Horry County Planning Commission recommends approval for rezoning Postal Way development project

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - A major mixed-use development proposal is one step closer to reality in the Carolina Forest area.

The Horry County Planning Commission held a public hearing on Thursday night for the development rezoning request along Postal Way, which could add over 1,000 homes. The project would also have room for businesses, representatives for the project described the plans as a “Market Common-style” development.

While the staff and commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning request, community members spoke out against the rezoning.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Horry County leaders talk plans for Postal Way development funded by ‘private money’

Carolina Forest resident, Cherie Reid said she sees a pattern of developers purchasing land in the area that is zoned one way and requesting to rezone to allow for more people in the same amount of space causing a denser population.

Reid said has a domino effect and decreases the quality of life because it strains first responders and schools in the area.

Development representative Felix Pitts said the rezoning request would take the current Highway Commercial (HC) & Limited Industrial (LI) to Planned Development (PDD) which is considered a “less intense” zoning.

However another concerned Carolina Forest resident said with the growth of population Carolina Forest has already seen, the community needs the commercial development zones to support the growth instead of bringing in more residents.

Ultimately, the planning commission recommended approval and the rezoning request will be sent to Horry County Council for the first of three readings.

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