(A) The Zoning Board of Adjustments, as established by the town, shall hear and decide appeals and requests for variances from the requirements of this chapter.
(B) The Board shall hear and decide appeals when it is alleged there is an error in any requirement, decision or determination made by the local administrator in the enforcement or administration of this chapter.
(C) Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Board or any taxpayer, or officer, department, board or bureau of the municipality may appeal such decision to a court of record, as provided in S.C. Code § 5-23-150.
(D) Variances may be issued for the repair or rehabilitation of historic structures (see definition) upon a determination that the proposed repair or rehabilitation will not preclude the structure’s continued designation as a historic structure and the variance is the minimum to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.
(E) In passing upon such applications, the Board shall consider all technical evaluations, all relevant factors, all standards specified in other sections of this chapter and:
(1) The danger that materials may be swept onto other lands to the injury of others;
(2) The danger to life and property due to flooding or erosion damage;
(3) The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the individual owner;
(4) The importance of the services provided by the proposed facility to the community;
(5) The necessity of the facility to a waterfront location, in the case of a functionally dependent facility;
(6) The availability of alternative locations, not subject to flooding or erosion damage, for the proposed use;
(7) The compatibility of the proposed use with existing and anticipated development;
(8) The relationship of the proposed use to the comprehensive plan and floodplain management program for that area;
(9) The safety of access to the property in times of flood for ordinary and emergency vehicles;
(10) The expected heights, velocity, duration, rate of rise and sediment transport of the floodwaters and the effects of wave action, if applicable, expected at the site; and
(11) The costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including maintenance and repair of public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems, and streets and bridges.
(F) Upon consideration of the factors listed above, and the purposes of this chapter, the Board may attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it deems necessary to further the purposes of this chapter.
(G) Variances shall not be issued within any designated floodway if any increase in flood levels during the base flood discharge would result.
(H) Conditions for variances.
(1) Variances shall only be issued upon a determination that the variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief; and in the instance of a historical building, a determination that the variance is the minimum necessary so as not to destroy the historic character and design of the building;
(2) Variances shall only be issued upon:
(a) A showing of good and sufficient cause;
(b) A determination that failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional hardship; and
(c) A determination that the granting of a variance will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, create nuisance, cause fraud on or victimization of the public, or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances.
(3) Any application to whom a variance is granted shall be given written notice specifying the difference between the base flood elevation and the elevation to which the building is to be built and stating that the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk resulting from the reduced lowest floor elevation.
(4) The Zoning Administrator shall maintain the records of all appeal actions and report any variances to the Federal Emergency Management Agency upon request.
(Prior Code, § 5-79)