RESULTS: April 16 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting

Prior to the April 16 North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, City Council members met in an executive session for a legal briefing on possible property acquisitions, and for a legal briefing on a potential contract between a Designated Marketing Organization (DMO) and the City of North Myrtle Beach. Council took no action.

Seven City employees received Employee Longevity Awards. Provided in five-year increments, the awards recognize employees who consistently demonstrate excellent customer service. Receiving awards were Communications Technician & Lead Jailer Loria Gore (20 years of service), Fire Lieutenant Christopher Nash (10), Firefighter/EMT David Reed (10), Computer Technician II Michael McLamb (5) Heavy Equipment Operator Pete Stanley (5), Safety Specialist & Business License Inspector Joe Turner (5), and Heavy Equipment Operator Mackrese Vereen (5).

City Council approved a Resolution to extend a lease between the City and Midcon Cables Company for three years. The City leases to Midcon a portion of its warehouse located on the corner of 6^th Avenue South and Bay Street. The annual lease rate for the first two years of the renewal term is $171,444.60 and in the third year, the rate increases based on a formula contained in the lease.

City Council approved the2018 Music on Main concert schedule. All concerts will be located at the Horseshoe on Main Street. Visit http://parks.nmb.us for performers and concert dates.

City Council held a public hearing regarding the City’s proposed FY 2019 Budget.

City Council passed first reading of a proposed ordinance setting the City’s FY 2019 property tax levy at 43.3 mils on each $100 of assessed value. The proposed rate includes two parts. The first part is 6.2 mils for the annual debt service on the $15 Million Park Improvement Bonds for the land purchase and construction of the 162-acre North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex, and the second part is 37.1 mils for operating expenditures for the General Fund. The proposed 43.3 mils property tax levy for FY 2019 represents an increase of 2 mils over FY 2018.

City Council passed first reading of an ordinance providing for the adoption of the proposed FY 2019 Budget. The city’s fiscal year is July 1-June 30. The proposed FY 2019 budget involves 16 separate funds with significant interrelations and transfers between the various funds. The proposed budget is $96.2 million, about $8 million less than the FY 2018 budget

The proposed budget identifies key funding needs that include:

·     A variety of capital improvement projects

·     A state retirement system-mandated $260,000 funding increase in the City’s contribution for police and fire retirement for FY 2019

·     Increased health insurance costs

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·     Imbalances in police, fire and other employee pay categories as compared to other cities of similar makeup

·     An imbalance in the Sewer Fund

·     A pass-through increase in the county solid waste fee

·     The start of replacement of decade-old roll-out containers

·     Adjustments to the business license fee rate structure

Proposed funding for these needs includes: 

·     A property tax increase of 2 mils. On a $350,000 home (the median home price in North Myrtle Beach) 2 mils amounts to a property tax increase of $28 annually.

·     A sewer fee adjustment. For about 12,660 of the city’s sewer customers the base rate on a 3/4-inch meter would increase from a current $6.32 to $8.00, plus 7-cents per gallon increase for 10,000 gallons. The total increase would be about $2.38 for the first 10,000 gallons. Larger meter sizes could realize larger increases.

·     A sanitation fee adjustment for single-family residential customers. The fee would increase by $3.00, from $19.00 per month to $22.00 per month. $2.00 of the increase is a pass-through increase from the Horry County Solid Waste Authority, and $1.00 would go toward replacement of aging rollout garbage containers. Containers are over 10 years old and replacement will occur over time.

·     A business license fee increase generating a total of about $700,000. The last time business license fees were adjusted was in 1986. Under the proposed FY 2019 Budget, 25% of the rate difference between North Myrtle Beach rates and Myrtle Beach rates. Example: In the Building, Auto Parts and Clothing category, the current Myrtle Beach base rate is $105 and the current North Myrtle Beach base rate is $35. Applying 25% of the rate differential would bring North Myrtle Beach’s base rate in this category from $35 to $52.50

The proposed FY 2019 Budget is available for review at www.NMB.us. Look under “Departments” in the menu at the top of the homepage, click on “Finance”, and scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the “Proposed Budget FY 2019.”

