2026-10-06 - Work Session

Heat. Heat. Hey. Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] >> Hey, hey, hey. Hey. >> [music] [music] >> Everybody's >> [music] >> here. Thank you. >> Uh, we lost Mr. Brown. Let me see if I can try. >> You want

to do the invocation? >> Hey, how are you doing? Good to see you. Thank you for being here. >> Absolutely. >> All right, we're ready. Got Miss Wilson. >> Okay. Are we um I don't even have the agenda

[clears throat] for me. Are we doing invocation? Um, yes. >> Rever McDow, you mind saying? >> Let's bow our heads. >> Eternally and gracious creator, for all that you've done for us, for allowing us

to get up this morning. We say simply say thank you. Bless us, sensitize us, undergard us with grace and with power. allow us to be good listeners and yet good doers of the word. We ask it, we claim

it in your name. Amen. >> Amen. >> Thank you, sir. >> Um, is there a motion to adopt the agenda as presented? >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to amend item two to add project kick. That's to

item number two. Sir, >> got a motion to amend the agenda. at Project Kick a second by Mr. Johnson. Any other changes or requests? [snorts] >> Hearing none. Seeing now, Madam Clerk, would you read the

role? >> Mr. Hi >> Mr. Bailey. >> Yes. >> Hi >> Mr. Brown. >> Yes. >> Yes. [laughter] >> Don't be messing with >> I'm sorry. >> It's all six ines. ready to roll, Mr. Mayor. Okay. Well, good afternoon

to everyone. Um, we will start our city council discussion with item number one, which is the Harden Street Corridor improvements. This is not Miss Amber Matthysse, but Mr. Derek Gruner, um, AR, chief

architect. I don't want to mess up your title, Derek. University of South Carolina. Um and then let me a little history on the subject matter. The Bull Street Commission recently met and this was the

same presentation [clears throat] that was given to the Bull Street Commission. Um as many people know, but for the benefit of the public, the Bull Street Commission um acts as an advisory group um

somewhat for all things Bull Street ever since its inception. So, we always try to give fairly regular updates um at that commission meeting chaired by Councilman Tyler Bailey now and that has

alternated with our council members over time and we'll continue to do that. um very productive meeting at for the commission members. And so the next step is for us to what do what we're doing today

is bring that to city council for a full city council briefing. Word sessions historically are not for public input. Word sessions are for the council to be briefed. So the next step because we know

since that first Bull Street Commission me meeting that there's a lot of interest by the public and the public and related community in particular around this area. And so we have already scheduled

another meeting next [clears throat] week for public input um in the community at a time that hopefully works for community members in the evening and that's on December 13th I believe. I'm sorry.

October 13. Why did I say December? October 13th at 6:00 at um Drew Wellness. >> We'll put that up before we leave as well. Um what I'd like to do today though, knowing that a lot of community members

are here, Mr. mayor is after the presentation if the council wants to maybe have one representative of the community to just state kind of what some of the um concerns or issues you have so that that

way the public meeting next week will be even more productive. We can have more public discussion at that time if that works for everyone just due this due to the time constraints today and the fact

that we are um in a work session. So hopefully that will work and >> I imagine questions from council probably cover some of the concerns. >> Hopefully. So absolutely because it's the first time the

full council is hearing this briefing as well. >> Okay, Miss Wilson, how much time have you allocated for this? >> We have about 40 minutes >> for this one presentation. >> Well, yeah, we have time

certain that one for our executive session. >> Okay, very good. I just >> you stop if you finish early. That's fine. >> Okay. I just did want you uh to have other items put pushed aside. So, thank you

for this opportunity to present to this group. I'm Derek Roer with the university university architect. Uh I welcome this opportunity to brief this group and really talk about what this what this

project really is about, what its impacts are, what its benefits are, and really just clear up what I think might be some questions about its scope. What I hear today from the council and the public,

I will take back to leadership at the university. So, I want to quickly talk about where the location of this proposed utility consolidation is, show some of the existing conditions, show what's

possible if we don't consolidate the power lines in terms of improvements [snorts] to Harden Street, and then what would be possible if we did consolidate the the power lines. The location of this

work, I'll have to point to some of this occasionally. It's just my nature. But the Bull Street, the [clears throat] Tucker U property here, Booker Heights to the north, Celia Saxon to the southeast.

