City Council - Regular Meeting

like to call this February 24th meeting of city council to order. Madam clerk, please call the role. Council member Greg here. Council member Sheiley here. Council member McBride here. Council member Poke. Council member Brady. Council member Dalisandro here. Council member Wearing. Council member Seekings. Council member Tinkler. Council member Bowen. Council member Appel, Council Member Scardan, Mayor Cogwell here. I'd now like to ask Council Member Tinkler to give the invocation and lead everybody in the pledge of allegiance.

Thank you. Uh please bow your heads. Gracious God, as we gather this evening, remind us that the privilege of serving the city carries with it a profound responsibility to place the interest of Charleston above all else. May the decisions made in this chamber tonight reflect genuine dedication to every resident we are honored to serve as well as the hardworking city staff, the police officers, and the firefighters who show up every day to keep our neighborhood safe, clean, and resilient. May their service inspire ours. Amen. Amen. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, before we get on to presentations and recognitions, well, I guess this is a recognition. I did want to give a shout out and welcome our new director of cultural affairs, uh, Mrs. Michelle Riley. Mrs. Michelle Riley, if you could stand, please. So, Michelle comes to us from Detroit, where since 2019, she has served as Detroit's dire director of arts and culture. And before that, she had a 20-year career as an award-winning winning columnist. Her impact work includes conceiving Detroit's largest art installation in history that received international attention for its focus on remembering the victims of co the co 19 pandemic and I believe that was maybe the first week in office as I understand that when you came in. Um she's also an essaist, a renowned public speaker, photographer,

and an advocate for art, children, and education. All of which causes she has dedicated her life to. She has elevated the landscape of arts and culture in Detroit, making its art accessible to everyone and from all walks of life. She believes in blight turning into beauty, which I thought was a very poetic um uh uh way of putting it, and that art matters in the built environment. Something that I think we would all agree with. So, we are excited that she has agreed to take over this position. Uh and very fortunate, I think, to have her in the city of Charleston. So, please, if everybody would give her one more round, warm round welcome. And now for an additional recognition, I would like to call on Councilman McBride.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for the opportunity. Um, first I want to start off before this recognition to lead up to it. I want to thank the mayor again for back in November, October, November time frame. U make making the initiative to push more of the city's uh Christmas and holiday decorations out to other parts of Charleston. That was a great initiative. I want to thank uh Councilman Appel for coming up with the idea to use our unused travel money to pay for that initiative to some extent. I know it's kind of that was round one. It will get better and better hopefully every year. But without those two ideas, um we wouldn't have had what we had on John's Island and in James Island. There was the big joy sign on on both ends of um Stone River Bridge and it really did have a a positive impact on the community. Got a lot of positive feedback on that. So, thank you for that idea. Thank you for that idea. And in addition to that, uh, I was meeting with some constituents that were trying to get more ideas for other decorations on John's Island and in the area. And Jennifer Zinccon is who I want to, uh, thank. um she had the idea, if you can pull up the little picture, she had the idea of decorating the uh butcher oak tree um on John's Island and position at one of the two entrances to John's Island at the intersection of Maine River and Chisum Roads. Uh Jennifer's idea is her idea to light the butcher oak tree. Uh probably second only in prominence to the Angel Oak tree on John's Island. As a warm welcome to all those who visit John's Island weekly, as well as to the thousands of Sealan residents who drive by the centuries old landmark daily on the way to and from work was an ingenious idea. But making this idea a reality was much harder than expected. Foremost was the fact that there's no on-site source of electric power at that tree. So she immediately reached out to contacts at Berkeley Electric on her own and provided them with the information they needed to fulfill the request. She found the forms needed for the city to to sign the contract and commun communicated

persistently with the city's chief of staff, Liz De found a lighting contractor and con connected the dots between the city, the lighting contractor and Berkeley Electric to make it happen. The impact of her efforts is truly significant, far beyond only a beautifully lit iconic tree, the first time it's ever been lit to my knowledge. The rapid population growth on John's Island over the last 20 years has resulted in a smorgas board community comprised of people from all over the country, the Kumas, mixed with a shrinking population of locals whose families have lived there for generations, the beyas. Uh the bonding effect the newly lit butcher oak had on the diverse community of the kumas and the beyas of John's Island was palpable. The true extent of the impact is that the residents of the whole island lit up with the tree. We all felt a little closer together, felt a little jolt of the Christmas spirit, and all grew a little more into a shared identity of John's Islanders. This simply would not have happened without her proactive forethought, her creative vision, uh her tenacious followthrough to make sure that the tree was finally lit for the whole island to enjoy throughout the holiday season. And may this ever be the start of a tradition that never ends. So, she's sitting proud. Jim Stark,

Councilman McBride starting to sound like Uncle Arthur Ravenell there with that vignette coming up.

