Sure, why not?

All right.

I'd like to call this May twenty sixth meeting of City Council to order Madame Clark.

Will you please call the role?

Councilmember Greg, Councilmember Sheley, Councilmember McBride, Councilmember Polkane, Councilmember Brady, Councilmember D Alessandro, Councilmember Waring, Councilmember Seekings, Councilmember Tinkler, Councilmember Bowden, Councilmember Appell, Councilmember Scarden, Mayor Cogswell.

Heavenly Father, we come before you today seeking your guidance as the Charleston City Council gathers to serve this great city.

Your word declares in James One, verse five, but if any of you lacks wisdom, let him seek ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Reminds us where there is no guidance, a people falls, but an abundance of counselors or safety.

Help us to be faithful stewards of the authority entrusted to us, pursuing justice, promoting peace, and building a community that honors you.

Guard us from selfish ambition and guide us by your spirit so that our leadership brings blessing and flourishing to Charleston.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

Amen.

United States, the mayor.

One day, liberty.

Okay, before we get started tonight, there's one item on the agenda relating to a settlement agreement on Smith Street.

And because I think there's some people here that might be here to talk about that, uh, do some information that's come out, we're looking to potentially defer that.

Uh Councilman Seekings, you have uh a motion on that.

I do, uh Mr.

Mayor, I'd move that we um move item I two approval mediated settlement agreement, Ray 148 Smith Street, up on the agenda.

I would then move that we defer it and send it to our community development committee in a special meeting to hear from the applicant and any who might have any comment on the applicant.

Taking both motions, Mr.

Chairman of Community Development, are you good with that?

Happy to happy to have it.

Sounds like an interesting issue.

Okay, so motion made, property second any further discussion on this.

If not, all those in favor uh bringing it up on the agenda and moving for a deferral, please signify by saying aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

Okay.

Uh we are now moving on to presentations and recommendations, excuse me, recognition, and the first one being a longtime steward of the house the uh community and housing uh guys, it has been a very long day for me today.

I apologize.

But John, Miss Gianna Shaw Johnson, would you please join me up on the daisy whereas Gianna Shaw Johnson began her service with the city of Charleston in 1997 as a 20-year-old, and has faithfully led the Department of Housing and Community Development under three mayoral administrations, Mayor Riley, Mayor Tecklinberg, and Mayor Cogswell.

And whereas throughout her accomplished career, Gianna Shaw Johnson has been dedicated to the development and preservation of affordable housing in the city of Charleston by creating homeownership opportunities, revitalization of neighborhoods, spurred economic growth, and ensuring solutions for our most vulnerable citizens.

And whereas Gianna Shaw Johnson was instrumental in founding the Hope Center and Homeless to Hope, reflecting her enduring dedication to serving the community with compassion and integrity.

And whereas her leadership has been recognized through numerous honors, such as remarkable women of the year 2022 and historic Charleston Foundation's inaugural women who impact preservation award, and whereas through her visionary leadership, she has transformed the landscape of affordable housing, proving that compassionate action and relentless dedication can profoundly change our world.

Now, therefore, I William S.

Cogswell Jr., Mayor of the City of Charleston, to hereby honor and recognize Miss Gianna Shaw Johnson for her outstanding public service and lasting contributions to the city of Charleston and extend sincere congratulations and best wishes upon her retirement.

Thank you all so much.

Mayor, thank you for getting my name right before I leave you.

Many thanks, Mayor Cogswell, for your kind words and the wonderful proclamation read.

I want to first give honor to God, who of course is the head of my life.

I am who I am because of him.

So I praise God for this moment.

I also want to thank you, Council members, those of you who challenge me, as well as those of you who supported me for your ongoing and long-term support.

We've accomplished a great deal in this city of Charleston, and there's a great deal more to do.

I want to also appreciate my sister, who I see coming in late, but I love her nonetheless, because she is wonderful in every regard, and I will just say to us, you all know I'm from a family of 10, and it was eight girls and two boys.

So very special family support.

Yes, I also see one of our collaborative partners, this outside of staff.

Tracy, would you stand as well?

I know you weren't expecting that tonight.

I would say to council, and I think you know this all too well, any success that I have had was made possible through the collaborative efforts of my staff and the many nonprofit and for profit partners that we work with every day.

As I close my comments today, I want to again thank you all for the opportunity to serve in this capacity.

Please continue to support the Department of Housing and Community Development.

The work that we do is labor-intensive, yet so vitally important to the citizens and our community at every level.

We appreciate you, City Council, and we wish you and the city of Charleston continued success.

Thank you again.

Hang on, hang on, hang on.

Sign it here.

All right, one more round of applause for Mr.

Okay.

Next up, I'd like to ask Miss Ellen Dressler Morrill and Rochelle Riley, our own Michelle Riley, to join us up on the stage.

Very good to see you.

I got a few things to say about you here, and then we'll let you talk.

How about that?

Uh uh, right, right.

Come on up, come on up, come on up.

Come on.

Whereas Ellen Dressler Moral served as the founding director of the City of Charleston's Office of Cultural Affairs, beginning in 1977 when she was 15 years old, playing a central role in bringing the city's cultural identity to national prominence over the course of more than three decades.

And whereas Moral, a central figure in Charleston's rise as a nationally recognized arts destination, founded and directed two of the city's most significant cultural festivals in 1979.

The Piccolo Spileto Festival and the Black Arts Festival, later called Moja Arts Festival, thus broadening participation in the arts by creating accessible and community-based arts programming while partnering with many of the region's grassroots arts organizations and local artists.

Whereas Moral, wildly widely regarded as a driving force behind Charleston's art scene, worked closely with civic leadership and embedded arts and culture into the city's long term development strategy, making her leadership helped, making her leadership helped positions of arts as both community resource and as a driver of economic growth and tourism.

And whereas Mayor Joseph P.

Riley Jr.

recommended Ellen Dressler Moral in 2003 for the Elizabeth O'Neill Werner Governor's Award for the Arts in South Carolina, leading her, true to her unselfish leadership style to decline the honor as an individual, but demanding that the award recognize the entire staff of the Ultra Office of Cultural Affairs.

And whereas Morrill played a key role in launching and overseeing major cultural initiatives and institutions, including the city gallery at Waterfront Park, further reinforcing the city's commitment to make arts accessible to residents and visitors alike.

And whereas the South Carolina General Assembly adopted a House resolution on May 22nd, 2012 to read, quote, to recognize and honor Ellen Dressler Morrill, Director of the City of Charleston's Office of Cultural Affairs, upon the occasion of her retirement, to commend her for her significant contributions and dedication to the arts in South Carolina and to offer her very every good wish for future.

