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TAKE ANY ACTION.[Wallops Research Park Leadership Council Meeting on May 20, 2025.]
BASED ON THE INPUT OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, I, I DO CALL THIS MEETING OF THE WALLACE RESEARCH PARK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO ORDER.AND I WILL GO AHEAD NOW AND, AND STATE THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED, UH, THERE'S THREE MEMBERS PRESENT.
UH, IT, SIR, CAN YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF ONLINE PLEASE, OR ON THE PHONE? THIS IS GRAHAM GRIFFITH WITH THE VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
UH, AND, AND, AND, UH, I HOPE WE NOT FURTHERED ANY INCONVENIENCE TO YOU, BUT SINCE THERE'S ONLY FOUR OF US, WE WILL NOT HAVE A QUORUM.
SO NO OFFICIAL DECISIONS COULD BE MADE, UH, OUTSIDE OF POSSIBILITY OF A CONSENSUS, UM, DISCUSSION.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, UH, LEE, GO AHEAD.
SO, UM, SKIPPING DOWN TO NUMBER TWO, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA, AGAIN, NO, NO FORMAL, UH, VOTE THERE.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE AGENDA AT THIS TIME, WE, WE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT.
JOAN, ANYONE TO ADD ANYTHING? THE ONLY POINT I WANTED TO NOT NECESSARILY FOR DISCUSSION TODAY WAS FOR, UH, IN OUR NEXT MEETING WHEN WE HOPEFULLY HAVE A QUORUM AND, UM, WOULD BE TO, UH, I'D LIKE US TO BE IN A POSITION TO CONSIDER PRIORITIES FOR THE YEAR GOING FORWARD.
UM, SO, AND, AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE COULD CARRY THAT DISCUSSION OFFLINE AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR, FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND THE OTHER, UH, ITEM MAY BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT CHANGING THE TIME OF THESE MEETINGS TO MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR THE MEMBERS.
SO, UH, THREE'S EARLY FOR ME, UH, SO I KNOW, UH, MAYBE FOR EVERYONE ELSE, BUT SO WHAT, LET ME JUST, I'LL ASK EVERYONE AROUND ME WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.
IS THREE O'CLOCK A GOOD TIME? UH, I'M PRETTY NUMBER ONE.
I THINK THIS IS MY LAST MEETING.
UH, I'M RETIRING AT THE END OF JUNE.
SO I REALLY SHOULDN'T WELL, THAT'S OKAY.
WELL, IT'S STILL, YOU'VE GOT VALUABLE INPUT.
YEAH, IT'D BE INTERESTING HEAR, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE FROM MY VANTAGE.
I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE A COMPATRIOT, WOULDN'T YOU? SO, YEAH, UM, I CAN, I CAN ADJUST TO ANYTIME.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? WHAT WOULD WOULD BE A PREFERENCE? MR. MASON SCRA? SO, UH, OH, UH, LEE, PAM, A DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I HAD MENTIONED OFFLINE TO YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT THE REASON WHY THE STAFF PICKED THE DATE, THE DATES AND THE TIME WAS BASICALLY THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS ROOM AS WELL AS THE AVAILABILITY OF THE STAFF.
THE BOARD, OR RATHER THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ADOPTED THE, THE QUARTERLY SCHEDULE.
BUT IF THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME, UH, SOME ADJUSTMENT TO THE, TO THE TIME BASED OFF OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED, FOR INSTANCE, MR. GRIFFITH COMES FROM ACROSS THE BAY AND HE MIGHT NOT GET OUTTA HERE UNTIL FIVE O'CLOCK GETTING BACK HOME.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER, UH, SOME OTHER POTENTIAL, UM, YOU KNOW, ERRANDS THAT, UH, FOLKS MAY NEED TO RUN AT THE END OF THE DAY, FOR INSTANCE, CHILDCARE PICKUP AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THE STAFF IS CERTAINLY FLEXIBLE ON THE TIME.
UH, ONE SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE IS MAYBE TAKING JUST A STRAW POLL OFFLINE, UH, TO, TO, UH, UH, TO DO THAT.
BUT THE, THE TIME HASN'T BEEN SET AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED IN WITH ANY OFFICIAL VOTE.
THE, AGAIN, THE QUARTERLY MEETING SCHEDULE HAS BEEN ADOPTED THOUGH.
AND SO DO WE HAVE A RE I MEAN, WE ADVERTISE THESE MEETINGS.
WE DO NOT ADVERTISE THESE MEETING, WE DO NOT ADVERTISE THESE MEETINGS.
WE SHOULD BE, WE'LL ADVERTISE THEM IN
SO, I MEAN, BUT IN, IN, IN, IN DOING THAT, I MEAN, IT'S SIMPLY ADVERTISING THE TIME AND DATE AND THE APPROPRIATE MANNER.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT, SO.
SO WHAT WE CAN DO A SCROLL POLL AND I THINK WE, MR. PAMPER'S ESTABLISHED THAT WE DO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THE FUTURE, UH, IF WE NEED TO SLIDE A TIME, WHICH MM-HMM
SO THAT'S, THAT'S APPRECIATED.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA, EITHER CURRENT OR FUTURE? NOT FOR ME.
UM, SKIPPING DOWN TO NUMBER THREE, THE MINUTES, UH, THE LAST TIME THAT THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MET WAS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025.
WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ADOPT THOSE MINUTES OFFICIALLY.
THOSE MINUTES WE'LL KEEP FOR ANOTHER QUARTER TO THE NEXT MEETING, AND I BELIEVE IT'S AUGUST.
SO WE WILL, UH, DEFER THAT DECISION TO THE NEXT MEETING.
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NUMBER FOUR, WITH REGARDS TO PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR THAT.UH, THERE IS NO OLD BUSINESS ON NUMBER NUMBER FIVE, AND THE NUMBER UNDER NUMBER SIX, THERE IS ALSO NO NEW BUSINESS.
SO THIS BRINGS US TO NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, UH, WE PROVIDED THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL WITH A PACKET LAST TUESDAY, A WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING WITH SEVERAL ITEMS. AND, UM, AND, UH, UH, IF YOU'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT YOUR PACKET, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO START WITH THE, UH, UM, WITH THE, UH, UH, THE, THE, THE RESEARCH PARK AND ITS LAYOUT AND, UH, AND ITS CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE CAPABILITIES, IF YOU WILL.
AND WE COVERED A LITTLE BIT OF THIS LAST, LAST, UH, LAST TIME WE MET.
BUT THIS SLIDE HERE DETAILS THE, UM, THE UTILITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, AGAIN, AS FAR AS ANEC IS CONCERNED, THEY MENTIONED THAT FIVE MEGAWATTS IS AVAILABLE FOR, FOR POWER.
UM, INTERNET IS PROVIDED BY THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA BROADBAND AUTHORITY.
AND AS FAR AS WATER AND SEWER ARE CONCERNED, THOSE ARE PROVIDED BY NASA WITH THE COUNTY BEING THE INTERMEDIARY.
SO THE NASA, UH, NASA BILLS THE COUNTY FOR ANY USAGE WITHIN THE PARK.
