OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Horry County Council Regular Meeting - December 10, 2024

County Council — Tuesday, December 10, 2024
BodyHorry County, South Carolina
SessionCounty Council
DateTuesday, December 10, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 30:24

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Regular council meeting for December 10th, 2024.

0:03

We start on time so we can finish on time.

0:05

And we also always start with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by our invitation, excuse me, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, but everybody please stand.

0:13

Mr.

0:14

Causey and Mr.

0:15

Howard.

0:17

I'd just like to thank you for all our many blessings.

0:19

We're truly blessed to be living in this country and state and county that we live in.

0:25

Also like to ask that you give us your wisdom and guidance as we go through this agenda tonight doing the business of the county and help us to make the right decisions, dear Lord.

0:35

We also ask that you protect our first responders, be with them, help them to get home safe to their families, and also watch over all the employees of O'Reilly County.

0:45

Jesus' name I pray, amen.

0:51

Please allegiance to the flag.

0:59

One nation under God, indivisible liberty for all.

1:04

Thank you.

1:05

Please be seated.

1:07

All right.

1:09

Is public input.

1:11

We've had a few people sign up.

1:13

First is Jesse Hotes.

1:15

Holtz.

1:16

I don't know if I've pronounced that right.

1:18

Mr.

1:18

Holtz here.

1:21

All right.

1:21

We'll move on down to Annette Lawrence.

1:25

Miss Lawrence.

1:26

Um Annette can't quite make it tonight, so she asked me to speak for her.

1:30

I'm Stephanie Chapetta.

1:32

Her husband was in the hospital.

1:34

Ma'am?

1:35

Yes.

1:36

I didn't hear what you said.

1:36

What you said?

1:37

I said Annette could not be here tonight, but she asked me to speak in her stead.

1:43

What's your name?

1:44

Stephanie Chapetta.

1:45

You signed up as an alternate.

1:47

Yes.

1:47

All right.

1:48

So we'll go down the list.

1:49

I think you're gonna make it because I don't think anybody else is here.

1:52

Okay, thank you.

1:53

All right.

1:54

Next up is Miss Liz Green.

1:56

Miss Green, you're a frequent speaker, so I'm sure you remember all of our rules.

2:01

And uh can't ever meet that beat that light.

2:06

Okay, we're here about the same issue this house.

2:10

Um do you have new information for us?

2:12

Yes, I do.

2:12

Okay.

2:13

I have new code violations.

2:14

This is uh 2024-7 to South Carolina labor licensing and regulation, code violation on the air conditioning, gas heating uh installation violation uh defects that cause the unit to fail and have to be replaced as we speak tonight.

2:34

So I bring to you about uh building codes, and that's why we have code enforcement.

2:41

The reason we have building codes is to protect public health safety, general welfare, as they relate to construction, occupancy of buildings and structures, and it has become a law of this of Orie County.

2:55

The purpose of this is to provide minimum standards to safeguards life and limb health property and public welfare by regulating and controlling the design, construction, quality and materials, use and occupancy, location maintenance of all building structures in Orie County.

3:15

As you know, last time I spoke about that, I had no rebar in my house.

3:19

I've investigated that further.

3:21

Rebar is required when you have a uh house built on a slab foundation.

3:28

The rebar provides significant greater tensile strength and structural integrity.

3:33

Fabric does not meet that standard, and I do not have rebar at every third footer on my house, and that is a code violation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████53%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████22%
Zoning And Land Use█████████████15%
Economic Development████5%
Public Engagement████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Horry County Council Regular Meeting - December 10, 2024

The Horry County Council held its regular meeting on December 10, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, chaired by Chairman Johnny Gardner. The meeting covered a consent agenda with multiple routine approvals, public comments, presentations, and readings of ordinances. Key actions included passage of bonds for the Legends Drive Special Tax District, approval of amendments to zoning ordinances, and the failure of a rezoning request.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Liz Green spoke regarding ongoing code violations at her residence. She cited a new code violation related to HVAC installation (2024-7-2) and stated that code violations invalidated her warranties, requiring her to obtain a $100,000 loan for a replacement system. She argued that code enforcement was not functioning properly and asked the council to fix the system. Chairman Gardner responded that county staff had investigated and done everything within the law.
  • Stephanie Chiappetta (speaking also for Annette Lawrence) addressed a proposed moratorium on new development. She criticized a planning board member from Diamond Shores for frequent absences and questioned the ethics of annexation to Conway to allow denser development. She urged better communication between county, state, and local agencies regarding infrastructure.

Presentations / Resolutions

  • Horry Electric Cooperative presented a check from Utility Tax Credit Funds for economic development. Johnny Shelley and Elaine Gore represented the cooperative.
  • Recognition of Randy Webster – Assistant Administrator Randy Webster was recognized for 35 years of service to Horry County.

