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Land to go on auction block
The sound of a gavel on wood will decide the fate of more than 15 parcels of land up for sale at the heart of Murrells Inlet.
After about two years of trying to sell the 9.77 acres off of U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet, owner Gary Ownbey, of Tidelands Investments, plans to sell the property at auction on April 26, said auctioneer Chris Pracht at a press conference on Wednesday.
Ownbey's decision to auction off his property, which is zoned general commercial, is part of a growing nationwide trend.
The estimated sales revenue generated from commercial real estate has grown from $11.8 billion in 2003 to $13.7 billion in 2005, according to a survey by the National Auctioneers Association.
Tom Maeser, president of the Fortune Academy of Real Estate, said the trend started in the 1980's when the U.S. government created Resolution Trust, a government agency charged with resolving a large amount of savings and loan foreclosures on homes and the trend has continued to grow in other areas.
'If you look on eBay you'll see multi-million dollar homes up for bid. The Internet and all that has caused an expansion of how we normally do things,' Maeser said.
'I don't think auctions are looked upon anymore as a distress kind of a sell. It's not a negative thing, just another way to sell property.'
He said there is a downside to auctioning off a property if the seller doesn't make sure there are strong parameters. Sellers should make sure that they are not selling the property below market value, which would hurt the community and neighboring property owners.
There is no preregistration to participate in the auction, which will be open to everyone. There is no opening bid requirement on the Murrells Inlet property.
Ownbey does have the right to accept or deny all final bids, and buyers will be required to deposit 15 percent of their purchase price with the balance due on or before 45 days at closing, said Pracht, owner of Anderson-based Chris Pracht Auctioneers.
In the past, residents have kept a close watch over the development of the property.
About 1,000 residents signed a petition in 2006, after a developer tried to build a 93,000-square-foot boat-storage facility on the property. They contended that the business would pose a safety hazard and cause traffic problems.
Residents rallied for more protection against big-box businesses like the large boat storage building and won. On Tuesday, the Georgetown County Council passed an ordinance limiting the size of single buildings in Murrells Inlet to 30,000 square feet along U.S. 17 Business and the size of buildings in planned development to 45,000 square feet.
There will be some discussion about the upcoming auction at the Murrells Inlet Civic Association meeting on Monday at 4 p.m. in the Murrells Inlet Community Center.
'Right now all we can do is to wait and see what happens,' said David McMillan, acting president of MICA.
'We're not out looking for controversy, we're worried about smart growth,' McMillan said. 'I think people respect, for the most part, landowner's rights. When they start developing these tracts, we hope to be involved to do what's best for the community.'
03/15/2007
Myrtle Beach Online
Murrells Inlet works to save oyster habitats
t's a big no-no to throw away oyster shells, especially in Murrells Inlet.
If resident and restaurant owner Al Hitchcock catches you, he is likely to pick up the discarded shells and explain the benefits of recycling.
'We need to ensure that there are oysters for the future generation. You can't take and not put back.The people who have lived here for a while just sort of know you put them back,' said Hitchcock, co-owner of Drunken Jack's restaurant and a board member of Murrells Inlet 2007, a local conservation and preservation group.
Murrells Inlet leads the state in oyster shell recycling, Bill Anderson of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources told the group's board members Wednesday.
'Residents realize it's to their benefit,' said Anderson, manager of DNR's Shellfish Management Program.
But why recycle?
In many areas, oyster habitats have declined in recent years because of over-harvesting, destruction of habitat, water pollution, and other effects related to coastal development, according to information from DNR's South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program.
For example, Huntington Beach State Park's oyster beds have been closed for the past year for oyster picking.
To help combat the problem, the S.C. DNR plants about 40,000 to 50,000 bushels of oyster shells a year, Anderson said.
The Department of Natural Resources puts the empty shells back in the water to attract oyster larvae. The empty shells provide a habitat for the larvae to attach themselves, grow into full-sized oysters and form a new outer shell. But planting the shells is expensive, and a shortage of oyster canneries and shucking houses makes them difficult to find.
As a result, DNR encourages people to recycle used shells to help save taxpayer dollars.
DNR planted about 8,000 bushels in Murrells Inlet in 2005-2006. About 1,000 bushels were recycled through area restaurants and residents.
