Personal Injury Attorneyin Murrels Inlet, SC.

A plan to dredge 16.5 miles of natural and man-made channels through Murrells Inlet is under review by federal and state agencies. It is also under scrutiny by environmental groups who question the project’s impact on the saltmarsh and oyster beds.

Georgetown County is seeking permits to remove over 750,000 cubic yards of sediment from the channels to provide access to boats at all stages of the tide. The material would be disposed of in the ocean about four-tenths of a mile off Huntington Beach State Park.

If approved, this will be the first time placement of dredge spoils has been allowed in nearshore waters in South Carolina, according to GEL Engineering, which designed the project.

The project is estimated to cost $30 million to $35 million, said state Rep. Lee Hewitt, who has helped get $14.3 million in state funding for the project so far.

“If we don’t get the offshore spoils site, it could triple that cost,” Hewitt said. “It becomes a whole other project without that.”

GEL did additional studies over the last year after the Army Corps of Engineers raised concerns that the nearshore spoils could find their way back into the federal channel that it maintains. (The Corps is currently dredging that channel.)

“A lot of work, a lot of research has gone into it,” Hewitt said.

He said he was told the location of the spoils site, which covers just over 344 acres, will allow the silt to flow offshore and any sand to flow back onto the beach.

“It could end up with some additional sand on Huntington Beach,” Hewitt said.

Amy Armstrong, executive director of the S.C. Environmental Law Project, met last week with Hewitt and the project engineer. She said she isn’t sure how to evaluate claims about the nearshore spoils disposal.

“He said they’ve never done this in South Carolina,” she said.

What is established through past litigation, Armstrong said, is that dredging has to stay at least 10 feet away from the marsh and oyster beds. That is intended to prevent the marsh and reefs from collapsing, or “sloughing,” into the dredged channels.

The permit application states that 1.5 acres of marsh and .16 acres of oyster beds will be impacted by the project. To mitigate that loss, Hewitt noted, the permit calls for restoring marsh and oyster beds in other parts of Murrells Inlet rather than purchasing mitigation credits.

That could include “living shoreline” projects or thin-layer placement to help the marsh keep pace with rising sea levels, he said.

“We’re going to spend that money in Murrells Inlet where it can help the estuary,” he said.

But Armstrong said the best solution would be to keep the dredging away from the marsh and oyster beds.

“Some of these channels that will be dredged have never been dredged before,” she said. “I feel very comfortable saying that’s something we’re going to object to.”

While she understands that there is a public benefit to keeping waterways navigable, she noted that portions of the project call for dredging that only benefits the waterfront property owners.

“Some of these dead-end channels where you’re trying to create access at all stages of the tide, that doesn’t meet the test,” she said. “They’re dredging everything that could possibly be dredged.”

Hewitt said the dredging is needed in an estuary that is “probably the most used estuary in the state.”

He also pointed out that a 2014 master plan for the Murrells Inlet watershed included dredging as a method to increase water quality. The plan cited data recorded around the Crazy Sister Marina in a previous dredging that showed an increase in fecal coliform bacteria immediately after the work was done when sediment was stirred up. The bacteria levels then dropped because the deeper water meant there was more exchange of fresh and salt water.

The permit calls for the work to be carried out over three years, starting in the fall of 2025.

“It’s a good plan and a thoughtful plan and one with very little impact,” Hewitt said.

The Corps of Engineers is taking public comments on the permit application through Nov. 30. The complete application can be found online.

MURRELLS INLET — Lee's Inlet Kitchen celebrated two milestones this year.

The Murrells Inlet restaurant, family-owned and operated since 1948, just turned 75. It was also recognized by Southern Living Magazine as the “Best Seafood Restaurant in South Carolina 2023.”

Not bad for a tiny spot that once was a gas station.

The restaurant's history traces back to Eford and Pearl Lee, who moved to Murrells Inlet in the mid-1940s from Cool Springs, a rural farming community on S.C. 319 about four miles southeast of Aynor.

