2 Carolina Forest projects spark debate among county leaders, residents

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Two development projects in the Carolina Forest area are getting the attention of Horry County leaders and local residents.

One is a rezoning request that would allow a new housing development with 1,200 units on 130 acres in the area of Postal Way and Highway 501; the other would widen Postal Way in an attempt to alleviate traffic congestion in the area.

“I know how bad Postal Way is,” Horry County Councilman Dennis DiSabato said. ” I know how frustrating it is because my office used to be there.”  

At a recent meeting of the Carolina Forest Civic Association, DiSabato said addressed the traffic concerns in the area of Highway 501 and Postal Way, saying he cannot support any additional growth projects in the area until developers agree to widen Postal Way.

“If you can agree to interconnect all this infrastructure; if you can agree to pay for the widening of this road with addition to multi-use paths for pedestrian traffic; if you can agree to pay for a traffic light that would go out over here, and the intersection improvements; if you can agree to connecting this infrastructure right here to the Kroger parking lot and you give us all of that at your cost, then I can support the rezoning,” DiSabato said.

DiSabao said developers have agreed to his propositions, which will cost in the neighborhood of $750,000.

However, Carolina Forest residents are still concerned that Postal Way has become too busy. They’re also worried about overcrowding in schools.

“We’re seeing a huge influx of families coming into the area as well,” said Shawn Sines, vice president of the Carolina Forest Civic Association. “Just about every school in Carolina Forest is either at full capacity or exceeding full capacity.”

Horry County Schools has a five-year plan to address those capacity issues.

The Horry County Planning Commission is scheduled to take up the rezoning request on April 6.

“If we look at putting that many people in such a small area without any plans for roadway improvements, without any necessary public safety improvements, it’s a really strong concern,” Sines said.