Samples, Ott, Watson not the answer for Surfside Beach
As a resident of Surfside Beach, I believe it is my responsibility to share my concerns about the dishonesty, lack of integrity and “behind the scenes” manipulation that occurs with the current leadership within the Surfside Beach government, particularly as we approach a very important election on Tuesday.
So as I decide on who I want as my representatives of the town that I live in, I don’t trust Mayor Doug Samples, or Zoning Appeals Board members and council candidates Ron Ott and Holly Watson as my representatives. I don’t believe they have anyone’s other than their own interest at heart.
These are three people who have destroyed our hopes of building our dream home in Surfside Beach. At this point, gone are my hopes for this award-winning home my wife had dreams of that included hosting family gatherings.
Initial verification through the director of zoning and planning stated that Surfside Beach building setbacks mirrored both Horry and Georgetown county setbacks, which would have allowed us to construct the home. Then we were required to pursue a building variance, which was turned down by the director of zoning appeals, who was acting on behalf of a “higher authority,” as I was told by a current council member.
Directly after the hearing, a council member, along with the director of zoning and planning met with me and stated they would recommend to the Surfside Beach Planning and Zoning Commission to clarify the building setbacks so they would in fact mirror the building setbacks of both Horry and Georgetown counties.
Again, the same individuals that manipulated the variance hearing results influenced the decisions of the committee members to not clarify the building setbacks, resulting in blocking the latest trends in home design and stripping the positive impact this home would have had on existing homes in the area.
Tom Moore, Surfside Beach
This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 9:57 PM with the headline "Samples, Ott, Watson not the answer for Surfside Beach."