Consent Calendar

The consent agenda was approved as amended. Amendments included additions to the Community Benefit Fund (CBF-45-2024 and CBF-47-2024) and removal of Ordinance 153-2024 from consent, later reinstated after discussion. The consent agenda included:

  • Third readings of multiple zoning map amendments (Ordinances 124-2024, 126-2024, 136-2024, 127-2024, 128-2024, 129-2024, 130-2024, 132-2024, 134-2024, 135-2024).
  • First readings for ordinances 110-2024, 142-2024, and a series of rezoning ordinances (143-2024 through 153-2024).
  • First reading of Ordinance 154-2024 (amending Chapter 18, Land Development Regulations) and Ordinance 155-2024 (amending zoning ordinance for wild game processing).
  • Resolutions R-135-2024 (Belle Mer North Phase 2 road dedication), R-136-2024 (Old Mill Estates road dedication), R-137-2024 (Opioid Recovery Fund grant application), R-138-2024 (CDBG affordability periods), R-139-2024 (abandoned building certification), R-140-2024 (prohibiting multi-family rezonings on Highway 17 corridor), and R-141-2024 (mobile food vendor pilot program).
  • Multiple Community Benefit Fund allocations (CBF-42 through CBF-48).

Discussion Items

  • Third Reading & Public Hearing – Ordinance 119-2024: Authorized issuance and sale of not exceeding $2,500,000 general obligation bonds for the Legends Drive Special Tax District for road and drainage improvements. Motion passed unanimously.
  • Third Reading – Ordinance 123-2024: Amended zoning ordinance for non-commercial personal use buildings, reducing the acreage requirement from 3 acres to the minimum lot size of the district and adjusting setbacks. An amendment was approved, and the ordinance passed as amended.
  • Second Reading & Public Hearing – Ordinances 137-2024 through 141-2024:
    • Ordinance 137-2024: Approved first amendment to fee agreement with DC Blox Inc. regarding FILOT benefits. Passed.
    • Ordinance 138-2024: Accepted transfer of authority for conducting City of Conway's municipal elections to the Horry County Election Commission. Passed.
    • Ordinance 139-2024: Authorized compensation for members of certain county boards ($100 per meeting for members, $150 for chairpersons). Passed.
    • Ordinance 140-2024: Authorized deed conveyance of former Luck Avenue Fire Station to the Little River Chamber of Commerce. Passed.
    • Ordinance 141-2024: Authorized renewal of lease with the FAA for property at Grand Strand Airport. Passed.
  • First Reading – Ordinance 150-2024: Proposed rezoning of PIN 44003040002 from Commercial Forest Agriculture (CFA) to Residential (SF 10). Council voted unanimously to disapprove, and the ordinance failed.
  • First Reading – Ordinance 156-2024: Amendment to Highway Commercial (HC) zoning district to allow wholesale and distribution. A motion to defer back to the Infrastructure & Regulation (I&R) Committee passed, and the ordinance was deferred.

Key Outcomes

  • Passed: Third reading of Ordinance 119-2024 (Legends Drive bonds).
  • Passed as amended: Third reading of Ordinance 123-2024 (non-commercial personal use buildings).
  • Passed: Second readings of ordinances 137-2024 through 141-2024.
  • Failed: First reading of Ordinance 150-2024 (rezoning to SF 10) – unanimous disapproval.
  • Deferred: First reading of Ordinance 156-2024 (HC zoning amendment) back to I&R Committee.
  • Approved: Consent agenda as amended, including multiple zoning map amendments, road dedications, opioid fund appropriation, CDBG affordability period updates, abandoned building certification, multi-family rezoning prohibition resolution, mobile food vendor pilot program, and community benefit fund allocations.

Meeting Transcript

Regular council meeting for December 10th, 2024. We start on time so we can finish on time. And we also always start with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by our invitation, excuse me, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, but everybody please stand. Mr. Causey and Mr. Howard. I'd just like to thank you for all our many blessings. We're truly blessed to be living in this country and state and county that we live in. Also like to ask that you give us your wisdom and guidance as we go through this agenda tonight doing the business of the county and help us to make the right decisions, dear Lord. We also ask that you protect our first responders, be with them, help them to get home safe to their families, and also watch over all the employees of O'Reilly County. Jesus' name I pray, amen. Please allegiance to the flag. One nation under God, indivisible liberty for all. Thank you. Please be seated. All right. Is public input. We've had a few people sign up. First is Jesse Hotes. Holtz. I don't know if I've pronounced that right. Mr. Holtz here. All right. We'll move on down to Annette Lawrence. Miss Lawrence. Um Annette can't quite make it tonight, so she asked me to speak for her. I'm Stephanie Chapetta. Her husband was in the hospital. Ma'am? Yes. I didn't hear what you said. What you said? I said Annette could not be here tonight, but she asked me to speak in her stead. What's your name? Stephanie Chapetta. You signed up as an alternate. Yes. All right. So we'll go down the list. I think you're gonna make it because I don't think anybody else is here. Okay, thank you. All right. Next up is Miss Liz Green. Miss Green, you're a frequent speaker, so I'm sure you remember all of our rules. And uh can't ever meet that beat that light. Okay, we're here about the same issue this house. Um do you have new information for us? Yes, I do. Okay.

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