And whereas Moral through her vision and sustained leadership helped transform Charleston into a city where the arts are a defining and widely accessible component of public life, leaving a lasting legacy on its cultural landscape.

Now, therefore, our William S.

Cogswell Jr., Mayor of the City of Charleston, on behalf of City Council, to hereby recognize and honor Alan Dressler Morrill for her decades of support and announce the Piccolo Spoleto annual Ellen Dressler Morrill Cello concert at the City Gallery at Mayor Riley.

Give her a round of applause.

Mayor Cox, well, I am just so astonished at this honor, and I'm so happy to be here today.

And so much of what we did in the Office of Cultural Affairs were the result of everybody on staff working hard together.

No one person did that work.

But the whole the whole essence of what our charge was was to make the arts accessible to everybody.

And the reason, one of the many, many reasons, is that the arts make everybody, if they're sitting up and paying attention, makes everybody kind towards everybody else.

And that is what makes Charleston among the many, many, many wonderful attributes that this city has to offer the whole world, uh, so interesting and lovely for everybody to turn towards everybody in their midst and recognize that they are fellow uh Charlestonians, that they are family in so many ways, but the arts make everyone kinder towards one another.

So none of that would have been possible without the incredible support of this Charleston City Council and our mayor at the time was Mayor Riley.

Um, but our mayor today has the same um beautiful intentions towards making the arts available to everybody.

It is such an incredible honor and um pleasure to be here today in front of all of you, because your support made it possible for not only my standing here, but it made it possible for our whole team to make the arts touch the lives and the hearts of everyone, both visitors and residents alike.

So I want to offer a huge standing ovation to all of you for making all of that possible in you.

So please.

You're here.

And there are two others I'd like to name in in my thanks, Mayor Riley and Vanessa Turner Bay Bank.

So thank you to them as well because they're part of the whole reason that we're all today looking back on the pleasure and the incredible gift that the arts bring to everybody, resident and visitor alike.

So thank you so much today for this incredible honor.

I am uh touched more than I can tell you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

I'm not here, Charlie.

I think you were in the way.

Yes.

Can you get in here too?

Yes.

All right.

Thank you again.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Okay, we like those.

Okay.

I'd now like to uh ask Bob Pfeffer.

Pfeiffer.

Pfeiffer.

Uh with the Low Country Tennis Association and any board members who might be here to join me up on the dais.

Oh, gotta pass these uh glasses back.

Bob, how are you doing?

Good to see you again, good to see you.

Come on up.

Good to see you.

All right.

Whereas the United Tennis Association, USTA, has designated May as National Tennis Month to promote tennis and its many benefits and encourage participation in communities nationwide.

And whereas the Low Country Tennis Association, along with organizations including Low Country Youth Tennis Association, Charleston Area Ladies Tennis Association, Adaptive Tennis Programs, and local clubs and facilities provide a wide range of opportunities for residents of all ages to play and enjoy the sport.

Whereas these organizations also support local tennis infrastructure and programs, helping expand access to the game across the Charleston area.

And whereas tennis offers a significant physical and health benefits, with studies showing that playing just three hours per week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 56%, and that tennis players live on average nearly 10 years longer than non-tennis players.

Whereas Charleston has been recognized as the best tennis town in America and continues to grow the game through various youth programs.

And whereas the Credit One Open continues to bring national recognition to Charleston as a leader in tennis and excellence in hosting world-class events.

Now, therefore, I, William S.

Cogswell Jr.

Mayor of the City of Charleston, do hereby proclaim May 2026 as National Tennis Month in the city of Charleston, South Carolina, and encourage all residents to participate in and support the continued growth of tennis in our community.

Give it a round of applause.

Bob, do you want to say a few words?

Make me a little nervous with that uh notebook.

Thank you, Mayor Cogswell and members of the Charleston City Council.

My name is the mentioned Bob Pfeiffer.

I'm here today representing the Low Country Tennis Association, otherwise known as the LCTA.

I'm a past president of the association, serving in that role from 1994 until 2010, and have been here for the proclamation in each of the past five years since the pri since the proclamation concept was first initiated in 2022.

I'm joined today by Greg Taylor, president of the Low Country Youth Tennis Association.

We want to thank all of you for your support of tennis in our community.

As noted in the proclamation, we are recognized throughout the United States for having one of the strongest tennis programs in the nation and have been since the early 2000s.

And it is due to people like Greg who have earned that reputation for us.

I also want to bring to your attention a recent initiative by the LCTBA to provide financial assistance to municipalities and tennis facilities to improve their tennis uh facilities, such as been done at the Maybank Tennis Center and the Mayba and the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department in both those cases, uh, we provided some benches for the where peak teams and people can kind of congregate.

They had uh, let's say benches that were in the process of falling apart, and we provided them with with those, but we also will work with any uh any group or any place that wants to uh improve their facilities and try to to make it happen.

The um finally I'm uh presenting to the mayor and each member of the city council a can of tennis balls.

I'm not sure whether any of you play tennis, but you really should give it a try.

Why?

Because studies show as been mentioned as 9.7 years to their life compared to sedentary individuals, because playing tennis is three hours per week and risk cardiovascular health risk by 50% 56%, and because tennis players are 20% more likely to report strong mental health than other sports and activity participation.

And if I can't get you to give a tennis a try, hopefully you can find some young person who wants to who wants to give it a try and give them a can your can of balls to get them started.

But I really would prefer to get all of you out on the courts.

I'm sure that the staff at the Peggy Bone Tennis Center or Maybank Tennis Center can help you find someone or some need for it for you to do this.

Uh the in closing, I want to thank you for your support of tennis, the world's healthiest sport.

Thank you.

You're here.

I have a picture here.

We'll give you a game out of one of the pass those around the office over there.

You know, I gotta go.

All right.

Well, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for thinking, absolutely.

I'll give you your notebook here.

There we go.

Okay, we have one more uh recognition.

I'd like to ask, is it Misha McLean to join me up on the podium?

Well, Screen.

How are you?

Nice to meet you.

All right.

Whereas lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation, pain, and damage to any part of the body, affecting millions of people worldwide.

And whereas lupus disproportionately impacts women of color, particularly black women, who are three times more likely to develop the disease and experience more severe symptoms.

And whereas the month of May is recognized nationally as lupus awareness month to educate, support, and encourage those living with lupus and promote earlier diagnosis, treatment, and research.

And whereas community awareness and advocacy are vital in improving access to care and resources for individuals and families affected by lupus.

And whereas Mr.

McLean, the founder of the fight of the butterfly movement, has worked to raise awareness, advocate for and empower lupus warriors, and promote understanding of chronic illness throughout the southeastern United States.

And whereas the city of Charleston acknowledges the courage, strength, and perseverance of lupus warriors, caregivers, and advocates who continue to fight for visibility, understanding, and better health outcomes.

