Hurricane Matthew Debris Collection Starts Monday in North Myrtle Beach

Hurricane Matthew related debris pick-up will begin in the morning of Monday, October 24.

Please refer to the attached Zone Map when reading the following:

1. City Crews will begin vegetative/yard debris collection in Barefoot, Zone 5 and will move to Windy Hill, Zone 1.
2. Contractor crews will begin construction and demolition debris collection in Cherry Grove, Zone 4.


The City will update the schedule as progress occurs.

Cherry Grove Dredging Project Update

The two dredges to be used in the Cherry Grove Dredging Project should arrive in North Myrtle Beach at some point on Friday, October 21.

As a precautionary measure, the South Carolina Department of Transportation had stopped the trucks carrying the dredges at the South Carolina/Georgia border in order to first ensure that roads and bridges could handle the load following the flooding that impacted roadways in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. The trucks were released for transport today.

Much of the pipeline that will be used to transport dredged material to the spoils basin has been put together (attached photo).

A large crane (attached photo) will be used to launch the dredges and small barges carrying large booster pumps (attached photo). 


Depending on schedule availability of the crane operator, the dredges and booster pumps will be launched Friday and Saturday, or Friday and Monday.  




Basil’s Pizza Family Fun Run/Walk is November 3 at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center

North Myrtle Beach, SC – October 18, 2016 – The North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center invites the public to participate in the 10th Annual Basil’s Pizza One Mile Family Fun Run/Walk on November 3 at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center. Whether you go for a jog or a light stroll, this event is designed to promote a healthy and active lifestyle centered on fun.

The Horry County School with the most participation will receive a monetary donation.

The $8.00 registration fee includes dinner, a medal and an event t-shirt. Additional dinner tickets are available for $5.00 each.

Onsite registration begins at 5:00 p.m. and the one mile run/walk begins at 6:00 p.m. If it rains, the event will be held inside the Aquatic & Fitness Center.

Whether you enjoy a jog or a light stroll, this popular annual event is designed to promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

The event is sponsored by Basil’s Pizza, North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center, Basil’s Realty McLeod Seacoast, Sandhills Bank, RIOZ Brazilian Steakhouse, ReMax Southern Shores-Roz Murray, Greg Norman’s Australian Grille, and State Farm-Callie Wise 843-272-9990.


For more information, call Heather Smith at 843-281-3737.

RESULTS: October 17 City Council Meeting

North Myrtle Beach, SC – October 17, 2016 – During the regularly scheduled October 17 North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, Mayor Marilyn Hatley presented a Proclamation in support of the October 23-29 General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) “Advocates for Children Week.” The North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club is a GFWC affiliated club.

Since the early 1900s, GFWC members have played an intricate role in advocating for the health and well-being of children with prominent clubwomen such as Jane Addams and Julia Lathrop paving the way for the implementation of improved child labor and juvenile court laws. GFWC members also educate, advocate and engage in projects concerning the well-being of children via health, social and safety programs by working to ensure that children are protected from harmful situations, and by encouraging healthy physical and emotional lifestyles.

The GFWC North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club advocates for children by supporting Tools for Schools, the Children’s Recovery Center, the Autism Foundation, the USO United Through Reading Program, and more.

Employee Longevity Awards were presented to Parks & Recreation Operations Director Gregg Barnhill (35 years of service), Utility Billing Supervisor Darwin Reed (20), Custodian Carolyn Moody (15), and Records Clerk Jessica Holt (10). Longevity Awards are provided in five year increments to those city employees who consistently achieve excellence in customer service.

City Council passed second (final) reading of an ordinance rezoning one lot of about 13,409 square feet located at 404 Hillside Drive from R-2 (Medium Density Residential) to R-2A (Mid Rise Multifamily Residential).

Council tabled until its November 21 meeting second reading of an ordinance to amend the Bahama Island Planned Development District. The ordinance proposes to modify a portion of the total development to allow an RV campground along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The delay between readings allows for work to be completed on a related development agreement.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance to amend the Barefoot Resort Commercial (a.k.a. Barefoot Landing) Planned Development District (PDD).

The Barefoot Landing PDD offers several important public benefits. The developer will donate to the city or the South Carolina Department of Transportation via a limited warranty deed about 1.78 acres of land for the expansion of the 48th Avenue South intersection improvements with turning lanes into and out of the Barefoot Landing project, as well as improvements to the southernmost entry into Barefoot landing.

