City of Charleston SC Committee on Real Estate, 10 Apr 2023

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From YouTube: City of Charleston Committee on Real Estate 4/10/2023

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City of Charleston Committee on Real Estate 4/10/2023

A

A

All right good afternoon, everybody I'd like to call it hello, Mr Mayor I'd like to call to order the um April 10th 2023 committee on real estate.

A

um Unfortunately, council member Greg is I believe across the pond, um and so he won't be able to give today's invocation, but um I can always count on councilman shade to drop an invocation on us um on short notice. So if you don't mind.

B

Thank you, um Mr chairman, um we're in this season of, uh in which three major religions are celebrating High, holidays and and holy times, and unfortunately, we are besieged by reports of violence across the the Universe um and even in our in our own backyard, uh more instances of violence when there should be a time of peace and Harmony and mutual respect from one another.

B

We see just just the opposite, so we call them the almighty to guide us to protect us to help us be respectful for each other in our diversity that we are able to be been of good will and through that divine intervention that we may be prosperous and happy in God's name. We pray, amen.

A

Thank you, uh councilman shade. That was very. um It was very that was very good. um First item up on the agenda is the approval of the March 27 2023 minutes can I get a motion so.

B

A

Exactly moved and properly seconded any discussion hearing, none all in favor, please signify by saying aye aye the eyes have it um first item up is an authorization for the mayor to execute, on behalf of the City of Charleston, a quick claim deed and any other documents necessary to quit. Claim property designated as Charleston County TMS number.

A

463-10-04-034- and this is pertaining to a sewer pump station going over to CP, W um or CWS. Sorry, um I got them and mpw mixed up in my mind for a second I'll. Never do that again. um Who do we have okay, Melissa? You want to take this this one away.

C

That's me, thank you, chairman I'm gonna share my screen, and so we're going to be talking about this red uh square right here. um It is on 10th Avenue between Saint Margaret, Street and uh George Grove Street.

C

um This red parcel is what the city currently owns. This parcel immediately to the north, ending in one two nine is what uh CWS owns and if we can go to this Google street view, this is a pump station in this fenced area that is operated by CWS or CPW. Sorry same thing um and the city's property is about right here and see.

C

um Pw's property is about right here, and the pump station is mainly on the city property, but a little bit on their property. uh Recently, a tree fell onto the property I'm, not sure which tree, um and so when they were trying uh to work all that out. They realized that the city still owns this property, uh and so they are asking us to quick claim the property over to them.

C

It's not a very large property um and in fact it is uh when it was granted to the city it was limited to for the purpose of a pumping station.

B

A

Moved and properly.

B

Yeah, you muted, you don't mute this Amir. Thank you. Second,.

A

Moved and properly seconded um any discussion hearing, none all in favor, please signify by saying aye, aye aye, all right, Mr, Marion, councilman, shade, I'm gonna need y'all moving and second in um until the time for the foreseeable future. Here, okay, um all right! Thank you, Melissa for that. That sounds like a a no-brainer, um always good to consolidate government services, where possible.

A

Next item on the agenda has to do with our um Urban Greenbelt application, um who, from staff, is going to give us a little rundown on this one.

A

Looks like we're revising this application to add it just for parcels and it'll only increase the funding request by twelve thousand three hundred and sixty dollars. So it looks like a pretty moderate um Amendment Matt. Do you want to maybe give us a more background on this.

D

One sure and I heard I heard Jason just jumped in as well, but essentially we had the original Green Dot application for the Woodmere property off Ashley Hall Road. um Since that time there are three other Parcels adjacent to it: two bodies of water and an island that are owned by the beach company.

D

um The beach company has agreed to essentially give these properties to the city, which would expand the potential park space by about 30, Acres, wow, and all we are doing is with this resolution is bringing in some additional costs through the Grant application to cover our due diligence costs, mostly associated with environmental and surveying.

E

Thanks Matt.

A

Great well, um you know that's that.

B

All sounds wonderful, so move Mr chairman moved.

A

Him properly exactly it did um any further discussion from any of the committee members questions.

A

This one sounds like a no-brainer as well. All in favor, please signify saying.

E

Aye aye Mr, chairman I, would I would just like to publicly thank um sure, Mr, John Darby and the beach company for green, to um give this property to the city. I think it'll long term greatly enhance a park and and be able to add a water feature and also a land connection. All the way over to the corner of um behind St Joseph's Catholic Church over there I forget the name of the street Hollenberg.