All right. Um, next proclamation that we have, I'd like to ask Paul uh Tambberino to join me up on the DAS and Councilman Brady who put forth this which I think we will all we all agree with. Come on up, Paul. Whereas the city of Charleston wishes to recognize one of its most dedicated citizens, Paul Tambberino. And whereas the city of Charleston police citizens police advisory council here and after CPAC was established in 2018 by the city of Charleston with the mission to bring together people of diverse backgrounds encompanying ethnicity, academic, business leaders, faith-based organizations, elected officials, media and/or law enforcement to create an open dialogue and understanding. Whereas CPAC served to facilitate the involvement of the residents representing neighborhoods and communities in our city to improve policing and strengthen the connection between citizens and the Charleston Police Department. Cac CPAC periodically evaluated police relations with the community aimed at improving relations and suggests changes to Charleston Police Department policy and procedures, practices, and training. And whereas in 2020, Paul Tambberino was appointed to the CPAC by Councilman Brady and was subsequently elected to serve as the vice chairperson of CPAC and was elected by his peers to serve as chairperson for the next three years. He also served on the selection committee that subsequently recommended the promotion of Cheeto Walker to be the city of Charleston's chief of police. And whereas under the leadership of Paul Tambberino, CPAC focused on Charleston Police Department's implementation of the 2019 racial bias audit recommendations in the area of traffic stops policies and procedures and community engagement. And whereas in 2021, Paul Tambberino along with Jimmy

Bailey and George Rereath founded the Lind Foundation, law enforcement neighborhood support of a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Charleston Police Department CPD by strengthening the bond between law enforcement and the community. And whereas Paul Tambberino's contributions and thoughtful, inclusive, and enthusiastic leader are unparalleled and will be greatly missed by both his fellow CPAC council members and the Charleston Police Department. And whereas the city of Charleston would like to thank Paul Tambberino for his years of dedication and exemplary service to the community as the chair of CPAC, as well as his many other past and current civic endeavors. Now therefore, I, William S. Cog, will mayor of the city of Charleston, do hereby proclaim February 24th, 2026 as Paul Timberino Day.

Thank you. Thank you all. Um it was actually a fairly long journey that when I came up here from Miami, Florida as a teenager to go to the Citadel. Um I you know taking college classes and I saw a college course being taught by the chief of police at Charleston at the time was Ruben Greenberg and those of you that knew him knew what a character he was. And so sitting through a college class with him every day had a major impact because that was really my first experience with law enforcement. um on the positive side because being in Miami in the 80s probably wasn't the most positive group of people you ever dealt with. So when I moved back to Charleston um in 2014, you know, I was just doing my thing trying to live like everybody else and get along and understanding the city and how much it had changed that period of time. 2020, u council member Brady reached out to me and mentioned, you know, I've got an opening on CPAC and I'm like, you know, I'm from Miami. I'm a, you know, I'm an older white guy. what what impact am I going to have on something that really focuses on racial bias? Um, and some of the things that really don't personally impact me. Um, and you know, the way it was presented to me is we're all a voice and we all see different things and we all bring different things to bear. So following in the leadership of Twan Fielding who was the originator originating or inaugural chairperson, people like Jerry Harris, Doris Grant became really mentors to me as I was going through this leadership process of getting to understand the police department. Um worked with two different two different chiefs of police, both completely different ways of approaching things. Um under Luther Reynolds was an amazing experience to see how he connected with the community in a personal level. Um just his outreach was just I'd never seen anything like that, excuse me, in law enforcement, excuse me. Um and then when Chief Walker came in, more of the hard, you know, just very direct, you know, I love working with him and it was

just a good group to be with. We also navigated, which is kind of a challenge, um, the racial bias audit recommendations and working with different groups like KUM um, and just a lot of the public that had differing opinions and you know, you you you come in with your own opinion, your own experiences, but you keep your mind open. But I would say the biggest honor I had even with working with all these people was my ability to attend the the citizens police. Um, they, you know, they've got their um their training. Okay? And if those of you haven't done that, they've got a police academy and I attended that with my wife. That was an incredible experience. But the ride alongs with officers, that's where you truly learn and that's where you sit there and you ride along with somebody who's only been on the force for about a year. And that's a good indicator of what their training really is. Not from somebody who's been doing it for 20 years is getting to know these law enforcement officers. They're people just like we are with their own beliefs and everything else, but to see their training as they went through the city of Charleston. We went on one ride along somebody with mental health issue. You know, in my mind, I think, okay, you pick them up, you put them in the back of the car, you take them to jail. Wasn't the case. Talked to them and it was really impactful. So, I really my experiences in doing this hopefully led to more people wanting to volunteer and be involved, doing ride alongs, attending the the the police academy uh for citizens. Just an amazing experience to get to know the men and women that are doing everything they can, including putting their lives on the line to make us safe, to be able to come and have these types of meetings, to be out in public and do everything we do. So, I want to thank all of you for entrusting in me and the others on CPAC with the ability just to be able to serve you and serve the public. So, thank you.

