County’s new wetland rules may curb ‘economic viability’ of five lots – Coastal Observer

County’s new wetland rules may curb ‘economic viability’ of five lots – Coastal Observer

Building five houses on five lots in the center of Murrells Inlet won’t recoup the owner’s $1.48 million investment, according to his attorney. But changing the zoning to allow 10 houses on the 1.5 acres, as the owner seeks to do, may not help either because of the wetlands protection ordinance Georgetown County passed last month. Neither will combining the five exsisting lots to allow construction of a 36-room hotel, which is the owner’s other option. “These may be the first lots in Georgetown County that would be deemed unbuildable under the wetlands ordinance,” Bill Hills, a Planning Commission member, said. Hills opposed the ordinance, but he told the attorney for the property owner, ABC098 LLC, that he doesn’t want to see the number of lots increased either. The property on Macklen Avenue is on the north side of the county-owned parking lot for the Murrells Inlet Boat Landing. It was bought for $1.48 million by the LLC, whose principal is Robert C. Harrison of Bennettsville, from Belin Memorial United Methodist Church in 2024. It is also adjacent to a wetlands bordering a creek that flows into Murrells Inlet. As existing lots of records, the 25-foot buffer and the 15-foot setback included in the wetlands ordinance adopted by the county last month don’t apply. But if the lots are subdivided or more than two of them are combined, the rules will apply. Phil Murdock, the attorney for ABC098, told the Planning Commission this month that he wasn’t familiar with the wetlands ordinance. He asked that the commission defer action on his request to rezone the property from “general commercial” to “resort residential” to allow more lots “to give us a chance to wrap our heads around that.” The rezoning request drew opposition from area residents, including Sandra Bundy, a former commission member who is now a candidate for County Council. “Increased density, as you’ve already discussed, is a really bad idea in this area,” said Bundy, the only speaker at the commission’s public hearing. “There are wetlands back there, and that is a major drainage corridor.” The “resort residential” zoning would allow lots as small as 5,000 square feet, down from the 10,000 square feet currently allowed. It would also allow duplexes on the smaller lots. The planning staff called it an “upzoning.” Murdock said ABZ098 had already drafted plans for a hotel that would have a total of 90 bedrooms. He suggested that the change from commercial to residential was a “downzoning.” The hotel plan was shelved due to the “economics of the world,” but it is still possible, Murdock said. “Transient use has a much higher threshold when it comes to traffic, etc.,” he added. Commission member Marla Hamby questioned whether a lot behind a commercial strip that includes Uncle Tito’s bar would be suitable for housing. “I have some fraternity brothers of mine that might think that’s quite desireable,” Murdock said. But he conceded that the bar might have an impact on the price of an adjacent house. “This is about economic viability. This is not an economically viable property with five houses,” Murdock said. Ten lots would allow the developer to sell the property “at par value,” he said. “This would not be a money-making venture.” The vacant property is now used for parking. “This is a tremendous concern,” and no-trespassing signs will be posted, said Murdock. “There won’t be any more free parking out there.” The commission agreed to defer a decision on the rezoning request. “I think we would all appreciate it if you had less lots,” Hills told Murdock.