City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey baby. Hey.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

Wow. Wow. Heat. Heat. Hey,

dance. Heat. Heat.

Good morning. Welcome to our April 28th city council workshop and meeting. It's 9:00 in a few seconds and we start this with a public hearing on the proposed golf cart and moped rental conveyance franchise. Jennifer, do you have anything to read for the public hearing? I do not.

I can. We have a public hearing. There's one ordinance on the agenda for today regarding moped and franch uh moped and golf cart franchise. It's ordinance 26-33 granting a franchise agreement for operation of rental businesses or conveyances regulated by chapter 12 article 5 of the code of ordinances city of Myrtle Beach. Rafi Mishulme DBA USA Coastal Wear LLC at 1301 South Kings Highway um for a period of one year. The agreement includes 20 golf cart decals. And this is here because the former franchise holder is selling the franchise to a new owner. And per the franchise agreement, if a business possessing a rental conveyance franchise is sold, the franchise and plates may be transferred to the successor entity, provided that successor entity satisfies the application requirements, provides evidence of the sale requested by the city manager or designate, and receives an affirmative vote of city council following a public hearing. Under the previous owner, that company was approved for a franchise agreement covering 20 golf cart rentals in 2026. The new owner is requesting the same 20 golf cart rentals. So there is no change in the number of vehicles covered under the franchise and we have a public hearing now at 9:00. Are there any comments from the public? We'll open the public hearing.

This doesn't increase what we already have. It does not. It's a transfer from one owner to another owner with the number of decals, 20 golf cart decals remaining the same from new to old or old to new. Correct. Hearing no comments from the public. We will close the public hearing. Thank you. This is the workshop portion. We have a couple of discussions, actually three discussions here this morning. First, an update on the J1 students. Kathy Winfrey, I believe, is in the house today. So, let's She's not. She emailed us this morning that she's ill. Request to uh come back the next meeting.

All right. Then we won't hear from Kathy Winfrey and the J1 students this morning. Up next is Alfreda Funny, who's here. She suggested that we consider a youth council, which has been discussed in the past. Alfredo, would you like to come forward and talk about that with us? Make a a recommendation or two, give us your thoughts, and then we'll add in. Pull your microphone down, please. Thank you. Um, good morning, mayor and city council. I want to make one correction. My name is Alfreda Funny Johnson. I just recently got married. Congrats. Congratulations.

Um, I'm here to present a simple idea um that is low cost and has a long-term impact for the city of Myrtle Beach by creating a Myrtle Beach Youth City Council. Um, the city is doing an awesome job already in our parks and recreation department by engaging our youth through sports and recreation. Um, but what I wanted to share is that I see a small gap um with engaging our youngest residents when it comes to civic engagement and getting them involved with topics that pertain to them. Currently, our city has a lot of boards and commission that support efforts in the city. Um, there's also a program like my beach 101 that does an amazing job with engaging our residents and learning about how the city operates. Then I see that it would be an awesome idea to present that same um program to our youth and allow them the opportunity to interact in city topics and provide a different perspective on issues that concern our residents in our city overall. A youth city council um would be a small group of students um in high school about 7 to 10 students. One would serve as the mayor and the others will serve as council members. They will meet once a month with a staff liaison. Um I suggest it falling under the community engagement vertical. um Mayor uh Kua could meet with them once a month or not once a month but occasionally um just to pop in and the structure would mirror the council including a youth mayor um and students will be taking leadership roles and they will focus on one big idea for that entire year. I was able to speak with Mayor Barbara Bland in Conway, city of Conway, and she shared that the program has been very

successful um with the residents and with the community in Conway. Um they meet at Conway High School um with a staff liaison present as well. And right now, they're currently been advocating for more public art. Um and they're working on a mural currently. Um but the overall feedback from the city is that it's been a very great way for a pipeline for the students to engage in civic leadership. Um it has also sparked interest in them serving um their city in the future um serving in leadership roles and some of them actually express um uh the desire to run for their own city council in the future. The benefits again to the city is that it provides insights and perspective from a group that is often underrepresented in decision-making. It builds that pipeline for future leaders, future voters, f future city staff, and even council members. My suggestion is um to start a pilot this summer to see what works, what does not work. um to also engage students into learning about the city over the summer and then in the fall um allow them to start a two-year term and to start getting involved with the city. Um I really appreciate the opportunity to get on the agenda this morning to share this idea with you all and I hope that um you approve it and we can get started.

Thank you. Thank you Alfreda. Stick around.

Okay. Um, when you suggested this via email, either I skipped over the word city in council or I misapprehended that. That's a slightly different idea than what I had in mind based on your original communication. Not saying that I know where to go with this, honestly. I I think that's a good idea, too. I was thinking a youth council though um more to provide feedback just as you described it, representation and a pipeline to the youth in the community so that we all of us the city as a whole had a better um interaction with the young people in our community and could u hear from them make improvements based on their thoughts and suggestions. I don't know that I had consciously realized that you were talking about creating a a youth city council. Not out of the question by any means, but would open that up to council's discussion whether that y'all got a a feeling one way or the other on this. I love the idea. Conway has a youth city council.

Yes, they do. They have eight to 10 students that serve. Okay. So, who exactly picks the applicants once they put their applications in? So, it's um you create an application and it's open. Um it can be hybrid, so staff at the high school can make recommendations for students to apply and that will fall under the community engagement department with the city so they can review those applications and then select students they think will fit and be a great Gotcha.

What uh funding will be required if any? It's really no funding required. It's really just a a way for them to It's like a commission or a board. Um it's just for marketing reasons. It's called a city council. Um but there's no funding. It funding will really already be tied into the budget through those departments. It would just be a recommendation. So they would require just meeting space. Time and snacks. Time and snacks. Yeah.

We have both. I always thought it was a great idea um to to or somehow to get our youth kind of involved in how our city works and everything. I think Beach 101 is phenomenal teaching our residents how our city actually works and and a lot of people don't realize um and I always thought why don't we do a youth program. So I'm so glad that you've come forth with this. I didn't realize Conway even had anything like that. So, so thank you. And Mount Pleasant has one as well. Really? Okay, great.

Fred, also I'd like to say um I know through my years of going to the NLC um they've have a youth program and it's sort of similar like this. I remember years ago we had talked one time about maybe venturing this way, but we never did. Um so it I think it's a great idea. It's it's not only a way to I think it's a way to get the young folks feedback on different programs and stuff that the city is talking about doing or thinking about doing or maybe some things that we hadn't even thought about, you know. Um, and that's where I was going with more of a youth council than a youth city council,

right? But I'm open to either, I think. Go ahead. Go ahead, Daddy. No, go ahead, please. So, I love this idea and um I would think as far as timing, having just seen the principal at Myrtle Beach High School and we were talking about some things that probably the summer is a good time to talk to her to kind of see how this could this collaboration could could work. I think she is anxious to do some things with the city as well. um as our superintendent that just came is also um looking for ways for students to be more involved.

So I would say, you know, maybe the timeline looks a little bit different because of wrapping up the school year, but maybe entering into the fall would be good time to um get applicants, that type of thing, and gives time for the summer for um there to be an evaluation of staff. um to see what staff could be assigned to to work with this. But I think it's a great idea and I think meeting at the high school would be a great idea as well. Um just because it's convenient. We don't want to have to transportation often is a hindrance for students to not participate in things. So we don't want to create more of a hindrance for different students not to be able to participate. Um, so I'm very supportive. Great idea.

Thank you, Freda. I would hope too that um if this venture may uh uh bring forth imbriionic lawmakers that there's some emphasis placed on academics with regard to federal, state, and local federalism, the separation of powers where some basic principles are put forth you can do in an hour lecture. Um so they are involved with the mechanics of government not just a beautiful idea but how do you implement that

and with whom you have to cooperate so that could be a component I think that would be a big plus and they may get this in the eighth and 11th grade now but I I don't know I can't remember some form of civics physics civics I'm trying to say easy for me to say just a question as we have to the um residents of the city of Myrtle Beach. Well, the young folks that will be uh should be looking at for this committee, so to speak, or council, student council, youth council, would they also have to be residents of the city of Myrtle Beach?

Right now, I think it would be best to just focus on um students in the city um that attend Myrtle Beach High School. Um, however, there are programs that allow countywide um, students to participate, but as um, Miss Connor's mentioned, the barrier to participate if we have students that are far out. Um, I'm afraid it could hinder their attendance in participating, but I'm open I'm open for it to be introduced to anyone. And I'm just thinking about the success rate of who will be able to attend if we are to meet at the high school. I do know Conway they meet at their high school. So, but I'm open to feedback. you know, um, Councilwoman Hatley mentioned, uh, about our beach 101 program, and it seems to me, council, that, you know, maybe part of this might be, I don't know how we organize it, but to have kind of a mini 101 once these students are chosen and they have their council, uh, I think it would be a good idea for them to see, uh, how the individual parts of the city actually operate, why they operate. uh and what their overall responsibilities are because if you're if you're going to have a city council, us or a youth council, you you need to have a basic concept of how all this works. Uh so I would like you to think that we would roll that somehow.

I I'll just go back to my question, regional asset. I I think if it's going to be for the city of Myrtle Beach student council, student committee that it should be residents of the city of Myrtle Beach. Absolutely.

And and I'm going to drag it back to my con my original thought process of a a council and advisory body that would um bring forth issues that affect the youth. Bring forth suggestions for improving the experience of our youth. Something that had a variety of ages and interests. Not grooming future politicians at the end of the day, but an interactive way to engage the youth and get feedback and shape our programs and responses based on that sort of input. Something Yeah,

something less formal than a city council, but I'm happy to go whichever direction we all want to go. We can name it anything. I think the just the base of it is just to getting our youth involved in what's happening in their city. So, it's a good idea. It's a great idea. Whatever we call it, whatever you call it. Um, what next steps?

So, the next steps would be for um maybe our city manager to assign it to a specific department and see who would be the staff liaison. And then, you know, I'll have the opportunity just to design it and then speak with principal Alman at the Myrtle Beach High School on timelines and then work on the application process and then work with the public information department and maybe the high school to get it out so people can start applying. Um, so that was our next steps. And I realize that most if not all of the students involved are likely coming from the high school given the age range, but I would also suggest that we make sure that there's a representative from the Boys and Girls Club that maybe there's a representative from ground zero. Um I don't know whether SA Haven would fit into that picture or not, but that we um again seek a variety of interests and some ages to make sure that we've covered the bases in the community.

All right. Thank you. Um, one more question. Okay. This would be a public body. Yes, Mr. City attorney asking me. I don't think so. We'll think about that. Have to study that. We'll think about that. As Freda said, we need to put some meat around the outline of this initiative and that will probably be one of the things that will be vetted out. Okay. And I can send you um from the National uh Civic League. they already have a document showing you how to start it and how the city um votes on it or I can email that over to you today. So, if you want to review that. Okay.

And are y'all thinking student city council or student advisory body? I'll go whichever direction you'all want to go in. I think it just kind of see what what they come up with. And I mean, I don't know if we decide on that today or not. No. Okay. I'm I'm probably good with it either way, but good idea. Thank you. Thank you. Good to see you. All right. See y'all. Congratulations again. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. And do you Sorry, I don't want going to put you on the spot. Would you care to tell us what your new spouse does? Um, he's the school resource officer at the Myrtle Beach Middle School. Awesome.

Thank you. Thank you. We've got Luke Sharp here in the audience today to talk a little bit about um Beachcoin wheelchairs, the adaptive surf project, and summer is upon us, although the the weather does not seem to have cooperated with that. But it's late April and it's sweater weather still. So, hey, how are you?