AND ARE CURRENTLY, UH, CURRENTLY OUR ONLY TENANT IN THE, UH, IN THE, UH, RESEARCH PARK IS ROCKET LAB.
UM, I WAS, I THOUGHT I HAD THE, UH, I, NO, I THOUGHT I HAD THE, UH, UM, THE LAYOUT.
UH, CAN WE BRING UP THE PACKET BECAUSE THE PACKET SHOULD HAVE THE, UH, LAYOUT IN THERE.
SO THIS IS THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH I SHOULD ALSO, UH, PREFACE BY SAYING THAT CONCEPT PLANS OR MASTER PLANS ARE ALWAYS IN FLUX.
AND, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, WELL, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT THAT CLEARLY, BUT WHEN WE ZOOM IN, YOU START TO SEE SOME, UH, UH, A ONE POTENTIAL LAYOUT.
AND, UH, ROCKET LAB IS UP HERE OFF OF, UM, OFF OF A TAXIWAY, AND THIS IS AEROSPACE GATEWAY.
HERE YOU SEE SOME, UH, UH, WHAT, UM, WHAT THE CONSULTING ENGINEER HAD DRAWN IN AS SOME, UH, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL PARCELS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION ABOUT THIS SITE IS THAT, UH, IT WAS A, UM, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, A DUMP BEFORE.
SO THERE ARE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS, BUT, UH, YOU CAN SEE HERE A, UH, UH, ONE CONCEPTUAL, YOU KNOW, LAYOUT FOR ROADS AND STREETS AND OTHER PARCELS HERE.
AND, UH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE UTILITIES ONLY EXIST ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE, UH, OF MILL DAM ROAD HERE.
UH, MR. PIERCE, DO YOU KNOW IF, UM, IF, UH, NASA SERVES THE NASA SERVES THE MARS COM AT THIS POINT FOR VIRGINIA SPACE IN TERMS OF WATER AND
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SEWER WASTEWATER? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.THROUGH, THROUGH THE COUNTY, OF COURSE.
SO THIS TAXIWAY RIGHT HERE HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN, UH, CONSTRUCTED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SOME STATE FUNDING, UH, WITH THE, I BELIEVE THE COUNTY WAS A PASS THROUGH FOR THAT.
AND WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF INQUIRIES, UH, NORTH OF THE, UH, OF THE NASA FENCE, WHICH IS GENERALLY ALONG THIS, UH, ALONG THIS LINE HERE.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, THIS TAXIWAY HERE, THE REASON WHY I'M SHOWING THIS CONCEPT PLAN ALSO IS TO KIND OF SET THE TABLE FOR A COUPLE OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'VE GOT.
FOR INSTANCE, THE, UH, THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, UH, ACCESS ROAD, THE $900,000 ACCESS ROAD TO THE BACK, GO BACK TO CONTROL.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MASTER PLAN OR THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN? SO THE, THE, UM, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREA, GENERAL AVIATION HANGAR, IS THAT EXISTING OR IS THAT PLANNED? THAT'S PLANNED.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
I'M JUST CHECKING TO MAKE SURE I'M, YOU GO BACK TO THAT WAY.
THIS, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY OLD MASTER.
AND THIS, THIS WAS BASICALLY DEVELOPED BACK WHEN THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS GOING ON WITH BASIS.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE IDEAS WAS TO BUILD A FACILITY WHERE THEY COULD MOVE THEIR OPERATION INTO THE PARK.
AND OF COURSE THAT THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
UH, THE BIGGEST AND AT LEAST GONNA, I THINK COVER THIS SEPARATELY, BUT ONE OF THE ISSUES RIGHT NOW IS, IS THAT THE, THE, THE FENCE IS OVER HERE, BUT THIS IS BASICALLY THE GLIDING LINE BETWEEN COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY THAT THE COUNTY LEASES FROM NASA.
UM, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN, IN OUR AGREEMENT, IF, IF ANY COMPANY IS INTERESTED IN LOCATING BACK HERE, THE COUNTY BY AGREEMENT IS, IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ROAD ACCESS.
UM, THE COMPANY IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE OR AT LEAST PAY FOR UTILITIES.
SO WE COULD BE BASICALLY A PASS THROUGH FOR THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE ROAD, UM, ONCE YOU GET INTO AEROSPACE GATEWAY, IT STOPS HERE.
AND IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN ANY OF THIS, THEY CAN'T, WE, WE BASICALLY HAVE TO PUT IT IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TO GET 'EM BACK THERE AND SHOW 'EM THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO PART OF WHAT, UH, LEE HAS ON THE AGENDA IS JUST THE COUNTY, UH, RECENTLY PASSED IN FY 26 BUDGET FUNDING TO PUT AN ACCESS ROAD IN INTO THIS FACILITY TO HELP MAKE IT MORE SHOVEL READY.
UM, AND, AND SO WHERE THE DIRECTION THAT'S GONNA GO IS AT ONE TIME IN DISCUSSIONS WITH ANOTHER POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROSPECT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT COME IN THIS WAY AND THEN TERMINATE AT THE END OF THE TAX WAY.
THERE MAY BE OTHER DESIGNS NOW THAT THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROSPECT, WHICH WAS, UH, WHICH WAS SPACE AROUND AUSTRALIA, IS, IS USING ANOTHER PARCEL ON THE NASA, UH, ON NASA'S MAIN BASE, UM, TO FULFILL ITS NEEDS, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM.
BUT IN ANY CASE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THERE'S A DISCUSSION FOR AN ACCESS ROAD, NO ACCESS TO THE REAR AREA.
UM, PAST THIS POINT RIGHT HERE, THE, UM, THE H 100 NASA BUILDING THAT IS ADJACENT TO THAT ACCESS WAY, IT'S CONNECTED.
IS IT NOT MIKE? SO THAT YOU COULD WHEEL A, A PAYLOAD OUT OF THAT YEAH.
BUT BUILDING AND GO OUT TO THE AIRFIELD.
IS THAT TRUE? YOU, YOU, THAT, UH, THE YELLOW, THE, THE SECOND YELLOW BUILDING RIGHT THERE, RIGHT.
I THINK THAT'S ABOUT WHERE H 100 IS.
BUT THERE'S, UM, I MEAN, AGAIN, THIS IS VERY OLD AND THERE'S RIGHT, RIGHT NOW FENCE RIGHT BETWEEN, BUT IN, IN THEORY, YES, YOU COULD PUSH OUT AND CONNECT AND GO OUT TO THE TAXI AND, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME OTHER INQUIRIES, FOR INSTANCE, UM, THE NAVY WAS INTERESTED IN A PARCEL BACK HERE VERY BRIEFLY AT ONE POINT.
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AGAIN, JUST GETTING THIS PROPERTY WHERE YOU CAN STAY SHOVEL READY, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS BRING THE UTILITIES IN, IS WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE.BUT, AND CURRENTLY, LIKE WHEN WE, YOU TURN AND YOU GO TOWARD ROCKET LAB, WHICH IS THERE OFF OF THAT CUL-DE-SAC, BASICALLY RIGHT HERE.
