out loud.
[2:12:36] Yeah, it's a good point
[2:12:38] that brings it down to enforcement
[2:12:43] which we we currently don't really have
[2:12:46] the resources to to fully enforce that
[2:12:48] or at least not in in its full effect.
[2:12:51] We've got myself and Mike that can
[2:12:54] go over there and we have kind of
[2:12:55] routinely been going over there but it
[2:12:58] takes sitting over there for however
[2:13:00] many hours to maybe catch somebody and
[2:13:03] then you know we can go back and and
[2:13:05] check the cameras and the cameras do
[2:13:06] help a lot but they're not 100%
[2:13:09] definitely not the best use of your time
[2:13:10] and you know how many times you and I
[2:13:12] end up on the phone that you're coming
[2:13:13] back from there.
[2:13:14] >> [laughter]
[2:13:15] >> Yeah,
[2:13:16] so you know again the we have a couple
[2:13:19] of options and and just wanted to bring
[2:13:21] this back up since it has been a pretty constant issue
[2:13:26] over the last last few months and really
[2:13:29] for a long time but but pretty regularly
[2:13:31] over the last few months.
[2:13:33] So again just wanted to make sure that
[2:13:34] the council was aware of the issues that
[2:13:37] we're having over there what we've been
[2:13:38] dealing with pretty regularly and and
[2:13:40] seeing what what the appetite is to to
[2:13:43] do something else over at that site.
[2:13:46] Yeah,
[2:13:47] I I appreciate the the work and the
[2:13:49] opinion of about you know trying to keep
[2:13:51] it open and it being an amenity. I think
[2:13:53] that's a it's a great amenity. I use it
[2:13:56] three times a year.
[2:13:58] You know, but and I have driven to Beals
[2:13:59] Ferry
[2:14:01] and I can guess where the abuse is
[2:14:03] coming from.
[2:14:05] It might if there's a way we could
[2:14:07] figure out like take two weeks and go
[2:14:09] over every at the end of every day
[2:14:11] and see whether it's Monday through
[2:14:12] Friday or Saturday problem.
[2:14:15] Um and I think there's probably way we
[2:14:17] could use technology to help us.
[2:14:19] Uh I would like to work to see us keep
[2:14:22] it.
[2:14:23] But if we have to regulate it, if people
[2:14:25] have to punch a code to get through a
[2:14:26] gate, if they have to scan an ID,
[2:14:29] if they have to somehow call town hall
[2:14:31] or push a button at
[2:14:32] use video to get there.
[2:14:34] Um so I'd ask you to be creative and try
[2:14:36] and find a way to keep it, but I agree
[2:14:39] it's in its current usage manner, it's
[2:14:42] not acceptable. So, thank you.
[2:14:44] >> Yeah, yes, sir. Not a problem at all.
[2:14:46] And I I appreciate those ideas, too. I
[2:14:49] think they're really good ideas. Um and I do think that there is a way for
[2:14:52] us to be able to regulate it a little
[2:14:55] bit better, whether it be some sort of
[2:14:57] push button system or
[2:15:00] the residents, you know, they already
[2:15:01] have their barcode, you know, something
[2:15:03] kind of like that that that can be
[2:15:05] scanned just to make sure that
[2:15:06] >> Not contractor barcodes, either.
[2:15:08] >> Not contractor barcodes.
[2:15:10] >> So, the the the the thought is kind of
[2:15:13] at this point in time is
[2:15:15] do a little bit more a little bit better
[2:15:18] job of kind of monitoring enforcement.
[2:15:20] We'll actually kind of have the CSOs
[2:15:22] also go by occasionally. In addition, I
[2:15:25] know Brian and Michael do.
[2:15:27] Um put out some additional communication
[2:15:30] following up on, you know, this uh
[2:15:33] council meeting and you know, let there
[2:15:35] is a risk that, you know, at the end of
[2:15:37] this facility could be removed. But if
[2:15:41] we can't get better behavior, then we
[2:15:45] may well want to consider fencing in and
[2:15:48] closing the structure and putting hours
[2:15:50] on it. There will be some cost
[2:15:52] associated with that, obviously. Not a
[2:15:53] huge amount, but there would be some
[2:15:55] cost associated with that.
