CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County leaders next week will back away from approving a major development ban along the proposed Interstate 73 corridor until federal and state funding for the controversial project is secured.
“This is a highway that may or may not get constructed,” county councilman Al Allen said at a Tuesday infrastructure and regulation subcommittee meeting. “Where it is now, we’ve got landowners who are being denied permits in order or enhance or build upon their property because of that.”
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County leaders in July gave preliminary approval adding I-73 to official maps, essentially limiting development on nearly 400 parcels along the corridor. Officials at the time said doing so could prevent future financial losses for investors.
David Gilreath, an assistant county administrator, said in July there’s an advantage to adding I-73 onto official maps now.
“No matter how we talk about this and no matter what we do, it’s not a pleasant situation when you have to take someone’s property to improve it for the public,” he told the county council. “That said, what this ordinance does is it tries to protect the interests of the public in reducing or eliminating improvements to a property the public is anticipating to acquire.”