Op-Ed: Harbor Trace offers a better path forward for Blackmoor and the Burgess community
Updated: 5 days ago
By: Bob Zuercher
For those of us who live and work in the Murrells Inlet and Burgess communities, there is no question that our area has experienced tremendous growth over the years. With that growth have come legitimate concerns about traffic, infrastructure, and the preservation of the businesses and recreational destinations that make this part of Horry County special.
As general manager of Blackmoor Golf Club, I understand the importance of balancing continued growth with the protection of the residents and businesses that have long been part of our community.
Blackmoor has been a fixture in the Murrells Inlet area for 36 years. We employ approximately 50 staff members, welcome residents and visitors to our course, and work every day to maintain our golf course as a recreational facility that actively contributes to our local community and Myrtle Beach as a golf destination.
For these reasons I have closely monitored the development plans at Harbor Trace, the proposed development along S.C. Highway 707, which shares the longest contiguous land boundary with the property, and what the future of this property could mean for Blackmoor Golf Club.
After reviewing the proposal and considering the alternatives under the property's existing zoning, I have formally expressed my support for rezoning the Harbor Trace Planned Development District in a letter to Horry County Council.
My support comes down to a simple question: What type of development is best suited to coexist with the homes, businesses, and recreational destinations already established in our community?
My only stated concern has always been Harbor Trace traffic traversing through the Blackmoor community roads which will occur under the property's current zoning.
Development under those existing regulations would result in years of construction activity, bringing substantial residential and public traffic across the interior roads used by our golfers, service employees, and maintenance staff and equipment. The golf course has five designed routing crossings on interior roads which would be impacted, three of which require crossing Longwood Drive.
For a golf course like Blackmoor Golf Club, that is not a minor inconvenience. The current zoning is a detriment to the sustainably of the golf course as a business. Our daily operations depend on providing a safe and enjoyable experience for guests while allowing employees and maintenance teams to move throughout the property. Significant increases in traffic would create serious safety concerns and significant operational challenges.
In my opinion, those impacts could jeopardize Blackmoor Golf Club's ability to continue operating successfully over the long term.
That is why Harbor Trace deserves serious consideration.
Unlike the potential development activity under existing zoning, Harbor Trace offers a more thoughtful approach. The proposal has been designed with consideration for neighboring Blackmoor Golf Club and surrounding subdivision residents. I can factually state the Wall family and development team have been responsive to our concerns because I have participated in those conversations.
It is important to recognize Harbor Trace is not the same proposal residents saw several years ago. The original plan presented in 2021 envisioned nearly 4,000 homes. The current proposal has been reduced to approximately 2,000 homes, reflecting a different and more desirable approach to the property's future.
Does that mean every concern has been addressed? Of course not. Traffic on Highway 707, infrastructure improvements, and the impacts of continued growth deserve careful consideration from both the developer and Horry County officials, but those concerns should be addressed by officials with the expertise to make informed and data-based decisions.
Speculation and misinformation serve no practical purpose.
Harbor Trace offers Blackmoor Golf Club an opportunity to remain a thriving part of the community. New residents mean future golfers and customers who can enjoy and support our golf course. That additional support allows us to reinvest in our facilities, maintain local jobs, and preserve Blackmoor as a community asset.
Growth in Horry County is not going to stop. Simply opposing every development does not necessarily protect existing businesses and neighborhoods. The focus should be to ensure that future development is thoughtfully planned and considers the interests of those most directly affected. The opportunity to oppose every new development should not prevent us from recognizing when a proposal offers a better alternative to what could, and likely will, otherwise occur. Development, community, and business can coexist.
I believe Harbor Trace represents an opportunity to accomplish that by providing a more compatible neighboring development while helping protect existing local businesses and recreational destinations.
I support the Harbor Trace Planned Development District and respectfully encourage Horry County Council to approve the proposal for rezoning.
Horry County deserves responsible growth that considers and respects what is already in place while creating opportunities for the future!
Bob Zuercher is the general manager of Blackmoor Golf Club, a longstanding golf and recreational destination in the Murrells Inlet community of Horry County.
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