Surfside Beach City Manager, Dennis Pieper, came under fire from residents on Friday as a result of his decision to put Planning and Zoning Director Sabrina Morris on paid leave.
Several residents spoke at a town meeting against any decision to fire the popular Planning and Zoning Director. Two residents spoke in support of Mr. Pieper. Each can be heard on the video just below.
All of this following the controversial 23 amendments former Mayor Bob Childs, along with a former Town Council, added to the “E” District in 2019. These changes cost the town its CRS rating. The rating damaged the residents’ ability to acquire flood insurance.
Planning and Zoning then sued the town. The town quickly reversed itself so as to avoid losing the lawsuit. The Mayor and Town Council then fired all members of the Planning Commission except one member.
22 AMENDMENTS LEFT IN PLACE
Town Council chose only to remove the one amendment which cost the town its flood insurance. This left questions as to whether the other 22 amendments were legally voted in as a town ordinance.
We covered those stories here: https://myrtlebeachsc.com/will-new-e-district-change-surfside-beach/
and here: https://myrtlebeachsc.com/surfside-beach-planning-and-zoning-sues-city/ last October.
The issue was recently re-visited. Sources tell MyrtleBeachSC news, concerns were raised by local Surfside Beach businessman Mil Servant.
Town sources confirm controversy arose when City Manager, Dennis Pieper, chose to place Planning and Zoning Director, Sabrina Morris, on leave while permits were being pulled and reviewed on behalf of Mr. Servant.
The uproar could be witnessed across social media on Friday night.
This comes after former Mayor Bob Childs, who was central in the “E” District controversy, chose this week to sue one resident and one former resident who spoke out at the time on Facebook.
Several residents, who spoke out in support of Morris on Friday, inferred they would prefer Dennis Pieper be fired.
After the residents spoke, Surfside Beach Town Council went into executive session to discuss the matter.
