City of Conway v. Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority

535 F. Supp. 928, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11565
CourtDistrict Court, D. South Carolina
DecidedFebruary 24, 1982
DocketCiv. A. No. 81-2244-15
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 535 F. Supp. 928 (City of Conway v. Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Conway v. Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority, 535 F. Supp. 928, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11565 (D.S.C. 1982).

Opinion

ORDER

HAMILTON, District Judge.

This action was commenced by the City of Conway (Conway) in the Court of Common Pleas of Horry County, South Carolina, against the Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority (Grand Strand). The dispute arose over alleged incursions by Grand Strand’s water and sewer lines into a region claimed to be part of the service area of Conway (the Area).

INTRODUCTION

In its Amended Complaint, Conway alleged that Grand Strand extended its water lines into the Area, thereby infringing on Conway’s right to provide service therein. Conway also alleged that this extension of water lines was in violation of the rights of the Horry Water and Sewer Authority (Horry) which was authorized to provide water service in the area, and with whom Conway had contracted to provide service therein.

The amended complaint requested that (1) Grand Strand be enjoined from extending its water or sewer lines into the Area,

(2) that Grand Strand be enjoined from connecting any customer in the area to Grand Strand’s water or sewer system, and

(3) that the Area be declared to constitute the legitimate and legal water and sewer area of Conway.

In its answer, Grand Strand denied that either Conway or Horry had the right to provide service in the Area. Grand Strand further alleged that it was authorized by law to provide water and sewer service therein. Grand Strand counterclaimed, seeking to have Conway enjoined from operating in the Area.

A Petition for Intervention was filed by the United States requesting that it be allowed to intervene in this action because (a) the Grand Strand system was built with federal funds and the United States of America holds bonds against the Grand Strand system in an amount exceeding Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000) secured by a pledge of all water and sewer revenue from Grand Strand, and (b) since Grand Strand is a borrower of the United States (Farmers Home Administration) any fragmentation or encroachment upon Grand Strand’s system is prohibited by Title 7 United States Code Section 1926(b).

By an Order of the Horry County Court of Common Pleas dated September 28,1981, the United States was allowed to intervene and the matter was removed to this court on October 9, 1981.

The facts in this case are for the most part undisputed, and the issues are principally ones of statutory and constitutional construction. After reviewing the record as stipulated to by the parties at the hearing of this adversary proceeding held on January 28, 1982, examining the exhibits, the pleadings, and the briefs submitted by counsel, this Court makes the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 52(a).

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. In 1964, or thereabout, ostensibly pursuant to authorization contained in special law, Act No. 977 of the Acts and Joint Resolutions of The General Assembly of South Carolina, 1964, Conway acquired from Horry County certain water facilities which Horry County had constructed along U. S. Highway 501. No authority was given in Act No. 977 for expansion of the facilities nor was any specific service area defined or created.

2. Conway subsequently extended water service in a small area east of Conway and north and south of U. S. Highway 501 (which runs east and west between Conway and Myrtle Beach).

[930]*9303. In 1971, Grand Strand was created as a water and sewer authority and a body politic and corporate by Act 337 of the Acts and Joint Resolutions of The General Assembly of South Carolina, 1971. This Act gave Grand Strand the power to provide water and sewer service in those areas of Horry County between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Section 2 of the Act limited the sale of water and sewer service for domestic use within three miles of existing municipalities without the consent of the municipality. However, the territory as defined in Act 337 did not include the area now in dispute.

4. In 1973 new Article VIII of the South Carolina Constitution became effective and in 1974 pursuant to the propositions of new Article VIII, The General Assembly enacted a general law, Section 6-11-420, S. C. Code of Laws, 1976, (originally Act 926 of 1974) to allow county governments to deal with the enlargement or diminution in size of existing special purpose districts.

5. On May 20, 1975, The Board of Commissioners of Horry County, then the governing body of the County, adopted a resolution entitled: “A Resolution Redefining The Boundaries Of The Grand Strand Water And Sewer Authority, Horry County, South Carolina”; providing for public notice of such action; and other matters relating thereto. This resolution, adopted pursuant to Act 926 of 1974 (now codified as Section 6-11-420, South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976) extended Grand Strand’s service area west to the Waccamaw River, thus including the area presently in dispute.

6. Horry, whose service area would be necessarily reduced by the extension of Grand Strand, joined in the request for enlargement. Conway raised no challenge to Horry County’s action within the limitation period prescribed by Code Section 6-11-480.

7. Pending and in anticipation of the resolution of the County Board of Commissioners, Conway and Grand Strand entered into a “Water Purchase Contract” dated April 23,1975. Under this contract Conway agreed to supply water at wholesale prices to Grand Strand to enable it to provide service to its new service area as designated by Horry County pursuant to the Resolution adopted May 20, 1975.

8. In reliance upon the unchallenged action of the County governing body in expanding its boundaries, Grand Strand constructed extensive facilities (both water and sewer) within its enlarged service area.

9. Grand Strand obtained financing for such facilities through the Farmer’s Home Administration, (FmHA) as a result of which the FmHA holds a lien on certain property of Grand Strand. In this regard, the parties stipulated that revenues from facilities in the Area make a substantial contribution to the total revenues of the Grand Strand System.

10. The parties also stipulated that the City of Conway’s water and sewer system is also subject to revenue bonds held by the Farmers Home Administration including portions of said system outside and inside the Area.

11. Grand Strand expressed its consent to the continued operation of existing facilities owned by Conway in the Area.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

The clear intent of new Article VIII of the South Carolina Constitution, effective March 7,1973, is that home rule be given to the counties and that county government should function in the county seats rather than at-the State Capitol. Knight v. Salisbury, 262 S.C. 565, 206 S.E.2d 875 (1974). Accordingly, after March 7, 1973, the General Assembly could no longer deal with existing single county special purpose districts by way of special act. Cooper River, etc. v. City of North Charleston, 273 S.C. 639, 259 S.E.2d 107 (1979). However, there were many instances in which it was desirable to change the boundaries of existing special purpose districts.

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Related

Sloan v. City of Conway
555 S.E.2d 684 (Supreme Court of South Carolina, 2001)

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Bluebook (online)
535 F. Supp. 928, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11565, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-conway-v-grand-strand-water-sewer-authority-scd-1982.