Good. Good. Uh before I get started, I want to I want to say to all of you um that I'm I'm I hope you know that uh I'm grateful for your public service to the to the as a to the city of uh Myrtle Beach. And I think that sometimes as as a city manager and mayor and and council members and and um all your positions, you you probably don't get you get a lot of criticism more than uh accolades. So, I want to give you that accolade today. And also, I want to kind of start off on a positive note because I I'm come I want to be transparent. I'm I'm here today. I have an agenda. I I want the city of of Myrtle Beach to start providing free beach wheelchairs to the people uh that uh are visiting and and live here. Um my name is Luke Sharp and I am the uh director of Adaptive Surf Project. Um we take individuals that happen to have disabilities surfing. We also do cycling and and take trips and other things like that. What we discovered early on when we started this organization I think 13 years ago is that it was very difficult for people that have mobility issues to get on the beach and and one of the barriers was uh you know the soft sand in a wheelchair for example or if you have a walker and beach wheelchairs are very vital u because of their big fat you know tires and stuff that to get people on the beach people that uh and 5% of individuals and according to some surveys have mobility issues. 5%. I that's that's a lot of tourists, right? A lot of tourism money that you're losing by not providing accessibility to the beaches. Um before I I I get going, I want to tell you a little bit about what we've been doing uh for accessibility. Um, we've been meeting with city managers and and mayors and council from uh Cherry Grove all the way down to Paulie's Island. And we've had uh a lot of success um with increasing accessibility u uh because with what we do, we take

people on these on these events. Sometimes we'll have 75 individuals show up that we take surfing and a lot of them use wheelchairs. And I get to see we get to, you know, our volunteers get to see what it's like to get on the beach and what what's what's needed, you know, and uh and and we listen to the the people that we we try to help, right? And so an example is Ory County provides beach wheelchairs for free for anybody that wants one on county land. Um North Beach, I talked to Jim Granger from North Beach. They provided 800 beach wheelchairs last summer uh to the people that were visiting and um the citizens who needed them. The little town was that was that 800

800 800. Yeah. But 800 individual 800 they delivered 800 beach wheelchairs. So they probably have 20. I don't know 40. I don't know how many they have but no they don't they don't own 800 beach wheelchairs. When you said 800 I thought where are they storing those things? Yeah. I get it now. Thank you.

No problem. But anyway, uh the little town of of of um Atlantic, Atlantic Beach, they have two beach wheelchairs they provide for free for people that visit there. Uh Surfside Beach, free beach wheelchairs. Uh Pauly's Island has free beach wheelchairs. The only place along the Grand Strand that does not offer free beach wheelchairs to its citizens is Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach is a main place, you know, and um I we just in 2020 when you when Myrtle Beach stopped delivering beach wheelchairs um is is that's the last time sort of ended during COVID and it never came back. And I I want to I don't want you to think I'm criticizing this city because I know that it's very very difficult to provide beach wheelchairs. It it t it's a lot of work. But any city services is a lot of work. And we do these works because it's valuable and meaningful. The individuals that have mobility issues were very very hurt when they heard that Myrtle Beach wouldn't provide free beach wheelchairs and and they came to us as our organization because they're our friends or our brothers and our sisters and we wanted to help. So we started years ago meeting, you know, meeting with the city and, you know, and all that kind of stuff. And we we the idea was like to provide beach wheelchairs. But during this time, the last few years, my organization, 100% volunteers, we don't have a $300 million budget. We have we just have a bunch of volunteers. No one's paid. We have provided beach wheelchairs for the city of Myrtle Beach. My buddy Van back there sitting right there in his truck. I don't know how many hundreds of beach wheelchairs he delivered last summer to people. There was like a family from Ohio that brought their uncle down who just wanted to see the beach one time before he died. And you know, Van shows up in a beach wheelchair and helps them get on the beach. It was it's

meaningful. It was rewarding. Now, we had I would I I spoke at churches and I would I would try to guilt them. I would read scripture how Jesus told to help the the lame and stuff and you know and and I had some success but not great success. Even the people in the churches are saying this is a lot of work, you know, uh because you you're you deliver the beach wheelchair and we put little trackers on them and and getting them back. You know, it's it I'm what I'm saying is it's not easy, okay? It it it it provides work, but we did it with just volunteers, just dudes and and trucks and and a a surf shop that had beach wheelchairs that they were delivering for free. Um a church was delivering for free. But my point is is that I've worn volunteers out delivering beach wheelchairs. Okay. Um, a few years ago, we we worked really hard. I worked really hard with the city manager, Mr. Fox and the attorneys and and and our attorney and we we came up with a plan that was kind of just a little band-aid on the situation just to kind of get your foot in the door with beach wheelchairs where you would build a um a structure. We put beach wheelchairs in it and it would be like a a QR code. Um, what we agreed to reluctantly was that this that we were supposed to be responsible for the beach wheelchairs and and and put them in the in in these these boxes. And uh I couldn't get insurance to cover the beach wheelchairs. And finally after like a year we got or two years we got insurance. We paid out all this extra money to get insurance. But you know when we met with the city attorneys and so forth that the insurance we got wasn't enough to cover the beach wheelchairs. My question to you is why couldn't I just give you the beach wheelchairs and and you own them, you know, and the So again, I don't want you to think I'm criticizing the city. I know it's a lot of work. I know you you're short on cops and you had your and you had police used to have police deliver to be chairs, but I'm telling you it's important and it's very hurtful to people that you're not doing this.

Let me explain what some of the other cities are doing. North Myrtle Beach and 46th Avenue South. We convinced them and in very easily convinced them to create a uh one beach access that was radically inclusive. What they did is they put eight handicap parking spots with spaces for vans to unload wheelchairs. They put they built a a a shelter where they have five beach wheelchairs permanently stationed there plus one water beach wheelchair and a walker with the the fat tires on it. And that's not they want to go more with that. What they said is is North Myrtle Beach is open for business. You just because you have a disability doesn't mean you can't go on our beaches. Now I know that you all have built ADA ramps. Okay, that gets you to the sand, but that's it. Zero matting. Zero beach matting that and we we will give you the beach matting if you want to put in beach matting. We will give you the beach wheelchairs. I will get donations and they can be yours and you will own them and you can provide them to your citizens. I'm I'm really sorry to say this and it sounds terrible and everything, but I know it's a lot of work. I know that not everyone that you're going to give a beach wheelchair will be super appreciative. Some will, some won't. I know some people will maybe break it or lose it or whatever, but it is shameful. It is shameful that the city of Myrtle Beach does not provide beach wheelchairs for their citizens. And we got to change that, you know, and I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound so forceful, but I've really tried to help. I've really tried to help. Our organization has tried to help. And I've worn these people out. I've literally had people say, "I can't do this anymore. It's too much work." You know, and these are just citizens. These are just people and trucks and and just and so forth. Some, like I said, sometimes I have trouble getting churches to do it. But let's let's change this. Can we just turn this

around? Can you guys be willing to just provide free beach wheelchairs to the citizens and we'll get you started? We will donate some beach wheelchairs. I have them. I believe me, I would love to get out of this business. Luke, thank you for being here today. And that was the purpose was to start the conversation, figure out how we can do it. I know that, you know, precoid we used the service officers in the police department. Prior to that, a long time ago, we would have used police officers and to help deliver the beachgoing wheelchairs. We had a supply, but we were never very good about replenishing our supply as they do wear out over time.

So, we we would start out with 12 or 15 and then get down to two or three and we we just simply wouldn't think to replenish that supply. They're about $1,500 each and they're about $1,500 each and and the community supports this enough that they have donated money to us to buy beach wheelchairs. We have grants and stuff. The matting is about 40 foot of matting is about $4,000 and we'll give it to you.

COVID hit and due to distance and separation requirements, we did stop providing it temporarily. That became a permanent stop and as you point out, everybody else in the Grand Strand does it. you're in the position of suggesting people who contact you about beachgoing wheelchairs to say, you know, stay in Surfside Beach or stay in North Myrtle Beach because you have access to chairs there. You don't have access in Myrtle Beach. So, I'd love to be able to find a way and that's the purpose of our conversation today. Let's figure out how to do that. There are $1,500 a piece. Jimmy Gray from the chamber was here. Robert's here from the chamber. Um, if each hotel each major hotel bought two a piece for a total of $3,000, that would put two at each of the major hotels, which would help certainly along

that would help a lot. We deliver a lot to hotels and and a lot of times I'll go to the hotel and be like, can I speak to the manager, you know, and then you want one of these, you know, so I hadn't thought about the radically inclusive space that you talked about in North Myrtle Beach. I don't know whether we've got a place that'll do that, a place that will accommodate that. Surfside Beach saw it on the news and they and they called us to have a meeting and they're going to do the same thing at 13th Avenue South. So, all around Myrtle Beach, people are are welcoming people that happen to have mobility issues and disabilities, you know. Well, I think we do generally speaking, too, but we're we're falling short in this one here.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I want to challenge you. I want to say like I I don't I I I respectfully disagree that I mean building some ADA ramps is great, but having zero matting and zero beach wheelchairs is not saying that you're welcome at our beach. And I and I and again I I I applaud you for community service and and what you're doing. But I I I want you to to open your eyes to that that there's a a huge number of people that feel super disrespected uh by not doing this. And again, I know it's difficult. You know, I've sat there in meetings and I know I know I know how hard it was for and I'm not for to do this and but I think it's worth it. I think the work is worth it that you provide city services already that take a lot more work than a beach wheelchair.

Agreed. I' I've suggested for a number of years that we should have a couple of wheelchairs, not beachgoing wheelchairs, but regular wheelchairs on the boardwalk for patrons who who visit the boardwalk without a wheelchair. Council, you have any thoughts on this? You have a direction you want to go? I would like council. I'd like to just make a suggestion. You know, I've been hearing about this for a while.

Yeah. Um, I would suggest why don't we just start from the premise of yes, we're going to do it and then work back into how we need to do it uh with staff involved with our chamber people involved uh to see how we can get this done reasonably. uh and it may be something uh starting out very small that we can grow from because I I take you at your word. It's a lot of work and I think there'll be a learning curve for us. But I would really like to start from the premise of yes, we're going to do it and then work in work backwards into it

and and I would agree with that. How many beachgoing wheelchairs do you have at your disposal in the city right now? Oh, do we have we I think we probably have maybe 10 or something. I don't know. I I could check a van. Van, how many beach wheelchairs do you have? We have around 10. And we in that in that and those 10 wheelchairs we we only pretty much delivered to Myrtle Beach. Okay,

that was, you know, and we have we have spread out like we we had a church had one, a s, you know, cers shop had I think five that they were delivering and uh and we have some like in storage and I have one at my couple at my house, you know, that kind of thing. So, like if you like you were saying, if you you know, if North Beach had delivered 800 beach wheelchairs, they probably had 10 or 15. And we we've just been handed out the agreement that y'all got with the city. Um and and you're a volunteer organization. I understand that this is hard to do at the end of the

We were we were unable to and and again, I uh you know, I I was in over my head. We we agreed to the agreement and then we just could not get the insurance to do it. Um, and and there's a a thing in there that says you have 30 days to to w to to withdraw off from the agreement, whatever. We just haven't been able to get the the insurance once we got the insurance and pay the extra. The insurance wasn't enough to do what the city. Is that correct, sir? I just got a question. Yeah. You say you can't get insurance, but you're putting disabled people. No, we have insurance. We have insurance. Put them on bicycles. That's I don't understand how that's not

Okay. Let me be clear about that. We have insurance. We have insurance for beach wheelchairs. We have insurance to deliver beach wheelchairs. But when we to to have a beach wheelchair in those containers was a different kind of insurance. We got that kind of insurance and when we when we when we when I sent it to to to Brooke and everything and attorneys looked over it, we got an email back saying that that insurance wasn't good enough for what we're doing with the boxes. Um that's that's that's what happened with the insurance. Now we have a lot of insurance. Believe me, we spend crap ton of money on insurance. We'll have another conversation along those lines. But, you know, with this agreement was for, I think, five locations. We have a storage unit at Second Avenue Pier. We've this has been in place since 2023,

right? The city has been very accommodating to try to make this work. So, to get to a position, yes, we've we've we've been talking about this for years. How many boxes do we have? We have one box. We have one box now, but we're willing to go to five. And that there would be a wheelchair in each box. So that's potentially five wheelchairs.