[2:15:57] >> Hello.
[2:15:58] My opinion?
[2:15:59] >> Yeah.
[2:15:59] Yes.
[2:16:01] >> Um
[2:16:02] I think uh
[2:16:04] we've got to find
[2:16:06] a way to um
[2:16:09] to improve the situation because I would
[2:16:12] be strongly opposed to closing that
[2:16:14] site. The unintended consequences of
[2:16:17] where everybody's trash and recyclables
[2:16:20] would go
[2:16:21] um in the absence of having Kestrel
[2:16:23] Court are just a nightmare. So, we'll
[2:16:27] have to find some other kind of solution
[2:16:28] cuz closing it down is unacceptable.
[2:16:31] >> I guess that's a good point. I'll be
[2:16:32] picking up more trash and I said my
[2:16:34] early comments.
[2:16:35] >> [laughter]
[2:16:37] » And [clears throat] one thing I'd just
[2:16:39] add, if we want to do a fence or any type of
[2:16:42] improvements, we probably have to look
[2:16:43] at believe we still have a lease cuz
[2:16:45] we're leasing that site. We don't own
[2:16:48] it. We're leasing it from um Keo Island
[2:16:50] Utility.
[2:16:51] So, if we want to do any additional
[2:16:52] improvements to it, we just have to
[2:16:54] probably submit something to them for
[2:16:56] their approval. I wasn't sure if the
[2:16:57] other council members were aware that we
[2:16:58] are
[2:16:59] >> We'd also have to get a permit from the
[2:17:01] ARB cuz it's a fence.
[2:17:03] >> Yes, correct.
[2:17:05] >> And and and and and if it remains like
[2:17:06] that then the
[2:17:08] facility ends up just going away. That's the easiest way to solve that.
[2:17:12] Notwithstanding Council Member K is
[2:17:13] desired that it remain there. We'd like
[2:17:15] to have it remain there as a
[2:17:17] convenience. We just hope that there
[2:17:18] will be better behavior and it will be
[2:17:20] used solely by
[2:17:23] residents and property owners,
[2:17:26] not for commercial purposes.
[2:17:27] >> I I know that we've got the signs that
[2:17:30] talk about you know, here's what's
[2:17:31] acceptable recycling, here's what's
[2:17:33] acceptable trash.
[2:17:35] We really don't have anything talking
[2:17:36] about conduct and and use of the site
[2:17:39] that I recall.
[2:17:40] >> So, there there is there is a a big sign
[2:17:44] that's um
[2:17:46] posted really in the only place that it
[2:17:47] can be posted off to the side of the
[2:17:49] recycling dumpster. Um you you really
[2:17:52] can't miss it. It's a big 4x4 sign that lists the um
[2:17:58] the intent the intended use of the site.
[2:18:00] It has a list of prohibited items. Um it
[2:18:03] lists that contractors are prohibited
[2:18:05] from utilizing the site.
[2:18:07] >> Yeah, but all that's in a
[2:18:09] number four font, also.
[2:18:11] It's small print.
[2:18:13] >> I'll I'll get a big sign.
[2:18:15] >> [laughter]
[2:18:16] >> Um we didn't want it to be, you know,
[2:18:18] offensively big, but you know, just
[2:18:20] something that you you really can see the sign whichever way you pull into
[2:18:25] that site. And it it does list what's
[2:18:28] allowed, what's not allowed. Um the
[2:18:31] it it lists the different options that
[2:18:33] if if this is full or if these aren't
[2:18:35] working, please take it to um town hall.
[2:18:39] It says Beach Walker Center still, so we
[2:18:41] need to update that, but it it tells you
[2:18:43] to bring it here.
