For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ADULT DAY CARE. A facility licensed by the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for adults 18 years of age or older, which offers in a group setting a program of individual and group activities and therapies. The program is directed toward providing community-based day care services for those adults in need of a supportive setting.
AGRICULTURAL SALES AND SERVICE. An establishment engaged in the retail or wholesale sale from the premises of feed, grain, fertilizers, pesticides and similar goods.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION. The raising of animals or production of animal products on an agricultural or commercial basis, exclusive of all concentrated animal feeding operations. ANIMAL PRODUCTION shall include the processing of shrimp and other seafood, but shall not include the processing of land-borne animals.
BAR or LOUNGE. A use engaged in the preparation and retail sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, where 25% or more of the gross receipts are for the sale of alcohol. This use includes taverns, bars, cocktail lounges and any member exclusive bars or lounges.
BED AND BREAKFAST INNS. A portion of an owner-occupied dwelling unit or detached accessory structure offering transient lodging, with or without breakfast, to paying guests on an overnight basis, usually staying less than seven days.
BOAT YARD. A land-based operation primarily for the repair and service of boats, including any incidental storage of boats in the process of being repaired. This term does not include boat building.
BUILDING HEIGHT. The vertical distance between the base flood elevation, or ground level, if the structure is not in a flood hazard area as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the average height level between the eaves and ridge line of a gable, hip or gambrel roof; the highest point of a mansard roof; or the highest point of the coping of a flat roof.
CHILD DAY CARE. A service established primarily for the part-time (less than 24 hours) care of preschool children.
COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER. A public or quasi-public building designed for and used as a social, recreation and cultural center. As a part of such recreation centers, there may be included craft rooms, music rooms, game rooms, meeting rooms, auditoriums, swimming pools and kitchen facilities. Kitchen facilities and dining areas shall be used for special events only.
CONSUMER CONVENIENCE SERVICE. An establishment providing services, primarily to individuals, of a frequent or recurrent nature. Typical uses include seamstresses, tailors, automated banking machines, locksmiths, one-hour photo finishing and dry cleaning or laundry pickup station services.
CONSUMER GOODS RENTAL SERVICE. An establishment primarily engaged in the rental or leasing of new or used consumer goods or tools to the general public, excluding vehicle, watercraft or heavy equipment rentals.
CORRIDOR. A strip of land in which all existing natural vegetation is to remain undisturbed, with the exception of one four-foot wide pervious surface foot path and one approved wildlife observation platform. The CORRIDOR length is measured from the right-of-way of a road, street or private drive forming the property line to the OCRM critical line; and the width of the corridor shall follow the waterfront development standards contained in this chapter.
CROP PRODUCTION. The raising and harvesting of tree crops, row crops or field crops on an agricultural or commercial basis, including packing, processing or storing produce; provided that the operation of any such accessory uses shall be secondary to the normal agricultural activities.
FOOD SALES. An establishment primarily engaged in the retail sale of food or household products for home consumption. These establishments may include the sale of beer and wine in unopened containers for off-premises consumption where the sale of products other than beer and wine comprise at least 51% of the gross sales of the establishment, and at least 51% of the total display or shelf space is devoted to products other than beer and wine. Typical uses include grocery stores, delicatessens, meat markets, retail bakeries and candy shops.
GARDEN EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES. A commercial activity offering for sale indoor or outdoor garden fixtures, packaged plant food or pesticides, garden tools, manually or power operated with associated parts and accessories. Accessories may include plants.
GROUP CARE HOME. A staffed residence, licensed by the Department of Social Services (DSS), with a population of fewer than 20 children who are in care apart from their parents, relatives or guardians on a full-time basis. GROUP CARE HOMES are classified by different levels of care ranging from independent to assisted living.
GUIDE SERVICES. This use includes structures used to assemble customers in order to lead them on hunting, fishing, canoeing or similar expeditions for a fee. This use does not include any type of lodge providing overnight accommodations or any stocking of fish or game.
