North Myrtle Beach Area Historical Museum Seeks Volunteers

The North Myrtle Beach Area Historical Museum (799 2nd Avenue North) has a need for volunteers to assist with finishing exhibits for its reopening.

The Museum would also welcome volunteers to help greet visitors and to assist in the Museum Store.

To volunteer or to learn more about volunteer opportunities, please contact Executive Director Cathy Altman at (843) 427-7668 or email her at director@nmbmuseum.com.

You can also visit the Museum's website at www.northmyrtlebeachmuseum.com

Enjoy a Free October 13 Showing of "Monster House (PG)" at McLean Park in North Myrtle Beach

You are invited to enjoy a free showing of the movie Monster House (PG) on Friday, October 13 at McLean Park in North Myrtle Beach. The movie starts 15 minutes after sunset, about 6:45 p.m.

Bring a beach chair or blanket.

Concessions will be available from the North Myrtle Beach Lions Club.

The free movie is part of the North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation Department’s Movies @ McLean series sponsored by North Strand Nissan.

About Monster House:Three teens discover that their neighbor's house is really a living, breathing, scary monster.

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

October Tree of the Month

The North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board has identified a unique Live Oak tree located at 3600 Seaview Street in the Windy Hill section of the city as its Tree of the Month for October.

The Live Oak is a wonderful, mature specimen in its own right but what is perhaps most admirable is the care that was taken to preserve it while the five townhouses around it were constructed. It is the perfect focal point for the development and it provides shade and a conversation point for residents and passersby. 

The Live Oak at 3600 Seaview Street is proof positive of what is possible when people make preservation a priority. Mature trees enhance property and its value. Any established trees that can be saved during construction provide a head start since transplanted trees typically take longer to establish and reach appreciable size and shape.

Property owners and developers who are interested in finding out more about how they can preserve trees on their property are invited to contact the North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board at nmbtreeboard@nmb.us.

The Tree of the Month program began in 2010 as a way to recognize trees within the city that have been preserved over the years. It also provides a platform to remind people of the benefits and importance that trees offer in our everyday lives.

If you think you have the biggest, prettiest, or most unusual tree in North Myrtle Beach, or that your tree has a unique story attached to it, the Tree City Board encourages you to contact Parks & Grounds Superintendent Jim Grainger at(843) 280-5571 or via email at nmbtreeboard@nmb.us.

Mayor Marilyn Hatley Proclaims October 9 as "Pandas/Pans Awareness Day" in North Myrtle Beach

During the October 2 North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, Mayor Marilyn Hatley presented a Proclamation naming October 9 as PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day in North Myrtle Beach.

Her decision to issue the Proclamation came about when Claire Calhoun, a local volunteer for the PANDAS/PANS Research Advocacy Institute (PRAI), approached the Mayor to talk with her about the need to make more people with children aware of PANDAS/PANS related illnesses and their symptoms. Claire's young son, Sam, bravely deals with symptoms of PANS.

Having learned more about PANDAS/PANS, Mayor Hatley agreed to help increase local awareness.

PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections.

PANS stands for Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome.

A child suffering from PANDAS and/or PANS may have a sudden, dramatic change in personality displayed as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which can display as intense fear and anxiety. Accompanying symptoms may include tics, anxiety, depression, behavioral regression, deterioration in school performance, sensory sensitivities, severely restricted food intake, and more.

Both PANDAS and PANS are associated with infection-triggered autoimmune responses known as “molecular mimicry.” This occurs when our immune system mistakenly attacks normal body tissues because of the structural similarities between a particular molecule on an infectious agent and the molecules in our own body tissues.

Rheumatic Fever is one example of molecular mimicry where the immune system attacks the heart valves in some individuals after experiencing a strep infection. In PANDAS and PANS, something similar occurs where antibodies are triggered to attack a part of the brain called the Basal Ganglia, resulting in deterioration of movement, cognitive perception, habit, executive "logic based" thinking, emotions, and the endocrine system.

PANDAS requires symptom onset prior to puberty. The age cap is based on studies that indicated that 98% of 12-year-olds have immunity against strep infections and, therefore, could not develop post-streptococcal sequelae, such as PANDAS.

PANS has no age limitation, but symptoms typically begin during the grade-school years. Patients can also have their initial symptom onset during adolescence.

A conservative estimate is that there are 162,000 cases of PANDAS/PANS in the United States alone. PANDAS/PANS is likely as common as Pediatric Cancer and Pediatric Diabetes, and can seriously affect the healthy outcome of a child’s life.

For more information on PANDAS/PANS, please visit www.pandasnetwork.org.