The the point I'm making though is that is that is a good start, but it's not going to solve our problem. I mean, we we had we delivered so many last year and and into hotels and everything like that. Um that it would be a nice thing to have a box with wheelchairs where people can do a QR code and get it. The county delivers beach wheelchairs. I think they put like a lock and they say go pick it up, whatever. But I just I think the city of Myrtle Beach should be doing what North Myrtle Beach and Surfside and everyone else does and just have employees that deliver a beach wheelchair like you call they call I don't think they have to leave the credit

and that's the way we use to do it. That certainly is the way we used to do it. I I would I understand that having the staff to do that is is a challenge at this point. Um I'd be curious and maybe we can find out how they're doing it in North Myrtle Beach and Surfside. I I I want to say I really appreciate all the time that that the city manager Fox spent with us and all the work the attorneys did and things like that trying to get this box thing going. Um, but like I said, we the last the very last thing once we finally found an insurance company that said that covered our delivering our beach wheelchairs and things and we we showed it to the like the city attorneys and stuff, they said that insurance isn't enough for these boxes and it just made me realize that our organizations is in over our head with this like this isn't um that

problem I have with the agreement is that we were responsible for the beach wheelchairs and we were responsible for managing the beach wheelchairs. So, it it actually puts us in the same position we are now, handling beach wheelchairs for the city of of Myrtle Beach. Now, I know I think those boxes are like $8,000 to build or something like that. And you've already invested 8,000 in a box. Why don't I just in one box? Yeah. Why don't I just give you a beach wheelchair, put it in the box, and you guys own that beach wheelchair and that way I won't have to worry about my insurance. You're I You got a $300 million budget. I know you use a lot of things. We don't have that. Okay. But we do get support. It sounds like there are things that we haven't contemplated in terms of how to deliver beachgoing wheelchairs at the end of the day.

I'm here I am I we're here to help. Like we're not I'm not coming here saying do this, do this, do that. Yeah, I mean I am, but I'm also saying here's a beach wheelchair. I You're right. I kind of get the idea that you are, but I I am trying to convince you. Let me say this. I'm here to try to convince you to do something. I'm also here saying our organization will give you beach wheelchairs. We'll give you Madden. Well, let me just say this. We've heard you loud and clear. Yes, sir. Sorry. I I think there's a kind of an idea here that we maybe want to do this. Okay. Good. We got it. Thank you. Thank you for your time. I

So So we'll do a little research. We'll find out how the other communities are doing it. I mean, Myrtle Beach is 10 miles long, so one location may not do it. Um, we'll talk to the Chamber of Commerce. It it had just occurred to me if each hotel had a couple of beachgoing wheelchairs at a cost of $3,000 that would go a long way towards um making that happen. I don't know. Thanks for your time. And I'm sorry if I uh was a little bit mean. Or or if you could appreciate your passion. How how many here's a question for you before you leave? Sure. How many how many beachgoing wheelchairs can you provide? 10. I'll go to the board and ask him, but we could probably we we could Van, what do you think? Probably 10. 10. We'll give you all of our beach wheelchairs. Look, we'd love to get out of this business. 10 10 to start with.

Starting 10. Okay, we can give you all 10, I think. So, yeah. Okay. Okay. I mean, the thing is like the logistics is something the logistics is something you guys do better figuring out than us, too. We give you the beach wheelchairs, y'all deliver them, whatever. We're just here to help. That's all. All right. Super. Thank you, Luke. Good to see you. Thank you.

Th those are the two items that are on the the workshop agenda for this morning. Council, are there any workshop items you want to talk about? Anything coming up at the stage? We got about 20 minutes hearing none. We'll take a 20-minut break until 10:00 then. Thank you.

Wow. Wow.

Good morning. Thank you for being here today. It's Tuesday, April 28th. This is the Middle Beach City Council workshop. Let's begin by calling things to order. If you'll please rise for the invocation delivered by Councilman Councilwoman Hatley and our pledge of allegiance.

If you wish, you may join city council in standing for a moment of solemn invocation. Almighty God, creator and sustainer of all that is or will ever be, accept our profound gratitude for this day and all of its blessings of life and freedom. We remember those who make our freedom possible and recognize it because of their sacrifice that our community can practice our shared and enduring values of varied expressions of faith, civic duty, and respect for all. We gather today to render our public service in a proper manner and perform our civic duties in good order. Therefore, we solemnly invoke divine wisdom and guidance in this day's meeting. Amen. Amen.

Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Council, do we have a motion to approve the agenda as presented? So move. Second. First and second. Any discussion from council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor, please say I. I have. I. Approval of the minutes from our April 14th city council meeting and workshop.

So move. Second. First and second council. Any discussion? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Thank you. Public requests, presentations, awards, and memorials. We have several proclamations today. Ask Meredith Daenery to come forward and get us started with the week of May 4th through 10th as Grand Strand Golf Week. didn't invite anybody. I thought y'all were

We all celebrate golf. So, this is for everybody.

There we go. And for you, Miss Connor. All right. Grand Shrin Golf Week, May 4th through 10th, 2026. Whereas the city of Myrtle Beach, known as the golf capital of the world, welcomes the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, PGA Golf Tournament to the Dunes Golf and Beach Club for its third year. And whereas the One Flight Myrtle Beach Classic is a PGA Tour FedEx Cup event title sponsored by Visit Myrtle Beach and One Flight International, bringing top golfers from around the world. And whereas Myrtle Beach's rich golf history began in 1927 with the opening of the city's first golf course, known today as the granddaddy at Pine Lakes Country Club, followed by the opening of the Dunes Club as the city's second golf course. And whereas the one flight Myrtle Beach Classic is made possible through the commitment of the Greater Myrtle Beach Collaborative, including Visit Myrtle Beach and the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce along with Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Golf Tourism Solutions, the City of Myrtle Beach, and hundreds of sponsors and volunteers. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the city of Myrtle Beach hereby designates May 4th through 10th, 2026 as Grand Strand Golf Week in the city of Myrtle Beach and celebrates the important role that the game of golf plays in Myrtle Beach. Signed and sealed this 28th day of April, 2026.

Thank you. I would note that next year, 2027, will be the 100th anniversary of golf in Myrtle Beach, and there are celebrations being planned. I don't know what they entail at this point, but that's when Pine Lakes International Country Club originally opened under its former name back in 1927. Up next, we've got a proclamation declaring May as Water Safety Month. And

I have a bunch of people here for this one. I'd like to invite David Hatton Claire Down from the YMCA. Our recreation division's aquatics team is also here. And we have ocean rescue and beach patrol. Because water safety is a total team effort. All right. National Water Safety Month, May 2026. Whereas Myrtle Beach is home to a beautiful coastline as well as pools and water attractions enjoyed by residents and visitors for swimming, boating, fishing, surfing, and other water related recreation. And whereas increased use of beaches, pools, and aquatic activities underscores the importance of water safety, education, and preparedness to help prevent accidents and save lives. And whereas the city of Myrtle Beach's aquatics team within the parks, recreation, and sports tourism department leads yearround efforts to promote water safety and teach swimming skills to people of all ages alongside the YMCA, which also supports the same efforts through swim lessons and investments in educational tools such as a rip current simulator. And whereas the Myrtle Beach Police Department's Beach Patrol and the Myrtle Beach Fire Department's ocean rescue teams work daily to keep the public safe through education, proactive enforcement, and emergency response along the city's coastline. And whereas public awareness initiatives like the world's largest rubber duck help reinforce the importance of water safety and responsible behavior, encouraging safe habits such as swimming near a lifeguard, understanding ocean conditions, and Hatton, this is for you. Eyes up, phones down. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby declares the month of May 2026 as National Water Safety Month and encourages all residents and visitors to enjoy our aquatic spaces safely and responsibly. Sign and sealed this 28th day of April, 2026.

Great. Thank you. And are people going to talk about the Big Duck and its visit? Yes, they are. Good.

I don't know whether David or Hatton would like to speak, but come on up. Well, as of right now, we are working on how do we get the big duck uh preh pressure washed. It's coming from another location. So, we want to be beautiful when it comes here to Myrtle Beach. But Hatnit will come on uh Friday. We have an announcement then on Friday with uh we're hoping really thousands of kids and families to be out Friday and Saturday. So, let's pray for good weather. But uh Hatton original idea and uh I guess Thursday we'll be at the state capital also announcing this as a statewide initiative. So the city of Myrtle Beach along with you as partners will be announcing this throughout the entire state of South Carolina. First time ever.

So the world's largest rubber duck will be here. It's called Mama Duck on Friday from 10:00 to 5:00 and Saturday from 10:00 to 5:00. Um of course she's here for water safety and we're going to have water safety activities for families on Saturday. So, it'll be a really fun event and all of you should come out for a photo op. Absolutely. And on my calendar, it's 11 o'clock on Friday is the big duck ceremony. Yes. It'll kick off at 11:00 a.m. with a press conference on Friday. Thank you for speaking. Great. We sure appreciate your support on everything with YMCA of Coastal Carolina. God bless you. Anybody else want to say something? Apparently not. Looking forward to it.

Great. Absolutely. Thank you for doing this. This is a a great need in our community. We have lots of water, lots of swimming pools, but there's the Atlantic Ocean right over there. Uh and it's something that we need to concentrate on to make sure that

all ages are safe when they're in or near water. Thank you. And speaking of water, May 16th through 22nd as National Boater Safety Week and I have Jeff Pino Pino and Rob Sienna here from the US Coast Guard to accept this proclamation. All right, National Safe Boating Week, May 16th through 22nd, 2026. Whereas recreational boating is fun and enjoyable, and Myrtle Beach is fortunate to have a wealth of aquatic resources to accommodate a wide variety of boating demands, but our coastal and inland waterways can become crowded at times. And whereas safe boers know the navigation rules, choose to wear life jackets, operate their boats in a courteous and caring manner, and do not drink alcohol or take drugs. And whereas nationally nearly 700 people die each year in boating related accidents with another 2600 personal injuries, many of which are caused by human error or poor judgment rather than equipment failure or environmental factors. And whereas nearly 70% of boating fatalities are caused by drowning, which in most cases can be prevented by wearing life jackets, a practice you can support on wear your life jacket to work day, which is Friday, May 15th. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby designates May 16th through 22nd, 2026 as Safe Boating Week in conjunction with national efforts to encourage safe recreational boating and encourages all to be courteous boers and wear approved life jackets. Signed and sealed this 28th day of April, 2026.

Great. Jeff, would you like to say a few words? Sure. First, I want to um thank the water safety committee. I guess uh you take care of the beach, we'll take care of the water, and between life jackets and your rules, I think we'll be okay for 2026.

Um National Safe Boating Week. This year we have a theme. The campaign theme is adventure ready. Um which emphasizes the preparation, education, and the wearing of life jackets to ensure safety. The campaign encourages voters to check safety gear, take courses, and wear life jackets. And as the proclamation says on the 15th of May, if you want to wear your life jacket to work, what I ask is send me a picture. Okay. That's really all I ask. Let me dig around and find one. I think I've got one in my storage.

