Mayor appoints committee to develop plan

Prior to the Monday, Oct. 21, North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, Council members met in a 6:45 p.m. executive session to discuss possible candidates to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term on the Planning Commission. Council took no action.

During the 7 p.m. meeting, City Council recognized Team Shark 843 for its recent team and individual performances at the wakeboard nationals. The successful team represents Shark Wake Park 843 located on the lake at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex. Team members appearing at the Council meeting included Charlie Pfahler, Will Hall, Ethan Bellamy, Kyle Bohack, Regan Bohack and Jake Bohack.

During the meeting, North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Cheryl Kilday and North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Director of Public Relations and Governmental Affairs Pete Brooks presented City Council members J.O. Baldwin, Bob Cavanaugh, Fred Coyne and Nicole Fontana with a trophy for their second place finish in the Oct. 8 Hole in Fun Mini Golf Charity Tournament. The tournament benefits the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Foundation. This was the first time the city entered a team in the fundraising event.

Four city employees received Longevity Awards. The award winners are Operations Manager/Solid Waste Lent Williams (40 years of service), Superintendent/Pumping Stations Davis Livingston (35), Sergeant John Griffin (15), and Heavy Equipment Operator Timothy Wagner (5). Longevity Awards go in five-year increments to employees who consistently provide excellent customer service.

City Council approved a special event permit for the annual North Myrtle Beach Christmas Parade scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7, from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on Main Street. Set up hours are 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Dismantling will begin after the majority of the parade attendees are off the street. The North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and the City of North Myrtle Beach work together to present and manage the annual parade.

City Council passed second (final) reading of an ordinance amending section 7-172, Form and Condition of Permit, regarding sidewalk cafes.

To satisfy concerns raised by SLED and the S.C. Department of Revenue, Section 7-172(12) of the City’s Code of Ordinances now reads:

“The serving and consumption of beer, wine and liquor in the sidewalk encroachment pursuant to this article is limited to patrons within the sidewalk encroachment area designated for the permittee.”

The City also amended Section 7-172 to add subsection (13) which provides:

“All tables authorized for use in the sidewalk encroachment area shall have non-moveable signage, which is permanently affixed to the table and visible to all, which identifies the table as belonging to the business for which the encroachment permit has been issued. The area of the sidewalk authorized for use as a sidewalk café shall be designated and marked by the City. All tables, chairs and or other items authorized to be placed within the designated encroachment area shall remain at all times within the designated encroachment area of the sidewalk.”

City Council removed from the table and postponed until after a Council soon-to-be scheduled workshop second reading of an ordinance to amend the Robber’s Roost Planned Development District (PDD), revising standards for the Neighborhood Overlay Zone pertaining to porches and recessed garages. At City Council’s previous meeting, at the applicant’s request, City Council tabled second reading of the proposed ordinance.

The amendment would affect the residential portion of the PDD. The proposed amended 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 two feet.

Require a minimum of 24 feet of driveway between any garage door and the front property line.

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 to amend Chapter 21, Article II, Section 21-40 – Annual Parking Fee Exemption, to include parking decal placement specifications. Parking decal placement is problematic for parking enforcement personnel due to inconsistent placement and failure to use provided adhesive by some vehicle and golf cart owners. There is no legal provision to for the City to issue a citation for either violation, and there is no effective way to encourage compliance.

The proposed ordinance would require that decals for all personal vehicles be located and adhered, adhesive side to designated surface and area, as follows:

Regular vehicles to the inside of the windshield, on the driver’s side, in the bottom part of the window

Motorcycles with windshields to the outside of the windshield, in the bottom left corner

Motorcycles without windshields to the fork

Golf carts with windshields to the outside of the front windshield, on the driver’s side, in the bottom part of the window.

Golf carts without windshields to the front of the cart beside the state decal.

“During the meeting, Mayor Marilyn Hatley appointed a committee comprised of Mike Bessant, Kevin Blayton, Pete Brooks, Bob Cavanaugh and Rob Kayton to develop a plan for educating residents, businesses and visitors about the city’s ordinance prohibiting the sale, use or distribution of single-use carryout plastic bags by retail establishments within North Myrtle Beach. The ordinance goes into effect January 1, 2021. City Councilman Bob Cavanaugh serves as chairman of the committee.”