And this orange band, this orange line here is where the proposed consolidation would be. So, it's really not in a neighborhood, but it's it's uh in the Tucker Center uh state property. And really to

to make it very clear up front what this is about, you see this this aerial photograph. Uh Bull Street is to the right. Uh you see the Health Sciences Camp is to the right of Harden Street that's

under construction. This is about a 2,000 ft long segment of Harden Street stretching from the railroad bridge at the top uh right here down to Sly Avenue uh which is north is actually down on this.

And then you see to the left the Tucker Center which is those those green roofs, CA Johnson High School and our Carver Lion up there and then the the neighborhoods as you can see. So those red lines

indicate the two lines of utility lines that we're proposing to be consolidated into one easement and all the other yellow lines are just other power lines. So the thought is go from this to that.

Okay. So that's what this that's this is about. This is what I want to present to you today. So the existing conditions this is looking south on Harden Street. Sly Avenue would be sort of just to my

left in this And um you see the transmission lines to the right, distribution lines to the left that flank both sides of of Harden Street. Um no sidewalk on the west side, the right side. Uh just a

5-ft sidewalk on the east side, the the Tucker um property side. And um you can see the the distribution lines there that are causing the trees to be kind of sheared along that side. That's what this

illustration shows. When when Scanner Dominion has a line of power lines, they they come along and shear the trees that are within their easement. And we've all experienced that in our neighborhoods.

And what this shows is on the right side, the transmission lines in their existing location, you're only allowed to have trees that are about 15 feet tall in one of these Dominion ements. So you're

not you're not able to do true shade trees or or grand trees. And then the on the left side you see the existing trees mostly oaks that are are being sheared off because they fall within that that

shaded zone of the distribution. And [snorts] this and here's some photographs of those trees that have been just kind of sheared over the years. And if we maintain the the two lines on each side of

the street, about the best that the university can do when we develop the the health sciences campus is do what we call understory trees, like trees that don't grow more than about 15 ft, don't really

provide shade, but that's what you you see here. And we would of course do a sidewalk on that side, but then really no changes uh to the east side. So when we approached this, we thought if we could

negotiate an easement on the state property that would be wide enough to allow the the transmission and the distribution lines to be put in the same line and space them. Then we could come back with

trees that will grow into grand trees on both sides of this this 2,000 ft. So it shifts lines to the east and it's still though this easement is about 2,000 feet from CA Johnson. So um when we started

this honestly with this easement we we didn't think there would be impacts to the trees on the east side at least we didn't think the trees have to be removed but as working with the city as we

started to look at the health of these trees on the east side I'm talking about these trees um they had been so battered on on the right side or the west side because the distribution lines over the

years we thought if we start pruning them on the east side also we're going to end up with a tree that's pretty unhealthy. and not not the kind of stately tree that is thinking long term. Also,

there's a pedestrian safety aspect to this in my mind because right now you have this sidewalk this 5t wide just a few feet off the roadway and no barriers between the vehicles and the pedestrians.

What if what if a wider sidewalk went back that was multimodal that would be good for pedestrians as well as as cyclists? And in in doing this, we can also put grand trees on the west side. So, uh you

see that over there. So, here's a look at the trees that are on the east side now on the the Tucker side. And you can see um some of the evidence of the shearing. But we also thought, well, if we move

the power lines, what if we just let branches start growing over the sidewalk on those existing trees? What the arborists tell us both from the university and the city is that what you you get are

really unhealthy branches. Branches that will be always dangers of falling in the future and the treere is never going to really have that nice shape because they've been so so wounded to this point.

This idea also partially sprung from what had been done in front of Drew Wellness where um you see here of separating buffer strip between the road and the sidewalk and new trees that have been

planted with no power lines around them. So these trees will grow into grand shade bearing trees in the future. So here we have uh a rendering of what it could look like to plant new trees on both

sides of the road, roughly 35 to 40 foot spacings and let them just mature into 60 and 80 year old oaks. And they would, you know, be get to be be about 60 ft tall. Uh new street lights and a wider

sidewalk and the distribution lines are moved to the left of those trees. And then with enough time, you know, this is the future. We do we projects like this. We do these projects for our children

and our children's children, right? I mean, you know, it will take it'll take 20, 30 years for these trees to get as mature as what you see here. Now, what's in this picture is really just a few years

off because we'll start with decent sized trees. I mean, if you remember what was done uh in Assembly Street about 10 or 12 years ago in that center median, uh those trees now are have trunks that are

pretty nice. Those are pretty nice trees uh between Pendleton and Blossom Street. So these are the improvements that could be done if the lines were consolidated. And uh so just to summarize uh the

