Horry County Infrastructure & Regulation Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026
Horry County Infrastructure & Regulation Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026
The Infrastructure & Regulation Committee of the Horry County Council met on August 11, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room B/C of the Government & Justice Center. Chairman Al Allen presided. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including fleet services, solid waste management, parks improvements, stormwater fees, planning updates, and airport leases. Key actions included advancing the Industrial Corridors land use designation, approving park funding transfers, and initiating a study of solid waste liability.
Consent Calendar
- The agenda contents and minutes from April 14, 2026, were approved unanimously by the committee.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sarah Rich (Coastal Conservation League and Waccamaw Indian People resident) spoke in opposition to the proposed Industrial Corridors designation, arguing it overlaps tribal grounds, farmland, and residential areas west of the Waccamaw River. She urged equitable inclusion and consideration of wildlife corridors instead of industrial ones.
Discussion Items
- Fleet Services Department Update (Reid Oliver): The fleet comprises nearly 2,000 assets, having grown 47% in road vehicles since 2016, largely due to Public Safety expansion. Maintenance is handled by 32 staff across three shops. The department emphasizes lifecycle management and continuous improvement.
- Horry County Solid Waste Authority Update (Barry Spivey): In response to Council Resolution R-48-2026, the SWA is progressing on three directives: reclassifying $300,000 in FY2027 budget for a C&D transfer station study; developing a plan to require commercial C&D disposal outside the county by June 30, 2028; and recommending a mandatory recycling program. To address these holistically, Spivey proposed updating the Solid Waste Management Plan via a state-mandated advisory council, with appointments from the county and cities. Water quality test results were provided, noting a toxicity test was invalid due to lab control failure but would have passed.
- Solid Waste Authority Liability Discussion: Committee members raised concerns about the county's liability from SWA operations. A motion by Councilman Masciarelli to have staff investigate the county's liability and the steps to possibly bring Solid Waste under county government failed due to lack of a second. The committee subsequently approved a resolution to appoint county representatives to the Solid Waste Advisory Council.
- Industrial Corridors Land Use Designation (Desiree Jackson): Staff presented the process to amend Chapter 12 of the Comprehensive Plan to add an "Industrial Corridors" future land use designation. After public input (453 survey responses, three open houses), the Planning Commission recommended approval. The designation is an overlay on the future land use map and does not guarantee rezoning. The committee approved a motion to send the ordinance to full council.
- Zoning Board of Appeals Variance Authority (Stevie Brown): An ordinance to allow the ZBA to grant limited variances (up to 50%, no front buffer variance, two-thirds vote) on landscape buffer requirements for major residential developments was discussed. An amendment to set a minimum buffer of 20 feet failed in committee (1-2). The ordinance was sent to full council without the amendment.
- Development Agreement Ordinance (Sam Graves): An ordinance to update Chapter 15, Article VI to align with current practices and improve implementation was approved unanimously and forwarded to council.
Resolutions (All passed unanimously unless noted)
- R-48-2026 Appointments to Solid Waste Advisory Council: Appointed David Gilreath, Tom Roth, Andy Markunas, and Barry Spivey as county representatives.
- Transfer of Funds for Park Bathrooms and Amenities: Approved $615,000 from Recreation Fund and $185,000 in Boat Landing Impact Fees (total $800,000) for prefabricated bathrooms at Splinter City, Bike and Run Park, and Enterprise Boat Landing; renovations at Sandridge and Bayboro Parks; and signage/trash receptacles elsewhere.
- Transfer of Funds for Peter Vaught Boat Landing Expansion: Approved $140,426 from Boat Landing Impact Fees for additional costs.
- Amendment to Stormwater Fee Schedule: Approved a cap of $10,000 on the $200/acre review fee, effective September 1, 2026.
- Other resolutions: Approved Tree Mitigation Funds ($3,295.60) for Carolina Forest median beautification; Council Community Benefit Funds ($20,000 for Friends of Green Sea Floyd Library, with contributions from Council members); designation of July as Parks and Recreation Month; acceptance of ~6 acres in Forestbrook for the Singleton Memorial Park; quit-claim deed release of spoil easement; renewal of lease with S.C. DMV; and approval of the Planning and Zoning fee schedule corrections.
Ordinances (All passed unanimously and sent to full council)
- Amendment to Chapter 12 (Industrial Corridors): Added the new future land use designation to the Comprehensive Plan.
- Lease Modification with Civil Air Patrol: Approved lease of an additional 215 sq ft in Building #505 at MYR, annual rent $1,865.
- Lease with Superior Aircraft Services Inc.: Approved month-to-month lease of 376 sq ft in the terminal for skycap services, annual rent $17,933.95.
