(A) Purpose of district. The Sweetgrass Basket-2 Overlay District is intended to facilitate the preservation and protection of the sweetgrass basket stand tradition in the town, by allowing sweetgrass basket stands as an accessory use within the geographical areas of the town where the craft of basket weaving and sales have historically occurred.
(B) Findings. A portion of U.S. Highway 17 in the town, running essentially from Venning Road to the town's northern corporate limits, is a historic corridor wherein wears and crafts of African- American tradition have long been made and sold. This corridor is unique and of great importance to the cultural heritage of the town, as it is one of only a few remaining areas of the country where the art of basket weaving continues, having been handed down from generation to generation from antebellum times through the present. The growth of the town and its expansion into areas where sweetgrass basket stands have been traditionally located poses a potential for their displacement as higher speeds, and modern construction techniques along the corridor render access to the stands inconvenient and at times dangerous. The Town Council is committed to preserving and protecting the cultural heritage of the town, and hereby finds that it is in the best interests of the town to establish an overlay district to allow sweetgrass basket stands as accessory uses consistent with the tradition of the corridor, and in recognition of the importance of the sweetgrass basket tradition to the town's history and culture.
(C) Permitted uses. Permitted uses are those authorized by the underlying or primary zoning district classification of the applicable parcels.
(D) Accessory uses. Sweetgrass basket stands, provided that: the lot to which the stand is accessory has direct frontage on U.S. Highway 17; the stand is located outside the right-of-way and required buffers, unless unique site conditions identified as part of site plan review demonstrate that encroachment into the buffer is warranted; the stand is no larger than 250 square feet in area (two-dimensional horizontal plane); provision is made for sweetgrass vendors and their patrons to share access and parking to the stand from the lot upon which the sweetgrass basket stand is accessory; the design of the stand is consistent with the photos shown herein below on the following page; and access to the stand is approved in accordance with the provisions of § 156.310 of this chapter. The sweetgrass basket stand may only be used as a place where sweetgrass baskets are made and/or sold, and no additional parking is required for this accessory use.
(Ord. 11019, passed 7-12-11; Am. Ord. 14047, passed 8-12-14)