City HallWednesday, November 4
North Myrtle Beach again delays action on accessory dwelling units
The Morning Myrtle Beach team
If you live in North Myrtle Beach, accessory dwelling units will have to wait. City Council voted unanimously Monday, Nov. 2, to postpone action and hold a workshop, the second meeting in a row the subject has stalled. ADUs are separate, smaller buildings on the same lot as a main house.
Mayor J. Baldwin said there are "a lot of concerns about ADUs becoming short-term rentals," and the city is unclear whether it can restrict that. Councilwoman Melissa Wober said, "I don't think we can enforce it not being a short-term rental."
The proposal would cap ADUs at 800 square feet
| Rule | Proposal |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 800 sq. ft. |
| Lot size | At least 7,500 sq. ft. |
| Distance from main house | At least 15 feet |
| Height | Not more than 25 feet |
Source: Post and Courier
- Approval path: special exception, reviewed by Board of Zoning Appeals
- Public comment: three minutes per speaker, on every agenda item
Opponents such as Kristi Hinton, who spoke to city leaders last month, call ADUs "an end run around current zoning rules." In theory, they'd give multigenerational families a flexible housing option. Councilman Bubba Collins pointed out that council isn't required to allow public comment on every item.
Short-term rentals loom over the ADU debate
- At least 5,400
- short-term rentals the city knows of
- About 1,700
- of them without a registered local agent
- Nearly 42%
- of residents are 65 or older, planners say
Source: Post and Courier
Sources: MyHorryNews.com, Post and Courier