The developer will also contribute funding not to exceed $200,000 and dedicate any required easements

for the relocation of the existing sewer pump station located adjacent to Dick’s Last Resort parking lot. The new location will be mutually acceptable to the developer and the city.

These public benefits will be binding on the current and future owners of Barefoot Landing until they are fulfilled. The donation of land for right-of-way and the pump station relocation will be completed prior to the city issuing a certificate of occupancy for a new restaurant to be located on the Intracoastal Waterway between T-Bonz and Greg Norman’s Australian Grille.

The revised site plan for Barefoot Landing adds 70,620 square feet of new building product. When added to the existing 244,380 square feet of commercial space, the new total is 315,000 square feet or a 29% increase.

Plans also call for the private, internal roadway system to receive a major update. Most notably, the existing roadway along the Waterway would be relocated and redesigned to allow for a better traffic circulation pattern. A pedestrian plaza is also planned to connect future uses with the Waterway.

The architectural style for Barefoot Landing could change from the current colors and building materials to one “inspired by great coastal towns along the eastern seaboard”, combining the “character and authenticity of historic main street with the natural beauty of the waterfront in the reimagined shopping and dining experience.”


Redevelopment of the property would be accomplished over time and based on market demands.

Scammers impersonating Santee Cooper are targeting business and residential customers

Scammers are targeting business and residential customers, and Santee Cooper don't want you to become a victim of fraud.

Many businesses and residents in the area are being hit by scammers identifying themselves as representing Santee Cooper.

We ask you to be on high alert! Never pay if you are called and asked to pay within a specific time frame or with a specific type of payment (card). 

Please go to a local office or call Santee Cooper's local number (843-249-3505) to verify or make any payment.

Remember, Santee Cooper will NEVER:

  • Ask you to supply your credit card number unless you are applying for new service and require a security deposit
  • Request banking information unless you initiate the conversation
  •  Email or text you and demand payment
  • Ask you to pay through a money transfer or with a prepaid credit/debit card
  • Make forceful demands for immediate payment and threaten to show up at your business or residence
If you happen to receive a call and feel pressured, hang up and call one of Santee Cooper's Customer Care representatives at 843-249-3505. Do NOT use the number provided to you by the caller.

Hurricane Debris Removal Update

City of North Myrtle Beach, SC - Oct. 17, 2016

The City has selected a debris collection monitoring firm and a debris collection firm. They should begin to mobilize gradually toward the end of this week, as both contractors hire personnel and they learn the federally required collection and monitoring system. They should be out in full force early next week.

Toward the end of this week we have meetings scheduled with both contractors and should emerge with a basic collection schedule. We believe at this point that the contractors will probably work 12 hour shifts.

Again, the debris collection contractor is not allowed to pick up bagged yard debris. However, the City will ultimately collect the bagged yard debris they leave behind. If you are still moving yard debris to curbside, please do not bag it.


Thanks for your patience. This process has to be accomplished in accordance with federal guidelines, which in the end ensures accountability and protects everyone involved.

Private Roads and Storm Debris Pickup

City of North Myrtle Beach, Sc - October 17, 2016

We have been asked if private roads will be included in storm debris pickup through the federal program, and the answer at this time is no. HOWEVER, the city of North Myrtle Beach has applied to the federal government for a waiver that, if granted, would allow private roads to be included in the storm debris pickup. We will let you know of the federal government's decision once we have received it.

North Myrtle Beach Paving Improvements Begin Monday, October 17 on Selected Roads

The City has an existing paving contract with Palmetto Paving for paving improvements on the following streets:

·       Nixon Street from 20th Avenue North to 34th Avenue North
·       31st Avenue North from Nixon Street to the marsh
·       Lake Drive from 39th Avenue North to 53rd Avenue North
·       52nd Avenue North
·       53rd Avenue North
·       59th Avenue North

The paving is scheduled to begin Monday October 17 and must be completed by the end of November to meet SCDOT pavement restrictions.

Prior to Monday, the City will clear ALL debris along the rights-of-way of the streets to be paved in an effort to preserve the new pavement from being damaged by the large trucks that will soon be used for debris removal under the federal disaster declaration.

