Town Council - Special Meeting

Eric, I was just wondering...

Let me call to order the Mount Pleasant Town Council special meeting for this Tuesday, August the 11th. So item number two after the call to order is public comment. Is there anyone here for public comment? If there is, I would be shocked because everybody here is staff member. Y'all have that right, too. You want to make a comment? all right item three executive session for uh legal and contractual discussion and possible action regarding an economic development incentive package do we have a motion to go into executive session for the reason second all right before we vote the council may take action on any item including any subsection of any section listed on an executive session agenda or discussed in executive session during a properly noticed meeting All in favor of the motion to go into executive session, please say aye. Aye. All right.

Please note that we have entered executive session at this time.

During our 515 special town council meeting, no action was taken and no votes were cast. Do we have a motion that resulted from the information we received, please?

Make a motion to authorize staff to negotiate the economic incentive package.

Do we have a second? Second. Is there any discussion? Yes, sir.

Just very quick. I have nothing against that business in any way. I just don't believe in government business incentives.

All right.

Any other comments? Yes, sir. Yes, I just want to say a couple of things. I think we can safely say this involves an existing building that's been not used for quite some time. And so I like that part of it. And I also like that it's a homegrown business that expects to move into it.

all right all in favor of the motion uh as stated please say aye aye any opposed all right motion carries eight to one um item number five is recognition of mount pleasant track club state champions Come on in.

Hi, guys. Hey, how you doing?

All right. We have some special guests here tonight. We would like to recognize the Mount Pleasant Track Club on an outstanding 2026 season. With close to 450 athletes on the team and over 40 volunteer coaches, the Mount Pleasant Track Club won its 23rd straight USA Track and Field South Carolina State Championship. Athletes posted 914 personal records, broke three state records, and 19 team records, and claimed 38 individual and relay state titles, along with 11 region titles. Mount Pleasant Track Club finished second overall at the USATF Region 4 Championship, just five points behind the winning team. 52 athletes qualified for the USA Track and Field Junior Olympic Nationals in California. Eight athletes finished among the top eight in the nation in their events, earning All-American recognition, headlined by Elle Coco. Is Elle here?

All right.

Who won the national championship of 15-16 girls javelin? All right. We're pleased to welcome all the state champions, region champions, all Americans, and national qualifiers here tonight, along with their amazing coaches. Round of applause for the coaches, please. And we are so proud of you, and you did an amazing job representing the town of Mount Pleasant on the state and national stage. So thank you, guys. And let's take a picture. So y'all can look to the right.

All right.

Thank you all.

Good job, guys.

Thank you all. Congratulations.

She's an amazing person. That's so cool. She's so good.

All right, that concludes our agenda for our 515 Special Town Council meeting. We will prepare to adjourn that meeting, and then we will begin our regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. So this special council meeting is adjourned. We call to order the August 11 Town Council meeting for Mount Pleasant Town Council. Good to see everybody on this August day. And if you will please rise, we'll have a prayer led by Chaplain Dewey and then the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor Pro Tem Chapman.

Let us pray together. Lord, we thank you for this time that you've set aside for important business. We ask you to continue to bless our town, to make it even greater. And we thank you for those that are elected to serve, to lead us so that we can be better. We ask you to bless this time and bless our town. And in your special name we pray. Amen.

Please face the flag.

I 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.

Thank you very much. Yes.

That's right.

Item number three, approval of the agenda. We have a motion, please. Move to approve. Second. All right. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please say aye. Aye. All right. The agenda is approved. Item four, public hearings, awards, and presentations. We will begin with the blessing of the fleet check presentations.

