The Horry County Council met on November 12, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The meeting included public input, approval of the consent agenda, presentations recognizing law enforcement and emergency communications personnel, and second reading and public hearings for several land use and lease ordinances. All votes were unanimous unless otherwise noted.
We start on time so we can end on time. And we always start with an invitation tonight, led by Mr. Mascarelli, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by Dr. Duke. So I can get everybody please stand. Dear Lord, look over our council tonight as we go through the process and look at the various items on our plate. And we thank you for getting us through this last election. And let's uh turn the page on on this country and shine light down on our county that we all do the right things to benefit everybody involved. In your name we pray, amen. And to revolve one. Thank you. Please be seated. All right. Next up is the public input. But before we get to public input, in light of Veterans Day yesterday, Mr. Al, I'd like for you and any other veterans here, please stand up so we can acknowledge you and thank you for your service. Chairman, please. Thank you all very much. Orie County has always been military friendly. Some people in this room have grandparents that fought in the Revolutionary War and uh and on down and on down. So I want to thank everybody for their service, whatever it was. Okay, now public input. We had one person sign up, Miss Stephanie Chapetta speaking about responsible building. Ms. Chapetta, I don't know if you've ever spoke here before, but we have some rules that we have to go by. And uh we have this it's five minutes. You don't have to talk the whole five minutes if you don't want to. I don't think you'll have a problem. I'm from New York State originally, so I can talk real fast. Okay, well this when this red light comes on, your talking time is over. How about that? Okay. Okay. First, hi, I'm Stephanie Chapetta, uh 176 Vineyard Lake Circle in Conway, South Carolina. Um, our group is um Orie County residents for responsible building, and we have been collecting signatures, hard copies of signatures and online through change.org for those who live in Orie County only. Uh they have entered their zip codes to make sure that they're so their Ori County residents. So the purpose of this petition is where once stood a family-friendly retreat, replete with small town charm. We now face over development. I can't iconic landmarks, wetlands, and wooded tracks that once painted the character of our county are being demolished and destroyed for urban sprawl that the county cannot sustain. The construction boom in Ory County is straining our resources to the limit. Existing residents are experiencing increased utility rates due to over demand, making the cost of living unbearable for many. Our schools, fire, police, rescue services, and hospitals are under inordinate stress, trying to cater to a population far beyond their cap capacity. Utility companies are stretched thin, contemplating increasing capacity for electricity, water, and sewer services. This rapid urbanization is leading to resource scarcity, putting a strain on services, vendors, and retail. This too will result in increased rates for services, further straining the local economy. The burden on our roads with sharp the sharp increase in residency is not only causing constant gridlock, but is also leading to an increased rates of minor to major accidents. And I've been in one of at least three. This is further burdened during peak vacation times. The increased traffic load poses a safety hazard in the event of evacuation. Increases in accidents not only cause higher insurance rates, but also has seen an increase in serious and fatal accidents.