Guidelines on Placing Debris at Curbside in North Myrtle Beach

Following FEMA regulations, the City of North Myrtle Beach is in the final stages of hiring a debris monitoring contractor and a debris collection contractor. The former will monitor the latter as it picks up hurricane related debris in North Myrtle Beach.


The process entails a slight pickup delay, but the general result is that FEMA may absorb about 85% of debris collection costs that occur within the first 30 days following the start of the hurricane event (the October 4 evacuation order). The city pays the remaining costs.

We will soon put out the collection schedule.


In the meantime, please see the attached graphics provided by the firm that will be collecting debris in North Myrtle Beach. They show how and where to place debris.

North Myrtle Beach EOC Public Phone Line To Be Disconnected at 5 PM October 13

City of North Myrtle Beach

The North Myrtle Beach Emergency Operations Center public phone Line (843-281-3705) will be disconnected at 5:00 p.m. October 13.

After 5:00 p.m., people may call the regular Public Safety dispatch phone at 843-280-5511 for non-emergencies.


Call 9-1-1 for emergencies.

U.S. Small Business Administration Announces Disaster Declaration for Horry County


The U.S. Small Business Administration has added more counties to the disaster declaration in North and South Carolina affected by Hurricane Matthew that began on Oct. 4, 2016.

The disaster declaration now covers the counties of Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Hoke,Johnston, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt, Robeson, Wayne and Wilson in North Carolina, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.  Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Brunswick, Chowan, Craven, Duplin, Franklin, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Martin, Moore, Northampton, Pamlico, Pender, Richmond, Sampson, Scotland, Wake, Warren, and Washington in North Carolina; Dillon, Horry and  Marlboro in South Carolina.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA's secure website.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by mobile device at m.fema.gov.  If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Additional details on the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov

Cherry Grove Dredging Project Update

City of North Myrtle Beach, October 12, 2016, 12:05 P.M.

Although interrupted by Hurricane Matthew, work on the Cherry Grove Dredging Project has resumed. Orion Marine Group’s employees are back on site and are again working on putting together the pipeline.

Also, highway transport permits for hauling the two dredges that will be used in the project have been issued. On October 17, the company will begin transporting the dredges from Louisiana to North Myrtle Beach. They should arrive in North Myrtle Beach by the end of that week.

Weekend festivities throughout the Grand Strand to go on as scheduled

Despite ongoing Hurricane Matthew recovery operations, the Myrtle Beach Area is bouncing back and welcoming visitors. Mike Bettes of the Weather Channel said during a live broadcast from the Boardwalk yesterday, "It's sunny and beautiful and business as usual here in Myrtle Beach ... why not come on out!"

Great events taking place this week/weekend:

Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art - Thursday, Oct. 13-Saturday, Oct. 15

Georgetown Boat Show - Friday, Oct. 14-Sunday, Oct. 16

Myrtle Beach Seafood Festival - Saturday, Oct. 15

See more Grand Strand events here.

"Myrtle Beach is back in business and it's going to be a great weekend," says Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. "Myrtle Beach is known for its resilience. Power crews have been working around the clock and have done such an amazing job that it's hard to imagine just a few days ago we were dealing with a huge storm, now we're welcoming back visitors. But it's not just about the visitors. We know a lot of people depend on tourism for their jobs and livelihoods, so getting our economy back up and running is good for everyone."


A Survey conducted by the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce showed that many businesses are open or well on their way to being open for business! For an updated list of business openings visit the chamber website.

What's the power situation in North Myrtle Beach?


City of North Myrtle Beach, October 12, 2016, 11:15 A.M.

That’s today’s trending question. The answer is: Getting better by the hour. We still have spotty outages, and four traffic lights are still out with locations on Main Street and Sea Mountain Highway.

About 38,000 customers in Santee Cooper's service location from the Town of Briarcliffe Acres, north to Little River originally lost power due to the hurricane, and about 2,300 customers are still without power as of this writing. So, Santee Cooper is working hard and effectively to get things back to normal.

City of North Myrtle Beach Storm Debris Collection Update

City crews have worked since Sunday morning (October 9) to open streets and remove debris (fallen trees and other materials) from public rights-of-way. Road clearing operations (emergency protective measures) are only allowed on public roads under FEMA guidelines, and we are on schedule to complete those operations today (October 11). It is important that we get this work done by the end of today because there is a 72-hour window starting from the end of a hurricane for inclusion of these efforts (time and materials) for potential reimbursement to the city by FEMA.

