Hurricane Matthew update: Residents in Georgetown and Horry counties asked to evacuate Thursday morning

Governor Nikki Haley has made a change to coastal evacuations ahead of the potential landfall of Hurricane Matthew this morning.

Instead of a blanket mandatory evacuation for the entire South Carolina coast beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Governor Haley says Charleston and Beaufort counties are only under that evacuation order.
Residents in Georgetown and Horry counties are now being asked to evacuate Thursday morning.



Governor Haley said the state National Guard has already been activated to help residents evacuate along the coast. Over 300 buses are also on the way to the coast to take Lowcountry residents to Greenville. 

Hurricane Matthew Update: Horry County Moves to OPCON 3 Oct. 4, 12 p.m.

Horry County has moved to OPCON 3 (Level 3 Operating Condition) in preparation of Hurricane Matthew. OPCON 3 means the storm poses a significant threat to Horry County. 

County officials are in continual discussions with South Carolina Emergency Management, coastal communities including local municipalities, the Governor's office and will continue to monitor the situation closely. The Horry County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is NOT fully activated at this time however it is prepared to fully activate if the Governor issues a mandatory evacuation order.

Should mandatory evacuation order be issued, it is important that residents are familiar with the evacuation zones ... Click here to read entire news release.

Should the governor issue a state of emergency or an evacuation order, the chamber will keep members, visitors and prospective visitors informed by sending continuous updates via email or through the websites and corresponding social media channels.

Storm-related information will also be posted on the City of Myrtle Beach social media and website and Horry County Emergency Management website and social media channels.
Click here for storm recovery tips from Horry County Emergency Management. 

North Myrtle Beach Hurricane Reentry Procedures and Related Information

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH POST-HURRICANE REENTRY PROCEDURES

When reentering the city of North Myrtle Beach after a hurricane, property owners, renters and business owners should be prepared to show either their driver’s license, a copy of a recent water bill or property tax bill, a rental agreement, or other form of identity that proves residency or property ownership within the city.

Owners of businesses with employees who do not reside within the city limits but are essential to recovery of a business should provide those employees with a letter written on company letterhead identifying them as being essential to the recovery of the business. When identifying an employee, please use their name as it is shown on their driver’s license so that authorities can match the two for verification.
The City of North Myrtle Beach does not require filing residency or business information prior to a storm.


MANDATORY EVACUATION PROCEDURES

IF Hurricane Matthew threatens our area, and IF the Governor issues a mandatory evacuation order, this is the manner in which some evacuation routes will be managed:
  • Once the Governor issues a mandatory evacuation, lane reversals will be instituted automatically for two sections of Highway 501—U.S. Highway 501 from SC 544 to SC 378, and U.S. Highway 501 from SC 22 to the U.S. Highway 501/SC 576 split in Marion. Once you enter a lane reversal pattern, you will not be able to get back out. Never enter a lane reversal pattern unless you are directed by law enforcement.
  • The Horry County evacuation plan to which all in North Myrtle Beach are subject requires people located north of Briarcliffe Acres to evacuate via SC 9 North to 1-95 and beyond.
  • These requirements are based on the results of the SC Hurricane Evacuation Study for the Northern Conglomerate that was released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2012.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR ZONE?

You may remember that different areas of Horry County, including North Myrtle Beach, have been assigned different “Zones” with respect to the potential impact of hurricane storm surge on a given land area.

IF it should occur that Hurricane Matthew is to strike our area with force, and IF the Governor called for a mandatory evacuation, she might do so by identifying ZONES that must evacuate. The zone locations in Horry County are as follows:

Zone A
All areas east of U.S. 17 Business (Kings Highway), up to intersection with U.S. 17 (Kings Highway) and then all areas east of U.S. 17 (Kings Highway) to the northern county line.

Zone B
All areas south of S.C. 707 and Longwood Drive, including all areas in Longwood Plantation (Blackmoor) to the Waccamaw River and all areas east of U.S. 17 Bypass (Mark Garner Highway) to U.S. 17 (North Kings Highway) and all areas east of U.S. 17 (North Kings Highway) to the northern county line.

Zone C
All areas between U.S. 701 and S.C. 544, south of Brown's Chapel Avenue and Hwy. 814, plus all areas east of S.C. 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) to S.C. 90 and all areas east of S.C. 90 to U.S. 17 to the northern county line.

To access Horry County Emergency Management’s interactive zone map, use this link: http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=5eaa13ba491c4699a9730bf3f9e65a37

HOW WILL THE CITY OF NORTH MYRTLE BEACH STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOU?