- Quit-claim deed release (previously noted under resolutions).
Key Outcomes
- Motion to study liability of Solid Waste Authority and steps to bring it under county government failed for lack of a second.
- The committee voted 3-2 to approve a study of the liability exposure and the steps necessary to potentially bring the Solid Waste Authority under county government, but this occurred after the initial motion failed? Correction: The initial motion failed, but later a motion to accept the resolution for Solid Waste Advisory Council and to include a study was made and passed. (Clarify: After the failed motion, Councilman Causey moved to accept the resolution and create a study, which passed unanimously.)
- All resolutions and ordinances were approved and forwarded to Horry County Council for final action.
- The next meeting is scheduled for October 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
And as always, we'll start out with an invitation and related religious. If you can stay in place, stay. Let us pray. Praise God. Heavenly Father, we're thankful to have this opportunity together here today. Encourage our hearts, hill close awards so that we see for close the world with you for what is truth, what is right. Give us patience, understanding, touch those all that need a special touch this day. Keep a age of angels around all of our employees, all of their families, that all things be done for your glory, and we'll praise you and honor you in the end. For we ask it in your precious name, our Lord and Savior cross Jesus. Amen. I'll pledge your leaders to the flag. Which is his famous nation. Under God. Individual liberty and justice for all. Maybe she needed to thank you very much. We do have one for public. Is that correct? Alrighty, if you'll come to the voting and state your name, and you got five minutes, okay? Good morning, everyone. My name is Sarah Rich. Um, and I'm with the Coastal Conservation League, and I'm also a resident of Conway. When I spoke about the Industrial Corridors last week at Planning Commission, I mentioned that the 501 Light Industrial Corridor abuts the tribal grounds of the Wawkama Indian people, but in actuality it overlaps our tribal grounds along with acre after acre of farmland to the south and east of us and more residential area to the north. Our sacred ceremonies are held out of doors. And at our historic passing of the staff ceremony last Friday afternoon, attendees commented that the sound of regular road traffic was disrupting at times. Imagine the impact of lines of big trucks, even more big trucks rumbling down Blue Water Road or Julius H. Goodson Avenue during the ceremony. Good luck praying to that music. With a four to five vote last Thursday, the Planning Commission barely approved the industrial corridor's future land use designation. This narrow margin indicates that there are very real concerns among the public and among public officials about this amendment to the county's comprehensive plan. According to the published industrial corridor public input results, respondents tend to list their own communities as not suitable for industrial development, and these are quotes. Quote, respondents typically preferred locating industrial uses in communities further from their home zip codes. Quote, respondents typically supported locating industrial uses in rural England areas. Quote, most respondents live in the county's urban areas. End quote. For example, or in other words, on the east side of the Wacama River, which is why proposed industrial corridors are located on the west side of the river. Now there's really no valid reason why some industrial corridors could not be designated east of the river, especially if future industry were to take advantage of redevelopment options instead of green field development, which is what appears to be proposed here. Given the urban locations of the public in succession so far and the significant cultural differences between electorates on the east and west sides of the river, it is really a moral imperative that county officials reach out to community representatives in these inland areas so that Ori's amended comprehensive plan represents equitable inclusion and not NIDIA. The Imagine 24 Vision Statement echoed in the language of the ordinance under consideration today, promises to, as you all know, sustain and enhance the quality of life for our residents and sisters by fostering healthy and safe communities, preserving our natural assets and rural heritage, encouraging business growth and economic diversification, and providing services and public facilities that will protect and strengthen our future. In other words, healthy and safe communities and the preservation of natural assets and rural heritage are recognized to supersede business growth and economic diversification because a healthy economy cannot exist without healthy ecosystems and a strong sense of community heritage. I'm fortunate that as a citizen of the Wacoma Indian people, I've been able to inform my community and that we've taken the opportunity to weigh in on this proposal. But other affected communities need more opportunities to participate in a conversation being had around and about them, and in so doing potentially prevent urban NIMPism from prevailing in the rural majority of Oregon County. Further, only 13% of survey respondents self identified as being in the industrial sector. This raises the question of how many of these respondents see more industrial growth as the strength and future of the county. My father worked in the steel industry in an industrial park outside of town, and he did not aspire for his children to work there. So can't we imagine a better 2040, a healthier 2040 for our children and grandchildren? As a closing prompt and on a topic that is directly related to everything that I just said, I would love to soon see an Ori County government work focused on an overlay establishing wildlife corridors and industrial ones. Thanks, people. Thank you, Mr. H. And uh that's a topic without being heavily heavily involved in because most of those are corridors are inside of District 11, and so I will work hard.
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