[2:18:44] Um so so there's nothing about what's posted there that suggests that
[2:18:49] it's appropriate to leave anything on
[2:18:51] the ground. Um
[2:18:53] in fact, it we we give alternatives
[2:18:55] again to to where you can take trash. So
[2:18:58] um
[2:18:58] >> I put a new sign says if you abuse this
[2:19:00] site, it's going away.
[2:19:03] >> So, we might also want to have a sign in
[2:19:06] Spanish.
[2:19:09] >> Oh.
[2:19:10] No, I'm I'm serious. It says to
[2:19:12] contractors,
[2:19:13] >> Yeah.
[2:19:14] >> you know, this is not a site for
[2:19:15] contractors.
[2:19:17] So that there's, you know,
[2:19:20] >> And I think we can I mean, that's a good
[2:19:22] point. And Brian, we can probably work
[2:19:24] with communications because on our sign,
[2:19:26] if we have too much text, could be maybe
[2:19:29] that we have a QR code or something
[2:19:31] that will have more have the important
[2:19:33] stuff on there, but then have a QR code
[2:19:34] for more information. We can figure
[2:19:35] something out.
[2:19:36] >> So we don't need to labor this. We we've
[2:19:38] got citizen comments coming up in just a
[2:19:40] minute, Larry. Um we'll we'll continue to monitor a little bit
[2:19:44] better enforcement. We'll revisit
[2:19:46] signage. We'll put out some additional
[2:19:48] communications, and then we'll monitor
[2:19:50] over the next uh
[2:19:52] quarter or so, and then figure out if we
[2:19:54] need to do something more.
[2:19:55] >> Mayor, before I before you go, Brian,
[2:19:57] did you want to bring up we talked about
[2:19:59] Seabrook? Was there anything about town
[2:20:00] hall or you didn't have any comments on
[2:20:03] the
[2:20:03] >> Um
[2:20:04] nothing super substantive. We've seen
[2:20:07] some of the same issues over here. Um
[2:20:09] but I think that that's because
[2:20:11] >> being left.
[2:20:11] >> Like a boat being left. Um
[2:20:13] >> I mean, this is another This is one
[2:20:15] where it's difficult cuz you want to be
[2:20:17] a good neighbor, but on the other hand,
[2:20:18] this is a facility in the town of Kiawah
[2:20:20] Island. It's supposed to be for Kiawah
[2:20:22] Island residents and property owners.
[2:20:24] And what I do see is a lot of cars
[2:20:27] coming in dumping trash and when they
[2:20:28] leave out of here, they take a right.
[2:20:31] So, it's being utilized by Johns Island
[2:20:34] where they're incorporated Charleston
[2:20:36] County. Their facility is supposed to be
[2:20:39] the county's facility at Bees Ferry.
[2:20:42] >> Yeah, this This we could fence and
[2:20:45] >> That might be another solution.
[2:20:47] >> Um uh so, thank you very much, Brian. Uh
[2:20:50] a good discussion. Um now, uh citizen
[2:20:52] comments on any agenda items. We moved
[2:20:54] that up because we do have an executive
[2:20:56] session on the agenda and we want to
[2:20:58] allow citizen comments
[2:21:00] uh before we go to that.
[2:21:02] Phil.
[2:21:06] » Town hall is not easy.
[2:21:07] Um first, I want to apologize up front.
[2:21:09] You are correct. It is open to the
[2:21:11] public. Bees Ferry Landfill is open to
[2:21:12] the public on Saturdays. The issue had
[2:21:14] come up in the past where a lot of the
[2:21:17] rental companies
[2:21:19] they were taking the trash when they do
[2:21:20] the changeover on Saturday and dumping
[2:21:22] it at Kestrel Court because they
[2:21:24] couldn't take it out to Bees Ferry. They
[2:21:26] had no place to put it and I'm not sure
[2:21:28] what they're doing about it. Um I, like
[2:21:31] you, use it
[2:21:33] not that many times a year, but most
[2:21:35] recently when I went there,
[2:21:37] the amount of cardboard was Every
[2:21:40] dumpster was filled with cardboard. The
[2:21:41] trash dumpster, the cardboard dumpster,
[2:21:44] and the recycling dumpster. You couldn't
[2:21:45] even get near them.