E

There you go, um it could make a little Park, a really nice thing long term. So we we thank the beach company for their for their generosity. On this one.

A

Wonderful, absolutely I'd like to Echo that thanks to the beach company- and you know we're doing so many new parks on the water in West Ashley, it's hard to keep track of them all between wpal Carl Richardson. This one um really really making some great progress over in West Ashley on on Parks, especially on the water.

A

So um all in favor, please signify by saying aye, aye aye unanimously approved um next item- has to do with an authorization for the mayor to execute, on behalf of the city at third addendum to the mou with the friends of the low line, and this is for the use of Tiff funds uh regarding ongoing conceptual design, work, uh Miss, Copeland,.

F

Thank you chairman. uh So, yes, uh in 2021, we issued a second agenda for this mou with the friends of the low line uh to incorporate 150 000 from the Cooper River Bridge Tiff.

F

um After some discussions uh with the friends below line, we are now entering or suggesting we enter into this third addendum we're, thereby relinquishing uh their use of the 150 000 to the city so that we can use those funds toward the completion of the engineering phase uh for the low line.

G

B

A

B

Sorry councilman shade yeah can I ask a question of uh legal advisor. How much of the Tiff money are. We are we talking about.

F

um It's a hundred fifty thousand dollars.

B

Thank you ma'am, so.

A

Is it this, it's not the same 150 we approved in 2021, or is it.

E

It's the same money, we're just approval back to utilize it um for some from cost items that that makes more most sense right now, for the city to complete.

A

I see so the funding's already been approved, we're just modifying what the funding could be used for right.

F

The MLB was pretty restrictive.

A

I see got it got it.

D

In there right so part of what happened with the federal planning Grant, the city received for the low line, it meant that the activities being performed by the friends of Illinois line might not necessarily need to be done anymore, and there were some other environmental things that we needed to get done before. We could move forward on the federal planning Grant. So in conversation with the friends of low line, they they agreed to relinquish that original allocation. We gave to them I.

A

D

We would be taking on the planning through the Federal Grant, and it would then allow us the money to move some of the environmental work forward. In the meantime,.

A

Got it got it? What sounds good any further? uh Well, I think um we need a second second I. Think the mayor moved and now councilman shade has seconded any further discussion questions hearing none all in favor, please say goodbye by saying: hi hi the eyes have it. We.

B

Are going to move.

A

I assume for all four councilman shade. Yes, sir, all right, um we've got a motion on the floor. To approve the four annexations on the agenda. Can I get a second.

A

Second, uh moved and properly seconded um Molly. Are you on the line? Do you do you want to maybe give us a quick rundown on some of these sure.

G

uh Four or five thousand dollar tin, Circle and item two, which is 2223 North Darlington Circle, um item 3 2138 wapu Drive, is our only one from James Island this meeting, it's in the Riverland Terrace neighborhood and items one two and three are single family residential item. Four is a commercial property 912 Savannah highway? This is the Keystone. Chiropractic is operating there right now, no major developments or other requests. So we don't foresee any issues with items one through four. Thank you.

A

Sounds good and um Molly for D2, that's, not our Christopher Morgan. Is it or is.

G

It no it's an imposter, unbelievable.

A

G

A

Know I I know our Christopher would have been in the city a long time, I've.

E

Been a sitting resident for.

A

Almost 30 years, absolutely I would have it no other way well good deal. um We got a motion on the floor for all four annexations uh moved and properly seconded any discussion hearing, none all in favor, please signify by saying aye aye the eyes have it. Thank you.

A

um The next item on our agenda is the Fourth Amendment to the mou between the City of Charleston and landmark Enterprises Services LLC, um and this is to extend the review.

H

A

Under the agreement by UH 60 days, um uh Julia, do you want to give some comments on this, or do we have the landmark folks.

F

Well, we do actually have the landmark folks here, but this of course you know culmination of conversations that have been had during the ad hoc committee um with our Landmark team and the members of the committee. uh There was a request that uh Landmark provides some Alternatives, potentially a solid footprint for the committee and ultimately Council to consider and uh Landmark is agreeable to that.

F

They've asked for 60 days, however, in order to come up with some alternative concept plans for Council to consider so right now, I have it down for May 23rd, but um I think we would ask and I'm sure Jason will want to chime in. We would ask that we just extend this to 60 days. Time would go.

B

Mr chairman, to ask a question sure of course so Julia do. We need to accept it to June 23rd.

F

You know I'm trying to do a date to date. Calendar at this moment.

B

So I'm sorry I did what you said: I'm.