You someone today. [laughter]

Okay, we're now on to public hearings. There are nine public hearing public hearings tonight. We have item one has been deferred. I'm going to call on Christopher Morgan to present.

Thank you, mayor, members of council. Is this working? Is that better? Yeah. Closer to the mic. Okay. You all these images in your packages as well. Um for zoning E2, it's 1744 East Avalon Circle. This is a recent annexation come in the city as STR zoning. It was R4 in Charleston County. An image there of the property. Then we move on to 1352 South Edgewater. That comes in the city with SR1. It was R4 in Charleston County. Here it is location. We have 32 Rosedale Drive. Comes in the city as SR1 was R4 in Charleston County in the middle of the neighborhood surrounded by SR1. Um, uh, 218 Island Drive comes in as SR1 was R4 in Charleston County. Here we have it here. And then, uh, 1598 Boon Hall Drive, uh, would come in as SR1 was R4 in Charleston County. Then we have 2206 Weo Trail would come in as SR1 was R4 in Charleston County. that property 2520 Liverpool Drive SR1 was R4 Charleston County and all of those were recommended for approval by our planning commission. Then finally we have a a second and final read for uh and a public hearing for zero folly which you all have seen before. you've given the first read to it and at that time you updated it to conservation planning commission has um also endorsed the um uh conservation zoning for the property and it comes to

council with that recommendation and uh there's where the property is. It's the back. It'll be used for a detention area, stormwater detention area at the back of a a multif family development. And those are the items that are on your public hearing docket tonight. And Mr. Mayor, we have six people signed up for public hearings and these are just for the public hearings that Christopher went over. Okay, we'll give everybody a minute and a half. Please call the first person. Remind people the rules of the decorum. Anthony G. Bryant.

Anthony G. Bryant, president AG Bryant Group Inc. 2123 Courtland Avenue 29403. It's deferred. It's deferred. the number one the the Morrison Drive that's a deferred item. It's on the record. It's public notice. I can proceed. Okay. Charleston County office or the corner emailed me A17 regarding uh on at 8:16. City of Charleston had an incident 9:00 a.m. Anthony G. Bryant Chris Dominion Energy Corporation slandered liable regarding Homeland Security Act. October 11th, 2022 resolution opposition to the the the the the the the Charleston County incentive. This is Charleston County, city of Charleston regarding the the the incentives to the corporation funding something in another country. Uh so so so that means that those people who came to speak against that right the October 11th right based on post incident and and I got the call at 8:16 on my email much that phone number that's exposed everybody who came under public safety and public works here and also I made public comment on rate increases at the Charleton water systems and and and my bill I wanted to be zero there because of that and I also I did a public Sheriff's Commission comment on Dominion Energy Santi Koopa uh 2025 uh 323E 325E regarding rate increases

time.

So don't pass on cost to residential residents on rate increases when Dominion charge you more money in your operational budget. Don't charge me no more money at my house. Muhammad Dre. Evening, Councilman Mayor. This is uh February, AfricanAmerican History Month. And when you look at February and if you put a number by each letter, you would get 96. And if you look at knowledge and put a number by each other numerically, you would get 96. And if you look at Causewell, M Coswell, Mr. Coswell, Coswell, and do the same, you'll get 96. So we have February Black History Month knowledge and Coswell with the same number. What it is saying that the Africanameans have knowledge of Mr. Coswell because the 96th chapter of the Quran say read and I read Mr. Coswell and he made me a promise that he did not keep. Thank you,

Edward Green.

Edward Green. Good afternoon, mayor and council members. My name is Ed Green, 1628 Westway, Washington Park. My understanding that y'all supposed to put a b not going to put a bathroom. They want to put a pool out there. I appreciate if you don't put a pololet because in the Washington Park uh um Thomas Johnson Park what you have there you had pornolet there and the kids go and push the polelet over and you know what happened when they push it over we would appreciate for Washington Park if you all would try to find the money to put a bathroom there. Honey Hill Road got a sewage line going down there. fourth junction road got off sew line and I don't think for my understanding they talk when we had the Saturday meeting that it take a million dollars to do it for my understanding I'm familiar with construction and I don't think it take no million dollars to do that we paid taxes and I really would appreciate it if you find the money to put a bathroom there if we show need it thank you