[2:21:47] So, I brought my trash over here
[2:21:50] and there was a
[2:21:51] >> [snorts]
[2:21:51] >> rigid inflatable boat on top of the next
[2:21:54] to the dumpster out here. So there's
[2:21:56] obviously people abusing it. I think
[2:21:58] it's a personal need. I agree with Kay
[2:22:00] that
[2:22:01] Councilwoman Kay that it's something we
[2:22:03] should have and we need to have. We just
[2:22:05] have to figure out how to how to stop
[2:22:07] this mess. Now when I did go over that
[2:22:09] one day, I started glancing at the gar-
[2:22:11] at the track I mean the cardboard.
[2:22:14] Everybody's There were labels all over
[2:22:15] them.
[2:22:16] So if you want to do something about it,
[2:22:18] you can look at the cardboard, look at
[2:22:20] the names it was delivered and find out
[2:22:22] where it came from. Thank you.
[2:22:25] >> Thank you.
[2:22:33] » Okay, Harry Wollahan 406 No Regret.
[2:22:36] Just on the last subject,
[2:22:38] from bitter experience things have got
[2:22:40] worse since the closure of the
[2:22:42] facility at Beach Walker.
[2:22:44] My understanding is the Kika gave
[2:22:47] significant notice to you about the
[2:22:49] about that plan to to get rid of those
[2:22:50] three dumpsters.
[2:22:52] I just think it's a capacity issue over
[2:22:54] there. Yes, there may be some
[2:22:55] individuals or contractors who are
[2:22:57] abusing the situation.
[2:22:59] But I spent along with a another
[2:23:01] resident about half an hour one very hot
[2:23:03] Sunday afternoon recently trying to
[2:23:06] get cardboard processed in there. The
[2:23:08] compactor wasn't working properly and
[2:23:12] I'm afraid I don't think it's a
[2:23:14] an abuse by
[2:23:16] less than 5% of the of our community.
[2:23:18] But anyway,
[2:23:20] Unfortunately, not too many questions of
[2:23:23] mine on the um
[2:23:25] on the convention conservation thing
[2:23:27] were answered, but I'll pass on.
[2:23:28] We're still talking about traffic
[2:23:30] management. I mean, we all must bear in
[2:23:32] mind that we still have 700 development
[2:23:34] units possibly being built on the
[2:23:36] island. So yes, if we improve or we
[2:23:41] improve Betsy Kerrison Highway and stop
[2:23:44] development on the highway, we've still
[2:23:46] got an awful lot of development to go on
[2:23:47] the island. So, let's not um
[2:23:53] lose that fact.
[2:23:55] A comment here, I'll I'll say
[2:23:57] because of my European background, some
[2:23:59] Americans think I'm sort of socialist in
[2:24:01] leaning cuz the Europeans generally be
[2:24:03] more socialist in politics, but
[2:24:06] or their outlook, I will just point out
[2:24:09] that basically, my estimation is a third
[2:24:12] of the property taxes from my zip code,
[2:24:16] which includes a large area,
[2:24:17] comes from this small island.
[2:24:21] Uh we make substantial donations to the
[2:24:23] island.
[2:24:24] Uh we're
[2:24:26] putting money into Captain Sam's. I see
[2:24:28] no I see Seabrook benefit more visually
[2:24:31] from Captain Sam's not being developed
[2:24:33] than we do.
[2:24:34] Yet, they're not contributing.
[2:24:37] I
[2:24:39] just get the feeling that, you know, now
[2:24:41] with this
[2:24:43] conservation program,
[2:24:45] yes, we don't have taxes, but our
[2:24:46] residents end up paying,
[2:24:49] you know, for
[2:24:51] 50 million we've got in reserves, which
[2:24:53] the mayor has actually commented on the
[2:24:55] last year we've never actually utilized.
