Attention to these standards is intended to further the goals expressed in § 151.003, and assist developers in achieving maximum marketability and aesthetic value.
(A) Architectural conformity and review. In any zoning district, subdivision, Planned Development or other area of the city which has a majority of the zoning lots built upon, all subsequently permitted buildings must substantially conform to the architectural standards established by the majority of existing structures. By determination of the Zoning Administrator, subsequent structures must conform as to architectural style, general design, square footage of living area (exclusive of garages and porches), external siding materials and overall treatments.
(B) Exterior yard provisions.
(1) Yard depth shall be measured perpendicular to the lot line; for a curved or irregular lot line, depth shall be measured perpendicular to a straight line connecting the two lot corners. At least one yard shall have the full required depth, and no other yard on the lot shall have less than one half the required depth, except as provided in division (B)(2) below; and
(2) In lots between two non-intersecting streets, having one yard with a depth not in keeping with the prevailing yard depth pattern, the Zoning Administrator may approve a special minimum yard depth equal to the average yards of adjoining lots. If the city approves a plat with less than normal yard depth along on the two streets, the building set back line shall be the minimum yard depth for the lot(s).
(C) Other yard provisions.
(1) Depth of interior yards shall be measured perpendicular to the lot lines;
(2) Accessory buildings shall not be located closer than five feet to any property boundary;
(3) Commercial, industrial and residential dish antennae shall meet all minimum setback requirements for their respective districts (see Appendix D):
(a) In Commercial and Light Industrial Districts, dish antennae may be permitted in rear yard or on rooftop only so as to present the least conspicuous visual appearance; and
(b) Dish antennae of 18 inches in diameter or smaller may be roof-mounted on residences and shall not be visible from the roadway directly in front of the dwelling. FCC regulations shall prevail regarding the placement of antennae; however, when there is no impact on service reception, antennae shall be permanently mounted so that they shall not be visible from the street.
(4) Fences, poles and other customary fixed yard accessories, (dish antennae excepted) and roof overhangs not over 36 inches, may be permitted in any minimum required yard, subject to height, safety and visibility limitations, of the respective district. Privacy fences located within residential communities must be no more than four feet high when located forward of the front corner of the principal structure of the property:
(a) Fencing shall be constructed of traditional fencing materials, that is materials expressly designed for residential fencing. No residential perimeter fencing may be constructed of rope, string, barbed and/or razor wire, wire fabric, and/or broken glass and may not be constructed of damaged or unsafe materials; however, chain link fence material is allowed. The Building Official of the building department or his/her designee may require the homeowner to provide the manufacturer's standards to establish intended use of a proposed fencing material; and
(b) Fences and/or structures that are nonconforming in regard to the materials used for construction shall have six months to conform after the date of acceptance of the chapter; and
(5) Solar panels and associated fixtures shall be located to the rear of all residential structures whenever feasible, and if not, shall be mounted so as to be flush to the roof of the house.
(D) Height limitations. Zoning district height regulations shall not apply to building fixtures usually required to be placed above the roof and not intended for habitation, for example: spires, water tanks, chimneys and the like.
(E) Visual clearance. No structure or object obstructing motorist vision between three and ten feet above street grade shall be located in street corners according to the table and chart below. The line of vision (L.O.V.) when more restrictive than the building setback line, shall become the required setback line:
(1) Driveway or alley and street: ten feet;
(2) Minor streets: 25 feet;
(3) Collector streets: 30 feet; and
(4) Major thoroughfares: 40 feet.
(F) Property access.
(1) No building shall be placed on a lot not located on an existing publicly maintained paved street, or street shown on a city approved development plan, except for an accessory structure fully conforming to the provisions of § 151.108 of this chapter where the accessory structure is to serve an existing, otherwise legally established principle residential structure conforming to the use and minimum yard requirements of Appendices B and D, respectively; and
(2) Curbing and curb cuts shall comply with standards of the South Carolina Department of Highway and Public Transportation.
(G) Minimum design standards; subdivisions, planned developments and commercial sites. In addition to other provisions of this chapter, adopted Building Codes and the like, these supplemental minimum design standards apply in designing planned developments, subdivisions and commercial site:
(1) Curbs and gutters (concrete) are required. The minimum standard to be 18 inch concrete roll;
(2) Drainage ditches (two to one sidewall slope), with all soil removed from shoulders, and all shoulders and sidewalls seeded. All ditches used as collectors for street run-off will be piped to the point they discharge into a drainage canal;
(3) Open space reservation for parks, playgrounds or recreation areas shall be required for all residential subdivisions of 20 or more building lots and for all high density residential developments (multi-family projects).
(a) Open space may include land with minimal improvements, such as limited clearing, appropriate grading, and the installation of low impact physical improvements such as pedestrian trails and grassed areas as well as picnic tables, play equipment, recreational areas, barbecue grills, covered open structures, plazas or squares, and amenity centers.
(b) Parking lots and RV/boat storage areas are not to be considered open space.
(c) Significant physical features of the project area such as the location of grand trees, scenic vistas, wildlife habitats, and water access shall be considered when siting open space.
(d) Open space shall be landscaped throughout and be designed for active and passive recreational purposes. No more than 50% of created water features may be included in the open space requirement.
(e) Wetland and marshland areas are generally not to be included in area calculations.
