Residents will have several upcoming opportunities to learn about potential zoning changes, as Richland County continues to finalize its rewritten Land Development Code (LDC).

The new meetings were added after the County pushed back its timeline for potential adoption of new zoning districts, in order to give staff and the public more time to discuss possible changes to residents’ property. Residents can drop by the meetings at their convenience to learn about their property’s current zoning, the changes being proposed and what those entail.

Meetings will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on:

• Thursday, March 17 at Garners Ferry Adult Activity Center (banquet and dining hall), 8620 Garners Ferry Road, Hopkins
• Monday, March 21 at Parklane Adult Activity Center (banquet and dining hall), 7494 Parklane Road, Columbia
• Tuesday, March 22 at Gadsden Park Community Center (banquet hall), 1668 S. Goodwin Circle, Gadsden
• Thursday, March 24 at North Springs Park Community Center (banquet hall), 1320 Clemson Road, Columbia
• Monday, March 28 at Pine Grove Community Center (banquet hall), 937 Piney Woods Road, Columbia

An additional drop-in meeting will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29 in the banquet hall of Ballentine Community Center, 1053 Bird Road, Irmo. More meetings could be added as time and availability permit.

The new zoning districts fall under the County’s LDC, a set of regulations that govern land use and development in unincorporated areas of 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.

Richland County has made other changes to its meeting schedule to account for the new timeline for zoning districts:

• County Council’s zoning public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 22 has been cancelled. Items from that agenda will now be heard at the public hearing set for 7 p.m. April 26.
• The County’s Planning Commission will meet at 3 p.m. Monday, April 4 to take public input on the remapping process from the LDC rewrite and make a recommendation to County Council.

Residents and property owners with questions about the process can visit the Zoning office on the first floor of the County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton St., Columbia, during business hours, or schedule a one-on-one meeting with a Zoning staff member about specific properties. Residents can also email LandDevelopmentCode@richlandcountysc.gov or call 803-576-2190.

For more on the LDC rewrite and the new zoning maps, visit the Planning Department’s webpage.

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