F

Working on I'm trying to find I'm working on the day-to-date calendar right now for us did you already run that for me.

I

uh Probably be June, 14th or 15th I would think.

E

Well, well, just an outside chance that we end up um the the June meeting, which would be June 20th, let's at least take it through the 21st.

E

I know they want to be able to bring this matter back to us before then, but um we might as well include that June meeting. Don't you think.

B

So we're going to extend it to June 21st 2023.

B

Do we need to put an amendment to this um request? Yes, sir, so Mr chairman I, move that we amend this resolution to extend the review period deadline to June, 21st 2023..

B

A

Moved and properly seconded um the amended motion is on the floor. um Any further discussion, questions Mr.

B

Chairman I'd ask that we've got um all representatives from landmark and if they could just give us a little update of where we are, but then I saw a memo that they had prepared the more we have them available. I think it'd be helpful if they could chime in sounds good I see Jason there now Jason.

A

H

So we're we're starting our process, um obviously, with with the committee um to re-look at the public project and yeah. So a better way to uh you know, tear down the project. If you will convince the project still not take away from the project, but give us the things that we want, while we can figure it out certain Solutions on site. So that's really the exercise and the goal and so I'm working to do which we're going to take some time to to reanalyze that and bring it back to the city.

B

Jason, you were breaking up pretty good over there. I don't know if I was only one having a problem hearing you, uh let's see foreign.

H

Communication issue uh I do apologize.

B

So Mr chairman my understanding and where we're headed with this is that um this proposal for the sumar street site um would eliminate the need for an underground or above ground garage. This would these these plans would include a surface lot only um and reduce the other footprint. I think that Landmark is looking at so um I would certainly support this uh amended resolution to give them an opportunity to proceed until June 21st.

B

This is going to take a a good bit of time and effort on their part with their architect. Another team, so you see where we are with with this project, but I think this is consistent with the comments we've had from our ad hoc committee that we formed a couple of months ago and our discussions discussions with our other council members.

B

um This is actually going back to plan A I. What I would call um that was initially proposed to council some time ago from our in in-house design team, so I would move that we um approve e as amended.

B

E

A

E

Already seconded the motion, yep yep.

A

We've got a motion: um the amended motion has been moved and properly seconded um and it's on the floor and I would just comment by saying that this um uh this extension of the mou doesn't take off the table.

A

Any of the work that's been performed by Landmark to date, uh any of the approved plans and things of that nature it'll just provide us with something else to look at, as some of the members of the ad hoc committee have requested, as councilman shade alluded to, and this will just give us all the information we need to chart the best course forward for West Ashley and the city as a whole.

A

E

And thank you, Mr, chairman, and without restating what you just said: I wanted to thank Jason and Ward and landmark for their continuing to work with us on this. It may be uh at this point. It's my belief that the option we have on the table is the best proposal, but uh Council wanted to see some other options. This will provide that and um we we thank I'm thankful for for their patience, um uh Jason's and landmark's patients and Leo Leo and all his team to be able to help us work through this. Thank you.

A

Absolutely I, second, that as well um councilman Waring, I, see you've joined.

I

Yeah dude, thank you guys. I think I came on the tail end of an amendment. Can I get that explained.

A

Sure the agenda item um originally was a 30-day extension um and we've amended the item to extend it um for 60 days through June 21st 2023. And the idea here is for landmark to go back to the drawing board and come up with a conceptual alternative for Council to look at as we continue to move forward with the process.

B

A

I

Mr chairman, if I.

B

Can just add on to that to to inform the councilman we're wearing this proposed plan would not include a uh garage either above ground or underground. It would just include a project that would be a surface lot and then would reduce the number of uh buildings on this property as well. So this is would be consistent.

B

I would suggest councilmember Wayne, with what our discussions have been uh uh on hack ad hoc committee, that we put together some time ago um that it would be along those lines that we have been discussing and um debating about foreign.

I

Continuing to discuss um but I do believe uh Landmark is you know that termination fee if we were to terminate this I, think they've earned that um I think they put us in the position of all of us are focusing a little bit more on what could um go there. uh You know mayor to end our discussion. um There's you know whenever it was at the last ad hoc meeting.

I

You know talked about possibly scaling back and some of the same things you just mentioned uh councilman shade and that you know um you know no underground parking. I mean I'm a favorite looking at all of that, and I'm in favor of landmark is going to be the person that I mean they know more about it right now than any other single uh developer. That I know of I'm.

C

In favor of doing.

