Legislative eNews-November 20, 2007
County Begins Business Audits on January 1, 2008 - New I-9 Forms
County Administrator Gary Kubic is moving forward with plans to implement a more thorough review of businesses operating in Beaufort County. Random audits of businesses operating in unincorporated Beaufort County are set to start January 1, 2008.
Beaufort County has solicited bids to retain a private company to complete the audits and hire a new director to carry out inspections aimed at discouraging the hiring of illegal immigrants and making sure that businesses are providing the county with correct financial data. The immigration audit is in response to the Lawful Employment Ordinance passed last year by the Beaufort County Council. The county hopes to have businesses more accurately report financial terms that could increase business fees to the county. Details of the business license process and auditing rules can be found at www.bcgov.net.
The auditing company will inspect employers' I-9 forms. Federal law requires employees fill out such forms, which include the name, Social Security number and other information that is collected and kept by an employer. In related news, and perhaps to complicate matters, on November 7, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Department issued a new version of the federal I-9 form. You can access the new form at www.uscis.gov.
The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber, along with other business groups, have invited Mr. Kubic to detail the county's plans and review the I-9 process on Thursday, December 6, from 10-noon at the Sea Turtle Cinema in Bluffton. Please mark your calendars and more information will follow shortly.
Hilton Head Island Airport
On Wednesday, November 7, the Town of Hilton Head Island Planning Commission, which is a citizen commission, voted 6-2 to oppose a change to the Land Management Ordinance (LMO) that will maintain the runway at its current length and claim some jurisdiction over the decision-making process concerning the airport. The airport is owned by the county and the change to the LMO would require the county to seek town approval before any changes to the airport, including the length of the runway.
Last Wednesday, November 14 the Planning and Development Standards Committee, in a reverse of the Planning Commission's recommendation, voted 3-0 to recommend the full council approve changing the zoning of the airport so the runway length could not be extended beyond the current 4,300 square feet. Voting in support of moving it to the full council were Councilmen Drew Laughlin, Bill Mottel, and Bill Ferguson.
At the same time, a working group has been appointed to discuss a feasibility study to examine the future of the airport. The work group, which consists of a member of Town Council, County Council and the Aviation Advisory Board, met for the first time in early November.
The issue continues to evoke strong emotions from island residents with large crowds at all the public meeting concerning the airport.
Town of Bluffton Update
The Town of Bluffton on November 6 unanimously approved a transfer of development rights ordinance. The ordinance allows developers to sell the right to units they don't build to other developers or to the town. All transactions would have to be approved by town officials. The town could bank the units as a means of decreasing overall density or allocate them for use toward affordable housing. The ordinance is one of the first of its kind in South Carolina.
Bluffton Town Council is considering adding up to two members to the council to better represent population growth within town limits, and perhaps creating a ward system that would include both at-large districts and single-member ward districts. State law requires a town-wide referendum before those changes could be made. A referendum could be held as early as May, with candidates on the ballot by next November.
Jasper Port
On November 9, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue unveiled the bi-state plan to develop a new port in Jasper County. The two ports authorities will fund the Joint Project Office with $6 million initially, in addition to the $7 million to pay for the land. The port would be jointly and equally owned and operated by both states.
The proposed port site in Jasper County, SC is owned by the Georgia Department of Transportation and is used as a dredge spoil site by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The agreement ends a decades-old land dispute between various parties. Now the permitting process begins in earnest and that is largely dependent on the cooperation of the Army Corps of Engineers, which must permit the port and find another site to dump its dredge spoil. The governors announced several benchmarks for the port development: 180 days for the Georgia Department of Transportation to turn the $7 million site over to the two ports authorities; two years to complete all feasibility studies and development activities; and no longer than four years to complete an interstate compact to create a new entity that will run the port.
The next step in the process is to have the two states' ports authorities sign the agreement, which will allow the creation of the bi-state board. Then the respective state legislatures will consider more in-depth and perhaps more difficult negotiations on terms for the new port. The Jasper Port is expected to spur a sea of change in the region's economy.
Building Moratorium Lifted in Jasper County
After nearly 16 months, Jasper County has lifted its building moratorium. The Jasper County Council voted November 13 for final approval of its overhauled land use regulations and zoning ordinances. The ban had been in place for close to a year and a half. During the moratorium, development continued in the county's municipalities of Hardeeville and Ridgeland, which weren't subject to the ban, but have existing land use regulations.
House Committee Passes Bill to Eliminate Subsidies on Some Primary Residences in National Flood Insurance Program
The House Committee on Financial Services on October 31 passed by voice vote H.R. 3959, a bill that would eliminate subsidies in the National Flood Insurance Program on "single family properties used as principal residences" that, after the date of enactment are sold for $600,000 or more. The bill is expected to pass the House of Representatives and be joined with H.R. 3121, the comprehensive flood insurance reform bill passed by the House in September.
An amendment offered by the committee chair and adopted by the committee clarified that this bill applies only to single family properties used as primary residences. Properties affected include single-family primary residences that are purchased after the date of enactment for not less than $600,000 would see flood insurance premiums rise by 15% per year beginning January 1, 2011 until an actuarial rate is reached. Properties not affected include existing homeowners paying subsidized rates on their primary residences would not lose their existing subsidy under this bill. (Note, however, that H.R 3121, passed by the House of Representatives in September, phases out subsidies on all non-primary residences and nonresidential property beginning in January 2011.)
Legislation to reform and reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) must be enacted before September 30, 2008, the date on which the program is set to expire.
