Council approves multiple ordinances on first/second readings; summary of votes and key points

The North Myrtle Beach City Council voted on multiple ordinance and resolution items during the meeting. Several items were recorded in the meeting as unanimous voice votes. Below is a concise summary of each action, the outcome recorded in the meeting, and essential details discussed.

Votes at a glance (each item was recorded as a unanimous voice vote unless noted):

- Sketch-plan requirement for major subdivisions (amendment to Chapter 20, Land Development Regulations) — second reading and approved. Staff and council said the new sketch-plan step will bring the planning commission into early-stage design review for major subdivisions and common residential developments to protect trees and reduce costly rework during engineering.

- Ordinance (first reading) amending Chapter 23, Zoning: allow structures that serve accessibility (ramps/lifts) to encroach up to 50% into required front or rear yards and amend mechanical-equipment separation rules — first reading approved. Council said the change will remove some requests from the Board of Zoning Appeals by allowing staff-level approvals for accessibility encroachments; building code/ADA standards will govern design.

- Ordinance (first reading) reinstating 10-foot perimeter landscape buffer requirements along Highway 17, Water Tower Road and Champions Boulevard for commercial parcels (amendment to Chapter 23, Zoning) — first reading approved. Staff said the measure restores an element inadvertently removed from the code in 2009 and that the city has been enforcing the buffer despite the omission.

- Ordinance (first reading) enabling fee-in-lieu parking option to be applied to additional overlay/“heart” districts (including Windy Hill), expanding an option originally adopted for Ocean Drive/Main Street — first reading approved. Staff said the fee-in-lieu remains $25,000 per space and that the change would be limited to commercial properties; exemptions include multifamily residential, motels/hotels, bars/nightclubs, and resort accommodations.

- Ordinance (first reading) amending Chapter 22 (Vehicles for Hire) to allow vehicle immobilization providers to charge a refundable deposit structure (e.g., total charge with a refundable portion returned when device is returned) — first reading approved. Staff said this preserves the existing maximum while permitting a refundable deposit so vendors have an incentive to retrieve immobilization devices.

- Ordinance (first reading) amending Chapter 12 (Traffic) related to parking-citation consequences and an annual parking-pass exception — first reading approved. The amendment seeks to include owners of mobile homes who do not own the underlying land (roughly 30 people by staff estimate) and to increase the number of Horry County annual parking passes and associated fee; staff recommended raising the county pass to $500 and expanding eligibility for certain nonresident owners.

- Ordinance (first reading) to convey two city parcels (PINs 35116030130 and 35116030129, current Fire Station No. 2 site) in exchange for PIN 35116020055 (new Fire Station No. 2 site between 20 Third Avenue North and Sea Mountain Highway) — first reading approved. Staff and council said the swap will improve response access (add a back exit) and reduce risk from flooding at the current location.

Procedure: The council recorded each motion and then took voice votes recorded in the transcript as unanimous for the items above. Where the record included public comment or additional staff explanation, those notes are captured in the individual item summaries above.

Ending: Items approved on first readings will return in later meetings for second readings where required; staff will continue to refine implementation details such as maps, design standards, and fee mechanics as these amendments proceed.