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

Town of North’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside the corporate limits of the Town of North

  • Ordinance dated 03/09/2015; prepared by Lower Savannah Council of Governments
  • Lot definition in the ordinance refers to land records of Barnwell County; county identity not otherwise confirmed on the page

  “the provisions of this ordinance shall apply to all land and improvements within the corporate limits of the town of north, south carolina.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside the Town of North: RS-1, RS-2, RMH, CC, HC, NC, IND, AGR, OSP, FHD overlay, PD, H overlay

  “the following zoning districts are hereby established in the town of north:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  RS-1 single family residential district, Town of North

  • Asterisk (*) on the lot-area figures is not explained in the captured text

  minimum residential lot area: >= 12000 sq ft · minimum lot width at building line: >= 100 ft

  “minimum residential lot area: 12,000 square feet* minimum non-residential lot area: 15,000 square feet* minimum lot width at building line: one hundred (100) feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AGR agricultural district, Town of North

    “minimum lot area: two (2) acres. minimum lot width at building line: twenty (20) feet for a standard lot; forty (40) feet for a corner lot.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  RS-1 single family residential district, Town of North (AGR district has separate setbacks: front 35 ft, side/rear 30 ft residential, § 4-118)

  • Rear yard: residential principal structure 25 ft, accessory structure 5 ft
  • Exceptions to front setback in chapter 5

  front setback: >= 35 ft · side setback, residential principal: >= 10 ft · side setback, accessory: >= 5 ft

  “minimum front yard setback: thirty-five (35) feet from the nearest street right-ofway line: for exceptions to this requirement, see chapter 5. minimum side yard setback: residential principal structure - ten (10) feet from interior side lot line. accessory structure - five (5) feet from interior side lot line.”

• Building heightSpecified

  RS-1 single family residential district, Town of North (AGR also 35 ft when permitted by fire regulations)

  • Exceptions in § 6-109 for spires, antennas, silos, chimneys and similar appurtenances

  maximum structure height: <= 35 ft (see chapter 6 exceptions)

  “maximum structure height: thirty-five (35) feet to the roof line. for exceptions to height regulations, see chapter 6 § 6-110”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes (pre-1976 or without HUD certification) inside the Town of North; HUD-code manufactured homes are addressed by district (RMH district, § 4-105 to 4-108, not quoted here)

  • Manufactured home parks are a prohibited use in the AGR district
  • Board of zoning appeals may grant an extension of up to six months by variance

  vacancy period before required removal: 6 months (BZA extension up to 6 months)

  “all nonconforming mobile homes shall be removed from the town limits when they have been vacant for a period of six (6) consecutive months. the board of zoning appeals may grant an extension of not more than six (6) consecutive months in an individual case upon appeal for a variance”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside the Town of North

  • Ordinance text says it is published as a separate volume; detailed subdivision standards not reviewed

  “an ordinance of the town of north, south carolina, regulating the location and use of buildings, structures and land, the height of buildings and other structures, size of yards, density and distribution of population, and the subdivision of land;”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning permits and certificates of zoning compliance, Town of North

  • Fee established by regulation of town council; may have changed since 2015 ordinance

  zoning permit fee: 150 USD

  “a fee in the amount of $150, established by regulation of town council, shall be paid for each zoning permit or certificate of zoning compliance issued by the zoning administrator.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits inside the Town of North (zoning permit only; building permit process not found)

  • Permit issued only for uses conforming to the ordinance or authorized by planning commission or board of zoning appeals

  “no building, sign or structure shall be erected, moved, enlarged, altered or demolished without a zoning permit issued by the zoning administrator.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside the Town of North
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside the Town of North
• Building code adopted — Building code inside the Town of North
• Inspections — Building inspections inside the Town of North
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside the Town of North

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.