How a proposed new court could speed up Myrtle Beach legal proceedings
The formation of a new court in Myrtle Beach could provide a more efficient method of resolving problems within the city, officials say.
Myrtle Beach City Council on Thursday discussed implementing a Quality of Life Court, a legal system that would handle only nuisance and code violations throughout the city. Officials believe the proposed court would move cases through the legal system faster and achieve greater compliance than the current process that they consider lengthy.
“Isolating those into a separate, standalone court, we feel that they can get the attention that these cases deserve,” Deputy City Manager Fox Simons said during council’s workshop meeting.
With nuisance and code violations mixed in with the city’s municipal court proceedings, most cases can take up to six months to be resolved. The Quality of Life Court would be held twice a month, settling cases within three to four weeks.
If implemented, a property owner would receive a municipal summons from Myrtle Beach police and a code enforcement officer to appear in court. A first-time violator could instead receive a warning giving them 20 days to abate or take steps to abate the nuisance, but property owners who do nothing will go to court, Simons said.
Once in court, the judge has the discretion to wave any fines if the defendant is showing good faith progress. Those who continue to violate the code would receive a fine of up to $1,087 or 30 days in jail. The judge could also issue a court order allowing staff to abate the nuisance and lien the property.
Cases heard in Quality of Life Court would include nuisances affecting public health, public decency, peace and order, public welfare and safety, and public economy. Other cases include, abandoned vehicles, illegal dumping, noise complaints, unkempt property, signage, zoning violations and fire code violations.
Simons noted that nuisance violations negatively affect the community, especially when those violations go unresolved.
He said that violators often take advantage of the system, and gaining compliance has become a problem with absentee landlords. Fox added that abating a nuisance is important to the community, asserting the desire to reduce crime and spruce up neighborhoods and businesses to enhance the city’s appeal.
“As we grow as a community, this issue is going to continue to grow and become a problem,” Simons said. “We feel this is the best way to handle that.”
While Fox stressed the court isn’t meant to be a revenue generator for the city, City Manager John Pedersen said the court would have some unspecified budgeting impacts on the city. Changes to the City Code of Ordinances would also need to be revised.
Educational sessions would also be held to inform city staff and the public of the potential changes. But before anything can move forward, city leaders would need to establish the court through a resolution.
Mayor Brenda Bethune shared her enthusiasm for the proposed court, stating it would raise the bar within the community by holding property owners to a higher standard. She said it’s a quality-of-life issue.
“I really like this because, as a residential property owner and a commercial property owner, it baffles me how people don’t maintain their business or their properties because it affects crime, it affects public safety, it affects property values, not just their own but their neighbors,”Bethune said. “It affects our entire community.”
