George's Information and Comments

Growth Impact Action Committee

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Proceedings: May 3 Envision 2025

Horry County Comprehensive Plan

        -- George Edwards

Note: These are not official proceedings, but as I observed them. I intend to continue publishing the officially approved Land Use Element minutes (which will likely include more or fewer items and details) with other supplemental material provided by staff when such becomes available.

You can click here when you want to move back to the main menu for the Land Use Element of the Envision 2025 Horry County Comprehensive Plan.

Steering Committee Membership Changes on the Horry County Web Site

There were no steering committee membership changes shown on the Horry County Web site. Johnny Skippers attended the May 3 meeting sitting behind a preprinted placard indicating Holliday Associates, a legitimate group with appointment rights included in the ordinance forming the steering committee

Top Level May 3 Envision 2025 Unofficial "Minutes"

Voting members present included: Mitchell Flannery, Julie Harbin, Tamera Bergstrom, George Edwards, Shirley Martin, Eric Rabon, Felix Pitts, Susan Libes, Fred Richardson, Lawrence Langdale, Sammy Johnson, Holly Kauffman, Peggy Graham, Pam Creech and Johnny Skipper -- representing Holliday Associates.

Councilman Schulz was among those in the audience until 4:24 p.m.

Janet Carter, Planning Director, gave a blackboard presentation explaining how the steering committee recommendations may ultimately work their way into official documents including the comprehensive plan, zoning ordinances, land development regulations and an official map. She pointed out that the comprehensive plan recommendations by the steering committee could be amended by the planning commission, then the county council's Infrastructure and Regulations Committee and finally by the county council as a whole.

Printed copies of the April 19 minutes and "Future Land Use Definitions were distributed to committee members, several of whom had not received e-mailed advance copies. The minutes were approved.

Roy Taylor, Principal Planner introduced Christopher Klement, Senior Planner, who presented the current edition of the Envision 2025 - Future Land Use Map that was projected on a room wall.

Shirley Martin said that as tobacco was no longer a profitable crop, the eastern part of the county was entitled to R4 zoning designations. Holly Kauffman said the market may dictate the zoning allowed. Both agreed that use of the map should be flexible.

Mitchell Flannery said that the map did not depict what was happening on, say, S.C. Route 9. Carol Coleman, Deputy Planning Director, said that they notated what a comprehensive plan said on development applications. Klement said the map was to be only a guide. Taylor subsequently said that we should realize this is just a plan.

Klement said that the areas around Loris and Aynor wer shown as transitional growth areas based on water and sewer districts.

Felix Pitts of Burroughs and Chapin expressed his worry when talking about rural areas. He felt that properties should be judged on their individual merits.

After much discussion about use of the word "conservation" in the "Rural Conservation Area" of the future land use definitions including likely misunderstandings of its intent, the word was struck by a unanimous vote.

Pitts asked if rural meant R4 zoning. Taylor said that the zoning was already in place throughout the county. Mitchell asked if the rural corridor designation implied R2 zoning. Taylor said existing zoning would take precedence over any plan.

Pam Creech said that people in her part of the county wanted to keep R4 from happening. They opposed allowing any more than two homes per acre.

Taylor suggested that the committee adopt the text of the comprehensive plan as it had been approved to now, before considering any further additions.

There was no mention of changes having been made stressing the three things that Chairman Richardson had said should be stressed at the start of the preceding meeting as written in the official April 19 minutes -- including that the "Comprehensive Plan should ensure that infrastructure is in place prior to development of property."  

According to my notes on this meeting, Graham said there were things that they wanted to look at before adoption, perhaps at the next meeting. (I had mistakenly looked at other notes, that I then believed were for this meeting, that led me to believe Graham had asked for a thirty day delay before adoption.)  

It was agreed to meet next at 3 p.m. on May 17 and not to hold a meeting on May 31. Two follow-on meetings are currently planned, June 7 and June 21.  

I am unable to copy and paste from the type of e-mail copy since sent me by staff of the handout at the meeting that highlighted previous changes made by the committee. I will insert such a copy if and when I get an e-mail that will allow that.

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