THAT ROAD THAT COMES OFF OF THAT HEADS TOWARD THE AIRFIELD, IT STOPS AT LIKE A FENCE LINE IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT.
WHERE ALL THAT ISN'T DEVELOPED.
THERE'S CURRENTLY A, A GATE HERE.
UM, AND IT JUST KEEPS FOLKS FROM GOING BACK.
BUT EVERYTHING FROM HERE BACK IS, IS NOT ACCESSIBLE BY A PAVED ROAD CURRENT.
DO WE HAVE AN EFFORT TO UPDATE THIS? IS, IT COULD BE ONE OF THE, WE CAN COUNSEL'S PRIORITIES TO, UH, TO KIND OF REFRESH, REFRESH? WE CAN CERTAINLY AND SHOULD DO THAT.
I, I THINK IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
I, MY QUESTION REALLY IS DO YOU DO IT BEFORE YOU LAY INTO UTILITIES OR AFTER, YOU KNOW, UH, 'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE IT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
BUT, BUT I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE, WE, TO YOUR POINT, I, I WOULD THINK IF WE DID THAT, IT WOULD GET FRESH EYES ON HOW WE MIGHT OPTIMIZE LAYING IT OUT.
I THINK THIS, TO MIKE'S POINT, HOW COULD YOU LAY OUT ACCESSWAY TO THE ROAD THERE TO FACILITATE BRINGING IN NEW CUSTOMERS OR NEW TENANTS, RIGHT.
AND SAYING, IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THIS, BUT THIS IS ONE PLAN, SO, RIGHT.
THE COUNCIL MAY WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT SUBDIVIDING THE PROPERTY WOULD LOOK LIKE INTO VARIOUS LOTS.
BUT THEY, AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT HURTS YOUR FLEXIBILITY.
'CAUSE IF SOMEONE COMES IN AND MEETS MULTIPLE OPS, YOU WOULD BRING 'EM BACK TOGETHER.
BUT IT WOULD HELP 'EM UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL.
UM, IF, IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I COULD HAVE OUR FACILITIES TEAM, THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE, I COULD REQUEST OUR FACILITIES TEAM TO WORK WITH LEE AND LAY OUT WHAT WE THINK A NEXT VIEW OF THIS COULD BE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT VIEW.
AND THEN HAVE IT READY FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
LEE, DOES THAT WORK WITH YOU? SURE.
I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BIG STEP FORWARD, BECAUSE I'LL JUST TELL YOU, I HAVE A HARD TIME FOLLOWING THIS.
AND I'VE BEEN THERE AND I'VE WALKED GROUND AND I'M LIKE, EVERY TIME, IS THAT THAT BILL
AND, UH, THE, THE MASTER PLAN, AS BEST AS I CAN TELL, KIND OF FOLLOWED A PARALLEL PATH WITH THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR THE ROAD AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, MASTER PLANS, THEY, THEY TEND TO EVOLVE, RIGHT.
BASED OFF OF THE NEEDS, BASED OFF OF THE MARKET AT THE TIME, OF COURSE, WE WERE, THIS WAS DONE IN PROBABLY THE 20 12, 20 14 TIMEFRAME MM-HMM
AND, UH, AND MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
AND WE'VE UPDATED OUR MASTER PLAN, UM, FOR THE BASE, BUT I DON'T RECALL THAT WE'VE UPDATED THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE RESEARCH PART.
SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
IF THERE ISN'T ANYTHING ELSE ON THE MASTER PLAN OR THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN, JUST, UH, WELL, HERE WE GO.
THERE'S THE ONE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, BUT, UH, UH, THIS IS, UH, ANOTHER VERSION OF THAT WITHOUT ALL OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT ALL OF THE, UH, UM, THE, THE PROPOSED LAYOUT, AND THIS WAS INTENDED AS A PROPOSED LAND USE MAP.
AND I WOULD SUBMIT THAT, AGAIN, HAVING COMPLETE FLEXIBILITY OVER WHAT GOES ON IN HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PART THAT'S, UH, NOT SUBJECT TO, UH, THAT, THAT THE PART THAT WE OWN AND NOT LEASE, UH, THE 66 ACRE LEASED AREA IS THIS SECTION RIGHT HERE THAT IS BEHIND THE GATE.
THE REST OF IT IS OWNED PRIMARILY BY THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO THE MARINE SCIENCE CONSORTIUM HAS SOME, UH, HAS SOME, UH, UH, SOME OWNERSHIP THERE AS WELL.
BUT, UH, THE, THE PROPERTY IS ZONED, UH, INDUSTRIAL, WHICH ACTUALLY PROVIDES A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF LAND USE.
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ISN'T IN THAT LIST OF APPROVED USES THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME IN AND DO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE THE ORDINANCE MM-HMMBUT, UH, UM, I WOULDN'T PUT, UH, TOO MUCH STOCK IN A PROPOSED LAND USE MAP THAT WAS GENERATED ALMOST, UH, YOU KNOW, 11, 12 YEARS AGO.
THIS IS DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, TIME FOR AN UPDATE, AS YOU SAID.
THE, THE NEXT POINT, NUMBER EIGHT, CURRENT STATUS OF THE NASA LEASE.
THIS IS JUST INFORMATIONAL ONLY.
SO, UH, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH NASA STAFF ON, ON, UH, ON THESE PAYMENTS.
BUT THE MOST RECENT, UM, THE, THE MOST RECENT CURRENT ANNUAL RENT RATE AT THIS POINT IS $22,534.
NOW, THAT WAS, UH, THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT, OR THE BASE RENT WAS 18,000, AND THAT WAS BACK IN 2009.
SO THERE ARE, UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UM, UH, PROVISIONS IN THE LEASE THAT ESCALATE OR, OR THAT INCREASE THAT AMOUNT YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT $22,534.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I NEED TO SAY ABOUT THE LEASE? UH, MR. MASON, WE'RE IN GOOD STANDING
AND I DON'T WE NEED TO GET INTO THAT TODAY, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROVISIONS, CERTAINLY EVENTS COULD HAPPEN TO CHANGE THAT SUBSTANTIALLY.
SO THE, THE POINT BEHIND THAT ITEM WAS TO JUST, UH, UH, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THAT LEASE.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU WANNA SEE THAT LEASE, THEN IT'S AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL.
WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
AND THIS IS THE PLAT THAT IS IN THE LEASE.
UM, THIS QUESTION GETS ASKED A LOT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
WELL, WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT THE COUNTY HAS LEASED FROM NASA MM-HMM
AND WHAT ARE, WHAT WOULD WE, UH, OR WHAT WOULD A PROSPECT, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY, UH, REVIEW IN TERMS OF A LOCATION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE? AND THIS IS THE, UH, THIS IS THE EXHIBIT THAT, UH, WE BASE A LOT OF OUR MAPS OFF OF.
