South Strand residents breathe a sigh of relief as county officials try to limit development

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – On Tuesday night, the Horry County Council approved the second of three readings that would place an overlay on parts of the South Strand, preventing high-density development.

This caused both nature advocates and South Strand residents to breathe a sigh of relief.

“In 1985, during the off-season, you could shoot a gun and not hit anything,” said Garden City resident Roderick Morris.

But Morris tells WMBF News the area hasn’t been this empty in years and he’s seen the population continue to grow.

“The traffic, with all these tall buildings and developments, is going to be terrible. Our road system is not designed for that kind of volume,” Morris said.

And he’s not the only resident who feels that way.

Horry County Councilman Tyler Servant tells WMBF News the council’s actions are a direct response to residents’ concerns.

“We’ve taken those protests and turned them into an actual ordinance,” Servant said.

If approved on third reading, that ordinance will prevent the construction of high-density housing on the Highway 17 Bypass and Highway 17 Business in the Murrells Inlet and Garden City area. This includes multi-family residential units and any building taller than 35 feet.

“This is to inform property owners that Horry County, at this time, until the infrastructure is caught up, is not going to consider rezonings,” Servant said.

“I was shocked,” said Gary Weinreich, director of the Murrells Inlet Preserve. “I was surprised, but I was happy to see it.”

For Weinreich, Horry County’s efforts are a breath of fresh air compared to those of Georgetown County, which recently approved a land use plan that promotes more development in Waccamaw Neck.

“Georgetown County has completely ignored input from residents, while Horry County is actually doing something,” Weinreich said.

If the bill passes a third reading later this month, it will become official.

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