Well, mayor, I think I expect you to at least take a picture of it for at least a minute that day. But um we we as the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary um we thank you for having this proclamation written up. Uh we appreciate it. We are part of the Grand Strand. So uh this means a lot to us and mayor, thank you for your assistance and help with that. U want to say anything there. Great. Thank you very much, gentlemen. Thank you. National Voter Safety Week, please. Thanks.

All right. And finally, the communications and creative services update for this week.

Hey, city council. Aaron Bowling here with your communications update. Last week, World's Strongest Man returned to Myrtle Beach. The Dragon Boat race took place on Saturday in the Market Common. The Myrtle Beach International Film Festival also returned for its 21st year. Myrtle Beach Sports hosted the Conference Carolina's track and field conference championships. And neighborhood services hosted free prom photos and jazz and music in the park Sunday night. Myrtle Beach's military appreciation days also kicked off last Saturday with the annual JOTC drill meet at Pelicans Ballpark. High school teams from Ory and Georgetown counties competed in competitions before enjoying a family picnic. Congratulations to the Myrtle Beach Seahawks on their win. Next on the Military Appreciation Events list, the Military Appreciation Pelicans baseball game is May 16th. The festive brass free concert is May 22nd. The America 250 Red, White, and Remember Parade and Family Picnic is May 23rd. The Jackpot Veterans March in the Market Common is Memorial Day morning 25th. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Grand opening and annual Memorial Day ceremony is May 25th. You can imagine the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is nearing completion. The city will be posting sneak peeks of the memorial for the next four weeks leading up to the Memorial Day grand opening at 11:00 a.m. Don't forget to purchase your t-shirts. $10 from every t-shirt sale goes to the memorial sculptures that will be installed later this year. And time is running out to apply to be a part of the America 250 red, white, and remember parade. You can apply online by clicking here on the city website. Be sure to get your applications in before the portal closes on May 8th.

Myrtle Beach's popular farmers market is back. Myrtles Market is open for the season. Stop by on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:00 to 2 to get fresh vegetables, baked goods, and more. Looking ahead, community engagement director Kevin Weights is one of the 10 speakers chosen to participate in the TEDex speaker series in Charleston tomorrow night at 600 p.m. at the Charleston Music Hall. Congratulations, Kevin. The final Nights at Nance concert series is this Thursday, April 30th. Stop by Nance Plaza with your dancing shoes to enjoy Julio and the Saltines from 6:00 to 8. Mama Duck returns to Myrtle Beach May 1st and 2nd as the YMCA kicks off Water Safety Month during the annual Sunfun Festival. The Sun Fun Festival is May 1st through 3rd. and make plans to attend the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic May 7th through 10th to watch some of the best golfers compete at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club. That's all for now. Have a great rest of your week.

Thank you. Last weekend very much was busy. I think I attended five of those events somewhere along the way. And this weekend will be equally busy with the Sun Fun Festival and the Big Duck and all the other activities going on here in Myrtle Beach. Um, non-aggenda items from the public. Madame clerk. Yes, sir. Alex Fogle.

Good morning. My name is Alex Fogle. I'm a city resident. Um, even as the chamber mentioned a couple weeks ago, there's been a lot of development in the waterfront, particularly of short-term rentals being built, investors, and a lot of progress being made. Well, what I at least have not seen a lot of progress on is the short-term rental ordinance. I know Jack has brought it up before that this city needs to make sure that when these properties are sold and the progress continues that it's not a nuisance, there's actually progress. So, I ask you to again maybe try and get this ordinance moving forward, get it on the agenda and you know, let's get it done sooner rather than later. you know, it benefits the investors and benefits the residents. This is in place before all these places get inhabited and start doing business in the city. Thank you.

Thanks, Alex. Jennifer, anyone else?

One more. Daniel Buchanan. Morning, mayor, council members. Thank you for again for giving me the opportunity to speak. I'll try to get it all in the five minutes this time. Since I last addressed you, the uh analysis reported by studyfinds.com has put stark numbers on something that many of us are already seeing right now here in Myrtle Beach. Middle-aged Americans roughly in their 50s and early 60s are found to be lonelier, more depressed, and physically weaker than previous generations at the same age. Researchers found that this group has higher rates of loneliness and depression, worse memory, and weaker physical strength than earlier cohorts, even though they're statistically more educated. What used to be the most stable years of life are becoming a breaking point. And this is not happening everywhere. In many European countries, similar age adults are actually doing better over time. The difference isn't biology, it's policy. Countries with stronger social safety nets, affordable health care, and robust family supports are protecting their middle-aged citizens. Here in the United States, however, we've chosen a high we've chosen high health care costs, weak protections, widening inequality, and constant financial pressure. into that fragile environment. We now have Donald Trump's second term and his signature one big beautiful bill. It was marketed as relief for everyday Americans, but in reality, it delivers trillions in tax cuts to the wealthiest health households and corporations while cutting deeply into Medicaid, food assistance, and other social programs that keep people afloat when life goes sideways. At the same time, Trump's broader economic agenda, aggressive tariffs, an

illegal and offensive war of aggression against Iran and energy policies that have not delivered the 50% utility bill reductions he promised a year ago is pushing up costs for uncertainty costs and uncertainty for ordinary families. We now have an economy where credit card debt is at record levels over trillion dollars nationwide and rents and utilities are rising and layoffs are widespread especially in sectors like manufacturing and tech where many workers are in their 40s 50s and early 60s. Layer into that a population where most Americans can't cover even a $500 emergency without going into debt. where a growing share, especially my generation, Gen X, have little or no savings and where homelessness is at its highest level on record with a significant share of the unhoused in that 35 to 55 plus age range as the research is warning us about. You don't need a national study to see where this is heading. You can see it on our streets. Middle-aged Americans are not just tired. They are financially and emotionally hanging by a thread. when they lose a job, when they get sick, when the rent goes up, there's no cushion. And under Trump's policies, the safety nets that could catch them are being cut away. This is not abstract. This is not an abstract national issue. This is Myrtle Beach. This is Ory County. You see it in the encampment in the encampments across the city in our ER waiting rooms and the quiet decisions people make to sleep in their cars if they're fortunate enough to have them because the shelter system doesn't fit their reality. One of the clearest examples of both the problem and a piece of the solution is Fresh Brewed Coffee House and Kate Kern's leadership there. Fresh Brood is not just a coffee shop. It is a community anchor for people who are unhoused, housing insecure, or simply struggling. A place where nearly

500 people use the address to get their mail. Something that seems basic, but absolutely is essential for jobs, benefits, legal documents, and dignity. A low barrier, judgment-free space where people who are not dealing with addiction or incarceration, but are homeless because of pure financial hardship, can still be treated as human beings, not just case numbers. In a world where national policy is hollowing out the safety net, Fresh Brood is one of the last lines of defense for our neighbors. And yet, it is under enormous financial strain. Like many missiondriven organizations, it doesn't have a billionaire endowment. It has bills. It has staff. It has all the costs that come with keeping a real world space open and safe. If Fresh Brew is forced to close, those nearly 500 of our most vulnerable neighbors don't disappear. They do lose their mailing address and their community hub and they show up more often in our systems that are already overstretched in our shelters, our hospitals, our streets, and unfortunately our police calls. We also know that new directions and similar programs are not designed or resourced to handle the full spectrum of need. There abstinence-based structured bed programs may work for some, but they do not fit everyone, especially those whose homelessness stems primarily from financial shocks and structural forces. Job loss, low wages, age discrimination, medical debt, and rent increases, to name a few. So, here's the hard truth. Donald Trump's national economic agenda, his tariffs, his war in Iran, his one big beautiful bill, and his push for massive 2027 budget cuts to the very programs that older and middle-aged Americans rely on, among other age groups.

Donald, your your time's up at this point. Can you wrap it up?

Yes, absolutely. I'll finish this paragraph. um is creating a wave of vulnerability and potential homelessness that is going to land right here in Myrtle Beach in Ory County on your watch. And we can't control everything that happens from Washington in Washington, but we can choose whether Myrtle Beach meets this moment with foresight and courage or with denial and regret. This midlife crisis is described at in that national research. It's not just abstract. It's a forecast of what's coming through our doors. Let's act now with getting the infrastructure in place and the planning, the conversations going to uh anticipate and stay ahead of those uh homelessness uh increases that we're seeing. Uh

thanks Daniel very much. It is part of a larger conversation that we have not just Myrtle Beach but Ory County and the other jurisdictions. Very happy to hear that. Thank you very much. Thanks for giving me the chance to speak today. Um moving on the consent agenda. There are three items on the consent agenda. Excuse me.

Yes, sir. Um good morning council has mentioned there are three items for your consideration under this on this morning's consent agend item consent agenda. First reading of ordinance 202633 granting a franchise agreement for operation of the rental business of conveyance regulated by chapter 12 article 5 of the code of ordinances of Myrtle Beach Terafi Meshulame doing business as USA Coastalware LLC located at 1301 South Kings Highway Myrtle Beach South Carolina 29577 for a period of one-year agreement includes 20 golf carts. As you mentioned earlier, this is just a transfer of one owner to another owner and per our a franchise agreement. This needs city council approval. There are no increases in the uh number of conveyances. Uh second item is resolution 2026-6 to approve a partial settlement of the opioid litigation and to authorize the execution of settlement documents. Those companies are listed in the body of the there. There's about six of them, I believe, and uh estimated 30 to $35,000 to the opioid fund of the city. And finally is motion 202660 to approve anou between the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice to establish parameters between the two parties for um extra duty agents working weekends.

Council, is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? Wow. Um Mike and Jackie how's that? Which mic? Louder. Any discussion from city council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of the consent agenda, please say I.

Any opposed? Moving on to the regular agenda. Jennifer, ordinance 26-25. Second reading of ordinance 2026-25 to amend chapter 15 planning and development article 3 alley relocation and consolidation policy section 15-41 to update general considerations influencing alley abandonment and relocation.

Thank you. We've talked about this for a couple of meetings now. The original alleyway abandonment policy is 43 years old at this point. There's a limited amount of real estate on the ocean front. This, I believe, brings the policy up to current date to current conditions. Um, Mr. City attorney, do you wish to add anything to that? No, sir. No changes since first reading. Motion to approve. Second there. Any discussion from city council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of 26-25 second reading, please say I. I.

I. Any opposed? Thanks,

Madam Clerk. 26-26. Second reading of ordinance 2026-26 to amend the 26 26th Avenue North plan unit development by removing a total of nine parcels pin number 4241103-0228 29 30 and 42411 03 054748 49 42411 01 04 4 5 and 4241 1 04 0 01 in order to create the new 27th Avenue North Hotel PUD.

Good morning. Good morning, Cameron. Changes uh from first reading with this one. Just a quick refresher. this the boundaries of the 26th Avenue North PUD. Looking to remove properties to create the new 27th Avenue PUD in the pink and then removing the five in the green as they would be no longer contiguous with the PUD which is a requirement for PUDS. Um removing these properties does not damage the 26 PUT in any way. They were always tied to the development of the old CIP property at that point. Happy to answer any other questions. the the next ordinance upper second reading. There are some changes in it. Correct. Correct. Just want to make sure that Yeah. No changes to this one. The very next one there is

there are some changes to the next one. Um council, is there a motion to approve? Second, Debbie and Mike. Any discussion from city council? Any discussion from the public? Um, this is a new oceanfront hotel project that's coming to the city of Myrtle Beach. We're separating out creating a new pud out of an old pud basically at this point. So, yes, sir. All those in favor, please say I. Any opposed? Thank you.

Jennifer number 27. Second reading of ordinance 2026-27 to create a plan unit development between 26th Avenue North and 27th Avenue North. Pin number 4241103 0229 0230 4241 120547 42411030000001 and 424110400003 known as the 27th Avenue North Hotel HUD.

