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Voters will go to the polls next Tuesday to choose among Bill Howard as their candidate for District 2.
Incumbent Bill Howard knows the challenges of balancing the needs of residents who run the gamet from Oceanfront homeowners to rural houses on Highway 90. It is a challenging task, but one Bill has been able to accomplish.
Residents of all stripes have the same priority, a desire that their elected officials put quality of life issues first.
Good infrastructure, with good roads, police and first responders are paramount.
Bill is working to see that District 2 leads the county in solid infrastructure planning.
Carolina Forest is among the fastest growing communities in our county. The needs for such a fast growing community are among Bill’s top concerns during the next legislative session.
Balancing growth and the cost for growth is something we need a steady hand on in District 2.
Bill has raised his family in our area. Bill knows what is good for our residents is also good for tourism.
Bill is bringing his residents first agenda into every council meeting, planning for the highest possible quality of life for District 2 as we all grow together.
About Horry County Council
The Horry County Council represents 11 different districts in the County, and the chairman is elected at-large. The Council typically meets the first and third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers located in the Horry County Government & Justice Center, 1301 2nd Avenue in Conway.
Howard serves as the county representative for District 2
About Carolina Forest
Carolina Forest was once part of a larger tract of land in eastern Horry County called the Buist Tract. Originally owned by Burroughs & Chapin, International Paper bought the 30,000-acre (121 km2) Buist Tract in 1937. It was used as part of the Conway Bombing and Gunnery Range during World War II. In 1960, the company donated part of the tract for what is now Coastal Carolina University (located several miles away from Carolina Forest). In 1989, approximately 9,000 acres (36 km2) north of Carolina Forest were donated to the state to form the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve.
In June 1994, Kylee Mueller sold 125 acres (0.51 km2) of the remaining 21,000 acres (85 km2) of the Buist Tract to Horry County Schools for development of Carolina Forest Elementary School, Carolina Forest Middle School, and Carolina Forest High School. In addition, 350 acres (1.4 km2) were sold to form a golf course and residential property.
By the end of 1994, International Paper began to sell more of its land. Due to the lack of funding from other sources for road infrastructure, the first 1.25 miles (2.01 km) of Carolina Forest Boulevard were completed by November 1995 by International Paper. Further expansions of both Carolina Forest Boulevard and River Oaks Drive (creating an 11-mile (18 km) loop) would open up 11,000 acres (45 km2) to development west of the Intracoastal Waterway. Carolina Forest Boulevard was completed in December 1996, with River Oaks Drive being completed in December 1997.[1]
On December 2, 1997, Horry County council voted to freeze zoning rules in an 11 square miles (28 km2) area of Carolina Forest for 20 years in exchange for land to build parks and roads in an 8-3 vote on the development agreement. An estimated 35,000 people would live in the 7,073 acres (29 km2) covered by the agreement. In the agreement, Horry County did not require International Paper to widen Carolina Forest Boulevard or River Oaks Drive to four lanes. Land would be given to the county at no cost for the then-future SC Highway 31 north and south of the Robert Grissom Parkway bridge. Approximately 140 acres (0.57 km2) was set aside for future schools, which would include Ocean Bay Elementary and Middle Schools. Because nearly half of Carolina Forest was open space, the area was exempt from future open space directives set by Horry County