Richland County has scheduled a round of open house meetings with residents to highlight recommended revisions to the County’s zoning map and Land Development Code (LDC).
Last April, County Council directed the County’s Planning Commission to prepare a new zoning map and recommend related text revisions. In November, the commission finished its work and requested that its recommendations be shared with the public before being presented to Council.
At the open house meetings, which are organized to reach residents across the County, people can drop in at their convenience and review the proposed changes before those revisions go to County Council for consideration. The meetings will include the Planning Commission’s recommended zoning map and changes to the text. County staff can answer residents’ questions on site; residents can also submit comments to County Council and staff via comment cards.
Meetings are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- March 22, Garners Ferry Adult Activity Center, 8620 Garners Ferry Road, Hopkins (Council District 11)
- March 29, Killian Park, 1424 Marthan Road, Blythewood (Council Districts 2, 7, 8, 9)
- April 3, Richland Library Eastover, 608 Main St., Eastover (Council District 10)
- April 10, New Castle-Trenholm Acres Community Center, 5819 Shakespeare Road, Columbia (Council Districts 3, 6, 7, 8)
- April 12, Council Chambers, Richland County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton St., Columbia (Council Districts 2, 4, 5, 6)
All meetings will run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Additional meetings specific to various Council districts will be announced as they are scheduled.
Richland County previously held an open house Feb. 8 at Richland Library Ballentine (Council District 1).
More About the LDC
The LDC and accompanying zoning map are adopted County ordinances that regulate land use, growth and development outside of incorporated cities and towns. They govern the types of uses, location and size of developments within various zones, as well as establishing the procedures for how development proposals are reviewed.
The LDC also controls various development and subdivision standards such as parking, landscaping, signs, addressing, building form and open space within a development, and the division and platting of land as well as road layout and other infrastructure requirements.
Richland County adopted its current LDC in 2005 and has amended it many times since then. In November 2021, County Council adopted a comprehensive LDC text revision, but in 2022 Council and the Planning Commission decided more time was needed to engage the public and make additional changes, and they directed County planning staff to “restart” the LDC and zoning map amendment process.
County Council and the commission reason that, as the County adapts to changes in technology, lifestyles and economic conditions, corresponding changes must be made to the LDC to assure that development occurs logically and in a planned fashion.
Residents with questions regarding the ongoing Land Development Code Restart Process should email Aric Jensen, assistant County administrator: jensen.aric@richlandcountysc.gov. Those with general questions on the existing Land Development Code should email LandDevelopmentCode@richlandcountysc.gov.
Find updates, public notices and other information on the remapping restart for the LDC online: www.richlandcountysc.gov/Government/Departments/Planning-Development.