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

Town of Harleyville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, demolition, change of use or occupancy inside Harleyville town

  • A zoning permit from the zoning administrator is required first
  • A building permit application must include all required permits from other agencies (Army Corps, SC DHEC, SC OCRM)

  “it is unlawful to construct, reconstruct, alter, demolish, change the use of, or occupy any land, building, or other structure without first obtaining the appropriate permit.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Development inside Harleyville town before a certificate of occupancy is issued

  • Ordinance text found ties inspection to the certificate of occupancy; no separate building-code inspection schedule found

  “an inspection of the development to determine its conformance to this ordinance, the harleyville land development ordinance and other applicable codes and regulations will be required prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Development inside Harleyville town

  • Fee $100 per application per the ordinance fee schedule

  certificate of occupancy fee: 100 USD per application

  “an inspection of the development to determine its conformance to this ordinance, the harleyville land development ordinance and other applicable codes and regulations will be required prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land within the corporate limits of Harleyville town, Dorchester County, SC

  • Administered by the town zoning administrator, planning commission and board of zoning appeals
  • Official zoning map kept at town hall

  “the regulations set forth in this ordinance govern the development and use of all land and structures - built and natural environments - within the corporate limits of the town of harleyville.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Harleyville town

  • Six districts: Town Center, Light Commercial, Highway Commercial, Institutional/Recreational, Single-Family Residential, Rural Residential
  • Annexed land is zoned rural residential unless council agrees otherwise

  “all land within the corporate limits of the town of harleyville is hereby divided into districts as described and as depicted on the accompanying document, the town of harleyville official zoning map.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots subdivided after the ordinance's effective date, all districts including single-family residential and rural residential, inside Harleyville town

  • Boundary line adjustments allowed if lot count does not increase
  • Maximum density one residence per half acre; no more than four residences per parcel
  • Existing nonconforming lots of record may still be developed

  minimum lot size: >= 0.5 acre (boundary line adjustment)

  “lots to be subdivided after the effective date of this ordinance in all districts shall be at least ½ acre (.50 ac.) in area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  All districts inside Harleyville town

  • Special exception from the board of zoning appeals may allow more height

  inhabitable heated floors above grade: <= 25 feet (special exception) · all other structures: <= 100 feet (special exception)

  “inhabitable heated floors shall not be elevated more than twenty-five feet (25') above grade.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside Harleyville town

  • Allowed by district per the land use table (permitted, conditional or special exception by zone; the table text is garbled so district letters are not recorded)
  • HUD seal, towing apparatus removed, foundation and underpinning, skirting, no independent roof structure, minimum 3:12 roof pitch
  • Longer dimension within 15 degrees of parallel to the public right-of-way when within 200 feet of it

  minimum roof pitch: >= 3:12

  “all units shall be usdhud-approved (bearing such seal), meeting the certified under the national manufactured housing construction and safety standards act and the sc manufactured housing standards.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Harleyville town

  • Resubmittal limited to once per 12 months for the same parcel
  • Fees: lot line adjustment $100; minor subdivision $100/acre ($500 max); major subdivision $200/acre ($2000 max)

  “lots to be subdivided after the effective date of this ordinance in all districts shall be at least ½ acre (.50 ac.) in area.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Parcels outside rural residential districts inside Harleyville town

  • Parcels outside RR need 20 feet of public frontage; private egress only in RR or for legacy landlocked parcels
  • No more than four detached residences may share a private egress

  minimum public frontage (non-RR): >= 20 feet (rural residential and legacy landlocked parcels)

  “all parcels, except those in rural residential zoning districts and those nonconforming landlocked parcels legally existing prior to adoption of this ordinance, shall have at least twenty feet (20') of frontage along a public rightof-way.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning and related permits inside Harleyville town

  • Costs of outside reviews (engineering, utilities, stormwater) are the applicant's responsibility
  • Building permit fees not found

  zoning permit: 250 USD per application · certificate of occupancy: 100 USD per application · special exception: 500 USD per application · variance: 250 USD per application

  “additionally, costs for outside reviews (ie. engineering, utilities, stormwater), that may be required will be the responsibility of the applicant.”

• Permit processPublished

  Zoning permits inside Harleyville town

  • Application with fee and site plans in triplicate to the zoning administrator
  • Permit lapses if work not started within six months or suspended for one year
  • Special exceptions go to the board of zoning appeals with 15 days' notice

  “a zoning permit will be issued only after it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the zoning administrator that all land development and zoning codes will be met.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permits in Harleyville town
• Building code adopted — Building code in Harleyville town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Harleyville town
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Harleyville town
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Harleyville 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.