Myrtle Beach council decides what will be on new boardwalk

By: Thema Ponton | SCNOW
Published: January 13, 2010

Myrtle Beach council met Tuesday to talk about what will and will not be allowed on the Boardwalk.

According to the city’s website, construction is underway on the Boardwalk and Promenade, which will stretch 1.2 miles along Myrtle Beach's oceanfront, from the Second Avenue Pier to the 14th Avenue Pier. The boardwalk itself will feature three different sections varying in width and following a serpentine pattern with the dune line.

What is going to be allowed on those sections has been part of many long and involved discussions by council.

Tuesday, council passed first reading of an ordinance pertaining to parts of the Boardwalk. After first reading council agreed to allow sidewalk cafes, bicycles, and pets, but with some restrictions. Skateboards, rollerblades, and skateboards would not be allowed. Council is also looking into whether they will allow vending carts on the Boardwalk.

Russ Stalvey, owner of the Ocean Front Bar and Grill says if he sees a lot of people on the Boardwalk, he'll be happy, what won't make him happy is seeing a lot of what he calls clutter. "Vending to me is just something that's going to add clutter to the boardwalk, initially I think that there may be room for it to be something that's a viable option down there at some point in time, I just think for right now we need to keep it as simple as we can."

Council is talking about whether stationary vending carts would be allowed on certain areas of the Boardwalk.

Jordan Alexander is hoping to be one of those people. Alexander wants to put a lemonade stand on the Boardwalk.

Stalvey and other business owners near the ocean say independent vendors may take away from their business.

Alexander says she thinks a carnival type atmosphere that would include vendors, is just what people want on the Boardwalk. "I don't think that it should even be about me or about any of the businesses there, I understand that they've had trouble over the past couple years with the economy the way it is, but I definitely think they should look more into the public and what they want."

None of councils decisions are final, a second reading and public input is still required.