HEAVY CONSTRUCTION SALES AND SERVICE. An establishment primarily engaged in construction activities and incidental storage on lots other than construction sites, as well as the retail or wholesale sale, from the premises, of materials used in the construction of buildings or other structures other than retail sale of paint, fixtures and hardware. Typical uses include building materials stores, tool and equipment sales or building contractors.
HOTEL-MOTEL. Lodging services involving the provision of a room, with or without meal service. Typical uses include hotels, motels or transient boarding houses.
KENNELS AND ANIMAL BOARDING. Boarding and care services for dogs, cats and similar small animals. Typical uses include boarding kennels, pet motels and dog training centers.
LIQUOR, BEER OR WINE SALES. A establishment primarily engaged in the retail sale of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption. This definition includes all retail stores where the sales of alcoholic beverages comprise 49% or more of gross sales. Typical uses include liquor stores, bottle shops or any licensed sales of liquor, beer or wine for off-site consumption.
LOT AREA MEASUREMENT. Lot area refers to the horizontal land area within lot lines, including freshwater wetlands and excluding any area below the Office of Coastal Resource Management’s critical line.
MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION. An establishment engaged in the manufacturing, processing, fabrication, packaging or assembly of goods. Natural, human-made, raw, secondary or partially completed materials may be used. Products may be finished or semi-finished and are generally made for the wholesale market, for transfer to other plants, or to order for firms or consumers. Goods are generally not displayed or sold on site, but if so, they are a subordinate part of sales. Relatively few customers come to the site. Typical uses include processing of food and related products; slaughter houses and meat packing; weaving or production of textiles or apparel; lumber mills, pulp and paper mills and other wood products manufacturing; woodworking, including cabinet makers; production of chemical, rubber, leather, clay, bone, plastic, stone or glass materials or products; printing, publishing and lithography; movie production facilities; concrete batching and asphalt mixing; production or fabrication of metals or metal products including enameling and galvanizing; manufacture or assembly of machinery, equipment, instruments, including musical instruments, vehicles, appliances, precision items and other electrical items; production of artwork and toys; sign making; and production of prefabricated structures, including manufactured housing units.
MEDICAL OFFICE. A use providing consultation, diagnosis, therapeutic, preventive or corrective personal treatment services by doctors, dentists, medical and dental laboratories or similar practitioners of medical and healing arts for humans, licensed for such practice by the state.
OFFICE. Unless the context clearly suggests a more specific meaning, means any of the following: government office, administrative office or professional office.
OFFICE/WAREHOUSE COMPLEX. A structure or group of structures offering compartments of varying size for rental to different tenants for the storage of commercial goods or wares, conducting of certain retail trade activities, or provision of those personal or business services permitted by zoning.
PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT SERVICE. An establishment primarily engaged in the provision of informational, instructional, personal improvements and similar services. Typical uses include photography studios, driving schools, health or physical fitness studios, reducing salons, dance studios and handicraft or hobby instruction.
PROFESSIONAL OFFICE. A use providing professional or consulting services in the fields of law, architecture, design, engineering, accounting and similar professions.
RECYCLING SERVICES. A facility used for the collection and transfer, but not the actual processing, of any of the following recyclable materials: glass, paper, plastic, cans or other source-separated, nonputrescible materials. For purposes of this use, recyclable materials shall not include motor oil, chemicals, household appliances, tires, automobiles, automobile parts or putrescible materials.
RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT, INDOOR. Participatory and spectator-oriented recreation and entertainment uses conducted within an enclosed building. Typical uses include bowling alleys, billiard parlors, ice and roller skating rinks, arcades, video games and theaters.
RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT, OUTDOOR. Participatory and spectator-oriented recreation and entertainment uses conducted in open, partially enclosed or screened facilities. Typical uses include sports arenas, racing facilities, amusement parks, golf driving ranges and miniature golf courses.