relocation would allow for the planting of of true grand uh shade trees one day. um not possible to do so on the west side because of the of the transmission lines and the trees that we have on the

east side are just never going to be the kind of beautiful trees we have elsewhere in the city. Um I believe it will create a a safer sidewalk condition. I mean these these are rules right out of just

basic transportation guidelines where if you can put a line of trees between the sidewalk and the cars, the pedestrians naturally feel safer. the vehicles tend to drive a little more slowly because

just psychologically they feel like they're in an environment that's more park-like. Um, we do have to coordinate all this with the DOT. That road is a is Department of Transportation road. Um, and I

think they'll have speed limits of about 35 miles an hour, but I believe >> drive 35 on Harden Street. >> No, they really don't. But I think right now part of it is 40 miles an hour and part of it is

actually posted 35 already. But you're right. People speed through there. Sir, >> can you go back to the slide that shows the Harden Street, the aerial view? >> Yeah, >> if you don't mind. >> That's

the end of the presentation. So, >> yeah. Can you [clears throat] walk through what the university owns on the east side? >> Okay. [snorts] At this point. [clears throat] >> All right. >> Out of the

2,000 ft, what what have y'all What do y'all own? >> Okay. So, uh, this is a burial photograph that was in in GIS. These buildings, um, have been I'm sorry, I am now I'm turned upside down. I'm sorry.

There was two of these buildings here. Of course, they're demolished. Our school of medicine is under construction right here. We own to about this point. >> Okay. >> U, our foundation has purchased

the remainder of this land down to a city pump station, which is right here. So that the hospital neurological hospital will be occurring here and then future other medical and academic buildings will

round this out so that the this is about 30 acres from these transmission lines that are here south right there. >> I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. >> Do you all own anything on the other side? >> Yes, I was

just coming to that. So this is about 15 acres here and the university owns that as well. >> Now is that below the bridge beyond [clears throat] the bridge the train? >> The train. So the train is

right here. So so five points and Benedict is right there. >> Yeah. So this is going northbound. >> And as I said this is about 2,000 ft from here to to Sly. All right. Then, you know, I think the

next question is is um you obtained an easement u from from the state. Can you walk us through how that process worked? Uh because I don't know that any of us really knew that, right? So, just

understanding where the process is or how it evolved would be very helpful. >> Okay. Okay. [snorts] So the the ambition was to consolidate distribution lines on this side with transmission lines that

were on this side and enable trees [clears throat] to buffer the bolster street property and the thought being that if the lines could be moved behind a little bit off the street then you could get a

line of trees on both sides. Um I guess >> this being state property and us being a state we talked internally with state leadership and agreed that this was a mutually beneficial >> but when was that

because I mean to me the the question comes here is we knew transmission lines were on that side of the road right you knew that during the planning and the design of the building >> wouldn't that

been something we should have discussed before that that building was set and planned because now It's in a position where you you can leave them the way they are. And now granted, I do think there's

some alternatives that we should be talking about because distribution lines can be buried. Transmission can't. >> That's right. That's correct. >> So there could be another look um at the way this is

designed. I like the way it looks from the street and in 30 years I'd love to my grandkids to walk walk down that way and be connected to all of it. I think that's great. But 15 feet to the left of

those grand trees, you're gonna have some terrible looking dual purpose large poles that could hinder the future development of because this isn't the Tucker's not going to stay there forever. We all

know it, right? But that so what happens when you decide that y'all are going to purchase the hat and make it part of the health camp? I'm just you thinking, you know, this in the neighborhood. This

is continued health because let me be frank and honest. I am extremely excited about the neurological hospital. This this a gamecher for this community because right now our option is Atlanta, right?

The Shepherd Center and now we have an opportunity. It's a game changer for our community. That's right. But at the same time, I want to be sensitive about what we're doing because in 20 years, is

that then that dist that distribution and transmission line going to be pushed to the edge of that railroad because you want it off there because it's going to be in the middle of your future

development or whoever's future development. So, should we not be thinking a little bit more strategic about I know there's some extra cost in distribution, but could that make it more palatable and

easier for us to deal with the transmission side, especially since we're only talking about 2,000 linear feet at this point? Right. >> Right. >> And so, I want us to be thinking a little bit of effort

because that 70 foot buffer is huge in my opinion when you look at it. And I get why it's there because you want the trees to expand. We want we want people to come into this area and we want the

connectivity. Everybody from Celia Saxon to Booker Washington to across the road all should be able to have access because it's the purpose of the building to Bull Street. That's why we're excited

that there's actually a grocery store coming there, right? The creativity we're seeing investments happening. I mean long-term I don't know that who knows if our public works will be there forever,

right? That's potential. But how will that affect, you know, that potential growth down the road? So, I guess the question is is what other alternatives did y'all think about um as this was kind of

contemplated because clearly it I'm not saying it was an afterthought, but clearly somebody didn't think about it when you were y'all were designing the other campus. Right. >> Right. So, okay, I'll

