Why have trees been cleared near the Surf Club in North Myrtle Beach? Here’s what we know
Myrtle Beach has seen tremendous growth in recent years, but some Grand Strand residents have expressed frustration with the continuing development of the area.
Meanwhile, others are concerned more building projects could be in the works next to one of the landmark golf courses in North Myrtle Beach.
The Surf Club is the Myrtle Beach area’s third-oldest golf course, but recently, trees were cut down on a plot of land beside Hillside Drive North between 16th Avenue North and 18th Avenue North.
Given the concern about new development within the Grand Strand, here’s what we know.
Who owns the land, and what will they do with it?
The land is in front of the club’s entrance and is about 5.1 acres big. A nine-minute walk from Cherry Grove Beach, the area is prime real estate in the Tilghman section of North Myrtle Beach. The plot has a market value of $2.34 million, according to Horry County’s land records website.
Several entities with the Tilghman name previously owned the land before being granted to a Maryland family limited partnership called MWT/FJT Family LTD Partnership May 30, 2003, who still own the property.
The Maryland resident agent for the partnership is Charles Capute Esq., an estate and trust attorney in Maryland, as some of the Tilghman family emanates from the state.
Capute did not return a request for comment.
While it’s unknown precisely why the trees were cut down, “There is nothing currently planned for the lot”, Assistant to the City Manager Ryan Fabbri wrote in an email.
The plot has been put up for sale, and “developers are trying to figure out their engineering costs,” Fabbri added.
The area’s zoning is R-1, North Myrtle Beach’s lowest-density residential zoning, according to Fabbri.
Lots that fall under R-1 zoning include single-family homes, golf courses, recreation and community centers, as well as places of worship.
The land next to the Surf Club is not eligible for bigger projects such as multi-family units, duplexes, patio homes or townhouse developments. Fabbri said that the North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission would have to approve a rezoning.
He added that rezoning the property was unlikely due to its location, but it would have to be subdivided if someone wanted to develop the land.
The number of building permits granted in North Myrtle Beach went up in 2023
Regardless of what happens to the land next to the Surf Club, North Myrtle Beach did have a lot of building occur in 2023. During the North Myrtle Beach 2022-23 fiscal year —which began July 1, 2022, and ended June 30, 2023— the city issued almost 4,913 building permits.
An 11 percent increase from the previous year, the building valuation for the projects was estimated to be more than $364 million, a 27 percent increase from the 2021-22 fiscal year.
The trend was observed countywide, too. Horry County issued more than 17,000 building permits in the 2022-23 fiscal year, a 2 percent increase from 2021-22, according to a report by the county.
The construction value of the projects green-lit by Horry County was estimated at $1.63 billion for the 2022-23 fiscal year, a 10 percent increase from 2021-22.
Horry County’s fiscal year is the same as North Myrtle Beach’s.