REPAIR SERVICE, CONSUMER. An establishment primarily engaged in the provision of repair services to individuals and households rather than firms, but excluding automotive and equipment services uses. Typical uses include appliance repair shops, watch or jewelry repair shops, shoe repair shops or musical instrument repair shops.
RESTAURANT, FAST FOOD. An establishment engaged in the preparation and retail sale of food and beverages in a ready-to-consume state, with one or more of the following characteristics:
(1) It serves ready-to-eat foods, frozen deserts or beverages in edible or paper, plastic or disposable containers;
(2) It serves foods that customers carry to the restaurant’s seating facilities, to motor vehicles or off-premises; or
(3) It serves foods through a pass-through window (which includes any and all drive-in restaurants).
RESTAURANT, GENERAL. An establishment engaged in the preparation and retail sale of food and beverages for on-premises consumption, where the sales of alcoholic beverages does not comprise more than 25% of gross receipts. Typical uses include diners, cafeterias, dinner-houses and restaurants, but do not include fast food restaurants.
RETAIL SALES OR SERVICES. An establishment primarily engaged in the sale of new or used products to the general public, but excluding those establishments more specifically defined in this chapter.
SELF-SERVICE STORAGE OR MINI-WAREHOUSING. Storage services primarily for personal effects and household goods within enclosed storage areas having individual access, but excluding such uses as workshops, hobby shops, manufacturing or commercial activity.
STABLE. A building or land where horses are kept for commercial or private use, including boarding, breeding, hire, sale, rental for riding or raising of horses not owned by the occupants of the premises.
USE PERMITTED BY RIGHT. A principal use permitted without the requirement of a special exception.
UTILITY SERVICE, MAJOR. Facilities and structures that are necessary for the generation, transmission and/or distribution of utilities to support principal development, such as generation facilities, electrical and telephone switching facilities, electric substations, pumping stations, sewage collection or disposal facilities, water or sewage treatment plants, water storage tanks, sewage collector or trunk lines, water mains and similar facilities.
UTILITY SERVICE, MINOR. Minor structures, such as lines and poles, that are necessary to distribute utilities and provide service.
VEHICLE REPAIR, GENERAL. An establishment that provides service to passenger vehicles, light and medium trucks and other consumer motor vehicles, such as motorcycles, boats and recreational vehicles. Generally, the customer does not wait at the site while the service or repair is being performed. Typical uses include muffler shops, auto repair garages, tire sales and installation, wheel and brake shops, body and fender shops and similar repair and service activities, but excluding dismantling or salvage.
VEHICLE SALES/RENTAL. The sale or rental of automobiles, noncommercial trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles or boats, including incidental storage, maintenance and servicing. Typical uses include new and used car dealerships, motorcycle dealerships and boat, trailer or recreational vehicle dealerships.
VEHICLE SERVICE, LIMITED. An establishment that provides direct services to motor vehicles where the driver or passengers generally wait in the car or nearby while the service is performed. Typical uses include car washes and quick lubrication services.
VETERINARY SERVICE. An establishment offering veterinary services and hospitals for animals. Typical uses include pet clinics, dog and cat hospitals and veterinary hospitals for livestock and large animals.
WASTE-RELATED USE. Uses that receive solid or liquid wastes from others for disposal on the site or for transfer to another location, uses that collect sanitary wastes or uses that manufacture or produce goods or energy from the composting of organic material.
WHOLESALE SALES. An establishment engaged in the sale or lease, or rent of products primarily intended for industrial, institutional or commercial businesses. The uses emphasize on-site sales or order taking and often include display areas. Businesses may or may not be open to the general public, but sales to the general public are limited. Products may be picked up on-site or delivered to the customer. Typical use include sale or rental of machinery, equipment, heavy trucks, building materials, special trade tools, welding supplies, machine parts, electrical supplies, janitorial supplies, restaurant equipment and store fixtures; mail order houses; and wholesalers of food, clothing, auto parts and building hardware.
(Ord. 20-8, passed 12-7-2000; Ord. 04-13, passed 12-2-2004; Ord. 06-11, passed 5-4-2006)