Atlantic Beach planning commission moves ‘Aspire 2036’ plan forward after public hearing

ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. — The town of Atlantic Beach took a step toward adopting its new 10-year comprehensive plan Tuesday after a public hearing on “Aspire 2036” at the Atlantic Beach Community Center.

The planning commission met at 1:30 p.m. to hear public comments before voting on whether to recommend the plan to town council for final review.

The commission approved a recommendation of approval, sending the plan to council for its first reading.

“I think I feel good about the plan. I think we’ve gotten the point across it’s just the plan. There’s always changes or exceptions that can be made to it,” said Stephen Fera, chairman of the Atlantic Beach Planning Commission. “We made the plan based on the information and the laws that we know apply.”

What Aspire 2036 is

Aspire 2036 is the proposed comprehensive plan for the town of Atlantic Beach.

Officials say it outlines a shared community vision for long-term growth, including developing a commercial corridor, ensuring neighborhood compatibility, and designing the town for resilience and public benefit.

Town leaders have said the plan is meant to help preserve Atlantic Beach’s small-town character and cultural identity while setting priorities for land use, infrastructure, housing, and economic development.

Changes made after public feedback

Planning Project Manager Ashley Cowen said the planning commission made changes to the future land use map based on what they heard during public input.

One of the changes: the planning commission voted to extend the mixed-use portion of the commercial corridor to Sea View. Previously, the mixed-use area ended partway up 30th Avenue.

With the change, officials said the goal is for all of 30th Avenue to function as a commercial corridor.

Cowen also said the comprehensive plan does not change current zoning and does not determine private deed restrictions.

Deed restrictions and development questions

Property owner Krishna Dass spoke during the meeting, and after she felt her concerns were heard.

“Deed restrictions that are up for debate. I felt as though I had previous communication with the planning committee and with the consultant and they actually listened and adjusted the plan accordingly, so I’m extremely happy that they did that,” Dass said.

Cowen said deed restrictions “carry with the land” and that the town did not create them, but is acknowledging their existence as part of the planning process. She also encouraged residents and potential buyers to research properties and ask questions before purchasing.

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