The City of North Myrtle Beach is tackling two tough problems – parking and transportation.

The consultant will determine the approximate parking capacity of all City-owned off-street parking lots in the study area.

• Handicapped spaces and golf cart designated spaces will be noted in the capacity.

• They will also determine the approximate on-street parking capacity in the northern portion of the study area (from 54th Avenue North to 62nd Avenue North) and along Main Street in Ocean Drive.

• Turnover and occupancy data will be determined by taking photographs of the vehicles and comparing them to the previous visit.

• For comparison, Kimley-Horn will survey parking practices in eight similar coastal communities to determine whether they charge for parking, if so the rate and collection procedures, the number of parking spaces and enforcement procedures.

A customized parking demand model for the City of North Myrtle Beach will be created from their study.

• The model is predicated on land use mix and development intensities, existing parking inventories, travel mode split, potential shared-use parking strategies, and parking generation rates published by either the Urban Land Institute or the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

• The model will serve as a tool the City can use to evaluate land use decisions and/or policy implications. Potential applications for the parking demand model include tracking cumulative impacts of committed development, evaluating redevelopment initiatives, and reviewing parking management considerations.

• Based on the results of the parking demand model, the Consultant will recommend new parking facilities to accommodate existing parking demand.

The City and County are also teaming up to complete a Thoroughfare Plan.

• The Thoroughfare Plan study area is comprised of mostly undeveloped and underdeveloped land in the Northeastern portion of Horry County and fully developed portions of the city of North Myrtle Beach.

• The city of North Myrtle Beach is a thriving resort community that will in time expand further west of the ICWW, annexing much of the area of study by the specified build-out year of 2035.

• The study area extends from U.S. Highway 17 in the city of North Myrtle Beach, SC, to S.C. Highways 57 and 90; from S.C. Route 22 to Route 9 in the unincorporated areas of Horry County, as well as incorporated portions of the city of North Myrtle Beach.

• The study area also includes the area located south of the existing (future I-73/I-74) interchange of S.C. Route 22 and S.C. Route 31, from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW) to the corporate limits of the City of Myrtle Beach.

The Plan will help to guide future development of a comprehensive countywide thoroughfare system… focusing on the preservation of rights-of-way needed for future development of long-range transportation improvements.

• The Plan has far-reaching implications on the growth and development of urban and rural areas.

• The Plan may influence the pattern of movement and the desirability of areas for development.

Source: Jim Hulen – NorthMyrtleBeachONLINE.com

October 20, 2007 — The spacious “Pearl” Villa at Ocean Keyes in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., was named the best multifamily home along the Grand Strand in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range by The Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association during its inaugural Fall Tour of Homes.

The award-winning 1388 square foot Pearl Villa is one of six available floor plans in the Ocean Keyes community of beach Villas. Each Ocean Keyes beach Villa building is quality-built of concrete and steel construction for strength and durability, and features elevators to provide convenient access to each floor. Open and airy, Villa interiors have high ceilings, granite countertops in kitchens, six-panel interior doors, and expansive impact resistant windows and sliding glass doors.

With acres of open space and the recreational amenities of a resort, the gated community of Ocean Keyes offers a relaxed lifestyle and maintenance-free living. Its picturesque, park-like setting features tranquil lakes, mature trees and abundant green space. Swimming pools, hot tubs, clubhouses, tennis courts and a fitness facility are all part of the resort-style amenities, and the Atlantic Ocean and Ocean Drive are within a short walk.

About Ocean Keyes

Ocean Keyes is a 50-acre community of Villas and townhomes in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Just a short stroll from Ocean Drive — renowned as the home of beach music and its iconic dance, “the shag” — Ocean Keyes offers homeowners a relaxing, maintenance-free lifestyle with resort-style amenities.

For more information on Ocean Keyes: contact Barbara Chartier by cell 843-902-0204 or email Barbara.Chartier@century21.com .