[clears throat] try to give you a little more of the backstory. We we did have a desire to see if we could move the power lines, but I'll tell you honestly, I didn't think it was going to happen. I

didn't think it would happen. Um I thought that um it would be too difficult [clears throat] to to negotiate an easement, too expensive to do it. And I always had the opinion that we can't plan on it.

And that's actually why this the school of medicine is further from Harden Street than I than I would have that I now would like it to be because >> that easement was over here also and it was pushing

the buildings away from the road unfortunately. But >> um but maybe like a year ago we started having some frank conversation with the state and would you be willing to see these consolidated and they

were open to it. Uh we know that if if the state or USC develops something over here, those power lines are they're just they're there. I I have never had a thought that there was a second phase that

would come and move power lines this way around that site. Never even occur to me. Um >> well, the only reason I say that is is because y'all realize that it it has an effect on the that side of the

campus. So it could have equal effect on that. So I'm trying to think further out. How do we do something now that that allows this project to move forward and and enhance the community without

impacting because I worry about the future. So, is there a balance? Is there a different way? Can we look at I know it's added cost, but if you if you went distribution and then you only had

transmission going up, what does that do for what the easement needs to be done? What does that do from aesthetic? you know, what does that do from a poll stand, you know, does that change things in

the conversation that still allows because I think everybody would say we want it to look like that, right? I mean, an enhancement like that is in in the drive really it blows over to each community,

but at the same time, >> I don't know that we've thought further further off and and how does that look? And I know there's got to be something that can be done. And I guess that was the real

question, [cough] you know, and to be quite frank, you know, there's a merger going on and this is this may be one of the things that the public wants to be part of the merger costs, right? I mean,

public still got to push it. Vote the public service commission, everybody else voted. Maybe that's that's an avenue for discussion, right? Is there an alternative that could be chipped in by not only

the university but the the power company because they benefit from this just as much if not more? >> What difference would it make? I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor. Go ahead. What difference would it make? You

said you mentioned a few minutes ago the medical university being further up. >> Did I hear that? >> Yeah. Well, I'm simply saying, sir, that >> it's kind of gross. We when we placed the school of

medicine building, >> it [clears throat] was because of an easement on this side street which pushed the building westward more so than we would have done. >> So it would okay the growth would push it

back this way >> would move it up. >> It's going to keep they bought those other two the two buildings at the top that the foundation owns that. So that's built for the future resource research. If

you remember there was supposed to be another hospital there at the right below the pump station. And Derek, you mind pointing at it right there. >> Yeah. There was supposed to be uh another group and

you know, they ended up not doing that other hospital. So that gave the university the opportunity to acquire that land for future, which would be great with with the neurological hospital, the

research. I mean, there's a lot of opportunities here uh for growth. Um and I think that was the plan, which I duly support. I just think we got to we got to think this one a little further than we

thought. >> Okay, Mr. Mayor. >> Yes, sir. >> Um Derek, is it does the university have to participate with the public service commission at all um to get the approval to move the transmission line now

that y'all have the easement? >> Well, we did through Dominion. They they and the uh real property department with the state coordinated this. I think they would have interacted with the public

service commission. We're picking up with what the mayor was mentioning regarding undergrounding some of those downlines if you could. Um I know the university seems to be pretty committed towards the

improvements to the area with this change, but has a will the university consider looking into undergrounding as many utilities as possible? I know the transmission line can't go down, but I think it

would lessen the impact especially with any future development over there if those could be undergrounded. Yeah, >> that's providing the easement, right? >> Yeah. Undergrounded on the ement side. >>

