RESULTS -- MAY 3 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
The North Myrtle Beach City Council met May 3 at City Hall for a 5:45 pm executive session and a 7:00 pm meeting.
The executive session included:
- A legal briefing regarding Code of Laws of SC Section 31-3-10 et seq., also known as the Housing Authorities Law
- A legal briefing regarding Ronald Lee Huffman and Betty Ross Stahler vs. City of North Myrtle Beach, Amanda Claire Rafool et al Case #: 2021-CP-26-02401
- A legal briefing regarding a proposed development agreement between Crossroads Village Ventures, LLC, Horry County and the City of North Myrtle Beach
- A discussion regarding an appointment to the Planning Commission
Council took no action.
During the meeting, Mayor Marilyn Hatley joined with State Senator Greg Hembree and State Representative William Bailey to present a City Proclamation and a concurrent Resolution from the Senate and House to Dr. James C. “Jim” Mezick, honoring him for his decades of positive service to North Myrtle Beach and South Carolina.
City Council passed a Resolution adopting the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, which in part enables the City to remain eligible for FEMA-approved grants and funding. The Hazard Mitigation Plan is also a requirement of the Community Rating System (CRS) program. In communities that participate in the CRS program, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community’s efforts to address the three goals of the program: Reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property, strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program, and foster comprehensive floodplain management.
City Council passed a motion to appoint North Myrtle Beach resident Mendel Bell to fill one vacant seat on the Board of Zoning Appeals.
City Council passed the second (final) reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 23, Zoning, of the Code of Ordinances of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “In common” developments are developments where multiple dwelling units are located on a single lot owned in common. The standards for in common developments are listed and further clarified in separate sections of the Code of Ordinances of North Myrtle Beach (§ 23-117 and § 23-119.1). Over the years as individual districts were amended to allow certain uses, these other sections of the ordinance have not always been updated to coordinate with those changes. The amended ordinance accomplishes that goal.
City Council passed the second reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 16, Section 16-49 of the Code of Ordinances of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Code of Laws of South Carolina §23-31-215 authorizes SLED to issue a permit to carry a concealed weapon to persons who qualify for a concealed weapons permit pursuant to the requirements of the above-referenced section. The amended ordinance makes the City’s Code section pertaining to concealed weapons consistent with the State code.
City Council postponed the first reading of an ordinance regulating transient parking in residential neighborhoods in favor of a May 12, 1:30 pm workshop at City Hall. The workshop is open to the public.
City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to amend Section 21-40 (a) (1) – Annual parking fee exception. The current ordinance does not allow for parking decal exemptions. The amendment would allow City Council to authorize decal exemptions by way of a fully executed Developer’s Agreement. The amendment would add the words, “except those authorized by City Council in a fully executed Developer’s Agreement” to the last sentence of Section 21-40 (a) (1).
City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance petitioning annexation and zoning designation for 10.0 acres on Water Tower Road.
An agent for the owner petitioned the City to annex approximately 10 acres of property located on Water Tower Road identified by PINs 359-08-03-0002 and 359-08-03-0003. The petition also reflects the requested City zoning district of Medium Density Residential (R-2). The subject area is identified as Residential Suburban on the Future Land Use Map. Though not supported by the City’s comprehensive plan, the proposed zoning designation of R-2 is recommended by the Planning Commission to recognize, “substantial change or changing conditions or circumstances in a particular locality.”
City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to amend the Barefoot Resort PDD and Barefoot Resort Villas Townhomes section of the Dye Estates.
City Council approved the Barefoot Resort Villas Townhomes section of the Dye Estates on November 4, 2002. Only two of the originally approved buildings are constructed. The applicant submitted a revised site plan and elevations to complete the Barefoot Resort Villas Townhomes at the Dye Estates. The proposal reduces the density from 51 units to 47 units. The revised site plan meets the current dead-end street standards for emergency access. Driveway lengths are increased to provide a full parking space length between the garage and the edge of the street. The proposed two-story elevations use a similar color and material palette as the currently approved three-story elevations to create a harmonious community between the two building types. The materials include fiber cement siding with cedar shake and board and batten accents, architectural asphalt shingles, vinyl windows, and stone or brick accents on the ground floor. The traditional architectural details match the architectural styles used in the existing buildings.
City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 23, Zoning, of the Code of Ordinances of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina regarding small cell facilities.
The increasing proliferation of wireless communications facilities combined with new federal and state legislation regulating these facilities has created a need to revise the City’s Zoning Ordinance regarding small cell wireless facilities. A companion ordinance regulating wireless communications facilities in the public rights-of-way passed City Council at the April 5, 2021 meeting. Staff proposes a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance specifying the standards and methodology for the installation of wireless telecommunications facilities in the City. National experts in the wireless communication industry worked with the City to prepare this ordinance in order to ensure safe small cell facilities that minimize negative impacts to the North Myrtle Beach community.
City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 23, Zoning, of the Code of Ordinances of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina regarding lot widths in R-1 and R-1A.
Standardizing the City Code by allowing any residential district the ability to reduce lot widths by 33% for properties fronting cul-de-sacs or eyebrows was approved by City Council in 2017 [ZTX-17-09]. Unintentionally, lot width standards in the R-1 and R-1A zoning districts were not included in this process. Prior to omission, the minimum widths at the setback line were 80 feet and 60 feet, respectively. Staff proposes a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to reinstate the minimum lot width requirements for R-1 and R-1A zoned property.