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Dorchester County committee advances ordinance change to raise impervious-surface limits for cluster and townhouse lots
Summary
Planning staff presented a text amendment to update impervious-surface standards across zoning districts; the planning committee voted unanimously to advance the second reading, and the public hearing was rescheduled to the committee’s next in‑person meeting in February.
Dorchester County planning staff presented and the Planning, Development & Building Committee voted unanimously Jan. 21 to advance text amendments to the county Zoning and Land Development Standards (Ordinance No. 04‑13) that change how impervious surface is calculated for cluster subdivisions and townhouse lots.
Planning staff said the amendments were prompted by engineers in the development community and are intended to align impervious‑surface limits with stormwater engineering practice and to make lots built under cluster and townhouse provisions actually buildable. “So all of those amendments … it's all relating to impervious surface,” Planning staff member Miss Reinerson said as she summarized the proposal. She told the committee staff worked with engineers to set new limits that vary by lot size — roughly 60% to 75% for cluster lots and an increase from 50% to about 70% for townhouse lots — and that the changes were reviewed to ensure they remain consistent with runoff and stormwater calculations.
The text amendment also standardizes confusing language across residential and commercial districts and corrects an outdated agency name (removing a DHEC reference and replacing it with the county’s Department of Environmental Services). Planning staff said the Planning Commission considered the amendment in November and recommended approval.
Committee chair Mr. Crosby and other members expressed support for the change. A council member who spoke during discussion said the revisions would make it easier for homeowners to add yard features such as pools. Mr. Anderson moved to approve the committee recommendation and a second was given; the committee recorded the motion as passing unanimously and the committee report later confirmed the committee vote.
Because the county attorney advised that the public hearing be held in person, the committee postponed the public hearing and formal public comment to the committee’s next in‑person meeting (anticipated the second meeting in February). Planning staff said redlines reflecting the agency name correction will appear on the third‑reading packet and that the amendment does not change other percentages beyond the sections identified.
What happens next: The committee advanced the amendment to the next step for the required public hearing in person; staff will publish the redlined language before the final reading so the public may review the exact edits.