So this one was remanded back to planning commission for their vote. Um there are some minor changes made to the building height, setbacks, parking and public improvements between first and second reading which chef is here to talk you all through. Uh planning commission voted unanimously 60 to recommend approval for this item. Again the boundaries of the 26 those uh five parcels will comprise the new 27th Avenue North PUD. It's uh 2.31 in total acres with a minimum lot requirement of 2,000 square feet and a 20 foot width. Uh that building height there is 185. Now that was one of the changes brought to planning commission up from 175 to 185. Five total lots, 400 maximum units and zone 27th Avenue Northpud. Site exhibit open space. the public improvements, 30-foot alley improvements, 20 foot north alley improvements, sidewalks, maintaining of the 20- foot drive aisle, and also pedestrian improvements, site circulation map, site renderings, and some exhibits from the Drury Corporation just documenting what their hotel designs look like. And I'm happy to answer any other questions.

Will either you or Mr. and walk through the public benefits that are part of this. Yes, sir. Okay. Happy to, Mr. Mayor. Um, and as Cameron said, we did make changes between your first reading and planning commission's approval of that. Majority of those were dictated by the updated appraisals, but when I realized the version you had in your package was not this current version, I thought it was easier to just walk through those changes so you clearly understood those. And to that point, we'll get the corrected version online so that it does appear out there. Yes, sir. And chef, speak again up up edited appraisal. Say that again.

Yes. So that deals with the third row lot. If you'll recall, the first appraisal assumed that that alley in front of that lot would be closed all the way from 27th to 26th, which wasn't a requirement. the two parcels on what I'll call the wither side and then the alley side are being combined. So the only portion of that alley being closed is directly in front of those lots which reduce the total acreage from N7 to 71 acres. Okay.

Um and if you'll recall there's still the alley swap and the property sale agreement to be approved by y'all that's part of this but those numbers did impact the what was attached to the PUD. So we've updated those numbers. Does the alley then remain open? Does the alleyway remain open on each side? It would remain open. It would only be closed in what I'll call the middle where it abuts what will be the future parking deck for the hotel. Okay. So, it will create dead ends essentially, but it's the alleyway. Okay.

Before we go forward with a vote, because it's already been voted on first reading and there's a second reading now with language changed, there would have to be I believe there would have to be an amendment to the ordinance and to before we vote on second reading on the ordinance. I'll I'll point this way. The changes were contemplated to be presented as part of the second reading. We didn't get a version with those changes in them. Do we need to make a motion to contemplate those changes? I mean, I think Mike's got a valid point here. Do we need to make a motion to contemplate all of those changes? changes are not reflected in today's packet.

No, I think they would need to be have to be anointed. I think Mr. Louder is correct. Okay. Cameron, are you or I I assume Chef is competent to do that. Cameron, are you able to elucidate what changes have occurred between first and second reading so that we can make a motion to that effect? Yes, sir. Be specific on page and line item would be helpful. Yes. Or does someone have a clean copy that does have the updated changes in it? Um, so I actually I I have both copies of that sitting in my email. I can and send those off to you all if that's needed. We need to deal with it at the moment though. Um, I have a red line copy here in front of me and I can read it into Please, if you'll walk through that.

Yes, sir. So on page one, line 25, a change from 175 to 185 ft.

What? I'm sorry. What line? 25. I've got 29. I got 29, too. Yeah. 29. Uh, so I I can go through this with the copy that I have. So, we'll we'll catch up. All right. Go ahead. Um, underneath the table on I have it as line 39, there's an addition not to exceed 400. Actual total, maybe less. Just beneath the narrative section. Say that one more time, Cameron.

Yep. Uh, I have it as line 39 under 1.1 narrative below the table. an addition of a line that reads not to exceed 400 actual total maybe less. That's speaking to the room count. So it's in the table that you're talking about. Below the table. Yes, sir. Below the table. Yeah. I don't have that text below the table. Was that thing would be added added line to the table?

Added. Add it. Okay. On page four under maximum height 5.2 two as line 15 185 line 24 185 yes under 5.3 building lines line 19 for myself changes a minimum of 8 ft rather than 13 ft

on the west side of Ocean Boulevard. There shall be a minimum 18 ft building setback. Is that what you're saying? There shall be a minimum 8 foot building set. Eight. Sorry. Yes, sir.

All right. On line 21 and 22, after 24 feet in height, it reads to allow the installation of the city sidewalk, hardscape, and landscaping at an aggregate width of 14 ft.

Got to find that one. Hang on a second. This line 30, I believe. Yes. Okay. Thank you. 24 ft in height. And then comma to allow the sidewalk in to allow the installation of the city sidewalk, hardscape, and landscaping at an aggregate width of 14 ft.

Do we know the width of the sidewalk? Just out of curiosity, the installation will be 14 ft as it currently stands. Not off the top of my head. Okay. Um, addition uh for numeric, I have it as line 43 for parking and addition of the number six.

One more time, Cameron. Yep. um where it just reads parking. It amended the number to six as its own as a section six. Oh, section six. I'm sorry.

Oh, okay. under 6.1 required spaces. At the end of the paragraph, starting for myself at line 13, excuse me, line 12, it reads a parking matrix is included in the exhibits attached to this pud, which provides, among other things, that in addition to the required spaces for the number of units to be improved upon the property. Developer shell also provided an additional 10% of such required parking to accommodate employees, contractors, etc. So, an addition of 10% spaces to the number of units for parking for employees.

And that goes at the end of 6.1. Yes, sir. Do any of the numbers in 6.1 change?

Uh, no. The numbers in 6.1 won't change. The developers indicated that all the bedrooms will be onebedrooms. So, at a maximum, it would be 440 parking spaces required. Again, going back to that earlier table, they might build less units than that. So that will be calculated out as part of the building construction permitting process. On page nine under 12.2 to Northern Alleyway improvements reads, "Developer will receive a credit of the amendment there is uh from 100,000 to 30,000. Developer will receive a credit of $30,000 towards required public improvement benefits for the north alleyway improvements. And that's due to the change in assessed values or appraised values.

Actually on that one, the northern alley is the one that's completely paved now. So all we'll do is demo a portion of that to add some landscaping because it'll enhance the aesthetics of that. And that was another question from planning. So the cost of the improvements is actually less. It is because we're not demoing the entire alleyway. Okay. Under 12.5 pedestrian crossing developer will receive a credit of 145,000 down from 250 towards required public benefits. That's the change in appraised value. Nope, not yet.

No, not that one either. That one was, if you'll recall, the first plan you saw had parking in that second row. And as staff explained, parking was not allowed off of the alleyways. So the parking's now been removed. The only thing that's there is greenscape and a hardcape to get people from Ocean Boulevard back to Withers. So there's a reduced cost in that as well. Sorry, random question. Parking wouldn't even be allowed if it was included in the PUD. Our code does not allow a parking to occur where you back out into an alleyway. That's part of our zoning code book. So, we're trying to maintain that moving forward. Okay. Technically, you can write anything into a putt, but we're trying to hold the line. That's what I was thinking.

And Mr. Mayor, I did make the argument that I just want what they have, but staff said I don't care what they have. So, under 12.6 Six. Public parking changes. Install street level parking of approximately five down from 20 and developer will receive a credit of 20,000 rather than 80,000. This is related to the previous item or not.

This is again a different one. If you'll recall on the vacant lot on the rear, there's an alley in the front and the alley in the rear closest to business 17. alley in the front's not improved. The alley in the rear is. So, what we originally had proposed was to provide public parking at the at the back of the parking deck there. And those numbers because of an exit ramp off of there that would get pedestrians down is now reduced from 20 spaces to five spaces along that rear. So, it reduced the cost of that as well. Almost done.

Hang on. Back up to that one because I I I wrote down the change from 20 to five. Is there a dollar value changes there as well that I missed? Yes. Developer will receive credit of 20,000 rather than 80,000.

All right. I missed that. Under 12.8 property swap for alleyways. Uh the developer will receive credit for 15,000 instead of 250,000. That one is related to the appraisals. Um, the alleyways appraised at a million70. The exchange property appraised at uh, excuse me, opposite alleyways appraised at a million85. The exchange property appraised at a million70. So, there's a $15,000 difference to equalize that value. That's where that number came from. Okay. Okay. Uh, under 12.9 property acquisition at a purchase price equal to the appraised value of such real property which is presently reflected as745,000

instead of the 308. Correct. So 745,000.

Yeah, it was 745 rather than 970. This is the reduction in acreage from 0.97 to 71. And that is the difference between closing the entire alley versus just closing the portion in front of those parcels. Then there's a complete strikethrough of 12.10 sidewalks on 27th Avenue North. Why? With the change in the appraised value, the total PUD fees went down. So that's the one place that was easier to pull that out of. So that contribution came out altogether. And those are all the changes that are reflected in the text of the document. There are some changes on exhibit A. I can get to you, Jen, that just reflect all of those um price changes that are occurring in the public improvement section. Are you able to walk through those as well? That's a one-page exhibit A. That's what they're talking about. And Chef, I'm sorry.

Sidewalks on 27th Avenue North. The sidewalks on 27th Avenue North. If it was council's pleasure and they asked that that contribution still be made, it could be made. it would be in excess of what the PUD fees would typically be under the calculation, but as you know, it's in council's perview to suggest whatever is your pleasure. So, I'll leave it that council. Just I think there's always a need for sidewalks. So,

is that going to be included in the amendment? the if we asked them to include the sidewalks on 27th Avenue North, yes, it would be included in the amendment. The question then becomes, are we asking to include the sidewalks? And just so we're clear, they were making originally a $100,000 contribution to the cost of those sidewalks. They were not installing the sidewalks. Okay. Do we $100,000 is not going to pay for sidewalks along 27th Avenue North? Do we have a cost estimate on that at all? No sir. I do not know the cost to do sidewalk installation all 27th.

And this was from Kings to Ocean Boulevard. Yes sir. Sidewalks would be nice in that location, but that $100,000 is a tiny amount compared to what's actually required to do that. Let's look at adding sidewalks on 27th Avenue North at some point along the way. We'll unless I hear something else from council, we'll accept the deletion of that item.

I make a motion to amend um ordinance 20. Wait, hang on one second. I'd like for him to walk through the numbers on the exhibit A. So under sources alley swap that part amendment. Okay.

Uh alley swap fee to oceanfront alleys that number changes from 250,000 to 15,000. The total sources changes from 99 uh from 1.225 million to 990,000. And then under uses, northern alleyway improvements changes from 100,000 to 30,000. Pedestrian crosswalk changes from 250,000 to 145,000. Public parking changes from 80,000 to 20,000. And total uses changes from 1.225 million to 990,000. Okay, Mr. Mayor, make a motion to amend ordinance 20 26-27. Make that amendment as stated to in the records.

Is there a second? Second. First and a second. Any discussion from city council? Yeah. Chef, what tell me one more time why we didn't have a hard copy of these alterations or so those changes came between your first reading and then if you recall it went back to planning commission. We made the changes. Most of these were based on planning commission changes and then the appraisal which came in at the very last minute. So staff got that very late and I'm assuming that's why it didn't make it into your package for this meeting. Gotcha. And these valuations were done with one appraisal or multiple appraisals. They were done with the same appraiser. Um but multiple appraisals by the same appraiser.

Multiple appraisals. That's correct. And those still have to come before you. So the alley swap as well as a property purchase is not final yet. So you have a look at those again on May 12th. Okay. I just as I'm sure the rest of the council just like these hard documents in front of us before we move forward. Correct. But we have a lot of trust in the process and don't want to damage that trust. Yeah. And I truly appreciate I know this is out of the ordinary. Um and as I said to all of you, I think you know this project has gotten a lot of support and what I didn't want to do was undermine that support by delaying it. I think it's important to to give Drury the message that we're excited about having them in this community and keep it moving forward. True. But we follow all the rules. Yes, sir.