Now, therefore, our William S.

Cogswell Jr., Mayor of the City of Charleston, proclaim the month of June, May 2026 as Lupus Awareness Month in the city of Charleston, South Carolina.

And on behalf of City Council, encourage all citizens to learn more about lupus, support those impacted, and join the fight of the butterfly movement in efforts to increase awareness and to find a cure.

Good evening, honorable mayor and members of the city council.

Thank you so much for this incredible honor.

And for officially recognize May as lupus awareness month in this beautiful city.

I wrote through is awesome.

For the lupus community, this proclamation is more than just a piece of paper with words on it.

It's a vital lifeline.

On average, it takes six to seven years for a lupus patient to receive a diagnosis.

That's six to seven years of sitting in uncertainty about what's going on with us.

That's six to seven years of sitting in pain.

That's six to seven years of us paying co-pays and prescription calls for things that do not help us.

Six to seven years before receiving the proper diagnosis and actually began getting the right medication.

By standing with us and shining light on this disease, Charleston is actively helping us bridge that gap, raise crucial awareness, and ultimately reduce that diagnosis time.

So again, thank you, Charleston, for hearing us, but thank you for seeing us.

Okay, we are now on to public hearings.

We have four, but I think Christopher Morgan is going to present first.

We're gonna have Christopher Morgan's come up, okay.

Um Mr.

Morgan, you come up.

We'll go ahead and start with the first one here.

This is gonna be it on 113 Romney Street.

Now the applicant has asked for a deferral on this one, but we will still just run through it super fast.

But they have asked that it be deferred from consideration tonight.

Um, yes, sir.

113 Romney Street has been requested, has requested deferral.

And this is one that um our staff recommended for the planning commission recommended disapproval.

There was some concern from some nearby neighbors, and um, I can show you in the maps if you're interested, but we're just waiting for those to come up.

You don't have the maps.

Okay, okay.

Um, you all have maps in your packages, so we'll just have to go without those on the screen there.

Um, so 113 Romney, and that is a request that was gonna go from um DR1F to uh limited business.

It's adjacent to a parcel that is also zone limited business, it's right near the um where the low line, low country low line will cross Romney Street, and it's immediately adjacent also to uh I 26, where I-26 goes over Romney Street.

Then moving on, we have uh 1757 Main Road.

Uh it's a third of an acre.

Uh this is a uh request that results from uh zoning enforcement action.

This is a property that was being used for a business.

There were no permits issued, no applications applied for on the property.

Uh they were um see in the process of selling um storage buildings on the property, and um we have some pictures for those, but those are in the slideshow.

Um, but the storage buildings are on the property, it's in very, very close proximity to other residences that are there.

It's in an area that has mostly limited business or commercial transitional zoning.

Our staff felt that the GB was going to be too intense of a uh request uh given the immediate proximity of those residential structures.

Literally, these sheds that are up for sale are within four or five feet of some of the nearby residences.

So um, we had recommended against this, and then the planning commission had also recommended disapproval.

And again, this results from an enforcement action where here we go.

Here we go.

Um I able to go from this one now.

Okay, so that's the first one.

Okay, um, so that was the first one that's the romney street, if we can move on from that.

It's asked we deferred.

Yeah, that's been asked requested deferral.

Then that's the main road, and this here you see the the little buildings you see on that uh square with the kind of pinkish reddish color, those are the storage sheds that are up for sale.

It's adjacent to a residential use on the right and to the rear, and then across the street, and then across the street also are limited business parcels, but nothing as intense as the general business until you get down to the corner.

And given the size of the property, the feeling of staff was that this was too intense.

It used to be an immediate proximity of those residential uses.

Um, and then we'll just and there's some images of it next slide.

There are the sheds for sale on the street.

Next slide, and there's the proximity to the houses that are adjacent to you by, and that's the nearby neighborhood.

Okay, and that's what's in our comprehensive plan.

And then we can move on.

Okay, and then we have some recent annexations.

Uh 862 Lolandra, which is a quarter acre, that would come into the city as uh SR2, uh, and then we have 164 Wapu Road, which would come into the city uh as SR1, and we have 168 Wapu Road, which would come in the city as um SR1 as well, and those are all just residential annexations, and then finally on the agenda, this did not have to go to planning commission, but um you all had already given first reading to an amendment to a restrictive covenant for the Trophy Lakes property on John's Island, and I believe we have an image of that just for those of you who might not be as familiar with where Trophy Lakes is.

There we go.

We can back up.

Here we go.

Um, so that is uh north of Maybank Highway, kind of um north of where the um uh the Crown Maybank site is.

It's some man-made lakes that are used for water sports, and this was an amendment to the restrictive covenants that had already allowed those water sports, um, but that would also allow some other sport activities on the site.

I know um Councilman McBride has been very active on this and talking with the owner about this need for this descriptive covenant amendment and Robert Summerfield is here if there are other questions about those restrictive covenants amendments, and those are the public hearings for tonight.

Okay, two still on the uh number one is deferred, but number two is still on, yes, sir.

So how many people do we have time up?

We have more.

Just for uh protocol.

Are we what are we allowed to comment on any of this before the public or is it after public?

Usually after public.

Okay, got it.

Okay.

So let's give everybody a minute and a half.

Alright, Anthony G.

Bryant.

I did agree with the mail.

One thing.

We don't want to be involved in Myrtle Beach, but um, I'm here really on a broader picture in terms of our water and utilities.

I made public comment to Dominion Corporation in March 31st.

And there was still a lot of lot of folk there concerned about the utility bills.

Well, they all raised enough sand to get the May 12th where they reduced it to 11 dollars.

Uh shot at all those citizens.

It lost a hundred million dollars power to citizens port.

In terms of water, city uh water water systems, and we'll thank uh Chairman Public Works who've always been at the meeting working hard for us on water and picked the water for pole folk, and he's always advocated for that.

I kind of heard say some things about uh Lewis Wearing was a civil rights leader.

So I somewhat somewhat troubled by the the criticism of people talking about September P.

Clark Lewis though the person, so that's kind of ironic.

But the water is important with this 80% of us play pay our water bills, utility bills, and we have to really be mindful the summer and July 2nd, it may be an increase for all your districts.

We all share this obligation of notice, and any complaints that will come forward will probably come forward July all the way into the next two Dominion Energy gets bought by somebody.

I just want to give notice to the public regard that matter.

And then we have Nick, um, and I cannot reach our last name.

I apologize.

Speaking about Johns Island C C R.

Yeah, actually I have no comments at this point.

Okay, all right.

Kim Bryant.

I'm the owner of Trophy Lakes, and I have no comments at this time.

I'm here really just to answer any questions if it comes up.

Thank you.

Thomas Turleyan.