and the next speaker is Mr. Farnum, but I believe you put down the Clemson agreement and that would that's not part of the public hearing. So that would be during citizens. Um, Council Member Jackson,

good evening. I think I'm two generations away, Miss Clerk, so you can call me Mrs. Jackson. Um, I'm happy to be here. I'm speaking on the um public hearing item for Zer Folly Road and I am here on the record as a former council person. It was my second month on city council when that multif family 10 acres was I think mistakenly given an LB zoning for town houses. I think the community has proved to us as as have water engineers, our storm water manual and the Dutch dialogues that this is a very risky area. So I know it's come down to a conservation um parcel which is a whole lot better than it started out as a DR zone which would have had multiple structures on that same three acres. I also know in following this um saga that it's been very hard to plan storm water design management design and so I know that we're about to update our manual to make it even stronger and and more enforceable and I sincerely hope that the new version of the manual will be the writing regulation that this um TRC process uses. I I think that they're planning to be grandfathered in. So if that's true, then I'm just begging every staff person and every responsible elected official to give this extra scrutiny on the storm water management task for these properties. It wasn't very comforting at the planning commission last month when the applicant's civil water engineer was asked to describe the outfalls and he couldn't even say. He said there's several and we're not sure. So that is not a good place to start. Thank you.

Charles Wilson.

Good evening. Uh Charles Wilson, 1614 Grimble Extension. I'm speaking tonight as the James Island representative for the mayor's flood action committee. I'm speaking specifically about Zero Folly Road. Um, my property's on the corner and I've had a lot of scrutiny relative to confusion about it, but I also happen to own the property that's directly behind the stormwater pond. So, I want to remind Miss Jackson and people that don't know, James Island's roughly 15,000 acres. So, 13 acres, which would be the moltry property, 10 acres plus three acres for the pond is 08 of a percent. So, that's less than a tenth of a percent of the whole island. And while there's not as much green space left, it doesn't mean that we get to just target areas that they're the bad guy. I've ended up being the bad guy in the middle of this for over 10 years, and I'm really tired of it. Um, I have a couple pages of of stuff from a document I sent relative to all the James Island planning for the flood action. I sent a specific email uh relative to a comparison. The How Avenue stormwater park that the city designed is is a really, you know, great project. It's turned out really well. Within the confusion of the annexation, my thought, which I suggested was, hey, maybe the city can buy this this property and then the city can decide exactly based on engineering how it would best work for the neighborhood, for the area, and turn into a stormwater park. Since we're going through this process and it's conservation, that's better than plenty of the res. Maybe there's a way to still modify it and make it a storm water park so that it's a benefit to the community beyond just a stormwater pond that isn't always maintained. Well, thank you.

Was there anyone else who needed to speak on any of the public hearings? These are just for the public hearings. All right, that's all we have, Mr. Mayor. Okay. any commentary from council members? I believe uh Council Member Scardan would like to say a few words.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh members of council, just wanted to put a couple of comments on the record here, and I certainly appreciate um our our two James Islanders coming and and sharing their thoughts this evening. Um, first and foremost on tonight's vote regarding the annexation and the zoning, um, I did just want to get on the record and if you look in the meeting minutes from December 2nd of last year, um, the the city had deferred this vote for a while in order to make sure that if this land was annexed, um, that or if we did not annex the land that the development would still move forward. And so we got a letter from the county stating that if the city did not vote to annex the land, that would not stop the development from moving forward. Um, and so it's my understanding at that time that council did indeed vote to annex the land because we could then apply our stronger storm water regulations. We have some of the strongest storm water regulations in the state. And so this made sure that we had more control over um any impacts that the project might have following our very strict storm water regulations. Um in our first meeting um it was wonderful to work with the mayor and staff to update the zoning of that annex parcel to conservation. very grateful um to for everyone uh here who worked with us on that in order to give that extra assurance to residents that indeed this annex land would not be used for development. It would be used for those storm water pieces. Um I want to acknowledge a lot of the concern that District 12 residents do have over the development. I've had a lot of phone calls with people about this. They're worried about traffic. They're worried about storm water. Um, when we speak with staff about this, the the asurances is is that with our new storm water guidelines, flooding will not get worse in the area. We won't see those negative impacts that we may have seen before these storm water regulations were in place. Um, and we do have sidewalks

coming. The city is looking at updates to Grimble and Folly Road. And so, um, I encourage, um, all District 12, you know, folks to continue to reach out. um I I'd be happy to help facilitate a meeting with a developer if they're open to that um to share the project plans just to make sure that citizens feel heard as this goes forward. Um finally, in conclusion, I do think that this is an excellent example of why conservation is so important. Um discussions over this property started in 2014. Um, and at that time in 2014, if we had had one of our land trusts or or um, you know, an entity come to this family and say, "Hey, we actually have green belt money to to buy this land and protect it," we would have avoided a lot of this. Um, and so I just want to put in a plug for green belt funding which is included in the halfsent sales tax extension. Um, to understand that this is why conservation is such an important important tool um, not only in the state but in our city um, to make sure that we're keeping those beautiful land areas protected. So I appreciate the time. Thank you very much.