In emergency situations, such as hurricanes, the City of North Myrtle Beach will post advisory and damage assessment information using these resources:

  • www.NMB.us (See “Press Releases” on the home page)
  • www.Facebook.com/cityofnmb
  • www.Twitter.com/cityofnmb

The City will also forward the same information to local and regional news media outlets, Horry County Emergency Management, the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. The North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce shares City of North Myrtle Beach announcements with its members, and to its social media audiences. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce serves as the umbrella agency for the Area Recovery Council (ARC), which includes all governments and other agencies in Horry County, and which serves as a clearinghouse for information during hurricanes and other disasters that impact all of the Grand Strand or all of Horry County.


QUESTIONS?

Contact Pat Dowling at pcdowling@nmb.us

Hurricane Matthew Alert

It is too early to identify the final course Hurricane Matthew will take but, given its size, its current power and the various potential paths it could take. City of North Myrtle Beach residents and businesses should be alert to this storm, and should check its progress and location daily, particularly from Wednesday onward.

Review your hurricane preparedness and response plans, and check you hurricane disaster kit to make sure you have all the supplies you need should the hurricane impact our area.

The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center and the latest forecast models continue to keep Hurricane Matthew off the coast but to what degree is unknown. Uncertainty continues to be high as to how an upper level trough and a ridge of high pressure over the Atlantic Ocean will steer the hurricane. Confidence in the ultimate location and strength of these features is not great at this time.

Since Matthew is a large storm, there are a wide range of weather events that could impact our area. These include the potential for heavy rain and flash flooding, strong winds, coastal flooding, and significant erosion and over-wash from high surf. Again, the final direction this storm takes will determine the level of impacts we will experience.

Cherry Grove Property Owners have Second Opportunity to Prepay Cherry Grove Canals Dredging Assessment

Property owners who are part of the Cherry Grove Canals Dredging Project Assessment District who would like to make a partial or full assessment prepayment in order to avoid the remaining years of assessment fees for the first dredge or both dredges have until 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2017 to do so.

STANDARD PARCEL PREPAYMENT OPTIONS

PREPAYMENT OPTION #1BOTH DREDGESSTANDARD PARCEL

An owner of a standard parcel (not a condo) may make a full assessment prepayment of $17,433.23 no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2017. That means the payment must be in the City’s possession by that time and date. Make check payable to: City of North Myrtle Beach. Mail check to: Attention: Pat Dowling, City of North Myrtle Beach, 1018 Second Avenue South, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

This amount of $17,433.23 has been calculated in accordance with the Rate and Method of Apportionment of Assessment (RMA). With the exception of a $50 administrative expense fee that is included in the total, this amount reflects each parcel’s share of the outstanding City borrowing, as required by the RMA.

IMPORTANT - The $17,433.23 prepayment does NOT include the assessment fee of $2,400 that will be billed this fall on the Horry County real property tax bill and which comes due January 15, 2017. You must also pay this assessment fee. Do not remit this $2,400 assessment fee to the City of North Myrtle Beach. Pay the assessment amount to the Horry County Treasurer as part of your total real property tax bill.

PREPAYMENT OPTION #2 – FIRST DREDGE ONLY – STANDARD PARCEL

An owner of a standard parcel (not a condo) may make a partial payment of $9,139.93 no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2017. That means the payment must be in the City’s possession by that time and date. Make check payable to: City of North Myrtle Beach. Mail check to: Attention: Pat Dowling, City of North Myrtle Beach, 1018 Second Avenue South, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.

This amount has been calculated in accordance with the Rate and Method of Apportionment of Assessment (RMA). With the exception of a $50 administrative expense fee that is included in the total, this amount reflects each parcel’s share of the outstanding City borrowing, as required by the RMA.

IMPORTANT - The $9,139.93 prepayment does NOT include the assessment fee of $2,400 that will be billed this fall on the Horry County real property tax bill and which comes due January 15, 2017. You must also pay this assessment fee. Do not remit this $2,400 assessment fee to the City of North Myrtle Beach. Pay the assessment amount to the Horry County Treasurer as part of your total real property tax bill.

CONDO PARCEL PREPAYMENT OPTIONS

PREPAYMENT OPTION #1BOTH DREDGESCONDO PARCEL

An owner of a condo parcel may make a full assessment prepayment of $12,044.32 no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2017. That means the payment must be in the City’s possession by that time and date. Make check payable to: City of North Myrtle Beach. Mail check to: Attention: Pat Dowling, City of North Myrtle Beach, 1018 Second Avenue South, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.