Thank you, mayor, council members, and everybody in attendance for listening.

I'm the owner of Island Shed Company.

We are a small family-based company that provides storage buildings.

As I started this venture as business owner with City of Carlston, I misinterpreted the use of the zoning CT, and I have been working and trying to work with the city in order to get up to compliance to make sure that this business is working properly for the city, as well as to provide for all community members as a form of storage that we have in the city of Charleston that's not just a storage unit.

Um, after Mr.

Morgan had um explained, the zoning that is requested is zoning for general business.

This allows the use and the storage of the retail buildings to be sold to the general public.

On the left-hand side of your folder is multiple businesses that are zoned general business or business park that are on Johns Island that are in adjacent back up to or directly connected to the front of a neighborhood, one of those being May Bank storage that provides storage for RBs, containers, boats, and multiple other items that simply has a chain link fence that backs up directly to a neighborhood.

What I'm asking is that everybody looks at our situation and we are trying to look for an opportunity for a second reading so that way we might have a fair shakes in order to have general business and being plans.

Thank you.

Was there anyone else who needed to speak at public hearings?

We'll have citizens' participation later.

Not here to just like uh talk about trying to get a sidewalk on our street.

We got a letter back in 2022 about surveying for our sidewalk.

Uh it's 2026.

I think the survey was done, but we definitely don't have a sidewalk.

And the reason is it's one of those multi-jurisdictional roads, and so um about half the rip uh houses are in the city, uh 35% in the town, the rest are unincorporated.

I know the mayor of James Island is into like getting this done.

She has about 50 to 60% of the money.

I just spoke to her this weekend.

I was hoping to get some money, you know, kicked over to neighbors drive.

It's only two thousand feet, like, and it's the last piece of a puzzle to connect the whole network from uh Fort Johnson High School to like Harperview shopping center.

It's super busy, uh it's very dangerous, lots of kids, people walking around, and so I was just here to make that neighbor's track neighbor's track.

Alright, thank you.

Alright, was there anyone else?

This is just for public hearings.

All right, and then we did receive two comments online um that were opposed to the rezoning of one thirteen Romney Street, and I think that's been requested for deferral.

And those were all the comments we received.

Okay.

Uh comments from members of council.

Councilman McBride.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, two of them on Johns Island.

First one, back at Mr.

Morgan.

Okay, he's right there.

Um, so for item number two, the storage shed uh area on main road.

Um I watched the uh planning commission uh hearing that was a couple weeks ago, uh about a couple weeks ago.

Very very thorough.

The owner was there for that and was able to give his side of what he's trying to do.

And I heard the planning commission's uh comments back and forth is very respectful discussion conversation.

Um, you know, the the gentleman being a business owner, I want to I want to support, you know, help him keep the business uh going.

How however um to my understanding is he there's no there was no permits ever applied for when the the storage sheds were set up.

I believe he owns another storage shed business somewhere else, like in West Ashley, if not mistaken.

Um I do understand the rationale, and you know, for a lot of layman and I've still considered myself a layman when it comes to zoning, it's very complicated.

Uh CT versus GB.

Um I heard the discussion at the planning commission.

I just wanted to uh offer for Mr.

Morgan to add a little more context and maybe even addressing some of the examples that the owner gave on that sheet of paper as to what why there's differences between what seems to the layman is very similar circumstances compared to this circumstance.

That makes sense.

Any further questions or comments?

Yeah.

I was asking if you could add some clarity to that.

So again, and tonight is the first night I've seen this list of businesses, but I'll try to go all some of these.

I know that the uh Maybank uh boat and RB storage is a much larger side.

I believe that is the old um uh uh um uh um Berkeley Electric Co-op facility on Maybank that was a large multi-acre facility that we rezoned to business park that has uh in USC office facility as well as some storage and things like that, and it has buffer requirements and and all that, and it doesn't have that kind of proximity to a residential use, except potentially with the residences that back up to it to the rear.

Um it's very different from this situation, which is a small parcel immediately adjacent to other residences here on main road.

Um, some of these others are or similar circumstances where they're much bigger parcels.

The builder's first source is a much bigger parcel in the midst of uh fronting on Maybank with commercial uses and then there's some residential uses to the rear, things like that.

So I don't think they're apples to apples type comparisons.

Uh this is a uh pretty intense type of use to put a general business immediately adjacent to individual single family lots like that.

Yeah, because learning from the the planning commission meeting, it's it would allow for twenty-four hour operations.

It could be businesses in the future if you were to sell that to somebody else or for another make it for another purpose could be very disruptive to a community that with houses right around there, which is why it's not normally a GB for that kind of a neighborhood.

And I understand that you know uh he got letter support from a lot of the um neighborhood members in that area, but again, that I'm sure they're probably weren't aware of the ramifications of a GB zoning, what that could mean in the future for them.

So I just wanted to kind of explain a little bit more, you know, from what I learned from from the planning commission and just for the general public and for for the owner as to what went into the thought process for the unanimous uh disapproval of that request.

But again, it's been deferred, and so I think it's the main road.

But this clearly, long day.

Apologies.

That's all right, yeah.

Um and then what just go on that one more if I can, Mr.

Mayor, uh, for the trophy lakes.

Um, as Mr.

Morgan said, it's just uh allows it's already had a covenant that's about 40 years old that was already uh allowed for water sports only.

I think uh my impression it was inadvertently uh written to be too restrictive at the time because they were just thinking about water sports at the time.

He just wants to be able to allow for other recreational uses, and none of that recreational use uh will be near any homes or anything where sound could be an issue.

Um so they're very well, could be very in the near very near future, some paddle ball courts, some pickleball courts, things like that um on the property, which is good news for Johns Island.

Mr.

Mayor, I'd move to take three, four, and five.

Let's dispense with the ones that might not require as much discussion and move those together for approval, and then we can move through the other items.

Motion may probably second it.

Any further discussion on those items?

If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Opposed.

I just have it.

Uh councilman Bowden, and then I'll come.

I my my question ultimately is whether there is some option besides uh CT or GB that would allow this man to have his business.

Um here's the thing.

I mean, it this is zone city center.

Uh in future land use, it's unlike the properties behind it or across the street.

Um so that leads me to believe that that was a very intentional choice to assign it the most intense future land use.

Um I I am having trouble reconciling why that would happen, but GB's too intense.

Um and I will say pictures of this the shed right next to the house are pretty surprising.

Um, but you know, I guess I wonder if is there like a groundswell of the community being upset about this or um I just I just wonder how this got to be designated city center future land use and there does not seem to be an acceptable usage um on that site.

I mean it's a small site, so you'd have to by its very nature you have to kind of jam some things in there.

