Council moves to manage growth in area with fees

By Ruben Lowman

The Horry County Council is signaling a major shift in how the area funds its infrastructure as councilmembers recently moved to approve a new sliding scale for impact fees on new residential construction.

During annual budget discussions held on Wednesday, April 1, the council debated how to ensure that the rapid expansion across the county pays for the services it requires without overburdening existing taxpayers.

Since the original fees were established in late 2021, the county has successfully funneled over $40 million into capital improvements, including fire stations and public park facilities. However as development continues to push deeper into the rural landscapes of areas such as Longs and Loris, and fills the remaining spaces left in the burgeoning communities of North Myrtle Beach and Little River, the council is now looking to replace the flat fee structure with one based on the square footage of new homes.

Under the newly proposed plan, which received initial approval, the current standard residential fee of $1,236 would be replaced by a tiered system that increases with the size of the building. New homes between 1,500 and 2,000 square feet would see fees rise to $2,050, while larger estates exceeding 3,500 square feet would trigger a fee of over $3,000.

This change aims to more accurately reflect the infrastructure demands created by larger households while simultaneously offering a slight reduction in fees for smaller housing units under 1,000 square feet.

For residents in growing areas like Longs, where large-scale subdivisions are becoming increasingly common, this shift represents a significant effort to secure funding for the roads and emergency services that must keep pace with the influx of new neighbors.

While the residential side of the fee structure is set for an increase, the council remains cautious about impacting local commerce in the northern end of the county.

Leaders like District 10 Councilman Danny Hardee expressed concerns that raising fees too sharply on commercial properties could discourage new businesses from opening in the more rural or transitioning sections of the district.

Consequently, the proposed changes for non-residential space, including retail and industrial buildings, are more modest as the county seeks to maintain a business-friendly environment for job creation.

As the council prepares for two more necessary votes before these changes are officially woven into the 2027 fiscal budget homeowners and developers in Little River and North Myrtle Beach are watching closely to see how the cost of building will evolve in the coming year.