THIS ARC RIGHT HERE IS ACTUALLY A HAZARD ARC WITHIN WHICH WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANYTHING HAPPEN IN TERMS OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE LEASE OR THE EXHIBIT HERE THAT, SAY THAT AGAIN ABOUT THE HAZARD ARC? THIS HAZARD ARC IS ESSENTIALLY RESTRICTED.
WE WOULD NOT WANT ANYTHING TO BE BUILT WITHIN THAT HAZARD ARC.
SO THE HA BUT THE HAZARD IS FROM THE INSTALLATION.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS, UM, UH, WHICH IS THE, THE APPRAISAL THAT WE GOT.
SO THIS IS JUST A COUPLE OF SHEETS FROM THAT.
UM, THE, THE BULLET POINTS ACTUALLY KIND OF ENCAPSULATE THAT REALLY NICELY.
WE DIDN'T SEND, ACTUALLY, I THINK WE DID SEND YOU THE ENTIRE APPRAISAL, BUT, UH, HERE IN THE, UM, IN THE, UH, IN THE SLIDE DECK, WE ONLY HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF SHEETS, BUT BASICALLY THAT WAS DONE BACK IN DECEMBER.
AND THE, AND, AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE ASSUMPTIONS, THE APPRAISER CAME BACK WITH A PRICE OF WHAT, WHAT TWO TO FIVE ACRES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MILL DAM ROAD WOULD, UH, WOULD BE PRICED AT.
SO THE MARKET RENT, THE MARKET RENT RANGE ESTIMATE FOR A TRIPLE NET LEASE IS 10,000, 35,000 PER ACRE PER YEAR.
AND THE SALE PRICE FOR, UH, UH, FEE SIMPLE MARKET VALUE IS 120,000 ACRES.
FOR PROPERTY WITH TAXIWAY ACCESS, THAT WOULD BE 300 TO 390,000.
SO 300,000 FOR TWO ACRES UP TO 390 FOR FIVE.
UM, WHEN WE RECEIVE INQUIRIES, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE WERE NOT REALLY ABLE TO ANSWER UNTIL WE HAD THE APPRAISAL.
WE HAD A GENERAL IDEA, BUT THIS APPRAISAL GIVES US SOME PRETTY RECENT FIGURES
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TO PUT OUT THERE WHEN WE RECEIVE INQUIRIES.UM, VIRGINIA SPACE HAD ASKED THE QUESTION AND, AND SOME OF OUR OTHER CONFIDENTIAL, UH, UH, CONFIDENTIAL PROSPECTS HAVE ALSO ASKED THAT QUESTION.
SO THAT WAS THE PURPOSE FOR GETTING THE, UH, FOR GETTING THE APPRAISAL DONE.
WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO ASK, WHAT'S IS ROCKET LAB'S LEASE? NOT WITH US.
IS IS, WAS THAT PART OF THE APPRAISAL? THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO THAT LEASE.
SO THEY'RE, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, VIRGINIA SPACE LEASED LEASES, THE LAND TO US, THE BUILDING IS OWNED BY VIRGINIA SPACE, AND THEY RENT THE, AND THEY RENT THE BUILDING TO ROCKET LAB.
DID I SAY THAT? HOW'S VIRGINIA SPACE LEASE THE LAND OFF? WE, WE LEASE THE LAND TO VIRGINIA, SPACE.
THE RELATIONSHIP, THE TENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH ROCKET LAB IS BETWEEN ROCKET AND LAB AND VIRGINIA SPACE.
SO THE NEXT QUESTION TO THAT WAS, IS THIS ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH VIRGINIA SPACE IN THAT REGARD? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER NOW, BUT FROM, FROM COST STANDPOINT, YES.
IN TERMS OF WHAT THE, WHAT THE LEASE IS.
I, WE'D HAVE TO DIG INTO THAT.
I MEAN, YOU'VE NOW GOT AN APPRAISAL TO ESTABLISH THE PRICE.
WELL, VIRGINIA SPACE WAS OFFERED A BELOW MARKET RATE A DEAL AT THE TIME IN ORDER TO HELP THEM LAND ROCKET LABS LOCATION IN THE PARK.
UM, AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, VIRGINIA SPACE HAS, HAS AT LEAST BROACHED THE SUBJECT OF ACQUIRING MORE PROPERTY IN THE PARK WITH A PURPOSE OF MAKING IT SHOVEL RAY FOR THE NEXT, WHOEVER IT IS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROSPECT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT COUNCIL MAY WANT TO TAKE UP A VIRGINIA SPACE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
I THINK THAT WAS WELL SAID TO, TO THAT END.
ALSO, VEDP HAS A PROGRAM CALLED THE, UM, UH, VIRGINIA BUSINESS, UH, VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITES PROGRAM.
AND THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THAT PROGRAM.
ONE IS A SITE CHARACTERIZATION GRANT, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS A SITE IMPROVEMENT GRANT.
THE SITE CHARACTERIZATION GRANT, UH, ESSENTIALLY RATES YOUR SITE FROM TIER ONE TO TIER FIVE, TIER FIVE BEING THE MOST READY, UH, UH, SITE DESIGNATION.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF ANY GRANT FOR SITE IMPROVEMENT, UH, FUNDING THROUGH VEDP.
BUT THAT PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE AND, UH, WE CAN BRING BACK MORE INFORMATION TO YOU ON THAT, UH, ON THAT PROGRAM AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
I WILL PROBABLY, UH, LEAN HEAVILY ON, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MASON ON THIS NEXT ONE, BUT THIS IS THE, THE, THE NEXT ITEM IS FOR THE, UH, UH, IS FOR THE, UH, UM, WALLOPS RESEARCH PARK REAR ACCESS ROAD.
SO, UH, THERE WAS A CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING APPLICATION FOR $900,000, UH, UH, SUBMITTED JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
AND THAT INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO YOU.
BUT, UH, MR. MASON, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO COVER AT A HIGHER LEVEL FOR, UH, FOR THAT, THIS, UM, WE, WE WERE LOOKING FOR PROJECTS FOR, UH, I MEAN, EVERYONE PRETTY MUCH CALLS 'EM WHAT THEY USED TO BE CALLED NOW, THE FEDERAL EARMARKS, UM, UH, PROGRAM THAT'S BACK.
AND SO WE LOOKED FOR A COUPLE PROJECTS THAT WOULD PAIR UP NICELY, SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS AND, AND HOPEFULLY SCORE HIGH.
SO THE S ACCESS ROAD WAS CHOSEN TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THAT.
AND SO WAS, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR NATURAL GAS EXPANSION INTO AKIMA COUNTY.
SO, UH, AND THE CONCEPT THERE WAS DOUG AND BOUGHT, HAD REQUESTED 7.4 MILLION, UM, TO, TO EXPAND NATURAL GAS INTO MACK.
AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SAW THAT DID KNOCK THAT DOWN TO 6.5.
SO WE ASKED FOR THE DIFFERENCE.
SO, UH, THIS APPLICATION, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE, OF THE EXTENT
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THAT WAS APPLIED FOR, UH, THROUGH, UH, THROUGH CONGRESS FOR THE ROAD ITSELF, THAT WOULD DOVETAIL WITH THE EXISTING, UH, UM, TAX.SO THIS IS THE TAXIWAY ACCESS, HERE'S ROCKET LAB AEROSPACE GATEWAY.