Garden uh, council. Any further discussion from me any members of the council? If not, I'd entertain a motion. I'd move to take items two through eight together since item nine is up for second reading and move that approval. Have a motion made. Can I get a second? Motion made. Probably seconded. If any further discussion not, all those in favor signify by saying I. Opposed? Eyes have it. So I now move item nine for second reading. Motion made, properly second. Any further discussion on this item? If not, all those in favor signify by saying I. Oppose. I have it. Now for third reading and ratification.

Motion made, properly seconded. For third reading on item eight or nine. Um uh no further discussion on that. All all those in favor signify by saying I. Opposed. Eyes have it. We are now on to approval of council minutes. Have a motion made properly seconded. If no further discussion on this item, all those in favor signify by saying I. Opposed? Eyes have it. We're now on to citizens participation period. Madam clerk, how many people we have signed up? We have I believe we have 10 to 11 people signed up to speak.

Okay, let's give everybody a minute and a half.

All right, Anthony G. Bryant I've been on the scene for 30 years and since the internet you can sit here in this meeting around the country and it could be dark groups and organizations and I made a request for a request the history archives committee regarding um Kahil Kadesh Beth Phaleim founding 1749 861 862 under the the federal confiscation act of records of the church dasis of Charleston two religious organizations too from 1820 186162 under federal confiscation act why is that there records there's records of property there's records of property person place of things it's a noun so I went from a noun a thing to a person I dread Scott case they asked the question what is dread Scott a thing in a place but he was a person So, how can you have a said resolution instead of that being amended to it of my hatred and my human suffering? So, here we are today looking at the internet right now. Some goons on on on on the Israel resolution at a meeting on Monday, the president's day at a meeting saying they got they got every elected official in their back pocket. So that that threat until someone is caught everybody in here in my opinion who spoke against it is observed surveiled and possibly rested. Where are we? Germany

time Muhammad Dre Mark Farnum. My name is Mark Farnum. Uh Dr. Mark Farnum. I'm a resident of West Ashley for 34 years. From 1991 until 2020, I worked as a research scientist for the USDA at the US vegetable laboratory. First 12 years of my tenure, I worked in the old building next to the Clemson station headquarters. I would encourage the council to vote to approve the settlement agreement with Clemson. The old lab building was never deemed particularly historical or important enough to be saved by the USDA, a a department that began researching crops in the late 1800s. Nor was the cooperation between the USDA and Clemson that took place there unique. Such cooperation in other states was happening long before 1936 when that building was built. If the lab had stayed in the USDA's possession, I'm I'm nearly certain it would have been raised by now. The department terminated any maintenance on that building for about 20 years before Clemson acquired it, and that's when significant deterioration really began. Spending any sum of money on the old building is misguided in my opinion. The public is better served by advocating continued stewardship of the land where the real successes Clemson and the USDA continue to be accomplished even today. Better to focus on keeping time and federal research viable at a time it's at risk.

Ruth Miller.

My name is Ruth Miller. I have been a licensed guide in this city for well over 40 years. I stand in front of the Haywood Washington house today and I tell people this is where the president stayed. Go inside. The original fireplaces are there. You can see the kind of furniture. If we had not saved it, and when I say we, I mean the citizens of Charleston in 1920, that building was vacant, up for sale, and was going to be ripped of its uh interiors by a developer. Today, we would be looking at a Four Seasons Hotel where I can today show people George Washington State. In 1893, the federal government said, "We're going to take the second most historic building in colonial America, the second one, that is Charleston's great exchange building. The only revolutionary building with more history than our building is going to be Independence Hall." Now, what happens? the federal government puts it up and it probably was going to end up with one of those brand new things that are just coming into fashion. A gas station, right? Some of you remember when we had gas stations all over downtown. What happened? Local people, and in this case it was the Daughters of the American Revolution. The minute they heard that, they put tremendous pressure on the government. They put tremendous pressure, and think about this, on their husbands because those women couldn't vote. And what happens 30 years later? It was to the Daughters of the Confederacy. Can I quickly say that the vegetable laboratory is the first the first vegetable research laboratory in the entire world and you can go right on the website of Timeson and look it up. It

needs to be saved.

