Georgetown County Board of Zoning Appeals met last week to hear a request from Lucy Reuben, who wants to build a house on a 5,000‑square‑foot lot at McKenzie Beach that has been in her family for more than 80 years. The lot, less than 50 feet wide and 100 feet long, lies in a “general commercial” zoning district where the minimum lot size is 10,000 square feet and required setbacks would leave little usable space.
Reuben asked the board to grant a variance that would reduce the front setback from 50 feet to 10 feet and allow construction on the substandard parcel, which was created about 75 years before the county adopted its current zoning regulations. She said the project would “revitalize the family‑oriented culture, legacy of McKenzie Beach,” a historic Black resort from the segregation era.
Opposition came from other owners at McKenzie Beach, including Gladys Watkins and her son Evan, who told the board they respect Reuben’s property rights but questioned the extent of the variance. Watkins said her family is “not opposed to reasonable development” but wants decisions made “carefully, fairly and in accordance with the law.”
Representatives of McKenzie Beach LLC, which owns most surrounding property, also raised concerns. Partner Toddy Smith warned that granting the variance could set a precedent for seven other substandard lots along Old Beach Road, noting that state law requires a variance to be unique to the parcel in question. Attorney Dan Stacy added that even if Old Beach Road provides access, there is no recorded easement for water, sewer, utilities, electric or communications, and that approving the variance could amount to an “advisory opinion” from the board.Board members expressed mixed views. Kenneth Reed noted that under current zoning the lot could only be used as a storage facility, cautioning, “Be careful what you wish for.” Adam Hall clarified that the board is not approving a building permit, only considering the variance request. Jason Goude moved to defer a decision until the ownership of the private road is clarified, stating that unresolved road ownership would be “an ongoing issue.” The board agreed to defer.
Reuben cited a 2013 appraisal valuing the tract at $9.5 million and argued that objections stemmed from a single entity, McKenzie Beach LLC. She also mentioned that rebuilding on the original cabin footprint would have been easier, but the remnants were removed under unclear circumstances.
What’s next: The board has postponed a final ruling and will seek additional information on the private‑road ownership and utility easements before reconvening. A follow‑up hearing is expected later this year, giving both supporters and opponents further opportunity to present evidence.
Sources: coastalobserver.com