And I think the small nature of that site is a big reason why we wouldn't have recommended what we have not recommended for the the general business on there because of the media proximity of the residences if if there's more evolution in that area, more residences that front on main road converting to offices, for example, and more properties being combined, it might be a situation in the future that the the more intense categories can work there.

But right now, I don't know, Jennifer, if you can go back to that map.

I'm sorry.

Um if you look at where the zonings are around it, this would be the most intensive zoning immediately adjacent to a residence that you can find in that little area of main road.

Um it's it's a very incompatible zoning district compared to the residences that are there.

Um again, I think you all have some maps here so uh towards about three or four.

Actually, we can go back.

And one more back.

There we go.

And one more back if we could, just so I can show the zonings around it.

Okay.

So this is CT zoning.

This is um uh individual single family house on a very large track here.

So again, this is not converting, this is actually in Charleston County.

This is the uh goodwill, which is on limited business.

This is um some affordable housing, which is unlimited business, and then everything else up in here is single family residential.

There is one office use further up.

You don't get to the GB until the very corner here.

This is a gas station site there at the corner of Maine and Maybank, which of course is a very intensive location and it doesn't have the residences immediately adjacent to it.

This has residences literally about five or six feet off the property line right there.

And so these are the whole range of reasons why we felt the G V was not going to be compatible with the adjoining uses.

I I hear you.

Um but in the future land use, the properties around it remain suburban.

And actually that large residential is future city center as well.

Anyway, so but back to sort of my where I was going with this, is there some option that's not CT or GB to allow.

CLE the only other categories would be an industrial category or a business park, like we did do for a much larger site.

Business Park is oriented around much larger sites.

There isn't a minimum acreage, but really to meet the criteria of it, you need a lot more area.

You know, another reason that general business wouldn't work here is the buffers that are required.

You'd have to have at least 25 foot buffers adjacent to residential uses, so that would eat up a lot of the site just with buffers because it's such a small site and such an intense zone category.

Is the reason why it was a zone C T because the intent or the thought was that it would be connected with the larger parcel and they would have that corner?

It just that CT is designed to be in closer proximity to residential uses like that.

It doesn't allow outdoor uses.

It just strikes me that the residents built its shed or whatever, awfully close to somebody else's property, knowing full well that this could happen.

Uh, well, a residential shed can be within three feet of a property line if it's used by that resident.

So that's why you see one three year.

What you see on the image here is his sheds that were illegally placed on the site that were part of they've been there for a couple of years, I believe.

They were part of his placing his business on the site without any permits whatsoever.

Councilman Seekings.

Huh, okay.

I've got a couple questions.

So uh what is it about commercial transitional that is incompatible with the business that's there right now?

What is built into CT that does not allow what he's doing?

It does not allow outdoor sales.

No outdoor sales.

Yes, sir.

No cars, no boats, no sheds, things like that that are because that's a more intensive outdoor thing going on right next to residences.

What commercial activities would CT allow?

Offices, restaurants with limited hours of operation with outdoor dining.

There is a limit, and you have to have distance from a residence.

So I don't know if this site would qualify for outdoor dining.

I'd have to pull the regs up right in front of me.

But I I know that that was designed to again protect nearby residential uses if there was going to be outdoor dining.

What else?

And there's plenty more you can do with CT, right?

Residence offices, retail stores.

Things that would be just as heavy a use really on this corner than what he's doing, which is putting a couple sheds out there and so on.

And you would have to have buffers and things.

I think the buffers would not be as significant with CT as they would be with general business.

How long has he been in business?

You have to ask the applicant that how long you've been in business.

This is not fine, too.

So you've been out there a year.

What what caused all this?

Why are we talking about this now?

Mr.

Summerfield may have some background on the enforcement on that, because it was enforcement action that triggered this.

Mr.

Mayor, members of council.

So just for some additional uh color and background.

So uh the gentleman owned has two sites.

One is on um in West Ashley, and then this property which he actually owns.

Uh, we received uh separate completely independent um complaints on business activity without permits on both sites within a relatively short uh time of each other.

We've resolved through um the permitting process because it is GB, um the West Ashley location.

He's able to, he's been able to set up shop there.

He's operating.

Um we've completely resolved that issue.

However, in this location, because of the CT zoning, because this is um outdoor storage and sales, which is not what a commercial transitional zone is for.

It's for the lowest impact, lowest intensity kind of commercial.

It's immediately adjacent to residential, again, with a um very limited hours of operation, including uh when you can use the outside for that outdoor dining, no outdoor sales if you're a retail use, things of that nature.

Uh, but this all resolves from a zoning compliance uh complaint that then turned into a situation where we had a number of uh improvements to the property, nothing had been through stormwater, nothing had been through any kind of uh permitting process with building inspections or zoning, um, with the exception of a fence.

There was one fence permit that we were able to uh allocate a lot of illegal signage, which we were getting complaints about, um, and like I said, uh just a bunch of it's not a few storage sheds, it's the the site is I've seen it, I know I know what it looks like has as a number of storage sheds on it.

I mean, as you know, I mean, we've talked a lot about this.

I'm not a huge fan of being out of compliance with zoning, but be careful what you ask for because there are allowable uses in commercial transitional, it'll be much higher intense, could potentially be much higher intensity in terms of on and off that site day in and day out.

A very popular retail place, a popular restaurant, multifamily.

I mean, I'm kind of with Council Member Bowden, it would be great if we could find something so if we can get them in compliance, we don't put them out of business, but it would have to be zoning these in compliance with, I guess.

Council Mr Poe.

What about a use variance?

He'd have to apply for that.

Did you have to call it?

Um, I'll be honest, I a use variance would be specific to this type of use.

It would have very strict requirements on it.

It would be um, it's an option to ask for.

It is a board review, it's a very different thing.

Um, but if there's no neighbors in immediate complaint, and we establish some very defined rules to councilman seeking's point.

I do know that the business activity is relatively low intense in terms of he's not out there busking for come buy my sheds, you know.

Or my perfume or or any of that, like this is a very you see the sign, you see the number, you see a shed you kind of like, you set up an appointment to visit the shed and that kind of thing.

So it is a low intensity from that type of activity.

It's a large intensity in terms of having a bunch of sheds that are in buffer areas.

There's no improved surface for parking, no disability parking.

There are a number of code issues that we would have to resolve.

And delivery and and take out of these things would be coming in on a large flatbed or something to that effect for my understanding, and I'll let the applicant speak to it, but my understanding is these are more for show, and then you orders you the one that you want, but I will let him explain that further.

Sorry for all the disruption.

So uh as trying to get into compliance, I went through proper permitting for the sign for Island Shed Company that does not have our phone number, that does not allow banners, uh poster boards, anything on the exterior of the property.

We're in full compliance with that sign that was approved.

The fence was approved, and at any given time we have a consistent product of sheds.