Thank you. Thank you, councel. Mr. Mayor, before you take a vote on this, um I don't think this item got a first and a second to begin with because the item is not properly before council. Was there a first and a second? I don't think the item is even on the table to be amended. I I made a motion for it to be amended, but it's not on the table. The motion itself has never received a first and a second because you questioned the changes are not in the agenda. You're correct. You're correct. I I'll resend my motion.

Can he and he can make that motion at the same time. He can double up on those. He can say, "I move to approve the item before us with the amendments." No, I think because the changes are not reflected in today's agenda, it is not properly before council. You got to get this motion right here on the table first and second. Then we can do the amendment and get a correct second. That's right. And we got to have a motion. You've withdrawn yours. You've withdrawn your second. Bill was the second. Bill was the second. Sorry. Thank you. Withdrawn. All right. Let's try this again from the top. Is there a motion to approve the item as it stands on the agenda? Please approve.

Jackie and Mike. No. Do we need to vote on that? No. We got We now need to make a motion to approve the a motion to amend the item that is before us. Mr. louder. So, now we have discussion and that's when the motion to amend will come about. All right. All right. Is there any discussion on this item? Yeah, Mr. Mayor, again, I make a motion that we amend 2026-27 with the amendment being the items that were stated into the record for the amendment. Is there a second? Second. Bill seconded. Council discussion on this on the amended on the amend

item please. Amendment on the amendment please. Is there any discussion from the public? All right. So Cameron, can you summarize what we're doing here very quickly since we've been at it for about 20 minutes? Yes. So, uh, we're moving an ordinance forward to, uh, create the 27th Avenue North Hotel development to, uh, allow the Jury Development Corporation to come in and build a hotel on the oceanfront with some amendments to building height, setbacks, parking, and public improvements. The final height will be not to exceed 185 Yes, sir.

feet, which is not the tallest in the city by any means. No, sir. There are roughly a million dollars worth of public benefit improvements that will occur in and around the the properties to be discussed. Yes, sir. Move on the motion to amend and go back to it as amended. All right. So, hearing no discussion from the public council, all those in favor of the motion to amend, please say I. I. Any opposed? Council, all those in favor of the amended motion for second reading to create the 27th Avenue North Pud, please say I.

Two questions first, please. Yes. Can I get a second? Got to get ahead as amended. Sorry. We need the second though. We need We need a first and a second. Is there a motion to approve the amended ordinance for second reading to create the 27th Avenue North Pud? Motion to approve as amended. Is there a second? Second bill again for the second council discussion. Is is there a time frame? When is the completion date of the project? Hypothetically move from 15 to 10. Uh one of the reasons they're pushing this thing forward is they're trying to get shovels in the sand as quick as they can. Is there a date certain is what I'm asking.

Uh it would be 10 years from the date of signing of this. Okay. Does the put expire after that 10 years? Yes. So the putt would expire if there's no work completed. Okay. And I apologize. I have trouble hearing you. The 10 years was included in first reading actually. So that's all right. Any other discussion on the amended motion for this ordinance? Any discussion for the public? We'll try again. All those in favor of the ordinance as amended, please say I. Any opposed? Thank you. That was fun.

Thank you for your patience. I appreciate that. And you'll get a corrected, updated, amended version online promptly. Yes. Thank you. And for signature. Yes. And thank you, Mr. Lauder and Will. Appreciate the order.

All right, madame clerk. First reading of ordinance 26-28. First reading of ordinance 2026-28 to annex 1.37 acres pin number 424020031 and to reszone from Ory County HC highway commercial to HC-1 highway commercial zoning district.

This is a request from Nick Peters ASLA to annex 1.37 acres from Ory County HC to Myrtle Beach HC1 zoning. This is the property in question. It's currently a vacant parcel. See, it's Ory County and it would just fold in yellow across like it is across the street. Happy to answer any questions. Council, is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. I'll second it. Okay. Any discussion from city council to annex this parcel?

Cameron, do you know the street address on the parcel? Um, it will be a Church Street address. They've required an easement to move people from across the parcel that's in front of them on Church Street. Um, we've been confirmed they will not get a curb cut on to 17. So, that's an issue. Thank you. Any discussion from council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of first reading of this annexation 26-28, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you.

Ordinance 26-29, Jennifer. First reading. First reading of ordinance 2026-29 to annex four parcels pin numbers 42410 I'm sorry 4 425 one two 02 0059 0060 0061 and 0062 and to reszone from Ory County GR General Residential to MU MU-m mixed use medium density Uh this is a property located on Okala and Edge Street. Property in question is the Pelicans Baseball Stadium currently has the Sunb Belt Landscape Services Company on site which will be coming down. We'll go from Ory County General Residential which is a defunct zoning code in the county and moving to Myrtle Beach mumm. Everything surrounds it is either PUD or E for the Pelicans baseball stadium. Happy to answer any other questions.

And it said it says here that uh the anticipated use would be town homes. Yes, sir. Is that a guess or is that that's what the developers indicated, but when we move to reszone a property, the the book opens to them with whatever is in mumm. Okay. Could you go back to the previous slide back there? Thank you. The south end of the Pelicans parking lot is there. The access to the Pelicans is in the lower right corner off Gryom Parkway. You drive in there and you access the back end of the Pelicans parking lot. Yes, sir.

Is there the only easement to that or curb cut so to speak is they're off of Ocala. Yes, sir. That acts off of Ocala. Do we have a motion to approve? So move. Second. Any council discussion. I didn't realize this was a donut hole. This is a donut hole. Is a pure donut hole.

Wow. Okay. And the use goes from industrial-ish to residentialish general residential which again defunct in the county. You're not allowed to reszone to GR at this point and we're turning it to MUM for the city. Okay. Thank you. Any council discussion? Any discussion from the public?

Okay. Thank you. Hearing no discussion from the public. Is there all those in favor of the annexation as presented? Please say I. I. I. Any opposed? And we're heading towards closing a poll. All right, Jennifer. First reading of ordinance 26-30, please. First reading of ordinance 2026-30 to amend article 14 of the city of Myrtle Beach code of ordinances adding the use of storage tanks to the WM sale manufacturing zoning district.

So this was uh brought about as staff was doing our due diligence with Kimley Horn looking at our old our own code book. Um, we noticed that storage tanks were a permitted use in the light manufacturing district, which is a more restrictive zoning classification than the WM. And we found it uh appropriate that we add this into the WM as well. Currently, storage tanks are conditional uses in HC1 and HC2. The conditions are listed below in 1501 WW. They're fully permitted uses in the airport and LM as it currently sits. This the zoning map. Um the orange represents WM, the green is LM, and the blue is AP. And that's where storage tanks would be permitted if this uh text amendment change is approved.

Define storage tanks, please. Uh these are the propane storage tanks or diesel storage tanks that uh are used like bus terminals or the airport. Above ground, underground. Uh above ground. Where where are these going to be located on on you have a different this? I can bring a separate map to second reading if you'd like. Um, just do you want it more zoomed in to be clear. Are there existing storage tanks in these zones that would be non-conforming at this point? Uh, not to my knowledge.

Okay. So, this would recognize the fact that we have lower zone properties that allow storage tanks, but a higher zone. No, I'm doing that backwards, am I not? Yeah, we have higher zoned areas that would allow storage tanks, but our more intense industrial use doesn't allow this, but our less intense industrial use does. What he said. So, okay. So, but we're not aware that there are any non-conforming storage tanks at this point. Not to my knowledge. Okay. Um, is there a motion to approve?

I I have one question. Um, don't we also allow above ground storage tanks at and I'm not sure what the classification is? Uh, say at an independent hardware store as an example. Yeah. So, back to this slide here, those would be conditional uses under HC and those have to meet all of those conditions as listed. Um, right now in AP and and LM, there's no conditions in our book. They'll still have to meet building and construction code and fire code. Okay. Um, but the separate zoning classifications for HC and HC2 carry conditions with them. Got it. Thank you.

Is there a size at which something becomes a storage tank under this definition? Are we talking about a small storage tank or we talking about something that's six feet long? Uh, I don't have that off the top of my head. I will make sure I have that for next. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. First and second, Debbie. Any discussion from city council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. Thank you'all.

All right. Jennifer, Ordinance 26-31, first reading, please. First reading of ordinance 2026-31 to amend section 23-132 of article 6 division 1 of chapter 23 and section 23-142 of article 6 division 2 of chapter 23 of the city of Myrtle Beach code of ordinances relating to recorder services and nonconsentual towing.

Good morning mayor and council. Uh this is a follow-up to the workshop uh discussion that was at the beginning of April and it really covers two things. Um a little bit of language change to the ordinance um some signage changes as well as the fees. And starting with the signs, this is the currently approved sign. And per the current ordinance uh 23141, the police department um has the authority um to approve the signage. This is currently the the single approved sign that exists. Um this is a recommendation that the police department um is going to push out as far as changing the signage. Um the current signage that's required uh would stay the same. The change would be the addition of the smaller sign here below. Um and then the QR code would link back to the city and would have all of the ordinances related to towing. Um the other um thing that was requested from council was that the signage indicates what forms of payment um that the towing companies are required to accept and those are listed there on the sign and then it references the uh the different ordinances down below. This is the letter um if approved that would go out to the business owners um informing them of the change and the necessity to add the second smaller sign that's there. And then switching over to uh the consensual fee the uh non-consensual towing fees and the changes. I think you've heard from at least one of the uh towing companies about the increased cost um right now to tow. Um, just as a note, we have not changed fees since 2012. Um, and there's a little bit of inflation, things that have taken place since 2012. Um, and so this will, uh, raise those fees. Um, so one of the things that's going to be allowed that, um, specifies in the ordinance that the

record companies and the towing companies can recoup the, uh, fees that go with credit cards up to 3%. It will take u towing, let's just call it, you know, average car uh average truck um from $160 and I think we kind of heard council settle around $225 um on those and then take heavy duty um 18-wheelers, large trucks from $250 um to $500. Um, one of the requests, um, I think it, uh, one of the recent council meetings was some fees from different places around the state, other cities around the state. Um, we already had some of those, but this adds, um, some of the other cities in here. Um, city of Columbia, Charleston, Greenville were all cities that have been added since this was last um, put up. And our recommendation is to uh implement the signage and the fee amendments. One of the things just of note um the franchise agreements um were approved back in 2022. They're five-year agreements for the non-consensual police toes. Um that will go out uh the RFQ process at the end of this year because they expire um in June of 2027. So we'll start that process. And one of the the challenges is when the RFQ process goes out, if the fees are not changed in the ordinance, then when they respond to the RFQ, because that's what it says the maximum that can be charged is, that's what they're they're bidding on it as. And so that kind of puts us where we're at right now. Um, and so if we fix that now, that would help with that RFQ process down the road. Um, that's all I have and then I'll answer questions. If you'll go back to the sign picture just for a second and I'm good with the language on the

bottom part of that. Are we recommending that those signs be installed within a specified period of time? It's not I don't think it's in any of the documents. It's in the letter, the next the accompanying letter that will go to the businesses is by June 1st. That gives them roughly 30 days to come into compliance. That seems reasonable.

And I I believe $21ish dollars I think for the sign. $16 to $20 is what's going to be the cost to the to the businesses or the the towing company, whoever puts the signs up, whatever the agreement is. So that's going to be the cost to the to the businesses. So, so sorry. I was gonna say before we continue having discussion, you want to get a motion on the Yes, I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Okay. Go ahead.