City Council passed first reading of a proposed ordinance to amend Chapter 23, Zoning Ordinance, regarding temporary display tents at businesses.

At the February 5, 2018 City Council meeting, a member of the business community asked Council to revise the City’s temporary tent ordinance for businesses to expand the maximum time tents are allowed to be used during busy seasons from one week to two weeks.

The amendment would allow permitting of a temporary tent for 14 days instead of seven, while still preserving the total 28-day yearly maximum. In the first and fourth calendar quarters, many seasonal businesses have no need for a temporary tent permit. The proposed changes would allow tent permits to have either a seven-day permit length or a 14-day permit length, with associated gaps between permit periods of 10 or 30 days. This would allow seasonal businesses to utilize the 28-day yearly allotment within their two busiest calendar quarters.

Shown left to right in the accompanying photo are Employee Longevity Award recipients Loria Gore, David Reed, Christopher Nash, Joe Turner, Michael McLamb, Pete Stanley, Mackrese Vereen, and City Manager Mike Mahaney.

Second Annual Touch-A-Truck Event for Kids of all Ages is April 14 at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex

The second annual Touch-A-Truck event for kids of all ages will be held Saturday, April 14, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sport Complex in the Soccer/Lacrosse parking lot. 

Admission is free.

The event is offered by the North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation Department.

Touch-A Truck provides a day for children of all ages to get an up close, interactive look at many of the large vehicles and heavy equipment they only see on television or driving down the road. Everyone will have the opportunity to explore exhibits like dump trucks, tractors, fire trucks, police cars, race cars and more!

In addition to all the vehicles, this community event features public safety information and other activities including, face painting, helmet safety by the North Strand Optimist Club, spot camera eye screenings offered by the North Myrtle Beach Lion’s Club, and an opportunity for kids to write letters to soldiers with help from the Grand Strand Blue Star Mothers. 

Special Note: North Myrtle Beach is proud to support families who have children with autism, special needs and sensory sensitivities. There will be a sensory-friendly experience from 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m., during which all sirens and equipment noise will be silenced.

Come on out to climb, learn and discover!

RESULTS: April 2 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting

During the April 2 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting, Mayor Marilyn Hatley presented a Proclamation to the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club naming April 2018 as National Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month in North Myrtle Beach.

In her Proclamation, Mayor Hatley noted that child abuse and neglect is a serious problem affecting every segment of a community. Finding solutions to prevent child abuse and neglect requires input and action from everyone in a community.

Child abuse can have lifelong psychological, emotional, and physical consequences for the abused. Effective child abuse prevention activities succeed because of meaningful connections and partnerships created between child welfare, education, health, community and faith-based organizations, businesses, and law enforcement agencies.

Mayor Hatley asked all North Myrtle Beach citizens to dedicate themselves to the task of helping to improve quality of life for all children and families.

City Council approved a special event permit for the Anderson Estep Cherry Grove Surfing Championship set for April 21, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. north of the Cherry Grove Pier in the designated surf area. The event honors the memory of Anderson Todd Estep, a 19-year-old surfer who in June 2013 was lost in the waves brought to the Grand Strand by Tropical Storm Andrea.

City Council passed second (final) reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 23, Zoning of the Code of Ordinances of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (ZTX-18-0 1). The amendment resolves some conflicts and inconsistencies in the Zoning Ordinance by standardizing the use of private streets in all residential districts.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance annexing a 0.24-acre lot located on Wyndell Drive off 13th Avenue North. The zoning for the lot is HC (Highway Commercial).

City Council adopted a Resolution approving mutual aid agreements with 10 South Carolina police agencies to assist in managing the impact of the Town of Atlantic Beach 2018 Black Pearl Memorial Day & Bike Fest on the city of North Myrtle Beach. The agencies include the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, Columbia Police Department, Goose Creek Police Department, Greenville County Sheriff's Office, Irmo Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Loris Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, Rock Hill Police Department, and Spartanburg Police Department.

