It’s ‘not about the flooding’: Here’s what’s next for Conway Golf Club

Conway City Council voted Monday to allow for the closed Conway Golf Club to be annexed into city limits and rezoned for low-density housing.

The property, located on Country Club Drive outside of downtown Conway, will likely be the site of new homes with a minimum of 10,000-square-foot lots.

Council member Jean Timbes made the motion to rezone the property under the low-density code, instead of the medium-density that was debated. Mayor Barbra Blain-Bellamy, council members Larry White and Ashley Smith joined Timbes in voting in favor of annexation and rezoning.

Conway Planning Director Mary Catherine Hyman said Monday’s vote was about the zoning code, not the exact specifics of the plan or what standards must be met for a development to break ground.

“Tonight’s vote is not about the flooding, it’s the zoning,” she said.

While it may be some time until dirt starts to move, community members from across Conway packed the council chambers to express concerns over the project, including its affect on flood mitigation, water quality and traffic.

“This coastal plain really cannot handle an increase in building, pavement and impervious surfaces,” Conway resident April O’Leary said.

Flooding

Flooding is among the biggest concerns of residents when a new development is proposed, and the golf club site is no exception. The property is not in the flood zone, Conway City Administrator Adam Emerick said.

“You want to encourage areas not in the flood zones. This is not in the flood zone,” Emerick said.

The golf club’s new owner, Forrest Beverly of Beverly Homes, said the property did not flood during Hurricane Florence. His engineer, Amber Wall of Wall Engineering, reiterated the point.

“It will be designed to be a functional drainage system to address runoff rates, volume and water quality,” said Wall, who lives in another area of Conway that was affected by flooding caused by the hurricane.

Still, people who submitted questions to the Conway City Council wanted more assurance and detail as to how a development could lead to less stormwater problems.

Conway has the same floodwater standards as Horry County. County Stormwater Director Tom Garrigan attended Conway’s meeting to address city council on what that entails. He first stressed the difference between the two types of flooding — flash flooding and sustained flooding.

Mayor Blain-Bellamy asked about how housing developments affect flooding. Garrigan said the Waccamaw Watershed has about 2 to 3 percent of development, so housing alone is not the reason most flooding occurs.

What happened during Florence was a historic flood caused by a rapid rise in the Waccamaw’s depth. Garrigan said little could be done to lessen the effects of such an event.

“There is no engineering solution to heavy rainfall when 20 inches fall rapidly,” he said.

He said the golf course property was high enough that it did not flood during Hurricane Florence. While there was not flooding directly on the property, many nearby neighborhoods and roads flooded.

The second type of flooding is less severe but more rapid, coming after intense, short rain events like a thunderstorm. This kind of flooding can be mitigated through a well-designed project, Garrigan said.

Per Horry County’s stormwater ordinance, all homes built in Conway must retain rain water better than they did before the development was built.

Garrigan said first-floor elevation and flood prevention requirements can help keep homes out of harm’s way during storms. Wall said her engineering plans would keep residents safe.

Both Beverly and Wall said they understood the flooding concerns of their neighbors who attended the meeting. While nothing could be done to stop the historic flooding of Florence, Beverly said he hopes this project improves Conway’s future effects.

“I truly don’t believe we’re going to make a tougher impact than what is already there,” Beverly said. “I’m from Conway, I love Conway. I don’t want to put a worse effect on Conway.”

Traffic

Smith said that while flooding is a major concern, there is also the question of traffic impacts along Country Club Drive. Hyman said a traffic study will be required by staff before any building can be completed, which is required by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

“A third-party traffic study will be conducted and recommendations will be made. The report will be provided to SCDOT, Conway and Horry County,” Wall said. “And the development will reflect those requirements.”

A traffic study typically looks at how many trips are made on the road during a time period and how a new development would impact them. It will then make a recommendation on what improvements will be needed.

Water quality

Two residents spoke during public comment about the water quality of the Waccamaw River. This includes contamination from stormwater runoff including fecal matter, chemicals and trees getting into the water, especially at nearby Crabtree Swamp.

O’Leary, a Sherwood Community member, said she loves the recreational opportunities along the Waccamaw, including, fishing, swimming and enjoying the natural resources of the area.

“That canal is trying to keep up with Conway relative to urbanization,” O’Leary said. “This water body does not meet state water quality standards. This is where our children fish and boat.”

O’Leary was also worried about what urban runoff allows to get into the waterway.

During Hurricane Florence, due to the amount of trees, leaves and other objects washed into the river, dissolved oxygen levels dropped and a fish kill ensued. The public submitted questions during the workshop meeting and expressed concerns about the downed trees still in waterways.

Garrigan said it is going to be a nightmare to clean up downed trees in swamps. He said it would take people braving snakes and alligators to go out there, but he agreed it is a major problem.

Widening the floodplain in the area would help somewhat in keeping water clean, Garrigan said. Still, there is the problem of purchasing the land and taking the steps to slow flooding. The hope, he said, is that a new development will not make matters worse.

“If it is properly designed, it will not make things worse for Crabtree,” Garrigan said.

The project will have to meet South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control standards, and will need a permit in regard to the upkeep of water quality in Crabtree Swamp or downstream in the Waccamaw, Wall said.

What’s next

Monday’s vote was on whether the property would be annexed into Conway and what zoning code it would have. Conway staff will have a technical review of the development plans that will be presented.

In addition, the developer must get appropriate road and construction permits from the City of Conway, Horry County and South Carolina officials.

Before any home can be built, Conway staff from planning to public safety will inspect the plans to make sure the project is up to code and safety standards.

At the end of Conway’s meeting, Timbes and council member William Goldfinch expressed interest in fixing the zoning codes to allow for more provisions within the zoning ordinance.

Goldfinch said his constituents did not want “cookie-cutter” houses and he would like to see the “R” zoning code have more design standards.

As it stands, the definition under “R” zoning code is limited and just calls for low-density housing. Zoning code R-4, on the other hand, has more specific requirements for communities, including porches and landscaping.

“My goal is to have more design guidelines in place that will legislate the style of the home and the overall quality of the project,” Goldfinch said.

This story was originally published May 6, 2019 at 9:08 PM.