Um, well, one thing is on the sign. So, the signs for the business is going to come through the towing companies like they do now. whatever the agreement is, um whether the towing companies are doing it or the business owners are doing it, whoever, whatever that arrangement is. We don't pay for this. It will. No, no, no. I mean, I'm sure the business owners going to have to pay for it, but I mean, just so they all are the same. That's what I'm getting at. Who's going to They get a a template basically and plug their name in and otherwise the signs will all look exactly like that with the exception of the names and the phone numbers. Correct. That answer your question? No.

No. I mean I mean right now I'm g be specific. It's like right now Quality Towing provides most of the signs to the businesses. They're probably going to pass that on to the I would imagine they're going to pass that on to businesses. I just want to make sure that everybody has the same sign and they will very similar to now. It's going to be the same process. It'll just be the addition of the small. They really have the same sign. Yes.

Okay. Um the other question I had um also just as we've been talking about the the the fees for the one thing we missed the last time was I mean not only are these guys not raised their or we have not raised their fees since 2012 but we have not also raised their fees on storage and decoupling and other fees that so there's a list of um you there storage fees uh No FTOS, decoupling fees, afterhour fees. I mean all those things. I think we ought to look at those also. Okay. And um you know increase those also.

Do you want to look at for second reading or do you want to look at them for a separate discussion? No, I mean for second reading I mean we come back with something. I mean you know I don't know. I mean, right now I'm looking at it's saying that storage fees right now is $25 for 24-hour. Um, yeah. Does it need to go to $50? The coupling fees is $45, you know. Can I make a recommendation? Sure. Yes, sir.

We we continue this motion to today's council meeting where not pass this motion here, first reading on this motion at all that we we don't take action on this motion and then at the next council meeting we have the complete motion that you're uh you're talking about Mike and all and this makes it cleaner that way we have it all in one and then we don't have to come back face the same thing we face today. We pass a motion today first reading today. Now we come back second reading is going to be different. Now we're gonna have to do amendments the same.

If they bring it bring it back to us just bring it back all inclusive with if they bring back a second reading version that is correct on the agenda. We don't have to do the amendments. So, um, I would I would encourage us to go ahead and do this today to get this change in effect as quickly as possible for the towing companies, but also as quickly as possible for the customers who are likely to be affected because they don't know that they have other payment methods because the signs don't tell them that they have other payment methods.

I have a question on these additional fees. Um, and I agree with Mr. chestnut there or and we'll just use storage as an example, you know, how are we going to determine what the appropriate increase is uh versus just kind of guessing at it? And the second thing is of all those additional fees, are we going to try to deal with each and every one of them? Are we going to deal with storage only? Uh, I would I would need that information to be able to vote. Well, I would I think we need to look at all of them. I mean, and then class A and class D.

If if if that's the case, um, I think we unintentionally, if we vote on it today, will over complicate it. I think if uh we put this back to our next meeting and and between that and our next meeting we have a workshop would give us time to come up with uh some hard good estimates and and then move on in the next meeting but that's the way Bill feels and I agree with that I I think we take no action today we come back we have we have a workshop In first reading we can have the and second reading we have it out there. The only other way you can do this to me to make it clean is you vote today on this alone. First reading on this alone and then at the next at the next meeting then you're going to have a second companion ordinance so to speak that would include all the other things that you want to have discussed bill and then you have a first reading on that. Then we'll have a second on this and then a second on the next one. That's the way to make it clean. or do it all at one time.

And I think you the recommendation would be what you just said to to do this, close it out, finish it if that's what we're going to do, and then come back with the other fees. But this would it all needs to be in the same ordinance, begin to provide some relief at least for the record company, the tow company. So it either way that would work as well if we've approved this as it exists today and then discussed the other at a later point as a second amendment as a first wouldn't be amendment it would be a distance or first second reading companion ordinance right and we have a workshop discussion on other toning fees and I guess what you want I I would be happier with that

okay let's do that that's okay long as we look we have a motion second motion and other council discussion. Uh, are we going to receive some professional input from seven nonrecorder folks up here? I think that would be a good idea. And we'll compare we'll compare fees with other jurisdictions just as we did on the towing fees as well. And I I do have one question. We're raising the heavy record fee to $500. My question is, is that sufficient to tow an 18-wheeler or a solid waste vehicle or something like that? And I would um ask is that is that a valid number at the end of the day?

Well, I think if you ask the tow companies, it'll make it whatever but I think it's in line with what other jurisdictions or closer in line with what other jurisdictions. Can we go back to that chart? A motion and then when public discussion Okay, I think we've got a motion. We got a motion. We've got a motion. So, all right. Any other council discussion? The numbers are right there. Any discussion from the public? Okay. Is is $500 to move a heavy vehicle sufficient?

Mr. Mayor, thank you. Um, our normal charge is is actually per hour. Takes a lot to move a tractor trailer. It's not like moving a vehicle, a car, or a motorcycle. Um, you have to get under the vehicle, remove the drivetrain. Uh, we have to air the brakes and prepare the brakes and then you have to prepare the trailer for towing. So, our normal fee is per hour. So, the, uh, South Carolina Highway Patrol allows the 576, I believe it is, per hour. When you do a roll over on the side of road, we thank God we haven't had many here in Myrtle Beach. We do have them out on 31 and 22. um it takes several hours for us to do that job. So to limit it to $500, um is is not going to work. Um if we got to we have extra equipment, if we have to transfer the load, got to clean up the highway when the loads uh trailer breaks open. Uh there's certain things that you know allows for that. And yet I don't think those read as hourly rates for the heavy vehicles in the other juris

your rate doesn't allow for hourly but the South Carolina high patrol does

but the other juris the other municipal jurisdictions or county jurisdictions are one correct fix or county mimicked uh the South Carolina high patrol um last year um and now the um sheriff's department actually brought in a rotation themselves. So, um, uh, all we're asking for is to simplify it, mimic what's out there right now. Uh, make it across the board. This way there's no mistakes of what's charged and what's, you know, undercharge, overcharge, or so on like that. So, I know it's a big issue with the city. Maybe we should break the fleet, city fleet vehicles into a different category. Um but all this uh you know generates with the RFP generates extra income to the city on of our contract franchise

in looking in looking at in looking at these fees right here. There's only one uh in the city of Columbia is the only one who had lists a per hour rate. All the other ones listed there including the South Carolina Highway Patrol appears to be a flat fee. South Carolina Highway Patrol. Is that what you're saying? That's correct. No, South Carolina patrol is per hour. 500. No, it's not here. This is a flat fee at this 576. I'm going to have to get you at our workshop. I'll have the proper documentation that we It's not right on our sheet, too. So,

um, do you Um, weird question. You may not know the answer, Rick. Of the standardsiz vehicles that are towed, what percentage are covered under the franchise versus what percentage are non-consentual toes from private property? Do you have a breakdown on that?

So, just my company alone, um, we did almost a thousand calls for the city of Myrtle Beach last year under the contract. um uh about 200 of them were abandoned and ended up nobody picked up and never got paid for. So that's a loss to our company. Um I don't have that number. How many how many how many vehicles I think the question the mayor asked was how many vehicles that you towed would have been uh to to do the charge rate for like say for an 18-wheeler. No, but that was part of the question. Yeah,

there wasn't that many. Uh I would say under a handful a dozen. Okay. Would be under would be that big rate. Most of them are your equipment. Um so which I think we're taking care of that now by bringing in some newer trucks and things. All right. Any other questions? Any other comments from the public?

The the one thing I just want to say is um prop our property taxes went up our Um, our business license went up. We we hold four city business licenses um for our three lots and our uh another repair shop. So, um you know, that all needs to be taken into consideration when we're talking about storage and things of that sort and cost of uh doing business. We should not have gone 14 years without adjusting this at some point along the way. I agree. Our business licenses were flat. Yeah, I don't know that we've increased our business license fees. Uh I I assume it's a little bit it's went up. I don't know that we've your business may have gone up.

Yeah, we pay on a percentage. I think our business license is on our percentage of what we grow. So more business though, it's not really a flat fee uh for us. Um so Ricky, if you would talk a little bit about your um your um your big trucks. I mean, how do you I mean, I buy a convection oven and that's a big investment for me. You guys got a I think you're one of the one of the only tow companies around you that tow big trucks and what talk about expenses. I mean, how how much of those things are

Well, the 50 ton we just bought was $900,000. I made that investment in October this year. Uh we also have a 35 ton that's we've been towing all your trucks with. But with the new equipment coming in, we have to change with what's going on in society. So it's time for a bigger truck to the bigger stuff. Um we have a 35 ton that was somewhere around 700,000. We have a 25 ton that's right around uh 550 something like that. The maintenance alone on those things is a lot different than running the smaller vehicles. the insurance on those things are a lot uh higher and and liability wise uh on those trucks costs a lot of money. We also run two trailers. Um we haul equipment. We haul your fire trucks on the trailer when I don't want to move. Right. So, uh we have a wide variety of equipment at our facility.

Okay. This ordinance before us doubles the fee that we pay for towing the large vehicles. I think my basic question is for the large vehicles is that a sufficient increase? I guess in in in my opinion uh no but any bit will help. So council any desire to to make it 750 for the large vehicles?

Well yeah I'm going to get back to I know we don't want to I know we want to get vote on this and get the signs up as soon as we can and everything else. Uh but the more I listen to this uh you know the it seems to me the per hour given the size and and what goes into it might be the way to go. Unfortunately right now our are our our comparisons that we have up in front of us. I guess City of Colombia is the only uh jurisdiction or municipality that charges a per hour basis. Um, but I can imagine where if it's my company, uh, my equipment, depending on what has to be done, uh, my goodness, we could be hour and a half, two hours, three hours involved. Uh, and now it's going to cost me cost

Mhm. to my company $1,500, but my allowable charge is only $500. I I do not know what the hourly charge should be because I don't have enough information in front of me, but I really think that's something that we need to consider. Now, do we pass something now so that we have time to look at it and then come back and amend things? I I'll I'll leave that up to people. Yeah. The will the will of council, but I think we need to look at the hourly fee. You could we could we could pass pass this today. First reading

and we have a workshop in between the second reading. If you want to go back and amend this, you can do that at that time. Okay. I I think the idea to come back and revisit it all and just do a a Right. I agree with you. The signs are definitely a situation and I'm all for that. So, Okay. Mayor, is there a reason we don't adopt the highway patrol fee schedule? It Yeah, there I think there are multiple reasons we don't do that. Well, give me two. Um, somebody give me two. We're looking at two instances at at a minimum of two instances where a non-consensual toe could occur. That's

one of them is when the police department calls because they've stopped somebody for DUI or they've they've made a drug arrest. there's been an accident on the road and you got vehicles to tow. And that's what's covered under the franchise agreement. And these are the rates that we would allow them to charge either us or the insurance company for that non-consensual tow when something unexpected has occurred. The other non-consensual tow occurs from private property when a sign is posted on a piece of private property where parking is not allowed period or after hours or at certain times of the day or for non-C customers. And that's where our residents or our visitors um are coming back to where they parked their car improperly. No question about that. um and then are having to pay to shell out to get their vehicle back. So, they have to figure out where the car went. They have to get a ride to where the car went. Either call a friend, call an Uber, call a taxi. Um they have to go to the towing company. Um fork over currently $160 under this proposed ordinance, $225 to get their car back. Um, so you're looking at an hour's process and $225 to get your vehicle back from where you've parked it improperly. The addition of this extra sign will provide more information. It should make the sign a little more visible, too, at the end of the day so that we we prevent people from parking where they shouldn't park at the end of the day. Does that help?