AND, UH, AS, UH, MR. MASON HAD SAID IN, UH, IN THE, IN THE PREVIOUS ITEM, THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO ACCESS THE REAR OF OUR LEASED SITE.
AGAIN, 66 ACRES HERE, THERE'S A LITTLE, UH, A LITTLE, UH, FINGER THAT EXTENDS DOWN TO THE SOUTH UHHUH
IS IT, WHERE'S THE CROPPER CENTER, JUST TO ORIENT MYSELF? IS IT IN THAT LITTLE FINGER RIGHT THERE, OR THE FORMER NAVY BUILDING? IT MIGHT, IT MUST BE ON ACROSS THE, THE ROAD FROM THAT.
THIS RIGHT HERE IS STILL CONSIDERED BEHIND THE FENCE.
UH, THIS IS THE, UH, THE, UH, SHIITE BAY FIELD STATION, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS THE NAVY BUILDING RIGHT HERE.
DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? MM-HMM
AND, AND YOU MAY ACTUALLY ASK YOURSELF, WHY DOESN'T THE ROAD EXTEND NORTH STRAIGHT OUT? BECAUSE AT THE TIME THIS WAS REQUESTED, THE, UM, THE CURRENT BUSINESS PROSPECT WAS INTERESTED IN SIX ACRES, ROUGHLY AT THE SOUTH END OF THE TAXIWAY.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS IMMEDIATE NEED TO GET ROAD ACCESS TO THAT AREA OF THE PARK, AND THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T EXTENDED TO CONNECT.
A COUPLE MORE, UH, INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. I, MY SLIDES ARE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER, BUT THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, SEVEN E THE SLOOP GUT DREDGING PROJECT.
AND, UM, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT ALSO RECEIVED STATE FUNDING TO THE TUNE OF $5 MILLION.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE, UH, UH, THIS IS WALL ISLAND HERE.
THIS IS THE VIRGINIA SPACE, UAS, UM, AIRSTRIP.
AND THERE IS A FORMER MARINE ACCESS POINT, UM, HERE ON THE ISLAND THAT HAS, THAT HASN'T BEEN WELL MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS.
BUT THE POINT IS TO, UH, THE, THE POINT OF THE FUNDING AND OF THE PROJECT IS TO REESTABLISH THIS MARINE ACCESS ROUTE AND TO DREDGE ALL OF THIS TO A DEPTH OF MINUS SEVEN FEET.
SO THAT, SO THAT BARGE ACCESS CAN BE REESTABLISHED FOR TRANSPORTING LARGER, UM, LARGER COMPONENTS.
INSTEAD OF DOING THAT OVER THE ROAD, WHICH HAS ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES THAT WOULD BE, UH, THAT WOULD BE BARGED IN AGAIN, UM, THAT IS A, A QUESTION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM MULTIPLE, UH, FROM MULTIPLE, UH, UH, PROSPECTS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO SAY THAT, UH, FUNDING HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR THIS.
THERE WAS A WETLANDS BOARD, UM, A WETLANDS BOARD DECISION TO APPROVE THIS FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT A A FEW WEEKS AGO.
SO, SO THE APPLICANT, UH, WHICH IS BOTH ROCKET LAB AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VIRGINIA PORT AUTHORITY BECAUSE OF VIRGINIA PORT AUTHORITY, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THEY DO IS ESTABLISH MARINE ACCESS.
UH, UH, THEY WENT THROUGH THE JPA PROCESS AND, UH, BASICALLY THE WETLANDS BOARD DETERMINED THAT, UH, THAT THAT WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DECIDED TO PASS THAT, UH, PROJECT FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND A WETLAND STANDPOINT.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN THEY WILL START? OOH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER STEPS TO GO THROUGH WITH SOME OF THE OTHER FEDERAL REVIEW AGENCIES MM-HMM
I HEARD THEY HAD THREE MORE STEPS.
BUT DO WE END, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE TIMELINE IS? THE EXPECTED TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION? I DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION, BUT I EXPECT THAT THEY WOULD START AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR.
SHOULD BE BASED ON THE, THE SCHEDULE, THE LAUNCH SCHEDULE.
IT SHOULD BE, I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE IMMINENT.
I WOULD TOO, BASED ON THE, THE PUBLIC SCHEDULES AND RECENT STATEMENTS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LEE AND HIS STAFF WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS OUT OF ALL THE REGULATORY BODIES THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF APPROVING VARIOUS ASPECTS
[00:35:01]
OF THIS PROJECT, THAT IT WASN'T AKIMA COUNTY, AKA, THE WETLANDS BOARD THAT WAS HOLDING UP.SO THEY ADVANCED THIS PROJECT PRETTY QUICKLY.
IN THE HANDS OF THE WEAPONS BOARD, EDUCATED THEM.
AND, UM, IT'S, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR COURT RIGHT NOW THAT, THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THIS PROJECT.
THAT'S REALLY CONCERNING, THOUGH.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT FROM THE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE OVERALL PERSPECTIVE.
I GOT ONE OTHER QUESTION, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE IT'S JUST FOR MY EDIFICATION, IS THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SLOOP GUT GOING OUT THE WAY IT DOES THERE, DOES ANYONE KNOW? IS THAT THE ORIGINAL PATH OF THE FERRY? THAT'S THE SERVICE.
THE ISLAND IS, I, OH, I THINK THE ORIGINAL ONE IS SOUTH, I THINK IT IS, TO YEAH.
MIKE, UH, TO THE OLD, THE OLD BOAT DOCK WHERE FOLKS GOT THE OLD FAIR.
GONNA LOOK OVER BY, UM, THE, THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY TO ADD TO THAT, AND I'M NOT 100% SURE I CAN TELL YOU THAT ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION WE GOT, THIS HAS BEEN DREDGED BEFORE.
SO IT, IT WAS, IT'S BEEN AN ACTIVE ROUTE PREVIOUSLY.
BUT AS FAR AS, WAS IT THE ORIGINAL, I, I DON'T, I DON'T DUNNO.
AND I THINK THAT LED TO A LOT OF SPECULATION.
PEOPLE THINKING IT WAS DOWN FROM THE OLD FERRY DOCK THERE.
THE OLD FERRY DOCK WAS OVER BY ARBUCKLE, WHERE FOLKS WILL GATHER TO WATCH LAUNCH, AND THEN IT WOULD COME TO NEAR THE LAUNCH PADS ON THE SOUTHERN PART OF WALLOPS ISLAND.
YOU'LL SEE AN OLD BOAT DOCK THERE.
THAT FERRY WAS THE FERRY THAT CAUGHT FIRE AT ONE POINT IN TIME DURING ITS HISTORY.
THIS GOES OVER, CONNECTS WITH THE BACKSIDE OF THE VISITOR CENTER.
AND THAT'S THE, THE PROJECT WE WERE, WE USED TO BUILD THIS BOAT DOCK FOR WAS IN THE, UH, 2011 TIMEFRAME.
