Feds Rule in Favor of New Myrtle Beach Parking Rules.pdfFeds rule in favor of new Myrtle Beach parking rules I The State
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Steve Jessmore -\The Sun News file photo
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SOUTH CAROLINA
Feds rule in favor of
·\~ new Myrtle Beach
"
parking rules
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BY AUDREY HUDSON ANQ CHLOE JOHNSON
ahudson@thesunnews.com
JULY 20, 201612:20 AM
Parking fees for beach access in Myrtle Beach
do not violate a federal contract for beach
renourishment projects, yet the city decided
. .
Tuesday to revamp a key component of its plan
and eliminated nearly all Ocean Boulevard
parking along the Golden Mile.
The announcement to remove the 60 parking
spaces between 31st Avenue North and 52nd
A venue North was made just hours before the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced its
review of the beach renourishment agreement,
and whether it conflicted with the new parking
plan.
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Feds rule in favor of new Myrtle Beach parking rules\ The State
The corps determined that Myrtle Beach
residents and non-residents "are being
consistently charged for parking" as required
by the agreement signed in 1995, the federal
agency said in a statement.
"The specifics of how those charges are incurred,
whether through taxes to residents or fees to non
residents, are a decision up to the City of Myrtle
Beach and all questions about those charges should
be directed to them," the corps said in a statement.
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The parking ordinance that went into effect July 5
allowed for residents who live along the Golden
Mile to park on the east side of Ocean Boulevard,
while parking on the west side was eliminated. New
parking fees were also instituted at beach access
parking areas.
Myrtle Beach spokesman Mark :kruea says all but
four parking spaces near Gardens by the Sea Park
were eliminated from the boulevard Tuesday, and
those remaining will be converted to paid parking.
John Pedersen, Myrtle Beach city manager, said that
restricting parking on the east side of the boulevard
·to residents only was the "weakest" part of the new
parking plan.
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Feds rule in favor of new Myrtle Beach parking rules I The State
"Our attomey had talked to [Army Corps']
attomey," Pedersen said. "I think there was a
conversation generally about the contract and what
we were doing, and our attomey concluded that if
there was a weakness in our argument, it was that
area where only city residents could park."
I GUESS THE CORPS DOESN'T REALLY ''
CONSIDER UNINCORPORATED HORRY
COUNTY RESIDENTS EQUAL TO MYRTLE
BEACH RESIDENTS.
Harold Worley, Hony County councilman
Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes offered a
conflicting account, and said that the city did not
remove the spaces because of its beach
renourishment contract with the Army Corps. He
said the city is considering whether to add bike lanes
along the Golden Mile.
"The corps said we had no problem, so if we wanted
to keep it up like it says, we could have," he said.
Asked if the federal agency consulted with Mylile
Beach before issuing its decision, Corps spokesman
Sean McBride generalized the discussion.
"We did pass the information along to Mytile Beach
and asked that in the future if they make any
changes that may or may not affect the agreement,
to let us know beforehand to make sure we can deal
with it before it gets to this stage," McBride said.
The question of whether the new parking plan
conflicted with the beach renourishment agreement
surfaced last week after Horry County Councilman
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Feds rule in favor of new Myrtle Beach parking rules I The State
Harold Worley questioned whether the new parking
plan was fair to county residents who live outside
the city limits.
The contract said the city "shall provide and
maintain necessary access roads, parking areas and
other public use facilities open and available to all
on equal terms."
Worley says he was also concerned the parking plan
put beach renourishment dollars in jeopardy. The
federal government has spent $24 million for
renourishment effmis in My1ile Beach since 1995 .
Worley was pleased the agreement was not
compromised, but said the plan is still not fair to
county residents or "equal," as the contract requires.
"I guess the corps doesn't really consider
unincorporated Harry County residents equal to
My1ile Beach residents ," Worley said after hearing
the decision.
The parking plan allows My1ile Beach residents to
park in the street ends without using the Parkmobile
service to pay the hourly or daily rate, and parking
spots along residential streets bordering the Golden
Mile are restricted to neighborhood residents. Ocean
Boulevard parking was to be restricted to My1ile
Beach residents as well. ·
The ordinance passed by the city says that resident
parking decals are "free with proof of vehicle taxes
paid or proof of residency."
Rhodes said Friday there was no free parking for
Myrtle Beach residents -that their parking fees
would be paid out of car taxes.
Rhodes dismissed the concerns of county officials
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Feds rule in favor of new Myrtle Beach parking rules I The State
and insisted the parking plan is airtight.
"Mr. Worley up there in North Myrtle Beach needs
to won-y more about what's going on in that area
more than in My1ile Beach. Obviously he doesn't
know what he's talking about," Rhodes said.
Hon-y County officials dispute whether Myrtle
Beach residents are actually paying parking fees,
and whether those fees are fair to everyone. Hon-y
County residents must pay for street end parking, or
can buy a $100 parking pass that's restricted to two
lots.
Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle says car taxes are
not based on a flat rate, but are determined by the
vehicle's make, model and year so car taxes paid by
Myrtle Beach residents vm-y widely. There are
several line items for separate fees included on car
tax bills for Myrtle Beach residents, but none for
parking, Eargle said.
THE CORPS SAID WE HAD NO PROBLEM ... ''
John Rhodes, mayor, Myrtle Beach
"Cars are taxed by the value of cars, so some pay
more than others -is that fair and equitable?"
asked Hon-y County Council Chairman Mark
Lazarus.
"But it looks like they are taking one step at a time
addressing the problem," said Lazarus, noting that
he suggested to the county that parking on Ocean
Boulevard be eliminated and a bike lane added.
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Feds rule in favor of new My1ile Beach parking rules I The State
The only issue remaining, he said, is whether county
residents will be able to purchase parking passes for
the street ends.
"We'll get there (in) baby steps," Lazarus said.
McBride said it's not up to the Army Corps how the
city collects the parking charges, whether through
fees or in taxes. He added that parking fees can be
imposed to offset costs the city must pay for its
share of the federal beach renourishment project.
"It's not supposed to be a profit gaming thing for
them, but to offset the cost," McBride said.
Kruea says the parking fees collected are earmarked
for the Downtown Redevelopment Corp., which is
focused on improving the city center. That revenue
has to be used for projects in the area that it is
generated, which may include streetscape
improvements, maintenance and capital projects like
work on the boardwalk.
The city council will again discuss parking issues at
its meeting next week, Kruea said.
"We may be talking about parking for a long time to
come," Kruea said.
Chloe Johnson: 8843-626-0381)
@J_ ChloeAjohnson
Audrey Hudson: 843-444-1765)
@JAudreyHudson
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