Results - September 16 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting

Left to Right: City Manager Mike Mahaney, Michael Thrower, Bryan Floyd,
Nathan Marker, John Stanley.

Prior to the September 16 North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, Council members met in executive session to:

-- Discuss and receive attorney advice on proposed amendments to the Parkway Planned Development District Development Agreement

-- To discuss and receive attorney advice on documents identified as Separate and Independent Amendment to the Master Development Agreement.

-- To discuss the appointment of a City resident to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Council took no action.

During the Council meeting, Employee Longevity Awards went to Firefighter EMT John Stanley (10 years of service), Public Safety Officer Bryan Floyd (5), Health & Safety Officer Nathan Marker (5), and Public Safety Officer/Rotating Detective Michael Thrower (5). The awards occur in five-year increments for employees who consistently provide excellent customer service.

City Council approved a motion to appoint three new members to the Board of Construction Appeals. The new board members are Ed Danes, Edward Hughes, and Callie Wise.

City Council held a Public Hearing on an ordinance to amend the Parkway Planned Development District (PDD) Development Agreement.

The ordinance would amend the method of reimbursement to the City from the various landowners within the PDD for construction and paving costs associated with the PDD interchange. The City paid $3.2 million for the interchange and paving of a section of Water Tower Road, with the development agreement requirement that the property owners reimburse the City via a fee per residential unit and a per-square-foot fee for commercial space, paid at the issuance of building permits. However, since the original development agreement a small portion of the PDD is now in conservation easement. The amended development agreement would require each landowner, with the exception of Chubby Chicken, to pay the City a fixed reimbursement amount in five equal payments based on an eight-year amortization schedule, beginning December 31, 2020, with a balloon payment of all amounts still due and owing by December 31, 2024. Chubby Chicken would pay the City three equal payments of $100,000 beginning December 31, 2020.

The amounts the landowners would pay to the City under the amended development agreement are:

-- Henry Road West: $869,000

-- Coterra: $864,000

-- NDG II: $532,000

-- NDG I: $150.000

-- Apache: $443,000

-- Chubby Chicken: $300,000 (Conservation Easement)

-- Myrtle Holding: $42,000

-- TOTAL: $3,200,000

City Council passed first reading of an ordinance to amend the Parkway Planned Development District Development Agreement. The ordinance would amend the method of reimbursement to the City from the various landowners within the PDD for construction and paving costs associated with the PDD interchange.

City Council tabled a Public Hearing on an ordinance to approve documents identified as the Separate and Independent Amendment to the Master Development Agreement regarding the portions of the Parkway Planned Development District (PDD) owned by Coterra Chestnut, LLC and NDG Property II, LLC, respectively. Council will schedule a workshop on the proposed ordinance.

City Council tabled first reading of an ordinance to approve documents identified as the Separate and Independent Amendment to the Master Development Agreement regarding the portions of the Parkway Planned Development District (PDD) owned by Coterra Chestnut, LLC and NDG Property, LLC, respectively. Council will schedule a workshop on the proposed ordinance.

City Council passed first reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 5, Beaches & Waterways, Section 5-5, Surfboards to expand surfing zones.

Currently, five surf zones allow for surfing May 15-September 15, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. There are additional areas where beach usage is sufficiently low to allow for expansion of surfing areas.

The proposed additional surfing zones:

-- Begin at Hog Inlet and end at 5th Avenue North with the exception of 300 feet on the north side and south side of the Cherry Grove Pier.

-- Begin at 6th Avenue South and end at 27th Avenue South.

-- Begin at the Town of Atlantic Beach southern limit and end at 46th Avenue South.

The director of public safety or his designee may temporarily prohibit surfboarding and/or skimboarding in these areas for public safety purposes.

City Council passed first reading of an ordinance offering a major amendment to the Robber’s Roost Planned Development District (PDD), revising standards for the Neighborhood Overlay Zone pertaining to porches and recessed garages. The amendment would affect the residential portion of the PDD. Chris Manning of Robbers Roost @ NMB, LLC requested the amendment.

As presented for first reading, the architectural standards would:

-- Delete the requirement for garage doors to be recessed from the front facade, allowing garage doors to protrude forward from the front facade no more than four feet. Council members indicated that during second reading of this ordinance, they might amend the ordinance to limit the protrusion of garage doors to no more than two feet.

-- Require a minimum of 20 feet of driveway between any garage door and the front property line. Council members indicated that during second reading of this ordinance they might amend the ordinance to require 24 feet of driveway.