IT WAS THE, UH, THAT MLAS WHERE WE WERE TESTING THE, THE ORION CAPSULE, AND THEY, THEY BARGED IT FROM THE VISITOR CENTER OVER TO HERE.
AND WE WON'T MODIFY, THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION, I THINK, ON THE PART OF, UM, NASA HEADQUARTERS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO MODIFY THE BOAT DOCK TO SUPPORT ROCKET LAB, BUT WE DO NOT.
SO WHEN THEY GET THIS DREDGED, THEY'D BE ABLE TO BRING IN BARGE IN COMPONENTS FOR THE NEUTRON.
AS IS THE FERRY DOCK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEST CHAIRMAN IS, IS FURTHER TO THE SOUTHWEST.
NO, I, I HAVE A MEETING WITH ROCKET LAB IN A FEW DAYS.
I CAN, I'LL CERTAINLY MAKE A NOTE TO ASK THEM WHEN THEY EXPECT TO BE HAULING COMPONENTS OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO AND RIGHT.
BUT THIS HAS BEEN, THIS IS A FABULOUS, UH, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS THAT, THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, DELEGATE BLOCKS HIM AND, UM, SENATOR DE STEPH FOR CHAMPION, I THINK THE FUNDING.
I, I I, THIS HAS BEEN GREAT EFFORT.
I DON'T WANT IT TO BE FOR NAUGH
BUT IT CERTAINLY TAKES A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES OFF THE TABLE FOR, UH, FOR TRANSPORTING OVER THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVERSIZED COMPONENTS OR, OR WIDE LOADS.
MOVING ON TO, UM, WELL THERE'S SEVEN, ACTUALLY, LET ME GO BACK TO SEVEN F THE WAPS ISLAND SHORELINE RESTORATION.
UH, WE'VE, THE, THE COUNTY STAFF HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN, UH, IN SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THIS PROJECT.
AND WE HAD DETERMINED THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE REGULATORY, UH, UH, ROLE FOR US TO PLAY IN THIS.
SO THIS IS MORE INFORMATIONAL THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT, UH, THE, THE, THE PURPOSE BEHIND THIS, UH, PROJECT TO REPLENISH 15,000 FEET OF, UH, WALLOPS ISLAND BEACH IS TO PREVENT ADDITIONAL EROSION TO THIS, UH, TO THIS, UH, VULNERABLE STRETCH, PARTICULARLY NEAR THE LAUNCH FACILITIES.
SO, UM, THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE ILLUSTRATES THE EXTENT OF THAT PROJECT.
THIS IS THE MAIN ROAD, UH, CAUSEWAY COMING IN AND, UM, AND THE SERIES OF LAUNCH FACILITIES RIGHT THROUGH HERE.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE, UH, THE, UH, BEACH REPLENISHMENT IS, UH, IS, IS
[00:40:01]
INTENDED TO, TO PROTECT THAT.SO CURRENTLY JUST FOR EVERYONE'S IFICATION, UM, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS DOING, UM, A SERIES, PARTS OF THEIR STUDY.
AND, UM, THEY WERE DUE TO COME BACK TO US IN THE APRIL TIMEFRAME, AND I THINK THAT'S PUSHED OUT A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE THEY WERE STILL WORKING IT.
AND IT WAS TO COME BACK WITH A PLAN ON WHERE TO PUT BREAKWATERS VERSUS DREDGE WITH A PREVAILING WIND WAS, I THINK CONSENSUS WAS DREDGE AND REFORTIFY THE BEACH AND THEN COME BACK SUBSEQUENTLY AND BUILD BREAKWATERS TO HELP PROTECT WHAT'S BEEN DREDGED.
THAT LITTLE YELLOW BLOCK IN THAT BLUE INSET PICTURE IS WHERE, UH, IN THAT BLUE, UH, LEE, IN THAT BLUE INSET, UH, MAP HERE, THAT YELLOW BLOCK IS WHERE THEY WOULD DREDGE FROM.
THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD TAKE THE SAND.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY TOOK THE SAND PREVIOUSLY, I THINK IT WAS MIKE, IT WAS IN THE 2012 TIMEFRAME TO BEFORE HURRICANE SANDY WHERE THEY HAD BUILT UP THE BEACH AND THEN SANDY WIPED IT OUT.
WELL, IF YOU ALLOW ME A BIT OF SARCASM, I, I WENT OUT, UH, ME TOMPKIN INLET IS OPEN, THAT'S SIX FEET OF WATER ON LOW TIDE, AND A LOT OF LOCALS WILL THINK AS SOON AS THIS STARTS, THAT THAT'LL BE THE END OF A TOMPKIN BEING OPEN AGAIN.
AND ACTUALLY GARTHA, SO UHHUH, NOW GARGA IS SOUTH OF THAT, RIGHT? YES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE BOTH ACTUALLY THIS WINTER HAVE OPENED UP, SO REALLY.
SO, UM, WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THE, THE SOUTH END OF WALLOP ASYLUM WHERE THAT RED.IS, IT'S PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE.
WE ARE WHERE WE HAD PUT GEO TUBES AND EROSION IS WORSE THERE THAN AS YOU GET UP TO THE, THE LAUNCH COMPLEX.
BUT WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF DE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WHICH IS WHERE A LOT OF OUR LAUNCHING IS GONNA BE DOING FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DEVELOP THAT STRETCH OF EACH.
SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE THAT VERY SOUTH END OF WALLOPS ISLAND WE'RE GONNA BE USING TO SUPPORT DOD LAUNCHES.
THEN YOU GET INTO THE VIRGINIA SPACE KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD OF COMMERCIAL LAUNCH PADS, AND THEN FURTHER NORTH YOU GET INTO THE NASA LAUNCH PADS FOR SANTA ROCKETS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN THE HIF AND THE NAVY COMPLEX.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ESTABLISHING ON THE VERY SOUTH END OF WALLOPS ISLAND, A FLYBACK FLAT PAD.
MUCH LIKE YOU SEE SPACEX WHERE THEY'LL FLY BACK TO A, TO A BARGE ROCKET LAB WILL START WITH FLYING BACK TO A BARGE, BUT THEY EVENTUALLY WANT TO GET TO WHERE THEY'LL FLY BACK ON LAND.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD ENDEAVOR TO PUT IT.
SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE'LL HAVE NASA FACILITIES COME IN AND BRIEF THE, THE MASTER PLAN AND WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE FOR THE ISLAND TO YOU.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT.
AND ALSO AS WE DISCUSSED, WE'D HOPE TO GET A TOUR IN, RIGHT? YES.
SO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR INSTANCE, FOR THE FLYBACK, I KNOW NA IS WHO, WHO WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE OWNER OF THAT? NASA WOULD BE A ANNOUNCED FACILITY.
I THINK THIS, AT LEAST THE PLAN IS FOR TODAY.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE'VE DONE TO PARTNER WITH VIRGINIA HAS BEEN THAT WE DO THE DESIGN WORK AND THEN, UM, VIRGINIA GOES TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SECURES FUNDING AND BUILDS IT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS GET ANNAPOLIS MORE INVOLVED IN INVESTMENT IN WALLOP ISLAND AS PART OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL SPACEPORT.
