Will beach parking meters threaten millions in federal funding?

Federal officials are reviewing Myrtle Beach’s new beach parking fees to determine whether they comply with a contract that provides the city millions of federal taxpayer dollars for beach renourishment projects.

The dispute arose Friday after Horry County Councilman Harold Worley provided a copy of the 1995 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contract to The Sun News, pointing out key language that possibly indicates the new parking fees run counter to the intent of the contract.

The contract says the city “shall provide and maintain necessary access roads, parking areas and other public use facilities open and available to all on equal terms.”

According to Worley, the city violated that agreement because access is no longer equally provided.

“It’s not equal because they’re charging Horry County residents to park and they’re not charging Myrtle Beach residents, and that’s wrong,” Worley said.

Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes disputes that assertion, and says there is no free parking at all in the city, except for handicapped persons and honored veterans.

Myrtle Beach drivers are paying for beach access parking through their vehicle taxes paid annually, Rhodes said.

“You cannot get a parking permit as a city resident unless you have paid property taxes on a vehicle and that allows you to have a parking pass,” Rhodes said.

“Mr.Worley is incorrect. The City of Myrtle Beach is in compliance with the 1995 document,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes said that parking passes are available to county residents for $100, but that access is limited to the Second Avenue North beach front parking lot and 16th Avenue North parking lot a block back from the ocean, and excludes the street-end beach access lots.

“Our residents pay for parking and if you live in Myrtle Beach and you pay property taxes but your car is not registered, you don’t get a parking pass,” Rhodes said.

The new parking fees went into effect July 5 restricting all parking along the Golden Mile to Myrtle Beach residents only, and access lots located at the end of numerous city streets now have parking meters. Parking there is free to city residents who’ve paid the car tax and display a special parking sticker, non-city residents pay $2 an hour or $10 a day.

“True they can charge, but they have to charge everybody,” Worley said.

Sean McBridge, spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers in Charleston, said Friday the agency is now examining Myrtle Beach’s new parking ordinance to determine if it’s in accordance with their agreement, and expects to have an answer next week.

Rhodes said he’s confident the city is in compliance, but if the Army Corps disagrees city officials will address their concerns.

“That’s what we have attorneys for, they can let us know if we are in any kind of violation, and if we are, we will address that issue,” Rhodes said.

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 6:49 PM with the headline "Will beach parking meters threaten millions in federal funding?."