(f) The calculation for determining required open space area for all residential subdivisions of 20 or more lots and all multi-family developments shall be as follows:
(#homes) x (sq. ft. of typical unit) x 0.375
43,560 ft/acre
43,560 ft/acre
Example:
(325 homes x 1,500 sq. ft. x 0.375) ÷ 43,560 = 4.2 acres of required open space
(4) Minimum street rights-of-way shall be 50 feet; street paving: minimum width of 24 feet (curb to curb), minimum base course, (six inches R.O.C.) with a minimum surface (one and one half: asphalt/four feet reinforced concrete);
(5) All sidewalks must be concrete, shall be a minimum width of 48 inches, and shall meet all ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements;
(6) Street or security lighting is required in all subdivisions at a minimum ratio of one light per six residential lots, in all Planned Developments at a ratio of one light per 40,000 square feet of land area in the development, and for commercial sites at a ratio of one light per 2,000 square feet of leasable area;
(7) Utilities shall provide all distribution systems underground; and
(8) Builders/developers shall place the assigned house/unit number (minimum height: three inches) on or in close proximity to the structure's main entrance (uniformly on all units) as soon as practical.
(H) Minimum design standards; factory manufactured housing. In addition to all other provisions of this chapter, adopted Building Codes and other regulations and policies of the city, any manufactured (modular) building, for either residential or commercial use, must meet the minimum standards listed herein for placement in any zoning district of the city, excepting the Planned Development/Mobile Home District:
(1) License in South Carolina as a general contractor, home builder, plumber or electrician (as appropriate) is required of all modular structure set-up personnel;
(2) Metal chassis structures are prohibited as modular structures. No steel undercarriage or chassis which remains attached to the structure after on-site setup, nor any metal in the primary or secondary floor or wall systems, is permitted;
(3) Southern Building Code Congress International seal and the SBCCI compliance report number must be affixed to each modular structure;
(4) Third party inspection, by an inspection agency duly certified by the South Carolina Residential Home Builders Association, must be indicated by affixed seal;
(5) Unit must be approved for mortgage financing by the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA);
(6) Minimum foundation shall be a properly ventilated and drained continuous eight inch block wall; and
(7) Minimum first floor elevation shall be 32 inches above finished grade, in any area not requiring a higher minimum finished first floor elevation under the provisions of § 151.081.
(I) Recreational facilities adjacent to residential uses. Outdoor recreational facilities adjacent to lots used for residential purposes shall comply with the following:
(1) No swimming pool, playground, ball field or court, or miniature golf course shall be closer than 50 feet from a residential lot line;
(2) No outdoor recreational facility lighting shall be installed closer than 50 feet from a residential lot line;
(3) A solid wall or fence, or combination vegetative screen and wall or fence, may be required for screening of noise or light; and
(4) Recreational uses in recreational zones shall have no commercial aspect, except:
(a) Fee for use of recreational facility; and
(b) Other activity directly related to the recreational use, when approved by the Zoning Administrator.
(J) Swimming pools. An outdoor swimming pool is recognized as a potential attractive nuisance, whether privately, publicly or commercially owned or operated:
(1) Water supply and sanitary facilities shall comply with local and S.C.D.H.E.C. regulations;
(2) Swimming pools may be located in a minimum yard space, however, they shall not be closer than five feet from the rear or side lot lines, nor shall they be located in front yards. Swimming pools shall not be located in easements;
(3) Swimming pools as part of a multi-family development shall not be located within 100 feet of adjacent single-family or duplex residential communities, unless closer location, with buffering and screening, are provided suitable to the Zoning Administrator;
(4) The pool shall comply with the “Standard Swimming Pool Code” of the Southern Building Code Congress, except as to schedule of fees, which shall be posted in the office of the City Clerk;
(5) A wall or fence at least four feet high, with self-locking gates, shall completely enclose the pool or surrounding yard;
(6) Lighting shall be so placed or shielded as to prevent direct rays being visible on adjacent properties; and
(7) A public address system for the supervision and safety of swimmers shall be the only broadcast device permitted.
(K) (1) The design guidelines below apply to mini-warehouses where storage units are fully enclosed within a single building structure and access to all units is from a common entrance into the building and where the proposed development will occur on a parcel zoned General Commercial (GC), Commercial Industrial (CI), and Light Industrial (LI).
(2) The intent of the following guidelines is to encourage aesthetically pleasing development whihc should be designed to be in harmony with surrounding commercially zoned properties.
(a) The first-floor frontage of the structure shall be designed to accommodate retail/office space to a depth of no less than 30 feet and not be occupied as mini-warehouse/self-storage space.
(b) The facade of the structure facing the street shall be designed to appear as retail/office space and blend with surrounding properties.
(c) The site shall incorporate interesting architectural features such as a water fountain, flag pole, or decorative wrought iron fencing to the front of the site at the entryway as approved and at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator.
(L) The design guidelines below apply to mini-warehouses with units having access from the exterior of unit and where the proposed development will occur on a parcel zoned Commercial Industrial(CI) and General Industrial (GI).
(1) The main office building shall be located to the front of the mini-warehouse thus screening the storage activity.
(2) All loading bays shall be oriented so as not to be visible from any street unless screened by fencing or landscaping materials.
(1985 Code, Art. V, § 503) (Ord. passed - -; Ord. 87-06, passed 2-10-1987; Ord. 87-15, passed 11-24-1987; Ord. 88-01, passed 1-12-1988; Ord. 89-02, passed 3-14-1989; Ord. 94-004, passed 4-28-1994; Ord. 95-009, passed 1-13-1995; Ord. 97-003, passed 2-11-1997; Ord. 08-007, passed 4-15-2008; Ord. 13-006, passed 9-10-2013; Ord. 15-008, passed 8-11-2015; Ord. 15-106, passed 12-8-2015; Ord. 16-006, passed 3-8-2016; Am. Ord. 17-014, passed 6-13-2017; Am. Ord. 17-025, passed 11-14-2017) Penalty, see § 151.999