There are three recycling sites in the Murrells Inlet area: the Garden City Fire Department, Cedar Hill Landing and Huntington Beach State Park.
'We're doing good. But there's always more to that can be done,' said Murrells Inlet 2007 Director Sue Sledz.
Contact ALIANA RAMOS at 357-9520 aramos@thesunnews.com.
Quick fact
Bushels of recycled oyster shells collected in South Carolina in previous seasons
2001-2002 | 3,000
2002-2003 |16,000
2003-2004 | 7,000
2004-2005 | 10,494
Source: S.C. Department of Natural Resources
More information saltwaterfishing.sc.gov
02/06/2007
Myrtle Beach Online
Local square dancers strut their skills
The Grand Strand Strutters and the Sand Dollars see their open houses this month as a means to welcome more people of all ages into their friendly fold of weekly square dancing.
"It's good exercise for the mind and body," said Verl Bishop of Myrtle Beach, who square dances every Thursday with her husband, Ward Bishop, with the Grand Strand Strutters. "That's why we keep going."
Bill Bowman brings his wife, Gracie Bowman, to the dances in addition to presiding over a club that cuts the rug on Mondays, the Sand Dollars. He enumerates three advantages of dancing: It's good physically, socially and for "keeping you mentally alert."
Both groups light up their nights at the Grand Strand Senior Center in Myrtle Beach.
Carol Montowski of Murrells Inlet shares the Strutters' presidency with her husband, Dave Montowski. Her descriptions of the advantages of dancing don't get lost in the shuffle: "Camaraderie, friendship, fellowship and plain down-to-earth fun."
Bowman cited a slogan: "It's friendship set to music."
Montowski said the Strutters view the spinoff Sand Dollars as "our sister club." Each boasts a few dozen members, and many join both groups and dance twice a week.
Ages generally range from about 45 to 50 to past 80, according to respective club officials, but their welcome extends to younger faces for the parties.
Thirty-three Strutters and five guests turned out last week, a typical tally for the slower summertime period.
Callers instruct square dancers what to do, and "cuers" lead the round dances, which Montowski calls "a form of ballroom dancing done in a circle."
During Anne Murray's "Could I Have This Dance?" caller Jim Jones of Sunset Beach, N.C., sings sequences for two squares, each with four couples. The commands include "Scoot back" and "Pass the ocean."
"I'm Alive" by Celine Dion set the pace for a round dance, as James Sessions of Lumberton, N.C., cued the steps.
Montowski stressed the fitness factor in dancing: "It also works your mind. ... You're thinking all the time and learning new things."
Universal smiles hide any wrong move someone might have made dancing.
Occasional themes, such as a Hawaii Night last month and celebrating Halloween with "funny hats," add more variety to the mix, Montowski said. "We're like family."
Reading about a pastime of auto pioneer Henry Ford fascinated Bowman.
"He was a very enthusiastic square dancer," Bowman said, later explaining varieties of square dancing besides the Western style danced in Myrtle Beach.
In his native Boone, N.C., "we called it Appalachian Mountain or buck dancing," Bowman said.
Bishop, remembering the Strutters forming three decades ago on the then-operating Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, pointed out how the resort strip draws dancers and vacationers from other states.
"You make friends with them, and they come back every year," she said. "So you get to know people all over."
Donna Nicoll of Garden City Beach looks forward to Thursday evenings. She honed her skills in high school in New York state.
Many wives will say, "Go dance with Donna," Nicoll said during a break.
The sweet-spoken 87-year-old likes meeting different people.
"It's good exercise," Nicoll said, "It keeps you going."
For the last dance of the evening, Jim Tolar of Murrells Inlet asked Nicoll, "Want to try it, Donna?" He added, "When I say try it, I mean me."
His wife, Carolyn Tolar, happy to see Jim Tolar take another partner, chuckled.
09/14/2006
The Sun News
31st Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival
Buy one of a kind crafts and artwork at Huntington Beach State Park, September 24-26, 2006. Featuring more than 100 of the finest artisans, the festival provides aesthetic beauty against a background of natural beauty. Enjoy fine art, quality crafts and Lowcountry food along with the musical offerings of several of the area’s finest musicians. Call 843-237-4440 or 803-734-0450 for more information.
08/18/2006
www.murrellsinletsc.com
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