Horry County Planning Commission votes in favor of relocation of local charter school
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)– A local charter school could be relocating to River Oaks Drive in Myrtle Beach.
The plans include a relocation of the high school and eventually building a new middle school.
The Horry County Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday night for 110 acres to be used for a new Coastal High School and middle school facility. The school is currently located in Socastee off Palmetto Point Boulevard.
The high school is a public charter school and has been operating for 11 years. The request said between the two schools, it could hold more than 700 students.
The land was previously requested to be used as a new shelter for the Grand Strand Humane Society, but after many neighbors spoke against it, the application was pulled.
One person who lives in Carolina Forest told the commission, traffic is a concern and there needs to be more studies done in the area.
“Right now, from 6:30 to 9 o’clock there’s a backup of traffic on River Oaks,” he said. “You have school busses coming twice.”
A representative with the applicant Bolton and Menk said most of the students who attend the current Coastal High School are Carolina Forest residents, so it wouldn’t bring more traffic to the area.
The middle school would also not be built until 2028, allowing for the hopeful widening of Carolina Forest Boulevard.
One Coastal High School parent says he’s in favor of the new school but agrees there needs to be some kind of traffic fix.
“We do need an additional traffic signal just to create some gaps in traffic because it is frustrating taking a left out of our neighborhood,” he said.
One Coastal High School student also spoke out in favor of the plan.
“Really helped me thrive and learn better,” the student said. “And I feel like I’m doing better than I would be doing at Carolina Forest. I’m also in Horry Georgetown Technical College, being able to have more opportunities.”
The commission also approved a rezoning request to build more than 110 residential homes on 30 acres of land off Mineola Avenue in Little River.
One resident brought up a concern about traffic being an issue in that area.
These two items will now go to Horry County Council for a final decision.
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Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here.
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