Horry County Infrastructure & Regulation Committee Meeting – October 13, 2026

The Infrastructure & Regulation Committee of Horry County, South Carolina, met on October 13, 2026, in Multipurpose Room B/C of the Horry County Government & Justice Center. Chairman Al Allen presided. The committee approved routine agenda items, heard public testimony urging stricter mining regulations, discussed mining regulation and the Highway 319 Rural Heritage Area Plan, received a Citizen Planning Academy update, adopted a resolution honoring Reverend Dr. James “Jim” McManus, and approved three airport lease ordinances. After an executive session, the committee adjourned.

Consent Calendar and Routine Approvals

• No formal consent calendar was used. The committee approved the agenda and approved the August 11, 2026, meeting minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sarah Rich, a Conway resident and representative of the Coastal Conservation League, spoke in favor of adopting a mining ordinance. (The raw transcript also renders her name as “Sarah Ridge.”) Rich said the League was pleased mining regulation was on the agenda and suggested Horry County follow models used in Florence and Beaufort counties. She listed resident concerns including noise and light pollution, disrupted sleep and resulting school/work performance, hydrological changes to wells and streams, asphalt road damage, ground vibrations, dust-related chronic pulmonary conditions, falling home values, flying debris and shifting rock, children unable to play outside safely, drowning risks in water-filled pits, and sinkholes. Rich cited Florence County requirements such as truck access via major arterial roads, 1,000–2,000 foot buffers from residential property lines, six-foot security fencing, operating hours from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, a 65-decibel noise limit measured at the property line, penalties, and annual renewal of zoning compliance. She noted Beaufort County requires forested buffers and approved end-use/reclamation plans. She submitted written comments with links to the ordinances and recent Sun News reporting.

Discussion Items

Regulation of Mining

• Desiree Jackson reviewed Horry County’s regulatory history: mining was a permitted use before 2000; a special exception from the zoning board of appeals was required beginning in 2000; council approval via a one-reading resolution was required from 2005; agricultural districts IAG1 and AG2 were added in 2017; a once-per-year application limit was added in 2018; and most county mining regulations were removed in 2020. Under current rules, state or federally permitted mines are exempt from county mining standards and are allowed in all zoning districts.
• County attorney Jordan explained that after the council denied a mine permit near 905 and Red Bluff in 2019, the applicant sued in federal court and the county lost; requiring a county permit was found to be unlawful because the state has exclusive authority to permit mines. He said possible regulatory approaches include a special exception, a zoning district, or a floating zone requiring case-by-case approval.
• Committee members discussed the need for mined fill for road and construction growth, the risk of lawsuits, and the desire to protect existing homes. A member noted a proposed mine came within roughly 37 feet of a resident’s property line despite a 25-foot planted buffer and six-foot berm. Another member said the county should not regulate mines out of existence because road construction depends on fill.
• The committee directed staff to study regulatory options, including floating-zone standards with buffers that may be larger adjacent to existing residences, and to return with an update at the next I&R meeting.

Highway 319 Rural Heritage Area Plan

• Rajiv Myana explained that the Highway 319 Rural Heritage Area Plan was adopted in 2011 as part of the county comprehensive plan and amended in 2022 near the rural civic center area. It generally covers the highway corridor with about a 1.5-mile buffer on either side.
• Chairman Allen asked the committee to review the plan because it is aging and has allowed what he called loopholes, including strip residential development adjacent to the highway. He said the intended rural character is being undermined, commercial development is restricted except for small areas near certain interchanges, and the rural civic center may need supporting businesses that the plan currently prevents. He also cited driveway access and safety concerns on Highway 319, where the highway has become a commonly used shortcut.
• Staff noted that a full plan review and amendment would be a Planning Commission-led process involving updated analysis and public input, estimated at 8 to 12 months. Committee members asked Chairman Allen to work with staff to define specific changes and bring a more pointed request back to the committee.

Horry County Citizen Planning Academy

• Rajiv Myana reported the fourth Citizen Planning Academy began July 1, 2026. Approximately 150 people applied, and 30 were selected for the session. Participants attended sessions presented by Infrastructure & Regulation department heads, observed the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, and were completing an assignment to help them educate neighbors and serve as planning advocates. A short participant testimonial video was shown. No action was taken.

Resolutions

• By unanimous voice vote, the committee adopted a resolution honoring Reverend Dr. James “Jim” McManus on his 96th birthday and his lifelong dedication to community service in Horry County.

Ordinances

• The committee approved three airport lease ordinances in one motion:
  • STS Line Maintenance: lease of 191 square feet of terminal office space at Myrtle Beach International Airport for $10,917 annually, set by the airport’s published rates and charges; month-to-month, contingent on STS having an agreement with existing air carriers.
  • Direct Charter Service Inc.: lease of a modular building on the general aviation side, originally acquired from LIFT Academy, for about two to three years; month-to-month after that with 120-day notice; annual rent $18,593, CPI-adjusted annually; tenant handles non-structural maintenance.
  • Royal Farms (Two Farms Inc.): lease of approximately 3.19 acres at Harrelson Boulevard and Highway 15 for a community store, fuel station, and car wash. Royal Farms was the only respondent to the airport’s solicitation. The term is three years with two five-year renewal options. Staff initially stated the annual rent would be $205,000 for years one through five; when asked to repeat the annual amount, the response was transcribed as “$25,000 per year.” The source transcript is internally inconsistent on the rent amount. The lease provides for a 10% increase every five years beginning in year 11 and periodic reappraisals to maintain rent at or above fair market value as required by the FAA.

Executive Session

• The committee voted to enter executive session for legal advice regarding pending litigation. After returning, Mr. Turner announced that no votes were taken during the executive session.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the agenda and the August 11, 2026, minutes.
• Directed staff to return with mining regulatory options and an update at the next Infrastructure & Regulation Committee meeting, scheduled for December 1, 2026.
• Asked Chairman Allen and staff to develop a more specific Highway 319 Rural Heritage Area Plan review and amendment request.
• Approved the resolution honoring Reverend Dr. James “Jim” McManus.
• Approved all three airport lease ordinances.
• Held an executive session on pending litigation; no votes were taken; the meeting was then adjourned.