The duo decided to get into the restaurant industry despite coming from a generation of farmers. They first managed Lokey’s Restaurant — now the Hot Fish Club — and then White’s Restaurant, which used to be next door to Lee’s Inlet Kitchen. Eford Lee was also employed by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and had a hand in carving out the Intracoastal Waterway.

But the Lee family wanted a restaurant and business they could call their own and were able to get their hands on a building at a price unheard of these days. They purchased an old Murrells Inlet gas station on the steps of the Horry County Courthouse in Conway for $800 through a public auction. That building soon became Lee’s Inlet Kitchen.

Over the decades, the building withstood two major hurricanes, Hazel in 1954 and Hugo in 1989.

Eford and Pearl’s son Billy Lee took over running the restaurant in the 1970s. Billy’s daughter Kelly Lee Dorman and her husband Dexter have been operating it since the early 1980s.

“When my parents took over, it was basically the front part, and it had one dining room where there were probably 20 tables, and what is now the waitress station was actually the kitchen,” said Adrian Dorman, marketing director and fourth-generation member of the family.

Dorman said her father is business-minded and had the foresight that they simply could not use the kitchen anymore due to anticipated growth.

“They actually just tore the back half of the building off and built the kitchen we have now and added another 1,400 square feet to it,” Dorman said. “That was a big gamble too because they had no idea if it was going to be successful, but it was definitely the right move because they were able to get in there, try some new stuff and get some new recipes going in addition to the original ones.”

Some may wonder why the Lees did not open their restaurant on the Murrells Inlet waterfront, but Dorman said there are many reasons for that.

“First off, in 1948 the waterfront was just the fishing dock and there weren’t restaurants over there. People didn’t want to eat where the fish were brought in,” Dorman said. “That was just a crazy concept. My great-grandmother also said that they didn’t want to be on the waterfront. They wanted to be on the road where all of the traffic was and she did not want to get blown away from a hurricane.”

Dorman said the interior of the building has pretty much stayed the same since 1985, but they renovated the front of the restaurant about seven years ago by vaulting the ceiling over the bar and lobby and bringing inside the original Lee’s Inlet Kitchen sign that was in storage for years.

“It’s such a mainstay and a fixture,” Dorman said. "It's so easily recognizable and we wanted to keep that essence of the time period it was built in.”

The menu has not changed much over 75 years, with the complimentary hushpuppies and the seafood platter remaining favorites of patrons.

In 1948, a seafood platter was $1.50 and a fried version these days will cost you $30.95, but one compliment the family always gets is the food has always been consistent.

The restaurant’s menu features seafood sourced from the Carolina shores, appetizers, steaks, chicken, salads, a kid’s menu and homemade desserts. Their flour, cornmeal and grills are milled by Adluh in Columbia and they hand-peel their Fantail Shrimp, up to 150 pounds daily.

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WMBF) – It’s the end of an era for a mall in Murrells Inlet.

The new owners of Inlet Square Mall announced that the interior mall is set to close in the first quarter of 2024 as they prepare to redevelop the property.

“Interior malls across America have become increasingly difficult to operate, and Inlet Square has not been immune from that trend. We regret the impact this decision will have on our current tenants; however, due to vacancy rates and other economic pressures, operating the interior mall is simply no longer viable,” said Paramount Development Corporation, an agent for the owners, in a statement.

Businesses in the mall received a notice that the mall will close on January 15, and they must be out by then.

It comes after Horry County leaders announced last week that the mall had been purchased and will be redeveloped.

RELATED COVERAGE | Nearly vacant Inlet Square Mall purchased, redevelopment plans in the works

Steve Purett, the owner of Different Drum in the mall, said the closures don’t come as a surprise.

“We’ve been given notice. We’ve known for over the last year, month to month,” Purett explained.

But despite knowing the end was near, he said it’s still a bittersweet feeling to pack up and leave.

“Lots of memories here, lots of special events have happened here. I’m really gonna miss it, but it’s been a great opportunity here,” Purett said. “I’ve been here the last four and a half years and I could not have asked for anything better.”

