HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - A controversial sand mine in Carolina
Forest is up for a vote tonight in Conway, but there are some changes to the
way that mine is run that could make life easier on neighbors.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday night, Horry County Council will decide if developer RCPS Properties
can operate a sand mine in Carolina Forest, on a site near Highway 501 and West
Perry Road next to several neighborhoods.
People who live nearby have been petitioning the site for months,
worried about the dust, noise, and traffic that could come as a result.
But after months of protest and a delayed vote at county council,
one of the project's biggest critics, the Carolina Forest Civic Association,
has fallen silent.
RCPS Properties has worked with neighbors and the county over the
past 4 months to come up with ways to reduce neighbors worries, and tonight,
County Councilman Cark Schwartzkopf says he plans to recommend an amendment to
the ordinance reducing the amount of land RCPS can mine at one time.
As written now the mining
resolution would allow RCPS to mine on more than 70 acres of land at a time.
Schwartzkopf's amendment would reduce the amount of land RCPS can mine at one
time to 10.
Carolina Forest Civic Association Vice President Bo Ives says he
is happy with the changes as long as Schwartzkopf's amendment passes, and for
now, has no plans to speak during public input at tonight's meeting.
RCPS General Manager Justin Harris tells WMBF News his company's
goal is to be good neighbors, and he feels they've done everything they can to
distance themselves from another apparent sand mine in Carolina Forest, the
Cottonpatch Development, that has angered neighbors for months.
Harris says while his company does not like having their mining
capacity limited, he says right now it would only be profitable for his company
to mine 5 to 10 acres anyway.
Stay tuned to WMBF News to find out how Horry County Council votes
on the mining resolution and Schwartzkopf's amendment.
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