BUCKSPORT MARINE PARK MASTER PLAN REPORT Prepared for: Moncks Corner, South Carolina & Conway, South Carolina Prepared by: 4975 Lacrosse Road, Suite 151 North Charleston, SC 29406 (843) 576-3750 May 24, 2012 Bucksport Marine Park Contents Master Plan Report BUCKSPORT MARINE PARK MASTER PLAN REPORT BUCKSPORT, SOUTH CAROLINA CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Purpose of Study 1 1.2 Client Goals 1 2.0 SITE INVENTORY 3 2.1 Study Area Location and General Description 3 2.2 Study Area Planning Considerations 3 2.2.1 Jurisdiction Patterns 3 2.2.2 Existing Zoning 4 2.2.3 Existing Land Use Patterns 5 2.2.4 Proposed Land Use Patterns 6 2.3 Study Area Physical Characteristics 6 2.3.1 Existing Vegetation & Geology 6 2.3.2 Archaeological & Historical Influences 7 2.3.3 Roadway Site Access & Transportation Issues 7 2.3.4 Site Marine Access 9 2.3.5 Existing Site Drainage 11 2.3.6 Jurisdictional Wetlands 12 2.3.7 Potential Developable Land 12 2.3.8 Existing Utility Infrastructure 12 3.0 MASTER PLAN 14 3.1 Market Demand 14 3.2 Development Strategy 14 3.3 Site Development 14 3.3.1 Stormwater 16 3.3.2 Utilities 17 3.3.3 Marine Facilities 18 3.3.4 Dredging & Pond Excavation 19 May 24, 2012 i Bucksport Marine Park Contents Master Plan Report APPENDICES Appendix A Proposed Site Plan (11x17) Appendix B USACE Wetlands Delineation Letter FIGURES Figure 1.1 Aerial View of Proposed Bucksport Marine Park Site 2 Figure 2.1 Vicinity Map 4 Figure 2.2 Conceptual Alignment of Proposed New Road 9 Figure 2.3 Site Marine Access Routes to the Atlantic Ocean 10 Figure 2.4 Existing Site Drainage 11 Figure 2.5 Water and Sanitary Sewer Service 13 Figure 3.1 Proposed Site Plan 15 Figure 3.2 Proposed Marine Facilities 16 May 24, 2012 ii Bucksport Marine Park Introduction Master Plan Report 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE OF STUDY The purpose of this master plan report is to provide a clear conceptualized plan for the development of the Bucksport Marine Park facility. This is a project being developed through the efforts and resources of several groups including Horry County, Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation (MBREDC), Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority (property owner), and Santee Cooper to provide an industrial development capable of supporting various marine dependent industries. Possible industrial operations the marine park should be designed to accommodate include: boat building enterprises and supporting industry, bulk cargo industry, and heavy transport barge operations that could utilize the Intracoastal Waterway and access to the Atlantic Ocean. This report provides a narrative and associated planning documents that lay out a preliminary design meant to show the future potential of the site along with the flexibility needed to accommodate the varying requirements of the potential industries that could utilize the site. The project site is located in Bucksport, South Carolina in Horry County, adjacent to the Waccamaw River, approximately 3 miles south of US 701. The tract of land is owned by Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority who will lease the land in divided lots to private industry tenants. The site, with future improvements, will provide excellent vehicular access via US 701 and marine access via the Waccamaw River and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The site will provide approximately 141 acres of potential industrial development and 8 acres of common industrial marine. Figure 1.1 is an aerial image of the proposed Bucksport Marine Park site (image courtesy of Google Earth; January 1, 2012 imagery date). 1.2 CLIENT GOALS The goal in developing this site is primarily economic development for the community and the state of South Carolina through private industry. This project presents an opportunity for greater economic output in Bucksport and the surrounding area by providing: undeveloped land for new industry, opportunity for the regional labor force, as well as improved infrastructure. To reach this goal, it is desirable that this tract be developed in a cost-effective and efficient manner. This requires a high degree of flexibility in the master plan for the facilities so that improvements can be instituted as needed for an existing or prospective tenant. The requirements for development of the site as an industrial marine facility are: improvement of site access, improvement of onsite infrastructure, and improvement of marine access. This report and associated figures present a master plan for the facility’s development to maximize flexibility in accommodating multiple tenants having various operational requirements while strategically investing resources, time, and capital necessary to serve May 24, 2012 1 Bucksport Marine Park Introduction Master Plan Report tenants as the facilities are developed and utilized. This is an important concept and design feature because it allows for the onsite infrastructure to be modified in order to meet the