Planning commission elects officers, approves zoning text changes and multiple subdivision plats

The North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission elected Silvio Catulli chairman and Callie Jean Wise vice chairman and approved a package of zoning text amendments and subdivision plats at its meeting.

Suzanne, a city staff member, summarized a zoning text amendment that would allow residential accessibility ramps, home elevators and residential lifts to project into front or rear yards up to 50% of the required yard depth so long as applicable building codes are met. "This would allow them to have a ramp or a lift project not more than 50% into the yard," Suzanne said, describing the intent to accommodate residents whose mobility declines after their homes were built to the front setback.

Commissioners also approved an amendment restoring perimeter landscape requirements that had been inadvertently deleted in 2009. Suzanne said the amendment adds back a 10‑foot landscape depth requirement along specified roads and reintroduces a provision allowing required plantings to be moved outside the minimum perimeter area when a plan shows more than the minimum is provided.

The commission approved a…