Miller Harper Hey, I'm Miller Harper with Beck Capital. I'm here to talk to you about Union Pier real quick. I think I've had a chance to meet many of you and thank you all council members. Thank you, mayor, city staff for all of the time you all have uh dedicated generously to our effort as we've been studying and doing all of our pre-planning efforts at Union Pier where we've been studying all the topics that we think we need to be studying in order to start making decisions on our framework plan. Uh what I wanted to do today is to let you all know and anybody else who's interested. We've had a chance to meet many neighborhoods and and stakeholder groups throughout the year, but folks who have not had a chance to engage with us, uh we have set up a simple website, unionp.com. There's a button on it you can click. You can go on and register to sit down with us over the next month to sit down, share your ideas, hear some of the things that we've been working on and uh as we move this thing forward. So, let me know if you have any questions and uh we'll uh wait to hear from you. Thank you,

Jerome Harris.

Good evening. Uh I stand as a former member of CPAC and Paul Tamarino's left. Uh when I read the resolution, I I came uh to say the most important part of Paul's leadership had to do with making certain that there was increased communication between the community uh and the police department. Uh his work was so central. We now have uh critical incident reports uh the website uh and the social media piece. All that came from the leadership of Paul Tambberino uh who lent his volunteer expertise to the department and pushed him in that direction. Uh he's a good example of why I would recommend to uh uh Councilman Brady in the uh ad hoc um u rules committee uh that you consider asking each of the standing committees to add to their agenda a time for public comment. Uh that is something perhaps that you might consider maybe not at every meeting. I'd like the other thing I'd like to request uh is a report back on the request from uh Councilman Bowen uh made on behalf of uh the human affairs and race reconciliation commission now deceased uh to look at several items to be passed on to each individ to individual standing committees. Uh we'd like to uh know publicly uh which committee is going to have that uh and particularly thinking about community development committees agenda uh uh it's pretty long now uh and pretty involved and if we don't know uh how those individual items are being addressed uh it might get lost in the sauce. So asking that that be part of the public meeting. Thank you.

Former council member Jackson Thank you. Good evening, mayor and council members. Um, I'm just getting my twofur here tonight and I am following along behind uh uh co-chairman Harris and co-chairman Bowen. We really I am um a member of the former now retired human affairs and racial consiliation commission and we greatly appreciated the energy and the thoroughess that our council leazison council member Bowen brought to you all at your last meeting to put our our recommendations on the table and send them on to the committees. I'm here tonight to promote one that I think does not need committee work. Uh, one of our resolutions was to recognize Mr. Pierre Manag. Um, who is, as I, as we said in the resolution, um, he's he's a native son of his ancestral city of Charleston. He's currently chairman of the board of Evening Post Industries, who published the Post and Courier and many publications around the state. And most importantly for this resolution, he was newly reelected. He'd had an office several years ago, but now he's the new president of the Interamerican Press Association. And when he took his office at the end of October, he made a pull no punches freedom and unity of the press address for which he deserves to be recognized and congratulated by the city of Charleston.

Time. The language that he used is literally something that we should all adhere to today in the threat on our free press. Thank you very much. Anna Katherine Alexander.

Anna Katherine Alexander with the Preservation Society of Charleston. The Preservation Society urges council to vote no to the mediation settlement agreement between the city and Clemson to demolish the circa 1936 USDA lab on Savannah Highway for three reasons. Negotiating demolition outside of the public process is bad practice and as the Posting Courier editorial staff wrote this morning, mitigation deals should be the last resort only when there is consensus that a structure cannot be saved. The settlement agreement inaccurately states that preservation has been determined to be infeasible. The record has no meaningful evidence that feasibility has been evaluated. Further, the mediation terms are not a fair or adequate exchange. An architectural survey in West Ashley is something that should occur regardless. Our community shouldn't have to lose a historic building to secure funds for basic preservation work. Other applicants are watching closely to see whether bypassing public review is the easier path and we urge you to reject the settlement. Thank you.

And Mr. Green, you had signed up as well. Did you need to speak again? Okay. All right. Those I think that was everyone that we had signed up. We did receive some comments online. 35 comments were received in opposition to the Clemson University versus City of Charleston design review board settlement agreement and three comments were received from Mr. Bryant which were sent in full to council and those are all the comments we received. Oh I'm sorry there's yes we have Mr. Wilson two more two more speakers. Perfect.

