A series of in-person events beginning next week will help inform Richland County residents about newly rewritten land development regulations before the new rules are finalized.
The rules make up the County’s revised Land Development Code (LDC), a draft of which is available for public review at weplantogether.org. The upcoming meetings are the latest effort to involve the community in the rewriting process.
“We are excited about the new possibilities this code will provide and about the type of development that will be possible compared to the current LDC,” said Brian Crooks, interim Planning Services manager.
The LDC is a set of regulations governing land use and development in unincorporated Richland County. The code covers standards for zoning districts and dwelling units allowed per acre, along with building location, permitted uses, signage, landscaping and other rules. In 2017, the County began updating the LDC as part of a process to develop regulations that implement a vision for where and how the County grows in the 21st century.
County staff will be on hand to answer questions at the upcoming informal meetings, and residents can attend on a day that is most convenient for them.
“While we provided virtual opportunities for engagement during the pandemic, staff also understands the need for having face-to-face interaction,” Crooks said. “These drop-in meetings will be opportunities for those who are interested to stop by, talk with staff, and see what the proposed LDC will look like.”
The meetings will be:
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, Cross Roads Community Center (banquet hall), 2750 McCords Ferry Road, Eastover
- 6:15 p.m.-8:15 p.m. Thursday, July 29, Meadowlake Park (gymnasium), 600 Beckman Road, Columbia
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, Upper Richland Community Center (banquet hall), 280 Camp Ground Road, Columbia
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4, Gadsden Park Community Center (banquet hall), 1668 S. Goodwin Circle, Gadsden
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, County Administration Building (fourth-floor conference room), 2020 Hampton St., Columbia
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, Hopkins Park (gymnasium), 150 Hopkins Park, Hopkins
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, County Administration Building (fourth-floor conference room), 2020 Hampton St., Columbia
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, Ballentine Community Center (banquet hall), 1009 Bickley Road, Irmo
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, County Administration Building (fourth-floor conference room), 2020 Hampton St., Columbia
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18, Decker Center (community room), 2500 Decker Blvd., Columbia
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, County Administration Building (fourth-floor conference room), 2020 Hampton St., Columbia
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, Blythewood Park (gymnasium), 126 Boney Road, Blythewood
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25, Upper Richland Community Center, 280 Camp Ground Rd, Columbia
- 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, Crane Creek Gymnasium, 7405 Fairfield Road, Columbia
Find more details, including meeting location information, on Richland County’s website: www.richlandcountysc.gov. More meetings and other events could be scheduled as availability allows.
To view previous virtual public forums on the LDC rewrite, visit the County’s YouTube page: www.youtube.com/RichlandOnline.
For more information on the LDC, visit the Community Planning & Development page on the County website or visit the Zoning office on the first floor of the County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton St., Columbia.