HORRY COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – Several people in Horry County who lost their homes to Hurricane Florence are upset because the county has gotten a handful of rezoning requests, some of which would add nearly 350 homes around the county.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said April O’Leary, a member of the group Horry County Rising that combats flooding issues. “You know, we have flooding impacts nearby there, we have flooded families and flooded communities both, well, to the east, to the north, and the west. So, on Highway 90 and Highway 9. So, you know, this is another poor proposal.”
O’Leary remembers using her flood insurance to help rebuild her Conway home after Hurricane Florence.
She says rezoning areas that were hardest hit to residential isn’t a good idea.
“There will be impervious surfaces on these parcels, and right now, we have vegetation, so it is doing what it needs to be doing,” said O’Leary.
G3 Engineering is requesting to rezone areas along Hwy. 90 near Old Reaves Ferry Road, Highway 57 and Mount Zion Road, Old Highway 90, and Highway 9.
Another developer plans to put a boat landing on 5.16 acres along Recreation Road.
Horry County Planning Commission Director David Schwerd told News13 in a statement that the rezonings along Hwy. 90 will only be developed in areas closest to the road, and will not affect wetlands.
“That’s a good strategy. My strategy is no development, so you know, I agree that if, you know, when push comes to shove, if we really don’t have you know, any other opportunities for concessions, that would be the best concession we could possibly ask for, but I don’t believe we should be conceding on this issue,” said O’Leary.
Horry County Planning and Zoning will meet on July 11 to talk about these rezoning requests.
The public has until 4:30 p.m. that afternoon to sign up for public input.