I

I think, instead of men and I, think we pay These Guys these gentlemen for what they've done and then, if they're willing to continue with it and continue looking at it, I'm willing to vote to do that. But I, don't I! Think the um the part about whether we do what's been.

H

I

I think we need to decide if we got majority Council that want to do it and move on and do.

E

I

I think we put.

E

A nail in that.

I

And then move on to um uh if it's the scale down version or another version- um and you know I, don't want to throw an elbow to Landmark I think they've been in there a long time with us. I, don't I, think they've been gentlemen about it and they're, certainly professional at what they do. But.

E

I, don't think we.

I

I, don't think we should have anybody thinking going forward again.

H

I

The majority is for the current plan. Then I think you just vote to move forward with the current plan, but if the majority is not for that, then I don't think we should extend this agreement.

E

I think, if anything, we enter a new agreement.

I

And move forward with um it's just kind of kicking the same can down the road.

I

um That's the way, I'm looking at it's just one person viewpoint, but so, if they're willing to hang in there with us for 60 days, I think we just do that on another agreement, but for what they've done I think we we pay them for what they've done and then move forward um and and open up to to new ideas, I'm willing to do that with them so because they they have put.

H

I

Of time in this thing, but extending basically the same agreement for 60 days, just delays a decision, that's either going to be a vote up or vote down and.

E

I

That point now we weren't at that point 30 days ago, but we're at that point now just my thoughts.

A

H

Further discussion.

A

All right hearing, none um we've got a motion on the floor. The amended motion all in favor, please signify by saying aye.

D

I

A

A vote now: okay, um the eyes, have it three to one um Jason, thanks for your participation and for hanging in there with us and um we'll keep at it.

B

Thank you, Jason.

A

All right, um let's, let's close on a uh on a boat landing uh matter. This is over in um my district over in Riverland Terrace and, um if you didn't think um Paving um boat Landings in South, Carolina was legally complicated, um I'm here to tell you it is, but I believe. The good news here is that the city is going to have to spend a lot less money than we thought we did um originally. Is that right, Miss Copeland, that.

F

Is right? Yeah we've got some good news, so originally the plan was so. This is Plymouth Avenue right here.

F

Here you know, with a little windmill uh off Plymouth Avenue over in burns down county is Paving the section of roadway, and initially the county had reached out to us about Paving this section straight into the uh the boat landing and the cost would have been about 31 500..

F

um It turns out, thanks to some some people on our staff, like Matt Compton who's, been here for a very long time who had uh some knowledge and some documents from 96. It turns out that this is actually dot right of way, and this blue section right here or actually I'm sorry. This little orange section right here is the city's portion. uh So we will now only be responsible for fifty five hundred dollars of the actual Paving costs, as opposed to 31.5. So this is actually good news.

F

uh So the mou is from the county, um basically spelling out the rights of responsibilities of each party um and, most importantly, the financial component, that the city will pay them back. 5500 for this payment.

A

Great great so.

A

Moved and properly seconded um any discussion. Well, it was a good deal. It's a great deal that you know there might be a joke in here somewhere how many governmental entities does it take to pave a boat landing? We got the James Island Public, Service District, us the dot, I think it's the county, the County's boat landing, um but it's all great and I'm really happy for the folks over there. This is one of the hardest boat Landings to.

B

A

I

That I don't know man too years ago. We used.

H

I

Launch underneath that Walpole caught me and I thought that was the problem.

A

Well, well, it's um it's all part of the same body of water and when that tide is running through.

B

A

It is no joke, so at least we can give our citizens a nice smooth asphalt, um you know, entry and exit, that's the least we can do is a as a community. Well, um thanks for that and uh great great work by our staff digging into those details and saving um the city, taxpayers, um thousands of dollars- that's great work um now, I'm forgetting did we vote on it or not. um We haven't voted yet. We have not voted, let's, let's vote and then we'll celebrate um all in favor.

A

Please signify by saying aye, it's unanimous! Thank you all and um with that we are done with our agenda. Does anybody have anything for the good of the order or any other.

D

um Matt please uh Mr chairman just before everyone goes I just want to take the opportunity to introduce everyone to Molina dinwoody. She is our new real estate director with the city as of last week,.

A

Great welcome aboard.

C

Thanks so much I'm excited to be part of the team. All.

A

Right, we got a lot of real estate I'm.

G

A

Good deal all right well, thank you all. So much welcome aboard and um we'll see some of y'all at Public, Works and utilities, and everybody uh tomorrow night.