Good evening, and thank you all. Nearly 40 years ago, Wayne Magwood brought Shem Creek Shrimping Families together with the town to establish the Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival. Anne Magwood and the other wives cooked shrimp, sold shirts, and voluntold their kids to work to support the cause. We are forever grateful to Anne, Tressie, Jennifer, Melissa, Tara for all their work they continue to put into producing one of the Lowcountry's favorite pastimes every year. The blessing aims to educate our community and visitors about the importance of supporting local fishermen while also honoring and celebrating this prominent part of our town's heritage. Thirteen vessels were blessed this year, including the lead Mount Pleasant police boat. Registered Shem Creek trawlers received $500 each in direct support of our local fleet. We encourage everyone to ask servers where their seafood comes from to help promote the local and wild American seafood movement. I always say seafood should come from our seats. Volunteers are a vital part of bringing the blessing to life each year, and our nonprofit partners put in a lot of work to receive the net proceeds of the event. This year's beneficiaries, the Lonin Foundation and East Cooper Mount Pleasant Kiwanis Club, helped us fill more than 100 volunteer shifts, along with many town employees who also volunteer their time. We are grateful for the generosity of time and effort from each of them. The Lonin Foundation works with Tri-County children impacted by a parent's cancer diagnosis or death to ensure they have access to resources that help them develop coping skills to mitigate the trauma of their experience and build resiliency. They help children throughout the Lowcountry to find comfort, heal, and grow from shared experiences. Since 2017, they have served more than 150 parents and children annually. It is the only Lowcountry organization providing certified child life specialist support outside of a hospital setting, and their individualized ongoing support is tailored to each family's needs and circumstances. East Cooper Mount Pleasant Kiwanis Club has been guided for nearly 50 years by the principles of doing good in our community, the country, and the world. The four-way test, objective rotary, and the avenues of service express the club's commitment to service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership. Oh, my gosh. Hmm. Anyway, sorry, I don't know. I messed something up here. Anyway, I hope you are all very familiar with the Kiwanis Club and everything that they do in our community. And... I would like to call up any of the Magwood family that is present, our founder and president, the founder and president, Anna Lonan, the Lonan Foundation Board Chair, Trey Namath, and Vice Chair, Reagan Falvey, and East Cooper Mount Pleasant Kiwanis Club President, Jason Stubbings, along with Club Treasurer, Elizabeth Tezza. All right. Thank you all. You can come right up here. Jennifer, if you would take care of that. We are proud to support these two important local causes. We had another incredible event this year and we're thrilled to present them each with a check for

I would remind Mr. Chapman that words carry weight.

nurses. them coming straight from work and I am sure they hear about their day but I think

Council there, so.

I don't know if y'all been listening to the news. It's the Take Care of Americans Veterans Act. Okay. Our VFW has been sending out over 500 letters to our congressmen. That's just our little post doing that, trying to get to take care of veterans. We don't want the one part in our Section 108. That's our biggest problem is that they start taking money away from veterans veterans. Now, what they're going to do to the future veterans who goes out there and sleeps in the field, in the rain, whatever condition, bombs going off, and our legislative guys want to take our money away from us. So we need y'all's support on that part, too. If anybody needs to come out and support our post, come visit us. Starting in September, every Friday night, we have dinners. You're more than welcome to come out and say hi to your constituents. Again, thank y'all for everything y'all have done for us. Thank you.

Next, please.

Hey, how are y'all? Andrew Johnston. Good to see y'all again.

Get your address, please.

Do I have to? Yes. Okay. 1251 Elysian Lane. The 120% obviously is not exactly what we were looking for when we first came out, but I think that's a good compromise. But like Ben said, this is a living, breathing thing. 80% with the current markets. I mean, just an example for myself. Yeah. For people that are trying or the purpose of these houses and why they're created is to allow people that either work in the area or first-time home buyers like myself that can't afford anything. I make $85,000 a year and $85,000 barely gets me into housing. A three hundred and seventy five thousand dollar home. These are a thousand square feet. But if we keep it at 80 percent, right, what we're doing is limiting not myself, but other people from the the opportunities of having these types of scenarios now. I'm in, which is great. But when I look to sell as other people have, it's going to cause a bigger problem because the pool is much smaller. There was a lot of hoops that I had to jump through just to get in. So while I did get in, I'm very grateful. And this is a great opportunity for people such as myself or others. I don't want this area or this type of public philosophy for workforce housing to become more of an entrapment for others like myself, like the couple that's sitting back there that have a young family as well. So with your consideration, I hope you guys approve the 120%. And like you said, it can become more of a fluid, living, breathing thing as the economy is, and we all know it. So thank you for your time. Thank you for your consideration. And I hope that you guys will approve it.

