RESULTS: June 15 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting

During their June 15 meeting, the members of the North Myrtle Beach City Council approved a special event permit for the annual July 4, 9:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m., fireworks display at the Cherry Grove Pier. The event is sponsored by the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and the fireworks display will be provided by Zambelli Fireworks Manufacturing Company.

Employee Longevity Awards were presented to Assistant Finance Director Diane Shell for 20 years of service, and to Lead Jailer & Communications Technician Rachel Stanley for five years of service.

Diane retires from her position on July 7. We thank her for her many years of great service to the community.

Rachel was 14 when she first showed interest in a career as a public safety officer. She became a member of the Police Explorer program, which offers a structured process through which young men and women between 14 and 20 years of age can learn about law enforcement practices and the application of state and local laws within our community.

Second reading of a proposed ordinance to amend the Parkway Group Planned Development District (PDD) remained tabled until City Council’s July 6 meeting.

City Council passed first reading of an ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance Text, Section 23-58, to address headlight spillage from parking lots onto adjacent residential properties.

At a previous meeting, City Council passed an ordinance regulating light and glare emitted from parking lot light fixtures by requiring internal shielding on the side of the light fixture adjacent to residential property. During their review of that issue, Council members also expressed a desire for additional reductions in lighting intrusion onto adjoining residential properties by addressing automobile headlight spillage. This can be accomplished with greater landscaping buffering in areas where headlight spillage is likely.

The proposed ordinance that passed first reading on June 15 adds new language to Section 23-58 as follows: "When designing landscape buffers, special consideration shall be given to on-site traffic circulation patterns and the potential for headlight spillage onto adjoining residential properties. The Zoning Administrator may require supplemental plantings or buffering.”

Council passed first reading of an ordinance to lease office space and a portion of the pool at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center to McLeod Seacoast Hospital for physical therapy purposes.

The Aquatic & Fitness Center has partnered with McLeod Seacoast Hospital for several years for the purpose of fostering a "wellness" component at the Center. A proposed Premises & Space Use Agreement was prepared to formalize the arrangement between the City and hospital.

The term of the proposed agreement is for one year, which would renew automatically for five additional one year terms, unless terminated as authorized in the agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, the hospital would rent two offices, one containing about 124 square feet and another about 107 square feet, for $20 per square foot or an annual rental rate of $4,620.

Under the proposed agreement, the hospital also would be authorized to use a portion of the warm water pool for physical therapy/rehabilitative purposes, however, the hospital would not be allowed to exceed more than eight participants, including hospital patients and staff, in the warm water pool during a single therapy session. The hospital would also be required to use lane markers or similar barriers to identify the area of the pool in use for its therapy/rehabilitative sessions.

The hospital would also be authorized to use the fitness room and the basketball courts for patient rehabilitative purposes but would have to coordinate with Aquatic & Fitness Center staff at least one month in advance regarding the use of the basketball courts. The agreement as presented to City Council for first reading suggested the hospital pay the City $5.25 per patient for the use of these areas of the Center. During their discussion of the proposed agreement, City Council members changed the fee to $6.00 per patient. The hospital currently pays $4.00 per patient. Council members took into consideration the costs associated with Center maintenance and the hospital’s ability to arrange for preferred times for patient participation in its programs when increasing the fee.

Citing a miscommunication, City Council pulled from the agenda a proposed resolution supporting the creation of a federal task force to create standards for projects that may impact coastal communities.