Zoning and Land Development Regulations Ordinance
Charleston County Zoning and Land Development Regulations Ordinance,
Adopted November 20, 2001
Amended: July 18, 2006, January 9, 2007, March 4, 2008, June 17, 2008, August 11, 2009, May 4, 2010, October 19, 2010, December 7, 2010, December 16, 2010, April 19, 2011 &
October 11, 2011.

 
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Table Of Contents
 
CHAPTER 1 │ INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
  ART. 1.1 TITLE...................................................................................  1-1
  ART. 1.2 AUTHORITY........................................................................ 1-1
  ART. 1.3 EFFECTIVE DATE........................................................... 1-1
  ART. 1.4 APPLICABILITY AND JURISDICTION............................ 1-1
  ART. 1.5 PURPOSE AND INTENT................................................. 1-2
  ART. 1.6 COMMENTARY................................................................. 1-3
  ART. 1.7 WORD USAGE AND CONSTRUCTION OF LANGUAGE. 1-3
  ART. 1.8 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS............................................. 1-4
  ART. 1.9 CONFLICTING PROVISIONS........................................... 1-4
  ART. 1.10 ZONING MAP...................................................................... 1-5
  ART. 1.11 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS......................................... 1-7
  ART. 1.12 SEVERABILITY................................................................... 1-8
       
CHAPTER 2 │ REVIEW AND DECISION-MAKING BODIES
  ART. 2.1 COUNTY COUNCIL............................................................ 2-1
  ART. 2.2 PLANNING COMMISSION................................................. 2-1
  ART. 2.3 BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS........................................ 2-2
  ART. 2.4 PLANNING DIRECTOR....................................................... 2-3
       
CHAPTER 3 │ DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCEDURES
  ART. 3.1 GENERAL............................................................................. 3-1
  ART. 3.2 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS..................... 3-7
 

ART. 3.3

ZONING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS

REGULATIONS TEXT AMENDMENTS.............................

3-9
  ART. 3.4 ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS [REZONINGS].................. 3-11
  ART. 3.5 PD, PLANNED DEVELOPMENT ZONING DISTRICT .... 3-13
  ART. 3.6 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS...................................................... 3-13
  ART. 3.7 SITE PLAN REVIEW............................................................. 3-16
  ART. 3.8 ZONING PERMITS................................................................. 3-17
  ART. 3.9 CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY..................................... 3-22
  ART. 3.10 ZONING VARIANCES........................................................... 3-23
  ART. 3.11 WRITTEN INTERPRETATIONS........................................... 3-26
  ART. 3.12 PUBLIC PROJECT REVIEW............................................... 3-27
  ART. 3.13

APPEALS OF ZONING-RELATED ADMINISTRATIVE
DECISIONS............................................................................
3-28
  ART. 3.14 APPEALS OF SUBDIVISION-RELATED ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS............................................................................
3-30
  ART. 3.15 ADDRESSING AND STREET NAMES........................... 3-31
  ART. 3.16 DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.................................... 3-32
       
CHAPTER 4 │BASE ZONING DISTRICTS
  ART. 4.1 GENERAL.................................................................................. 4-1
  ART. 4.2 MEASUREMENTS, COMPUTATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS... 4-2
  ART. 4.3 RM, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT......... 4-7
  ART. 4.4 AG-15, AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION DISTRICT...... 4-8
  ART. 4.5 AG-10, AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION DISTRICT...... 4-9
  ART. 4.6 AG-8, AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION DISTRICT........ 4-10
  ART. 4.7 AGR, AGRICULTURAL/RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ............. 4-11
  ART. 4.8 RR-3, RURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT .............................. 4-13
  ART. 4.9 S-1, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICTRICT.............. 4-14
  ART. 4.10 S-2, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT......................... 4-15
  ART. 4.11 S-3, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT......................... 4-16
  ART. 4.12* R-2, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.............. 4-17
  ART. 4.13 R-3, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.............. 4-18
  ART. 4.14 R-4, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT............... 4-19
  ART. 4.15* M-8,  MIXED STYLE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT................. 4-20
  ART. 4.16 M-12,  MIXED STYLE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.............................. 4-21
  ART. 4.17 MHS, LOW DENSITY MANUFACTURED HOUSING DISTRICT....... 4-22
  ART. 4.18 MHP, MANUFACTURED HOUSING PARK DISTRICT...... 4-23
  ART. 4.19 OR, RESIDENTIAL OFFICE DISTRICT................................ 4-25
  ART. 4.20 OG, GENERAL OFFICE DISTRICT...................................... 4-27
  ART. 4.21 CN, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT............. 4-28
  ART. 4.22 CT, COMMERCIAL TRANSITION DISTRICT........................ 4-29
  ART. 4.23 CR, RURAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.............................. 4-30
  ART. 4.24 CC, COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT........................ 4-31
  ART. 4.25 I, INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.......................................................... 4-32
  ART. 4.26 WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS................. 4-33
  ART. 4.27 PD, PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT....................... 4-34
       