I can put all small sheds in the front, and we can actually remove all sheds in to the rear of the property and make that all acceptable parking for handicap, as well as we have a handicap ramp that goes out to our office that meets all codes.

Our business office can meet all codes as well, and we can have all sheds removed from the rear of the property, not even adjacent or within close proximity to the houses.

We can literally just sell 8x12 and 10 by 12 sheds on that location and any larger sheds at the busier location in West Ashley with more room.

We can make the footprint more presentable and better looking for the community, and these are like small cottages.

So if you like a red one, a green one, a blue one, you can a la carte, it's like ordering a pizza.

The amount of people, the amount of traffic that comes through this property, is less than 10 customers a week.

We do not make noise, we do not make large amounts of noise late at night.

The company's closed by four or five o'clock.

We don't even start till 10 o'clock because nobody wants to get out of bed and hit traffic.

Is there any way I can't properly from work here?

So it's been takings.

So I'll come back to coming up.

When it comes to zoning, right?

And we pitching balls and strikes.

We call winners and losers.

Turning this to G B is not the right answer.

If we turn this to GB, we're gonna make you rich and your part and your neighbors grumpy.

And that's not what we're here to do.

However, however, I think your neighbors, did any of them show up at the planning commission to complain about this business?

There was a petition the applicant had, although we heard a little bit after the planning commission that there was some concern about they didn't have the full story of what GB allowed.

Yeah, I speak.

Well, my answer to this is I'm not gonna vote to put this to GB.

I am gonna encourage you to work with our planning staff to see if there's some resolution.

I think it used variants.

I got it, and and we'll sort of see where that goes.

But GB is just a step too far for me, and I think probably around this table, and certainly for the people on Johns Island.

Um you got what sounds like a responsible business that maybe got there not as responsibly as it should have.

Um, I think if you follow the right path, you might find some ability to for some flexibility.

And that's why I'm here today.

I'm trying to follow that pattern.

That's why I said we want to move to defer this.

I would second a motion to defer.

I'll move it, I'll move to defer it, but I don't want to see it coming back as GB.

Yeah, fair enough.

I'll come to motion to defer on this item uh that has been seconded uh for further discussion or any on this.

I just had a quick question.

You said the the buffer required on the GB is 25 feet, and that so that would be on the the north side and the east side of the property would probably be far and this far.

Okay, I mean that would substantially I mean that cuts his usable footprint down by half at least.

Um, this is why I said we could go to the smaller sheds and have a smaller product and s not it.

Okay.

It's been second, any further discussion on this.

If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

Look forward to you working with staff, see if that we can figure out uh uh a path forward, uh constructive path.

Thank you, Mr.

Move for approval of number six.

Second we have a motion for approval on number six.

Any further discussion on this?

None.

All those in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Have it.

I'd move item six for third reading ratification.

Second.

Uh motion made, probably seconded.

All those in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

And then mayor, we just need a motion and a second if number one is being deferred.

So move.

Okay.

Motion made property second for whenever one being deferred.

All those in favor, signify by saying aye.

Council minutes for May 12th.

Make it a motion.

Move for approval.

Motion made, properly seconded for approval.

Council Menets.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Pose, eyes have it.

Now on to citizens' participation.

Adam Mark, how many people we have signed up?

We have twelve.

Let's give everybody a minute and go from there.

All right, Anthony Bryant.

Let's go.

I want to submit, I want to submit directly by Boston's energy property education.

I spoke with the superintendent schools.

I saw the attorney general, South Clara, former directors of part of corrections, Charleston School Districts are vendors.

Um, impact on families in the war on drugs for many generations in South Carolina, the bottom education.

We see daily feelings of failure, addiction, self-destruction, and violence, excessive use of force from George Floyd, Viana Teela, and Amart Aubury, peaceful generational statistical abstracts.

We hope this summer we have no Ahmad Arboris, we have no none of that.

We hope that the U.S.

attorneys understands clearly that we I live I live in a stereotype my whole life.

My whole life has been a stereotype, but I can't stand stereotypes.

And stereotypes are predicated to our whole community forever since I was a kid.

And I want to make sure that you understand we understand what stereotypes mean, who's the bottom of stereotypes to be Amod Arbery, Rihanna Thielett, and George Floyd.

I understand.

He'll be superintendent at the school to prison pipeline is real good for generations.

And next we have Nick on John's Island C CR.

Did you want to speak during Citizens?

Okay.

Kim Bryant.

All right.

Former councilmember Jackson.

Okay.

Now's the time to.

We're going to be public man.

Yes, thank you.

I'm here.

I was going to speak on Dash Hall.

I I am glad that it's going to be deferred and moved to the community development committee.

I guess the only thing I would continue to ask the council is to be very cognizant of any precedence that these kinds of mediations are setting.

The groups that volunteer to be part of the overall land use approval process are enabled through the state law.

And I think it was about a decade ago when we had a challenge by a big landowner of the entire function of the BAR system.

So I think to try to overrule that with mediations that I'm assuming the city initiated because the applicants would have to go through the appeal process.

I do think that's very concerning to people who are following how we're um how we're how we're processing our own enabling legislation.

So thank you very much.

Kate to Tilly.

And a whole lot of things that in this city that is very successful now, and if you call it the athlete, that I made, I made the world greatly city of job.

So I asked you all as well.

I'm not trying to do that.

I'm from the recoil.

Help me go to Chicago, openly or president, or president, Obama president, thank you.

And the first name I believe is Harris or Harriet.

They did not list what they wanted to speak about.

Joyce.

Alright, Zach B.

CD.

Yes, I'm just going to get me time.

The way we trigger King Street, many countries have the most access of anybody to the street.

And adding a couple medallions per company to a total of six and nighttime would not be the worst thing we ever did, and we give some access.

I don't know how they'll find it out.

I will just tell you my recollection is that the last time around they actually all agreed, I'm sure there's some antitrust violation that goes on, but they all agree to split about two, two, two.

And they won't seem to be getting along pretty well right now, so that maybe where it goes.

I don't know if there'll be another.

Shame on me for thinking that there was anything but a plan to reward a private individual with a public contract.

Because that's what this is.

And this was in 2021 when he first prognosticated that those companies would split it up in an illegal and unfair manner in his own words.

Anna Catherine Alexander.

Alright, was there anyone else who I missed?

Right.

And then we did receive some comments online.

One letter was received from Brian Hellman representing Ashley Hall and the Foundation.

60 comments were received opposed to the demolition of Dash Hall.

One comment was received from Dow Gandhi in opposition to expanding the petty cab permitting process to newer third party operators.

One comment was received from Stephen Ricario expressing his positive relationship with his employer and work experience as a penny cab driver.

And two comments were received from Anthony G.