-- Revise the minimum width of porches to require 25 percent of the frontage of the facade facing the street or a six-foot minimum when a third garage bay is part of the home design.

City Council passed first reading of an ordinance offering a major amendment to the Barefoot Landing Planned Development District (PDD), adding rooftop signage to the Joe’s Crab Shack building and revising the approved master site plan. Seth McCoy of Barefoot Landing Commercial, LLC requested the amendment.

The proposed changes to the master site plan would:

-- Add two bar areas located over the water near the new Crooked Hammock Brewery site and at the former Joe's Crab Shack site.

-- Reconfigure one of the currently approved floating bridges to provide more exposure for the former Joe's Crab Shack site.

North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board Picks a Turkey Oak for its Tree of the Month Award for September

The North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board selected a Turkey Oak located at Rountree Printing, 2404 Madison Drive, as its Tree of the Month for September.

In 1971, prior to buying the beach house and starting Rountree Printing, Steve Rountree moved into the house as a rental tenant. B.R. Hunt, the original owner, told Steve the tree was already there when the house was built shortly after Hurricane Hazel. The tree is 80-90 years old.

The Turkey Oak or Quercus laevis is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is native to the southeastern United States, occurring on the coastal plain from Virginia south to central Florida, and west to southeast Louisiana. The name Turkey Oak derives from the resemblance of the leaves to a turkey's foot.

The Turkey Oak is highly drought and wind resistant, and produces acorns, a food source for black bears, turkeys, and white tailed deer. The tree typically grows to a height of 40 feet but can reach 70 feet in its native setting.

ABOUT THE TREE OF THE MONTH PROGRAM

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

If you have a tree you would like to be considered for the Tree of the Month award, contact Parks & Grounds Superintendent Jim Grainger at (843) 280-5571 or via email at nmbtreeboard@nmb.us. 

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

HURRICANE DORIAN - SEPTEMBER 4 - MORNING UPDATE

Since the National Hurricane Center track prediction continues to take Hurricane Dorian dangerously close to the southeast U.S. coast, North Myrtle Beach residents should remain alert to the possibility of experiencing destructive winds, flooding rains, and life-threatening storm surges.

 

KEY POINTS FOR NORTH MYRTLE BEACH:

-- The timeline for the hurricane track as it approaches North Myrtle Beach has slowed. Given its current course, we would see rain bands and some wind gusts later today with sustained tropical storm force winds projected to move in on Thursday morning instead of late today (Wednesday).

-- Rainfall predictions for our area have moved up closer to 10-inches with localized spots receiving up to 15-inches. That is a lot of rain in a comparatively short period of time. Please stay off the roads.

-- At this time, the storm surge forecast mirrors a Matthew-level surge for the high tide cycles on Thursday, the first of which occurs at about 1:30 pm. If you live in Cherry Grove and other low-lying areas of the city, it would be smart to complete your storm preparations and evacuate.

-- There is an increased chance for hurricane force winds for a short period of time Thursday night into late night hours.

-- Remember, Myrtle Beach is situated in the center of a crescent but North Myrtle Beach juts out more into the ocean. That is why hurricanes impact us differently at times than they do our neighbors to the south, especially when a hurricane that is already close to the coastline takes a slight jog to the west, as this one still can.

-- Monitor this hurricane.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER (EOC):

-- The City's EOC is staffed and operating.

-- Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies only.

-- For information, explanations or to report something, call 843-280-5511, the number for the City's Dispatch Center, staffed by multiple employees.

CITY HALL:

-- City Hall is open today.

SANITATION SERVICES:

-- As announced yesterday, collections occur normally today. We are reviewing projected Thursday morning wind speeds and will make an announcement regarding Thursday pick up soon.

BAREFOOT SWING BRIDGE:

-- With U.S. Coast Guard approval, the City-owned and operated Barefoot Swing Bridge is now locked into position for motor vehicle traffic only. It will not open to boat traffic until the hurricane has passed.

MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER IN EFFECT:

-- Remember, the Governor has issued a mandatory evacuation order for Zone "A" in Horry County, including North Myrtle Beach.

For more information on emergency preparedness in South Carolina, visit https://www.scemd.org

Results - August 19 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting

City Council approved a special event permit for theSeptember 8, 7:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m., Trifecta Triathlon, a multi-sport competitive event for athletes. For more information visithttps://www.trisignup.com/Race/SC/NorthMyrtleBeach/TrifectaSprintTriathlon.