Is there anyone else to make a public comment? All right. Please come forward. Name and address, please. Two and a half minutes.

Good evening. Demetrius Holden. I live at 1815 Shoremead Road. Council Mayor, Chief. I'm here because of what was posted on the police website about the takeovers. If you're not aware of that, that has been happening for years in other parts of the country. It started originally in A lot of it in Baltimore. The thing about there's two sides to this, and I represent a lot of friends, business associates here in the town. And there's two sides to that. One is what you've been already talking about, which is eventually somebody is going to get hurt and it's going to be bad. But the flip side to that that I'd like to bring to your attention, if I may, is that just this weekend in Minneapolis, it was a blatant takeover of a U.S. Interstate 35. So when when that is allowed to fester, it's highly organized through social media. And I just want you to know. that myself, my community, everybody else supports our police department. I trust that you're on top of it to be strict and fair. But I did not move to this town in this area to have the nonsense from Minneapolis follow down here. But unfortunately, with social media, that's possible. So I'm here to show a sign of support and a faith. And we are very lucky to be in this community at this point in time. And so I'm here for support and also to bring that to your attention. Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

If there's no one else. All right. Public comment is closed. Move on to item number seven, consent agenda items. Do we have a motion for approval of all consent agenda items?

Second.

All right. Motion is to approve. Second. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries.

Final reading of consent agenda items A through F.

This moves us to item eight, planning new business.

Yes, sir. Good evening. Thank you, Mayor and Council. So this first item before you is a request to rezone a property at 913 Bowman from Office Professional 2 to AB1. You can see it here in the aerial. It's been in operation since 1975. It actually consists of three separate suites. And there's been a medical supply business there for many years to support the hospital. And the proposal is actually to change one of the suites to a small sort of specialty grocer. And you cannot do that in the OP2 district. So the proposal is to rezone to AB1 suites. That is appropriate given the future land use. Both of those zonings are appropriate. There is no proposal to change any of the external or the other two suites. It's just going to be that 2,000 square foot suite. But the property would go to AB1 to allow that use. So I'm happy to answer questions if you have them.

Do we have a motion?

Move to approve. Second.

All right. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion on this?

I just have a quick question.

Yes, sir. Mr. Ikefong.

Go ahead. The suite is the size of the parcel?

No, the parcel consists of a large building, but there's three separate suites.

You could rezone just a suite?

No, no, no, no. They're going to rezone the whole parcel, but there's no, only one of the suites went vacant. The other two plan to stay in business.

Okay, just clarifying that.

My apologies.

No, that's okay. I heard it, Robert. I thought I heard you. You were right.

You weren't the only one.

Ms. Chow? Can you show which one they're going to create a grocery store at?

I think it's going to be this front suite right here. Is that where the pharmacy used to be? Yes.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I'm just wondering about parking at the grocery store.

Yeah. Yeah, they'll have to meet the parking and everything for it. They're not proposing to expand it, though. It's going to stay in that 2,000 square foot area. So they'll have to go through at least staff level. Depending on what sort of internal changes they make, they probably won't have to go to DRB, but they will have to meet parking and any of those other requirements. Okay.

for a change in use okay um so i get that the future land use supports it however the surrounding everything else surrounding it is op2 also wouldn't a grocery generate significant more trips than the office that's there

It's a pharmacy. Yeah, it's been a pharmacy. The grocery is sort of one of those specialized, you know, the one by Sea Island Shopping Center, the one in there. It's going to be kind of like that where you would get local organic groceries. type products. So it's not going to be like a Publix or any Aldi's, Trader Joe's, anything like that. It's going to be kind of a small specialty store. And so we would look at trips and things like that when they go through for any sort of change in use.

I think I'm going to vote against that. I just, I don't like how it puts it on an island, regardless of what the future land use map says. It's surrounded by OP2 and that's what's in that area.