Crews have also been working to clear public parks, which hold many downed trees and branches.

The City is running its normal collection schedule for garbage and recycling, HOWEVER, we are not running the normal yard waste collection route, since these crews must continue to assist with the road clearing operation until it is done. We are aware that property owners have placed lots of yard debris at curbside after our initial road clearing operations passed by, and be assured that the City will pick up this debris as soon as we can get to it over the next few weeks.

Currently, we are not going to collect the large quantities of homeowner-placed storm debris until the following issues are confirmed for us at the County level:

1. A Disaster declaration
 2. A Debris removal contractor
 3. A Debris management site

Once these issues are decided (there are protocols and procedures the County must follow, some of which are beyond its immediate control), the City will initiate its plan for collection of storm-generated debris placed at curbside by private property owners, and we will communicate our schedule to you.

Some have asked us why City crews have "skipped" some trees that fell in some rights-of-way. Those trees actually came down on power lines and the lines are still entwined in the trees. Santee Cooper must first remove the power lines from those trees, and then our crews will remove the trees from the rights-of-way. Of course, Santee Cooper is working hard with its own and many outside crews to restore power everywhere.

In instances where trees have fallen on private power lines, neither property owners or contractors should attempt tree removal. Contact Santee Cooper and inform them of the situation.

Hurricane Matthew Update for Residents

  
The South Carolina Forestry Commission has issued a burning ban for all South Carolina counties that will be in effect until further notice.
Citizens can visit Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce for an up to date listing of businesses that are currently open.
All Horry County Government offices and courts remain closed Monday, October 10, 2016. All essential personnel will continue to report for duty. Circuit Court jurors for this week have been excused.  All Common Pleas & General Sessions Jury trials for this week are postponed.
The number of evacuees in shelters have diminished (468 as of last night to just 31 as of noon this today). The only shelter still accepting evacuees is, Beach Church located at 557 George Bishop Parkway, Myrtle Beach.
The S.C. Dept. of Health and Environmental Control is waiving testing fee for private wells. Residents with questions about private wells should call 803-898-4312.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will be conducting boat patrols on flooded waterways.
The Horry County Solid Waste Authority offices and recycling centers that were safely able are open today. Residents of unincorporated Horry County should utilize the recycling center closest to them to dispose of storm debris. If your yard/tree debris is larger than six inches in diameter and four feet in length, you must bring the debris to the landfill located at 1886 Highway 90.  If you live within the limits of an incorporated municipality, you should contact municipal officials regarding their debris cleanup procedures.
159+ roads closed and/or impassable
Properties along the Waccamaw River & Intracoastal Waterway are asked to monitor river levels closely as they are rising fast. The rivers are currently at major flood stage and could continue to rise. Flooding will be similar to the October 2015 floods. Residents in these areas should prepare now if they plan on evacuating their property. For information or assistance, citizens in the City of Conway can call 843-488-7664 and Horry County residents should call 843-915-5150.  

City Of NMB Post-Hurricane Building Permit Application Fees

The City of North Myrtle Beach Planning & Development Department will be accepting building permit applications as follows:

  1. Now through Noon, Thursday October 13:  Permit applications will be accepted for storm damage repair ONLY.  Permit fees will be waived for all repairs.
  2. Starting at Noon, October 13:  All permit applications will be accepted and processed.  No fees will be charged for storm-related repairs, but fees WILL apply for all other permits.

The City of North Myrtle Beach is now open to everyone


City of North Myrtle Beach Oct. 10, 10:00 AM

The city of North Myrtle Beach is now open to everyone.

Yet, please take the following aspects into consideration as you move through the area:

  • Electricity is still off in some areas but is improving quickly. Santee Cooper is working hard to get everyone back on line.
  • Visitors with accommodations reservations should first check with their accommodations destinations to make sure they are open to serve you.
  • In areas where electricity is still off, Waste Water Treat Plant lift stations are not functioning or are on generators. It would be appropriate for EVERYONE to flush less often than usual to take the stress off those substations.
  • Whether or not a business is open depends on where electricity is available.