Yeah. And you know, we bury power lines whenever we can do it, whenever we can afford it, like like on Main Street. It that all the ideas that you have, mayor, burying the distribution lines is at

least possible. Burying the transmission, as you said, is unfortunately not. We pushed that for a long time with Dominion. Bury the transmission >> and finally it just became a hard note. I actually

called some folks um the other day after the first time I had been informed about this and asked, you know, nationwide and I I couldn't find anybody that's burying transmission lines. And if they did,

the cost and the problems that they got resulted that they ended up reversing that distribution, everybody said, is not a problem, especially when you're not talking about miles and miles. We're

talking about 2,000. >> Distribution is just a function of cost. Yeah. So if if the distribution lines were to be buried, I mean what the cost that would be, but it's it's not really going to diminish

the 70 foot easement because that is sized per access to the transmission lines in terms of >> what it would do aesthetically. You could I I believe you could do a different design of polling because

you're not having the same requirements by hanging both, right? What it would do is, and I don't really have a plan that shows this, but I'll try to point to it. The the transmission lines are they're

spaced poles that is are spaced pretty far apart. They can span long distances. Distribution lines cannot span that far. They can only span about half the distance. So whereas you would have

transmission lines spaced maybe I think there's maybe four or five through this 2,000 ft, distribution has to have an an interval uh an intermediary pole. So for every every transmission [snorts] pair

of transmission poles has a distribution in between it. So the distribution is hung up both their own dedicated poles and the transmission poles. So you would you would decrease half the poles if you

were to bury the distributions. >> So what so when you say that so how many transmission poles would you estimate would be there? >> Uh I think four or five would go in max >> I think. So, >> so they

can expand what 200 ft in between each other. >> I think that's about right. Yes, sir. Um, you could see the spacing here >> versus the spacing on the uh the transmission. [snorts] >> Yeah. [clears

throat] I mean, it's something I I welcome the idea. I'd be happy to look into it. >> Well, and somebody else had had mentioned to me in one of their communities where we have the same challenge at

our riverfront park, right? Our riverfront park. We we can't get rid of the transmission lines. That's a massive and it would be wonderful if we could, >> but discussions happened there and other

communities have. How do you make them aesthetically pleasing? Uh upgrading the quality of the poles where they're they're green, where they make them look more like trees so they blend in more. They

don't look so utilitarian. they plant around them underneath, right, with shrubs and stuff that don't grow on but grow around to create basis so that it becomes part of of the the nature trail. Um

there's a couple little things that that people have done. And so I think, you know, I'd be curious to hear what, you know, the public forum, what more people say, but I think there's there's some

opportunity to come up with a a better plan for all [clears throat] in included, right? Um I mean, I hate to say that, you know, we're not interested in having all the trees in the sidewalks. I think

we are, but I think the plan the way it is now is really hard to swallow if we haven't looked at those other opportunities to be quite frank with you. And I and I think knowing that we can bury a

portion of that really takes takes some of that off. It doesn't change the buffer, but it allows us to do some different things with that buffer, right? And I think understanding what the landscape

could could do with that. Um I saw a park in Michigan not too long ago where they planted the wild grasses. They had different type of native plants that only grow to a certain level, but they

streamlined it under. So it almost became like a community garden. But what it was really doing is getting people's mind on the ground level, not looking at the polls that were just there bare and so

forth. So, um um council Sam, Mr. Johnson, sorry. >> Um could you go back to the u slides you had before that show just kind of the the overhead? >> Yeah. Could there could you speak to slide avenue

and just um what the university is currently doing there? of I know you mentioned the 15 acres. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry. Along with that, I know we talked about the parking lot that's and any

more like it's sort of a separate project with the tree removal thing, right? >> Wanted to make sure that the public understood that as well as council now that's >> separate but >> yeah they are

separate projects. when when the hospital project came into the master plan which wasn't originally conceived but the hospital came to light it displaced parking that was going to serve the the school

of medicine. So consequently, the university owned this land and was always the plan to one day try to improve this. One day there'll probably be some some buildings there was to go ahead and do some

overflow parking there that was being displaced by the hospital just to make sure that we built enough parking for the med school and we didn't have impacts with people parking outside of the the

grounds for the health sciences campus. So that has not really nothing to do with the power lines other than the fact geographically they overlap. We we would have done that regardless of moving power

lines. And that'll be a parking lot that is permitted through the city, complies with the landscape, buffers will be lit, paved, cameras for security, fenced, all the kind of things that the

university does for parking. And the students would access the school of medicine by a tunnel that goes under some um Harden Street that I'm assuming most people are aware of that exists. >> So that

would that be a public tunnel? um >> employees. >> Well, yeah. I I don't think the public would have a reason to use it. It's not, you know, it's not that we would say they couldn't, but it the

parking is is limited to university students and staff and they're using that tunnel to get to the the school of medicine. If there was events where where public was parking over there for something

going on, health science campus, certainly I would you would use it. But >> you could just point out area. >> Yeah. It is along part of Sly and along part of well this part of Sly and that part of Sly