Yeah. So does this say the Planning Commission and the Planning Committee of Council both recommended approval?

Yes, sir.

Okay. All right. Any other discussion?

One more question. Is there any reason why you wouldn't do just where they want to do the grocery store rather than the whole thing?

No, you can't. You have to rezone the entire parcel. That would be sort of a split zone type, and it's not allowed by our ordinance.

All right. All right. All in favor of the motion to approve on first reading, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

No.

Okay. Seven to two. Motion carries.

First reading, ordinance number 26041.

Item number two, please.

Yes, sir. I'll present these two together, but they will need separate votes. This is a proposal to annex and zone two parcels on Venning Road. You can see them here in the aerial. They're both sort of odd-shaped, sitting off of venting but backing up to NPW's operations facility. It is owned by the same, this property is already in zone R1, which is what the future land use recommends. And if it were to come in, that would be what it was zoned automatically. The proposal is for these two properties to annex and zone R1 as well. And you can see it here in the context of the surrounding. R1 is what you see in the residential, aside from the PD and the PI. And again, it is the appropriate zoning for these parcels. So it's to annex and zone those two parcels.

You look to approve.

Move to approve annexation.

Second. Okay, the motion on item number two, which is the annexation, is to approve. It was also recommended approval by the planning committee. Any other discussion? All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries.

First reading, ordinance number 26042.

All right. Item three is the zoning.

Yes, sir. R1. Again, it's what's recommended. It's what it would be automatically assigned if it were to come in without a request.

We didn't used to vote on these. It used to be an annexation only. If we vote no, it's R1. If we vote yes, it's R1. Why is it on the agenda? I mean, I'm dead serious. It seems ludicrous.

It was part of the zoning code change, the recommendation change. This is something we've talked about at the town for years about whether it can be automatically zoned or not. And there are split opinions on that. And the safe way is an affirmative vote by council. So if council were to say no, technically it would have no zoning and then either one or two extremes. You could build nothing or you could build anything. And so it was just determined, at least when we were rewriting the code, that this is the better option.

So would we have, if there is a vote, so we would have the opportunity to say we don't know to R1 and suggest a different zoning at this same time?

Well, right now it's up for R1, but if there were to be another zoning, we'd have to have a public hearing on that zoning. So... Because it's advertised as, and it has gone through the processes, R1. So if you're going to increase the zoning to a business or something, or a higher level of residential, R2, R3, R4, you have to have a public hearing.

Community conservation. Right. You would still have to have a public hearing. Well, I'll be suggesting.

We can't amend first reading. All right. We have a motion, but I did not hear a second.

Did we have a motion?

Second. Okay. Motion to approve in a second. Any further discussion? All right. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? No. Okay. Motion carries.

First reading, ordinance number 26043.

All right. Move to section B, old business final reading on the Gregory Ferry Landing project.

Yes, sir. So this did have first reading last month. It was sent back to planning committee for further discussion.

But what do we make changes? Yes. Okay. Second. Okay.

We have a motion to approve and a second. So we are in discussion. If there's any amendments, please propose.

Yes, sir. I'd like to amend the ordinance to max out the total area, medium area income of the Gregory Ferry townhomes to 120%. Second. Okay.

So the motion is to, and that would be obviously an increase.

It would be an increase, but it's not more. They were requesting $150,000. So because it's lower than that, and this is a PD amendment, that's an appropriate amendment for a PD.

Got it. Okay. So to raise the level to 120% of area median income, we had a second. We're in discussion, Ms. Hyatt? Yes.

Do we have, I think the slide before that we were showing, does that show that the 120% is still considered within the range of workforce housing? So I think that was a reason at committee that we had some conversations about being comfortable with that. Yes, ma'am. Mayor.

Any other discussion? Yes. Yes.

