North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By Ruben Lowman
After much deliberation, the city of North Myrtle Beach may have finally come to a solution to help ease the congestion at the Cherry Grove boat ramp.
The ramp, located next to Heritage Shores Nature Preserve on 53rd Avenue North, has seen higher traffic in recent years due to an increase in population and kayaking companies that take people out on guided tours through the saltwater marshes of Cherry Grove.
After a couple of meetings and workshops of discussions, city officials feel that they may have come to a solution that works for residents, visitors, fishermen, boaters and kayakers alike.
“What I’m hearing is we all don’t want to get rid of the kayaks,” said Mayor Marilyn Hatley. “But we do want to get it more under control.”
The fulcrum of the plans are to create two separate unloading zones, one sand-based ramp for commercial use and one for recreational kayakers. City manager Mike Mahaney previously said that the second ramp was already scheduled to be built by May of this year near the minor channel in Cherry Grove.
The number of operating commercial kayaking tours would be restricted to six companies, with each one having to pay a fee of seven percent of their gross revenue generated, which essentially functions as a sort of “boat ramp tax” for using the facilities.
The revenue included would only come from what the companies generate through tours and equipment rentals that take place from the boat ramp.
Throughout the process the kayak companies have maintained that they operate professionally and with respect to other individuals who want to use the boat ramp. Some residents have contested that there is no uniformity to the varying companies’ business practices and that they shouldn’t be allowed to take up the majority of the ramp.
The overflow parking area at the boat ramp will be expanded by removing brush to the critical line, according to the plans, with coquina added and parking spaces laid out in what would become a pay to park facility. Similar to beach accesses, residents and homeowners would be able to park for free if their license plate has been registered.
The plans also go some ways to establishing protocol across the kayak tour companies, such as minimum liability insurance and setting out that “no company shall place kayaks on the ramp until all customers are present and ready to launch.”
There will be a maximum of 10 kayaks to one guide and each company will additionally be limited to two vehicles with trailers with a maximum of 24 kayaks. There will be spaces in the parking area that will be designated for “Commercial Kayak Tour parking ONLY” that they will be required to use for their vehicles.
City officials said the plan will be brought before council soon, where they will vote whether to move forward as is or choose to make alterations.