[2:24:57] Now, we're we'll utilize it for the
[2:25:00] this program, but that's great.
[2:25:02] But, you know,
[2:25:03] >> That that that's actually not
[2:25:06] >> I heard you say that in a meeting that
[2:25:08] we didn't utilize reserves.
[2:25:10] >> we do not
[2:25:11] the town does not receive any property
[2:25:14] taxes.
[2:25:14] >> No, I No, no, I agree with that
[2:25:17] but through the through the taxes that we
[2:25:21] pay,
[2:25:21] >> What what town
[2:25:22] >> the local option tax.
[2:25:24] >> Okay, that's so very very minor.
[2:25:27] >> Uh okay, but it's everything but but
[2:25:29] also
[2:25:29] >> There is some, but
[2:25:30] >> also the 3 million business licenses.
[2:25:34] It hardly costs the town anything
[2:25:38] in respect to those business licenses.
[2:25:39] We pay for those business licenses.
[2:25:42] We know the cost of construction on
[2:25:44] Kiawah is 30% higher than elsewhere.
[2:25:47] So,
[2:25:48] I just get the feeling that because we
[2:25:50] have so much money, we're getting a bit
[2:25:52] sort of carried away. Anyway, that's I'll leave it there.
[2:25:56] But, but bear in mind that
[2:25:58] >> I hear you.
[2:25:59] >> But,
[2:25:59] well, also you'll be disappointed with
[2:26:01] this comment. I've had three Sorry, an
[2:26:03] hour to prepare for this this morning.
[2:26:06] I understand LGIP.
[2:26:08] They're short-term investments.
[2:26:10] 4% income. Actually, recently it's been
[2:26:13] going down.
[2:26:14] >> Unfortunately, recently it's been going
[2:26:16] up, but uh but
[2:26:17] >> 6 months Well, last 6 months it's
[2:26:18] actually come down slightly. I just
[2:26:20] looked.
[2:26:21] So, I know I have no problem with with
[2:26:24] fixed in what we can spend, but LGIP are
[2:26:27] very short-term.
[2:26:29] Uh expenditures are very long-term.
[2:26:32] There's a mismatch there. We have
[2:26:33] options.
[2:26:36] Do you agree?
[2:26:37] >> Um
[2:26:38] >> And before you Okay.
[2:26:39] >> Let's take this offline.
[2:26:40] >> You think about that. But, also having
[2:26:43] all your eggs in one basket,
[2:26:45] to my mind, is not a good idea. I
[2:26:48] wouldn't have all my investments with
[2:26:49] one investment company.
[2:26:51] But,
[2:26:53] so
[2:26:54] But, bear in mind LGIP is not guaranteed
[2:26:57] by anyone. It's not guaranteed by the
[2:26:58] state.
[2:27:00] And also, I did a bit of research.
[2:27:02] The audit company of the 38 billion fund
[2:27:06] has less than 20 CPAs in the entire
[2:27:09] firm.
[2:27:10] The firm has about six disciplines
[2:27:14] and eight service areas.
[2:27:17] So, if I were you and you had I had 50
[2:27:20] million invested with someone, even
[2:27:21] though it's out of a 30
[2:27:24] 8 billion pot,
[2:27:26] I'd be saying to them, "I want better
[2:27:27] auditors." Cuz the state already had a
[2:27:30] fraud {slash} error of considerable
[2:27:32] millions years ago. But, anyway, I'll
[2:27:34] have to move on quickly.
[2:27:36] Um
[2:27:37] Sorry. this is my opportunity.
[2:27:41] Um Ways and Means had a hasn't had a
[2:27:43] meeting for 2 months and probably won't
[2:27:45] till till September. I don't think
[2:27:47] that's a good idea.
[2:27:49] Um
[2:27:50] water pressure is a big issue.
[2:27:53] Um it was mentioned at the last meeting.
[2:27:55] What happens if we have a fire and the
[2:27:57] hydrants don't have enough pressure?
[2:28:00] Big problem.
