North Augusta council imposes moratorium on new apartment developments through 2027

The North Augusta City Council voted unanimously Feb. 3 to impose a moratorium on the issuance of new permits for multifamily (apartment) developments until Aug. 7, 2027.

Council members said the moratorium is tied to the city's forthcoming comprehensive-plan update and a rewrite of the development code. Council approved an amendment clarifying that the moratorium applies specifically to 'multifamily' developments.

City staff described the ordinance as intended to buy time for the planning department, planning commission and council to align standards and incentives before additional large apartment projects proceed. The ordinance text and staff comments say the moratorium will remain in effect until the city adopts an updated development code or "other city ordinances" addressing multifamily housing, or until Aug. 7, 2027, whichever comes first.

The ordinance includes several exemptions: projects already in approved or ongoing planned developments (PDs) are not affected; properties with an approved development or site plan remain eligible to proceed; and the council retains authority to approve additional PDs that would permit multifamily dwellings during the moratorium.

During public comment, Jason Wingter of Atomic Road said developers and city officials should continue to talk, and he urged the council to account for market realities such as interest rates and the long lead time on large apartment projects. Several council members raised concerns about the moratorium length and its potential effect on property owners, while others said the pause was needed to ensure infrastructure, public safety and planning standards keep pace with growth.

Council members and staff pointed to apartment projects already in the pipeline that are likely to be built regardless of the moratorium, including phases at Exit 1 and other planned developments, and said the pause would not affect those projects because of the ordinance's exemptions.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 2025-05 (apartment/multifamily moratorium): Approved on first reading with an amendment adding the words "for multifamily developments" to Roman Numeral 1; council vote unanimous. - Ordinance 2025-01 (annexation, 0.7 acre parcel, Adler's Brothers Properties): Approved on second reading; council vote recorded as five in favor during the roll-call count shown in the meeting. - Ordinance 2025-02 (annexation ~381.29 acres, Walton SC LLC): Motion to table; tabled unanimously. - Ordinance 2025-03 (rezoning ~86.12 acres to PD): Motion to table; tabled unanimously. - Ordinance 2025-04 (general development plan for Kellogg PD, ~4,467 acres): Motion to table; tabled unanimously. - Resolution 2025-02 (deed of dedication, water/sewer and maintenance guarantee for Parker's Kitchen at Jefferson Davis Highway and I-520): Approved unanimously. - Resolution 2025-03 (professional engineering services on-call contracts for stormwater: Benesch, Cranston Engineering, Thomas & Hutton): Approved unanimously. - Resolution 2025-04 (Ballpark Village Municipal Improvement District assessment roll amendment): Approved unanimously. - Resolution 2025-SO5 (extensions for accommodation tax advisory committee award disbursements, ATAX): Approved unanimously. - Resolution 2025-O6 (grant application to SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism for a Palmetto Trail/Palmetto Parkway trailhead; city match $25,000 from capital projects): Authorized unanimously.

What the ordinance does and does not do

City staff and council repeatedly emphasized the limits of the moratorium: it does not retroactively void already approved development or site plans; it does not automatically ban planned developments that the council chooses to approve during the moratorium; and duplexes, triplexes and other small multi-unit housing forms were removed from this ordinance's scope at the council's direction, leaving the pause targeted at larger multifamily apartment projects.

Council discussion recorded concerns about property rights and the duration of the pause, with one council member saying two-and-a-half years felt too long for property owners to wait. Supporters said the moratorium creates a window to examine infrastructure needs such as fire service and stormwater before more high-density projects are permitted.

The council directed staff to incorporate the clarification ("for multifamily developments") into Roman Numeral 1 of the ordinance before recording the minutes; the amendment was moved and adopted during the meeting.

Next steps

The ordinance is tied to the city's schedule for updating its comprehensive plan and development code. Staff said planning will continue outreach, and the council and planning commission will have opportunities to shape the rewrite. Individual developers may still seek PD approval from the council during the moratorium under the ordinance's exemption provisions.