City Council approved a special event permit for the September 11, 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., 9-11 Candlelight Memorial Vigil on Main Street. The North Myrtle Beach Lions Club and the City co-sponsor this event. It is open to the public.

City Council approved a special event permit for the September 15, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., SOS Fun Sunday event on 1^st Avenue South between Hillside Drive and Ocean Boulevard. The Society of Stranders sponsors the event. For more information visitwww.shagdance.com

City Council approved a special event permit for the September 16, 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., SOS Fun Monday on Main Street between Hillside Drive and Ocean Boulevard. The Society of Stranders sponsors the event. For more information visitwww.shagdance.com

City Council approved a special event permit for the October 5, 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. BFF Pink Ribbon Run, featuring 10K, 5K runs and a 1 Mile Walk/Run. The event helps raise breast cancer and funds. For more information visitwww.bffpinkribbonrun.com

City Council approved a special event permit for the November 2, 8:00 a.m-3:00 p.m. Fun in the Sun Classic Car Cruise. The collector-car cruise event occurs on Main Street from Hillside Drive to Ocean Boulevard.

City Council passed second (final) reading of an ordinance rezoning 145 acres of land located off Champions Boulevard/Long Bay Road from General Commercial (GC), Business Commercial (BC) and Highway Commercial (HC) to Mid-Rise Multifamily Residential (R-2A).

City Council approved second reading of an ordinance amending the Master Development Agreement between the City and SLF IV/SBI Sandridge, LLC, Et Al. The amendment is associated with the City’s decision to acquire about 96 acres from the Sandridge group for expansion of the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex and facilitates resolution of a lawsuit between the City and Sandridge regarding the extension of Champions Boulevard.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance adjusting the FY 2020 Budget (July 1-June 30) to include the purchase of 96 acres from the Sandridge Group at a price of $4,250,000 for expansion of the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex. The City’s property tax rate remains the same. The City will take out a short-term loan to purchase the land, and will discuss construction of the expanded playing fields and other facilities as part of FY 2021 Budget discussions.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance updating Chapter 20, Storm Water Management and Erosion Control, of the City Code to conform to recent updates to state and federal storm water permits.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 20, Land Development Regulations of the City Code. The amended ordinance creates special provisions regarding fire safety for development within the city, including mandating Storz connectors for fire hydrants; specifying that the maximum spacing between hydrants, measured along the roadway, is 600 feet in residential development and 500 feet in nonresidential development; and specifying turnaround standards for dead-ends greater than 150 feet in length.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance amending the Avista Resort Planned Development District (PDD) by removing a proposed retail building and plaza from the PDD and replacing them with expanded Avista Resort employee parking.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 4, Animals and Fowl, of the City Code. The amended ordinance prohibits leaving an animal in any unattended motor vehicle under circumstances that could cause suffering, disability or death to an animal. It also places parameters on the manner, conditions and type of tether used to restrict the motion of a dog. The ordinance prohibits the sale of dogs and cats at a pet shop but allows a pet shop to make space available to an animal shelter or animal rescue organization to offer to the public dogs and cats for adoption.

City of North Myrtle Beach Hurricane Preparedness Information

Currently, no hurricanes are headed toward North Myrtle Beach. That said, we are in the midst of hurricane season, an increased number of storms are forecast for the Atlantic Ocean, and this information may help you to better prepare for whatever may come our way.

Evacuation Route

If the Governor orders an evacuation that includes all or part of North Myrtle Beach, people located north of Briarcliffe Acres must evacuate via SC 9 North to I-95 and beyond. This requirement is part of the overall Horry County evacuation plan, which is based on the South Carolina Hurricane Evacuation Study for the Northern Conglomerate released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2012.

Do you know your ZONE?

Different areas of Horry County have been assigned different “zones” with respect to the potential impact of hurricane storm surge on a given land area. If the Governor orders an evacuation, he usually identifies the evacuation zones included in his order. Evacuation zones in Horry County are:

Zone A

All areas east of U.S. Business 17 up to the intersection with US 17. All areas east of U.S. 17 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.

For more information on evacuation zones, visit www.horrycounty.org and look under Emergency Management.

City of North Myrtle Beach Reentry Procedure

The City of North Myrtle Beach does not require filing residency or business information prior to a storm. The City's goal is to return property owners and others to North Myrtle Beach as soon as possible to help in recovery.

