Proposed plans for several ordinances approved by North Myrtle Beach

By RUBEN LOWMAN

In their first meeting since the holidays, North Myrtle Beach City Council approved several measures pertaining to a list of topics, including developments, city laws and annexation. The meeting, held at NMB City Hall on Monday, Jan. 9, stretched to more than an hour due to the breadth of ordinances on the agenda, with all of them being passed on first or second reading.

The majority of the discussions revolved around two of the developments that were proposed to council, one being the third amendment to the Sandridge Tract that has been in negotiations for much of the past year. The other is an amendment to the Prince Resort PDD that has been in the works for several years. A representative for the developer presented city leaders with alterations to the previous plans for both, which saw a few differing perspectives from officials.

Before those discussions were held, councilmembers approved a few resolutions. The first on the agenda addressed antisemitism within the community, with NMB Mayor Marilyn Hatley saying there was no place for hatred in the city, with many faiths and cultures a part of the community and all being welcome to NMB.

Councilmembers then moved onto passing second reading of an ordinance that will see parking rates in city-owned public parking lots increased from $2 to $3 for non-residents and visitors.

City manager Mike Mahaney explained that the city has spend around $15 million over the past two years on increasing the amount of public parking, particularly along Ocean Boulevard, and that the ordinance allows the council to adjust rates outside of the annual budget. Ocean Drive councilmember Bubba Collins said that even with the increase it is one of the cheapest rates he has seen when compared to other coastal municipalities like Wrightsville Beach.

The annexation of nearly 222 acres off of Water Tower Road and Long Bay Road near Highway 90 was then discussed at length by city leaders before being passed on second reading.

Hatley said that it would be a “win-win” for all parties involved because it allows the city to control the access points that are expected to become major entryways into the Grand Strand area. The close proximity of the annexed property to Water Tower Road and Highway 90 makes it a necessary thing to do, she said, because it allows the city to have a measure of control over the area and generate revenue.

Collins said that the city would receive nearly $3 million if impact fees were enforced in the area, which are fees added on to new developments. He also highlighted that the city would be able to lower the density of the project if it were annexed into North Myrtle Beach when compared with Horry County, and it would be serviced by Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority.

Moving onto the ordinances that dominated the majority of the meeting, councilmembers didn’t agree with the alteration to the Sandridge Tract development that increased the density of the project from first reading but ultimately passed it on second reading. The tract is part of the Parkway Group PDD that has seen several developments built in recent years around the city’s park and sports complex.

On first reading, the proposed density of the tract was 550 units with $1,400 in fees per residential unit to be collected by the city for parking and “park enhancement”. After negotiations with the developer and city officials, the density was increased to 650 units with an additional $400 public safety fee per unit to be paid to the city by the developer.

Several councilmembers expressed that they were not in favor of increasing the density, with Hatley objecting to the idea of the developer wanting the increase in units in exchange for paying more in fees.

“I think the developer should have more character than that,” Hatley said.

The representative for the developer said that they did not want to go along with the plans in the initial reading for 550 units and that the original project was for 750 units, so there was an overall reduction in density even with the increase.

Councilmember J.O. Baldwin, who represents Crescent Beach, asked city attorney Chris Noury about the legality of passing the ordinance on second reading even though the plans had been changed, to which Noury said it was legal.

“I don’t like it at all, but it is what it is,” Baldwin said.

Adding more homes to the project would obviously require having to add more public safety, Councilmember Nikki Fontana of Windy Hall, said in explaining why the fees were increased.

In the major piece of new business that was passed, city officials also had a lengthy discussion pertaining to the Prince Resort PDD, which would see a full-service hotel and parking structure built next to the Cherry Grove Pier.

The developer for the hotel, Hampton Inn & Suites, proposed augmenting the plans to increase the number of units to 156 with 209 parking spaces on a second-row parking garage, with 41 spaces for the public on the first and second-floor.

Hatley said that there have been concerns from nearby residents about the height of the proposed hotel and the increased traffic from the project. She said she was also “very disappointed” with the plans and the way the hotel looks and feels, saying that it could be a hotel that you find on any interstate.

“We are a coastal destination, not an interstate,” Hatley said.

The developer’s representative said it was a fair comment and suggested city leaders pass the project on first reading and allow the plans to be altered before being brought to council on second reading.

The aesthetics of the plans were “horrible”, Fontana said, and she wanted the plans changed before moving forward with the project.

In addition, Baldwin took issue with the proposal of closing an entire lane for 12 months on Ocean Boulevard in Cherry Grove during the construction of the hotel.

“In all the high rises that have been built we have never closed a lane,” Baldwin said.