Source: The Myrtle Beach Sun-News
A principal stockholder in Bay Tree has assured us that there would be no operational changes at the golf course in the event that the sale failed to be completed.
Bay Tree is a thriving 54-hole golf complex in North Myrtle Beach. Centex Corp. is planning to buy the property for commercial and residential development. For this plan to be feasible, a change in zoning will be required.
We, the property owners and residents of the area bordering Bay Tree, oppose this project for the following reasons:
With a significant population increase and the proposed entrance to the project directly across from Seacoast Medical Center, the traffic density and danger factor will increase dramatically.
While the construction continues, property surrounding the golf courses will be adversely affected. The golf course was the reason that most of us purchased our homes. With Bay Tree gone, these properties will no longer have that appeal. The owners of the properties used for rental income will suffer significant loss.
For the next 10 years, we will be living with the sounds of trees being taken down, trucks entering our area and other general inconveniences.
Of The 516 acres Bay Tree occupies, at most 350 would be suitable for housing. This equates to 5.6 units per acre.
There are consistent sightings of the endangered species of wood stork on the course. Eagles, egrets, hawks, owls, osprey and bluebirds frequent the area. Deer, red foxes, opossum, fox squirrels, muskrats and even an occasional black bear have been spotted. Amphibians and snakes are common. How will these species survive with the new construction?
When there are heavy rains, the ponds and ditches back up and flooding occurs. While DDC Engineering has said that it will improve this, the replacement of 516 acres of green space with houses, roads, driveways and parking lots will dramatically increase storm runoff. This will not only affect Bay Tree but also all properties along the drainage basins to the Waccamaw River and the Intracoastal Waterway.
While the construction is progressing, there will be a significant amount of airborne contaminants being blown into our neighborhoods. Thirty years of golf-course fungicides, fertilizers and pesticides, which are in the soils, will be unleashed and will contaminate the air and surrounding water.
There are a significant number of lawsuits involving Centex. Careful studies of its plans must be conducted before allowing any changes.
Any significant population increase will put an undue strain on already stressed police and fire services.
It would seem likely that these additional properties would cause problems for the Little River Water and Sewer Co.
Assuming a conservative figure of 0.8 children per household for the 1,050 homes and 550 townhouses, this would mean more than 1,200 children in this complex. Of these, probably 1,000 would be of school age. The population of North Myrtle Beach school district is about 4,100. This project alone would increase enrollment by 24 percent. These schools are already crowded. The only option would be new schools. This would increase taxes for all county residents.
What impact fees would be included in these properties? As yet, [Horry County Council] has discussed nothing regarding this issue.
At recent meetings with residents, Centex representatives stated that even if the deal were to be halted, Bay Tree would be closed. Gen. Jim Hackler, a principal stockholder in Bay Tree, has assured us that there would be no operational changes at the golf course in the event that the sale failed to be completed.
These representatives suggested that Bay Tree was in a state of decline. That is absolutely untrue. These courses have never been in better condition than they are now.
They contended that there has been a decline in rounds played in the Grand Strand, concluding there are too many golf courses. Not so! This decline is caused by the rapid increase in greens fees, which has discouraged middle-class tourists from coming.
Since Bay Tree's fees are reasonable, this is not the case here.
There are at least 17 surrounding housing developments that will be adversely affected.