Shown left to right in the accompanying photo are Mayor Marilyn Hatley, Sam Calhoun, Claire Calhoun.

Results October 2 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting

CITY COUNCIL PASSED FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE to amend Chapter 23, Zoning Code of Ordinances to include lot width reductions on streets using an “eyebrow” cul-de-sac design, an example of which is shown in the accompanying photo.

The existing ordinance permits lot width reductions on dead-end cul-de-sac streets within the R-1, R-1A, R1B, and R2B zoning districts; however, the same reduction is not available for streets utilizing an “eyebrow” design because “eyebrow" is not specifically listed in the ordinance. “Eyebrow” design is a preferred alternative to a dead-end cul-de-sac in the Land Development Regulations, with less impact on traffic congestion, and city planning and development staff believe the same lot width reduction should apply.

Additionally, the lot width exception does not include the R-2, R-2A, R-3, and R-4 districts. Staff is asking to standardize the Code by allowing any residential district the ability to reduce lot widths for properties fronting cul-de-sacs or “eyebrows.”

-- CITY COUNCIL PASSED SECOND (FINAL) READING of a Zoning Ordinance text amendment allowing wireless personal telephone transmission antennae on buildings less than 120 feet in height. The amendment prohibits the placement of cell phone transmission and accessory equipment on one and two-family dwellings.

In the past few years, the city heard from some cell phone carrier representatives about the need for better cell phone coverage citywide. Wi-Fi, 4G and 5G data use by cell phone customers has greatly expanded and gaps in coverage have persisted.

The amendment does not change the code regulating antennae or accessory equipment located atop flat-roofed buildings greater than 120 feet in height; those standards still apply.

The amendment does not address allowing freestanding transmission antennae beyond the existing standards already in place.

-- CITY COUNCIL PASSED SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE rezoning 11.66 acres of land located on Ye Olde Kings Highway from R-1 (Single-Family Residential Low Density) to R-2B (Single-Family Residential Medium Density). The property is currently undeveloped.

City Council emphasized that it based its decision to allow the use of the R-2B district in this particular instance only because of the generally substandard size of many of the surrounding R-1 parcels and the close proximity of the R-3 district to this property. Council emphasized that it would consider any future such requests on a case by case basis.

The North Myrtle Beach City Council holds its regularly scheduled meetings at 7:00 p.m.on the first and third Monday of each month at City Hall, 1018 Second Avenue South

October 3 Planning Commission Workshop & Meeting Agenda

The North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission will hold an October 3 Workshop (9am) and Meeting (5pm) at City Hall, 1018 Second Avenue South.

WORKSHOP/MEETING AGENDA:

-- LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TEXT AMENDMENT STX‐17‐03: City staff has

initiated an amendment to the Land Development Regulations text to allow private

streets within the R‐1B zoning district for single‐family residential uses.

-- PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLAT SUP‐17‐06: A major preliminary plat of subdivision

for The Reserve to create 7 lots of record and public rights‐of‐way off Ye Olde Kings Highway in Cherry Grove.

To view or download the Workshop/Meeting agenda and background materials please visit here: https://tinyurl.com/ybp3rqf4 or visit www.nmb.us and look under "Agendas" or "Press Releases" on the homepage.

October 2 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting Agenda

The North Myrtle Beach City Council will meet on October 2 at City Hall, 1018 Second Avenue South.

The agenda includes a 6:15 p.m. Executive Session and a 7:00 p.m. Meeting.

6:15 P.M. EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA

-- Legal Briefing: Jeanie Miller vs. The City of North Myrtle Beach NMB etal 2017 CV 261093782

-- Discussion of a potential contract for Mayfest on Main® 2018

7:00 P.M. MEETING AGENDA

-- PROCLAMATION: PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day. (PANDAS is the acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal lnfections. PANS is the acronym for Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndromes.)

-- ORDINANCE/ SECOND READING: A Zoning Ordinance text amendment to allow

wireless personal telephone transmission antennae on buildings less than 120 feet in height.

--ORDINANCE/ SECOND READING: Rezoning request for 11.66 acres of land located

on Ye Olde Kings Highway from R-1 (Single Family Residential Low Density) to

R-2B (Single-Family Residential Medium Density).

--ORDINANCE/ FIRST READING: A proposed amendment to Chapter 23, Zoning

Code of Ordinances of the City of North Myrtle Beach.

To view or download the agenda packet, which includes background materials for each agenda item, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/y9oq3wxh

If the link provided does not work for you, visit www.nmb.us and look under "Agendas" or "Press Releases" on the homepage.