All right. So I got a couple of comments here. I've done some some diligence on this over the last couple of weeks. Really appreciate the homeowners coming and asking us and making themselves available for conversation and questions as well. I'm going to be a no vote on this and would encourage my fellow council members to to consider a couple of points I'll make about why. So a little context, because I was new, I needed to refresh my memory on all of this as well. These opened in 2020. It was originally supposed to be 42 units. Because of COVID and the separate entrances and hallways required, we already went from 42 to 36. So we already lost six units there that we originally intended for this affordable housing community. Originally priced in 2020 between $240,000 and $269,000. The home that sold this year sold for $367,500. So there has been a sale in this calendar year for that price. I think when I talked to the folks at Origin SC, that's who both verifies the income verification for the buyers to make sure, or the renters at this point, to make sure they qualify. But they also update annually the maximum allowable sales price. That is not a standard percentage, which I think wanted to clarify that. So they use inflation either by HUD for AMI in terms of the percentage or the consumer index, whichever is greater. So from last year to this year, the increase was 5.98% in terms of the allowable increase there. So while I respect and appreciate that it's hard to find qualified buyers from the AMI perspective that can also qualify for a traditional mortgage and that the existing homeowners want to, you know, get as much kind of equity and profit out of their sale as they can. I think the town market, had this intended just between five and six years ago for affordable housing with the AMI level of 80% or below. And I don't think that changing, you know, trying to address our housing crisis just by shifting the target demographic from low income to middle income really helps us achieve what we need to, which is an increase in the diversification of our housing market. price points. So I think there were two key questions. Is there a resale and financing problem at Gregory Ferry Towns and is raising the income ceiling? to 120 or 150 AMI the appropriate solution. And where I fall down on this is it may be difficult, and I understand that, but there are different non-traditional financing options for these kinds of buyers. South Carolina Housing offers low rates and down payment assistance for up to 100% of AMI. and up to a $450,000 home price. Federal programs like Fannie Mae Home Ready offer 3% down payment options specifically for 80% and below AMI buyers. So there are low down payment options grants for exactly these kind of buyers. I think we do have to get creative in terms of making sure people know that these homes are out there and how they can qualify and how they can also find financing to be able to do it. I don't want to... shift, basically, what we have set aside only a max five or six years after we did it. We don't even know if it's working yet, I think, because it's not 20 years later, right? It's only between five and six years later. So I'd really like to preserve the affordability for the next household. And that's the way I feel about it in terms of a council issue that we've got to prioritize the affordability of these units. So I'll be a NOVA on this to keep it at 80% or below.

Yes, sir.

Thank you. So when I studied a little bit of the definitions, below 60% is lower income affordable housing. 60% to 80% is affordable to lower moderate income households. 80% to 120% AMI is workforce housing, and that is to support teachers, firefighters, police officers, healthcare workers, and hospitality employees. That is who I fight for and that is who I support. That's who I've always supported. So, you know, the issue with the formula is that the entire formula is broken. It's broken in the fact because it doesn't follow interest rates. So as interest rates rise, then you must make more money in order to do it. Like I think at 80%, it puts you at 47% loan rate, which... banks are not going to give you a loan on that. So I'm going to be a yes vote because of the teachers, firefighters, police officers, healthcare workers, and obviously the hospitality employees as well. But so thank you. And I'm in full support. Mr. Browsing?

Yes. Thank you, sir. And I appreciate Councilwoman Whitaker's comments. To me, I don't view this as a shift. I think when it was originally opened up and anticipated that it would accommodate teachers, nurses, food and bev people, all of the workers that we need in our community to make us function and operate on a daily basis. And I take Councilmember Icafano's point that it's really an interest rate issue. What I'm hearing from the residents of Gregory Ferry is that even a teacher, a Charleston County teacher, earns too much to an AMI greater than 80%. And so they're not able to afford this. And what concerns me is that by not making this adjustment, there's a very limited pool of people who can qualify for those loans. And we really do need those homes to be occupied by the people who are working in our community and make it work. And let alone if you have a married couple. very difficult for them to fall on that 80%. And so even somebody that's making more money than that, 120% AMI, there really are no other options of places that they can afford in this town at this point. And so I really don't view it as shifting the focus. I think it's maintaining the initial intent of the Gregory Ferry development. So I'm in support of this change. Yes.

