What MarshWalk’s future looks like could be decided in 2024. Here’s the plan
For Georgetown County, MarshWalk, Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet residents, the less crowded spaces make the area more appealing for some compared to Myrtle Beach to the north.
The quiet, scenic area contrasts with the rest of the Grand Strand, and Georgetown County’s new future land use proposal tries to address residents’ desires to keep the area free of overdevelopment.
The Georgetown County Planning Commission meets May 16, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. EST at Howard Auditorium, 1610 Hawkins St. The agenda includes reviewing Georgetown County’s updated land use element draft, which details potential areas for future development.
The most suitable land for further development is along the Waccamaw Neck, which includes Pawleys Island, Murrells Inlet, and MarshWalk. The land use element updates followed controversy among Georgetown County residents. The initial draft allowed for denser development near MarshWalk than current zoning designates.
Georgetown County Director of Planning and Code Enforcement Holly Richardson said the updated land use draft reduced potential development potential.
Richardson said the potential dwelling units per acre of proposed development areas were reduced in the second draft, recommended ways to restrict multi-family development density, and maintained the county’s 35-foot height limit to prevent the proliferation of high rises.
Richardson added that the new plan also reduces potential dense development near the MarshWalk and the Waccamaw Neck.
In the initial draft, the MarshWalk received the ‘Village Center’ land type area, allowing 6-10 dwelling units per acre. In addition to adding language to protect the MarshWalk from overdevelopment, the updated future land use proposal changed the area to a ‘Commercial Corridor,’ which allows a maximum of six dwelling units per acre, Richardson said.
Indeed, Richardson added that Village Center-type areas also reduced the number of dwelling units per acre from 6-10 to 4-8. She added that the updated version of the future land use plan also reduced the number of areas designated for higher-density development.
The updated future land use plan included a ‘Community Mixed Use’ area type for 8-12 dwelling units per acre. In the initial future land use proposal, the Waccamaw Neck had four areas assigned for Community Mixed Use; however, Richardson said the updated version only has three.
Residents have also voiced concerns about golf courses being closed and re-developed, with some speculating on social media about what courses might get shut down.
Richardson said the planning commission hadn’t received any plans for golf course re-development, and she added the new future land use draft added language protecting links in Georgetown County.
Specifically, Richardson said the new draft states that low-density construction may only replace golf courses. While the planning commission needs to recommend the proposal to the Georgetown County Council, Richardson said things could move quickly without interruptions or delays.
The future land use draft would require three readings by the Georgetown County Council and a public hearing before final approval. Richardson added that the draft could be presented to the council as early as its May 28, 2024, meeting.
Richardson concluded that the future land use draft could be passed by July 2024 at the earliest, barring delays or other pauses.