Purett said he will take his drumming business to Surfside Beach where he will open up a shop in February.

But not all businesses at the mall will be forced to leave.

The development group said Belk and Planet Fitness will remain open and will be incorporated as tenants of the redeveloped property.

“Our objective with the redevelopment is for Inlet Square to add value and vibrancy to the community well into the future. We are extremely excited about what the future holds for Inlet Square,” Paramount Development Corporation said.

The developer said the revitalization will include retail, restaurants, hotels and medical facilities.

Copyright 2023 WMBF. All rights reserved.

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WMBF) - After sitting largely vacant for years, the Inlet Square Mall is set to get a makeover.

The Horry County Administration Committee met Tuesday afternoon where Assistant Administrator Barry Spivey revealed a single buyer purchased the mall with plans for redevelopment.

RELATED COVERAGE | ‘We’re excited about this new chapter’: Inlet Square Mall redevelopment in early stages of planning

Horry County Councilman Tyler Servant, who represents the district where the mall is located, said given the mall’s position at the edge of the county, investing in the property is well worth it.

“Everybody knows Inlet Square Mall is the gateway to Horry County on the south end. The mall’s been sitting there for a long period of time undeveloped,” Servant explained.

However, Servant said he’s listening to his constituents’ concerns about traffic in the area, as more development would bring more traffic.

“One of the concerns for that community is really improving that intersection to increase capacity flow and make it safer,” Servant said. “With this increased congestion coming to the area and these sites, we want to make sure we’re staying ahead of the game and improving these intersections to have more foresight in that area.”

Also included in the redevelopment plans are several parcels of land in the vicinity of the mall.

Spivey said most of these parcels are either undeveloped, underdeveloped or in the redevelopment stage.

Both Servant and Spivey said the county plans to utilize those additional parcels to optimize traffic flow in the area.

As for what you’ll be able to find at the site of Inlet Square Mall, Servant said the final plans are still in the works, but there are lots of possibilities.

“I think they’re still formulating the final plans of what’s going to happen with this site,” Servant said. “I do expect there to be some restaurants, retail, and really a full demolition of the current site and rebuilding of all the new buildings there.”

Neither Servant nor Spivey has a timeline for the redevelopment project.

WMBF tried to contact the new owners, but we’re still waiting to hear back.

Copyright 2023 WMBF. All rights reserved.

With Sunday’s coastal storm expected to bring flooding and heavy rain, live beach webcams let you safely see the winds and waves.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C., predicted the “powerful” system could bring effects similar to a tropical storm. The agency warned of extended periods of high winds, 3-4 inches of rain and coastal flooding in Cherry Grove, Garden City and Murrells Inlet.

Many Myrtle Beach area resorts and restaurants live stream their views. For most of the year, these webcams show tranquil beach scenes for visitors longing for the ocean.

When a storm hits, the cameras can turn into tools for locals and tourists alike to witness the effects in real time.

After you identify local emergency contacts and see if your area is likely to flood, check out these 23 beach cams to watch the storm.

Ripley’s Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach

Ocean Lakes Family Campground

Myrtle Beach Boardwalk - facing north

Myrtle Beach Boardwalk - facing south

Springmaid Pier

18th Ave. South

Breakers Resort

Grande Shores Resort

Sea Watch Resort

Captain’s Quarters Resort

Crown Reef Beach Resort

Sea Captain’s House Restaurant

Prince Resort Cherry Grove Pier

Avista Resort North Myrtle Beach

Elliot Realty North Myrtle Beach

North Beach Resort & Villas

Coquina Harbor in Little River

Little River Swing Bridge and Harbourgate Marina

Murrells Inlet Marshwalk from Dead Dog Saloon

Surfside Beach Surfcam

Pawleys Pier Village

Blackmoor Golf Club

Gulfstream Cafe

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September 29, 2022 12:16 PM

This story was originally published December 17, 2023, 9:27 AM.