[clears throat] to allow for future building over here fronting Harden Street and then good access to this tunnel which runs right under there and this was just left alone. >> Mayor, you know, as we

think about and really what I hear you saying is kind of a master plan for what future development could be uh along Harden. Uh we know you know as you go towards five points and uh up towards

Benedict College uh you know some of the growth is going to happen. Well, we got ABC, you know, looking to do phase one, right? So, that's a start. We know that the potential hotel, at the Harden

Street, at the Green Book Theater, and others. So, I mean, there's stuff happening, right? >> Well, the the opportunity for pedestrian connectivity [clears throat] being one uh that's extremely

important, too. So I think uh just thinking through uh there as we take these plans look at the community growth uh the opportunity for the community to be able to have access to Bull Street uh from

all sides I think is a tremendous opportunity for us. Um Robert Anderson is in here. Uh so when we think about the uh improvement of the public works building and getting rid of the wood grain, uh

there's a huge [clears throat] opportunity there as well. >> Well, I should add I I I'm remiss not to bring this to light, but as part of the hospital project, there will be a new road cut from Harden

over to uh Barnwell near on the east side of of the Page Ellington Park. That's going to be a signalized intersection. Okay. There'll be crosswalks. It'll be of course well lit. And so that's that's

going to be a great opportunity for the neighborhoods that are on the east side of Harden to cross safely into the Bull Street District on what's going to feel like a public road and and access the

park and then everything beyond in Bull Street. So the the multimotal sidewalk that we're proposing on the east side just just connects right into that intersection. >> So one dumps in to Okay. All

right. >> Yes, sir. I mean, right now there's really not a good way to to cross Harden Street. >> Would there be an would that road then would be an opportunity to do some bumpouts that would help

slow traffic down in that area, especially for pedestrian crosswalks? >> I guess it's a DOT question, >> but I mean that would help a lot in that stretch of hard. Yeah, >> because when they come

flying down the hill, >> right, >> I'm not going to say how I know, but I know the average speed limit is not the speed limit. Uh, it's excessive. >> Is that program for >> I'm sorry. Well, >> when's

it going in? >> Plan is to have that in when the hospital is finished, which will be late 2029 is the current schedule. Again, it's all subject to the time of the DOT, but we've been successful with

the DOT doing bumpouts. We did it on Main Street. We did it on Assembly Street. It's It makes a It makes a big difference. >> Total project cost on this particular draft >> for moving the power lines

or just like what's the cost? >> Um 650 million. The The School of Medicine's 300 and the hospital's 350. >> No, no, no. I'm not talking about that. Talking about the power lines. >> Oh, just the

power lines. >> You scared me there for a minute. >> I asked. Okay. I asked Lions. I thought you said somebody doing anything. [laughter] >> No, you're really scared. Was the university a going to pay

for that? No, we think it's about a million to a million to to relocate the power lines. Now, I like the idea of bearing distribution lines. Let me talk to Dominion, see what that cost would be. You

mentioned color colorized poles. Uh we talked to them about going with brown colored poles. They they said that's really not their standard. you know, it wasn't >> there's a lot of things. I love I

think we can I think we can continue to push on that. >> Push you don't get right. >> I think we can continue to push on that. Um >> I think that look there there there's an opportunity, right, to

make this better than it's presented, right? And the end of the result really benefiting all the community. But I think we've got to to I don't think this plan the way it's presented is acceptable. >>

So I think there's an opportunity here and I think we've got to figure it out like figure that out and talking to them because we we're going through the same process like I said with the the

riverfront park. I mean we got to make things aesthetically appleasing and people are going to be under those lines. I I I get it. Can we make it less impactful and get the harden street plus so it

benefits all the surrounding areas because I do think that benefits and will enhance the communities around it. Right. >> And so but we got to tweak it a little bit, right? >> Um um >> and that

tweaking of course brings in a certain amount of accountability to not only the project but the for the community. uh tweaking that brings in a kind of um I don't want to say adjustment but a an acute

assessment of what needs to take place and how inverly that affects community. Mhm. >> So, I'm in favor of tweaking it a little bit and allowing those tweaks to sort of ruminate within each of us so

that we [clears throat] might be able to see a tweeted version of what it's going to look like. >> Okay. >> I respect that. I mean, >> Mr. Mayor, yes, sir. Um, while y'all tweaking and looking into >>