[2:28:02] Um Freshfields, I'm just been thinking
[2:28:04] out of the box here. It's not the
[2:28:06] residents' fault of the island
[2:28:07] Freshfields or Harris Teeter's the state
[2:28:09] in which it is. There's been no and I
[2:28:12] accept Harris Teeter will not want to
[2:28:14] invest in that property and haven't
[2:28:16] probably done so for years.
[2:28:18] The roof leaks, the air conditioning
[2:28:19] goes on and off. It smells sometimes.
[2:28:22] It's very
[2:28:24] stale.
[2:28:26] I don't know what we can do about that,
[2:28:28] but
[2:28:28] >> Are you suggesting the town buy out
[2:28:30] Harris Teeter?
[2:28:30] >> No, no, not at all.
[2:28:32] >> [laughter]
[2:28:32] >> Not not at not at all, but you you can
[2:28:34] put pressure.
[2:28:36] I mean, just from a health and safety
[2:28:38] viewpoint, I don't know whether it's it's healthy. I mean, some of the
[2:28:42] smells coming out of there. Anyway.
[2:28:45] Uh I'll try to be quick and that's it.
[2:28:47] I'm sure there are other things that
[2:28:49] I'll think of later, but thank you.
[2:28:51] >> Thank you, Larry.
[2:28:53] >> As always. I I just a just a data point
[2:28:56] that so
[2:28:57] people are mindful of this.
[2:29:00] The town generates an extraordinary
[2:29:03] amount of property tax. Extraordinary
[2:29:06] amount of property tax. More than
[2:29:07] Sullivan's Island and uh Folly Beach
[2:29:11] put together. No, more than IOP and
[2:29:14] Sullivan's Island
[2:29:15] put together.
[2:29:18] $100 million
[2:29:19] all goes to Charleston County.
[2:29:21] Our total revenues are like 15 or 16
[2:29:26] million dollars. Half of those almost
[2:29:28] half of those are from accommodations
[2:29:30] and hospitality taxes. We generate a lot
[2:29:33] of taxes. We pay a lot of taxes. It goes
[2:29:36] to Charleston County. We're having that
[2:29:38] conversation or trying to have that
[2:29:40] conversation about whether we're getting
[2:29:42] appropriate value for the extraordinary
[2:29:44] amount of property taxes we we all pay
[2:29:48] to the county. But anyway, any other
[2:29:50] citizen comments on
[2:29:52] any matter?
[2:29:53] Seeing
[2:29:55] none, I'll entertain a motion to move
[2:29:57] into an executive session. Going to
[2:29:58] receive a legal advice to with regard to
[2:30:01] two pending legal matters and then we
[2:30:03] just have a very very minor personnel
[2:30:05] matter that we've got to discuss in
[2:30:07] executive session as well.
[2:30:08] >> So moved.
[2:30:09] >> Second.
[2:30:10] >> All in favor.
[2:30:11] >> Aye.
[2:30:12] Thank you.
[2:52:34] » Mhm.
[3:49:43] » Entertain a motion to
[3:49:45] leave executive search session and
[3:49:47] return to regular order.
[3:49:49] Second. All in favor.
[3:49:51] I would entertain a motion with respect
[3:49:57] to the personnel matter that we received
[3:50:00] legal advice on in executive session.
[3:50:03] >> Mr. Mayor, I
[3:50:05] move that we suspend the PTO
[3:50:08] requirements for the new hire we talked
[3:50:10] about in the executive session.
[3:50:11] >> Uh
[3:50:12] Is there a second?
[3:50:13] >> Second.
[3:50:14] >> Uh any further discussion?
[3:50:17] Uh hearing none, all in favor?
[3:50:18] >> Aye.
[3:50:20] >> Uh
[3:50:21] we are at the end of our agenda. Are
[3:50:23] there any final council member comments?
[3:50:26] Uh seeing none, then we are at 4:50,
[3:50:29] adjourned.
[3:50:30] >> Thank you.
[3:50:30] sir.