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Horry County Planning Commission approves several subdivisions, denies contested rezonings after heavy public comment
Summary
At the Jan. 2 meeting the commission approved design modifications and subdivisions including Shelley Park Phase 2 and a REI Land subdivision, but failed to approve several contentious rezonings after residents raised traffic, flooding and neighborhood-character concerns.
The Horry County Planning Commission met Jan. 2 and considered a full agenda of subdivision plans and rezoning requests that drew extensive public comment on traffic and stormwater.
The commission approved a design modification for Shelley Park Phase 2 and a subdivision presented by REI Land Company, where staff recommendations for approval carried. Several higher-profile rezoning requests that prompted sustained opposition from neighbors — notably a 23‑lot proposal on Cates Bay Highway and a 147‑home proposal on Galls Road — did not pass the commission’s motions and will move on to County Council with the commission’s recommendation or lack thereof. Chair (speaker 1) said the defeated motions will be forwarded to County Council for final consideration.
Residents who opposed the bigger projects cited safety concerns at a local curve dubbed “Dead Man’s Curve,” runoff and flood risk, and the adequacy of road access. Janet Lawrence (speaker 15) told the commission she has family ties to the land and worried about traffic and buffer protection; Sean Ellis (speaker 11) and other neighbors described repeated flooding and called for turn lanes or traffic studies.
Staff repeatedly noted that technical problems such as stormwater discharge, right‑of‑way for future road widenings and the need for two access points on developments over 100 lots would be addressed during the engineering and design review stages. Cassidy Callahan (speaker 14), representing multiple applicants, said clients were willing to fund traffic studies and consider turn lanes where required by DOT.
The commission also heard smaller items — street‑name approvals, a Garden City lot split and other routine rezonings — most of which were approved with little debate. The meeting adjourned after the last agenda items were handled.