Ms. Crosby.

Thank you. I appreciate all the people who came out to support this. I agree with Ms. Whitaker. I understand all those points. However, I feel like the original concept wasn't necessarily intended to be someone's forever home. I think it was to give the opportunity to people to have homeownership, build equity, and then be able to move on. And if they can't move on, they can't give the next family an opportunity to, those same opportunities to be in home ownership. So, I will be a yes vote for the 120. I think it's a good compromise. And it still falls within the workforce housing. So, yeah.

All right. Any other comments? Is that a yes or no? Okay.

I don't know if you're asking to be recognized.

Thank you. Okay. So, we did have a motion and a second on the amendment. So, this would be the vote on the amendment to set the limit at 120% of AMI. So, all in favor of the motion to amend, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed?

No.

Okay. So, the motion carries. All right. Are there any other proposed amendments to the main motion, to the primary motion? All right. So the ordinance would be amended to reflect the 120. If there are no other comments, all in favor to approve the ordinance as amended, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed?

No.

Okay. Motion carries.

Final reading, ordinance number 26036.

Item two, an ordinance to provide for temporary or more to approve. Second. I have a motion to approve and a second. Is there any discussion?

Yes, sir. All right. Question. This is the temporary moratorium on major subdivisions in historic areas. Where we left off last time, there was some question about whether Charleston County was going to place the 10-mile community in this moratorium or not. Where do we stand with that?

So they'll have final reading on the 21st of August. At second reading, they did vote to extend it and include 10-mile, but only for one year. So the second reading vote said we'll include 10-mile for one year. The other historic properties would be two years. They still have to have third reading. So that's where it's at.

Okay. A question or I guess maybe a concern. What happens if our moratorium covers 10 mile but the county doesn't? Would areas be able to subdivide and create new neighborhoods under the county's rules then? And if so, would those properties then be on septic tanks?

I can't speak specifically to the septic tanks. It's going to depend on where the property is. But if the county moratorium expires or goes away before ours... then yes, if a property is still in the county and not annexed into the town and covered under our moratorium, they would be able to do whatever the 10-mile zoning overlay district allows them to do. Again, keep in mind, their moratorium applies to their properties and our moratorium and the zoning applies to our properties. And there's maybe... Eight, 10, 12 properties are in the town. The rest are in the county.

Okay, thank you. So my concern is that if our moratorium doesn't exactly mirror what the county has on the books, it kind of creates the problem that we were attempting to solve with this moratorium in the first place, and that was we didn't have a historic designation, and the county did, and so that was pushing people forward. to annex into the town to get around the county rules. I guess my concern without knowing what the county is going to do is if they don't have a moratorium and we do, does that not encourage people to go with the county in order to avoid our rules? And if so, is that going to create additional neighborhoods with septic tanks? And so that's my concern tonight. And it's not an opposition to the moratorium. I believe in it. I just wish that we were doing this in a sequence where we knew what the county was going to do.

Can we defer? Having attended each of those county council meetings, and watched the deliberations and how they went about and knowing fully what 10 Mile has been going through to go through all the hoops. And I think each of the council members received some correspondence that showed a timeline of how they've been diligent about meeting all the requirements. It takes two to tango. That means if you only have one staff member at county council and they're only going one at a time and they have 10 settlement communities and you keep being put off, that was one of the issues. So in the first reading, there were some misinformation with some of the council members that thought that, and we received some of that as well, that the 10-mile was dragging their feet and they were slow about this. It couldn't be anything wrong. but the opposite. They've been very diligent about it. They had their character appraisal two years ago, and we were told at the county level and others, well, they haven't finished their character appraisal. Well, they did it two years ago, and then they were told to pivot to the historic district geographic designation and then to the ordinance, which they did. But in the meantime, they just didn't have the staff of the county that was following up on it. So the first reading left them out completely because there were a couple council members that I just stated how they said it. They felt like they had been there. They had talked to the people, et cetera. The fact showed otherwise. And so in the second reading, it went from six months to a year, and they felt that year would give them the time to complete it. Now, I know that they really want to get it completed because it helps them. They really want to see it done, but they can only work as fast as the county. So if we got into a conundrum, as you suggest, they would be the most aware of it. But I'd rather have it be blanket without an exclusion or a one-year exclusion. I'd like to see it give them the time that they need. I think they're going to work hard to get it done quicker. But I think misinformation caused them to be excluded and then to go from six, not passed on at six, but then passed at a year. And it was just a tight vote. I think it was 5-4. So I think we will send a good, strong message to them for their third reading about how we feel about it. So perhaps they could flip that vote. I know there's going to be work from the 10 mile to get the people to flip the vote. So I'd rather not go back. I'd rather say, here, we stand strong with the settlement communities. And we suggest that your third reading, you know, that you go to the full amount.

