GEORGETOWN COUNTY ADMINISTRATION IS CAMPAIGNING HARD FOR APPROVAL OF INCREASED DENSITY LAND USE PLAN

Despite strong opposition from citizens, county officials are fighting hard to clinch approval of a proposed plan that will substantially increase density and drastically transform the character of the Waccamaw Neck commercial corridor and adjacent neighborhoods with higher density, mixed use, multi-family development.

Approval of this plan will mean the end of Pawleys Island, Litchfield, and Murrells Inlet as we know them. Our historical minority communities are set up to be wiped out completely.

If we want to avoid following in the footsteps of Myrtle Beach and Mount Pleasant, we need to fill Howard Auditorium this coming Tuesday, June 25, at 5:30 pm, and make our voices heard.

Please plan to attend the meeting and sign up to speak at the public hearing if you are comfortable doing so. Please send an email to County Council as set forth below under "Action Items."

COUNTY PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN

County administration is doing whatever it takes to secure approval of this plan that will bring more tax dollars to the county at the expense of Waccamaw Neck citizens.

Rather than heeding the feedback of residents and having open and transparent dialogue with citizens, the county has embarked on an energetic marketing campaign to win support by making the plan look like something it is not.

Perhaps you have seen the "Cartoon Pelican" ads on the county Facebook page offering messages that consist of pretense and "half truths." Thankfully, citizens have been vigilant about responding with comments that set the record straight and provide facts.

Last week, the county called a special Council meeting at which the Boudreaux Group, (the consultants hired by the county to draft the proposed plan), gave a presentation promoting the plan. Citizens were not permitted to participate or ask questions or challenge the information presented.

Wouldn't it be easier and less expensive for the county to simply do what the taxpayers ask rather than spending inordinate amounts of time, money, and resources fighting against its own citizens and trying to convince us of something we can objectively prove is not true?

THE FACTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED PLAN

KIG and a team of independent experts thoroughly analyzed every aspect of the proposed plan.

  • A parcel-by-parcel examination was conducted comparing the proposed maps to our current Future Land Use Maps, Zoning Maps, and existing development.

  • County GIS data was used to calculate the number of additional households, people, and vehicles this plan would allow.

  • A stormwater expert studied the potential impact on flooding and stormwater.

The results of the analysis are staggering and far different than the county's spin. The data is presented in the map above and the graph and chart below.

If this plan is built out to what is allowed, the Waccamaw Neck will become a Myrtle Beach nightmare. We have far less infrastructure than Myrtle Beach, and as a narrow spit of land between the ocean and the river with one highway, we have no physical space for expansion.

The objective data confirms the following:

Substantially Increases Density. The plan increases overall density with concentration of new high and high-medium density, multi-family, mixed use development on the commercial corridor and adjacent neighborhoods from Prince George to the Horry County line.

Existing Development Not a Factor. Existing development and zoning maps were reviewed. Most of the density increases proposed by this plan are not necessary to conform with existing development. They are completely discretionary.

Minority Communities. The plan invites predatory development, displacement, and gentrification of what is left of our historical minority neighborhoods.

Stormwater. The plan will create major stormwater, flooding, and water quality problems.

WHY?

Why would our county administration be campaigning for approval of a plan that is not in the best interest of citizens?

The answer is very simple.

First, for many years, development of the Waccamaw Neck has been the primary means of generating tax revenue to support the entire county. The county does not want the well to run dry.

Second, this plan is a clever strategy to "remedy" a big problem that is the subject matter of several lawsuits against the county. That is, the county's failure to comply with the state law mandate of bringing zoning and land development into compliance with our current low-medium density comprehensive plan.

This plan intentionally raises the density baseline of the Waccamaw Neck to match existing outdated, non-compliant higher density zoning. This higher density plan provides the necessary justification for the county to keep existing higher density zoning, to enact new higher density zoning, and to approve higher density land development without the threat of lawsuits.

The bottom line is that the plan is designed to allow the county to continue unfettered overdevelopment of the Waccamaw Neck AND eliminate legal recourse by citizens.

VIDEO CLIPS

The following short video clips from the KIG Community Forum explain the details:

CLICK HERE to view the LAND USE ANALYSIS VIDEO

CLICK HERE to view the STORMWATER IMPACT VIDEO

CLICK HERE to view the PUBLIC INPUT VIDEO

ACTION ITEMS

  • Please ATTEND the County Council Public Hearing this coming Tuesday, June 25, at 5:30 pm at Howard Auditorium in Georgetown. Invite all your friends and neighbors to do the same.

(1) Identify each parcel of land on the Waccamaw Neck Proposed Future Land Use Map that increases density over the Current Future Land Use Map and explain why the increase is being proposed.

(2) Revise to eliminate residential on the Waccamaw Neck commercial corridor. Keep the commercial corridor strictly commercial in keeping with the current Waccamaw Neck Commercial Corridor Overlay Zone.

(3) Revise to eliminate commercial in residential neighborhoods. The "New Urbanism" mixed use concept is not appropriate for the Waccamaw Neck.

(4) Include strong mandatory text restricting increased density that is the equivalent of pp. 23 & 25 of the current plan.

(5) Eliminate all density increases on undeveloped parcels and parcels where existing development conforms to the current comprehensive plan designation. Decrease density or keep it the same.

(6) Return to traditional land use categories. The new "Place Types" are unnecessarily vague and confusing.

Thank you for your continued support of our important and effective work. We hope to see you Tuesday!

Your friends at

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