Charleston County Zoning Chapter 4 Summary
Charleston County Zoning Classifications
Summary of Density / Dimensional Requirements from Chapter 4
| District Name | MAXIMUM DENSITY (dwelling units per acre) |
MINIMUM LOT AREA (sq ft unless otherwise specified) |
MINIMUM LOT WIDTH (feet) |
MINIMUM SETBACKS 1 (feet) |
OCRM Critical Line (feet) |
MAXIMUM BUILDING COVER | MAXIMUM HEIGHT (feet) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front/Street Side | Interior Side | Rear | ||||||||
| RM | Resource Management | 1 / 25 2 | 1 acre | 135 | 50 | 15 | 30 | 50 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| AG-15 | Agricultural Preservation | 1 / 15 | 3 acres | 135 | 50 | 15 | 30 | 50 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| AG-10 | Agricultural Preservation 3 | 1 / 10 | 1 acre | 135 | 50 | 15 | 30 | 50 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| AG-8 | Agricultural Preservation 3 | 1 / 8 | 1 acre | 135 | 50 | 15 | 30 | 50 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| AGR | Agricultural/ Residential 3 | 1 / 1 | 30,000 | 100 | 50 | 15 | 30 | 50 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| RR-3 | Rural Residential 3 | 1 / 3 | 30,000 | 100 | 50 | 15 | 30 | 50 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| S-3 | Special Management 3 3 | 3 / 1 | 14,500 12,500 12,500 4 | 80 70 70 4 | 25 | 15 | 25 | 35 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| R-4 | Single Family Residential 4 3 | 4 / 1 | 14,500 10,000 7,250 4 | 60 | 25 | 5 | 15 | 35 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| M-8 | Mixed Style Residential 8 | 8 / 1 | 12 | 15 | 0/5 5 | 10 | 35 | 50% of lot | 4 stories/50 | |
| M-12 | Mixed Style Residential 12 | 12 / 1 | 12 | 15 | 0/5 5 | 10 | 35 | 50% of lot | 4 stories/50 | |
| MHS | Low-Density Manufactured Housing Subdivision |
6 / 1 | 5,000 | 50 | 25 | 5 | 15 | 35 | 30% of lot | 35 |
| MHP | Manufactured Housing Park 6, 7 |
10 / 1 | MINIMUM PARK AREA 1 acre |
25 | 5 | 10 | 35 | 35% of lot | 35 | |
| OR | Residential Office 6, 7, 8 | 6,000 | 50 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 50 | 35% of lot | 35 | |
| OG | General Office 6, 7 | 2,000 | 50 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 50 | 40% of lot | 35 | |
| CN | Neighborhood Commercial 6, 7 | 4,000 | 15 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 50 | 25% of lot | 35 | |
| CT | Commercial Transition 6, 7, 8 | not designated | 100 / 200 9 | 3000 / 5000 gross sq ft 10 | 35 | |||||
| CR | Rural Commercial 7 | 40,000 | 125 | 25 | 15 | 25 | 50 | 40% of lot | 35 | |
| CC | Community Commercial 11, 12 | 4,000 | 15 | None | None | None | 50 | 35% of lot | No Maximum | |
| I | Industrial 6, 7 | 15,000 | 70 | 50 | None | None | 50 | No Maximum | No Maximum | |
| PD | Planned Development: no rights of development apply to a PD zoning designation other than those of the approved plan | |||||||||
Notes:
1. Front/Street Side Setback reductions of 15 feet may be approved by the Planning Director when deemed compatible with existing development patterns or setbacks shown on approved plats.
2. On tracts of 100 or more acres, where lots ranging from one to three acres are created, a bonus of one dwelling shall be allowed on the residual area of the parent tract.
3. Property within the (AG-10?) AG-8 or any AGR, RR-3, S-3, or R-4 zoning district may be approved for subdivision and development of affordable housing as certified by Charleston County. (See Section 6.4.19) The following density/intensity and dimensional standards apply to qualified affordable housing:
| Zoning District | Maximum Density | Minimum Lot Area | Other Dimensional Standards | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG-10 | 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres | 1 acre | same as AG-10 | Single family detached units only |
| AG-8 | 3 dwelling units per acre | 8,000 sq ft | same as R-4 | Single family detached units only |
| AGR and RR-3 | 3 dwelling units per acre | 8,000 sq ft | same as R-4 | Single family detached units only |
| S-3 | 4 dwelling units per acre | 8,000 sq ft | same as R-4 | Single family detached units only |
| R-4 | 6 dwelling units per acre | 4,000 sq ft | same as R-4 | Single family attached housing units and duplexes allowed |
4. When three figures are listed for Minimum Lot Area or Width, the first is for lots with neither public water nor sewer, the second figure is for lots with water or sewer but not both, and the third for lots with both water and sewer.
5. Zero lot line homes may be built with no setback on one side of the property, but must have at least 10 feet of separation between buildings.
6. Single family detached dwelling units in the MHP, OR, OG, CT, CN, and I zoning districts in the Urban/Suburban Area shall comply with the density/intensity and dimensional standards of the R-4 zoning district. (See Section 6.4.25)
7. A maximum of one single family detached dwelling unit shall be allowed per Lot of Record in the MHP, OR, OG, CT, CN, CC, CR, and I zoning districts in the Rural Area. Unit must meet all dimensional standards of the non-residential zoning district in which it is located.(See Section 6.4.25)
8. Residential uses in the OR and CT districts shall be subject to the density/intensity and dimensional standards of the R-4 district.
9. Without shared access 200 feet; with shared access 100 feet.
10. 1-199 feet road frontage 3,000 gross sq. ft.; 200+ feet road frontage 5,000 gross sq. ft.
11. Residential uses in the CC district shall be subject to the density/intensity and dimensional standards of the M-12 district.
12. Single family detached dwelling units in the CC zoning district in the Urban/Suburban Area shall comply with the density/intensity and dimensional standards of the M-12 zoning district.(See Section 6.4.25)