North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By Ruben Lowman
North Myrtle Beach City Council met on Monday, March 21, and passed first reading of an amendment to the Sandridge Tract agreement, as well as giving final approval to ordinances that ban fires on public beaches and will rezone Crescent Beach to allow more commercial development.
The Sandridge amendment was initiated because attorney Edwin Hinds, acting on behalf of the development company with multiple properties in the city, submitted a request to propose an amendment to the master development agreement of the plan. The alteration specifically pertains to a portion of the properties owned by the company that sit across the entrance to the NMB Park & Sports Complex on Champions Boulevard.
What the amendment sets out to change is to alter the zoning to permit the developers to classify duplex and multiplex buildings as “in common” development according to the city’s zoning codes. The modification would only apply to the two Sandridge properties currently zoned as R-2A that “front on Champions Boulevard and in-front of the Park Pointe neighborhood,” according to the ordinance.
Ocean Drive Councilmember Bubba Collins asked Mayor Marilyn Hatley to confirm that the amendment reduced the overall density of the project, which the ordinance states will see a reduction from 270 units down to 125. Hatley confirmed the numbers and then opened the floor up for public discussion.
A few Park Pointe residents spoke about possible traffic issues that may come about as a result of any increase in the residents who will be using the two-lane road to get in and out of the neighborhood.
One aspect of the plans that may help ease congestion is that Sandridge has the obligation to build an “all-weather road (AWR) along the northwestern boundary of the public right-of-way of the future extension of Champions Boulevard connecting to Water Lily Road before either of the two tracts reaches 29 or more units.”
Councilmembers unanimously passed first reading of the ordinance.
In unfinished business, the Crescent Beach rezoning project received final approval after months of deliberations, meetings and workshops. Many residents voiced their opposition to the plans, but the complexities of the way the Crescent Beach Neighborhood Overlay is written made it necessary for compromise from both sides.
“And you’ve got to remember it started out with nine and a half acres, which passed first reading 4-3,” explained Collins during the initial ordinance’s first reading. “It got postponed second reading, we listened to the citizens and we came up with this compromise.”
The overlay will now have its zoning altered from R-4 to RC within its entirety, which allows for more construction for commercial uses, and see the northern section of the previous plans removed and leaving just the southern section by 17th Avenue South and Ocean Boulevard.
The amended overlay will permit hotels and buildings to be built up to 165 feet on the oceanfront side and 90 feet on the second row, while allowing a five foot setback for second row parking garages. Additionally, whether on the oceanfront or second row, all parking garages must have a minimum of 10 percent of their ground floor area reserved for commercial use, with the remaining street facades being required to have awnings or windows that block them from the public. Councilmembers and residents have both said that they hope to see children and family-friendly businesses like ice cream parlors, arcades or coffee shops open up in these spaces.
Councilmembers also said that they have been approached by business owners who are interested in developing parts of 17thAvenue South further towards Highway 17 for commercial uses. With its passage, the overlay will now move into effect immediately.
Also receiving second and final approval was an ordinance that bans anyone from starting fires on the city’s beaches. Before, fires were permitted on the beach but only after having an application submitted to the city’s fire department and approved. Now, the city’s laws more closely mirror other surrounding municipalities like Myrtle Beach and Horry County, who have had outright bans for some time.
NMB Fire Rescue Chief Garry Spain requested the ordinance because he said there have been issues with flames spreading quickly because of wind and then damaging the natural ecosystem, harming sand dunes and sea oats that help to protect the coastline and city from storms. Violators of the ordinance will either be made to pay a fine of $500 maximum, receive 30 days in jail or both.
“It shall be unlawful for any person to build, start, ignite or maintain any fire or open flame or use any propane fired grill, cooker or heating device heated by fire on any public beach, public beach access, street end adjacent to the beach or any governmental land immediately adjacent to the beach,” the ordinance states.
The next regularly scheduled NMB City Council meeting will be held on Monday, April 4, at 7 p.m.
