IOP City Council Highlights - June

Standing Committees

• Council approved a proposal from Thomas & Hutton for a conceptual study of the Waterway Boulevard path to evaluate the feasibility of elevating the path.
• City Council approved a sponsorship request from the South Carolina Aquarium for the Turtle Trek 5k in the amount of $7,500. This event has historically been partially sponsored by the city and is being planned in a manner as to be consistent with social distancing guidelines.
• Council approved a $750 sponsorship request from the Carolina Coast Surf Club to promote tourism through Surfcam. Surfcam is a way for beach-goers to view the beach from anywhere. This has the potential to cut down on overcrowding by providing more information about the state of the beach ahead of people leaving home.
• City Council discussed the potential implementation of an extended paid parking plan. Further details on the plan were provided at the public safety meeting June 4. The video of that meeting including the presentation is available here.
• City Council discussed a potential surf lesson program which would be run through the Recreation Department.

Ordinances

First Reading

• City council approved first reading of an ordinance to reduce the maximum occupancy of a short term rental to twice the maximum overnight occupancy or forty people whichever is less.
• City Council approved first reading of an ordinance which requires a short term rental owner to have an owner's representative who can be present on site within an hour of receiving a complaint. This ordinance also sets conditions for the suspension of a short term rental business license.
• City Council approved first reading of an ordinance to allow for the use of consent agendas which should speed up meetings.
• City Council approved first reading of an ordinance to reduce the lot coverage limit from 40% to 35% and to 30% for properties on septic. This was to correct an error in the code of ordinances.
• City Council approved an Emergency Ordinance to allow for easier enforcement of double parking rules. The ordinance set the parking rules along palm such that a car must be more than 4 feet but less than 14 feet from the pavement.

Second Reading

• City Council approved second reading of the budget ordinance for FY21. Further details are available here or in the agenda packet on the agendas and minutes page.