Hey, as long as >> we didn't say to >> not presenting that. >> While y'all considering different options, um, >> thank you. >> I know that it probably the cost could possibly increase with

underlining. I do think a priority I would like to see remain is the infrastructure improvements with the sidewalks um, and the lighting. I think would be great there. I'm thinking kids playing at

Drew Wellness, riding their bikes to Publix to get something to drink and coming back >> or living in Bull Street and going to Drew >> or accessing Prisma. >> Oh, I don't think this is a give and take

discussion. Yes, there's going to be more cost, but as you said, this this is a longtime project. So, I do think it's worth us, you know, having that that deeper discussion. It would be really great

too if maybe through some research or whatever that on on the meeting on the 13th that there's some looks of what it potentially could look like if we could bury part of it. What those poles could

look like, what the landscaping could look like in junction with with the trees, right, >> mayor and Derek, I mean, and you would know better. Um, I'm always the one to have to, you know, help manage

expectations. So with this discussion going on and kind of some of these opportunities to look at is it realistic because I know the public is here and hearing this. Do do you want to continue with

the public meeting or give time for him to actually address some of these things? >> Well, I think it'll be easier. I mean, in my opinion, I mean, I'm not speaking for other people in the community. I

think the more input that [clears throat] that Derek and the comm community the the university can receive from folks because there may be some other ideas or tweaking that way they're not you know

they they can build off that kind of like a sharet process how do we make it a better project right that creates benefit for all >> and and Mr. Mayor, just to add on, >> bringing in [snorts] local

government partners like the city and the county >> potentially unlocks other funding mechanisms, guide share money, DOT, I think there's some penny money potentially out there where we can truly make

this the premier version of what I think we all want. >> Yeah, >> I agree with everything that's being said. I I want to of course do some investigation with Dominion and what the cost of

undergrounding those lines are. I mean, I I can't commit without knowing that. and and I have uh superiors at the university too that have to be part of that decision. But what I take away is that

that's a great idea to explore. I also like the idea of thinking about that 70 foot zone as a landscape zone that we can think about it as more than just a a field. [snorts] Um you know u those are I

think our best opportunities to tweak and improve this and just continue to re refine it. >> I think the landscape and the reason I brought it up is because when I was I looked at the landscape I

didn't look at the polls. I mean, the poles became a secondary as I was walking through. Similar situation because I wanted to envision what the riverfront would look like because this was by a public

park, too, where the land got donated, but they had this obstruction, right? And right, >> they can't you can't afford to move those. So, >> I do think it's it's well worth spending the time and the

effort. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And we've gone three minutes over. You're you're still good with being able to [snorts] receive on more ideas for >> Yes. And I'll have some more ideas between now and the

13th. I may not have refined landscape plans in a week, but I'll be able to talk about it with a little bit little bit more intention. >> Okay. And then as far I know our public works directors here

thought he was still on medical leave, but anyway, is there anything else about [clears throat] the parking lot and the removal of those trees that y'all were wanting to be clear on? right now on

anything outside the rightways on hold. >> Okay. >> So, from Dominion standpoint and anything going on with that, everything's on hold until we [snorts] >> That's my understanding and I'll I'll

confirm that. But yes, they >> I wouldn't want work to start being done and now this is being discussed. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> I'll make sure that's the case, but that that is absolutely my belief.

They're they're they're waiting for us to >> release them. >> Okay. Thank you, Gary, so much. Thank you everyone. Really do appreciate the input. >> Thank you sir. Thanks for being here. >> Was there

anything else that you wanted to ask? >> I think I mean >> now we will not I'm sorry Mr. Mayor. >> Yes sir. >> We will not have [clears throat] some of those things that some of those things that we

[snorts] looked at prior to on the 13th. You would also bring those things to the table. >> I think we bring the things we talked about here today. Okay. On the 13th. Yes sir. for tweaking purposes.

>> for tweaking purposes. But some of the tweaking will be asked till after the third. >> Tweaking, not twerking. Now, >> yeah, you're not I'm not I'm not doing that. >> No, I don't want to I don't

want to see that. [laughter] >> That's your fault. >> Thank you, sir. >> You have a question. >> I appreciate I accept blame for that. Thank you. >> Regina has a question. >> Yes. Yes. panel. >> She

got >> My question is for >> Yeah. Derek >> Dere Mr. Derek. >> Good afternoon. I want you all to know I have I intentionally found my USC ring >> so that I could bring it here and you know that we're

not against USC and not against any of that. We're all for the beautifification of Harden Street. What I did not hear is you share anything about what will Slide Avenue look like. That is in the

