What's going on?

[Warren]

Just like to know what's going on with this issue. Hundreds of people went to the first town meting and it seems like the majority of them were against the Incorporation of Little River. I've seen this before where a new idea is proposed and the open forum draws more opposition than supporters.

See the meeting video at http://www.myrtlebeachtv.com/news

Now tell me why we went there? And what's next?

[tmlong]

There are many questions that definitely need to be answered at the next meeting on April 24th 7pm at NMB High School.
What is the rush to get incorporated? What is the goal and interests of the people that would be "in the positions to make decisions" of the incorporation? How do we know it will be for better instead of worse?

[Marcia Lynn]

How will we know what's going on?

Is the Sun News the only way to read about the progress of the incorporation effort?

And is their coverage accurate and thorough?

[bdejosia]

As a member of the Committee I will tell you that the focus of the committee is to gather the required signatures for placing the issue on the ballot and clarifying with the county the cost of Horry County Police during the transition period. I saw an article that stated the amount that was in the budget was inaccurate. The committee is determined to present accurate information to the residents therefore we must revist the County again and verify the information that we were provided.

[tmlong]

Again, How or where are the residents of Little River to know the status of things going on with the incorporation efforts, website, paper,etc.????

[Eastcoast05]

Well, if you are going to wait on The Sun News to inform you of what is going to take place in Little River, you best pull up a chair and sit a while !!

[tmlong]

I understand there are meetings held for supporting the DO NOT INCORPORATE but what are you accomplishing and what is the goal with these meetings?
Do the residents of Little River get invited or are they notified of these meetings so they can attend and be informed correctly?? We (majority of Little River residents) don't want incorporation because noone wants to pay more taxes,etc but my concerns are more for the future - who and what can protect our waterfront?????????????

[Marcia Lynn]

That is also my main concern...

I don't want to pay higher property taxes without compensory benefits (i.e. added services).

I don't want another layer of government (i.e. stricter laws regarding what I can do in my home, my yard, etc.).

BUT! I also don't want ANY more Little River waterfront property being annexed into North Myrtle Beach.

Besides incorporation, is there another way to stop it? Will Marilyn and NMB Council voluntarily agree to stop accepting
annexation petitions for land west of the waterway? Not likely.

Okay, without incorporating, can somebody tell me how to solve the problem? Does anybody else care?

I take very much to heart the fact that the most valuable property in Little River is being systematically chunked into
North Myrtle Beach. I read (and don't agree) that the incorporation committee is using "annexation as a scare tactic".

You can read NMB Council minutes and see it is plain fact that it has been occurring regularly.

You can read NMB City's future land use plans, and look at their future land use map, and see very clearly that they have
annexation plans for much of the land that is currently called Little River.

No scare tactics by a group; these are publicly available reports and maps.

Is North Myrtle Beach interested in ALL of Little River???

No... Just the really valuable parts along the waterway, Hwy 90, and Hwy 9.

There's no vote, there's no 75%, it'll done by individual property owner petition.

To me, the method doesn't matter. It's the fact that it CAN be done, IS being done, and will CONTINUE to be done unless
something changes.

So very sad that the earliest settlement and most historic waterfront areas in all of Horry County, which have been called
Little River since the 1600s, are now becoming North Myrtle Beach.

[caroline]

Has anyone gone to the State of SC site and really looked at the annexation rules. It is impossible to annex a town or property without the permission of the owner. Will Eastport, who is on the waterfront be annexed? In all probability it will not, 75% of the residents would have to ask the city of North Myrtle Beach to be annexed and then 75% of the owners would have to vote yes to do so. That is the way it works, individual owners can ask but they have to be touching the boundary already set for North Myrtle Beach. This is a fear tactic if you are not revealing the facts about annexation. Some developers have requested annexation, that is true. But annexation is NOT the way it will happen unless you allow it. Incorporation is NOT the answer. Just go to the SC Governemnt site and see for yourself. The committee against incorporation has done just that. We have spoken to people in the Secretary of states office that have told us that annexation is of land is impossible unless the OWNER allows it. Also Boundaries CANNOT be skipped. If one developer wants annexation and the next does not the boundaries cannot skip over the one that does not want to be annexed. That goes for personal property owners also. No one wants to give up the Little River waterways. The committee against incorporation has many members who have vested interests in that particlular area also. We have found out the facts and are therefore fighting against incorporation because we know that annexation is not the other possiblity. Go to keeplittleriverfree.com and ask away. We will love to answer your questions. If we don't know a particular answer we will find out the TRUTH!

[Marcia Lynn]

Caroline,

Look at the map of annexed property above (denoted in red).