Bryant, which were sent to council in full.

Those were all the comments that we received.

All right, thank you, Madam Clerk.

We're now on to petitions and communications.

We have several appointments.

Uh can I enter for we've got, let's see, planning commission, B A or small, B A or Large, BRB, BZA zoning, housing authority.

So can I entertain a motion?

Move for approval on all.

I'm sorry.

Move for approval.

Is that for all approval of all appointments?

Yep.

And that's second.

Any questions, comments?

Uh Councilman Del Sandra.

Uh I just wanted to take a moment and thank Planning Commissioner Lakuta Bryant Jenkins.

Uh, we in the city uh are fortunate to have so many good people serving on our boards and commissions, and Commissioner Bryant Jenkins has always been one of them.

During her time as a constituent school board member, she carefully looked after the welfare of all students.

As president of the North Central Neighborhood Association, she firmly stood up for the neighborhood.

And as a planning commission member, she helped guide Charleston to be developed in a responsible manner.

She was always been a strong and reasonable voice.

Thank you.

Any further questions, comments on ladies' appointments, and appreciate all that they do for our city.

If not, all those in favor for approval of all candidates, please signify by saying aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

Uh, item number two has been deferred.

Item number three is a presentation by Amy Barrett, who's the executive director of the King Street Bid on the King Street Bid annual report.

Ms.

Barrett, I will turn it over to you.

Thank you.

Good evening, council members, Mr.

Mayor, members of the public.

Again, my name is Amy Barrett, and I am the executive director of the King Street Business Improvement District here to share with you a little bit about what we've been up to and what we're looking forward to next year.

First of all, I want to remind everyone why downtowns matter in the large scheme of things.

Downtowns have a life beyond their specific geography, vibrant downtowns help drive not only city economies, but regional economies as well.

They make outsized contributions to tax revenues.

They help a city better compete for talent and resources as a vibrant city sitter.

Um people just want to be here.

And they were central to a city's identity, image, and brand.

And earlier this year, when we were working with director of Spoleto, Mina Marc Hanna, he made a comment that King Street is the city's stage.

And here during these two weeks of Spoleto, you really, really feel that.

Um we help the city come alive and give access to residents beyond the peninsula, uh, a way to experience um things like Spoleto, the SC 250 celebrations that are coming, various holidays.

Really, this is the region's living room.

The King Street bid specifically, we have a very specific geography from Line Street all the way down to Broad Street, it's about 1.7 miles.

When you look at the geography of the bid, six times that of the peninsula in general, just going to show you that we pack a huge punch there in the King Street district.

And we're building ever more on this economic powerhouse with the development of Courier Square, the low line that's coming in.

Right now, what we see emerging as this northern anchor of our long-standing retail district is really 2.5 billion dollars in additional investments, 3,000 plus residents, uh 50 to 75,000 square feet of retail, a hundred thousand square feet of office.

It's a huge community urban neighborhood that's developing before our very eyes.

And again, not all of that touches the King Street District, but certainly the Courier Square, any property that touches King Street District is part of the King Street Improvement District.

Just a little reminder of our mission at the King Street Business Improvement District is to keep King Street clean, safe, and vibrant.

I've provided just a little timeline.

We're relatively new, long time city council members will remember as will Robert Summerfield if he's still here.

I know he worked really hard on getting the initial approval of the business improvement district established.

We received our first funds in 2023.

I was hired in 2024, and we are led by a board, a very specific board of directors that is laid out in the memorandum of understanding that we have with the city.

So while we are not technically part of the city, the city of Charleston is our primary partner and a collaborator in all things we do.

We also, by the ordinance that established the Business Improvement District, it specifies very special services, an ambassadors program, beautification, programs and destination management, marketing and promotion, and economic development.

That is our remit.

We are confined by our memorandum of this with the city to do that, just that.

This slide is showing just five members there in the center portrait of our nine-member team.

The ambassador program is not intended to supplant the municipal services that happen in the city.

This provides an extra layer of supplemental services to provide the extra love and care that King Street needs because it gets so much uh love and attention from all of our residents and visitors and everyone who who visits there.

So our King Street Ambassador is a really nice program that's been in place since the bids started.

We have two shifts.

We have a day shift that runs from 7 30 a.m.

to 4 30 p.m.

And on the weekends, we added a year and a half ago a night shift, focused specifically on Upper King, that are really the intention is less litter, uh litter abatement, graffiti abatement, and really more hospitality and connecting with businesses to aid support the nighttime activity that happens there.

We the other thing one of the other things that comes with our King Street ambassador program is they collect data.

So if you see our orange clad ambassadors on the street and it looks like they're looking at their phone, let's hope that they're really actually taking a measurement of some activity that they did.

So what you're seeing right here is some of the data that they are able to collect on a day-to-day basis.

And these are really their primary activities on King Street.

They collect litter.

Again, this is not sanitation.

This is not emptying trash cans.

This is litter that would otherwise be on the streets of King Street.

In the first quarter of this year, they collected 5,040 pounds of litter.

That's about the equivalent of an F1 250 truck.

So that's litter that would otherwise be on King Street.

So they collect a lot of litter.

They also clean and power wash the sidewalks and also do spots cleaning.

As you can imagine, King Street gets a lot of spills, lots of ice cream that falls over, a pizza slice that drops here and there.

And the service we provide that is really loved by a lot of the businesses, if you happen to have a mess outside your front door, you can give us a call and we'll come and spot clean you there.

So that just shows how many block faces is the term that they use.

21,300 block faces on King Street cleaned in that first quarter of this year.

And then again with the big bellies, the big bellies are really a service of the city of Charleston.

We don't empty them, but we do make sure that they are clean and they're not gross to touch.

We're really happy to see the big bellies with the foot pedals.

I don't know how much you guys like to get into the weeds on this, but the big bellies have these lovely foot pedals that you don't have to touch anything, but the handles still get really sticky and cruddy, and so our ambassadors are really detailed in how they make sure that the big bellies-one simple factor of your experience on King Street seems clean.

I spend a lot of time on King Street, and I love to be behind people visiting, whether it be visitors from the region or visitors from out of town, and they marvel at the big bellies.

They're like, what is it, a vending machine?

Oh my goodness, it's so clean.

So just props to everyone who has anything to do with sanitation because they're um it's working very nicely to help us do our job.

Um beyond just safe and clean, the King Street ambassadors also interact with visitors and businesses on the street.

We really are an extra pair of eyes and ears.

So we track our hospitality contacts.

That's how many times people interact, give directions, tell people where to find them the closest public restroom, help them work on our parking meters that oftentimes are confusing and confounding.

So our ambassadors help help people navigate the peninsula, and then the first quarter, they help nearly 19,000 people.