Yeah. So thank you, Mr. Tinkey. And I agree with what you're saying. I think, though, if in the event that the county does not do that, we need to make sure that our moratorium mirrors what they ultimately pass. So we're not creating a scenario where one government is going to allow them to do something that another isn't and kind of create that jurisdictional shopping. So I plan to vote yes on this tonight, but in the event that the county comes back with something different, I think that we should mirror what they have so we're not creating a scenario where people can sort of venue shop and they're going to get more from one than the other and so we can be consistent, which was the original intent of this moratorium.

And one last comment. I will say that they left off. Let me recognize Mr. Chapman. He hadn't had a chance to speak yet.

Yes. I'm hearing some of the same things we heard when we were waiting on the county before. And I think, to be fair, we need to defer this until the county gives their reading at the end of this month. then we will know, in fact, what we are competing against or not competing against. That way, we don't have to do something, and then the next month change it. So my suggestion, and I'll make the motion, that we defer item.

That's not a valid motion. There's a motion on the floor right now. So either that has to be addressed, voted on, or withdrawn and move forward.

There's a motion to approve. You could make a motion to set an effective date.

You could amend it. You could amend it with a date. I agree with the deferral as well. If the vote doesn't go through on the county side, I want to encourage people. to come into the town of Mount Pleasant, pay Mount Pleasant taxes, and get on water and sewer, and no more septic tanks.

I would be. Let's go back to Mr. Pagliarini on the point of order, though, first. Yes, sir. So, just a second. All right. So, the motion, there is a motion to approve. So, we would have to take action on the primary motion, and then there would have to be a motion to defer? Yes, sir. Either by motion.

I'll withdraw my motion. It could be withdrawn. I don't know who seconded it.

I second, but I would not. Okay. Well, then my motion stands.

Mr. Chairman, the question for Mr. Pagliarini. When we passed this at first reading, we invoked the pending ordinance doctrine. Would that still be in effect if we defer this for another month? Or does that become moot at that point and there's no subdivision moratorium in these historic districts?

No, sir. That remains in effect.

So in practice, if we were to defer for another month, there's still a moratorium on subdivision within these historic districts?

Correct. Okay. So if you would withdraw, if you would withdraw, if you would withdraw the second, and then we'll have a motion to defer because the pending ordinance doctrine will carry forward so we still have one.

may I make a comment? Uh, I think we send a stronger message. They actually have two parts to it. They made it one year and they did what I would think of as spot zoning. They, they excluded one property. Uh, so what they're going to be voting on is one year and excluding a property, uh, from the, um, so I, anyhow, I would feel stronger if we sent a message that, um, that we were not taking it as one year.

May I add, if this gets voted down, we won't be sending a very strong message. So I think the wise move is to withdraw the second and then let's vote on a motion to defer with the pending ordinance doctrine and we accomplish the same thing. But that's just my opinion. I think if this gets voted down, the point you're making would be moot.

Well, I'll withdraw then and so we can do pending ordinance. But I I think what's going to happen is they're going to come back with one year and take the digital property up.

Okay. So the motion has been with John. I move to defer. To defer. To next month's council meeting.

Second. Okay. Do we need to state for a point of order the pending ordinance doctrine, or is it already in effect from first reading? We wrote it into the actual ordinance, so it is a matter of record. Okay. So there is a pending ordinance doctrine, so we, in effect, have a moratorium. Yes.

