Efforts to preserve the beach houses that give Pawleys Island its character are moving into high gear with the goal of creating a certified program that will unlock incentives for property owners to rehabilitate older homes.
Historic preservation has picked up momentum since the town adopted architectural guidelines for new homes in 2021 to help maintain “the Pawleys look.” The town Architectural Review Board has now reviewed 20 sets of plans, many replacing older homes that were torn down.
Under the town’s current flood ordinance, required to qualify for the National Flood Insurance Program, structures where improvements exceed 50 percent of their value have to comply with elevation requirements. That can make it cheaper to tear down and start over than to renovate…