Bill helps North Myrtle Beach's dredging goals
City could establish a new district to raise money
By Janelle Frostjfrost@thesunnews.com
North Myrtle Beach could soon get help with its Cherry Grove area dredging because of a new bill that recently passed the South Carolina House of Representatives, said state Rep. Tracy Edge.
Bill 950, which started in the state Senate and made its way through to the House last week, would allow the city to establish an assessment district to raise money for the project.
The bill falls under the Municipal Improvement Act, which permits local governments to fund public improvements by creating a district and issuing bonds to pay for improvements within that district, Edge said.
North Myrtle Beach has already received $1.2 million in state funds for the dredging project, which is expected to cost about $4.2 million, officials have said.
Last year, North Myrtle Beach received a state Department of Health and Environmental Control permit for the Cherry Grove dredging project, but it will not be issued a second required permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers until a group's claim of ownership of the channels in Cherry Grove is settled, city officials said.
City officials met with owners of East Cherry Grove Realty in December to try and work out the property issue, but no resolution was reached, said City Attorney Chris Noury.
Horry County Circuit Court Judge Larry Hyman denied city officials' request earlier this year to dismiss East Cherry Grove Realty's claim.
The city contends that the state owns the channels.
The case is likely to go before a judge within the next month, said city officials and Gene Connell, the Surfside Beach attorney who represents East Cherry Grove Realty. City officials have said dredging is important because canals fill in with every tide cycle.
A recent survey shows sediment has increased in the channels from 4 inches to 15 inches in the past five years.
Over time, the canals could become impassable if nothing is done, officials said.
The dredging work planned in this project would affect about 600 property owners, said City Manager John Smithson.
Some channels are excluded from the current dredging permit, and Smithson said the city is still looking at whether it should amend the permit to include them or apply for a new permit for them.