tenants’ specific needs, which is necessary due to the wide diversity in operational and facility requirements tenants will have based on the various marine industries that can potentially utilize this facility. Figure 1.1 Aerial View of Proposed Bucksport Marine Park Site May 24, 2012 2 Bucksport Marine Park Site Inventory Master Plan Report 2.0 SITE INVENTORY 2.1 STUDY AREA LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION The tract for development is owned by the Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority (GSWSA), whom intends to lease parcels to industrial tenants, and is located adjacent to Bucksport, South Carolina in Horry County south of and adjacent to the intersection of Bucksport Road and Treatment Road. A portion of the east side of the site is bounded by the Waccamaw River which provides direct access to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The site is approximately 3 miles south of US Highway 701 and is currently accessed by Bucksport Road. A vicinity map of the site is shown in Figure 2.1. In the site’s current configuration it consists of two distinct parcels divided by Bucksport Road. The first parcel is located on the west side of Bucksport Road and to the south of Treatment Road, which will be referred to as the “lease area” in this report. This is a cleared, relatively flat parcel, primarily used as a sod farm, measuring approximately 205 acres and is bordered on the south and west by forested wetlands and to the east by a public road and residential parcels. The second parcel is located between Bucksport Road and the Waccamaw River with a total area of approximately 117 Acres, 80 acres of which is wetlands and forested wetlands. This parcel will be referred to as the “marine common area” in this report. The Bucksport Marina and a restaurant associated with the marina are currently located on this parcel. This parcel is instrumental in the development of the marine park as it has roughly 1,600 linear feet of frontage to the Waccamaw River. 2.2 STUDY AREA PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS 2.2.1 Jurisdiction Patterns This development is located adjacent to Bucksport in Horry County, South Carolina. Bucksport is a Census Designated Place and therefore will fall under the local governance of Horry County. It is also adjacent to a Traditional Navigable Water (TNW), the Waccamaw River. The site also incorporates or is adjacent to areas of jurisdictional wetlands. Based on the project location and site characteristics, the agencies that will have regulatory control and/or project input include but may not be limited to: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) SCDHEC – Offices of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) US Fish and Wildlife Service South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History – State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Horry County May 24, 2012 3 Bucksport Marine Park Site Inventory Master Plan Report Figure 2.1 Vicinity Map 2.2.2 Existing Zoning Currently the study site encompasses four zoning categories. The large parcel on the west side of Bucksport Road (TMS# 1830004055) is zoned Limited Forest Agriculture (LFA), Section 701. The parcel located on the southern border of the site (TMS# 1890001015) is zoned Forest Agriculture (FA). The proposed Marina expansion area (TMS# 1830003042) May 24, 2012 4 Bucksport Marine Park Site Inventory Master Plan Report and the area located to the east of Weaver Road (TMS# 1830003042), designated as Phase 1 in the Master Plan, are zoned Resort Commercial (RC), Section 711, and the existing Bucksport Marina area is zoned Destination Park (DP), Section 720, within the RC zoning of the large parcel. The proposed future land use will not be permitted under these zoning classifications. A rezoning petition will have to be filed for both parcels. Both areas will need to be rezoned for a General Manufacturing and Industrial District (MA2), Section 738, to accommodate future heavy industrial and bulk operations. The General Manunfacturing and Industrial District (MA2) allows for truck terminals, warehouse and open air storage, and the wholesale distribution of durable and non-durable goods as defined by SIC 50 & 51. SIC 50 & 51 include but are not limited to logs, pulpwood, roundwood, timber products, wood chips, industrial machinery, coal and other mineral and ores, industrial supplies, scrap and waste materials and construction materials. The General Manufacturing and Industrial District will not cover manufacturing processes such as chemical, landfill, paper, rubber or textiles, but it will cover throughput operations of a bulk cargo handling facility. While a zoning change to Boating/Marine Commercial District (BO1) would allow for boat builders and associated industries, this designation would provide much less flexibility for future uses of the site. The adjacent parcels are zoned Commercial Recreation (CR), Forest and Agriculture (FA), and Residential (MSF10 and RC).