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 and August 11, 2009
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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..................... 3-5
 

ART. 3.3

ZONING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS

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

3-7
  ART. 3.4 ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS [REZONINGS].................. 3-9
  ART. 3.5 PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS............................................ 3-10
  ART. 3.6 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS...................................................... 3-10
  ART. 3.7 SITE PLAN REVIEW............................................................. 3-13
  ART. 3.8 ZONING PERMITS................................................................. 3-14
  ART. 3.9 CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY..................................... 3-19
  ART. 3.10 ZONING VARIANCES........................................................... 3-20
  ART. 3.11 WRITTEN INTERPRETATIONS........................................... 3-23
  ART. 3.12 PUBLIC PROJECT REVIEW............................................... 3-24
  ART. 3.13

APPEALS OF ZONING-RELATED ADMINISTRATIVE
DECISIONS............................................................................
3-24
  ART. 3.14 APPEALS OF SUBDIVISION-RELATED ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS............................................................................
3-26
  ART. 3.15 ADDRESSING AND STREET NAMES........................... 3-28
  ART. 3.16 DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.................................... 3-28
       
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......... 4-5
  ART. 4.4 AG-15, AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION DISTRICT...... 4-6
  ART. 4.5 AG-10, AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION DISTRICT...... 4-7
  ART. 4.6 AG-8, AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION DISTRICT........ 4-8
  ART. 4.7 AGR, AGRICULTURAL/RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ............. 4-9
  ART. 4.8 RR-3, RURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT .............................. 4-10
  ART. 4.9 S-1, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICTRICT.............. 4-11
  ART. 4.10 S-2, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT......................... 4-12
  ART. 4.11 S-3, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT......................... 4-13
  ART. 4.12* R-2, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.............. 4-14
  ART. 4.13 R-3, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.............. 4-15
  ART. 4.14 R-4, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT............... 4-16
  ART. 4.15* M-8,  MIXED STYLE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT................. 4-17
  ART. 4.16 M-12,  MIXED STYLE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.............................. 4-18
  ART. 4.17 MHS, LOW DENSITY MANUFACTURED HOUSING DISTRICT....... 4-19
  ART. 4.18 MHP, MANUFACTURED HOUSING PARK DISTRICT...... 4-20
  ART. 4.19 OR, RESIDENTIAL OFFICE DISTRICT................................ 4-21
  ART. 4.20 OG, GENERAL OFFICE DISTRICT...................................... 4-23
  ART. 4.21 CN, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT............. 4-24
  ART. 4.22 CT, COMMERCIAL TRANSITION DISTRICT........................ 4-25
  ART. 4.23 CR, RURAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.............................. 4-26
  ART. 4.24 CC, COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT........................ 4-27
  ART. 4.25 I, INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.......................................................... 4-28
  ART. 4.26 WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS................. 4-28
  ART. 4.27 PD, PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT....................... 4-29
       
CHAPTER 5 │ OVERLAY AND SPECIAL PURPOSE ZONING DISTRICTS
Proposed land use recommendation maps for the Maybank Highway Corridor, Mount Pleasant, Folly Road Corridor, Dorchester Road Corridor and University Boulevard Overlay Districts can be found at the end of Chapter 5.
  ART. 5.1 GENERAL................................................................................... 5-1
  ART. 5.2 NRM, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. 5-1
  ART. 5.3 WDU, WATER-DEPENDENT USE DISTRICT..................... 5-2
  ART. 5.4 MHC-O, MAYBANK HIGHWAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT...... 5-9
  ART. 5.5 MP-O, MOUNT PLEASANT OVERLAY DISTRICT.............. 5-11
  ART. 5.6 FRC-O, FOLLY ROAD CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT................. 5-27
  ART. 5.7 DRC-O, DORCHESTER ROAD CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT..... 5-29
  ART. 5.8 MUFZ, MULTIPLE USE FLOATING ZONE...................... 5-32
  ART. 5.9 UB-O UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD OVERLAY DISTRICT...................... 5-36
    CHAPTER 5 MAPS ............................................................... 5-41
       
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......................... 6-61
  ART. 6.6 TEMPORARY USES............................................................... 6-73
       
CHAPTER 7 (RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE)
       
CHAPTER 8 │ SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
  ART. 8.1 GENERAL............................................................................... 8-1
  ART. 8.2 PRE-APPLICATION INFORMATION................................... 8-3
  ART. 8.3 MINOR AND MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS................................ 8-4
  ART. 8.4 PRELIMINARY PLAT............................................................ 8-6
  ART. 8.5 FINAL PLATS........................................................................ 8-12
  ART. 8.6 MARKERS............................................................................. 8-17
  ART. 8.7 LOTS....................................................................................... 8-18
  ART. 8.8 TREE PRESERVATION....................................................... 8-20
  ART. 8.9 TREES, SHRUBS, AND PAVEMENT................................ 8-21
  ART. 8.10 PEDESTRIAN WAY............................................................... 8-21
  ART. 8.11 STREET NAMES, STREET SIGNS..................................... 8-22
  ART. 8.12 UNDERGROUND UTILITIES AND SERVICES.................. 8-22
  ART. 8.13 WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL.................. 8-22
  ART. 8.14 FINANCIAL GUARANTEES (SURETY).............................. 8-23
       
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.................... 9-16
  ART. 9.5 LANDSCAPING, SCREENING AND BUFFERS................ 9-24
  ART. 9.6

ARCHITECTURAL AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN  STANDARDS..........................................................................
9-36
  ART. 9.7 WETLANDS, WATERWAYS AND OCRM CRITICAL LINE... 9-41
  ART. 9.8 HISTORIC PRESERVATION................................................. 9-43
  ART. 9.9 TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES................................................. 9-43
  ART. 9.10 VISION CLEARANCE............................................................. 9-46
  ART. 9.11 SIGNS....................................................................................... 9-47
  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. 1.10 DERELICT MANUFACTURED HOMES.................................. 11-6
       
CHAPTER 12 │ DEFINITIONS
  ART. 12.1 TERMS AND USES DEFINED.............................................. 12-1
  ART. 12.2 INTERPRETATION................................................................... 12-36
       
       

Appendix A* │Standard Specifications for the Design and Construction

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

 

   

                    

                    

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