borders of um [clears throat] Booker Washington Heights and it has uh Palmeta Terrace Apartments. This has our driving range and we do not know what's being emitted from these poles. >> Well, they

won't be on slies, right? >> So, the parking lot that they're just just to to to clarify the poles aren't going to the Sly Avenue side. Right. >> Right. They're not >> they're not going there. They're

only going up Harden. That's why that's why we're saying what Sly Can you pull Can you put up the slide? >> That's why we need that's what we need to see. You want to just go back to one of the >>

early slides? That that's perfect. >> That was all these all these yellow ones already exist. But >> what we'll be doing is right now the transmission lines come out of a substation right here. They

cross Colonial Boulevard and they turn and go like this. What they do now is they continue along hard on this side. What I proposed today would be that it would continue across hard and then turn. So,

we're not affecting anything in in here. That's right. >> Where's the parking lot going to be? >> Parking lot. >> I think you need >> goes right here. I think maybe that's what your question was

getting at was so where the parking lot extends back to about this point, there'll be a landscape buffer meeting city standards alongside, but from from there back there are no changes proposed. This

will remain just forested property. >> Okay. Yeah. So, there are no poles on the side of Size Avenue. >> What's what's you see the yellow, Miss Williams? The the the yellow is what's existing. That's

what's staying, right? There's nothing added, new or changed on slot. What you see in yellow are existing power lines that exist today. [clears throat] >> And there are already power poles along this

side are red as well. So [clears throat] >> what you see now is what you will continue to see with the >> police with [clears throat] the polls. >> I just want to make one comment for you. This will

actually take the vehicles that we are parking on the side will move away. >> I've seen that >> that'll actually be so you won't see our vehicles parking. And just another um point uh if you have any

problems convincing Dominion, Lowden County, Virginia is um in the process of working with Dominion on burying their lines [snorts] and they the district school district I think they're gone have a uh

system where they can't take power lines through school districts or through residential areas >> and they are in um litigation with that right now and that's in so you can research that and tell them

look you know I know you all can do it >> because you had to do it in Lowden County. >> Yeah I know they can distribution lines we've had but I want I want to be really clear about this that there is

no impact by power lines east of this line. There's just there's just nothing happening by this project here. And on the 13th, I'll have a graphic to better explain this parking and where >> it just

be good to have all the visual. Yes. >> And then possibly what you all may be getting ready to think about doing. >> Yeah. >> In what what what does the future hold? That's what we're not at the table

on, right? >> What does our future look like? I think you'll be delighted to see this roadway that's going to connect Harden over to the park and how the community will be able to get into Bull Street

safely at that point and I'll make sure I have that shown on the >> hopefully we can talk more about those details on the third >> and I know [clears throat] I'll need a whole suite in the

neurological [laughter] I'm glad you you know that's near me so I'm fine with that >> you're opening the door >> I know I did I know you [laughter] needed opportunity would have thought >> that I

know. >> Thank you all for being here. >> Uh I I would say that we would take a a 10m minute mental break to provide anybody who would like some food before we have a working lunch meeting. >> Can we

go ahead and enter into executive session to >> go into session? >> Yeah, I would say go ahead and do that. Let's break. >> So we got a motion. Um >> do we need to read out >> here? Would you read

that? >> We need We need We need our [laughter] >> Oh, you can already I'm ready to start moving, man. >> Go ahead and read it, man. >> All right. Um, mayor, I make a motion that we move into

executive session for discussion of matters related [clears throat] to proposed location expansion or provision of services um with project congeree. I can't hear myself y'all. I can't hear myself.

Project Congereie and Project Kick. Discussion of negotiations incident to propose contractual arrangements. Uh CRC 911 communications agreement. Receipt of legal advice relating to matters covered by

attorney client privilege. Shanden [snorts] East watershed drainage improvements and meal sharing. And finally, I hope uh receipt of legal advice relating to pending threatened or potential claims.

Hannah Davis versus City of Columbia. Abigail Harris versus City of Columbia. Connie Jackson and [clears throat] Alessandro Moral Morales versus the City of Colombia. Mr. Mayor, may I add a personel

matter? >> No. >> And we will add >> one one personel matter. Thank you. >> So move a motion. Thank you. >> Madame clerk, could you read the role? >> Mr. Johnson. >> Hi. >> Mr. Bailey. >> Yes. >> Mr.

Brown. >> Yes. >> M. >> Hi. >> Mr. Bren. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Hi. >> Thank you.