I'LL JUST SAY AT THIS POINT, THIS IS HIGHLY COMPLEX AND I'M SOMEONE WHO, UM, FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, LOOKS AT GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
AND I'LL BE HONEST, IT CONCERNS ME.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES, OR MAYBE IT'S NOT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE OUR DOCUMENTATION IS CLEAN, INCLUDING MAPS FOR, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM AND THEY'RE NOT THERE? THE GENTLEMAN BEHIND YOU BACK THERE WHO'S, UH, UH, NOT LOOKING AT ME RIGHT NOW, HAS A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND I'M NOT SURE WE CAN REPLACE IT ABOUT HOW ALL THESE THINGS ARE.
AND AS I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THOSE AUTHORITIES KIND OF, OH, WELL THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
I'LL DO THIS, AND THEN YOU UNDERMINE IT AND THEN YOU HAVE AN ISSUE.
AND SO I THINK FROM THE, TO PROTECT THE COUNTY'S ASSETS AS WELL AS THIS, THIS ENTITY, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO DOCUMENT AND SPECIFY WHO IS ON WHAT, WHAT MOU OR
[00:45:01]
WHAT UNDERSTANDING THEY HAVE OR BE PART TO FACILITATE THAT, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT AS THIS CONTINUES TO GROW, AS YOU SAID, OVER THE NEXT 10, 20 YEARS.LEE, I'M DONE PONTIFICATING WHAT YOU HAVE NEXT.
WELL, BUT YOU DID IT VERY WELL.
I'LL TAKE THAT AS AN ABSOLUTE THOUGHT.
AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S DEFINITELY A VALID POINT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ON STAFF IS TO, IS TO, UH, UH, PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, INDEXES AND THAT KIND OF THING TO THE DIFFERENT, UH, DOCUMENTATION AND CERTAINLY RESTARTING THE WOPS RESEARCH PARK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEETINGS AND ALL OF THAT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO GETTING INTO THE NASA LEASES.
AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS TO PROVIDE THAT BASELINE OF INFORMATION, AND THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY BUILD ON THAT AND BUILD THAT LIBRARY AND THAT, UM, THAT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT TRYING TO GET THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE ON PAPER.
SO, UM, ITEM SEVEN G IS MORE INFORMATIONAL ONLY.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAD BEEN PROVIDED BY VIRGINIA SPACE, BUT THERE WERE SEVERAL, SEVERAL DOCUMENTS THAT WE POSTED ON BOARD DOCS AS WELL AS, UH, AS PART OF YOUR PACKET, A A SPACE THREAT FACT SHEET WAS PROVIDED.
THE DODS COMMERCIAL SPACE INTEGRATION STRATEGY.
THERE WAS ALSO SOME ARTICLES ON, UH, ON, UH, YOU KNOW, ON SPACE STRATEGY.
AND THERE WAS ALSO, UH, DOCUMENTATION OR ARTICLES ON COMMERCIAL SPACE STRATEGY.
SO AGAIN, FOR, FOR Y'ALL'S READING AT NIGHT, UH, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO BED OR WHAT HAVE YOU,
UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS.
WERE PROBABLY COME FROM VIRGINIA'S SPACE, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF WHAT WE HAD BEEN PROVIDED.
UM, UNDER OTHER MATTERS, YOU WERE PROVIDED SEVERAL BULLET POINTS FROM JENNIFER GOOD ROOM, WHO IS ROCKET LABS, DIRECTOR OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, FROM THESE FIVE BULLET POINTS, NUMBER ONE, THEY HAVE, UH, THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR FIRST WATER DELUGE TEST, WHICH IS, UH, WHICH IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER, UM, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS LAUNCHING THAT NEUTRON FROM WALLOPS ISLAND.
UH, THE DREDGING PROJECT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
UH, NUMBER TWO, THE, UH, THE THIRD BULLET POINT THEY MENTIONED ROCKET LAB BEING IN THE PROCESS OF INSTALLING A ROLLOVER GANTRY AT THE ELECTRON AND HASTE ROCKET LAUNCH PAD SITE.
THAT IS, UH, WHAT THEY DESIGNATE LC TWO AND WHAT VIRGINIA SPACE CALLS PAD ZERO C, THE FOURTH BULLET POINT.
UM, ROCKET LAB CONTINUES TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THINGS LIKE WORKFORCE, PIPELINE, CHILDCARE, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND MORE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THEY, UH, ARE, JENNIFER ALSO MENTIONS THAT, UH, THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONDUCT A TOUR OF ROCKET LAB'S FACILITIES.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THOSE UPDATES FROM ROCKET LAB? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING IS BEING MUCH MORE OPEN ABOUT WHAT THEIR WORKFORCE NEEDS ARE, AND THAT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.
SO WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
SO HERE'S WHERE WE GET TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU FOR REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR AND THE COUNCIL.
AND I'LL TURN TO MY, TO, TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR COMMENTS.
MR. PIERCE, UM, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE MEETING, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TODAY.
UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL REALLY GOOD ACTIONS HERE.
MAYBE, UH, AS PART OF OUR HOMEWORK, GO AND LOOK AT WHAT OTHER ADDITIONAL REFERENCE MATERIAL WE MIGHT WANT TO BRING FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING, AS WELL AS MAPS AND UPDATES.
AND, UM, I THINK TO COME BACK TO THE COUNTY AND MAYBE SUGGEST, UH, SPEAKERS TO, TO BRIEF THE COUNCIL AND, UM, I CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK TO, UM, OUR CHIEF OF STAFF TO LOOK AT AND SUGGEST DATES FOR TOUR.
THAT WE COULD DO PRIOR AND, AND AS WE SPOKE ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, UM, BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD
[00:50:01]
IS THAT, UH, AS YOU MAY HAVE READ, UM, WE RECEIVED A $1.25 MILLION GIFT, UH, TO LAUNCHLAUNCH
AND I MENTIONED IT FOR, UM, A FEW REASONS.
ONE OF WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, DAVE, IF ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO FULFILL THAT PIPELINE, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN DOING, AND SECONDLY, ABSOLUTELY REACHING OUT TO YOU AND TO, UM, ROCKET LAB AND TO VIRGINIA SPACE TO HAVE ADJUNCT PROFESSORS.
AND, UH, THE GOAL, ONE OF THEM THAT I, WE DIDN'T GET DONE THESE LAST SIX YEARS WAS TO SOLIDIFY, UH, ESCC AS THE AEROSPACE COLLEGE, UH, OF BEES FOR SHORE.
AND THIS, THIS IS A HUGE STEP EXCELLENT.
MR. GRIFFITH, YOU STILL WITH US? SIR? I'M STILL WITH YOU VIRTUALLY.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, LEE, SETTING US ALL THIS UP.
I APOLOGIZE TO, TO THE GROUP FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON.