Just think about how nice of an experience, how that elevates your experience on King Street and helps you navigate our beautiful city here.

Our business owners also really like to have the a visit once in a while by a King Street ambassador.

It gives them an opportunity to say, oh, we might need a new garbage can or we might need some other kind of service.

And that might be something that I follow up on, or that I reach out to our colleagues at the city.

I see Mindy Sturm over there, who's my primary contact on city staff, to help get things done and make people know that they're heard when they are in need of a city service or something that helps them make their day go better and the business work harder.

King Street in this past year has welcomed almost 60 new businesses.

This is an incomplete list.

It is amazing to see the turnover that happens on a quarterly basis.

It's hard to keep track of.

So we are out on the street constantly kind of tracking what's coming, what's coming soon, and also those that have left, which we're seeing a lot of turnover happening because King Street is really at a premium right now.

We don't have a whole lot of real estate left.

So, in fact, I think the next um we also do the um we do a quarterly profile of King Street overall that whole geography of line down to Broad Street.

We have a vacancy, a vacancy of less than 5%.

We look at it by lower, middle, and upper king.

There is virtually no space on Lower King, with but we were able to welcome several new businesses there.

Uh, the flagship Crogan's Jewel Box Sister Shop, and we also wanted to recognize American Gardens, which is a lovely public space addition to downtown.

Um, and we're looking forward to um to welcoming two new businesses that have been under underway for a while there.

Um Middle of King has seen a tremendous amount of activity, a lot of coming and going, but remains 93% occupied.

Um it really is the national retailer uh corridor section of King Street, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

People love to be on King Street, and they are paying rents that are on par with cities such as New York City, Washington, DC, Newberry Street in Boston.

That's really the level that we are at right now with our King Street rental rates.

And then Upper King Street continues to be an evolving district, but we've had several new businesses open there.

Rebecca Illustrated, Shakuda, the new restaurant, Sloan Boutique opened their second location in the region, their first location was in Mount Pleasant.

It's interesting to talk to them to think about how those two businesses compare, how their foot traffic is different, and lots of exciting things happening there on Upper King Street as well.

Another piece of services that we offer are communication marketing services.

This the chart up there is showing our Instagram followers.

If you are not following us already on Instagram, this is a great way to keep up with what's going on on King Street.

It's King S T CHS.

We have over 15,000 followers and reached over a million views when uh for our Spoleto retail window display contest reel just recently.

Um but that's not the only way we communicate.

We also have a monthly newsletter, we do quarterly meetings at the American Theater where we bring all of King Street businesses together to understand what's coming, what's so that they can plan for their inventory, pop-up events, all sorts of things, and also talk peer-to-peer.

So we've been doing these quarterly meetings for over a year now, and it's really lovely to see a community start to evolve there.

Um, and we see that right now with um particularly in during Spoleto season.

So I'm gonna hop through a little bit more.

I wanted to bring attention to the collaboration that we've been able to do with Spileto and then looking forward to SC 250.

Um hopefully you've noticed on your walk down King Street.

We have this wonderful retail window display contest where we partnered with Spileto.

Spoleto gave two tickets to um any performance to the retail display contest winner.

It happened to be doomess and Sons.

They had a really nice um corner window display, and we're the winners of the contest.

Um, we're also working with Spoleto to do some pop-up performances.

So again, um the idea is to make sure that people feel like the entire downtown is participating in this lovely event, and we will continue to um to do some similar programming for SC250.

I wanted to share with you, since you are our largest um most important partner in um all that we do.

Um this is our twin 2025 budget, um, our budget versus our actual.

Not gonna spend too much detail on here, but we were on budget.

We came under budget in some ways, and anything that we have that's left over goes back into King Street.

Where I just also did a budget check of where we are.

We are on um on budget on track this year to meet our budget.

Um, as you can see by the pie chart, both of our expenses go to support our ambassador program, then beautification, marketing and pronounce, and then admin.

Right now we are working on our current our 2027 budget.

Um we'll work directly with finances um with um BFRC to make sure that comes before you guys in August.

Sorry I'm being uh a little long-winded, but um we are um I also wanted to make sure that we said that we also um worked hand in hand with the Palmetto Row Collectives, uh, a wonderful program through this that the city of Charleston supports in one of its retail spaces.

We were able to work with those first-time um brick and mortar merchants to make sure that they could merchandise their windows and their displays, and hopefully that helped a lot.

Um, and we are also really looking forward to being a partner at our peninsula plan relaunch that begins this week, I believe, and looking forward to be involved in the Blue Bloomberg Tourism Management Plan.

Um, and I will leave it at that.

Happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Um, but I know uh time is a ticking and you've already had a long meeting, but any questions from members of council from a spirit?

All right.

Well, thank you for that wonderful presentation.

Things are looking good on King Street.

Um appreciate all that you all do.

Uh all right.

Um, we've taken items four and five together for approval.

Uh motion made take items four and five together.

Any further discussion on either one of those items?

If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

We're now on to committee reports.

Calling council McGregor for ways and means.

He is uh we have motion made properly seconded for committee of ways and means.

There's no further discussion on uh any of the committee ways and means uh items.

All those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Opposed eyes have it.

We have 15 bills up for the move one through 15.

Uh M2 is uh as amended just for clarity.

Correct.

Uh so uh we have a motion made for all bills approval all 15 bills with M2 as amended.

Who is the second?

Okay, motion made, properly seconded.

All those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

There are no bills up for second.

I would move for third reading.

Yeah, sorry, second.

Motion made, probably seconded for third reading.

One thing.

Two is amended.

We need to follow through on the vote.

Oh, here.

All those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Some time here to get my quill pin out.

Mr.

Mayor would you like me to talk about very slowly how there are no bills up for first reading?

I would appreciate the mayor.

You can uh I will take my mayor out.

My mayor pro Tim privileges.

Yes.

Uh there are no bills up for first reading.

And we will actually be moving into our summer schedule coming up here in June, July, and August, which means that there will only be one meeting of city council rather than the usual two.

Uh so the next regular meeting of City Council will be Tuesday, June 16th at 5 p.m.

Um location I would assume is here.

Okay, we're not doing the roadshow.

Perfect.

All right.

It will be here at Charleston City Hall.

And uh with that, I will uh return control of the meeting over to uh Mayor Khan.

No further discussions to come before this wonderful body.

Good God.

If we're sure there's absolutely nothing for to come before this.

It is tennis month, so the French Open is on now as well.

If those would like to see professional tennis in action, it is on all Turner Sports Networks.

So and plenty of baseball to go around for everybody as well right now, including my Atlanta Braves, who are uh the best team in baseball by record.

So oh.

So our next we already talked about that.

If there's no thing further to come for this body, we are adjourned.

Make sure you take your tennis balls