GEORGETOWN, S.C. —  For the first time in quite a while, there is some good news concerning residential development in the City of Georgetown.

South Island Plantation will soon begin construction on a new marina and pier inside the gated community.

Georgetown City Administrator Chris Eldridge said last week the developers of the property have received a building permit to construct the $540,000 pier.

City Planner Rick Martin said the pier will be about 1,000 feet long.

So far, there is only one house inside South Island Plantation but, Martin said, all the infrastructure is in place.

“Everything is done. Now, it’s up to the property owners to start building homes,” Martin said.

When the plans for South Island Plantation were approved in 2005, the city agreed to pay for infrastructure which included extending water service to the property, providing a sewage pump station, installing underground electric service and installing street lights.

The plans call for 190 single-family homes on the 175 acre tract owned by Winyah Bay Holdings of Winston-Salem, N.C.

Martin said he is hoping the pier investment shows things are turning around in the housing market in Georgetown.

He said he does not believe the owners would be making the investment unless they are confident homes will be built soon.

The property — the former Winyah Bay Country Club — features walking trails, crabbing and fishing areas, deep-water access and 15 gazebos.

Riverside Development

South Island Plantation isn’t the only development in the city seeing some movement.

The owners of Riverside — a development on the Sampit River in Maryville which has been in the planning stages for about a decade — are asking for an increase in the number of allowable houses.

Brothers Richard and Donald Smith, owners of the property between Bayview and the Carroll Campbell Boat Landing, have been approved for 119 houses to be built.

Next week, they will ask the Georgetown City Planning Commission for permission to increase that number to 187.

The original Riverside plans called for the marina to stick out into the Sampit River which resulted in a lawsuit filed by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, the Georgetown County League of Women Voters and the S.C. Coastal Conservation League.

The Smiths won the lawsuit and thought they could then begin construction but were then informed the plaintiffs in the case planned to appeal.

The Smiths decided to redraw their plans and have the boat slips adjacent to the perimeter of the property rather than sticking out into the river.

The request to increase the number of homes will be presented to the City Planning Commission at 6 p.m. July 27.

By Scott Harper

sharper@gtowntimes.com