Hanahan planning commission approves Edison Avenue preliminary plat for eight lots

The Hanahan Planning Commission unanimously approved a preliminary land development plan March 4 to subdivide a 0.824-acre parcel on Edison Avenue into eight residential lots.

Planning staff told the commission that the property, identified as TMS 2651604058 and currently zoned town residential (TR), has about 300 feet of street frontage and was previously part of a two-lot subdivision in 2024. The applicant, AJ Construction and Remodeling LLC, provided a preliminary plat showing developable areas for each potential lot and separate driveways for each parcel. Staff said the request has been reviewed and approved by the South Carolina Department of Transportation and that Berkeley County stormwater staff gave preliminary approval pending engineered stormwater plans.

Staff recommended approval with conditions tied to driveway compliance (section 5.9.0.4), town-residential design standards, and tree and landscaping requirements under the town's land development and zoning ordinances. Staff noted existing roadside trees and perimeter plantings, including oaks and magnolias, many between about 10 and 25 inches in diameter, and advised prioritizing preservation where utilities and driveways would not be affected. The report recorded two different tree-related standards the developer must meet at final plat or site-plan stage: staff cited a requirement of one tree per two dwelling units under the zoning ordinance (section 6.6.g) and, under the land development ordinance, a retention or planting requirement of at least one tree per 50 feet of frontage with every third roadside tree required to be a canopy species.

Commissioners asked no substantive follow-up questions during the discussion. A motion to approve the preliminary plat was made and seconded; Commissioners Thrower, Farrar, Watts, Brace and Chairman Stroke voted yes. The commission did not attach additional special conditions beyond those described by staff; staff said final calculations for tree mitigation and frontage trees would be handled when the applicant submits a site plan and land-disturbance documents.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes from Feb. 4: Approved (voice vote recorded as unanimous). The minutes contained a clerical error in the item description that staff noted had been corrected in an accompanying email. - Edison Avenue preliminary land development plan (TMS 2651604058) by AJ Construction and Remodeling LLC: Motion to approve passed unanimously. Conditions noted by staff cover driveway compliance, town-residential design standards, and tree/landscaping requirements; final engineering and stormwater approvals remain required. - Motion to adjourn: Approved unanimously.

The commission closed the meeting after noting the next regular meeting is scheduled for April 1, 2025, and briefly discussed possibly holding a special workshop to review planning commission rules; staff asked commissioners to submit suggested changes by email so the city attorney could review them for compliance with state law before any special meeting was scheduled.