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Planning commission discusses tightening planned-development rules, tree preservation and mass-grading limits
Summary
Commissioners debated clarifying planned-development (PD) rules to require a percent of commercial mixed use, updating PD design standards, and adding tree-preservation rules and a preferred-species list; mass-grading provisions were described as complex and may require outside drafting help.
The planning commission discussed revising Edgefield County’s planned-development (PD) rules to better reflect the state statute’s intended “mixed-use” concept and to add clearer local requirements for commercial components in PDs.
Commission members raised concerns that PDs have been used to allow developments that are entirely residential and that the state law’s term “mixed use” is vague. One commissioner said: “When I read the state law and it says mixed use, yes, I take that to mean residential and commercial,” and recommended the county add a percentage requirement for a separate use (for example, 10–15 percent commercial) as part of PD eligibility criteria. Planning staff noted that even if the commission adopts language requiring commercial uses, county council retains final discretion because a PD becomes a site-specific ordinance at council.
Commissioners also reviewed the county’s PD ordinance language (minimum parcel size, open-space and impervious-surface limits) and suggested adding separate PD categories for commercial/industrial planned developments and for residential PDs to avoid one-size-fits-all rules. Staff recommended adding clarifying text under development standards to apply residential density standards only when the PD is residential in character.
On tree preservation and mass grading, commissioners said tree-preservation rules should pair with an approved list of locally preferred species (oaks, magnolias, dogwood were discussed) and that mass-grading rules are more complex and may not translate directly from city examples. “If the goal is tree preservation, then really mass grading has to go out altogether,” one commissioner said, noting grading often kills existing large trees. Staff said they may bring a specialist to draft mass-grading language and recommended adding preferred native trees to the ordinance to guide landscaping and preservation requirements.
The discussion produced no formal vote or ordinance changes at the meeting; staff said the commission will place special-development districts, tree-preservation and mass-grading on future work lists for drafting and potential ordinance edits.