Well, kind of. I was just thinking thinking of a uniform fee schedule. It's simple. I I would say yes, but the highway patrol covers all of South Carolina. Where they tow a vehicle may be a much much greater distance than where you would tow one inside the city of Myrtle Beach, which covers 25 square miles.

The city, the city of Myrtle Beach is 2% landwise of Ory County. So, so you could tow you could drive for an hour in Ory County and not get back to your destination. That's not going to be the case in Myrtle Beach. I just to say we have sectors. So it is not miles. Our Myrtle Beach sector is basically um is uh 31 to the beach and uh basically from the Air Force base to um Lakerhead Road is and that's the basically the same in this city limits what we're running. running the same amount of miles and same.

So, um the um I understand what what you're saying about the non-consential towing, but the city has done a fabulous job of fixing that by putting the um curbs in, putting parking lots in properly over the years, what we had years ago. Like I said, I've been here 40 years, almost in business November. Um, and I've seen a big change. It has cut those numbers way down. And I will have that number for you. How many non-consentual toes um for you at the workshop or whenever next, but we do not do that many non-conentual towing. It's not a a thing I want to do anymore. Um, it's it's a thing that uh doesn't create good business. So, um, yes, I understand where you're coming at that, but it does take as long to do something like that as we would go to a rec scene and do a car at the rec scene. It does take the extra equipment because most cars these days don't move easily. Four wheels are locked down. So, you do need to take that extra step. So, I do appreciate it, Councilman Render. Okay.

I would say one of the reasons this ordinance exists is for the protection of the public. so that a non-consensual toe doesn't have an open-ended charge at the end of the day. And I appreciate that. I just don't want to sacrifice the good for the search of the perfect, as they say.

It had occurred to me if if it was possible, and I don't know that it is, to create yet a third category for government institutional authorized toes, but I don't know that that's possible to do. So, the county does have a fleet contract, which I had at one time. They have a fleet contract and the uh police contract. So, they do have a separate contract for that, which I understand that would help save the city some money. All right. Any other discussion from the public? All those in favor of the ordinances presented today, please say I. I. I.

Any opposed? Thank you. buried the agenda. Hang on a second here somewhere. Ah, on top.

All right. Ordinance first reading of ordinance 26-32. This is for the franchise agreements, please. First reading of ordinance 2026-32 authorizing the city manager to enter into amended franchise agreements for towing and storage services within the city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I guess the most simple way to say this will change the fees that are in the franchise agreement to reflect the fees that you just passed. Is there a motion? Motion approved.

Mike and Mike Any council discussion? Any public discussion? All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? We have another section for non-aggenda items from the public. I know. It doesn't necessarily require that you have signed in. Anybody desperate to speak? Hearing none. Communications from boards and commission members. communications from city council and city manager.

Mayor, I'd ask uh Fox if he would after several constituent requests with regard to services for uh the aging and retiree to have the council on aging executive director come to a workshop and give us an update as to exactly what they do and then how would a constituent solicit services. Okay. Thank you. Other council members. We we've had a couple of questions recently about speed limits both in neighborhoods and on Kings Highway. Are we looking at those? And is does council have a a thought on any of those?

Apparently not. Other than this, the concern about speeding is there and is a continued issue. The Forest Dunes neighborhood requested that their internal speed limit be posted at 25. Had a request on the north end of Kings Highway where it does jump to 50 briefly that that be brought back to 45. That's a state going to be a DOT issue. I think

I think we need I think we need to look at it holistically. I feel like um there might be one or two people maybe three or four in different areas that want people to slow down. So the gut reaction is to change the speed limit everywhere. Um if I mean this is just being kind of like if we change it to 10 miles an hour everywhere because we want people to slow down, people are not going to slow down. So, I think we really need to have a comprehensive look with our public safety um before we start changing everything everywhere. Talking to some of my neighbors, I pull out onto that 50 50 mph um stretch a lot. Um but a lot of people don't think it needs to be changed.

Okay. So, I think we need to be kind of careful. Um that's why I asked what we're doing. We're getting the requests right now. I understand it because request we need to I don't like people speeding either. I go down um Kings Highway and somebody passes me going way too fast. Um so I think we need to look at it as a holistic problem. I agree.

I think too that uh part of it is an education process. Uh, and by that I mean, you know, just asking people to be more mindful. And I'll give you a real life example in the Northwoods neighborhood. Um, Josh can speak to it. Uh, but there were, uh, there was speeding problems going through a neighborhood with children, that type of thing. One of the things uh Josh was kind enough to go over there uh took a look at it and one of the first things he noticed was wait a minute there's no posted speed limited sides on a lot of these streets so let's let's get that done and that got done uh and the feedback was it started to get at least in the neighborhood people's attention uh and I uh suggested to the neighborhood that they where the speeding was basically coming was from two other neighborhoods using it as a cutthrough and so they went and sat down with those two other neighborhoods uh homeowners association and said this is what's happening and we need your help. Uh and they've done that and there have been messages out to those communities. There has been community meetings and guess what happened? They're slowing down. So there there is that component too. Good.

That's great. Bill, was that a a factor of the neighborhood communication or enforcement heightened in market comment? Appears more blue lights are flying and I noticed it's slower down there. Well, you would have to ask the police department. I don't think it was a matter of of of real enforcement. We had the the speed limit sides up for a while, but

I I think one of the problems is it's a few speeders that are causing the problem and the perception of the speeding problem. And I'll tell you, we went out and met with the resident. We were out there for 25 minutes and not one car went by. I don't know if the president realized when we were talking to him, not one car went by. And so we deployed the police department out there. I mean, the problem is we have a lot of roads we're trying to cover and enforce. And I mean, when you have find out resources, you got to put put the cops where the problems are and where the data shows us where the problems are. And so they spend a lot of time out there. And the officers would go out there and get frustrated because they'd go sit out there for 30 45 minutes and two cars come by. Right. You're talking about in Northwoods.

Yes. It's not the ones that are speeding, right? And so that's that's the challenge is that the best use of our resources are putting them somewhere else where there's more traffic and more. And so there's a lot of push and pull and tugging that's going on right now. And to your point about the speed limit, you know, trying to be consistent and make sure that it's not one or two people that are just driving it. Um that we're listening, that you know, the data is helping to drive some of the decision making. Well, there are speeders.

There always will be. And to to Debbie's point, it probably is time that we take a city-wide look. The person who mentioned the Kings Highway pointed out that the speed limits have been set for 30 or 40 years. The speed limits generally haven't changed in four or five decades. And yet, Myrtle Beach has very much changed in four or five decades, four or five days for that matter. So maybe we do need to look at whether or not the speed limits that were set in the 1970s and 80s and 90s are still valid under today's conditions. Absolutely. Agreed. Could Could we get a legislative update from Colombia 2 with regard to proviso funding

that is coming when the new legislation ends? I talked to Scott last week and he's prepared to come up once we get the session concluded. I have a note that and I don't remember the circumstances of this. Um sidewalk on 67th Avenue North from Kings to the Beach. Um that may have been part of the Forest Dunes discussion. I'm trying to remember that. I there's no u there's no sidewalk there now. Okay. I I I pointed out that check with your neighbors and see if they're willing to have a sidewalk. It would be on public property, but not everybody is happy about a sidewalk. It'd be awfully tight. I don't know if there's room for a sidewalk there, frankly. Then you can check it.

Can we staff check it? Can we look at that just to see what's up? 67th North, Kings to the Beach. If if council is serious about that, we generally actually check with each neighbor. Yeah. Yeah. What what's been done in the past is kind of like a survey done and depend on the response from the survey is whether those sidewalks under the existing policy they're supposed to come to us with those results. They rarely do that. But when we have but that's but that's what we're talking about by the suburbate then the the the entire neighborhood right there is the one coming to us not just one or two people

or majority. Okay. And then last on my list at this point would be we had a discussion about wind activated shading devices. It would went to the beach advisory committee. the beach advisory committee recommended against it. Just curious whether city council wants to consider a one-year trial in the residential area for the wind activated. I'm not interested. Anybody?

I'm not interested. It seems that the emails that we received uh we had a bunch in the beginning about we prefer not that you not do this and from what I've seen lately now all of a sudden they've been matched by another set of equal emails saying wait a minute we really wish you would you really wish you would try this the and I think most people uh know this uh just based on communications that we've received I guess from the manufacturer of at least one of the wind devices uh is that our original request uh to the committee was to hey you know take a close look at this and if we were to do it give us some advice on how it might be implemented and that's the one thing they did not come back and do they came back and said just you know no we don't recommend it we didn't ask them for a recommendation we asked them to take a look at it and come back and and give us some advice. Now, they may have come back and said, "Here's the advice, but it's not good advice for you." But, you know, we appoint these folks, and I I I think they have an obligation when we ask them to do something that is reasonable that they do it. Uh so, that's I would I would really like to see them do that. Uh, I know what they've said and they're they're they're against it. Maybe that's not, you know, maybe they're never going to change their mind. Maybe we're not going to hear what could be done. Uh, but I would like to see them do something. That's well the way Bill feels about it. And I and I can appreciate that. But, uh, that was the recommendation from the committee. And also, uh, there's there two things here with me. Uh I've heard I I won't disagree that that there had

been just as many before or just this many against but at the same time we got this and this and the other thing is we've got our beach committee beachfront committee that recommends that we don't do it and our public safety personnel recommend that we don't do it as well. And the the way I look at this thing and is what's very important here is what some people might want maybe they're not taking into consideration the fact of public safety and we as a body I think we we should listen to what our public safety people say and we should listen to what our beach committee says because they're there. Our public safety people are there and if they had if public safety didn't have a concern about these, they wouldn't be recommending against them. And so that's the reason I'm adamantly opposed to having even a trial run on this because we're going against what their recommendation is and we're going against what the recommendation of the beach committee is as well. I don't have any other simpler way to put that.

And that's why I'm asking whether or not there's support on council to consider the trial run. Two quick points, and I've made these before. The ordinance that is in place that restricts the amount of shading during certain times of the year predates the existence of these wind-driven shading devices. So, this wasn't a a possibility when the ordinance was. We voted we voted against it last year. I understand. We currently allow these wind-driven shading devices along the entire length of the beach for all but 90 days of the year. I understand that too.

If there if there aren't if there's no desire to continue this, I will be quiet about this. I think it's just too I think the timing is not good at this point that there would not be enough time for appropriate plan on the public safety side etc. So, um I think that if we are going to consider it that it needs to be done well ahead of time and with plenty of deliberation with our public safety folks too.

And just to be clear, my point is more to uh when we ask a committee uh to do something that they, you know, they should come back with what we've requested rather than ignore what we've requested. Uh the same thing goes for uh gosh public safety when you think about it. Um there's a resistance uh about doing things down on the boulevard too where we're asking that maybe we need to take a fresher look at this too. So that's all I'm trying to say is that you know we we appoint these committees whatever they are u we as a body if we ask them to to take a look at it u that they at least do what we've requested they may not agree with us and that's absolutely fine and I hear the public safety side Mike u and I I really do understand that but more my more of mine is uh at at what point do we let them run us versus us running them. That's my point.

Last comment on this subject, keeping Debbie's suggestion in mind, is there enough interest to look at a trial period next summer, which would begin in Memorial Day of 2027? I think that would give uh long enough proper time to maybe vet this a little more. And ask our beach committee to really digest this a little more. I I think I think the timing may be a little off this year. Correct. Completely agree with Dr. Connor. I can support that.

And I actually voted for it last year, so and it didn't pass, but I'm willing to have some conversations. So, not this year, but look at next year. That gives us 14 14 13 months to look at it. Okay. Anybody else? Motion to adjourn. We have a motion to adjurnn. All those in favor, please say I. Second. Thank you.

Thank you. Yeah.