Attacking blight: Myrtle Beach, Horry County work to remove junked cars from public view

It’s an ongoing problem and unwelcome sight for Myrtle Beach officials — vehicles left to rot in front yards or parking lots, some draped over with tarps or eaten away by erosion.

Since 2020, more than 1,100 have been tagged by the city as derelict, setting the stage for their removal by force if owners don’t move them within seven days of being notified.

On Tuesday, 23 more cars, trucks and vans were added to the list.

“You’ll find a list of vehicles tagged as abandoned or derelict on nearly every City Council agenda,” city spokesman Mark Kruea said. “Vehicles tagged are inoperable, unlicensed and/or uninsured on private property.”

Last year, 62 of the 569 vehicles marked as derelict were towed away; Kruea said most people take care of the problem themselves.

“Usually by the time these get to City Council, most of the vehicles have been moved, junked, licensed, etc., and the problem is abated,” he said. “Which is the goal in the first place.”

But owners who ignore the city’s warning could be stuck with a hefty bill to get their property back — or even lose it altogether.

Once a vehicle is declared derelict by the City Council and then towed, owners must pay all towing and storage fees to recover it. If they’re not claimed within 30 days of being tagged, tow companies can sell the vehicles and hold onto any profits.

Residents can submit complaints about vehicles to the city’s construction services department.

Horry County is confronting the problem as well.

Officials there have begun working on an ordinance that would make leaving a vehicle on someone else’s private property more expensive.

Currently, the state, county and municipalities set flat rates that tow companies are allowed to charge vehicle owners if they tow one off of private property. That prevents price gouging, Horry County Police Captain Justin Wyatt said.

If, for example, a car is left in a hotel or restaurant parking lot over night, the business owner can call the police. Authorities can’t remove vehicles from private property unless they were involved in a crime, Wyatt said, so the police call a towing company on its rotation to pick up the vehicle.

The business owner isn’t charged, but the towing company is allowed to charge the vehicle owner the flat fee.

About 55 tow companies operate in Horry County, Wyatt said, and around 20 of them at a given time are on the county’s rotation.

Recently, though, tow companies in Horry County have contacted officials and asked for the county to increase its flat fee. The county is complying, and is in the process of drafting an ordinance to address that, Wyatt said.

Here’s what it will cost you

Myrtle Beach, Conway and Horry County all allow tow companies to charge vehicle owners $160. North Myrtle Beach allows tow companies to charge $200. South Carolina, the state highway patrol and Surfside Beach all allow tow companies to charge $240.

The tow companies requested Horry County match the state’s $240 fee. County officials are discussing tying the county’s fee to the states, so that it would increase or decrease automatically when the state makes changes.

Wyatt said complying with the tow companies’ ask ultimately benefits residents.

“What the tow companies are asking for is an increase of what they can charge,” he said. “It keeps the consumer and the citizen safe from price gouging.”

Wyatt and other county officials noted the fee increase is important for the tow companies as the price of gas and other driving-related costs increase.

County Council member Danny Hardee at a meeting Tuesday signaled his support for the increase.

“I can understand the city (charging less) since they have a smaller area to cover, but the county?” He said. “I mean, the size of this county.”

The change would not apply to vehicle owners who call tow companies on their own. If your car breaks down on the highway and you need a tow, Wyatt said, “they can charge whatever he and I agree on.”

In the event that a driver needs to leave their vehicle on private property — if they broke down on a parking lot, for example — Wyatt said the driver should contact the property owner and ask them not to have the vehicle towed.

“We ask that people take responsibility for themselves,” he said.

Editor’s note: This story was updated with information for residents to submit complaints about vehicles.

This story was originally published March 10, 2022 at 12:00 AM.