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Jeanne Norris moved to Aynor’s Keighley Estates neighborhood nearly four years ago for its tranquil location in an area that was largely undeveloped at the time.
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Now a 26-acre sand mine could come within 20 feet of Norris’ backyard if it is approved, a decision that is entirely up to the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services after Horry County dropped its zoning regulations for mines in 2020.
“If I thought for a second that Horry County would allow a mine to operate 20 feet adjacent to our residence, I never would have even considered purchasing this home,” Norris said.
Nearly 60 mining permits have been approved in Horry County since Jan. 1, 2021, after the county’s zoning regulations for mining were dropped. Due to the rapid growth in the county, developers benefit from the local mines that offer material for road and building construction.
Horry County used to have a say in where a mine could be located in the county and required a local mining permit granted by council, even if the applicant was granted permission from the state. The county did away with the regulations after a lawsuit was filed in 2017, and a federal judge later ruled the county’s permit conflicted with state law and was illegal.
“(Now) if a property owner receives a mine permit from SCDES, all regulations and requirements go through SCDES and Horry County is not involved at all,” Horry County spokesperson Thomas Bell said by email.
King Asphalt Inc. applied for a mining permit to dig 26.9 acres of land for sand, clay and topsoil with a 20-foot buffer and 10-foot berm between Norris’ and several other homes off of Mt. Pisgah Cemetery Road near the Conway/Aynor town line.
Norris said she worries about her and her neighbors, whom are primarily retirees, and their quality of life. Horry County residents have long opposed mines near residential areas because of the noise, dust and truck traffic that comes along.
“I just don’t think a mining operation can be consistent with a residential area,” Norris said.
The state environmental services is accepting comments about the proposed mine until Sept. 25, 2026. Comments can be submitted on the state’s e-permitting website.
Residents oppose mining operations in their backyards
June Galvin, a Conway resident, moved to her neighborhood off Bellamy Road and Highway 90 about 13 years ago. But for the past two years, she has battled a mine off East Cox Ferry Road that is about 50 feet from her backyard separated by a thin layer of trees.
The loud pang of the dump trucks slamming their gates and humming of equipment are heard and felt from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. nearly every day of the week, she said.
“(It has been) so bad to the point where I was getting out of my bed in the morning and going into my guest room and putting a pillow over my head,” Galvin said.
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The land behind her home used to be wooded, but she often worried a subdivision would be developed. She never anticipated a mine.
“When you think of mining, you don’t really think of that constant influx of just noise and banging and humming and banging and banging,” Galvin said. “And you walk outside, you got the beeping of the backing up, and it’s very, very, very stressful.”
Coastal Conservation League North Coast Office Director Becky Ryon said the noise is not only disruptive for people, but for wildlife that need quiet for hunting, foraging and mating.
“Folks that live in rural areas often like to hunt on their properties, and that having loud, noisy trucks or heavy machinery is disruptive to hunting as well,” Ryon said.
Mines that are reclaimed to ponds also pose safety risks for children or pets, she said.
“I think it is important to have those buffers in place to try to mitigate that noise pollution and the community impacts,” Ryon said. “Buffers are very reasonable to have between residential properties and the mine, as well as our conservation lands.”
Why are there so many mines in Horry County?
There are 51 active mines in Horry County, the most of any county in the state. There are currently 477 active mines in South Carolina.
Ryon said the size of the mining industry in Horry County is largely connected to the development pressures consuming the area. Sand is used to make concrete, and clay is essential for building roads. Having nearby mines providing material is much cheaper than transporting it from outside the county.
“It’s a very complex issue that is only becoming more prevalent with Horry County being one of the fastest growing counties in the state, and it is a necessity for road improvements for all the development that we’re seeing,” Ryon said. “We want to make sure that it’s done responsibly and that we are looking at what these impacts are for communities and for our natural resources.”
Since the beginning of 2021, 59 mining permits were approved by the state for operations in the county. Of these, 36 are still in effect, 19 have been reclaimed and 4 are in the process of reclamation. The remaining active mines were likely approved before Jan. 1, 2021.
Several counties in South Carolina, including Florence and Beaufort, have their own local mining ordinances. The regulations include location and buffer requirements. Ryon said Georgetown County does not have its own ordinance, but it can restrict where mines operate.
Ryon said she would like to see Horry County reconsider a mining ordinance that determines buffer requirements, time-of-day operations or other safeguards for neighboring communities.
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