City Council discussed the potential for developing legislation pertaining to a potential ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam. Council members agreed that plastic bags and Styrofoam present major problems for the environment, marine life and wildlife. While they would prefer to achieve a countywide solution to the problem, if that is not feasible they appear to be willing to explore a purely local solution.

Council members agreed that a workshop involving input from the business community, Keep North Myrtle Beach Beautiful, the North Myrtle Beach Turtle Patrol, city staff offering summaries of laws from other cities and counties, and input from other groups would be a good first step in determining the complexity of the issue as it exists in North Myrtle Beach. A date was not set for the workshop.

13th Annual Palmetto Police Motorcycle Skills Competition April 4-7 At Myrtle Beach Mall

The 13th Annual Palmetto Police Motorcycle Skills Competition, which benefitsCamp Happy Days, is April 4-7 at Myrtle Beach Mall,10177 North Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach (next to Bass Pro Shop).

The public is invited to attend this free event. If you like, you can use this opportunity to donate toCamp Happy Days, which welcomes all children with cancer across South Carolina without charge. From their signature summer camp, age-specific on-going programs, family counseling and financial assistance, “dream dates,” hospital visits, holiday giving and more, these programs help relieve worries and strengthen family bonds.

Developed with guidance from the medical community, Camp Happy Days programs help improve the emotional, physical and psychological health of children and families affected by pediatric cancer. At Camp Happy Days, kids discover the power within themselves as they share life-changing experiences with kids just like themselves who are battling cancer. Kids can be kids again as they have fun and gain confidence.

What cancer takes away,Camp Happy Days helps give back. 

Check out Camp Happy Days atwww.camphappydays.org.

The Palmetto Police Motor Skills Competition is a way to showcase the skills of law enforcement motorcycle riders or motor officers. They come to the competition from different states and locally and are put to the test through a series of performance-under-pressure events. 

It takes a great deal of practice to be able to handle the weight and size of a motorcycle. The basic idea behind police motorcycle training is to make the motorcycle work to its maximum potential. A simple philosophy of motor officers is, if you hit or rub a cone in training, you have just struck a pedestrian.

Several events help determine the overall best riders. These riders are ranked in a final overall category. The best overall rider earns the title of Mr. Rodeo. The best team consisting of four members earns the title of Best Overall Team.

For a detailed itinerary and other information about the types of courses the motor officers will ride in the motorcycle skills competition, visitwww.ppmsc.us

For more information or to donate to Camp Happy Days, please contact Sergeant Ray Pollock at843-241-4313 (Cell), 843-280-5511 (Office) orrrpollock@nmb.us

Ingram Dunes Update from the City of North Myrtle Beach

The North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission approved a request for a preliminary plat of subdivision for Ocean Peak to create 31 lots of record and two public rights-of-way between Hillside Drive and Strand Avenue. (The privately owned property is sometimes referred to by members of the public as "Ingram Dunes.")

The Planning Commission's role is not to decide on the "worth" of a proposed subdivision or project but to determine if an applicant's request adheres to city ordinances governing the particular request, which this request did.

The applicant also asked the Planning Commission to act to allow removal of trees on lots throughout the subdivision but the Commission voted to take no action. This means that the applicant will have to request a variance from the city's Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) in order to accomplish such work. The application period for the April BZA meeting has passed and the next available BZA meeting is May 10.

This item will NOT go before City Council. The approved application for a preliminary plat of subdivision was based on the property's original zoning (R-1 Single-Family Residential Low Density) and as such does not require Council review or approval.

Previously, the applicant did file a request to rezone the property from R-1 Single Family Residential Low Density to R-1B Single Family Residential Low to Medium Density. Because it was a request for a rezoning of the property, it was required to go before City Council and did so at the February 6, 2017 City Council meeting. The request failed when no motion was made to act on the applicant's request. Thus, the original R-1 zoning remained in place.

As is true of any development project, the property owner would also have to apply for and receive a land disturbance permit relating to storm water control, and a water and sewer permit. The applicant would also apply for a grading permit, which if granted, would allow them to develop the rights-of-way within the subdivision, including tree removal within the rights-of-way only. These permits are reviewed and granted or not at the staff level and some of the permits may involve a joint review with other agencies.