14.04.020 Purpose of districts.

Collectively, these districts are intended to advance the purposes of the ordinance codified in this title, as stated in the preamble. Individually, each district is designed and intended to accomplish the following more specific objectives.

2. UD Urban Development District. This district is intended to accommodate most of the projected growth in the unincorporated area of Colleton County during the time span of the county’s comprehensive plan, to the year 2015. It corresponds generally with the urban area of the county, as delineated by the Colleton County comprehensive plan. 2015, but also may include other intensely developing areas so designated by the Colleton County planning commission. This district is projected to have most public facilities and infrastructure in support of urban development such as schools, sewer, water, streets, etc., and as such is intended to provide the regulations and capital improvements which will attract development. It consists of areas where development logically should locate as a consequence of planned public facilities and associated capital expenditures. District regulations permit development of generally suburban character, providing for a full range of residential uses as well as commercial, institutional, and industrial uses.

3. RC Resource Conservation District. The purpose of this district is to protect from misuse and to ensure for future generations the county’s environmentally sensitive, wetlands, marshes, beaches and sand dunes, rivers, creeks, and other natural resources critical to the ecosystems they support; however, the above is not intended to discourage upscale development.

Due to the fragile nature of these resources, comprising much of the southeastern one-third of the county, development standards for this district generally are more rigid than elsewhere in the county, requiring closer attention to the environment, and mitigation of land disturbing activity which would negatively impact such resources.

4. RD Rural Development District. The intent of this classification is to conserve, sustain, and protect from urban encroachment rural areas and resources, particularly agricultural, and maintain a balanced rural-urban environment.

The retention of open lands, woodlands, and farmlands, which make up a large part of this area, are essential to clean air, water, wildlife, many natural cycles, and a balanced environment, among other things. Even more essential from an economic perspective are the agricultural lands and farming operations in this area. Also provided by this district is a rural environment preferred by many people over subdivisions and higher density urban or community settings.

5. CC Community Commercial. The intent of this district is to provide commercial nodes in convenient and strategic locations of the county to meet “community needs,” and to encourage clustering commercial development as opposed to strip commercial development and commercial sprawl.

6. ID Industrial Development District. The intent of this district is to accommodate certain industrial uses which, based on their operational characteristics, are potentially incompatible with residential, social, medical, and commercial environs. As a result, the establishment of such districts shall be restricted to areas geographically removed or buffered from such environs, and the operations of such uses monitored by performance standards to ensure environmental compatibility.

1. PDD Planned Development District. The intent of the planned development district is to encourage flexibility in the development of land in order to promote its most appropriate use, and to do so in a manner that will enhance public health, safety, morals, and general welfare.

Within the PDD, regulations adapted to unified planning and development are intended to accomplish the purpose of zoning and other applicable regulations to an equivalent or higher degree than where such regulations are designed to control unscheduled development on individual lots or tracts, promote economical and efficient land use, provide an improved level of amenities, foster a harmonious variety of uses, encourage creative design, and produce a better environment.

In view of the substantial public advantage of “planned development,” it is the intent of these regulations to promote and encourage or require development in this form where appropriate in character, timing, and location, particularly in large undeveloped tracts.

2. FH Flood Hazard Districts. It is the intent of this district to protect human life and health, minimize property damage, encourage appropriate construction practices, and minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions by requiring that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction.

Additionally, this district is intended to help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood-prone areas and to ensure that potential home buyers are notified that property is in a flood area. The provisions of this district are intended to minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone, and sewer lines, street and bridges located in the floodplain, and prolonged business interruptions, and to minimize expenditures of public money for costly flood control projects and rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding.