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Residents of the lower Waccamaw Neck in Georgetown County, South Carolina are exploring incorporation as a means of fighting a county comprehensive land use plan which they say will make their community “look like Myrtle Beach.”
A new nonprofit organization – the Pawleys-Litchfield Municipal Study Group – has emerged to study the possibility of creating such a municipality to protect the interest of citizens as well as the scenic natural beauty of the area, which includes historic Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, Huntington Beach State Park and the Hobcaw Barony.
According to its Facebook page, the new entity is “a grassroots group of citizens that formed a SC nonprofit organization for the purpose of exploring the incorporation process as a possible option for the lower Waccamaw Neck and to provide educational information to the community as it is gathered.”
The initiative to investigate the possibility of creating a new municipality comes in response to the county’s controversial new comprehensive land use plan – which is scheduled to receive its third and final reading from Georgetown county council on July 23, 2024. The plan will govern the unincorporated area of Waccamaw Neck with the exception of Pawleys Island – which incorporated as a town in 1938 and two decades later as a city.
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Our media outlet reached out to members of the Georgetown county council but have so far received no response.
Group members argued the present government structure means decisions affecting the lower Waccamaw Neck are made predominantly by representatives from other parts of the county, making it difficult for local residents to effect change through voting alone.
“We have really had a hard time with our county council not listening to our wishes for our part of Waccamaw Neck,” said Cindy Deloache, a member of the group. “We are the cash cow for Georgetown county.”
Incorporation would allow the new municipality to create its own land use plans independent of those passed by the county council. Group members see this as a way to preserve their distinctive community.
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Group members say they are concerned that the county’s proposed land use plan would increase the population growth rate well above the rate experienced over the last ten years – which could dramatically change the composition of the place they call home.
“Population density will increase,” according to information provided by the study group. ”It means our distinctive area in time will become Myrtle Beach. The only way to block this plan is for Lower Waccamaw Neck residents to unite and establish a new town through Incorporation. Incorporation means decisions that affect this area will be made by the people who live here. The new town government representatives will be accountable to local voters.”
U.S. Census data helps to decipher some of the differences between the Waccamaw Neck and Georgetown County. According to data collected in 2022, the median age of Waccamaw Neck residents is 60.7 as opposed to 51 in Georgetown County. The median household income is $75,495 in Waccamaw Neck compared to $59,782 in Georgetown County. The poverty rate in Waccamaw Neck is 8.2 percent. In Georgetown County, it is 16 percent.
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The process of incorporating a municipality is a long one – and ultimately requires an election. Before an election can be held, an application for incorporation must be filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State (SCSOS) for review by that office – and by the Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation. Once all of the requirements are met, the secretary of state will call for an election so local residents can vote on the question of incorporation.
According to the incorporation handbook published by the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC), an incorporation initiated pursuant to S.C. Code § 5-1-40, requires a petition signed by 15 percent of qualified electors who reside in the proposed municipality to be filed with secretary of state. The petition must set out the proposed corporate limits and the number of inhabitants within the area.”
Andy Hallock, a resident of Pawleys Island who has been researching the incorporation issue for some time, is the contact person for the group. The group emphasizes that it is not affiliated with any other organization or special interest.
The next update from the Pawleys-Litchfield Municipal Study Group will be released in two weeks, detailing the proposed town’s makeup. The group is encouraging anyone with questions to submit them via email.
Anyone with an opinion on the potential incorporation of the Waccamaw Neck is encouraged to reach out to callie@fitsnews.com.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters.’ Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.
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