Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Donalds, South Carolina

Town of Donalds’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside the corporate limits of Donalds town

  • Ordinance adopted by Town Council April 15, 2024 (Ordinance 2024-01)
  • Town Clerk also serves as zoning administrator

  “the regulations set forth in this ordinance shall be applicable within the corporate limits of the town of donalds.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Donalds town: R1, C1, H1, HC, RA

  • Boundaries are shown on the official zoning map

  “district uses minimum lot size r1 single family residential 2 acres c1 core commercial 1 acre h1 single & multi family residential 2 acres hc historical conservation 0.25 acres ra single family residential agricultural 10 acres”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R1 single family residential district, inside Donalds town

  • Dwelling must meet the International Building Code
  • Modular homes included; mobile, manufactured and tiny homes excluded

  minimum dwelling size: > 600 square feet

  “single family dwellings greater than six hundred (600) square feet that meet the international building code which includes modular homes but excludes mobile and manufactured homes, and tiny homes/houses.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R1 single family residential district, inside Donalds town

  • Exception for a lot that has preexisting water, septic/sewer, power and utility hook-ups; building codes and setbacks must still be met and are reviewed before a building permit issues
  • Substandard lots of record are handled under Section 303

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres (preexisting utility-connected lots) · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet at building line

  “the minimum lot size is two (2) acres for all new residential dwellings as of the adoption of this ordinance. a building permit will not be issued for new residential dwellings on lots smaller than two (2) acres. 1) the only exception is for a lot that has preexisting water, septic/sewer, power, and utility hook-ups and connections.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — RA single family residential agricultural district, inside Donalds town

    “minimum lot area: minimum lot width: 435,600 sq. ft. (10 acres) 150 feet at building line”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R1 single family residential district, inside Donalds town

  • Accessory structure setback 3 feet side and rear

  front setback: >= 25 feet · side setback: >= 10 feet · rear setback: >= 15 feet

  “minimum building setbacks: accessory structure setback: front: 25 feet 3 feet (side and rear) side: 10 feet rear: 15 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — RA single family residential agricultural district, inside Donalds town

    “minimum building setbacks: accessory structure setback: front: 35 feet 5 feet (side and rear) side: 15 feet rear: 20 feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  R1 single family residential district, inside Donalds town

  • Section 812 lists height exceptions

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “maximum buildings height: maximum dwelling units per 2 acres: 35 feet 1”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — RA single family residential agricultural district, inside Donalds town

    “maximum buildings height: maximum dwelling units per acre: 35 feet 1 per 10 acres”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles stored on residential property inside Donalds town

  • Stated purpose of Section 705 RV storage standards; the detailed operative text was not fully read

  “the purpose of the recreational vehicles (rv) storage standards is to clearly define and identify requirements for the storage of recreational vehicles (rv) and prohibit person (s) from occupying and/or using recreational vehicles (rv) stored on residential property”

• Tiny homesLimited

  R1 single family residential district, inside Donalds town

  • Tiny homes/houses are excluded from the R1 permitted single-family dwelling use
  • Other districts not checked

  “single family dwellings greater than six hundred (600) square feet that meet the international building code which includes modular homes but excludes mobile and manufactured homes, and tiny homes/houses.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  R1 single family residential district, inside Donalds town

  • Mobile and manufactured homes are excluded from the R1 permitted single-family dwelling use
  • Other districts (H1, RA, HC, C1) not checked

  “single family dwellings greater than six hundred (600) square feet that meet the international building code which includes modular homes but excludes mobile and manufactured homes, and tiny homes/houses.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Donalds or Abbeville County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Donalds town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Donalds town
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Donalds town
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Donalds town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Donalds town

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.