I just want to say for the record, I have no faith in county council doing anything remotely in favor of the people of Mount Pleasant in this community. So I don't care what they do.

Okay. All right. All in favor of the motion to defer, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Nay. Okay. So eight to one. Motion carries.

Thank you.

We are moving to Section 10, Council New Business Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing and Approving Carta Fiscal Year 2027 Budget. We say this every year. We are not – this does not include any Mount Pleasant money. It's just an approval. to it, and we have Mr. Mitchum here. Should there be any questions?

Mayor, I request to be recused in this.

Yes, understood. Thank you. Councilman Brownstein and I serve on CARTA, and I think the budget is as sound and under as much scrutiny as any budget I've ever seen at CARTA. Councilman Brownstein, not to steal your thunder, but if you want to chime in.

Yes, I agree with you. It's a budget that goes to all of the different member agencies that have to approve it, and then it goes into effect. It's something that we track very closely at our meetings, and it would be my pleasure to move for adoption. I'll second.

Okay. I just want to say one thing.

I know when I served with you, we appreciate you, Mr. Mitchum, so you do great work. Thank you.

Thank you.

Any discussion?

All in favor of the motion to approve, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries.

Resolution 2608.

Item number two is a memorandum of agreement between Charleston County School District. Do you need to recuse? Yes, I do. Okay. As an employee of the school district. All right. Thank you.

So we'll get one back and lose one.

Do we have a motion?

No different.

Second. Motion and a second. Is there any discussion on the memorandum regarding school resource officer program? All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Solution 26082. Item number three is first reading of an ordinance making the Mount Pleasant Green Space Environmental Ecology and Natural Resources or Green Commission a standing commission. This is first reading only and to approve and seconded. So we are in discussion. We can make amendments at second reading. I hope everyone had a chance to read this. I want to point out one thing is that we will get, since it actually expired, we will get all those interested who have been on it to reapply. And also that gives us the opportunity between now and second reading to get input on some. We need to stagger terms. Some would want a longer term and some would want a shorter term. We would hate to lose anybody that really wants to continue on the commission just based on their timing or other commitments or the demands of it. So that's one reason that that's there. So is there any other discussion on first reading of the Green Commission? I've got one. Yes, sir.

Did we get the final report on it? Was that sent to us? Yes. I haven't received it.

We extended a month. That was two months ago.

The final report?

Yes. We got the year-end report, yes.

Was it emailed?

Yeah, I don't think I have it either. We'll get it to you again.

It may have just gone to the committee is my guess.

It's supposed to go to everybody. I didn't get it. It's long. She didn't get it. Yeah, I thought everybody got it. So we'll get it to everybody. Is there any other discussion?

Yes, sir. Appreciate it. I was wondering if it would be helpful in the ordinance if we, there's some, I think, some big environmental challenges that we're facing in this community, one of them being sea level rise. and so I was wondering if we could perhaps vote tonight but send this back to committee next month and include some specific kind of big-ticket projects that we'd like this group to work on because there's a people that have great credentials on it and specialties and I think we could really put them to use on some of these bigger picture items. And so maybe like two or three priorities. Yeah, you don't want to overdo it, but enough for them to sink their teeth into and to make sure that kind of have a little bit of focus on the committee. And that's my only point. I just think it would be helpful to put that in there.

And that's totally consistent with the ordinance. It says that the agenda items actually come from town council. We'll set the big picture. We do it through committees and council and then let them work on the big picture. So good point. And I'm glad that when you drafted this, it was already in there.

Yeah. So if maybe we could have some discussion about what those items would be prior to the final vote, I think that'd be helpful.

Sure. Yeah, let's make sure that's on our committee agenda. Water supply and flood resilience, as is mentioned in there. All right, any other discussion? All in favor of first reading of the ordinance, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Aye. Motion carries. Old business, there's no council old business items. Item 11 is to adjourn. There'll be no further business. This council meeting is adjourned.

Item 17. Thank you.