The site is zoned General Residential (GR).  It is currently wooded and contains a 50' SC Public Service Authority Transmission line R/W

1.  The property is located north of Sunnyside Avenue approximately 255 feet west of Business 17 in Murrells Inlet.  The site is bordered by General Commercial to the north, east and south and General Residential to the east, west and south.      

2.      Single family and multifamily uses are both permitted in the General Residential Zoning District.  Section 607.306 of the GR section requires a site plan review by the Planning Commission and County Council for all multi-family developments containing more than ten (10) dwelling units with a net density of five units or more per acre.  Adjacent property owner notices were sent out and the property was advertised as required in this section of the ordinance.  The review by the Planning Commission and County Council is limited to compliance with the land use regulations of the County as the use has already been properly designated by establishment of the zoning district. 

3.   The applicant is proposing a two phase multi-family development consisting of 20 two and three bedroom duplexes in phase 1 and five 15-unit 2 bedroom condos in phase 2 for a total of 115 units.    

            Phase 1 - Duplexes 

4.        This phase has a gross density of 7.63 units per acre and a net density of 8.23 units per acre.    The net density as shown complies with the GR zoning district density limits for two-family dwellings.  The land area for each duplex contains a minimum of 8,000 sf and the parcels front on a proposed 50’ private R/W with the exception of duplex units 19 and 20 that will be accessed off of Sunnyside Avenue.     

            Phase 2 – Multi-family (Condos)

5.       The maximum density allowed in the GR zoning district for multi-family is based on both the number of bedrooms in each unit and the number of stories in each building.   A total of 225,000 square feet is required for the 75 two-bedroom units.  Phase 2 contains 5.96 acres or 259,642 square feet.  After subtracting the 23,342 SF for the drive aisle, the net lot area is 236,300 SF which exceeds the required 225,000 SF.  The number of units shown meets the minimum lot area per unit requirements.   

6.     The proposed plan complies with the 25 foot front yard setback, as well as the 10’ side yard setback and the 20’ rear setback.  Phase 1 indicates a pervious/impervious ratio of 60%/40% and phase 2 indicates a pervious/impervious ratio of 51.2%/48.8%.  Both phases exceed the 50%/50% requirement. 

7.         The Zoning Ordinance requires two spaces per unit in phase 1 for a total of 80 spaces.  Two spaces are required for each condo unit in phase 2 for a total of 150 spaces.  A total of 151 spaces (which include 12 handicap spaces) are provided for phase 2. The project as a whole will have 231 spaces, which is more than the required 230 spaces.   

8.      Section 1201.9 of the Zoning Ordinance requires buffers between differing land use types.  Multi-family developments are required to install a Level 2 buffer against existing single family development.  A Level 2 buffer is shown to the west of the development (Phase 2).  The length of this buffer is approximately 624 feet.  A buffer is not required between the proposed multi-family (Phase 2) and two- family (Phase 1) development or between the existing GC Zoning district to the north and east.  In addition, a buffer is not required between the proposed two-family (Phase 1) development and the existing GR zoning to the east. 

A landscape plan will need to be reviewed and approved by planning staff that meets the minimum requirements of Article XI.    

9.       The site contains a total of 289 protected trees, 189 trees are marked to be removed and 100 to remain.    Of the 289 protected trees, 12 are classified as grand trees because they are over 30” DBH.  The applicant has stated that the duplex lots will be lot specific in design in order to avoid all grand trees. The applicant will need to provide a tree replacement plan for Staff review prior to land disturbance.    

10.    Stormwater will be collected in a series of catch basins and pipes that will flow to (2) stormwater retention ponds along the south side of the project.  The stormwater ponds will be designed to control the post development runoff rates to be equal to or lower than the predevelopment runoff rates, which will be controlled by an outfall structure.  The ponds will also be designed to store the required water quality runoff volume and discharge it over a 24-hour period.  All Georgetown County and SCDHEC Stormwater and erosion control ordinances will be adhered to during and after construction.

11.      The applicant met with the Utility Coordinating Committee on September 4^th.  Sewer for the project will connect to the existing gravity line.  Santee Cooper did not see any issue with providing power to the site.

12.    Midway Fire has commented that the fire access is acceptable and that the required hydrants will need to be added.   

13.   The proposed project is expected to generate an additional 850 ADT’s per day, so a Traffic Impact Analysis was required.  A study was completed in August 2020 and was prepared by Todd Salvagin of Encroachment Permit Clearinghouse (EPC), LLC.

·         Based on the analysis results, EPC indicated that at the intersection of US 17 Bypass at Sunnyside Avenue/Burgess Road, operations are expected to be acceptable under all conditions studied.  The US 17 Business at Sunnyside Avenue intersection has a small delay for the minor street eastbound approach (Sunnyside Avenue) which is very minor and not considered to be significant.  This is typical of un-signalized intersections along major collectors.  The level of service for 17 Business and Sunnyside is the same for both the build and no-build scenario.  The project will have a minor 2 second or less delay.

·         Recommendations have been made for each of the site access drives which include the suggestion of approach cross-sections for each drive.  It is recommended that each site access provide a two-lane approach with one lane entering the site and one lane exiting designated as a shared left/right turn lane.

·         The minor third access is located approximately 175 ft. west of the eastern site access.  This access will require a waiver as it does not meet the minimum spacing between access drives however it will only service two of the duplex townhome units which are not accessed via the loop road.

14.      Access for the site will be provided by an existing driveway and two additional curb cuts off of Sunnyside Avenue (one at each phase).  The existing driveway will be shifted to serve as an access to building 20.  The applicant will be required to ask for a waiver from SCDOT as it does not meet the minimum spacing requirements between access drives.  Sunnyside Avenue is a state maintained road so the applicant would have to apply for SCDOT encroachment permits for all three access drives.  A 50’ private R/W will be utilized in the two family phase and will transition into a 24’ driveway aisle in the multi-family phase. A new road name for the development will need to be reviewed and approved by Planning Commission.  

15.   Signage has not yet been addressed.  The Zoning Ordinance allows two signs with a total of 40 square feet for each development entrance.  The height may not exceed 12 feet. 

16.    The property is located in flood zone X.  

17.    A pool, pool house (shower and restroom) and a picnic area amenity is shown on the plan.

18.  Staff recommended approval of the preliminary plat conditional on the following:

• Final approval from GCWSD, MI/GC Fire and Georgetown County Stormwater

• Street name application to be submitted and approved

• Submittal and approval of a tree replacement plan and landscaping plan

• Encroachment permits and waiver from SCDOT regarding the minor access for lots 19 and 20

19.  Planning Commission held a public hearing at their October 15th meeting.  Seven people spoke opposing the project.  Major issues that were presented by the public were:

• Stormwater and Drainage
• Traffic Study that did not include Murrells Inlet Road
• High Density
• Buffers
• Compatibility

After significant discussion regarding the traffic study, the loss of trees, the Murrells Inlet estuary, density and stormwater, a vote to approve the plan failed with a 2 to 3 vote.