Charles Wilson, Grimmel Road Extension. Um, like Miss Jackson, I took the opportunity to speak twice, two different subjects. Um, I want to say thank you for your comments about the zero folly road. Um, as it essentially living next door to the Moltrees, I'm probably the only person that's had direct contact with the family. Um Roland is the only person that still lives on the property and he called me about six weeks ago and said, "Hey, I can't see coming in and out of my driveway. Everything's so overgrown. Can you help me out?" And um I'm speaking about essentially a bigger Grimble extension picture. So I took one of my machines. I have two different construction companies. I got a machine from the back property and I bush hoged the whole ditch and I was able to ride on either side and not have to dig it out because when you look at it, it's flush with the road. Um, the only place that the water drains in either direction is all the way at the end into the marsh on Secessionville or to my property. So, the flooding is a maintenance problem. There's not a drainage problem. We have ditches that do not work. The covers are blocked under all the driveways. There's I've surveyed the whole road myself. there's a high point in the middle of the road. The water should run back towards Lighthouse Sound and the water should run to my property. No water comes to my property whatsoever. So, um the spy glass apartments are 24 acres. My property is three. The moltry property combined is 13. And then there's an additional parcel of 4 acres that's about to be clearcut for residential houses on Cooper Judge Lane. time.

There's 25 houses also on Cooper Judge Lane that happened under Tekkenberg. And I think that we need an overall Grimble Road extension analysis. We need maybe the mayor. We need storm water. Like Grimble Road extension has a major maintenance problem and we we need a collective effort to fix. Was there anyone else who I missed? [clears throat]

Good evening, Mayor and City Council. I'm Lisa Jones with Historic Charleston Foundation and I'm asking you to vote no on the proposed settlement agreement with Clemson regarding the USDA vegetable lab. As you know, Clemson is a public institution with a worldclass historic preservation program. The agreement before you today is not a good deal for the public. For just $25,000 in a marker, Clemson would gain permission to irreversibly demolish an important piece of Charleston's agricultural history without adequate public involvement or sufficient information provided to the public India council. The 1936 USDA lab is nationally significant. It's the first of its kind in the country and it's deemed eligible for the National Register. um it was in 2015. So, uh we support the design review board's January 2026 order requiring Clemson to secure the building and develop a preservation plan. And as you heard, we aren't alone. The public also supports this decision to save the building. Clemson has space on site to build the facilities they need while also restoring the historic structure for public benefit. We respectfully urge the city and you to involve the community in determining the fate of the property and to protect this rare piece of Charleston's agricultural history by rejecting its demolition. Thank you so much for your consideration. Any else? Who else? Okay, we are now on to petitions and communications. Um, we're going to do appointments for the SBE advisory board. We're going to defer that uh because we have a few tweaks to the uh

amendments to the code in order to comply. So, we're going to uh defer that item. And item two has been deferred. Ashley Hall um foundation verse city of Charleston and the bar related to 148 Smith Street. Uh next on the agenda is item three which is the approval of a settlement agreement regarding Clemson uh versus the city of Charleston design review board. Uh do we have any commentary on this one? Um, uh, Mr. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I would like to make a motion, um, to go into executive session for the purpose of receiving legal advice regarding, um, the proposed settlement agreement with Clemson University.

Motion made to go into executive session on this item. Uh, any further discussion, Mr. Mayor, can we before we do that take up at least number four, if not four and five before we go into executive session to move those through and let those people clear the room while we go into executive session? Uh we motion to move those on the agenda. Can I have a second on that? Well, I guess we have to Yes. As point order, he has to withdraw the motion and then we'll come back to I will withdraw. Thank you. So, we have a motion made to take items four and five. I' I'd move approval of four and five.

Move motion made to take four and five together and for approval. Any further discussion on those two items? If not, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed? Eyes have it. Um, so it doesn't look like anything other than approval of ways and means is left on our agenda. So, if we can just approve that, we can go into executive session. Well, we need to got we put a motion for five on the floor. Now, we need Oh, sorry. I thought we did. I think we moved approval. I would ask that we defer item three until the end of the agenda uh so that we can uh proceed with approving anything that people were waiting on. Thank you parliamentarian Tim.

Okay. So we have a motion to move item three to the end of the agenda. Seconded. Any further discussion on that? If not, all those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. Eyes have it. Okay. We are now moving to um committee reports. We have ways and means. Councilman, this concludes my committee report. We have a motion made, properly seconded on that read this whole thing. All right. Uh all those in favor uh of adoption of ways and means report second by saying I oppos have it. Mr. Mayor, can the recusal be noted on the item pertaining to uh gateway to housing? On my behalf, I gave the appropriate forms.

Okay. Uh we make sure that's noted unquote is accusable on item which what's the item? The item under ways and means is the fourth item pertaining to gateway to housing program. Sure. Yes, we have that. M uh Councilman Wearing I thought we took a motion um to take four and five together and we took a vote to take four and five together. I don't remember passing four and five. We it was it was mission made to take them together in approval is how I Okay, madam clerk, if you on it, that's all I wanted. As long as long as it passed appropriately, that's all. Thank you.