IT WAS MY INTENT TO BE THERE IN PERSON AND OTHER THINGS GOT IN THE WAY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU ALL IN PERSON AT THE NEXT MEETING OR PRIOR IF WE, IF WE CAN GET INTO OUR ARRANGED EXCELLENT.
UM, I, I'LL, I I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE THINGS.
I TALKED ABOUT SETTING PRIORITIES AND, AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL GET AN EMAIL EXCHANGE, UH, TO FURTHER THAT, UM, IN MY MIND, CLEARLY ONE OF THOSE IS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS, RIGHT? OUR TENANTS.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S GOTTA BE AT THE TOP OF THE ORDER.
UM, BUT ALONG WITH THAT, WE'VE GOT TO, UH, ESTABLISH OURSELVES, UH, AS A PLAYER.
AND I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED TODAY, INCLUDING HAVING BRIEFERS COME IN, UM, ENGAGING VIRGINIA SPACE, ROCKET LAB, OTHER ENTITIES, UM, ALSO WILL HELP US, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S COMMAND AND THERE'S CONTROL.
THAT MAY BE NOT THE BEST ANALOGY, BUT WE CAN INCREASE OUR INFLUENCE OVER THINGS.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AUTHORITIES FOR 'EM.
WE CAN BECOME, UM, DOERS OR ENABLERS, UH, TO GET, GET THE RIGHT THINGS DONE.
UH, SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN MOVE THIS, THIS BOARD, THIS COUNCIL IN THAT DIRECTION, UH, AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT WE HAVE FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTY.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYONE STAFF'S BEEN TAKING NOTES? WE WILL CERTAINLY ENCAPSULATE ALL OF THAT IN THE, CERTAINLY IN THE MINUTES, BUT THEN ALSO IN YOUR NEXT AGENDA.
AND, UM, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO A, A THOROUGH JOB ON THAT.
WE CAN CERTAINLY RUN THAT, UH, UH, BY YOU TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANT TO ADD.
OF COURSE, KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE STILL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE, UH, UH, THE MEETING TIME.
SO, UM, WELL ACTUALLY THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE NEXT ITEM FOR THE NEXT MEETING, BUT WE HAVE THREE O'CLOCK ON HERE, BUT STAFF CAN CERTAINLY CONSIDER THAT FLUID IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A STRAW POLE AMONGST YOURSELVES OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO SEE IF THERE WOULD BE A BETTER TIME THAN THREE O'CLOCK.
BUT, UM, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION THAT WE'VE GOT IN MY MIND IS IN TERMS OF, IN TERMS OF THAT NEXT MEETING.
WELL, I WOULD ADD TOO, THAT THE NEXT MEETING CURRENTLY IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 19TH, AND SINCE WE WERE UNABLE TO DO AN OFFICIAL MEETING AT THIS POINT, AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THE TOUR, I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING BETWEEN NOW AND THE, UM, UH, AND, AND I WOULD SAY AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH, TO BE HONEST, IN JUNE OR EARLY JULY, UM, IF POSSIBLE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT FITS WITH THE, THE SCHEDULES OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON OVER IN THE ISLAND, BUT MR. CHAIRMAN, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY, REALLY BUSY.
SO WE, I THINK IF WE CAN FIND A DATE, LET'S JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN WITH THE COUNCIL.
AND WE'LL FIND A WORK WAY, A WAY TO WORK AROUND IT AND, UM, TO THE COUNTY.
WE MIGHT CONSIDER COMBINING A TOUR WITH A MEETING AT THE WALLOPS FACILITIES TO JUST, SINCE WE HAVE EVERYBODY TOGETHER, THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US ALL BEING TOGETHER.
I, I THINK THAT'S, WE ALL AGREE.
SO, UH, SHOULD WE HAVE STAFF LOOK AT DATES OR DO WE WANT TO, WHY DON'T WE, UH, HAVE STAFF LOOK AT, UM, DATES WITH, UH, MISS LAP PAUL, THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT S OKAY.
AND SHE'LL, SHE'LL FIND A DATE.
I LIKE HAVING THOSE PEOPLE AROUND, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY HOPE THAT WE CAN MEET, UH, LATE JUNE, EARLY JULY, UH,
[00:55:02]
BEING COGNIZANT OF PEOPLE GETTING INTO VACATION SEASON, THINGS LIKE THAT.WE'LL REACH OUT TO, UH, MS. POL.
AND, UH, WOULD THIS BE SEPARATE FROM A ROCKET LAB TOUR? WE'RE JUST STRICTLY TALKING ABOUT A TOUR OF THE NASA NO, I'M, I THINK THE WHOLE FACILITY, EVERYTHING.
I THINK, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE CAN, UM, TOUR THE RESEARCH PARK, THE, THE ROCKET LAB FACILITY, THE, THE NASA MAIN BASE ONLY AS IT RELATES TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, AND THEN SPEND OUR TIME OVER ON THE ISLAND.
AND, AND ALSO THE, YOU KNOW, THE ROCKET LAB FACILITIES AND WHAT VIRGINIA'S PLANS ARE FOR FIREFLY, ET CETERA.
UM, AND SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF, IS THAT AS A WOMAN ROAD OR WHAT'S THAT, WHAT'S IS THAT WALLOPS? WHAT'S MIKE, WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE ROAD WHERE THE BEND IN THE ROAD? YEAH.
ANYWAY, THE ROAD TO WALLOPS ISLAND.
THE ROAD TO THE ISLAND DARBY ROAD
MR. CHAIRMAN, I SET A MOTION, YOU KNOW,
WE'LL RENAME IT, WENA IT BY CONSENSUS
SO, UH, UH, NOT ONLY WILL WE REACH OUT TO MS. POL, WE'LL ALSO REACH OUT TO, UM, TO, UH, UH, JENNIFER GOOD FROM AS WELL.
SO THAT WE CAN DO A COMPLETE TOUR PACKAGE ON THAT.
AND WE WERE SORT OF COURSE INVITE VIRGINIA SPACE, RIGHT? YEAH.
WELL, AND AND SHIRLEY WILL DO ALL OF THAT.
WE, WE REGULARLY TAKE OFFICIALS ACROSS ALL OF THAT, AND WE, WE COORDINATE WITH OUR PROPERTY.
AND I DO HAVE ONE OTHER THING, PROBABLY GOING BACK TO THE STAFF COMMENTS.
I KNOW STAFF HAS WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
I THINK IF WE DON'T HAVE IT THOUGH, WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT MAYBE A ONE PAGE OR TWO PAGE CAPABILITY STATEMENT FOR THE PARK.
SOMETHING THAT'S EASY TO SHARE FROM A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I'D BE GLAD TO HELP WITH THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND IT ALSO, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD DRILL 'CAUSE YOU GET SOME OF THESE, THESE, UH, FACTS DOWN ON PAPER.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
SOMEBODY YOU GET AN INQUIRY, HEY, HERE'S OUR CAPABILITY STATEMENT, CALL US NEXT WEEK.
THAT BEING SAID, WE'VE, IF ANYONE I'LL, UH, CONSIDER, UH, AN UNOFFICIAL MOTION TO ADJOURN THE UNOFFICIAL MEETING.