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Planning Commission Public Hearing on Comprehensive Plan  Elements1-6

    -- George Edwards

Julie Harbin of Blackmoor spoke first. Her hand-out explained that her statement was on behalf of homeowners from Burgess, Blackmoor, Little River, Red Bluff, Aynor, Socastee, Mt. Vernon and the Horry County League of Women Voters. The following is her e-mail draft received before the meeting:

I am here to speak as a member of a group of concerned homeowners from
the Blackmoor and Burgess communities.

We are here today to ask that you add two provisions to
the Facilities & Services element of the Comprehensive Plan.

1. Insure County Infrastructure Keep Pace with Development

Most of us in the Blackmoor and Burgess areas are here today
because of Horry County’s aggressive and, I might add, very effective
economic development efforts. County leaders, developers, and real
estate interests all played central roles in courting hundreds of
thousands of new residents, and are continuing to do so.

Now we—the new residents so eagerly courted—are here. We understand
the courtship is over. And though it was nice, we knew that phase
wouldn’t last forever. Now it’s time for us to work together to make
this a healthy, mutually satisfying and prosperous relationship.

We love our new home. Many of us have invested a large part of our
retirement nest eggs in this County. We all pay taxes. Some of us own
businesses that provide needed jobs for other residents. Some of us
work in local businesses, and others volunteer for worthwhile causes.
All of us spend a lot of money in Horry County.

We are no longer simply numbers on somebody’s planning charts. We are
here, and we are committed to and contributing to Horry County in big
ways. As residents living in the new developments along the SC 707
corridor, we do not have adequate roads, police, fire stations,
ambulances, or schools.

Now County leaders tell us there is no money—and no plan—to provide
the adequate infrastructure needed to support the growth that has
already occurred—much less the growth still to come.

We’ve paid our taxes

Let me give you three quick examples of the County not holding up its
end of the bargain to protect public safety.

1. Prince Creek West— In 2004 we had to lobby developers
of the Prince Creek West housing project and County leaders to be
responsible for the impact the construction and sales traffic that
<underline>5400 new homes</underline> would have on our community. It
took the serious efforts of our Councilman, Mike Ryan, many meetings
and phone calls, and finally 150 homeowners going before the County
Council twice before we got the new infrastructure needed.

2. SC 707 Left Turn Lane into Blackmoor—Ten years ago the
developers of the Blackmoor community were supposed to provide a left
turn lane from SC 707 into the Blackmoor entrance which is situated on
a dangerous curve. The developers left without fulfilling their
promise and the County did not hold them accountable. We, the new
homeowners, spent three and a half years lobbing State and County
leaders before we got this needed infrastructure.

3. Burgess Fire Station — Three years ago our fire
insurance rates increased 25-30% because the nearest fire station is
located more than five miles away. Funds for a new station were
approved in 2003. Yet four years later, we still do not have a new
fire station. And now County leaders are telling us they do not and
will not have the funds to man the station. We still do not have the
public safety infrastructure we’re paying the County for.

There's something fundamentally wrong with us, the investors,
fulfilling our end of the bargain by paying our taxes to the County
and spending our money in the County while the County, the receiver of
our money, isn’t holding up its end of the bargain.

We ask for

2. Community Benefits Agreements Process

We are asking for common sense safeguards to ensure that the
residents most affected by development in Horry County share in its
benefits.

At one point over the last two years, the Comprehensive Plan included
a provision for Community Benefits Agreements. These CBA’s, as they
are known, are legally enforceable, contracts signed by developers and
community groups prior to development, exchanging negotiated community
benefits in return for community public support for the development.

This provision was deleted. We ask that you restore this means of
holding both developers and residents accountable for sharing the
benefits.

In conclusion, let there be no mistake, economic development and
prosperity are vital for a healthy community. Developers, builders,
and real estate interests have a legal right to make a profit—and
along with that right they also have a moral responsibility to the
whole.

Everyone’s success in Horry County is interrelated—whether we
acknowledge it or not. If developers, builders, and real estate
interests are not successful in Horry County, eventually residents
won’t be either. If residents are not successful in Horry County,
eventually developers, builders, and real estate interests won’t be
either.

Growth mandates change. The only question is whether change is going
to ultimately be positive or negative for Horry County. We ask that
you write into the 2025 Comprehensive Plan these two important
components for positive change.

Thank you.

Planning Commission (PC) chairman, Adam Parness, noted that the comprehensive plan was a plan not a law.

Janet Carter, Planning Director, said that the Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) was more appropriate under the land use element currently being discussed by the steering committee.

Holly Kauffman, Planning Commissioner (and PC appointed steering committee member) asked if that wasn't contract zoning and didn't PDDs address the issue?

Carter said that the committee initially rejected inclusion of CBAs, but further discussion was anticipated. The county can facilitate CBAs. She said that this was among a number of tools that were being discussed in the Land Use Element.

Rob Wilfong, Planning Commissioner (recent District 2 appointee by Brent Schulz), asked if we didn't do that now with a PDD. [A PDD is a contract between the county and a developer, a community benefits agreement is between private parties, one of whom is a developer.]

As I read my often illegible notes, Phil Hucks, Planning Commission Vice Chairman commented on the rapid development Horry County is experiencing that, without impact fees, would not pay for itself.

Grace Gifford spoke on requiring developers to construct turn lanes into their developments.

Dr. Susan Libes spoke to Natural Resource Element, Policy 3 Strategy G, p. 28:

Two Deerfield Avenue property owners spoke including one saying that there was not enough discussion between developers and Home Owner Associations.

Parness called on Carter to address this. Carter said that the county gave notices and held development reviews that anyone could attend.

I believe it was one of the Deerfield Avenue spokespersons who said that developers make [oral] promises but there is nothing that can be done if they do not make promised improvements.

Harbin clarified that CBAs were not agreements between county government and developers but between developers and such as Home Owner Associations.

Parness said that this public hearing was to concern only elements 1 through 6 of the comprehensive plan and discussions on other topics including the land use element were not admissible.

He asked what staff's recommendation was on these elements. Staff recommended approval.

Peggy Graham, Planning Commissioner (and PC chairman steering committee member appointee) said there was material in it that needed updating and asked for a 30 day deferral. Carter asked for 60 days to allow for a defense.

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