By Paul Gable
Grande Dunes residents plan a protest Monday to demonstrate their opposition to a connection between their roads and roads serving the planned Grande Dunes North development.
The residents say such a connection would increase traffic, decrease security and lower property values in their high end community.
Connectivity between the existing Grande Dunes and planned Grande Dunes North communities has been a point of contention since it was first discussed after the purchase of the former Waterway Hills Golf Club by Grande Dunes owner L Star Property Management.
The residents of Grande Dunes have let both L Star and the City of Myrtle Beach know they do not intend to take this issue lightly.
A petition of over 160 signatures from Grande Dunes property owners has been presented to Myrtle Beach City Council opposing connecting roads from Grande Dunes North into the current Grande Dunes road network.
Grande Dunes residents have been promised that connecting roads from Grande Dunes North would require approval of an amendment to the planned unit development agreement that governs the Grande Dunes property. The road would require approval from the City of Myrtle Beach because it would cross incorporated property of the city.
None of these approvals have been obtained to date. However, according to several Grande Dunes residents, over the last few months, the Grande Dunes North road infrastructure has been built and is in position for connection to Grande Dunes road network.
According to several Grande Dunes residents, the City of Myrtle Beach is supposed to present L Star with cease and desist orders on Monday, stopping any encroachment onto city owned property.
The Grande Dunes North property was recently annexed into the City of North Myrtle Beach. At the time of that annexation, George Johnson, division president for L Star, told local media that connectivity issues had not been worked out yet, but that connectivity with Grande Dunes is contemplated within the submittal the company made to North Myrtle Beach.
How can such a submittal be made to North Myrtle Beach when Myrtle Beach hasn’t officially been asked to approve it?
As one Grande Dunes resident said, “It’s very hard for me to believe there isn’t some secret, back room agreement between Myrtle Beach city council and L Star for the connectivity to take place. A developer doesn’t spend this kind of money on infrastructure unless he knows approvals are in the bag.”
Grande Dunes residents will be out Monday at the proposed connection site picketing construction activity and watching for delivery of the cease and desist order from Myrtle Beach.
Speak Up…