The failed Bahama Island development and the Kingsport Road lots (now GrandeHarbourHome.com development) are NOT adjacent to each other. Yet they were both annexed into North Myrtle Beach because they were supposedly contiguous to NMB across the waterway.

That also makes Cricket Cove Marina (owned by a developer) and many other waterfront areas contiguous to
North Myrtle Beach and readily available to annexation if the property owner requests it.

Most of the historic waterfront is NOT in HOAs and POAs like Eastport, and there would be no vote, just a property owner/developer filling out a simple petition to annex.

Check the NMB City planning commission agendas and minutes -- there's annexation requests in just about
every meeting now... If you don't know how to look them up online, or don't read them in the legal section of
the paper, the agendas are also listed on TWC channel 15.

[caroline]

marcia,
I went on the NMB site and looked and printed all of the agendas since Jan.7, 2008 to June 16th
The only annexation on the agenda is the parcel by 22 down to Grand dunes along 31. ANd they seem to be putting that off since Jan. 2008. What others have you seen on the agenda and what days?
Caroline

[Marcia Lynn]

Caroline,
There have been 3 annexation requests so far in 2008, 9 in 2007, as well as 2 pre-annexation agreements in 2007 (for when the property becomes contiguous).
You can also find them in the public notices on the NMB City site.

[tmlong]

marcia-
I agree with you... residents of Little River need to see beyond the 75% issue- they are not informed about the OTHER side of the waterway which then connects to the "historic waterfront" in Little River. I am very concerned about THAT waterfront .

[caroline]

The Keep Little River Committee is not just seeing the 75% requirement. We are looking at what is going on on the west side of the waterway. I gave Marcia one of the documents we came across with the county. I have personally gone into the NMB site and looked at the agendas of both the council and Planning Board of NMB and have not found anything of concern near the Main street connector since Jan 08. I see some planning but if we stick together we may be able to do something about it. At least we will have more people to work toward the goal of Keeping Little River the way MOST of the RESIDENTS would like it to stay. Why are we preying on each other instead of who is trying to make changes.

[tmlong]

I don't know of anyone preying on someone on this site. This site is used for gathering and reading information and voicing concerns and opinions. This site is not for or against incorporation that I am aware of. I am sorry if you feel that the people on this site are trying to get information on the future of Little River and North Myrtle Beach to as many residents as possible as a negative thing.
I never have stated I wanted incorporation. Caroline, you are attacking comments about the possiblity of annexation as unattainable but again not all waterfront property is owned by homeowners and its associations. Waterfront property across from Little River waterfront is North Myrtle Beach and if it continues north then the waterfront in Little River could be considered contiguous and that is a fact. I am not trying to scare anyone - I am scared for myself and my family's livelihood. I want the historic fishing village. The casino boats own property and I am sure if they could get annexed they would.

[caroline]

I certainly have nothing against getting information out to the Little River Residents. I feel like we are arguing something that has not been presented and isn't even in the plans as of this date. I mentioned in my previous note that I found all the agendas for the NMB council and planning comm and nothing is on them about annexation of any area even remotely close to where you are worried about. I think we can only be defeated if we are divided and I think that is what the incorporation is setting out to do. Here we sit arguing over which is more important annexation or incorporation and both could happen under our noses if we are diligent in the facts and information. We can't stop something that hasn't even been discussed publicly can we? We can predict and worry but that won't help us now with the incorporation. The Keep Little River Free is a group trying to get information out to the public and here you accuse me of not wanting to do just that. I don't feel that is what I was saying at all. I hope all the 29566 residents turn their heads to our sites and see what we are discussing so that they too can start to inquire about what is going on?

[Marcia Lynn]

I've cited and provided links to both NMB City and the County sources who have planned to 2030 and 2035.

We're talking 25 and 30 year plans.

Why are you repeatedly saying everything is ok (annexation-wise) when you're referencing only a 6-month period, and only one source of agendas?

And to make very clear, I'm not saying I'm for incorporation. Frankly, it doesn't look to me like the ad hoc committee's efforts are going anywhere, so my opinion is that it's likely to die out.

What I AM SAYING is that we need to find a way to stop annexation of our valuable waterfront property.

Without becoming incorporated, does anyone out there know how to stop Little River's valuable property from becoming North Myrtle Beach?

We've already lost most of the east side of the waterway -- did you know that the east side of the waterway was considered Little River not so long ago?

Now we've lost several large parcels on the west side, and I don't see an end in sight.

What facts do you have regarding how an unincorporated village can stop developer-petitioned annexations?