Business owners with employees who do not reside in the city limits but are essential to business recovery should provide the employees with a letter on company letterhead identifying them as essential to recovery. Use the employee name shown on their driver’s license.

Returning North Myrtle Beach property owners, renters and business owners should be prepared to show a driver’s license, recent water bill or property tax bill, rental agreement, or other form of ID proving residency or property ownership.

As you pass through other jurisdictions on your way back to North Myrtle Beach, you may encounter different requirements.

Key Phone Numbers During Hurricanes

-- Emergencies Only: 911

-- Police and Fire Dispatch Non-Emergencies: 843-280-5511

-- Emergency Operations Center Non-Emergencies: 843-663-8700 (Only when the EOC is activated)

City Information Outlets

The City maintains a variety of information outlets you can access prior to, during and following a hurricane or other emergency:

-- www.nmb.us

-- Channel 1303 on Spectrum (Time Warner)

-- Channel 9 on HTC Cable

-- Facebook.com/cityofnmb

-- Twitter @cityofnmb.

-- You can also elect to receive City news releases by email at the same time they are issued to news media. Provide your email address to pcdowling@nmb.us. If you do not want to receive City news releases on all topics, specify "hurricane information only."

Plan Ahead

Visit https://www.ready.gov to learn about hurricane preparedness and planning.

Public Notice - November 5 Municipal Election in the City of North Myrtle Beach

The Municipal Election Commission of the City of North Myrtle Beach, SC announces the general election for North Myrtle Beach to be November 5, 2019.

The following offices shall be included in this election:

Council Member Crescent Beach Ward -- 2019-2023

Council Member Cherry Grove Ward -- 2019-2023

Council Member At-Large -- 2019-2023

All precincts to vote for all candidates.

The polling places are as follows:

Windy Hill 1 Precinct- Windy Hill Fire Station # 3 (33^rd Avenue South)

Windy Hill 2 Precinct- Fire Station # 5 (Barefoot Resort)

Crescent Beach Precinct- J. Bryan Floyd Community Center (Possum Trot Road)

Ocean Drive 1 Precinct- Fire Station #1 (2nd Avenue South)

Ocean Drive 2 Precinct - St. Stephens Episcopal Church- (11th Avenue North)

Cherry Grove 1 Precinct- Chapel By The Sea Church (Sea Mountain Highway)

Cherry Grove 2 Precinct - Fire Station # 4 (Little River Neck Road)

Citizens desiring to vote in the upcoming election must be registered by October 5, 2019. To register, contact Horry County Voter Registration: 843-915-5440,www.horrycounty.org, or 1515 4th Avenue, Conway, SC. Absentee ballots must be obtained through Horry County Voter Registration.

Citizens desiring to be candidates for one of the above listed offices may file at City Hall with the City Clerk. Books will open for filing on August 23, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. Books will remain open for filing during regular business hours (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) at City Hall and will close at 12:00 Noon on September 6, 2019.

The filing fee for the office of Council is $75.00.

This is a nonpartisan election and no party affiliation shall be placed on the ballot.

The polls shall open at 7:00 a.m. on Election Day and close at 7:00 p.m.

The Municipal Election Committee at the close of the polls will count absentee ballots at City Hall.

The Commission will meet at City Hall at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday November 7, 2019 to certify the election and determine the validity of ballots challenged in this election. Any runoff will be held two weeks after the election on Tuesday November 19, 2019.

Municipal Election Commission

City of North Myrtle Beach, SC

The difference between low speed vehicle and golf cart laws in North Myrtle Beach

Low speed vehicles have the same laws to follow with the exception of three things:

1. Unlike Golf Carts, Low Speed Vehicle's (LSV) CAN be operated at night.
2. There are no limitations on how far a Low Speed Vehicle can travel from registered address whereas a golf cart can only travel 4 miles from the registered address.
3. Low speed vehicles CAN operate anywhere on Ocean Blvd (SC 65) as well as Sea Mtn. Hwy (SC 9), whereas a Golf Cart can only travel on N. Ocean Blvd. north of Sea Mtn. Hwy and are NOT allowed on Sea Mtn Hwy except to cross over.

Both Low Speed Vehicles and Golf Carts are only allowed on roadways with the posted speed limit of 35 MPH or less.

If you would like to learn more about golf cart and low speed vehicle laws and regulations you can go to www.nmb.us and click on Public Safety to find the SC State Laws link on the right side of the page look for Title 56 Motor Vehicles.

Low Speed Vehicles Law. 56-2-100

Golf Cart Law. 56-2-105