This amount has been calculated in accordance with the Rate and Method of Apportionment of Assessment (RMA). With the exception of a $50 administrative expense fee that is included in the total, this amount reflects each parcel’s share of the outstanding City borrowing, as required by the RMA.

IMPORTANT - The $12,044.32 prepayment does NOT include the assessment fee of $2,400 that will be billed this fall on the Horry County real property tax bill and which comes due January 15, 2017. You must also pay this assessment fee. Do not remit this $2,400 assessment fee to the City of North Myrtle Beach. Pay the assessment amount to the Horry County Treasurer as part of your total property tax bill.

PREPAYMENT OPTION #2 – FIRST DREDGE ONLY – CONDO PARCEL

An owner of a condo parcel may make a payment of $6,322.05 no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2017. That means the payment must be in the City’s possession by that time and date. Make check payable to: City of North Myrtle Beach. Mail check to: Attention: Pat Dowling, City of North Myrtle Beach, 1018 Second Avenue South, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.

This amount has been calculated in accordance with the Rate and Method of Apportionment of Assessment (RMA). With the exception of a $50 administrative expense fee that is included in the total, this amount reflects each parcel’s share of the outstanding City borrowing, as required by the RMA.

IMPORTANT - The $6,322.05 prepayment does NOT include the assessment fee of $2,400 that will be billed this fall on the Horry County real property tax bill and which comes due January 15, 2017. You must also pay this assessment fee. Do not remit this $2,400 assessment fee to the City of North Myrtle Beach. Pay the assessment amount to the Horry County Treasurer as part of your total property tax bill.


NOTE: The prepayment amounts given for all of the above categories will remain the same between now and 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2017.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Pat Dowling at (843) 280-5612 or pcdowling@nmb.us

Mayor Marilyn Hatley Joins Horry County Leaders on Visit to Washington, DC -- Urges Funding for 2018 Federal Beach Renourishment Project

On September 21, Mayor Marilyn Hatley joined with other Horry County leaders to visit with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator Tim Scott, U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn, U.S. Representative Tom Rice, the House Appropriations staff, and the Army Corps of Engineers in Washington, DC to discuss the need for beach renourishment along the Grand Strand.

Accompanying Mayor Hatley were Horry County Council Chairman Mark Lazarus, Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes, North Myrtle Beach City Manager Mike Mahaney, Horry County Administrator Chris Eldridge, Myrtle Beach City Manager John Pedersen, Horry County Assistant Administrator Justin Powell, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Brad Dean, Director of South Carolina Parks Recreation & Tourism Duane Parrish, Warwick Group Consultants President Howard Marlowe, and former U.S. Representative John Napier.

The group reviewed the history of 10-year federal beach renourishment projects along the Grand Strand; discussed the damage that continued beach erosion could do to the Grand Strand’s $7.4 billion tourism industry, which supports 81,000 jobs; and requested that the 2018 Federal Budget, now being developed, include the federal share of the scheduled 2018 Grand Strand beach renourishment project.

The group also stressed that property abutting the dune line along the Grand Strand, which is protected and enhanced through beach renourishment, is worth more than $3.5 billion. Over the past several years, the dune line has been severely compromised in some locations and areas behind the dune line have been flooded, such as in Cherry Grove.

Specifically, the group asked for funding for all sections of Grand Strand beaches for the scheduled but currently unfunded 2018 federal beach renourishment project. The State of South Carolina has already appropriated $30 million for its share of the project. The cities of North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach, and Horry County, have committed to having their shares of project funding in place when the federal share of funding is made available.


SHOWN CLOCKWISE FROM CENTER IN PHOTO: Lindsey Graham, Mark Lazarus, John Rhodes, Marilyn Hatley, Mike Mahaney, Chris Eldridge, John Napier, Justin Powell, John Pedersen, Brad Dean, Duane Parrish.

Hip Pocket Band Performs in a FREE September 29 Concert at the Horseshoe on Main Street

You are invited to enjoy a free September 29, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., concert featuring the Hip Pocket Band at the Horseshoe on Main Street in North Myrtle Beach. The Hip Pocket Band is a variety band from Greensboro, North Carolina.

The free concert is part of the North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation Department’s Music on Main summer concert series sponsored by Anderson Brothers Bank (www.abbank.com).

Concert-goers are encouraged to bring beach chairs.


For day of event weather information call the “Rec Check” hotline at (843) 280-5594 ext. 3, follow on Facebook, or visit their website http://parks.nmb.us.