CHAPTER 5 │ OVERLAY AND SPECIAL PURPOSE ZONING DISTRICTS
  ART. 5.1 GENERAL................................................................................... 5-1
  ART. 5.2 NRM, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. 5-2
  ART. 5.3 WDU, WATER-DEPENDENT USE DISTRICT..................... 5-3
  ART. 5.4 MHC-O, MAYBANK HIGHWAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT... 5-9
  ART. 5.5 MP-O, MOUNT PLEASANT OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT.............. 5-12
  ART. 5.6 FRC-O, FOLLY ROAD CORRIDOR OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT................. 5-32
  ART. 5.7 DRC-O, DORCHESTER ROAD CORRIDOR & ASHLEY RIVER SCENIC CORRIDOR OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT..... 5-35
  ART. 5.8 MUFZ, MULTIPLE USE FLOATING ZONE...................... 5-41
  ART. 5.9 UB-O UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT.............. 5-45
    CHAPTER 5 MAPS ............................................................... 5-50
       
CHAPTER 6 │ USE REGULATIONS
  ART. 6.1 USE TABLE.............................................................................. 6-1
  ART. 6.2 DEFINITIONS............................................................................ 6-1
  ART. 6.3 USE TYPES............................................................................. 6-1
  ART. 6.4 USE CONDITIONS.................................................................. 6-17
  ART. 6.5 ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES......................... 6-62
  ART. 6.6 TEMPORARY USES............................................................... 6-74
  ART. 6.7 SPECIAL EVENTS USE......................................................... 6-76
       
CHAPTER 7 (RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE)
       
CHAPTER 8 │ SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
  ART. 8.1 GENERAL............................................................................... 8-1
  ART. 8.2 PRE-APPLICATION INFORMATION................................... 8-4
  ART. 8.3 MINOR AND MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS................................ 8-4
  ART. 8.4 PRELIMINARY PLAT............................................................ 8-7
  ART. 8.5 FINAL PLATS........................................................................ 8-13
  ART. 8.6 MARKERS............................................................................. 8-18
  ART. 8.7 LOTS....................................................................................... 8-18
  ART. 8.8 TREE PRESERVATION....................................................... 8-21
  ART. 8.9 TREES, SHRUBS, AND PAVEMENT................................ 8-21
  ART. 8.10 PEDESTRIAN WAY............................................................... 8-22
  ART. 8.11 STREET NAMES, STREET SIGNS..................................... 8-23
  ART. 8.12 UNDERGROUND UTILITIES AND SERVICES.................. 8-23
  ART. 8.13 WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL.................. 8-23
  ART. 8.14 FINANCIAL GUARANTEES (SURETY).............................. 8-24
  ART. 8.15 RR-3 CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION.................................... 8-25
       
CHAPTER 9 │ DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
  ART. 9.1 PURPOSE AND INTENT..................................................... 9-1
  ART. 9.2 APPLICABILITY..................................................................... 9-1
  ART. 9.3 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING ......................... 9-1
  ART. 9.4 TREE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION.................... 9-15
  ART. 9.5 LANDSCAPING, SCREENING AND BUFFERS................ 9-23
  ART. 9.6

ARCHITECTURAL AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN  STANDARDS..........................................................................
9-35
  ART. 9.7 WETLANDS, WATERWAYS AND OCRM CRITICAL LINE... 9-40
  ART. 9.8 HISTORIC PRESERVATION................................................. 9-42
  ART. 9.9 TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES................................................. 9-42
  ART. 9.10 VISION CLEARANCE............................................................. 9-45
  ART. 9.11 SIGNS....................................................................................... 9-46
  ART. 9.12 DRAINAGE DESIGN.............................................................. 9-55
    EXHIBITS................................................................................. 9-56
       
CHAPTER 10 │ NONCONFORMITIES
  ART. 10.1 GENERAL................................................................................ 10-1
  ART. 10.2 NONCONFORMING USES................................................... 10-2
  ART. 10.3 NONCONFORMING STRUCTURES................................... 10-3
  ART. 10.4 NONCONFORMING LOTS................................................... 10-4
  ART. 10.5 NONCONFORMING SIGNS.................................................. 10-5
       
CHAPTER 11 │ VIOLATIONS, PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT
  ART. 11.1 ORDINANCE COMPLIANCE REQUIRED.......................... 11-1
  ART. 11.2 VIOLATIONS............................................................................ 11-1
  ART. 11.3 ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITY, COMPLAINTS......... 11-2
  ART. 11.4 REMEDIES AND ENFORCEMENT POWERS................... 11-2
  ART. 11.5 PRIVATE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS................................. 11-3
  ART. 11.6 TREE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION VIOLATIONS ... 11-3
  ART. 11.7 SIGN VIOLATIONS................................................................... 11-5
  ART. 11.8 VIOLATIONS CONTINUES..................................................... 11-5
  ART. 11.9 OTHER ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS..................................... 11-5
  ART. 11.10 DERELICT MANUFACTURED HOMES.................................. 11-6
       
CHAPTER 12 │ DEFINITIONS
  ART. 12.1 TERMS AND USES DEFINED.............................................. 12-1
  ART. 12.2 INTERPRETATION................................................................... 12-38
       
       

Appendix A* │Standard Specifications for the Design and Construction

of Roads and Drainage System...........................................................                                    Appendix A-1
       
       
 
       

 

   

 

 

                    

                    

 

 

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