Florence City Council approves ordinances on animals, zoning, design guidelines, budget and infrastructure

The Florence City Council approved a slate of ordinances and resolutions at its March meeting, acting on animal-control rules, zoning and annexations, downtown design guidelines, a budget amendment and infrastructure agreements.

City leaders voted to adopt an ordinance amending Article 1, Chapter 3 of the Florence Code of Ordinances to update prohibitions on ownership and keeping of livestock, wild animals and venomous reptiles. The ordinance incorporates language reviewed by biology faculty at Francis Marion University and draws from a still-pending state bill on venomous reptiles, staff said.

The council also approved amendments to the city’s vacant and abandoned building registry ordinance, clarifying three categories of properties and adding fees for commercial and industrial buildings. Council members and staff said the changes aim to target structures that are “falling in,” attracting crime and contributing to blight while excluding actively managed vacant spaces such as properties listed for lease.

Council members approved multiple annexations and rezoning requests, including parcels on Gilbert Drive and Freedom Boulevard (to CG), Tunbridge Place/West Lake Drive (to RG-3), and a rezoning for property on Dexter Drive and Atwood Avenue. On the…