Okay. Um so we are now on to bills for second reading. There are seven bills up. Um the applicant has requested a deferral of items four. Um so can I entertain a motion? Item four has been deferred. I move to take items one, two, three, five, six, and seven together for approval. A motion made to take those items together and for approval. Any further discussion on that? If not, all those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. Eyes have it. And I would move their third reading and ratification.

A motion made on third reading for those items. Uh any further discussion? And if not, all those in favor signify by saying I. Opposed? Eyes have it. Um, can I ask a point of order to the clerk? I on the item related to the Clemson settlement am going to recuse myself. So should I can join executive session? No. Okay. Uh, well, you can use my office, guys. Uh, so so can I entertain a motion to go into executive session? Motion made, properly seconded to go into executive session. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed? Eyes have it. We are in executive session.

I did. Is that Do I have a motion to come out of executive session? All right. Motion has been made to come out of executive session. Has been properly seconded. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. Any opposed? Eyes have it. Please note that no action was taken in executive session. Is there any motion to come before this body?

Yeah. You you need a motion on the floor so that we can consider something before we hear motion and second. All right. Uh so we have a motion and a second to approve the mediation settlement. I will now defer to our legal counsel. Thank you, Mayor Perim Brady. No battery's up. Well, exit stage right, left. Okay.

All right. Thank you, Mayor Pro Brady. Okay. So, bear in mind before I start with this, I just want to state on the record that with DRB per purview, it's limited to a very narrow scope as far as the historical significance of the building on site. Um so one of the benefits of the statutoily mandated process this prelitigation process which is dictated by uh South Carolina code section 6-29-900 is that we can mediate a settlement and provide to you council other other pieces of information that DRB either did not hear or was not able to consider when making that determination. So that's the benefit of a proposed settlement like this. So, I'm going to share some information from for you um prior to your decision um that we learned uh after the denial of the demolition. That is one the property's true historic significance lies in the land itself and the head house and the greenhouse complex. Those are other buildings on site where the agricultural research into the molecular biology of plants actually takes place. Uh Clemson plans to preserve and restore these structures, the head house and the green houses. There's three of them. two of which they've already restored and they are actively using right now for research. Uh the land is only one of two locations in this country uh that performs this kind of molecular research. The other one is in Arizona. Um and the outcome from this research provides benefits worldwide. The building in question was originally constructed to accommodate office space then was retrofitted in the 70s or 80s to allow limited lab use but not in a way that can be used in a modern um ADA compliant way. So demolition is necessary to allow a future modern ADA compliant facility that could support Clemson's ongoing agricultural research mission once it receives funding from the state legislature. They simply cannot grow and bring on new people without this new facility. Clemson purchased the property with

federal and state authorization to demolish the building. So they already have Shipo approval to do this. And then based on staff comments, just want you all to know during mediation, Clemson offered this $25,000 contribution in in professional, technical, and personnel support towards phase two of the city's West Ashley architectural inventory related to West Ashley settlement communities as well as a new West Ashley Greenway historic marker about this historical agricultural history. So those are the things I just wanted to share with you um for consideration and staff we would ask for support of this uh this um thank you settlement. Is there any discussion on the floor? I just have a question. Yeah, council member singings.

Does this settlement still have to go through to circuit court for It does. The settlement would need uh judicial approval that will be presented by you and your staff at the circuit court. Yes. And sorry apologies for Maggalie Creech. She was supposed to be covering this, but she is stuck in New York and Brooklyn in the snow. 46 seems warm at that point. Uh, is there any other discussion on the floor before I call the question? All right. Seeing none, I'll call the question. All those in Oh, yes, Council Wearing.

May maybe I missed it. Um uh what didn't uh the federal government receive some uh approval from some entity to demolish this building? Actually, yes, Clemson did. Clemson got approval from the federal and the state. And what was that entity? USDA. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Council Member Weing. Is there any other discussion? Council member Greg, I see your light on. Oh, no. I didn't turn it on. Yep. [laughter]

All right. Is there any other discussion on the floor? If not, I'll call a question. All right. All those in favor of approving the settlement as presented by legal counsel, please signify by saying I. I. Opposers, nay. The eyes have it. And yes, we just have one actually. Oh, yes. And I'm sorry, I should acknowledge that Mayor Coswell has recused himself, which is why I'm standing up here in front of everybody. [laughter] The next city council meeting. Uh moving on to the next portion of the agenda. The next city council meeting will be March 10th uh 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Committee meetings to proceed before that. Uh so if there's nothing